《Worldbound》


 Chapter 1: Aedin

    ¡°You aren¡¯t coming,¡± Aedin said, feigning an air of certainty as he walked out of the house. He knew his bluff was a long shot. It wasn¡¯t like he could really force his brother to listen. He could give him another speech about spending his time wisely by preparing himself for a better future, but the impact of those lectures had recently weaned. Not to mention, Aedin annoyed himself with those talks more than anyone else as of late.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting that you think you can keep barking orders like this,¡± Aeris said, following him through the door and into the cool morning air. Aedin knew Aeris could be remarkably stubborn when he set his mind to it, and, in this instance, it seemed he was setting to it every inch of his waking mind that he could spare.


    ¡°You are my brother, not my father, and I don¡¯t need your permission to walk into the forest,¡± he continued. ¡°And I don¡¯t really see what you could do if I just decided I wanted to drop out of these ridiculous classes.¡±


    Aeris had all the haughtiness entitled to a 16-year-old, and although he was about six years younger than Aedin, Aeris was quickly catching up to his own stature, something Aeris made sure to emphasize as he moved forward to protest. Aedin again noticed the first signs of a beard were beginning to show themselves on his sibling¡¯s face, a development Aedin had lightheartedly mocked. Like always, the silver hair on the top of Aeris¡¯ head was unkempt. The strong autumn breeze exacerbated the problem even further.


    Aedin let out a long sigh, choosing not to mention the ¡°dress and decorum¡± mandate he was supposed to be abiding by at Lyceum, and made his way to the small wooden shed outside their house where he stored his equipment.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to get into this again, Aeris,¡± Aedin pleaded. After removing a plank from the front latches and opening the rickety wooden doors wide open, he grabbed a spear from a shelf above the entry and bought himself a moment by pretending to examine its condition.


    He had purchased the spear last year for a substantial sum, more than he really had to spare, and it had already amassed a fair amount of wear and tear. The length of the handle, made of hardy Verdantian lumber, had several gashes and scrapes throughout its length. The metal that made up the serrated edges of the blade extended down the span of the entire shaft, but where it was once at a mirror-polish, it now had a dark, murky patina. It might be worn more than usual, but as far as Aedin was concerned, so was he, and the blade was still plenty reliable.


    ¡°You¡¯ll only slow me down,¡± Aedin finally added, pretending not to notice the wince on Aeris¡¯ face as he snapped his response. ¡°And in case you haven¡¯t noticed our current state, we haven¡¯t exactly brought in much in the last few weeks. I need to go and focus on the job. I won¡¯t have time to play teacher.¡±


    His accusation fell on heavy silence. He had hit a nerve, and it only took a moment for Aedin to regret his words. Aeris forced his head high before finally turning heel and walking back toward their home. After half a dozen steps, made significantly more dramatic from the crunching of dry foliage beneath his boot, he turned back. He could see his brother¡¯s face red with indignation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years since you¡¯ve had to teach me anything about the forests,¡± Aeris shot back. ¡°And, judging by our current state, you might actually benefit from sending me instead. Otherwise, we might find ourselves starving through the coming frost. Why don¡¯t you go sit tight up at the Lyceum instead, and I¡¯ll take it from here. You know, to make sure we can actually eat more than grains this week, brother.¡±


    Aedin knew his brother was digging, looking for a way to reciprocate the slight to his ego¡ªand he had succeeded. For close to a year now, he had been tracking game for long, grueling hours in all types of weather. His excursions often took him away for days at a time, and the efforts had plenty of an effect on his body. Aside from the scrapes, gashes, bruises, fractures, and broken bones, he could feel the weight of the last few years on his mind, all to very little success and nothing close to resembling abundance.


    All of this just to keep their family fed and to pay for the enrollment fees at Lyceum, an educational facility run by the kingdom of Althalos. A few years ago, Althalos started offering to train people in distant lands to work as officers within their borders. Their regimen would teach them Althalite culture and teach them to deepen their bonds with the Tether. Upon graduations, attendees were offered roles within Althalos that came with a healthy stipend and more stability than most could find in places like Somnare, which had much less infrastructure and wealth than the larger kingdoms.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Aeris.¡± The voice came from Eloric, Aedin¡¯s second-born brother, who was crossing the threshold of their house. Eloric was the thinnest of the three and stood eye level with him. Like all people in Somnare, his hair and eyes were bright silver.


    ¡°We are going to Lyceum, and that¡¯s the end of it,¡± Eldin said, looking directly into Aeris¡¯s gaze. ¡°None of us have the patience to have this fight again. You should be grateful that he has taken care of our family as he has.¡±


    Stark of a command it was, it didn¡¯t come quick enough to prevent Aedin¡¯s temper from flaring. But again, Eloric''s voice snapped quickly as he shot a look at Aedin. ¡°And you need to stop being such an ass about everything. He wants to help, that¡¯s all. Don¡¯t insult his capabilities. His ego is just about as fragile as yours.¡±


    For a brief moment, Aedin looked intently at Eloric. The words escaped his mouth in such a matter-of-fact tone it seemed rehearsed, practiced. He considered swiftly punching him in the gut, until he remembered that he didn¡¯t have time for the brawl that would ensue. He needed to get moving quickly; Breka, a tracker, hide tanner, and childhood friend, promised to show him the start of a fresh visera trail she found not far from her shop in town. If he could track it down and kill it, the parts would sell for enough to cover necessities for the next few months¡ªif they rationed smartly.


    ¡°Sorry, Aeris,¡± Aedin said, swallowing his irritation and pride with a hefty dose of impatience. ¡°Let¡¯s get through the week, and if you still want to join, maybe we can go tracking together when you have a rest day from lessons. I could use the help, if I am being honest, but I don¡¯t want you missing any more days. We are spending a lot on your spot at Lyceum, and I want you to get the most out of it.¡±


    Aedin and Eloric waited for Aeris¡¯ response. They were attuned to their youngest brother¡¯s disposition, and both could feel the stirrings of further rebellion. But, a deep sigh later, Aeris responded simply, ¡°Fine. We best be off then, Eloric. I know how you hate being late.¡±


    The middle brother rolled his eyes. The pair of them walked past Aedin on their way out, but not before he had a chance to put his arm up to Aeris¡¯ shoulder. ¡°I am sorry, Aeris,¡± he said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said what I did.¡± He knew Aeris wouldn¡¯t budge now. He was too proud to get over his feelings so quickly, but he still didn¡¯t want to send him off without making amends.


    ¡°Whatever you say, brother,¡± Aeris said, pushing his fist softly into his chest. ¡°Just get something big today. If I have to eat bland mill again tonight I will lance that fancy spear of yours through my own heart.¡±


    They both chuckled before Eloric and Aeris set off. Aedin wasted no time in getting his day started now that he didn¡¯t have siblings to mettle with. He grabbed his usual assortment of tracking gear before heading into the busier part of town to find Breka. As he made his way toward the open road, he heard the door to his house open loudly behind him. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so tough on him, you know,¡± the woman said, with a softness that didn¡¯t match her abrupt exit. Her hair is also silver, but it is even more unkempt than Aeris¡¯, another fact Aedin ultimately decided against pointing out. She is a couple inches shorter than him, and as she steps closer, arms folded deeply into one another, she speaks to him again. ¡°All you Vael¡¯Serith boys have is each other when I am gone.¡±


    He held back a flood of built-up resentment for the way ¡°Vael¡¯Serith boys¡± rolled off her tongue, as though she and them were separate. As though, for years, Aedin hadn¡¯t had to support himself, his mother, and his brothers alone. The very last piece of advice he would ever want to receive would be her opinions on how to maintain a family. After all, after their father¡¯s death, her mind unraveled, and she was largely unable to deal with any level of responsibility for too long. A fact that he was sympathetic to, even if he wasn¡¯t entirely forgiving.


    ¡°I appreciate the advice, mother,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think anything is happening to you anytime soon, so I¡¯ll keep being tough on him. Someone has to.¡± Aedin did his best to find grace for her, but in moments like this one, his mother seemed miraculously coherent, and it made it difficult to remember that she was unwell. ¡°I know you are in a hurry, so I won¡¯t keep you, but both your brothers are also trying very hard, like you are,¡± she said. ¡°Just¡­ try not to lose sight of that in the long run, if you can help it.¡±


    Sure, no problem, Aelaric thought to himself, putting up a single hand lazily to wave goodbye. He didn¡¯t look back at her as made way, hiding a clenched fist in his pocket as he did his best to focus on the stone path before him.


    His nerves settled as he walked the path to town. It was a short travel to Breka¡¯s shop, but he always left a little earlier than he needed to afford himself a slower pace. The road followed the Illasi, a river that flowed through most Somnare settlements. Where he lived, the river was slow moving, calm, and full of fauna and wildlife making their preparations for the winter.


    All of the trees in the forest had already turned for the year, moving from their usual dark green to beautiful shades of orange and yellow. One type of tree in particular though, the Waterwoods that lined the riverbank, always caught the lion¡¯s share of his admiration. Its leaves didn¡¯t turn yellow or orange like all the other varieties, but instead, a deep, rich rose. These leaves would eventually fall into the river and float along the current. Watching their quiet trajectory as they navigated the Illasi calmed him.


    As he continued on the cobblestone path, he came up on his favorite tree just a few paces from town. When any Waterwood reaches a certain age, its roots expand directly into the river. A small species of fish known as Summerscales nest in the ball of roots that form.


    In the summertime, schools of these fish would reflect light from the sun onto passersby. This Waterwood, which was half vested in the soil and half vested in the river, thinly teetering the line between thriving and ruin, had the largest school of Summerscales this season. As he came up to the tree''s edge, he could see hundreds of these little fish darting around in quick sudden movements in the water.


