Kane sat alone in the dim light of the kitchen, the storm finally subsiding outside. The artifact lay before him, quiet now but no longer inert. The strange interface still glowed faintly in his mind's eye—an unseen presence that called him to understand, to act.
He inhaled slowly and focused, willing himself to engage.
[System]"User recognized: Kane Wylder. Command input required."
The words echoed softly in his mind, a strange fusion of voice and text, unmistakably real.
He hesitated, then spoke aloud: "Who… are you?"
[System]"Designation: Adaptive Support System, codename 'Aegis'. Primary function: user protection and optimization. Awaiting commands."
Kane frowned, his military training kicking in. This was no hallucination. This was technology—something beyond anything he'd seen.
He thought carefully. "What can you do?"
[System]"Capabilities limited until resource acquisition and calibration completed. Current modules: Infinite Storage (locked), Drone Deployment (locked). Further functions will unlock with user progression."
Kane's mind raced. Infinite storage? Drones? His grandfather's warnings now made sense—they weren't about magic, but about tools and strategy.
Determined, Kane commanded: "Show me your interface."
Suddenly, translucent panels shimmered before his eyes—like a holographic command center hovering in the kitchen air. Icons and menus floated, a digital map overlaid with data points, resource meters, and status bars.
He reached out instinctively, fingers passing through but seeing his hand reflected in the interface. He could feel it—this was both real and unreal.
A panel flickered open labeled "Resource Scanner." Kane tapped it. The system responded with a scan radius extending from the house into the surrounding forest.
[System]"Scanning for resource deposits… Iron: Moderate; Wood: Abundant; Water: Plentiful; Mana signature: Low."
Mana. That word caught Kane's attention. The system was detecting energy he hadn't noticed before, something hidden in the environment.
Kane focused next on "Drone Deployment," though it was locked. He issued a test command to deploy a drone.
[System]"Insufficient resources for drone manufacturing. Resource input required."
He sighed but wasn't surprised. The system was a tool—he would need to gather materials. It was a puzzle to be solved, piece by piece.
He jotted down notes, planning his next moves.
Later that evening, Kane settled beside Reina as she played quietly on the living room floor, her small fingers tracing the patterns of a simple wooden puzzle. The storm was gone, but the air still felt charged.
Reina reached toward the artifact, now resting on the table again.
Suddenly, the artifact pulsed softly in response to her touch. Kane's eyes widened as a gentle glow enveloped the toddler's small hand.
A warm sensation spread through Reina's fingertips, and then, almost imperceptibly, a small spark—like a flicker of light—danced between her fingers.
Reina giggled, looking up at Kane with bright, innocent eyes.
Kane's heart clenched. Could the artifact be sharing its power? Had Reina inherited a fragment of what it held?
He reached out, taking her hand gently.
"Reina… can you feel that?"
She nodded, her eyes shining.
The spark faded but left behind a faint warmth, a quiet pulse that seemed to resonate with her very being.
Kane realized then that this was more than his fight—it was theirs.
The system, the artifact, and now Reina's gift were threads woven into their shared fate.
He whispered softly, more to himself than anyone else:
"We're in this together, kid. Whatever comes next… we'll face it side by side."