"All weapons begin as silence… until someone dares to speak their name."
---
He wasn't dead.
Or at least… not yet.
Kael floated in a vast, silent void—weightless, disoriented, and adrift. No ground. No sky. Just cold. Just breath.
His.
> [WEAPON SYSTEM: BOOTING...]
...Initializing user integrity...
...Detecting soul signature...
...Establishing primary link...
A glow spread beneath his feet—forming a shifting ring of blue runes in a language he didn't know but somehow understood.
> [LINK STABILIZED. User: Kael Vireon. Age: 17. Status: Critical.]
[WEAPON SYSTEM BINDING IN PROGRESS]
...You are the final candidate.
...You have been chosen.
"W-What is this…?"
A soundless pulse throbbed through his mind—like pressure behind his eyes. Then came the voice again, calm and mechanical.
> [Welcome to the Weapon System, Kael.]
To begin diagnostics, think the word: 'Status'.
He hesitated, breathing unevenly. Then focused.
Status.
---
A bright grid of symbols burst into being, floating before him like a translucent interface.
---
[SYSTEM INTERFACE – USER DIAGNOSTICS]
> [USER PROFILE: KAEL VIREON]
• Age: 17
• Race: Human (Variant: Undiscovered)
• Class: None
• Talent: Armament Echo
• Health: 32 / 100 (Critically Wounded)
• Stamina: 14 / 100
• Mana: 3 / 10 (Dormant Core)
• Sync Rate: 61.3%
• Strength: 7
• Dexterity: 9
• Endurance: 6
• Intelligence: 8
• Perception: 10
• Willpower: 12
• Luck: 5
▸ Status Effects: Blood Loss (Minor), Soul Strain (Level 1)
▸ Weapon Slots: 1/10
▸ Soul Links: None active
▸ Equipment: Basic Combat Suit [Adaptive Fabric]
▸ Inventory: Ether Flask x2, System Repair Token x1
---
> [Analyzing innate talent...]
[Talent Confirmed: ARMAMENT ECHO]
Kael blinked. "What does that mean?"
> [Description:]
Armament Echo – A rare soul-bound trait. Grants the user the ability to inherit, mimic, or evolve abilities based on weapons they wield or bond with. Echoes of past wielders may manifest through skill imprints, memories, or emotional resonance.
Perks:
– Gain passive or active skills from bound weapons
– Unlock hidden traits via battle experience
– Potential to forge custom hybrid weapons
– High compatibility with cursed or sentient armaments
> [Note:] This talent grows stronger with exposure to ancient or legendary weapons. Soul stability is required for control. Unstable emotions may result in memory bleed.
Kael stared at the floating glyphs.
"Echoes of past wielders? Like... I'll feel what they felt?"
> [In time. Should you survive.]
The system's tone remained neutral. Cold. Inevitable.
He wasn't sure if this was a gift…
Or the beginning of a slow erasure.
---
A new message appeared:
> [NEW USER PACKAGE DETECTED]
Initiating reward sequence...
A circle of white light spun beside him—and from it floated a sleek object wrapped in cloth and energy.
It unwrapped mid-air—revealing a curved sword, forged of blue-tinted steel, thin like an executioner's whisper. Pale silver runes glowed faintly down its spine, and the blade's edge shimmered like ice cracking under moonlight.
The grip looked blackened, worn—but fused to the weapon's core was a pulsing crystal the same hue as the runes.
The system's voice returned, quieter now. Almost reverent.
> [Weapon Assigned: Wraithfang]
Class: Rare
Type: Morphic Sword
Origin: [REDACTED]
• Status: Dormant / Damaged
• Compatibility: Acceptable
• Integrity: 67%
• Bound Spirit: Inactive
• Sync Rate: 12%
"Wraithfang is your first. It will not be your last."
"All weapons remember their wielders… and all wielders leave behind ghosts."
Kael reached out, hand trembling, and wrapped his fingers around the hilt.
The void shuddered.
And everything exploded in blue.
---