Raegar, Zahara, and Dominique walked through the school's corridors alongside other students while making their way to dinner. As they did that, the vampire girl looked at him and asked. ''Didn't Professor Morris want to see you after lessons?''
''Yes, but I'll go see her during my Free Class,'' he answered. ''Professor Silvershade wants me to meet you at the Northern Courtyard to help me move to Vapour.''
The two girls nodded in understanding, but the blonde girl's eyes lingered on him longer than usual. Afterward, the trio stepped into the dining room, where it was full of talking, clinking of plates, and the laughter of friends.
He glanced around only to spot Rune, Caspian, Vienna, and Luna sitting off in one corner. Raegar grabbed his food and sat down as the black-haired boy commented. ''How were your first lessons, Rae?''
''Informative,'' he responded while eating. ''Most will start teaching me stuff by the next class, which is interesting.''
As the group began eating, Luna piped up. ''How was Aether Fundamentals with my mom?'' she asked curiously.
''Raegar has a thing for her,'' Zahara randomly announced, catching everyone off guard, including him.
''Huh? Don't bring me into your wild fantasies, Za!'' he defended himself, chuckling. ''She's pretty, yes, but I don't fancy her.''
The blonde giggled along with everyone else as Luna continued. ''She likes to help students progress. She spoke about helping you reach Vapour.''
''Yes, she is,'' Raegar replied, nodding. ''I have to go see her after Professor Morris.''
Ten minutes later, the group dispersed to their classes. Zahara and Vienna headed to the Healing Wing, while Raegar stood, returned his tray, and made his way toward the Devil Hunter part of the sprawling castle.
He trekked across the castle to the Devil Hunting Wing, finally spotting a sign for Professor Morris's office. As he walked, he bumped into the blonde inquisitor, who grinned upon recognizing him.
''Ah, there you are, Blackwood,'' she commented. ''Come with me, I want to go over the Devil Hunting Class, as this year the training has grown intense.''
Raegar trailed the older woman through the bustling corridors, where knights and hunters moved purposefully. He noticed other students bound for the same class, their brief glances meeting his as they passed.
''I'm glad you want to become a Devil Hunter, Rae,'' the professor suddenly said. ''We need as many as we can for the coming darkness.''
''Coming darkness? You sound like a mystic fortune teller,'' he replied with a chuckle.
The blonde smiled before retorting. ''Shut up, you, it's what the scholars are calling it.''
Raegar was confused, and Professor Morris noticed and explained. ''We believe that the Devils will find a way to bring enough of them into this realm.''
''Oh,'' he muttered as the duo entered her office.
''Would you like some tea?'' she offered with a sweet smile.
Raegar nodded while getting comfortable as he questioned. ''How do you know my Grandmother Agatha?''
''Call me Valentina when we're alone,'' the professor said. ''And to answer that question, it started two decades ago in a small northern town called Frostwatch. The empire used it to keep watch over the northern storms.''
He watched as she stopped talking and focused on making the tea before bringing it over to him, continuing. ''That is where I met Agatha for the first time, she was an Imperial Mage stationed in the town.'' ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel•fire.net
''I remember father mentioning that they used to tell the weather in the Far North,'' he revealed while taking a sip of the warm drink. ''If I remember correctly, that place was destroyed by the Stormrune Kingdom in the Northern Wars.''
''That's correct,'' she answered with a sigh. ''A beautiful town at the end of the world, but it was also creepy thanks to the Forest Giants and Wood Devils that plague the land.''
''Wood Devils? Like the fiends we're supposed to fight?'' Raegar asked, brow furrowed.
Valentina shook her head. ''No, just a shared name. These are tall, creepy humanoids that stalk the Kingsway, preying on its isolation. Rumors claim they lure travelers off the road and devour them.''
''How many damn creepy humanoids are lurking on Kaldorra? I've met the Nightwalkers, Watchers, and Hollowborns,'' he ranted.
This made the older woman smile. ''Hundreds, if you believe the scholars. Those three are the most common down south. Forest Giants, Wood Devils, and Northern Walkers are common up here.''
