The night had grown late, and the bustling city of the AETHEEN Kingdom had faded into the soothing whispers of the night wind. In the simple yet comfortable room at the "Silver Shield" inn, Silvi was busy in her room, likely reading the aura book she had just bought with such enthusiasm. Meanwhile, in the room next door, Zego sat at a sturdy wooden table, illuminated by the flickering candlelight that cast long shadows on the walls. Before him, the thick, ancient book lay open, emitting a strange aura that only he could feel. The book felt heavy, not just physically due to its thickness, but spiritually as well, as if it held the weight of secrets from countless ages.
Zego had tried every possible way to decipher its contents. His rough fingers traced the cracked leather cover, feeling every curve and scratch unintentionally created by time. He carefully turned each page, hoping to find a hidden clue. Yet, every page was filled with symbols he didn't recognize, which patterned themselves like stars in the sky but formed no words. A sense of frustration began to creep into his chest. After all his travels, after all his training, he felt like a blind man trying to read. An object in his hands, which held such immense energy, now felt like an impenetrable wall.
As he was focusing on one of the most complex symbols, trying to imagine what kind of energy was contained within it, the door to his room opened slowly. Piro, Silvi's father, peeked his head in, his face etched with concern. "Zego, are you not in bed yet?" he asked softly. The candlelight reflected in Piro's eyes, showing the warmth of a father.
Zego looked up, his frustration slightly easing. "Ah, Uncle. Not yet. I'm still curious about this book Silvi bought for me." He pointed at the book. "She bought it at my request."
Piro walked closer, his gaze falling upon the book on the table. His sharp eyes scanned every detail, from the cracked leather cover to the strange writings on the title: ( ᛝᛟᛚᚢᛗ - ᚨᛚᛞᚨ ᛏᛟᛗᚱ ). Although he wasn't a wizard or a historian, Piro could feel the same strange sensation that Zego did. A subtle vibration, like the humming of a bee in a hive, made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
"This book looks very old," Piro murmured, his hand hovering over the book's cover without touching it. He felt both heat and cold at the same time, a contradiction that should have been impossible. "And there are some strange writings. Zego, do you know these letters?"
Zego shook his head. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I don't know. I've never seen letters like these symbols. And each one... contains a strange energy. I don't know what kind of energy this is, as if it's not from our world. It feels like... the trace of an ancient cosmic event."
Piro fell silent, contemplating Zego's words. He was a seasoned merchant who had traveled to various parts of the world, interacting with dozens of cultures and civilizations. But this was the first time he had ever felt such an alien and ancient aura from an object. This sensation was not magic, not the natural energy he knew, nor was it the spiritual energy of the monks in the east. This was something completely new and terrifying.
"I'll contact some experts in this field," Piro said, his tone serious. "Maybe they can help you decipher this book. There's a historian in the palace who might know."
Zego immediately shook his head, his eyes burning with caution. He recalled his experience with Vald and the bandits. This book felt far more dangerous than they were. "It's best not to, Uncle. This book... if others see it, it might bring disaster. I don't know what's inside, but the energy it gives off is very dangerous. It's best to keep this book hidden. I will try to find out its contents myself." Zego spoke with full conviction, as if a voice within him was whispering that this book was his responsibility alone.
Piro looked at Zego with a start, then a faint smile formed on his lips. He saw maturity and wisdom in Zego's eyes, a quality rarely found in young people his age. He knew Zego was not acting recklessly. Zego had gone through a lot, and his instincts were not to be ignored. This wasn't just about protecting a book; it was also about protecting his family from an unseen danger.
"You're right," Piro said, nodding in agreement. "In that case, I'm going to get some rest. It's late. You should also go to bed, Zego. Sophie has prepared your bed for you."
"Ah, thank you, Uncle," Zego replied. "And please convey my deepest thanks to Aunt Sophie. I'm sorry to cause so much trouble."
Piro chuckled softly, waving his hand as he walked out the door. "Hahahaha, don't worry. You're already a part of our family, so there's no need to be so formal." After that, Piro left, leaving Zego alone again with the mysterious book.
