Consciousness did not return in a rush. It was a slow process, like surfacing from a deep, cold body of water. First, there was sensation. The dry, crisp grass beneath her back, and a cold wind carrying the damp scent of soil and the faint, decaying smell of ancient stones. Then came sound. The wind whistling through rock crevices, creating mournful melodies, and somewhere in the distance, a vague echo like the lament of a thousand souls.
Yanaki slowly opened her eyes.
The night sky was starless, yet it was illuminated by two moons. A large, pure silver moon, and a smaller one of a strange, cyan hue. Their dual light shone down upon a colossal valley, revealing a scene that was both majestic and sorrowful. The ruins of a great city of white marble lay silent in the valley. Towers were snapped in half, stone bridges had collapsed, and once-mighty city walls were now just jagged rows of teeth. The entire city was like a colossal skeleton, eroded by time and some great tragedy.
This was no novice's forest. This was a tomb.
Ping!
The familiar mechanical sound did not ring out. Instead, a voice poured directly into her mind. It was as melodic as wind chimes, as ethereal as the silver moonlight, yet it held a sorrow as deep as the ocean.
"O, traveler from another world... Welcome to Erathos, my kingdom, a land built from memory and tears."
Yanaki flinched, springing into a defensive stance, her F-rank dagger drawn instantly. She spun around, scanning her surroundings, but there was no one there.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" she yelled, her voice sounding lost in the immense silence.
"My form faded into the past, as did this kingdom," the voice replied, devoid of malice. "I am Lyra. I am the Keeper of Memories, the consciousness that remains of this place. I do not ask for your strength to destroy. I ask for a heart that knows how to listen."
"Listen?" Yanaki repeated, still skeptical.
"Indeed. To pass through my land, you must understand it. You must feel its pain and mend the fragments of its past. This is your trial."
A series of ethereal, silver-colored notifications materialized before Yanaki's eyes, woven from moonlight.
[You have entered Floor 1: The Forgotten Realm - Erathos.]
[You have received the Ultimate Quest: [Echoes of Memory].]
Description: The Keeper of Memories, Lyra, asks that you restore the most vital memories of Erathos so that the kingdom's spirit may find peace.
Objectives:
Collect the [Shard of Courage]: Currently held by the wrathful spirit of Knight-Commander Kaelan in the Ancient Citadel of Erathos.
Collect the [Shard of Growth]: Currently corrupted along with the Sorrowful Treant in the Whispering Woods.
Collect the [Shard of Sacrifice]: A special shard that will be bestowed upon the player with the most selfless act, or can be plundered from them through a battle to the death.
Final Location: Bring all three shards to the Observatory atop Moonwatch Peak.
Reward: The right to advance to Floor 2, and a "boon" from the Keeper of Memories.
Yanaki read the quest over and over, a chill running down her spine. "The Shard of Sacrifice... plundered from another player?" This meant that sooner or later, she would have to confront others with the same goal. The tower was forcing them to kill each other. The thought made her shudder, but then the image of her sister, Yuna, surfaced, and her gaze hardened with resolve. She would do whatever it took.
"Status Window."
Name: Yanaki
Level: 1
Rank: F
Strength: 5 | Stamina: 7 | Agility: 8 | Intelligence: 12 | Spirit: 15
Skills: [Covenant Summoner (Lv.1)], [Appraisal (Lv.1)]
As she was analyzing, a faint, nearly transparent figure slowly drifted past the foot of the hill. It was the silhouette of a woman in tattered peasant clothes, her arms cradling empty space as if she were holding a child. She walked aimlessly, her eyes vacant, her lips murmuring inaudible words. Her movements were unnatural, occasionally glitching like a faulty image.
Yanaki's [Appraisal] skill activated automatically.
[Lost Soul]
Level: 1
Description: A soul of a resident of Erathos who died in the "Great Arcane Cataclysm." Trapped by immense pain and loss, this soul endlessly repeats the final moments of its life.
Status: Grieving, bewildered. Not hostile.
The safe choice was to ignore it and find shelter. But an invisible pull from her [Covenant Summoner] skill held her in place. This skill was not just a tool; it was a part of her, an instinct, and it was urging her to connect.
Taking a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, Yanaki decided to do something insane. She sheathed her dagger, a gesture of goodwill. She walked slowly towards the spirit, not so close as to startle it.
"What is it you are searching for?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, trying not to break the tragic silence of the place.
The soul didn't seem to hear, continuing its endless loop.
Yanaki didn't give up. She closed her eyes, focusing all of her Spirit stat, not to attack, but to send a message. A message of empathy.
"I am not your enemy. I see your pain. I hear the weeping of this land. Tell me your name, tell me of Erathos. Do not let your memory fade into nothingness."
Her message spread like a warm ripple in the cold air.
The lost soul stopped abruptly.
For the first time, its loop was broken. Its blurry silhouette seemed to grow a little clearer. Slowly, very slowly, it turned its head. Its once-vacant eyes now held a faint glimmer of awareness, looking directly at Yanaki. A single, crystal-clear tear rolled down its ethereal cheek and evaporated into the air.
The silence was absolute. Then, the first sound came from the spirit's lips, as faint as a sigh, but loud enough for Yanaki to hear.
"...Alia..."