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This room was my refuge, a place of solitude among stacks of books yet to be priced and the aroma of old, beloved tales.
Sunlight streamed in from a small window, highlighting the desk cluttered with papers, invoices, and an old, slightly temperamental computer.
On the desk lay a couple of packages, probably new releases for the store.
But one stood out immediately — a strangely ornate box adorned with swirling patterns that shimmered as if moving of their own volition.
It looked otherworldly, its surface smooth and cool to the touch.
The return address was unfamiliar, but the design was so elaborately sci-fi that I guessed it had to be some promotional item for an upcoming release.
Publishers often send such things to generate buzz.
Balancing the box in my hands, I noticed its unexpected weight and the way it seemed to hum faintly.
My curiosity piqued, I used my letter opener to break the intricate seal.
As I pried the box open, a sharp, unexpected prick on my finger made me gasp.
Drawing my hand back, I stared in surprise at a bead of blood forming on my fingertip.
It mingled with a strange, luminescent liquid that had seemingly come from the box.
“What the—” I murmured, dabbing at the small wound with a tissue.
The luminance of the foreign substance seemed to seep into my skin, fading until there was no trace it had ever been there.
A cold sensation, a tingle, spread from the prick site, making me shiver.
Delving further into the package, trying to shake off the unease, I found a tiny, crystalline chip.
Holding it up to the light, a holographic projection sprang to life.
A group of beings, their appearances unlike any human — dark, iridescent skin, multiple eyes, and an aura of malevolence.
A raspy voice echoed from the projection. “Dear Emilia, welcome to a transformation most profound. We are the Vendikar. You might not know us, but we’ve had our eyes on you for quite some time. Your fondness for tales of the cosmos, your dreams of adventure — how quaint. Now, you shall experience a tale of your own. Watch, wait, and witness.”
The projection of these ‘Vendikars’ faded with their eerie, echoing laughter, leaving me in stunned silence.
My heart raced, and a million thoughts raced through my mind.
Was this some elaborate prank?
A marketing campaign gone too far?
But the sensation in my finger, the chilling spread of whatever had entered my bloodstream — it all felt alarmingly real.
I clutched the edge of the desk, trying to calm my racing heart, reminding myself that this had to be some illusion, a gimmick.
A deep sense of unease settled in my gut.
No matter how much I tried to brush it off, the sensation, the Vendikar’s cryptic message, all hinted at an impending change.
The adventures I had longed for, the tales of otherworldly encounters — I had never really expected to become a protagonist in one.
Taking a deep breath, I tucked the package and its contents away in a drawer, intending to deal with it later.
As I stepped out of the back room and into the familiarity of my bookstore, a looming sense of uncertainty cast a shadow over my once mundane world.
