Lessons of Rahtor

The lean man grinned wider, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Looks like we get to teach the outsider a lesson."

Without warning, both men lunged, their movements swift for beings of their size. But to Aiden, they moved in slow motion. In a split second, he calculated his options. He could end this in an instant, but there was a lesson to be learned here—about Rahtor, about its people, and perhaps about Zara.

He dodged their attacks with ease, stepping aside as their fists sailed through the air. The larger man growled in frustration as Aiden remained just out of reach.

Zara, her eyes flashing with anger, moved to strike the leaner man, but Aiden caught her wrist gently. "Let me handle this," he said softly, not taking his eyes off their attackers.

With a surge of speed, Aiden closed the distance between himself and the bulky man. Before the scavenger could react, Aiden's hand shot out, gripping him by the front of his armor. In a single, fluid motion, Aiden hurled the man into a nearby boulder. The force of the impact shattered the rock, sending debris flying.

The lean man froze, his confidence evaporating in an instant. His gaze flickered between Aiden and the remains of the boulder, weighing his options.

"Walk away," Aiden said, his voice deadly calm.

For a moment, the scavenger hesitated, then he took a step back. "This isn't over," he snarled, before turning and running off into the wasteland, leaving his companion unconscious among the rubble.

Zara watched them flee, her expression a mixture of surprise and grudging respect. "You could have killed them," she said quietly, "but you didn't."

Aiden shrugged.

Zara's gaze lingered on him, the tension in her stance easing. "Maybe you're not like the other outsiders after all," she admitted. "I'll help you. But if you want to survive on Rahtor, you'll need more than just strength. You'll need to understand its dangers—and its people."

Aiden nodded. "Then teach me. Show me what I need to know."

Zara smirked, her earlier hostility fading. "Alright, Aiden. Let's see if you can handle Rahtor."

---

For months, Aiden immersed himself in the brutal, unforgiving landscape of Rahtor. His days became a relentless cycle of training and survival, each encounter pushing him to his limits. The intense heat, jagged terrain, and volatile weather patterns made Rahtor a world designed to test even the strongest beings, but Aiden thrived on the challenge.

The Varkor were the first beasts he encountered. Towering over him with their thick, armored hides and savage roars, they were fearsome predators, but Aiden's strength and speed were more than a match for their brute force. Each battle honed his combat instincts, forcing him to rely on every ounce of his superhuman power. He learned to anticipate their movements, dodging their heavy blows before delivering precise strikes that eventually took them down. His invulnerability protected him from the worst of their attacks, but it was his growing mastery of technique that allowed him to dominate the fights.

Next came the Klyraks, swift, nimble creatures that moved like shadows through Rahtor's rocky plains. They were tricky opponents, relying on their speed to ambush Aiden from unexpected angles. For weeks, he struggled against their hit-and-run tactics, often sustaining injuries before finally catching them in his grasp. But with every battle, he improved. His perception sharpened, allowing him to anticipate their attacks. His reflexes, already superhuman, became nearly instantaneous, and soon the Klyraks' speed was no longer a threat. He learned to counter their movements with devastating precision, turning their agility against them.

The Aetherlings were another story. Majestic and elusive, these sky-dwelling serpents were creatures of grace and beauty, but also of great danger. Their dazzling scales reflected the sunlight in mesmerizing patterns, and their flight made them difficult targets. Aiden spent weeks studying their behavior, learning their flight patterns and timing his strikes. Their serpentine bodies could weave through the air with incredible agility, making them a challenge to hit. However, his ability to fly gave him an edge, allowing him to engage them in aerial combat.

Fighting the Aetherlings forced Aiden to push his flight and combat abilities to new heights. The thin atmosphere and volatile winds of Rahtor's upper skies were harsh, but Aiden adapted, his stamina and speed growing exponentially. Each victory against these majestic creatures felt earned, and he could feel his powers evolving. His strength increased, his speed became nearly impossible to measure, and his fighting instincts sharpened to a razor's edge.

Through these months of constant battle, Aiden also grew closer to Zara. The Rahtoril warrior had initially been wary of him, but as they fought side by side against the planet's most dangerous beasts, a bond formed. Zara, a fierce fighter herself, guided Aiden through the planet's treacherous environment, teaching him about the natural rhythms of Rahtor and the ancient tactics her people had developed to survive there.

"You've improve faster than I thought possible," Zara admitted one evening as they rested by a volcanic vent, the heat radiating around them.

She watched him for a moment, her glowing eyes thoughtful. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice softer than usual. "Pushing yourself so hard, fighting these beasts day after day. What are you trying to prove?"

