{"id":392,"date":"2021-11-22T17:24:02","date_gmt":"2021-11-22T22:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/?page_id=392"},"modified":"2021-12-06T11:38:07","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T16:38:07","slug":"chapter-34","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/chapter-34\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 034: Go Big, or Go Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"290\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Etherno_logo-sm.jpg\" alt=\"Etherno\" class=\"wp-image-52\" srcset=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Etherno_logo-sm.jpg 768w, https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Etherno_logo-sm-300x113.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size wp-block-heading\"><strong>Chapter 34:<\/strong> Go Big, or Go Home<\/h2>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona stepped through the portal and found herself back in the living area of the penthouse suite at the <em>Imperial<\/em> hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">She blinked a few times. <em>That\u2019s a super convenient way to travel. Are all the Natas and Gesarans this crazy-strong?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona collapsed onto the couch and drew in a shaky breath. This whole day was insane. Possessed crazy hordes, aliens with what might as well be called magic. <em>What\u2019s a kid like me who\u2019s just out of secondary school doing here?<\/em> <em>Shouldn\u2019t this be a job for the military?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Onin, Tannin, Saija, Cerina, and Aiden dropped into the chairs around Purona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin flopped his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. \u201cMan, I hate zombies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWhat?\u201d Cerina leaned forward in her chair. \u201cThey weren\u2019t zombies you idiot, they were just being controlled!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin shrugged, eyes still closed. \u201cPale skin, dead eyes, chases you in hordes. To-may-toe, to-mah-to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cAnyway.\u201d Onin glared at both of them. \u201cThe important thing is that it looks like Amaryllis found a way to neutralize them. I don\u2019t really want to kill a bunch of people to stop the Natas. That\u2019d probably end badly for us, not to mention them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona gasped. \u201cYeah. That\u2019d be bad. Right now, everyone on my planet is mostly just super curious about you. The Natas have killed or taken a lot of us over the years, though.\u201d Purona flicked an ear. \u201cCome to think of it, the kinsets didn\u2019t start working together until the Natas started raiding Nekotia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThe Kagoshi are wary, too,\u201d Aiden said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona craned her neck to see Aiden. She was behind them, leaning up against the wall, almost out of the room. Purona hadn\u2019t met a Matari before this assignment, but she\u2019d read about them in history class. <em>Aiden seems to super fit the stereotype, though. Quiet and mysterious!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden rounded the corner of the couch and sat on the floor where everyone could see her. \u201cKl\u2019cha\u2019i is the captain of the ship that first intercepted you. That little misunderstanding, plus the typical Kagoshi distrust of other species in general doesn\u2019t help the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Onin scrunched up his brow. \u201cThe Kagoshi don\u2019t like other species?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWell, I wouldn\u2019t say that.\u201d Aiden tilted her head and pursed her lips. \u201cIt\u2019s just that the first species the Kagoshi found were the Natas, then the next alien they found was a Nekotian, that had been possessed by a Natas, so they tend to be extremely, ah, cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYeah!\u201d Purona nodded. \u201cKagoshi tend to be super cranky. It\u2019s still super rare for Nekotians to travel off-world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina frowned. \u201cYou say \u2018super\u2019 a lot, don\u2019t ya, kid?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin poked her in the ribs. \u201cYeah, and you\u2019re cranky all the time. So what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Saija\u2019s phone rang. She held her index finger to her lips and pressed the answer button. \u201cYo!\u201d There was a brief pause. \u201cYup, be right there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona jumped up. \u201cDid they win? Is anyone dead?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Saija shrugged. \u201cI dunno. Amaryllis just said she and Kasai need a lift back here. She sounded exhausted.\u201d Saija pointed off to the side. \u201cSo, uh, I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A portal swirled open underneath Saija. She dropped through it, and it swirled closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh!\u201d Purona gasped and sat straight up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cForget something?\u201d Tannin asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYes.\u201d Purona pulled out her phone. \u201cI need to message Rala to pick up all those, uh, victims or whatever that are frozen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYes, please do.\u201d Onin rubbed his forehead. \u201cWhat a mess. In the meantime, I\u2019ve sent out a few infrared servitors to look for the Natas. I\u2019ll send out a few more tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona typed in a quick message to Rala explaining the situation. \u201cYeah. Hopefully Alayis can, like, find a way to help them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina snorted. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you do that sooner?