Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 332: What Happened To You?

Raegar was sitting in front of a fire with Drusilla and Nivara as the others spoke with Cecelia and her maid, who still gave him dirty looks, amusing him during the night. He drank some hot chocolate the Dark Elf made as he admired the starry sky that looked like a beautiful canvas stretched across the sky.

While doing that, the blonde turned to him, her blue eyes glowing with love as she asked. ''Can I join you on the journey to Western Islands?''

When Raegar heard this, he nodded as Nivara smiled. ''Yes, that's fine, I know you don't like classes and only went to them because of me.''

Drusilla beamed at this as she suddenly lunged at him, wrapping her arms around him before burying her head into the crook of his neck as the Dark Elf commented. ''It will be fun with the three of us, plus my people will see it, a sign, having an elusive Dark Fairy as a lover.''

''Yes, not many people see my race anymore,'' the blonde revealed. ''We're seen as a legend now.''

Afterward, Raegar nodded in agreement, his eyes heavy with the weight of the day, as the two women continued their chatter around the campfire. The conversation flowed easily, tales of past adventures, light-hearted jabs at one another's mistakes, and speculations about the journey ahead.

The stars wheeled overhead in a vast canopy, and the crackle of burning logs provided a steady rhythm to their words. As the hour grew late, the chill of the evening deepening and the flames settling into glowing embers, Raegar felt the pull of exhaustion tugging at his limbs.

'Damn, I need some sleep,' he thought, smiling to himself.

With a stretch and a murmured goodnight, he rose from his spot on the log, bidding the others a fond farewell before retreating to his bedroll beneath the shelter of a nearby tree. One by one, the remaining women drifted in from the other side of the camp, finished chatting.

Meanwhile, Cecelia and her entourage, having already succumbed to the demands of a long journey, had slipped away earlier to their tents. The soft sounds of their breathing mingled with the distant hoot of an owl, leaving the night to settle into a peaceful hush broken only by the occasional pop of settling wood.

By the time Raegar woke up the next morning, they were surrounded by Dawnfirian soldiers, here to guide the others to Drakenwood. He jumped on the back of the Fusion Wyvern and took off, starting to fly further west after saying goodbye to the purple-haired beauty, who was relieved thanks to her maid's hostility intensifying.

While flying, Zahara glanced at him, revealing. ''She hates you because you killed her brother outside the palace.''

Ragear looked at the blonde Half-Elf, answering. ''I killed so many, it doesn't bother me anymore because they hated me anyway, and it was easier to deal with them now than let it fester.''

''Damn right!'' Selene exclaimed, with yellow eyes full of excitement and admiration. ''The empire's nobles were bloated on greed and their own hubris. It was about time someone put them in their place!''

Everyone laughed at this as Dominique was the one to speak up next. ''We'd better be careful for any revenge attacks. It will happen, maybe assassins could be sent by a sneaky family who lost a son?''

The entire group turned to Nivara, who became nervous all of a sudden but managed to squeak out. ''I'd protect him, I've done it before and can block all attacks from the shadows.''

''Good,'' Alice replied, a confident expression crossing her face. ''I doubt it'll flare up again anytime soon. That skirmish was barely a heartbeat ago, and the nobles will need seasons to lick their wounds and argue over who gets the credit or the blame. Two years, maybe three, before they dare march again.''

Raegar dipped his chin in agreement, the motion sending a ripple through the dark mane that spilled across his shoulders. ''You read the board well, Alice. Still, let's not tease fate by lingering. Drakenwood calls, and from there I must fly for the Western Islands before the weather gets worse.''

A soft chorus of understanding answered him. The women settled into a peaceful silence. Moments later, the Fusion Wyvern crested the final ridge, and the world unfolded beneath them in sweeping splendor: rolling meadows stitched with silver streams, distant forests cloaked in the morning sun.

