Aether Beasts

Agnar shot forward in a blur, his first step cracking the ground as he swung his blade around. It whistled as it sliced through the air, but the disciple had dodged back, and a technique was already ready in answer.

A barrage of water droplets shot towards Agnar, fast enough that I knew they could probably smash through stone and tear through the body of a normal person, but Agnar only grunted when they struck. He wasn't wearing his armor today, only a thin shirt that was enchanted, but not with any sort of defense.

The disciple shot another barrage at the lycan who just stood there and took it. "You speak as though you are so strong, yet this is all you can do!"

The bear lycan's skin seemed to ripple as he opened his mouth to bare his teeth which were now razor-sharp. His eyes were full of ferocity, far greater than I had ever seen in any beast. He brought his blade up and then leapt towards the disciple who could do nothing but dodge as Agnar's blade sought purchase in his body.

"Is this to the death?" I asked Isaac.

"Probably not, but I doubt Agnar will kill him," Isaac replied. "Maybe take a limb or two, but not death."

I waited for Isaac to say he was joking but no such response came, and I realized that the disciple was quite screwed. He was at the third level, and his second core, while Agnar was at the 4th level and second core, but it was clear that Agnar was the greater fighter and possessed far greater physical abilities than the disciple, probably due to the fact he was a lycan.

"He's not going to win," I said aloud and Isaac nodded from the corner of my vision.

Agnar continued to press on the disciple, never giving him a chance to rest, and the few times the disciple managed to start a technique, he was interrupted and lost his focus, which was his biggest problem. He might have been able to do more if had been able to dodge and prepare techniques at the same time. I was glad Zirani had taught us the way she did, and that I didn't have this problem, at least nowhere near the level this disciple did.

The fight came to a close when the disciple attempted to counterattack but was too slow, not to mention the counterattack had been a punch that hadn't even been enhanced with aether. If his technique hadn't done any visible damage, then a punch sure as hell wouldn't

I winced as Agnar's blade came down, but instead of slicing through the disciple's arm, it was stopped by a slender hand.

"I think that's quite enough."

The dark-haired man wore similar robes to the disciple but more ornate, and I guessed he was either a higher-ranked disciple or elder of the sect. Either way, he had stopped his disciple from being maimed.

"This isn't over until he pays in blood," Agnar growled, his voice deep and rough.

"He will, at my hand," the elder said. "Not at yours, now unless you wish to fight me, then I suggest you pull your blade away."

The bear lycan growled, and for a moment it seemed like he would strike, but then he cursed and pulled away before spitting at the dark harried man's feet. "Teach your disciple some respect, elder."

He said the last word like it was a curse before turning and storming away, his steps heavy.

"Whose that?" I asked Isaac.

"Xavier," Isaac answered. "Outer sect elder of the thousands drops sect."

So he was an elder, and a strong one at that, if Agnar hadn't wanted to fight him. I couldn't sense his cores fully as they seemed partially masked, but I could tell he was at the fifth level and had two cores.

The crowd dispersed as Agnar walked away and The elder turned to the disciple with a cold look. "This is the second time you've gotten into it with the beast, can you not show restraint or keep your mouth shut."

The disciple opened his mouth to reply, but Xavier cut him off. "I don't want to hear it. Go to Trell and tell him you are to be punished by taking over his work, and later we will spar. I will give him his blood, and you will improve, that was sloppy."

The disciple hung his head, and after getting to his feet slunk off.

"That was harsh," I commented.

"Not really," Issac said. "That disciple has been nothing but trouble. Too much talk that he can't back with action, and Xavier may seem harsh, but it's only because he cares. If he had been a few seconds late then that disciple's arm wouldn't be attached to his body."

I guess that was true, and it wasn't like I knew either of them, though I couldn't help but feel in the mood for a spar. Watching them fight had made me excited, and I had energy I wanted to release.

"Isaac, are you a fighter?"

He turned to me and seemed to understand what I was getting at. "I'm not up for a spar, especially not by one trained by a very well-known fighter. She did train you didn't she?"

I nodded. "As best she could."

I turned back to Xavier and found him staring at me with an assessing look on his face. I raised an eyebrow, and in a few strides, he was over to me and Isaac. He held a hand out. "You must be the one I've been hearing about, the bonded to the princess."

I shook his hand. It really had spread fast, though how had he known it was me? I guess it was likely because he hadn't seen me on the journey or my description was also going around.

"I'm Aiden, though I guess you probably already know that."

"I do." He turned and nodded to the scholar. "Isaac."

"Xavier."

There was something in their voices that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but it was clear that they knew each other.

"Tell me, Aiden, have you come here to train?" He looked me up and down. "You seem strong for having been born and raised in the plains, though you were trained by the Zirani Atmore, so it makes sense that you're aren't lacking."

He glanced over to a pair of his disciples who were in the middle of technique training. "What do say to a spar with some of my disciples?"

"I say yes," I replied. "I haven't had a proper fight or spar in a long time."

Getting whooped by Zirani did not count as a fight.

He smiled. "Good, I'm eager to see how you'll do."

I walked with Xavier over to one of the sparring areas and waited as he called over all of his disciples that were in the middle of training. Some were probably in the sects areas, but in total, there were six training in the shared area, and as Xavier was choosing, a crowd once again gather, most staring at me, and I heard the name, Zirani, and the words, princess and bonded, thrown about.

Bloody hell, but it was going to take some time to get used to this.

"I'll fight him, elder." A bulky disciple with blue eyes and wild black hair stepped forward, an eager look in his eyes that was easy to understand. If he beat me then he would beat the student of the princess, and that would earn him praise, and more.

Too bad he was in for a surprise.

Xavier turned to me and I nodded. "I'm fine with that."

"Then take your positions. Hank don't hold back, show me what you can do, and Aiden I ask the same of you." Xavier clapped once and waved a hand to get the crowd to back up a bit.

We took our places on opposite ends of the spring area which was basically just an oblong area marked with white lines, and one going through the middle. There was also an enchantment that when activated would fix any damage that had occurred in the sparring area.

Hank stared at me, and I could tell he wasn't taking me seriously, even though I was trained by the princess as he probably thought. I assumed it was because I was from the plains. It would be his mistake and a lesson for him to learn. Don't judge people too quickly.

I took a deep breath and felt a smile creep up onto my face. This was going to be fun, and my first fight with an arcanist from the lands beyond the scar, save for Zirani of course. I was full of confidence and vibrating with energy.

"This is just a spar," Xavier said. "You can harm, but don't push it. The first to land a critical strike, which is an attack that could kill, wins. Don't worry about accidents, I'll be watching closely. Now, on my mark, three, two… One!"