1 The Shop

Hello, the author here! I hope you enjoy this fanfiction. This is just a warning and a disclaimer. English is not my first language, go easy on me.

WARNING: This is a slight AU fanfic, meaning that some things from cannon will be changed. Right here I can tell that the law that states that can only have 3 Sequence 1 Angels or Beyonder Characteristics doesn't exist, for the convenience of the plot.

SUPPORT: If you would like to support me, my Patreon is: In the future!

DISCLAIMER: Lord of the Mysteries does not belong to me, everything besides original characters and some original plot belongs to Cuttlefish That Loves Diving.

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A dim moon rose over the ocean as the wind blew clouds across the sky. Faint shadows were cast upon the island below: animals too large to be natural, sea monsters, and other things seemed to haunt the waters. There was little starlight shining through the thick mist that encompassed the island.

At one side of the beach a river wide enough for a ship to pass existed. If someone were to walk upstream they would arrive in a gigantic cave, illuminated by crystals with nothing inside but a ship. A beautiful three-masted ship of black hulls and sails.

However, in the entire ship, there was only one person, someone that was not there before. A young man sat on the chair in the Captain's room, his head resting on the desk beside a black leather book, the only light coming from a dim lamp that seemed to light up on its own.

Without warning the young man sat up straight, taking deep breaths as if he never had done so before. He looked around, searching for something that wasn't there, almost panicking at not finding it before calming down with a look of realization.

"So it wasn't a dream..."

The young man was Arthur Black, an eighteen-year-old college student from the modern era.

He was just having a normal day, the same he had for the past month. Wake up, eat breakfast, go to college, go to work, hit the gym, go home, watch Netflix, and sleep. However, that night something different happened. On his way back from the gym, Arthur noticed a shop he could swear was not there the day before.

It looked small on the outside but was huge on the inside. There were all kinds of things on the shelves, things you wouldn't see usually. Herbs, crystals, decks of cards, books with strange titles, and even stranger symbols, jars filled with indescribable things, and much more.

For Arthur, who loved fantasy and the occult, the store looked like a magic shop from a fantasy book. It would not look out of place in a Holywood movie.

At the back of the shop was the owner, sited on a reclining chair with a black cat on his lap. He had black hair, so dark it seemed like light could not escape it. His eyes were the coldest blue, being watched by them made Arthur feel like he had no secrets. Even the cat was strange, Arthur could swear he had stars on his eyes for a second, but when he looked again they seemed normal.

"Welcome, how may I help you? I'm Marcus and this is Malygos."

"I was just curious since I hadn't noticed this shop before," said Arthur. "You have a really nice shop here, it looks straight out of a fantasy book. I'm Arthur, by the way."

"And do you perhaps like fantasy, Arthur?"

"Of course! I love reading fantasy books, like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter," exclaimed Arthur. "Just recently I finished a novel called Lord of the Mysteries, it's pretty much my favorite read of the year."

"I see..." Marcus seemed to pause for a second, looking at his cat before returning his attention to Arthur. "I bet you would love to live in one of those worlds, right?"

"For sure," laughed Arthur. "I always read these novels where the protagonist gets taken to another world, and I wonder what would I do in those situations. Like if I went to the world of Harry Potter, would I do everything I can to come back to this one like those protagonists? I don't think so, there's here that I hold so dear that I wouldn't give up."

Arthur was not kidding when he said that to the men. He truly did not have anything important to him holding him back. He had cut ties with his family, they being unable to accept him being bisexual. The college he paid with his own work. Friends? He didn't have the time to make those.

"Good enough for me!" Said Marcus. He suddenly got up, walked around Arthur, rummaging through bookshelves. "Tell me, Arthur, if I could give the chance to go experience another world, would you? Knowing it was full of dangers worst than death? Knowing you probably could never get back?"

At this point, Arthur seemed to wake up. He still was in the same place, looking at Marcus who was searching for something, but the conversation he had before was almost as if he was not in control. Or better said, that he was forced to speak his true feelings, those even he didn't know he had. He was scared, but at the same time excited.

Was that magic? Hypnosis? Thought Arthur. He took a second to think about the men's question, and considering what he had just previously said, an answer came immediately to mind. If what he is saying is true...

"Yes, I would!"

Marcus turned towards him with a full grin, too wide to be normal, too wide to be human. In his hands, a black leather book rested. He walked back and stood in front of Arthur, presenting him the book.

"The Obscure Tome, a book filled with knowledge about mysticism, magic, witchcraft, rituals, astrology, and whatever more you will need where you are going," said Marcus. "I hope you don't come to regret your decision, Arthur Black, for where you are going is a world of madness on the brink of destruction."

"What!?"

A moment later, the world turned black and Arthur felt like he was falling forever but it was only an instant. That's how he found himself inside what appeared to be a cabin.

He looked around himself, noticing the fancy wooden desk and the chair he sat on, the lamp that illuminated the dim room. On both his sides there were windows, showing the cave and the multicolored crystals outside. To his right, there was an empty bookshelf, a drawer, a cabinet, and upon it were what looked like maps, ink, and quills. To his left, there was the same design, but instead of maps, there was a cane resting on the side of the cabinet, and upon it was a revolver.

Arthur took his attention back to the desk, There was not much on it, other than the lamp and the book. Reading the title, and seeing it was the same book Marcus had given him, Arthur opened it. On the first page, there was a card showing a man in black dress robes with a silver lining, a wood staff on one hand, and a lantern on the other.

"Sequence 0 - Hermit," read Arthur.

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, Marcus had sent him to the world of Lord of the Mysteries.

Well, as he said there's no point in regretting.