Chapter 5: Echoes of the Future
Elias stood frozen, the eerie stillness of the desolate realm pressing against him like an invisible weight. His breath came in shallow gasps as his eyes remained fixated on the tragic figure before him—his older self, kneeling in defeat, impaled by ten legendary swords and surrounded by fragments of ethereal cards. The silence was almost deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the swords and the occasional crackle of energy from the shattered cards.
The younger Elias took a hesitant step forward, his boots crunching softly against the uneven ground. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to leave this haunting vision behind, but curiosity and a strange pull compelled him to move closer. Each step brought him closer to the swords, their beauty and ominous aura almost intoxicating.
The golden sword with its pulsating ruby seemed to exude an aura of authority, while the moonlight blade whispered promises of serenity and power. The obsidian blade, with its glowing sigils, seemed to watch him, as though it held secrets of an ancient world. Elias felt a chill run down his spine as his gaze fell on the dark blade forged from bone, its very presence unsettling, as if it carried the weight of countless lives.
His eyes moved to the older version of himself, who remained eerily still, his head bowed, his once-proud armor battered and stained with blood. The resemblance was uncanny, yet this man seemed so far removed from who Elias believed himself to be. Who was this man? What had he endured to end up in such a state?
Suddenly, the air shifted. A low, mournful wind swept through the expanse, carrying with it a faint whisper. It was a voice, barely audible but distinctly familiar.
"Why have you come here?"
Elias startled, his head snapping up. The voice wasn't coming from the older version of himself—it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. His heart raced as he scanned the desolate landscape, searching for the source.
"Who are you?" Elias demanded, his voice trembling slightly. "What is this place?"
The wind picked up, swirling around him, and the whisper grew louder. "This is not a place you were meant to see. Not yet."
Before Elias could respond, the older version of himself moved. It was subtle—a slight tilt of the head, the faintest shift in posture—but it was enough to send a jolt of fear through him. Then, the older Elias raised his head, his eyes locking onto his younger counterpart. They were the same eyes—dark, intense—but filled with an unfathomable depth of pain, wisdom, and regret.
"You shouldn't be here," the older Elias said, his voice hoarse and weary. "Not yet."
---
Elias swallowed hard, his throat dry. "Are you… me?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
The older man's lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. "I was you. Once. But that was a long time ago."
"What happened to you?" Elias asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you—" He gestured to the swords and the broken cards, unable to finish the question.
The older Elias let out a hollow laugh. "What happened?" he echoed. "The same thing that will happen to you, should you follow the same path." He gestured weakly to the swords impaling him. "Each of these blades represents a choice, a sacrifice, a betrayal. And the cards… they are the remnants of what I could not save."
Elias's eyes widened as he took in the words. "Sacrifice? Betrayal? What are you talking about?"
The older Elias shook his head. "You're not ready to know. Not yet. But you must remember this—every choice you make will have a cost. And some costs are heavier than others."
The ground beneath Elias began to tremble, the air growing colder. The wind whipped around him, carrying fragments of whispers and shadows. The older version of himself looked up, his expression shifting to one of urgency.
"You have to leave," he said sharply. "This place is not safe. Not for you. Not now."
"But—"
"No time for questions!" the older Elias barked. "Go! Before it's too late!"
---
Before Elias could protest further, the ground cracked open beneath him, and he felt himself falling. The desolate expanse vanished in a blur of darkness, and the whispers grew into a deafening roar. He flailed, grasping at nothing as he plummeted into the void.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, the fall stopped. Elias gasped, his eyes snapping open. He was back in his room, the faint glow of his surroundings grounding him in reality. He was lying on the floor, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His body ached, as though he had actually been in that strange, desolate place.
---
He sat up slowly, his mind racing with questions. What was that place? Was it a dream, a vision, or something else entirely? And who—or what—was his older self?
Elias took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He needed answers, and there was only one place to turn.
"System," he called out, his voice steady despite the chaos in his mind.
The familiar hum of the system's activation filled the air, but what followed left him even more bewildered.
"Error: Insufficient data," the system replied.
Elias frowned. "What do you mean, insufficient data? You're supposed to know everything!"
"Insufficient data," the system repeated, its tone devoid of emotion.
Gritting his teeth, Elias summoned the system panel, determined to find answers on his own.
---
System Panel
The panel materialized before him, its interface sleek and detailed.
Name: Elias Deveraux
Level: 1
Title: None
Current Status: Stable
Skills: None acquired
Attributes:
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 15
Vitality: 10
Available Quests: None
Available Rewards: None
The simplicity of the panel only added to Elias's frustration. It told him nothing about what had just happened.
