Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar was sitting in Aether Fundamentals alongside Zahara and Dominique. While sitting there, Drusilla was slumped on his shoulder, listening to Professor Silvershade talk to the class.

She looked at him before questioning. ''Blackwood, can you tell us why we need to move up levels?''

''It strengthens your body so when your Aether Pool expands, it won't hurt you once we move to Tier Two,'' he answered, prompting the older woman to nod.

Following that, the days passed by so fast that Raegar was surprised, thanks to learning a lot about the world around him and controlling his Aether. Cecilia told him to come to the Northern Courtyard so she could help him with his Wind element.

The older woman wanted to help him move it to Vapour before winter break. He was sitting in the library, waiting for Zahara and Drusilla, who went to get the three of them drinks while they studied.

Raegar stood by the tall, arched window, his gaze fixed on the weather raging across the Northern Lands. Spring storms, fierce and unyielding, battered the rugged landscape with torrents of rain and gusts that howled like Banshees.

The sky churned with dark, roiling clouds, their edges frayed by flashes of distant lightning. Beyond the school's sturdy walls, the world seemed to tremble under nature's wrath, yet he felt a quiet contentment within the library.

He felt warmth from the nearby fireplace envelop him, its glow casting dancing shadows across the small hideaway. It crackled softly, a comforting counterpoint to the storm's fury, and the heat rolled over him in waves.

In this haven, surrounded by the scent of burning wood and the faint echo of rain against the glass, Raegar found solace from the chaos outside and the peace inside. He was reading about improving his Wind Aether and how the experience would be.

While sitting there, he moved on to the next book, which was about the monsters that roam the Northern Lands, and they were deadly. When Raegar saw the Tiers of the different creatures, his excitement skyrocketed.

'I need to fight these things,' he thought, grinning. 'The Forest Giants would be a tough battle, but I could improve my skills.'

Just then, he felt someone staring at him, prompting him to look up, only to see Zahara standing there with a warm smile. She shook her head and spoke while putting some drinks on the table. ''The hall was packed with second years, they kept looking a Dru but still swore at them.''

Raegar let out a low chuckle, the sound barely audible over the storm outside the school's walls. His amusement flickered in his eyes as he turned from the window, where the spring storm continued to lash the window with sheets of rain and howling winds.

Just then, a flutter of wings broke the quiet, and Drusilla, the blonde Dark Fairy, alighted on the table with a dramatic huff, her body practically vibrating with indignation as she got comfortable next to him.

''I swear by the ancient stars, Rae,'' she fumed, her voice sharp and tinged with exasperation, ''If you weren't here, I'd set those fools ablaze myself! The nerve of them, prattling on like they know the secrets of the cosmos!''

Her tiny hands balled into fists, and her wings twitched irritably, scattering faint glimmers of Aether across the table's polished surface. She paced a few steps, her bare feet barely making a sound, before fixing her piercing blue eyes on him.

''But I won't, only because I'd never risk getting you expelled. One wrong move, and those pompous instructors would leap at the chance to toss you out. And I'm not about to let my stupidity be the cause of that,'' she concluded with a smile.

Raegar's chuckle deepened, his shoulders relaxing as he leaned against the window frame, the storm's fury a fitting backdrop to Drusilla's fiery temper. The contrast between her fierce loyalty and her love for chaos never failed to amuse him.

''You're trouble enough without setting anyone ablaze,'' he teased, his voice low and steady, a gentle anchor to her storm of emotions.

The trio's laughter faltered as a chill swept through the air. Headmistress Von Hohenstein materialized, her stern face etched with concern. She stepped forward, voice grave. ''Blackwood, your brother Jasper sent a messenger. He needs your help as their being attacked by the Forest Giants.''

Raegar leapt to his feet, his chair scraping against the stone floor. ''Forest Giants? How bad is it?''

''Bad enough,'' Headmistress Von Hohenstein replied, her eyes narrowing. ''The Empress has granted you leave to assist. You're to depart at once, provide what help you can, and return to Drakenwood immediately after. No detours, Blackwood. Understood?''

