Sector 17's shelter had no warmth to offer.
The walls were thick, reinforced against collapse, but the air inside remained dry and bitter. Crates of salvaged equipment lined the corners. A damaged vent system hummed faintly, failing to circulate more than recycled chill. The light strips flickered overhead in irregular intervals, casting shadows that seemed to move of their own accord.
Arix sat near the far wall, legs stretched in front of him, his leg wound sealed and bandaged. His body ached—not from the wound, but from existence itself. It felt like each muscle was waking up at its own pace, as if his body was only partially his. Like someone had taken an old soul and poured it into new flesh with just enough cracks to let the past bleed through.
He rubbed the back of his neck. The air smelled of rust and old solder.
The others were mostly quiet. Calyx spoke softly to Selis while cleaning her rifle with careful precision, her movements ritualistic. Kael reviewed a flickering map projection of the nearby terrain, mumbling under his breath as he tapped coordinates into a cracked datapad. Thorne sat by the central pillar, sharpening his hammer with long, deliberate strokes. The sound of stone scraping steel echoed through the chamber, steady and grim.
> [System Notice: Preliminary Sync Achieved]
[Status: Incomplete | Class Designation Pending]
> [Available Paths: Undefined | Recommendation: Initiate Echo Class Primer]
Arix blinked as his HUD shifted and a new screen filled his vision, brighter than the dim lights around him.
[System Primer: Class Overview Initiated]
In the current Echo-tier system, users evolve along adaptive class paths based on neurological imprints, combat tendencies, emotional anchors, and exposure to systemic anomalies (e.g. Rift Energy).
There are three core categories: Martial, Conduit, and Hybrid.
Martial: Focused on physical prowess, weapon mastery, and battlefield tactics. Subclasses include Breaker, Vanguard, Ghostblade, and Warden. Martial users often serve as front-line enforcers, able to withstand heavy damage and execute devastating strikes. They gain bonuses from consistency and physical resilience.
Conduit: Users who channel Rift or systemic energy. Subclasses include Nullbrand, Shardmind, Riftweaver, and Echochant. These classes specialize in manipulating the environment and bending system code through direct interface with the Echo field. They're versatile, but volatile—power comes at a cost.
Hybrid: Blends aspects of both Martial and Conduit. Rare and unstable, often highly situational. Subclasses include Echo-Knight, Fractalist, and Riftborn. These users are unpredictable—immensely powerful under the right conditions, but prone to overload and corruption if unbalanced.
> [Note: Echo-bound anomalies may result in unlisted subclass formations.]
> [System Analysis: Subject displays early signs of Echo Drift. Recommend passive class delay until Anchor identified.]
Arix closed the menu. He didn't feel ready.
He didn't feel anything at all.
The room pressed in around him. He was surrounded by survivors—fighters—but felt like a ghost watching someone else's life play out.
"What's your play?" Kael's voice broke the silence.
Arix looked up. "What?"
"Class path. You're Echo-sensitive. That's rare. Dangerous, too."
"I haven't decided."
Kael snorted. "Then you better start thinking fast. We've all seen what happens when someone lets the system choose for them."
Calyx stepped in, her tone calm but firm. "He doesn't have to choose yet."
Kael shrugged. "He does if he wants to survive what's coming."
"I'll know when it's time," Arix said.
Selis chuckled from the side. "Spoken like a protagonist."
Arix raised an eyebrow. "You know you're not subtle."
"I'm not trying to be."
Thorne's voice rumbled from his corner. "As long as you're not dead weight."
"I won't be," Arix said.
A pause followed, heavy but not hostile.
> [System Sync: Ambient Rift Signature Increasing – Directional Marker Available]
Arix stood and checked his gear. The light on his HUD pulsed in time with the system's warning. A red arrow floated in the periphery of his vision—leading deeper into Sector 17's ruins.
"Whatever's out there," he said, "it's not waiting for us."
Calyx nodded and pulled up her rifle. "Then let's not keep it company."
Thorne stood with a grunt, his hammer slung across his back. Selis sealed her medkit. Kael closed his map and shouldered his scanner.
They moved out.
Together.
And the cold followed them like a whisper.