Chapter 106: Aetherific

FieryKathy

As agreed upon earlier, Ruva drops us off after a couple of hours. Night already has set but luckily, for most of the party, that’s not really an issue.

“See you around, Ruva.” Hilda taps her hand on the vehicle.

“You too. Be safe everyone.” 

“Will do.” Nikki nods while she helps my sister not run into any trees. 

After we all say our goodbyes, the walker starts walking off in the distance. 

“Let’s get off the road and make our camp.” Hilda leads the way. 

“Can I have a light please, babe?” Lise clamps on to Nikki’s arm. 

“Awh, but I like you being so helpless around me.” 

Me and Sam look at each other and giggle while Nikki finally produces a bit of flame from her hand so Élise can also see what's going on. 

We find a good and well-hidden location for a campsite after a fifteen minute walk and setting up everything. Hilda makes sure everything is warded off so nothing can disturb us while sleeping.

“We should be pretty safe now.” She rubs her hands. “Does anyone want some food before bed?” 

“Nah, I’m fine.” My sister shakes her head. “I ate on the walker already.” 

“Me too, I was giving her the snacks.” Nikki laughs. “We will be going to bed already. 

Hilda nods. “Ami and Sam?” 

“Maybe a little.” I smile. Sam nods as well. 

“Good.” Hilda smiles and starts preparing us a bit of food. 

During our late-night meal we don’t really talk much. We have been pretty busy today and everyone is really tired. That and the food Hilda had made for us tasted incredibly well. 

“When everything is silent that means there’s no complaints?” Hilda smirks as she watches us finish our plate. 

“None at all, chef.” Sam laughs. “Your salad is really good.” 

I nod enthusiastically in agreement. With my mouth still full. 

“Thank you. If the two cat girls tell me it’s delicious even without any meat, it probably is.”

After our food we say good night and get into our tents. The night is a bit more chilly than we are used to so it doesn’t take long for the both of us to get into our bedroll. 

I cuddle up closely to my girlfriend, who in her turn takes me close to her. 

“Don’t you want to check out the new things you got?” I ask, looking up at her. 

“Nah, it can wait until next time. I just want to hug my beautiful girl right now.” 

“You’re beautiful too.” 

“Thanks.” She gives me a kiss. 

“I love you Sam.” 

“I love you too.” 

“I love you even more.” 

“Hmm, I don’t think that’s possible.” She boops my nose with hers. 

“It definitely is.”

“Nah ah. Mathematically impossible. If my love for you would grow even more I think the universe would explode.” 

“Hmmmmmm. Wanna try that out?” 

“Sure.” She smirks as she starts kissing me. The kisses slowly increase in length and become more passionate as time goes on. Sam ends up rolling on top of me, softly squishing me with her body. Even though it was a cold night, it was getting really toasty here.

Her final kiss almost leaves me breathless.

“Universe didn’t explode, I guess we’ll have to try harder next time.” She winks at me with a little bit of a lewd smirk. 

“We… we can maybe try…”

“Just fondling and ear scritches, right?” She winks. 

I shyly nod.

She smiles and gives me another kiss after which she lays down next to me again and gently pulls me so I can sleep on top of her. “Night night cutiepie. See you on the other side.” 

“Nini Sam.” I settle in on her chest and start dozing off. 

It doesn’t take very long before I open my eyes back in my own room. My Sam is already smiling at me as I wake up. She’s casually tracing circles around my right ear with her fingers. It tickles a little. 

I hug her close and snuggle into her breasts. 

“Eeep!” Sam yelps. 

“Is something wrong? Did I tickle your boobs?” 

“Uh… not really. I just felt something cold touch my back.” 

“Hmm?” I pull my hands out from underneath her. To my surprise I see the bracelet we got from the temple on my wrist. “Heh?” 

Sam carefully takes my wrist and holds it in front of her. “This is…” 

“Yeah, it’s the bracelet…” 

Sam scoots up and straightens the pillow so she can sit upright against the wall. “Can you take it off?” 

I follow Sam’s lead and sit upright next to her. I then grab hold of the bracelet and start sliding it upwards. It comes off without any issue. 

“Phew. At least you aren’t stuck with it.” 

“What do I do with it?” 

“I’m not sure. You had Veanya’s telephone number didn’t you?” 

“Ah, right!” I grab my cell phone from my night stand and start typing a message to Veanya. She almost immediately calls me back the moment I send the message. I put it on speaker so Sam can hear too.

