Attention, Attention, all Golden Train users, a metallic voice boomed from the loudspeakers at each station. Transportation service to all districts has been suspended. The Citadel of Arboleada, once a hive of activity, was plunged into a deathly silence. The Library District, the heart of knowledge, and the Soul Bank, guardian of memories, remained cut off. The Central Zone, the epicenter of daily life, had been completely evacuated. Fear gripped the inhabitants, who, crowded at the stations, exchanged glances of uncertainty. Never before had they witnessed an emergency of such magnitude. Sirens wailed in the distance, while smoke rose over the horizon, darkening the sky that had once been so bright. Life in this world, so similar to what they had known in mortal life, hung in the balance.
Tae-Ho hurried through the halls of the Department of the Dead, his red apron flapping as he went. The air was thick with tension, the sound of alarms echoing like a frantic heartbeat. In his mind, the words of the announcement echoed over and over: "Evacuation of Sector E." Sector E, where the oldest records rested, the foundations upon which knowledge of the afterlife was built.
His diary, an ancient object with the symbol of the crescent moon, opened in his hands. The entries, normally so orderly, now looked like a maze of crisscrossing lines. Sectors D, E, and F, all of which related to records, were marked in red. A wave of cold ran down his spine. What dark force had dared to desecrate these sacred places?
"Dean Tae-Ho, you shouldn't be here right now!" The voice of Asawin, Leader of the Soul Guard, brought him out of his thoughts. The young man wore a worried expression that reflected the gravity of the situation. "Why are they running? What is happening in those areas?" Tae-Ho asked in a firm voice, although inside he felt a knot in his stomach.
"Sector E has been corrupted, sir. The records... have disappeared," Asawin replied in a dull voice. "Many of our comrades have been injured and some..." He swallowed. "Some have already passed on to the Spiral Tree."
Tae-Ho felt an emptiness in his chest. The souls, those fragments of life he had sworn to protect, had been stripped of their existence. "And the communications?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "They are cut off, sir. We are isolated."
The news struck the dean like a bolt of lightning. Isolated. Corruption. Disappearance of souls. It was as if the world he knew was crumbling around him. With a superhuman effort, he managed to remain calm. "Gather all the area managers in the communications room immediately. We have to understand what is happening."
Asawin ran off, leaving Tae-Ho lost in his thoughts. What secrets did the ancient records hide? Who or what was behind these attacks? And most importantly, how to stop this wave of darkness that threatened to engulf everything in its path?
In that moment of chaos that took over the Department of the Dead, the dean watched in stupor as the wounded were taken to the infirmary. The atmosphere was tense, voices rose in a constant murmur: "What is happening?", "Are we going to die?", "How will we communicate with our families?" Fear had taken hold of everyone, and the dean, feeling a deep sadness, realized the seriousness of the situation.
With each soul that departed, he said a short prayer: "May the Spiral Tree receive you in its seed." It was an ancient ritual that honored the deceased and guided them to their eternal rest.
Heading to the communications room, the dean found his closest collaborators: Wittawat, the rigid director of records; Hye-Jin, the energetic director of intelligence; and Anya, the young and shy director of communications. The latter, with eyes full of tears, looked at the photograph of her family.
"Dean, all essential staff are here," Asawin reported.
"Thank you, Asawin," the dean replied with a slight smile.
Suddenly, a new alarm rang throughout the building: "Attention, attention, transportation area, requesting complete evacuation. Explosion in the compound."
A visibly upset, Wittawat accused Hye-Jin of negligence. A heated argument broke out between the two, forcing the dean to intervene. "Enough," he ordered firmly. "We need to work together, not fight."
"Anya, have you been able to reestablish communications with anywhere?" the dean asked, his voice filled with urgency.
Anya, the young communications director, shook her head, her gaze fixed on the red diary floating in the air. "Dean, all communications are down. It's like an invisible force has severed all links. Not just in the department, but throughout the entire Spiral Tree citadel. The failure began about fifteen golden hours ago and seems to be getting worse."
