Chapter 272: Ratchyr’s Retreat

Aether Thread, the technique Aelric had used to control his longsword from a distance, was an ability that could only be employed by Rank Three Etheryeans.

Strictly speaking, however, it was not an innate ability exclusive to the realm itself; rather, it was a technique that scholars and practitioners had painstakingly developed over the years to allow certain Etheryeans to overcome a limitation imposed by their particular paths of cultivation.

Upon reaching the Rank Three Etheryean Realm, practitioners entered the Aether Weaver stage, where they gained access to three fundamental techniques: Aether Infusion, Soul Essence Resonance, and Aether Projection.

Each served a distinct purpose, and mastering them could considerably expand a practitioner’s combat capabilities.

Aether Infusion allowed an Etheryean to channel Aether into an object, reinforcing its properties and enhancing its effectiveness. Depending on the practitioner’s proficiency, the technique could strengthen a weapon, improve its durability, or imbue it with enough energy to withstand attacks that would otherwise shatter it. For those who relied upon physical weapons, it was an indispensable means of increasing their offensive and defensive capabilities.

Aether Projection, on the other hand, allowed a practitioner to release and shape Aether beyond the confines of their body, transforming the energy into attacks that could travel through the air. The blue crescents Aelric had repeatedly unleashed during his battle against the Ratchyr leaders were a straightforward application of this technique.

Then there was Soul Essence Resonance.

Of the three techniques, this one was perhaps the most unusual, as it was closely tied to the nature of Valorian cultivation.

At first glance, one might assume that every Etheryean who reached the Aether Weaver Realm would automatically gain access to all three abilities. Unfortunately, cultivation was rarely so accommodating.

In reality, only a particular group of practitioners could utilize all three techniques, and those were the Valorians, whose cultivation revolved around the awakening and development of Soul Essences.

For practitioners who did not possess Soul Essences, the situation was different. They could master Aether Infusion and Aether Projection, but Soul Essence Resonance remained beyond their reach.

The reason lay in the very nature of the technique.

Upon reaching the Middle Stage of the Aether Weaver Realm, a Valorian began the process of merging their consciousness with their Soul Essence. This phenomenon was known as Becoming One with the Essence, or, more commonly, Soul Essence Resonance.

Through this process, a Valorian could extend their consciousness into their Soul Essence and control it without requiring direct physical contact. Their weapon or other Soul Essence could respond to their intentions, moving according to their will as naturally as an extension of their own body.

However, the resemblance to Aether Thread ended at the most basic level.

Soul Essence Resonance was considerably more versatile and sophisticated than the technique Aelric had employed. Aether Thread allowed a practitioner to manipulate an external object through carefully controlled strands of energy, whereas Soul Essence Resonance established a far deeper connection between a Valorian and their Soul Essence.

The latter was not simply a matter of moving a weapon from a distance. It involved synchronizing consciousness with the very essence of one’s cultivation, allowing the Soul Essence to respond to thoughts and intentions with extraordinary precision.

Under suitable circumstances, a Valorian could control their Soul Essence from multiple angles, alter its movements in the middle of an attack, and execute complex sequences that would be exceedingly difficult to perform through ordinary physical manipulation.

Some practitioners developed such profound connections with their Soul Essences that they could even use them as substitutes for their physical bodies.

Indeed, there had been extraordinary cases in which Valorians effectively abandoned their fleshly vessels, transferring their consciousness into their Soul Essences and continuing to exist through their weapons or other manifestations of their cultivation.

It was a concept that was as fascinating as it was unsettling.

Imagine a swordsman whose body had been destroyed, only for his sword to rise from the ashes and continue fighting with the same awareness and intent he had possessed in life.

Or consider a practitioner whose Soul Essence could move independently, think through its connection with its owner, and survive circumstances that would have killed an ordinary human outright.

Such possibilities were among the reasons Soul Essence Resonance had attracted so much scholarly attention throughout the history of Aetherium and also the reason Valoria was the strongest Great Kingdom in Aetherium.

Unfortunately, this awe-inspiring ability was exclusive to those who possessed Soul Essences and that limitation presented a considerable problem.

In Aetherium, only approximately one-seventh of the population could awaken Soul Essences. Even among those who possessed the potential to cultivate, Soul Essence cultivation was merely one of seven recognized paths.

