The cost of narrow view

After wandering the winding sands for a time I cannot count, I never thought feeling the heat drain my aether would be preferable to the experience I was dealing with right now. Some novice mage, having "sought the answers of the ancients," had recovered me and brought me to a small desert hut of residence eager to talk about rather simple-minded schemes. How little the mage knew about the methods aimed for, the worst of it was that the mage seemed to desire to instruct me out of anyone in the matters of aetherial manipulation. There was no understanding of the fact I came from a place where understanding aether was essential to function. We feast on it, having little to no access to a natural source due to an ancient disaster that removed all of it from us. So, seeing how it's kept me sustained for the countless years, I reigned over the shapeless shadows, seeking a chance to be free. And so I was. This mage seemed not to grasp any indication of that, attempting to tell me how aether worked and what he needed for his craft. The explanations of his magecraft slowly tested my exhaustion. I knew all of this already. I've been quite aware of these processes for the countless lives of these mortals. The irritation was continually making me feel there was a much better way to get myself integrated among these people, but I didn't want to risk my chances. Staying in this world is not as easy as it seems, the people always find themselves a champion to force us back to the darkness. I needed to stay here longer than before.
 
The mage went through magical theory and magical doctrine, missing plenty of points that were rather crucial to his motivations, but he seemed to be the type who wouldn't listen to actual instruction. I flexed my senses and tapped my fingers on the seating arrangement, testing the strands of energy I could gather at the points of my fingertips. A simple method, really, something I used to get the attention of those when I needed them. I then hit each end of my finger to a simple beat, sending the gathered energy out in waves. The mage stopped moving, shivering to the sudden shift of atmosphere I caused. He turned slowly to look at me in horror.
 
He's finished. Now I can get to work.