Chapter 39. Know Thy Self

  As they set out toward the overgrown suburbs, Raven took the lead, guiding them through the dense vegetation that had overtaken the streets. Vines coiled around streetlights, thick roots cracked through the pavement, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers. The suburban sprawl had become a jungle, a wild and untamed thing born of ether’s return. Every step forward was another reminder of how much their world had changed.

  While they walked, Raven caught Uri up on the events of the last couple of days—the rescue at the apartments, the battle at the goblin fort, the discovery of the weird ether sink beneath the rubble. Uri listened in silence, occasionally nodding, but when he mentioned the sink under the apartments, she slowed, her expression tightening in thought.

  "Two ether sinks in one city is strange enough," she muttered. "Normally, they're spread out by tens—sometimes hundreds—of kilometers. But having a third one wedged between them? Either it's something else entirely, or something unnatural is happening here."

  Raven frowned. "So what does it mean?"

  Uri let out a slow breath, her sharp gaze scanning the horizon as if the answer might be waiting for her in the trees. "I have a theory, but I don’t know if I like it."

  "Spit it out," Raven said, stepping over the twisted roots of what had once been a driveway.

  Uri hesitated, then sighed. "One of the seals that had trapped ether was beneath the construction site at the edge of town.

  Raven froze, that was where his parents had died in the "accident".

  Uri continued, "It looks like that seal stirred things up. It might have been holding back more ether than the area could handle. It could take some time for the excess to disperse and for the ether to stabilise.".

  Raven let that sink in. The idea of that much raw ether leaking unchecked into the world didn’t sit well with him. "So, what? The sink under the apartments and the one in the tavern—they're both connected to whatever was sealed beneath the city?"

  "No, it's more likely they formed due to the abundance of chaotic ether," Uri admitted. "At least it's stabilizing on its own. The sinks that have appeared will absorb the excess ether, preventing it from spreading and creating more instability."

  Raven shot her a look. "So, should we be worried or not?"

  Uri smiled. "Not about that. But if the sink you sensed is what I think it is, the hospital needs to be the ones to claim it—you need to be the one to claim it. If that sink is waking up, and something else gets to it first, we're going to have a much bigger problem on our hands."

  Raven paused, his thoughts drifting back to the goblins he and Carlos had caught digging through the rubble. What if they had reached it before he had? Worse—what if something had already claimed it? The goblins were dead, and he doubted anything would disturb the site in the next few days, but that wouldn’t last forever. He’d have to deal with it soon.

  Pushing deeper into the overgrown streets, the eerie silence of the ether-infused forest settled around them. Whatever was waiting in these ruins, one thing was clear—the city still had secrets left to uncover.

  As they pushed through the dense overgrowth, it became clear that an ecosystem was rapidly forming. Raven watched as a squirrel, nearly twice the size of any he’d ever seen, darted across a thick branch—only to be tackled mid-leap by an overgrown house cat, sending both creatures tumbling to the forest floor in a flurry of fur and claws. Insects larger than his hand crawled through the tangled foliage, their chitinous bodies gleaming under dappled light. He had a sudden, unsettling thought of giant spiders lurking in the underbrush, and a shiver ran down his spine. Spiders were just a hard no.

  As they walked, Uri took on the role of teacher, her voice light but probing. “What do you think your greatest traits are?” she asked, glancing between him and Carlos. “What part of you resonates with the abilities you already have?”

  Carlos seemed lost in thought, his brow furrowed as he considered the question. But Raven struggled to grasp what she was asking. Sensing his hesitation, Uri shifted tactics. “Alright, let’s start smaller. What did you feel the first time you phased?”

  Raven’s mind drifted back to that desperate moment in the fight against the brute. He had been seconds from death, crushed beneath a force he couldn’t overcome. But he had thought of Darryl—of the promise he had made, of the duty he still had to fulfil. He had needed to move, to escape, to be free.

  He told her as much, and Uri studied him with a thoughtful expression. “And of those feelings,” she asked, “which one do you think most aligns with being able to move through walls?”

  Raven frowned, turning the question over in his mind. Freedom, he thought. That had to be it. The need to move, to go where he wanted, unrestricted. He had always hated the rules of society, the constant limitations placed on him, the feeling of being caged. Even as a kid, he had wanted to be unbound, to exist on his own terms. As the realisation sank in, something inside him clicked.

  “Okay,” he said slowly, “I think I get it. What now?”