    How does a fish that draws so much attention to itself survive the Illasi? He wondered. As he moved to get a closer look at the swarm beneath the water, something in the treeline caught his eye...something huge, but between the shine of the Summerscales and the dark shadows cast by forest, he couldn¡¯t quite make it out. He took a step back, just as a familiar voice calling out to him.


    ¡°Why are you wasting time staring at fish again?¡± a woman yelled out. Startled, Aedin looked up to meet her eyes, nearly losing his footing and falling into the school of Summerscales. When he looked back into the shadows, the outline he thought he had made out was gone.


    The woman¡¯s face was soft and round, and she was donned entirely in dark leathers. The top of her silver incandescent hair was worked into two braids that wrapped horizontally around her head, and the rest, which was always left in its natural curls, waved freely in the fall breeze. It took him only a second to recognize her signature scowl of disapproval as he stabilized his footing.


    ¡°You know how quickly a visera moves,¡± Breka yelled. ¡°You should have been here at dawn.¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry,¡± Aedin responded, his demeanor shifting entirely. ¡°Eventful morning.¡±


    He could feel the irritation from the morning¡¯s argument resurfacing, and Breka knew him well enough to give him a moment or two before inquiring any further.


    ¡°Adisa... or Aeris?¡± Breka asked simply, fully aware that there were only two people right now who could be responsible for Aedin¡¯s sour demeanor: his mom or his brother.


    Since they were kids, Breka had listened to all of Aedin¡¯s familial struggles. She was there for him and his brothers when his father died, and she had continued to be his best friend well into adulthood. Talking about his woes wasn¡¯t something that came naturally to him, and it definitely wasn¡¯t something he wanted to burden his brothers with when they should be focused on Lyceum. But, Breka was different; he always appreciated that she listened without ever once pitying him or offering charity. Though, he was certain she would give it, if he ever asked.


    ¡°Aeris, again,¡± he said. ¡°If Eloric hadn¡¯t stepped in this time, I¡¯d probably barely be leaving. Or still there trading blows with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hate to see that happen,¡± Breka said, stepping up and putting her hand on his back as she pretended to size him up. ¡°He has grown completely massive. I am not sure that fight favors you anymore.¡±


    ¡°No kidding,¡± he said, laughing and nodding along. ¡°When he figures that out, I¡¯ll really have no way to keep him at Lyceum.¡±


    Breka dropped her scowl, and tilted her head to meet his downward-facing eyes. ¡°I am sure he already realizes it,¡± she said. ¡°And he doesn¡¯t listen to you because he thinks you can overpower him. He listens to you because he respects you¡ªmore than you probably realize. Not sure how many times I need to tell you that for you to get it through your thick skull.¡±


    ¡°He told me today he should go tracking instead of me,¡± Aedin said curtly, dismissing her jab and letting himself fall into the grass beneath the Waterwood. ¡°So that our family could actually eat.¡±


    ¡°I never said he wasn¡¯t an ass,¡± Breka quipped back, finding a seat next to him in the grass. ¡°But, he loves you. He is only 16 after all, and with brothers like you and Eloric, thick skin is a necessary tool for survival.¡±


    She rested her head on his shoulder, and he focused his gaze back on the school of Summerscales beneath the roots. Usually, these fights didn¡¯t get under his skin this much, but Aeris¡¯ insults had a deadly aim this time around; what if he couldn¡¯t bring anything back today, or tomorrow, or the next day? What would happen to his family, their future, if he missed the Lyceum¡¯s dues? Would they be forced to keep living as they have been? Or worse?


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult enough keeping up with Eloric,¡± he responded, doing his best to snap himself out of the spiral. ¡°The last thing I need is another person pushing me to my limits. I am already stretched so thin trying to keep our bare necessities figured out. I wish he would just make this easier for all of us and stop fighting me so much.¡±


    Breka raised her head to look at him. Her hand found his chin, which she used to direct his eyes directly at hers. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to hit your limit anytime soon. And your family isn¡¯t going to starve. You¡¯ll find a way to continue to cover the Lyceum¡¯s predatory fees, and we will all be saved from the raging storm of depression you are conjuring.¡±


    She lifted herself up gracefully from the grass and made her way back to the road, careful to avoid stepping on the Mosspoppies that were blooming in small bunches throughout the grass.


    ¡°Aeris is stubborn, hot-headed, and doesn¡¯t like being told what to do,¡± Breka said, taking a step closer to the river. ¡°But the reason you two don¡¯t get along right now is because you are the exact same way. Unyielding, really, when your convictions are tested. Aeris is going down a path you never did, and he is going to struggle and want to quit. Don¡¯t let him, but remember you¡¯re his brother, not just his guardian, and the person he looks to for reassurance and validation the most.¡±


    Aedin wanted to disagree with her. He wanted to tell her that he was too tired to teach a 16-year-old manners and responsibility when he struggled maintaining his own. That, though he would never really want it, he fantasized about a life where he didn¡¯t have the responsibility shoved onto him. Then he felt overwhelmingly guilty for ever having the thought.


    ¡°Besides, limits are overrated,¡± Breka said, interrupting his self-pity and jolting back toward him, not stopping until she was inches away from him and eye level. ¡°Now, do you want to sit here and keep whining about your life, or should we go hunt a visera?¡±

 Chapter 2: Aeris

    ¡°We¡¯ve been sitting here for over an hour,¡± Aeris complained as he pushed himself up from the floor. ¡°And, guess what? The entire room is still dark. My eyes haven¡¯t adjusted, and I don¡¯t see much point in wasting another hour hoping for that to change. I am leaving, come find me whenever you are done.¡±


    Aeris spent more time than he cared to admit feeling guilty about his inability to improve his connection to the Tether, and the last thing he wanted to do after the events of this morning was confront that failure even further. He didn¡¯t have the capacity for it; today, he wanted to put all of his mental energy into stewing and being irritated with Aedin.


    ¡°Sit down, Aeris,¡± Elodin said, calmly. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t make any progress, leaving this room won¡¯t do you any favors. It¡¯ll just earn you another poor status report, and trust me when I say neither of us want to hear Aedin give that lecture again.¡±


    ¡°Are you seeing any progress from this exercise?¡± Aeris asked, irritably. ¡°Because, again, it seems pointless. We¡¯ve been doing this routine for months on end. Surely, we¡¯ve extracted whatever there is to learn.¡±


    Elodin didn¡¯t respond. The two of them were currently engaged in what Althalite scholars in charge of the Lyceum referred to as the ¡°practical¡± portion of their education, which, according to their curriculum, would help them improve on their abilities by engaging and ¡°stressing¡± them for hours at a time.


    He knew the theory behind their methods: throughout the continent of Aetheria, different civilizations possessed special abilities that derived from that which their people were Worldbound to. The Althalite methodology was meant to agitate those abilities through various means in the hopes that they could pry out the connection further than the individual would have gotten on their own.


    To their credit, Aeris knew the methods worked¡ªmany of his Somnari peers had excelled at becoming more adept with the Tether and their connections to the Vael¡¯Strix, a powerful avian that stood as tall as two men. Aeris¡¯ failure was the anomaly, a fact that made him feel worse every time he forced himself through another day at Lyceum.


    ¡°This entire process feels like they are mocking us,¡± he said quietly, yet still loud enough for Elodin to hear.


    ¡°That¡¯s your pride talking,¡± Elodin responded. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been getting better at this over the last few weeks. Maybe if you spent less time complaining and figuring out how to grow a thicker beard you¡¯d make some real progress.¡±


    Despite his general annoyance at the beard dialogue over the last year or so, Aeris was happy Elodin did what he could to lighten the mood. It was easier for Aeris to talk with Elodin, to vent to him without worrying about a lecture regarding ¡°the duty I have to my future.¡± His middle brother might still purposefully push his buttons occasionally, but at least he knew that Elodin was dealing with the same kind of intense expectations that he was. In some ways, that made him feel way more like a comrade than an elder sibling. If only he would let his guard down once in a while and give his take on our current direction.


    ¡°So you are all in on this idea too, then?¡± Aeris asked. ¡°Graduate from Lyceum, move our lives to Althalos, away from everything and everyone we¡¯ve ever known, get fat on the kingdom¡¯s amenities¡­¡± Elodin was the quickest of the three of the Vael¡¯Serith brothers, a fact Aeris had to often consider whenever he was approaching topics he knew would raise eyebrows. He did his best to sound benign, to not to indicate to Elodin just how intensely he was waiting for his responses, even going as far as letting out a forced yawn to appear disinterested.


    ¡°If we keep our heads down and our focus on these tasks, there¡¯s a way out for our entire family,¡± Elodin said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t particularly love being a bad tracking day away from destitute, and it would be nice if we could afford some kind of actual life for our mother. Right now, I think the walls she confines herself to are driving further into madness every day that passes.¡±


    ¡°A light at the end of the tunnel then?¡± Aeris asked, taking more than a moment to consider his words.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Elodin responded, his attention moving back to brightening the darkness in the room. Aeris could see the glow of his eyes brighten, a subtle yet familiar indicator that his brother was close to checking out of the conversation, which he often did.


    ¡°And, what happens if you find out you don¡¯t like where the tunnel leads?¡± Aeris pondered, slowly, his voice echoing from the ground he spoke toward. ¡°What happens if at the end of all this work, all the time in this damned darkness, you find out you might¡¯ve been better¡ªhappier¡ªfinding a way to make due here in Somnare?¡±


    He watched as the glowing silver eyes of his brother lifted their gaze from the ground to his own stare, and, for a moment, the pitch black room was silent. Elodin, for once, didn¡¯t have a good answer, and that made Aeris the most uncomfortable he had felt all morning.


