The Cerberus Gate shimmered, then vanished, leaving behind only the lingering scent of ozone and the mangled remains of the industrial park. Ethan stood amidst the wreckage, chest heaving, the Resonance System humming a satisfied tune within him. The Cerberus, a hulking monstrosity of bone and shadow, was gone, its essence absorbed and converted into tangible power that now thrummed beneath his skin.

He was alive. He had done it. Alone.

A small contingent of Guild Ascendants arrived moments later, led by a stern-faced woman named Anya Volkov, a master of earth manipulation and a known stickler for protocol. Her expression was tight, a mixture of relief and… something else. Suspicion? Envy? Ethan couldn't quite decipher it.

"Blackwood," she said, her voice clipped and formal. "You closed the Gate. Officially, that is a success."

The other Ascendants echoed her sentiment with muted nods. There was no celebration, no real enthusiasm. It felt more like acknowledging a particularly stubborn stain had finally been removed.

"Thank you," Ethan replied, trying to sound humble despite the surge of exhilaration coursing through him. He was exhausted, battered, but alive. He deserved some recognition, damn it.

Volkov’s eyes, sharp and grey, scanned him from head to toe. “You appear… relatively unscathed. The reports indicated the Cerberus was far more powerful than anticipated.”

Ethan forced a nonchalant shrug. “I got lucky. Used my… limited abilities to their fullest.” He was careful not to elaborate, not to reveal even a hint of the Resonance System. This uneasy respect was already more than he usually got; he wouldn't push it.

The team started sealing the area, running diagnostics, and preparing a report. Volkov lingered, her gaze fixed on Ethan.

"The Guild appreciates your service, Blackwood. You will be compensated accordingly. Report back to headquarters tomorrow for a full debriefing."

With that, she turned and strode away, leaving Ethan feeling strangely… unsettled. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, scrutinized.

The journey back to the Ascendant Guild headquarters in the heart of the city felt longer than usual. The familiar city skyline, once a symbol of safety and order, now seemed menacing, cloaked in an atmosphere of subtle distrust.

He spent the evening in his cramped apartment, barely touching the nutrient paste they considered "dinner." He kept replaying the Cerberus fight in his mind, analyzing his every move, every instinct. He was becoming more powerful, that was undeniable. But the price of that power, he suspected, might be steeper than he imagined.

The next morning, Ethan arrived at the Guild headquarters, a towering edifice of steel and glass that reflected the city's ambition and its anxieties. The debriefing with Volkov was perfunctory, filled with carefully worded questions about his tactics, his stamina, his… recovery. He stuck to his story – luck, limited abilities, and a healthy dose of self-preservation.

After the debriefing, he was dismissed, but as he turned to leave, Volkov stopped him.

"Blackwood, a word," she said, her voice losing some of its formality. "The Guild is… impressed with your performance. They've assigned you a personal mentor to help you… refine your skills."

A mentor? For him? Ethan was floored. He had never been considered worthy of special attention, let alone a dedicated instructor.

"Who… who is it?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"That information will be disclosed at the appropriate time. For now, simply be prepared to dedicate more time to your training. This is a significant opportunity, Blackwood. Don’t squander it."

He left Volkov's office in a daze. A mentor. It sounded too good to be true. And in his gut, he knew it probably was.

That afternoon, he found himself wandering through the Guild's expansive library, a vast repository of knowledge about Rifts, Ascendants, and the history of their world. He wasn’t looking for anything specific, just trying to distract himself from the creeping unease that had taken root in his mind.

He gravitated towards a secluded section dedicated to forgotten lore, ancient texts that were rarely consulted. He ran his fingers along the dusty spines, feeling a strange pull towards a particular volume bound in dark, unmarked leather.

He pulled it from the shelf. The pages were brittle and yellowed, filled with archaic script and intricate diagrams. It was a treatise on Resonance, though not in the modern sense of sound waves or vibrations. This was something far more esoteric, a philosophical exploration of the interconnectedness of all things, the potential to absorb and transform energy.

As he delved deeper into the text, a familiar symbol caught his eye – the same stylized spiral that had appeared on the Resonance System interface. His heart pounded in his chest. Could this be a clue to the system's origins?

He was so engrossed in the book that he didn't notice the figure approaching until a shadow fell across the page.

"Interesting choice of reading material, Blackwood," a smooth, almost oily voice said.

Ethan looked up to see Silas Thorne, the Captain of the Crimson Guard, standing behind him. Thorne was a charismatic and influential figure within the Guild, respected for his tactical acumen and unwavering loyalty. He was also, Ethan knew, a man who kept his cards close to his chest.

"Just browsing, Captain," Ethan said, quickly closing the book. "Came across this old thing."

Thorne’s smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Resonance, eh? Fascinating subject. Though I wouldn’t expect someone with your… talents to be so interested in theoretical physics."

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. How much did Thorne know?

"It's just a hobby," he said, trying to sound casual. "Keeps my mind sharp."

Thorne chuckled. "Indeed. Well, don't let it distract you from your duties. The Guild has high hopes for you, Blackwood. We expect great things." He paused, his gaze piercing. "We'll be watching your progress with great interest."

With that, Thorne turned and walked away, leaving Ethan alone in the silent library, the weight of his words pressing down on him. He quickly returned the book to its shelf, feeling like he had just touched something forbidden.

The encounter with Thorne confirmed his suspicions. He was being watched. Closely. The mentor, the increased training, the sudden interest in his abilities – it was all a carefully orchestrated charade. The Guild wasn't impressed with his success; they were suspicious of it. They wanted to understand the Resonance System, to control it, perhaps even to weaponize it.

That night, sleep evaded him. He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. He had to be careful. He had to be smarter. He couldn't let the Guild discover the full extent of his power, or they would undoubtedly try to take it from him.

He decided to test his theory. He opened the Resonance System interface, focusing his will on a specific ability – a minor healing spell he had absorbed from a corrupted plant creature. He tried to activate it, but nothing happened. The system seemed… locked.

He frowned. He tried another ability, a simple energy blast. Again, nothing. It was as if the Resonance System was deliberately suppressing his powers, preventing him from using them without explicit authorization.

He spent the next few hours experimenting, trying different combinations, different techniques. Finally, he discovered a workaround. He could access the system, but only in a limited capacity. He could absorb essence, level up, and passively increase his stats, but he couldn't actively use his new abilities.

The implications were terrifying. The Guild, or someone within it, had somehow managed to tamper with the Resonance System, to exert a degree of control over it. They were trying to understand it, to dissect it, and in the process, they were slowly but surely eroding his autonomy.

He knew he couldn't stay here. He couldn't trust anyone. The Guild, the Crimson Guard, even Maya – they were all potential threats. He had to find a way to break free, to escape the Guild's suffocating grip before they completely neutralized his power.

He closed the Resonance System interface, his heart filled with a cold, steely resolve. He was no longer just Ethan Blackwood, the weak Ascendant known as Echo. He was something more, something dangerous. And he was about to become a ghost in the machine, a shadow in the Guild's own labyrinthine corridors. The game had changed, and Ethan was about to play by his own rules.