The rain had been falling relentlessly for hours, washing the city in a silver sheen that blurred the neon lights into ghostly streaks. Ethan Cross stood alone on Platform 9, his worn leather suitcase heavy in his hand, the chill of the night seeping through his coat.
Above him, the station clock ticked: 11:53 PM. Seven minutes until the last train departed.
The announcement echoed through the empty platform:"Final boarding call for the last train to Evershadow. Passengers please proceed to board."
Ethan's breath caught. Evershadow — a name whispered in fearful tones, a place erased from all maps, lost between time and reality. Yet tonight, it was the only chance he had.
His phone vibrated. A single message illuminated the cracked screen:"If you don't make it, she dies."
Luna. Her terrified eyes haunted his memories — the night she vanished into the shadows without a trace, leaving only silence behind. No one believed him. Except the sender of this ominous message.
The train roared into the station, its black iron carriages etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly in the darkness. The air thickened as Ethan approached, the world around him fading until only the train's eerie presence remained.
A tall conductor in a long coat and wide-brimmed hat extended a gloved hand. Ethan had no ticket — only a silver coin, cold and heavy in his pocket. He placed it in the man's palm.
The conductor's eyes glinted beneath his hat, a shadow of a smile touching his lips.
The doors hissed open, revealing interiors scented with old books and burning incense. Velvet seats lined the carriage, and whispers curled along the walls like living vines. Other passengers watched Ethan silently, their eyes reflecting dim lantern light in unnatural ways.
As the train lurched forward, the city melted into a swirling mist outside the window.
A woman with deep violet eyes leaned close. "You're going to Evershadow," she whispered, "Where no one who arrives ever returns."
The lights flickered. Whispers rose into chanting. Something moved in the dark corridor ahead.
Ethan swallowed hard, gripping the crystal given to him — his only hope in a place where hope itself was a dangerous illusion