Aether Beasts

The meditation technique was a lot more complex than I'd ever thought it would be. I'd expected something different but still simple as the word meditation only brought up an image of peacefully sitting and breathing. Zirani's technique was nothing like that. We found ourselves, coughing, spluttering, and wanting to keel over the first few times we tried it.

The instructions were easier said than done. Breathe in deeply, and fill your lungs to capacity and then while you take short shallower breaths, pull aether from your vore and shape it into a few odd-looking patterns, and then push them back into your core. All had to be done at the same time and in perfect sync or the technique would not work. Keeping my lungs full and breathing in more while not being allowed to breathe was hard enough, but trying to muster enough focus to pull aether from my core and from it into techniques? I was almost certain it would take me days to even do it successfully once.

Luckily we had Zirani, who gave us tips and advice when she could, not that it was much. She herself had said this was something we all needed, even if it was difficult at first.

Whenever I pulled aether from my core and ended up not using it, I never pushed it back into my core, and instead, let it disperse. The reasoning was simple, it took effort to push aether back in, and the feeling was not pleasant. Zirani's patterns were created solely to push the aether back into the core along whit another use, which was increasing the pull of colorless aether from the world around us. The pattern wasn't just done once, no it had to be done continuously and Zirani had said once we got used to it, she wanted us to be able to keep half of the pattern stable around our core at all times, so the speed at which we pulled colorless aether was always increased.

It was a lot to take in, and try, but as I'd done with everything else, I gave it my best shot. No matter how many times I went into a coughing fit or failed to form the patterns, I kept trying and the girls were right there with me. Sandra's face was red as could, and from what I could tell it was the breathing part that had her stooped rather than the forming of the patterns while for Misty it was the opposite. She accomplished the breathing part with ease but seemed to have trouble with the patterns. We all had our strengths and weaknesses it seemed. Misty's physical changes allowed her better control over her body and Zirani had said that Misty didn't actually need to breathe air anymore. Sandra's bloodline and other techniques were fairly hard patterns to learn so she got that part down easily, but the breathing caused her trouble. She kept breathing out when she should have been keeping it in.

All of that was a challenge, but what made it worse, was that Zirani expected us to be able to do it peacefully and while in a meditative state.

"How in hell are we meant to meditate while doing this?" Sandra asked as she panted. "I feel like I'm torturing myself.

"I don't mind the breathing," Misty said. "But these patterns are odd."

"I had just the same troubles are you," Zirani explained. "I wasn't always like I am now, remember? I was once just a dryad like the rest of my sisters. I honestly don't expect you to get it down perfectly, but as long as you can do it by the end of today, then I will be happy with your progress. It will get easier over time. The first few weeks will be hardest, now back to meditating."

We spent the entire day, doing nothing but practicing the technique. Zirani wanted us to get this down and then would begin with our other training. For me, she wanted to finally complete my foundation and start augmenting my techniques with the spatial aspect she now held in her core. For Sandra, it was helping her get better control of her bloodline and developing more versatile dark techniques. So far all of Sandra's techniques were attacks, she had no movement, stealth, or utility techniques. I also didn't have a movement technique, but Zirani had mentioned that would be part of my foundation. She wanted to teach me all the basics so that when she showed me a technique or array or something to do with the arcane, I could tell what was going on with its inner workings rather than just mimicking what I saw and hoping for a result.

We stopped after a few hours to take a quick break and get something to eat and drink.

"All right all three of you have made good progress," Zirani said. "But none of you have done it successfully yet."

"It's not easy you know," Sandra grumbled.

Zirani shot Sandra a hard look. "I'm well aware, and its ease shouldn't matter. What should matter is how much it will help you, in this case, a lot."

I was the first to get the technique to work, although at first, I'd thought I'd messed it up, but Zirani had been there when I'd opened my eyes, with a smile and proud look.

"Good work," She praised. "Now if you can do that at least half the time then we start your foundation tomorrow."

Her word spurred me on, and although it took a lot, I was able to get it right more and more. I still made mistakes from time to time, but by the end of the day, I was able to get it right six times out of ten.

Sandra despite all her grumbling, also managed to eventually get it right, though after each time her face looked like a mess. Misty however was the one who shocked us all. After Zriani had guided her through the patterns, she managed the technique successfully nine times out of ten.

"I guess being a vampire has its perks," Sandra commented.

"And its downsides," I reminded.

"Good work." Zirani smiled and some of the seriousness left her. "That will be enough of that for today. Of course, I still want you to practice when you can and don't forget my earlier words. An hour in the morning, when you expended a lot of aether, and an hour at night."

We all nodded.

"What else are we doing today?" I asked. "There's no night, but it must be late."

"I prepared the baths while you were in training," Zirani stated with a smile. "I've placed them in your rooms. The water enchantments I've created are simple to use, and the body strengthening elixir is already in your rooms. Fill the tub, pour the elixir in and then soak in the water until all the red color is gone. I don't care how much it hurts, do not get out until the water is clear once again, understand?"

We all agreed and then together we headed back for the treehouse. My body didn't feel as though it had gone through a day of training, but my throat and chest did. The breathing part of the technique really had done a number on me as had it on Sandra, who was holding a hand against her chest. Only Misty seemed unaffected.

The bathtub was waiting for me in my room when I returned and after taking a minute to figure out the enchantment, which was a water core with some arrays of it, I managed to get water to come out and fill the tub. I poured in the red elixir and then hesitated for just a moment before I entered. The water didn't look like a bright red, no it looked like a blood-red.

I did step in though and immediately had to clench my fists and grit my teeth and searing pain. It felt needles were piercing my body as it heated up from the inside. I fought through the pain, and eventually, it became less unbearable, although it still wanted to hop out as soon as possible. Every minute felt so much longer, but after what I guess was half an hour, the water was back to its normal color and I sprung out like it was a tub of acid.

"How was it?"

I spun around to find Zirani in my door looking my body up and down.

"It hurt," I said simply as I pulled a towel from my ring.

"That's normal, but it will really help your body," Zirani said as she walked closer and placed a hand on y shoulder. "You'll only be doing two times a day."

"Two times! You've got to—"

Before i could fish my words Zriani shushed me with her lips and soon all my thoughts were forgotten as our tongues clashed for a long moment in a deep and heavy kiss.

She pulled away and gave me a smile. "I know it's hard, but if we want to get you and girls stronger then we need this."

I coughed. "G-got it."

"Now why don't you get cleaned up and then I can treat you to a bit of tender relaxation?" Zirani purred. "How does that sound."

"Amazing," I muttered as her finger trailed up my abs and up to my face.

Things were going to be hard, but as long as I had Zirani and the others, then I could push through it.