Other paths included the awakening of Soul Beasts, a method particularly associated with Aelric and many inhabitants of the Sanctuary; Soul Scribing, which involved inscribing special tattoos upon the body to facilitate cultivation and unlock extraordinary abilities; and several other disciplines that differed in their methods, principles, and applications.

Each path had its advantages, but none could simply be discarded in favour of another. The path a person followed depended upon their innate potential, the opportunities available to them, and, in many cases, the circumstances surrounding their awakening.

Consequently, it was both necessary and inevitable that scholars and practitioners would eventually seek a way to overcome the limitations imposed by Soul Essence Resonance.

If only Valorians could control external objects through their consciousness, then surely there had to be another method through which practitioners of other paths could achieve a similar result.

That was how Aether Thread came into existence.

As its name suggested, Aether Thread was a technique that utilized refined Aether to control a weapon or another suitable object without requiring direct physical contact.

Rather than establishing a profound connection between consciousness and a Soul Essence, the practitioner created extremely fine strands of Aether and used them to transmit their intentions to the object they wished to manipulate.

The process required considerable precision.

A practitioner first had to refine their Aether until it could be condensed into strands thin enough to remain unobtrusive while still retaining sufficient stability to transmit force. These threads were then attached to the weapon or object, forming a connection through which the practitioner could guide its movements.

Once the connection had been established, the weapon could be moved through subtle changes in the practitioner’s intent, allowing it to hover, change direction, or launch attacks from unexpected angles.

In Aelric’s case, this allowed his longsword to move independently of his hands, creating the impression that an invisible swordsman was wielding it.

The advantage was obvious. An opponent who believed they were fighting a single swordsman might suddenly find themselves facing attacks from a weapon that was no longer confined to the movements of its wielder’s arms.

Even if they managed to predict the practitioner’s physical actions, the additional weapon could attack from a different direction, complicating their attempts to defend themselves.

However, Aether Thread was not without its shortcomings.

Maintaining the threads required concentration and precise control over Aether. The greater the distance between the practitioner and the weapon, the more demanding the technique became.

Similarly, manipulating a heavy object or directing a weapon through a complex sequence of movements required greater expenditure and finer control than simply allowing it to hover nearby.

Furthermore, the threads were not indestructible. A sufficiently powerful disruption could interfere with the connection, while a loss of concentration could cause the weapon to deviate from its intended trajectory.

Nevertheless, despite these limitations, Aether Thread was an effective technique that offered considerable tactical flexibility.

Nor was it entirely unique in its function. Certain Essence Runes and specialized abilities could also allow their users to manipulate objects remotely. Some achieved this through telekinetic forces, while others relied upon invisible energy constructs or similar means.

The reason Aether Thread remained so widely utilized among practitioners who lacked Soul Essences was its relative accessibility and versatility.

Rather than requiring a rare innate ability or an unusual Essence Rune, it relied upon the refinement and manipulation of Aether, making it a practical alternative for those who possessed the necessary cultivation and technical proficiency.

It was not as elegant as Soul Essence Resonance, nor was it as profound, but it did not need to be.

A useful technique did not have to be the most extraordinary one available. It merely had to work when it mattered. And judging by the fate of the Ratchyr leader that had just fallen, Aelric’s version of Aether Thread worked remarkably well...

In the meantime, the surviving Rank Two Ratchyr circled overhead, its enormous ears swivelling as it observed the green-eyed youth standing amid the carnage of the ruined temple.

The chamber had become a graveyard.

Broken pillars stood like the remains of ancient tombstones, while shattered masonry and the bodies of lesser Ratchyrs littered the flagstones. The air was thick with dust, the metallic tang of blood, and the unpleasant stench that accompanied the death of so many creatures in such a confined space.

Here and there, the silver glimmer of Caelestra’s spectral warriors faded as the last remnants of her Coin Legion completed their work and the spectral figures began to disappear into silver specks.

The sounds of battle had gradually diminished. The cries of the lesser Ratchyrs had become fewer and more scattered, while the surviving members of the group were beginning to converge upon Aelric’s position.

Above them, the last leader’s crimson eyes remained fixed on the green-eyed youth.

Its snout parted, releasing a furious hiss that carried through the chamber.

Aelric raised one hand.

