New World New Life - Chapter 190

-Aether, I need you to go back to Timbretune for me. So that they know that I am safe, and to bring them to the pit. I won’t be able to bury all those bodies on my own.- Vy said to Aether.

Aether looked up to Vy.

-Alright, be safe on your own.- Aether replied as he loosened his coil around Vy’s leg.

Within the blink of an eye, Aether was now as huge as Vy’s Titan Raven form. His keeled scales shimmered despite the absence of moonlight as he stretched out his feathered wings. He went off in the opposite direction, heading back towards Timbretune.

Using a speed boost spell, Aether was able to shorten his travelling time. He arrived in Timbretune in the morning. To avoid any unwanted attention, he rendered himself invisible using a cloak spell as he landed safely in an alleyway.

Aether then took to his human form and simply walked out onto the streets in search of Lycster. He knew that when he found Lycster, he would likely find the rest as well. With his keen senses and abilities, it did not take long for Aether to track him down at the Bureau.

With the cloak spell still intact, he swiftly made it past the guards without being detected and continued to search for Lycster. With some luck, he found the room that Lycster was in. Not wasting any time, he simply knocked on the door and let himself in.

He revealed himself to all of them and all of them were surprised by the sudden appearance of a visitor. Caster was ready to reach for the sword at his belt.

Aether looked over to him and said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Lycster looked over to the mysterious stranger at the door. He felt like he knew who it was.

-Lycster, do not worry, Vy is safe.- Aether projected his voice into all of their minds.

Upon hearing Aether’s voice in his mind, Lycster knew who he was immediately. He recognised his voice.

“Aether? Is that you?” Lycster asked, bewildered.

He did not know that Aether had a human form!

It was at this point that it occurred to Aether that while he had already met all these people; they had never seen him in his human form before.

-My apologies, I forgot that you have not met me in this form before. I bring a message from Vy.-

“Is my sister alright?” Lycster eagerly asked.

Aether relayed Vy’s request to them. Hearing the things she needed had all of them a little worried.

“She needs a small group of people to help bury bodies? Along with the necessary equipment and coffins? What on earth is going on?” Carole asked.

Could the rumours of her brutality and blood lust be true? Were they going to help her cover up a crime? While Lycster was ready to assist, Aether forbade him from going.

“You think I can’t handle a bit of blood?” Lycster huffed with his arms crossed.

Aether shook his head. -I know you can. But this is a scene, Vy would not want you to see. You are safe here and she would want you to stay put.-

Lycster bit his lip.

“Stay?” he repeated Aether’s words, “Is this what she said or is this what you think she wanted to say!”

“Lycster!” Carole called out his name, she was surprised by the boy’s attitude. Was this even the same sweet Lycster she had known from before?

Aether bent down to meet Lycster at eye level. The boy refused to look him in the eye, but Aether was not going to back down just like that either.

-Lycster, there are some things in this world a child like you should never witness. Or at the very least, not at this age.- Aether said to him.

Lycster knew what he meant. He was right. As much as he wanted to go and meet up with his sister, maybe it was best for him to not be there. From Aether’s words, he deduced that something terrible must have happened.

Could it have been worse than what had happened at Arkwing Castle?

Seeing that Lycster understood the gravity of the situation, Aether turned his attention over to Caster and Carole. To be honest, he never cared if they would assist Vy or not. He knew humans were fickle with their trust.

Even if they had known a person for some time. Anything could shift their trust in the blink of an eye.

-So, will you help or not?- Aether asked Caster and Carole.

Carole stepped over and placed her hand of Lycster’s shoulders as she said, “I will stay here and look after Lycster. Someone needs to ensure this boy does not run off anywhere.”

“I will go get Bankster, we will go with you.” Caster replied Aether.

-No, Bankster should stay here. He should stay to ensure that the town is safe in your absence.- Aether remarked.

He made a fair point. Hence, Caster changed his mind and took two of his most trusted guards with him instead. With everything arranged, they left for Vy’s location immediately. Before they left, Caster gathered all the materials Vy had requested for them to bring and kept them with the help of his spatial necklace.

When they were ready, they were about to depart on horseback but Aether disapproved.

-It would take too long to get there. You three can ride on me instead.-

Although he would have preferred not to, it was the only way to get them quickly to their location. All three of the men kept straight faces as Aether took to his serpent form. His keeled scales magically smoothened out to give them a more comfortable seat on his back.

As it happened in the middle of the day, lots of townsfolk came to the entrance to see the curiosity. Most of them had never seen a winged serpent so huge and so unique. The three men who sat on Aether’s back might have kept a brave front.

But Lycster and Aether could hear their pounding hearts. Lycster walked up to Aether and spoke to him just before they left. Lycster pet Aether on the head. He could tell that the serpent did not like it very much, but he nonetheless tolerated it.

Lycster leaned in close and whispered, “Bring my sister back to me as soon as you’re done, alright?”

Aether looked at the boy and nodded in agreement.

Once everything was ready, Aether flapped his huge feathered wings. The people that had surrounded him quickly retreated away from him to give him space. As soon as he gained some air, Aether soared into the sky.

The men on his back did not anticipate the sudden vertical climb into the air and were screaming at the top of their lungs. Aether chuckled to himself. Caster, on the other hand, was surprised by the sudden climb into the air but he remained calm.

As soon as they were well adjusted to being in the air, the men were amazed by the scenery around them.

They were flying amongst the clouds.