Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 331: Must Be Strange

Cecelia continued down the Kingsway only to hear an earth-shaking roar nearby, causing the carriage to stop as the older woman hissed. ''Damn prince and his silly women, why can't they travel ike normal people.''

''Prince?'' she asked after hearing her rant.

''Yes, my lady,'' the maid answered. ''Raegar Blackwood, he's using monsters to travel to Drakenwood. A horrible man, a womanizer and playboy who the empress is engaged to, I have no idea what she's doing because she can do better.''

When Cecelia heard this, her eyebrows rose in curiosity. ''Why do you hate him so much, Diana?''

The older woman glanced at her, grimacing at the horrible memory as she revealed. ''He killed my brother and cousin at the Battle of Tears, outside the palace. It's not the nobles' fault that they felt ignored, and a young Count's son took the spotlight, forcing them to act.''

''The Red Death?'' she questioned, remembering the stories from the city she came from.

''That's the prince's army that he sends after the empress's enemies,'' Diana responded, sighing. ''It doesn't matter much, we can't say much as the empire loves him thanks to a few feats his achieved.''

Cecelia's interest was piqued, and she thought. 'Is this Raegar as bad as they say?'

Following that, they traveled down the Kingsway until reaching one of the Rest Stops that had been recently built. Once the carriage came to a stop, Cecelia sent a pulse of mana that mapped her surroundings but didn't give her any detail, so she couldn't see what someone looked like without touching them.

Diana stepped out, speaking with a warm smile. ''We can get something to eat here, my lady. I heard they sell delicious food.''

''Thank you,'' she replied, exiting the carriage as the maid held her arm, guiding her toward a stall where she can see the outline of no detail.

Cecelia settled into her seat, making herself comfortable as Diana placed an order for steaming dumplings and other dishes that filled the air with mouthwatering aromas. Once the food was ready, they gathered their meals and returned to the carriage to resume their westward journey.

By the time they arrived at Sunfire Manor, a midpoint between her home and Drakenwood, nestled in a secluded stretch of the Kingsway, the sun was beginning to dip low on the horizon. While passing through a secluded spit, the carriage lurched violently, wood splintering like thunder as the roof peeled back, and an explosion erupted.

Cecelia's stomach flipped; the world spun into darkness and flying debris. She hit the ground hard, breath punched from her lungs, tasting dirt and iron. All around her, the night erupted, shrieks that clawed at her eardrums, the wet snap of jaws, the sulfur-stink of Night Creatures swarming from the treeline.

Explosions of violet fire lit the chaos in strobing flashes: black wings, obsidian claws, eyes like molten glass. She couldn't see. Couldn't move. Only the same roar from earlier rolled over her again, deeper, closer, shaking the earth beneath her cheek. Then a hand closed around hers and hauled her upright.

A male voice, low and rough with urgency, cut through the din. ''Are you okay? Sorry, I didn't sense them while flying over.''

Cecelia's heart hammered so loudly she barely heard her own gasp. Words tangled in her throat, useless. Instinct took over; she pushed a pulse of Aether outward, a soft tide of silver light that rippled across the stranger's skin and sank into him like mist into stone. The glow revealed him fully.

Hair like fresh-fallen snow spilled over his shoulders, catching the violet firelight in shimmering strands. His eyes, crimson, bright as forge embers, met hers without flinching. High cheekbones, a sharp jaw, and the faint scar that ran from his left temple to the corner of his mouth only made the rest of him more unfair.

He was young, under twenty, but something powerful lived behind those ruby irises. Cecelia's mouth opened. Closed. The Aether still shimmered between them, betraying her stunned pulse.

''Who are you?'' she asked, shaking her head to bring herself back to reality.

***

(Sometime before the meeting)

Raegar was lying on Marlow's back just as explosions rang out nearby, causing him to sit up, looking in that direction. He noticed a cloud of dirt erupting from a nearby road, prompting him to order. ''Marlow, land nearby, someone's being attacked by Goblins and their Shaman!''

Following that, he turned to the six women. ''We're about to fight; looks like the Fusion Soldiers missed the monsters.''

