Chapter Five: The Unraveling

Seojun sat frozen, his breath still uneven as Elias's words sank in. His journey. But what did that mean? He had only just begun to grasp the strange force behind the music, and now it felt as though he had stumbled into something far greater than himself.

Elias pulled back slightly, watching him with careful eyes. "Tell me everything you remember about that place," he said, his tone measured.

Seojun swallowed, trying to steady himself. "It was a grand hall massive, with constellations carved into the ceiling. There were chandeliers, but the light felt... strange. Dim, but alive. And then there was Alden."

At the mention of the name, Elias's expression tightened, barely perceptible, but Seojun caught it.

"You know him," Seojun stated rather than asked.

Elias hesitated before nodding. "Alden is... not someone you meet by chance. If he appeared to you, then he has a reason."

Seojun exhaled sharply, frustration seeping in. "Can you at least tell me who he is?"

Elias sighed, moving to the window, his gaze distant. "A long time ago, Alden was a scholar. A man who sought the unknown, obsessed with the fabric of reality itself. He believed music was a key to places beyond our understanding."

Seojun's heart pounded. "And he was right."

Elias nodded, turning back to him. "But there's more to it. If he is watching you, it means something is stirring. The way you traveled you're not just playing music. You're unlocking something."

Seojun gripped his hands together. "Then what do I do?"

For a moment, Elias was silent. Then, he moved toward the piano, placing a hand gently on the polished surface. "You learn to control it."

Seojun's fingers tingled at the thought. The last time he played freely, he had been pulled into an unfamiliar world. If he did it again if he truly gave himself over to the music where would it take him next?

"Teach me," he said finally, meeting Elias's gaze with determination.

Elias studied him, something unreadable flickering in his eyes before he gave a small nod. "Very well. But understand, Seojun this will not be easy."

Seojun set his jaw. "I don't need easy. I need to know."

Elias smirked faintly, then gestured toward the piano. "Then let's begin."

The first lesson was not about playing but listening. Elias had Seojun sit with his eyes closed, fingers resting lightly on the keys. "Feel the silence," Elias instructed. "The space between the notes is just as important as the sound itself."

Seojun inhaled slowly, letting the quiet settle around him. At first, it was just stillness. But then he felt it. A subtle vibration beneath his fingertips, like a whisper in the air.

His heart skipped. "I can feel something."

Elias's voice was calm, steady. "Good. Now, play but don't force it. Let the music find you."

Seojun's fingers moved, drawing out a soft, tentative melody. The moment the notes filled the air, the sensation grew stronger, the atmosphere thickening just as it had before.

And then, the world wavered.

Seojun gasped, his vision blurring as the familiar walls of the music room rippled like water. A pull deep in his chest yanked him forward, and before he could react, the world shifted again.

When his vision cleared, he was no longer in the room.

He stood in a vast library, endless shelves stretching into the distance, filled with books that seemed to hum with unseen energy. The air smelled of parchment and old wood, and the flickering glow of lanterns cast moving shadows along the walls.

Footsteps echoed in the distance, and Seojun turned toward the sound.

Alden was waiting for him, a knowing smile playing at his lips. "Welcome back."