Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

The forest breathed softly around them as they walked.

Beneath the twisted heavens of the Nether Lands, twisted trees stretched endlessly in all directions while black leaves whispered beneath the cold morning wind.

Regaleon walked at the front with silence and sharpness as every sense was focused upon the world around him. His golden eyes constantly swept across shadows and movements he deemed suspicious while the Halberd resting within his hand remained ready to strike at any moment.

Even now, he was still armoured. The rusted golden plates of his Armour reflected the faint traces of scarlet light that managed into travel into the thick canopies of the forest around them.

Beside him walked Veyrath but unlike Regaleon, it seems that the failed Alchemist is incapable of remaining quiet for longer than several breaths as he kept on talking...

”You know,” Veyrath began in his usual dramatic way as he stepped over some twisted roots before him. ”...they used to worship me.” He said, clearly speaking about his past noble life.

Regaleon said nothing but Veyrath didn’t mind as he kept on talking...

”The younger generation would follow me around like stars surrounding the moon...” He declared with a proud grin in his face. ”And the elders... The elders would praise me endlessly too.”

Then his voice deepened mockingly as he said, ”Every day it was always: The future of House Vauldryn; A genius of alchemy; A child blessed by the Aetherium itself.”

Then he waved his hands theatrically as he continued, ”They practically treated me like some son of destiny as they showered me with glorious titles and noble labels.”

Regaleon still didn’t reply but the twitch if his ear was the only indication that he was listening as his sharp eyes still scanned the forest...

Then Veyrath’s smile slowly weakened afterward. ”Until it happened...” This time, his voice was low with the cheerful undertone fading slightly, ”They saw my awakening and suddenly, everything changed.”

His gaze drifted toward the forest floor as he said, ”They threw me away like trash.” This time there was no anger in his tone. Only bitterness and fatigue.

”They said a Life Tree had no future within House Vauldryn.” Then his lips curved bitterly as he continued, his gaze distant. ”A healing alchemist, they said, isn’t useful during war. They called me useless and sentenced me to this cursed place...”

For several moments, silence stretched between them as Veyrath finished the sentence. Then abruptly, his expression brightened again. Like someone had forcibly reignited a dying flames...

Veyrath went back to his cheerful self before turning towards Regaleon curiosly, ”Enough about me, what about you?”

Regaleon didn’t answer as they kept on walking but Veyrath didn’t mind as he pressed on. He tilted his head as he asked once more, ”So, what’s your story? Why did your House cast you away?”

He knew that Regaleon had awakened mismatched Soul Essences but that was not enough reason for him to be sentenced to the Nether Lands. At most, he might be sidelined in his House and nothing more...

Regaleon turned toward Veyrath but didn’t answer him. Instead he said, ”Do not ask about things that doesn’t concern you.” Then he kept walking.

Veyrath blinked before running to catch up to Regaleon and ask, ”And what do you mean by that?” Seeing that he didn’t get any answer, he was about to ask again when Regaleon suddenly stopped walking unnaturally...

Veyrath creased his brows in confusion as he watched Regaleon look around alarmingly while tensing his shoulders. He wanted to speak when...

Regaleon turned toward him and the failed Alchemist’s expression faltered slightly as Regaleon radiated a deadly intent...

”Regaleon...” He called out, his voice almost cracking from fear.

Then without warning... Regaleon stepped toward him slowly. His armoured feet kept on crushing the leaves beneath it as he walks towards Veyrath who instinctively backed away.

”H-hey...” Veyrath’s heart quickest slightly as he gulped the dread already pooling in his chest. ”What are you doing?”

Regaleon remained silent until he stood directly before the failed Alchemist. Now standing before him, the failed Knight towered over Veyrath completely beneath the crimson light flickering through the twisted branches...

Veyrath swallowed once more as he looked upward to meet Regaleon’s gaze. For a moment, he wondered whether it was his questions that had caused the sudden change in Regaleon and if so, he was just about to apologize when... Regaleon’s Halberd shot out...

His Halberd was fast as it shot towards Veyrath who shut his eyes instantly. For one horrifying moment, Veyrath thought he was dead...

THUD!

Suddenly, a heavy sound echoed behind him. Veyrath froze... Then after several seconds passed, he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Regaleon still standing before him, he blinked and it was only when his brain confirmed that motion that he suddenly shouted, ”What the fuck?! You almost killed me!”