  “Now,” Uri replied with a knowing smile, “You reflect on all the different aspects of that part of yourself. Meditate on it while channelling ether, either passively or actively. Then, add a desired outcome. That’s how you unlock the skills tied to your trait.”

  Raven glanced at Carlos, who was still lost in his own thoughts. He exhaled, letting the idea settle within him.

  Time to see what else he was capable of.

  Raven closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he let Uri’s words settle. Reflect on freedom. It sounded simple enough, but the more he focused on the idea, the more he realised how deeply it was woven into who he was.

  He had always sought to break away from constraints—whether they were the expectations of others, the rules of a world that never felt quite right, or the fear of what lay beyond his control. Even before the world collapsed, he had resented the structures that boxed him in. His ether trait wasn’t just an ability—it was an extension of that core part of himself. His need to move, to escape, to never be bound.

  Uri and Carlos fell silent, watching as Raven tapped into his ether. He let it flow through him, not directing it towards any specific action but simply feeling it. The sensation was familiar yet foreign at the same time. Ether always thrummed beneath his skin, always present, but now he was examining it with intent.

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  “What do you want?” Uri asked softly, her voice cutting through his concentration.

  Raven opened his eyes, looking at her with slight confusion.

  “What do you want from your ether? From your trait? You have freedom—but how do you want to use it?”

  He frowned, thinking about the battles he had fought. He had used his ability to dodge attacks, to phase through danger. But was that all it could be? Could he push it further?

  “I want more than just escape,” he admitted. “I want control over where I go—where I move. I don’t just want to phase out of danger. I want to dictate the battlefield.”

  Uri nodded as if he had finally stumbled onto the right path. “Good. Then try.”

  Raven didn’t question her, just let instinct take over. He willed himself forward—not just phasing, but something more. Something deliberate. He reached for the feeling of movement, of crossing distances in an instant.

  One moment he was standing in front of them—the next, he was ten feet away, appearing in a blur of motion.

  Carlos swore under his breath. “Did you just—”

  Raven looked down at himself, his mind racing. He had moved—teleported, almost—but it hadn’t been the same as phasing. He hadn’t simply passed through an object. He had shifted, blinking from one space to another.

  A grin spread across Uri’s face. “Well, well. That’s interesting.”

  Raven wasn’t sure what he had done, but he knew one thing—it was progress.

  They continued deeper into the overgrown city, moving cautiously as they tested their surroundings. The urban jungle had evolved even more than Raven had realised. Trees thick with gnarled roots had cracked through pavement and asphalt, creating natural barricades that forced them to climb or detour. The sound of rustling leaves and distant chittering suggested that they weren’t the only predators stalking the streets.

  Carlos had been quiet, lost in thought. When he finally spoke, it was with hesitation.

  “I think I know what my trait connects to,” he said, running a hand over his wrist, where small traces of burns remained from his fights. “Passion.”

  Raven glanced at him, intrigued. “Passion?”

  Carlos nodded, his jaw tightening. “I always throw myself into things. When I fight, I don’t hold back—I go all in. When I was a mechanic, I worked until my hands bled. If I cared about something, I cared hard. And fire... fire is the same. It doesn’t do things halfway. It consumes.” He exhaled. “That’s why I can control it.”

  Uri smiled. “Now you’re getting it.”

  Carlos raised a hand, flames sparking at his fingertips, but this time they didn’t burst wildly as they had before. They hovered, controlled, shaping into a small, steady ember.

  Raven had to admit—it was impressive.

  As they continued forward, a sudden crack sounded in the distance. They all froze, instincts kicking in.

  Raven’s eyes flickered towards the source—a shadowed alleyway half-covered in vines. Something was there. Watching.

  Uri muttered a curse under her breath. “We’re not alone.”

  Raven exchanged a glance with Carlos before stepping forward, ether thrumming through him as he prepared for whatever was lurking ahead.

  This city still had more secrets waiting for them. And it seemed they were about to uncover another.

  The moment Raven saw the dark blur streaking towards them, he phased on instinct. The creature passed through where he’d been standing, hitting the ground in a silent, controlled landing. He turned just in time to catch a glimpse of its sleek black fur rippling unnaturally, as if the wind itself was shifting around its body.

  Carlos let out a curse, flames sparking to life in his hands. “What the hell is that?”