    It wasn¡¯t Aeris or Elodin who eventually broke that silence, but a scholar from the Lyceum¡¯s faculty, who bursted into the training room without warning.


    ¡°You will need to break for a while,¡± the scholar said, letting in a flood of daylight as he opened the door, the first either of them had seen in hours. The sudden influx of piercing white light hid the scholar¡¯s body language, so when both of them got up to leave, the scholar spoke again. ¡°Not you, Elodin. Just Aeris.¡±


    Aeris held his hand up to his face in a feeble attempt to regain some of his sight. The guard did not seem to care much for the health of his retina, only for the efficiency in which his task was completed. Aeris was no stranger to the impatience of the Lyceum staff, but the manner in which this man grabbed his arm, a behavior wildly uncalculated and out of character, particularly for an Althalite, took him by surprise.


    ¡°Typically, you let someone know where they are headed before you start to shove them along,¡± Aeris said, ripping his arm free of the scholar¡¯s grip. ¡°What is so important that you would consider it necessary to ruin all the progress I was making in my practical exercises? Do you have no consideration or regard for our mission here? Surely Headmaster Restin will want to hear of this...¡±


    Only Elodin caught the facetiousness of his commentary, acknowledging it with a faux cough; the scholar, whether he noticed or not, did not make a single comment or gesture, hell, not even a single microexpression to indicate he appreciated Aeris¡¯ humor.


    The scholar simply did not budge, even after an uncomfortably long period of silence. ¡°The headmaster, as it turns out, wants to see you,¡± the scholar stated, after taking a moment to gather his patience. ¡°And before you start bombarding me with questions¡­ save your breath, they didn¡¯t tell me any of the details.¡±


    ¡°That seems to be a bit unorthodox,¡± Aeris puzzled. Althalites were not ones to mince words or avoid the truth at the expense of the subject. They valued order and efficiency more than most other kingdoms and considered the stability and tradition of their people to be paramount. Despite being hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from their kingdom, that love for order and efficiency didn¡¯t dissipate within the Lyceum walls. So for them to be considering exposing a perceived break in the general order of things via a surprise meeting with Aeris was an interesting development, to say the very least.


    "Never mind that," Elodin said. "Surely it¡¯s not a problem if I come with him. It¡¯s not like it is going to dampen my progress.¡±"


    Aeris¡¯s eyes were finally beginning to adjust to the blinding light that had been thrust upon him, allowing him to meet the scholar¡¯s gaze. As far as he could tell, trouble was written all over this summons. Personal calls to the headmaster were far from common. Not surprisingly, the scholar looked completely unsure¡ªalmost irritated¡ªat his inability to provide or hide answers about the nature of the visit.


    Aeris smirked at the hit to the scholar¡¯s ego.


    "You may not come," the scholar said curtly. "They made it clear that Aeris was to come alone and no one else. You¡¯ll just have to sit here in the dark and keep picking the pebbles off the floor."


    Aeris felt the sudden urge to plant his fist right into the scholar¡¯s almost perfectly white grin, but he thought better of it as he considered the likely repercussions, which would likely include an actual charge against an Althalite official and a decent amount of time imprisoned. He was probably already in enough trouble as it was, he decided.


    "Have it your way then," Aeris said, forcing restraint into his voice and waving Elodin down. "Just make sure I get back early enough to leave this place on time. Don¡¯t wait up for me, Elodin."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The trek to the office was short. Aeris had always enjoyed the opportunity to observe the Lyceum¡¯s beauty when he wasn''t completely failing his Tetherwork. Although the campus was relatively small, especially considering the grandeur of most Althalite architecture, it was made of the same durable light stone that resembled many of the paintings and drawings that Aeris had seen of Althalos, most of which were in books he had studied in from shops his father used to take him to. The rooftops off all the light buildings were made of a similar stone to those on the walls, but they were dyed a faded black and took their fair share of beatings from the sun. It was unlike anything native to Somnare, which included mostly construction of bricks and more natural, earthy materials.


    The Lyceum was an open air campus, which meant most students were exposed entirely to the elements when they weren¡¯t in specific training rooms. Many students lamented the design, especially in the winter months. Aeris, however, did not mind. The halls outside the classrooms were filled with the most colorful landscaping he had ever seen; scores of red, blue, and purple flowers bloomed year-round in the fields surrounding the school and in planters throughout its halls. They were a much better sight than the darkrooms he and his people spend the majority of their time in.


    The entire walk to the headmaster¡¯s office, Aeris found himself dwelling on how he had failed to make any progress with his connection to the Tether. The concern gripped him so tightly that he forgot about his desire to annoy the scholar who fetched him. If only his connection to the power came as easy to him as it did Elodin or Aedin. I might very well be the only person stupid enough to pay the Lyceum dues despite having no innate connection to my Worldbind, Aeris thought to himself.


    As he paced ever closer to the destination, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what that fact would mean for him? Would there be some kind of remedial program he¡¯d enter into? Would he need to leave his current cohort and join a younger group and start over from the basics? Or worse, would he get expelled from Lyceum entirely and never hear the end of how he had ruined the security of the family from Aedin?


    That image of his brother with an indignant, disappointed scowl suddenly flooded his mind. He could almost hear the scolding and accusations that would follow if he were removed from Lyceum for his lack of talent¡ªa fault that would, no doubt, be falsely equated to a lack of effort. If that happened, Aeris would lose any chance to prove to his brother that he could live up to expectations. Then again, he wasn¡¯t sure he even cared about that anymore, especially after this morning. Death or exile might be a better option, murmured to himself sarcastically. Maybe he could count on Elodin to stick up for him and attest to at least some effort being made, though he wasn¡¯t sure he was entirely on his side, either.


    By the time the walk ended, Aeris had already gone through all the stages of acceptance. It seemed obvious why he was being summoned to the Headmaster Restin¡¯s office. Dismissal. He had been at the Lyceum for almost a year, and not once had he heard of anyone in his cohort even speaking to him directly. It must be an honor reserved specifically for expulsion. Maybe the monster he had heard so many other students complain and gossip about just liked to see the pain in his students¡¯ eyes when they were dismissed. Then again, Aeris couldn¡¯t think of anyone who had been expelled since he began.


    Standing before the large wooden doors set deep within the inner stone structure of the Lyceum, a strange sense of calm washed over him. Naturally, as it always did, that calm carried with it a fair dose of confident, rebellious energy. When Aeris opened the large wooden door, he half-expected another wave of blinding white light to force him to avert his gaze. To his surprise, the room was relatively dim. An old gentleman with white hair and deep wrinkles around his eyes and forehead sat at a large desk, stacked tall with books of all bindings and sizes. The man was scribbling into a notebook larger than any Aeris had ever seen and the door opening wasn¡¯t enough of a disturbance to pull his gaze away from the scribblings.


    As Aeris passed the threshold and made his way deeper into the chamber, the old man finally looked up and smiled.


    "Ah, Aeris! So glad you¡¯ve made it," the Headmaster said. "I was hoping that Gilderoy was able to find you without too much trouble..."


    Gilderoy, Aeris repeated under his breath. He¡¯d remember that name and take a mental note to make fun of it later. As he spoke, Restin raised his arm and flicked two fingers toward the door, which closed quickly but gently, letting out the echo of a soft click into the room. The man¡¯s sentence trailed off as he finished a few final phrases in his notebook. Finally, after a handful of uncomfortable seconds, he looked up at Aeris, giving him his full attention.


    "No trouble at all, Headmaster," Aeris replied. "I was just working on the practical part of our education when Gilderoy came in. My brother and I were discussing ways to improve our connections to the Tether."


    "Very good," the old man said, raising a shaky finger into the air. His hair was thin and entirely gray. It grew only in a sparse pattern around the circumference of his head, but what did exist was combed neatly down into perfectly straight lines. Suddenly, Aeris found himself wishing he spent the extra time this morning polishing his appearance a little more. But if we were going to be removed from Lyceum, it didn¡¯t really matter anyway, and the thought gave him some comfort.


    "In fact, it was the exact reason I wanted to talk to you: your progress here at the Lyceum and your connection to the Tether,¡± he continued, pulling his thick red and black robes up past his ankles as he moved toward the corner of his desk. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for close to a year now, so I wanted to ask¡ªhow has your experience been so far? Have you seen much growth? Or is there anywhere we might improve our approach to teaching the people of Somnare how to better wield their powers?"


    The old man¡¯s cordial demeanor immediately put Aeris on the defensive. He wasn¡¯t expecting respect, let alone kindness. He seemed... likeable, as hard as it was for Aeris to stomach. After just a few exchanges, Aeris couldn¡¯t help but feel the Restin might not be as unagreeable as others had suggested. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Somnari jumped to conclusions.


    "Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t seen much progress myself," Aeris admitted, surprised at how at ease he felt confiding in the Headmaster. "But my brother has made lots of progress since he first started. I think he¡¯s close to being able to see in the dark as clearly as if it were a sunlit day."


    "Impressive," Restin said. "And just the kind of talent we are hoping for. Your brother must be working very hard¡ªas I¡¯m sure you are as well. Of course, I am troubled to hear about your struggles. Tell me, have you made any breakthroughs in your Worldbind? Or are you still unable to evoke it in any capacity?"


    The question caused Aeris to raise his guard again. How did he know he was failing entirely? He hadn¡¯t even told Elodin that, though he was sure that he must have had some kind of idea that something was unordinary.


    "We keep a close eye on all new admissions," he continued with a smile. "We like to have a benchmark for each student¡¯s capabilities upon arrival. Of course, we don¡¯t do anything formal¡ªnothing that might put anyone in a situation where they¡¯d feel uncomfortable or foster unhealthy competition¡ªbut we take quiet notes nonetheless. Rest assured, you aren¡¯t the only one to come into the Lyceum without pre-existing capabilities. So, ease your mind, my boy. I only ask because I want to ensure our operations here don¡¯t grow complacent. We must always find new opportunities to improve whenever they present themselves."