Hye-Jin, the director of intelligence, chimed in, "It's very strange, Dean. The loss of communications has been gradual. At first it was just a few sectors, but now it's almost total. Could it be related to the anomalies we've been detecting in the logs?"
Wittawat, the director of records, frowned. "I don't think it's a coincidence. The Spiral Tree is a perfect system. It can't just fail like that. There must be a logical explanation."
"But, Wittawat," Hye-Jin replied, "the facts are clear. Communications are failing, the logs are corrupted, and we've had multiple incidents across the compound. Something very serious is going on."
The dean, seeing the tension between his colleagues, intervened: "Everyone is right. The situation is serious and requires all of our capabilities. Anya, can you project the communications map?"
Anya nodded and projected an image on the wall. It was clear how the communication lines had deteriorated over time.
"Look at this," the dean said, pointing to a specific point on the map. "The fault began in the sector where the library is located. Coincidence? I don't think so."
Wittawat, intrigued, approached the map. "If the library is involved, then this goes beyond a simple technical fault. The library is the heart of the Spiral Tree, the place where all the knowledge of souls is kept."
"And if someone wants to alter the course of history," Hye-Jin added, "the library would be the first target."
The dean nodded. "I agree. But who could have the power to interfere with the Spiral Tree?"
Just then, a new alarm sounded, announcing a breach in the timeline. Wittawat, using his abilities, projected the timeline onto a screen. A large gap stretched across the ages, and the librarian's name had disappeared.
"The librarian has disappeared," Wittawat announced, his voice shaking. "Someone has erased him from existence."
A deathly silence fell over the room. The revelation was shocking. If the librarian, keeper of knowledge and time, had been eliminated, then anything was possible. The dean made a difficult decision. "The only way to establish contact with the library is to break the seal on my journal," he announced.
Wittawat paled. "Dean, that could have catastrophic consequences."
"I know," the dean replied determinedly. "But we have no other choice."
With a deep sigh, he broke the seal. Instantly, communication was reestablished. Anya contacted the library, but the news was not encouraging: the situation was critical in all sectors.
Meanwhile, at the library, the situation was increasingly precarious. With half of its classrooms operational and under intense patrol led by Minjun, the department struggled to stay operational. Young-Chul, taking over in the absence of Il-Seong and Jun, worked tirelessly to ensure the security of the library, a fundamental pillar for both departments.
Exhaustion was evident in everyone. Hours of vigilance and growing uncertainty weighed heavily on their shoulders. In the midst of all this chaos, Young-Chul's diary began to glow strangely, the seal on the Spiral Tree pulsing intermittently. Minjun, surprised, pointed out the phenomenon.
"Sir, I think your diary is glowing mysteriously," Minjun said.
Not fully understanding what was happening, Young-Chul took his diary and the seal spontaneously broke. Communications in the library were partially restored, but with interference.
"It's strange," Young-Chul commented. "Communications with the outside world are working, but with very little clarity. And the most curious thing is that the seal on my diary has been broken. Is it the librarian's doing?"
Minjun, eyes wide, asked, "Sir, what happens if the seal on our diary is broken?"
Young-Chul pondered for a moment. "The librarian never mentioned the consequences. I know that Jun modified our journals when he took over, but I don't know the details."
Meanwhile, a message came through the journal. It was a weak, but perceptible signal from the Department of the Dead. Young-Chul answered the call.
"This is the library, can you hear me?"
A weak but clear voice replied, "Thanks to the Spiral Tree, it's good that we were able to communicate with you. We are facing a critical situation. The Department of the Dead is at 50% of its functionality. We have suffered attacks in Sector E and the Transportation Sector has been destroyed."
Young-Chul, surprised, asked, "Can you repeat which area is affected?"
The dean replied, "Sector E has been completely corrupted and the records have been deleted. We have suffered significant casualties and are isolated. Who am I speaking to?"
