Blue light erupted from my hands like molten electricity, spilling across the chamber floor. The Remnant shrieked—not in pain, but in pure confusion. Its massive form recoiled, swirling faster as if it had been hit by an invisible storm.
The Collector froze, tilted its head, and for a moment, I thought it was… surprised. A mechanical motion that didn't belong to any human emotion.
The shadow's form thickened beside me.
"Good! Control it! Channel your fear into the Echo!" it urged.
I felt the energy surge through me. Every heartbeat, every rapid inhale, every spike of panic poured out like a tidal wave. The chamber itself hummed louder, vibrating beneath our feet.
Mira screamed as the force of the Echo blew her hair back, but she held onto my sleeve.
"Aren! Keep going!"
I focused. The Remnant stumbled backward, crashing into the far wall. Its swirling form twisted, then split into smaller shards of Echo, which scattered into the air like tiny storm clouds.
The Collector raised one arm, and a faint field of energy shimmered before it. I knew it was trying to contain the blast, but it was too late. The Echo I released collided with the field, forcing it to ripple and distort.
"The vent! Now!" the shadow yelled.
I grabbed Mira's hand, and we ran toward the faint crack in the ceiling. The scattered shards of the Remnant's Echo hissed and tried to block our path, but I swung my hands, pushing the force outward again.
The chamber walls vibrated violently. Dust rained from above. Neon-blue sparks danced across the ground.
Finally, the vent loomed above us—a thin, metallic rectangle, cracked open just enough to crawl through. I jumped first, grabbing the edge, and Mira followed.
The shadow paused at the vent, swirling around us in a protective bubble.
"Go!"
We climbed through. The vent was tight, claustrophobic, but mercifully dry. Above, we could hear the chaos of the chamber—shards of Echo clashing, the Remnant roaring, the Collector's mechanical voice repeating its warnings.
Mira gasped, "We made it…"
I crawled to the end and peered out. The alley aboveground was quiet. The city lights flickered, and the distant hum of traffic felt oddly peaceful compared to what we'd left behind.
I pulled Mira up beside me. She collapsed onto the ground, panting.
"Are… we… safe?" she asked, wide-eyed.
The shadow floated beside us, its form faint but calm.
"For now," it said. "But the Collector will not forget. And neither will the city. You've unleashed your first Echo—Aren Hale. That means everything has changed."
I swallowed hard. "Changed… how?"
The shadow's voice grew serious, almost somber.
"You are no longer just a resident of Lumina District. You are a target. And a weapon."
I clenched my fists, feeling a strange mix of fear and exhilaration.
Mira touched my arm. "Then we fight. Together."
I nodded. "Together."
The night air felt colder now, sharper. Somewhere in the distance, the neon lights flickered as if responding to the Echo I had released.
And deep in the city below, a mechanical hum began to grow louder—a signal that the hunt had only just begun.
The first chapter of our new life was over.
The war between humans, Echo, and Shadows had just begun.
---