Sid stood frozen just outside the hospital, staring at the shimmering transparent barrier that surrounded the building. He reached out and touched it — and immediately recoiled.
"What the hell is this…?" he whispered. The surface was cold, vibrating like glass, but alive.
He circled the edge, trying to find a break in the field. Nothing.
He turned and looked back at the hospital. Something about it felt… wrong.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped back inside.
The receptionist's desk sat silently at the far end of the lobby. As Sid approached, he noticed a small golden card lying near the counter.
It shimmered faintly.
Sid picked it up.
Words formed before his eyes:
"You finally accepted it "
A chill ran down his spine.
Suddenly, the card vanished into dust.
Sid blinked. "What… was that?"
Silence.
He backed away and rushed to the exit, trying to calm himself.
---
Outside, the world felt different. The air heavier. The streets quieter than usual.
Sid noticed several people walking past the hospital. They didn't seem to see him.
He waved. Called out. No reaction.
"Am I… invisible?"
No answer.
A vibration in his pocket startled him.
His phone screen lit up with a message:
CALLING: UNKNOWN
He hesitated, then answered.
"…Hello?"
A low, familiar voice echoed from the other end.
> "Hello , Sid"
His hands trembled. "W-who is this?"
> "You'll remember soon. I am your friend. Or perhaps... ."
---
>"Now, look down at your fingers."
He looked down — a thin metallic band now sat on his index finger.
"When did this get here?" he whispered.
> "You wore it the moment you accepted.".
> "Now, I'll be sending you home."
The call ended .
Sid stares at the blank screen . Then ring starts glowing and become dust.
---
Everything blurred.
In an instant, Sid found himself outside his house again.
He rushed inside.
No blood. No broken objects. Everything was clean.
"Wasn't this place a mess before? I… I remember everything. The blood, the cuts… it was real."
He checked the floor — spotless.
Had it all been a dream?
He sighed. "I should eat something… and rest."
After bathing and grabbing a bite, Sid lay on his bed.
"So much has happened today. I almost… died."
His eyelids grew heavy, and sleep took him quickly.
---
He dreamt of a battlefield.
Explosions rang in his ears. Screams echoed around him. A person beside him shouted, "We can't lose now!" and charged into the fire.
Smoke, fire, and blood surrounded everything.
It was like hell.
Among the chaos, a tall figure in dark armor stood still. His shadow loomed large — and his smile, even larger.
From the sky, a radiant light pierced through the darkness.
Sid reached for it.
A voice, soft but final, whispered:
> "Now, we're safe."
Then the man died.
Sid jolted awake, gasping.
---
The next morning, a call buzzed on his phone.
He answered groggily. "Hello? Who's there?"
The voice from before replied gently:
> "Did you already forget me, dear?"
Sid sat up straight.
> "What you want ? "
>"I know you have many questions from last time. So time has come for you to meet me ."
"…Where?"
---
[Scene change]
Sid stepped out of the taxi, gazing up at the small wooden sign:
NOWHERE CLUB
It looked like a rundown bar from the outside. But when he stepped in, a flood of sound and color greeted him — neon lights, music, laughter, and people dancing or drinking like it was the last party on Earth.
He made his way toward the bar.
"Hey… do you know who called me here?" he asked the bartender.
Before the man could reply, a butler appeared — tall, dressed in a spotless black suit, white gloves on his hands, and eyes hidden behind circular glasses.
"Mr. Arkwood. Please follow me."
The butler led him away from the noisy lounge, down a quiet corridor. At the end was a wide door of dark oak.
He opened it slowly.
Inside was a large, dimly lit room with soft lights glowing overhead. A single round table sat in the center. And beside it, seated calmly, was a man in a dark suit.
He didn't move until the door shut behind them.
"You took quite some time," the man said, finally lifting his gaze.
Sid stepped forward. "Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?"
The man smiled.
"This is not the place for that conversation," he said.
He stood, walked over to a nearby wall lined with bookshelves, and placed his palm over a specific book spine.
The book didn't move — but a hidden mechanism triggered.
Click. Whrrr.
A section of the wall split open with a soft rumble, revealing a hidden elevator inside.
"Come," the man said, stepping in.
Sid followed without a word. The door closed behind them.
The elevator began descending slowly, humming softly.
The man finally turned toward Sid.
"You want to know who I am, yes?"
Sid nodded.
The man smiled, eyes gleaming faintly in the dark.
"You may call me... Professor Nox."