Zego returned his gaze to the book. He had tried everything, but there were still no clues. Frustration began to creep up in his chest, mixed with extreme exhaustion. He looked at the book's title: ( ᛝᛟᛚᚢᛗ - ᚨᛚᛞᚨ ᛏᛟᛗᚱ ). The letters were like strange symbols, and each letter contained a weird energy. Zego pondered, thinking hard, trying to connect the dots that weren't there, but still couldn't. Finally, he gave up. It was too late, and he was too tired. He placed the book on the table beneath the window, deciding to clean up before going to bed.
As Zego turned, the moonlight from the full moon that had just risen into the sky illuminated the book. The silver light passed through the window glass and landed directly on the book's cover. The book's title reacted. Its previously dull letters now glowed faintly, like fireflies waking from their sleep. Zego, who was just about to step toward the bathroom, was startled. He turned around, his eyes wide, witnessing the inexplicable phenomenon.
The moonlight grew brighter. The strange symbolic letters one by one emerged from the book, floating in the air, sparkling like stardust. The energy from each letter collected and arranged itself into a sentence. Zego watched intently. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew this was a very important moment. This was not an ordinary magical miracle but a manifestation of a power far more ancient. After a few seconds, the letters were arranged into a perfect sentence, glowing brightly before his eyes:
ᚷᛟᛞᛊ ᚠᛖᛚᛏ ᚦᛁᛊ ᛞᛖᛊᚲᛖᚾᛞ ᚾᛟᚱᚦᛖᚱᚾ ᚱᛖᚨᛚᛗ
ᚷᛁᚨᚾᛏᛊ ᛞᛖᚠᛃ ᚦᛖᛁᚱ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᚠᚨᛚᛚ ᚢᚾᛞᛖᚱᚷᚱᛟᚢᛞ
ᚺᚨᛚᚠ-ᛏᛁᛏᚨᚾ ᛒᛟᚱᚾ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛖᚠᛃ ᚦᛖ ᛞᛁᚡᛁᚾᛖ
ᚲᛟᛊᛗᛁᚲ ᛒᚨᛚᚨᚾᚲᛖ ᛊᚺᚨᛏᛏᛖᚱᛖᛞ ᛁᚾ ᛏᛁᛗᛖ
Zego couldn't read it, but he tried with all his might to memorize every shape and curve of the symbols. He didn't know what they meant, but his brain instinctively absorbed every detail. The frustration of not understanding was now replaced by fear and awe. Before Zego could even blink, the energy flowed like water. The energy from the runes merged and streamed into Zego's eyes, penetrating deep into his consciousness, burning every cell in his body. Instantly, everything changed. His surroundings, the atmosphere, all of it vanished.
He was in a place of empty void, dark, without a single glimmer of light. Zego screamed, but no sound came out. He tried to move, but he couldn't. His body felt empty, weightless, as if he was tossed about where there were no laws of the universe. All the physical laws he knew—gravity, time, even space—did not exist here. He was merely a pure consciousness floating, trapped in an absolute emptiness. His fear was no longer the fear of death, but the fear of nothingness, the most fundamental fear of all.
Zego, bewildered, didn't know what was truly happening. He couldn't even feel his internal organs, as if he were just pure consciousness floating in the void. And suddenly, the place changed with incredible speed.
From a distance, he saw an abstract creature, like an entity that had no physical form. Zego could only see it like the wind passing by. The creature had no physical form because it was a concept, an idea, a power that transcended form. It was creating the universe. Zego witnessed the process of creation firsthand, a spectacle impossible to describe with words. He saw stars being born from clouds of gas, galaxies spiraling in a beautiful cosmic dance, and planets beginning to form from cosmic dust and debris.
Among all these creations, there was one planet that was incredibly massive, far larger than any star he had ever seen. The planet formed, radiating an extraordinary aura of life, filled with energy. Zego looked around. It was as if he were in outer space, witnessing the birth of the universe from an impossible vantage point. The great planet, now fully formed, suddenly released a wave of energy. The energy was immense, emitting a power that could destroy everything. The wave was not just a physical wave, but a wave of information and energy, capable of obliterating Zego's consciousness in an instant.
Zego thought that if he were hit by that energy, it would surely be his end. He wanted to escape, but it was impossible. He could only watch the wave come towards him, getting closer and closer... its color a mixture of purple and red, swirling like an unstoppable cosmic storm. The wave was a representation of infinite power, and Zego, a mortal human, was merely a speck of dust in its presence. He closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate, feeling the final breath of the wave approaching.