The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Kael leaned back in his chair and stretched, stifling a yawn. The class had been a blur of equations and diagrams, and his brain felt numb. Around him, the other students were packing up, chatting about weekend plans or the latest game.
"Hey, Kael, coming to the arcade later?" one of his classmates, Jiro, asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
Kael shook his head. "Not today. I'm pretty beat. Maybe next time."
"Man, you're always skipping out," Jiro said with a grin. "One day, you're gonna regret missing out on all the fun."
"Sure," Kael replied, smirking faintly. "I'll keep that in mind."
As the classroom emptied, Kael took his time gathering his things. He preferred walking home alone, away from the noise of his classmates. The streets outside were busy but not crowded, the usual rhythm of a late afternoon in the city.
As he passed a row of shops, something new caught his attention. A small bookshop, squeezed between a bakery and a hardware store, had a wooden sign hanging above its door. Eldritch Tomes, it read in faded gold letters.
Kael paused. He didn't recall seeing the shop before. Curious, he stepped closer and peered through the glass. Inside, shelves lined with books filled the dimly lit space. It looked cozy, almost out of place in the bustling city.
He pushed the door open, and a small bell chimed. The air inside was cool and carried the faint scent of old paper.
"Welcome," a soft voice said.
Kael glanced toward the counter. An elderly man with white hair sat behind it, polishing a pair of spectacles. His face was calm, almost expressionless, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.
"Good afternoon," Kael said, stepping further in. "What kind of books do you sell here?"
The shopkeeper set the spectacles down and smiled faintly. "A little of everything. Fiction, history, even some more… unique items. Feel free to browse."
Kael nodded and wandered between the aisles. Most of the books seemed ordinary—classic novels, textbooks, and guides. He ran his fingers along the spines as he walked, reading titles that ranged from boring to bizarre.
On the third shelf, around a corner, something caught his eye. A black book with no title or markings stood out among the colorful spines surrounding it.
"Hmm?" Kael muttered, pulling the book from the shelf. Its leather cover felt cool under his fingers, and as he opened it, he saw that most of the pages were blank. Only the first three had anything written on them.
The writing was strange—complex circles and runes that looked like something out of a fantasy novel. Alongside the symbols were words in a language he didn't recognize, their flowing script almost hypnotic.
"What is this?" Kael whispered to himself.
The shopkeeper's voice startled him. "Ah, you've found one of the peculiar ones."
Kael turned to see the old man standing a few steps away. "What do you mean?"
"A friend of mine sent it to me years ago," the shopkeeper said, his tone light. "Couldn't really understand it even after studying it all these years."
"So I decided to put it there, you know maybe it's for some fated one"He continued with a chuckle.
Kael looked back at the book. "well It's… giving me an odd feeling. How much is it?"
The shopkeeper named a price—surprisingly low for something so unique. Kael didn't hesitate. He pulled out some cash and handed it over.
The shopkeeper slipped the book into a simple paper bag. "Take care of it," he said with a faint smile.
"Thanks," Kael replied. He stepped out of the shop, the bell chiming again as the door closed behind him.
The walk to his boarding house was uneventful, though Kael couldn't help but glance at the bag in his hand now and then. The book had an odd pull to it, like it was quietly demanding his attention.
When he reached his room, a small space with just enough room for a bed, desk, and wardrobe, he set his bag down and pulled out the book. Sitting at the desk, he opened it again and studied the first three pages.
"What does this even mean?" he muttered. The runes and magic circles seemed meaningless, and the text might as well have been scribbles.
He flipped through the rest of the book, but the pages were all blank. Frustrated but still curious, he leaned back in his chair.
Taking out his phone, he thought about scanning the contents on the book. But even after a long time of opening all sorts of websites and articles there's still nothing.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting his room in shadows, Kael's eyelids grew heavy. He yawned and decided to leave the book for tomorrow. Placing it on the desk, he changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed.
Sleep came quickly, but it wasn't peaceful.
In his dreams, the runes from the book glowed faintly, floating in the darkness. Kael found himself muttering the strange words without knowing their meaning, the sound of his voice echoing in the void.
The book suddenly lit up and levitated on his desk, the runes on its first three pages started swirling, and suddenly, the book blinked and appeared above his sleeping figure, its cover glowing, gradually revealing two incomprehensible words. It trembled in the air, then with a flash of light, it shot toward his chest.