Strange Voice:
"Welcome back… my love."
Theo's breath caught in his throat.
"What…? Who's there?"
No answer came.
Only the glow of the strange light—and the eerie sound of pages turning on their own, as if the book were alive.
The words on the open page began to shift, blurring and twisting into unfamiliar symbols Theo couldn't understand.
The air grew colder.
The shadows in the library stretched unnaturally, swallowing the corners of the room.
Theo's pulse raced.
Am I dreaming…? Hallucinating?
He tried to stand—but his legs wouldn't move.
"W-Who's there…?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
A ghost…? No… this feels too real.
A sudden chill brushed against his cheek.
Like a hand.
Cold. Gentle.
Theo's head snapped up—
And his heart nearly stopped.
At the far end of the aisle stood a man.
Tall. Still. Wrapped in shadows.
His long black hair fell like ink, and his eyes glowed faintly—like burning embers in the dark.
There was something… unnatural about him.
Something powerful.
Something ancient.
Theo stumbled backward, his back hitting the bookshelf behind him. His hand pressed tightly against his chest, trying to steady his racing heart.
He couldn't speak.
The man smiled.
Slow. Knowing.
And stepped closer.
The soft echo of his footsteps filled the silence.
"Do not be afraid," he said.
His voice was deep and smooth—like distant thunder—vibrating through Theo's bones.
"You opened the door, Theo."
Another step.
"You solved the puzzle… because you were meant to."
Closer.
"I have been waiting for you… for a very long time."
Theo swallowed hard, his throat dry.
"W-Who are you…?" he managed to say.
Is he… real?
The man tilted his head slightly, studying him.
Then—
"My name is Abyzou."
The name lingered in the air.
Heavy.
Ancient.
"King of the Underworld," he continued softly.
"At least… that is what your kind would call me."
His gaze deepened.
"But to you…"
He stepped even closer.
"I am something more."
Theo's mind spun.
King of the Underworld…? Demon king…?
This had to be a dream.
It had to be.
He was just a student. Just a lonely boy who stayed up too late reading stories.
And yet—
Something inside him stirred.
A faint, distant memory… just out of reach.
The book in his lap glowed brighter, its pages fluttering like breath.
Theo's fingers tightened around it.
Fear finally took over.
"I—No… I need to get out of here."
He turned and ran.
But—
The door.
Still locked.
No matter how hard he pulled—
It wouldn't open.
"No… no, no—!"
His hands trembled as panic set in. He squeezed his eyes shut.
This isn't real. This isn't real—
But deep down—
He knew.
In that cold, silent library…
With that man standing behind him—
Everything was real.
And in that moment—
Theo felt it.
A bond.
Something deep. Unbreakable. Ancient.
Something that tied him to Abyzou in ways he couldn't understand.
And it terrified him.
---
To be continued…