Rava walked alone through the forest, her steps heavier than usual. The trees whispered above her, their branches stirring in the wind. She hadn’t realised just how much she’d come to rely on Vivienne’s presence. The strange woman had become an enigma, a force that both unsettled and intrigued her. But now, with the gap between them stretching, Rava was left with only the quiet of the night and her own thoughts.

She had seen Vivienne change. Not just physically, though that was the most obvious part, but in a way that had been almost frightening. She had grown more monstrous, more distant. It wasn’t just the form she took—Rava had seen enough creatures twisted by aether to recognize that kind of corruption. It was the way Vivienne seemed to surrender to it sometimes, as though the hunger would consume her entirely if she let it.

But there had been moments... moments when Rava saw something else. The woman who fought beside her, who still carried the faintest hint of the person she used to be. The glimmers of the life she had before, the softer edges of her personality that couldn’t be erased, no matter how much aether she consumed.

Rava sighed, shaking her head. What was she doing? She had to be practical. She had to focus on their survival. Yet, the image of Vivienne—her eerie, powerful presence, the way her eyes seemed to pierce through to something hidden beneath—lingered in her thoughts. She didn’t know what to make of it.

The few times she’d seen Vivienne vulnerable—when she seemed to hesitate or falter, even for a moment—Rava had found herself... protective. Was that foolish? She had never been one to coddle anyone, least of all someone like Vivienne, who had clearly lived through hell and come out on the other side far stronger than most. But those moments, those rare cracks in Vivienne’s otherwise cold exterior, had drawn Rava in.

Rava clenched her fist, frustration bubbling beneath her calm exterior. She chastised herself for indulging in such thoughts. There was too much at stake—her people were counting on her, and she couldn’t afford to let herself get distracted. She needed to get back to her clan, to warn them, to help them prepare for what was coming.

Vivienne was so infuriating. Her relentless barbs, her smug gloating, that maddening, unshakable confidence—she carried herself as if the entire world were beneath her notice. It wasn’t just arrogance; it was an art form. Vivienne could stare down beings of overwhelming power, creatures capable of erasing her existence with a thought, and still have the audacity to crack a joke. To grin. It was as if she thrived on defying the natural order itself, and Rava loathed how that defiance both unsettled and impressed her in equal measure.

And yet, gods damn that creature. Against her better judgement, Rava found herself starting to care. Not just as a begrudging ally, not as a means to an end, but as something... more. A partnership of convenience was one thing, but this? This felt dangerously close to trust. To attachment.

Her ears twitched at the thought, her tail flicking irritably behind her.

Rava exhaled slowly, trying to steady her nerves. The night around her was quiet, the forest bathed in moonlight. She’d made camp in a small clearing, far enough from the road to avoid wandering patrols but close enough to feel the tension of being hunted. The faint sounds of nocturnal creatures stirred in the underbrush, a reminder that the world moved on even as her thoughts churned.

Vivienne had rushed off before they’d even discussed where they would meet! The thought made Rava growl under her breath, her ears flicking back in irritation. What kind of reckless fool just runs off without a plan? The kind who leaves their so-called ally in the dark, apparently. And now here she was, alone in unfamiliar territory, with no idea if Vivienne had survived her little stunt or if Rava herself was walking into a trap.

She paced back and forth along the treeline, the faint glow of the tower in the distance a reminder of the chaos Vivienne had left in her wake. Every so often, a far-off shout or flicker of movement caught her attention, and she froze, muscles tensed, prepared to spring into action if need be. The night was growing colder, the chill biting through her fur. It only deepened her unease.

If Vivienne was alive, she would have to be smart enough to head toward their agreed direction—or so Rava hoped. But if not…

She shook her head. She couldn’t afford to waste time dwelling on the what-ifs.

Rava crouched low to the ground, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness. She’d give Vivienne some time, but not much. If the aetherbeast didn’t show up soon, Rava would move on without her. It was a harsh thought, but she couldn’t risk waiting too long and endangering her mission—or her clan.

Rava sighed, leaning back against a tree and looking up at the stars barely visible through the canopy. The stillness of the forest was eerie, a stark contrast to the earlier tension. Her thoughts drifted unbidden to her family: her brother's laugh, her mother’s stern but loving gaze, the lively chaos of their gatherings. It had been so long since she’d seen them. The distance hurt more than she’d admit, especially now, when the stakes were so high.

She had to get back to them, to warn them. And yet... a part of her hesitated. What would they think of Vivienne? How could she explain bringing a creature like her into their midst? Would they trust her judgement—or would they see it as a betrayal of everything their clan stood for?

The sound of snapping twigs jolted her from her thoughts. Her ears twitched as she honed in on the noise. It wasn’t far. She crouched low, muscles taut, her claws flexing against the soft earth. Was it Vivienne? Or something else?

"Vivienne?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The silence stretched, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind. Then, a shadow moved in the distance, too fluid to be anything natural.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Rava’s heart pounded as she prepared herself. Whatever—or whoever—it was, she wasn’t about to be caught off guard.

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“I should have asked for more direction than simply ‘that way,’” Vivienne muttered, her voice carrying an edge of irritation as she hovered through the dense forest. Her current form—the revenant she consumed—moved with eerie grace, her feet never quite touching the ground. The smaller size lacked the sheer intimidation of her colossal form, but there was a certain charm in gliding silently above the earth, unnerving and spectral.

She shifted her clawed hand experimentally, marvelling at the way the faint, glowing trails of her aetheric energy followed every motion. Interestingly enough she also adopted the missing arm it was missing too, though she never got the sword. Shame, that. This form was more delicate, less overwhelming, but it afforded her a surprising fluidity that her larger forms couldn’t match. Still, it felt limiting. She hated that.

