Wu Tian crouched by the riverbank, his small fingers brushing against the cold, smooth surface of the golden stone. Even under the dim twilight, it gleamed faintly, pulsing with an aura he could not yet comprehend. Something about it felt… different. As if it was waiting for him.
His heart pounded as he lifted it from the water. The weight was heavier than expected, the cool touch sending a strange warmth through his palms. He had no idea why, but instinct told him to hide it.
He slipped the stone into his tattered clothes and hurried back to the orphanage.
That night, Wu Tian lay on his straw mattress, rolling the stone between his hands. He had heard of treasures hidden in the world—artifacts that could grant miracles—but he was just a crippled child. What use did he have for such a thing?
Still, his instincts told him not to let it go.
Days turned into weeks. Wu Tian kept the golden stone hidden, examining it in secret whenever he could. But no matter what he did, nothing changed. No mystical power, no sudden revelation. Just an unremarkable stone. His initial excitement waned, and he resolved to sell it one day when he could finally leave this miserable place.
Then came the nightmares.
Each night, images flickered in his dreams—vast landscapes, towering ruins, and symbols he could not understand. A book, ancient and bound in silver chains, appeared at the center of them all, its pages whispering secrets he could not yet grasp.
And then, the whispers turned to screams.