Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

Just like the first three Etheryeans, Vaelorin and Kaeloris experienced the same peculiar post-cultivation hangover that followed the completion of their breakthroughs. And for a brief period, both of them remained seated within the Essence Pool, their minds swimming in a strange haze of exhaustion and exhilaration.

Their bodies also felt simultaneously lighter and heavier, as though every muscle had been infused with new strength while their consciousness struggled to catch up with the transformation.

Fortunately, neither remained in that state for long as after several moments of blinking away the fog clouding their minds, Vaelorin and Kaeloris gradually managed to regain their bearings. They took several deep breaths, allowing the cool, saturated air of the cavern to clear away the last remnants of their mental stupor.

Once they had sufficiently recovered, the two climbed out of the Essence Pool to stand where both Caelestra and Sylveris was. And it wasn’t long before the three newly minted Etheryeans made their way toward Aelric, Valmyr, and Veyrath, who had been waiting a short distance away.

Sylveris, however, did not accompany them as she had chosen to remain behind until Aureleah completed her breakthrough.

The moment Vaelorin, Caelestra, and Kaeloris drew near the others, it was as though a catalyst had been thrown into an already volatile mixture.

Conversation erupted almost immediately.

Questions, observations, complaints, boasts, and theories overlapped one another as the five newly advanced Etheryeans began describing what they had experienced during their breakthroughs.

Of all of them, however, Veyrath was undoubtedly the most vocal.

Perhaps it was because he had so often been overlooked and underestimated; or perhaps it was because he was usually the one being sidelined, dismissed, or treated as the butt of everyone’s jokes...

Or perhaps it was simply because Veyrath had finally acquired something he could hold over the others; whatever the reason, the moment Vaelorin, Caelestra, and Kaeloris began discussing their breakthroughs, the failed Alchemist became almost insufferably enthusiastic.

It wasn’t merely the number of words he spoke; it was the manner in which he spoke them.

Whenever Veyrath opened his mouth, it was as though he were determined to remind everyone around him of one undeniable fact, he had been the first among them to become an Etheryean.

And while that achievement was certainly no small feat, especially considering the circumstances under which they had accomplished it, Veyrath treated it as though he had accomplished something monumental enough to warrant the construction of a monument in his likeness.

He spoke about his breakthrough the way a nouveau riche flaunted his newfound wealth. He embellished, exaggerated, and dramatized every little detail until a relatively straightforward breakthrough sounded like an epic tale worthy of being sung by bards across the continent.

Throughout his speeches, his smugness was almost palpable, his self-satisfaction was even worse, and before long, he became downright insufferable and overbearing.

The conversation, which had initially been intended as an exchange of experiences and insights, gradually devolved into what seemed to be an extended opportunity for Veyrath to flaunt his achievement.

The others listened but it was for a while. And then, they began exchanging increasingly exhausted glances. Well, everyone except Aelric.

The green-eyed youth remained nearby with the same small smile on his face, his posture relaxed and his emerald eyes carrying their usual lackadaisical quality. He looked less like a mentor supervising a group of newly advanced cultivators and more like someone enjoying a particularly entertaining performance.

Eventually, Veyrath turned toward Kaeloris and called out.

”Kaeloris.” The failed Alchemist tilted his head. ”Is it just me, or does it seem like your head has gotten a little bigger since you were an Awakener?”

His tone was remarkably serious.

At first, the others assumed it was simply another one of Veyrath’s attempts to tease Kaeloris. But when they turned to look at the failed Gnost, their expressions gradually changed because... Veyrath was right.

Kaeloris’s head had always been somewhat large in proportion to his body. It was subtle enough that nobody had ever thought much of it. But now, it appeared slightly larger.

Not dramatically so and definitely not enough that a stranger meeting Kaeloris for the first time would immediately notice.

But these people had lived alongside him for more than a week. They knew his appearance almost as intimately as they knew their own and because of that familiarity, even the slightest alteration stood out.

”Would you look at that?” Vaelorin suddenly spoke.

His fiery red eyes gleamed with mischief, though there was a faint trace of genuine observation hidden beneath his amusement.

”Kaeloris, your head really does look bigger than before.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

”Tell me, how exactly did you manage to enlarge your head? I might have to learn the technique myself.”

His lips curled into a grin as he added lewdly. ”So that I can enlarge a certain other part of my body.”

A faintly lascivious glint appeared in his eyes when he spoke those words.

The others didn’t even bother reacting as this wasn’t the first time Vaelorin had demonstrated that his mind was frequently occupied by thoughts of a rather indecent nature.

So they had long since learned to ignore the man’s debauched sense of humor. What surprised them, however, was that beneath the vulgarity of his remark was a genuine observation.

Kaeloris had initially regarded Veyrath with a look of mild contempt when the failed Alchemist first pointed out the difference and assumed it was merely another one of Veyrath’s antics.

But when Vaelorin independently noticed the same thing, Kaeloris could no longer dismiss it.

He raised both hands and began rubbing his head. His fingers moved slowly across his scalp, feeling the shape of his skull from different angles.

After several moments of examination, he finally looked toward the others and replied. ”I don’t see what you’re talking about.”

There was genuine confusion in his voice as he added. ”My head feels the same.”

”Duh.” Vaelorin clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. ”That’s because you’re the one carrying it around. Obviously, you wouldn’t be able to tell that you’ve changed.”

