Chapter 2: A Key to the Past

 The dim glow of the golden key served as light and guided Olivia down the dark, spiraling staircase. Each step sounded threatening, the air becoming colder the deeper she went down. The whispers that had greeted her earlier faded into a scary silence, leaving her alone with her pounding heartbeat.

The staircase ended at a heavy wooden door. Complicated drawings of runes and symbols, some rarely familiar, designed its surface. Olivia hesitated, her fingers tracing over the strange markings. The key in her hand vibrated again, as though urging her to move forward.

"Alright," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

She inserted the key into the lock, and with a faint click, the door creaked open to reveal a very large library. Shelves upon shelves of books were placed endlessly, their end of the hall shining faintly in shades of gold and silver. The scent of old books and ink filled the air, mixing with the faint coolness that existed in the place.

Olivia stepped inside, her curiosity overshadowing her fearfulness. The library was unlike anything she had ever seen. Each book seemed alive, giving a humming sound with an unseen energy. She ran her fingers along the books, the titles written in languages she couldn't understand.

But one book stood out.

On a pillar that was constructed in the center of the room rested a massive book bound in black leather. The golden key in her hand became warm, almost hot, as she approached it. The title started shining faintly: The Chronicles of Olivia Fairmont.

Her breath seized. She reached out, her hands kept shaking and opened the book. The first page was about an illustration of her face, scarily accurate, surrounded by text that seemed to shift and rearrange itself as she read.

The words were solid, and Olivia's heart seized as she began to read.

Timeline 1: Death by poisoning at her engagement banquet. Betrayed by her closest friend.

Timeline 2: Execution by guillotine. Framed for treason by her adopted sister.

Timeline 3: Stabbed in the heart. Orchestrated by her fiancé, Austin.

Olivia's hands shook as she opened the pages one after another. Each entry detailed a cruel end, followed by accurate descriptions of betrayal. Faces of those she trusted—her siblings, her friends, her fiancé—were swimming before her eyes, each one stained with blood.

She stopped at the entry for the timeline where Austin had killed her. The details were terrifying:

"She stood at the edge of the cliff, her back to him, trusting him with her heart. He stepped closer, his hand steady as he inserted the blade into her back. Her final words were a whisper: 'Why?'"

Olivia stumbled back, her chest going up and down. This couldn't be real. Austin, the man who had held her hand with such softness this morning, had killed her in another life?

Her mind shook as everything started to fall into place. This library held the truth about her existence, about the endless cycle of death and betrayal she had encountered. But why? And who had written this book?

A faint creak sound of the door moved her from her thoughts. Olivia turned around, holding the book firmly to her chest. Standing in the doorway, his figure covered by the small light from the staircase, was Austin.

"Olivia?" His voice was low, but there was an edge to it that sent a shiver all over her body. "What are you doing here?"

She froze, her mind racing. Should she tell him the truth? Confront him about what she had just read? Or would that only put her in danger?

"I...I couldn't sleep," she stammered, hiding the book behind her. "I found this key and… I didn't know where it led. I'm sorry."

Austin moved closer, his eyes narrowing. The soft glow of the library threw more light on his face, and for a moment, Olivia thought she saw a flash of something dark in his expression.

"This place is forbidden," he said, his tone sharp. "How did you find it?"

Olivia tightened her hold on the book. "I don't know. The key was just… there. I didn't mean any harm."

Austin's gaze moved to her hands, and his eyes narrowed further. "What are you hiding?"

Her heart pounded as he moved closer. She backed away, her mind racing and looking for an escape. The library seemed to close in around her, the walls of books which were very talk looked like silent witnesses.

"Olivia," Austin said, his voice dangerously calm. "Show me what you're hiding."

She hesitated, her mind telling her to run. But where could she go? Austin was facing her with the staircase directly behind him, and she didn't know what else she was going to find in the library again.

"There is nothing here," she said with her voice shaking. "Just an old book."

"Let me see it," he asked, his hand stretched out.

For a moment, their eyes were fixed on each other, and Olivia saw in his eyes things like guilt, Regret? She couldn't be sure. But it was enough to make her heart freeze.

Slowly, she stretched the book toward him. Austin took it, his eyes checking the cover. When he saw the title, his expression hardened.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"On the pillar," Olivia said with a whisper of her voice. "I didn't know what it was initially. But, I saw my name on it. I don't know Why?"

Austin's hold on the book tightened, and for a moment, Olivia thought he might destroy it. But instead, he breathed heavily and closed his eyes.

"You were not supposed to see this," he said, his voice filled with annoyance. "This changes everything."

"What are you talking about?" Olivia asked immediately. "What is this place? Why does this book exist? And why does it say you killed me?"

Austin's eyes opened widely, and the raw feelings in them took her by surprise. "It's complicated," he said. "But you need to trust me. Please."

"Trust you?" Olivia's voice increased. "How can I trust you when this book says you stabbed me in another life?"

Austin withdrew himself, and for a moment, he looked genuinely pained. "That… wasn't me," he said. "Not the me standing here. You have to believe me."

Olivia shook her head, her mind spinning. Nothing made sense anymore. The man she had thought might be her friend was now in the middle of a mystery far more threatening than she could have imagined.

Before she could respond, the golden key in her pocket vibrated again, its light shining brighter. The air around them seemed to shift, the library humming with a strange energy.

Austin's eyes widened. "We need to leave. Now."

"Why?" Olivia asked, holding onto the key.

"Because," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the door, "you've just woken something that was meant to remain buried."

As they ran very fast up the staircase, a very loud roar sounded from the library below, and the ground began to shake. Olivia looked back, her heart stopped for a second as a shadowy figure came out from the darkness, its shining eyes fixed on her.