The author speaking here.
A heads-up—many characters will be introduced in the upcoming chapters. Visit my patreon.com/Ecos_ to see representative images of the characters at no cost.
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"On the horizon where the sun hides among the whispers of the wind, a destiny is forged that neither time nor darkness will dare to unveil, while the stars, relentless, watch over the echo of an ancient vow." —Excerpt from Volume 1 of The Reborn Hero
Point of View: ???
Location: Lumine's Domains, Capital City: Thaldóran
Home to the main Holy See of the Faith of Erislysse: Goddess of Light and Goodness.
Thaldóran, the capital of Eldoria, could be considered the largest city inhabited by humans per square kilometer. It is the heart of the nation; here lies the Palace of the Eternal Moon, home to the royal family and their King—the Wynsdreads.
Laughter, shouting, songs, and merriment echoed along one of the bustling main streets teeming with pedestrians. The source of the uproar was the Three Broomsticks Tavern, a renowned meeting point for adventurers due to its affiliation with the guild.
"Waitress, another round, please!" A young man with a bright smile and dull gray hair lifted his wooden mug. Hearing his call, a young woman with an apron and pleasant features approached, carrying a tray loaded with drinks. "Here you go, Mr. Hax," she said cheerfully. The man winked at the waitress. "Since you know my name, shouldn't you at least tell me yours?"
A visible blush colored the waitress's cheeks. "It's Yulismel, sir," she replied timidly. "That's a lovely name," Hax remarked, accepting his next mug of beer with a grin that gleamed as brightly as polished steel. The young woman, flustered, nearly spilled the rest of the drinks on her tray, eliciting quiet amusement from Hax.
"Yulismel, stop daydreaming and keep serving the customers! We're packed today." The authoritative voice of an older woman rang out from the back of the tavern, making the waitress jump in surprise. "Right away, Mother," she responded hurriedly before bowing slightly to the handsome young man. With a touch of frustration at losing the chance to prolong their chat, she returned to her duties.
Hax shook his head and took a long swig of his beer, hiding an amused smile behind the wooden mug. Yes, this man was Hax Ironblade, a blacksmith's son who had chosen not to follow the family trade. Instead, he had quickly become one of the most renowned Adamantite-ranked adventurers.
At the moment, he was seated at a table slightly removed from the commotion, waiting for his team to gather so they could plan an important mission. The soft sound of music filled the air—a recent invention, a music box, was already proving its worth, something found only in large and prosperous cities like this one.
"Having fun flirting with young ladies?" a flat voice inquired beside him, nearly making him spill his drink. "Damn it! Your stealth skills are as sharp as ever, Veydras."
A petite female figure sat across from him. Her dark skin contrasted with her bright green eyes. On her head, she wore the skull of a wyvern as protective gear, and her muted green cloak matched her emerald gaze.
"I was bored sitting here alone, waiting for all of you. You can't blame me," Hax explained, trying to steady his startled heart. "And your best way to kill time is to try getting into the pants of a girl who barely seems of age? Maybe I should tell Sylwen about this. I'm sure she'd find it interesting." Veydras Verdant, the strongest in their group, spoke in her usual deadpan tone.
Hax set the mug down, crossed his arms, and smiled nervously. "Okay, this escalated too quickly. Let's slow it down. Our lovely vice-captain doesn't need to know."
"What don't I need to know?" A new voice joined the scene. A striking female figure with almost perfect features appeared, hands on her hips, her pointed ears clearly attuned to catch even the faintest sound. This time, Hax's heart did a complete somersault. "Oh, it's nothing important. We were just talking about our next mission, right, Veydras?"
Thankfully, Veydras chose not to answer, sparing him from the vice-captain's probing gaze.
Sylwen, a diurnal Elfcors, also took a seat. Her light armor highlighted her figure, and her tied-back brown hair suggested a practical nature. Her furrowed brow hinted at her effort to piece together the conversation's context.
"There's room for one more," a male voice chimed in, unmistakable in its tone. This was Corvus Whitewing, a Folkmmurd of the avian race and the best bard and healer anyone could wish for in a team.
Hax smiled, greeting his friend, grateful that Sylwen didn't dig deeper into the earlier topic. "Only three left to arrive," he said, taking another swig of his beer as if it were water. "This must be important. You don't usually take the lead on a mission," Sylwen remarked, wondering why Hax had interrupted their vacation and called them together so urgently.
"Well, it is important, and it might just be our biggest mission yet. This is the big leagues, but we'll discuss it once the whole gang is here," Hax explained, maintaining an air of mystery, fully aware that it irked their vice-captain, who naturally huffed at his vagueness.
