The forest awoke before dawn.
Mist coiled around the trees like pale smoke, and the air carried the damp scent of earth and dew. Somewhere in the darkness, water dripped steadily — the rhythm of a world not meant for rest.
Aiden stirred first. His back ached from sleeping against a tree trunk, his body sore but alive. Beside him, Lyra still slept, curled beneath a patchy cloak, the faint glow of the crystal orb pulsing between her hands like a heartbeat.
He rubbed his eyes, forcing away the blur of dreams — Seraphine's face flickering in and out of his memory, her voice drowned by static whispers.
> "Find me…"
The echo lingered, like a shadow that refused to fade.
Aiden exhaled slowly. "Yeah, working on it," he murmured to no one in particular.
> [System Booting…]
[Daily Status Check Complete.]
[Physical Condition: 68%. Mental Stability: Questionable.]
"Appreciate the honesty."
> [You're welcome.]
He stood, stretching the stiffness from his limbs, and scanned the treeline. The world here felt… strange. Alive, almost aware of him. The grass shimmered faintly with mana; the wind carried the low hum of something ancient, watching.
> [Area Classification: Outer Wilds — Low-tier mana field detected.]
"Low-tier, huh? That means something stronger lives deeper in."
> [Correct. Also means user is currently trespassing.]
He grimaced. "Of course I am."
---
By the time the sun crept through the branches, Lyra was awake. Her small face was pale, her eyes heavy with exhaustion but determination.
"Morning," Aiden greeted, crouching by the dying fire. "You sleep at all?"
"A little." She hesitated. "Do you… do you think they'll find us?"
"Not if we move fast. Slavers like those don't travel this far into wild zones. Too risky."
Lyra nodded, though her fingers still gripped the crystal like a lifeline. Its blue glow pulsed brighter in the daylight — reacting to something unseen.
> [Energy Signature Rising: Source — Unknown.]
Aiden frowned. "That thing's getting stronger."
Lyra hugged it closer. "It always does when I'm scared."
He studied her quietly. There was something unsettling about that — as if the orb wasn't reacting to her fear, but feeding on it.
"System, analyze it again."
> [Analyzing…]
[Result: Incomplete Fragment of a Dungeon Core. Host Resonance: 37%. Emotional synchronization detected.]
"Emotional… synchronization?"
> [User translation: It likes her.]
"Right. Because that's totally normal."
> [Clarification: Not normal. Potentially catastrophic.]
Aiden sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, figured."
---
They moved through the woods as morning deepened. The light filtering through the leaves painted the world in shifting gold and green. Birds scattered overhead, startled by distant roars that rolled like thunder.
The silence between them stretched, broken only by Lyra's occasional questions — small, hesitant things that cut through the tension.
"Were you… always strong?" she asked once.
Aiden almost laughed. "Strong? I was the weakest idiot in my world. Couldn't even lift a sword straight without falling over."
She blinked at him, confused. "Then how did you learn to fight like that?"
He looked down at his hands — the faint scars, the calloused palms that hadn't existed a week ago. "I died. Then… I learned fast."
Lyra's eyes widened, but she said nothing. The weight of his words hung between them like smoke.
> [Honesty Level: Excessive. Recommend emotional deflection.]
"Quiet," he muttered.
> [Sulk mode activated.]
---
They reached the ruins by midday.
Stone pillars jutted from the earth like broken teeth, half-swallowed by moss and vines. At the center stood a circular dais, carved with symbols that glowed faintly when touched by light.
"This place feels…" Lyra hesitated, clutching the crystal tighter. "…sad."
Aiden nodded slowly. "It's old. Older than the Guild, older than this world's kingdoms. Probably one of the first dungeon gates."
> [Confirmation: Ruin classified as 'Sanctum of Lost Echoes.' Dormant for 3,217 years.]
"Sanctum," he murmured. "You think it's safe?"
> [Safety Probability: 12%.]
He smirked. "So, not at all."
> [Correct.]
A low vibration rippled through the air — soft at first, then stronger, until even the ground trembled beneath their feet. The orb in Lyra's arms began to hum, glowing so bright it cast light across the entire clearing.
"Aiden!" she cried, stumbling back. "It's reacting!"
> [Warning: Dungeon Core Fragment synchronizing with nearby structure.]
Before he could respond, the earth split open.
A blinding light erupted from the center of the dais, swallowing them both. The air twisted, heat burning against Aiden's skin. He grabbed Lyra, shielding her as the world dissolved into blinding white.
