The wind howled through the quiet streets of Valtheris. The lamps flickered weakly, their glow barely cutting through the mist that rolled over the stone roads. Eren walked alone, hood pulled low, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Something was wrong.
He had felt it since sunset — that strange pulse in the air, the same heavy energy that had filled the Whispering Dungeon. Now it was here, spreading through the city like a storm waiting to break.
[System Alert: Unstable energy detected nearby.]
[Source: Unknown.]
Eren stopped at the corner of a narrow alley. The sound of metal scraping stone echoed softly from the darkness. His instincts flared.
"Who's there?" he called.
No answer. Only the slow, steady hum of the System in his ears.
He drew his sword and stepped forward. The shadows seemed to breathe, curling and twisting as if alive. For a moment, he thought he saw movement — a figure standing still among the mist.
Then she stepped into the light.
She looked human at first — short dark hair, faint blue eyes that glowed in the dimness. But her body shimmered, flickering like a reflection on water.
Eren raised his blade slightly. "Who are you?"
The girl tilted her head. "You shouldn't be here."
Her voice was soft, but carried an echo — like two people speaking at once.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I'm an echo," she said. "A piece of memory left behind by the Bound."
The name hit him like a chill. "The Bound?"
She nodded slowly. "The ones who made the System. The ones who built this world."
Eren frowned. "If they built it… then why does it feel like everything's falling apart?"
The girl looked down, her image shaking slightly. "Because something escaped their control. Someone broke free from the chain."
Eren's eyes narrowed. "Someone like me?"
Her gaze lifted to meet his. "No. Someone like your brother."
The words hit him harder than any blow. "Riel?"
The girl's form flickered again, parts of her face breaking into lines of light. "The Unbound. That's what they call him now. He is not tied to the System. He exists outside it."
Eren stepped closer. "Where is he? Tell me where my brother is."
"I don't know," she said weakly. "But the Bound are searching for him. If they find him before you do, they will erase him from every world."
"Erase him?" he repeated, his hand shaking. "You mean kill him?"
She shook her head. "Worse. They will remove him completely — as if he never existed."
The street went quiet. Even the wind seemed to stop.
Eren lowered his sword slowly. "Then I'll find him first," he said, his voice firm. "I'll protect him."
The girl gave a faint smile. "You always say that… even across timelines."
He frowned. "What?"
But she was fading fast. "Be careful, Eren. The path ahead is dark. Even fate bends when the Unbound walks."
Her form broke apart into glowing fragments, scattering into the wind. The last of her voice echoed softly:
"Find the Tower of Origin."
Then she was gone.
Eren stared at the spot where she had stood, his mind racing. The Bound, the Unbound, the Tower — everything was connected. And somehow, his brother was at the center of it all.
[New Quest: Find the Tower of Origin.]
[Warning: High danger zone detected.]
He took a deep breath, sliding his sword back into its sheath. "Riel… hold on. I'm coming."
He turned toward the north road, where the horizon glowed faintly red. Each step echoed in the empty street, his boots splashing through shallow puddles. Above him, the storm clouds swirled, lightning tracing strange symbols across the sky.
The mark on his arm burned faintly, glowing through the fabric. The same symbol that had appeared the night Riel's power awakened.
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