  The beast moved before he could get a good look. A gust of wind howled through the alley, and suddenly the wolf was gone, not in the way Raven would phase—there was no flicker, no distortion, no vanishing—instead, it simply moved, as if carried by an invisible force. One moment it was twenty feet away. The next, it was at Carlos’ throat.

  Carlos barely got his hands up in time, unleashing a pulse of flame that forced the beast to twist away mid-lunge, its dark coat barely singed as it landed gracefully.

  Raven's mind raced. The wolf was riding the wind. It wasn’t teleporting—it was using bursts of air to accelerate itself, moving with speed beyond what was natural.

  And it was intelligent.

  It circled them in a loose arc, its yellow eyes locked onto Raven, ignoring Carlos entirely.

  Carlos caught his breath and tightened his stance. “Alright, it’s fast, it’s smart, and it doesn’t give a shit about fire.”

  Raven clenched his dagger. “Yeah. Great.”

  The wolf prowled another few steps, its gaze calculating. Then, without warning, it moved again—wind howling as it launched itself straight at Raven.

  He phased.

  The wolf shot through the empty space, its claws raking nothing but air. But before Raven could reappear behind it, another gust of wind blasted against his back, sending him staggering forward. It redirected the air.

  It knew where he’d land.

  Carlos shouted something, but Raven wasn’t listening. He had just enough time to react as the wolf twisted, slashing for his exposed side.

  Raven dodged on instinct, rolling beneath the swipe and stabbing upward.

  His blade bit—but barely.

  It scraped against something dense beneath the fur, not quite armour but tougher than any natural hide should be. The wolf snarled and kicked off the ground, another gust of wind carrying it away before Raven could drive the dagger deeper.

  Carlos flung another burst of flame at its retreating form. The wolf slid away, wind curling around its body like a protective shroud.

  Raven's mind worked furiously. It’s not just using the wind to move. It’s using it to deflect attacks, to control momentum.

  This thing wasn’t just fast—it was impossible to pin down.

  They couldn’t let it control the pace of the fight.

  He had to force it to commit.

  Raven ducked behind a thick tree trunk; his breath ragged. The wolf was toying with him, stalking through the foliage, the wind shifting unnaturally in its wake. The air whispered a warning—this was the wolf’s domain. And he was prey.

  Uri had told him to reflect on what made him strong, what made his ability his own. Right now, he wasn’t free—he was being herded. The wind bent to the wolf’s will, but Raven wasn’t bound by the same rules. He had to use that.

  The next time the wolf lunged, Raven didn’t phase.

  He baited it.

  Standing his ground, he waited until the last possible second, the beast closing in like a streak of black lightning—then he dropped, sliding low.

  As the wolf's claws raked through empty space, Raven lunged upward, his dagger flashing.

  He heard the wind howl around him, yet somehow, his own heartbeat pounded louder.

  This time, he phased the blade just before impact.

  And this time, it sank deep—slipping straight through its unnatural hide until he solidified it inside its ribs.

  The wolf let out a piercing snarl, its entire body convulsing as it tried to twist away. Another burst of wind sent it careening backward, but the damage was done. It staggered, one leg failing, blood dark against its fur.

  Carlos took the opening.

  He didn’t aim for the wolf.

  He aimed for the air around it.

  With a grunt, he launched a blast of flame—not at the beast, but at the swirling currents keeping it aloft.

  The fire hit. Air detonated. The controlled wind shattered, and the wolf crashed down, legs buckling under its own weight.

  Raven moved fast.

  With a final step, he appeared above it, dagger raised.

  The wolf’s yellow eyes locked onto his—wide, startled, almost human in their recognition. Guilt flickered through Raven, quick and unwelcome. But he shoved it aside. The fight was already decided.

  Then the blade plunged into its skull.

  It didn’t make a sound as it collapsed.

  Carlos let out a breath, wiping the sweat from his brow. “That thing was ridiculous.”

  Raven stared down at the body, his mind still racing. The wolf had moved like a predator that understood its prey. It had adjusted, anticipated, reacted.

  He felt the sweat dripping down his neck and his heart raced, the adrenaline from the fight coursing through his veins.

  “Animals are adapting,” he muttered. “They’re not just growing bigger. They’re learning.”

  Carlos shook his head. “That’s a terrifying thought.”

  Yeah. It was.

  Raven crouched beside the body, pressing his fingers to its dark fur. He didn’t know if this was just another product of ether exposure, or if something else had its claws in the natural order.

  But one thing was certain.

  They hadn’t seen the worst of it yet.