Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 339: The Lost Elites

Grace gazed at the bustling street down below as she leaned against the stone railing of their rented room's balcony.

Below her, the city of Zephir was shimmering in the soft lavender glow of twilight. Its streets were lit by floating crystal lamps and illuminated glyphs that were dancing along the buildings.

The evening air was carrying the scent of wildflowers and baked bread, mixed with something more subtle... power. Magic was thick in the air here, coiling through the very fabric of life.

Behind her, Rune was pacing slowly across the room. His cloak was tossed over a chair, his long golden hair was tied back, and his transformed brown eyes were dark with thought. She was able to feel his restlessness like static electricity.

"They were more than just warriors or team members," Rune finally said in a low voice. "They were my only family after Master."

Grace turned toward him, nodding. "Then we start with them. We go and find them."

Rune stopped pacing at her words. "We'll have to go to the Capital."

She didn't miss the tension in his voice. "Is it that dangerous?" She asked and watched as he nodded slowly.

"It's the heart of the Realm. Heavily guarded. If anyone from the High Council suspects our actions… even for a second…"

"Then let's not give them that second," she said firmly. "You know the Capital. The secret passages. The way it breathes."

He kept looking at her and then something soft flickered in his expression. "You really believe we can sneak into the most fortified city in the realm?"

"I believe in you," she replied, stepping into the room and moving to stand in front of him. "And I believe that if we are going to get to the truth - about your team, the book, the people after your jade ring - it all starts there."

He exhaled before nodding his head. "Then let's go home."

* * *

The journey to the Capital was discreet.

Grace and Rune didn't take the main roads or enchanted transportation. Instead, they followed Rune's memories through hidden trails and forgotten tunnels that were carved centuries ago. Some were no longer in maps. Others were buried under forest growth, enchanted ruins, or cloaked in concealment spells.

At one point, Grace had to crawl through a tunnel filled with crawling magical beetles that bit anything with a strong aura. Another passage required a complicated unlocking spell, fortunately it was one that Rune remembered. Grace watched as his fingers danced over the moss-covered stone wall and the glowing pattern ignited like fire across the surface before melting it open.

"You used to sneak out of the Capital through this?" she asked with a laugh.

He gave her a small smirk before admitting,

"Among other things."

By the time they emerged into the outer circle of the Capital, the sun was just beginning to rise. The city unfolded like a royal tapestry. It was grand, gleaming, and heavily guarded.

Intricate bridges were connecting various sectors of the city, many of which were floating above ground level. There were glowing towers of law and training arenas larger than stadiums. Massive domes were protecting archives of ancient spells, while flying vehicles were zipping through the air on regulated lanes.

The heart of the Capital was a blend of artistry and power.

But they couldn't admire it for long.

Though their disguises were still in place and their energy signatures were perfectly masked, but this was where Rune had been born, trained, and once revered. The smallest mistake could cost them everything.

They rented a small room in an inn tucked into a quiet district meant for merchants and travelers. From there, they began their subtle investigation.

They didn't go asking direct questions as that would be suicide. Instead, they listened. They spent hours in busy tea shops and trading squares, casually overhearing conversations. They accidentally started discussions about warrior rankings or news of the day in the middle of a public inn to trigger the older generation into reminiscing.

But no one mentioned Rune. Not even once. Not directly, at least.

It was only when they began steering the conversation toward the elite warrior teams that things became interesting.

At a bustling tavern near the edge of the Training Circle, Grace settled down at a table with a group of traveling merchants, playing the part of a curious historian student interested in warrior legacies.

"There used to be a talented Elite team, right?" she asked, sipping her sweetened elixir. "I heard about them a lot as a child. But now, there's no mention of them anymore."

The woman beside her leaned in before whispering, "You mean The Valiant Seven? The number one team of all? They vanished."

"Vanished?" Grace echoed with a frown.

"Eleven years ago," the woman continued. "Whole team. One day they were executing missions on the western borders. Next day... gone. Leader, warriors, all seven of them. No bodies, no message, no survivors."

Rune stiffened across the room. He was hidden in his cloak, watching from the shadows.

"Some say they betrayed the Council," the woman added. "Others say they were ambushed and wiped out. The Council never confirmed anything. Just quietly erased them from the elite archives."

Grace let out a quiet, practiced laugh. "Sounds like a legend."

"Maybe," the older merchant muttered. "But the realm lost its strongest sword when they disappeared. No one ever replaced them."

When the group eventually left the tavern, Grace returned to Rune's side. They sat on a bench outside under the shade of a tree, keeping their heads down.

"So it wasn't just you," she whispered. "They all disappeared."

His jaw was clenched as he spoke. "They were the best. They could have survived anything."

"Unless someone didn't want them to."

He turned toward her, his eyes dark with worry. "I was supposed to die. I fled to protect the ring… but what if they paid the price for my escape?"

She squeezed his hand. "Then we find them. Or we find who's behind it."