Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 55: Thank You For Helping Us

Raegar continued to listen to Tanya speak as the other hunters emerged from the shadows. ''Word is, massive tides of monsters are tearing through the next continent over, and now refugees are washing up on our east coast in droves.''

''They can't cross the sea, can they?'' Rhenya asked with wide eyes.

The older woman let out a soft giggle, shaking her head. ''Not unless they figure out how to sail a fleet across, but they're monsters, not admirals.''

Following that, Tanya studied him and warned him. ''Be careful out here, Raegar. Monsters are lurking in the shadows and others in the treetops above. We're out here to destroy any devils, but we also have another mission.''

She glanced around before continuing. ''Whisperclaws are roaming in the Bloodfang Forest. The Organisation instructed us to find evidence of their infestation, but we've had no luck finding them.''

Raegar nodded in understanding as he read the tales of entire villages and homesteads vanishing. ''I've fought the Nightwalkers and Dark Ones, but the latter is gone now. I wiped out their nest before returning to the village.''

Tanya looked at him with deep brown eyes before suddenly handing him an artifact. ''Take this for helping with the devils, it's called a Hunter's Shield. It will keep the Whisperclaws away from you at night, but they will still terrorize you if the chance appears.''

He studied the compact metal orb with a single button crowning its surface. Curiosity piqued, he pressed it, and a shimmering barrier flared to life around them, encasing the space in a protective glow.

The older woman went on, unfazed. ''It generates a force field to repel monsters,'' she explained, ''But it'll need recharging to keep working.''

Raegar was amazed but thanked her. ''Thank you for this. How come you're giving it to me, though? I'm sure these things are expensive. ''Yes, it may be expensive, but what's that compared to having a Tetraarch Devil Hunter as a friend?''

Tanya laughed while standing up and noticing the other hunters were ready and waiting for her and Rhenya. She looked at him with a knowing smile. ''Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Raegar Blackwood, but I have to get back to the hunt. I look forward to seeing you again.''

He watched as the older woman moved confidently toward her comrades, his eyes drawn to her commanding presence. She was a captivating Devil Hunter—dark brown skin and soft dark hair cascading around her attractive face.

'She's gorgeous,' he thought.

The snug, well-crafted armor that clung to her curves emphasized her hourglass figure. Raegar caught himself staring and shook his head, only to hear Rhenya's voice pipe up with a playful jab.

''Oh-ho! Looks like someone's got a thing for the mature ladies. Guess a spry young maiden like me doesn't stand a chance!'' she teased with sparkling brown eyes.

Raegar's cheeks flared up as he spun to face the short-haired gremlin grinning at him. Desperate to recover, he blurted, ''You're pretty too!''

Her grin stretched so wide it threatened to split her face. ''Just pretty?'' she prodded, leaning in with mock offense. ''Not beautiful?''

''I don't call a woman beautiful unless I truly mean it and it comes from the heart,'' Raegar answered with an honest smile.

Following that, Rhenya stood up and he followed suit just before the pretty brown-skinned girl hugged him with a big smile just as Tanya shouted for her to come. ''Thank you for helping up Blackwood. I look forward to the day we meet again.''

''See you soon Rhen,'' he replied, causing the tomboy to giggle as she rushed off.

Raegar stood watch as the Devil Hunters departed the village, their figures fading into the distance now that the guards had fully recovered. Moments after their exit, Theo and Miranda emerged, their faces etched with worry.

The older man's voice broke the silence. ''Is everything all right? Are they gone?''

''Yes,'' he answered before wrapping another cloak around him and lifting the hood before continuing. ''I'm going to head out. I'll check up on the village every few days, but I will gather more monster materials to take to Dreadshade City.''

When the couple heard him, Miranda asked in a hopeful voice. ''If that's the case, the village women planned to go trade there in a month or two. Would you mind guarding us with some of the other boys? It would make us feel better?''

Raegar let out a quiet sigh and gave a small nod, prompting a radiant smile from the older woman. She flung her arms around him in a sudden embrace. ''Thank you, young man! I'll curse anyone who dares say all humans are rotten now!''

He managed a light chuckle, brushing off the moment as he turned toward the forest. But before he could take a step, Vesa and Jacob appeared. The young vampire woman didn't hesitate, wrapping him in a hug of her own.

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'Oh god not again,' he thought while internally sighing.

The barrage of uninvited touches was getting on his nerves, though Vesa's warm voice cut through the unease. ''Thank you for helping us and the village. Please come back to visit. I'd love to see you again. You're my first friend from beyond these trees.''

Raegar nodded just as Jacob stepped forward and held out his hand, which he took as the young man spoke with a respectful voice. ''It would be good to see you again. We don't want you dying out there, my friend.''

''I won't,'' he answered Jacob with a confident smile and vanished into the forest.

As he journeyed through the southern reaches of Bloodfang Forest, he carved a path through any monster that crossed his path. He effortlessly killed the Tier One Forest Wolves and relied on speed to outmaneuver the Tier Two Blood Monkeys in combat.

Silently perched on a branch, Raegar gazed down at a clearing where a pack of Wendigo-like creatures clustered around a hole in the earth. A grin spread across his face as he noticed something fiercely battling them from within.

''I wonder what monster is in there?'' he muttered to himself while taking out his daggers and sending fire Aether to them.

They burst to life, causing Raegar to jump off the branch before throwing the weapons that sliced through the air and buried themselves in the skulls of two Wendigo, which made the group go silent.

He landed with a thud just as the creatures rushed toward him while letting out horrifying screams and other noises that sent a chill down his spine. Raegar ignored that and summoned his weapons, only to block the first swipe.

Sparks erupted in all directions as he whirled, driving his blade through the Wendigo's skull in a single fluid motion. Simultaneously, he unleashed a barrage of Stormfire Bullets, forcing the others to leap back in retreat.

Raegar surged forward, his blade flashing as he hacked at the creatures, sending blood spraying in all directions. He deftly evaded most of their strikes, but a stray claw raked across his chest, leaving a shallow gash.

Hissing through the pain, he retaliated with a thrust, piercing the Wendigo's skull. With heavy breaths, he pressed on, cutting down the last of the monsters until none remained. Moments later, he noticed something lunge out of the hole.

'Oh shit! This is bad!' he thought as a massive tiger flew at him.

Raegar quickly cast Lightningfire Blast into the monster's face, which caused it to yelp before dodging the paw wipe as it rushed into the surrounding trees, causing him to collect the brown Aether Cores.

As he finished, Raegar scanned the clearing, noting the sudden stillness that had settled over it. With a quick Flash Step, he reappeared on a branch overhead and pressed deeper into the forest, resuming his hunt and gathering materials from the fallen monsters.

Weeks slipped by in this relentless rhythm, Raegar relentlessly stalking and slaying creatures throughout the harsh winter months. His magic bag was now brimming with spoils, urging him toward Dreadshade City to unload his haul.

Relaxing in a camp he'd fashioned on a strong branch high above the forest floor, he tossed more wood into the crackling fire. Its warmth held the biting cold at bay, though a shiver still crept through him as he huddled closer to the flames.

''I need to head to the city but the village isn't traveling there just yet,'' he muttered while looking at the amount of Aether Cores he collected.

He shrugged, a flicker of resolve crossing his face as he decided. ''I'll head to Dreadshade City and gather more materials before Miranda and Vesa arrive,'' he muttered to himself.

Raegar rose to his feet, shrugging on his layers and pulling a hood low over his face to shield it from view. He hefted the heavy magic bag onto his shoulder, a wry thought crossing his mind.

'Damn, I've collected so much crap,' with a grunt, he leaped off the branch, landing lightly below.

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