Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar's eyes were blazing with awe as the Hydra Blades tore through the berserker barbarians, their savagery undone in a storm of Aether and blood. His laughter erupted, a chilling peal that reverberated across the scarred battlefield.

In that moment, Drusilla materialized at his side, her dark fairy aura shimmering with unspoken power, while Baldur, the great owl, descended to perch upon his shoulder. Her piercing gaze met his, but before she could speak, his voice cut through like a blade.

''Mend my wounds, Dru,'' he commanded. ''I will go after every attacker and kill them!''

When the Dark Fairy heard this, she agreed and started casting her healing magic on him, revitalizing his body. Raegar grinned and summoned his blades before rushing after the surviving enemies.

With a thunderous roar that split the air, he surged forward, his body propelled like a comet streaking across a midnight sky. His Hydra Blades, gleaming with an otherworldly sheen, materialized at his side, their serrated edges humming with latent power.

Like loyal hounds, they shadowed his every move, slicing through the chaos with ruthless precision. The fleeing barbarians, their courage shattered, stood no chance as he descended upon them.

Each swing of his blades was a symphony of destruction, felling enemies with surgical accuracy while the Hydra Blades darted through the fray, dispatching any foe daring enough to draw near.

For over an hour, the battlefield was a whirlwind of steel and shadow, Raegar an unstoppable force at its heart, until the last of the barbarian horde lay defeated, their cries silenced under the weight of his relentless assault.

Panting heavily, he stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving as the dark, intoxicating energy of the Aether coursed through his veins. The power was a gift from Drusilla, the fierce fairy who hovered nearby.

Her blue eyes glowed with a mixture of frustration and concern as she crossed her arms and fixed him with a stern glare. ''Why didn't you call for me, Rae?'' she demanded. ''I wanted to fight by your side, you know. We're supposed to be a team!''

Guilt tugged at his heart as he caught the hurt beneath her anger. He dismissed his blades and offered her a reassuring smile. ''I'm sorry, Dru,'' he said earnestly. ''I got caught up in the moment. I promise, next time, we'll face every enemy together. No one's leaving you out again.''

The Dark Fairies' expression softened, her pout giving way to a smile that lit up her features. With a playful flutter of her wings, she darted forward and pressed a quick, warm kiss to his cheek, her laughter like the chime of silver bells.

''You'd better keep that promise, Rae,'' she teased, her earlier irritation forgotten. ''I'm not just here for show, you know!''

Raegar chuckled, stretching his aching limbs as the adrenaline began to ebb, leaving an ache in his muscles. Together, they turned and began the trek back toward the Academy, the sprawling silhouette of its ancient spires looming in the distance against the twilight sky.

Drusilla floated beside him as she chattered animatedly. "The professors were in a total panic when they realized you'd slipped out. But then the headmistress stepped in and told them you'd gone to handle the barbarians yourself. You should've seen their faces, half relieved, half exasperated. They're probably going to lecture you for days!''

He groaned good-naturedly, rubbing the back of his neck. ''It doesn't matter in the long run. I stopped the attack on the school, which would have cost hundreds of guards their lives if they made it past the Dawnfirians,'' he responded.

But his grin betrayed his lack of real concern. With Drusilla by his side, her infectious energy lifting his spirits, the long walk back to the Academy was more entertaining as the two of them chatted about all kinds of things.

As they reached the gate, the blonde leaned heavily on his shoulders, still channeling Aether into him. The headmistress stood waiting, her expression stern. ''Blackwood, why did you abandon class?'' she demanded.

He gave a sheepish grin. ''Sorry, Headmistress. I sensed the barbarians closing in. My brother Jasper always said letting them get too close spells trouble. I went to help, it sharpens my skills.''

The headmistress sighed, waving him inside. ''Go eat dinner and take the evening off. Unless there's an emergency, I expect you in class tomorrow.''

