Eclipse Zero

Hugo stood in front of the inn, the dim glow of the lanterns casting flickering shadows across his face. The night was quiet, save for the distant rustling of leaves in the wind. He held his harmonica in his hand, his fingers tracing its worn edges. Stella's words echoed in his mind.

"You're the Hero of the Eclipse, and you're just running away?"

He closed his eyes. That name—the title—felt foreign now. A thousand years had passed, and he no longer saw himself as the hero people remembered. The weight of time pressed heavily on his shoulders. He had fought, he had won, and yet here he was, a drifter with no cause, no purpose.

Meanwhile, across the village, Stella lay on her bed, staring at the wooden ceiling of her small home. The room was dimly lit by a single candle, its flickering flame mirroring the storm of thoughts raging inside her. She had spent her childhood looking up to the Hero of the Eclipse, hearing tales of his bravery, his strength, his unwavering will to protect. And yet, the man she met today—the man who wielded Cosmos—was nothing like the legend she admired.

Hugo was distant, weary, even reluctant. How could someone who had once saved the world be so indifferent now?

She turned onto her side, gripping her blanket tightly. The Neo Arcane Dominion was a threat that wouldn't just go away. They had taken her sister, killed her parents, and now they were growing bolder. If the hero of the past wouldn't fight, then who would? Was it all just a myth? A story children were told to feel safe?

Back at the inn, Hugo let out a deep sigh, his breath visible in the cold night air. He knew Stella wouldn't stop pushing him. He knew the Neo Arcane Dominion wouldn't stop their advance. And deep down, despite how much he wanted to run from it all, he knew fate had already set things in motion.

Looking up at the night sky, he muttered to himself, "I'll think about it…"

But something in him knew—this wasn't something he could just walk away from anymore.

The next morning, Hugo stood at the entrance of Oakwood Village, the cool morning breeze ruffling his coat. His back was turned to the village, his gaze locked on the road ahead. The sky was painted with hues of orange and blue, signaling the dawn of a new day—and perhaps, the start of something he couldn't walk away from.

Stella approached him, her arms crossed. "So, you're really leaving," she said, her voice sharp. "You're just going to run away again?"

Hugo didn't respond. He simply stood there, quiet, unreadable.

Then, Cosmos spoke, its voice echoing with amusement."You don't get it, do you? We're not running away. We're going to storm their nearest base—so they won't bother this village ever again."

Stella's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what?"

Hugo finally turned his head slightly, his white eyes unreadable. "You said it yourself," he murmured. "The Neo Arcane Dominion won't stop. And if they won't stop—"

"—then we'll stop them first," Cosmos finished.

A moment of silence passed between them. Then, Stella's lips slowly curled into a determined smile.

"Alright then," she said, tightening the gloves on her hands. "I'm coming with you."

Hugo sighed. "Figured you'd say that."

The two of them turned toward the path ahead, where the shadow of the Neo Arcane Dominion's outpost loomed in the distance.

The hunt was on.

As they walked along the dirt road, the morning sun rising higher in the sky, Stella glanced at Hugo with a skeptical look.

"So, do you actually have a plan? Or are we just walking into this blindly?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Hugo let out a small chuckle. "Yeah. We sneak in, take out the leader, then burn down the base."

Cosmos suddenly spoke, its voice dripping with sarcasm."Or, you could just charge in recklessly like an idiot. That worked so well last time, right?"

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Tempting. But no."

Stella smirked. "Good to know you have some restraint."

Hugo didn't respond, but a small, amused smile flickered across his face. The weight of what they were about to do was heavy, yet somehow, the banter made it feel a little lighter.

Ahead, the trees began to thin, and in the distance, a towering fortress of black steel stood against the horizon—the Neo Arcane Dominion's outpost.

Their mission was about to begin.

As they approached the outskirts of the Neo Arcane Dominion's outpost, Hugo and Stella crouched behind a small ridge, peering down at the fortress below.

The base was a massive black steel stronghold, surrounded by towering walls lined with sentries. Arcana energy pulsed through its structures, giving it an ominous glow. The entrance was heavily guarded, with Neo Arcane soldiers patrolling the perimeter.

Stella narrowed her eyes. "There's no way we're getting in through the front."

Hugo scanned the area carefully. Then, his gaze landed on something—a drain tunnel, partially concealed beneath the fortress walls. The metal bars that once covered it were rusted and bent, likely forgotten over time.

