"...Alia..."
The name escaped the spirit's ethereal lips, as faint and fragile as a silk thread in the wind. It was more than a sound; it was a fragment of a soul, filled with an inexpressible love and pain.
Yanaki's heart ached. She took another small step forward, her voice growing even softer. "Alia... is that your name? Or the one you are searching for?"
The soul did not answer with words. Instead, it looked down at the empty space in its arms, and an image suddenly flashed through Yanaki's mind via the newly opened connection. The image of a little girl with shimmering golden hair, giggling in her mother's arms. The image shattered instantly, like a mirror thrown to the ground.
Yanaki understood. Alia was the child this mother had lost.
Yanaki's profound empathy seemed to have touched upon some hidden rule of the tower, a latent condition of the unique skill she possessed.
Ping!
A solemn notification panel appeared, entirely different from the mechanical ones before.
[The Lost Soul has responded to your empathy. It sees in you a hope to mend its lost memories.]
[Would you like to attempt to establish a Covenant? Y/N]
Without a moment's hesitation, Yanaki chose "Yes" with a thought.
[Establishing a Covenant based on empathy...]
[Covenant Terms]:
Party A (Player Yanaki): Agrees to do her utmost to help this soul recover the lost memories of her daughter, Alia.
Party B (Unnamed Soul): Agrees to become Yanaki's companion and guide in Erathos, sharing her fragmented knowledge of this land and protecting the Player to the best of her ability.
[This Covenant is based on volition and trust. Breaking it will cause severe spiritual trauma to both parties. Do you agree?]
"I agree," Yanaki whispered, not just with her lips, but with her entire soul.
The moment she finished speaking, a thin thread of silver light slowly flew out from her chest. It was neither hot nor cold, merely a pure presence. The thread flew over and gently wrapped itself around the woman's ethereal wrist.
The soul shuddered slightly. Her form began to grow clearer. Her once-matted hair now looked softer, the tattered peasant dress showed its every stitch, and her face, though still tinged with sorrow, now held the gentle beauty of a mother.
[Covenant successful!]
[Your first familiar: [The Silent Guide - Elara].]
[You have received a Personal Side Quest: [The Pieces of Alia].]
Description: Find surviving items or locations related to Alia to help Elara restore her memories. Reward: Unknown.
[Due to the profound nature of this Covenant, your spiritual bond has been fortified. [Spirit] stat permanently +10.]
"Elara..." Yanaki softly called the name of her new companion.
Elara could not speak; her memories and her voice had been stolen by the Great Cataclysm. But she could communicate. She raised her head, looked into Yanaki's eyes, and a wave of warm gratitude flooded Yanaki's mind. Elara was no longer a wandering soul; she now had a purpose.
Now, Elara floated beside Yanaki, a silent but dependable presence.
"Where should we go first, Elara?" Yanaki asked.
Elara turned, her translucent arm pointing towards the ruined city in the valley. It was where they once lived, and it was the first place to begin their search.
Yanaki nodded. The two of them began to walk down the gravelly slope. As they drew closer to the collapsed city walls, the air grew colder. The whispers in the wind were no longer just sad, but mingled with anger and desperation.
Suddenly, two dark shadows shot out from behind a pile of rubble. They were as ethereal as Elara, but their forms were twisted and contorted as if tortured by an invisible agony. They had no faces, only empty eye sockets burning with a resentful green fire.
[Shattered Wraith]
Level: 3
Description: Souls that could not accept their own deaths. Corrupted by rage and despair, they despise all living things and will attack anyone they see.
The two Wraiths let out a piercing shriek, the sound of it scraping against Yanaki's mind. They launched themselves at her like two black arrows.
Yanaki flinched back, her hand gripping her useless dagger. Level 3! She didn't stand a chance.
In that instant, Elara acted. She did not attack. She simply held her hand out in front of her.
The two moons in the sky seemed to respond to her gesture. The silver and cyan moonlight suddenly grew brighter, casting down a pillar of light that enveloped both Yanaki and Elara. It was not a searing light, but a gentle one, carrying the tranquil sorrow of an entire kingdom.
The two Wraiths slammed into the pillar of light and were thrown back as if they had hit an invisible wall. They shrieked in fury; this pure yet sorrowful light seemed anathema to their rage. It didn't deal damage, but it created an absolute Sanctuary.
Yanaki stared at Elara in astonishment. This was the power of a guide? Not to attack, but to protect, using the very essence of this land as a shield.
However, the problem was not solved. The two Wraiths did not leave. They circled outside the protective ring, their burning eye sockets fixed on Yanaki. Elara's circle of light couldn't last forever, either; Yanaki could feel Elara's energy slowly draining.
She had survived the initial assault, but was now trapped in a stalemate. Surrounded by enemies, and her only shield was slowly weakening.