Vivienne glanced upward, the faint light of the distant tower filtering weakly through the canopy. It had been a risk to retreat rather than press forward, but the burning light of the Dawncaster had forced her hand. Her skin still tingled, scorched in places where that relentless radiance had managed to pierce her defences.

She clicked her tongue, irritated. “Next time, I’ll tear her glowing little head off,” she muttered, though the promise felt more hollow than she would have liked. The priestess had been formidable. Annoyingly so.

The forest stretched endlessly around her, a labyrinth of twisting trees and shadowy underbrush. “Rava better not have wandered off,” Vivienne said to no one in particular. Her irritation sharpened at the thought of the wolf-woman abandoning her after their little 'arrangement.' Still, some small part of her doubted Rava would leave. That one had a sense of duty thicker than the skull of a Nexus Arbiter.

A soft rustling sound snapped her out of her thoughts. She halted mid-air, her form drifting to a near-perfect stillness as her many eyes scanned the surroundings.

Something—or someone—was nearby.

Vivienne’s lips curled into a faint smirk, her sharp teeth glinting faintly in the dim light. “I hope you’re smarter than the last one,” she murmured, letting her voice carry just enough to bait whatever was lurking.

A flicker of movement darted between the trees. Too fast, too fluid to be an ordinary animal. Vivienne’s smirk widened, a low, guttural chuckle escaping her throat.

“Well, well,” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. “Come out, little mouse. Let’s see if you bite as hard as you scurry.”

The shadow paused, and for a moment, there was only silence. Then, with a sudden burst of motion, the figure lunged—a shape shrouded in darkness, but unmistakably humanoid.

Vivienne shifted to dodge, her revenant form slipping like smoke out of the assailant’s path. As she turned, her grin faltered. The figure wasn’t a simple soldier or scout—they were something else entirely, their body brimming with an unnatural aetheric energy that pulsed and writhed. Unlike the guards she had drained, but also unlike the aetherbeasts she had devoured, this one was... something in between.

“Oh, you are interesting!” she cooed, her many eyes narrowing in intrigue. “Did they send you after me? I feel so special.”

The figure remained silent, stepping into the pale light of the three moons. Their red eyes glowed like embers through the hollowed eyeholes of a featureless white mask. The mask itself was unadorned, eerily smooth, and only added to the unsettling aura they exuded.

They wore a long leather coat, the hem brushing just below their knees, its weight suggesting hidden compartments or armour beneath. The gleam of metal glinted faintly as the figure shifted, revealing hints of vials, tools, and other objects carefully secured within the folds of the coat.

In one hand, they gripped a stiletto—long, thin, and cruelly sharp, designed for precision strikes. In the other, a leaf blade shimmered faintly with an unnatural green light, its edges humming with latent energy.

Vivienne hovered slightly above the ground, her single clawed hand flexing. It still felt unnatural to her, this lack of symmetry in her form, but she relished the challenge of adaptation. “Silent treatment, is it? I do so love the brooding type.”

The hunter didn’t wait for more taunts. They lunged forward, a blur of motion, their blades striking in a calculated assault. Vivienne’s revenant form shifted and twisted unnaturally, her smoky edges bending around the stiletto’s thrust. She retaliated with her lone claw, aiming to swipe at their face, but the hunter anticipated her move. They twisted out of reach and brought the leaf blade down in a tight arc.

The blade caught her across the side, a pulse of green energy radiating through her form. Vivienne snarled, the energy disrupting the cohesion of her revenant shape. She floated back, her glowing eyes narrowing.

“Oh, that’s nasty,” she hissed, circling them slowly. “Your toys are impressive, I’ll give you that.”

The hunter’s reply was another vial, this time hurled with startling precision. It shattered midair, releasing a burst of silvery mist that clung to Vivienne like a shroud. Her movements slowed, the mist disrupting the dark aether holding her body together.

“Clever,” she muttered, her form flickering as she struggled to maintain its cohesion.

The hunter pressed their advantage, their movements precise and relentless. The stiletto darted forward, forcing Vivienne to twist sharply to avoid the strike. The effort left her open, and the leaf blade slashed across her shoulder, sending another pulse of searing energy through her.

Vivienne growled, the pain sharpening her focus. “Alright, fine. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

She lunged forward, her claw arcing toward their mask with a vicious swipe. The hunter ducked, their agility uncanny, and countered with a thrust of the stiletto. The blade sank into her side, and Vivienne gasped, the unnatural energy radiating from the weapon tearing at her essence.

“I’ll give you credit,” she rasped, her voice tight with pain. “You’re good. Annoyingly good.”

The hunter remained silent, their glowing eyes fixed on her with an intensity that was almost inhuman.

Vivienne released a burst of dark energy from her form, forcing the hunter to retreat momentarily. It was a small opening, but she seized it, her claw slashing toward their chest. The hunter narrowly avoided the strike, but the movement forced them off balance.

Vivienne took the chance to retreat, her form flickering as she floated back into the shadowy trees. The hunter threw another vial, but it shattered harmlessly against a trunk, the mist dispersing into the air.

“Next time,” she hissed, her voice carrying through the darkness, “I’ll eat you first.”

Her form wavered as she fled deeper into the woods, her body struggling to hold together after the relentless assault. The hunter didn’t pursue immediately, instead watching the spot where she had vanished. Their glowing red eyes narrowed behind the mask, and they sheathed their weapons with deliberate precision.

As Vivienne pushed further into the forest, her thoughts were a whirlwind of frustration and grim amusement. Whoever that was, they weren’t ordinary. But she had learned enough for now. She needed to regroup, recover, and—most importantly—find Rava.