The warping light faded, and Vero found himself standing in a vast expanse of nothingness. The ground beneath his feet felt solid but was devoid of texture or color, a pale gray stretching endlessly in all directions. Above him, the sky was an endless void, speckled with faint, swirling lights that seemed to pulse like distant stars.
The shard in his hand was now glowing brighter than ever, its warmth spreading through his palm like a heartbeat. For the first time since he entered the Echo's influence, he felt a strange sense of clarity.
This place was alive.
"You've come far," a voice said, shattering the silence.
Vero turned quickly, his blade drawn. Standing a few steps away was the same silver-haired woman he had glimpsed before, her presence both familiar and unnervingly foreign. Her sharp, angular features were etched with a calm expression, her piercing eyes fixed on him.
"Who are you?" Vero asked, his tone cautious.
The woman stepped closer, her movements graceful and deliberate. "I am a fragment, much like the shard you carry. A remnant of a truth you have yet to uncover."
"A fragment?" Vero frowned, gripping his blade tighter. "What truth? And why do you keep appearing?"
She tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "You seek answers, yet you carry the question within you. The Echo reflects what lies within, Vero Zenith. Your fractured memories, your buried past—they are the keys to understanding this place."
Her words struck a nerve. Vero's grip tightened on the shard as he took a step forward. "If you know so much, then tell me. What happened to me? Why can't I remember?"
The woman's gaze softened, and for a moment, she seemed almost human. "Because you are not ready to face the whole truth. But the Echo knows, Vero. It knows everything you have forgotten, everything you fear."
The shard in his hand pulsed again, drawing his attention. Its glow intensified, and suddenly, the space around them began to shift. The ground beneath their feet cracked, and fissures of light spread outward, consuming the void.
---
In an instant, they were standing in a new place—a battlefield.
Vero's breath caught as he took in the scene. The air was thick with smoke, the ground littered with broken weapons and bodies. He could hear the clash of steel and the cries of the wounded, though the combatants themselves were nothing but shadowy figures.
He recognized this place.
"This..." Vero's voice faltered. "This is the Plains of Rathenfall."
The silver-haired woman nodded, her expression unreadable. "A memory, buried deep within you. Do you see now? The Echo draws from your own mind. It forces you to confront what you would rather forget."
Vero took a step forward, his boots crunching against the charred ground. The sight before him was all too real. He could smell the acrid stench of blood and ash, feel the heat of the fires that burned in the distance.
In the center of the battlefield, a single figure stood apart from the shadows. It was a man clad in heavy armor, his sword glinting in the dim light. His back was to Vero, but there was something hauntingly familiar about him.
"Who is that?" Vero asked, his voice tight.
The woman didn't answer. Instead, she gestured toward the figure. "You tell me."
Vero approached cautiously, the shard in his hand glowing brighter with each step. As he drew closer, the man turned, revealing a face that stopped Vero in his tracks.
It was his own.
---
The armored version of Vero stared at him with cold, unyielding eyes. His face was hardened, scarred, and his expression was devoid of emotion. The sight sent a chill down Vero's spine.
"What... what is this?" he demanded, turning to the woman.
"A reflection," she replied. "Of the man you were, or perhaps the man you are becoming. The Echo does not lie, Vero. It shows only what is already within you."
The other Vero raised his sword, its blade crackling with energy. "You think you can escape what you've done?" he said, his voice low and venomous. "You think you can outrun the truth?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Vero said, taking a defensive stance.
The reflection let out a bitter laugh. "Of course you don't. You've buried it, locked it away like a coward. But you can't hide from me. I am you."
Before Vero could respond, the reflection charged, its blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Vero barely managed to block the strike, the force of the impact sending him stumbling backward.
The battle began in earnest. The reflection was relentless, its movements precise and unyielding. Vero found himself struggling to keep up, his blade clashing against the reflection's with a fury that left him breathless.
"You're weak," the reflection snarled, driving him back. "You cling to fragments of hope, but you don't have the strength to face what's coming."
Vero gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he parried another strike. "I'm stronger than you think."
"Prove it," the reflection growled, its attacks growing fiercer.
---
The fight raged on, each blow echoing across the battlefield. Vero could feel his strength waning, but he refused to give up. The shard in his hand pulsed with a rhythmic energy, and he realized it was responding to his will.
Summoning his resolve, Vero focused on the shard. Its light flared, and suddenly, the battlefield began to shift. The shadows wavered, and the reflection faltered, its form flickering like a dying flame.
"You can't defeat me," the reflection said, its voice trembling. "I am you."
"No," Vero said, his voice steady. "You're a part of me. But you don't control me."
With a final surge of energy, Vero drove his blade forward, piercing the reflection's chest. The figure let out a guttural cry as it dissolved into light, its form scattering like ashes on the wind.
The battlefield faded, and Vero found himself back in the void, the silver-haired woman standing silently beside him.
"You are stronger than I thought," she said, her tone carrying a hint of approval.
Vero glanced at the shard in his hand, its glow now steady and bright. "What was that?"
"A piece of your past," she replied. "But there is much more to uncover. The Echo has only begun to test you."
Vero nodded, his resolve stronger than ever. Whatever lay ahead, he was ready to face it.