Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar stepped out of the guild with over three hundred coins, prompting him to think. 'I need new light armor. Fuck that damn spider, it earned me even more thanks to selling the stuff.'

After making up his mind, he started looking for an armor shop. After half an hour, he found one on Main Street called the bustling Bloodrose Armoury. Its doors swung open and shut as adventurers and soldiers streamed in and out.

He muttered under his breath. ''Seems popular; place is crawling with people.''

Following this, Raegar gave a casual shrug and stepped inside, where a dozen customers roamed the shop, browsing racks of gleaming stock. Behind the counter stood a towering demon man, his smith's apron stretched across his broad frame, clearly the owner.

Afterward, he browsed the store, searching for something to fit his style. He found nothing, which caused his frustration to grow. Ten minutes later, as he prepared to respond to a message, a deep voice interrupted from behind. ''What can I do for you, kid?''

He turned to face a towering demon, his blood-red skin, black horns, and dark hair striking up close. The man's stern aura was impossible to ignore. Raegar shook his head to clear the thought before responding.

''I need light armor that will offer me all-around protection and won't hinder my speed,'' he answered the owner.

The demon man was taken aback when he saw his face, commenting with a shocked expression. ''Bless the Nine Hells! What monster did you end up fighting to get those battle trophies? Werewolves or Medusa?''

Raegar looked up at the owner while answering. ''A Devil Lord, I was a part of a strike squad tasked to quell a troubled Rank D Dungeon down south.''

''A warrior, huh?'' The demon grinned widely. ''Good. This world could use more fighters, given how things are going. For someone so young to join a strike squad, you must be tough.''

He laughed softly, shaking his head. ''Not yet. This is the reason I'm joining Drakenwood, to learn and get stronger.''

''My little girl is attending this year, but enough of this yabber. I think I have the perfect armor for you,'' the older man said, thrusting out his hand. ''I'm Samael Bloodrose, the owner of the Bloodrose Armoury.''

''Raegar Blackwood,'' he replied with a friendly smile.

Samael guided him toward the back, saying, ''I assume you're heading to the academy next? It's a day's journey. You could rest at Willowbank Village. Most students do. My daughter's staying there with her mother for the test in two days.''

When he heard this, it caused him to think, responding. ''I don't know, if anything, I have my tent and I prefer to camp over staying in an inn.''

The older man started laughing as the two entered a room, and Samael started going through crates while explaining. ''You see, my wife is the Crafter while I'm the smith, and she made this incredible piece. Unfortunately, no one wanted it.''

He grew curious and inquired. ''Why don't people like it?''

''You see, we Tieflings can use Chaos Aether, which people are wary of,'' Samael revealed. ''Now, it's not so taboo as the academies now seek out mages who can wield such power. Decades ago, it was seen as Devil Magic and people hated it.''

''I'm guessing this stuff is made from this Chaos Aether?'' he questioned. ''If it's not so bad nowadays, then why is it in here?''

Samael's brow furrowed, a shadow of old memories crossing his face. ''She was ashamed of crafting it back then,'' he said. ''A young noble became scared of it, and we nearly lost the shop. If not for the Duke's support, we wouldn't still be trading.''

The Blacksmith shook his head with a big smile while continuing. ''Enough of this ancient history, it's in the past, and now we're thriving. Something's telling me it's perfect for you, Blackwood.''

Raegar grew even more interested just as the older man brought out a black orb with a faint red glow, which confused him. 'What's that? Doesn't look like armor to me, but what do I know? He's the expert,' he thought.

The Demon man turned around and handed it to him. ''Send your Aether into it; if the armor accepts you, it will equip itself.''

''Huh?'' he shrugged. ''It's worth a try. I need a new set for the academy and exploring the dungeons.''

Samael nodded, his face lighting up with anticipation. ''Come on, kid! Try it on, let's see if it suits you! Place it against your chest after sending energy into it,'' he exclaimed eagerly.

