A dimly lit chamber stretched before them, its towering walls carved from obsidian-black stone. The only source of light came from a massive, floating Arcana crystal, pulsing faintly with energy.
Seated around a circular table were six figures cloaked in power—the Seven Commanders of the Neo Arcane Dominion.
One seat remained empty.
At the head of the table sat a shadowed figure, their presence alone enough to command absolute silence. The Arcane Sovereign.
The air was heavy with tension.
A woman clad in crimson-red armor let out an exaggerated sigh, arms crossed over her chest.
Saphira, the Crimson Fang.
"Honestly," she muttered, glancing between Veydris and Draven, "the two of you bickering like children is a waste of my time."
Draven, lounging back in his chair, smirked. "Don't act like you're above all this, Saphira."
Saphira scoffed. "Unlike you, I know how to conduct myself with dignity."
Veydris ignored her, slamming his fist against the table.
"What were you thinking, Draven?"
Across from him, Draven the Shadow Fang remained completely relaxed, legs crossed.
"Good to see you too, Veydris."
Veydris' golden eyes burned with fury. "You—a Dominion Commander—parading around in a tournament?! You exposed yourself to the entire world!"
Draven chuckled. "Oh, come on. It was fun."
Saphira rolled her eyes.
Veydris leaned forward, voice dangerously low. "You let them know who you are. You let them know we're watching. And now, we have to clean up your mess."
Draven tilted his head. Then, he grinned.
"Oh? And what about your mess?"
Veydris' glare sharpened. "What?"
Draven leaned back, resting his arms behind his head. "You know… the one called Stella?" His smirk widened. "Hugo's little friend?"
The room shifted.
A few of the other Commanders turned their attention fully to Veydris.
His jaw clenched.
Saphira's expression darkened. The moment Stella's name was spoken, her relaxed posture stiffened slightly.
Draven's voice was mocking. "What was it again? You met her back in Oakwood? I seem to recall she walked away from that little fight just fine."
Veydris' fingers curled into a fist.
Draven chuckled. "Relax, I'm just pointing out that maybe I'm not the only one who's been… sloppy."
The air in the chamber turned ice cold.
The Arcane Sovereign, still silent, finally shifted slightly in their seat.
A pulse of Arcana energy rippled through the room.
Draven's smirk didn't fade.
But he stopped talking.
The Sovereign's voice cut through the silence.
"Enough."
The commanding weight of that single word immediately silenced the chamber. Even Draven's smug expression faded slightly as all eyes turned toward the figure seated at the head of the table.
The Arcane Sovereign sat in absolute stillness, their face obscured by the shadows cast from the floating Arcana crystal. Though their presence alone demanded obedience, their aura was eerily… calm.
But behind that calmness lurked something far more dangerous.
The Dominion's seven enforcers, their most powerful generals, sat at this table—yet not a single one dared to challenge their authority.
After a long pause, the Sovereign finally spoke again.
"Since some of you are too caught up in personal grievances, let us refocus."
They slowly turned their gaze around the room.
"We will begin… with formalities. Each of you will speak in turn."
The commanders straightened slightly, understanding this was an order, not a suggestion.
One by one, the figures around the table shifted, preparing for the ritual of their introduction.
The Seven Commanders
Veydris, the Storm Tyrant – The first to speak, his golden eyes burned with intensity. His presence was commanding, his posture rigid. "Veydris, the Storm Tyrant. Master of the Dominion's frontline forces." He led with brute strength and strategy, a warlord feared on the battlefield.
Draven, the Shadow Fang – Next was the ever-relaxed Draven, his yellow eyes glinting with amusement. "Draven, the Shadow Fang. Master of assassinations, infiltration, and chaos." He gave a mocking bow, earning a sharp glare from Veydris.
Saphira, the Crimson Fang – Her crimson-red armor gleamed under the Arcana crystal's glow as she rested her chin on her hand. "Saphira, the Crimson Fang. Master of siege warfare and battlefield tactics." Her tone was dismissive, as if these meetings were beneath her.
Kael, the Arcane Revenant – A hollow voice spoke next. "Kael, the Arcane Revenant. Master of forbidden Arcana." His body was covered in layered robes, with strange symbols glowing faintly on his skin. Unlike the others, he barely moved, his presence eerie and unsettling.
