Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend-Chapter 150: It’s Called The Blood Road

Raegar leaned closer, muttering under his breath as he drank some more sake that burned his throat once again. ''Hollowborns prowling the northern border? What is the Stormrune Kingdom doing about this?''

''Nothing,'' a woman's voice sounded from behind him. ''Those barbarians send them south to cause chaos on the Borderlands.''

He jumped out of his skin and glanced behind him to see an old woman standing there with narrowed eyes. The librarian pointed at the bottle and scowled. ''Too young to be drinking such stuff, don't let the professors see you or you'll be in trouble.''

Raegar chuckled, taking out a glass and pouring some of the sake into it before replying. ''Is that why the empire deployed the military there? And Duke D'Ambrose is having issues with the Forest Giants?''

The old woman sat opposite while nodding. ''That is correct. If my predictions are true, the school will restrict your movements when the creatures make it this far south, this isn't an if but a when.''

''Interesting,'' he muttered. ''If the Nightwalkers and other creatures of the night make it this far south, the empire will become dangerous to travel around.''

His gaze flicked up from the book as a woman rose from a nearby table, her movements graceful yet deliberate. She reached into a leather satchel at her side and pulled out a weathered book.

Stepping closer, she extended it to him with a steady hand. ''Read this,'' she said, her tone calm but carrying an air of authority. ''And return it when you're finished. It was written by a friend who wandered the Borderlands for seventy years, documenting its secrets.''

Raegar accepted the book, his fingers brushing the worn leather, a spark of curiosity igniting in his chest. ''Thank you.''

''You're welcome, young Vaelthorne,'' she replied with a knowing smirk.

''I'm Raegar Blackwood,'' he introduced himself to correct her. ''I didn't take my mother's family's name, I stuck with my father, I'd hate to leave him alone when my siblings became Vaelthornes.''

''A loyal lone wolf,'' the old librarian commented. ''I'm Silvia, Drakenwoods Head Librarian. It's nice to meet a young noble who finds interest in books.''

Raegar gave a curt nod, but before he could respond, the woman vanished in a faint whisper of air, leaving only a lingering pulse of Dark Aether in her wake. His senses prickled at the potent energy, and his eyes widened, a wry smirk tugging at his lips.

''Shadow Step,'' he muttered, voice laced with admiration. ''Tier Ten or higher. What a beast.''

He took a slow sip of sake, the warmth spreading through him as he tilted the weathered tome to read its cover: Xavier's Journey Across the Borderlands. His fingers traced the faded words.

Raegar flipped open the book, his eyes skimming the introduction as he hunted for the monster chapters. Finding them, he turned the pages eagerly until a striking illustration caught his attention.

A tall, gaunt humanoid, its grey skin almost translucent, crouched behind a tree. Its hollow eyes seemed to peer directly at the artist, exuding an eerie menace. He leaned closer, the image sending a chill down his spine as he absorbed every detail of the creature.

''What is it with all these creepy humanoids? And why are they flocking to the empire?'' he muttered to himself.

Raegar continued reading and learned that the Northwest border was covered in a massive forest called the Darkhollow, as a few meters into the underbrush, it went dark. The author, Xavier, traveled through the only road that led through the nightmarish landscape.

''It's called the Blood Road,'' he said to himself. ''Named after the number of battles that have happened there.''

The Dawnfire Empire had long been locked in conflict with the Northern Kingdoms, whose relentless raids plagued the Borderlands, but it also opened up the way for the creatures to slip in.

An unknown amount of time passed, and he lingered in the library, savoring his sake and poring over the book as he became lightheaded. An hour later, a bell rang out, signaling the start of his first Devil Hunting Class.

''Oh shit, I missed dinner,'' he muttered with a chuckle.

Raegar rose, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, and slipped the book into his storage ring with a flick of his wrist. Leaving the library behind, he strode toward the eastern wing of the main building, where his next class awaited.

Ten minutes later, he appeared in a large hall with two dozen other students lingering around. While standing there, a red blur appeared, and Selene appeared in front of him with a big smile.

''Looks like we have a class alone Rae,'' she chirped before poking him in the side.

He was shocked and jumped back as Selene giggled as Professor Morris stepped into the hall and spoke to the students. ''Evening, children, I'm glad to be here to help you grow into strong Devil Hunters.''

Everyone started gossiping as the blonde woman glanced at him and smiled before continuing. ''Today will be a test to see how well you can handle the pressure of a fiend in a combat situation.''

The older woman's words quietened the hall as more hunters appeared around them, and Professor Morris began walking toward a nearby door while speaking. ''Follow me and don't fall behind. We are on a strict schedule as most of us have to patrol the road.''

Following that, Raegar and Selene trailed behind the crowd. The Demoness turned to him with an amused smile. ''So you want to fight Devils as a career? Didn't peg you for someone who will take orders from someone weaker.''

He started laughing before shaking her head, retorting. ''They will have to pay me to kill the stronger fiends. I've become skilled at killing them, but I don't know too much about the creatures.''

Raegar motioned toward the professor. ''I want to know more about the Devils so I can take out even more, maybe even go for their leader so the attacks stop.''

When she heard this, her yellow eyes widened as she held out her hand to nudge him. ''Then I'll be beside you to cover your back from the weaker ones, someone will have to make sure you return.''

He glanced at the red-skinned beauty and nudged her with nod. ''You better not let me down, I need a powerful warrior to protect my rear and the others while we're in the dungeons or gates.''

Selene's smile grew wider as she nodded. ''No one will be able to hurt them or you with me around! I may only have two elements, but I've trained since a little girl to use the spells to kill monsters.''

Raegar was just about to reply as the class stepped outside into an enclosed courtyard, but Professor Morris interrupted. ''Blackwood! Bloodrose! As you two seem busy chatting, you'll go first.''

When the Demoness heard this, she got excited. ''I'll go first! I've heard about the Tier One Devils the Order uses to prove that the hunters can fight the fiends.''

The blonde woman shook her head. ''Just step into the arena, and be careful, you won't die but will get hurt,'' she warned.

Raegar watched Selene wave the professor away with a confident smile as she stepped into the arena that was being protected by a powerful Anti-Devil barrier. He was ready to summon his daggers and jump in, but something told him the Demoness could handle it.

***

Selene felt Raegar watching her and turned back, thinking as her determination surged. 'I will get strong enough to fight at your side.'

Just then, she felt the air change as a scared Tier One Devil appeared, causing a smile to appear as she hopped on the spot. She was ready to fight and cast Enhancement that washed over her body.

A thunderous boom shattered the air as she surged forward with blinding speed, materializing before the fiend in a heartbeat, her presence a storm of menace. The devil recoiled, its grotesque features twisting in shock.

With practiced skill, she unleashed a devastating flurry of strikes, each blow hammering the creature's vulnerabilities with surgical accuracy. Her movements were a blur of grace and fury, and yet she pressed on, her onslaught far from finished.

Selene watched the Devil stagger. Before the dust could settle, the air rippled again as three more appeared. Her lips curled into a savage grin as her magic powered her body and made her yellow eyes glow with power.

''Come, then,'' she snarled, her voice a low, guttural challenge that echoed across the battlefield.

The first lunged, but Selene sidestepped, severing the limbs with a single swipe of her Aether-infused sword. She vaulted onto its back, driving her fist through its skull in a spray of viscous fluid.

As the second charged, she spun, hurling a crescent of dark energy that cleaved it in two, its halves collapsing in a sizzling heap. The third roared, summoning a storm of hellfire, but she laughed and plunged through the flames unscathed.