Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

One slot remained, but Raegar left it blank, a sly grin tugging at his lips. The dungeons called to him, and that free period would be his chance to explore them without getting in trouble with the school.

After ten minutes, Professor Riverhold spoke to the crowd of boys who were still busy scribbling away. ''Two more minutes, we need to get these forms to the office staff so they can organize them for tomorrow morning.''

Caspian leaned back, finished with his forms, having chosen Aether Engineering, Politics, Runes and Wards, and Enchanting. Raegar smirked, unsurprised. 'Wants to be a legendary inventor who can take down Devils,' he thought, chuckling under his breath.

He glanced at Rune, who was carefully marking his selections: Potion Brewing, Herbology, Aether Monster Studies & Taming, and Runes and Wards. Raegar nodded to himself, picturing him taming beasts and brewing concoctions.

Following that, Professor Riverhold started collecting them using magic and informed the crowd. ''Now, each one of you will be staying in your dorm room tonight. So say goodbye to your families and report back here in the morning, preferably before first bell, to get your Academy Pass.''

Once the older man finished talking, he left the Common Room and started walking across the walkway to the main building as the other boys started leaving. While sitting there, he noticed a group of three boys approach.

'Here we go, typical bully troupe,' he thought with a chuckle.

The trio got close, but before they could speak, Raegar did. ''Look, we don't care who your parents are, what noble family you come from. Just leave us out of your antics, we want nothing to do with it.''

When the leader heard this, his face turned as red as his hair, and he warned. ''Stay away from the Southern Fairy Scarface, someone like you will give her nightmares.''

Raegar started laughing at the idiots while he retorted. ''Petty insults? I don't care for your fairy. Now go back to hanging off your family name, Gideon Rautha.''

The boy's face paled when he heard that. Gideon shook his head and questioned. ''Who are you?''

He was about to reply, the black-haired boy spoke up from beside him. ''A Vaelthorne. Like he said, your tricks won't work here.''

Raegar removed the hood he was wearing only to reveal the famous white hair, causing all three boys to rush off, making Rune laugh as Caspian revealed. ''You know they'll try to ruin your reputation?''

''I know,'' he answered while pulling out some campfire bread and started eating as he continued. ''I don't care about that, my deeds will speak for me, but something that caught my attention was the Academy Pass.''

''Yep, they track Academy Points that boost your final grade at year's end,'' Caspian informed the two, leaning forward. ''It's their way of sifting out the weaker mages to make the school stronger.''

Raegar was shocked but shrugged. ''I assume their used to getting into the dungeons?''

His two friends nodded, prompting him to smile. ''Alright, I'll see you guys later. I'm going to check on the closest one and see if I can get in.''

Once he was gone, Rune looked down at Caspian and commented. ''Why does it feel like his a wild beast waiting to be let loose?''

''Raegar Blackwood came to Drakenwood to fight, learn about the world, and conquer dungeons. He doesn't care about nobility, being popular, or even girls; he's just determined to grow stronger like he's being hunted.''

When the giant boy heard this, he clenched his fist and declared. ''Then I'll become his shield against these hunters. With you, sister, and a few others, no one can get to him.''

Caspian chuckled. ''You know he'll drag us into all kinds of trouble, right?'' he questioned.

Rune nodded while confidently responding. ''And I'll be there beside him to bask in the light or revel in the trouble we've caused.''

Following this, the two of them left to see their families while Raegar left the academy entrance and followed the signs to the closest Rank F dungeon that was tucked away in the corner of the garden.

When he arrived, several guards milled about but quickly noticed him, prompting the commander to speak. ''What can we do for you, boy?''

''How can I get in there?'' he replied while pointing at the portal.

The older man looked suspicious and asked in a stern tone. ''Show me your Academy Pass or Adventurers Card, then you can.''

His eyes widened when he remembered the card Lisara gave to him, and he pulled it from his ring, shocking the surrounding soldiers. The commander took it and muttered in awe. ''Rank D! Let me scan it to see if it's real.''