He pointed at it. "There. That's our way in."

Stella followed his gaze, then smirked. "A sewer tunnel? Seriously?"

"It's either that or fighting through an army," Hugo replied.

Cosmos chimed in, its voice dripping with amusement."I vote for the army. Sounds more fun."

Hugo ignored the sword's remark and turned to Stella. "Let's move before patrols circle back."

With a nod, the two of them moved swiftly toward the tunnel, staying low to avoid detection. The scent of damp earth and rust filled the air as they approached the entrance.

Hugo placed a hand on the corroded bars, testing their strength. With a firm pull, the metal groaned before snapping loose. He stepped aside, gesturing for Stella to enter first.

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "I can't believe I'm crawling through a sewer for this."

Cosmos chuckled."Look on the bright side—at least you won't have to fight through a horde of Dominion soldiers… yet."

Stella rolled her eyes before slipping into the tunnel. Hugo followed close behind, sealing their entrance as they disappeared into the darkness, the echoes of dripping water guiding them deeper into enemy territory.

As they continued through the tunnel, the dim light of torches flickered ahead. They soon came across a ladder leading up to a metal hatch.

Hugo pressed his ear against it, listening for any signs of movement. When he heard nothing, he carefully pushed it open, peeking inside. The room was dimly lit, filled with rows of racks lined with weapons pulsing with Arcana energy.

They had emerged in the base's arsenal.

Hugo let out a low whistle."Well, would you look at that," he muttered, taking in the rows of neatly arranged weapons. Arc-blades, arc-hammers, and arc-lances pulsed faintly with Arcana energy, casting an eerie glow across the room.

Cosmos hummed in amusement. "You know, if we weren't trying to be sneaky, this would be the perfect place for a spectacular explosion."

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, let's not alert the entire base just yet."

Stella, however, wasn't listening. Her gaze was fixed on the weapons, scanning the arc-blades, arc-hammers, and arc-lances, each one humming with Arcana energy.

Then, her eyes locked onto something—an arc-blade, white with a faint hint of yellow.

Something about it called to her.

"This one..." she murmured, stepping closer and reaching out for the hilt.

As Stella reached for the arc-blade, Hugo smirked and crossed his arms.

"Oh? See something you like?" he teased. "Didn't take you for the 'fancy sword' type."

Stella shot him a glare. "It's not fancy, it just... stands out." She ran her fingers along the hilt, feeling a strange warmth emanating from it.

Cosmos chuckled. "Careful, kid. Swords have a way of choosing their wielders."

Hugo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and next thing you know, you'll start talking to your sword. Trust me, it's a slippery slope."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up." She gripped the sword tightly, feeling a faint pulse of Arcana energy surge through her fingers. "...I think I'm taking it."

Hugo shrugged. "Fine, just don't start naming it or anything."

Cosmos let out a dramatic sigh. "Ah, young warriors and their weapons... it's adorable, really."

As the blaring alarm echoed through the base, Hugo and Stella sprinted out of the arsenal, their footsteps barely audible over the deafening sirens.

"Great, so much for sneaking in," Hugo muttered, gripping Cosmos tighter.

"Where do we go now?" Stella asked, glancing frantically down the corridors.

Hugo spotted an open doorway ahead. "In here!" He pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them.

But as they turned around, both of them froze.

The chamber was vast, lined with banners bearing the insignia of the Neo Arcana Dominion. At the far end of the room, standing with an air of absolute confidence, was a lone figure. His armor was dark, pulsing with streaks of violet Arcana energy, and the very presence of him seemed to thicken the air.

A slow, amused chuckle escaped his lips. "You certainly took your time."

Hugo's eyes narrowed. "And you are?"

The man smirked. "Veydris. One of the Seven Commanders of the Dominion." He took a step forward, his piercing gaze locking onto Hugo. "And you... You're not just some random swordsman, are you?"

His smirk widened into a grin. "No… You're him. The Hero of the Eclipse."

The moment those words left his mouth, Stella's breath caught in her throat.

Cosmos let out a small chuckle. "Well, there it is. Took long enough."

As the blaring alarm echoed through the base, Hugo and Stella sprinted out of the arsenal, their footsteps barely audible over the deafening sirens.

"Great, so much for sneaking in," Hugo muttered, gripping Cosmos tighter.

