Vantalis — Eastern Watch Barracks
The barracks smelled like sweat, cheap disinfectants, and dried monster blood.
Dozens of recruits rushed around—sharpening weapons, patching armor, preparing for the next wave. Outside the walls, distant shrieks echoed like nails dragging across the sky.
Lyra sat on a cracked bench with her bow across her lap, inspecting the damage from their earlier fight. One of her star-tipped arrows still pulsed faintly with cosmic residue from Aetherion's blast.
Iris sat beside her, hugging her knees.
Her pale hair stuck to her face, damp with fear and exhaustion.
Ragnor paced.
And paced.
And paced more.
Finally, he slammed his fist into the wall.
The stone cracked.
A nearby guard jolted.
"HEY! Watch it! That's load-bearing!"
Ragnor gritted his teeth.
"Sorry. Nerves."
Aetherion stood against a pillar, arms crossed, cloak drifting lazily as if underwater. Even he—the calmest among them—kept glancing at the rooftops.
Lyra tightened her bowstring.
"So… we all saw that kid, right?"
"Kid?" Ragnor scoffed. "Kids don't make monsters explode."
Iris shivered.
"He… wasn't normal. He wasn't even—moving correctly."
Aetherion's voice sliced through the room.
"He wasn't moving at all. And yet he did."
All eyes turned to him.
Aetherion continued, tone sharp and analytical.
"When he appeared, the air stilled. Colors drained. I felt pressure I've never felt before. Cosmic pressure."
He paused.
"That was not a child."
The barracks door slammed open.
Captain Serik emerged—tall, scarred, eyes like beaten steel. His armor was dented in a dozen places, dried monster blood crusting the shoulder plate.
"Ragnor. Lyra. Iris. Aetherion."
His voice rumbled like a collapsing mountain.
"You four. With me. Now."
They followed him inside.
The room smelled like iron and dying embers. A large map of Vantalis covered the table, marked with pins and monster symbols.
At the center of the table was a sketch.
A small figure wearing a smooth white mask.
Eyes glowing red behind it.
Ragnor froze.
"…you knew?"
Serik didn't answer immediately. He stared at the drawing as if it were a curse.
"He's been sighted near battles for days. Always watching. Never intervening."
His jaw clenched.
"Until today."
Lyra swallowed.
"He saved us."
Serik shook his head sharply.
"He didn't save you. He obliterated a monster because it was in his way."
Silence filled the room.
Iris finally whispered:
"W-what is he…?"
Serik didn't hesitate.
"We don't know."
The worst possible answer.
He tapped the sketch.
"He looks like a child, but he moves like a phantom. No heat signature. No life reading. No aura pattern we can track. But…"
His eyes narrowed.
"Every time he appears, our monster detectors spike."
Aetherion straightened.
"Meaning?"
"He attracts them," Serik said.
"Or they fear him."
A cold shiver ran through the team.
Lyra's voice was barely audible.
"Why tell us this?"
Serik leaned forward.
"Because your squad is one of the only ones who survived a direct encounter. And Commander Veyla has assigned you four to Tower Recon."
Ragnor choked.
"Wait—THE Tower? Already?! We're not—"
Serik raised a hand.
"It's not a full dive. But activity is spiking. Something is waking inside. If we don't investigate now, Vantalis falls."
Aetherion sighed.
"As always. Children expected to save the world."
Ragnor cracked his knuckles.
"Fine. We'll go."
But Iris stepped back.
"W-wait. The Tower? With… him watching us?"
Serik met her eyes.
"No. Not with him watching you."
He pointed at the sketch.
"Because he already went inside."
All four froze.
Lyra's voice cracked.
"When?"
"Ten minutes ago."
Aetherion pushed off the wall.
"We're going."
Ragnor nodded.
"Gear up."
Iris hugged her spellbook tighter, fear trembling through her fingers.
But as they stepped out of the barracks—
A cold breeze brushed past them.
Color drained.
Time stuttered.
Shadows rippled.
On a nearby rooftop stood the masked child again.
Still.
Silent.
Watching.
Then—
He lifted a hand.
And pointed at the Tower.
A command.
A warning.
A test.
Ragnor's breath hitched.
"…he wants us to follow him."
Lyra felt dread squeeze her chest.
"This is a mistake."
Aetherion's eyes shone faintly.
"But the Tower waits."
Iris whispered:
"And what waits inside… is worse."
The four stepped toward the Tower.
The masked child vanished.
CHAPTER 2 — STATUS REPORT
Ragnor
Level: 6
EXP: No change
Skills:
Ground Pulse (Improving)
Aura: High-stress, aggressive
Physical Status: Stable
Mental State: Agitated, fearful curiosity
Notes: Leadership instincts forming
Lyra
Level: 5
EXP: No change
Skills:
Starlight Arrow (Stable)
Aura: Focused, cold
Physical Status: Normal
Mental State: Unnerved
Notes: Senses sharp
Iris
Level: 4
EXP: No change
Skills:
Temporal Bind (Minor)
Aura: Fragmented, unstable
Physical Status: Shaky
Mental State: Frightened
Notes: Tower dread rising
Aetherion
Level: 7
EXP: No change
Skills:
Microcosm Blast (Stable)
Aura: Quiet, expanding
Physical Status: Fine
Mental State: Intrigued
Notes: Strong pull toward the Tower
DRM
Level: ERROR
EXP: Unknown
Aura: Stage 1 — Silent Nightmare
Domain: Dormant
Mask Sync: 63%
Emotional State: Unknown
System Note: "Subject has entered the Tower."