Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

'Milkshakes!' Raegar thought, shocked, but still answered after shaking his head. ''Yes, I'll come, what about the girls?''

He watched as Rune nodded. ''Yes, Vienna is going to ask them, and Drusilla here will be with you,'' he answered.

''Alright, get to class and meet at the entrance once the last bell goes off?'' he suggested.

Caspain agreed before the duo said their goodbyes, leaving him and the Dark Fairy alone as she sat on his shoulder. ''What do you want to do? Study at the library?''

''No,'' he replied. ''We're going to check out a F Rank Dungeon as we have the day off.''

When the blonde heard this, she hovered up and appeared in front of his face with her hands on her hips like an angry mother. ''Do you want to get injured again?''

Raegar chuckled at her words before rubbing her little head. ''It's a weak one, we can easily do it using spells, I don't have to get close to any monsters,'' he reassured.

''Promise me you won't be so reckless?'' she pleaded, her voice tinged with worry. ''I hate seeing you hurt, it's not right.''

With a tender touch, Raegar lifted the Fairy, his eyes locking with hers before he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Her cheeks turned a deep crimson, and he could almost see steam curling from her ears, a sight that warmed his heart with undeniable affection.

She shot into the air, her face still glowing scarlet, stammering. ''Rae, you can't just kiss a girl like that! What if she… misinterprets it?''

Raegar's lips curved into a roguish, yet utterly captivating smile as he strolled away. ''No misinterpretations here, Drusilla,'' he teased, his tone low and laced with promise.

Left hovering in the air, Drusilla's heart pounded as she tried to shake off her flustered state. Why did that kiss set my soul ablaze? she thought, her wings fluttering wildly. Shaking her head, she darted after him, landing lightly on his shoulder and playfully swatting at him.

''Stupid boy!'' she muttered, but he didn't miss the big smile on her pretty face.

Their shared laughter echoed warmly as they neared the entrance, only to be interrupted by a sudden shout calling his name. ''Blackwood!'' a voice rang out.

Raegar spun around to find Valentina hurrying toward him, her smile radiant. She paused, her gaze flickering to the blonde fairy perched on his shoulder. With a warm grin, he gestured to her. ''This is Drusilla, my bonded Dark Fairy.''

The older woman's smile widened as she reached into her satchel, pulling out a small bundle of letters tied with a ribbon. ''These are from home,'' she said, handing them to him. ''Your family's been eager to hear from you.''

She paused, her eyes twinkling with warmth. ''I'm Valentina Morris, an Inquisitor with the Order, and a dear friend of his Aunt Amara and mother.''

Drusilla, still perched on his shoulder, tilted her head, studying the older blonde with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ''Well, I like you. You're an honest woman who cares for him,'' she declared. ''Oh, and I thought you should know, Rae likes you too.''

Raegar and Valentina froze, their eyes widening as they turned to the Fairy in unison, stunned. ''Drusilla!'' he sputtered.

The fairy giggled, unfazed, and fluttered her wings. ''What? It's true! We're bonded, remember? I can feel your heartbeat, Rae, it's a safety measure. And it's been racing ever since she ran up.''

She crossed her arms, smirking. ''Don't try to deny it.''

Valentina's cheeks pinkened, but a soft laugh escaped her as she glanced at Raegar, her gaze lingering. ''Is that so?'' she teased, her tone playful yet curious.

Raegar rubbed the back of his neck, caught between embarrassment and amusement. ''She's… not wrong,'' he admitted, a sly smile tugging at his lips as he met her eyes.

Drusilla's snicker softened into a warm, knowing smile as she perched on his shoulder, her gaze fixed on him with a quiet, unspoken tenderness. Her heart swelled with fierce determination.

'I'll make sure you're loved in this life, my boy, unlike the one before,' she vowed silently, her eyes glinting with protective warmth as she glanced at him.

Valentina's eyes softened as she gazed at Raegar, a trace of wistfulness in her smile. ''We'll have a proper chance to catch up soon, I promise,'' she said warmly. ''The Order and Drakenwood have me stretched thin, running across the empire for their endless demands.''

