//This is where the Prologue will really come in handy-Author//
Tyrin stood in the silence that followed, his breathing steady, his limbs trembling but unbroken. He could feel The Echo woven into his being, a presence that had tested him, judged him, and ultimately accepted him.
But acceptance was not the same as mastery.
"You have survived." The Echo's voice lingered in his thoughts, smooth, unwavering. "But survival is not the same as control."
Tyrin exhaled, clenching his fists. His veins still pulsed with golden threads of energy, his heart thrumming with something not entirely his own.
"You will feel my presence always," The Echo continued. "I will whisper when needed, but I will not command. You are Tyrin, not my vessel."
Tyrin glanced at the scorched earth beneath him. The remnants of his old life, the boy with no name, were gone. What remained was something else, something he had yet to understand.
"The knowledge within me is vast," The Echo murmured, its tone shifting, softening. "It will take time for you to wield it as your own. But you are stronger than any before you. You will shape me, as I shape you."
He lifted his gaze to the darkened sky, where wisps of smoke still curled toward the stars. For the first time, he was completely calm.
"Are you ready to learn?" The Echo sounded soft and sweet.
"I am ready." Tyrin relaxed and it all unfolded.
Memories, images, and understanding.
Spellcraft- Complex, ancient techniques woven into his mind like forgotten scripture. Arcane combat-a thousand forms, movements sharpened by centuries of battle. Healing magic, forging techniques, strategies. He saw lives live before his own and traced the footsteps of warriors and scholars long dead. He saw the brief moment of his existence fighting the Pyrolykos. He saw past lives of his own body." All the knowledge ever collected was stored.
He was strained under the pressure but he didn't break.
The knowledge did not crush him- it molded him, refining the edges of his being like tempered steel. His mind expanded, and adapted, accepting the truths that shaped the world around him.
"You will wield me well, Tyrin."
Tyrin took a slow breath The Echo had given him everything.
Knowledge and power.
Yet he was still confused.
"Who exactly am I?" Tyrin asked, his voice quiet but firm. He looked down at his hands. He noticed the touch of gold sparkling in his veins which he now assumed to be The Echo.
"I don't know this body or this world but I know so much about life." He muttered, "It doesn't make sense."
The Echo responded, "I know it may seem confusing, it happens to a lot of my hosts." Its soothing voice continued, "You are the youngest being I've bonded with and the most powerful. This body is young but your mind is old."
"What does that mean?" Tyrin couldn't comprehend.
"It means you are a victim of reincarnation."
"Oh!" Tyrin was surprised. "You mean that I used to be someone else and then that person died and now I have their body?"
"That is exactly right" The Echo responded.
He thought to himself, "I wonder what happened to the person who used to own this body"
"He was abandoned and he passed away," The Echo said.
"You heard that?" Tyrin was confused. "I didn't think I said it aloud"
"We are of one body and two minds. The one body is why we can hear each other. I can understand everything you say, think, and do in an instant." The feminine voice of the Echo made this sentence ever so slightly less creepy to Tyrin.
"So I don't have to act like I'm talking to myself in the middle of the forest?" He thought.
"Nope!"
"Phew! I didn't want things to get crazier." Tyrin figured that if he was by a house there would have to be a road heading through the woods nearby. He didn't want to disturb anyone more than he was disturbed.
He spoke more with the Echo, "You absorb the knowledge of your previous bonds right?"
"I don't technically 'absorb knowledge' but if that's how you want to think of it you can." The Echo Responded brightly.
"Okay so can you tell me who I am? Can you search your memorial archives and *poof* this is who Tyrin is?" Tyrin needed information.
"I unfortunately can't" The Echo sounded sad. "You see, I feed on Mana. That is what I absorb. Absorbing Mana let's me access the knowledge of a person so If you want past knowledge there's a couple things you could do. A.) Remember it. or B.) Let me do a deep dive into your brain." The Echo surrounded Tyrin with a sense of warmth like a smile.
"Do it" Tyrin was stern.
"Are you sure? It could cause you some pain and you won't be in control of your body."
"Wait, What's Mana?!?!" Tyrin was struck by additional confusion.
The Echo responded happily, "It's my food source obviously." The Echo laughed, "It is the energy of the World. It connects all living beings and it fuels our magic."
"Magic?" Tyrin was interested. "Was that what that wolf was using?"
"Ahh yes, The Pyrolykos is a powerful fire-type beast. It evolves from a simple wolf. How fascinating, but that is a lesson for another time." The Echo caught itself in a tangent.
"Back to you, Do you want me to take a dive into your past?"
Tyrin thought about it. "I want to know who I was before Tyrin. I don't know if that will change anything though. It might give me more knowledge." He told The Echo, "Yes please do it."
Tyrin's body instantly fell to the ground. All of his muscles were no longer in his control. Tyrin found himself in a sea of black. He felt like he was floating.
