Chapter 2: A Ripple in the Stillness
The morning came pale and soft, like it was tiptoeing across the world.
Lucas woke to the gentle crackle of the fire still smoldering in the stove. His breath formed clouds in the cold air, even beneath layers of flannel. He made black coffee on a rusted percolator and stood on the porch, sipping it slowly as he surveyed Mirror Lake.
Still frozen.
Still quiet.
No ripples. No strange shimmers. Just snow stretching toward the tree line, untouched and undisturbed.
Maybe he had imagined it.
He set the mug down and retrieved his backpack. There were supplies to buy, people to meet. He wasn't entirely alone out here. The town of Harlan—if it could be called that—was roughly fifteen minutes back down the main trail, a scattering of wooden buildings, snowmobiles, and plumes of chimney smoke rising into the crisp air.
The bell above the door jingled as Lucas stepped into the warmth of the general store. The scent of pine cleaner, canned goods, and something freshly baked filled the air.
Behind the counter stood a woman in her early thirties, dark hair tucked under a wool hat, her sleeves rolled up as she stocked shelves.
"You're not from around here," she said without looking up.
Lucas gave a small smile. "Is it that obvious?"
"Pretty much. New boots. No dog fur on your coat. And you're not grumbling about moose blocking the road."
"Lucas Wright. I inherited the cabin out by Mirror Lake. Henry Wright's grandson."
That made her look up.
"You're Henry's boy?" She set down a box of cereal. "Well, I'll be damned. I'm Mara Kincaid. I used to bring your grandfather eggs back when I was a kid. Everyone in Harlan knew Henry."
"I remember herding chickens with him when I was little."
"Bet he made you clean the coop too." She smiled, then extended a hand. "Welcome back. It's a quiet place, but it's got soul."
Lucas shook her hand. "That's what I'm hoping for."
Lucas returned to the cabin with a few bags of supplies and Mara's promise to introduce him to some locals. He spent the afternoon clearing snow off the dock at the edge of the lake, drawn by something he couldn't quite name. A pull.
The lake shimmered beneath the sun—perfectly still.
He set up a folding chair and his old tackle box. It felt almost ceremonial, even though the ice was too thick for any fishing. Still, he cast the line out of habit.
And the moment the lure hit the frozen surface—
[Fishing System Activated.]
[Skill Acquired: Ice Sense Lv.1]
You can now detect fish and aquatic anomalies beneath ice-covered waters.
Lucas jerked back.
The same pale blue shimmer blinked to life. Transparent panels hovered just at the edge of his vision—smooth, clean, like glass interfaces.
He blinked twice.
[Daily Quest: Introduce Yourself to the Locals (0/3)]
Reward: 50 EXP | Relationship Points | Minor Harmony Boost
Another panel.
[Environment Noted: Mirror Lake – Magic Residue Detected]
[Potential: Harmonic Convergence Site]
"What the hell does that mean?" Lucas muttered.
He turned, half expecting someone to be behind him.
But it was just the lake. Just snow. Just silence.
That evening, Lucas joined Mara at The Northlight Grill, a cozy log-built diner run by a retired bush pilot named Rickon "Rick" Alvarez—a bearded, sharp-tongued man with a soft spot for wilderness stories and blueberry pie.
There were only a dozen locals inside: trappers, woodworkers, and a schoolteacher named Helen Park who doubled as the town librarian. Over bowls of stew, Lucas met them all.
Mara leaned close. "You'll need friends out here. Not just for company—sometimes the wild tests you. And sometimes," she added thoughtfully, "something else does too."
Lucas nodded.
He could feel it already. The ripple. The system. The strange pull in the air.
Something was waking up in Harlan County.