Regaleon didn’t reply as his gaze was focused somewhere behind the failed Alchemist...

Veyrath noticed this and followed Regaleon’s line of sight and what he saw made his scalp tingled immediately...

A massive serpent writhed violently upon the forest floor. No, it couldn’t be called a serpent. It was a nightmare...

The boa was enormous, easily three times larger than any normal snake as it laid there. Black scales covered it’s body like polished Armour while crimson patterns stretched across it’s length like veins of blood.

It’s severed head lay several feet away with it’s slitted eyes still open and filled with malice and hatred. The creature’s massive body still twisted violently even in death throes while dark blood soaked the roots beneath it.

The failed Alchemist shouted with his skeleton nearly escaping his skin, ”DAMN!” Then he stumbled backward immediately. ”Where the hell did that come from?”

Regaleon turned towards him and gave him an answer, ”I’ve noticed it following us as we moved through the forest. Your sense just weren’t keen enough.” The Regaleon paused before he continued, ”Or maybe you didn’t notice because you talk to much.”

Veyrath would have cursed Regaleon for that jab but his brain was still trying to process the first statement. ”Wait, did you say it has been following us?” Suddenly, Veyrath shivered as he imagined that scene...

Regaleon ignored him entirely before walking calmly towards the serpent. When Veyrath finally snapped out of his daze, his voice trembled as he asked, ”Regaleon, what are you doing?”

Regaleon glanced at him briefly before raising a brow and asked, ”What do you think? Do you want to waste this?” His voice sounded genuinely confused as he asked.

Veyrath blinked but Regaleon was already moving. He rested his Halberd against a nearby tree and said simply, ”This is food.”

Then without hesitation, he crouched beside the massive serpent and began skinning it with frightening efficiency...

Veyrath stood there speechless as he watched Regaleon. Then he suddenly spoke, ”...You are really terrifying.”

Regaleon didn’t reply as he focused on what he is doing. His hands moved methodically while cutting through scales and flesh. The ease with which he skinned clearly indicated that years of noble knightly traing clearly included survival techniques too...

What neither of them failed to notice, however, was the thin crimson wisp rising slowly from the dead serpent. It drifted silently toward Regaleon before being absorbed into his Soul Essences...

Then, the faint crimson markings along their bodies pulsed softly once... And vanished again.

Several minutes later, Regaleon rose carrying an enormous crude sack crafted from serpent skin. Inside the sack rested chunks of meat and thick coils of vine-like muscles harvested from the creature...

Looking toward the silent Alchemist, Regaleon spoke, ”Let’s go. It is already ten minutes.”

And with that, the duo began making their way back to the cave. The journey remained relatively peaceful but still Veyrath walked noticeably closer to Regaleon. This was not done because of friendship, but from fear.

Eventually... The cave entrance appeared through the twisted trees and they walked inside...

The others had already returned as they gathered together in the cave...

Caelestra noticed them first. ”Where have you two been?”

While the group turned towards the duo, Valmyr’s eyes widened as he looked at what Regaleon was carrying. ”What they hell is THAT?!” He asked pointing at it.

Everyine turned toward the massive sack Regaleon carried over one shoulder effortlessly. The thick black scales on the creature’s skin still gleamed ominously as though the creature’s will was trapped within them.

Regaleon hadn’t answered yet when Veyrath suddenly grinned proudly. Puffing his chest out, he declared with his usual dramatic flare. ”This...” A pause then his grin widened, ”...is breakfast!”

Sylveris looked both amazed and horrified as she asked, ”Did you killed that yourself?”

It was an innocent question but veyrath’s grin almost faltered as his chest deflated. Then he pointed toward Regaleon, ”No. He did.”

The group’s eyes shifted immediately toward the silver-haired Knight but Regaleon didn’t pay them any attention as he simply walked past them calmly before settling the massive sack near the flames...

There was no pride or showboating. Only practicality. Then suddenly... Veyrath froze. The failed Alchemist nose twitched as he sniffed the air once. Then he did it again...

After that, his expression changed instantly. Everyone was just about to gather around Regaleon when he shouted. ”Wait!”

They stopped before turning back to him with bewildered expressions. Then slowly, Veyrath turned towards Aureleah and Sylveris...

When others saw this odd behavior, they traced his line of sight and looked closely at the two sisters. And they suddenly realized that the sisters looked... Different.

