Aether Beasts Chapter 15 - 15

Chapter 15 - 15

My aunt was waiting for when I arrived ho, much to my surprise. It was only late afternoon and usually, she was in her clinic up until early night, healing patients, helping, and I would have guessed with the sects around she'd been ho even later.

That in and of itself was odd, but what was odder was the look on her face. It was sadness mixed with acceptance.

"Aunty, what's wrong?'

Seeing her like this always got worried. She was always naturally calm and relaxed. She'\\\\d seen the worst type of wounds, and faced aether beasts.

She sighed and motioned to take a seat on the couch beside her.

"Aunty?"

"You're leaving aren't you?" She asked though it was more a statent than a question.

I stiffened. I was going to tell her obviously but i;d planned to do so tomorrow when I'd figured out what to say.

"Yes, I joined the steel heart sect today."

She smiled sadly and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I expected as much. You know I knew this day was going to co, but ti's gone by so soon. You're all grown up and ready to venture out into the world."

"You're not mad?"

She laughed. "Why would I be mad? I knew this day was coming from the mont you began down the path of an arcanist, and sotis you get that faraway look in your eye. You remind of her you know."

I tried to keep my shock from showing, but I doubted I did a good job of it. She rarely ever talked about my mother or my father. She'd only ever told that they'd died when I was little and she took in.

"I have sothing to tell you, Aiden." She sighed. "Sothing you need to know before you go."

"What?"

She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out an odd-looking necklace. The string that tied it together was pitch black and seed to have been made from darkness itself, but the main part of the necklace was a gold coin-shaped dallion with black engravings. There was a symbol at its center but I had no idea what it was. It looked like so sort of aether beasts, though none like I'd ever seen.

"This belonged to your mother and she gave it to when she left, to give to you when I deed the ti was right."

I stared down at the odd-looking necklace until her words hit like a freight train.

"When she left? Not when she died?"

She nodded, a sad smile on her face. "You mother and father aren't dead. I don't why she told to tell you that, but she said they would know, and it was for your own safety so I played along."

I stared at her in shock, my mind not able to process what was going on. My parents were alive? They'd left , but why? My mind began running in circles as the sa question played over and over in my head and that sadness at never being able to see my parents changed into curiosity at what my parents would be like, what they would look like.

"Why?" I said. My voice was rough and raw with emotion. "Why?Tell , please."

There was faint dampness to her eyes now and she wrapped her arms around , pulling into a fierce hug. "I don't know why she left, Aiden. She wouldn't tell , she only said that it was best if you remained hidden for as long as possible, or if possible, lived a normal life, although I think that was a distant hope for her."

So she'd left to keep safe? From what though? My entire life I thought my parents were dead and that my aunt was the only family I had, and now I'd just been told my parents were alive and that they'd left because I would have been in so kind of danger? This was too much for to take.

I pulled away.

"Did they tell you where they went?" I asked.

"They're beyond the great scar, Aiden," Jenna said. "She left with your father shortly after you were born."

"My father," I muttered. I had a father, a living father.

I looked back down at the necklace and reached for it. She let take it, and I brushed a finger across the surface of the coin-shaped dallion. My finger tingled at the touch.

"I think I'm gonna head to my room," I said. "I need so ti to think."

"Of course," She said. "I'll be here if you need . Im… sorry Aiden."

This ti I gave her a hug. "You raised , Aunty, you don't have a damn thing to be sorry about."

I headed up to my room and closed the door behind before flopping down on my bed. A mont later, Zirani appeared next to and took my hand in her own. I squeezed it. It felt very comfortable and reassuring, having ehr with , knowing that I would never be alone.

"You ok?"

I hesitated. "Yes? No? I don't know. I think I'm just in shock."

I rolled over and pressed my face into my pillow. "This entire week has been one shock after another. I nearly die, I bond with a jungle queen, sects arrive, I join a sect, and now I find out my parents are still alive."

"That's a good thing, no?"

I flipped onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. "I suppose."

Zireani lay down next to and placed her head on my shoulder. "Don't let this disrupt your goals. We're still training tomorrow, and you have another reason to get stronger. Your parents are beyond the great scar. If you ever want to et them then you need to beco strong enough that you can join the next expedition when it leaves."

She was right.. If I wanted to ever et my parents, I needed to get stronger and cross the great scar.