From above, the dragon descended, the beats of its wings stirring the grass and pushing at the huts around. Once it landed, its gaze fell upon me, and a deep rumble sounded from its chest. “Teal has been told of your situation, she will arrive soon.” I really hope that’s not a cryptic way of asking if I want to be labelled Seraph. I thought with a flat look on my face.

“I see. Think you could ferry me over to where my blade is?” I ask with a weak smile. “I’ll just crawl over a bit and turn it off.” I say with a cough. “Should be easy enough right?” The dragon cocked its head for a moment, sizing me up, before it nodded acquiescence.

I didn’t climb onto its back this time, instead the dragon clutched me gingerly with its claws, leaping into the air on three feet instead of four. I hung on tightly to the grooves and ridges I found on them, gritting my teeth as I could feel my feet dangling in the wind. One of these days I will die doing this… I thought, as the Liaen wicked away the sweat that formed on my palm.

The dragon lay me down onto the ground, making sure to check that my feet were firmly against it before finally removing their hands? Feet? Claws? From me. I Delved, and the blade lit up in my sight, just off towards the right and obscured by trees. As I stepped towards the blade an arm passed under my right arm, supporting me. “You may call me Toras, Seraph.” A man spoke out.

I grunted my thanks. “Do all of you think that?” I ask tiredly. “I mean, it’s one hell of an assumption to jump to in my opinion…” I could see the blade now, spluttering and almost faded out, the ground around it was devoid of grass or life, the Aen had done its work perfectly. I left Toras’ side, walking over to the blade.

I fell to my knees, not coordinated enough to be able to kneel slowly, I ran my finger along the groove, and the blade slowly dissipated, retracting into the blade. “It’s done.” I said, pushing myself into a standing position. Toras supported me once I started wobbling on my feet. “Thanks, bloody hell they did a number on me.” I said with a mirthless smile.

“Your ability to use that is unique, you must be a Seraph, for not even the Edratchi would be able to wield such a device.” It murmured. “We swore that when you returned we would pay our respects, but it seems you would rather work anonymously among the kin.”

I sighed, rubbing my left temple with my left hand, frustration slowly boiling to the surface. “I don’t think I’m one of the Aerathi. I’m not even from your bleeding reality.” I grimace, putting the Aen away as a spasm of pain passed through my chest. “I can only do what I can to help, but I’m not some kind of miracle worker, not some kind of god or divine helper.”

“We don’t believe the Aerathi were gods or divine helpers, they were far beyond us, a benevolent, enlightened race is what most of us have concluded.” Toras replied. “You are still one of the most effective forces against the Edratchi regardless.” He cocked his head. “That you do not believe yourself to be one does not change the fact that you can wield aether.”

He looked me over. “Your injuries in the line of duty are worrying, in your state I would not force you to face them, it would be suicidal unless you wielded the Aerathi’s true tools of war. Is there some other method you may heal from your current injuries?” He asked.

“I heal faster than normal, I’ll be at peak in time.” I said. It’d take several weeks, and time was starting to be at a premium. They were right to worry, but it would do nothing now. “How goes the work?” I asked. “Did you manage to speak to the lamias and the other races?”

“We have managed to speak with the lamias and come to an understanding, the centaurs have also acquiesced, however reluctantly. We still have yet to contact the nature spirits.” He turned to me. “You may be able to help with that. They had a great respect for the Aerathi, and your presence could coax them from the seclusion that they seem to have retreated to.”

He stepped away from me once we reached the clearing, changing forms once more before taking to the sky with me in tow. I adhered to the claws with the Liaen again, stiffening it just in case they accidentally squeezed, getting diced was not going to be in the cards if I could help it.

As we flew, I could see Teal come into view in the distance, Toras roared, letting out a series of words and sounds that I could not discern, probably their own language. Teal followed behind Toras, landing a little behind them away from the village. “You’re injured?” Teal asked immediately, waiting for the others to dismount before quickly shifting alongside me.

I grimaced, relaying the injuries I’d sustained from my fight with the Edratchi. “I’ll be fine in time, maybe I can heal up here and catch a ride back later?” I asked, looking to the strike force that had also gathered in the village.

Cale nodded. “We could set him down close to a city of your choosing once the Kithar provide us with their response.” Taryn and Saindall nodded in agreement, while Palim and Ram seemed to murmur acquiescence. “Where would you like him to be dropped off?” He asked.

“Torven.” Rince said. “Thanks for watching over him.” He said curtly.

Numen looked over at me worriedly. “You sure you don’t want to come back with us?” She asked. “You just came back and now you’re gone again.” She said sadly.