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cBecause I wanted to work with the Nekotians,\u201d Onin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A portal swirled open. Saija and Kasai stepped through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Onin jumped up and grabbed Kasai\u2019s hand. \u201cHow\u2019d it go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cGreat.\u201d Kasai yawned. \u201cExcuse me. Amaryllis was able to freeze the rest of them. Saija dropped her off at the <em>Potato<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOoo!\u201d Purona waved her hand in the air. \u201cI got a message back from Rala. Xironi\u2019s leading a task force to round up the victims. Super!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cGood.\u201d Onin yawned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cSee what you started!\u201d Tannin pointed at Kasai. \u201cNow everyone\u2019s gonna start yawning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cAnyway, I\u2019m going to bed.\u201d Onin yawned again, glared at Tannin, and headed for his room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cMe too.\u201d Kasai waved and also left the living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona\u2019s stomach growled. She looked down at it. \u201cApparently, I\u2019m super hungry. Anyone wanna go out to grab some food?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cFood?\u201d Tannin jumped up and ran for the door. \u201cWell, what\u2019s everyone waiting for?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona stood, but looked around to see if anyone else wanted to go, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Saija stood up and shrugged. \u201cSure, why not? Sounds like fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cFine.\u201d Cerina stood and trudged along behind Tannin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cSuper!\u201d Purona bounced on the balls of her feet. \u201cComing, Aiden?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cNo thanks.\u201d Aiden shook her head. \u201cI\u2019ve got to check in with the Matari, then I think I\u2019ll go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Everything was blurry. Ailah blinked, and the world started to come into focus. She was lying on her back on a cold metal bench wearing nothing but her bra and panties. Medical instruments hung above her. The rest of the room was dark and smelled of antiseptic. Ailah tried to move, but her wrists, ankles, hips, and neck were strapped to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">There was a pop, and terrifyingly familiar voice spoke. \u201cWell, those brats are stronger than I\u2019d hoped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A deeper male voice responded. \u201cI told you they were trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The woman snarled. \u201cWhatever. How\u2019s the project here going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWe\u2019re about ready to begin.\u201d The third voice was high and nasally. Ailah wasn\u2019t sure of the gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Footsteps sounded across the room, and drew closer. A bright light flashed in Ailah\u2019s face. She winced and tried to look away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cAh, she\u2019s awake.\u201d The owner of the nasally voice was a thin man with thin graying hair. He wore a white lab coat. \u201cGood. She should be ready for the procedure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cAre you sure this will work?\u201d The man with the deeper voice wore a dark suit. He leaned over her and frowned. \u201cWe\u2019ve already tried two hybrids before. Both were failures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cBah.\u201d Nasal-head waved his hand. \u201cMy procedures didn\u2019t fail. You were careless and lost the subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Suit-man growled. \u201cThe first one wasn\u2019t compatible anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Nasal-head snorted. \u201cDragon DNA isn\u2019t compatible. We knew it might not work when we started. The hybridization was successful, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cHmm.\u201d Suit-man tapped his chin with an index finger. \u201cIf this doesn\u2019t work I\u2019m going to have you focus on the bio-synthetic host project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThat\u2019ll take forever!\u201d Ailah didn\u2019t think Nasal-head could sound any whinier than he normally did, but somehow he managed. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to grow a host from scratch. With this process, we just steal one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYeah, whatever.\u201d The woman waved her hand. \u201cAre we going to get started anytime soon, or not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYes.\u201d Suit-man nodded to Nasal-head. \u201cWe\u2019re going to need reinforcements if we\u2019re going to take on those brats, and our ally should be sending us some help soon. I want this project ready for possession as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Something clicked, and cold metal panels swung up against her body. There was a loud hum, and pain lanced through Ailah\u2019s body. It felt like every nerve was being ripped out of her. She screamed, then blacked out.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona leaned back in the booth. The steak tips here were divine. And on the government\u2019s bill tonight!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin and Saija were on the other side of the booth and had their heads together looking over a menu. Cerina sat next to Purona. She frowned down at the menu and humphed occasionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cSo what\u2019s good here, anyway?\u201d Tannin asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cJust about everything is super!\u201d Purona leaned forward. \u201cI especially super like the steak and the fried fish!