Echo

I'm going fucking insane. I can't stop thinking of the blood. Of my mother. All I can do to forget the pain is kill. I remember the elation I felt after I regained control of my body and felt the experience of killing that bird. I want more of it.

Insanity is having nothing to lose. What do I have?

After we killed the bird, I asked if "Player" could partially guide me. I don't know how but shortly after, our connection grew. The voice is no longer robotic. It sounds like a teenage male. He's been guiding me through the feeling of magic and learning skills and can fluidly switch in and out of control because of the easier communication.

"What's your name?" I've grown comfortable with him and I want to know who my benefactor is.

"Chris," the boy responds.

"That doesn't sound like the name of a devil," I laugh.

"You thought I was a devil?" he asks, shocked.

Our banter continues as I practice my [Spear Art]. It's unfortunate I don't have a formal teacher, but Chris says that I have a knack for it so I've just been thrusting at the air to get accustomed.

After a while, I sit down near a river we found and hydrate. I start a fire, a skill I learned from my Mother during a particularly harsh winter, and put some snake meat from a low-level serpent that I hunted. I begin to meditate to improve my connection with magic as the meat cooks.

"There's a child nearby," Chris says, breaking my meditation.

"A child?" my eyes narrow, what's a child doing in a forest?

"It's a young half-elf girl," he says.

"What should I do?" I ask, ignoring the fact that he seems to know the child's precise lineage.

"Up to you."

Up to me... Heh, I guess it would be nice to have a companion for a bit. I take a hunk of serpent meat off of the fire as an offering and cautiously approach the girl.

"What're you doing out here, little missy?"

Seeing her myself, she's a picture-perfect child of interracial mingling. She has the pointed ears and eastern features of the elves, mixed luscious blonde hair and doe eyes. Her long hair, the size of her body, sways like strands of spider silk in the wind as she peeks out from behind a tree.

Gesturing to the serpent meat, she stutters "I-I'm lost... Can I... have t-that?" Her scared brown eyes light a fire in my soul that I thought was dead. So precious!

"Of course," I can see her tattered clothes and know she needs it more than me. It's a wonder a young girl like her survived, especially since the only reason I'm alive is due to Chris' demonic help.

After giving her the food, she quickly backs away frightened then immediately wolves it down. I put my hands up in a non-threatening gesture and return to the fire and sit. I motion for her to come over.

"I understand you're scared, but I won't hurt you. Come over whenever you're ready," I smile.

"What's your n-name?" the girl asks.

"Mine is Yvette, yours?"

"Hibiki."

I eat the rest of the serpent meat then put out the fire and practice using magic by strengthening a few branches. I feel Hibiki's gaze behind me and smile some more. I don't know if it's Hibiki, children, or just company but the healing effect her mere presence is giving me, after all I went through, is putting my mind at peace some.

"What're you doing?" she asks.

"Practicing magic, wanna join?" I pat next to me.

She awkwardly sidesteps over and sits a few feet away from me.

"I have the nature element too," Hibiki states proudly.

I see her little face puffing her cheeks and laugh quietly to my self.

"Wow~ so cool~" I say.

We quietly sit by each other for a long while as the river therapeutically whooshes in the background. As time goes on, she scoots closer and closer to me. Eventually, she's fall asleep and I place my head on my lap gently. I stop practicing my magic and gently stroke her hair. Just when I'm about to doze off from the calm atmosphere myself, Chris interrupts my thoughts.

"Danger," he says.

I may not be that much stronger, but I have some skills now. With Hibiki here, <Respawn> isn't an option. I need to protect her.

I gently wake her up and she groggily collects herself. There's a rustle in the bushes. I pick up my make-shift [Branch Spear], applying elemental enhancement.

Ready to fight.