Resonant Rewrite

"How the hell did I end up in front of another dungeon gate?" I muttered, staring at the glowing yellow portal looming ominously before me. It flickered and pulsed like it was mocking me. "Didn't I swear never to step into one of these death traps again?"

The team stood around me, looking far too relaxed for people about to willingly march into probable doom.

"Cheer up, Aria!" Elyn said, slapping me on the back with that cheerful grin that was starting to feel like her default setting. "It's a Yellow-Rank gate. Totally manageable with our team!"

Manageable, she said. Right. That was exactly what they said about the last one, and yet here I was—traumatized, skeptical, and seriously considering running for the hills.

A Quick Recap of My Miserable Days

The past few days had been… enlightening. Ever since I officially joined the Silver Phoenix Guild and their happy-go-lucky team of Espers, life had taken a bizarre turn. And that's saying something, considering how bizarre it already was.

First, let's talk about me. Yours truly, Rin—who, as it turns out, is not just Rin but Aria Felstone in this world. What's more, the Rewrite System had decided it was time to come clean and show me my original status window. Oh, the joy of discovering that I'm playing life on hard mode.

Let me explain.

The Author's Rewrite System: A Crash Course

So apparently, I've got not one, not two, but three status windows.

Beast Tamer: Pretty self-explanatory and already more than enough for me to handle.

Guide: Again, straightforward. Stabilize Auras, manage Espers, keep everyone alive. Cool, I got it.

The Author's Rewrite System: And here's where it gets fun. This delightful new addition comes with features that scream, "We're about to make your life exponentially harder!"

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Author: Rin Calloway

Name: Aria Felstone

Abilities:

Plot Correction Quests: Oh, this one's a treat. Whenever the story derails or needs me to fix something, it throws quests at me, like "Join the guild" or, surprise, "Enter the Yellow Gate Dungeon and Survive." Because why not?

Author's Notes Insight: I can access bits of my original author notes. Sounds helpful, right? Wrong. The notes are vague at best, cryptic at worst, and utterly useless most of the time.

Plot Manipulation Tokens (Locked): These are supposed to let me tweak minor details in the world. Sounds like a cheat code, but of course, they're locked tighter than a miser's coin purse.

Protagonist Bond Tracker: Oh, this one's a riot. It tracks the relationship dynamics of the protagonist (Evelyn Ardane) and key characters. Through this, I learned the most hilarious fact of all time: Elyn Ardane is Evelyn Ardane.

That's right. The cheerful, fiery, slightly-too-perfect team leader I've been hanging out with is none other than the protagonist of this world. And here I thought she was just annoyingly optimistic.

"Applause, please," I muttered sarcastically to no one in particular when I pieced it together a few days ago. "The award for the most oblivious idiot in the world goes to me!"

How did I not realize it earlier? Sure, she asks me to call her Elyn as Aria her friend was used to call her that, but she's Evelyn Ardane—the Guide-turned-Esper who was supposed to save the world with her partner Caius. Except now, thanks to my meddling existence and this rewrite nonsense, she's an Esper leading an independent team instead of a Guide.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," I muttered that night, glaring at the ceiling.

The Rewrite System, of course, chose that moment to be as unhelpful as ever. It cheerfully announced my next quest: Enter the Yellow Gate Dungeon (Aurora's Maw) and Survive with the Team.

"Survive, huh?" I had groaned. "You're really setting the bar low, aren't you?"

Next day we were assigned to enter the yellow gate and clear it.

Back to the Present

So, here I was, standing in front of this ominous glowing portal with Elyn—Evelyn—and her merry band of misfits.

Kael, the team's resident Fire Esper, stretched lazily. "You're looking awfully nervous, Aria. Don't tell me you're scared?"

Scared? Me? Never! Okay, always, but like I'd tell him that. "Of course not," I lied through my teeth.

Mira, the team's calm and logical Barrier Mage, adjusted her gloves. "You'll be fine, Aria. We've handled worse gates before."

"Yeah, 'we' handled them," I muttered under my breath. "Not me."

Garret, the Earth tank and self-proclaimed comic relief, smirked. "Relax. I'll make sure nothing squishes you. Unless it's funny."

"Very reassuring," I deadpanned.

And then there was Finn, the youngest member with a Lightning affinity, who gave me a shy but encouraging smile. "You'll do great, Aria. I believe in you."