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cHmm. Both sound good.\u201d Saija pursed her lips. \u201cI can\u2019t decide. Though, after a battle like that, I could probably eat anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOoo! Let\u2019s get both, and we can share so we both get some of each!\u201d Tannin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina snorted. \u201cDude, you\u2019re drooling. Get it together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin stuck his tongue out at her. \u201cAm not!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina rolled her eyes in response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona grinned. \u201cYou guys are super great. All that scary fighting, and you were all super calm through it all. I wish I was that brave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYou\u2019re brave.\u201d Saija said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cNooo!\u201d Purona shook her head. \u201cNot at all. I was so scared, and, uh\u2014\u201d She looked around, leaned forward, and lowered her voice. \u201cThe real reason I wanted to come out tonight is I\u2019m still too scared to be in a room by myself, let alone sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Saija reached out and took her hand. \u201cI was scared too. And if you want, you can stay in my room with me tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThanks.\u201d Purona smiled and squeezed her hand. \u201cI might just take you up on that. And you totally didn\u2019t look scared!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin leaned in and lowered his voice. \u201cOf course we were scared. We had hordes of half-dead looking people attacking us. Only an idiot wouldn\u2019t be scared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh, so you weren\u2019t scared, after all?\u201d Cerina smirked at Tannin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Tannin rolled his eyes. \u201cListen, Purona, courage isn\u2019t not being scared. Courage is being so scared that you wet yourself, and still doing the right thing anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Tannin pointed at her. \u201cDon\u2019t say it! You know what I meant!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Cerina put her hand to her mouth and stifled a giggle.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden flopped into the chair next to the bed in her room. She\u2019d hoped that with the Gesaran\u2019s help, she\u2019d be able to quickly find the Natas on Nekotia and kill it. She sighed. Sadly, this Natas seemed to be up to the usual tricks. The darn things were evil, and devious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden pulled out her comm unit and punched in the sector governor&#8217;s code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cAiden!\u201d The governor grinned when he saw her. \u201cDid you stop that Natas yet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cNo.\u201d Aiden grimaced. \u201cIt\u2019s up to their usual tricks. Hiding and striking from the shadows. Seems it\u2019s not on Nekotia just to nab a few hosts. The Gesarans and I are working on it. The Nekotians are polite and helpful, but Kl\u2019cha\u2019i&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. \u201cWell, that\u2019s what I\u2019m calling about. He\u2019s hostile. Frankly, I think he\u2019s after the Gesarans more than the Natas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The governor rolled his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m sorry he\u2019s the one who\u2019s assigned as the Kagoshi representative for this incident. I know he\u2019s\u2026 difficult to work with, but it was his ship that the Gesarans had first contact with, and he really is a good military leader who has the best interests of the Kagoshi in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden snorted. \u201cTrue, but does he also have the best interests of the Nekotians and Gesarans in mind? He seems to think that all Gesarans are working with the Natas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWell, bear in mind that up until a week or so ago, the only contact we had with Gesarans was with ones that were possessed by Natas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh not that again!\u201d Aiden smacked her hand on the arm of her chair. \u201cDidn\u2019t we go through this crap when we first met the Nekotians? We know the Natas are a non-corporeal species, and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The governor held up a hand. \u201cI know, I know. I\u2019ve already sent a diplomatic ambassador to Gesara. If we can open formal negotiations with them, that will resolve that issue in the long term. For now, I need you to placate Kl\u2019cha\u2019i, and keep him on Nekotia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden grinned. \u201cOh, so that\u2019s how you\u2019re playing this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The governor shrugged. \u201cHe\u2019s playing an important role. That keeps him happy. He\u2019s also too busy to bungle a potentially delicate diplomatic situation. That keeps the rest of the galaxy happy. You have military backup in case you need it. Everybody wins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Aiden snorted again. \u201cWe just have to put up with his winsome personality, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The governor leaned forward. \u201cBasically, yes. Seriously, though, if you can convince him to see the Gesarans as allies, that\u2019d help a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThat\u2019s a tall order.\u201d Aiden slumped in her chair. \u201cI\u2019ll do my best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah blinked. She was still strapped to the table. Everything was sore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;There!&#8221; Nasal-head clapped his hands. He was bent over a computer console to Ailah&#8217;s left. &#8220;All done! Everything looks good.