Eclipse Zero

As they walked along the dirt path leading away from Oakwood Village, Stella glanced at Hugo. "So… what's the plan?" she asked.

Hugo kept his gaze forward, hands in his pockets. "We're heading to Requiem Prime," he said casually.

Stella nearly stopped in her tracks. "Wait, what? The capital of the Requiem Republic? That's across the entire continent!"

Hugo smirked. "Yeah, I know."

"Okay, but how exactly are we supposed to get there?" she asked, crossing her arms. "And why are we going there in the first place?"

Hugo shrugged. "We're going there to ask the Chancellor for help."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "The Chancellor? You seriously think the leader of the Requiem Republic is just going to help us?"

"That's the plan," Hugo said nonchalantly.

Stella sighed. "Fine. But that still doesn't answer how we're getting there."

"We're taking a Veilgate," Hugo answered.

Stella blinked. "A Veilgate? And where exactly are we supposed to find one of those?"

Cosmos chimed in. "Lucky for us, the next village—Ironfang Village—has one."

Stella frowned. "And how long till we get there?"

Hugo smirked. "A day."

Stella groaned. "A whole day of walking? You've got to be kidding me."

Hugo chuckled. "What, getting tired already?"

Stella shot him a glare. "No, but I wouldn't mind a faster way to travel."

Cosmos spoke up. "Well, unless you've got a personal airship stashed somewhere, you're stuck with walking."

Stella sighed in defeat. "Great. Just great."

Hugo smirked. "Don't worry, I'll keep you entertained." He took out his harmonica and started playing the same haunting melody from before as they continued down the road.

Stella rolled her eyes but said nothing, listening to the tune as they journeyed toward Ironfang Village.

As they continued down the worn dirt path, the landscape around them gradually shifted. The dense forests surrounding Oakwood Village began to thin, giving way to rolling plains and rocky outcroppings. The journey was mostly quiet, apart from the occasional sounds of birds in the distance and the soft tune of Hugo's harmonica.

After a while, Stella finally broke the silence. "So, why the Chancellor? What makes you think they'll help us?"

Hugo lowered his harmonica and exhaled. "Because if anyone has the power to challenge the Neo Arcana Dominion, it's them. The Requiem Republic has resources, military strength, and more importantly… influence."

Stella frowned. "And what makes you so sure they'll listen?"

Hugo shrugged. "I've got a few connections."

Cosmos let out a chuckle. "Understatement of the century."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "That's vague. What kind of connections?"

Hugo smirked. "Well, let's just say I was originally offered the position of the first Chancellor after the Eclipse War."

Stella stopped in her tracks. "Wait… what?"

Hugo kept walking, unbothered. "Yeah. They thought having the Hero of the Eclipse as their leader would unite people or whatever. I turned it down."

Stella hurried to catch up, still processing what she just heard. "And you just… said no?"

"Yeah."

"Why?!"

Hugo shrugged. "Not my thing."

Cosmos chimed in, "He wanted to go on adventures, not sit behind a desk making speeches."

Stella rubbed her temples. "You really are unbelievable…"

Before she could press further, a chilling howl echoed through the plains. Both of them immediately stopped, hands drifting toward their weapons. Then, from the shadows of the tall grass, dark figures emerged—three Void Hounds, their bodies wreathed in shifting black mist, their glowing violet eyes locked onto Hugo and Stella.

"Void Hounds…" Stella muttered, gripping her arc-blade tightly. "That's bad."

"They hunt Arcana users," Hugo said, his tone turning serious. "And they get stronger with each hunt."

One of the Void Hounds let out a guttural growl, the darkness around its body flickering as it prowled forward. The others followed, forming a loose semicircle around them.

"Wonderful," Stella said sarcastically. "What now?"

Hugo flipped Cosmos over his shoulder with a grin. "Now? Now we give them a fight they won't forget."

The Void Hounds lunged.

"Now, Cosmos!" Hugo yelled.

In response, Cosmos roared, "Corona Mode!"

A surge of blazing energy erupted from the sword, engulfing Hugo in radiant light. His eyes burned a fierce golden-red, and his clothing shimmered as fiery patterns ignited across them. The air around him distorted from the sheer heat, and the Void Hounds hesitated, sensing the shift in power.

Stella shielded her face from the sudden burst of light. "I'm never gonna get used to that…" she muttered.

Hugo twirled Cosmos once before pointing it at the approaching Void Hounds. "Alright, let's see if they're as tough as they think."

One of the hounds snarled before lunging, its shadowy form shifting like liquid darkness. Hugo reacted instantly, sidestepping and slashing with Cosmos. A wave of solar energy followed his strike, cutting through the beast mid-air. It yelped as its body was torn apart by pure radiance, dissolving into nothing.

