After spending time exploring the museum, Hugo, Darius, and Ethan finally left, stepping back into the bustling streets of Requiem Prime.
The sun was beginning to set, casting golden light over the towering buildings.
Ahead, near a market plaza, they spotted Lena and Stella waiting for them.
Stella had a few shopping bags in hand, while Lena had a satisfied look on her face.
The two groups approached each other.
Darius raised an eyebrow. "So, did you two have fun wasting money?"
Lena grinned. "More fun than you two playing history nerds."
Ethan crossed his arms. "We weren't just looking at history—we found some cool stuff."
Stella smirked. "Let me guess. Something about Hugo?"
Darius and Ethan paused.
Then, at the same time, they both said—"Yeah."
Stella sighed. "Of course."
Hugo, ignoring the conversation, glanced at the shopping bags. "What did you buy?"
Stella tensed slightly, gripping one of the bags.
Lena smirked, noticing. "Oh, just some clothes… and a little something extra."
Stella shot her a warning glare.
Lena ignored it.
Hugo raised an eyebrow but didn't push.
For now—the group was back together.
And ahead of them—Requiem Prime's Council Hall loomed in the distance.
as Hugo, Stella, Darius, Ethan, and Lena made their way toward the Council Hall. The massive structure loomed in the distance, its towering architecture bathed in the fading sunlight.
For most of the walk, the group was caught up in their usual banter—Ethan poking fun at Darius, Lena smirking at Stella, and Hugo staying mostly quiet.
But then—Stella slowed her pace.
She reached into one of her shopping bags, gripping something tightly.
Lena noticed immediately, giving her a knowing look.
Stella ignored it.
With a small breath, she stepped up beside Hugo.
He barely reacted, his focus still on the path ahead.
Then—she spoke.
"Hey, Hugo."
He glanced at her. "What?"
She hesitated. Then, in a quick motion, she held out a small silver pendant.
Hugo stopped walking.
The group, noticing the pause, turned to look.
Stella shifted slightly under the sudden attention, but kept her hand steady.
"It's… for you."
Hugo blinked.
His white eyes flickered to the pendant—the design was simple, yet intricate. A crescent moon and sun intertwined, forming a perfect balance between light and dark.
A quiet moment passed.
Hugo studied it carefully, as if trying to understand why she was giving it to him.
Stella exhaled. "Look, I just thought… you might like it. It reminded me of you."
Darius, Ethan, and Lena exchanged glances.
Lena smirked.
Hugo didn't say anything at first.
Then—slowly—he reached out and took the pendant.
His fingers brushed against Stella's for a fraction of a second before he pulled away, holding the small piece of jewelry in his palm.
Another silence.
Then—Hugo nodded.
"…Thanks."
It was quiet, almost too quiet—but real.
Stella crossed her arms, looking away. "Don't make a big deal out of it."
Darius grinned. "Oh, it's a huge deal."
Ethan nudged him. "Dude, let them have their moment."
Lena chuckled. "This is the first time Hugo's accepted a gift that isn't food."
Stella groaned. "I hate all of you."
Hugo, still looking at the pendant, let out a small breath.
Then, without a word, he tucked it into his coat pocket.
He didn't wear it—not yet.
But he kept it.
And that meant something.
With the moment passing, Hugo turned back toward the Council Hall.
"Let's go."
The group followed, the teasing continuing, but something unspoken now lingered between Hugo and Stella—something neither of them addressed, but neither denied.
And ahead of them—the Requiem Council awaited.
The massive doors of the Requiem Council Hall slid open, revealing an expansive chamber adorned with towering pillars, holographic displays, and banners bearing the insignia of the Republic. The air was heavy with authority.
As the group stepped inside, a familiar hum echoed from cosmos.
"Ah… another grand hall meant to intimidate. How predictable."
Hugo ignored the sword's sarcasm.
At the entrance, a luggage keeper stood beside a storage system. A robotic assistant projected a holographic message:
"Visitors must store all personal belongings before proceeding to the Council Chambers."
Lena sighed. "Figures."
She and Stella dropped off their shopping bags, while Darius muttered something about "stupid rules" but didn't argue.
Once that was handled, they moved forward, approaching the Council Secretary's desk—a sleek, silver counter manned by a sharp-eyed woman in a formal uniform.