    The old man smiled and waved his finger into the air enthusiastically as the wrinkles on his face deepened. There was an air of innocence in his expression, which prompted Aeris to lower his guard entirely.


    "When I entered the Lyceum, I didn¡¯t have any ability or connection to the Tether," Aeris admitted. "And now, a year later, despite all my efforts, I¡¯ve made no progress. I still can¡¯t call forth the powers of the Vael¡¯Strix, and it doesn¡¯t seem like that¡¯s going to change anytime soon. I¡¯ve tried and tried and tried, and nothing I do seems to make any difference."


    The words flowed from him like water down a river. All of the frustration, the anger, and the stress he felt about this entire training process boils to the surface.


    ¡°And the worst part is that, if I am being honest, I don¡¯t even want to be here, but my brother insists on me completing this program with as much success as my brother. But my connection to the Tether doesn¡¯t even feel like it exists. I can¡¯t sense it like other people claim, and I sure as hell can¡¯t command something that isn¡¯t there. I don¡¯t think that this life, this direction, is for me.¡±


    The old man kept his smile and adjusted his posture. Aeris takes a breath, realizing the full weight of his admission and the very likely probability he just insulted a high-ranking Althalite official.


    "I see," Restin said. "Well, I can imagine the Lyceum dues weren¡¯t easy for you or your family to cover, especially when it is only your brother, Aedin, who is carrying that burden. But I do believe if you keep your head in it, keep persevering, you¡¯ll find a way to have a breakthrough. Have faith in yourself, my boy. It will come in time. You aren¡¯t the first person to struggle with their connection to the Tether, and I don¡¯t imagine you will be the last."


    Aeris could feel the emotion of his education and familial tension bubbling to the surface. His eyes grew glossy, and his throat felt like someone was taking sandpaper to it, but the headmaster gave him the courtesy of turning away, allowing Aeris to quickly wipe his eyes and collect himself before the tears could spill down his cheeks.


    "I¡¯ll tell you what," Restin said after a moment. "Why don¡¯t you and your brother head out early today, before the rest of the Lyceum exits for the evening? Something tells me you could do with a little rest, and I will do my best to see what we can do about your lack of connection to the Vael¡¯Strix. We can probably find a specialist solution for that sort of thing..."


    The old man lifted two fingers and waved them toward the door. It flicked open quickly but stopped just short of slamming against the wall. As Aeris turned to leave, he hesitated and looked back.


    "Sir, has there ever been anyone like me before?" Aeris asked. ¡°Someone who has absolutely no connection to the Tether or their Worldbind?¡±


    Restin sat back down at his desk and reopened his notebook, reaching for the same tall, feathered pen he had been using before. Aeris almost detected a trace of irritation on the man¡¯s face.


    "Eventually, everyone who is Worldbound manifests their powers," he explained. "You might be a late bloomer, but I wouldn¡¯t fret on it for too long. You¡¯ll get to where you need to be."


    He smiled faintly and gestured toward the notebook. "Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a few reports to tend to before the day is over. Enjoy the rest of the day, Aeris.¡± As he made his way out through the door and past the guard watching the entrance, Aeris could have sworn he saw him nod curtly at the headmaster.

 Chapter 3: Aedin

    Aedin had been hesitant to believe that Breka had actually stumbled upon a visera¡¯s kill. There were rarely any reports of them being spotted in the Somnare forests, and they generally preferred to hunt in the colder wilds of Norhaven. Even when they did travel south, they generally avoided towns and settlements, as people were really their only natural predators. So, to think that one would be casually having a meal behind Breka¡¯s shop, in a decently sized Somnare town, was unlikely, to say the least.


    Breka wasn¡¯t particularly fond of his doubts, considering she had already examined the evidence herself, but she also understood how unlikely of an event even seeing a visera was, so she decided it was better not to contest. ¡°You¡¯ll see it for yourself,¡± was all she muttered as Aedin shared his concerns.


    As they came into town, it was filled with its usual scene: dozens of Somnare people, farmers, butchers, and other merchants loudly bartering over their goods as their patrons filled ration bags with assortments of cured meats, salted fish, fermented vegetables, jarred fruit jams and jellies, satchels of grains, and other stable goods that would last through the winter. Summer in Somnare was a time for sweet breads, fresh meat, and flowing wine, but autumn was another matter entirely; a time when everyone stocked their cupboards and pantries with the necessities to get through the long frost, a months-long stretch of constant snow cover that covered the everything from Somnare to the western borders of Isilmeria.


    Like most market towns in Somnare¡¯s borders, the buildings were made from cobble and moss found easily in the forest. The paths between the shops were made mostly of the same cobble found on the buildings, and the front door of each establishment pointed toward the town square. Despite having entire storefronts dedicated to their goods and services, most transactions happened in the square, with all the bustle of the town happening around them.


    Breka was well acquainted with, well, everyone. As the pair of them walked through the town square, Aedin did his best to give friendly nods and waves to those he locked gazes with, but he always felt a little smaller in social situations when he was next to Breka, mainly because of the sheer number of people that gravitated toward her. Shop owners, patrons, kids who had escaped their parents¡¯ clutches¡ªthey all greeted her with boisterous enthusiasm as they paced through the center of the square to Breka¡¯s closed shop.


    As they neared her door, a familiar voice erupted from behind them. ¡°Are you opening up your shop at any point today, or are you going to spend another day kicking your feet up with this slacker?¡±


    Aedin turned to see a young man named Talis that stood an inch or so shorter than himself. His long silver hair was wrapped tightly in a knot behind his head, and he wore clothes that were teetering on being too worn, but his face and features were soft, approachable.


    ¡°The only slacking around here is you,¡± Breka shot back, smiling as she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. ¡°I¡¯ve heard grand tales of the lazy woodworker a few towns over!¡±


    The three of them let out a heavy laugh as they closed the rest of the distance between them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s been in a mood all day,¡± Aedin jabbed as he and the man grabbed each other¡¯s forearms. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Talis.¡±


    Talis was an old friend to both Breka and Aedin. They had grown up alongside one another, up until two years ago when his family decided to move themselves over a few settlements to hopefully find better opportunities for their woodworking trade. It was Talis¡¯ family who had supplied the Verdantian lumber for his staff. The boisterous man could have stayed and opened up a shop of his own, but ultimately decided against leaving his parents alone since he was their only child and they were getting up in age.


    ¡°Good to see you emerge from the forests, Aedin,¡± Talis said. ¡°I came by twice in the last few weeks to visit and you were nowhere to be found. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to give up on people altogether and finally join the moss dryads.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know I¡¯ve always preferred trees to people, especially you two.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that they¡¯d take you,¡± Breka laughed, bumping Aedin¡¯s chest with her fist. ¡°Dryads track better than you do, and they live entirely off bark fungi, so that¡¯s saying something.¡±


    ¡°You can just call them mushrooms,¡± Aedin said, shooting an exhausted face at Breka.


    ¡°No, I am still with Breka on this one,¡± said Taris, wrapping his finger and thumb around his chin. ¡°They taste like dirt and they don¡¯t deserve to be anywhere near our palette. More for you though, if you insist, Aedin.¡±


    He rolled his eyes and squeezed Taris and Breka¡¯s shoulder as the three laughed. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to stick around and have the mushroom argument again, we unfortunately have some game to hunt. Are you going to be in town for long?¡±


    ¡°Nah, just ¡®til tonight, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Taris said. ¡°But if you get back early enough I¡¯ll make sure to swing by your place. I am sure your mom is missing her favorite son.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea,¡± Aedin sighed. Unlike Breka, who kept a healthy distance away from his mother, Taris was always quick to throw any lingering reticence to the wind and always greeted her with an abundance of enthusiasm that really only Taris could get away with.


    ¡°Oh, I am sure I do,¡± Taris joked. ¡°What are you two tracking today anyway? Another fearsome pack of peragrue?¡±


    Aedin and Breka looked at each other briefly and smiled. ¡°Hey, those birds are shifty, and their beaks are razor fucking sharp,¡± Breka chuckled. ¡°But no, something a little more... exotic.¡±


    Taris raised an eyebrow. ¡°Exotic? Well go on, don¡¯t be shy. You know I hate suspense.¡±


    The pair of them waited for a moment, letting the anticipation build just a little more before finally relieving Talis. They muttered, in unison. ¡°Visera.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me?¡± Taris said. ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Right behind my shop,¡± Breka answered.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Taris questioned. ¡°A visera coming this far south...¡±


    ¡°Apparently, I need to start punching you both like I did when we were kids,¡± Breka shot. ¡°Because if either of you questions my judgement one more time...¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Taris said, waving his open hands in front of his chest. ¡°It¡¯s just... unlikely, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Aedin said. ¡°But their eating pattern is pretty unique, even Breka couldn¡¯t mistake it.¡± He saw the back of her hand swing toward his chest as he finished his sentence, but he was fast enough to step out of the way before Breka made contact.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you idiots to see it for yourselves,¡± Breka said. ¡°Won¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve said I told you so.¡±


    As they stood and debated the likelihood of a visera straying this far into the Somnare, an older man called out for Taris from the square.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll have to settle this debate without me,¡± Taris said, beginning to pace slowly away from both of them toward the old man. ¡°Either way, be careful you two. Whether it''s a visera or something else, it''s going to be tougher to handle than your usual hunt. I expect to see you both tonight in one piece. I¡¯ll meet you both here after sunset. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Aedin,¡± Taris said with a much more somber tone. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be smart about the approach and that you¡¯ll work together when you find it. Don¡¯t get cocky and attack on your own again. Breka told me all about what happened...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, I¡¯ve never done that,¡± he fibbed, smirking back at him. ¡°What has she been telling you?¡±


    ¡°Just promise me.¡±


    ¡°Again, no idea what you are talking about,¡± he yelled out sarcastically. ¡°But, if it makes you feel better, yes, I promise I¡¯ll take it slow.¡±


    Aedin could tell from his face that he wasn¡¯t convinced, but the old man beckoned again, saving him from any further explanation.


