Echoes of a Crafted World

Elion took one step toward Greg—and the world tilted beneath him.

His sword clattered from his hand. His legs buckled.

Pain—sharp, electric—pierced through his chest like a dagger. The crimson glow in his left eye flickered, pulsing uncontrollably. His vision spun. He reached out—whether to Greg or just for balance, even he didn't know.

Then everything went dark.

He collapsed.

A gasp swept through the other heroes. Mira rushed forward, but the fairy stopped her with a shake of her head.

They carried him into one of the rest chambers built for heroes—a quiet room with glowing runes embedded in the stone walls, designed for recovery. Days passed since Elion lost consciousness. Three days, to be exact.

During that time, his head twitched and flinched, his body tense in restless sleep. He was dreaming. No—he was having a nightmare.

---

In the Past

Before he came to this world, Elion served in the military.

They were in an urban zone of their country. Scorched cars littered the streets, windows shattered, power lines tangled across wreckage.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Gunfire and explosions echoed in every direction. Elion ran, blood soaking his fatigues, carrying one of his wounded comrades over his shoulder.

"What the hell is this? We were just supposed to patrol! How the hell did this turn into a battlefield?!" Elion thought, gritting his teeth.

"Captain..." his comrade whispered weakly.

"Don't talk," Elion replied. "Save your strength. I'll get us out of this."

Then—bang!

A bullet tore into his leg. He dropped to the ground, falling hard with his comrade. Gasping, he rolled over to see multiple figures approaching through the smoke.

"Who the hell are these people?!" Elion cursed, dragging himself backward.

"Captain... they're... our comrades," the wounded soldier croaked. "Other units. They're here to kill us."

Elion stared in disbelief. "What?! Don't be ridiculous!"

But even as he spoke, the thought pressed like a weight in his mind. The mission had felt wrong from the beginning. Were they really betrayed?

Then came more gunfire. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bullets tore into his arms and legs—carefully avoiding vital spots. They wanted him alive. Broken.

One figure stepped forward.

He removed his mask.

Jake.

His best friend.

"Why..." Elion muttered, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry," Jake said, voice trembling. Guilt and grief swam in his eyes. Then—he raised his gun.

Bang.

---

Present Day

Elion sat up with a gasp, drenched in sweat, eyes wide with panic. His heart pounded like a war drum. Pain lingered in his chest—not from his condition, but from the memory.

"F...fuck," he whispered, staring at his trembling hands.

Footsteps echoed outside his chamber. The door creaked open. Cain stepped in first, followed by Mira, Iris, and Lance, and Thorne.

"Oh look, The Sleeping Beauty is finally awake," Cain grinned.

"Welcome back, Elion," Mira said warmly.

"How long was I out?" Elion asked.

"Three days," Iris replied, arms crossed.

"Yup. Three days," Cain added, walking over with a flask. "You scared the hell out of us. Honestly, I bet you'd sleep longer. Lance said you'd wake up first thing this morning. I lost money."

"You idiot," Mira smacked him lightly.

"Kidding, kidding," Cain laughed.

Laughter filled the room. Light, warm. Elion managed a chuckle that turned into a cough.

He took the flask and drank. Warm citrus tingled down his throat. Energy flowed back into him.

It reminded him of high school days, skipping class, joking with friends—before the world got complicated.

"I missed this kind of moment," Elion murmured.

Cain sat beside him. "You really overdid it. That Crimson Echo ability... It's not just powerful. It's dangerous."

"Yeah," Elion nodded, stretching his fingers. Pain tugged at his chest. "Felt like my ribs were going to explode."

"You copied two high-tier techniques in a single battle," Cain said. "Oblivion Ray? That spell can roast your soul. I struggle with it even when I channel carefully."

Elion leaned back. "I had no choice. Greg was going to kill me."

Cain grew quiet.

"What happened to him?" Elion asked.

"He survived. Barely. The fairy pulled him out. He's lying low. Doesn't talk much."

Elion exhaled. "I don't blame him for wanting to live. But betrayal... it always comes from those closest."

Cain gave him a sidelong look. "Someone from your world?"

"Yeah," Elion said. "My best friend. Left me for dead."

Cain didn't push. He just nodded.

"Then let's make sure that never happens again."

---

That Night

Under the shadow of the silver training tree, Elion trained alone. Strike after strike, wooden sword clashing against dummies. His body was sore. His breath came hard.

Finally, he collapsed to the ground, panting. The wind was cold against his sweat. His left eye still glowed faintly.

He opened his system menu.

---

[ELION: LEVEL 1

RANK: 1-STAR

SKILLS:

SWORDSMANSHIP: LEVEL 2

[CRIMSON ECHO – Lv. 1]

Copy Limit: [2/10]

Stored Skills:

▪ Swordshot (Weapon Technique)

▪ Oblivion Ray (High-Tier Magic)

Warning: Overuse causes:

▪ Internal Bleeding

▪ Mana Backlash

▪ Visual Disruption

▪ Possible Organ Failure

Skill Activation Limit: 10 minutes/day/skill

---

He stared at the archive. So much potential. But it cut deeper every time he used it.

A power born of memory. A skill forged from observation. It let him fight powerful foe—but it bled him dry.

He closed the menu.

The tower loomed in the distance. A monstrous spire of obsidian stone, stretching up into the violet sky. Wisps of cursed mist swirled around its edges.

And high above, like a god watching from a distant dimension, the silhouette of Nèvalis lingered.

Elion stared up at the figure.

"Why are you climbing that tower?" he whispered. "What are you trying to find up there? What's the purpose of this world you've made?"

He didn't expect an answer. The sky remained silent.

But one truth lingered in Elion's heart.

He wanted to live.

He wanted to return home.

And maybe... just maybe... Crimson Echo was the key to everything.

He stood up.

Resolved.

Soon, he'd climb again, And this time, he'd be ready

He wants to survive, but he also wants to go back in his world, maybe, Since he discovered that there are power in this universe, Elion decided to focus on climbing the tower, and collect a ability that will help him.