Aiden leaned back, gazing into the distance as molten lava flowed beneath them. The flickering light danced across his face, casting shadows over his features. He hesitated for a second, unsure how to explain the storm that had driven him here.

"Hmmmm… well..." Aiden began, his voice trailing off. He ran a hand through his hair, searching for the right words. "Because I'm finding my friend. His name is Jonn." A faint smile tugged at his lips as he thought about his friend, but it was tinged with sorrow. "He's my only friend."

Zara's eyes flickered with curiosity. "Your friend?

Aiden's words came out in a rush, as if he were speaking more to himself than anyone else. "We fought... there was this meteor. Now that I think about it, maybe it gave him that kind of power. But... it wasn't just one, there were others. A bunch of them. I bet more people on my planet have powers now too." He paused, running a hand through his hair again, the tension clear on his face.

"I'm trying to get stronger," Aiden continued, his voice growing quieter, "so when I meet him again... I'll be strong enough to bring him back. Right now... he's not the one controlling himself. I know it's not him. He's always smiling, always..." Aiden's voice broke slightly as memories of Jonn flashed through his mind. "But when we fought, it was like... he wasn't even there. My friend… he's gone."

There was a heavy silence after his words, as if he was grappling with the weight of what he had just said, the hope that Jonn was still in there somewhere clinging to his heart.

Aiden sighed and straightened up, pushing the weight of his emotions aside. "But enough about that," he said, his tone shifting to something more neutral. "I guess my training here is done. I don't think I have anything left to learn here anymore." He glanced around, as if seeing the place with new eyes—once a challenge, now conquered.

His voice was steady, but there was an undertone of restlessness. "I've learned everything I could. It's time to move on, to get stronger somewhere else. I can't stay here, not when Jonn's out there... waiting."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice softer, a hint of something vulnerable creeping in. She glanced down, slightly embarrassed by her own question.

Aiden, as oblivious as ever, nodded firmly. "Yeah, I'm sure. There's nothing more for me here." He didn't catch the look she gave him, the uncertainty in her eyes. His thoughts were already elsewhere—focused on his next steps, on Jonn, on the endless pursuit of strength.

To him, it was just a simple decision. But to her, it was something more.

Aiden began to hover, preparing to take off into the sky, when her voice stopped him.

"Wait—why don't I come with you? I'll help you find your friend," she said, a little hurried, as if worried she'd lose her chance.

Aiden blinked, confused. "Hmmm? Can you fly?"

"I—no," she admitted.

"Do you have any ship here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No…" she trailed off.

"Then how do you plan to come with me? You definitely can't survive in space, you'll die," Aiden said matter-of-factly.

"But—"

He sighed, hovering a little higher. "Why do you even want to leave this planet?"

She hesitated for a moment before responding. "I—I want to see what's out there. How big the universe really is."

Aiden tilted his head, then finally gave in. "Fineeee. I'll come back with a small spaceship for you."

"You promise?" Her voice carried a mixture of hope and disbelief.

"Yeah," Aiden said casually, glancing back at her. "Well, I have to go now if I want to come back faster."

"Okay… I, uh, take care," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing slightly.

With that, Aiden rocketed into space, disappearing from view as he sped off to find a planet where he could borrow a spaceship.

Days had passed, and Aiden still hadn't returned. She paced nervously, glancing at the sky more often than she cared to admit.

"Hmmm, it's already been days. Why hasn't he come back yet?" she murmured to herself, feeling a growing knot of worry in her stomach.

Just then, she noticed something entering the atmosphere, a streak of light cutting through the sky. Her heart raced as she looked up, squinting against the brightness.

The object grew larger, and she could see it was heading straight for her. Hope surged within her, mingled with anxiety. Could it be Aiden? Or had something gone wrong? She held her breath, waiting to see if the figure descending would be familiar.

As the figure descended, hovering just above her while holding a small spaceship effortlessly in one hand, her heart leaped.

"Heyy!! Miss me? Haha!" Aiden called out, a wide grin spreading across his face, his carefree demeanor as infectious as ever.

Relief washed over her, mixed with exasperation. "Of course I misse— I mean I—" She stumbled over her words, flustered by his presence.

"Hmmm??" Aiden tilted his head, an innocent expression on his face. He was oblivious as always, completely unaware of the effect he had on her.

She sighed, trying to regain her composure. "It's just… you took so long. I was starting to worry!"

Aiden shrugged, his enthusiasm unshaken. "Worry? Nah! I told you I'd be back! Plus, look at this ship! Isn't it awesome?" He swung the spaceship in front of her, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

She couldn't help but smile, despite herself. "Alright, alright. Let's see what this thing can do!"