"I am Young-Chul, director of Incomplete Records. I am in charge of the library in the absence of the librarian and his second in command."
"The librarian has disappeared? Please tell us what is happening in the library!"
Young-Chul proceeded to explain the situation at the library, including the librarian's disappearance and the explosion that had caused significant damage. At the mention of Sector E, the dean understood the connection between the two incidents.
"We are seriously in danger," the dean said. "Everything we know is on the verge of collapse."
Young-Chul, worried, asked if there were any leads regarding the attacks. The dean mentioned a young man named Yuuki who had arrived at the library days ago. "Wittawat has investigated and discovered a connection between Yuuki and three other individuals who have disappeared. If we do not find them before twelve hours, the world as we know it could be destroyed."
Young-Chul was stunned. "A young man named Yuuki… Does he have something to do with the pencil Ethel gave to the librarian?"
Wittawat, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in, "That pencil is dangerous. It corrupts diaries and can destroy whoever uses it."
Wittawat, still shaken by the revelation about the pencil, turned to his companions. "The spiral pencil is an extremely dangerous tool. Its power to corrupt diaries is just one of its facets. It is said that it can alter reality itself, creating illusions and manipulating memory."
Minjun, eyes wide, asked, "How could a simple pencil possibly have so much power?"
Wittawat sighed. "We don't know for sure. But what we do know is that this object must not fall into the wrong hands. Ethel, whoever she is, knew what she was doing when she handed the pencil to Yuuki."
Wittawat: "According to ancient legends, the spiral pen was created by early scribes to record the events of the world. However, its power was so great that it was hidden to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. It was said to be able to manipulate reality itself, altering the past, present and future."
Hye-Jin, eyes wide, exclaimed, "If that's so, then Ethel might be looking to rewrite history! Perhaps he wants to change the past to create a future where he is the supreme ruler."
Dean, frowning, added, "Or perhaps he simply wishes to sow chaos and destruction. Ethel could be an ancient being, awakened from an ancient slumber, with a deep hatred for existence."
Young-Chul, visibly worried, asked, "But how can we find someone who can alter reality? And how can we stop him without endangering everything we know?"
Wittawat, after a moment of thought, replied, "We must search the oldest records in the library. Perhaps we will find clues about the creation of the spiral pencil and Ethel's identity. Also, we must contact other keepers of knowledge, those who might have information about dark forces like this."
Hye-Jin, with a determined look, added, "And we must strengthen our defenses. Ethel will try everything she can to prevent us from stopping him. We must prepare for the worst."
Young-Chul nodded. "We must find Yuuki and retrieve the pencil before it is too late."
"But how will we find him?" Hye-Jin asked. "The world is in chaos and communications are unstable."
"We need to start by searching for clues in the library records," Wittawat suggested. "Maybe we will find some information about Ethel or the origins of the spiral pencil."
The dean nodded. "It is our only hope. Let us work together to stop this threat." The situation was desperate. Time was running out and the fate of the world hung in the balance.
The moon bathed the garden in a soft silver light. Saem curled up on a wooden bench, his eyes fixed on the night sky. A wave of nostalgia washed over him, a familiar yet inexplicable feeling. He remembered the night the spiral tree had chosen his destiny, and how his heart had longed for the library. He sighed. What would have become of him if he had followed that path?
Flashback
A young Saem was pedaling his bicycle through the East Side, the wind ruffling his hair. As he reached the notice board, his eyes fell on a sign that would change his life: "Spiral Tree Academy. Enrollment Open." Next to him, another young man, Ji-Hoon, stared at the notice with determination. "I've always wanted to be a registrar," Ji-Hoon said. Saem smiled. "I… just want to help others."
At the academy, Saem and Ji-Hoon forged an unbreakable friendship. They studied together, supported each other, and shared dreams. The selection ceremony was a pivotal moment. When the spiral tree appointed Saem to the soul bank, a mix of surprise and disappointment washed over him. However, his love of books and his desire to be close to Ji-Hoon prompted him to make a difficult decision. As everyone looked on in shock, he turned down the soul bank and asked to be a registrar.