"Then it better be gigantic, because I put aside a lot of plans for this," a new voice interjected. It was Valthor Stormveil, a dark-skinned man with a colossal sword resting on his back. Everyone present greeted him enthusiastically, and the congratulations soon poured in—his first daughter had recently been born, something he couldn't stop talking about.
"Sorry for dragging you out of your early retirement, Valthor. But this is too much for just the six of us to handle. We need your muscles and, of course, your hollow head," Hax declared, standing up from his seat with a happy expression; his old friend was here, ready to fight alongside them once more.
"Cut the drama; you know I'm here for the pay, not to see your handsome face, kid," Valthor replied with a grin, accepting the hug Hax offered him. More hugs followed, along with additional congratulations that brightened his mood despite his attempts to hide it. Finally, everyone returned to their seats, waiting for the last two members of the group to arrive.
They didn't have to wait long, as the pair arrived together.
"Well, well... what do we have here? My favorite band of misfits," announced the playful voice of Sorya Duskwraith. She was a female Folkmmurd of the feline race, who immediately pounced on Valthor to hug him. "Congratulations on your little human cub! I still can't believe someone was blind enough to marry you."
Laughter erupted around the table, except for the recipient of the comment.
"You said you'd behave, but I'm not seeing that, Sorya," retorted another female voice. It was Lyria Pyrelis, the group's combat mage, who, exasperated by her friend's behavior, also congratulated Valthor before taking a seat and fiddling with her pointed hat, which concealed most of her pink hair.
"Oh, come on, you can't say that, you're the one who spent half your savings from two years on a worn-out-looking grimoire," Sorya quipped, amused.
Lyria narrowed her eyes, her hand unconsciously moving toward her leather bag imbued with spatial magic. "I've already told you, it's a unique grimoire; there's no other like it. It contains several incredible spells that I need to learn as soon as possible."
Sorya waved her hand dismissively. "To me, they all look the same. Nothing different from the usual stuff we find in dungeons."
"Alright, alright... Before you two start your cat-and-mouse game, let's officially start this meeting," Hax interjected, preventing the women's gazes from turning into daggers. He clapped his hands a couple of times to capture everyone's attention. Then he looked at Veydras, who quickly understood the signal and cast an illusion that muffled sound within a confined area.
"Alright, I pulled all of you from your unpaid vacations because an urgent mission came up that I couldn't refuse," Hax began, pausing to build suspense—a tactic he clearly enjoyed. "This mission is a personal request, outside the guild's usual dealings; it was commissioned by none other than the Princess of Eldoria herself, under the supervision of the guild master."
At his words, everyone was left speechless. They had expected something big, like the appearance of a new dungeon, but not this. They were truly stepping into the big leagues.
"As you know, we don't usually meddle in the work of sorcerers and hunters. However, if you agree to come with me on this mission, we'll have to bend that rule a little. So, Conclave of the Rising Night, who's in?" Hax asked, infusing his words with mystery.
The group could only smile.
"Come on, stop saying it as if any of us would turn down such a mission. After all, if the Princess of this country herself requested the job, then the pay should be astronomical—enough for an entire village to live as nobles for a generation," Sylwen remarked, already imagining the future dangers they would face.
No one dared to refute the vice-captain's words. Instead, they all nodded in agreement.
"Then we'd better enjoy a good dinner before we leave. It'd be a shame to come to a tavern and not fill our stomachs," said Corvus, whose imposing figure stood out wherever he went.
With that, the members of the Conclave of the Rising Night began strategizing for their next mission while sharing a pleasant moment as a team, strengthening the bonds between them.
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The footsteps of a group of exceptional individuals came to a halt. At the front, a handsome young man with dull gray hair looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand. "Wow, this place sure is imposing," he remarked, surprised by the gigantic structure before him.
"The Eternal Moon Palace of the royal family. It certainly lives up to its name," replied Sylwen, the group's vice leader, stepping forward to stand beside Hax. She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes gleaming with a mix of respect and admiration. The remaining members of the Conclave of the Rising Night nodded, speechless at the opulence of the place.
The seven adventurers stood before the colossal entrance of the palace, guarded by two intimidating sentinels clad in gleaming armor. It was Hax who took the first step, approaching with a friendly expression. His gaze shifted beyond the golden gates to a majestic garden with a single path stretching out before them.
"Greetings. We are the Conclave of the Rising Night, Adamantite-ranked adventurers. We have been summoned by Princess Azareth Wynsdread," he declared firmly, stepping close enough to catch the guards' attention. However, his movements were met with hostility—the guards raised their swords, pointing them directly at his neck.
"Do not take another step. You are not permitted to advance, adventurer," one of them warned in a gruff, unyielding tone.