"System," he said again, his tone more demanding this time. "What was that place? Who was that man? Why don't you know anything about it?"
For the first time, the system hesitated before responding. "Anomaly detected. Unable to access relevant data."
Elias stared at the panel, his mind spinning. Whatever had happened, it was beyond even the system's understanding—and that frightened him more than he cared to admit.
Elias walked through the dimly lit corridors of the academy, his boots echoing softly on the marble floor. He'd received a summons from the principal's office, and although he was unsure of the reason, the weight of his earlier experience in that strange, desolate realm hung heavily on his mind. His fingers twitched at his sides, the silence from the system gnawing at him. It wasn't like the system to stay so quiet—normally, it would have made a snarky remark about his predicament by now.
He sighed, glancing at the faint reflections on the polished floor. His thoughts drifted to his past, a tapestry of hardship and betrayal that had shaped him into the person he was today.
---
Elias had not lived an easy life. His mother, a kind and gentle soul, had passed away when he was barely five years old. She had been his sanctuary, the one who had shielded him from the harshness of the world. Her death had left a gaping void in his life, one that his father—once a strong and formidable figure—struggled to fill.
His father had been a respected scholar, a man of wisdom and strength, but an unfortunate accident had left him crippled, confined to a wheelchair. Elias could still remember the nights he'd spent watching his father wrestle with his own helplessness, the frustration of being unable to provide for his family gnawing at him. Despite his condition, his father had always urged Elias to be strong, to rise above their circumstances.
But life hadn't been kind to them.
When Elias turned ten, the whispers began—rumors of plots against his family. His father had once been a powerful figure in their kingdom, and there were those who saw his downfall as an opportunity to seize what little they had left.
Elias's first encounter with betrayal came when he was barely a teenager. A trusted family friend, someone his father had once saved, orchestrated an ambush meant to take his life. The plan had almost succeeded, but Elias, with his quick thinking and sheer determination, managed to escape. That night, he vowed to never trust blindly again.
The years that followed were filled with struggle. Elias worked tirelessly, learning everything he could—combat, strategy, and even rudimentary sorcery. He clawed his way up, driven by the desire to protect his father and rebuild their lives. His efforts bore fruit, and by the time he reached adulthood, Elias had become a force to be reckoned with.
But just as he began to taste success, his enemies struck again. This time, their plot was more insidious. Poison. A slow, agonizing death that claimed him before he could uncover the culprits.
Or so he thought.
Elias shook his head, banishing the memories. Dwelling on the past wouldn't change anything, but it was a stark reminder of why he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
The system's silence was unnerving. It wasn't like it to act this way. Normally, it was brimming with sarcasm, quick to mock him or point out his shortcomings. But now, it was eerily quiet, as though it had seen something it couldn't comprehend.
"What's wrong with you?" Elias muttered under his breath, addressing the system directly.
No response.
"Great," he muttered. "Now even you're acting strange. First, that dream—if it was a dream—and now this. What's next?"
As if on cue, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
Hidden Mission Complete: Go to ????????? and Come Back Alive.
Elias froze mid-step. "What?" he whispered.
The system's voice returned, but it was devoid of its usual tone. Instead, it sounded… confused.
Rewards:
Utility Cards Unlocked
Professional Cards Unlocked
Character Cards Fully Unlocked
All Card Types Unlocked
Basic Evolution Unlocked
Ding! Rewards Insufficient. Calculating Additional Rewards...
Ding! Additional Rewards: +100 Levels
Ding! New Mission: Enter ??????? Again to Receive More Rewards.
"What the hell is going on?" Elias muttered, his heart racing.
The system's voice cut in again, this time with an edge of incredulity. Did you hack me? Or is your luck off the charts? This level of reward is unheard of!
Elias didn't know whether to laugh or panic. "Hack you? I can barely understand how you work half the time!"
The system muttered something unintelligible before falling silent again.
---
A New Status Panel
Elias summoned the system panel, desperate for answers. The familiar interface appeared before him, but the changes left him stunned.
Name: Elias Deveraux
Level: 101
Title: [None]
Current Status: Evolving
Attributes:
Strength: 312
Agility: 345
Intelligence: 365
Vitality: 310
Class: Summoner
Cards:
Vesper's Card: Name: Sorcerer Vesper| Rank: Tier 2 | Abilities:
Female Summon Card: [Name: ??? | Rank: ??? | Abilities: ???]
Skills:
Basic Sorcery [Unlocked]
Summoning [Level 1]
Available Quests:
Enter ??????? Again
Elias stared at the panel, his mind reeling. His level had skyrocketed, his attributes had nearly tripled, and yet so many things were still shrouded in mystery.
"What is going on?" he murmured.
The system, for once, had no snarky response.