darklens: The hero of the ice.

Chapter 1: Dark Echoes in Crystals.

This is Darklens; you've already read this on the cover, haven't you? There's no need to waste much time. After all, the clock never stops ticking, and time never stands still. Darklens is a classic realm with elves, mermaids, sirens, dragons, slimes, griffins, and many creatures. Now is the time to tell you about the very powerful hero this world needs. Blanc Hivernalis, also known as the chosen hero.

Let me take a step back. Blanc Hivernalis was born into a middle-class family, and despite his stepfather Venomedge Aleron having a conventional profession, he engaged in a highly dangerous hunting job. He would rise with the first light of day, wash his face with the magically infused water from the crystal dan, curse the mundane as he embarked on his journey with the classic monster traps called "Shadow Snare" and his close-range rifles named "Dark Shadow." He hunted demonic three-eyed foxes, venomous fang wolf packs, and many creatures. Of course, these were animals exposed to a level of magic that could be considered normal.

Now, about his mother. His biological mother, Venalissa Hivernalis, despite being the unofficial wife of Venomedge, didn't mean more to him than being his only wife. All other spouses were sent to goblin nests during the goblin invasion, and she barely survived. Remaining as one of the few, this woman, previously sweet, had turned into a being filled with hatred, fear, and trauma. Not an ideal adult or mother, she used to serve in civilian defense at Folded Castle. However, she wasn't doing well in covering meals and expenses. Although she stayed there for a while after falling in love with the castle's owner prince, it wasn't for long. After getting pregnant, she was removed from the castle and duty for 9 months.

During the cold winter, reaching the city 40 km away was impossible. To describe the scene; the Wild Forest defied the icy embrace of winter. Thick, cracked trees rose like ancient sentinels, their skeletal branches reaching into the steel-gray sky. A cold wind howled in the wild, carrying the stories of invisible creatures lurking in the shadows. The ground had become a dangerous terrain filled with frozen roots and hidden perils, reflecting the ruthless and unforgiving nature of the wild. In this primitive realm, snow clung to the earth like a deceptive curtain, concealing untold secrets underneath. But on that day, Mother Nature showed her merciful face, and she found a shack in the forest and sought help. Thus, she stayed there for 9 months. (Due to the time perception in Darklens, 2 months in the lens correspond to one season, and a year is 8 months.)

Then, as birth approached, the tranquility was disturbed by the unexpected, a goblin raid. Thousands of goblins streamed through the forest, destroying everything in their path, from a young fawn to traps made by human hands. While thinking of themselves as hunters, the animals fled in fear, being hunted one by one by goblins. The hunter shack, even though it housed a future prodigy, had a basement to protect against wild animals and predatory creatures. Before the shack collapsed, Venomedge and Venalissa barely managed to enter the secret basement, leaving other family members, children, and women abandoned to death. That evening, thanks to the underestimated small goblin hordes, Qentra Kingdom was destroyed. While one wasn't worth a single bronze, only 10,000 of them toppled a kingdom; according to the hero union market, this was worth 10 iron coins. In this currency system, 100 bronze equals 1 iron, and 100 iron equals 1 gold coin. So, while a dragon wouldn't topple a kingdom, it easily did so at a rate of 10/1. This was a mistake of the Heroes Union, but it was said that only one mistake occurred, and the records were erased.

In the morning, Blanc Hivernalis was born in the basement. During his birth, the surroundings were covered in winter white, and his name was decided. With cold-toned skin, blue eyes, and hair gradually turning bluish-white towards the frost, this child didn't resemble his biological parents. Venalissa, combining this moment with her previous painful memories, saw little Blanc as a beacon of hope. This small family, surviving the disaster that befell them after the goblin invasion, came together in a shack in the middle of a dark forest. Blanc's birth became a beacon of hope, but the remnants of chaos and destruction around them were still visible. With daylight, this small family began preparations to carve out their own path and move towards the light. Their first goal was to buy a house in the city, and this small family would have to stay in a more ruined shack a little longer to pay for things like residence and work permits. During this time, while Venalissa rested from the exhaustion of childbirth, the father of the household began repairing the house.