We followed the old man deeper into Stone Hollow. The air grew colder, and shadows flickered on the walls as he led us through narrow, twisting hallways. Finally, we reached a small room with a stone table in the center.
The old man gestured for us to sit around the table. “This is where the ancient ones kept their secrets,” he said, his voice low. He placed a dusty, leather-bound book on the table.
Liam leaned forward, eyeing the book. “Is that what we came for?”
The old man nodded. “This is the Codex. It holds knowledge that could either save you or destroy you.”
I looked at the book it looked similar to the eternity book. “I thought it was the eternity book that could save and destroy.”
“The Codex is like the cousin of the eternity book.”
Liam glanced at me, then back at the old man. “So, what’s the difference?”
The old man’s eyes seemed to darken. “The Eternity Book deals with power, life, and control-whoever masters it can alter fate itself. But the Codex… it reveals truths. Dark, ancient knowledge. Secrets about your world and others that could drive someone mad if they’re not prepared.”
I shivered. “So why bring us here? Why show us this if it’s so dangerous?”
The old man looked at me, his eyes intense. “Because you’re not here by accident. The Codex chose you.”
I glanced at Liam, who looked as uncertain as I felt. “What do you mean? We didn’t even know this place existed until we met you.”
“Ah,” the old man murmured, “but destiny has a way of guiding people where they’re meant to be. You and Liam have threads tied to the Codex. It sensed you and called you here, though you may not remember it.”
Liam crossed his arms, his face hardening. “What are we supposed to do with it? Just open it up and hope it doesn’t drive us crazy?”
The old man’s expression softened, almost sympathetic. “The Codex does more than just show secrets. It reveals them in ways meant for the reader. But… you must approach it carefully. It’s not something to rush into.”
I felt a chill run down my spine as I stared at the book on the table. The leather cover looked rough and worn, marked with symbols I couldn’t understand. It seemed alive in a way, almost pulsing, as if waiting for us to make the next move.
Liam took a deep breath and looked at me. “Are we doing this?”
I hesitated. Everything inside me screamed to turn and run, but I couldn’t deny the pull. “We came this far. We can’t back out now.”
The old man gestured to the book. “One of you must open it.”
Liam reached out, his hand hovering over the cover, his fingers trembling slightly. He glanced at me one last time, then pressed his hand down. The Codex shivered under his touch, and slowly, the cover creaked open.
The air in the room changed immediately. It felt thick, heavy, like we were standing underwater. Shadows danced along the walls, and a soft hum filled the air, low and unsettling. The pages of the Codex began to turn on their own, stopping at a page covered in strange symbols and lines that seemed to glow faintly.
Liam’s eyes narrowed as he studied the words. “I… I can’t read this.”
The old man stepped forward, his face serious. “You won’t be able to understand everything. The Codex reveals only what it wishes, and only to those ready to hear it.”
I leaned closer, trying to make sense of the page. As I stared at the symbols, they seemed to shift, almost like they were moving, rearranging themselves to form words I could understand.
“The world beyond,” I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice.
Liam looked at me, his eyes wide. “Did you just… read it?”
I nodded, feeling a strange sensation settle over me. “It’s like the words are… speaking to me. Telling me things.”
The old man watched us closely. “You’re beginning to see. The Codex is revealing its knowledge to you.”
“But why?” I asked, a sense of dread building in my chest. “Why show us any of this?”
“Because you’re part of something larger than yourselves,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “There are forces at work, things that have been waiting for the right moment, the right people. You and Liam are connected to this knowledge, and the Codex senses that.”
I looked down at the open page again, feeling a strange, magnetic pull. Words floated into my mind-dark, terrible words that spoke of worlds beyond our own, of things lurking in shadows, unseen but always watching.
Liam pulled back, shaking his head. “I don’t like this. It feels… wrong.”
The old man reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Truth is often unsettling, especially when it’s been hidden for so long. But sometimes, facing it is the only way forward.”
Liam clenched his fists, wrestling with his fear. “But if this is supposed to help us, why does it feel like it could tear us apart?”
“Because knowledge is a double-edged sword,” the old man said softly. “It can be a light in the darkness or the darkness itself. The choice lies with you.”
I felt my heart racing as I looked back at the Codex. The pages shimmered, the words seeming to pulse like a heartbeat. “What do we do now?”
The old man smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “That’s for you to decide. The Codex won’t give you all the answers-it only opens the door. You must choose whether to step through.”
Liam closed the book, his hands shaking. “We need to think about this.”
The old man nodded. “That’s wise. But remember, the Codex doesn’t call people for nothing. It chose you because it believes you’re strong enough to bear its weight.”
He gestured toward the exit. “Take your time. Stone Hollow will keep until you’re ready. But be warned-once you start down this path, there’s no turning back.”
We rose from the table, and as we did, the room seemed to grow colder, as if the shadows were watching us, waiting. The old man’s eyes followed us as we left, his expression unreadable.
Liam and I walked back down the narrow hallways in silence, the weight of what we’d seen pressing down on us. Neither of us spoke until we were outside, breathing in the fresh air, grateful to be away from the Codex’s dark presence.
“Do you think we’ll go back?” I asked quietly, feeling both drawn to and terrified by the thought.
Liam didn’t answer at first. He stared off into the distance, his face troubled. “I don’t know. But something tells me we haven’t seen the last of that place.”
As we stood there, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a faint hum-the same sound we’d heard in the room. It was as if the Codex was calling to us, urging us to return.
And deep down, I knew we would.