1 A Stranger in Strange Realms

"Where am I?" Echo slowly got up from his bed, and slowly looked around going out of the crudely made up dwelling.

What greeted him was eerie yet beautiful gray skies of the Forgotten Shore.

Echo slowly rubbed his eyes trying to determine where he is specifically, last thing he remembered was seeing a dead body of some people lying in a white space there were seven of them but all of it was still hazy.

"Live out your nightmare" That was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.

A sudden flood of information quickly took over, he clutched his head remembering memories of a 19-year-old all at once.

'Echo? Who's that?'

"Yo! Echo you've been out for quite a while now how are you?" A handsome guy with auburn hair and green eyes waved at him.

"Huh? Kai?"

"The one and only!" He remarked and raised his hands towards Echo's forehead checking if he has a fever or not.

"I'm fine." Echo said waved off Kai's hand from his forehead and went back to his hut.

"That was weird, he was obviously lying too, I'll check up on him later." Kai continued walking towards the castle.

Echo inside the hut slowly sat up on his bed processing all the memories he was getting from this guy named Echo— which turned out to be him ??. 

"Forgotten shore? First Nightmare? Sleeper?? Kai!?" He was flabbergasted as he came to a shocking conclusion. 

"What in the actual fuck?! Am I in Shadow Slave?" He breathed heavily as this comes with so many complications.

"Wait… so I am in the forgotten shore, my name is apparently Echo who died because he encountered an Awakened Demon on his patrol Kai rescued him when Echo still has a pulse but died due to heavy internal damage. But I don't feel pain right now what is actually happening?" He wondered, but his thoughts were quickly stolen when he thought about his status.

'Status'

Name: Echo

True Name: –

Rank: Dreamer

Soul Core: Dormant

Soul Fragments: 989/1000

Memories: [Eclipse], [Siren's Call], [Aegis] …

Echoes: –

Attributes: [Ethereal Grace],

Aspect: [Apex Perception]

Aspect Rank; [Transcendent]

Aspect Description: [Your perception is limited to your current rank, allowing you to perceive the world with unparalleled clarity and depth.]

Aspect Ability: [Maximum Charge]

Ability Description: [allowing you to breach the limit, and can maximize each or all of the seven senses of a human 1 rank above the current rank]

Flaw: [Fighter's Zeal]

Flaw Description: [Every time you use aspect ability you experience an insatiable lust for battle] 

'Wow this guy actually has a bunch of memories, and a nearly saturated core that is of transcendent rank!'

Knowing the nature of the Dark City based on what he read on the novel it was harsh— harsh is an understatement at this point, its hell— not only is food scarce but so is finding yourself a proper way to improve using soul shards that is even harder. It's not easy trying to find a reliable pathfinder to properly navigate in the Dark City to avoid dangerous abominations but also having a good enough party to fight your prey, almost all of those people were monopolized by the host also known as Gunlaug.

Echo slowly stood up and reached out towards the table where his belongings are which consists of a pouch that has 3 soul shards in it. 

"This guy is doing quite alright too bad he died though I'm sure he must've survived the siege of the crimson spire Nephis led and became one of the Fire Keepers."

"He's part of Gunlaug's men too, that's good, meaning I am somewhat protected, but because of my aspect ability and flaw I died" He slowly scratched the back of his head looking at his flaw.

Flaw: [Fighter's Zeal]

Flaw Description: [Every time you use aspect ability you experience an insatiable lust for battle]

It took him a bit to processes every little detail in his memory about this body he is inhabiting he looked conflicted at his hand and thought long before deciding on what to do next.

"There isn't much here, and I don't really feel anything hurting on my body, so I'll go to the castle and see where I should go from there, I'm still practically lost in this situation I need a more comfortable place to sort everything out in my head."

Echo strapped the pouch on his made up belt and proceeded to head towards the castle.

He was quite known outside the castle walls since only he was kind enough to people here and treat them normally— even though the atmosphere here is depressing. He is also one of Gunlaug's men who can confidently stroll outside the walls and onto the dreaded streets of the Dark City he doesn't really need a pathfinder at this point since he knows more about the Dark City than most he has been here for 3 years after all he is one of the seasoned fighter under Gunlaug's ranks also known as 'Hunters'.

'It was really only an unfortunate event where this guy, Echo, met an enemy that was way out of his league.' He strolled through the made up houses by the sleepers with ease and familiarity that even surprised him.

As he is making his way towards the gate of the castle the darkness is already starting to devour the world at the moment at the corner of his eyes he saw three people standing in the middle of the road, one has beautiful silver hair that illuminates the depressing and oppressive atmosphere, though it was cut short giving her a bit of a tomboyish look. she was tall and beautiful a goddess in the flesh.

The other girl has a blond hair and aimless eyes— probably blind— while the other is a short man with a black hair he is also as pale as paper his eyes signifying that of a killer. All three of them seemed like they've seen better days. But when Echo saw them his eyes widen with surprise and awe he immediately rushed to them while they were talking and Nephis— the silver haired goddess— was taking out a soul shard.

"I don't quite remember the happenings of the forgotten shore but sure as hell they are about to split up." Echo muttered as he neared the trio.