REI hovered beside Carter like a hologram pulled from a dream—soft blue light, pixelated eyes, and a presence that felt both artificial and strangely human.
Carter swallowed hard. "So… you're my System Companion?"
Her head tilted slightly, a gesture too natural to be code. "Correct. I am REI—your Guide AI. Version 1.0, though I suspect I'm… evolving."
"Evolving?" Carter echoed.
REI's form flickered, her outline glitching for a heartbeat. "Your System is unstable. Adaptive. It responds to anomalies. And you, Carter Kane, are the greatest anomaly of all."
He felt a chill crawl up his spine. "Because I died."
"Because you died," she confirmed softly. "And because you didn't stay dead."
Carter sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't understand any of this. Why me? Why the reset? Why give me a System no one else has?"
REI floated closer, her expression unreadable. "I don't have all the answers yet. But I can tell you this—your timeline diverged. Something interfered. Something powerful."
"Something… or someone?"
Her eyes flickered. "Possibly."
Carter exhaled shakily. The room suddenly felt too small.
REI's tone softened. "But you're not alone anymore. I'm here to help you survive what's coming."
He looked up at her. "Windspire."
"Yes," she said. "Windspire."
---
The next morning, Carter woke with a clarity he hadn't felt in years.
REI hovered near the ceiling, scanning the room with faint pulses of light.
"Good morning," she chimed. "Your vitals are stable. Your mana flow is slightly elevated. Likely due to adrenaline."
"Yeah," Carter muttered, pulling on his jacket. "Today's the raid."
REI drifted closer. "I've analyzed your previous death event."
Carter froze.
"You were struck by an entity classified as 'Unknown.' Its energy signature does not match any cataloged dungeon species."
He felt his stomach twist. "So it wasn't supposed to be there."
"No," REI said. "And it wasn't random."
Carter's breath hitched. "Then what was it?"
Her eyes dimmed. "A message."
He stared at her. "A message from who?"
"I don't know," she whispered. "But whatever it was… it wanted you dead."
---
At school, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement and nerves. Students gathered in clusters, checking gear, comparing loadouts, bragging about who would get the highest kill count.
Lucas strutted through the courtyard, sword strapped to his back, confidence radiating off him like heat.
"Today's the day, boys," he said loudly. "Windspire's gonna be a cakewalk."
Carter walked past him without a word.
Lucas didn't even notice.
But REI did.
She hovered invisibly at Carter's shoulder, her voice a whisper only he could hear. "His arrogance is statistically dangerous."
Carter snorted under his breath. "Tell me something I don't know."
"I can tell you fifty-seven things," she replied. "Would you like the list?"
He cracked a smile despite himself. "Maybe later."
---
On the bus ride to the Rift, Carter sat alone at the back.
REI floated beside him, invisible to everyone else.
"Your stats are still low," she said. "But your skill evolution rate is exceptional. Adaptive Core is accelerating your growth."
"Is that normal?" Carter asked.
"No," she said. "Nothing about you is normal."
He wasn't sure how to feel about that.
The bus rumbled to a stop. Students filed out, chattering excitedly.
Carter stepped off last.
Windspire Rift loomed ahead—
a jagged blue scar in the sky, pulsing like a heartbeat.
His heartbeat.
REI's voice softened. "Are you ready?"
Carter tightened his grip on his gear.
"No," he admitted. "But I'm going anyway."
REI smiled faintly. "Then let's change the future."
---
The gate shimmered as they passed through.
Windspire swallowed them whole.
The dungeon was exactly as he remembered—
jagged cliffs, howling winds, metallic air.
But this time, Carter wasn't the same.
His senses were sharper.
His steps lighter.
His fear quieter.
REI hovered beside him, scanning the environment. "No anomalies detected yet. But stay alert. The divergence point is approaching."
Carter nodded.
Ahead, Lucas led the team with his glowing sword, barking orders like he owned the place.
"Stick to formation! Don't fall behind!"
Carter stayed near the back, eyes scanning every shadow.
He knew what was coming.
He knew where he died.
He knew who he needed to save.
Eli.
The freshman walked nervously near the middle of the group, clutching his staff with trembling hands.
Carter's chest tightened.
Not this time.