Chapter 46: Let's Test Out The Aether Cores

Raegar butchered the closest Nightcrawlers while the Hydra Blades zoomed around the battlefield. He quickly noticed the new spell was quickly burning through his Aether, causing him to grow tired. 'I need to reach Mist to increase the size of my pools,' he thought while his breathing grew heavy. He dismissed the Hydra Blades before jumping back and flinging his daggers at the last two monsters' heads. They dropped dead as he hit the ground not far away. Moments later, Nymeria and some guards appeared with shocked expressions. ''Raegar, what were those weapons you were using?'' the wolf woman asked as the others went to check the Nightcrawler creatures. ''Huh?'' he muttered, snapping out of his thoughts while turning to face her. Shaking his head. ''Just a new spell I came up with... but using it drained me more than I expected.'' The older woman looked at him with narrowed eyes before nodding in agreement. ''You look exhausted. Get some rest. We're putting more guards on duty.'' Raegar nodded in agreement, suppressing a yawn as exhaustion finally caught up with him. He crawled into his tent, slipping beneath the warm blankets, his body sinking into much-needed rest. As sleep claimed him thanks to the exhaustion, the adventurers outside remained vigilant, their watchful eyes scanning the surrounding darkness, ready to protect the camp until the first light of dawn. When Raegar woke up, he felt much better and got up before packing away the blankets, and then the tent. Once that was done, Lycaon and Nymeria approached him with their bags packed. ''We're about to leave for Zahakar City,'' the wolfman commented. ''If you're ever in the northern part of the empire, come by the Valdyrsson manor just outside the Everfrost City. You'll be welcome any time.'' Following that, Nymeria gave him a piece of paper. ''This is our address for your visit and I stay safe out here, Raegar. Bloodfang Forest is dangerous and full of undiscovered dungeons and gateways.'' ''Thank you,'' he replied to the woman, who pulled him into a hug, which surprised him. They broke apart as Lycaon ruffled his hair before speaking. ''Until we meet again, boy.'' After that, the adventurers left the campsite and started traveling on the southern road, leaving him alone. Once they were gone, the dungeon commander approached him with a curious expression. ''Young master,'' the vampire said. ''Would you like to try the dungeon? We've made sure it's back to normal and with your strength, getting to the lower floors will be easy.'' Raegar paused, weighing his options, then gave a firm nod. ''Yes. I'll gather before going in. I need to recover what was lost during the fight last night.'' The soldier gave a quick nod before heading back to the fortress, leaving him alone. He sat down and started gathering. Moments later, he felt the energy returning to his pools, which made his body feel better. 'This feels good,' he thought with a smile. Raegar felt the eight pools filling up from the bigger one as the world Aether poured into his body like a wave. Hours passed by and he jumped up while feeling refreshed. ''Now it's time to test out the Rank C Dungeon.'' Following that, he approached the gate where he was met by the guards who waved him through. When he stepped into the portal, he felt the Aether in the air was back to normal compared to the first time he was in there. He stepped into the treeline only to hear several growls coming from Tier One Sand Wolves, causing him to think. 'There's a desert around here which is going to be challenging.' Raegar took out his daggers just as the first monster lunged at him. He sidestepped the attack and sliced down its side before throwing the other blade at the second wolf, who crashed down. More creatures joined the fight, causing him to cast Hydra Blades but mixed fire and lightning this time. The blue projectiles appeared before he sent them flying at the creatures while summoning the other dagger back to him. 'I love these Runes,' he mused with a gleam. Raegar started fighting the monsters, blocking their attacks while countering with stabs and slashes. He continued bouncing around like a rabbit, controlling the projectiles to take out the remaining wolves. Once the last one dropped dead, he dismissed the Hydra Blades before looting the monster drops. He found Sand Wolf Fangs, Tier One Aether Cores, and some other junk that he left behind. ''Now let's see what other creatures lurk here,'' he muttered. Raegar cast Enhancement and started sprinting through the forest while hunting Sand Wolves with ease. His daggers tore through their flesh with ease. An hour later, he came across a group of Ghouls. 'Let's test out the Aether Cores,' he thought with a smile while taking out three of them. He absorbed them and felt the big pool fill up as much as an hour's worth of gathering, which surprised him. Without waiting, Raegar dashed toward the humanoid creatures and skidded under one of their lunges. When it passed over him, he stabbed upwards while casting Lightningfire Blast, which turned the foe to ash. Raegar quickly dodged more attacks while countering with slices and stabs that brought down dozens of them. 'This is easier than I expected,' he thought as the last Ghoul dropped dead. 'Let's head to the second floor.' Raegar looted all the cores before heading for the staircase down, but when he got close a horrible aura slammed against his body. His eyes widened while thinking. 'Tier Four! No, thank you.' Feeling overwhelmed by the creature's sheer strength, he retreated to the dungeon's entrance, accepting that he stood no chance. ''I'm not foolish enough to fight it,'' he muttered, sliding his daggers back into their sheathes. When he appeared outside, the guards looked shocked when they saw him. The commander came walking up to him and spoke. ''Young master, didn't you explore the second floor?'' ''No, there was a Tier Four monster lurking down there and I'm not fighting that thing,'' he answered before leaving the fortress. Raegar bid his farewells to the vampire guards and set off toward Bloodfang Forest, pulling out some camping bread as he followed the path Nymeria and Lycaon had taken south. He continued until he reached the edge of the swamp. 'This place looks like it came out of a dinosaur book,' he thought. He was standing at the edge of the swamp, his boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. Before him stretched a vast, untamed wilderness, a primal swamp, teeming with unseen life that he could sense. Towering cypress trees, their gnarled roots twisting like the fingers of ancient beasts, rose from the murky waters. Thick mist clung to the surface, shifting with an eerie, ghostlike grace as it wove between the trees. The air was thick with the scent of decay and damp earth, a heavy mixture of rotting vegetation and the stench of creatures lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for their meal to pass by. Strange calls echoed through the foliage, croaks, growls, and the occasional splash of something large moving through the water. Fireflies flickered like wandering souls, their dim glow reflecting off the stagnant pools scattered throughout the marshland. Raegar noticed pathways crossing it, which were a mix of dirt and tree trunks, causing his smile to grow as he started traveling across it by jumping from branch to branch only to notice a group of crocodiles. He stopped moving and stared at the creatures and sensed that they were Tier Two, causing him to leave them alone. Raegar continued moving cautiously through the swamp, his boots sinking into the damp, uneven ground with each step. The thick mist curled around his legs, and the distant noises of creatures echoed through the twisted trees. Waterlogged roots jutted out like skeletal fingers. As he pressed forward, the surface of a nearby pool rippled. Its movement was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Raegar's instincts flared. In an instant, a massive shape lunged from the murky depths, a colossal frog, its mottled green and brown skin blending seamlessly with the swamp. The creature's wide, bulbous eyes gleamed hungrily as it lashed out its thick, slimy tongue with the force of a whip. He reacted in a flash. With a twist, he spun to the side, narrowly avoiding the appendage as it slammed into the tree behind him, sending bark flying. Raegar landed lightly on his feet, his daggers ready to strike. The frog retracted its tongue with a wet snap, its throat bulging as it prepared for another strike. He smirked. ''You'll have to be faster than that.'' The Tier One Swamp Frog lunged at him, but with a swift Flash Step, Raegar vanished, leaving the creature to crash headfirst into a tree trunk. Before it could recover, a dagger struck true, embedding itself in its eye. [Drop some powerstones, comments, and gifts to help the novel grow; I appreciate all the support you can give]