The ruins of Velmire loomed ahead, swallowed by thick forest and wrapped in a dense, cold mist. The ancient stone walls leaned like tired soldiers, crumbling under the weight of centuries. Vines crept over shattered statues, and moss carpeted the cracked pathways leading into what once was a bustling city.
Ash moved carefully, each step deliberate. The eerie quiet sent a chill up his spine, and even Riven—usually chatty and confident—kept his voice low.
"They say Velmire was wiped out in one night," Riven whispered. "Some kind of forbidden magic. The whole city just… vanished. Only the ruins remained."
Ash didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the structure in the center of the overgrown square—a black obelisk rising from a stone dais, half-buried in rubble. Its surface pulsed faintly with a crimson light.
The system hummed in his mind.
> [Anomaly Detected: Obelisk Construct – "Vigil Node"]
> Classification: Surveillance Artifact
Origin: Unknown
Access Risk: HIGH
Caution: Data Loop Active
Ash's stomach twisted. Surveillance? Here? He had a feeling this wasn't just any ruined monument.
"Stay back," he warned.
But before Riven could respond, the obelisk pulsed again, brighter this time, and the air around it seemed to vibrate. A low hum echoed, making Ash's teeth ache. Riven took a wary step forward, curiosity outweighing caution.
"Ash, what is that thing?"
The moment Riven's boot scraped the dais, the obelisk's glow erupted. A surge of light spiraled upward, forming a vortex of crimson energy that reached toward the sky. The mist was sucked into the whirlwind, revealing the full height of the obelisk—twisted, metallic, with intricate runes etched deep into its surface.
Ash staggered back, his mind splitting between reality and something else entirely.
> [WARNING: System Ping Detected. Signal Echoed.]
> Observer Presence: PROBABLE
Defensive Protocols: NONE ACTIVE
Ash barely had time to react before his vision warped, and suddenly he wasn't in Velmire anymore.
He stood in a vast, sterile white void. Endless rows of data streamed past, and tall, dark figures moved behind opaque glass walls—humanoid shapes distorted, their features blurred. One figure turned toward him, and Ash felt a pressure against his mind, like hands trying to peel his thoughts apart.
> "Host #13," a voice boomed, cold and analytical.
> "You accessed what was not meant for you. The Vigil Node observes. Records. Tests."
Ash gritted his teeth, the pressure intensifying. A migraine exploded behind his eyes.
> [Emergency Protocol Available: SYSTEM SCRAMBLE – Y/N?]
"Yes," Ash hissed through clenched teeth.
The world shattered like glass.
He hit the ground back in Velmire, gasping, sweat slick on his forehead. Riven knelt beside him, worry etched into his young face.
"Ash! You just—froze up. Are you okay?"
Ash forced a nod, shaking off the residual dizziness. "Just… a bad flash."
Riven didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. He sheathed his sword, scanning the ruins. "We should report this to the guild. Whatever that thing is, it's not natural."
Ash took one last glance at the now dim and inert obelisk. Whatever had reached out through it—whoever had spoken to him—was gone.
> [Obelisk Deactivated]
> [System Interference: PURGED]
[New Data Logged: "Vigil Node" – Potential Connection to Overseer Protocol]
Ash couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, even now. Someone—or something—had made contact. But why?
As they left the ruins, Ash's mind raced with questions. Who were those figures? How did they know about him? Was the system more than just a tool—a way to manipulate and observe?
The forest swallowed the ruins behind them, but Ash knew one thing for sure: whatever he had triggered, it was far from over.
And someone—somewhere—was watching his every move.
---