Chapter 2: The First Echo
The growls closed in. Elias spun toward the nearest tree, half-thinking to climb, half-thinking to run. Neither seemed possible. The shadows resolved into low, crouched shapes—wolf-like, but their eyes glowed violet, and their ribs jutted out as if something hollow gnawed at them from the inside.
> [Hostile Entity Identified: Hollowfang Beast.]
Threat Level: Low.]
Low? Elias's throat tightened as three of the creatures padded into the clearing. Their teeth gleamed like shards of glass.
The system chimed again.
> [Hint: Weakness detected. Past weakness = indecision. Corrective measure: ACT.]
He blinked at the words. Indecision? The accusation cut too close to home. He had spent years doubting himself, second-guessing every dig, every theory. And now? The system was forcing him to—
The first Hollowfang lunged.
Elias dove sideways, hitting the dirt hard. Pain shot up his ribs. He scrambled back just in time to avoid the creature's snapping jaws. His hand closed around something half-buried in the soil—a jagged stone. Instinct drove him more than reason; he swung. The rock connected with a crunch.
The Hollowfang yelped and staggered. Black ichor splattered across the ground, hissing where it landed.
> [Echo Response Logged.]
Trait Unlocked: Improvised Strike (Lv.1).]
A surge of unnatural heat coursed up his arm, and suddenly the jagged stone in his hand seemed sharper, heavier, more balanced. Elias didn't understand it—but when the beast leapt again, his strike was faster, cleaner. The rock sank into its skull with a sickening crack.
The creature fell limp.
The other two snarled and circled, but something in Elias's eyes made them hesitate. He stood there panting, weapon dripping ichor, his heart pounding like a war drum.
The system's display flickered.
> [Echo I Progress: 47%]
[Time Remaining: 07:42:11]
He clenched the stone tighter. Progress? This is a game to it. A test.
The beasts lunged together this time. Elias rolled to avoid one, slamming the stone into the other's jaw. His muscles screamed, his chest burned, but adrenaline pushed him forward. He fought like a cornered animal, every blow fueled by raw desperation.
Minutes later, both Hollowfangs lay broken. The clearing stank of ichor and churned soil. Elias collapsed to his knees, shaking, breath ragged.
> [Echo I Complete.]
Reward: Vital Spark (Passive) — Slight regeneration of stamina and wounds.]
Warning: Further echoes will demand greater sacrifice.]
He swallowed hard. His knuckles bled. His ribs ached. But he was alive.
And then the system spoke again. Not in words of light this time, but in a whisper that slithered through his skull.
> "You are not the first, Elias Veynar. Others failed. Their echoes are mine now. Will you succeed where they perished?"
The countdown reset.
> [Echo II Initiating…]
The forest around him shifted. The shadows lengthened unnaturally.
From beyond the treeline, he heard a voice. Human. A woman's voice.
> "Help me!"