The rain fell harder now, drumming against the cracked concrete and washing the grime from Sector 5's forgotten alleys. But the wet didn't cleanse the residue left by the fight — the lingering pulse of power, the scent of shadow and blood.
Jayden sat on the edge of the rooftop, knees pulled close, staring out over the cityscape that stretched like a battlefield beneath the stormy sky.
His hand still tingled from the battle — the strange, electric sensation of the Echobound System thrumming inside him, demanding more.
---
"Why me?"
The question echoed in his mind, a whisper caught between fear and disbelief. He was just a kid from the slums — no special lineage, no prophecy. Just another orphan struggling to survive.
But now, something ancient and dangerous was woven into his soul.
---
His eyes flickered shut.
Images surged unbidden — shadowy figures, twisted dimensions, and an endless void. The Echobound System was not merely power; it was a connection to a realm of raw subconscious energy, a place where thoughts and fears took shape and fought for dominance.
Jayden's power wasn't just about control. It was about balance. Between light and dark. Between self and Echo.
---
A soft chime interrupted his thoughts.
He glanced at his wrist — a holographic interface pulsed to life, displaying a message:
New Echo Detected: Shadow Tendril Level 1 Unlocked.
Chrono Disruption Progress: 10%
Warning: Overuse may cause Echo Fracture.
He swallowed hard.
The warning was real.
---
Suddenly, a sharp buzz at the edge of his awareness drew his focus.
Presence detected nearby.
Jayden's eyes snapped open.
From the shadows on the rooftop, a figure emerged — slender, cloaked in midnight black with eyes glowing faintly amber.
"Rika," Jayden breathed, relief flooding him.
She stepped forward, her flame-like aura flickering against the rain.
"You pushed too far," she said softly, but her voice carried steel.
Jayden rubbed his temples. "I had no choice. They were going to kill me."
Rika's eyes narrowed. "And you risk fracturing your mind? You don't understand the Echobound like I do yet."
---
Jayden looked away, ashamed. "I have to get stronger. The Apex Council won't stop hunting me."
Rika stepped closer, placing a steady hand on his shoulder.
"You're not alone."
---
Her words carried a weight he couldn't ignore.
Together, they slipped down the fire escape, disappearing into the maze of Sector 5's underground.
---
Inside the Rebel Base
The air was thick with tension and quiet determination.
Rika led Jayden to a dimly lit chamber where others gathered — a patchwork family of Echobound users, each marked by unique powers and scars.
Elira Voss sat at a table, eyes scanning data streams with a calm precision that contrasted with Jayden's raw turmoil.
Silas Marrow, their mentor, stood silently by the entrance, his presence a silent warning and a promise.
---
Rika introduced Jayden.
"This is Jayden Bartels. Newest to the Echobound. And right now, the most hunted."
Silas's gaze sharpened.
"Survival isn't about power alone," he said, voice gravelly but firm. "It's about control. Discipline."
Jayden swallowed.
He was ready to learn — if he could survive long enough.
---
The training began at dawn.
Shadow tendrils, time freezes, Echo manifestations — every ability was a step closer to mastery, but the cost was etched in every faltering breath.