Chapter 47: They've Taken Many

Raegar continued fighting with the Swamp Frogs while his daggers plunged into their eyes before being summoned back. He continued jumping across the branches as the monsters tried to chase him. With a chuckle, he waved his hand and cast Stormfire Bullets that peppered the beasts just as more creatures ambushed them. When he saw this, his smile grew wider as he noticed the monsters were giant Tier Three insects. 'Time to escape and train some more,' he thought while using Flash Step to get away. Months passed by and Raegar continued fighting all across Bloodfang Forest. After a challenging fight with two Cave Bears, he was sitting on a log, catching his breath once he looted the bodies. Following that, explosions echoed across the forest causing him to vanish into the treeline but soon come across a village deep in Bloodfang Forest that was being attacked by some Bigfoot-looking monsters. When Raegar spotted the creatures, he was crouched on a branch. 'They are big and seem to be in the late stages of Tier Two,' he thought just as his gaze landed on a group of vampires fighting them. He shrugged before leaping off the branch, moving like a spectre as he drew his daggers. In one fluid motion, he hurled a blade toward a lurking Bigfoot that had crept too close to the defenders. The weapon struck home, piercing straight through its eye. A pain-filled roar tore from the beast's throat as it clutched its ruined face, its remaining eye locking onto him with a murderous fury. But Raegar was already a step ahead. With a flick of his fingers, his dagger vanished, re-summoned into his grasp. The enraged monster charged, its massive footsteps shaking the ground, but he only grinned, his red eyes gleaming. Fire and wind Aether swirled around his blades, the air crackling with lethal energy. With a snap, he launched the first dagger. It whistled through the air before burying itself in the Bigfoot's knee. The force shattering bone and sending the beast crashing down with an agonized howl. Before the others could react, he sent his second dagger hurtling toward a cluster of three more. A sudden explosion ripped through them as the combined elements reacted, a violent burst of fire and wind consuming the monsters into ash. When the smoke cleared, four of the powerful creatures lay lifeless on the battlefield. For a heartbeat, silence hung in the air, then a thunderous cheer erupted from the defenders. The vampires, once wary, now roared in exhilaration, their morale soaring. Raegar stood there before noticing a few more beasts rushed out of the treeline. When he saw this, he cast Hydra Blades, the crimson Aether blades materializing in his grasp before he hurled them forward. They whistled through the air, tearing through the battlefield. The first slammed into a Bigfoot's leg, slicing clean through muscle and bone, sending the massive beast toppling with a crash. Another found its mark, impaling a second monster's knee and forcing it to the ground with a grunt of pain. But the last one, the largest of the trio, bellowed in rage as it plowed into the vampires. Its rampage scattered the defenders, killing some instantly while others escaped, causing him to react. Raegar cast Enhancement and felt the boost as he dashed forward like a rocket before moving behind the Bigfoot and sliced through its ankle. Moments later, it tried to crush a woman who let out a terrified scream, but the monster buckled. He spun around and hit it with the two Hydra Blades coming from different directions, and overpowered the surprised creatures. The Aether weapons decapitated to creature causing its body to drop to the ground. Once the fight was over, Raegar dismissed the spells while letting out a heavy breath because using Hydra Blades still put some strain on him. 'Using that spell uses up too much Aether,' he pondered while wiping the sweat from his forehead. As he did that, a man's voice sounded from nearby. ''Thank you for the help, stranger. These things have been attacking us for years, but it's getting worse.'' Raegar nodded in understanding before glancing up at the darkening sky. The sun was sinking below the horizon, its last golden rays fading into twilight. A ripple of panic spread through the vampires. Nightfall was upon them. A firm grip on his arm snapped his attention back. The man's expression was grim as he spoke. ''Get inside the village. They'll be coming any moment now.'' ''I'll be fine. I want to loot the monsters,'' he replied while putting his daggers away. Following that, the man didn't fight and rushed off as he warned. ''The Dark Ones are fast and deadly. Try to get into the village's boundary before they get you.'' Raegar moved swiftly through the battlefield, his blade flashing as he carved out the Bigfoots' teeth. The only other valuable the glowing green Aether cores nestled within their massive bodies. As he plucked one from a fallen beast, the core pulsed softly in his palm as his body sucked in some of the Aether radiating from. What he notice was that it was casting an eerie emerald glow across his fingers. He studied it for a moment, his mind turning. 'So this is a Tier Two Core,' He rolled it between his fingers, watching the energy swirl inside. 'Interesting how it glows more than the brown ones.' Raegar continued looting the Bigfoots while storing the stuff in his magic bag and when reaching the last corpse, something moved behind him. He spun around and threw a dagger, but it hit the ground. 'A body is gone!' he thought while scanning his surroundings. While standing there, a young woman shouted from the village entrance. ''They're coming now! Get over here.'' Raegar's instincts screamed at him to move. Without hesitation, he spun on the spot, narrowly avoiding the shadow that lunged at him. In the same motion, he struck back, his dagger tearing through flesh. It let out a guttural hiss, recoiling from the attack. Now that he could see it clearly, a shiver ran down his spine. It was a humanoid, with pitch-black eyes that reflected no light, its face twisted into a snarl, revealing a mouth filled with rows of rotting, jagged teeth. The stench of decay clung to it, thick and suffocating. Raegar tightened his grip on his blades, eyes narrowing as more of them appeared from the darkness only for him to sense that they were Tier Two creatures. ''They must be the Dark Ones the vampire mentioned,'' he muttered, readying himself for the next attack. Following that, chaos erupted as the creatures lunged at him, forcing Raegar to use Flash Step to dart around the battlefield while slicing, slashing and stabbing the monsters, causing some of them to drop. More appeared and tried to surround him, but he used Lightningfire Blast to clear a path to the village as they surged in his direction. Raegar started sprinting while using Flash Step and passed over the village border. He whirled around just as the Dark Ones came to a halt, their twisted, hate-filled eyes boring into him with murderous intent. Raegar wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a Hydra Blade. The weapon whirling through the air like a storm that shot toward the monsters. Infused with wind and earth Aether, it struck with devastating accuracy, razor-sharp edges cleaving through flesh and bone. Several of the creatures collapsed headless, their bodies crumpling before they even realized they were dead. The survivors hissed and snarled, but the sight of their fallen kin sent a ripple of hesitation through their ranks. Raegar watched as the Dark Ones vanished into the shadows, their retreating forms disappearing into the night. He let out a quiet breath, his tension easing just slightly as he dismissed the spell, the glowing Hydra Blades vanishing. A voice broke the stillness, soft yet relieved. ''It's good you survived,'' the young woman said, her eyes scanning the battlefield with a mournful expression. ''They've taken many villagers.'' He turned toward the dark-haired vampire and asked. ''What are those things and are they in other parts of Bloodfang?'' The young woman giggled as she answered. ''I'm Vesa and those things come from a cave a few miles to the north. Our last scout found their home, but he had to flee.'' Raegar looked at her and held out his hand. ''I'm Raegar Blackwood. It's nice to meet you, Vesa.'' She took it with a friendly smile before speaking. ''Come on. Father told me to bring you home. He said you'd join us.'' They made their way through the village, the tension still thick in the air, every step echoing against the silent, abandoned homes. Raegar's gaze fell upon the largest house in the center, a stone structure that seemed to loom over the rest, its windows dark and unmoving. 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