Today is my first day at work. I arrived at the store at 7:30 AM, but our opening time was officially 8:00. I began to wait for Mr. Calenor. As I stood there, my mind raced with thoughts about what might happen next. Yes, I made it here safely for now, but I knew I had to be fast and tough enough to survive in this city.
To distract myself from those worries, I started thinking about the books I wanted to read. But every time I did, the thoughts just got more complicated and tangled. According to what Mr. Calenor had told me, we were among the earliest to open today—and now, standing here, I could clearly see why. There wasn't a single customer or merchant around yet.
After a few minutes, Mr. Calenor arrived at the shop. He greeted me with a smile and said, "Good morning, James. When did you get here?"
"I woke up early and didn't have much else to do, so I came at 7:30," I replied.
"Are you ready for your first day?" he asked.
"I'm ready from the beginning, mister," I answered confidently.
The day passed in a typical manner as I carried out the tasks Mr. Calenor assigned me. While I was organizing the books, he came over and said, "Hey James, if you want to read something, I have some things you might like. Don't hesitate to ask, because they're not for sale."
"Thank you, Mister Calenor," I said gratefully.
Returning to my work, I realized organizing the books was a tough job. I had to separate them by their contents, and there were many different types: Religious Texts, Historical Chronicles, Bestiaries, Herbalism Manuals, Spell Tomes and Grimoires, Epic Poems, Philosophical Treatises, Travelogues, Mythic Tales, Alchemy Compendiums, Artisan Guides, Trade Ledgers, and more. It was overwhelming, but also fascinating.
While I was mopping the floor, Mr. Calenor checked on a delivery. Our shop wasn't very big, so cleaning was manageable. Once I finished my duties, I sat down to rest. I noticed a box of old and unpopular books lying around, so I decided to pick one to examine.
After searching through the dusty volumes, I found a book titled Whispers of the Veil. Mr. Calenor's eyes followed my every move as he asked, "Did you find something that interests you?"
"I think so… yeah, kind of," I answered. The cover had a golden eye on it, and the book looked very old. The pages were yellowed and a little burnt around the edges. Curious, I opened the book—and suddenly, I began to hear mysterious whispers.
Mr. Calenor tried to speak to me, but his words became muffled, drowned out by the strange sounds. "James, hey James! #^@@&@##^#—"
A voice emerged from the shadows inside the book: "Hello, my little friend. You must have thought, 'Oh no, I'm going crazy.' No, it's just me. Don't be afraid."
The surroundings seemed to darken, muffling every other sound except that voice. A heavy feeling settled in the air.
"I am Zhal'Thuun, the Guardian of the Veil. I have slept for centuries; now the time has come to awaken."
My heart raced, and I wanted to pull back, but the voice kept echoing inside my mind.
"Who… are you? Why are you speaking to me?" I asked aloud, trembling.
"I am part of a race once called the Nytheriim. We are the ancient powers slumbering beneath this city. In a great war, we sealed ourselves away to keep the world from falling into darkness," the voice explained.
"Then why awaken now? And why choose me?" I questioned, trying to keep calm.
"Because you are chosen. The secrets beyond the Veil call to you. The spells within that book are not mere words; they are ancient forces whispering into the minds of those who read them. They steer your dreams and blur your grasp on reality."
"This is… too much. What must I do?" I whispered.
"Beneath Cistern Square lies an ancient door. That door will shape your destiny. You must find it and understand what has begun to awaken. But beware… not every door should be opened, not every secret meant to be discovered. Your path is fraught with danger."
The voice slowly faded, and the room felt lighter again. Thousands of questions swirled in my mind, and a heavy burden settled on my chest. Who was this being? What door was he talking about?
I realized I hadn't answered Mr. Calenor's repeated questions. He came close and asked, "James, are you listening? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, sir. I was just… immersed in the book," I admitted.
"Don't make me nervous, James. From now on, when I say your name, I want you to respond. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," I replied.
A few hours passed, and then he asked me to deliver an order.
"Where will I go?" I asked.
"You'll go to Stonepass. There's a man named Durgan Emberforge—he and his elf friend are researchers. If you ask around Stonepass, folks will point you to where Durgan lives," he explained.
"Is this delivery common? You seemed unsure earlier."
"This isn't common. I only deliver on bulk purchases. Sorry, I need to stay here, so you have to go," he said.
"Okay, no problem. Where are the books?"
He showed me a bag full of books. "This will be heavy," I thought.
I prepared myself because the trip would take much longer than 20 minutes. Finally, I set off.
I walked briskly, my mind still on Zhal'Thuun. Was he a ghost? No, that couldn't be. His words confused me, but I remembered the person who ordered the books was a researcher—and maybe he had answers.
At last, I reached Stonepass. I stopped and looked for a local to ask directions.
I found a woman and asked politely, "Sorry, ma'am, do you know where the researchers live?"
"No, but if you ask that man over there, he might know," she said, pointing to a man wearing a red shirt and a hat.
"Thank you," I said.
