The mist thickened as Vero and Levin pressed forward, swallowing the faint outlines of their surroundings. The path beneath their feet was uneven, shifting with each step as if the Echo itself were testing their resolve. Levin walked with his usual nonchalance, but his eyes darted toward the shadows creeping at the edges of their vision.
"This mist," Levin said, breaking the silence, "isn't natural. It's like it's trying to hide something."
"Or someone," Vero replied, his grip tightening on the shard.
The glow of the shard dimmed as if responding to the oppressive atmosphere. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the soft crunch of their boots on the ground. Vero's thoughts kept circling back to the vision of Veredian—the Lightbringer who had brought both salvation and destruction.
Was it possible that the shard he carried was a fragment of that power? And if so, what did that mean for him?
Levin suddenly stopped, raising a hand. "Wait."
Vero froze, following Levin's gaze. Ahead of them, the mist shifted, parting just enough to reveal a faint silhouette. The figure was hunched, cloaked in tattered robes, and holding what looked like a staff.
"Another illusion?" Vero whispered.
"Doubt it," Levin murmured, his daggers sliding into his hands. "Illusions don't usually breathe."
The figure turned its head slightly, revealing a face hidden beneath a hood. Its voice, raspy and filled with a strange resonance, echoed through the mist.
"You carry the shard of Veredian," the figure said, its words more a statement than a question.
Vero tensed. "Who are you?"
The figure stepped closer, its movements slow but deliberate. "A seeker, like you. Drawn to the Echo by its call. But unlike you, I know what it truly is."
Levin smirked, though his grip on his daggers didn't relax. "Oh, great. Another cryptic stranger. Do you all take classes on how to be mysterious, or is it just a natural talent?"
The figure ignored him, its gaze fixed on Vero. "The shard you hold is both a blessing and a curse. It will guide you, but it will also test you. And if you fail..."
The figure trailed off, its staff striking the ground with a sharp crack. The mist around them thickened, and shapes began to emerge—dark, shifting forms with glowing eyes.
"Wraiths," Levin muttered, stepping closer to Vero. "You really know how to set the mood, don't you?"
The figure raised its staff, and the wraiths surged forward.
---
The first wraith lunged at Vero, its shadowy form stretching unnaturally as it reached for him. He raised the shard, its glow flaring to life and forcing the wraith to recoil with an ear-splitting screech.
Levin darted between the wraiths with practiced ease, his daggers slicing through their forms. Though his strikes couldn't destroy them, they were enough to keep the wraiths at bay.
"Any bright ideas, shard-boy?" Levin called out, his tone still light despite the danger.
Vero focused on the shard, letting its energy guide him. He could feel it responding to the wraiths, its light pulsing in time with their movements. Trusting his instincts, he thrust the shard forward, sending a wave of light rippling through the mist.
The wraiths recoiled, their forms flickering before vanishing into the shadows. The figure stood unmoving, watching as the light washed over the mist.
"You are stronger than I expected," the figure said, lowering its staff. "But strength alone will not save you."
Vero leveled his gaze at the figure. "What do you want from me?"
The figure stepped closer, the glow of the shard reflecting off its hood. "The Echo is a labyrinth of memories, built to contain a power beyond comprehension. Veredian's power. Your shard is a key, one of many, and you are its bearer. But be warned—each key unlocks more than doors. It unlocks truths you may not wish to face."
Vero's grip on the shard tightened. "Why me?"
The figure tilted its head, as if studying him. "Because the Echo chose you. Just as it chose Veredian."
Before Vero could respond, the figure began to fade, its form dissolving into the mist.
"Wait!" Vero called out, but the figure was already gone, leaving only the faint echo of its words.
---
As the mist began to lift, revealing a clearer path ahead, Levin let out a low whistle. "Well, that was dramatic. You really do have a knack for attracting the weird ones."
Vero ignored him, his thoughts racing. The figure's words had confirmed what he had begun to suspect—the shard wasn't just a fragment of power. It was a part of something far greater, something tied to the Echo and to Veredian.
And if the Echo had chosen him, it meant he was far from finished with its trials.
Levin clapped him on the shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Come on, shard-boy. Let's see where this lovely little death trap leads us next."
Vero nodded, his resolve hardening. Whatever the Echo had in store, he would face it. He had no choice.