Chapter 35: The Mystery of Aether Anomalies

The tension from the previous match still lingered in the air as Kael, Dax, and Lyra sat in their room, their minds replaying the battle against the mysterious tamer and his monstrous beast, Noctalyon. The sheer power they had witnessed left them unsettled, and more than anything, they needed answers.

Aria stood near the window, her arms crossed, deep in thought. She had been quiet ever since the match ended, but now, it was clear she was ready to speak.

"Alright," she finally said, turning to face them. "You all saw it firsthand. That beast wasn't normal. It wasn't just strong—it was something beyond what should exist in a tournament like this."

Kael nodded. "You called it an Aether anomaly. What exactly does that mean?"

Aria exhaled, walking toward a nearby desk. She grabbed a piece of chalk and began sketching on a slate board. As she worked, she explained, her voice calm but serious.

What Are Aether Anomalies?

"Aether anomalies are disturbances in the natural balance of Aether energy. Normally, Aether flows through everything in this world—beasts, humans, the environment. It's like an invisible current that maintains equilibrium. However, under certain rare conditions, this balance is broken."

She finished drawing a diagram that looked like a spiral of energy, with small ripples spreading outward.

"Think of Aether like a river," she continued. "It flows steadily, providing energy where needed. But if something blocks or warps that flow, it creates turbulence—whirlpools, rapids, or even complete collapses in the stream. These disruptions? Those are Aether anomalies."

Dax scratched his head. "So… these are just natural disasters? Like storms or earthquakes?"

Aria shook her head. "Not quite. Some Aether anomalies do cause natural disasters—violent storms, eruptions of elemental energy, or entire regions turning into dead zones where Aether no longer functions properly. But some anomalies create something far more dangerous…"

She tapped the board twice, underlining a word she had written: "Aether Mutations."

How Aether Mutations Create Rare Beasts

"When a beast is caught in an Aether anomaly," Aria explained, "its Aether Core can be forced into a state of unstable evolution. Normally, a beast evolves in response to its environment, training, or a catalyst like an Aether Crystal. But in an anomaly? The rules change. The beast's body is rewritten by unstable energy, pushing it far beyond its natural limits."

Kael frowned. "Like… forcing an evolution that was never supposed to happen?"

"Exactly." Aria nodded. "These beasts don't evolve the way others do. They mutate, gaining abilities, elemental affinities, and strength that shouldn't belong to them. Noctalyon—the beast we saw—was not the result of a natural evolution. It was shaped by an Aether anomaly. And that makes it unpredictable… and extremely dangerous."

Dax leaned back, exhaling. "So you're saying that thing is like a glitch in nature?"

"In a way, yes," Aria replied. "But the most frightening part is that Aether-mutated beasts don't just gain power. They often become unstable. Some have difficulty controlling their own energy, while others develop completely unnatural behaviors—some even turn aggressive or lose their ability to bond with humans entirely."

Lyra, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "Are these beasts controllable? I mean, how is that tamer even managing to use Noctalyon?"

Aria's expression darkened. "That's what bothers me the most. Taming an Aether-mutated beast is nearly impossible. Most of them reject bonds altogether. For someone to control one means they have access to something beyond normal methods."

Kael swallowed hard. "Could it be… artificial control?"

Aria hesitated. "That's my fear. There have been rumors of people experimenting with Aether anomalies—trying to harness the energy to forcefully mutate beasts and control them. If this tamer is connected to that…"

The room fell silent. The implications were too dangerous to ignore.

Known Aether Anomalies Throughout History

Trying to lighten the tension, Aria continued. "These anomalies aren't common, but history has recorded a few major ones that changed everything. Let me give you some examples."

She wiped part of the slate board clean and drew three locations, each with distinct symbols.

1. The Everstorm of Eldrin

"Over a hundred years ago, an Aether anomaly formed above the Eldrin Highlands. It was a never-ending storm of raw elemental energy, constantly shifting between lightning, fire, and wind. Beasts caught in the storm mutated into Elemental Wraiths—beasts that had no solid form, only living storms wrapped in semi-physical bodies. They were immune to most physical attacks and could control multiple elements at once."

Dax whistled. "Sounds terrifying."

"It was," Aria confirmed. "The storm lasted for five years before finally collapsing in on itself. Even now, some remnants of those mutated beasts still exist in that region."

2. The Abyssal Rift

"The second major anomaly was the Abyssal Rift—a massive fissure that opened in the ocean, leaking pure Aether energy into the surrounding waters. This one was different because instead of causing violent mutations, it created an entirely new species of deep-sea beasts, some of which have never been documented anywhere else."

Kael's eyes widened. "An entirely new species? That means anomalies don't just corrupt—they create life?"

"Exactly." Aria nodded. "It's rare, but some anomalies lead to the birth of beasts that otherwise wouldn't exist."

3. The Obsidian Calamity

"The third and most feared anomaly… was the Obsidian Calamity. This happened in a volcanic region, where Aether energy reacted with magma, creating a beast that should have never existed."

She drew a rough outline of a massive, four-legged beast with jagged wings.

"It was called Molten Tyranok, and it was one of the first recorded beasts to be completely unstable. Its Aether Core was so overloaded that its very presence warped the battlefield around it, causing the ground to crack, gravity to fluctuate, and fire to burn even in places where it shouldn't. It took an entire army of tamers to subdue it, and even then, they couldn't capture it—only seal it away deep underground."

Dax's face paled. "Please tell me no one's trying to wake that thing up."

Aria crossed her arms. "I hope not. But the fact that Noctalyon exists means people are trying to control Aether-mutated beasts. And if they figure out how to perfect it… we could be looking at something even worse than the Obsidian Calamity."

A Grim Realization

Kael clenched his fists. "Then this tournament… it's not just about proving our strength anymore. If there are people using anomalies for their own gain, we have to stop them."

Lyra nodded. "We need to find out who that tamer is, how he got Noctalyon, and what his real goal is."

Aria gave a small smile. "I was hoping you'd say that." She stood up straight, her confident demeanor returning. "This isn't just about fighting stronger opponents anymore. We're up against forces that could change Aetheria forever. But if we work together, we will uncover the truth."

Dax cracked his knuckles. "Then let's get ready. Because if this is bigger than we thought, we're gonna need to be stronger than ever."

The trio exchanged determined glances. The tournament was no longer just a test of skill—it was a battlefield for something much greater. And they were about to step into a fight that could decide the future of Aetheria itself.