Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 116: Thank You, Uncle

Raegar pulled out a piece of meat while crouching down with a smile. Her ears shot up, and her tail swished with eager delight as he offered it to her. She took it and happily ate the campfire-cooked food.

As she did this, the stranger suddenly spoke in a soft, exotic voice. ''Thank you for saving Yuzuki. Sometimes, she wanders into trouble. I've been trying to train the silly girl for some time now since summoning her.''

''She's adorable, but you're right,'' he replied with a chuckle. ''Luckily, I moved her when the Devil struck.''

The vampire girl stepped forward, her voice rising again, only to falter as her gaze settled on his face. Raegar's eyes narrowed, bracing for her to flinch, but she didn't. Instead, she shook her head and asked. ''Were you the warrior who stopped the Plain Wolves?''

Raegar glanced up, meeting the girl's narrowed, scrutinizing gaze. He gave a slight nod with a smile while introducing himself. ''Yes. I'm Raegar Blackwood, and I'd wager you're a daughter of Duke Adrian D'Ambrose?''

The vampire girl's expression softened at his words, and she dipped her head in confirmation. ''I'm Dominique D'Ambrose,'' she said proudly, ''Fourth daughter of the duke.''

He was just about to speak, but the knights appeared around them as a smaller figure approached. Raegar summoned his daggers just as Dominique whispered. ''Devil Hunters. They are stationed in Brightwater City thanks to the fiend's attacks all over the north.''

''Were you the warrior fighting the Evil God's spawn?'' a woman's voice echoed out.

''Yes?'' he answered.

A moment later, the smaller figure stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air with stern authority. ''Will you accompany us to Brightwater City? The Lord Inquisitor would scold me if she couldn't meet someone of your talent.''

He opened his mouth to respond, but a series of explosions thundered from the nearby bridge, shattering the moment. The Devil Hunters sprang into action, their commander seizing his arm and yanking him toward a waiting carriage.

Raegar had no time to say goodbye as he was dragged away, leaving Dominique rooted to the spot, her wide eyes fixed on the chaos erupting around them. The vampire girl snapped out of her daze, shaking her head before calling after him.

''Thank you, Raegar!'' Her voice rang out, cutting through the din.

Just then, the little fox yipped in distress, which made him frown, but he couldn't do anything as the stranger entered a carriage. Once inside, the stranger sat down while taking off her helmet.

A grey-haired woman with piercing yellow eyes flashed a warm smile. ''Good to meet you, Ghost of the South. The rumors about you certainly don't disappoint.''

''Huh?'' he replied. ''How do you know me?''

The stranger laughed, introducing herself. ''Rhenya and Tanya Belmont. Those two speak highly of you, and the people of the south sing your praise, but what interests me is that you don't shy away from fighting Devils; in fact, it seems like you enjoy it.''

Just then, Raegar smirked as more of the fiends closed in on them and replied. ''Of course I do. They attacked my family and hurt my Grandmother. Why didn't you say anything before now?''

''I assumed you preferred your privacy, and the D'Ambrose Family is well known in the gossip circles of the empire,'' she revealed. ''Plus, not many people up here have heard of you, so I wanted to talk alone.''

His eyebrow rose in curiosity, prompting him to question. ''And you are?''

The woman giggled, introducing herself. ''I'm Yvette Silverblade, daughter of the Silverblade Family in the Eastern Lands.''

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''Raegar Blackwood,'' he returned the gesture. ''So you're giving me a lift to an Inquisitor?''

Yvette nodded. ''Yes, you'll need a pass to join the Devil Hunter Classes in Drakenwood, or you'll have to fight an instructor, and they don't go easy on recruits, but enough of that. We will set up camp for the night; the knights have been traveling nonstop.''

''Interesting,'' Raegar muttered. ''Well, thank you for the lift. I was going to make my way to the city after speaking to Dominique.''

***

While Raegar was heading toward Brightwood City as the stars lit up the sky above. Dominique D'Ambrose was sitting in front of her tent while stoking the fire as Yuzuki was curled up beside her.