''Go for it,'' he said, his daggers materializing with a sharp ching.

The man pulled out an Aether Scanner and ran it over the adventurer's card. This gave Raegar time to take in the man's rugged appearance with long grey hair and a pair of lion ears on his head.

'A Lion Demi-Human from the far south!' he thought. 'They rarely travel this far north thanks to the horrible weather.'

Moments later, the older man's eyes widened, flicking up to his face. ''It's you,'' he muttered, almost in disbelief.

''It's me?'' Raegar echoed, brow raised, a mix of curiosity and amusement in his tone.

''The Ghost of the South, the boy who killed a Devil Lord alone and saved the Nytherian Strike Squad,'' the man nodded in awe before introducing himself. ''I'm the Guard Commander Zane Bloodhowl, it's an honor to meet an up-and-coming genius.''

''Raegar Blackwood, can I enter the dungeon?'' he asked. ''I want to fight monsters.''

Zane nodded while handing back his card with a smile. ''Of course, young master. You can enter all up until Rank D, you'll need the headmistress's permission to step into those.''

''Thank you,'' he replied, questioning. ''How come you heard my name so far north?''

The guards roared with laughter, their voices echoing through the gardens, until Zane's voice cut through. ''In the Southern Lands, you alone shattered their fiercest defenses with unknown magic, which spared my brothers a grueling war.''

He noticed the respect and fear in the man's eyes as he continued. ''When they marched into Eryndor, they sang of the Ghost, a boy who demanded nothing, yet liberated the south from the jaws of endless conflict.''

''Expect a visit from the Government, young master,'' another soldier spoke up. ''I bet the empress will reward you in the Imperial Summer Award Ceremony for what happened during the war.''

Raegar summoned his Death Rose armor with a thought while replying. ''Hopefully, I get more gold coins. I spent too much on this.''

Zane chuckled, pointing at the main building, then back at the entrance of the dungeon. ''There's a shop in there to sell the materials at, they're always in need of stuff from the Nightmare Forest.''

''What's the best thing to collect?'' he asked the soldiers.

One of them stepped forward while pulling out some white cloth and plants. ''This is Spider Silk that comes from the second floor and the Sunfire Lilly, home on the third. They will earn you the most young master,'' the soldier explained.

''Thank you,'' Raegar replied, stepping through the portal after they told him the Rank F Dungeon was four floors with the boss on the fourth.

The revelation ignited a fire in his chest, his pulse racing with excitement, but he steadied himself, daggers at the ready, as he appeared on the first floor. A forest sprawled in front of him, its canopy alive with sunlight and the hum of unseen creatures.

Raegar scanned the surroundings, wondering what monsters would attack. He shrugged and pressed forward, boots crunching through the underbrush. A sudden twang sliced the air, an arrow hurtled toward him.

With a flick of his wrist, he cleaved it in two, the halves spinning harmlessly past. His eyes locked onto the source: a Tier One Goblin, which was crouched in the shadows, waiting to attack him.

Moments later, he hurled a dagger, the blade whistling through the air, embedding itself in the creature's chest. The Goblin gurgled, eyes rolling back, and collapsed in a heap as it vanished.

Following that, more of the monsters appeared, prompting him to start killing them with ease as he used Stormfire Bullet, which burrowed through their corpses. Minutes later, the Goblins stopped coming.

Raegar prowled the forest, collecting Aether Cores from the fallen Goblins, his senses sharp as he scanned the dense undergrowth. He held his breath, no threats emerging, allowing him to store the cores in his ring before pressing deeper.

Soon, a low growl prickled his ears, Forest Wolves slinking through the trees, eyes glinting with predatory intent. ''Figures,'' he muttered, a grin tugging at his lips. ''They're always tweaking these monsters.''

As they closed in, he flicked his wrists, sending his daggers singing through the air. The blades struck true, burying themselves in the creatures' hides. The wolves collapsed mid-stride, lifeless.