Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar watched as the Orcs roared in frustration, their heavy blows tearing chunks from the earth where he'd stood moments before as he dodged their attack by using their weapons as stepping stones.

One larger than the rest landed a hit. Its warhammer connected with his side, the impact sending him hurtling through the forest. Trees blurred past as he soared, pain flaring in his ribs, but his mind remained sharp as a quote from Earth popped into his mind.

'A lesson without pain is meaningless,' he thought with a smile.

Mid-flight, Raegar twisted, his hands a blur as he summoned his two daggers. With lethal accuracy, he flung them, the blades whistling through the air. One sank into the forehead of a charging orc, dropping it instantly.

The second found another's skull, the beast collapsing with a gurgling cry.

[+ 200 Points - Tier Two Wild Orc]

[+ 200 Points - Tier Two Wild Orc]

His boots skidded across the earth, slowing him down, a feral grin splitting his face as he landed in a crouch, the forest trembling with the roar of an approaching swarm of Orcs that wanted to kill him.

From the shadowed depths of the trees, a fresh wave of orcs surged forth. But this time, he was a force unleashed, his body thrumming with the thrill of battle and his Enhancement magic, every muscle coiled for war.

Raegar moved like a storm given form, a blur of motion too fast for the lumbering orcs to track. He ducked beneath a swinging axe, the blade whistling harmlessly over his head, then dove past a spiked club that cratered the ground.

With a leap, he vaulted over a charging orc, twisting mid-air to land behind another, his laughter ringing out like a challenge. The monsters bellowed in rage, their clumsy strikes no match for his agility, as he danced through their ranks, untouchable.

His daggers, extensions of his will, never ceased their deadly waltz. They flashed in the dim light, carving arcs of silver through the air, each strike precise and merciless. Blood sprayed, and Orcs fell, their roars turning to gurgles as Raegar wove a tapestry of destruction.

Following that, Raegar's eyes locked onto the leader, a towering brute clad in spiked armor, its tusked mouth snarling commands. His grin widened, predatory and fearless. In an instant, he was upon the chieftain, appearing before it like a specter of death.

His daggers became a storm of steel, unleashing a hundred slashes in the span of a heartbeat. Each cut was a masterstroke, tearing through armor, flesh, and bone with effortless precision.

The orc leader staggered, its massive frame shredded, unable to comprehend the whirlwind that dismantled it. With a final attack, he drove both daggers into its chest, and the beast collapsed, its dying roar swallowed by the silence of the awestruck horde.

[+ 200 Points - Tier Two Wild Orc x 20]

[+250 Points - Tier Two Orc Leader]

Seeing that, Raegar continued attacking until round two was over, only to run into the Tier Three monsters. ''Oh shit a Forest Troll and I'm already too tired for this shit,'' he said while gritting his teeth.

***

Corinne Von Hohenstein watched in shock as the Blackwood boy battled through a swarm of Forest Wolves and Orcs. When seeing this, she thought with a small smile. 'Despite being tired, you're here fighting with monsters while grinning.'

The older woman watched as the boy was slaughtering Tier Two Monsters like it was nothing, which surprised her. ''He fights above his level at the cost of his body, but it seems to be healing slowly.''

Just then, a robed woman appeared beside her with the lower part of her face showing a smile. ''Looks like the Crucible is doing exactly what it was designed to do, headmistress, and out of all people, you send the Blackwood boy?''

When the headmistress heard this, she leaned forward, her light blue eyes glinting with a mix of pride and mischief. ''He's the only choice, Liah. Even if you drag in the third-years, they won't do as good as him,'' she revealed.

Following that, Corinne continued talking. ''Raegar's Aether Pool, it's not just impressive, it's extraordinary. Gifted students might look like a pond. But his? It's a vast, dwarfing the others by double, no, triple the size.''

She watched as Raegar was jumping, spinning, and moving so fast that the staff members couldn't see him sometimes, as she concluded. ''His power is a force of nature waiting to be unleashed, and it's good he joined the academy instead of going it alone.''