"Where do we go now?" Stella asked, glancing frantically down the corridors.

Hugo spotted an open doorway ahead. "In here!" He pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them.

But as they turned around, both of them froze.

The chamber was vast, lined with banners bearing the insignia of the Neo Arcana Dominion. At the far end of the room, standing with an air of absolute confidence, was a lone figure. His armor was dark, pulsing with streaks of violet Arcana energy, and the very presence of him seemed to thicken the air.

A slow, amused chuckle escaped his lips. "You certainly took your time."

Hugo's eyes narrowed. "And you are?"

The man smirked. "Veydris. One of the Seven Commanders of the Dominion." He took a step forward, his piercing gaze locking onto Hugo. "And you... You're not just some random swordsman, are you?"

His smirk widened into a grin. "No… You're him. The Hero of the Eclipse."

Cosmos let out a small chuckle. "Well, that didn't Take long."

Veydris rested his spear on his shoulder. "Hugo, why not cast aside these foolish games? Join the Neo Arcana Dominion. With your strength, we could reshape this world as we see fit."

Hugo let out a short, mocking laugh. "And let me guess—you see yourselves as the new rulers of Arcana energy? Please. The Neo Arcana Dominion is nothing but a cheap imitation of the Five Nations. A pale shadow trying to act like something greater."

Veydris' smirk twisted into a scowl. His grip on the spear tightened, and his aura flared with raw energy.

"We are NOT a cheap imitation, boy!" His voice was sharp with anger. "We are the future. The Five Nations fell because they were weak, divided by their own arrogance. We will succeed where they failed."

Hugo remained unfazed, smirking. "You keep saying that, but no matter what you do, you'll always be a cheap imitation."

Veydris' fury surged, his Arcana energy crackling through the air. "You insolent—"

Before he could finish, Hugo cut him off. "And by the way, I've lived ten times your lifespan, so don't call me 'boy,' child."

Stella blinked in confusion, turning to Hugo. "Wait… how old are you?"

Hugo shrugged. "Forever seventeen."

Cosmos let out a dry chuckle. "1017."

Stella's eyes widened. "What?!"

Stella stared at Hugo in shock before shaking her head. "I knew you were old, but I didn't think you were that old!"

Hugo sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, well, immortality has its downsides."

Cosmos chuckled. "Understatement of the century."

Veydris, still fuming, gritted his teeth. "Enough of this nonsense. If you won't join us, then you'll die here, relic."

Hugo cracked his neck, stepping forward with a smirk. "Funny, that's what the last guy who tried to kill me said… a thousand years ago."

eydris let out a frustrated sound. "I should kill you where you stand, but I am no barbarian. Instead, I'm going to make a deal with you."

He took a step forward, his crimson eyes locked onto Hugo. "I know why you're here. You want to destroy this base. So here's my proposal—battle against my best soldier. If you win, I shall take my leave. But if you lose… I will take Cosmos with me."

Stella furrowed her brows, clearly confused. "Wait… that's it? Just a duel?"

Before Veydris could respond, Cosmos chuckled. "I get it. Even if we win, you'll have something to report to your master. It's a win-win for you, huh?"

Hugo smirked, shaking his head. "Nice try, but this isn't my first rodeo."

He then pointed at Stella, making her jolt in surprise. "Instead, she's going to fight for me."

"What? Are you insane?!" Stella shouted, glaring at Hugo.

Veydris let out an amused chuckle, folding his arms. "Interesting… throwing the girl into the fire instead of fighting yourself? I must admit, I expected more from the so-called Hero of the Eclipse."

Hugo smirked. "You worry too much. That arc-blade chose you for a reason—you just need to trust it."

Veydris raised a brow, then let out a short laugh. "Oh, that arc-blade? That thing's arcana energy is unstable. No one has ever been able to use any technique with it." He shrugged. "I mostly put it in the arsenal for show."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Stella muttered, gripping the arc-blade tightly.

"Don't worry," Hugo said casually, leaning against a pillar. "Every weapon has its power—it just needs the right wielder."

Stella shot him a glare. "Easy for you to say! You're not the one holding a supposedly useless weapon!"

Veydris smirked. "This should be entertaining."

Veydris snapped his fingers, and the doors on the far end of the chamber creaked open. A tall figure stepped forward, clad in dark armored plating with glowing red veins of Arcana energy pulsing through the cracks. His helmet concealed his face, but the sheer presence of his Arcana energy sent a chill down Stella's spine.