He could still sense his body and what it was feeling but he couldn't control it. "Echo!" He called out, "What's happening?"
"I already told you, I am searching through your memories. So far I have found some fascinating things."
The Echo continued, "You were once knows as Callum Blackwood. Not a warrior. Not a hero. You were sharp. A strategist who saw the world as an equation to be solved. You did not fight with fury-you dismantled with precision."
Emotions filled Tyrin's mind. "I remember."
Scenes engulfed Tyrin's thoughts. Vague moments flashed before his eyes.
The pain from his last breath, his father's beatings, and his mother's lack of care. A tear streamed down Tyrin's cheek as He regained control of his body. The Echo knew its work was done.
The Echo felt sad, "I've seen what you've been through Tyrin. I'm sorry you had to endure all of it." The Echo continued, "But now you need not to worry, you are a new person here. Your body is not a year past 6 years old but your mind is very mature. You can do this. We can do this."
"Thank you Echo," Tyrin said. "I will forget Callum. I am Tyrin. My life of Callum has taught me much. The two most important things are Science and Hate. I will keep the science and leave my hate behind." Tyrin took a deep breath, "Time to move forward. What do you say? We use my old skills for good this time."
"I would love that" The Echo was happy.
Tyrin's stomach grumbled, "Oh no!" He thought. "I need food. How long have we been out here?!"
"Only a couple of hours" The Echo responded. "You do need food though. There should be a small village around here. I believe it's name is Venzor. We should get you there so you can replenish your strength."
"But what will I say?" Tyrin was concerned that people wouldn't be willing to help him because of his stature. He was 1.2 meters tall (4ft) with hair that looked like it hadn't been cut since this body's birth. It was a light brown color and had an interesting integration of bright red throughout.
"That doesn't Matter Tyrin we'll figure it out on the way. For now head south west." The Echo tried comforting Tyrin.
"Which way is that? Is it the same as Earth?" Tyrin hesitated.
"Yes it is." Said The Echo. "I'll explain some of the things you can and can't do in this world. It appears Earth was much further ahead in the Science department and Earth was lacking in the Magic Department."
Tyrin butted in, "We didn't know magic was real!! We only heard about it in fairytales!"
They both laughed. "Let's go Tyrin!" The Echo said, "And try not to talk out loud to me when we get to the village. Normal people can't know I exist."
"That seems easy enough, you are going to tell me why though right?"
"Of course!" The Echo said. "Just not right now. You need food so get a move on!"
~~~
Tyrin found himself heading south west down a worn path in the woods. It was the first time Tyrin wasn't concerned about his new life. His life had been full of action. He wasn't able to take in his surroundings. He was too busy trying to survive.
But now he was able to take it all in. The trees that reached toward the clouds. The pitch black sky filled with twinkling stars. The crisp air entering his lungs. Peace filled his body.
"Hey Echo?" Tyrin thought
"What do you need Tyrin?" The Echo responded instantly.
"Can I call you something other than Echo?" Tyrin asked, "It feels weird"
"I would love for you to give me a name. I've never really had one before." If the Echo could blush it definitely would be.
"How has no one ever given you a name?" Tyrin was again confused.
"I don't know they just used me for power they didn't care about our bond." The Echo did understand Tyrin's outburst.
"Well, let's see... Where did you get your voice from? If I remember from your deep dive the person who created you was Eriol right? Is that his voice?" Tyrin was a little interested in how The Echo sounded the way it did. It was soft and comforting. Like a mother's lullaby.
"I got my voice from Thalyssra. My first bonded partner. She was the first person I've ever heard speak and that's how I learned to speak." The Echo Reminisced on their memories together.
That was the last person that The Echo felt joy with. Thalyssra used The Echo's abilities and grew beyond comprehension. She wished the Echo would only be used for good. Ever since their bond The Echo made it a goal to bond with truly kind hearted people.
"Thesia?" The Echo was drawn out of its thoughts by the sound of Tyrin's voice. "Does that sound okay?"
"That sounds wonderful!" The Echo was overjoyed. "I will cherish this name forever. I am now known as Thesia!"
"And one more thing, Thesia" Tyrin thought, "Are you technically a man or a woman?"
"I don't really know." Thesia thought for a moment, "I guess I would be a woman. They typically have the greatest magic power. So I'm a woman I guess" Thesia continued, "Why do you ask?"
"I'm just curious if you were going to be my brother/father or my sister/mother." Tyrin response surprised Thesia, "You see this body doesn't have any known family so I guess we are family now."
Thesia was happy with Tyrin's response, "You know what? Even though it's been less than a day, you are amongst my favorite hosts. Thanks Tyrin!" Thesia released a wave of magic power that felt like a hug. She was so happy to have met Tyrin.
"Well back to our adventure," Tyrin burst her bubble of happiness and started walking the path to Venzor Village without a thought in mind.