As Colm's vision blurred and faded to black, it quickly came back into focus. Thanks to his Morvyn racial ability, Twilight Sight, the dark cavern was as clear to him as daylight. While taking in the surroundings, a notification blinked into his vision.

[ Echo Detected: Dusk Caverns ]

Reading it stirred memories of the Lucent Grove. He gulped, a mix of anxiousness and excitement swelling within him, eager to test himself again. Lost in his thoughts, Tessa's voice cut through the darkness.

"Damn, I always hate how dark it is in here," she muttered, pulling a torch from her pack. Luke stepped forward and lit it with a quick ability, casting a warm glow around her. Tessa turned to Colm, offering him a torch.

"Thanks, but I don't need it," he said, shaking his head. "I can see fine in here."

Luke raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, he explained, "Alright, now that we're in, here's the plan. We'll push through the caverns, but expect to be swarmed. This Echo's all about overwhelming us with numbers and the darkness, so we'll need you to hold the line, Colm. Once we're through the series of rooms, we'll make it to an open chamber where the queen lives. That's the big fight. Once she's down, we're done. Questions?"

"Seems straightforward," Colm replied. "Move through the cave, deal with the bugs, and kill the boss. I've got it."

"Good," Luke said. "Make any preparations you need now. Once we leave this entry area, the attacks will start."

Tessa handed her torch to Luke and unsheathed her swords, coating them with a viscous liquid. Colm took it as his cue to prepare and summoned his phantoms. Activating Phantom Warrior, Phantom Spearman, and his attunement ability, Rising Current, waves of water rippled beneath his feet as Carver and Lance materialized.

He still couldn't help but admire the new tidal aesthetic of his phantoms—their forms shimmering as though sculpted from flowing water.

Tessa let out a sharp whistle. "Wow, so these are your phantoms? They look intense."

"They do?" Colm said, glancing at them as if for the first time. "I guess I've gotten so used to them I forget how they might look to others."

Gesturing toward them, he added, "This is Carver," pointing to the warrior, "and that's Lance," motioning to the spearman.

Luke chuckled, "You named them? Those names are kind of on the nose, don't you think?"

Colm chuckled sheepishly. "Hey, I was alone for a long time. I wasn't exactly in the most creative headspace."

Luke laughed harder. "Next thing we know, you'll have a magic phantom called Wizard or something equally dumb."

Colm wiped at his face, mock sweating. "Damn, you're onto me. Guess I'll have to rethink my naming scheme."

Tessa burst out laughing, joining in the lighthearted moment. For a brief instant, the tension of the Echo melted away as the trio shared the cringeworthy humor.

As the laughter faded, Colm's focus shifted back to the task at hand. He adopted a more serious tone, wanting to clarify his approach. Reflecting on the fight with the Pitchcaller, he decided to try and focus more on ranged support rather than engaging directly especially since his last spear was broken in two. Wavebound Surge would be invaluable for staying out of harm's way while still contributing to the battle.

"Just so we're clear," he said, his voice steady, "I won't be in the thick of things with my phantoms. I'll be supporting from the back, casting spells and coordinating them from a distance."

Tessa shrugged, rolling her shoulders. "Fine by me. As long as they can hold their own, it's like having two extra people on the team for free." Luke nodded, his usual humor replaced with a more serious demeanor. "That works. You do your thing, and we'll do ours."

Satisfied, Colm gave his mental commands to his phantoms. Carver, take the front and handle the brunt of the attacks. Use Ripping Cleave whenever possible. Lance, hang back and provide support for us. The phantoms responded immediately, moving into position.

The trio pressed forward, Colm walking in step with Luke, while Tessa moved in between the phantoms and her companions, ready to strike.

As they exited the narrow entryway of the Echo, the cavern opened into a broader, more spacious system of tunnels. Luke whispered, his voice low, "We'll want to keep it quiet from here. The bugs rely on sight and sound to track prey. Let your phantoms take the lead, and Tessa will weave in and out when needed. This torch"—he gestured at the flickering light he carried—"is a bit of a beacon, but we need it to see."

Colm nodded, though his Twilight Sight rendered the torch unnecessary for him. As Luke finished speaking, Colm noticed movement in the shadows, creatures clinging to the walls of the cavern.

"Incoming," he whispered, alerting his companions. Luke and Tessa tensed, their weapons at the ready. Colm quickly activated Analyze.

Cavern Centipede (Level 63)

Cavern Centipede (Level 58)

Cavern Centipede (Level 55)

"Three of them," Colm whispered, "highest is Level 63. Sending my phantoms now."

At his command, Carver charged forward, closing the distance with blinding speed. The centipedes, startled by the sudden assault, couldn't react in time as Carver unleashed Ripping Cleave. The phantom's blade glowed blue, and the Tide Attunement surged with the attack, leaving behind a rippling wave. The wave didn't just knock the centipedes back—it tore through them, as if slicing from within.

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Colm's notifications flared to life.

Cavern Centipede (Level 63) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Cavern Centipede (Level 58) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

Cavern Centipede (Level 55) Defeated. No Experience Gained.

Colm blinked at the shared experience notification. This must be what Jerry meant when he said leveling in a group was slower. I'll need to see how much this impacts my growth.

While Colm reviewed his notifications, Tessa gasped and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "What the hell was that? Your phantom just shredded those things like paper!"

Colm shrugged, trying to play it off. "What can I say? They're strong."

Tessa and Luke exchanged a look, their expressions unreadable, as if silently questioning their new companion. Colm remained oblivious, focused on the task ahead.

The trio approached the centipedes' remains, and Colm watched as Tessa skillfully harvested the creatures' mandibles, stowing them in her pack.