"This is Dazmir, one of my best enforcers," Veydris said smugly. "If you can defeat him, you may leave in peace. But if you fail, Cosmos will belong to the Dominion."

Dazmir drew a massive arc-lance, the energy humming ominously as he pointed it toward Stella. "I have no interest in fighting weaklings," he said, his voice a deep growl.

Stella swallowed hard, then turned to Hugo. "You're really making me fight this guy?"

Hugo grinned. "You'll be fine."

"That doesn't help!"

"Just trust your instincts. Let the blade guide you."

Veydris chuckled. "Enough stalling. Begin."

Dazmir lunged forward at terrifying speed, his lance crackling with Arcana energy. Stella barely had time to react as she raised the arc-blade, bracing for impact.

The moment Dazmir's arc-lance struck, Stella felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through the arc-blade in her hands. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, but instead of being blown back, she found herself standing firm, the blade absorbing the force.

"Huh?" Stella gasped.

Dazmir grunted and pushed harder, but the energy of the arc-blade flared up, forming a faint golden aura around her. The unstable Arcana energy Veydris had mentioned… it wasn't rejecting her—it was resonating with her.

"Interesting," Veydris muttered, watching closely.

Hugo smirked. "See? Told you it just needed the right wielder."

Dazmir stepped back, spinning his lance before thrusting forward with a powerful strike. Stella, still overwhelmed, barely dodged, the weapon grazing her side and scorching her clothes.

"Focus, Stella," Cosmos chimed in. "This weapon is adapting to you, but you need to meet it halfway."

She tightened her grip. "Meet it halfway…?"

Dazmir attacked again, but this time, something inside her clicked. As if acting on instinct, she twisted her body and brought the arc-blade down in a sweeping motion. The weapon pulsed, releasing a golden slash of energy that collided with Dazmir's lance, sending him skidding back.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"That's more like it," Hugo said with a satisfied grin.

Stella stared at her blade in shock. "Did… did I just use a technique?"

Veydris's smirk faded slightly. "Impossible. That blade has never responded to anyone before."

Dazmir steadied himself, rolling his shoulders. "Not bad," he admitted. "But let's see if you can handle this."

With a burst of speed, he vanished from sight, reappearing behind Stella with his lance aimed at her back.

Hugo's voice rang out. "Stella, watch out!"

Instinct took over. Stella twisted her body, barely dodging the strike as the tip of Dazmir's arc-lance grazed her shoulder. Sparks of Arcana energy crackled from the impact, but she ignored the sting, gripping her arc-blade tighter.

"Too slow," Dazmir taunted, already moving for another attack.

But this time, Stella didn't back away. She took a deep breath, feeling the pulse of the blade in her hands. Instead of retreating, she stepped forward, meeting his assault head-on.

Their weapons clashed, sending another shockwave through the chamber. The unstable energy within her blade surged again, but instead of fighting it, Stella focused, letting the power flow naturally. The golden aura around her weapon flared, stabilizing for a brief moment.

"There it is," Hugo muttered, watching with approval.

Dazmir narrowed his eyes. "Tch. You're learning quickly. But you're still not fast enough!"

He vanished again, reappearing at her side, thrusting his lance forward.

"Come on, blade," Stella whispered, shifting her stance.

At the last second, her arc-blade responded. It pulled her forward with a burst of speed, allowing her to duck beneath the attack. As she moved, she swung upward, aiming for his exposed side.

Dazmir barely managed to block in time, but the sheer force of her strike sent him stumbling back. His eyes widened. "What the—?"

"She's adapting," Veydris observed, his intrigue growing.

Stella exhaled sharply, adjusting her grip. "I'm not done yet."

"Now, use the technique from earlier and call out its name!" Hugo commanded.

Stella hesitated for a split second, feeling the energy surge through the arc-blade. She still didn't fully understand it, but she could feel it—pulsing, waiting.

Dazmir recovered from his stumble, gripping his arc-lance tighter. "You think shouting a name will make a difference?!" He lunged forward again, his weapon crackling with deadly Arcana energy.

"Do it now, Stella!" Cosmos urged.

She gritted her teeth, focusing everything on the blade. The golden glow around it intensified, flaring like a sunburst. She tightened her stance, exhaled, and then—

"Radiant Slash!"