Raegar's gaze drifted along the Kingsway, where the road cut through the fields. A lone wagon thundered toward below them, its iron-banded wheels spitting gravel and dust into the violet air. The driver, hunched low over the reins, cracked a whip. Whatever cargo rattled beneath the canvas cover, it was urgent enough to risk the coming night.

The wagon's destination was obvious: first Brightwater City, then the small way-station village nestled between the city and Drakenwood. Raegar's eyes narrowed; he had passed through that hamlet only a fortnight past, trading jerky for gossip and a mug of sour wine. If the driver kept that pace, he would reach the village by midday.

Far beyond the racing wagon, the school rose against the sky like a promise carved in stone. Its spires, three slender spears of pale marble veined with gold, pierced the low clouds, catching the last rays of the sun in a flare of molten copper. He lifted a hand, shading his eyes.

For a heartbeat, the wind carried the faint chime of the school's great bell, tolling the hour across the land. Raegar turned to Marlow, speaking. ''Land nearby, I can't take a Wyvern into the grounds.''

Upon hearing this, the beast unleashed a growl and plunged toward the earth. Drusilla leaped from its back, stunning the onlookers as she plummeted, only for her beautiful wings to unfurl, slowing her fall until she landed softly on the ground. The Fusion Wyvern followed suit, crashing into the mud.

Raegar waved his hand, sending the creature back to the Fusion Realm as the girls hit the ground. Following that, the group looked for the road that would take them to Drakenwood, and after a few hours, they spotted the wall that guarded the students from the outside world.

As they neared the gate, an orange blur streaked in their direction, then skidded to a halt, resolving into Elara, the gorgeous brown-skinned tigress. Her emerald eyes widened in shock. ''Raegar, what happened to you?'' she whispered. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

***

(Some time before Raegar and the women landed outside the school)

Elara was watching the students returning from winter break, and knowing the drama already occurring, what she had to do next broke her heart when a certain someone appeared, but it would have to be done to keep everyone safe. While standing at the school's entrance, she sensed a power heading in their direction.

A roar echoed across the sky, causing everyone's heads to snap to the distance where a giant glowing red Wyvern headed toward the school, wings beating like a hurricane. It scared the students; the professors calmed them. Her green eyes narrowed when she recognized this aura, but it was stronger.

Elara's boots hammered the road as she sprinted, the crowd parting like reeds. The wyvern crashed down in a gust of wind, talons gouging the mud in a secluded clearing. Dust flew into the air, but it was far enough away not to cause any trouble for the other students and professors.

Then the young man she'd been waiting to see for a while stepped from the settling haze. White hair cropped short, glowing like moonlit frost. Eyes twin embers, red and fathomless. The planes of his face belonged on the covers of her secret stash of romance novels: sharp jaw, high cheekbones, lips curved in a half-smirk that could melt steel.

A black coat snapped behind him, half-cape, half-wing. Six women dropped from the wyvern's back in perfect unison, landing as light as cats. Elara skidded to a stop three paces away, heart hammering louder than the wyvern's landing. 'That's him,' she thought. 'But not the boy I sparred with last spring.'

''Lara!'' Raegar exclaimed, bringing her back to reality. ''You look as beautiful as ever!''

Elara shook her head and replied, beaming. ''Thank you, Rae. And you look even better than before. I guess your grandmother healed you, and now you've grown even older.''

The Tigress watched the white-haired young man, who smiled at her as he responded. ''Yes, she did, but it was Zahara who kept me safe afterward.''

''That's good,'' she turned to the blonde Half-Elf and nodded. ''Thank you, Za. I can sense you've grown even stronger. Your healing Aether is similar to Aiko's.''

Zahara's face lit up by this as Elara turned back to Raegar. ''Rae, there's some bad news, and the School Council has voted to ask you not to return to Drakenwood. Many of our students' family members were among the rebels.''

''I know and expected it,'' he replied, surprising her. ''It's why I brought them here, I'll will be heading south. To the Dark Elf lands with Nivara and Drusilla.''