    As Taris left, the two of them agreed to make their way behind her shop, where hopefully no one else had discovered the corpse that lay in the dirt. Despite his doubts, as he turned the corner, any reservations Aedin had were immediately quelled when he took in the carnage with his own eyes.


    There was no mistaking what laid before him: a stag of notable size had been ripped wide open at the abdomen¡ªproviding the predator with easy access to its intestines, liver, and heart. A visera is the only creature in Somnare that would leave the rest of the carcass untouched, not that there weren¡¯t plenty of other scavengers lurking about to finish the job. Breka had to scare off a pack of den hounds twice the morning she found the carcass.


    ¡°I guess you were right,¡± Aedin said, still leaning over the remains. ¡°This is definitely the work of a visera, but why is it so far south?¡±


    ¡°Not sure why you¡¯d ever question me to begin with,¡± Breka responded, giving him a light shove toward the stag. ¡°But yeah, definitely a visera¡¯s work. It¡¯s not unheard of, especially during the winter, when a lot of their food likes to go in hiding. Makes me a little uneasy that it was in town, though. Plenty of children still walk around after sunset, we will need to make sure everyone knows about it after we kill it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Aedin said, shuddering at the idea that this carcass could easily have been the corpse of a child from Somnare. ¡°It probably followed the stag from deeper in the forest, I doubt it was doing any hunting this close to town.¡±


    After another minute of examination the pair of them decided to move. Breka locked up her shop and threw the key into a planter filled with small white weeping lilies next to her window. Aedin had scolded her for years for the laxity toward her shop¡¯s security, but it never did any good, so he didn¡¯t see much use in bringing it up now. He was too impatient about starting to track anyway, and he didn¡¯t want to get locked in a tiff with Breka that would hold them up even longer.


    They ran at a full sprint as they followed the trail. As it always did, the weight of his troubles lifted as he tracked through the forests.


    ***


    They had been on the hunt for seven or eight hours, by Aedin¡¯s estimation of the sun. Following the trail was easy enough for the first three or four; a liberal trail of rotting blood gave way to the general direction the visera had traveled and, after that, the beast must have had its fill of stag because he had never seen tracks so clear. Its movements were sluggish, heavy, and they got more prominent as their prize catch seemed to tire. They both made easy work of the scuffed ground, broken shrubbery, and claw marks from the fully satiated visera¡¯s clumsy attempt to climb over fallen trees and rock. For a brief moment, he shuddered at the size of the claws responsible for making such marks on hard stone. He didn¡¯t let the thought linger.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    As the momentary flash of discomfort dissipated, Aedin couldn¡¯t help but grin about his sudden change of luck. Visera was high-value game; the tail alone could be parsed out to the Althalite medical corps and Somnare alchemists for enough coin to pay for an entire semester of Lyceum. Everything else they could salvage from its body would be another handsome payday, definitely enough to weather his family comfortably through the winter. He thought of the possibility of hearty stews boiling in the main room, their warmth and smell filling the house. He¡¯d pick a few sprigs of honeythistle on one of his trips to town to season the stew with. He then turned his thoughts to his brothers, a scene of them laughing, arguing about nothing other than whose turn it was to get firewood from a snow-covered pile outside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too giddy yet,¡± Breka said, running just slightly behind. ¡°We still haven¡¯t laid eyes on this monster, and you look like you are losing focus.¡±


    Her rash words snapped the scene from his mind, and suddenly, Aedin was acutely aware of the ground beneath him. A few paces later, he spotted a small smear of blood on a boulder that went up to his shoulder and came to a quick stop. Breka moved forward, sliding her finger across the stone and rubbing the residue between two fingers.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Aedin asked. ¡°Are we closing in on it?¡±


    ¡°Take your spear out,¡± she answered, worry straining her voice. ¡°I think we are clo¡ª¡±


    Aedin saw only a flash. The creature¡¯s light leathery skin sped toward them and, before he could fully process the ambush, Breka had been slammed against the very boulder she was examining moments prior. Her chest hit the stone hard, knocking the wind from her lungs and forcing her to her knees as she gasped for breath. Her longsword fell hard to the ground on her side, and from the looks of it, the bow she kept on her back was split in half, held together only by the bowstring.


    She was hurt, badly, but Aedin saw no blood, which meant she hadn¡¯t been maimed in the attack. She just needed a second to get back to her feet. His spear lifted itself from his side, instinctively, as he watched Breka cough up a few trickles of blood into the dirt. A cold, raspy shriek escaped from the visera¡¯s mouth as he turned his gaze.


    Aedin felt the familiar rush of the hunt as he stared into the visera¡¯s glowing red eyes, a sign that it had recently fed. He felt his connection to the Tether open, and the power gifted to his people¡ªthe power of the Vael¡¯Strix¡ªsurged through every nerve he had. His stance tightened, and the weight of his own body disappeared. Every muscle he had flexed itself, bracing for a fight to come. But, above more than anything else, he felt the change overwhelm his eyes as he became instantly more focused on the scene around him. Shadows and dark spots in his forest became illuminated, shapes became easier to makeout in the treelines and thicket, and small details like the texture of the visera¡¯s skin or the roughness of the soil below, became nothing more than easily-processed details to use to his advantage.


    Aedin loved this feeling.


    He stared down the visera, taking stock of its round skull, decorated with short, pointed ears and a flat nose that tucked tightly into its skull. As it wailed, its jaw opened to twice the size of its own head, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth designed to quickly rip and ravage its prey. Its claws were disproportionately large for its body, with the largest measuring to about the size of his own forearm.


    The visera let out another shriek as it stood on its hind legs, twice as tall as Aedin and probably three times as heavy, made of nothing but thick hide and a hyper-defined musculature. He dropped to a lower stance as Breka managed to pull herself back to her feet.


    ¡°Wait, Aedin, don¡¯t engage yet,¡± Breka said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it together¡ª¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait. He charged the goading creature, staying low to the ground and letting the spear trail behind him. The visera answered in kind, though not nearly as fast. It¡¯s devastating size large enough to shake the branches of the trees around it as it ran. Just before they came into contact, the monster took a final dive toward him, swinging a large claw at his chest. It came within inches of his leather tunic, but Aedin was ready for its maneuver. Just before the swing, he threw all of his momentum to the ground, sliding between its legs as it dove toward him. As he lifted himself up from the slide, he slashed at its back leg muscle with a whirling spear.


    The strike hit, and blood was drawn, but it didn¡¯t have the crippling effect that Aedin had hoped. It didn¡¯t even acknowledge the wound. Instead, it considered its new position: centered exactly between himself and a still recovering Breka.


    ¡°Shit, Breka, watch out!¡± Aedin yelled as he sprinted as fast as he could toward them both. The visera launched itself in the same way it had attacked before, and panic settled deep in his body. It was moving too fast for him to catch, and with the power it was using, he wasn¡¯t sure Breka would survive another direct hit.


    Luckily, the few moments of warning was all Breka needed to compose herself. As the beast dove toward her, she dodged to her right a moment before impact, sweeping up her blade and removing herself from its reach in one graceful movement. Her attacker smashed head first into the boulder, letting out a breathy cry as it picked itself up from the ground, dazed.


    ¡°Happy to repay the favor,¡± Breka winced under her breath, grabbing at her lower abdomen. ¡°Pretty sure this bastard just broke my rib...¡± She staggered as she moved herself toward Aedin. ¡°...and you. Didn¡¯t I tell you to fucking wait until we could attack together? Honestly Aedin you pull this shit every single...¡±


    He didn¡¯t have time to apologize, it had shaken off its collision and was now readying itself for another attack.


    ¡°Yell at me later,¡± he said, gesturing over at the visera. ¡°You go high, I go low?¡±


    ¡°You want me to go high... with a broken rib?¡± Breka looked at him, brandishing a razor sharp face that had imbecile written all over it.


    ¡°Right, nevermind,¡± Aedin smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll go high, you go low.¡±


    ¡°Not sure that¡¯s any better, but fine. Try not to miss your mark this time,¡± Breka teased as she pulled herself up. ¡°I don¡¯t want another peragrue situation on our hands.¡±


    ¡°You worry about not getting slammed into another rock,¡± Aedin said as he adjusted his spear in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll worry about my aim.¡±


    Breka scoffed as they hurled themselves forward. The visera was now also sprinting toward them at full speed, teeth bared. A few paces before they were within reach of one another, Breka brought her sword horizontal, bracing it against her should. Then, ignoring the wrenching pain coming from her rib, Aedin jumped into it, and she launched him high into the air.


    The visera lost focus of the split targets, adjusting its aim at the last minute toward Aedin, who was flying quickly overhead. The swing went wide, and as Aedinw as airborne, he spun around and thrusted the spear into its thick neck muscle, ripping it back out in one fluid motion. Breka used the opportunity to rend the wound on his leg even deeper, causing the bleeding to worsen just a bit. Aedin landed right by Breka¡¯s side as it immediately turned to attack again, ignoring their assault completely.