"I humbly accept that the Spiral Tree has chosen me," Saem began, his voice steady despite the nervousness he felt. "But I feel that it is not my place." A murmur ran through the room, a mix of shock and disapproval. Some laughed sarcastically, others looked at him with pity. Chainarong, with a mocking smile, stood up. "Wish of the heart? What foolishness! The Spiral Tree has chosen you, and you, like a mere worm, dare to reject its will. You are the scum of this world, a product of the Eastern Sector."
Saem stood firm. "I am no less than anyone else. My desire to help others is as valid as anyone else's."
The silence that followed was deafening. No one dared to contradict the director. Then, a calm voice broke the silence. "And I say that Saem has every right to choose his own path," said Il-Seong, the young librarian, rising from his seat. "He has shown courage and integrity that few possess. His place is here, among us."
Eyes turned to Il-Seong. Some looked at him in surprise, others in admiration. Chainarong, furious, turned bright red. "You too, brat. You dare to defy me?"
Il-Seong was undaunted. "The Spiral Tree has taught us that each individual has the right to choose his own path. Respecting that choice is critical to the balance of the world."
The dean, nodding, turned to Chainarong. "Your words are an affront to everything this academy stands for. The Spiral Tree has taught us that each individual has the right to choose his own path. Respecting that choice is critical to the balance of the world."
Chainarong, furious, left the room. Silence fell over the assembly for a moment, before being interrupted by the applause of the students. Saem, touched by the support of his classmates, especially Il-Seong, felt stronger than ever. He knew that the path he had chosen would not be easy, but he also knew that he was not alone.
Present
Saem sat in the garden, the warm moonlight bathing his face. Memories flooded back, images of his past at the orphanage, his arrival at the academy, and his friendship with Ji-Hoon flashing before his eyes. He sighed, feeling a mix of nostalgia and worry.
Ji-Hoon approached him with a steaming cup. "It's already dawn, Saem. What are you thinking about?"
"I was just remembering… everything we've been through," Saem replied, his voice distant. "Sometimes I think about the children at the orphanage and how they're doing. I hope they're safe."
Ji-Hoon nodded, understanding his friend's concern. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure they're well taken care of. Besides, we'll see them again soon."
Saem forced a smile. "I know, but… what if something goes wrong? What if we can't stop the fracture of time?"
Ji-Hoon sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can't let those thoughts consume us. We have to be strong. Yuuki needs us."
Saem looked at his friend and nodded. "You're right. We have to focus on our mission."
Saem shuddered, shaken from his memories by a sudden chill. The night, once so peaceful, now seemed charged with a strange energy.
"You hear that," Saem said, his voice low and shaky. "It's like… time is speeding up."
Ji-Hoon nodded, feeling a strange sense of unease. "Yeah, I feel it too. Do you think it's a sign?"
Saem sighed. "I don't know. I just hope we can figure all this out before it's too late."
Ji-Hoon placed a hand in Saem's. "Don't worry. Together we can overcome any obstacle. Remember when we found that ancient book in the forbidden section? We thought we'd never figure it out, but we did in the end."
Saem smiled. "It was an amazing adventure. I will never forget that day."
"And so it will be with this as well," Ji-Hoon said. "Together we will find a solution."
The two friends stood in silence, looking up at the stars. They felt connected in a deep and special way. They knew that no matter what happened, they could always count on each other.
Not far from where Ji-Hoon and Saem lived, Yuuki suffered from recurring nightmares. They were vivid memories he had never experienced, fragments of a foreign life that embedded themselves in his mind like thorns. The more he dreamed, the more real those memories became, transforming into an old movie that played inside him.
He remembered his brief stay in the library, the place the librarian called "a space between spaces." Minho's figure echoed insistently in his dreams, a name that resonated in his mind without him being able to explain it. Memories piled up like avalanches: deep conversations with Minho in the citadel, shared laughter, promises of friendship. Yuuki felt drawn to that life, to that connection he had never had.