“Positive.” I replied with a cough. “Not sure I’d make the trip in my state, and you’re needed aren’t you?” I gave a wry smirk. “Trust me, I won’t be long, I’m pretty much a workaholic, you’ll have to tie me down to keep me from going out too early…”

[They should.] Page whispered. [If you will not watch yourself others must watch you.]

And now we’ve gone from silent to monotonous whispering. I thought with slight irritation. Thanks for the input, but I’ve been fine so far. Part of me had to admit that the truth was I wasn’t faring so well. Luck was all too great a part of my successes… and my near failures.

I listened a while more, greeted by the silence of a now still mind. Numen and Rince clambered onto the dragon. Numen shooting me one last worried look as they took to the skies. For a moment I saw a conflicted expression on Rince’s face, but then he was taken into the air, and that was that.

The Kithar seemed fascinated by my continued stay, letting me stay as a guest and providing a modicum of food and drink. Two days later I found myself well enough to train, and I’d need it to stay sharp. My muscles wouldn’t atrophy, Page had at least explained that the nanomachines would keep that at bay, similar to the neuromuscular electrical stimulation used to prevent muscle wasting.

I wobble slightly as I swing, my side aching and weak. The severed muscles are still reconnecting beneath the skin. I was experimenting a little more with my armour, making it somewhat elastic was an interesting idea, one that seemed to pay off some as I kept my hand from overextending in reach. I ducked low, rolling aside and slicing twice at tendon height.

“Are you really that good in a fight?” The Kithar woman said with a frown, watching my technique, even after everything she still liked to try and needle me with a myriad of insinuations. If I cared more, perhaps I would duel her for my honour, as it was I put up with it partly because it wasn’t worth it, and partly because my injuries were too deep for me to face her. Thanks to my restraint she barely had any wounds to be healed from, and I think in part her arrogance may well stem from that.

I breathed out, starting another set of moves for a phantom foe, thinking back to old fights and old wounds. What could I have done differently? What might I have done if I had known earlier? The thoughts flashed through my head as I adapted, sidestepping, thinking of new techniques to catch movement, new techniques to stay on my feet, drilling moves into my mind. Wasn’t perfect, some of these were just limited to a single instance that I had noted before.

That night, I was awoken by Toras, who gently nudged me awake. He was in the form of the man I had seen when we had retrieved the Aen, he looked a rogue, daggers, a shortsword and a buckler hanging at his side. “What is it?” I asked quietly, my voice a low whisper to keep the others from waking. Hardly needed the questions that this would produce.

“I’d like you to come and talk to the nature spirits.” Toras whispered. “They seem to have hidden away, they avoid the group, and they avoid me. Perhaps because I help them. Even so, their debt to the Aerathi is great, and the Aerathi helped all of us, once.” Toras sighed softly. “Perhaps they would come out to you, if only to air their grievances.”

I nodded, I was strong enough to walk on my own now. I doubted they would fight me, but if they did, my only chance would have to be the Aen, no chances this time, wasn’t strong enough to hope for mundane combat to work. We ventured into the woods by foot, and Toras shapeshifted into a sleek, dusky horse, seemingly made of shadow. “What the heck is this animal?” I asked.

“In the olden days they were called shademounts.” Toras murmured, dark blue eyes watching me. “At some point in history they retreated into the deep woods, Soon I will have the others seek them, but now, climb on.” I nodded, and the shadowy horse took off, I tried to settle onto its back, but without any experience with riding bareback I eventually settled for hanging on.

I dismounted cautiously, a soreness spreading throughout my body. “Ugh, was worse than when I rode Teal as a Chimaera.” I rolled my shoulders, stretching myself out. “Think they saw you bringing me in? How would they know to give me a chance?” I asked.

“They know, I felt their senses prickling against my skin.” Toras replied, it then let out a series of words. “That was to tell them that you are Aerathi, they will prove your worthiness by the blade you wield. I will return before dawn. Good luck to you, the spirits are… different.”

I arched an eyebrow at that. Different, huh? I thought, staring into the forest. Well this will be fun. What the heck did humanity do to piss off everyone? I grimaced. It was growing more and more apparent that something had occurred to cause the split in opinions, the hiding away, the changes. Perhaps I would learn it now, talking to the nature spirits. Do they age? I wondered.

I marked one of the trees that Toras set me beside, watching as their form receded into the distance. In the forest, it was far from silent, the insects, grass, birds, all called out as I stood and waited. Guess it’s never this easy. I thought to myself, and sighing, took a step forwards.

“It’s the Aerathi!” A voice cried out, echoes whispering. “Or is it?” The voice lilted. “If you’re not you’ll be sorry…”