The other two Void Hounds howled in fury, their bodies growing darker, absorbing the energy from their fallen kin. Their claws extended, gleaming with eerie purple light.

"Great," Stella said, readying her arc-blade. "They're adapting."

"They always do," Hugo said. "But so can we."

The Void Hounds lunged again.

The battle raged on as Hugo and Stella clashed against the Void Hounds. Each time they struck one down, the remaining hounds grew stronger, their bodies shifting and warping with the Arcana energy they absorbed.

"They're learning too fast!" Stella shouted, dodging a swipe from one of the beasts.

"We'll just have to be faster!" Hugo responded.

He took a deep breath and gripped Cosmos tightly. The fiery glow around him intensified as he focused his Arcana energy.

"Corona Burst!" Hugo roared.

In an instant, a golden-red aura exploded from his body, engulfing both him and Stella. The air crackled with heat as their movements became sharper, their strikes heavier, their reflexes heightened beyond normal limits. Stella gasped as she felt the surge of power rushing through her veins.

"Whoa—this is insane!" she exclaimed.

Hugo smirked. "Don't get too used to it. This boost won't last forever."

With their newfound speed and strength, they launched themselves at the Void Hounds. Hugo struck first, his blade moving like a streak of fire, cleaving through one of the creatures before it could react. Stella followed up, her arc-blade glowing with unstable energy as she delivered a swift, precise slash, cutting through another Void Hound's chest.

The final beast snarled in desperation, its body expanding, absorbing all the residual Arcana energy from its fallen pack. Its form twisted, becoming even more monstrous, its claws like darkened blades of pure void energy.

Hugo tightened his grip on Cosmos. "Looks like we've got one last problem to deal with."

Stella readied her stance. "Then let's finish this."

The Void Hound roared and lunged at them with terrifying speed.

Before the Void Hound could lunge, a blinding energy ray shot through the air, striking its left eye. The beast recoiled, letting out a distorted, ear-splitting howl of pain.

Hugo and Stella turned sharply toward the source of the attack.

Standing atop a nearby rock was a girl wielding an Arc-Gun, its barrel still glowing from the shot. She had short, dark blue hair and a confident smirk on her face. Next to her, half-hiding behind her shoulder, was a boy with messy blond hair, his expression nervous as he clutched a small Arcana device in his hands.

"Looks like you two could use some help," the girl called out, casually spinning her Arc-Gun before aiming it again.

Stella blinked. "Who—?"

"No time for introductions," Hugo interrupted, his eyes locked onto the Void Hound, which was already regenerating its lost eye. "If you're here to fight, then fight."

The girl grinned. "Gladly."

The shy boy, however, gulped. "I-I'm not so sure about this…"

The Void Hound let out another enraged roar, now fully focused on its new attackers.

"Alright," Hugo muttered, gripping Cosmos. "Let's finish this."

Hugo's eyes burned with fiery determination as he gripped Cosmos tightly. With a deep breath, he channeled Arcana energy through his blade, causing it to glow with an intense golden light.

"Strong Corona!" he roared.

In an instant, Hugo dashed forward, his movements enhanced by the overwhelming surge of power. He became a blur of red and gold, slashing through the Void Hound with rapid, precise strikes. Each cut ignited with solar energy, burning away the beast's regenerative abilities.

The Void Hound let out a distorted shriek, its form beginning to dissolve into nothingness. With one final, powerful slash, Hugo cleaved it in two, the beast's body evaporating in a burst of black mist.

As the Void Hound's body dissolved into nothingness, Hugo let out a slow breath. The crimson glow in his eyes faded, and his clothing shifted back to its usual color. The intense heat radiating from him dissipated as Corona Mode deactivated.

Stella lowered her Arc-Blade, exhaling heavily. "Show-off," she muttered under her breath.

The girl with the Arc-Gun let out an impressed whistle. "Well, damn," she muttered. "That was intense."

The shy boy next to her stared wide-eyed at Hugo, completely stunned.

Hugo, ignoring the comment, turned toward the newcomers. "Alright," he said, sheathing Cosmos. "Now that that's over… who the hell are you two?"

The girl smirked and holstered her Arc-Gun. "Name's Lena," she said confidently. Then, she gestured to the shy boy standing beside her. "And this here is Ethan—my little brother."

Ethan glanced at Hugo and Stella, then quickly averted his gaze, clearly nervous. He gave a small nod but said nothing.

Stella wiped some sweat from her forehead and looked at them curiously. "What are you two doing all the way out here?"

Lena crossed her arms. "We could ask you the same thing." Then, with a playful grin, she added, "But something tells me you're not exactly ordinary travelers."

Hugo sighed, already feeling like this was going to be more complicated than he wanted. "Great," he muttered. "More people getting involved."

