aero blinked, then he blinked against to make sure he wasn't still high from the fungus. but nope there was really pink creature, a mooskey to be exact. he still couldn't believe it, 'am I really not high?" it would make a lot more sense for the funges that Ferrat used to poison its fangs than for there to really be a pink creature wandering around.

'okay whatever I'm getting paid to check if it's real and bring back a sample,' stretched and pushed the weirdness aside. because it wasn't worth his time in the slightest, so he wasn't giving it more than the minimum time. taking a running position he zeroed in on the mooskey, listing for anything that might get in his way.

'not yet,' he focus on being invisible, it would be horrible if it started moving before he did. the most dangerous thing about these creatures was their charge, their antlers could tear down trees when they reached their top speed. something they needed five seconds to reach, could maintain for five minutes. even afterward they only needed five minutes of rest before they could charge again.

'if it gets the chance I won't survive, 'aero had a lot of pride in his physical state but he wasn't blinded by that pride. he refused to let his pride become his weakness like before.

the moment the Mooskey was facing the wrong direction he charged, right through a bush and over the roots of a tree. the Mooskey heard the leaves and twigs breaking turning towards the source, its eyes locked on Aero as he raced closer. locking eyes with the creature, he forced himself forward, 'hesitating will kill me!' he pushed back whatever fear before it could take root.

by the time he reached it had mostly turned to face him, its muscles tension in preparation charge. folding his legs, his carapace scratched across the ground as he slide under the animal snagging a handful of its short fur before rolling to his feet so he could continue running for his life. 'alright time for the second part!' he didn't plan to outrun the creature.

pushing off the ground he used the first tree as a springboard to a beach of a second. he climbed onto the branch fully not a second too early before the entire tree shook as the mooskey mashed against it. the tree threatened to tip over, but before it could decide aero had already jumped to a third tree then a fourth. he stopped his cart along while away with the full intention of jumping around the forest until the mooskey got tired and he could escape without harm.

'This will be fine as long as it's doesn't knock down a tree,' the mooskey rammed into another tree shacking leaving loose branches from it. 'let do this for a few flowers probably.'

he was right to be cautious as the mooskey chased him for three flowers straight, it aggravated and impressed Aero. the older tree didn't shack too much when the mooskey rammed them, he was able to catch his breath on them. but by the time he reached the cart, he was still tired and went to sleep the moment he climbed in the back.

it was really dark when he woke up, 'that was tiring.' he retrieved the pink fur from where he hid it in his clothing, preparing it to be mailed to someone for something. he didn't know what they would want to do besides studying it or brag about it. 'if it the second...,' he didn't let the thought finish. he didn't have the energy to care about that, if he did he wasn't sure if he should spend the energy on that.

"Okay, that taken care of!" digging for the mission's scrolls he crossed this one-off before looking at the next mission. then following up with the map, "okay let's see I have to take this road to get there and that should be more than a day and a half of travel."

'my lord is that in the path of the storm?'

"you're right but unless it's changed there is no reason to take a deter. besides this one, I'm going t need a few days for!" having food and water he set out for a nearby river to clean up along with refilling his water before heading off. it was smooth travel even as he headed into the storm clouds, the lighting and thrung flashed and rang as he moved deeper into the territory.

"wait this storm might actually be a bad thing!" it was bad he forgot that fact but at this point, "move one I have to figure something out!" he was still a good day out so it wouldn't be too big of a problem, 'okay so my target is lighting fishes." they were a type of aquatic fish that lived in the clouds and rivers, they were caple of eating lighting. it gave them their distinct glow, it was also how they defended themselves.

their ability to glow and hold lasted long after they died. even longer if taken care of the right way. their bone could be made into lighting rodes, but maintenance costs made them very costly. "but still someone needs twenty of them." he still had to figure out how to take them down.

there were three main problems, first, he had to damage thresholds he couldn't cross or they would be worthless. second, they had lighting flowing through them, comply caple of discharging it to attack. which connected to the third problem they feed during storms which were when they were at their most dangerous.

the same energy they ate off they used to attack, If they didn't have energy lighting stored away they would starve before the next storm. during a lightning storm, this wasn't a worry to them and a problem for him. it was definitely a challenge for him, 'i shouldn't smile!' he tried to force his lips down but they wouldn't budge, 'i should smile at this challenge, it could kill me!" but if he survived he would know the level of his skill.

"still need a plan," so he thought hard about this upcoming challenge. affirmed his goals and how he could take them, it kept him occupied with the location of the lighting fish. easy to spot as lighting struck the area very was minutes something shotting back to the clouds. parking his cart a few leagues away aero snuck over to the clearing holding tight to his weapon. as he got closer, "ugh!" he wasn't fully prepared for how bright the tricks of lighting would be.

