The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache and a lingering feeling of exhaustion. I checked my phone. The Mnemosyne app was still there, humming quietly.
I hesitantly opened it.
Anchor Stabilized. Resonance Level: 98%.
Subject 42: Progressing.
Next Assignment: Incoming.
I groaned. Next assignment? I hadn't even had my coffee yet.
Before I could even think about it, a new location appeared on my phone's map: Northwood Public Library.
Great. Books were disappearing, now libraries? This was getting ridiculous.
I went to school, but I couldn't concentrate. Maya was still having those "blank" moments, and I noticed more and more subtle changes around the school. A poster that had always been on the wall was gone. A classroom door that had always been blue was now a faded gray.
I tried to talk to Maya about it, but she just looked at me like I was crazy. "Kazuki, are you feeling okay? You're acting really weird."
I couldn't tell her. Not yet. I didn't want her to think I was completely insane.
After school, I headed to the library. The familiar smell of old paper and leather usually calmed me, but today, it felt stale, almost… empty.
I walked through the aisles, scanning the shelves. At first, everything seemed normal. But then, I noticed it. A section labeled "Ancient Mythology" was almost entirely empty. Books were missing, leaving gaping holes in the shelves.
And in the center of the empty space, a single book remained: The Odyssey by Homer. It looked… different. Faded, almost translucent.
Mnemosyne buzzed.
Anchor Detected: Critical Instability.
I reached for the book, my fingers brushing against the cover. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I stumbled back.
This Anchor was stronger, more unstable than the music box. I could feel its energy, a chaotic, swirling vortex of forgotten stories and lost heroes.
Initiate Resonance Sequence.
The image of The Odyssey appeared on my phone screen. The Resonance Level was already at 50%.
This wasn't good.
I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on the book, on the epic journey of Odysseus, on the power of stories to connect us to the past.
The warmth spread through my chest, but this time, it was different. It was a burning, scorching heat that threatened to consume me.
I pushed the slider further, my hands trembling.
Resonance Level: 75%.
The library started to shake. Books fell from the shelves. The lights flickered.
Warning: Unstable Anchor. Potential Memory Cascade.
Memory Cascade? What did that even mean?
I didn't have time to think. I had to save it. I had to save the story.
Resonance Level: 90%.
The shaking intensified. A low, guttural growl echoed through the library.
And then, from the shadows, it emerged.
A hulking figure, vaguely humanoid, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws. It moved with a terrifying grace, its form flickering in and out of existence.
A memory, given form. A forgotten monster, brought back to life by the unraveling of reality.
I had to fight.