SHADOWS OF THE UNKNOWN
Dawn is born at midnight. The cloaked figure exhaled wearily, a slight wave of his hand unraveling the space itself. From the depths of his Dimensional pocket, he retrieved an ancient book, its rough animal skin cover engraved with a purple jewel in the shape of a skull, bearing an ancient Scripture of profound wisdom.
Flipping through its pages, he paused at the second passage, whispering, "Oh, glimmer of shadow, harken the king of shadow dominion, activate thy Arcane [Shadow of Harken]." His voice was low, reverent, a prelude to a thunderous rumble enveloping the city of Sitherlands in an indigo dome—a testament to his spoken Arcane Spell.
"Now that everything is in place," he lamented, "I wonder if they will persist in their pursuit. I've already expended a great deal of treasure on this domain. If they can still track me, I'll attribute it to my poor luck."
A chilling voice echoed beside him, suggesting, "The treasure you used is worth more than half of their third division treasures. They can only hope to pursue you for about five more months. Utilize this time to accumulate strength and master other techniques."
Nodding, the man's heart surged with both rage and a thirst for vengeance.
.....
Julien felt the tremors intensify, causing concern that his apartment complex might collapse. After minutes of shaking, he finally found the courage to stand up, heaving a sigh of relief. With the electricity out, only moonlight offered a dim illumination.
As he rose, he reached for his phone to check messages, momentarily wincing at the bright screen. "Too bright! And no signal either!"
Rubbing his eyes, he decided to open the window. To his astonishment, the light outside appeared different. Trembling, he beheld a purple spatial rift and a massive dome shrouding the entire city.
The city seemed distorted, with buildings, roads, and even cars floating and colliding with each other. This was the aftermath of the Arcane spell unleashed by the cloaked man. Those attuned to mana would be affected upon witnessing such a spell, though normal humans remained oblivious.
Julien's body trembled uncontrollably. Such experiences were never fathomed as real-life occurrences. Profuse sweat trickled down his forehead, and his strength waned as he began to collapse.
Stolen story; please report.
As morning progressed, daylight broke, and everything in Sitherlands City appeared normal again. The rumbling, earthquakes, and the dome were nowhere to be seen.
---
6:30 AM. A loud alarm resonated through the room, jolting Julien awake. He reached for his phone, silencing the alarm while peering out the window. With a deep sigh, he murmured, "Was it all a dream? It felt so real, and that earthquake... I'm sure it happened."
Despite his attempts to dismiss the events, an ominous feeling persisted, gnawing at Julien. His body trembled, and a sense of foreboding held him captive as he surveyed the scene outside the window. He desperately tried to convince himself that it was all a mere figment of imagination.
---
8 AM. Retta Business district. Towering buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, with Julien's office building standing at the heart of the district.
Julien boarded a bus for work, still pondering the events of the previous night. As he merged into the throng of people, he reluctantly accepted that it must have been a dream. Finally arriving at his office building, he stopped by a local coffee shop to grab a cup of coffee, proceeding with his usual routine.
On the 17th floor, the elevator chimed, and Julien took a deep breath. "Here we go again, Julien. Time to impress."
With a warm smile, he greeted his colleagues, "Hey, guys! Good morning, good morning!"
A captivating voice replied, "Good morning, Julien. How was your morning journey?"
A striking woman welcomed him, her purple eyes bewitching and capable of captivating hearts. Her elegance and grace left an indelible impression.
"Hey, surprisingly good, no traffic at all. How about you?" Julien responded.
Niana laughed, nodding in agreement as she headed to her desk. "Yeah, it's funny how that happens sometimes. Less hassle, right?"
A typical workday commenced, and before they knew it, the day had drawn to a close.
As Julien prepared to leave, an eerie sensation washed over him, reminiscent of the night before. He stepped into the elevator, and as the doors opened, he locked eyes with a tall, middle-aged man draped in a black robe. Despite the man's silver hair, his presence remained commanding.
The man's gaze unsettled Julien, prompting him to quickly divert his eyes and pretend nothing was amiss.
Nevertheless, even as he moved away, he still sensed the man's piercing gaze. "Who is that man? I've never seen or met him before, yet it feels like he knows me. His gaze sends chills down my spine," Julien thought to himself, shaking his head as he hurriedly boarded a bus.
Seated on the bus, he contemplated the earlier events, with the foreboding feeling lingering. The earthquake felt too real to be a mere dream. Julien sighed. "Today has been strange, especially with that unsettling man."
With his chin rested on his palm, he peered out the window at the passing cars and buildings. Suddenly, a purple spatial gap appeared, accompanied by a thunderous rumble. A 6-meter tall crack emerged, and a figure soared out of it, locking eyes with Julien.
Julien's pupils dilated as he witnessed the massive rupture. He recognized the man from his office building, and fear surged through him, causing everything around him to seemingly freeze.
"Oh God, please help me," he whispered, overwhelmed by a sense of dread.