The night stretched endlessly, rain tapping against the window like the heartbeat of a dying world.Adrian sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the dim reflection of his face. He looked human — but only barely.
[Synchronization: 14.7%][Emotion Detected: Resentment → Amplifying Core Resonance…]
The text shimmered faintly before vanishing.
He exhaled slowly. "Even when I'm silent… this thing listens."
The System didn't speak, not in words. It whispered through instinct — like a second soul watching from the shadows of his mind.He could feel it shifting inside him, curious, hungry.
Outside, thunder rolled.
His mother stirred slightly on the couch, still asleep. For a moment, a flicker of warmth softened his eyes. He draped a blanket over her shoulders, then stepped outside.
The rain was cold, relentless. The streets glimmered with reflections of flickering lamps and distant carriages.
He walked aimlessly.His body was that of a twelve-year-old, but his soul carried thirty-four years of bitterness. Every step reminded him that this world — his world — had always looked away.
Then, it happened.
A sound, soft and hollow, like metal scraping stone. He turned.The alley beside him darkened unnaturally, the shadows pooling together.
[Distortion Detected.][Unknown Presence – Resonance Type: Heroic Spirit Fragment.]
His pulse quickened."A Heroic Spirit…?"
No one could summon a Spirit without undergoing a full binding ceremony, yet here it was — forming on its own.
From the black mass, a figure began to emerge. A man clad in broken armor, his chest pierced by a rusted blade. His eyes were empty sockets, but Adrian felt the weight of his sorrow.
"Who… calls me…"
The voice echoed through both the alley and Adrian's mind.
"I didn't call you," Adrian answered, cautious. "You came."
The spirit tilted his head. "You carry the scent… of the abyss. You are not one of them."
Adrian's tone hardened. "One of who?"
"The heroes," the spirit hissed, his voice trembling with ancient rage. "Those who betrayed us… erased our names from history."
Adrian stared, the rain dripping down his face. "Then we share a grievance."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. The spirit looked almost human again, his broken armor reflecting faint violet light.
[System Notification: Heroic Echo Detected – 'Lucien, The Silent Knight'][Binding Possible. Proceed?]
Adrian's lips curled into a faint smile."Lucien, huh… You were a knight?"
"I was," the spirit said softly. "Until loyalty cost me my life."
Adrian reached out, the rain soaking his sleeve. "Then serve me, Lucien. Together, we'll make this world remember those it's buried."
[Binding Initiated.][Warning: Emotional Overload Detected.]
Pain struck like lightning. Adrian fell to one knee, clutching his chest as energy surged through him. He saw flashes — swords clashing, fire, betrayal. The moment Lucien died replayed in his mind, forcing him to live the agony of another.
When the light faded, he was on the ground, breathing heavily. The spirit stood beside him — no longer a ghostly wisp, but a faint outline of armor, flickering with power.
[Binding Successful – Synchronization +5%][Heroic Echo: Lucien, The Silent Knight → Status: Dormant]
Adrian's breathing steadied. He looked at his trembling hands."So… this is what it means to command the rejected."
He stood, rain dripping from his hair, eyes burning violet in the dark.
The air hummed faintly as the System displayed new text:
[New Skill Acquired: Abyssal Pact][Effect: You may call upon bound Heroic Echoes for limited support.]
Adrian smirked. "Limited, huh? We'll see about that."
Lightning flashed above him. For a moment, his silhouette reflected in the puddles — a small boy standing tall amid the storm, his shadow stretched long like that of a king.
"Lucien," he murmured.
"The world will soon remember our names."