Chapter 12: The Song That Opens Doors

Jungkook’s breath hitched as he stared at the glowing sheet of music. It floated midair, humming with an energy that made the space around it ripple. The missing half of Moonlit Echo—the piece of music erased from history—was right in front of them.

But the Keeper’s words lingered in his mind.

"Once you take this, there is no turning back."

The faceless echoes stirred restlessly, their heads tilting as if they could sense the choice before them. The golden sky above flickered, like a heartbeat waiting for the next note to be played.

Yoongi took a cautious step forward. “If this song is so dangerous… why are you giving it to us?”

The Keeper didn’t move. “Because you’ve already heard its call.”

Jungkook felt a cold shiver crawl up his spine. The realization hit him hard—this wasn’t about finding the song. The song had led them here.

Namjoon’s eyes darkened. “And what happens when we complete it?”

The Keeper exhaled, her voice almost sad. “A door will open. And something will answer.”

Jin clenched his fists. “And what if we don’t sing it?”

The Keeper was silent for a long moment. Then, she spoke, her words sharp as a knife.

“Then the song will find another way.”

A tense silence fell. They had no choice. The song wouldn’t let them leave without taking it.

Jungkook’s pulse thundered as he reached out, his fingers brushing against the floating sheet. The moment he made contact, a pulse of energy exploded from it. The golden world fractured—light shattered like glass, and suddenly, everything collapsed into darkness.

For a terrifying moment, there was nothing. No sound. No air. Just emptiness.

Then—

A single note rang out, piercing the silence like a bell.

Jungkook gasped, his vision snapping back into focus. They were no longer in the golden world.

They were back in the Archive.

But something was wrong.

The room felt… different. The air was heavy, like the pressure before a storm. The shelves of lost music stretched endlessly, yet the space felt smaller, as if something unseen was pressing in on them.

Hana looked around, her hand instinctively reaching for her hidden weapon. “Did we—”

A creak echoed through the Archive.

Jungkook froze. That wasn’t a normal sound.

It came from somewhere deep within the shelves, too slow, too deliberate.

Then—another creak. Closer.

Yoongi inhaled sharply. “We’re not alone.”

A whisper slithered through the air. It wasn’t in any language they recognized, but the meaning was clear.

"You heard us."

A shadow moved between the shelves.

Jungkook’s breath hitched. Whatever had been locked away with the song…

It was awake.

Chapter 13: The Voices That Shouldn’t Speak (Coming Next)