Leo's heart thudded against his ribcage as he took in the chaos around him. The streets of Rome were alive with a din of voices—merchants hawking their wares, soldiers commanding order, and children darting between legs with laughter. The scent of spiced bread, roasted meats, and earthy sweat mingled in the warm summer air.
He glanced down at the book in his hands, now pulsating with a soft glow. Its cover, once weathered and worn, seemed to shimmer with life. A sharp pang of panic set in as he realized the golden light was intensifying. The book was more than a relic—it was a key, and he had no idea how to control it. The vibrations resonated through his fingertips, a warning of something imminent.
A voice called out from nearby. "Stranger! Are you lost, or do you come with purpose?"
Leo's head snapped up to see a tall man with a flowing white toga, his face weathered but sharp with authority. It was hard to tell if the man's expression was one of curiosity or suspicion. Before Leo could speak, the book in his hands let out a pulse so strong that it sent a jolt through him, making him stumble back.
"I… I don't belong here," Leo muttered, his voice trembling. The man raised an eyebrow, stepping closer.
"No, you certainly do not. And that"—he nodded at the book, which now glowed with a golden hue—"is no ordinary tome. Come with me, before the Praetorian Guard notices your intrusion."
Leo's survival instincts kicked in, pushing him forward. He knew he was in deep. With his heart racing, he followed the man through narrow alleys that smelled of smoke and salt. The city hummed around him, full of life yet teetering on the edge of chaos. Every glance Leo caught seemed to bore into him, as if the Romans sensed the anomaly he represented.
"Who are you?" Leo asked, his voice tight.
The man didn't reply immediately. He led Leo to a small, dimly lit building tucked away from the market's bustling chaos. Inside, the air was cooler, laced with the smell of old parchment and burning incense. The room was filled with scrolls and old artifacts, a hidden library of sorts.
"My name is Gaius," the man said, studying Leo with sharp eyes. "I am a scholar and a seer. And you, stranger, are either our salvation or our ruin."
Leo's chest tightened, the words sinking in like lead. "I'm just Leo. I don't understand what's happening. I was in my dorm room, and then—"
"—then you opened a doorway," Gaius finished, cutting him off. "You have brought more than just yourself into this world, Leo. That book, it's a relic of powers long forgotten. And now, the fates are shifting."
Leo blinked, the reality of his situation dawning on him like the sun rising over the Tiber. He had no choice but to trust Gaius, at least for now. The golden glow of the book pulsed in sync with his heartbeat, a silent promise that his journey had only just begun.
"What do you mean, powers long forgotten?" Leo asked, taking a cautious step forward.
Gaius smirked, his eyes glinting with an unsettling mix of excitement and fear. "It means you're not the only one who's been called. And the ones who know of your arrival will come for you—those who want to control the power, and those who seek to destroy it."
Leo's pulse quickened. He knew one thing with absolute certainty: Whatever fate had in store, it wasn't going to be a simple return home.