The blade roared to life, releasing a blazing arc of golden energy. It slashed through the air with blinding speed, colliding with Dazmir's lance.

For a moment, there was silence. Then—BOOM!

The force of the impact sent Dazmir flying across the chamber, crashing into the far wall. Smoke and embers flickered in the air as Stella stood there, panting, her blade still glowing.

Hugo smirked. "Now that's more like it."

Dazmir groaned as he struggled to push himself off the cracked stone floor, his arc-lance sparking erratically from the impact. His breathing was ragged, and his eyes burned with disbelief.

Veydris, who had been watching with arms crossed, let out a low chuckle. "Well, well... Seems the unstable blade found a wielder after all."

Stella tightened her grip on the arc-blade, still catching her breath. "I-I actually did it…" she muttered, looking at the weapon in her hands.

"Told you," Hugo said casually, resting Cosmos on his shoulder. "Every weapon just needs the right wielder."

Dazmir forced himself to stand, gripping his lance with trembling hands. "I... I'm not done yet!" he growled.

But before he could make another move, Veydris raised a hand. "Enough."

Dazmir froze. "But, Commander—"

Veydris' eyes flashed dangerously. "I said enough. You lost." He turned his gaze toward Hugo and Stella. "It seems you've earned your victory. As promised, I will take my leave."

Stella's stance remained tense. "Just like that?"

Veydris smirked. "Oh, don't look so surprised. I keep my word." He then leaned forward slightly, his grin widening. "But don't think for a second that this is over. The Arcane Sovereign will want to hear about this... and when he does, your little victory here will mean nothing."

Hugo sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Get in line. I've heard worse threats."

Veydris let out an amused chuckle before turning away. "Dazmir, we're leaving. The Neo Arcana Dominion has no use for failures."

Dazmir clenched his fists in frustration but didn't argue. He cast one last glare at Stella before following his commander.

As the two disappeared through the corridors of the base, Stella finally let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "We actually won..."

Hugo gave her a light pat on the back. "Told you this wouldn't be so bad."

She turned to him with narrowed eyes. "You threw me into a fight with an unstable weapon!"

Hugo just grinned. "And yet, here you are—victorious."

Cosmos chuckled. "Ah, yes. Classic Hugo. Reckless, irresponsible, and somehow always right."

as they walked down the hall, Stella sighed but couldn't stop a small smile from forming. Then she looked around. "So… what now?"

Hugo stretched his arms before cracking his neck. "Now? We finish what we came here to do."

He turned toward the arsenal, filled with rows of arc-weapons, energy cells, and explosive canisters. Stella followed his gaze, gripping her arc-blade tighter.

"You're thinking about blowing it all up, aren't you?" she asked.

Cosmos hummed. "Ah, destruction. A classic approach."

Hugo smirked. "They won't be needing any of this anymore." He strode toward a stack of arc-energy canisters, their glowing cores pulsing with raw power. "These things are unstable. If we overload them, this whole place will go up in flames."

Stella let out a slow breath. "Alright. How do we set it off?"

Hugo stabbed Cosmos into the ground, the blade's glow intensifying. "Simple. We cut the limiters and let the Arcana energy spiral out of control."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "You sound way too confident about this."

"Relax," Hugo said as he slashed at one of the limiters, sparks flying. "I've done this before."

Cosmos let out a sigh. "I'd like to remind everyone that the last time he 'did this before,' we were nearly vaporized."

Stella groaned. "Great. Just great."

As the limiters shattered, the canisters began to hum violently, their glow intensifying. The air crackled with unstable energy.

Hugo stepped back, grabbing Stella's wrist. "Time to go."

The two sprinted toward the exit as the humming turned into a high-pitched whine. The moment they burst through the entrance and into the open night, the base erupted behind them—an explosion of brilliant golden Arcana energy tearing through the structure.

A shockwave blasted out, sending dust and embers into the sky as flames engulfed what remained of the Neo Arcana Dominion's outpost.

Stella shielded her eyes from the light, watching the destruction unfold. "That… was intense."

Hugo smirked, twirling his harmonica in his fingers. "Told you it'd work."

Cosmos sighed. "One of these days, I'd love for things to end without a massive explosion."

Hugo chuckled. "Where's the fun in that?"

As the flames roared behind them, the two turned away from the ruins of the base and stepped forward—toward whatever awaited them next.