Cosmos chuckled in his usual sarcastic tone. "Oh, come on, Hugo. The more, the merrier."

Hugo shot a glare at his sword. "Says the one who doesn't have to deal with all of this."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Wait… did your sword just talk?"

Stella sighed. "Yeah. You get used to it."

"Talking sword aside," Lena said, waving off the weirdness, "are you two heading to Ironfang Village?"

"Yeah," Stella replied, tilting her head. "How do you know?"

Lena smirked. "Because we're going there too."

Ethan gave a small nod, still avoiding eye contact.

Hugo crossed his arms. "And why are you two heading there?"

Lena shrugged. "Same reason as most people—trade, supplies, maybe a job. Ironfang's got connections." She glanced at Hugo. "But something tells me you've got a different reason for going."

Hugo sighed. "Great. More complications."

Stella ignored him and asked, "Well, since we're all going the same way, should we travel together?"

Lena grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Ethan hesitated but eventually nodded.

Hugo groaned. "Guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

Cosmos chuckled. "Nope."

As they continued their journey to Ironfang Village, Ethan hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "So… about your talking sword."

Hugo glanced at him. "What about it?"

"I mean… it's a talking sword!" Ethan said. "That's not exactly normal!"

"It's Cosmos," Hugo replied nonchalantly.

"WHAT?!" Ethan and Lena both shouted in unison.

"You mean Cosmos, the Sword of the Eclipse?!" Lena exclaimed. "The legendary weapon of the Hero of the Eclipse?!"

"Yup," Cosmos responded casually.

Ethan took a step back, eyes wide. "T-That means… then that means—"

Lena immediately turned to Hugo, suspicion in her eyes. "Who exactly are you?"

Hugo sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Here we go again…"

Hugo smirked slightly at their shocked expressions. "Well, let's just say… Cosmos only allows one person to wield it."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "But that would mean—"

Ethan's jaw dropped. "No way… You're the—"

"Figure it out yet?" Hugo said, glancing at them with a knowing look.

Lena crossed her arms. "That's impossible. The Hero of the Eclipse disappeared a thousand years ago. There's no way you could be—"

Cosmos suddenly chimed in, "And yet, here we are."

Ethan stared at Hugo in awe. "B-But if you really are him… then how are you still alive?"

Hugo shrugged. "Cosmic swords grant their wielders immunity to death."

Lena still seemed skeptical, but Ethan was already convinced. "That's insane…"

Stella sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah, took me a while to believe it too."

Hugo simply smirked. "Believe it or not, doesn't really matter to me."

Lena was silent for a moment, studying him carefully before saying, "If you really are the Hero of the Eclipse… then I guess that makes things a lot more interesting."

Ethan's eyes practically sparkled as he stared at Hugo in awe. "You're really the Hero of the Eclipse?! That's so cool! You're like—like a living legend!"

Hugo sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."

Ethan ignored his nonchalant attitude and kept going. "I read all about you in the history archives! You defeated Heliothar, Selendros, and Nyxether! You wielded the Sword of the Eclipse! You—"

"I was there, kid. I don't need a history lesson." Hugo waved him off, but Ethan was too excited to stop.

"Wait, does this mean you also fought against the Five Nations?!"

Hugo scratched the back of his head. "More like they fought against me."

Ethan gasped. "So it's true! You took on the whole world by yourself!"

Lena smirked. "He didn't win by himself, though."

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Oh great, a fanboy and a skeptic."

Stella chuckled. "Trust me, you'll get used to it."

Ethan wasn't done. "So wait! Does that mean you were really offered to be the first Chancellor of Requiem Prime?!"

Hugo sighed. "And turned it down."

Ethan's jaw dropped. "Why would you—"

"Not my thing."

Ethan groaned dramatically. "Ugh, you're so cool and mysterious, it's annoying!"

Hugo smirked. "Good."

Lena chuckled. "Alright, alright, let's focus. We still have a long way to Ironfang Village."

Ethan, still excited, walked beside Hugo, bombarding him with more questions. Hugo sighed but didn't stop him.

Their journey had just become a lot more interesting.

As they continued their journey to Ironfang Village, the sun started to set, casting an orange glow over the landscape. The dirt road stretched ahead, flanked by dense forests on either side.

Ethan was still buzzing with excitement, walking beside Hugo. "So, so—wait, tell me—what was the strongest enemy you ever fought?!"

Hugo thought for a moment. "That's hard to say. Heliothar, Selendros, and Nyxether were all ridiculously powerful. But I'd say Nyxether was the most dangerous."

Ethan's eyes widened. "Because he could devour everything, right?!"

Hugo nodded. "A single mistake against him, and you'd be erased from existence."