Ah, Finn. Sweet, naive, soon-to-be-traumatized Finn.

Elyn clapped her hands, rallying the team. "Alright, everyone! Let's get moving. The sooner we enter, the sooner we're out."

Easier said than done.

Entering the Gate

The moment we stepped through the portal, a wave of pressure hit me. The air felt heavier, charged with energy that buzzed against my skin. The landscape was surreal—twisted trees with glowing leaves, a sky that shifted between gold and crimson, and a distant roar that sent shivers down my spine.

"Aurora's Maw," Elyn said, looking around. "Let's stick together. This gate is known for separating teams if we're not careful."

"Oh, great," I muttered. "What's next? Giant monsters?"

As if on cue, a deep growl rumbled through the air. Kael grinned. "You had to say it, didn't you?"

The source of the growl emerged from the shadows—a massive beast with golden fur streaked with black, eyes glowing like molten amber.

"A Golden Warg," Mira said calmly, stepping into position. "Class 2 threat. We can handle this."

"We can?" I whispered, edging closer to her.

Kael was already charging forward, flames erupting around him. "Time to show off, new Guide!" he called back, clearly enjoying himself.

"I hate this job," I grumbled, activating my Aura Stabilization skill.

The battle was a blur of fire, lightning, and sheer chaos. Garret smashed through the creature's defenses, Mira shielded us from its devastating swipes, and Finn's lightning strikes slowed it down just enough for Kael to land the finishing blow.

When the beast finally collapsed, I was panting and clutching my knees. "Is it always like this?"

Garret laughed. "Pretty much. You'll get used to it."

I gave him a look that screamed no, I will not.

As we caught our breath, the System decided to chime in with a notification.

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Quest Progress: 10% Complete.

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"Oh, good," I said sarcastically. "Only 90% to go!"

Elyn, clapped me on the shoulder. "See? You're doing great!"

I shot her a look. "Define 'great.'"

Before she could reply, another roar echoed through the dungeon.

Kael grinned, flames sparking at his fingertips. "Round two?"

"Kill me now," I muttered.

As we continued through the dungeon, I couldn't help but glance at Elyn. She was so… protagonist-y. Always leading the charge, always confident, always throwing herself into danger without a second thought.

And yet, the Rewrite System had decided she wasn't fit to be a Guide.

I sighed. "Hey, Elyn," I said, keeping my voice casual.

"Yeah?" she replied, not looking back as she scanned the path ahead.

"What made you want to be an Esper?"

She paused, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. "It just felt right, you know? Like it's what I was meant to do."

"Right," I said, biting back the urge to tell her the truth. That she wasn't meant to be an Esper at all. That her whole role in this world had been rewritten.

But I didn't. Because what good would it do?

By the time we reached the dungeon's core, I was thoroughly exhausted. The team, on the other hand, looked like they were just getting warmed up.

The core chamber was massive, with a swirling vortex of golden light at its center. Floating around it were half a dozen creatures that looked like a cross between eagles and lions, their wings crackling with energy.

"Storm Griffins," Mira said, her voice steady. "Class 3 threats. This will be tough."

Tough? Try impossible.

"Stay behind me," Elyn said, her Aura flaring with determination.

Kael grinned, flames dancing in his hands. "Let's light them up."

What followed was a whirlwind of chaos. Fire, lightning, and earth magic clashed with the Griffins' attacks. Mira's barriers saved us more times than I could count, and Finn's lightning strikes proved invaluable in disrupting their aerial movements.

And me? I spent most of the fight trying not to get killed.

When the last Griffin fell, I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.

"See? We survived," Elyn said, offering me a hand.

"Barely," I muttered, taking it.

A new notification popped up.

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Quest Complete: Enter Aurora's Maw and Survive.

Reward: +1 Plot Manipulation Token.

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Oh, great. Another tool I didn't know how to use.

The moment of calm after the Griffin fight was short-lived. Just as the team began to breathe easier, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently, and the walls of the dungeon pulsed with a fiery glow. The air shifted, heavy and suffocating, as if the dungeon itself had awakened to a new level of hostility.

Elyn's confident grin faltered. "Something's not right…"

Kael frowned, "Why is it shaking? We took down the Griffins. Isn't that the end of this?"

"No…" Mira's voice was quiet, her brow furrowed in concern. "We didn't destroy the core crystal."

"WHAT?" Rin's exclamation cut through the rising tension. "Then why are we just standing here?!"

