NOVPUBRaegar stepped back from the crackling fire, the aroma of his carefully prepared meal wafting through the cool evening air. He let out a satisfied sigh and settled against the stone wall, its solid presence grounding him after a long day.
He pulled out a bottle of sake. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he retrieved it, and he took a well-worn cup that bore the faint scratches of countless from Bloodfang Forest. Without waiting, he poured some, and the smell hit his nose.
As Raegar cooked, he mused, 'At least I can still whip up a meal, but my hunger seems to grow stronger with each passing day.'
The first sip was warm and smooth, a gentle heat spreading through his chest, easing the tension from his shoulders and numbing the pain that had plagued him since the assassin fight.
Setting the cup beside him, he turned his attention to the meal. ''Time to eat,'' he muttered, grabbing the food.
He took a bite, and the rich, hearty flavors burst across his palate, each ingredient harmonizing together. The dish was more than sustenance; it was a small triumph, a testament to his skill and patience.
As Raegar savored his meal, the fire's flickering glow sent shadows dancing across the room. He rose, joints creaking, and thought, yawning. 'Time to settle in and finish this meal in comfort.'
Following that, he continued eating and drinking until he spotted dozens of sea monsters that passed by the window, going about their business. After some time, exhaustion overwhelmed him as his head spun thanks to the sake.
Soon enough, he felt tipsy and crawled into bed before falling asleep, just as something was staring at him from the darkness beyond his room. A massive black eye appeared and started examining him before vanishing.
The following morning, Raegar woke up, plagued by a throbbing headache, but ignored it and pushed himself out of bed, mumbling. ''Let's take a bath and go meet the girls at the entrance, it's Dark Day after all.''
While standing up, he noticed the world outside the window was pitch black, making him gulp. Raegar shook his head and walked toward the bathroom to wash up for the day. Half an hour later, he left his dorm room and sensed his two friends were still fast asleep.
Rune's loud snoring echoed through the corridor, making him laugh before heading toward the walkway that led to the main building. When stepping on the bridge, he noticed the sea below going crazy and crashing into the cliffside, forcing the spray to reach high.
He began walking toward the entrance, only to realize no other students were still asleep and the corridors were eerily quiet, prompting him to mumble. ''Does no one else wake up early?''
Raegar shrugged before continuing until spotting Dominique sitting at a fountain in the entrance courtyard. He stopped and stared at the gorgeous vampire as her black hair with green streaks was tied into a ponytail, and she was wearing a winter dress alongside a pair of black boots.
She was staring into the water. talking to the Northern Owl Baldur, he was too busy hooting away, making the girl giggle as her cheeks went red, but she nodded, causing the bird to get happy.
Just then, Baldur let out an excited noise before flying in his direction, prompting him to smile. Raegar quickly held out his arm, and the owl gently landed with a quiet hoot as he spoke to the creature.
''Hello there, little man, you guys are here early,'' he greeted Baldur, who happily replied by bouncing up and down.
This caused Dominique to look at him, smiling. ''Why do they love you so much? In all the years of having these two, they've never liked anyone,'' she questioned.
Raegar gave the vampire girl a charming smile before greeting her. ''Morning Dominique, I didn't expect you to be here so early.''
She giggled while responding. ''It was Baldur here that woke me up; he's excited to fly around the grasslands between here and the city.''
When Raegar heard this, he questioned. ''How will we get there? It took me a couple of days to walk there.''
The Vampire girl looked at him with a confused expression on her pretty face. She shook her head, answering his question. ''The city's Carrier runs routes between Willowbank Village, Brightwater, Westwatch, Deadwater, and lastly the Windy Isles that lie off the coast down south.''
Raegar was surprised and quickly questioned. ''The empire allows that? Aren't Carriers highly sought after all over Kaldorra? I thought only nobles use them to travel between cities.''
Dominique nodded in agreement. ''They are, but City Lord Devon Wentworth was gifted one by the empress when he drove back a Stormrune invasion years ago,'' she revealed.
His eyebrows shot up, a spark of genuine surprise lighting his face as he absorbed the intriguing revelation. The news stirred something in him, and he leaned forward, eager to dive deeper into the conversation.
They settled into a lively exchange, their words weaving effortlessly between them, stopping by the occasional chuckle. As they spoke, his hand absentmindedly drifted to Baldur, who was perched on his shoulder.
Raegar noticed the creature's sharp eyes scanned their surroundings for any threats, ever watchful, his fingers gently ruffled its feathers, earning a soft, contented chirp from the vigilant sentinel.
Their banter flowed uninterrupted until someone caught his attention. Selene appeared from the nearby doorway. Her crimson skin gleamed under the Aether lamp, lighting up the school's entrance.
She paused for a moment, her sharp gaze sweeping over the scene before locking onto him and Dom. A wide, mischievous smile spread across her face, her eyes glinting with playful delight as she strode toward them with confident grace.
''Morning, Rae! Dom!'' she called out, her voice too cheerful compared to how early it was. ''I was certain I'd be rushing in late, but it seems fate's on my side today!''
Her grin widened, and she gave a theatrical little flourish with her hand, clearly reveling in her timely arrival. Raegar couldn't help but chuckle before greeting the Demoness. ''Morning, Selene, and no, you're early. We're still waiting for Zahara.''
''That's honestly shocking,'' she responded.
Soon, the Demoness glanced around, grinning. ''I thought Blondie would be the first one here.''
Dominique giggled but agreed with an amused expression. ''She loves to sleep in and is hard to wake up, apart from when it comes to Rae here.''
Selene gave a quick nod, her eyes flicking toward the Eastern Gardens just as the girl in question, Za, emerged. Za's chest heaved with labored breaths, her face flushed from exertion as she hurried toward the group.
Raegar caught sight of her and raised a hand, his voice calm but firm. ''Take a seat and catch your breath, Za. We'll head out in a few minutes, no rush.''
The blonde let out a relieved grin and slumped on the nearby bench, her shoulders relaxing as she spoke. ''I was convinced I'd be late, but I guess I misjudged. Didn't expect you all to beat me here!''
Zahara's words sparked a ripple of laughter among the group. Dominique, still chuckling, clapped his hands together to gather their attention as the sun started rising in the distance and lighting up the world around them.
''Alright, let's move out. We've got a couple of hours before the Carrier rolls into Willowbank Village, so we'd better get a move on,'' she said.
Following that, the Vampire led them toward the gates, where they were stopped by a big lion man. Raegar smiled when he saw him and greeted the guard he met on his first day. ''Morning, Zane, can we go through? Need to catch the Carrier to Brightwater City.''
''Look who it is,'' the lion commented with a big grin. ''The little warrior who fought off a group of assassins a lot stronger than yourself.''
''And risk injuring himself even worse in the attempt,'' Zahara cut in, her tone sharp with concern.
Selene and Dominique nodded in unison, their expressions mirroring the blonde's worry. Zane, stifling a laugh, flashed him a teasing grin. ''Seems like you've got yourself quite the loyal crew here. Where are those two boys you're always with?''
Raegar glanced at the group, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ''Dom and the other one? They're off sleeping or messing around with the rest of the gang.''
The giant lion man let out a hearty chuckle, shaking her head before giving a brisk signal to the guards. ''Open the gate!'' he called.
Following that, the other guards echoed his command, moving quickly to haul the heavy gates apart with a low, rumbling groan. Once it was open, Zane glanced at the group, warning. ''Be careful out there. Monsters are roaming the grasslands and have attacked travelers.''
Just then, Baldur let out a hoot as he took off and acted as their scout as Dominique commented. ''He will let us know if any creatures or outlaws come close.''