Time stretched on as this routine continued. They moved forward, clearing each room with Carver clearing the way easily, Lance not needing to even raise a finger and Tessa harvesting each downed bug.

Cavern Centipede (Level 65) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Cavern Centipede (Level 62) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Cavern Centipede (Level 61) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

…

Cavern Centipede (Level 63) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy. Experience shared while in a group.

Colm sighed inwardly. The centipedes were slow and weak—hardly a challenge. This is a Tier 1 Echo. If these creatures are Tier 1 as well, how strong does that make me?

He glanced at Luke and Tessa, observing their composed demeanor. Is this what combat usually looks like for them? He wondered. As they continued deeper into the cavern, Colm resolved to push himself harder. I want to know my limits and surpass them.

* * *

As Tessa knelt to harvest the mandibles from another centipede, she stole a glance at her brother. His furrowed brow mirrored her thoughts. This is too easy.

Even with Frank, it used to take us multiple hits to bring down one of these bugs, and Luke would have to stay busy casting to keep the stragglers at bay. But Colm—or more accurately, his phantoms—were obliterating them with a single blow. At this rate, we'll be out of here in no time. We already passed the halfway point not long ago.

Her gaze shifted to the strange man standing behind his phantoms. The glowing veins running across his ashen skin caught her attention as he subtly adjusted his stance, his sharp eyes scanning both the cavern and his spectral allies. How strong is he? she wondered, her thoughts racing. What tier is his class? And just what kind of power does he really have?

A shiver ran down her spine, not out of fear, but curiosity.

* * *

"Ready to keep going?" Colm quietly asked as Tessa finished harvesting another batch of centipedes.

"Yeah," Tessa nodded, but her tone carried an edge of curiosity she couldn't hold back any longer. "Colm, I know you're new in town, but what we're doing here… this isn't normal. This is way too easy. I will not pry about how or why, but it's obvious—you're strong. Stronger than us," she said, gesturing between herself and Luke.

Luke joined in, his voice more serious than before. "Yeah, those phantoms of yours are something else. They're not just filling a gap; they're taking the place of two people, maybe more. Hell, they're stronger than most adventurers I've met. Normally, it'd take us the better part of six hours just to reach this point in the Echo, but we've blown through it in under two—and that's with us taking our time. Your phantoms have held off dozens of centipedes without breaking a sweat, and you haven't even had to lift a finger."

Luke sighed, clearly mulling over his next words before deciding to take a chance. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you here. I know little about you, but I'm trusting my gut and giving you some advice."

Colm nodded, unsure of where this was going. He realized now how little he truly understood about tiers, classes, and how adventurers gauged strength in this world. Until now, survival had been his only priority, but this conversation was forcing him to consider the nuances of the new world around him.

"My class is a Weaver," Luke began. "It's a Tier 2 class. Pretty common, but it was the best I was offered. I've got an Ember attunement, so my abilities all have fire-based enhancements." He paused, gauging Colm's reaction before continuing. "Let me put this in perspective. My strongest ability—something I'm proud of—still takes three, maybe four solid hits to take down one of these centipedes. That's why we work in a team. Tessa handles mid-range and mobility, while I cast from the back. We rely on coordination and a dedicated frontline to survive.

"But you?" Luke gestured toward Carver and Lance, Colm's summoned phantoms. "You don't need any of that. Your phantoms rip through these things like paper. You've turned what's usually a grueling crawl into a casual stroll. It's obvious you're working with a much higher-tier class. And while we don't need to know the specifics, you need to be careful."

"Careful?" Colm echoed, his brow furrowing.

Luke nodded firmly. "Honestly, nothing too ominous by it—I'm just saying, watch your back. Everyone's got their own shit going on, but jealousy's a real thing. Some folks might start building up resentment. That said, anyone worth a damn is usually too busy dealing with their own mess to be petty about someone getting stronger faster and honestly no one other than people you interact with regularly would notice. Just keep your head straight, alright?"

Colm stayed silent, absorbing the words. For the first time, he realized just how much his abilities and class set him apart. Luke wasn't chastising him—this was advice borne from experience, and Colm resolved to heed it.

"Thanks," Colm finally said, his tone subdued. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," Luke replied, his usual smile returning. "Now let's finish this thing. At this rate, we'll be out of here before lunch."

The trio wrapped up their discussion, and Carver once again took point, effortlessly cutting through the centipedes in their path. With Colm's enhanced vision illuminating every detail of the cavern, the dark posed no threat to them. However, Colm was eager to test out his new Wavebound Surge ability.

At the next cluster of centipedes, he gave the command for his phantoms to hold back and let one slip through. "I want to try something," he said, glancing at Luke and Tessa. They exchanged a quick look of curiosity but nodded, ready to back him up if needed.

As the centipede skittered toward him, it lunged. For a moment, Colm felt a flicker of instinctual alarm, but it quickly faded as he realized just how sluggish the creature seemed in comparison to the Pitchcaller. This is nothing, he thought, smoothly sidestepping the attack.

With a surge of confidence, Colm activated Wavebound Surge. A crashing wave of water burst forth from him, slamming into the centipede and sending it tumbling backward. The creature thrashed within the watery torrent before collapsing, lifeless. Colm stared for a moment, absorbing the sight. It took it down in one blow. That's good to know.

With the room cleared, Tessa fell into her usual routine of harvesting the centipede remains. Once finished, she turned to Colm, brushing her hands off on her pack. "Alright, the next room is the boss's lair. It's a step up from the rest of what we've faced so far, but…" she smirked. "I don't think you'll have any problem with it."

"Sounds good," Colm said, nodding.

"Let's prep before we head in," Tessa added. Luke and Colm both nodded in agreement as they took a moment to ready themselves for the next challenge.

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