Raegar nodded in agreement before rushing toward the dining hall, making the older woman giggle as someone appeared from the shadows. ''That boy is a mystery; he doesn't need to be here but chooses to attend to learn whatever he can,'' the stranger commented.

Corrine turned to her old friend with a sigh. ''Yes, Liah, he's managed to scare most of the first years, and the older children are wary of him thanks to the scars he has gotten thanks to all the fighting,'' she revealed.

The unknown woman giggled. ''The boy is causing waves across Dawnfire and has the nobles worried, but he has caught my eye. One day I want to reward him when the time is right.''

''It doesn't surprise me,'' Corrine replied. ''Do it in the winter after the Grand Magic Games, no doubt the boy will make it into the finals with all the tricks he's hiding.''

As the two women continued their conversation, he hurried toward the dining hall, his footsteps echoing in the dim corridor as Drusilla climbed into his pocket and fell asleep. After five minutes, a chilling voice slithered through the air, stopping him cold. "Good afternoon, Rae."

His body froze, muscles tensing as he turned to face her, the woman with eyes that clung to him like damp rot. Her smile was wrong, too wide, too hungry, her gaze pinning him like a specimen.

He swallowed hard, his voice unsteady. ''What do you want? I helped you up once, and now you're… everywhere.''

She glided forward, her movements unnaturally smooth, cornering him against the cold stone wall. Her breath was hot against his ear as she whispered, her tone dripping with obsession. ''You, Raegar Blackwood, son of Alaric and Victoria. I want you.''

Raegar's blood turned to ice, his hand twitching toward a spell, but before he could act, her lips grazed his cheek, a clammy, invasive kiss that left his skin crawling. She vanished into the shadows as a crowd of students flooded the corridor.

Their chat was oblivious to the lingering dread she left behind as he made his way toward the dining room. Once there, he spotted Dominique and the others sitting around the table while chatting.

Selene jumped up with a big smile as she called out. ''Rae! Come over here!''

Raegar chuckled and did as she said before going to get a plate of food. While in line, he spotted the creepy woman cooking in the kitchen, but he chose to ignore her and concentrate on getting his food.

As he came to the front of the line, he filled up his plate with tons of meats and sides, making his stomach rumble thanks to being hungry and low on Aether. Following that, he walked toward his friends as more students poured into the hall.

He sat down between her and Zahara, causing the Vampire to give the duo a knowing look. Just then, Caspian curiously questioned. ''Why did you go fight the Northerners?''

''For fun and the fact that they would've reached the walls,'' he revealed while taking a bite of a juicy bit of steak lined with Earth Aether.

Afterward, Raegar continued. ''Northern Barbarians are deadly warriors who love sieges and revel in raiding innocent villages. It's one of the reasons my father is in the north, as they've been causing trouble all across the borderlands.''

Dominique let out a heavy sigh, her brow furrowing with exasperation as she leaned across the table in the bustling dining hall. ''Yes, the northern realms have been relentless,'' she said. ''They've been raiding border villages for weeks now, striking like vipers in the night. Father has mustered every last soldier of the D'Ambrose forces and marched to join the Duke's army at the frontier. They're trying to hold the line, but it's grim.''

Raegar's fork paused midway to his mouth, his thoughts snagging on her words. The clatter of plates and the hum of conversation from the other students faded as memories of the letters from home flooded his mind.

He'd been so caught up in his everything that he hadn't opened a single one. A pang of guilt twisted in his chest. 'I'll read them during my free period,' he resolved quietly.

Following that, he resumed eating, the warmth of the food grounding him as he tuned into the lively discussion around the table. His classmates were abuzz with talk of the invasion, their voices a mix of fear and fascination.

''It's been going on for months,'' said Luna, as she tore a piece of bread. ''The southern wars bled our forces dry. Every able-bodied soldier's been dragged to the front down there, leaving the northern borders exposed until they march back up here. The raiders saw their chance and took it.''