The silence that followed Moonhae's words was suffocating. Heeseung stared at her, trying to piece together what she meant. His past? The Memorabilia? He had always known there was something strange about his abilities, something tied to the ancient magic that flowed through his veins. But this? It felt like a warning, a threat he wasn't prepared for.
"Who are you?" Heeseung finally asked, his voice steady but edged with suspicion. "And what do you know about my past?"
Moonhae stepped closer, her face partially hidden by the shadows, but her eyes locked on his, intense and unreadable. "You don't remember me," she said softly, almost as if it were a statement of fact rather than a question. "But I remember you, Heeseung. We were connected, once—long before you lost your memories."
Heeseung's heart pounded in his chest. Memories? What memories? His childhood had always been blurry, a haze of faces and places he couldn't fully recall. He had written it off as unimportant, just fragments of a life he thought he had left behind. But now, standing in this darkened library, with Jihoon and Moonhae looking at him with the weight of truth in their eyes, he felt the first stirrings of something deep and forgotten.
"How do you know all of this?" Jihoon interjected, his voice sharp with skepticism. He stepped forward, his hand resting on Heeseung's shoulder protectively, as though sensing the rising tension between them.
Moonhae glanced at Jihoon but kept her focus on Heeseung. "I've been searching for the Memorabilia for years. They're not just powerful artifacts—they hold the key to understanding our world and the forces that govern it. And you, Heeseung, you're at the center of it all. Whether you like it or not, the Memorabilia are tied to your bloodline."
Heeseung blinked, his mind racing. His bloodline? None of this made sense, yet there was a strange resonance in her words, as if they stirred something buried deep within him. The fragments of his childhood that had always eluded him began to shift, like puzzle pieces slowly falling into place.
But before he could ask more, the room suddenly grew darker. The air thickened with an unsettling energy, and the flickering lights in the library dimmed to near darkness. A deep, echoing sound reverberated through the shelves, like the distant rumble of thunder.
Jihoon tensed. "We're not alone."
Moonhae's expression hardened. "They've found us."
Before Heeseung could react, the door to the library swung open with a violent crash. Standing in the doorway was a tall figure cloaked in black, his face obscured by shadows. His presence radiated power and malice, and Heeseung instinctively took a step back, his senses on high alert.
"The Kolektor," Moonhae whispered, her voice barely audible, but filled with dread.
Heeseung had heard of the Kolektor—an enigmatic figure who sought the Memorabilia for his own sinister purposes. Legends described him as someone who moved in the shadows, gathering magical artifacts to control the fate of the world. Heeseung had never imagined he'd come face to face with such a figure. But here he was, standing at the threshold of their fate.
The Kolektor's voice was deep, cold, and emotionless. "You've been meddling in things you don't understand, Moonhae." His gaze shifted to Heeseung, and his eyes seemed to bore into him, as if seeing through the very fabric of his soul. "And you," he said, his lips curling into a slight, menacing smile, "you're the one I've been looking for."
Heeseung felt a chill run down his spine. Every instinct in his body screamed for him to run, but something stronger kept him rooted to the spot. This man—this entity—was connected to him in ways he couldn't yet comprehend.
Moonhae stepped in front of Heeseung, her stance protective. "You won't have him," she said, her voice filled with defiance.
The Kolektor let out a low chuckle, as if amused by her resistance. "You think you can protect him? You've barely begun to understand the power you're dealing with." He raised his hand, and in an instant, the room seemed to collapse inward, the walls warping and the air growing thin. A dark, swirling vortex of energy formed around him, crackling with untamed magic.
Heeseung could feel the power surging in the air, pulling at something deep within him, as if the very force of the Kolektor's magic was resonating with his own. His chest tightened, and a surge of energy coursed through his veins—raw, uncontrollable.
Without thinking, Heeseung raised his hand, and a pulse of energy shot out from him, clashing with the dark vortex. The room shook, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the shelves, toppling books and sending papers flying.
The Kolektor's eyes widened, just for a moment, as if he hadn't expected this. Heeseung didn't know what he had just done, but it had been enough to disrupt the Kolektor's magic, if only for a second.
"Impressive," the Kolektor muttered, his tone still calm but with a hint of something darker beneath. "You're stronger than I thought. No matter. I'll be back for you soon enough."
With that, the dark vortex began to swirl faster, and in a blink, the Kolektor vanished, leaving only the echo of his ominous words behind.
The room fell silent once more, the oppressive energy dissipating as quickly as it had come. Heeseung stood there, breathing heavily, trying to process what had just happened.
Moonhae turned to him, her expression grim. "We don't have much time. He'll come for you again. You need to unlock your power—and soon."
Heeseung stared at her, his mind racing with questions. But one thing was clear: the past he had long forgotten was catching up to him, and the shadows that had been gathering were about to swallow him whole.