    ¡°Damn, this thing is tough,¡± Aedin said as it shook its body, flinging specks of blood in all directions. ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°One jumping maneuver and you¡¯re giving up?¡± Breka joked. ¡°Let¡¯s keep chipping away at that hind leg. We have to be close to hitting something there.¡±


    The visera didn¡¯t give them the chance to finish planning. It charged straight at Aedin, but this time, it didn¡¯t leap at him or even bother running at full speed. Instead, it ran at him at a careful pace, closing the distance between them. It wants a close range fight, Aedin thought to himself.


    A series of swipes ensued, most of which Aedin was able to dodge or parry. But a few swings in, and Aedin quickly realized he had focused too heavily on its claws, forgetting entirely about its teeth, which it drove deep into his shoulder, piercing the thickest part of his hide armor like wet paper. The pain shot through his body as he let out a blistering shout of pain.


    A moment later, Breka was next to them, sliding to its right side and slashing at its face. Her aim was precise, and it released its hold on Aedin as its left eye began to pour blood on its leathery skin. Just before pulling away, it used its thick tail to knock Breka back a few paces, creating a safe distance for itself.


    The visera wasn¡¯t the only one facing blood loss. Aeris¡¯ own wounds were flowing steadily, covering his leathers and onto the ground. ¡°Shit, Aedin, your shoulder¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stay focused,¡± Aedin shot at her, ripping a cloth from his shirt and packing the wounds as well as he could. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it will clot soon enough. Don¡¯t let your guard down, we can¡¯t afford any mistakes here.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t hard for Breka both to read him: he was worried this fight was no longer in their favor... if it ever had been in the first place, that is.


    The beast charged again, this time, at Breka. She made her best attempt to dive away from its charge, but she couldn¡¯t put enough distance between them, and it tore deep cuts into her face and upper arm as she attempted to block too late. The sheer force of the blow pushed Breka hard into a tree just a few feet behind her, and Aedin saw her head crack the bark on impact. It charged her, looking to finish the kill while Breka was dazed.


    He darted, as quickly as his body would allow, ripping open the wounds in his shoulder even deeper as he pushed forward every muscle possible, ignoring the searing pain radiating throughout his entire upper body. Aedin thrusted his spear forward, closing the gap between him and the visera that was just a breath away from ripping into Breka. The spear shred through its cheek, ripping open the flesh on both sides of its face. Blood poured into its mouth, and the visera jumped away from the pair of them.


    Then, it let out a deafening cry. It wasn¡¯t the same one it had been giving when struck. This one felt different. It was a howl, reverberating deep through the forest. Aedin took the moment to lift Breka up back to a sitting position, stopping her from choking on her own blood. whose entire face was covered in blood from the slash in her cheek. The image of her, soaked in crimson and unconscious, infuriated him. His friend¡ªhis best friend¡ªwasn¡¯t going to die today. Not on a hunt. Not while he could still fight.


    He tightened his grip on his spear, lowered his stance, and pointed the blade toward the visera. Half of its right eye was hanging just above the gash in its cheek, and the beast kept wincing as it pawed at its missing eye. Stay on the right side, he thought, charging before it could gather itself, keeping in its blind side as much as possible. He landed another cut to its hind leg and one to its abdomen before spinning out of range again, his speed momentarily confusing the beast. But before he could secure his footing as he rolled out of the maneuver, the visera threw caution to the wind, and leapt right on top of him.


    Its claw had gauged straight into his shoulder again, but in a stroke of luck, Aedin managed to ram the spear through its shoulder when it had jumped. He just needed to make sure its position was enough to fend off a lethal blow, but no matter how much strength he willed to come, he simply could not push the leathery creature off him.


    Aedin watched in horrifying detail as the visera opened its hyper-extended jaw and began to look for an opening, meat, fur, and sinew from the stag rotting in its teeth. He did everything he could to keep the creature on his spear and not its piercing teeth find his neck. Eventually, as he felt the strength in his arms begin to wane, the sharp detail of the forest around him softened, and the shadows of the trees once again began to conceal the scenes beneath them. He felt the excruciating weight of his own body and the visera as his connection to his Tether began to fade.


    As he waited for the inevitable bite to come down, Aedin felt something else, something... new. It was the ground beneath him, several feet beneath the soil he laid on. Somehow, he knew there was a large, jagged rock a foot beneath the service. Not ideal, but a nice makeshift weapon nonetheless. Before he could even consider what he was feeling, the pointed stone ripped through the earth and into his palm, and he put all of his power into shoving the sharp side through the visera¡¯s damaged eye, screaming as he wedged it into the socket.


    The monster lashed out in pain in a deafening howl, and squirmed so wildly that it lost awareness and ran right into a tree, driving the spear even further through its shoulder. The awareness of the ground beneath him left as quickly as it came, and Aedin began to feel lightheaded from the blood loss. As he picked himself up and quickly noted the dozen or so bleeding gashes throughout his body. He considered his next attack.


    As he prepared to run forward again, Aedin moved to pull the spear from the visera, but stopped his momentum after just a few steps when something else came from the treeline. A second visera pounced from the treeline, positioning itself directly in front of the first, who was still writhing against the bark of a rather large Magdus tree. He laughed as he planted his feet, delirious, either from the blood loss or the unlikelihood of encountering a mated visera couple. He wasn¡¯t sure which.


    Just my luck, he thought as he sized up the new contender. It was smaller than the first, but still of an intimidating stature. It was crouched, which Aedin knew a precursor to an attack. He looked over to Breka, bleeding out and unconscious on the ground, just several feet away from both visera. He did everything he could to prepare himself, to steady his body for the fight to come, but as he tensed, the light around him dimmed, and he felt his body drift backward.


    The last thing Aedin saw before fainting was the second set of massive, bared teeth lunging toward him... then, an even larger set of talons driving themselves straight into the visera¡¯s ribs. As his head smacked into the ground beneath him, he held consciousness just long enough to lock eyes with the feathered creature and see its glowing white eyes, staring directly into his gaze.


    Vael¡¯Strix, he thought. And the whole world went black.

 Chapter 4: Aedin

    The old man stood behind a large desk in a dark room. He was leaning over it, scribbling notes into it as another man, dressed in heavy plate, stood at attention on the other side. The faces were blurry, jumbled, and every time Aedin tried to focus on their features, the scene would shift, and he couldn¡¯t quite figure out who he was seeing.


    ¡°There is a good chance a student coming to visit here shortly will need to be expelled,¡± the old man said, keeping his gaze strictly on the notebook beneath him. He sounded muffled, like he was talking underwater. ¡°If his removal is necessary, I¡¯ll signal you as he leaves. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°It shall be done, sir,¡± the armored man said.


    ¡°He will probably have an early dismissal. His brother will be with him, so take a few of your men and see to it that they don¡¯t run into any trouble on the road,¡± the old man responded. ¡°Those Vael¡¯Strix are nasty beasts, who knows who they¡¯ll attack next.¡±


    The last few words began to trail before everything in sight moved downward in one swift blur. Aedin had to close his eyes to keep from vomiting, but when he opened them, an entirely new scene was in view: Aeris and Eloric, walking side-by-side through the forest on the route home. The sun was still high, though, which means they should have still been at Lyceum for another few hours. He had to hold back a flash of annoyance.


    Do you understand? Aedin remembered the words coming from the old man¡¯s mouth, like poison from a snake. Surely, though, Aeris and Eloric couldn¡¯t have gotten into that much trouble. Who could they have pissed off so badly they¡¯d both be expelled? Aeris had a big mouth, but he would never be so obtuse as to openly insult someone with that kind of power... would he?


    Aedin yelled to them, at a volume he was sure they¡¯d hear at this distance. But... nothing came, his voice was muffled. What the hell is happening, Aedin thought. Aedin took another step forward as something in his peripheral caught his eye: five fully armored and armed guards, following his siblings closely. The Althalite colors displayed prominently throughout their uniforms. To Aedin¡¯s surprise, they moved remarkably silent, despite donning heavier gear than anyone in Somnare would ever have access to. Then, he saw it, the Althalite hand command for attack, which he had seen months ago when he ran into a group of them clumsily wading through the forest on a hunt. Aedin felt a tight snap, and his body whirled through what felt like the entire continent in only a second.


    As he woke, the scenes of his brothers were foggy, like any dreams fades into memory, but a very real, very painful sting had just erupted from his face. He opened his eyes to see Breka, covered in blood and dirt and bruises, yelling at him to wake.


    ¡°You idiot...¡± Breka said, falling into his chest and pouring tears onto his leathers. ¡°I told you... I told you to fucking wait...¡±


    A wave of guilt cut deep in his chest, deeper than anything the visera had caused.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered quietly, completely pathetic as she weeped into his chest. If he had listened, they might not have ended up where they had, they might not have been killed by... The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°We¡¯re alive,¡± Aedin whispered. ¡°But... how?¡±


    Breka looked over his shoulder and nodded toward the gruesome scene behind him. A snow white Vael¡¯Strix stood atop two visera corpses. Its beak was onyx, broken only by the deep emerald blood coming from its prey. Aedin watched as the Vael¡¯Strix effortlessly dismembered them limb by limb, moving in sharp, calculated thrusts and pulls. Aedin lifted himself from the ground, and in doing so, snapped a branch beneath the weight of his foot.


    The Vael¡¯Strix snapped to Aedin, staring him down with a set of glowing white eyes. A flash of his dream returned, the signal to attack his brothers, before a high, airy voice entered his mind.


    ¡°Go to them,¡± it said. It was a command, not a suggestion. ¡°At your home. Now.¡±


    And suddenly, Aedin understood. He hadn¡¯t just dreamt about the old man, the guards, and his brothers. Aedin had dreamwalked, courtesy of the Vael¡¯Strix that saved his life, and if that were true, then it meant Aeris and Eloric...


