The nights here were quieter than death itself—so silent that sometimes, even the sound of one's own breath felt unnerving.
Aren sat beside the dim campfire, slowly twisting a rod in his hand. Tomo lay nearby in low-power mode, the blue glow in his eyes flickering faintly, almost as if fading into slumber.
Aren (thinking):
"Everything feels... off. Kuze may be gone, but there was something in his eyes. Something hidden—like a truth buried too deep."
Suddenly, a cold wave swept through the air.
"You are not who they think you are."
Aren instinctively grabbed the rod, standing alert. But there was no one in sight.
Aren: "Who's there?!"
The air shimmered.
A silhouette began to form from the drifting shadows—gradually taking the shape of a boy. He looked exactly like Aren… except for one chilling difference: there was no life in his eyes.
???: "You won't recognize me. But I am you… without emotion, without pain."
Aren (shocked): "You… you're a clone of me?"
The figure smiled—empty, cruel.
Echo: "A clone? No… I am what you could never become."
Aren: "I don't understand…"
Echo: "Everyone left you. You had nothing. And yet you clung to hope… you struggled. That struggle gave birth to me."
Aren instinctively stepped back.
Tomo (activating): "Warning. Unknown entity detected. Energy levels unstable."
Echo: "Still hiding behind that toy, Tomo?"
Aren: "Why are you here? What do you want?"
Echo: "I've come with a message—Spiral isn't going to let you go. And neither will I."
Aren: "So you serve Spiral?"
Echo laughed softly. Not madness, not joy. Just... emptiness.
Echo: "Serve? No... I was created by Spiral. But I am not his slave."
He raised his hand. The space in front of him cracked like shattered glass—time itself distorting.
Tomo: "Warning. Temporal layer disruption detected."
Echo: "I'll return. And when I do, you'll understand everything. You're not a hero, Aren. You're just... a mistake."
In a blink, Echo vanished.
Aren stood still, staring into the void left behind.
Aren (softly): "A mistake, huh? Then let's see… who truly belongs beyond time—me or you."
Tomo: "Aren… are we really prepared for what's coming?"
Aren (gripping the rod tightly): "There's only one path now… forward."
The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the broken walls.
Far in the distance, a dark figure traced a spiral symbol onto a wall—its presence unseen… but always watching.
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Chapter End