Hax raised his hands in a placating gesture, his smile unwavering. "Wow, you two sure look terrifying with all that metal on," he joked, attempting to diffuse the tension. The response, however, was swift and severe.
"Show proof that your words are true, or leave at once," the other guard retorted, his sword remaining firmly in place.
Hax let out a deep sigh. From his leather bag imbued with spatial magic, he retrieved a scroll bearing the royal seal of the Wynsdreads. He moved slowly, careful not to escalate the situation further. "Here it is—proof that my words are no lies," he said, handing over the scroll. Despite the tension, his smile stayed intact, though he thought to himself: Heavens, these guys have no sense of humor.
One of the guards took the scroll and examined it closely. After verifying the seal, he stated, "It doesn't appear to be fake, but you still can't pass. You'll have to wait until we confirm with the princess." With that, the second guard pulled a magical device from his pocket. He activated it with a spark of prana and began speaking. The object caught Hax's interest, as it was the first time he'd seen something so useful for long-distance communication.
After a brief conversation, confirmation came through. However, the adventurers were not admitted immediately. They would have to wait for the princess to personally receive them. Hax returned to his group, explaining the situation while dropping a few sarcastic comments about the guards' rigidity.
Minutes passed amidst jokes and chatter until a metallic sound announced the movement of the golden gates. Two figures emerged: a woman clad in full armor, including a helmet, and a rugged-looking man wearing a hood and white cloak.
"You must be the Conclave of the Rising Night, the strongest Adamantite-ranked adventurer group. It's a pleasure to meet you all," greeted the woman, her voice clear and authoritative despite the heavy armor. "I apologize for the wait. Please follow me; the war council for this mission is mostly assembled. And forgive the rushed reception, but time is of the essence."
The seven adventurers moved as one. Hax bowed his head and placed an arm over his chest in a gesture of respect. Faced with the woman's elegance and majesty, there was no doubt about her identity.
"We are at your service, my lady," he said, and his companions immediately followed suit.
Shortly after, they entered the palace, though not before Hax cast one last condescending glance at the guards. However, the moment of calm did not last. In the flower-filled garden, a sudden impact shook the ground. A projectile struck with great speed, kicking up dust and causing the earth beneath their feet to quake. Booming laughter echoed from the epicenter.
The guards reacted like lightning, drawing their swords. The man accompanying the princess stepped in front of her protectively. The members of the Conclave of the Rising Night adopted defensive stances. As the guards' blades entered the column of dust, the sound of shattering metal filled the air, and fragments of their swords flew outward.
"If you want to damage my skin, you'll need something much stronger than two flimsy swords," declared a deep, jovial male voice that radiated dangerous confidence.
The princess recognized it instantly. How could she not when it belonged to someone so unmistakable? "Stop attacking! He's an honored guest, and you're embarrassing the Wynsdread name," she commanded firmly. The two guards, visibly ashamed, bowed before returning to their posts, their broken swords sheathed at their sides.
With her intervention, the tension dissipated. The dust column vanished in an instant, swept away by a gust of wind generated through sheer brute force.
"Good to see you, Ordyr," the princess greeted her guest—a towering figure casually carrying a young girl with purple hair like a sack of potatoes.
Deep laughter rumbled from the colossal three-meter-tall figure now seated in the crater he had created in the garden. "Likewise, Azareth. I see you're already prepared for battle," replied Ordyr Blackthorne, his grave voice full of camaraderie. The princess nodded with a smile, relieved that he had answered her call.
Meanwhile, Hax and his companions watched the scene in disbelief. The difference in treatment was glaring: while they had been denied entry with hostility, this man had been received as an honored guest. It was Valthor who first recognized the newcomer.
"That's the God of Combat, the strongest warrior of our era!" he exclaimed in awe, his astonishment quickly spreading to the rest of the group.
"You can put me down now! Being carried like a sack of potatoes is still uncomfortable," protested the purple-haired girl, clutching a staff larger than herself. "Oh, my apologies, young Aurora," Ordyr replied, gently setting her down. The girl landed on her feet with impressive agility, as if the entire ordeal was nothing unusual.
Azareth, curious, asked, "And who might she be?"
Ordyr answered without hesitation: "Oh, her? Since Carmele couldn't come, Aurora is her replacement. I hope you don't mind, Azareth." The princess shook her head, a serene smile evident beneath her helmet. "If you brought her, then there's no doubt she has what it takes to be here."
It was Lyria Pyrelis who reacted first, whispering in disbelief: "Aurora Vortex, the Harlequin of a Hundred Faces…" Though her words were quiet, Sorya and Sylwen heard them, though they didn't seem to recognize the name mentioned.
And so began a mission that would forever be etched into their memories—a story worthy of being told again and again.
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For early access to chapters, visit my: patreon.com/Ecos_