Light in the Undergrowth

A World Not Mine.

It wasn't just a name—it was a reflection of what he was: an anomaly. Someone who shouldn't exist in this world. Even the fundamental laws of this world's reality seemed to acknowledge that fact. Space itself reacted to his presence, bending and distorting unnaturally as if trying to reject—or accommodate—his existence.

His gaze dropped as the interface shifted again, another section was expanding below the Vital Crest entry.

[V1tal Ech0: Phantas Rift]

"Man1festat1on b0rn from User dist0rted presenc3. As an anomaly, User exist3nce flick3rs between realit1es—ne1ther fully here n0r c0mpletely absent. The w0rld struggles to anchor h1m, giv1ng r1se to ephem3ral after1mages that blur the line betw3en illus10n and reality. User movements echo bey0nd the present, reflect1ng User disjo1nted presence in th1s w0rld."

[Skill Ability]

User can creat3 fleet1ng after1mages that m1m1c User m0vements from m0ments bef0re. Thes3 echoes are n0t mere illus10ns—they possess a tang1ible form f0r a brief instant. H0wever, they lack mass and durabil1ty, d1spersing sh0rtly after format10n. User real b0dy is displaced relative to where the ech0 man1fests.

Velren's breath caught in his throat. This was what saved him back there—when the mercenary's blade seemed to cut through him only to strike... something else. An afterimage. No, a Phantas Rift. His Vital Crest didn't just distort space—it allowed him to slip, momentarily existing just out of sync with reality.

He clenched his fists.

"...This is mine," he murmured.

"Finally!"

Yet something else was bothering him. Vital Echo? He had never heard that term before. Another mystery to solve—one he'd have to bring up with Gramps or the wolves later on. But right now, understanding it would have to wait.

None of that mattered as they weren't safe yet.

Before Velren could consider his next move, a faint sound pulled his attention back. The little girl began to shift, letting out a low and muffled noise. Is she waking up?

Her eyelids fluttered open, unfocused at first. She blinked, darting her gaze around in confusion until it landed on Velren. Her expression shifted instantly. She recoiled, scrambling until her back hit the tree trunk.

"H-Hey," Velren raised his hands in a calming gesture.

"It's okay—I'm not gonna hurt you. I was just... helping. You were in danger, remember?"

The girl's breaths were quick and shallow. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, added with the panic that was flashing in her eyes. Up close, Velren could finally take in her appearance: messy, golden hair streaked with dirt and a few scratches along her arms. Her elegant dress was torn in places, likely from being dragged around by the mercenaries. Her face was smudged but young, probably the same age as him.

"I promise," Velren said, softer now.

"I won't hurt you. I'm trying to get us somewhere safe."

Her breathing slowed, just a little. Hesitantly, she gave him the faintest nod.

"Good," he exhaled. Turning his attention ahead, Velren scanned the dense trees, searching for another one of the marks he'd carved earlier.

'Now, Where's the next one...'

Before he could spot it, a faint voice tugged at his awareness.

".....hurt..."

Velren blinked, glancing back at her.

"What? Did you say something?"

She lowered her gaze, pointing her small finger at his back.

"Y-you're hurt..."

Hurt? Oh—right. It must've been caused by the jagged rock. That mercenary's earlier attack... Velren shifted slightly, feeling a dull ache he'd been too adrenaline-fueled to notice. Not sharp enough to be severe, but it was there—throbbing and persistent.

"It stings, sure. But so does being alive..." he jokingly muttered to her. Probably nothing serious.

But the girl's brows furrowed, and her lips were pressing into a thin line. Without saying another word, she gestured to the ground beside her.

"P-please... sit."

Velren hesitated. Confused at first, he glanced around—nothing seemed immediately threatening—but her insistence was... oddly earnest. Reluctantly, he complied, settling cross-legged on the ground a few feet away from her.

'What is she up to?'

Quietly, she shuffled behind him. He felt a slight shift in the air—then, a feeling of warmth bloomed against his back. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes widened. Her small hands hovered inches from him, emitting a soft, golden glow. The warmth wasn't just heat—it was comforting, like a blanket shielding him from the cold.

'A... healing magic?'

"Is this... your... Ka?"

The girl nodded silently, concentrating as the gentle warmth seeped into his muscles, dulling the ache. 

He exhaled, unraveling the tension from his shoulders. Warm... comforting... Not what he expected today, that was for sure.

Moments passed, filled only with the soft glimmers of golden light and the faint rustling of leaves. Then, breaking the quiet, Velren asked:

"Hey... what's your name?"

Surprised by the sudden question, the little girl whispered:

"...Solenne." 

Velren nodded.

"Solenne... got it."

A brief silence stretched between them until Solenne's quiet voice broke through it again.

"W-what's yours...?"

"I'm—" Velren started, but his words were caught in his throat when Solenne suddenly slumped forward. Her small form dropped against his back, catching him off-guard.

"Solenne? Hey—what happened?"

Her breathing, once steady, had returned to its earlier shallow pattern. It's like she's reverting to how she was when he first found her... What the hell does this mean?

Not long after, voices echoed through the trees.

"Are you sure they're in here?" one of them called out.

"Yes," the other responded with certainty.

"I can sense the trace of my magic close."

Velren's pulse quickened.

'Shit... that spell they used on her—was it also a tracking spell?'

'Come on, just pass by us.. please...'

"Over there!" one of the mercenaries shouted.

Velren's eyes widened. With Solenne in his arms, he shot to his feet and ran. A heartbeat later, the ground behind him exploded—spiked rock was jutting up on the spot where he'd just been.

'Damn it!'

With the marked trees as his guide, Velren sprinted through the forest. What should he do? He could focus his Ka on his feet again to gain speed—or maybe use his newfound Vital Echo, the Phantas Rift, to throw them off.

His thoughts were quickly shattered when something struck him hard from behind, causing him to stumbled and hit the ground with a grunt, shielding Solenne as best as he could.

"Shit... what the hell was that?" he hissed, coughing.

Gritting his teeth, he glanced back. Among the three mercenaries, one stood with winds swirling fiercely around him. So that's the third one... wind manipulation.

He clenched his jaw. One controls the terrain... another cast this spell on Solenne... and the last one—wind.

Another gust came hurtling toward him.

"Fucking come on!"

Velren hissed, unconsciously activating his Phantas Rift. The blast shredded an afterimage, dispersing harmlessly. Velren reappeared a few feet away, heaving his chest.

It worked...! Relief flooded—

—but only for a heartbeat.

A third gust slammed into him, stronger this time, ripping Solenne from his grasp.

"No—!"

His hand shot out, grazing her arm as she slipped away.

'Stay awake... focus...!'

His vision blurred, and his legs were trembling beneath him. Darkness clawed at the edges of his sight.

'Not... now...!'

His knees hit the dirt, and his body was slowly... failing.

And before the darkness consumed him...

A familiar howl echoed through the trees.