Before anyone could answer, the System's familiar blue interface popped up before Rin's eyes. Only this time, the soft blue tones were replaced with a jarring, ominous red.

________________________________________________________________________________

ALERT: Secondary Quest Generated.

Dungeon Survival: Aurora's Maw, Part II

Objective: Survive the upgraded dungeon and escape with the entire team.

Time limit: 12 hours.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Rin's heart sank as she read the notification. "Oh, great," she muttered to herself. "I was just wondering how everything wrapped up too neatly. Thanks for proving me wrong, System!"

The Dungeon Rewrites Itself

Outside the gate, a golden shimmer cascaded over the portal's surface, changing it to a deep, fiery orange. The dungeon's rank officially increased, signaling a shift in its difficulty and the level of danger lurking within.

The monsters began respawning, their appearances more grotesque, their auras more menacing. The dungeon itself seemed alive, reshaping and stretching its corridors.

"Brace yourselves!" Elyn shouted, her Aura flaring as she drew her twin blades.

Before the team could regroup, the dungeon struck its next blow. A pulse of energy surged through the chamber, enveloping each of them in a blinding light.

Scattered

When the light faded, the team found themselves scattered across the dungeon.

The dungeon's cruel hand separated them into three groups.

Group 1: Kael and Garret found themselves in a cavern lit with streams of molten lava. The air shimmered with heat, and volcanic hounds prowled the area, their red eyes glowing with predatory hunger.

Group 2: Finn and Mira were transported to an ancient ruin-like area. The floors were crumbling, and spectral knights patrolled, their ghostly swords slicing through the air with eerie precision.

Group 3: Elyn and Aria remained together, stood at the edge of a crumbling cliffside, overlooking a horde of winged beasts circling below.

The first rule of dungeon emergencies clicked into Rin's mind. Stick to the Dungeon Shift Protocol. Each group would aim to converge at the lowest floor while fighting their way through the monsters. Easier said than done.

Group 1: The Volcanic Trial

Kael wiped the sweat from his brow as he assessed the situation. "Well, this is cozy."

Garret rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. "Cozy isn't the word I'd use, mate." He pointed to a pack of volcanic hounds circling them. "I think they're looking at us like dinner."

Kael smirked, flames flickering in his hands. "Let's make sure they choke on it."

The battle began with Kael unleashing spears of fire, matching the intensity of the lava around them. Garret charged forward, his massive frame shielding Kael as his earth magic sent shockwaves through the ground, destabilizing the hounds' footing.

Group 2: The Haunted Ruins

Finn gulped, his wide eyes darting to Mira. "Uh… any bright ideas?"

Mira adjusted her gloves, her calm demeanor not betraying the tension she felt. "Stay close to me. These knights are relentless, but they're predictable."

The spectral knights advanced, their swords humming with energy. Mira's barriers shimmered into existence, deflecting the first wave of attacks. Finn, finding his courage, darted around the edges, sending bolts of lightning into the knights' exposed backs.

Group 3: Elyn and Rin

Elyn's usual cheer was gone, replaced by sharp focus and determination. She moved swiftly, her Aura slicing through the winged beasts with brutal efficiency. Rin followed closely, trying to keep up but quickly realizing how relentless the monsters had become.

"Stay close!" Elyn called over her shoulder, her voice strained. She was already showing signs of exhaustion, her movements not as fluid as before.

Rin nodded, clutching her dagger with shaky hands. "Sure, because keeping up with you is so easy," she muttered under her breath.

Hours passed in this grueling pattern—fighting, dodging, running. Elyn didn't stop, didn't pause, her blades glowing brighter with each strike as if sheer willpower was fueling her.

But Rin noticed the cracks.

The faint tremor in Elyn's hands. The slight delay in her dodges. The way her Aura flickered when she thought no one was looking.

"Elyn!" Rin finally called out, grabbing her arm. "Stop! You need to rest."

Elyn shook her head, pulling free. "We don't have time. If we stop now—"

"If you collapse, we're both dead!" Rin interrupted, her tone sharper than intended.

For a moment, Elyn hesitated. Then she sighed, glancing around. "Fine. Five minutes. But stay alert."

Elyn slumped against the rock wall, her head tilted back as she tried to catch her breath. Rin stayed close, her mind racing.

What do I do? What can I do to help her?

She had no answers. Not with the System's cryptic guidance, not with her limited abilities as a Guide.