Varik, the Iron Juggernaut – A hulking man clad in heavy Arcana-infused armor gave a short nod. "Varik, the Iron Juggernaut. Master of Dominion fortifications and armored warfare." His voice was low and steady, like a mountain refusing to move.
Nyssa, the Phantom Whisper – A woman shrouded in a flowing black cloak leaned forward slightly, her voice soft yet chilling. "Nyssa, the Phantom Whisper. Master of intelligence, surveillance, and manipulation." Her presence was nearly invisible, her movements like a shadow.
??? – The final seat at the table remained empty. The missing commander's name was never spoken.
After the introductions, silence settled over the chamber.
The Arcane Sovereign's gaze swept across the room.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then, the Sovereign's voice, smooth yet authoritative, broke the silence once more.
"Now… we discuss the future."
A tense silence filled the chamber, the floating Arcana crystal pulsing faintly above them.
Then, Veydris spoke, his tone sharp and resolute.
"We have a problem."
The other Commanders turned to him, but his golden eyes were locked on the Sovereign.
"the so-called Hero of the Eclipse—has returned."
Saphira scoffed. "You're just realizing this now?"
Veydris ignored her. "This is no myth, no rumor. I saw him with my own eyes. He wields Cosmos. He is a direct threat to the Dominion."
For once, Draven didn't look amused. He lazily drummed his fingers on the table, glancing toward the ceiling.
Then, he let out a chuckle.
"A threat? Really?" He smirked. "You're talking about his Corona Mode, right? That little power boost of his?"
Veydris glared at him. "Do you have something to say, Shadow Fang?"
Draven shrugged. "Just that you're getting all worked up over nothing." He stretched his arms, leaning back in his chair. "I watched his fight. If that was the best he's got, we don't have anything to worry about."
A faint shift in the air.
The Arcane Sovereign's head tilted slightly.
"Corona Mode?"
For the first time in the meeting, there was something unexpected in their voice.
Interest.
Draven's smirk widened. "Oh? That caught your attention, did it?"
The Sovereign's gaze bore into him. "Explain."
Draven tapped his fingers against the table. "I watched his match from start to finish. Hugo used two different power modes—one based on pure offense, one based on speed."
Saphira narrowed her eyes. "And?"
Draven's smirk deepened. "And those two forms? They were based on the Corona and Luna Cores."
A new silence fell over the room.
Then—a pulse of Arcana energy rippled from the Sovereign's seat.
Not violent. Not hostile.
But controlled.
They leaned forward slightly.
"The Luna and Corona Cores should have never been separated."
Veydris frowned. "What?"
The Sovereign's voice remained steady, but there was a weight behind it—something ancient.
"The two cores are meant to be used as one. To divide them is to limit their true potential."
Draven raised an eyebrow. "Well, tell that to our dear Hero, because right now? He's using them separately."
The Sovereign was silent for a moment.
Then, they exhaled slowly.
"Fascinating."
The chamber remained deathly silent as the Arcane Sovereign's words settled over the Commanders.
"The Luna and Corona Cores should have never been separated."
Draven's smirk lingered, but there was a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. "Well, somebody should've told Hugo that."
Veydris frowned, arms crossed. "If that's true, why does he wield them separately?"
The Sovereign slowly leaned forward, their fingers interlocking. Their voice was calm, yet thoughtful.
"An unnatural separation… is never without cause."
The words sent a ripple through the room.
Even Kael, the Arcane Revenant, who had been silent all this time, finally stirred. His glowing runes pulsed faintly, his voice a hollow whisper.
"Explain."
The Sovereign tapped a finger against the armrest of their throne, deep in thought.
"The Luna and Corona Cores were designed to work as one. A perfect fusion of power and adaptability. For Hugo to use them apart…" They paused, their next words carrying an undeniable certainty.
"Something must have happened to him."
The other Commanders exchanged glances.
Saphira leaned forward slightly. "Something?"
The Sovereign nodded. "There is no logical reason why someone wielding Cosmos would willingly separate its dual energies. Unless…"
They let the thought linger, allowing the room to piece it together themselves.
Draven chuckled. "Unless he was forced to."
