I wasn't sure what I was expecting when Dorian led me through that door, but I definitely didn't expect this.
The building was old, but it wasn't the dilapidated, abandoned kind of place. It felt… alive in a way that I couldn't explain. There were no windows, but the air was thick with something, like magic, hanging in every corner. I could almost feel the pulse of it under my skin.
I followed Dorian down a narrow hallway. The walls were lined with old bookshelves, most of them covered in dust, some of them holding objects I didn't recognize. Every so often, Dorian would reach out and run his fingers over an item—some artifact, I assumed—but he didn't stop long enough for me to ask questions.
"What is this place?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I wasn't scared—not yet—but I was getting an uneasy feeling in my stomach.
"You'll see soon enough," Dorian said, his tone calm but with an edge of something I couldn't place.
We passed a few more rooms, each one darker than the last, until we finally reached a large wooden door at the end of the hallway. The door was carved with symbols I didn't recognize, but something about them seemed familiar, like they were calling to me.
Dorian didn't hesitate. He pushed the door open, revealing a room that looked like it belonged in another world entirely.
It wasn't what I'd expected. Not in the least.
The room was huge—far bigger than it should've been for the size of the building. It was dim, but there was a strange, glowing light that seemed to come from nowhere, casting shadows across the stone floors. There were candles, old and dripping, scattered around the room, but it wasn't the candles that caught my attention.
It was the center of the room.
A large, circular stone pedestal sat in the middle, surrounded by ancient-looking symbols. And hovering above it was a shimmering, translucent doorway. I had no idea what it was, but the way it pulsed with light made it seem alive.
"That," Dorian said, his voice softer now, "is the Hidden Realm."
I froze. "The Hidden Realm?" I repeated, my mind trying to catch up. "What does that even mean?"
"The Hidden Realm," Dorian explained, "is a place that exists beyond the normal world. It's connected to the magic in your bloodline. And it's where you'll find the answers you're looking for."
I couldn't help but stare at the doorway. It wasn't like any door I'd ever seen—it was more like a rift in the air, a tear in reality.
I opened my mouth to ask more, but Dorian cut me off.
"You have to go through it," he said. "It's the only way you'll understand what's going on."
I hesitated. "What exactly am I supposed to find there?"
"Your history," Dorian said, his eyes darkening. "The truth about your bloodline. About the curse. And about the magic inside you. You can't move forward without understanding where you come from."
I didn't like the sound of that. Part of me wanted to refuse, to walk away from this whole thing and pretend none of it was real. But I knew I couldn't. I didn't know why, but I knew I had to go through that doorway.
"I don't have a choice, do I?" I asked, my voice low.
Dorian didn't answer, but the look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. No, I didn't have a choice.
I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. The closer I got to the doorway, the more the air seemed to hum with energy. It felt like every nerve in my body was on high alert.
Dorian didn't follow me. He stayed back, watching.
"Don't be afraid," he said quietly. "You're stronger than you think."
I didn't feel strong. I felt like I was walking into the unknown, and that was terrifying. But I couldn't turn back. Not now.
I reached out and placed my hand on the cool surface of the doorway. The moment I touched it, the world seemed to shift. My body went cold, and then—without warning—I was pulled through.
It was like falling and floating all at once. The air around me swirled, twisting, and I could feel the pull of something deep within the earth. The light from the doorway was gone, replaced by a glowing fog that surrounded me.
I wasn't sure how long I was moving through this strange, formless space, but it felt like an eternity. The only thing that kept me grounded was the pull of the energy inside me, drawing me closer to something I couldn't yet see.
Finally, the fog began to clear, and I found myself standing in a place that felt… wrong. It was like I was standing in a version of the world that didn't belong. Everything was dark—no sun, no moon, just an endless expanse of shadows. The ground beneath my feet was cracked and dry, like it hadn't seen life in centuries.
In the distance, I could see a city. But it wasn't a normal city. The buildings were towering, made of dark stone, with jagged edges like teeth. And in the air, there was a constant, low hum.
I didn't want to be here.
But there was no turning back.
I took a step forward, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the silence. The air tasted like iron, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. Something was watching me.
I didn't know where I was or how to get out. But somehow, I knew that this place—the Hidden Realm—was where I needed to be.
It was the only way I was going to learn the truth. And the truth was the only thing that could help me survive what was coming.
I just hoped I wasn't too late.