The Haunting Melody

Liora Everhart prided herself on her logical mind. As a violinist, she understood the science of sound, the precise mechanics of harmony. So, the recurring dream of a faceless man playing a mournful melody, a tune that clung to her waking mind, was a frustrating anomaly. She was a musician, not a mystic. Yet, when she discovered an ancient piece of music in the university archive, "The Song of Eternal Lovers," the notes resonating with the dream's melody, her carefully constructed skepticism began to crumble.

The night air toted the scent of old parchment and ink, mingling with the distant hum of violins from the university's grand hall. Liora Everhart sat alone in the dimly lit library, her fingers tracing the fragile edges of a weathered music sheet. The title at the top read The Song of Eternal Lovers—an unfamiliar composition, yet its notes resonated in the deepest recesses of her mind.

She wasn't supposed to be here this late, but the melody had followed her all day, a whisper at the back of her thoughts. Every time she tried to push it away, it returned, insistent, like an unfinished sentence waiting to be spoken. Frustrated, she had scoured the library for answers, only to stumble upon this ancient manuscript buried beneath forgotten tomes of music history.

As she adjusted the sheet music beneath the dim golden glow of the desk lamp, her breath caught. The notes formed a pattern she somehow recognized, though she had never played this piece before. Shaking off the unease creeping up her spine, she set her violin into position and let the bow glide across the strings.

The first note shattered the silence of the chamber, delicate yet filled with an aching sorrow. The second trembled like a distant memory, unfurling something in her chest she couldn't quite place. Her pulse quickened as the melody guided her fingers, her body swaying unconsciously as if she had played it a thousand times before. The music wrapped around her, weaving through the very air, drawing her into a trance where time and space no longer held meaning.

A sharp breath from the shadows shattered the moment.

Liora froze. Her grip on the violin tightened as she turned toward the source of the sound. In the dim light, a figure stepped forward from between the tall shelves, Professor Elias Varion. His golden-amber eyes glowed with something unreadable, his expression betraying a mix of recognition and disbelief.

"Where did you find that?" His voice, low and steady, carried an urgency that sent a shiver down her spine.

Liora hesitated, still reeling from the spell the music had cast upon her. "In the archives," she replied cautiously. "It was buried under some old texts. Why? Do you know this piece?"

Elias stepped closer, his gaze locked onto the sheet in her hands. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached out, but then stopped himself, curling his fingers into a fist as if afraid to touch it. "This song... should not exist."

Liora's brows knit together. "What do you mean? It's just an old composition."

His eyes darkened. "It's more than that." He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his midnight-black hair. "You shouldn't be playing it."

Irritation flared in her chest. "Why not? It's beautiful. It feels... familiar." The words slipped from her lips before she could stop them. Familiar. The thought unsettled her, but it was true. Something about the song had woven itself into her very being.

Elias studied her, his expression unreadable. "That feeling... It's dangerous. Some music holds power beyond what we understand. This piece " He paused, choosing his words carefully. "has a history. One that should remain forgotten."

Liora squared her shoulders. "Music isn't meant to be forgotten. It's meant to be played."

A flicker of something, pain, perhaps passed over Elias' face. He took a step back, his demeanor shifting from urgency to calculated calm. "Then do yourself a favor, Miss Everhart. Let this song remain silent."

Before she could protest, he turned and strode away, disappearing into the dim corridors of the library. Liora stood there, heart pounding, staring at the empty space he left behind. The warning in his voice lingered, but so did the pull of the music.

Ignoring the unease crawling up her spine, she looked back at the sheet music and traced the notes with her fingertips. She would play it again.

Even if she didn't yet understand why it called to her so strongly.