Ren followed Aeri along the winding forest path, every step making him feel more like an accidental hero than a competent adventurer. He kept glancing at his hand, the faint silver mark pulsing softly in the morning light.
"So," he said, trying to sound casual, "this mark of mine… it's important, right? Because, you know, I've been famous for exactly twelve hours, and I want to keep it that way."
Aeri didn't look at him. "It's not just important. It's dangerous. Even the smallest attention can draw things… from the past."
Ren froze. "…From the past?"
Aeri's eyes flicked up to him, sharp. "From the echoes. The memories of gods. Some are gentle. Others… aren't. And you, Silent One, are linked to them."
Ren felt a cold twinge creep down his spine. "…Linked? Like… roommate linked? Because I already have one of those, and it's a nightmare."
Aeri ignored his joke, kneeling by a small stream. She gestured for him to sit. "Close your eyes."
Ren blinked. "…Uh… excuse me?"
"Close your eyes," she repeated firmly. "It's the only way to hear the echoes clearly."
Ren hesitated, then sighed, letting the world slip away behind his eyelids. The forest's silver leaves dissolved into shadows, and the gentle rustle of the stream was replaced by… whispers.
At first, they were distant, like wind over chimes. Then, they sharpened, forming shapes in his mind: flashes of a towering city, banners burned black, statues broken and shattered. A god's scream echoed violently, raw and unfathomable.
Ren's stomach lurched. "…Whoa… too early for existential crises."
Aeri's voice was calm beside him. "It's a memory fragment. A glimpse of what happened before the world fell. You need to understand."
The vision intensified. He saw a figure standing atop a cliff, golden light streaming from their hands. Around them, other figures fell, screaming silently. The sky fractured in impossible colors, raining shards of divinity.
Ren gasped. "…Is that… real? I mean, like… alive real?"
"Alive? No," Aeri said. "But it's true. Part of history erased. Part of the echoes. And you… you can touch it."
Ren's hands trembled. "…Touch it? I didn't even sign up for divine horror."
A sudden flash — bright, blinding — and he felt a searing pull in his mind. Memories that weren't his, faces that weren't familiar, betrayal, rage, sorrow… all rushing in a torrent.
He fell back, clutching his head. "…Stop! I don't… I can't—"
Aeri caught him, steadying him. "Breathe. You can survive this. But remember: the echoes are selective. They show what matters. And right now… this matters."
Slowly, the vision faded. Ren opened his eyes to see the forest, the stream, and Aeri's calm, unwavering gaze. His chest heaved. "…I… I saw something. Horrible. And… I think it knew me."
Aeri nodded. "The echoes recognize who you are. Who you were… and who you might become. That's why the gods notice you. That's why the mark chose you."
Ren swallowed hard. "…So I'm… important? Dangerous?"
"Both," Aeri said simply. "And now… you must decide. Will you run, or will you stand?"
Ren's fingers clenched into fists. "…Run isn't really an option anymore. I'm already here. I'm alive. And if these echoes picked me… then maybe I can… do something."
Aeri's lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. That's a start. But this is only the beginning. What you saw… it will grow. And soon, you'll have to face it again, willingly or not."
Ren groaned. "…Great. I wanted sandwiches. And maybe a nap. And instead I get divine PTSD and a mentor who's basically a walking paradox."
"Paradox?" Aeri asked, raising an eyebrow. "You'll get used to it. Or you won't. Either way… it will teach you."
Ren stared at his glowing mark. The whispers of the echoes still lingered in his mind, faint and chilling, like shadows brushing against the edges of reality.
"…I guess… let's do this," he said finally, voice low. "…I'll… try."
Aeri nodded. "Good. Because once the echoes know you're listening… they won't stop."
High above, the golden-eyed figure watched silently, unseen, a faint smirk crossing their face. Somewhere deep in the world, the past stirred, awakened by the arrival of the Silent One.
To be continued…
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