Stepping onto the cold but soft pavement still barefoot. Bellamy brought the grimoire close to his chest once more. Venturing forward, his steps were accompanied by the soft ticking of his pocket watch. The flickering gas lamps cast elongated shadows, creating an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue as he made his way through the winding streets.
And there it was, amidst the row of buildings, he found it—8443 Dialous Street. The building stood three stories tall, its exterior embellished with intricate floral motifs. It exuded an air of elegance and charm, beckoning Bellamy closer.
He ascended the stone steps leading to the building's entrance, his hand reaching out to grasp the intricately designed doorknob. With a twist, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hallway adorned with tapestries and flickering gas lamps.
Bellamy stepped inside, his footsteps muffled by the plush carpeting beneath his feet. The hallway was hushed, almost as if it held its breath in anticipation of his arrival. He glanced at the names inscribed on the apartment doors, searching for Alina's.
As his eyes fell upon the engraved numbers that matched the address, a sense of excitement filled him. He had arrived at his destination, at the threshold of Alina's world. Taking a moment to compose himself, trying to fix his dark medium hair although still messy, looking down he noticed his clothing besides his black coat which was a gift given by Alina herself. Everything else seemed far too expensive for him as if he was dressing up for a business meeting with the bank. Of course besides the no shoes part.
"I hope I'm not intruding at such a time" he sighed to himself.
He raised his hand and gently rapped on the wooden door, the sound echoing through the hallway.
After a brief pause, the door creaked open, revealing a slightly groggy Alina, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Her disheveled hair and the faint lines of fatigue on her face gave away her state of drowsiness.
"Bellamy?" she mumbled, her voice laced with a mix of surprise and weariness. "What... what are you doing here at this hour?"
A pang of guilt tugged at Bellamy's heart as he realized he might have disturbed her rest. "I'm sorry, Alina," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine concern. "I didn't mean to wake you. It's just... I lost track of time and well I had nowhere else to go."
A flicker of a smile crossed Alina's face, her tired eyes lighting up with warmth. "Come in," she said, stepping aside to let him enter. "But make it quick. I'm half-asleep."
Bellamy entered her cozy apartment, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. The space was adorned with subtle decorations, reflecting Alina's artistic sensibilities. The soft glow of a lamp bathed the room in a warm, inviting ambiance, casting gentle shadows on the furniture.
As Alina closed the door behind them, Bellamy couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for her hospitality.
"Thank you for letting me in, Alina," he said sincerely, his eyes meeting hers. "I know it's late, and I apologize for intruding. But there's something important I need to discuss with you."
Alina yawned softly, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. "Alright, Bellamy," she replied, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and exhaustion. "What's on your mind? It must be important for you to show up at my doorstep in the middle of the night."
Bellamy took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before he began recounting the strange events that had led him to Alina's doorstep. He looked at Alina, her gaze focused on him, her tiredness momentarily forgotten in her curiosity.
"It all started a few hours ago," he began, his voice filled with a sense of wonder. "I don't know how but I was in the alleyway behind my father's workshop and I found myself at this door I've never seen before in it was a small room that had this book... a grimoire I mean and it gave me a divine spark without the help from the church."
"A divine spark?" Alina's voice carried a hint of disbelief and confusion as she processed Bellamy's words. Her tiredness was momentarily forgotten, "And you still have the grimoire correct, can I see it?
Bellamy reached into his coat pocket and carefully retrieved the grimoire, its weathered cover hinting at the ancient knowledge contained within. With a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, he handed it to Alina, watching as she took it into her hands.
Alina's fingers traced the intricate patterns on the grimoire's cover, her touch gentle yet filled with curiosity. She glanced up at Bellamy, her eyes reflecting a mix of disbelief and fascination. "Are you sure this is the grimoire? It feels... weightless, empty."
"I know, it's perplexing," Bellamy admitted, his voice tinged with a blend of disappointment and hope. "But something tells me there's more to it than meets the eye. It held a divine spark for me, a fragment of something greater. Perhaps it holds the same promise for you."
Alina looked at him, a mix of wonder and confusion on her face. "Bellamy, what do you see? I can't make out anything, it still looks empty to me."
Bellamy's voice trembled with excitement as he replied, "I don't know how to explain it, Alina. It's as if the words are meant for my eyes alone as if the grimoire has chosen me to decipher its secrets. I can see the ancient language etched on these pages, and I can feel the power they hold."
Alina's brows furrowed, a blend of curiosity and concern evident in her expression. "Are you sure, Bellamy? This feels... extraordinary. How is it possible that you alone can see and understand what's written inside?"
"I... I don't know yet," Bellamy stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "All I know is I can only see one page so far and read this writing, which I've never seen before and I don't even have the mark from a God either"
With a resolute determination, Bellamy's eyes fixated on the ancient script inscribed within the grimoire. His voice resonated with newfound confidence as he began to chant the incantation, "Elyius Frey." As the words spilled from his lips, a surge of energy coursed through his being, and he felt a tingling sensation in his fingertips.
In a seamless motion, Bellamy flicked his wrist, and to his astonishment, a wispy apple materialized on the palm of his hand. Its form was ethereal, bathed in a soft glow, yet it bore an uncanny resemblance to a real apple. He marveled at its beauty, mesmerized by the intricate details of its texture and color.
Carefully, Bellamy cradled the ethereal apple, his heart racing with a mix of exhilaration and disbelief. He could sense the weightlessness of the conjured fruit, defying the laws of nature. It was a testament to the power at his command, a glimpse into the extraordinary possibilities that lay within his grasp.
However, maintaining the illusion demanded his unwavering focus. Every fiber of his being strained to keep the image intact, his mind delicately balancing the delicate threads of magic that held the apple in existence. Five seconds felt both fleeting and eternal as he poured his concentration into preserving the illusion.
And then, with a soft exhale, the wispy apple dissipated, fading away like a wisp of smoke. Bellamy's hand remained open, a testament to the ephemeral nature of his conjuration. The energy that had coursed through him receded, leaving him with a mix of awe and a yearning to explore the depths of his newfound abilities.
"Did you see that?" Bellamy's voice trembled with excitement as he turned to Alina, his eyes sparkling with newfound confidence. "I conjured an apple, right here in my hand! It looked so real, yet it was weightless, almost ethereal. It was... incredible!"
Alina's eyes widened in astonishment as she witnessed the fleeting display of magic. She reached out, her fingers lingering in the space where the apple had once existed. "I saw it, Bellamy. It was extraordinary. You have tapped into something truly remarkable. This grimoire, this divine spark within you, as if it's granting you the ability to manipulate reality itself."
Bellamy's exhilaration quickly turned into a sudden wave of fatigue and dizziness. The strain of conjuring the wispy apple had taken its toll on him, overwhelming his body with the surge of magical energy.
A sharp pang of pain shot through Bellamy's temples, causing him to wince and clutch his head. His vision blurred, and the world around him seemed to sway. Alina's concerned voice reached his ears, but its clarity was fading.
"Bellamy, are you alright?" Alina's words sounded distant as if coming from a great distance.
Bellamy tried to respond, but his voice caught in his throat. His legs wobbled beneath him, and he stumbled forward, his hand reaching out to steady himself against the wall. But it was futile. Darkness closed in on him, swallowing his consciousness whole.