She barely glanced up before speaking. "State your business."
Hugo's white eyes narrowed slightly. "We're here to see the Chancellor."
The secretary tapped a few keys on her terminal, scanning them quickly.
"You are expected," she said. Then, her gaze sharpened.
"But before you proceed—there's something you should know."
She paused, as if choosing her words carefully.
"The Chancellor… is not the only one waiting for you."
The secretary barely had time to finish her sentence before it happened.
A loud yell echoed across the grand hall—one that made Hugo instantly tense.
"HUGO!!"
Before he could even turn, a blur of motion shot toward him.
Cosmos, still humming in his mind, suddenly stiffened.
"…Wait. I know that voice."
Hugo's golden eyes widened. "Oh no. Not her—"
BAM!
Something—someone—slammed into him with enough force to knock him clean off his feet.
He hit the ground hard, pinned beneath a hugging death grip.
The rest of the group froze.
Darius blinked. "What the—?!"
Ethan nearly choked. "Who the hell is THAT?!"
Lena just smirked. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
Stella, however…
Her eye twitched.
She didn't even know why, but something about this really annoyed her.
Hugo groaned from the floor. "…Get. Off."
The girl hugging him tightened her grip instead.
"No way!" she said, her voice overly cheerful. "I finally found you, and you think I'm letting go?!"
The group stared.
Who was this girl? And why was she clinging to Hugo like a lost puppy?
Stella folded her arms, her tone sharper than intended.
"Alright, who exactly is she?"
Lena grinned. "Yeah, Hugo. Introduce us."
Hugo, still stuck under the relentless hug, sighed.
"…This is Iris."
He glanced down at her, still refusing to let go.
"And unfortunately… she's my biggest problem."
Iris beamed.
"Aw, you missed me!"
Still pinned to the ground, Hugo sighed deeply.
"Iris," he muttered. "Get off me."
She grinned, her arms still wrapped around him like a vice. "Nope! Not until you admit you missed me!"
Hugo's eye twitched. "That's not happening."
Darius, Ethan, Stella, and Lena all watched the scene unfold, each with wildly different reactions.
Stella crossed her arms, scowling for some unknown reason.
Darius smirked. "Damn, Boss. Didn't know you had fangirls."
Ethan snickered. "More like a stalker."
Before they could laugh any further—
Lena raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Oh, and you two aren't the same?"
Darius and Ethan froze.
Lena smirked. "Didn't you both just geek out over Hugo back at the museum?"
Ethan opened his mouth to argue—then paused.
Darius frowned. "…That's different."
Lena's smirk widened. "Uh-huh. Sure it is."
Before the teasing could get worse, Iris finally pulled back, though she stayed crouched beside Hugo, still way too close for comfort.
She placed her hands on her hips and grinned proudly.
"Well, since some people clearly forgot about me, I guess I'll introduce myself!"
She stood up, flipping her long silver hair behind her shoulder before placing a hand on her chest dramatically.
"I am Iris, daughter of the 9th Chancellor of the Requiem Republic!"
The group blinked.
Ethan's mouth fell open. "Wait—WHAT?"
Darius nearly choked. "You mean you're political royalty?!"
Lena let out a low whistle. "Hugo, you sure know how to attract high-class trouble."
Stella, however, narrowed her eyes.
"…And how exactly do you know Hugo?"
At that, Iris turned toward Hugo, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oh, him?" She grinned. "He saved my life when I was a kid! So, obviously, that means he's mine now."
Hugo buried his face in his hand.
"…Iris."
Stella's scowl deepened.
Darius laughed way too hard. "Oh, this is great."
Lena smirked. "I like her."
Ethan was still processing. "Wait, wait—so the Chancellor's daughter has been obsessed with Hugo this whole time?!"
Iris beamed. "Of course! I mean, he's Hugo!"
She leaned in toward him again. "And now that I found you, I'm not letting you disappear again!"
Hugo sighed loudly.
Cosmos, still humming in his mind, sounded way too amused.
"Oh, Hugo. I do hope you enjoy this… because I certainly will."
Hugo groaned. "Shut. Up."
Before the conversation could spiral any further—
A sharp throat-clearing cut through the tension.
The group turned to see the Council Secretary staring at them, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
"If you're all quite finished," she said flatly, "the Chancellor is waiting."
