CHAPTER 318: TOGETHER

Raegar let the women go back to sleep while he fiddled with a Light Pill in his hand and quickly threw it in his mouth. White light erupted from his eyes, lighting up the early morning darkness. Pain rushed through his body, but it wasn’t as bad as the fire that ran through his veins like the last time.

Following that, he began channeling his Aether, weaving its strands throughout his body, trying to expand the pool deep inside. The surrounding air hummed, the faint glow of his energy pulsing in time with his heartbeat, casting fleeting shadows across the stone floor of the secluded training chamber.

Hours slipped by, each moment a brutal test of endurance and willpower. His muscles strained under the effort as he guided the explosive energies inside him. Sweat traced paths down his brow, dripping onto the ground where they sizzled, evidence of the power coursing through his veins.

Reagar’s breath came in ragged gasps, chest heaving as he pushed past the burning ache that threatened to overwhelm his body. Every fiber of his being screamed for rest, but he pressed on, driven by the vision of surpassing his limits. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of effort, a shift rippled through him.

The Light Aether began to shimmer and dissolve, its brilliance giving way to the mist-like quality of Vapour. The transformation was complete. He staggered, body trembling from exhaustion, covered in sweat that glistened in the dim light. His muscles throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, and his lungs burned with each labored breath.

Yet, despite the toll, a surge of euphoria coursed through him. He had done it, transcended its previous boundaries, and emerged stronger than ever before, his newfound power humming in the air like a promise of greater things to come as he only had one more element to level up.

Raegar slumped down, closing his eyes as the pain still rushed through his body until it suddenly vanished when a fresh stream of Aether, making him feel better, just as Zahara appeared beside him, an angry expression crossed her face as she scolded. ’’Why would you do such a thing without me, Rae?’’

’’Sorry, Za,’’ he muttered while getting comfortable.

Raegar slumped against the cool log in the camp. His body ached, causing him to try to get a moment of rest. He reached into his storage and pulled out a bottle of sake. The faint amber liquid sloshed inside, catching the dim light of the campfire. With a grin, he undid it and took a swig, expecting the familiar warmth and bite. Instead, his face twisted in disgust.

The sake tasted like ash and stale water, a far cry from the flavor he’d expected. He spat the offending liquid onto the ground, where it splattered across the stone in a small puddle, and held the bottle aloft, glaring at it as if it had betrayed him. ’’What in the hells is this?’’ he muttered in disbelief.

Zahara’s musical giggle broke the silence. Her grey eyes were sparkling with amusement as she watched his theatrics. ’’Was it Light?’’ she asked.

Raegar’s scowl softened as he glanced at her, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He nodded grudgingly, still clutching the offending bottle. ’’Yes, tastes like I just drank ditch water.’’

Zahara’s laughter faded into a warm smile as she stepped closer, her robes swishing softly against the ground. ’’That’s what happens when you reach Vapour with Light,’’ she revealed. ’’The transformation dulls your perception of alcohol, taste, burn, even the buzz. It’s like your senses are too refined.’’

He blinked, his brows shooting up in surprise. ’’Well, damn,’’ he said, turning the bottle in his hand as if inspecting it for answers. ’’I didn’t know that.’’

Raegar paused, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. ’’It’s not the end of the world, mind you. I just liked the taste, that’s all. Made those long nights a bit more bearable.’’

Zahara chuckled again, shaking her head as she crossed her arms. ’’You’ll find other ways to unwind, Raegar. Vapour’s got its perks, but it does make you pickier about your vices.’’

Her eyes glinted with mischief. ’’Maybe it’s a sign you should stick to water for a while.’’

Raegar snorted, corking the bottle and tossing it back into his satchel with a mock scowl. ’’Water? Now you’re just trying to insult me.’’

The two laughed as the blonde sat beside him and beamed. ’’I can feel the power coming off you, handsome.’’

’’How does it feel?’’

’’Like a heavyweight pushing down on my shoulders,’’ she answered. ’’But it’s backing off now.’’

