The book closed slowly, as if with a mind of its own, then burst open again with a sudden, almost violent energy. Aether staggered back, startled. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but the intensity still sent a shock through him. The first page revealed itself once more, pristine yet ancient.
"Does it always do that?" Aether muttered, his voice low and wary, as though afraid the book would hear him.
Before Ryuji could respond, the ink on the page began to shift and rise, curling into sentences that seemed alive.
"Does evidence equal truth?"
The words formed in an elegant, formal script, each letter dripping with meaning. Aether stared at the page, his brow furrowed in thought. Slowly, he turned to Ryuji, who stood at his side, arms crossed and skeptical.
"What do you see?" Aether asked, his tone careful, measured.