Iris beamed. "Oh, right! That's why I'm here!"
Hugo finally pushed himself off the ground, dusting off his coat. "About time."
The secretary gestured toward a set of reinforced doors at the far end of the chamber. "Proceed inside. The Chancellor will see you now."
As the group stepped forward, Iris latched onto Hugo's arm.
Stella's eye twitched again.
Darius leaned toward Ethan, whispering, "You think she's doing that on purpose?"
Ethan smirked. "One hundred percent."
Lena nudged Stella playfully. "You good?"
Stella huffed and walked faster. "I don't care."
Lena chuckled. "Uh-huh. Sure you don't."
With that, the doors to the Council Chamber opened, and the group stepped inside—
Where the Chancellor of the Requiem Republic awaited them.
The massive doors to the Council Chamber swung open, revealing a grand hall bathed in the glow of floating Arcana sigils. The chamber was structured like an arena of power, with high-rising seats arranged in a semi-circle, each occupied by a figure of authority.
At the center of the hall, standing atop a raised platform, was the Chancellor of Requiem—the highest-ranking figure in the Republic.
Sitting across from them were the five governing bodies of the Republic:
The Council of Requiem
The Chancellor of Requiem (Head of State)
The supreme leader of the Republic, chosen from the strongest and most respected members of society. Serves as the final voice in all major decisions. The first Chancellor was selected from the surviving leaders of the rebellion after the Eclipse War.
The Arcane Tribunal (Regulators of Arcana)
Oversees the ethical use of Arcana, ensuring the Republic never falls into another era of Perfect Life Form tyranny. Divided into scientists, historians, and guardians who study Arcana's past, present, and future. Some believe their restrictions on Arcana research are too extreme, limiting innovation.
The Vanguard of Requiem (Military & Defense)
The Republic's elite military force, responsible for protecting it from external threats. Specializes in counter-Arcana warfare, ensuring that another invasion is impossible. Many members wield ancient relic weapons from the Eclipse War.
The Assembly of Free States (Civilian Government)
Represents the cities and territories within the Republic. Ensures that the government does not become a dictatorship. Composed of elected officials from different regions, ensuring regional autonomy.
The Shadow Order (Intelligence & Covert Operations)
The Republic's secret intelligence force, specializing in espionage, assassination, and counter-intelligence. Operates in the shadows, ensuring that unseen threats are dealt with before they become real dangers.
As Hugo and the group stepped inside, all eyes turned to them.
The atmosphere was tense—it was clear that not everyone was pleased with their arrival.
Iris, still latched onto Hugo's arm, finally let go, stepping forward with a cheerful wave.
"Hey, Dad!" she called out.
The Chancellor's calm, commanding voice echoed through the chamber.
"Iris," he said. "Sit down."
She pouted but obeyed, taking a seat at the side.
Now, all attention fell on Hugo.
The Chancellor's sharp gaze locked onto him.
"So," he said, his tone measured, unreadable. "The Hero of the Eclipse finally decides to show himself."
Hugo remained expressionless. "I didn't come here for politics."
The Vanguard's commander, a grizzled warrior with an Arc-lance strapped to his back, scoffed.
"Then why are you here? You disappeared for a thousand years, and now you expect us to welcome you like nothing happened?"
Murmurs spread among the council.
Stella frowned, feeling the hostility in the air.
Darius muttered, "Wow, they're really rolling out the red carpet."
The Shadow Order's representative, a hooded figure, spoke next. Their voice was calm yet unnerving.
"Some say you abandoned us after the war," they said. "That you walked away when the world still needed you."
Lena crossed her arms. "You make it sound like he owes you something."
The Arcane Tribunal's lead scholar, an elderly woman with glowing Arcana sigils floating around her, spoke next.
"He owes the world an explanation," she said. "If he truly was our savior… then why did he vanish?"
Hugo's white eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because the war was over," he said simply.
The room fell silent.
But the Chancellor didn't look convinced.
"War is never truly over, Hugo," he said. "And I suspect you already know that."
There was a heaviness in the Chancellor's voice. A weight of unspoken knowledge.
Hugo remained still, but he could feel it—
Something bigger was happening.
And whatever it was, the Republic was already deeply involved.