    Aedin ran, leaving behind Breka as she screamed for him to come back. It was fine, she was safe. The Vael¡¯Strix was with her, and he had no choice but to believe it would keep her out of harm for now.


    He kept running. He focused on the rhythm of his legs, putting one foot in front of the other. He reached out to the Tether and let out a sigh of relief as the connection responded. His body lightened, his muscles tensed, allowing him to drastically pick up his pace. Moments later, he was running faster than he ever had before. A moment more and he was moving faster than he ever thought possible. Branches blurred in his vision as he passed through them, dodging most but taking scrapes and gouges on the arm whenever necessary to maintain momentum.


    The power of the Vael¡¯Strix coursed through his body like a drug. He had never felt this strong of a connection to the Tether before; it was euphoric, but he didn¡¯t have time to take it in. He reached deeper into the connection, desperate, hoping that his body became even lighter, even faster. He needed to get to them as soon as possible. It was midday when he saw them in the dreamwalk, and it was sunset now. The math propelled him even further, and his body started to revolt against the movement. His wounds shot pain throughout his entire body as they ripped longer with every stride. He ignored it. It¡¯s just pain, he thought to himself.


    As he leaped over a large pond, he looked down momentarily, and he could have swore he saw his eyes glowing a hot white. Doesn¡¯t matter.


    At this rate, he might just make it in time... he might be able to save them. The forest around him became increasingly more familiar as he started to think about what scene might be waiting for him. Thoughts of his brothers, Eloric dead on the ground or Aeris somewhere lifeless in the forest filled his head, and his glowing eyes started to tear. Faster, he thought, wiping his eyes clear. Faster. Faster. Faster.


    Soon, the outline of his house came into sight, and he could hear screaming coming from outside of his shed, which looked like it had been disassembled entirely. It was Eloric. He took one final leap, clearing a large stretch of forest and the entirety of their house in a single thrust. Just let them be alive, please, he thought.


    As he flew through the air, he suddenly felt like every fiber of his body was being branded by a hot iron. Every muscle wretched in pain, as though they were being split entirely in half at the seams. Aedin pushed through, focusing on landing directly in front of Eloric, who was on his back, facing the four men. He had an old wheat scythe that had been sitting at the back of the shed for years, and had it pointed toward the man closest to him. When Aedin¡¯s legs finally made contact with the ground, the soft earth beneath him pummeled up and splashed around him. When it settled, there were four armed guards brandishing swords almost perfectly upward toward him.

 Chapter 5: Eloric

    ¡°So he just... told you to go home?¡± Eloric asked again.


    ¡°No, he told us to go home,¡± Aeris responded. ¡°You¡¯re welcome by the way. I¡¯ve answered this question at least five times and you¡¯ve yet to show proper gratitude.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why,¡± Eloric said again, looking down at the loose dirt beneath him and refusing to acknowledge Aeris¡¯ request for appreciation.


    ¡°Well, I told him I had been struggling, and, well, I probably vented a little more than I should have, but he was... understanding. Comforting, even,¡± Aeris responded, the words felt like a confession. ¡°Which is more than I could say for some of my own family. He told me my connection to the Tether would manifest when it meant to and that I should take the rest of the day off when he realized how much I¡¯d been struggling with the Tether. Doesn¡¯t sound all that complicated, really.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting gesture coming from a man without a single good word said about him,¡± Eloric responded, doing his best to mask his irritation with Aeris¡¯ naivety and the obvious jab at Aedin. ¡°This is the same man who sent an entire Althalite unit to our front door to collect Lyceum dues just hours after they were late. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to comfort anyone.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s from Althalos, of course people are going to tell unflattering stories about him,¡± Aeris responded. ¡°Most of the stories we hear are probably coming from people who were upset with him about something, so I doubt they are the most credible...¡±


    As Aeris rambled on in defense of Headmaster Restin, Eloric thought he heard his name echoing in the forest behind him. The call caught him off-guard, he scoured the grounds behind him where he thought the sound came from. But as he examined it, the forest line was empty, and he could not see anyone on the path or otherwise. Must¡¯ve been the wind, Eloric thought, still confused.


    But as his eyes dragged across the treeline to the right, he noticed something else: five large figures, armored in Althalite colors and brandishing swords in their dominant hands. They were behind the first row of trees that broke into the pathway, but as he saw their pace quicken, instinct kicked in, and in the same breath, he shoved Aeris into a sprint alongside him and yelled at him to run.


    Aeris looked back at them, immediately listening to his brother¡¯s command. For a stretch, the pair of them stayed on the dirt path, but Eloric quickly realized they¡¯d have a bigger advantage in the forest; it was familiar terrain for them and harder to navigate as a foreigner donned in full armor. Althalites never bothered adjusting to the forest ecosystem around them. They just tore what they needed down and built over it instead.


    ¡°What in the hell is happening?¡± Aeris asked, panic setting deep in his question. ¡°Why are they chasing us?¡±


    ¡°Just keep running,¡± Eloric said. ¡°And whatever you do, don''t slip.¡±


    If the guards were from Althalos, they were probably associated with the Lyceum, and if that were true, then it was also likely they had records of where they lived, Eloric formulated. This meant it wasn¡¯t simply a question of outrunning or losing them. They needed to get mom to safety and warn Aedin about what was happening. As he thought through a plan, he didn¡¯t dare slow his pace.


    Even without a connection to the Tether, Aeris was able to outrun the guards inside the forest. Frustrated, the guards took to using their own connections to hurl large stones the size of their heads at them as they gained distance. A few came close, but it didn¡¯t seem like this was a particular attack that Althalite guards practiced.


    If it were just Eloric, who could call on his worldbind, he likely would have lost them somewhere in the forest. But leaving Aeris alone wasn¡¯t a question, so he¡¯d have to figure out a plan while they ran. When they gained enough distance, they would stop, catch their breath, and try to come up with something to do. Eloric couldn¡¯t run into town, no one there could stand up to five Althalite guards, and he refused to even consider putting others at risk by bringing them into whatever situation they were currently in.


    His best plan was to run, long enough to hopefully buy Aedin enough time to finish his hunt. He¡¯d probably have Breka with him, and if anyone were going to protect them, it was them. He had no idea how long they would be gone for, though, and he suddenly remembered hearing him talk about a visera sighting. If he were off hunting visera, he wouldn''t be back until after dark, at best. At worst, he¡¯d be gone for a few days. Shit, Eloric thought.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Aeris said, gasping for breath as held his arms above his head. ¡°You have to run ahead of me. Get to the house, get mom out, find Aedin, and we will meet up at Breka¡¯s shop as soon as I am able.¡±


    ¡°I am not leaving you,¡± Eloric said. It was a point of fact, not a counterpoint in a debate.


    ¡°I will be fine,¡± Aeris responded. ¡°I can outrun them well enough and keep them at a distance to buy you some time, and you can move a lot faster when you aren¡¯t holding back for me.¡±


    ¡°And what if you can¡¯t?¡± Eloric said. ¡°You slip one time, make one wrong move, and you¡¯ll have a sword through your chest. You¡¯re safer if I am here, and I am not leaving you alone.¡±


    ¡°And we are all going to die if you stay,¡± Aeris said, angrily. ¡°They are from Althalos, probably the Lyceum. Which means they know where mom is, where Aedin will be, and if they kill us first neither of them will have any warning. They¡¯ll be caught completely off-guard. So stop acting like him and fucking trust me.¡±


    The accusation pushed a pang of guilt straight through Eloric. As he looked over to his little brother, he could see resolve¡ªand desperation¡ªin his eyes. He hadn¡¯t been the only one plotting as they ran, and, as much as he hated to admit it, Aeris was right. There was no conclusion where they came out alive if they just kept running and hiding. They needed to get everyone to safety, and lose them long enough to figure the situation out...


    ¡°I can do this,¡± Aeris continued. ¡°I am not helpless, but mom is, and you are the only one who can get to her in time. I know the forests, and I am sure they are after me anyway. I doubt my meeting with the headmaster was a coincidence.¡±


    He looked out to the forest line, where faint footsteps became audible once more. As they drew closer, Eloric opened up his connection, feeling part of the weight of his body drop. His fingers tingled as the Tether moved through him, and he looked down at Aeris once more. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get caught,¡± Eloric said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Get to the shop unnoticed. We will find Aedin and figure out what the hell is going on.¡±


    ¡°Good plan, why didn¡¯t I think of it?¡± Aeris smirked, smacking Eloric''s right arm as he stood up from his squat. ¡°They are getting close.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Aeris said. ¡°They¡¯ll see you run off alone and then keep searching for me. I¡¯ll buy you enough time.¡±


    Eloric nodded, and then he forced himself to run, looking back as Aeris braced himself to run as well. His movement caught the attention of the group, and, to his surprise, they followed him. But as he looked back to gauge the distance, he only saw four of the Althalite on his tail, and it didn¡¯t look like they had any intention of pulling off. Either one had gone back to report the chase, or they had stayed back to find Aeris. Either way, he had to trust his brother could handle it as he pushed deeper into his tether, picking up speed as boulder after boulder flew in his direction.


    Eloric gained enough of a lead to eventually lose them, but he didn¡¯t relent. Eventually, he leaped over the creek that signaled his home was near and made his way into the familiar property. As he approached, someone stood under the small awning as his mother opened the door. He had to fight panic as he thought about the missing guard, who might¡¯ve decided to head straight here instead. To his great relief, Eloric saw the details of the man¡¯s features as he closed the distance. Silver hair¡ªa good sign¡ªwrapped tightly into a bun, standing a few inches taller than his mother at the door.


