In the pitch-black darkness surrounding Julian and his narrow room, Julian was deeply lost in his sleep. Images blended in his mind, and nightmares began to invade his inner world.
In the dream, the mysterious book was in his hand, glowing intensely amid the darkness, as if every word in it pulsed with life. Strange eyes appeared on the book's pages, watching every movement he made. Each time he turned the page, the shape of the letters changed, forming bizarre shapes. Some of them transformed into dark, hideous creatures, while others turned into shadowy figures.
Despite the pitch-blackness, there was a faint light creeping in through the edges, revealing a massive castle rising in the distance. It appeared to be from an ancient age, a time long forgotten.
As he approached the castle, the ground began to tremble beneath his feet. A strange feeling of fear and dread seeped into his heart, and at that moment, the book in his hand began to glow even brighter. The words transformed into whirlpools of light and shadow, enveloping the space around him. As the earth crumbled beneath his feet, he felt as if time itself had stopped, and the book began to devour everything.
Then, suddenly, Julian awoke from his nightmare, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding as if still trapped in that terrifying moment. The room was silent, the lights dim, and the moonlight filtered in through the small window.
"What is happening to me?" he muttered to himself, struggling to catch his breath.
His eyes looked toward the book that lay on the table beside his bed. It was the same book, the strange book, still pulsating with an eerie energy as if it were alive. Even though Julian was certain he'd placed it far in the corner earlier, now it was right in front of him again. This book had changed everything, leading him into this mess, and it seemed to hold secrets that could not be explained.
"Suspicious," Julian whispered, staring at the book, recalling the events that unfolded in his dream. His questions flowed like a rushing river, without any answers. Who was that castle? And what did the book have to do with all of this?
Julian got out of bed slowly, his steps heavy, and rushed toward the window. He looked outside, where the streets he was so familiar with were as quiet as ever in the night. But in his heart, there was something strange, a feeling that something great was about to happen.
He hesitated for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the book. This book was no longer just an ordinary object for him. It had become the key, just as it had been in his dream. But what did this key open? What secrets did it hold? Could it be a coincidence that he encountered this book at such a critical moment?
As he was about to open the book again, he heard a faint sound coming from the alley across from him. The sounds in the city were low, but they carried a sense of urgency as if they were calling to him.
Julian looked at the book once more, then realized something strange. Perhaps this was the time. The time to seek answers. The riddles contained in this book would no longer be passing questions in his life. They would become the path that would turn his world upside down.
He took a deep breath and opened the book carefully once again. For the first time, the words no longer appeared as mere cryptic symbols; they began to move, transforming into shapes and images. Suddenly, he felt an invisible energy sweeping the space around him, and the air grew dense.
Then came the shock—the ground beneath his feet started to tremble, and the walls around him bent unnaturally as if the world itself was reshaping. Before him appeared a huge door that hadn't been there before. Engraved on it was the same symbol he had seen in the message and the book.
Julian hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer to the door. It emitted a strange glow, almost as if it were inviting him to pass through. When he reached out to touch the door,
He paused, but his curiosity was stronger than his hesitation. With a trembling hand, he slowly pushed the door open. As soon as he did, a wave of raw energy swept through him, as if something greater than the world itself was waiting for him on the other side.
As he crossed through, he found himself in a grand hall, surrounded by towering columns stretching up to an endless dark ceiling. The black marble under his feet reflected his image, but he felt as though he was looking at another version of himself.
In the center of the hall, there was a group of people wearing black cloaks with small red lines. Their gazes were sharp, and heavy with knowledge and danger. Among them stood Albus, leaning against one of the columns, lighting a cigarette as usual, a sarcastic smile playing on his face.
"Welcome, it seems you've finally decided to open the door," Albus said in a calm, mocking tone.
Julian stopped in his tracks, stunned by what he saw. "What is this place? And why are you here? Have you been following me?"
Albus chuckled, took a deep drag from his cigarette, and then responded. "No, boy. I wasn't following you. You led yourself here. This place…" He gestured to the book.
Julian stared at the book with suspicion in his eyes but didn't speak. He lifted the book between his hands and said firmly, "What does this book have to do with all of this? And why me?"
Albus slowly approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This book is no ordinary thing; it is a legacy that chooses a select few to enter the secret world. And you are one of them."
Albus smiled, then took the book and added, "Now, the book's mission has been completed."
"What does that mean? And why me, specifically?" Julian asked in a voice filled with anxiety.
Albus gave him a mysterious smile. "Because you are not an ordinary person. You are one of the few who were born without the black seal, and you possess a gift that only a rare few in this world, far bigger than you can imagine, have received."
Julian looked around him at the men silently observing him, and the mysterious symbols carved into the columns and walls. Everything seemed like part of a larger test.
Before Julian could respond, a man appeared in the middle of the hall, wearing a more elaborate cloak. His face was sharp, with black hair and brown eyes that seemed to have seen many tragedies in this world.
"Julian, you've opened the door, and that means you're ready to walk this path. But remember, the road is not easy."
Julian felt an inner conflict. He knew this place held many answers, but he wasn't prepared for the dangers that might come with them.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, finally, with a voice tinged with tension.
The mysterious man slowly advanced and said, "We want you to decide… will you join us, or stand in our way?"
The words shook his very core. Julian chose to take a moment to think, but he knew deep down that there would be no turning back.