Then, surprisingly, his expression became serious as his gaze shifted slightly toward Valmyr.

”But on a more serious note, it really is as we’ve said. In fact, you’re not the only one who’s undergone a change.”

Vaelorin pointed directly at the bulky youth and added. ”Look at the brute, for example. Can’t you tell that he looks different somehow?”

The others immediately turned toward Valmyr and once again, they realized that Vaelorin was right.

The difference in Valmyr wasn’t immediately detectable. This was because it wasn’t in his facial appearance. Rather, the transformation was in his physical proportions.

Valmyr had always been the bulkiest among them, even surpassing Regaleon in sheer physical mass.

His naturally immense frame, combined with his considerable height, had always given him an imposing presence. But now, he seemed almost primordial; as though some ancient warrior had crawled out from the depths of history and been given flesh once more.

Simply standing there, Valmyr gave off an impression of explosive physical power.

It was almost as though his body had become capable of accommodating an enormous amount of strength; far more than it had been able to contain as an Awakener.

The transformation wasn’t grotesque; on the contrary, it was more like an enhancement as every aspect of his physical form seemed to have been refined toward greater strength, greater density, and greater physical potential.

And just like Kaeloris, Valmyr himself couldn’t perceive the difference. He stared down at his arms, flexed his fingers, and frowned.

”What?” He looked genuinely puzzled as he commented. ”I feel normal.”

However, the others exchanged inquisitive glances. Then with both Valmyr and Kaeloris serving as examples, they began examining one another themselves carefully.

The more they looked, the more changes they found. As a matter of fact, it was quite obvious at this stage that there was something different about all of them; something subtle, something that hadn’t been present before their breakthroughs.

It was almost as though becoming Flesh Artificers had done more than merely increase their strength. The transformation was qualitative and their bodily vessels were beginning to reflect that distinction.

Vaelorin’s eyes were perhaps the easiest example.

They had always been a fiery red, but now, that red had deepened into something far more intense. His irises seemed to glow with the appearance of molten lava, with subtle orange-gold radiance dancing within their depths.

And if one were to stare into them for long enough, it almost seemed as though actual flames were burning behind his pupils.

Vaelorin was a Pyromancer so it made sense that the change was particularly fitting. After all, his Soul Essence and Aether were intrinsically connected to fire, and after his breakthrough, the qualitative transformation of his Fiery Aether had manifested physically through his eyes

Yet Vaelorin wasn’t the only one who had changed.

Veyrath’s eyes had also undergone a remarkable transformation.

They had always possessed the warm amber coloration characteristic of his original appearance. Now, however, thin circular rings of emerald green surrounded his amber irises.

The colors intertwined in a peculiar yet strangely harmonious manner, giving his eyes the appearance of two miniature emeralds embedded within pools of molten amber.

His hair had also hanged as well.

The strands were longer and noticeably fuller, possessing a healthy sheen that hadn’t been present before; as though his hair itself had been infused with an abundance of vitality.

When the light struck it at the right angle, faint green strands could be seen interwoven among the predominantly amber-brown locks.

They weren’t prominent enough to dominate his appearance, but there were enough of them to be clearly noticeable from close range.

Once again, the transformation seemed to mirror something happening within him; his body was no longer merely adapting to Aether, it was being fundamentally refined by it.

Caelestra’s transformation was perhaps the most striking of all.

Her skin had borne the marks of their time in the Nether Lands more than anyone else’s. The days of constant travel, fighting, exhaustion, and survival had left her looking worn and decrepit.

There had been faint cracks and blemishes across portions of her skin, while exhaustion had once dulled the natural beauty of her features. But now, those signs of deprivation were gone.

Her skin possessed a smooth, luminous quality that made it almost seem as though she had been sculpted from polished gemstones.

The difference was astonishing. Actually, Caelestra had always been beautiful, and nobody among them had ever questioned that.

But now her beauty seemed to have transcended mere physical attractiveness.

There was a purity to her appearance that hadn’t existed before; a celestial quality that made her look almost like a maiden who had stepped out of some ancient painting depicting the heavenly realms.

Of course, her skin wasn’t literally glowing in the darkness as the transformation wasn’t that exaggerated.

Yet the radiance reflected from her rejuvenated complexion was enough to make the distinction unmistakable.

Her hair had changed as well.

The previously dark strands had grown longer, smoother, and more lustrous, falling around her shoulders like flowing silk. Also, at their tips, faint traces of silver had appeared.

They were subtle at first glance, but under the multicolored radiance of the Essence Pool, those silver strands caught the light beautifully.

They looked almost like threads of moonlight woven into black silk.

For the group, who had received no warning that such transformations would occur, discovering these changes was shocking, to say the least.

They had entered the Essence Pool expecting to become stronger. But they hadn’t expected their very appearances to change.

And the longer they examined themselves, the more peculiarities they discovered. It was as though their breakthroughs had not merely elevated their cultivation.

Instead, they had also stripped away the imperfections accumulated throughout their lives and replaced them with something purer; something closer to the ideal form their bodies had always been capable of possessing.

Eventually, the seven newly transformed Etheryeans and turbed toward Aelric, their gazes converging upon him simultaneously.

Questions, confusion and curiosity filled their eyes. And, beneath all of it, there was also an unmistakable demand for an explanation.

Aelric merely smiled when he saw their expressions. And judging from the glint that briefly appeared within his emerald eyes, he had obviously been expecting this question all along...