He nodded, his jaw tight. ''Understood, Headmistress.''

The older woman gave a curt nod, her cloak swirling as she turned. ''Go quickly. The camp's survival may depend on it.''

Raegar jumped up as Drusilla flew into his pocket, and Zahara quickly questioned. ''Can we girls help? We want to fight beside him?''

''Assemble the others and meet me in the gardens,'' the headmistress commanded, her voice sharp. ''I'll teleport us to the Dawnfirian camp, but the spell will take time to prepare.''

He didn't hesitate. Bolting from the library, he left his companions behind and reached the moonlit gardens of Drakenwood Academy. With a surge of focus, he channeled Aether into an Enhancement spell, magic crackling around him.

He directed the energy to his feet, and with a thunderous boom, he sprinted north, the force of his speed shaking the earth beneath him. Raegar tore across the Western Lands, his Aether-fueled sprint leaving a trail of scorched earth and shattered stone in his wake.

The rolling hills and dense forests of the heartlands blurred past, their greens fading into the rugged grays of the northern frontier. Enhancement pulsed, muscles burning with power as he vaulted over streams and ravines, each step creating a crack against the ground.

He felt the air grow sharp, biting at his skin as the landscape shifted. Jagged peaks loomed ahead, their snow-dusted tips piercing the slate-gray sky. Frost clung to the sparse vegetation, and the wind howled with the promise of winter's grip.

Raegar's breath steamed in the frigid north, but his resolve burned hotter than ever. The Dawnfirian camp was close; he could feel it as a chaotic aura pulsed all around the Northern Lands.

Slowing his pace, he scanned the horizon, eyes narrowing at the distant glow of fire and the faint roars of beasts echoing through the valley. He charged toward the chaos, the cold biting at his exposed skin as he summoned his twin daggers in a flare of shimmering Aether.

The blades, etched with runes that pulsed faintly, felt like extensions of his will. His eyes locked onto the first creature lumbering through the snow-dusted pines, and his heart stuttered in his chest.

Raegar noticed it was a Bigfoot, but not the lumbering, shaggy beast of Earth's stories. This one stood nearly ten feet tall, its muscular frame cloaked in matted, frost-crusted fur that gleamed like blackened iron.

Its face was a nightmare of jagged fangs and glowing red eyes that burned with a primal, ravenous hunger. The creature led a pack of its kin, their massive forms tearing into a Dawnfirian convoy with brutal savagery.

The defenders, clad in the crimson and gold of their clan, fought valiantly, but their spears and shields were no match for the giants' crushing fists. Tents lay in tatters, supply wagons splintered, and cries of desperation echoed through the frozen air.

Raegar's blood surged with purpose, he would not let the camp fall. With a shout, he hurled himself into the chaos, his daggers flashing like streaks of moonlight. The nearest Bigfoot whirled, its glowing eyes fixing on him as it let out a bone-rattling roar.

He sidestepped its massive claw, the wind of the swing ruffling his cloak, and countered with a precise slash across its flank. His blades, infused with Aether, cut through the beast's thick hide as if it were parchment, drawing a spray of dark blood that hissed against the snow.

The creature bellowed, staggering, but Raegar pressed his advantage. He wove through its clumsy strikes, his Enhancement spell amplifying every movement. A second Bigfoot lumbered toward him, its fists raised to crush, but he spun low, slicing tendons at its knees.

As it crashed to the ground, he vaulted onto its back, driving both daggers into the base of its skull. The beast collapsed with a final, shuddering groan. The remaining Dawnfirians rallied at the sight, their courage bolstered.

Raegar spared them a glance, shouting, ''Hold the line! They will be dead soon!'' before turning to face the last of the pack. His breaths came in sharp bursts, the cold searing his lungs, but his focus was unbreakable.

With a flourish, he channeled Aether into a spiraling arc of energy, sending it slicing through the final Bigfoot's chest. The creature's red eyes flickered, then dulled, as it crumpled into the snow, the silence that followed broken only by the crackle of distant fires and the relieved gasps of the survivors.