Her gaze shifted to the Fairy, and a knowing glint flickered in her eyes. ''I trust you'll keep this meeting just between us?'' she asked.

Drusilla's wings twitched, and she crossed her arms, her expression fierce yet earnest. ''As long as you don't hurt him,'' she said. ''If you do, I won't hold back, don't expect me to, Valentina.''

Before Raegar could process her words, an overwhelming Tier Ten aura surged from the Dark Fairy, a force that pressed down. His eyes widened as the sheer power enveloped them, vibrant and unyielding.

'She's this strong?' he thought, his mind reeling with awe. 'A Tier Ten fairy… why would someone so powerful choose to bond with me?'

His heart raced, caught between astonishment and a quiet sense of gratitude, as he glanced at Drusilla. Her gaze softened for a moment, meeting his with a silent promise of protection, while Valentina watched the exchange with a faint, approving smile.

Valentina's smile bloomed, her eyes alight with fond memories. ''Quite the contrary,'' she said warmly. ''Amara, Victoria, and I grew up together, thick as thieves, you could say. I've already had a word with his mother, and trust me, she was overjoyed to know our paths have crossed again.''

The Dark Fairy nodded, beaming. ''Good, at least you're an honest noblewoman. Most are liars,'' she revealed.

After that, the older woman left to go catch a Carrier to the capital. She left with twenty Order Knights that he watched and sensed most were Tier Sevens, others Tier Sixes, catching his attention.

''Let's get going, Rae,'' Drusilla said. ''I want to fight some monsters, it's been years since I've stepped into one.'

Raegar nodded, reaching into his ring to retrieve a worn map he'd borrowed from the library. He unfolded it carefully, his eyes scanning the markings until they settled on the nearest F-Rank dungeon location.

''Looks like there's one just ten minutes from here,'' he said, pointing to a small clearing marked on the map. ''Should be an easy start.''

After bidding farewell to Valentina, he made his way out, the heavy gates swinging open at the guard's command. The headmistress had granted him the rare privilege of coming and going as he pleased, thanks to the remarkable power he'd demonstrated since joining the prestigious institution.

Lost in thought, Raegar barely noticed the bustling crowd beyond the gates until someone collided with him, jolting him back to the present. He blinked, shaking his head to clear his musings.

That's when he realized an older woman with purple hair had stumbled to the ground, her belongings scattered across the cobblestones. Without hesitation, he knelt beside her, his movements swift yet gentle as he helped her to her feet.

He gathered her fallen bag, brushing off the dust before handing it to her with a sheepish smile. ''I'm so sorry about that, miss,'' he said earnestly, his voice tinged with genuine concern. ''I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you alright?''

The woman steadied herself, brushing a strand of purple hair from her face as she looked up at Raegar. Her eyes, an unsettling shade of amethyst, locked onto his with an intensity that made Drusilla's wings twitch uneasily.

She was still perched on his shoulder, caught a fleeting flicker in the woman's gaze, something dark and unreadable that sent a chill through her tiny frame.

''Thank you, young man,'' the stranger said, her voice smooth as silk but laced with an eerie warmth.

A slow, unsettling smile curled her lips, revealing a hint of something predatory beneath her polite facade. ''Not many would stop to help a stranger so kindly.''

Raegar, oblivious to the undercurrent, offered a polite nod. ''No trouble at all, miss. Take care now.''

He turned to leave, adjusting the map in his hands as he headed toward the clearing for the F-Rank quest. Drusilla, however, lingered her gaze on the woman, her instincts prickling as if something was warning her.

The Fairy's eyes narrowed as she noticed the woman's head tilt slightly, her creepy smile unwavering as she watched him with an almost unnatural focus. 'She's not right,' she thought, her bond with Raegar humming with a faint warning.

She fluttered closer to his ear, whispering. ''Keep your guard up. That one's not what she seems.''

Raegar glanced back briefly before answering. ''She seemed fine, just another worker at the school like the hundreds of others.''

''Just be careful,'' Drusilla warned.

He nodded and turned onto the road that would lead them to the dungeon and when they got close, he instantly sensed it.