NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Echoes of the Past
The night air was thick with tension, as if the forest itself had been watching the battle from the shadows. Erik sat against a tree, his breath uneven, Riolu resting beside him. The adrenaline from the encounter with the Outlander slowly faded, leaving behind only exhaustion—and questions.
Outlanders. Rogue Nexus Users.
The words lingered in his mind like echoes in an empty hall.
A Faint Memory
Staring into the small campfire he'd managed to ignite, Erik's thoughts drifted back to his life before this world. The tournament. The roar of the crowd. The blinding lights. Then darkness.
But there was something else.
A flash—a memory hidden just beneath the surface.
Voices.
Mechanical. Cold.
"Subject identified. Compatibility confirmed."
What did that mean? Erik clenched his fists, frustration bubbling under the surface. Was I chosen? Or was this just… random?
The Nexus System chimed softly, interrupting his thoughts.
[System Update Available: Memory Fragment Detected.]
[Would you like to access it?]
Erik hesitated. A memory fragment? Could the system… show him what happened?
"Do it," he whispered.
[Memory Fragment: Initiating Playback…]
Erik's vision blurred, then shifted.
He was no longer in the forest.
White lights flickered overhead. He lay on a cold metal table, wires attached to his temples. People in dark uniforms moved around him, their faces hidden behind masks.
A logo flashed briefly on the wall—an unfamiliar symbol: a black circle with jagged lines branching outward, like cracks spreading from a fracture.
"Subject 047 is stable," a voice said.
"Initiate Nexus Integration."
Pain. Blinding, searing pain. His body convulsed. His screams were silent, swallowed by the void.
Then—nothing.
Back to Reality
Erik gasped, snapping back to the present. Sweat dripped down his face despite the cool night air.
What the hell was that?
The Nexus System remained silent, as if it hadn't just shown him a glimpse of something horrifying.
Was I… experimented on?
Erik's heart raced. This wasn't just some cosmic accident. Someone—or something—had put him here.
And they were still watching.
The Journey Continues
Determined to find answers, Erik packed his meager supplies at dawn. He needed to find civilization—someone who could explain what was happening. The beaten trail left by the Outlander was still faintly visible, and Erik decided to follow it.
Riolu walked beside him, its injuries slowly healing. Despite everything, the bond between them had grown stronger, unspoken but undeniable.
After hours of navigating the dense wilderness, Erik crested a hill—and saw it.
In the distance, nestled between towering cliffs and sprawling forests, was a settlement.
Tall stone walls surrounded the city, with banners fluttering in the wind—markings Erik didn't recognize. Beyond the gates, figures moved about: people, Pokémon, and… something else.
Erik's Nexus System flickered again.
[New Location Discovered: Haven's Reach]
• Status: Neutral Territory
• Population: Mixed (Native Humans, Pokémon, Outlanders)
• Warning: Potential Hostile Entities Present.
Finally.
But as Erik approached, he noticed something unsettling.
Guards patrolled the walls—not just with Pokémon, but with advanced weapons. Technology that didn't belong in this world.
Outlanders had been here.
And if Erik wanted answers, he'd have to walk straight into the lion's den.
End of Chapter 5