Old bookstores had their unique charm - the scent of old papers, the whispers of forgotten tales, and the stillness of solitude. But Eldoria Books was different - it was tucked away in an alley that barely caught any sunlight. The store radiated an unsettling quiet.

As he made his way through the shelves, the old pale woman behind the counter - wrinkled, with eyes as if they've seen too much - watched him. He skimmed across the covers of the leather-bound books before stopping at a book with no title. Its cover looked untouched by the passage of time.

"Some stories shouldn't be read," the woman said softly.

"Noted," Alex mused, his spine prickling with discomfort. He was unaware that he was already destined to face a future he didn't know would unfold.