Ethan shivered. "Okay, yeah. That's terrifying."

Stella sighed. "Can we talk about something else? Maybe something not related to world-ending threats?"

Lena chuckled. "I second that. Let's focus on getting to Ironfang before nightfall."

Hugo glanced at the sky. "We probably won't make it before dark. Might have to set up camp."

Ethan looked uneasy. "Uh… is that safe?"

Hugo shrugged. "Safer than wandering through the woods at night."

Lena adjusted her arc-gun. "Well, if anything tries to attack us, I'll blow its head off."

Ethan sighed. "That's… not as reassuring as you think."

As night fell, the group set up camp in a small clearing near the road. The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows against the trees. Lena was cleaning her arc-gun, Stella was sharpening her arc-blade, and Hugo sat with his back against a tree, arms crossed.

Ethan, still buzzing with excitement, sat next to Hugo. "Okay, okay—one last question before I go to sleep."

Hugo sighed. "Just one?"

Ethan nodded eagerly. "How does it feel… you know, being the Hero of the Eclipse?"

Hugo stared into the fire for a moment before answering. "...Heavy."

Ethan blinked. "Heavy?"

Hugo smirked. "I meant it figuratively… but also literally. Cosmos is not a light sword."

Cosmos scoffed. "Excuse me? I'm perfectly balanced."

Hugo chuckled. "You weigh as much as a slab of iron."

Ethan laughed before yawning. "Alright, alright… I'll let you sleep." He stretched out near the fire, still grinning to himself. "Man… I can't believe I met the Hero of the Eclipse."

Hugo leaned back against the tree, gazing at the stars. "I'm not a hero anymore, kid."

But Ethan was already asleep, a peaceful smile on his face.

As Ethan drifted off, Hugo let out a small sigh and leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. The night air was cool, and the crackling of the fire mixed with the distant sounds of the forest.

With Hugo and Ethan now asleep, Lena glanced over at Stella. "So…" she said, leaning forward slightly, "you're traveling with the Hero of the Eclipse. That's crazy."

Stella sighed. "Trust me, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." She poked at the fire with a stick. "He's… not what I expected."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Stella hesitated before answering. "The stories always made him sound like this noble warrior who stood above everyone else, this legendary hero who changed the world. But… Hugo? He's kind of a mess."

Lena smirked. "I mean, he doesn't exactly act like a legend."

Stella nodded. "Yeah. He doesn't want to be a hero anymore. He keeps saying that over and over. But… I think he still cares. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here."

Lena tilted her head. "And what about you? Why are you with him?"

Stella was quiet for a moment. She glanced at her arc-blade resting beside her. "Because… I have something I need to do. The Dominion took my family. I won't let them take anything else."

Lena watched her for a moment before nodding. "Sounds like you and Hugo aren't so different after all."

Stella gave a small, tired smile. "Maybe." Stella looked at Lena with curiosity. "What about you?" she asked. "Why are you and Ethan heading to Ironfang Village?"

Lena's expression shifted, a brief flicker of sadness in her eyes. "We're looking for our father," she admitted.

Stella's eyes widened slightly. "Your father's missing?"

Lena nodded. "Yeah… He was a researcher. Worked with Arcana energy. One day, he just… disappeared. No warning, no sign of where he went. The only clue we have is that he was last seen heading toward Ironfang Village."

Stella frowned. "And you think he's still there?"

Lena sighed. "I don't know. But it's the best lead we have. Ethan… he tries to stay hopeful, but I can tell he's scared." She looked over at her little brother, who was fast asleep, clutching his blanket. "I have to be strong for him. If I give up, who else is gonna keep him going?"

Stella nodded in understanding. "I get it."

Lena smirked. "Yeah? What about you? Got any family left?"

Stella's grip on her arc-blade tightened. "Maybe. My sister… she was taken by the Dominion a long time ago. I don't know if she's still alive, but if she is, I'm going to find her."

Lena exhaled. "So, we're both chasing ghosts, huh?"

Stella gave a small, bitter smile. "Yeah… I guess we are."

The fire crackled between them as the weight of their words settled. For now, all they could do was keep moving forward.

After a while, the conversation faded into silence, both girls lost in their thoughts. The fire crackled softly, casting warm flickering shadows around the campsite.

Lena let out a tired sigh and stretched. "We should probably get some rest. We've got a long journey ahead."

Stella nodded. "Yeah… tomorrow's going to be a long day."

With that, they both settled down, finding a comfortable spot near the fire. Lena adjusted her coat, making sure Ethan was warm, while Stella kept her arc-blade close by, her fingers resting on the hilt.

The night was quiet, save for the distant sounds of the wilderness. As exhaustion took over, they drifted into sleep, ready to face whatever awaited them in Ironfang Village.