Aether Beasts

We must have run for what was at least a few hours before Sandra finally stopped under a small hill. I leaned against a tree and panted looking over at Sandra.

"Sandra, I think we've gone far enough for now," I said.

She didn't respond and her face was turned away from me and covered by her long dark hair. She hadn't said a word when we'd been running, which made sense, but now we needed to plan and think about what to do. After all, it was her who'd said it was good to have allies with you.

"Sandra?"

I hesitantly moved closer. I wasn't about to say something stupid like 'are you ok?" when it was obvious she wasn't ok. Hell, I wasn't ok for that matter, but I was trying my best to push away the emotions and thoughts that wanted to bring me down. If I let those in then I wouldn't be able to do anything else, but lie down.

"Sandra we need to rest then pl-"

I didn't get to finish my words as Sandra fell over onto her side heavily.

"Sandra!"

I ran over to her and quickly brushed the hair from her face, pressing two fingers to her neck to check her pulse as I did. She was still breathing, and her face wasn't any paler than usual.

"She's exhausted, Aiden," Zirani said. "Clearly both physically and mentally. We can't just let her rest there though, move her to that tree and I'll do the rest."

I did as she asked as she appeared next to me. Together we quickly moved her to a nearby tree and Zirani leaned down to press a hand to the forest floor. Even after everything that had happened I still found myself trying to sense what she was doing. It was sort of similar to green pulse but not that much. She fed aether into the ground in an odd way, using an odd pattern.

The forest floor was mostly just dirt with a few patches of grass and plants here and there, but her technique changed that. At first, I thought it was grass but then I quickly realized the dark green substance growing was moss. It grew in the rough shape of a bed, and Zirani gently pushed the sleeping Sandra onto it.

"There, that should be far more comfortable than the dirt ground," Zirani said. "Want me to make one for you?"

I nodded, sending a mental thanks to her. I wasn't really in the mood for talking if I was being honest. I was trying my hardest to keep my thoughts on the here and now, and simpler things rather than letting them go to what had just happened. I was naive in that I could push it away forever, and even if I could I wouldn't, but it was best if I thought about it when I was well-rested and not so emotionally fragile. I'd always been far more self-aware than others I'd known, which was likely due to everything my aunt had taught me. She was incredibly smart and a lot of what I knew came from her. As a healer, she'd seen the worst of what could happen to an arcanist and faced death and injury every day. She was the only healer in the town yet she hadn't complained and had always done her job and stepped up when needed, raising me as best she could as well.

When Zirani was done making a bed of moss for me, I gave her a quick peck on the cheek before falling into the bed. My body relaxed atop the soft moss, which definitely wasn't normal moss. It was warm and as soft as clouds, not that I knew what clouds felt like. Before I knew it I was fast asleep.

My dreams were not pleasant, and screams and shouts followed me as I ran through a dark forest, chased by gale wolves and men with twin horns upon their foreheads, twisted smiles on their faces. The image of the women being dragged away, but with the face of my aunt, the body of Lucas, its eyes open, staring at me accusingly, and the voice of Jason, mocking my weakness.

I awoke in the middle of the night, shivering and trembling.

"Zirani?" I asked, not wanting to be alone.

"I'm here, Aiden," she said softly, and I felt myself relax slightly. "Don't fret, they're just nightmares. I'm with you."

"I wish I could hold you," I said.

"I know," She replied sadly. "But then the girl might see."

"I don't think I'm going back to sleep," I said, rolling so that my back was against the moss. The night sky was mostly blocked by the trees but stars peaked in from above, and if not for dark thoughts then this would have been a beautiful night.

"Aiden, we need to talk," Zirani said softly.

"Not now, not yet,"

There was no reply which I took for a yes. I stared up at the sky, letting everything just fade away, not thinking about anything, but the star and trees above. I was in the middle of trying to count them when I heard a rustling to my right.

I shot up to my feet, readying myself in a battle stance as the sound of footsteps grew closer. Out from the bushes stumbled a blond-haired girl, and it took me a moment to recognize her as Misty. I let out a sigh and lowered my hands.

"Misty? How did you find me?" I asked. I hadn't heard or sensed anyone behind me when I'd been running.

"Tracks," She said. "And scent."

Scent? I sniffed my armpits. Yeah, I smelled pretty bad, but not that bad or potent for that.

"How did you get away?" I asked.

"I was in my own tent when they attacked. I was further away from them and managed to get out of my tent and start running before they reached me. I saw you and the girl and decided to follow."

She hesitated for a second and once again I noticed the complete lack of any form of emotion on her face, and did she look paler? Not only that but she kept looking down at something, my neck?

"Is that ok?"

"Yes… I'm assuming you're tired?"

She went to shake her head but froze then nodded.

I frowned but still motioned to the Moss. "You can take that, I'll make another."

She nodded and walked over, laying down like a statute then closing her eyes.

"Take care, Aiden," Zirani said. "There's something about her that's off."

"Who, Misty?"

I felt Zirani mentally nod. "Yes, I'm not sure yet. There's something familiar about her."

"Ok, you think she's dangerous?"

"Maybe, maybe not, just take care. Anyways, would you like me to make another bed?"

I nodded, but instead of appearing she just walked me through it this time and after a few tires I had a decent-sized bed. I fell in after taking one last glance at Misty, who was literally as still as a saute, not even her chest was moving, and…

I peered closer. Were her nails longer?

"Go to sleep, Aiden," Zirani said. "I will stay vigilant."

I tried to figure out what was wrong with Misty as I lay down, but I was fast asleep before I could think of anything.