Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Even though it was injuring himself, he continued attacking in a wild fury as the enemies finally countered. For every one punch he delivered, the Devil's claws raked his flesh, tearing deep lacerations into his skin.

Pain wracked Raegar's entire being, but it wasn't enough to stop him as he steeled himself and ignored the pain. That was until his eyes caught sight of Yuki sprawled on the ground, her body drenched in blood with a Devil standing there.

A surge of power erupted within him, flooding every corner of his being with raw energy. At the same moment, a voice rang out in his mind. He recognized it instantly. 'Many generations that came before entrusted this power to you. It only appears when it's needed, not wanted, boy. Use it now and push beyond your limits or she will die!'

''Fusion Overdrive!'' he bellowed the words that came to him. ''Fusion Smash!''

His body ignited in an explosion of the eight Aether Elements, each tone shimmering with a terrifying power. The Devils froze, their confidence giving way to shock and fear. But it was too late as he dashed forward so fast that it created a boom.

Raegar's glowing fist connected with his foe, and the world seemed to hold its breath. Then an earth-shattering explosion erupted, blinding lights consumed everything. The ground quaked violently and shook the Blackwood Manor.

The Devil disintegrated, its body burned from existence. But the other two, standing close to Yuki, reacted without hesitation. One lunged at Raegar while enraged, as the other let out a rage-filled roar.

''A real Devil Killer! Take him down now!'' the enemy exclaimed in horror.

Raegar's eyes flicked to the second Devil, its claws poised to strike the injured Yuki. A surge of desperation flowed through him as he aimed at the ground near her and cast Stormfire Bullet.

When the projectile hit it erupted, the shockwave hurling her away from danger just as the claws slashed through the empty air, missing by mere inches. He watched as his two foes charged toward him, their movements quick.

Raegar narrowly evaded the first strike, his instincts saving him in the nick of time. Seizing the opportunity, he fired a dozen Stormfire Bullets. The projectiles detonated, that sent both enemies hurtling through the air.

In that moment, everything his father, Commander Rodric, and the guards had drilled into him came rushing back. 'All the hours reading, the training, and now this power? Let's show these Devils that they can't harm anyone I care about,' he thought.

Moments later, the surrounding Aether went crazy, affecting everything and everyone, including himself. With a sharp inhale, he opened his eyes, a fiery determination blazing within them.

Raegar dashed toward the second Devil, his movements like a predator closing in on its prey. The creature lashed out with a wild, desperate punch, but his reflexes were quicker. He ducked under the attack, the wind from the Devil's fist grazing past him.

Channeling every ounce of power within him, he pivoted on his heel and unleashed a devastating blow straight to the foe's chest. ''Fusion Punch!'' he roared, his fist igniting all the elements that combined into something the world hadn't seen for generations.

The impact was cataclysmic. A shockwave erupted from the strike, the sheer force ripping through the Devil's body and sending it skidding backward across the battlefield just as a sea of fire hit it.

Moments later, Raegar's attention was drawn to the edge of the battlefield as two familiar figures entered the fray, which made him sigh in relief. His mother, Victoria, radiated raw power, her body wreathed in flames that roared and flickered with her every move.

Without hesitation, she shot forward, her speed a blur. The third Devil barely had time to react before her kick connected with explosive force, the impact sending a shockwave through the air and hurling the creature backward.

Alderic moved with calm precision, his blade gleaming like liquid silver in the light of the flames. He advanced on the last Devil with a warrior's grace, his every step calculated. With a powerful swing, his sword cut through the air, slashing into the enemy with a force that echoed like thunder.

Raegar felt a surge of pride watching his parents fight, their teamwork seamless and their power awe-inspiring. The battlefield itself seemed to tremble under the weight of their combined might.

He quickly noticed the Devil was fighting back, causing him to pick up one of Yuki's dagger causing it to be covered in Aether, before he dashed forward so fast that it created a sonic boom as he drove the blade through the enemy's head.

The lifeless corpse slammed into the ground, with Raegar standing there, panting as the power subsided. He looked at his father and mumbled, ''Check on Yuki. I need to sit down.''

Following that, Raegar hobbled over to a nearby bench and slumped down as his body was hurting, 'Fuck, still too weak to use it, but at least I didn't feint this time.'

As he sat there, his father approached, his expression clouded with concern. But as he drew closer, that concern morphed into something unrecognizable, something darker. The older man halted in front of him, standing as still as a statue for a moment.

Then, without warning, the older man suddenly slapped him. Raegar froze, utterly shocked and unsure of how to react. Before he could even process what had happened, Alderic's eyes widened in horror, as if realizing the weight of his actions.

His father didn't say a single word as he rushed off, leaving Raegar in stunned silence. But the shock quickly gave way to anger. Clenching his fists, he forced himself to his feet, his legs trembling beneath him.

Without a backward glance at the garden, he walked toward the manor's exit, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. When stepping outside and saw the surrounding grassland, he headed for a nearby hill.

Raegar was confused, angry and hurt by Alderic's actions but soon enough got comfortable and started gathering Aether to refill his pools, causing pain to surge through his veins, but ignored it.

'I need to get stronger if I'm ever going to use Fusion Overdrive properly, he thought,' stifling a yawn as a dull ache radiated through his limbs. 'The aftermath leaves me in pain.'

Following that, Raegar continued to gather while pushing the incident to the back of his mind, as pain was too much. He tried blocking it out but didn't know was that the Aether was slowly healing his body.

***

Back at Blackwood Manor, chaos reigned. Reports flooded in from all over the southern province, each one confirming that Devils were attacking from every direction. Despite the mayhem, the empire was gaining control over the situation.

The empress sent the renowned Devil Killer Mages to hunt them down, tracking and eliminating them like wild animals. While this was happening, the white-haired countess marched toward her husband.

''Why did you hit our soon you fool!'' Victoria roared like a tigress as her red eyes flared with rage. ''Do you want to burn?''

Alderic ignored his wife while staring off into the distance before sighing as he revealed, ''I'm sorry my love but it was an accident and my instincts kicked him as my hand moved.''

This didn't calm the angry woman down as she stepped forward and replied in a controlled voice as her anger was bubbling, but what her husband said next calmed it down instantly because she understood it.

''At that moment the boy scared me, Victoria,'' Alderic admitted in a low voice barely above a whisper. ''He's so strong for his age and doesn't even know how to control his powers properly.''

They both sat down as the older man continued, ''When I looked at him, the Aether radiating off him was something else. It felt like something was waiting to be awakened or for him to become strong enough to wield it.''

Alderic glanced up at the afternoon sun, his gaze thoughtful before he spoke. ''Our son will be a legendary warrior when he grows up, Victoria. And I'm not ashamed to admit it, he terrifies me. But in a way, I'm proud of that. He's only fourteen, yet his power is extraordinary.''

***

Raegar was busy gathering as someone joined him on the hill. He turned around to see the healed Yuki causing him to jump up and hug the cat woman who started speaking in a grateful voice, ''Thank you for saving me for the second time young master.''

''It's my pleasure Yuki,'' he replied before dragging the cat woman next to him.

She glanced at him with her big blue eyes and questioned, ''What are you doing out here, young master?''

Raegar sighed, running a hand through his hair before asking, ''Do you know why that Devil calls me a Devil Killer? Does that mean I could become a hunter like Uncle Darius?''

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