Ren followed the silver-haired girl down a narrow alley. Her footsteps were quiet, almost unnervingly so, yet somehow precise—like someone who had walked these streets a thousand times.
"…Okay," Ren muttered, rubbing his neck. "You said you'd guide me. Guide me to… what? Safety? Food? Therapy? Because at this point, I'll settle for all three."
The girl glanced back, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Mostly survival. Food comes after, if you last that long."
Ren groaned. "Survive first, then food. Great… my life is officially a checklist."
She tilted her head, studying him. "You're… clumsy, aren't you?"
Ren stared. "…Wow. Sherlock Holmes called; he wants his deduction back."
"Not a deduction," she said softly, almost amused. "An observation. And one that will matter soon."
Ren frowned. "Great. And soon is… when?"
Aeri didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowed, waiting until they reached the outskirts of the village where the houses thinned and the forest whispered closer. "The world has… echoes," she said finally, her voice quiet enough that Ren had to lean closer.
"Echoes?"
She nodded. "Fragments of the past. Memories of gods, of battles, of things that shouldn't exist anymore. Some hear them. Most ignore them. Few… like you… become part of them."
Ren's stomach did a little flip. "…Me? Part of… echoes? I think you mean 'get crushed by chaos.' That's more my speed."
Aeri's expression didn't change. "You underestimate yourself. The mark on your hand isn't just a label—it's a key."
Ren looked at his palm. "…Key? For what? Treasure chests? Magical vending machines?"
"Not treasure. Balance."
Ren blinked. "…Balance? Now you're getting metaphysical. Can we stick to sandwiches?"
Aeri's lips twitched like she was fighting a smile. "You'll eat when the world allows it. Right now… you need to understand the rules."
Ren groaned. "The rules? I just woke up in a forest. I don't even have armor, a sword, or a clue how to survive a minor test from some invisible deity. What rules are we talking about?"
She stepped closer, letting her eyes meet his. "The rule is simple: don't get yourself killed. But the catch… sometimes survival isn't about strength. Sometimes, it's about listening."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Listening… to what? Birds? Trees? My internal screaming?"
Aeri didn't laugh. Instead, she extended a hand, and a faint blue echo drifted from her palm toward him—like a whisper made visible. "To the echoes. You have to hear what others cannot. The past whispers to the present, and you… you might have to answer."
Ren stared at the floating blue threads, half-fascinated, half-panicked. "…I… I think I left my instruction manual back in my old world."
"Some things you won't understand immediately," she said, voice softer now. "But you'll learn… if you survive long enough."
Ren groaned, rubbing his face. "Fantastic. Survive… decipher godly whispers… eat sandwiches… all before lunch. Got it."
Aeri smirked again. "If you manage, you might just be… useful."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "…Useful? You're saying I'm not useless? I think my confidence just died and came back again, slightly bruised but alive."
"You'll need it," Aeri said, walking ahead. "There's more waiting for you outside the village. Tests, challenges, choices. Some small, some… far less forgiving."
Ren sighed, following her. "…I really hope the vending machine apocalypse doesn't count as my first major test. That's… traumatic enough."
A shadow flickered high in the trees above. A pair of golden eyes watched, silent, calculating, and thoroughly entertained by the unfolding human chaos below.
And so, Ren's reluctant apprenticeship began—with a girl who spoke in echoes, a world that didn't make sense, and a future that refused to wait.
To be continued…
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