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;You were able to implant the Gesaran DNA, then?&#8221; Suit-man peered over his shoulder. &#8220;What about the enhanced sections?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;Yes, they&#8217;re there.&#8221; Nasal-head poked something. &#8220;She&#8217;s got abilities now. No telling what they are until possession, though.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;Is she ready, then? Our comrade is waiting for its new body.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;Hmm.&#8221; Nasal-head frowned and rubbed his chin. &#8220;I&#8217;d like to let the host rest and receive fluids for about another half-hour for best odds of survival. The possession process can be taxing on the host body.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Possession? Ailah shuddered. That didn&#8217;t sound good. <em>I gotta get out of here!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah threw herself to the right with all her strength. The bonds holding her to the table snapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Did they replace them with paper?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;She&#8217;s up, grab her!&#8221; Suit-man yelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah sprinted away from Suit-man. And skidded to a stop as the woman stepped out from the shadows at the edge of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">&#8220;Ya got spirit, kid.&#8221; She smirked. &#8220;But it&#8217;s not gonna help you. You&#8217;re still gonna be a host. Now get back on the table.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah fought back panic, closed her eyes, and swung her fist. Something filled her hand, and the woman screamed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah opened her eyes. A ginormous sword was in her hand. The thing was bigger than she was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">How&#8217;d that get there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The woman screamed again. Ailah blinked. The fiend was now missing her right arm. &#8220;Heh, serves you right, ya witch.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Suit-man bellowed and charged across the room. A spear of ice shot out of his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah swung her sword. It impacted with the ice and shattered the spear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>Right. I was leaving this horror house.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Ailah charged off into the darkness. And skidded to a stop in front of a large metal door. She looked over her shoulder. Suit-man and Nasal-head were getting closer. Ailah shrugged and swung her sword at the door. It cut through with a horrible screeching sound. Ailah spun around and kicked at the door. The kick flung the door off its hinges and sent it skidding down the hallway. Ailah sprinted after it.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis purred as Ryogin\u2019s strong arms wrapped around her. She nuzzled further into his chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cCome on, love, time to wake up.\u201d Ryogin shook her shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cMmph.\u201d Amaryllis wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself fully against her husband, and felt his body respond to hers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThat\u2019s not playing fair. You\u2019re the one who told me to wake you early.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis sighed. \u201cYeah. With the amplify gift, I think I can safely help Kasai transform to her ultimate form.\u201d She smiled up at her husband and ran her hand down his body. \u201cI can be a little late, though\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai yawned and cracked an eye open at the knock on her door. She sighed and closed her eyes again. Whoever it was knocked on the door again. Kasai growled and clamped the pillow over her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cKasai, wake up!\u201d Amaryllis\u2019 voice came from the other side of the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cFine.\u201d Kasai yawned again and swung her legs out of bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">She pulled on a pair of jeans and changed into a clean tank-top. She only snagged it on her wings once this time. Better, but she still wasn\u2019t completely used to them. Kasai ran a brush through her hair\u2014she wasn\u2019t used to the red yet, either. She squared her shoulders and opened the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis smiled. \u201cGood morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYeah.\u201d Kasai shrugged. \u201cWhy are you up so early?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis\u2019 left ear flicked backward. \u201cIt\u2019s eight in the morning. That\u2019s not that early. I wanted to get up earlier, but it took me a while to get ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai frowned. Amaryllis was blushing, why\u2014 Kasai felt her own face heat. \u201cSo, uh, what\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh, right!\u201d Amaryllis smiled again. \u201cWe\u2019re going to go train.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis\u2019 ear flicked again. \u201cYou said you can\u2019t transform into a dragon at will, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai sighed. \u201cYeah. I\u2019ve only done it the once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWell, we\u2019re gonna work on that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis went and knocked on Purona\u2019s door. After a few more knocks, the door opened. Purona wore an oversized t-shirt that was slipping off one shoulder, and a pair of shorts. Her ears drooped to the sides, and she blinked sleep from her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis smiled. \u201cGood morning! We need to go train while we\u2019re waiting for news of the Natas. Is there a bomb range or something nearby where we can go all-out without worrying about destroying anything?