Yet, among those sweet memories, dark and disturbing images crept in. He saw the attack on the library, the desperation of the librarian, and Jun's fury. He heard the scream of his own name in the midst of the explosion and woke up startled, clinging to the sheets. Anguish consumed him, the feeling of having lost something priceless.
Meanwhile, Jun, worried about Yuuki, was investigating the timelines. He discovered that they had intertwined, creating an anomaly that explained Yuuki's strange dreams. Understanding his friend's suffering, he murmured, "Yuuki, please be strong." At that instant, a buzzing sound echoed in his ears, and his hands began to fade away. He had violated the laws of time and now faced the consequences.
The chaos reigning in the spiral world threatened to consume them all. Time was running out, and Yuuki, trapped between two worlds, struggled to find his place.
It was already daylight. Yuuki's routine life in the world of the living was nothing but evident. His physical fatigue was palpable, and thousands of memories passed like a torrent through his mind, an ocean of memories that he did not remember. That nightmare had left a deep mark.
Once again, he found himself in his empty house. He sat at the table, head down, without appetite. His mother's loving note brought a lump to his throat. "What's it like to enjoy life if these memories haunt me?" he asked himself, as the clock ticked away inexorably.
Before leaving home, Jun spoke to Ji-Hoon and Saem. Weakened by his actions, he warned them of the imminent end. He explained that in order to remain in this world, he would have to give up his life in the tree world. Ji-Hoon, shocked, questioned his decision, but Jun was determined.
Outside his house, Saem was waiting for him with a smile. Seeing him, he noticed Yuuki's swollen eyes and knew something was wrong. "Good morning, Yuuki. How are you..." Before he could finish his question, he saw that his friend was not feeling well. He approached him and hugged him lovingly. "Yuuki, were you crying? Please tell me how you feel." Yuuki, with a shy smile, replied, "Ah, Myeon-Jin, good morning. I think I haven't been able to sleep well, sorry for worrying you." Myeon-Jin, as he was called in this world, took his hand and said, "Yuuki, even though we've only known each other for a short time, I want you to trust me. I'll always be by your side, in the moments when you feel alone or overwhelmed. Here, I passed by home and found some bunny-shaped bread, I thought you'd enjoy it." Yuuki, surprised by the gesture, thanked him for the detail and a slight smile lit up his face.
Together, they set off for school, with Saem transmitting his positive energy to him. "Yuuki, the world is beautiful, it can't end. As long as we're together, everything will be fine." Saem's words resonated in Yuuki, dispelling a bit of his melancholy.
Seeing Yuuki and Saem together, Ji-Hoon, accompanied by Jun, couldn't help but feel a small pang of envy. He looked through the diary, the timeline, searching for some clue that would guide them. He found a small glimmer of hope, a possibility among so many uncertainties. He turned to Jun. "Don't be jealous of Saem," Jun said, noticing Ji-Hoon's gaze. "It's always been like this, ever since he came to the library. You two will always be good friends, best friends. If Yuuki meets Minho today, we'll be able to breathe a little."
Ji-Hoon shook his head. "It's not that, Jun. I'm worried about Yuuki's emotional stability. All those memories that haunt him, that blurry line between reality and fantasy... I'm worried that he'll get lost in all this." He sighed, looking up at the sky. "It's something so evil what's happening. Neither your diary nor mine tells us who's behind all this."
Jun nodded, a gentle breeze caressing his face. "That's why we came to this world, Ji-Hoon. To protect what we treasure most. And now, more than ever, we must stand together."
Elsewhere, Minho, the young man from Yuuki's dreams, approached the school where Yuuki studied. He muttered to himself, "This is the place where you appeared in my dreams, Yuuki."
Fate had brought their paths together, but would they be able to overcome the obstacles that stood between them? Only time, and the spiral tree, would tell.