Aether Beasts

"That was a low blow you know," Sandra said, suppressing a chuckle.

I rolled my eyes. "He deserved it. Pain and embarrassment. He can consider it his only warning. He tries something again, then I'll take a limb or his life. Those who I give a second chance will not get a third, I'm that type of man, I think."

"Brutal," Misty commented.

"Do you disagree?" I asked, genuinely curious. It did sound quite brutal, but people like that didn't understand logic and reason. Not like normal folk at least, and brutality was a necessity when it came to dealing with certain people. I wasn't in West Vale where people were kind and anger would only lead to shouting or maybe a fistfight, though rarely. That peaceful and simple place was long behind me, though I would return one day. I knew that in my soul. Mainly for my aunt as she was someone, I could never forget.

"I think I would've done worse," Misty said. "I'm sick of those types, and I have a feeling that's not that last we're going to see of him."

"Yeah." I sighed. "I don't want to go around just killing people out of hand though. If he tries something then he's dead."

"It's a judgment thing," Sandra added. "But yeah, I agree with Misty. I'm sick of those types."

"Well we're probably going to see more of them," I said then turned my attention to Zirani. "Unless I shouldn't?"

"You will," Zirani replied. "There are plenty of those types, some even in my court, though far less than some of the other influential families, certainly not like those in some areas of Grand York."

"Grand York?"

"It's a city, one of the largest," Zirani explained. "Its stretches on for miles and miles. Millions call it home. It used to be called Old York, but that didn't make sense once it started to expand even past the old borders, and it reclalimed and then past its old brilliance. From New York to Old York to The Grand city of York, or Grand York as most call it."

"Millions!" I exclaimed, unable to imagine it.

"As I've said so many times before, Aiden. The plains are a far cry from the lands beyond the scar. There will be much for you to see. Think of it like this, Aiden. The great scar cuts off a small piece of the continent, the northern plains, from the rest. The verdant court alone rules land comparable to if nor greater than the plains. The scope of things is much greater, this I cannot stress to you enough."

I nodded internally. "I understand."

Once we made it back to the hotel, the girls headed to the bedroom to try on more clothes while Zirani and I checked up on the rescued girls. Zirani had a constant feeling of things in the tree, apparently because of how she had made it, but she and I both thought it a good idea to check up.

We arrived in the bedroom and Zirani called Sofia. Apparently projecting her voice through the space in a unique way. The girls still were nervous around me, though only those from the brothel. The others from the raid of the warehouse who had not been violated were less scared, and many had openly thanked me. I had accepted of course, and the interactions had increased my anger at what was going on.

The artifact that we had destroyed wasn't the only one. That was clear, which meant things were still going on, though Zirani and I both assumed the brothels and anyone involved with them would be laying low for the foreseeable future. Not that it would help them when the expedition arrived. Even if there were none from Zirani's court, we would find the brothel and end the owners.

As Zirani manifested and left to join the girls in their fun, I decided that I wanted to have a chat with the lost queen, and I had just the way to get her to talk. I pulled the shard of glass from the ring and immediately I felt the lost queen awaken, her attention locked onto the strange shard. I moved the piece of glass closer to my eyes and just marveled at how the light refracted. It was odd because I knew it shouldn't, especially not in the way it was. It wasn't a simple mix, but separate beams of light, each a different color, and then there were the sparks which I hadn't noticed earlier. They were moving within the shard and I watched as their dimmed when I removed a finger and lit brighter with a golden hue the more of my skin was making contact.

"What is this?" I muttered aloud, directing the question at the lost queen.

"A shard of a gate mirror," The lost queen replied in a voice lacking any of its usual malice or annoyance for once.

"And a gate mirror is?"

"A teleportation device" The lost queen explained. "Though far greater than any other. It allows for travel to anywhere in reality, across any distance, any dimension, any world, if you have the correct coordinates or some other item."

"Oh."

Now it made more sense as to why she'd wanted me to buy it. "And you could get back to your world with this?"

The lost queen snorted, though I detected a hint of melancholy in the sound. "My world is long gone, and what you hold is only a shard. It's useless."

I sighed. "I thought we were past the lies. Do you truly think me so stupid, after all, you've seen through my eyes, all I've allowed you to see? You would not have had me buy this if it was useless and you do not seem the sentimental type. Actually, I'm surprised you even answered my first question."

"I'm bored," she replied. "And yes it has its uses, but they are well beyond you. You cant even control a spec of your divine power."

"Maybe I could if you helped me," I said.

"And what would I get in return?" she asked. "You will make no deals with me, and I will not offer it freely."

"I forget you are blind in some ways." I sighed. "You've seen how me and the others interact. If you help me then I will help you. There is no need for a deal. I can allow you to see my intentions through our bond if you wish."

"I do not!" she hissed.

I laughed, though it held no mirth. "Then what, what do you want, and don't speak of freedom. You know it is a luxury I will not grant you, not even a limited form."

"Not even after I saved your life?"

"We made a deal," I replied. "And I honored it, and don't forget that who knows what would have happened if I hadn't taken you into my core."

"I would have returned," she said, holding back anger and something else I couldn't recognize. Fear? Resentment?

I couldn't tell what it was directed at.

"Returned where?" I questioned.

She was silent and I shook my head. "I offer you a simple trade, without the need for bindings, which I know you want as a means of gaining leverage and control. That's not going to happen. If you're unwilling then maybe I should just stop this and see if a solution reveals itself once we get to the lands beyond the great scar. Maybe Zirani's people will know of a way."

To my surprise, there was a large burst of fear at my words.

"I…" I felt the lost queen do the mental equivalent of slumping her shoulders. "I need time."

With that, she shut herself off, and I slumped my own shoulders. Heavens, every conversation with her was a struggle. I was getting better at the verbal sparring, but that didn't mean I liked it. I like talking upfront without the need for hiding and masking things behind words. Flowery words and barbed insults were not my forte. It was that reason I was sort of worried about heading into Zirani's lands. I was excited for sure, but the way Zirani spoke of court politics and intrigue, filled me with a sense of dread.

I knew, however, that I would get over it, that either I would learn to maneuver or at the very least learn to understand and then get someone else to take care of it for me. I thought back to something Zirnai had once told me.

The mountain is tall, and you will come across many on your climb. Some will hinder and some will help. You will meet communities and groups, who at the time will seem like great obstacles, or places to rest, maybe even stay, but climb far enough ahead and with a simple kick you can send stone down to pelt them, to crush them. It was part of a larger quote but I got the meaning.

"Aiden?"

I felt Zirani's worry through our bond. "Are you ok?"

"Fine." I sighed. "Just had another chat with the lost queen."

"And?"

I mentally shrugged. "I think I might have gotten somewhere. I'm not sure. It's honesty seeming like we're going to have to do something else. She isn't going to cooperate, and even if she does, I doubt it will be easy or simple."

I felt another burst of fear from the lost queen before she put up a block.

"She's scared," I said. "I think she knows there is a way to get rid of her."

Zirani was quiet for a long moment. "There is, and we might have to, but we've still got till we get to my lands before we decided that. Maybe she will come around."

"Maybe," I replied. "Maybe."