Aether Beasts

Our fun continued for long hours and by the time our lusts were satiated, it was early morning so we decided to have some food brought up before we finally headed out.

The main reception was the busiest it had ever been, but even with that, the receptionist still managed to pick us out from the crowd and ask if we required anything. We didn\'t, and I had to admit he was dedicated to his job. The others in reception would have most likely been angry if not for the fact all three of us were at the third level and our power was clear. There was plenty of muttering and whispers as we passed, but I paid them no attention.

My focus was on the city, and the preparations occurring. I had noticed the decorations somewhat yesterday, but well I had mostly pushed it to the back of my mind as I\'d had other things to worry about, but now all I could do was wait. It was hard knowing there were two other brothels full of slaves, but there was nothing I could do, and worrying about it, would cause me nothing but grief. It was a beautiful day and I was with my three loves, so I would enjoy it.

The arrival of the expedition was treated more like a parade by the people of the city, and as we walked from the hotel to the market, we saw people setting flyers, flags, and other decorations all over the city, or at least the main areas. Nobody bothered to do anything to the more out-of-the-way areas as it would be unlikely that those from the expedition would go there.

To my surprise, there were also stalls which I found confusing since I couldn\'t imagine what people from Zirani lands would want from here. They probably had far greater things in their lands.

"Trash from a member of the expedition would be treasure here," Zirani said. "And you never know. You can\'t lump all people into one category. Yes, my lands are more brutal, but there is still a wide array of peoples. Maybe someone from my court will take interest in one of those green leaf broaches over there and pay with one of our crystals which would be worth hundreds of your crystals."

That made more sense, and it was also probably why there were no weapons, armor, or any such thing on sale. Trinkets made sense, but it was unlikely those from the expedition would buy inferior armor and weapons especially since they\'d have to go back into the scar and as Zirani put it, the average arcanists from the lands beyond the scar would not be allowed on the expedition. Usually, it was those with greater talent, maybe pupils or those from influential families who wished to grow.

"The great scar is a harsh and deadly environment, the deadliest you could say," Zirani explained. "And as such, if used right, can create the deadliest arcanists."

"Are they arriving today?" Misty asked.

"Tomorrow," Sandra answered. "At least I think so. Should be interesting."

Sandra\'s voice carried a tone of nervousness to it, and I immediately knew why. Just like myself and Zirani, she would have to reveal herself to the members of her family, and well she had no clue what would happen. There was also the problem with the person who wanted her gone, and fear that she might be rejected, even though Zirani had assured her she would not. If anything, the fact she had reached so far in the plains would create awe and impress. It would lead people to a simple conclusion. What could she accomplish with the proper resources in an aether-rich land?

It would be much the same for me, minus the whole thing with Zirani, her mother, and the verdant court.

We spent a few hours just having a look around parts of the city we hadn\'t seen yet. I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the food district and sampling all of the different types of street foods, and the dishes inside the more expensive eateries. The girls enjoyed their time in the higher-end clothing stores, and it would have been boring if not for the fact they seemed to take great pleasure in putting on revealing clothes and showing them off to me in the private changing rooms.

Everything seemed like it would turn out fine until later in the day when we were heading back to the hotel. Directly ahead of us two groups of robed arcanists seemed to be in some sort of a standoff. I recognized the red of the burning sands sect, but the others in shining metallic robes foreign to me, though I assumed their sect name probably had something to do with metal, and not just because of their robes. Almost all of them had a metal affinity with the leader having two cores, one metal, and the other wind. A deadly combination that I had once dreamed of having back in my academy days. The strength of cold steel and the speed of razor wind was a combination that allowed for much.

Its versatility in both offense and defense was unmatched by few of the other basic affinity combos, not that it instantly made you better. It just gave you a lot more options. It was the reason I had wanted it while so many others in my class had wanted fire. Fire was good and all, but limited by itself and couldn\'t work with many other affinities like water and earth, and even with wind, all it did was enhance the other\'s destructive capabilities, though with what I knew now, I could see more uses, but for the people in the plains, wind, and metal would be the better choice.

The man at the head of the red-robed group was also at the third level with a fire and earth core. He stood glaring at the other leader, and both were in the process of readying techniques, simple and crude techniques, but techniques nonetheless. I snorted. I was acting as Zirani once had, but I couldn\'t help it. It was like watching two grown men use children\'s play weapons to fight, or something similar. I couldn\'t think of a better analogy.

"Do we intervene?" Misty asked.

"No, there\'s no reason to," I replied. "Everyone is watching from a distance and their techniques won\'t go far, so there won\'t be any civilians in the way, and plus, do you really want to get into a fight with them."

"You think they would?" Sandra asked. "We\'re all at the third level."

I raised a finger. "One word, Arrogance."

Sandra frowned then nodded. "Fair enough."

"Even if they can\'t beat us," I said. "They will most likely go on about how they\'re part of this great sect and how we\'re making a big mistake and one of them will make a move on one of you, and then I\'ll have to kill them or worse."

Misty rasied an eyebrow. "You\'d do that?"

I nodded. "I would. If they have the gall to try it in front of me, then they\'re asking for a beat down and if they even think of touching you, I will end them."

It wasn\'t just jealousy talking, or at least not completely. Our bonds and time together had tied us together in an irrevocable way, and the idea of someone tied to my soul being taken made my blood boil. I was theirs just as they were mine and I would not allow them to take what was mine, just as I didn\'t think they\'d allow me to be taken.

"So we just watch or go around?" Sandra asked.

"We can watch," I said. "I\'m interested to see what\'s going to happen."

Unfortunately, just then one of the red-robed figures turned the gaze to us and then whispered into the ears of his leader whose gaze turned to me. I met his eyes, and let any emotion in my gaze, save for a cold promise, fade. We stared at each for a long moment, and then I felt more eyes on me as the metallic robed arcanists turned to us. I met their leader\'s gaze as well, once again allowing only one thing to show in my gaze.

I\'m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn\'t for the two-core burning sands arcanist to raise a finger and point at me.

"You!"

I sighed and glanced at Misty and Sandra. "And thus begins the idiocy."

I cracked my neck and stretched as I strode forward. While the metallic robes leader had backed off, taking my gaze as warning enough, the burning sands leader hadn\'t and I could already tell what he was about to say. His chest was puffed out and his head raised high, looking down his nose at me. You\'d think these sorts would learn, but then again he probably had never been beaten or lost, so he didn\'t understand.

Well then, it would be my job to teach him, and teach him… I would.