Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar watched as the Dawnfire Commander suddenly stop when the one in front spoke in an amazed tone. ''Saki? Yuki? What are you two doing here?''

An armored man got off his horse and approached, removing his helmet to reveal blue hair like their father's but red eyes like their mother's. Jasper looked to be in his mid-twenties, with a stern aura around him.

While he was thinking to himself, Saki stepped forward with a warm smile. ''It's good to see you, young master Jasper. Lady Victoria didn't tell me you'd be down here.''

After that, his older brother completely ignored him, which caused Yuki to look in his direction. He waved her away with a smile behind the mask. ''Let's see if he asks. He has never hated me, but didn't like me either.''

The cat woman nodded as Jasper looked at his second-in-command. ''Luthian, go on patrol while I take these laides. When you return, we can head to my grandfather's mansion, Mother should be there.''

Raegar's eyes widened at that, but the young man continued. ''I was heading to Deadwater as the enemies have been dealt with thanks to the help of an unknown masked warrior who attacked the kingdoms allowing our armies to push through.''

''We've heard the rumors,'' Yuki commented while glancing at him with a knowing smile. ''Merchants mentions the warrior on the road.''

Jasper looked curious but soon noticed Raegar standing there causing the young man to question him with narrowed eyes. ''Who are you?''

When hearing the young man, he removed the hood and revealed his white hair before answering. ''Can't recognize your little brother?''

As the words slipped from his mouth, the blue-haired man froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. ''Raegar?''

''Yes,'' he replied with a warm chuckle. ''Good to see you're doing well, big brother.''

Jasper shook his head, still processing, before asking, "Didn't Grandfather take you to Bloodfang Forest?''

Raegar nodded and answered. ''Yes, he did, but King Vlad told me he went missing alongside Grandmother, so here I am traveling north to Drakenwood Academy.''

''So you decided to attend an academy like Isabella and Lyra,'' the young man commented.

Moments later, Jasper stepped forward and suddenly hugged him with a big smile. ''It's good to see you, baby brother. What's with the mask, though? We can't have you hiding that handsome face, can we?''

Raegar laughed but explained. ''A Devil Lord mutilated my face. I have to wait for Grandmother to return before I can get it healed.''

His older brother's eyes widened in shock before asking. ''You're the masked warrior helping the empire?''

''That would be me. I couldn't directly attack them, but I have a spell that does a lot of damage on impact, so I used that against the kingdoms,'' he revealed.

Yuki and Jasper looked at him like he was a monster, causing him to laugh while scratching his head. ''They were only weak Tier Two soldiers; the commanders were harder to fight, but I killed them.''

Following that, his brother laughed before guiding them toward Ravenhollow, which was heavily fortified and had hundreds of Dawnfirians patrolling the walls and streets, prompting the young man to glance at him.

''I'm getting married to Alisa Sunfire and Elise Northwood,'' Jasper revealed proudly. ''Will you attend? It won't interrupt your academy test.''

He grew curious and questioned. ''Why are you tying the Blackwoods to the northern and eastern noble families?''

His older brother sighed before revealing. ''Uncle Darius thought I should take the Vaelthorne name because it would get me recognized, and it did once I was confirmed a member. I didn't have a choice as High Commander was ignoring me because Father is a Count.''

Raegar's eyes narrowed while listening, but he chose not to say anything and answered his previous question. ''Yes, I'll come. Yuki will be my date, and I don't care what the family has to say.''

When the cat woman listened to his words a big smile appeared on her face only for her cheeks to go red. This made Jasper laugh before leading them through the town's gates after the guards let them pass.

''Of course, baby brother. Everyone knows you're fond of each other,'' his brother spoke with a knowing chuckle. ''Just be aware of Ismeria and Calista, they are bitches and love to judge people.''

''Don't worry about them, Jasper,'' he replied with a smirk. ''I've fought Dark Ones, Devils and Nightwalkers. A stuck-up noblewoman won't do anything to me or Yuki.''

The three of them laughed before the group started chatting about what they'd been up to. Raegar found out that the empress made his older brother into a general thanks to his war in the east against the mountain tribes.

While walking, he turned to his brother and asked something that had been bothering him. ''What is father fighting in the north?''

Jasper's face twisted into a grimace as he responded, ''We don't know their names yet, but they're massive, human-like creatures. They've been raiding the northern villages, snatching people, and dragging them back to their lands.''

''Human-like?'' he questioned with a raised eyebrow. ''Do they look like us? Or just have our shape?''

''If I remember Father's letter, he said they stand at eight feet tall, extremely muscular and hairy, and also love the taste of human flesh,'' Jasper answered while the group was led to an Inn where he was staying.

Once there, Yuki spoke with a smile. ''I'm going to check on my Mother. You two catch up while you can. We should be in the square relaxing until we leave town.''

When Raegar heard this, he suddenly hugged the cat woman, who beamed while returning the hug. Following that, she rushed toward Salo, Edmund, and the Blackwood Guards, who were slumping down to rest.

''Looks like you two aren't fooling anyone about how you feel,'' his brother teased with a grin. ''I'm happy for you, little bro. She's a good woman, been looking out for you since the day you came into this world.''

He nodded in agreement before replying. ''She wants to take things further once I come of age, which is just under a year away.''

Jasper ruffled his hair. ''Let's get something to eat before we head toward Grandfather's house where the wedding will be held,'' he commented.

''What about the old man and Grandmother?'' he questioned. ''Aren't they missing?''

His brother let out a hearty chuckle as he explained, ''Nothing can take down those two. The Lion of Dawnfire and the Healing Witch of the North, they're a legendary duo that make our enemies tremble. They're not going down so easily, little bro.''

Raegar nodded in understanding before asking one last thing as the duo stepped into an inn. ''Why not wait for them to return?''

Jasper shivered while looking over his shoulder. ''That crazy old man will beat me if I let those girls go thanks to him liking them, he already suggested that I marry the two at the first chance I got.''

Following that, he started laughing at the man's reaction as he knew what their Grandfather was like. Just then, the two of them sat down as a young woman approached the table as Jasper turned to her.

''Miss Jessica, can you bring me and my brother today's special? Also, some Dragons Breathe Ale; we're celebrating,'' he requested politely.

Her head tilted to the side when hearing that before smiling. ''You have a younger brother, Master Vaelthorne? And what's the celebration?''

''Raegar here survived just over a year in the Bloodfang Forest,'' he revealed with a proud expression. ''He fought Devils, monsters from your nightmares, and cutthroat bandits only to reappear in the same town I stopped off at.''

When the young woman known as Jessica listened to Jasper's pride-filled voice, she commented with a seductive smile. ''So brave, especially for a young man like you.''

''It was no big deal,'' he replied, brushing off the praise with a wave. ''Just the result of training most of my life.''

Following that, she tried to praise Raegar more, but it went in one ear and out the other as he didn't realize the young woman was trying to flirt with him, which annoyed her before she returned to the kitchen.

Once she was gone, Jasper commented with a chuckle. ''Not interested in her little bro?''

''Huh?'' he replied. ''Why would I be? I have Yuki.''

''So you won't have multiple wives when you grow up?'' his brother questioned.

Raegar shrugged, then answered honestly. ''I don't know. I haven't thought about romance with anyone but her. She once told me I could have more women, but my focus is on getting stronger. What's the point of a harem if I can't even protect them?''

His older brother nodded his head with a proud smile. ''Good, this is a good mindframe to have, Rae. The world is a dangerous place, especially with the way things are going.''

''What do you mean?'' he asked with a curious expression hidden by his mask.