Echoes in the Umbral Deeps

Antero was once a 'Pathfinder' for the revered Lumina Concord, a guide meant to lead heroes through the treacherous, reality-warping Umbral Deeps. Now, he's a pariah, stripped of his rank and forced to porter for coin, his only goal to keep his younger sister safe. He takes on a desperate job: guiding the Concord's new 'Radiant Child,' a naive but powerful boy named Sampo, destined to cleanse the Deeps. But Antero harbors a dark secret - a power called Skill Resonance, allowing him to absorb the abilities of anyone he guides. He quietly leeches Sampo's burgeoning power, intending to use it for his own ends. As their found family of misfits - including a sharp-tongued rival and a kleptomaniac sprite - delves deeper, the lines blur between protection and predation. When a terrifying Umbral entity ignores the Radiant Child and attacks Antero, calling him the 'true anomaly,' he realizes he's not just a parasite; he's a target. Can Antero protect his new family and uncover the Concord's dark secrets before his stolen power consumes him from within?