Saphira narrowed her eyes. "You're suggesting… that something made him separate the cores?"
The Sovereign exhaled slowly. "Either by external influence… or by Hugo's own doing."
Kael's runic glow pulsed. "If he has fragmented the balance, he has also weakened himself."
Veydris gritted his teeth. "Then we strike now."
The Sovereign was silent.
Saphira tapped her fingers against the table. "But what if he remembers how to use them properly?"
A beat passed.
Then—a single pulse of Arcana energy filled the chamber.
The crystal above them flickered.
The Sovereign's voice was calm.
"Then he becomes something truly dangerous."
A tense silence filled the chamber after the Arcane Sovereign's words.
Then—a voice broke through the stillness.
"Perhaps this is not the first time we have seen such a fracture."
All eyes turned toward the speaker—
Varik, the Iron Juggernaut.
The massive warrior sat with his arms crossed, his Arcana-infused armor gleaming under the dim light. His voice was deep and steady, like a mountain refusing to move.
Saphira raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you suggesting?"
Varik's expression was unreadable. "A split of power. A divided force. This has happened before."
The Sovereign's gaze remained still. "Continue."
Varik exhaled, his fingers tightening over the armrests of his seat. "We speak of the Luna and Corona Cores as if they were always the only two forces tied to the Eclipse War." His next words sent a chill through the chamber.
"But we forget the third. The Voltra Core."
Veydris scowled. "What does that have to do with Hugo?"
Varik's gaze darkened. "Because the last time a warrior wielded an Eclipse Relic of that magnitude… they vanished."
Draven's smirk faltered. "You're talking about—"
"Solstice."
The name hung in the air like a curse.
Varik leaned forward slightly. "The leader of Eclipse Requiem. The one who led the rebellion against the Perfect Lifeforms. The only known wielder of Vengeance, the Sword of the Black Hole. And then, one day… gone. No body. No trace."
Nyssa, the Phantom Whisper, spoke for the first time. Her voice was soft, but cutting. "You're saying Solstice disappeared because of the Voltra Core?"
Varik nodded. "Solstice wielded Vengeance, a weapon forged with the power of the Voltra Core. And what happened?" His voice hardened.
"They were erased."
Silence.
Draven crossed his arms. "Alright, but what's the connection to Hugo?"
Varik's voice remained firm. "Vengeance and Cosmos were both Eclipse Relics, but Cosmos was never bound to the Voltra Core." His next words carried a weight none of them could ignore.
"But if history repeats itself… Hugo may unknowingly be following the same fate."
The chamber grew colder.
For the first time in centuries—
The Dominion didn't just see Hugo as an enemy.
They saw him as a warning.
A heavy silence settled over the chamber, the weight of Varik's words lingering in the air.
The Arcane Sovereign, still standing, finally spoke.
"You are all mistaken."
The Commanders turned their attention back to their ruler, their gazes expectant.
The Sovereign's eyes gleamed beneath the dim glow of the Arcana crystal.
"Solstice did not disappear because of the Voltra Core."
Their voice remained eerily calm.
"Solstice disappeared… because Hugo locked him away."
A wave of shock rippled through the room.
Veydris' golden eyes narrowed. "What?"
Draven let out a slow whistle, amusement flickering back into his expression. "Well, well. That's new."
Saphira's fingers twitched against the table. Her gaze was unreadable, but there was something beneath it.
Kael, the Arcane Revenant, spoke in his haunted whisper.
"Locked away… with Vengeance?"
The Sovereign nodded once.
"The Hero of the Eclipse… sealed away Solstice, along with the sword of the Black Hole."
A sudden shift in the atmosphere.
A presence. Dark. Cold. Familiar.
The doors to the chamber creaked open.
A cloaked figure stepped inside, their footsteps slow, deliberate. The air around them seemed to distort, the very light bending in their presence.
In their hand, clutched like a harbinger of doom…
Vengeance, the Sword of the Black Hole.
The Commanders remained silent, unmoving. Even Draven, who rarely took anything seriously, was watching intently.
The Arcane Sovereign turned to face the newcomer.
Then, they spoke with absolute finality.
"I believe it is time to introduce our Seventh Commander."
They raised a hand toward the cloaked figure.
"Xander, the Solstice."