The ground beneath Vero and Levin's feet shifted with each step, rippling like water yet solid enough to hold their weight. The ever-changing landscape of the Echo was unnerving, with fragments of memories—both Vero's and others'—appearing and vanishing like flickers of light.
Levin walked with an air of casual confidence, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. "You know," he said, glancing at Vero, "most people would've lost their minds by now. The Echo's not exactly kind to wanderers."
Vero kept his gaze ahead, his grip firm on the shard. "I don't have time to lose my mind. There's something I need to find here."
Levin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's so important that you'd dive headfirst into this little nightmare?"
"Answers," Vero replied simply.
Levin chuckled. "Fair enough. Just don't forget—answers in the Echo usually come with a price."
They continued walking until they reached a fork in the path. Two roads stretched out before them, both shrouded in a thick, swirling mist. The shard in Vero's hand began to pulse faintly, but its light didn't point to either path.
Levin tilted his head, studying the two paths. "Well, this is new. Usually, the Echo isn't this subtle about trying to kill us."
Vero frowned. "Which way do we go?"
Levin grinned. "Oh, I love this part. A good old-fashioned choice. Left or right? Life or death? Or maybe they're both the same."
"Helpful," Vero muttered.
The shard pulsed again, and this time, faint whispers filled the air. They were barely audible, like echoes of a distant conversation, but they seemed to come from both paths.
"Do you hear that?" Vero asked, straining to make out the words.
Levin nodded. "Oh, I hear it. The Echo loves to play tricks like this. Voices of the past, promises of the future... or maybe it's just trying to mess with us. Hard to say."
Vero stepped closer to the fork, his brow furrowing. The whispers grew louder, and for a brief moment, he thought he recognized one of the voices. It was faint, but it sounded like someone he should know—someone important.
Without waiting for Levin's input, Vero started down the left path.
"Left, huh?" Levin called after him, falling into step beside him. "Bold choice. Let's hope it doesn't get us killed."
---
The left path led them into a dense forest, its trees glowing faintly with an unnatural light. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves.
Vero felt a growing sense of unease. The whispers from before had faded, but the forest felt alive, as if it were watching them.
"You know," Levin said, breaking the silence, "I've been through a lot of weird places in the Echo, but this? This is new."
"What do you mean?" Vero asked.
Levin gestured to the glowing trees. "The Echo usually sticks to fragments of memory—places, people, things from the past. This... this feels different. Like it's not just trying to show us something. It's trying to trap us."
As if on cue, the forest around them began to shift. The trees moved, their branches stretching out like skeletal hands, and the ground beneath their feet turned soft and unsteady.
"Okay, I take it back," Levin said, drawing his daggers. "This place definitely wants to kill us."
The forest came alive, its branches twisting and reaching for them. Shadows darted between the trees, their forms indistinct but menacing.
Vero raised his blade, the shard in his hand glowing brightly. "What are they?"
"Echo-wraiths," Levin said grimly. "They feed on fear and doubt. Whatever you do, don't let them touch you."
One of the wraiths lunged, its shadowy form stretching unnaturally as it reached for Vero. He slashed at it with his blade, but his strike passed through it like mist.
"Great," Vero muttered.
"Yeah, normal weapons don't work on these things," Levin said, dodging another wraith. "You'll need to use that shiny little shard of yours."
The shard pulsed in Vero's hand, and he felt its energy coursing through him. Trusting his instincts, he raised the shard, its light flaring like a beacon. The wraiths recoiled, their forms flickering and distorting in the light.
"That's more like it!" Levin said, grinning as he darted between the wraiths, using the shard's glow to keep them at bay.
Vero focused on the shard, channeling its energy outward. The light grew brighter, pushing back the wraiths and forcing the forest to retreat. The trees stopped moving, their branches returning to their original positions, and the ground beneath them solidified.
As the last of the wraiths vanished, the forest fell silent once more.
"Not bad," Levin said, sheathing his daggers. "You might actually survive this place after all."
Vero lowered the shard, his breathing heavy. "What were those things?"
"Manifestations of the Echo," Levin said. "They're drawn to strong emotions—fear, anger, regret. The more you let those feelings control you, the stronger they get."
Vero nodded, though his mind was racing. The Echo's tests were growing more dangerous, and he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
---
As they continued down the path, the forest began to thin, and the air grew lighter. In the distance, Vero could see another light pillar, its glow faint but steady.
Levin glanced at him, his expression unusually serious. "Whatever's waiting for us up ahead, just remember—this place wants to break you. Don't let it."
"I won't," Vero said, gripping the shard tightly.
With each step, the pillar grew closer, its light cutting through the shadows. Vero didn't know what awaited him, but he was ready to face it.