The Valley of Whispers opened before him—a narrow canyon where violet mist clung to the ground. His [Soul Sight] skill activated automatically, and suddenly he could see more: faint shapes moving in the mist, spectral forms without solid bodies.
Spirits.
At the center of the valley stood a massive monolith—a pillar of black stone covered in glowing runes. As Max approached, the runes blazed brighter, and text appeared:
[SPIRIT MONOLITH]
"Here, the bonds between worlds grow thin. Speak your intent, Soulbinder, and the spirits will answer."
Max placed his hand on the stone. It was cold, colder than ice, and energy surged up his arm. The mist around him thickened, and from it, shapes emerged.
Three spirits materialized:
A wolf, its body made of silver light, eyes intelligent and watchful.
Label: [Lunar Guardian Spirit – Rank D]
A floating orb of fire, aggressive energy radiating from it.
Label: [Ember Wisp – Rank E]
A shadowy humanoid figure, barely visible.
Label: [Shadow Echo – Rank D]
A prompt appeared:
[CHOOSE YOUR FIRST SOUL CONTRACT]
This spirit will become your companion. Choose wisely—your first bond shapes your path.
Max studied each option. The wolf seemed like the safe choice—loyal, strong, probably good in combat. The Ember Wisp was pure offense. But the Shadow Echo...
He activated [Soul Sight] and focused on the shadowy figure. Information flooded his mind:
[Shadow Echo: A fragment of a soul, lost between life and death. High stealth capabilities. Can phase through objects. Unique evolution path: ???]
The mystery intrigued him. And that evolution path could mean anything.
"I choose the Shadow Echo," Max declared.
The shadow figure drifted forward, and suddenly it lunged at him. Max barely had time to react before it merged with his chest. For a moment, he felt a foreign presence in his mind—cold, curious.
Then it settled.
[SOUL CONTRACT FORMED]
You have bonded with: Shadow Echo (Rank D)
New Skill Unlocked: [Shadow Step – Rank F] – Instantly teleport to a shadow within 10 meters
New Skill Unlocked: [Shared Senses] – See through your contracted spirit's perspective
Corruption: +5
"Alright," Max grinned. "Let's see what you can do."
[QUEST COMPLETE: THE FIRST CONTRACT]
+500 EXP
Level Up! You are now Level 2.
A rush of power flooded through him. His stats increased automatically, and new skill points appeared in his interface.
Max checked the zone chat again. Players were already forming parties, sharing information about hidden quests and rare mob spawns. The game had been live for less than thirty minutes, and the race had begun.
Somewhere out there, in this impossibly vast world, were dungeons to conquer, bosses to defeat, and secrets to uncover.
Max Thorne cracked his knuckles.
His journey in Aetheria Online had officially begun.
**
Max stood at the center of the Valley of Whispers, staring at the empty space beside him where the Shadow Echo had been moments ago. After the contract formed, the spirit had simply... vanished.
He pulled up his skills interface with a thought:
ACTIVE SKILLS:
[Soul Contract - Rank F] – Form a binding contract with a spirits
[Soul Sight - Rank F] – Perceive the spiritual essence of beings
[Shadow Step - Rank F] – Instantly teleport to a shadow within 10 meters. Cost: 30 MP. Cooldown: 10 seconds
[Shared Senses] – See through your contracted spirit's perspective
[Summon Contract: Shadow Echo] – Manifest your bonded spirit. Cost: 20 MP. Duration: 10 minutes
"Alright," Max muttered to himself, focusing on the new summon skill. "Let's see what you can actually do."
He activated the ability. Energy drained from his MP bar, and suddenly the air beside him darkened. The shadow stretched unnaturally, peeling itself from the ground like wet paper.
The Shadow Echo hovered at shoulder height, its form constantly shifting—sometimes more solid, sometimes barely visible. Where a face should be, there was only a hint of features: hollow eye sockets that glowed faintly purple, and a mouth that never quite formed.
Max reached out slowly, and his hand passed through the spirit like smoke. "Can you... understand me?"
The Shadow Echo didn't respond. Not with words, anyway. But Max felt something—a ripple in his consciousness, like dropping a stone into still water. It wasn't language. It was emotion. Curiosity. Recognition.
"You can hear me," Max said, more statement than question.
Another ripple. This one felt like... affirmation? Agreement?
Max grinned. "Okay. We're getting somewhere. Can you move on your own?"
The Shadow Echo drifted forward, then circled around him, its movements fluid and silent.
"Good. Now, can you—" Max paused, thinking. How did you give commands to something that couldn't speak? He tried thinking the command instead. Scout ahead. Look for danger.
The Shadow Echo froze for a moment, then shot forward, gliding down the canyon path at incredible speed. Max felt a strange tug in his chest, like an invisible thread connecting them. The further it went, the more pronounced the sensation became.
Then his vision split.
His own eyes still saw the Valley of Whispers, but suddenly there was a second perspective overlaid on top. He was seeing through the Shadow Echo's senses.
The world looked different from this perspective. Colors were muted, shifted toward purples and grays. But he could see more—traces of energy in the air, the spiritual essence of nearby creatures glowing like beacons. A group of Void Watchers floated near an opening, their forms radiating hostile red light.
[Shared Senses Active]
Warning: Maintaining dual perspective may cause disorientation
Max blinked, and the second vision faded to a small overlay in the corner of his sight—like a minimap. He could toggle focus between his own eyes and the spirit's with just a thought.
"This is insane," he whispered. The usage of this were enormous. He could scout without risk, gather information, maybe even—
The Shadow Echo sent a wave of information. Not words, but Max understood the meaning: Enemy spotted. Multiple targets. Waiting for orders.