    Even as he was being chased, Eloric could recognize the overbearing and boisterous positivity from a league away. It was Taris. Relief flooded his body as he made the realization, followed shortly by another wave of panic as he remembered what was running after him. He yelled out to them as he slowed himself to a stop, just a few feet from the shed in their yard.


    ¡°We need to leave!¡± Eloric yelled. ¡°Mom, Taris, come on, let¡¯s go now. They are coming for us.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Taris asked. ¡°Good to see you too, Eloric. What¡¯s going on? Why are you so worked up?¡±


    ¡°Eloric, calm down, my love,¡± his mother said, calmly, bringing a hand to his cheek. ¡°Who is coming, dear?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain,¡± Eloric yelled. ¡°We are being followed by Althalite, they are trying to kill me or Aeris. But they know where we live, so we have to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere,¡± a callous voice called from the treeline. The tall, barrel-chested man was in the leftmost position in their line. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to run off on your own without your brother. Tsk tsk tsk. Who knows what could have happened to him?¡±


    The man smiled, and the other three chuckled. Taris walked in front of Aeris, carefully standing equidistant from the group of men, Aeris, and his mother. ¡°Not sure what business you have with my little brother here,¡± Taris gestured toward Aeris. ¡°But I suggest you find your way back to the Althalite encampment you crawled out of.¡±


    ¡°Our business is the brats, you Somnari scrum,¡± the man said. ¡°And from the looks of it, you are more bark than you are bite. What¡¯s your trade anyway? Gardener? Or maybe a basket weaver?¡± He lifted his hand and pointed it toward the shed, ripping a long piece of wood from the roof and launching it at Taris, who ducked just in time to dodge its impact. The piece of wood slammed against the house, causing a whole side to crumble. While Eloric and Aeris became distracted by the damage, the four men rushed.


    Two of them toward Taris, one toward his mother, and the last toward Aeris. The first two borrowed a few more pieces of lumber from the shed, unleashing them at Taris, who threw himself to the ground as he avoided the onslaught, but they were fast, and by the time he had pulled himself up, two men had one of his arms each and used the leverage to shove his face into the dirt with devastating impact. Eloric watched as he lost consciousness, propped up by nothing but the Althalites.


    The third had no trouble getting to Adisa, who had begun to run toward Eloric. When he caught her, he swiped the back of his hand cleanly against her chin, and plunged his sword deep into her stomach. As her body began to fall, the guard caught her and threw her limp body inside the house. Before the fourth could grab him, Eloric screamed at the sight of his mother¡¯s lifeless body, launched himself upward, landing on top of what remained of the roof of his home in a desperate attempt to get to her.


    ¡°Put that one into the house with her,¡± the fourth man with a slender frame and high-voice demanded. ¡°We will take this one together.¡±


    From the yard, the pair of Althalite threw Taris¡¯ body into the door on top of his mother, and in a quick motion, two of them had scaled the side of his house in full armor with impressive ease. Both men lifted their swords, pointing the tips at him in a direct challenge. Eloric leapt off the rooftop toward the now completed dismantled shed. But he almost lost his footing, slipping on a piece of stray wood as he came down onto the shed. A moment after he stumbled, he felt the pommel of a sword smash directly into his temple, darkening his vision for a moment and sending him fumbling a few feet.


    As he rose from the ground, his vision still failed him, but he felt the handle of an old garden scythe he used to trim the wildgrasses and wheat with his dad years ago. He gripped it, hard, raising it between himself and the Althalite as his vision began to return. The man laughed as the other three guards lined up around him.


    ¡°You think you can defend yourself... with a garden tool?¡± he laughed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even look sharp enough to cut bread. Surrender, now, and we will make it painless.¡±


    ¡°Why are you even attacking us?¡± Eloric asked, gripping the scythe even harder. The sun had already crested over the mountain side, but there was still no sign of Breka or Aedin anywhere. It was just him and this dull scythe against four Althalite guards. He needed time. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything. We broke no rules, made no slight, especially not one that would deserve death from a killing squad. Just tell me why you are doing this before we meet our end.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± one of the men smiled, closing the circle around him with the other three guards. ¡°Orders are orders, and the order said your brother was a threat and that you knew too much.¡±


    ¡°Could have just been you two, if you had just accepted your fate quietly,¡± another chimed in behind Eloric. ¡°But now you¡¯ve gone and gotten your sweet mother killed, not to mention that friend of yours. He will need to be sorted out too now, thanks to you.¡±


    All four raised their swords in unison, and Eloric¡¯s grip squeezed tighter as he gave the curved blade a wide, shaky swing, earning himself another round of laughter from the men as they grew closer, crushing the shaft of the scythe with one or two blows from their swords.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± Eloric yelled. As soon as the phrase left his mouth, he felt a crash on the ground beneath him. Dirt flew high into the air in a thunderous clap. When it settled, Eloric struggled to understand what he was seeing. The beast was covered in white and light tan feathers with a blackbeak.


    A... Vael¡¯Strix?


    A Vael¡¯Strix that stood twice as tall as any of the Althalite men, who were now raising their swords upward at its head. It had opened its wings to fully cover Eloric from any attacks, not that the guards currently had any intention of ignoring the large creature for a chance at him.


    It lunged forward, lifting its talons and driving them straight into the neck of one of the guards. Blood erupted from the gash, like slag from a volcano. The other three guards charged, quickly, lifting boulders and stray pieces of wood and sending them directly toward the beast. It dodged most of them with relative ease, but a large piece of timber clipped the Vael¡¯Strix¡¯s wing, causing a loud crack to emanate. What Eloric was sure amounted to a broken bone didn¡¯t seem to deter its attack, and the beast lunged again at the three men. Eloric couldn¡¯t help but feel like its movements were clumsy, not as elegant as he thought the Somnari vael¡¯kin would be. If he was lucky, the maneuvers would be at least enough to get him out alive though, assuming it didn¡¯t come for him next.


    But what the Vael¡¯Strix lacked in grace it made up for in sheer power. A swift whip of its wing caught one of the men¡¯s chest, crushing his ribcage and leaving him coughing up blood on the floor, gasping for a final breath that would never come. He watched on as it dove headfirst toward one of the remaining guards, currently positioned directly behind him. Its talons came dangerously close to marring Eloric¡¯s face, but it hit his target with lethal precision. Its beak found its way completely around the man¡¯s neck, its head ripping cleanly off with terrifying ease, leaving behind nothing but part of the man¡¯s neck bone behind.


    The last of them¡ªthe one who threatened Eloric¡¯s mother and Taris¡ªmade a run for it. Eloric expected the Vael¡¯Strix to launch after it, but, to his surprise, it didn¡¯t move as it made its way to the treeline. Instead, it just watched, intently, as the fleeing man got closer to the forest. The fleeing guard looked back in a desperate attempt to see how much distance he had put between them, but before he could refocus on the path ahead, Aeris appeared, swinging an Althalite sword in a perfect arc through the man¡¯s neck. The body dropped without so much as a twitch, and the head rolled slowly downhill back toward the house.


    Breka then emerged quietly from the forest next to Aeris, walking quickly toward the bobbing head, her entire tunic covered in blood. She put a foot on top of it to stop its trajectory and looked over toward Eloric as the giant feathered body of the Vael¡¯Strix collapsed.

 Chapter 6: Aedin

    Aedin felt himself rush quickly toward the ground, expecting the impact to be the last thing he would meet before losing consciousness. A powerful wave of exhaustion overcame him, and every part of his muscle revolted in agony. His body no longer responded to his commands, and he was sure that he¡¯d lost enough blood to fill the Illasi. Despite this, a calm washed over him as a few last thoughts formed. They were partly of death, of drifting into the unknown, but they were mostly of his brothers.


    They are safe, he thought as the feeling of falling continued. Eloric was just next to him, and he saw Aeris come through the treeline. He smiled. He was fast enough, in the end, to save them. They¡¯d live good lives. He worried momentarily that Aeris and Eloric would struggle, as memories of their faces filled his mind, but he knew they¡¯d figure out a path forward without him. They were smart, strong, and more prepared than he gave them credit for. Suddenly he found himself wishing he had told them so at some point.


    As for himself, he had lost too much blood, took too many hits, to believe that he had any real chance of surviving. Death probably wasn¡¯t so bad, he thought. After all, if any of the Somnari tales were true, he¡¯d be seeing his dad shortly enough, and he had plenty that he wanted to share with him about the years he had missed. Plus, they were alive. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    But the grip of death never came, nor did the hard ground he had expected. Instead, his fall was broken by a different sensation, like he was drifting, weightless just below the surface of a lake. When he opened his eyes, everything around him was pitch black, except for two blurry figures standing just a few feet in front of him.


    It took him a second to focus his vision, but when he did, Aedin could not understand what he saw. To his right was a creature covered in thick, black scales that radiated small hues of purple as it shifted side to side. It stood on two hind legs and braced the remainder of its weight on wings that were attached to a thin layer of malleable skin. He had seen drawings of similar specimens before in books from his childhood, but nothing in those depictions ever really captured how truly terrifying it could be in person.


    The scaled beast held his attention for some time, but when he remembered to check his left, he was greeted by an even more unusual scene, one that not even drawings had ever come close to depicting. It was about the size of a Vael¡¯Strix, but bore no resemblance other than that size. It was covered entirely in deep, majestically red feathers, with a long yellow beak and wide talons. Its eyes glowed an iron-hot orange, and it was hard to tell from this distance, but he could have sworn that he saw an ember billowing beneath some of the long bushels of feathers on its tail.


    The two creatures stood perfectly still, and the tension ripped at Aedin¡¯s curiosity. As he moved to take a step forward, he saw the two behemoths brace themselves, and a breath later, the figures were gone. When he woke, his mother, Taris, Breka, Eloric, and Aeris were all standing over him.