His fingers shifted slightly, and the longsword left his grasp once more, tilting until its point faced the creature. Thin Aether Threads trembled in the air, stretching from his knuckles to the hilt like strands of silvery-blue spider silk.

The weapon hovered beside him, perfectly still.

The moment the Ratchyr noticed the movement, its crimson eyes flashed with something dangerously close to fear and uncertainty.

For the first time since the battle had begun, the surviving leader hesitated.

Its mind, governed largely by instinct, appeared caught between two conflicting impulses. It could continue its assault and attempt to avenge its fallen companions, or it could preserve its own life by abandoning the fight altogether. ℴ

The first option offered the satisfaction of vengeance, assuming it survived long enough to enjoy it while the second offered the considerably more appealing possibility of remaining alive.

For a creature that had just witnessed two of its fellow leaders die in rapid succession, the decision should not have been particularly difficult.

Nevertheless, it remained suspended in the air, its wings beating in slow, measured strokes as it assessed the situation.

Below, the battle was already reaching its conclusion.

The group had steadily reduced the number of lesser Ratchyrs, and the remaining creatures were beginning to lose their earlier ferocity. Some had fallen beneath Valmyr’s broadsword, while others had been dispatched by Aureleah’s daggers, Vaelorin’s flames, or the combined efforts of the others.

Caelestra’s spectral warriors had also contributed significantly to the slaughter, leaving the temple floor strewn with the bodies of creatures that had once filled the chamber with their shrieks.

Even the survivors appeared reluctant to continue fighting.

The group had entered the temple facing a colony that possessed overwhelming numerical superiority, yet they had gradually dismantled its forces through coordination, experience, and the careful application of their respective abilities.

Now, only one Rank Two leader remained.

The creature’s crimson eyes moved across the battlefield, taking in the corpses of its brethren and the practitioners responsible for their deaths. Its gaze eventually returned to Aelric, whose sword continued to hover beside him, ready to move at the slightest gesture.

Then it noticed the others approaching.

Regaleon and his companions were gathering near the green-eyed youth, their expressions ranging from exhaustion to cautious satisfaction. Several carried visible signs of the battle, their clothing stained with blood and dust, while others appeared more composed despite the fatigue that had accumulated over the course of the fight.

None of them seemed particularly interested in allowing the final leader to escape unchallenged.

The Ratchyr’s ears twitched.

It had fought alongside its brethren, hunted with them, and shared the territory they had occupied. Whatever passed for its understanding of companionship, the deaths of so many members of its colony had clearly provoked a powerful response.

Yet instinct was a stubborn thing, and survival was often stronger than the desire for revenge.

After a brief standoff, the creature made its decision, it would retreat.

Of course, the Ratchyr had no intention of announcing its departure politely. Doing so would have required a level of courtesy that was rather difficult to expect from an oversized creature whose primary method of communication involved shrieking at its enemies.

Instead, it chose a more deceptive approach.

Flapping its wings, the leader dipped sharply towards the group, its sudden movement resembling the beginning of another dive.

The motion immediately alerted the others.

Regaleon adjusted his stance, while Aureleah’s Daggers shifted into a more defensive position. Kaeloris raised his Scroll, prepared to interfere with the creature’s movements should it attempt to attack. Even Valmyr, who had been catching his breath after the prolonged battle, brought his shield around instinctively.

For a brief instant, it seemed as though the Ratchyr had decided to abandon caution and launch one final desperate assault.

Then, just as suddenly, it twisted in an erratic manner.

Crimson energy flared around its wings, gathering along their edges before spreading across the membranes in a series of glowing veins. With another powerful flap, the creature redirected its momentum and shot upwards, away from the group and towards the broken archway above.

Its movements were abrupt and difficult to follow, the sudden acceleration carrying it beyond the reach of anyone who might have attempted to intercept it.

Aelric’s hovering sword shifted slightly, but he did not immediately give chase.

The Ratchyr continued to climb, beating its wings with desperate urgency as it crossed the ruined temple and passed through an opening in the shattered upper wall. Beyond it lay the scarlet gloom of the Crimson Forest, where the crimson foliage swayed beneath the faint currents of air.

The creature disappeared into the distance.

And just like that, it made its escape, unwilling to become another helpless victim of the slaughter that had claimed the rest of its brethren...