Raegar’s laugh echoed across the campsite, a sound that cut through the hum of Aether in the air. His red eyes sparkled with exhaustion and mischief as he leaned toward Zahara, cupping her cheek. Without warning, he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

The passion of it caught her by surprise, but she melted into it, fingers curling into his shirt as she reciprocated. The world around them seemed to fade, but their moment was shattered by a sudden chorus of howls coming from the forest across the river. The sound was primal, a chilling cacophony that sent a shiver down his spine.

He pulled back, their lips parting, and they turned in unison toward the source of the noise. Before either could speak, a rumble vibrated through the ground beneath their feet. Then, the forest across the water erupted into chaos. A stampede broke through the tree line, and a herd of Forest Giants surged onto the land across the river.

They were colossal creatures, resembling elephants but far fiercer, their massive forms cloaked in shaggy, moss-draped hides that shimmered with an otherworldly sheen. Their tusks were jagged and curved like scimitars, glinting in the fading light, and their eyes glowed with a feral glint that spoke of untamed power.

Each step shook the earth, sending ripples across the river as they charged past, their bellows mingling with the crunch of splintered trees in their wake. Raegar sighed as he realized the herd wasn’t heading their way. ’’Forest Giants,’’ he muttered. ’’Didn’t expect to see them this close to the river.’’

Excitement surged through him at the prospect of turning them into Fusion Monsters, and his lips curled into a fierce grin. ’’Time to hunt,’’ he growled, daggers flashing into his hands with a ching that sang of coming carnage.

Zahara’s grey eyes blazed, her Aether Book snapping open in a burst of starlight above her hand. ’’You’re not facing them alone, Rae!’’ she declared, voice full of determination.

The book’s pages flared, runes pulsing like a heartbeat as she summoned a wave of Light energy. ’’Let’s bring them down together!’’

As one, they exploded across the river, their Aether weaving a bridge of shimmering mist beneath their feet. Raegar was a comet, his form a body of midnight cloak and gleaming steel, but Zahara matched him stride for stride, her robes billowing like a storm. The air crackled with their power.

Moments later, they closed in on the rearmost Forest Giant. The beast swung its massive trunk, its force splitting the air, but the blonde’s hand shot up, her Aether blazing. A shield erupted, a dome of energy that deflected the blow. The beast recoiled, and Raegar seized the moment, leaping skyward.

He drove his daggers into the beast’s flank, Light Aether erupting in a blinding cascade that splintered bark and drew a roar that shook the heavens. A jagged tusk grazed his side, drawing blood, but Zahara was already there, her book’s glow flaring as she wove a healing spell.

Warm Aether surged through Raegar, sealing the wound in an instant, his pain burned away by her power. Together, they danced through the chaos, a symphony of blade and spell. Raegar wove between the monster’s feet, his daggers carving arcs of Light that killed beast after beast.

Zahara was his shadow, shield, and protection, a beacon in the chaos. She created barriers to block crushing blows, her Light Aether searing the Giants’ limbs, stopping their charges. When a vine-lash caught his shoulder, her healing light mended him before he hit the ground as she chanted. ’’Keep going, Rae! We’ve got this!’’

The air hummed with energy, drowning out the monster’s pain-filled bellows. Raegar unleashed an Aether Blast, a beam of pure Light that tore through the lead Forest Giant, destroying it. Zahara strengthened his assault, her book unleashing a storm of Light Bolts that rained like meteors, splintering the herd’s ranks.

The ground trembled as the Giants fell, their roars fading into broken groans. Sweat drenched them both, breath ragged, but their spirits burned. He caught the blonde’s gaze amidst the chaos; her smile was bright. ’’Together,’’ he panted, and she nodded, her book flaring brighter.

With a final surge, Raegar quickly cast an overcharged Lightningfire Blast that engulfed the last Giant in a blinding explosion that shook the Eldergrove to its roots. As the dust settled, the herd’s survivors fled, their bellows lost to the forest’s depths. Raegar and Zahara stood amidst the wreckage, battered but triumphant, their Aether still humming in the air.