Arin led Eron to a hidden enclave below the city—an ancient archive run by rogue Technoscribes, a faction exiled from the Reclaimers. Here, forgotten knowledge and outlawed tech were preserved.
Vira reactivated.
Warning: Unauthorized data environment. Potential compromise.
Arin laughed. "She's paranoid. Good sign. Most Echo AIs burn out by now. Yours is... different."
She connected Eron's mark to a core terminal. The screen lit with a branching web of styles, memories, echoes.
"Welcome to the Archive of Ash," she said. "This is where forgotten warriors sleep—and where you learn to control them."
For the next hours—or maybe days—Eron trained inside echo simulations. He fought in ten different timelines. Learned ten different weapons. Saw ten versions of himself fall.
Each time, he got back up faster.
His synchronization rose to 9%.
And at its peak, Vira spoke again.
New Protocol Unlocked: Temporal Phantom
Eron emerged from the chamber, breathing heavy.
"I'm ready," he said.
Arin nodded. "Good. Because the Reclaimers just put a bounty on your head.