'oh that's a new problem to the plan, but I can work with this.' not wanting to waste his chance he started moving around the area quickly playing out four quick notes. this is something a bit more different than he usually used, he didn't personally like this way of combat but still learned so no one could say that he couldn't.

using a medley to turn the environment in your favor was a pretty common tactic, aero didn't like it as he preferred to solve things with a pure show of skill. 'but this is a part of my skill,' it calmed him down a bit but he was still unhappy with this plan. the final note played and he slammed his weapon into the ground, aero felt the shimmer of energy down to his bones as an unseen barrier covered the area.

the next bolt of lightning hit the barrier, which dispersed it towards the ground. 'okay there cut off from their food,' he could already feel that strain from using a medley so intense. but he still had some work to be done, thankful this wasn't as intense. five simple short notes to manipulate the wind around him, and lower his air resistance which increased his speed as a result.

setting his flute staff against his back he raced out into the clearing, purposely stomping drawing the attention of the school of lightning fish. then he forgot everything but doughing and staying alive. the blot of lighting couldn't be dodged if he didn't move before they were launched. which wasn't easy, if they caught him mid-air he used his staff to at least ground himself. or just change his trajectory which he aimed for.

the flower was one of the most tiring he's ever had, 'i'm sure there be more.' he thought panting on the ground, he didn't have to worry about being struck as the past hour had drained the lighting fish greatly. the barrier flashed as lighting hit it once more. 'who knows how much longer that going to last,' so he forced his tired body to his feet and stagger over to the fish school. so low on energy, they weren't floating too high above the sky, at the edge of the barrier trying to break through it and feast.

"I know you'll struggle but I'll still make this quick!" digging deep he charged into the school, they let off quick bursts of energy to try and fend him off but he forced his way through the pain sticking the fish on the head, rattling there small brains putting them down before grabbing them up.

'that's it!' once he reached the number of required bodies he raced through the barrier, breaking it, he didn't look back at the fish-devoured bolts of lighting. they would be much more interested in feeding than chasing him, but the moment they were filled.

he made it back to his cart in good time, looking back as he woke up the creature and directed it in the opposite direction the storm was going. 'good thing I feed it before I left,' he needed to get far before the lighting fish decide to chase after them. 'since it's just a straight line, I should take care of that.' moving to the back of the cart he grabbed a small blade to prep the fish for storage and transport. since they want everything he collects the blood in a jar, separates the meat from the bone. everything had its own little jars that he sealed tight with two notes.

"Ugh!" he climbs into the front of the cart feeling a bit sick, not because he was squeamish but because he could still smell the decaying blood on his skin and the floor of his cart. "oh that's going to be a struggle to clean up," even with the decay powder he would have to remove the resulting sludge. 'hope it doesn't dry before I reach a river.'

grabbing the reins he gentler stirred the creature to the center of the road and to move a faster before looking back, no lighting strict we close. 'they aren't chasing yet,' but he wasn't letting his guard down until they cleared the storm where they would be probably safe.

even at stop spread the storm was too big for them to leave in a single day, which left them no choice to stop for the night. 'can't sleep on the floor tonight,' if he wasn't to avoid dying in his sleep he had to be some with a little cover. which by default meant his cart even though it currently smelled like blood, thankful he was able to find a small stream. so after a flower of work he was able to clean up the blood to the point, it didn't bother him.

'i'll pay someone to get rid of that stain,' he knew he didn't have to skill to clean it out. he wouldn't let a stain remain on his belonging, it is why he washed his clothes so thoroughly. might not care what other people thought but he did like to hold himself to standards.

that night he did his best to sleep with one eye open but recent activity had him too tired and he slept deep forgetting any danger that could come his way. of course, when he woke up it was in a battle mode ready for something to happen, 'i guess I got lucky!' he shivered he would be dead if he hadn't been lucky. he choose not to dwell on the fact and instead did something like eat and bath. after feeding the creature he decided to head to the nearest town, 'well that's not too far I can drop off the mission proof before heading to the next. he was making a pretty good time,' hope this continues to go well.'

he couldn't do more than adapt, others would pray to the zalts. but he was aero the upcoming lord of pride. he ran into a small problem on his travel to the town. 'well that's annoying!' he stared down the herd of creatures, four-legged and heavy creatures. probably a pain to fight, not including their numbers. 'they don't seem aggressive so maybe I don't have to fight them, but I need them to move. they were blocking the only recorded road to the town,' he consider turning around and maybe looking for a smaller road. but thought against it who knows what he would run into.

"Since I don't recognize them, they probably weren't in the hunters' creature book." a boo that contained the creatures that hunters most commonly dealt with, this meant they weren't out of their away aggressive creatures. maybe wild creatures that could on some level be trained, either way, aero watched them trying to figure out how he should get through this problem.

'if they're not aggressive it would be a waste of my time to provoke them,' but they don't seem to be moving any time soon. 'what do they even want on this path, they didn't seem to want food. don't seem afraid either?' he thought on this matter for half a flower

'would you like my help,' the helper asked as aero frustration started to turn towards anger. huffing aero allowed them to help, using their methods they observed the death taking note of an agent in all the blood of the creatures. then observed that agents' effects before they came to a single conclusion, 'my lord these animals are high? '

"what?" aero didn't know what they meant, the helper quickly explained it to him, "what! there floating!" he looked at the creatures baffled, so much that he started laughing that was official absurd. calming down he got off the cart getting to the closer, 'they don't see me at all do they?' he waved his hand in front of their eyes and they barely reacted. 'how long do you think they're going to float for?'

'from the way their bodies are reacting 4-7 flowers?' spinning that around in his head aero decide he could wait. 'would you like me to conite the story?'

"of course!"