Six grueling hours later, The final floor of the dungeon. The chamber was massive, with jagged pillars stretching toward a glowing core in the center.

And there they were.

Kael and Garret were slumped against a wall, barely conscious. Mira knelt nearby, her barriers shimmering weakly as she shielded them from the relentless onslaught of monsters. Finn was out cold.

Mira's face lit up with relief when she saw us. "Aria! Captain! You're here—just in time."

"Barely," Rin muttered, her eyes scanning the scene.

Elyn immediately leaped into the fray, her blades flashing as she carved through the nearest wave of monsters.

"Mira," Rin said, kneeling beside her. "How are they holding up?"

"Not well," she admitted. "We've been fighting for hours without rest. My barriers are barely holding, and the others…" Her voice faltered. "Captain doesn't look good either."

Rin glanced at Elyn, who was fighting with reckless abandon.

"She's exhausted," Rin said.

"No," Mira replied, her tone grave. "I don't think it's just exhaustion. I think her corruption rate has passed the threshold."

"What do you mean?" Rin asked, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Captain's an S-Class Esper," Mira explained. "And she's been doing missions without a Guide since she joined the guild. The Guild Master tried to assign one, but she always refused. That's why our team has never had a permanent Guide—until you."

That revelation hit her like a brick.

"For the first time, she let a Guide join our team. You, Aria Felstone," Mira continued, her voice soft. "Maybe she'll let you help her."

Rin stared at Elyn, her mind racing. Mira's words echoed in her ears.

"She really is my world's protagonist, isn't she?" She muttered, to herself. "Stubborn to a fault."

With those words, Mira's eyes closed, her energy spent.

Rin turned to Elyn, who was already launching herself into battle against a wave of newly spawned monsters. Her movements were wild, reckless, her Aura burning brighter and more erratic with each strike.

"So reckless…" Rin muttered, watching her. "What do I do with you, Elyn?"

Mira's words echoed in her mind. She let you join the team. The first Guide she's ever accepted.

But Rin knew the truth. Elyn—no, Evelyn Ardane—was the most stubborn person she'd ever written. She wouldn't just let someone guide her. Not unless she had no other choice.

"Alright, fine," Rin muttered, standing up. "Let's put on a good show for our little protagonist."

Rin screamed, clutching her side as she staggered and pretended to collapse.

"ARIA!" Elyn's voice was panicked as she turned, rushing to Rin's side. Her Aura blades vanished as she caught Rin's falling body.

"What happened? Are you hurt?!" Elyn's crimson eyes—no longer their usual blue—glowed with desperation.

Rin's lips curled into a faint smile as she whispered, "Gotcha."

Before Elyn could react, Aria activated her Guide abilities, sending a surge of energy into Elyn's body. The crimson glow in Elyn's eyes flared violently before dimming. Her body stiffened, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

Aurora's Reckoning

She gently moved Elyn's unconscious body to rest on her lap, brushing a strand of hair from her face, her expression softening.

"You're so reckless," Rin murmured. "Always throwing yourself into danger. What am I supposed to do with you?"

Calling upon Onyx, her shadow beast, she commanded him to guard the perimeter. The black wolf growled in understanding, leaping into battle against the remaining threats.

Within the safety of the shield, Rin focused on Elyn.

"Empathetic Link," she whispered, her Aura flaring softly.

A violet thread shimmered to life, connecting her to Elyn. Through it, Rin could feel the storm of emotions swirling within her—fear, anger, exhaustion, and a deep, unrelenting guilt.

Rin's chest tightened. "You're carrying too much, Elyn…"

Next, she activated Purification Surge. A golden light enveloped Elyn's body, pushing against the corruption that had taken root in her Aura.

The process was agonizingly slow. Elyn's emotions resisted at first, the crimson light of her Aura flaring angrily. But Rin persisted, pouring her strength into the bond.

Bit by bit, the crimson light faded, replaced by a soft, shimmering gold. The chamber was bathed in an ethereal glow, the scene as breathtaking as the northern auroras.

When the purification was complete, Elyn's breathing evened out, her Aura stabilizing. Onyx returned, his growls signaling the defeat of the monsters around.

Rin slumped back, exhausted but relieved. She looked down at Elyn's peaceful face and sighed.

"You're going to be the death of me, Elyn Ardane," she muttered. "Looks like I'm not done here just yet."