Yesterday, they arrived into the Nether Lands with dirty with rags on their body but now, they looked cleaner and refreshed. Though they still wore the ragged clothes, traces of dirt and blood that still covered the rest ahd been washed away from their body...

Their silver-black hair appeared damp while a faint floral scent lingered around them...

Aureleah noticed Veyrath staring and her expression immediately turned colder. ”Don’t look at me like that.”

Veyrath gasped as he placed a hand on his chest. ”Me. What did I do?” Then he pointed accusingly at her, ”You are the one who smells nice.”

Hearing those words, the cave became silent as several pair of eyes turned toward the failed Alchemist oddly. Aureleah’s eyes especially, gleamed sharply. Like molten silver...

Looking at their odd expressions, Veyrath was quick to raise his hands in surrender as he spoke, ”I-i didn’t mean it like that?”

Then his expression slowly turned serious again as he assessed the two sisters. ”Have either of you encountered a special flower?”

Aureleah frowned faintly. Clearly she didn’t understand what he was talking about as she asked, ”A flower?”

Veyrath nodded rapidly as he started describing it passionately, ”It looks like a rose but it actually has five colors. Also it has white torns around it and tend to release tiny amount of five-colored Aether into its surroundings.”

Aureleah looked slightly puzzled. But that was when Sylveris eyes suddenly glowed as she replied, ”Oh! I think I know what you are talking about.”

Veyrath immediately turned towards her with an expectant gaze. Then Sylveris continued, ”We saw flowers like that inside the waterfall.” Then she smiled innocently before continuing, ”They smelled really nice so I crushed some and used them like perfume.”

After saying those words, Sylveris giggled softly like a girl that just did something worthy of praise but Veyrath didn’t think so...

At that exact moment, after hearing those words, the failed Alchemist’s face darkened completely that one might mistake his skin color as that...

Regaleon noticed his expression and was faintly surprised because this was the first time Veyrath showed such a face. Then he narrowed his eyes and asked, ”What kind of flower was it?”

Veyrath inhaled slowly. Like someone desperately trying not to strangle another to death. He answered, ”That was a Saintsky Rose.” His voice trembled faintly as he said that name.

There was silence. And this time it wasn’t because of surprise but because no one knows what he is talking about. Valmyr scratched his head as he looked toward Vaelorin who also looked lost. Even Caelestra had confusion in her gaze...

The only person that wasn’t confused was Kaeloris whose eyes widened slightly behind his cracked lenses...

Veyrath clenched his fists as he continued, ”A Saintsky Rose is one of the rarest Aetheric flowers in existence...”

Then his voice rose slightly. ”It’s a primary ingredient necessary for the preparation of high grade ascension potions.”

All the sound seem to be sucked out of the cave as it became deathly silent. Finally, the failed Alchemist looked at them, ”That flower can increase the Tier of a Soul Essence.”

As if a stone was thrown into a calm pond, the cave exploded with shock as:

Valmyr’s mouth literally fell open...

Vaelorin stood abruptly from where he sat...

Caelestra stared at Veyrath in disbelief...

Even Aureleah looked visibly shaken for the first time as she couldn’t keep her composure...

And Regaleon’s brows was raised in surprised.

Essence Tiers were everything in the Aetherium as they determined status, power and authority...

A Baron Tier Soul Essence becoming Viscount Tier could completely transform a person’s future...

And a Count Tier becoming Marquess? That alone could elevate an entire noble house.

Now imagine what would happen if a Marquess Tier became Earl, Earl became Duke, Duke became King...

Such treasures were practically priceless. And the two sisters... Had unknowingly crushed them into perfume. If they were living in the ancient era, such actions were punishable only by death...

Sylveris blinked nervously as she looked at everyone’s expressions. ”...was the flower that important?” Her voice was soft and innocent but to the failed Alchemist, she might as well be taunting him...

Veyrath stared at her intently and then... He suddenly grabbed his hair dramatically as he shouted, ”IMPORTANT?!” His scream echoed throughout the cave.

”That flower could buy Kingdoms! And you crushed it!”

Sylveris was startled as she immediately hid behind Aureleah while Valmyr almost collapsed as he laughed at Veyrath’s dark expression.

Even Vaelorin held his stomach and Kaeloris looked torn between horror and amusement...

Meanwhile, Regaleon remained strangely quiet. He seem to have realized something as his eyes narrowed. A flower capable of evolving Soul Essence Tier...

In the Nether Lands of all places?

It seems that there was more to this cursed Lands than monsters and death.