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Purona blinked. \u201cI dunno. I\u2019ll\u2014\u201d Purona yawned. \u201cI\u2019ll check with Rala.\u201d Purona closed the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cI don\u2019t think she\u2019s a morning person.\u201d Amaryllis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai giggled. \u201cWell, Tannin and Saija did keep her up late last night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A few moments later Purona\u2019s door opened, and she emerged dressed in her Nekotian uniform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOkay, there\u2019s a military testing range that\u2019ll be super good for training about sixty miles west of here. It\u2019s in a big crater. I\u2019ve called to get us a ride over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cThanks!\u201d Amaryllis headed to the door. \u201cKasai and I will head over there. Please bring the others,\u201d she called over her shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai turned to Purona, shrugged, and hurried after Amaryllis. They took the elevator down to street level, and exited the hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis rose up a few feet into the air. \u201cFirst, let\u2019s race over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai frowned. Amaryllis didn\u2019t have her staff. Normally, she sat on it to fly. Would she be slower without it? Kasai shrugged. She jumped into the air and flapped her wings. She followed Amaryllis in a lazy spiral up above the tops of the buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOkay.\u201d Amaryllis waved to her. \u201cCatch me if you can! Multi-class: super-cruise!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis circled around once more, then blasted off with a boom loud enough to rattle the windows on the surrounding buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh, so that\u2019s how this is going to be.\u201d Kasai sighed, locked her wing-joints, and pushed dragonfire out through her feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The world rushed past with a deafening roar. In a few minutes, she caught up with Amaryllis. Amaryllis laughed and waved to Kasai, though between the wind and the super-sonic velocity, Kasai couldn\u2019t make out what she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis stretched out her hand, and green dragonfire shot out toward Kasai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai spun in mid-air to catch the fire on her wing. The onicranium scales soaked up the energy and gave Kasai an extra boost of energy. Kasai punched out with her own dragonfire, and shot a blast at Amaryllis. Amaryllis mouthed something, and a glowing golden shield formed in front of her. The fire splashed harmlessly off the shield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">This wasn\u2019t working. Kasai circled around Amaryllis, firing pot-shots at her while she tried to come up with a better plan of attack. Kasai generated a ball of dragonfire in her fist, imagined a telekinetic rope, and spun the dragonfire around it to make a flaming whip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai lashed out with the whip. It wrapped around the edge of the shield. Kasai grinned. Amaryllis darted backward and generated a servitor that took the impact from the whip. Kasai groaned.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis squeaked as a whip made of fire wrapped around her shield. She managed to generate a servitor in time to block it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>That was close! Is the new staff ready yet?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>Almost.<\/em> Ryogin sounded distracted. He was probably working on the staff now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis dropped down a few hundred yards to avoid another energy whip. She generated another shield just in time to stop a blast of dragonfire from roasting her legs. Amaryllis shot a few more blasts at Kasai, who just soaked up most of them, but did dodge a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis grinned. Kasai might not be making progress on accessing her full dragon form, but her mobility in the air was getting a lot better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>It\u2019s ready now.<\/em> Amaryllis sighed in relief at the sound of Ryogin\u2019s mental voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">She stopped in mid-air and generated a double-thick shield in front of her. \u201cArtifice: full up-link, to the third!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cLike I\u2019m going to give you time to do that!\u201d Kasai let loose an over-sized blast of dragonfire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A blue-white artifice portal swirled open above Amaryllis\u2019 head. She reached into it and yanked out a shakujo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai jerked to a stop and gasped in surprise. \u201cUm, that was faster than normal. And it looks different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis grinned. The top of this shakujo was silver-white. \u201cYup. We got a little more onicranium when we were salvaging ships back on that moon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cUh-oh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cNow.\u201d Amaryllis twirled the staff around and pointed it at Kasai. \u201cLet\u2019s work on drawing out the dragon in you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWait!\u201d Kasai held up a hand. \u201cIt\u2019s too dangerous! What if I kill somebody?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cHmm.\u201d Amaryllis lowered her shakujo, drifted over next to Kasai, and put an arm around her friend\u2019s shoulder. \u201cStill worried about being called a monster when you were younger?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYeah.