BZZT— KRAAACK!
Lightning tore through the clearing.
It jumped from wolf to wolf in a blinding arc, chaining cleanly, violently. The first beast didn't even get to yelp. It dropped mid leap, body stiffening before collapsing into smoke.
The second convulsed, slammed into the ground, and didn't rise.
The third tried to turn. But It never made it three steps.
The air smelled sharp, metallic, alive as the attacks landed
The three students stared, and were stunned, as a glowing figure stepped into view.
Lyra floated forward, lightning still dancing along her hands, eyes calm and focused.
Behind her, two figures emerged from the Rift path.
Lucien walked first, eyes already scanning the battlefield, taking in positions, injuries, remaining threats. Cael followed, his weapon raised, as he took a cool posture.
"Seriously," Lucien muttered under his breath. "Any longer and I might've lost the quest."
The warrior swallowed hard. "Did… did you just—"
Lucien didn't look at him yet.
"Lyra, perimeter," he said calmly. "One sweep, no overcommit."
She moved instantly, Static Arc humming as she circled the clearing, ensuring no stragglers lurked nearby.
"Cael," Lucien continued, already pointing. "You take left. Clean, and steady. Don't chase."
Cael nodded once. "Got it."
Only then did Lucien turn to the group.
"You three," he said, voice steady but firm. "Back up. Warrior, sit. If you fall over, I'm not carrying you."
The warrior blinked. Then, oddly enough, he laughed weakly and did exactly that.
"Summoner," Lucien added, "stop shouting at your contract. Give one clear order and stick to it."
The summoner nodded rapidly. "R.. right."
"And you," Lucien looked at the elementalist, "pace your casting. You burn out, we all die."
The elementalist swallowed. "Okay."
Another wolf burst from the brush, lunging straight for the summoner.
Lucien didn't raise his voice.
"Now."
Lyra turned.
A single arc of lightning snapped outward, precise and brutal.
The beast dropped.
Silence followed.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The clearing felt different now. Safer. Controlled.
The three students stared at Lucien like he had just rewritten the rules of the Rift.
"Who are you?" the summoner finally asked.
Lucien shrugged. "Someone who saved your life, you can call me your Hero."
His reply making Cael snort in response.
Lucien glanced back at Lyra, a faint smile tugging at his lips as Static Arc faded into a soft glow around her. The skill was better than he expected. Efficient and Clean. Almost unfair against E rank beasts.
He exhaled and finally allowed himself to glance back at the system notification still hovering at the edge of his vision.
Whatever this Rift was brewing, it was starting to pull people into its disaster
Lucien's team took control of the situation in minutes.
Not because he was stronger than everyone else, and not because he suddenly felt heroic. It was simpler than that. The system had offered something, and he understood the value of acting when opportunity appeared. Nothing more, nothing less.
As the last stunned direwolf twitched on the ground, Lucien's eyes drifted back to the translucent screen hovering at the edge of his vision. He read it again, slower this time, letting the weight of the words settle.
▒░ [Soulbinder System: Side Quest Unlocked] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [Side Quest — Emergent Response] ░▒▓
Quest Name: Echoes of the Living
▓▒░ [Description:] ░▒▓
A nearby group of Awakeners has entered combat beyond their capacity.
Their Aether signatures are unstable. Fear, panic, and poor coordination
have drawn hostile attention.
Intervention is optional.
Survival is not guaranteed.
Choose whether you walk past…
or become the reason they live.
▓▒░ [Objectives:] ░▒▓
• Locate the endangered Awakeners (Group Count: 3).
• Prevent at least 2 casualties among the group.
• Eliminate hostile Rift Beasts engaging them.
▓▒░ [Conditions:] ░▒▓
• Awakened must survive due to your intervention.
• Leaving the area before objectives are met will result in failure.
▓▒░ [Rewards:] ░▒▓
• Essence Yield x2 for every Rift Beast slain during this quest
• Bonus EP applies only while quest is active
▓▒░ [Failure Penalty:] ░▒▓
• No Essence bonus
• Temporary reduction to Resonance Stability
▓▒░ [Quest Type:] ░▒▓
Optional | High Risk | Time Sensitive
▓▒░ [Quest Accepted?]
Yes / No ░▒▓
Lucien had already answered that question the moment he stepped in.
He closed the interface with a thought and looked back at the clearing. The three awakeners were still breathing hard, but they were alive, and more importantly, they were no longer panicking.
That alone changed everything.
"Alright," Lucien said, voice calm but firm. "Listen carefully. We're not here to wipe the Rift. We're getting you out."
The warrior nodded, gripping his weapon tighter. "Anywhere that isn't here works for me."
Cael moved without needing to be told, positioning himself slightly ahead of the group, blade angled low. His breathing was heavy, but his stance was steady. He trusted Lucien's calls now, and that trust showed in how tightly he held the line.
Lyra floated above the ground, light pulsing softly as Static Arc crackled faintly around her hands. She had become the center of control, the pressure valve that kept everything from collapsing.
"Lyra," Lucien said quietly through the bond. "Wide sweep. Thin them before they close."
She answered without words.
Lightning split the air again.
BZZT—CRACK.
Two direwolves dropped before they even realized they were being targeted. The sound alone sent the remaining beasts hesitating, paws scraping against the ground as their instincts screamed danger.
Lucien didn't waste the opening.
"Move now," he said. "Stick close. Do not chase."
The three rescued awakeners fell in line almost instinctively. Fear had sharpened their attention, and now someone else was making decisions for them. That was enough.
Another beast lunged from the right.
"Cael, intercept."
Cael stepped forward and met it head on, steel ringing as claws scraped against his blade. He grunted as the impact traveled up his arms, but he held.
Lyra's lightning followed a second later, arcing cleanly over Cael's shoulder.
The beast dropped.
▒░ [Essence Gained: +300 EP] ░▒▓
▒░ [Quest Bonus Not Applied] ░▒▓
Another interface flashed like it had being since they took on the Quest.
▒░ [Essence Gained: +300 EP] ░▒▓
▒░ [Quest Bonus Not Applied] ░▒▓
Lucien felt the familiar rush as the essence flowed in, sharp and addictive. His stored amount ticked upward rapidly.
▒░ [Stored Essence Updated]
Current EP: 2770 ░▒▓