After speaking, Raegar leaped off its back and began to fall toward the ground as he cast Stormfire Bullets into the horde of Goblins, causing explosions to ring out across the Kingsway. Just behind him, Marlow dived in low, allowing the women to jump off and help out the guards.

Zahara healed the injured while Selene, Dominique, and Alice got into the mix of it. Nivara stayed behind to watch over the blonde Half-Elf as Drusilla went crazy with her Dark Magic that blasted away the Shamans. He smiled at this when spotting a purple-haired young woman staring off into the distance with gorgeous violet eyes..

When Raegar got close, he realized she was blind, causing him to smile as he approached and spoke softly. 'Are you okay? Sorry, I didn't sense them while flying over.''

The woman stared at him until he felt a pulse of Aether run through his body, making him shiver as she shook her head and finally spoke. ''Who are you?''

''I'm Raegar Blackwood,'' he introduced himself. ''Most of your people are still alive, including the maid who keeps giving me dirty looks.''

When the stranger heard this, she giggled. ''That's Diana, she doesn't like you much.''

He shrugged. ''That doesn't bother me. I'm hated by many but loved by more.''

Just then, he helped her up as she introduced herself. ''I'm Cecelia Redwood, daughter of Alfred Redwood, advisor to Brightwater's City Lord.''

''Oh I remember him,'' Raegar replied, smiling. ''A nice man, compared to his counterparts across the empire.''

Cecelia laughed once again as Diana rushed toward them and quickly checked the purple-haired beauty over. Moments later, the women joined him, watching the older maid with narrowed eyes. Soon enough, Zahara approached, her Aether book floating over her hand as she began healing the blind beauty.

''I think we should travel with them, Rae,'' the Half-Elf commented. ''Domi says there are monsters lingering in the darkness, especially the Night Creatures.''

Raegar nodded in agreement. ''Get everyone moving, I'll guard the rear. You girls know how those creepy humanoids act once it's dark.''

Everyone agreed before the group started moving toward Drakenwood as Marlow flew high above, keeping watch on their surroundings. Following that, the Raegar lingered at the rear of the column, boots crunching over the broken cobbles. Marlow wheeled high above, a silent sentinel. Ahead, the women's voices wove through the dusk.

Zahara's warm chuckle, Dominique's brisk commands, Selene's teasing. The guards limped in the middle; Diana prowled beside Cecelia's litter like a guard dog with a grudge. Her dirty looks made him laugh, knowing she couldn't do anything as Drusilla returned to her small form, watching over the older woman.

Following that, Raegar fell in behind the group, keeping watch, and they continued toward Drakenwood. While doing that, Cecelia approached him, catching his attention when she walked as if she could see. The roars of monsters in the distance echoed through the trees that surrounded the Kingsway.

''What is it ike becoming a prince?'' the purple-haired beauty asked. ''Must be strange when coming from a Counts family?''

He chuckled at this but nodded in agreement. ''Yes, it is, and it was a shock at first, though I've got used to it by now.''

The young woman smiled at his words as she continued. ''Don't you hate people looking at you like the enemy?''

''Not really,'' he answered, chuckling when noticing her maid staring at him. ''I have my girls, friends, and family. I don't care if anyone else hates me.''

Raegar was about to speak once again, but stopped when noticing they were crossing a bridge that went over a rushing river. That's what caught his attention; it was the creatures lurking just under the surface. Before anyone could react, one of them exploded.

A shadow erupted from the black water, jaws wide as a wagon wheel. The guard's scream cut short as the crocolith clamped down, dragging him under in a rush of crimson foam. Raegar's hand locked around Cecelia's wrist. ''Move!''

He hauled her across the bridge, boots skidding on wet stones. The rest of the group splashed behind, steel ringing free. On the far bank, Drusilla planted her feet. Black runes flared along her forearms. She snapped her fingers; bolts hissed through the air, punching through scaled torsos with wet cracks. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Blood plumed into the depths like ink in water, and the crocoliths thrashed, dying as they continued their journey to Drakenwood.