\u201d Kasai sniffed and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. \u201cMeeting you all has helped. But sometimes I can kinda still hear Onryo in the back of my mind. Talking with my therapist back on Gesara helped, and the genetic adjustments that Ryogin did helped a lot. I don\u2019t hear her out loud anymore, and I\u2019m not transforming, burning down villages, and then not remembering any of it, but&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cBut you\u2019re afraid that might happen if you go full dragon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai twirled her hair around her index finger and nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis squeezed Kasai\u2019s shoulders. \u201cYour dragon nature is a part of you, like my Nekotian nature is a part of me. Unfortunately, there isn\u2019t a magical way to fix everything. You\u2019re going to have worries, and from the little bit of research I did, Onryo isn\u2019t going to just go away. She\u2019s a part of you. You\u2019ve accepted that. Now you have to accept the rest of who you are. I don\u2019t believe you\u2019re evil. Onin doesn\u2019t believe you\u2019re evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYou were raised by the monks of Ard, correct?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cDo you, personally, believe their teachings?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai shrugged. \u201cWell, kind of. I don\u2019t agree with everything, or I\u2019d have stayed in the monastery. But I believe in Ard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cGood. Me too.\u201d Amaryllis smiled and nudged Kasai in the ribs. \u201cThere aren\u2019t many that do, these days. But that\u2019s beside the point. If you believe in Ard, then you believe you\u2019re here for a purpose, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai nodded again. \u201cNow you\u2019re starting to sound like one of the monks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis shuddered. \u201cUgh. Way too celibate for me. Anyway, if you have a purpose, and you can transform into a dragon, that must be for a reason, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai sighed. \u201cFine, fine. If my friends believe in me, I can believe in myself too. Do you have a plan for bringing out the dragon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYup.\u201d Amaryllis smiled and twirled her shakujo around to point the tip at Kasai. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna beat it out of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cWhat!\u201d Kasai back-winged away from Amaryllis. \u201cThat sounds neither scientific nor safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cOh, it\u2019s scientific. On the previous occasion, you were under extreme duress. The idea is to replicate those conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cBy fighting with me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cI\u2019d prefer \u2018extreme sparring\u2019, but yes.\u201d Amaryllis winked. \u201cGet ready. I\u2019m also going to fully test out this multiplier gift before having to use it extensively in combat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai rolled her eyes. \u201cOkay, but don\u2019t say I didn\u2019t warn you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis grinned. \u201cI\u2019ve been working on my scripts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cScripts?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cYeah. That\u2019s how I visualize my gifts and use them together. Demonstration?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cSure.\u201d Kasai braced herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis gripped her staff. \u201cMulti-class: pew-pew gun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai giggled. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai\u2019s eyes grow wide as a bus-sized blaster bolt formed at the end of the shakujo. More followed in rapid succession. The blasts flew in so fast they were a blur, and the air screeched as though it was being ripped apart. Kasai managed to dodge a few blasts, but soon the air was filled with them. One nicked Kasai on the wingtip. It didn\u2019t appear to cause an injury, but it did send her spinning away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cIce!\u201d Amaryllis yelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A wave of ice flowed out of Amaryllis shakujo. She wove it around, effectively boxing Kasai in with ice, then Amaryllis switched back to amplified energy blasts. Kasai was battered by the blasts and forced down and backward. Kasai\u2019s wings were wrapped around her. They were absorbing the energy blasts, but the barrage still kept her pinned down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>Perhaps this will be easier than we thought?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>I wouldn\u2019t count on it. <\/em>Ryogin\u2019s mental voice sounded wary. <em>Calculations show it\u2019s going to take more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis sighed. <em>I was hoping we wouldn\u2019t have to resort to that.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Something glowed from underneath Kasai\u2019s wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cUh-oh.\u201d Amaryllis ceased her onslaught and gained some altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis generated a fresh shield. There was a flash of blinding white light, and her shield was ripped to shreds. She clung to her staff as she tumbled through the air. After several minutes, she was able to right herself. Just in time to see a blast of dragonfire headed straight at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cReinforce!\u201d Amaryllis swung her staff at the column of fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The onicranium in the shakujo absorbed most of it, and she groaned with the effort of deflecting the rest of it. She shoved with all her might. Her arms ached. Finally, she was able to shove the blast to the side. It slid off the edge of her shakujo and disappeared off into the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis took a deep breath. Her arms shook and she sucked in air trying to catch her breath. \u201cOkay, that was big.