I stood before the case.
Up close, it looked odd.
The green wasn't natural. It was too deep and at the same time strangely...
"Beautiful"
I felt gazes all around me, but I paid them no mind.
The trees were watching... No, not just them, it felt as though every creature in the forest was staring in my direction.
Then...
I reached out.
The instant my fingers touched the case.
-RING
A sharp, piercing sound tore through my skull.
"Gkk.. gahh!"
I felt a shocking sensation throughout my entire body, like I'd been hit with lightning.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
Calming myself i let out heavy breaths. Just as I was recovering...
The world...
Stopped.
Then...
Something spoke.
Not with a voice.
Not with a sound.
But with presence.
----------------------------------
[SYSTEM INITIALIZATION…]
----------------------------------
The words burned into my mind as an interface appeared in front me.
I stared at it in confusion.
----------------------------------
[IDENTITY: UNKNOWN]
[STATUS: UNREGISTERED]
----------------------------------
A pause.
Longer this time.
Like something was… thinking.
----------------------------------
[...]
[...]
[ERROR]
----------------------------------
The word echoed.
Cracking through the silence like something breaking.
----------------------------------
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
----------------------------------
"...Error?"
'What th...'
----------------------------------
[REATTEMPTING REGISTRATION…]
[FAILED]
----------------------------------
The pressure in the air shifted.
The forest...whatever it was, felt like it was holding its breath.
Watching.
----------------------------------
[ANOMALY DETECTED]
[UNAUTHORIZED EXISTENCE]
[REQUESTING DIVINE AUTHORIZATION…]
[...]
[DENIED]
----------------------------------
Silence. I continued to just stare a the interface unsure of what to do.
Then...
Something changed.
----------------------------------
[OVERRIDE DETECTED]
----------------------------------
The words glitched.
Flickering.
Breaking.
Reforming.
My confusion increased.
----------------------------------
[SOURCE: UNKNOWN]
[AUTHORITY: UNDEFINED]
----------------------------------
My grip on case tightened.
The ringing in my ears grew louder... no...
Sharper.
Like something was forcing its way through.
----------------------------------
[GRANTING ACCESS…]
----------------------------------
The moment the words appeared...
The case clicked.
The lid slowly opened.
A pulse of something ancient burst outward. Not light. Not darkness.
Something heavier....
And...
'Green?'
There I saw it, a sword that looked like a regular sword, nothing special except for one thing, the green gem on the hilt that resembled the color of the case... and the trees.
I reached into the case.
My hand grabbing the hilt.
It felt cold, smooth and oddly smiled nice.
The moment I touched it...
----------------------------------
[FIRST AUTHORITY ACQUIRED]
[INSTINCT]
----------------------------------
My breath steadied instantly.
The noise that had been ringing throughout my skull vanished, like it never existed.
My mind cleared and my body refreshed.
I tightened my grip.
I then noticed the green gem once again. It pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
My eyes widened.
And in the gem I saw my reflection. I watched as my eyes changed color from brown to green as if the previous color had been consumed.
My vision sharpened.
The world slowed.
Every movement of the forest...every shift of air, every creak of wood...
Clear.
Precise.
Predictable.
My eyes burned.
And...
----------------------------------
[SYNCHRONIZATION: INITIATED]
[HOST COMPATIBILITY: ACCEPTED]
----------------------------------
A low hum spread through the forest
The same hum I heard before.
But now it wasnt hostile, it felt, accepting like... recognition.
The dead trees around me trembled.
The living ones bent just slightly.
Not toward the sword.
But toward me.
The Collector Of Echoes.