Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 52: Frost Behemoths

Raegar stayed hidden under the tree for days while only adventuring out to gather wood for the campfire, which was his lifeline in this horrible weather. He had filled up all nine Aether Pools, which made him feel better.

'Maybe I can hunt some snow monsters. I still need to fill up the bag before returning to Dreadshade City,' he thought while wrapping a cloak around him to keep the cold air from touching his skin.

A few moments later, Raegar rose to his feet, swiftly packed his tent, and approached the entrance, his hands instinctively checking the readiness of his daggers. As he stepped into the biting air, a sharp chill stung his ears, the cold gripping him instantly.

''Damn weather is horrible,'' he muttered, putting his hood up before walking through the forest.

Soon enough, Raegar came across a river that was frozen, and while crossing, a few howls echoed out. His head snapped all around, only to see nothing, until a white blur shot toward him.

He quickly cast Flash step to get out of the way before throwing his blade that struck a white wolf through the skull. The noise when the blade pierced its skull caused him to think. 'Weak Teir Two Snow Wolves, this will be fun.'

In a heartbeat, he launched his second dagger. The dark metal whistled through the air and buried itself in the skull of the first wolf. When Raegar came to a stop, he cast Enhancement magic to keep up with them.

''This should be enough to kill these things,'' he muttered before vanishing.

His supernatural speed outmatched the monstrous pack as he leaped and weaved across the battlefield, untouchable amidst the chaos. Three more wolves barreled toward him, their eyes blazing with hunger.

Raegar danced backward with breathtaking agility as the first beast hurled itself in his direction, claws slashing through air. In a flash, he summoned his dagger's back. They sang as he quickly struck.

A fountain of blood erupted, painting the snow in red. With a roar of defiance, he unleashed a Stormfire Bullet at the second wolf. Blazing projectiles tore through flesh and bone, igniting the air with its thunderous impact.

The third wolf pounced with terrifying force, slamming him into the frozen earth. Its jaws snapped inches from his throat, hot breath washed against his skin. But Raegar's will was unbreakable.

With a primal shout, he unleashed a Lightningfire Blast, a surge of energy that erupted from him. The wolf disintegrated, reduced to a cloud of ash that rained down as a brown Aether Core clattered onto his chest.

Raegar climbed to his feet after sighing in relief while thinking. 'Let's loot all the cores before heading back to Eldergrove Village.'

After the battle, Raegar pressed onward through the snow, his sharp eyes sweeping over snowdrifts that loomed above him. Hours slipped by in the frozen stillness, his breath misting in the frigid air.

Then, the earth trembled beneath his boots, a low rumble breaking the silence. He froze, senses flaring as he scanned his surroundings, only to catch the eerie sight of trees swaying, their branches quivering as if stirred by some unseen force.

Raegar's gaze darted around before he leapt into the branches, scaling higher to get whatever nightmare was heading in his direction. The trembling intensified, the ground below roaring with fury, and the tree he was in swayed violently.

His footing faltered, his body lurched, but with a thrust, he drove a dagger deep into the trunk, anchoring himself against the storm. Moments later, Raegar spotted a herd of giant mammoths passing through the forest.

''Tier Four Frost Behemoths! What are they doing this far south?'' he muttered in shock with wide eyes.

Raegar knew Frostfall Behemoths were dangerous monsters when attacked as they stood four meters tall and covered in thick, dark fur that protected them from the deathly cold of the far north.

Their tusks rivaling him in height, gleaming like battering rams as they shredded through trees with terrifying ease, splintering wood as if it were nothing. His throat tightened with a hard swallow, and he recoiled just as one monstrosity tilted its head upward, locking eyes with him.

A deafening roar erupted from its maw, shaking the air, before it barreled toward the tree with earth-shattering force. The tree shuddered under the assault, then snapped in two with a resounding crack as the massive Frost Behemoths tore it apart.

Raegar reacted in an instant, invoking Flash Step to rush through the treetops, leaves and branches whipping past him. Behind him, the relentless beasts pursued, uprooting entire trees in a rampage.

While running, one of them took out the tree he was in, causing him to lose his balance and drop off the branch. As he fell, he threw the daggers at the closet behemoth as one bounced off its thick hide.

But the seconds found its mark and slammed into its eyes, which only angered it even more just as he landed with a thud. Raegar started sprinting for a nearby river that was still flowing, causing him to fire Lightningfire Blast at the ground.

The force hurled Raegar through the air, his body tumbling helplessly until he slammed into the snow on the far side with a heavy thud. The Frost Behemoths halted, their massive forms looming as they fixed him with menacing glares.

A chorus of furious roars split the air, reverberating through the forest, before the creatures abruptly turned and lumbered back into the shadows of the trees, as though the havoc they'd wrought was nothing.

Raegar lay sprawled in the snow, his chest heaving, sweat soaking his skin despite the biting cold. Splinters from the shattered trees peppered his body, sharp reminders of the chaos he'd endured.

With a low grunt of pain, he began plucking them from his flesh, each tug drawing a wince. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet, stretching his battered frame with a grimace, the ache of battle lingering in his bones as he steadied himself against the frozen silence.

'Let's get to the village. I need to sleep in a soft bed,' he thought while summoning his blades with a smirk.

Following that, he spent a few more days fighting Snow Wolves and other monsters that tried to ambush him. By the time he reached Eldergrove, the arduous trek through the snow had drained his energy.

Raegar staggered into the tranquil village, his breaths ragged, the falling snow cloaking the surrounding silence. The streets lay eerily deserted, not a soul in sight as flakes drifted lazily from the sky.

With effort, he trudged toward the chief's house, his boots crunching against the fresh powder, and raised a weary hand to rap on the sturdy wooden door. Moments later, the door swung open as a young woman's voice complained.

''I told you not to come, Jacob! The weather is bad,'' Vesa's voice echoed out without looking at him.

She turned to him and went wide eyed before muttering. ''You're still alive?''

Raegar tilted his head. ''Yes? I was trapped in the forest after attacking the Forest Men. Their raids have stopped, correct?''

''Huh?!'' Vesa commented.

Soon, Theo and Miranda appeared, only to stumble back when seeing him standing there. Raegar laughed at their reaction before speaking to the older man. ''I told you I would return. Do you mind if I recover in the warm for a little? It's freezing out here.''

When the trio heard this, Miranda suddenly hugged him while speaking in a thankful voice. ''Thank you for stopping the attacks. We haven't lost anyone since and more people have arrived at the village to repopulate it thanks to the kingdom.''

Raegar smiled before returning the hug as the family ushered him inside as Theo beamed. ''The people are extremely thankful and want to throw a feast in your honor.''

''No thank you,'' he replied to the older man with a regretful look. ''I'm going to continue training, so save food for the winter. It's going to be a tough one.''

Theo looked at him and nodded before he looked at his wife. ''I need to tell them to not start the cooking. Raegar is right, we need to conserve the food.''

Following that, Miranda steered him inside with a gentle but firm command to sit by the roaring fire. The heat seeped into his chilled bones, thawing the icy grip of the storm as flickers of warmth danced across his skin.

Beside him, Vesa lounged with an impish grin, her voice cutting through the crackle of the flames. ''Can I turn you into a vampire?'' she teased with a sparkle in her eyes. ''You'd live forever, you know.''

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

''And if I become a Tier Five Mage, I'll live for a thousand years and the stronger I become, the longer I live,'' he answered.

The young woman giggled before retorting. ''But that's not forever, is it?''

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