CHAPTER 252: GATHER YOUR POWER, BOY!

Victoria watched Raegar dart around the knight, exploiting every gap in its defence using all the training and experience he’d earned up until this point. The enemy’s blade swung wide, carving furrows in the earth, but he was already gone, reappearing behind it to deliver a flurry of cuts that sparked against its armour.

The knight roared, its red glow pulsing with fury. Just then, the two of them clashed once again. His daggers flashed, carving arcs of blue light that forced the knight back, its crimson aura dimming. The two titans soared across the ruins, trading blows that echoed like thunder, their forms blurring into streaks of blue and red that painted the air.

Her heart swelled with pride and awe; her son, forged in the fires of their suffering, was turning the tide. This was no mere fight; it was a legend unfolding, and her youngest was the one living it.

Raegar blocked every strike the knight through at him, their powers matched as blades met once again. He noticed the enemy was weakening, but something told him it was a lie; the two continued fighting. They moved around the garden like specks of light trading blows, and when he got the upper hand, a blinding red light enveloped the knight.

He watched as the foe became bigger, its armor bulking up and sword getting sharper while its aura intensified. Without hesitation, Raegar continued fighting, but he soon felt the enemy was getting stronger the longer it went on. This sent him down a dark path as Fusion Overdrive fueled his power, causing unknown side effects to ravage his body.

At that moment, twin explosions shattered the battlefield’s chaos as Victoria, Raegar’s mother, emerged. She charged the knight, delivering a spinning kick that sent the foe’s head snapping back, hurling it across the field. Alaric joined her side, and the Blackwood couple fought in unity, their teamwork driven by the sight of their son’s struggle.

Raegar’s anger flared, and he dove into the fight alongside his parents. They held the knight at bay, giving him the chance to gather his strength. With a thunderous roar, Fusion Overdrive surged through him, his body swelling thanks to the raw Aether needed to turn the tide.

Blood trickled from his mouth, but the image of his father shielding his mother fueled his resolve. The pain was agonizing, yet Raegar knew failure wasn’t an option. If he fell, the girls, his parents, his grandparents, and eventually Dawnfire would all perish. ’’I will not fail here!’’ he exclaimed.

Just then, his parents were being overwhelmed as the knight’s new form was too much. Alaric managed to deflect several strikes aimed at Victoria, who was channeling fire Aether into a powerful spell. She let it fly, streaking through the air like a missile, but the enemy cut it in half, shocking everyone.

The knight flew forward and punched his mother in the stomach, sending her flying into a nearby wall, causing it to collapse on her. Raegar was about to rush forward, but his father turned to him. ’’Stay there and gather your power, boy!’’ he shouted, concern etched on his face. ’’Help when you can!’’

Moments later, the knight’s attention shifted to the older woman. His blade lashed out in a relentless flurry, the steel ringing with every near miss. Yet, his defense faltered—too many strikes slipped past his guard. Soon, crimson streaks ran across his armor, his movements growing heavier with each passing second.

His eyes widened at the sight. The pain that gripped his own body seemed to dissolve beneath a surge of urgency and fury. He forced himself forward, teeth clenched, ignoring the protests of his battered muscles. The Aether within him reached its peak, swirling to completion, perfectly timed for what was about to come.

With a thunderous crack, Raegar vanished from sight. One heartbeat, he was there; the next, he stood behind the stunned knight. In that instant, his blades became a blur, striking in a storm of a thousand cuts. Steel screamed as sparks burst from every impact, fragments of armor scattering like shattered glass.

The enemy couldn’t even raise a defense; he was too fast. Amid the chaos, a fierce satisfaction burned in his chest; he had done it. His father was safe. Without letting the enemy get the upper hand, he moved like a storm given flesh. The moment their blades met, the force of his strike jarred the knight’s arm, sending him staggering back.

Moments later, the sound of steel clanging rang out again and again, each blow from Raegar carving deeper into the enemy’s armor. Shards of metal scattered, the once-imposing plate now little more than a cage being torn apart. The knight tried to get his advantage back, his sword lashing out, but his strength and speed were overwhelming.

Raegar weaved between the strikes, answering with crushing counters that split iron and bone alike. One final, merciless slash cut through what remained of the breastplate and bit deep, dropping the knight in an instant. But victory came at a cost. Blood trickled from fresh wounds along his arms and side, each one burning like fire.

His breath came in ragged bursts, and the world around him swayed as adrenaline began to fade. Even in triumph, his body had paid a brutal price. He glanced around, noticing the girls were fine; his grandparents were already healed thanks to Zahara. She was rushing toward him.

Raegar felt dizzy, his head spinning when he dropped to one knee. Fusion Overdrive had ended, meaning he was experiencing the extreme pain it took on his body, thanks to needing the power to fight the knight. Just as Zahara reached him, he felt a stream of her energy flowing into his body.

’I won’t black out this time,’ he promised himself, steadying his breath.

’’Relax, Rae,’’ the blonde murmured in his ear, her voice a quiet tether against the pain. ’’The Imperial Army’s here with the empress. Grandfather says they pushed the timetable.’’

Raegar’s brow arched at the way she said grandfather. A smile tugged at his lips as he replied. ’’So they’ve taken to you already. Good, because I’m not letting you go.’’

Zahara’s dark cheeks deepened in color. ’’We’re not letting you go,’’ she said with a radiant smile. ’’You’re stuck with us, now until the end of time.’’

Before he could reply, a surge of soldiers flooded the ruined garden, closing in around the fallen knight. Then, in an instant, his Aether erupted, hurling everyone backward. He reached for Zahara’s hand, but she was already airborne. Moments later, Selene launched upward, catching her mid-flight, and the two came down safely.

Just then, the knight’s body burst apart, releasing an overflow of Aether that surged toward Raegar and slammed into him. He convulsed, blood spilling from every orifice as his knees hit the ground. Something alien was latching onto his inner pools, burrowing deep, and panic clawed at his chest.

’What the fuck is this shit!’ he thought.

Then, a figure emerged in front of him, and his eyes widened. Yet the stillness of those around him told him no one else could see the stranger. The newcomer regarded him with a gentle smile. ’’So, the Old Ones’ machinations have birthed another Fusion King. Let’s hope they don’t kill you before you’ve had the chance to grow like your ancient ancestor.’’

Raegar’s brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the stranger raised a hand to silence him. ’’That’s why I’ve bound the Fusion Knight to your will,’’ the figure said calmly. ’’A fortunate side effect of being trapped within its body.’’

’’Huh?’’ he answered, baffled. ’’What do you mean, Fusion Knight! That thing tried to kill me!’’

The newcomer chuckled softly, then nodded. ’’Of course. They were tainted by the Old Ones, like me, in a way. But thanks to you killing it, I was freed. Now, you have your first defender. You’ll need him with what’s coming your way.’’

Before Raegar could speak, the stranger offered a calm farewell. ’’Now, we shall meet again, when you face the Old One’s minions.’’

A blinding flash erupted, a radiant burst so intense it seared his vision, drowning the world in a shower of white light. The agony that followed was unlike anything he had ever endured, a molten wave of pain that surged through every fiber of his being. It wasn’t just physical; it clawed deeper, as if it were scorching his very soul.

His body trembled, each nerve alight, his mind teetering on the edge. The girls, desperate and wide-eyed, fought to get to him, voices calling out, barely audible over the roar of the chaotic energy. But the raw force of Aether pulsed like a living barrier, a storm of power, stopping their every attempt.

Raegar watched as the knights Aether bonded with his, only for a respect-filled voice to echo in his mind. ’’It’s a pleasure and honor to meet the new Fusion King, especially one so young.’’