He chuckled, doing as the Demon man said, and sent his Aether into the orb, which instantly absorbed it. His eyes widened as a connection formed between the two of them before vanishing and appearing as a bracelet on his arm.

When Samael saw this, his yellow eyes bulged as if he saw a rare monster, and he mumbled in awe. ''Naamah was right! She created high-end Tier Two Aether Armor. What a genius!''

''Aether Armor? What's that?'' he questioned the older man.

''It activates when you channel your energy into it,'' Samael explained while grabbing his wrist. ''Unlike regular armor, this takes the form of a necklace, ring, or, in your case, a bracelet.''

Samael lifted it and nodded with pride in his eyes. ''She's done well, now activate it to see how it fits.''

He focused, channeling his Aether into the bracelet. Instantly, sleek black armor with red trim materialized, encasing his body while shielding every vulnerable point without hindering movement.

'This will be good for me,' he mused. 'It's stronger then the armor I got from Dreadshade City.'

A red hood and cloak materialized, flowing seamlessly with a fitted helmet that shielded his face and vitals. Raegar clenched his fists and stretched, testing his range, then dismissed the helmet with a flicker of intent. ''It fits like a second skin,'' he said, ''And moves with me perfectly.''

Samael had a big smile on his face before nodding. ''Very good, it suits you well, Blackwood. Now, would you like to purchase it?''

''How much?'' he questioned.

''Three hundred gold,'' the Demon man answered. ''It's expensive, yes. This is because the base metal is Black Mithril. It should last until you become Tier Three at least, and the protection is second to none to a warrior like you.''

He was about to speak, but Samael continued. ''Then the red trim is made from Crimson Pyreheart Metal, which comes from the Doomed Lemuria Continent. The last journey there was twenty-five years ago.''

''Oh, that's so cool!'' he exclaimed with glowing red eyes as he looked at the bracelet. ''I've read about it.''

The older man nodded, speaking again. ''The helmet is crafted from Star Metal while the hood and cloak are made from Scarlet Wyrmfelt. A material harvested from the rare Desert Wyrms in the far south of the Forgotten Wastes.''

Afterward, he sensed the Chaos Aether radiating from the armor, prompting him to question. ''What is the other stuff used? There's something else within it.''

Samael's eyes widened briefly, but a broad grin quickly spread across his face as he nodded. ''Runeforge Steel, alright. A Tiefling specialty, we infuse our magic into the metal, shaping it into something like your bracelet.''

He pulled out a pouch of coins and handed it over, dismissing the armor with a thought while speaking. ''Thanks for the armor, Samael. I have a feeling I'll be back to your shop plenty more times.''

''You're more than welcome to return to Blackwood,'' the older man replied. ''If you come back in a month or two, I'll have a new shipment from the capital, Eryndor. It should have some things you'll be interested in.''

Raegar nodded with a friendly smile. ''I'll come here on one of the shorter holidays. I may need more bombs if you sell them.'

Samael couldn't help but laugh as he spoke. ''I will make sure to pick some up from the capital. We are traveling there in a couple of weeks.''

The two of them continued talking until it was time for him to leave, causing him to bid farewell. ''I shall see you soon, Samael. Thank you for the help and armor.''

Afterward, he left the shop and made his way to the city's southern gate. Hours later, he was on the road to Drakenwood, surrounded by dozens of carriages rumbling along the path. He brushed off the curious glances from passersby, long accustomed to such attention.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, fatigue set in, and he let out a weary yawn before seeing the village in the distance, he couldn't see anything thanks to the darkness descended on the world.

Raegar scanned the surroundings and spotted a towering tree, perfect for shelter. He set up camp, pitching his tent with practiced ease. After gathering firewood, he kindled a small fire, its warm glow flickering in the dusk.

With the flames steady, he began to prepare some bread, the aroma soon rising into the cool night air.