Raegar shook his head before asking. ''What did you want to talk about?''
Valentina nodded, smiling. ''Yes. I know you are interested in becoming a Devil Hunter, but I was wondering if you'd like a more intense version of the classes?''
''What do you mean?'' he curiously inquired.
''We will organize for you to meet me at my private training ground during one of your free periods,'' the professor said. ''There, I'll personally train you in some of the secret ways the Order has locked away for their most talented hunters, as the empress desires.''
When Raegar heard this, his eyes went wide with excitement, making the older woman giggle. ''Calm down, we won't start until next week. That will allow you to get used to your lessons.''
Following that, Valentina told him everything he needed to know about the Devil Hunting Classes. He learned that there were three parts to the class, which she explained. ''There's the Devil Combat, Devil History, and a researcher lesson to learn more about the fiends.''
''I'll tackle the first two challenges,'' Raegar declared, his voice brimming with steely resolve. ''I care not for the Devil's inner workings. For what they did to my grandmother, I'll slaughter them in droves, storm their wretched realm, and unleash a genocide they'll never forget!''
The older woman smiled as she requested. ''Show me your aura, you've been hiding it since stepping into Drakenwood.''
Moments later, a torrent of raw, primal Aether erupted from him, a shimmering wave of crimson and obsidian that pulsed like the heartbeat of a slumbering titan. The room trembled, and the air grew heavy, charged with an oppressive force.
Shadows danced wildly, twisting into shapes that hinted at claws and fangs, while a low, guttural roar seemed to emanate from the aura itself, reverberating in the bones of all who stood near.
Valentina's confident smirk vanished. Her eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back, her hand twitching toward the hilt of her blade. The aura wasn't just powerful, it was ancient, a force that felt like it had clawed its way from the depths of forgotten legends.
It was as if Raegar had torn open a rift to a primordial realm, and she, a seasoned inquisitor, stood before a mythic beast of old, its gaze promising death. Her heart pounded, a rare chill of fear creeping up her spine, whispering that this boy was no mere Tetraarch Mage but something far more dangerous.
His aura pulsed once more before he reined it in, the oppressive weight lifting as the forest exhaled. He stood there, breathing heavily, his eyes locked on Valentina. ''That's enough for you?'' he asked.
Valentina swallowed, regaining her composure, though her hand lingered near her weapon. ''By the empress…'' she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. ''What are you, Blackwood?''
Raegar chuckled while standing up as his red eyes glowed. ''The first Tetraarch Mage that loves to grow stronger, the Devil Lord, was a testament to that, Valentina, but I have a Free Class before dinner tomorrow. Do you want to meet then?''
He watched as the blonde's smile grew wider. ''Okay then. Meet me at the courtyard entrance after your third class. You have Devil Hunting as the last lesson tomorrow, so it will be good to give you some extra work.''
Following that, he said his goodbyes before walking through the quiet corridors while making his way to the Northern Courtyard to meet Professor Silvershade to try reach Vapour with the pills she gave him.
Five minutes later, he entered the sprawling garden encircling the castle, its distant walls far enough to fade from notice. With a casual shrug, he set off northward toward the professors' living quarters.
After some time, Raegar appeared by a small gateway with benches on the outside but a wooden door blocking his way forward. He glanced up only to see a shimmering field blocking the way past.
'Looks like the adults take their privacy seriously,' he mused.
Raegar slumped down on the bench as there was still some time for the last class to end. He sat there as the guards watched him from the wall above as he started gathering and refilling his Aether Pools.
''Damn Fusion Overdrive,'' he muttered. ''I feel exhausted still.''
Following that, he continued doing it and felt Aether pouring into his body from the world around him. Raegar didn't know how long he was doing that, but a sweet smell hit his nose as the professor spoke. ''I'm glad you came, Raegar. I thought you would have forgotten about little old me.''
His eyes opened only to see the beautiful green-haired woman leaning down, smiling at him with glowing blue eyes.