Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar watched as Hogar approached them and started talking, only for the guard to refuse. This frustrated the orc man who turned back to him, but he got a good idea and took out the gold plate Vlad gave him.

When the vampire saw the markings, his eyes bulged just before he questioned him. ''How did you get this, boy? You're aware that it's a crime to forge them.''

''It's real. King Vlad gave it to me when he was meeting my grandfather and told me I could enter Dreadshade Castle to sell my loot while I hunt in the Bloodfang Forest,'' Raegar answered while taking the plate off guard.

When the Nytherian heard this, he sighed before speaking. ''I won't be taking responsibility for you or Hogar, but the Royal Plate looks legitimate.''

''I understand,'' he replied before leading the orc into the dungeon.

Ten minutes later, the duo was standing on the first floor with a big tunnel before them as their only way forward, but the only problem was the overgrown plants that choked the path forward stopped them in their tracks.

Hogar looked at him with wide eyes as he spoke. ''You know the Nytherian King?''

Raegar shrugged while answering. ''He's a friend of my grandparents' and I only met him once, but he seemed nice when he helped me.''

''Good, it's good to have connections nowadays,'' the orc said in a concerned voice. ''Things in the forest have gotten worse. Devil attacks have increased and Mariam thinks we should move to the empire for safety.''

Following that, the two of them continued until howls rang out from all around them, causing Hoger to smile. ''Now show me what you can do, boy. These are Tier One Forest Wolves.''

Raegar surged with raw power as he cast Enhancement Magic, his muscles tightening, and his blades gleamed in the dungeon light. The first monster lunged from the underbrush, fangs bared, but he was faster.

With a thunderous roar, he sidestepped, his blade flashing in an arc that carved deep into the beast's side. Before its howl could escape, he whipped a dagger through the air and it buried itself cleanly in another wolf's skull, dropping it instantly.

A third beast pounced, but Raegar met it head-on. His fist crackled with Aether energy, and when he struck, the impact roared like a cannon blast. He sent the monster hurtling through the trees, its body tearing through trunks like twigs.

Moments later, he was standing amidst the circling Forest Wolves, his stance loose, his eyes sharp. The air was thick with growls and the scent of damp earth, but he welcomed the challenge.

'Here we go, let's show this or what I can do,' he thought as he smiled.

That's when the first wolf lunged, causing him to move before reappearing behind it as his dagger flashed and slashed the creature's back. Blood sprayed as the beast collapsed mid-stride.

Another came from the right. He quickly ducked low, spinning beneath its snapping jaws, slicing through its legs in a single swipe. Before it even hit the ground, he was already moving again.

A third creature leaped from above. Raegar twisted, kicking off a tree trunk, and flipping over the wolf as his dagger found its throat. He landed in a crouch, barely a breath passing before two more attacked.

His speed was overwhelming, his blades a whirlwind of silver death. The wolves barely saw him move before they fell, their snarls replaced by silence as the last monster dropped dead after letting a death rattle.

The bodies vanished into the dungeon, leaving behind the brown Tier One cores littering the ground. Raegar started picking them up while listening to the surrounding treeline for any more monsters.

Seconda later, clapping, echoed through the forest. ''Well done, boy. That was an impressive fight,'' Hoger said with a big smile.

When the giant orc came close, he slapped him on the back and continued. ''Your speed is perfect, but the strength behind the strikes is lacking. Am I right to assume you are a Tier One Mage who's still in the Vapour realm?''

''Yes,'' Raegar replied with a nod. ''Grandfather said I could move to the next realm, but it's risky without the right knowledge that most mages learn from the academies.''

Hogar nodded before explaining, ''He's right. The previous Grandmasters founded the academies to train young mages, helping them grow stronger and ascend through the ranks so their Aether could strengthen.''

''I know, that's why I'm getting collected a day before the Drakenwood tests,'' Raegar replied as the duo continued into the dungeon.

While traveling, Hogar started instructing him about how to build up his strength, which the wood chopping helped with. During all this, he discovered that the biggest Aether Pool inside him was getting deeper.

'Is it because I'm constantly using magic?' he mused as the orc collected the furs, bones, and meat but gave him to the cores.

''I'll keep the loot that drops from the monsters,'' Hogar said as they continued.

Raegar nodded, ''That's fine, I've got loads of loot I need to sell at Dreadshade Castle which I'll do later,'' he informed just as he killed two wolves with Stormfire Bullets that tried ambushing him.

Hours passed and the two of them stepped out of the dungeon as Hogar had a bag loaded with stuff. When the guards saw them, they opened the gate to let the duo out as they headed back to the homestead.

While walking down the trail, he noticed the sun was setting just as the forest went quiet, which caught Raegar's attention, causing him to put his hands on his daggers. ''Something's out here and watching us,'' he warned.

The orc's head snapped toward the approaching aura. ''Nightwalkers,'' he growled. ''We need to get back to the homestead. We have Runes that will keep them from reaching us.''

Raegar nodded in agreement, but his senses remained sharp as he scanned the encroaching darkness. Shadows shifted unnaturally, and a chill ran down his spine while the grip on his weapons tightened.

'Luckily, they dropped me off in the west. This place... is a nightmare,' he thought just as they spotted a fence in the distance.

The sounds of creatures echoed from around them, causing Hogar to grab Raegar and throw him across the threshold as he activated his powerful aura that sent the Nightwalkers scuttling back into the shadows.

''Why did you throw me?'' he said while getting to his feet.

Hogar stepped through the entrance just as eerie howls echoed in the distance. ''One of them was about to leap at you,'' he said, his tone grim. ''Those are Tier Two monsters—they would've overpowered you.''

Raegar nodded. ''Thank you, but I'm going to make something to eat and get to bed. You know where I'll be,'' he said before walking down the trail to the shack.

As he walked, he pulled out the guide Zorana had given him, flipping through the pages in search of the Nightwalker. His fingers paused on a page, his eyes widening as he stared at the creature depicted in chilling detail.

His eyes scanned the page, only for his heart to skip a beat as he saw it. The creature in the picture was like nothing he had ever seen, tall, gaunt, with skin stretched thin over its skeletal frame.

Its massive claws curved like sharpened obsidian, dripping with something dark. The deep red eyes, hollow and endless, seemed to bore into him from the page, glowing with an unnatural hunger.

Raegar glanced up, his breath catching. A chilly wind swept through the trees, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, he thought he saw the shadow of a monstrous figure lurking in the distance.

This one was unlike the others. It was muscular, its massive form standing just outside the reach of the torchlight, eyes glowing with murderous intent as it fixed its gaze on Raegar like it was memorizing his face.

'What is this thing doing?' he thought with a raised eyebrow.

His heart pounded as he shook his head in disbelief, then quickly cast a Stormfire Bullet. The spell whizzed through the air toward the monster. But the creature was faster. It dodged with inhuman agility, vanishing into the shadows without a sound.

He exhaled sharply, his body tensed as he approached the firepit. With practiced ease, he tossed a bundle of wood into the flames and sparked a fire, watching the embers flicker to life as if seeking comfort in the warmth.

Raegar set to work, his hands moving swiftly as he kneaded dough and roasted the monster meat. The sizzling aroma filled the air, mingling with the rich scent of warm bread baking over the fire.

He smiled while drizzling honey looted from a bee monster in the dungeon over the bread, the golden liquid shimmering in the firelight. The first bite was heaven. ''Mmm, this stuff is delicious,'' he mused, savoring the perfect blend of flavors.

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