“Amicia, what bracelet do you mean?” 

“It’s a bracelet we found in a temple back on Haurchefaud. According to legends it’s some sort of divine relic.” Sam replies in my stead. 

“I see… don’t do anything with it, just put it somewhere and don’t touch it until I’m there, okay?” 

“Will do.” I reply and quickly put the bracelet down on the night stand. 

“I will be there in a second.” 

Before I can even reply to that a bright light fills the room and a moment afterwards Veanya appears. Making me and Sam cover ourselves up. 

“Could you not?!” Sam throws a pillow at her. 

“Oh! Sorry!” Veanya blushes and quickly turns around. “I didn’t know you were still in bed.” 

“You could give us more than a second to reply.” 

“What’s all the ruckus about?” My sister looks inside of our room and bounces back the moment she sees Veanya standing there. “What are you doing here!?” 

Me and Sam are still hiding under the blankets while Lise is analysing the situation.

She shakes her head and sighs. Walking over to Veanya and taking her by the ear. “Come on Voyeuranya, let them get dressed first.” She then starts walking out. 

“Ow! Ouchie!” Veanya is forced to follow her. 

My sister’s voice then sounds from the hallway. “Just call us when Veanya is allowed back in again.” 

I look at Sam and we both start giggling. “Will do!”

We get dressed in a couple of minutes after having helped my girlfriend with her leg. Afterwards we call Veanya and my sister back into the room. In the meantime Nikki has joined them as well. 

“So you really did get the relic with you, huh?” My sister crouches down next to my night stand, making sure to keep enough distance from the armband. 

Almost without hesitation Veanya takes up the armband. We all react a bit shocked to that. 

“Why are you looking so surprised?” Veanya tilts her head towards us. 

“It’s just that Ami was in quite some pain when she first touched the relic.” Sam explains. 

“Oh, right.” She closes her eyes for a second, probably to concentrate. “I do sense a residue of some chaotic divine energy. Although most of it seems to be replaced by Amicia’s now.” 

“You can sense the difference?” Nikki asks. 

“Yeah, the aether feels completely different but it takes quite a while to develop senses for that.” 

“A bit like a sommelier?” My sister continues. 

“I guess you could compare it to that, yes.” Veanya nods. 

“And your aether doesn’t fight with Amicia’s?” 

Veanya shakes her head. “No, her energy feels really friendly and calming.” 

“Just like she is in real life.” Sam gives me a hug and a kiss on my cheek.

Nikki and my sister awh at our cuteness.

“Can you tell what it does as well?” I ask while being smooched. 

“Sadly I can’t yet. Your energy hasn’t yet taken over completely. While it is definitely dominant and the chaotic energy can’t overpower it. It still needs some time to get used to you before I can sense what purpose it serves.” She places the armband into my hand. 

My sister chuckles. “So Hilda was right, it does in fact need some attunement.” 

“And is it safe for her to do so?” Sam asks. 

“To attune to it you mean?” 

“Yeah, what if it has some apocalyptic property to it.” 

Veanya shakes her head once more. “Once Amicia attunes to it completely, she will be able to tell what kind of effects it will have. Nothing will happen without her consent.” She then raises a finger towards me. “Although. It probably would be best to not be wearing it when you go into your other state of being.” 

I tilt my head in confusion. 

“She means your Valkyrie of Vengeance form, sis.” 

“Ooooh.” 

“Because in that case you might do some things you don’t actually want to do.” Veanya pats my head. “Just be careful with that.” 

I nod. 

“Do you have any more questions?” Veanya looks at us all. “I still need to do some work so I need to go soon.” 

“In and out in a second, like always.” My sister scoffs. 

“Goddesses have busy lives, you know?” Veanya pouts back. 

“Just one thing.” I raise my hand. “How long will this attuning last?” 

Veanya shrugs. “Could be hours, days, weeks, months… It’s always a bit of a guess with these kinds of things.” 

“Ah…. thanks for the help anyway!” 

“No problem. Again, if you ever need something, just call me.” She smiles, gives me a wink and then with the snap of her finger the white light returns and she’s gone. 

“You should ask that other goddess you know if there’s a device to keep out unwanted divine teleportation stuff, Ami.” My sister shakes her head as she walks back out of my room. “I’ll start making some breakfast.”

“Yeah, we will come too!” I take Sam by her hand and together with Nikki we follow my sis to the living room.