''Well, he's the first Tetraarch whom I've been watching closely since he woke,'' the hidden woman named Liah commented. ''The boy is fascinating and there's something about him that I can't put my finger on.''

''Too mature for his age?'' she suggested with a giggle.

''Maybe,'' her friend responded. ''His whole reaction to the ruined face and the students' reactions surprised me, but his cat girl seemed to help in that regard.''

Corrine started laughing when she heard the twinge of jealousy. ''Why not show yourself, Liah? Maybe you could teach him?''

The robed figure shook her head. ''Not yet, too many in the shadows moving against him, Cori. I believe the Lion is savagely routing out the families who turned against the empire, but it isn't enough.''

''The boy scares too many people,'' she finished. ''While he's in Drakenwood, the Order has promised to dispatch the Belmont Family to protect him from all threats, but thanks to the Northern Wars starting, they've been busy.''

''Don't worry about that,'' Liah reassured with a smirk. ''The empress has dispatched ten Elite Hunters paid for by the crown to Willowbank Village, but they are still sailing from the Kyoshara Continent and won't arrive until spring.''

Corrine laughed when hearing this. ''That doesn't surprise me, you haven't changed since our days in the academy, despite everything that's happened,'' she honestly said.

Her friend giggled. ''Oh, shut up, Cori, how can someone like me change? You know I love Aether too much to let that snobbery go to my head.''

Following that, the two turned back to the screen as Raegar stood opposite the Tier Three Forest Trolls. When Corrine saw this, she commented. ''I know his strong, but these creatures are something else.''

''He can't use his ability or he'll collapse due to exhaustion,'' Liah commented. ''I bet this is where he uses his magic to fight, considering he loves those daggers.''

''I don't understand why he fights with assassins' weapons,'' she questioned to no one in particular. ''A spear or sword would do more damage.''

Her friend laughed while shaking her head. ''Still blind to the things in front of you. He's learned from Crowhurst as the fighting style is hers, then there's the famous Shadowclaw Legions Enhancement.''

Corinne's eyes widened, a spark of astonishment flickering across her face as she leaned in, her voice tinged with disbelief. ''The legendary catfolk of Vinterheim, from the Northern Continent? I thought the Shadowclaw Clan was wiped out during the purges.''

Liah shook her head, a knowing smile playing on her lips. ''Far from it. A small noble family in the empire opened their doors to the last of the Shadowclaws, sheltering them from the purge's aftermath.''

She noticed her friend's smile grow. ''And here's the twist: their son and the clan's final daughter have taken a shine to each other. The girl's biding her time, waiting for him to reach seventeen before she locks in her future with him.''

When hearing that, Corrine's eyes widened. ''The Blackwoods!''

''Yes, those are the fellows,'' Liah giggled. ''Now imagine my surprise when the Intelligence People told me that the girl taught him how to use the famous Shadowclaw Enhancement Magic.''

''That makes sense why he's so fast, and thanks to being a Tetraarch Mage, he must have been able to learn it,'' she muttered in surprise.

Following that, Liah nodded before the duo continued watching Raegar fighting the Forest Trolls.

***

Raegar darted around the forest as the monsters massive stone clubs crushed trees sending hand sized splinters everywhere, like small, lethal missiles. One of the projectiles slammed into his shoulder causing him to yelp.

He used Flash Step to avoid getting grabbed by one of the Trolls before he threw his daggers into the creature's eyes, then followed that up with a Lightningfire Blast that scorched everything around him.

Blue flames with lightning arching off it as it hit the creature's head, forcing it to explode, thanks to him overcharging the attack.

[+300 Points - Tier Three Forest Troll]

Moments later, he turned around just as another Troll struck. A massive club turned Raegar into blood mist, prompting him to wake up in the Combat Crucible. Seconds later, it opened as the headmistress appeared.

''Well done, Blackwood. Tier Three on your first run is good, now shake your head and come too before we check on the scoreboard,'' she commented.

''Yes, give me a minute,'' he said while feeling sick. ''The pain is weird, but it's good, it will encourage others to be more careful.''