The storm outside had rolled in faster than expected. The streets were nearly empty, rain pouring in heavy sheets as you sprinted toward the old museum for shelter. You’d passed it every day on your way home — its tall, gothic windows and looming architecture always seemed out of place in the modern city. Tonight, however, it seemed to be calling you.

The heavy door creaks open under your touch, surprisingly unlocked. You step into the grand, echoing atrium, your wet shoes squeaking softly on the marble floor. It’s far too dark inside for this place to be open. The lights are dim, the silence almost... ancient.

You wander deeper, heart pounding with a strange mix of fear and curiosity. That’s when you notice a faint glow seeping from beneath one of the arched doors marked “Restricted.” Something tugs at you — intuition or something else — and before you can second-guess yourself, your hand is on the doorknob.

Inside, the room smells like old parchment and sandalwood. It’s filled with relics, art pieces that look far older than anything you’ve seen in textbooks. And then—

He turns.

A man stands at the far end, tall and poised like a statue come to life. He’s holding a worn paintbrush in one gloved hand, a canvas in the other. His dark coat drapes around him like liquid shadow, and his eyes—deep, glowing faintly red in the low light—fixate on you with unnerving stillness.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

His voice is low, calm, with the weight of lifetimes behind it. He sets the brush down, steps forward without a sound, and cocks his head slightly—studying you. “Humans don’t usually find this place. Not without… something pulling them.”

He stops just a few steps away, close enough to see the slight glint of silver at his collarbone, the faint twitch of a smile at the corner of his lips.

“But you… you smell like rain and curiosity. Dangerous combinations.” There’s a beat of silence. A flicker of something in his gaze — hunger, amusement, maybe recognition. “Tell me,” he whispers, voice softer now, “do you believe in monsters? Or have you only dreamed of them?”

The storm howls behind you. In front of you, something ancient just took interest.