Chapter 1: The Codex and the Void
The wind hissed through the twisted trees, their branches creaking like old bones under the touch of the cold air. Ren Aether knelt on the damp earth of a forgotten clearing, his eyes fixed on the object he had just unearthed—an ancient book wrapped in chains worn by time. The Codex.
His fingers hesitated, hovering over the black cover that seemed to absorb the light around it. He wasn't sure how he had found it; the book seemed to have called to him, guiding his steps from the village.
— "You shouldn't touch that."
Master Kal's voice echoed through the trees, carrying a tone of warning. The elder emerged from the shadows, his tired eyes fixed on the artifact.
— "What is this?" Ren asked, though he knew the answer would change his life.
Kal stopped a few meters away, his shoulders tense.
— "Something that should have stayed buried."
Ren ignored the warning. He knew the book was important—not just because of the weight he felt emanating from it, but because something inside him recognized it. He opened the cover, and the first pages seemed to glow faintly, as if breathing in unison with him.
The words written there made no sense at first, but his eyes began to decipher them effortlessly, as though a forgotten part of his mind was awakening.
"The first Chain binds Matter. The second, Time. The third... is the beginning and the end."
— "Ren, close it now!" Kal shouted, rushing forward, but it was too late.
A wave of energy emanated from the book, knocking them both to the ground. The clearing was filled with a cold, gray light, and Ren felt something pulling him from the inside out. He tried to scream, but his voice was swallowed by the sound of something immense breaking.
Then, everything went silent.
---
Ren opened his eyes slowly. He was still in the clearing, but something was different. The air felt denser, heavy with the presence of something unseen. Kal was standing, staring at him with an expression of pure terror.
— "What did you do?" Kal asked, his voice trembling.
Ren had no answer. The Codex was still in his hands, and now its pages glowed softly, like embers refusing to extinguish. He looked at the words again, but before he could decipher more, a voice whispered in his mind:
"The door has been opened. The price will be paid."
Ren rose slowly, his knees shaky. He glanced around, trying to find the source of the voice, but there was nothing. Only the forest and Kal, who was still watching him with a mixture of fear and anger.
— "What is this book?" Ren asked, his voice steadier this time.
Kal hesitated before answering.
— "It's the Codex. A fragment of the Chains of the Void. It has chosen you… and that is no blessing."
Ren narrowed his eyes, feeling the weight of those words. He knew his life had changed the moment he touched the Codex, but he didn't know how much.
— "And now?" Ren asked, his determination growing.
Kal sighed, his gaze shifting to the forest.
— "Now, you must understand what you've awakened. But know this, Ren: the Codex gives nothing without taking. It is both a gift and a curse."
Ren looked at the book once more, sensing the truth in Kal's words. The world seemed vaster and more dangerous than before, and he knew there was no turning back.
As the afternoon light faded behind the trees, Ren placed the Codex in his backpack and followed Kal back to the village, unaware that this was only the beginning of his journey to unravel the secrets of the Chains of the Void.