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A few seconds later Amaryllis straightened up. \u201cAll right. If you want to play that way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis pointed her staff at Kasai and loosed a barrage of blasts. Under cover of the blasts, Amaryllis shot upward. She stopped when she could just start to make out the curve of the planet on the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis pointed her staff straight up. \u201cMulti-class: orbital strike.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Mist gathered around the top of her staff. Ice formed, and the chunk grew rapidly. Amaryllis glanced down. Kasai was coming up at her fast. Amaryllis looked up at the ice chunk, now the size of a small house. It wasn\u2019t going to be ready in time. She generated a few servitors with her left hand and sent them down to delay Kasai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The servitors zipped down and circled around Kasai. Lightning shot out from them, and was absorbed by the scales on Kasai\u2019s wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\"><em>Hmm. <\/em>Amaryllis pursed her lips. <em>This isn\u2019t going to work.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">She sent a mental command to the servitors. They condensed and attached to Kasai\u2019s legs. Kasai batted at them with fire-covered hands, but they stayed connected. She was slowly being dragged down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis looked up at the chunk of ice. It was now several stories tall. That should work. She generated four more servitors. They floated up, attached to the ice chunk, and spread out to cover the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Amaryllis swung her staff around and pointed it down at Kasai. \u201cMulti-class: mega-beam!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">A spot of light formed at the tip of Amaryllis\u2019 staff. It grew to twenty yards in diameter, and a solid beam shot out and down at Kasai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">It was an energy-based attack, so it shouldn\u2019t hurt Kasai, but hopefully it would shove her down closer to the ground. Amaryllis kept up the attack for a second, then stopped. She took a breath and wiped her forehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">\u201cMan, that takes a lot of energy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">She took another breath, floated to the side, and waved her staff down to the ground. The ice chunk dropped, well, like a rock.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dragon.png\" alt=\"dragon\" class=\"wp-image-41\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai shoved against the energy beam and growled in frustration. It wasn\u2019t hurting her, but it was shoving her away. Between telekinesis and dragonfire, Kasai could fight from a distance, but if Amaryllis was trying to make some distance between the two of them, she probably had a reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The beam stopped the moment Kasai\u2019s feet touched the ground. That couldn\u2019t be a coincidence. She shaded her eyes and looked around. That speck wasn\u2019t Amaryllis, was it? Wait. The speck was getting bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai blinked. \u201cIs she trying to Oz me to death?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">Kasai tried to take off, but was jerked back to the ground. She bent over to examine her feet. A small yellow servitor was still stuck to each of her feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"bookws\">The speck kept growing bigger. Kasai yanked with her feet, but they still wouldn\u2019t move. She winced and held her hand out above her head.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside id=\"custom_html-2\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html amr_widget\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Advertisment &#8211; Help keep Etherno free<\/h2><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n    google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-6329442091957906\";\n    google_ad_slot = \"2637632844\";\n    google_ad_width = 728;\n    google_ad_height = 90;\n<\/script>\n<!-- 728x90, created 3\/31\/09 -->\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/chapter-33\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"382\">&lt;&lt; Previous Chapter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/table-of-contents\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"34\">Contents<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/chapter-35\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"398\">Next Chapter >><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarondemott.com\/newsletter\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.aarondemott.com\/newsletter\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/env_sm.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-178\" width=\"33\" height=\"20\"> Be notified when the next chapter comes out!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.ko-fi.com\/cdn\/widget\/Widget_2.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\">kofiwidget2.init('Buy me a cup of tea', '#29abe0', 'V7V05ASUY');kofiwidget2.draw();<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chapter 34: Go Big, or Go Home Purona stepped through the portal and found herself back in the living area of the penthouse suite at&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-392","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=392"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":404,"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/392\/revisions\/404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etherno.aarondemott.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}