Vero and Levin walked side by side across the surreal landscape, the silence between them thick with unspoken questions. The towering light pillars loomed ahead, their glow casting an ethereal brilliance over the cracked terrain. Levin seemed at ease, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, while Vero remained tense, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.
"Are you always this quiet?" Levin finally broke the silence, glancing at Vero with a sly grin. "Or is it just me that makes you nervous?"
"I don't trust you," Vero replied bluntly.
Levin let out a soft laugh. "Fair enough. Trust is a luxury in a place like this. But if it makes you feel better, I haven't stabbed anyone I liked in years."
Vero shot him a sidelong glance. "Comforting."
Levin smirked but said nothing more.
As they approached one of the light pillars, the air grew heavier, charged with an unseen energy that made Vero's skin tingle. The shard in his hand pulsed faintly, resonating with the pillar's glow.
"Stay sharp," Levin said, his tone turning serious. "These things aren't just pretty decorations. They have... defenses."
Before Vero could ask what he meant, the ground beneath them began to tremble. The light pillar flickered, and a shape began to materialize at its base—a towering figure clad in ornate, crystalline armor. Its face was obscured by a helmet, and in its hands, it held a massive, double-bladed weapon that pulsed with the same light as the pillar.
The figure turned its head toward them, its glowing eyes locking onto Vero.
"Well, that's new," Levin muttered, drawing his daggers.
The armored figure took a step forward, the ground shaking beneath its weight. Without warning, it raised its weapon and charged, its movements surprisingly swift for its size.
Vero barely had time to react, raising his blade to block the creature's strike. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, forcing him back several steps. Levin darted around to the side, aiming for the creature's joints, but his daggers glanced off its armor, leaving only faint scratches.
"Great," Levin said, dodging a swing of the massive weapon. "Looks like we're playing the hard mode today."
Vero gritted his teeth, focusing on the rhythm of the shard's pulsing in his hand. He could feel its energy coursing through him, guiding his movements. As the creature attacked again, he sidestepped and struck, aiming for a gap in its armor near its shoulder. This time, his blade bit deep, and the creature let out a low, guttural sound that might have been a roar.
"Nice hit!" Levin called, lunging forward to exploit the opening. His daggers found their mark, piercing the creature's exposed joint and forcing it to drop its weapon.
The creature staggered but didn't fall. Instead, it raised one hand, and the light pillar behind it flared, sending out a shockwave that knocked both Vero and Levin off their feet.
Vero hit the ground hard, the shard slipping from his grasp and skittering across the cracked earth. Panic surged through him as the creature turned its glowing eyes on the shard and began to move toward it.
"No!" Vero shouted, scrambling to his feet.
But before he could reach it, Levin moved faster. In a blur of motion, he snatched the shard and threw it back to Vero.
"Catch!" Levin yelled.
Vero caught the shard just as the creature turned its attention back to him. The moment his hand closed around it, the shard's glow intensified, enveloping him in a protective aura. The creature hesitated, as if sensing the change, and Vero seized the moment to strike.
Channeling the shard's energy, he lunged forward, his blade slicing through the creature's chest. The crystalline armor shattered like glass, and the figure crumbled into a burst of light, leaving only silence in its wake.
---
Vero stood there for a moment, breathing heavily as the light from the pillar dimmed. Levin approached, twirling one of his daggers idly.
"Not bad," Levin said, flashing a grin. "You're starting to get the hang of this."
Vero ignored the comment, turning to examine the light pillar. Now that the creature was gone, the pillar's glow had softened, revealing an intricate pattern of runes etched into its surface.
"What are these?" Vero asked, running his fingers over the runes.
Levin's expression grew serious. "Markers. The Echo uses them to anchor itself to... whatever this place used to be. They're like pieces of a puzzle, and if you're here, that means you're supposed to figure it out."
"And you?" Vero asked, glancing at him.
Levin shrugged. "Let's just say I have my reasons for being interested in this puzzle, too."
Before Vero could press him further, the shard in his hand pulsed again, and a vision began to form before his eyes. He saw fragments of memories—faces, places, and moments that felt achingly familiar yet just out of reach.
The voice from before returned, soft and distant.
"Find the light. Find the truth."
The vision faded, leaving Vero with more questions than answers. He clenched the shard tightly, his resolve hardening.
"Whatever this is," he said, "I'm going to see it through."
Levin clapped him on the shoulder, his grin returning. "Good. Because things are only going to get more complicated from here."
As the light pillar faded completely, the landscape began to shift again, the world reshaping itself around them. Vero and Levin exchanged a glance before stepping forward, ready to face whatever came next.