Humanity's Hero Of Despair

The quiet space between Zephyr and me is filled with the familiar rhythmic click of the carriage wheels on the cobblestone.

Gradually, the grand thoroughfare leading to the palace replaces the bustling city of Stonelight. The royal carriage is as ornate as one would expect, gold-trimmed and emblazoned with King Grey's crest, its interior lined with plush cushions and polished wood.

Zephyr sits opposite me, arms crossed and looking away. We have been quiet, not speaking much since our time at Hero Academy. The weight of Avalon's words hangs heavily in the air, unspoken but understood. Dragons. S-class threats.

The possibility of our world changing forever.

I shift in my seat, looking out the window as the massive shape of Tarondar Palace appears. The gleaming spires and expansive walls, symbols of the kingdom's strength and resilience, remind us of what we are fighting to protect.

The carriage slows, its horns announcing our arrival at the gates. Zephyr's gaze meets mine, but his expression is unreadable.

"No matter what this is," he says quietly, "we'll handle it."

I nod, but an uneasy feeling lingers in my stomach.

The throne room is even more grand than I remember, a vast hall of polished marble and towering stained-glass windows that cast colorful patterns across the floor. Two royal guards stand beside King Grey, who sits on his gilded throne at the far end. One person who looks around our age stands near King Grey, next to the guards.

Upon our arrival, King Grey rises, his imposing stature softened by the warmth of his expression. He descends the steps of the dais to greet us personally. The royal guards don't move from their positions, as they know who we are.

"Nico! Zephyr! It is so good to see you both. I am sorry we have to meet in this situation. It is, however, of great importance that you both are here today. I assume the Hero Principal Avalon has already filled you in on the key details?" King Grey asks curiously.

"Yes, your majesty. He filled us both in on the information," I reply with a nod. Zephyr nods alongside me. King Grey takes a moment to make sure we are certain of our answer before turning around and calling to the figure by the throne.

"Quillen, come here for a moment, please!"

Quillen politely nods in response and walks down the dais toward us in a dignified and proper manner. His poise is prominent as he stands next to King Grey, awaiting what is going to be said next. King Grey nods in satisfaction and turns back around to Zephyr and me.

"This is Quillen Martin. A second-year student at Hero Academy and the son of Earl Martin, one of our kingdom's most influential nobles. The House of Martin is well-known for producing exceptional diplomats, and Quillen has already proven himself beyond his years."

With a graceful motion, Quillen nods. With his neatly combed blue hair and sharp blue eyes, he exudes an aura of polished intelligence. Sporting the Martin family crest on his formal wear, he has the air of a young nobleman.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Nico, General Zephyr," Quillen says, his voice smooth and measured. "Your reputations precede you."

"Likewise," I reply, noting the way he carries himself. There is no arrogance in his tone, only respect and formality.

"Quillen serves as an assistant Royal Advisor," King Grey continues. "Despite his young age, his insight and judgment have been invaluable. He is also a Court Mage specializing in water magic."

I am impressed. Quillen seems like a person who thrives under pressure, someone who can keep his composure no matter the stakes. He seems like the person whose words could turn the tides of a situation. I don't mean that to be a water mage joke for reference.

King Grey turns toward Quillen.

"You may already know who these two people are. Nico, also known as Baron of Mistfall, is an exceptionally powerful and brave mage who can wield the mysterious origin magic. Zephyr, also known as the General of the Tarondar Military, is the son of the late Abel Uracain who was the strongest wind mage of our time."

King Grey then takes a couple of steps back to address the three of us at the same time.

"The reason I have gathered you three specifically here is because I want you to form a group to travel to an important border town of ours near the borderline between Tarondar, the Seylora Theocracy, and the Veltharian Republic. The name of this town is Muedar. It is run by Earl Finley."

"I have gotten multiple reports of strange attacks occurring on Muedar. We haven't confirmed if they have been dragon attacks, but we need to check it out just in case. Please travel together to Muedar, investigate the area, and talk with some locals and Earl Finley. Then please report back your findings."

"Why do you want us three to do it? I am just curious why you don't want more qualified people to do this mission for us," Zephyr asks out of curiosity.

"The reason is that the people of Muedar will see you three and will be filled with the hope that we are doing our best to protect everyone from harm. Quillen is fairly famous in his own right and has a way with words to communicate effectively with the other nobles of Tarondar and foreign officials. You are the General of the entire Tarondar Military, and people will know we are taking this seriously. Nico is famous for contributing to the defeat of the Emperor of Light."

King Grey walks over to me and places a hand on my shoulder while looking at Zephyr and Quillen.

"Plus, I trust the three of you to get the job done efficiently. Abel Uracain was a great friend of mine, and I know you as his son will live up to the Uracain name. Same goes for Quillen. As for Nico, we all know he is trustworthy and somebody special. Without him and his sister, who knows if we could have gotten to this point as humans."

One of the royal guards walks over to King Grey and speaks in his ear. King Grey nods and then announces to us.

"Your carriage is waiting outside for you to head to Muedar. Quillen will fill in any details I have missed. I will tell Leena and Matteo about what you and Zephyr are up to, so please do not worry about that. Godspeed."

With that, Quillen leads us outside the throne room and out of the gates of the Tarondar Palace. We are yet again in another carriage, this time on a journey much farther in the distance.

I hope my friends will be okay while I am gone.