When the light faded, they were no longer in the forest.
---
The air was heavy — thick with mana and the scent of ancient stone. The sky above had vanished, replaced by an endless cavern ceiling streaked with glowing veins of crystal.
They stood on a floating platform surrounded by broken bridges, each leading into darkness.
Aiden cursed under his breath. "We got pulled in."
> [Affirmative. Dungeon Field Detected: Sanctum of Lost Echoes.]
[Recommended Action: Panic.]
"Shut up."
Lyra's voice trembled. "Aiden… what do we do?"
He looked around. The architecture reminded him of the dungeon where he'd first awakened — but this one felt different. Colder. Smarter. Like it was watching them.
Then the air shifted.
A low hum echoed through the chamber, followed by a ripple of energy that distorted the air ahead. From the mist, a figure emerged — tall, feminine, her body made of light and shadow.
Aiden froze. His heart stopped.
She looked just like her.
"Seraphine…"
The figure tilted her head, eyes glowing silver. But there was no warmth in them, only emptiness.
> "...Unauthorized presence detected."
Lyra gasped. "She's—"
> "Intruders will be terminated."
"System!" Aiden barked. "Explain!"
> [Entity Identified: Echo Construct of Seraphine-class Spirit. Status: Hostile.]
"So she's not the real one?"
> [Negative. An echo left behind — a memory turned weapon.]
The construct raised her hand. The air around her shimmered as spectral blades formed in a spiral, glinting with ethereal light.
Aiden gritted his teeth. "Guess we're fighting, then."
> [Guess confirmed.]
---
The first blade shot forward — fast enough to slice through air like glass. Aiden barely dodged, feeling it graze his arm. The pain burned, hot and sharp.
He rolled to the side, grabbing Lyra's wrist. "Stay behind me!"
"But—"
"No arguments!"
He swung Duskfang, deflecting another blade mid-flight. Sparks of mana scattered around them, illuminating the dark chamber.
> [Skill Activated: Reactive Instinct.]
[Reflex Boost: 25%. Duration: 10 seconds.]
"Ten seconds, huh? Let's make it count."
He dashed forward, weaving between attacks. The construct moved with impossible grace — every gesture creating another blade, every movement a perfect reflection of deadly beauty.
Aiden parried one strike, then another — until one slipped through, cutting his shoulder. Blood splattered against the floor.
> [Damage Received: -47 HP.]
"Yeah, I felt that!" he growled.
Lyra cried out behind him. "Aiden! The crystal — it's reacting again!"
He risked a glance back — the orb was glowing brighter than ever, pulsing in rhythm with Seraphine's attacks.
> [Warning: Resonance Reaching Critical Level.]
"System, what happens if it overloads?"
> [Estimation: Explosion equivalent to small city.]
"Perfect."
He lunged forward, slamming Duskfang into the platform. Energy rippled outward, breaking the nearest bridge. The shock disrupted the construct's balance — just enough.
"Lyra! Now!"
The girl held up the crystal instinctively, its light surging outward. The construct froze mid-motion, her silver eyes flickering — confusion, recognition, sorrow.
> "...Who… are you?"
Aiden stepped closer, breathing hard. "You knew me once, didn't you?"
The echo trembled. Her voice softened.
> "Aiden… Cross…"
He froze.
> "You… shouldn't have come back…"
And then, before he could answer, the light inside her shattered.
The echo dissolved into fragments, scattering like snow.
> [Dungeon Core Fragment Absorbed.]
[Level Up.]
[Skill Unlocked: Soul Resonance (E Rank).]
Aiden stood there, panting, watching the last of her light fade.
Lyra ran to his side. "She… she said your name."
He nodded slowly, his chest tight. "Yeah. She did."
> [Note: Emotional Distress Detected. Suggest immediate coping mechanism.]
"Don't start," he whispered.
He looked up at the vast darkness beyond the broken bridge. Something deeper waited there — something that knew his name before he ever set foot in this world.
And as the last remnants of Seraphine's echo vanished, a new message appeared before his eyes.
> [Main Quest Updated.]
[Objective: Uncover the Truth of the Rebirth System.]
[Subtask: Find the Remaining Echoes.]
Aiden's grip tightened around his blade.
"Fine," he said softly. "If the gods made this game, I'll play it. But I'll be the one rewriting the rules."
---