She looked down and mumbled. ''Don't wander off next time, girl. What would have happened to you if he weren't there?''

The little fox chirped in reply, causing her to scrunch her nose. ''What do you mean by that? I was grateful to him, I even said thank you! And you know I don't talk to many people after Rosy's bullying.''

When Yuzuki heard this, she climbed onto her master's lap and curled up while comforting Dominique. The vampire giggled, stroking through the foxes soft fur, speaking. ''If we ever meet again I'll thank him again, okay?''

''Kree!'' the little creature replied.

''Yes, I saw the scars. They weren't horrible, just means he likes fighting,'' she revealed, playing with her hair. ''I wonder how he got them?''

Following that, the two continued talking before settling down for the night, and the next few days were spent traveling toward Drakenwood Magic Academy. When they arrived, her father's guards stopped outside the entrance.

''Come out, my lady,'' an older man's voice sounded out from outside. ''I have to pick up stuff for your mother, so I won't be able to stay long.''

Dominique sighed while grabbing her magic bag and stepping into he spring air. The nice breeze blew her hair around. She looked at the old man who had been her caretaker, as her parents didn't have time to raise her.

''Uncle Vladimir, you need to stop rushing around like this,'' she warned in a concerned tone. ''What happens if you get ill again?''

The older man let out a nervous chuckle, responding. ''I've got to keep working to ensure they fund your four years at Drakenwood. If doing their chores secures that gold, I'll gladly scrub floors. After all, you're my favorite niece.''

Dominique's face lit up with a smile as she spoke. ''Thank you, Uncle. I wish you could have stayed and seen the tests. I've heard they're going to be incredible this year. Rumors are swirling that a Tetraarch Mage is joining the school.''

Vladimir chuckled. ''I'll watch the Aether Recordings when the family gets them, but for now, enjoy your time here. Your mother loved Drakenwood Academy. This is where she flourished, and just like her, you'll become a powerful Summoner.''

''Thank you, uncle,'' she replied.

The older man climbed on board and left the entrance, where she saw hundreds of girls and boys going to take their tests. Following that, she entered the grounds and went to take the usual Aether Test that the students take.

When Dominique arrived at the square, there was a hum of excitement in the air, but she couldn't work out why. She looked around and nervously approached, knowing that when people found out she was a Triarch Mage, it was her elements that would cause the other students to avoid her.

'Not my fault that I ended up with Darkness, Death, and Earth,' she thought with a resigned sigh.

A few hours later, Dominique walked out of the testing area with everyone glancing at her like she was a plague. This caused her to give them dirty looks, prompting the students to give her a wide berth.

Dominique brushed it off, but her pointy ears caught the rising buzz of gossip, something about a boy clashing with Valentina Morris, the formidable Head Professor of the Devil-Hunting Classes.

Curiosity sparked within her, pulling her toward the arena. She halted abruptly, her breath catching as she spotted a familiar figure about to fight an adult. ''Raegar!'' she gasped, recognition flashing through her.

The white-haired boy faced the renowned Devil Inquisitor, his red eyes blazing with excitement as he dropped into a crouch. Dominique's breath caught as two black daggers materialized in his hands.

''Are you sure you want this fight, Professor Morris?'' she heard him speak in a knowing voice.

''Yes, boy!'' the older woman exclaimed with a big smile. ''Show me what you can do! She told me you can surprise me!''

In an instant, he surged forward, a blur leaving behind afterimages as he attacked the shocked woman. Dominique's eyes widened as she watched Raegar become a streak of motion, his form darting around the Professor with breathtaking speed.

His black daggers flashed in the dim light, each strike a precise, relentless assault that drove the older woman back. The Professor, her face strained with focus, shifted into a defensive stance, her arms raised to parry the onslaught.

Sparks flew where steel met steel, and the crowd of students erupted into cheers, their excitement surging with every clash, electrifying the air around them. Just then, Yuzuki appeared on her shoulder.

The little black fox let out several happy chirps while jumping around, causing Dominique to comment. ''Yes, he's strong and kind, but that doesn't mean I'll go flirt with him to be my friend. I already know people will avoid me, just like he will.''