I approached him and asked, "Hello, mister. I think you know where the researchers live."
He replied, "Go straight ahead. When you see Herbal Haven Pharmacy, turn left. The researchers' house is next to the tavern."
"Thank you for your guidance," I said.
Following his directions, I soon found the tavern. I knocked on the door and waited for Durgan. Strange sounds came from inside. Curious and cautious, I quietly opened the door.
I bent down and moved slowly; the sounds were coming from upstairs. I started approaching a man murmuring while looking at sheets of paper in front of him.
I wanted to go further, but suddenly I felt a coldness on my neck—a weight like Zhal'Thuun's presence pressed down on me.
An elf appeared, glaring at me. "Who are you? And what the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.
He pushed me forward so the dwarf could see me too.
"Hey, calm down! I just brought your deliveries. I mean no harm," I said quickly.
"Is that true? Hey Durgan, this kid says he has deliveries for us," the elf said.
"Oh, delivery, just in time. Let the kid pass, Thalendir," Durgan said.
I handed over the bag of books.
"Hi, kid. My name is Durgan Emberforge, and this is my friend and fellow researcher, Thalendir Erananil. Sorry about the scare, but why didn't you knock?" Durgan asked.
"I knocked twice, but no one answered, and there were weird sounds inside, so I decided to come in," I explained.
"Weird sounds? That was just me mumbling to myself. What's your name, by the way?"
"James Caolerin," I said.
"Usually Calenor would come himself. Why did he send you?"
"He has other things to do, I think. By the way, Mr. Durgan, what are you working on?"
"Oh, I'm researching Arkenwald's history. Not much," he replied.
"May I ask you a question, Mr. Durgan?"
"Of course, what is it, boy?"
"Do you know anything about a lost race?"
"A lost race? I've never heard of such a thing, sorry, James."
"That's okay, sir."
"But if you're interested, you should check the grand library in Oakshade."
"Thanks, mister. I'm leaving now, okay?"
"Wait, let me buy you something first. Ale? Food? What do you want?"
"If you insist, then let's go."
We went to the tavern next door. I ordered stewed venison with pea and onion mash. Mr. Durgan had roast boar and a big glass of ale. Thalendir ordered lamb with herbs and mushroom pottage.
By the time I finished my meal, Mr. Durgan had already drunk twelve large glasses of ale and was thoroughly drunk.
Thalendir said, "You can go now, kid. I'll handle him. Hey, you short man, come on!"
I headed back to Cistern Square once again.
I wondered about the grand library in Oakshade. Could I really find what I was looking for there?
After a few minutes of walking, a kid who looked about my age bumped into me. He apologized and walked away, but when I checked my pocket, I realized something was wrong.
I ran after him as fast as I could and didn't lose sight of him. It was getting dark and the streets were nearly empty, so we darted here and there through the shadows.
I had to catch him to get my money back.
My first attempt failed, and I almost lost him. I didn't know the city well, but I guessed the shortcut he took and followed it.
Eventually, I caught him. Just as I was about to punch him, I found myself somewhere completely different.
I had taken a shortcut a few minutes earlier, but this place was unfamiliar.
The kid who stole my money ran away, but at least I got my money back.
There were no people around. It was dark, and strange smells filled the air. I felt like I was somewhere I shouldn't be.
I walked a little further down the street, unsure how to get out.
I decided to find someone and ask for directions.
Some street kids looked at me suspiciously. I saw three elves, two dwarves, and three humans. Every time I tried to approach them, they scattered.
Finally, I found a man and thought, Thank God, I might learn how to leave this place.
"Hello, sir. Do you know how I get out of here?"
"Yes, kid, I know. Come with me."
I followed the man to the end of the street. Along the way, a strange feeling crept over me—as if something wanted me to leave immediately. There was an ache in my chest, a weight that refused to leave.
We walked deeper into the darkness. The streets grew narrower, and people stared at me in surprise. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere pressed down with every step.
At the end of the path, we came to a house and entered it.
I tried to leave when I first saw the house, but the man wouldn't let me escape.
Inside, the house was old but large, filled with damp and musty smells. Strange noises came from the basement.
The man led me down the stairs, and I suddenly realized I was in a slave cell.
I tried to fight back, but it was useless.
Just then, a boy appeared from behind the man and hit him on the head, giving me a chance to run away.
The boy looked older than me, with black hair and blue eyes like the sea.
"Why are you doing this? Where are we going?" I asked, but he didn't answer. He just focused on the route.
How had things come to this? I had been walking to The Ink and Ember. It was supposed to be a calm day for my first day at work, but it seemed trouble had found me.
We turned left and right constantly. I felt like I was reliving the time I lost Cedric.
At last, we reached a place completely isolated from the rest.
The boy pushed me inside and looked around for a moment before saying, "Welcome to my home, jerk."
I was shocked but managed to react quickly.
"You asked my name? It's Aerandil. This is my home. Why are you here, anyway?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"There was an entrance to Bladewalk where I found you."
"WHAT? Bladewalk?!" I exclaimed.