Naked
Mage Rish had served the western mage association for nearly a hundred years.
As she looked over the floating isle she smiled.
She gently placed her hand on Islas shoulder.
Islas short brown hair was unevenly cut and the leather armor was worn but she still looked beautiful with her womanly body and baby face.
In the past month while traveling she had tasted delicacies from sweets to meats and drunk the oldest wine on the flying vessel.
But she still thought of Ambrose often wondering what he was doing and who he was doing it with.
She thought of her time with him and all she learned, and then thought about the task at hand.
If she wanted freedom, true freedom to live with no regard to others she needed power.
Ambrose only asked one thing, 'get stronger and help me with a few things'.
It sounded simpler than it was.
She clearly understood the difference between him and other people, he wasn't human more like a monster with a very, very good disguise.
The veneration had turned to fear without her noticing.
And the question 'have I become a loose end' danced in her mind constantly.
"Stay here Isla, don't get off until I come back for you" Rish said softly.
Exiting the flying vessel she headed down to the floating land below.
She nodded at the mages surrounding the vessel as she passed.
'This child has no idea how important she is' she thought.
A thin white barrier appeared when she got close but reacting as if it wasn't there Rish phased right through it, heading towards a domed silver construct in the center.
The lush greenery and large villas sewn across the land created a peaceful environment.
Young mages can be seen sitting cross legged in different areas.
Rish reached the large dome with vegitation growing on its side.
She landed and entered through an open archway as large as church doors.
In the center laid a giant white tree with different colored leaves, but upon closer inspection one would notice that these where blobs of gelatin wriggling and squirming.
In front of it was a young woman in an intricate array laid out in a circle around her.
"Welcome back Madala" an aged voice rang out and in her mind.
Her knees buckled, an urge to drop down and pray nearly overcame her.
"My name is Rish now, when are you going to stop calling me that"? she replied.
"I'm sorry, getting to be this old you remember things but habits are hard to get rid o-"
A scream from the young mage in in the array cut the aged voice off.
She began to claw at herself as if her insides where melting, because in fact they actually were.
It happened all of a sudden, where there was once a young vibrant mage a melted blob of green laid and it's color was brightening by the second.
The array below it shone brightly with a white light and the blob was stabilized before a branch from the white tree snaked out and attached the green jel to itself.
"It is a shame… so many young talents cannot break through, times have changed Madala I might be the only Xian left to serve the Sovereign".
"That is why I'm here, I found a cored mage in the masses, and even better her aura has not awakened" Rish said ignoring the moving tree.
The voice felt like it was right next to her yet it could not be seen, "It has been nearly a hundred years since we have found a mage among the Juns, they usually end up killing themselves with their own mana."
The voice was shaken by the new revelation.
"Either she makes a strong mage willing to keep the path to ascension closed or she becomes ingredients but all signs point to the former" Rish said with a spark in her eye.
"Bring her to the inner diciples immediately, I sense a disturbance in the outer followers".
"Remember Madala, a broken crystals is better than a perfect stone".
"If you sense defiance in her, do not hesitate to do what needs to be done".
***
I hadn't had water or food for over three days, this stretch of the desert was large and empty.
Sand dunes curved in a horseshoe shape where scattered all over.
I was not thinking about my famished state as a matter of fact it was the furthest thing from my mind as I continued experimenting with Ava or made plans to experiment on her.
The more I observed her the more I realized it really was a her, not in a physical sense but in how she identified.
Her sense of self is as strong as mine and growing daily which truly blew me away.
The good news was that I could see mountains west of me, they where a thumb size speck of white at the moment, but I knew they would grow.
I was wrong though.
They didn't change in size making me wonder if I was walking in place.
After another three days my frustration was palpable, my cracked and dried lips hurt every time I drew air.
Ava found it so uncomfortable she decided to break our link and floated around.
'Water' she said to me a day later, I almost ignored her I was so focused on my thoughts.
Indeed, there was water and it was flowing, I didn't bother running to the water source.
I condensed my energy along the waters path and let the pressure do the rest slurping the cold dirty liquid.
Once I had my fill I followed the water flow to reach an oasis nearly a week later, even after flying
Surviving off rodents and lizards the whole way.
I was looking forward to seeing what beasts graze in this watering hole, trudging forward I remove my hood and lick my lips.
Breaking past the thick foliage I head to the waters edge dunking my whole head directly into the water and drinking my fill.
Rising up and breathing heavily I send my energy that was lingering in the vegitation into the water out of habit.
What I found made me stop in my tracks, a figure was floating on the water face upwards a few yards away.
Sensing me they stood up on the waters surface, it was a fully naked blond Terra woman.
Even from the distance I could sense the energy building and her clearly rushing me.
'Damn... a perfect 36-24-36' I I thought taking action as well.