1 Something Stirring...

The occult club was the last place Han Nook thought he'd fit into at college. The "club" as it had been called was scarcely made up of four members including Han, of which one of them failed to appear at most club get-togethers.

Just arriving, Han silently headed to his secluded seat in the corner of the clubroom and sipped his can of off-brand coffee while the other two members were eagerly chatting with each other about some sort of occultic nonsense that Han didn't really care-about. The two were often like this, ranting on and on about the "spiritual world" and "things that lied beyond the illusion of reality". To be honest, Han didn't believe in any of it. But then again, he didn't join the occult club to learn about the occult.

Putting his drink down, Han pulled out a pile of books from within his own bookbag as he got to studying. By this time, he had already been a member of the club for 3 months already and had learned to tune-out the other eccentric members in the clubroom. Flipping through his collection, Han was thinking about what subjects he should study first, debating whether or not to study up calculus or physics.

This was everyday life for Han. He'd wake up, get ready, head to college, and then be forced to head to his club. And rather than spending that club time performing club activities or getting to know the other members, Han opted to study most of the time. Han sighed in defeat thinking back at the furious expression his counselor gave him and her long-winded rant on how Han needed to socialize more as she forced him to sign up for a club.

[Han] (Please. As if I needed an excuse to go talk to people. If I wanted to talk to people, then I'd just do it on the internet. What's the point of having to deal with people face-to-face?)

A tap on his shoulder redirected his attention and he was greeted to the sight of the other two club members standing in front of him. One was a older-ish male college student with an afro and black slacks, the self-designated "Leader" of the club. The other was a younger-looking female student with long blonde hair and an excited look in her emerald eyes, the "Occult Fanatic" as Han dubbed her. To be honest, Han didn't really memorize their names. They felt more like shallow acquaintances rather than anything else and he had so far managed to get away with not needing to memorize their names.

[Leader] "Yo, Han! Me and Mei were just chatting, and we're thinking about exploring this cursed apartment complex just outside of town. Are you coming?"

He could see the Fanatic excitedly waiting for his answer beside the club leader as she idly fidgeted around. Unwilling forced to participate in all club activities by his counselor, Han forced his best smile as he responded.

[Han] "Of course. I wouldn't miss it even if the world was ending."

The other two looked at each other excitedly as they shared a high-five and went on to tell Han about where they'd meet up, what time, etc. All the while, Han could do nothing but sit there with a forced smile and wait for the two to finally settle down.

[Han] (Damn these two. No, make that three. That counselor bitch turns the group from a pair of annoyances into a trio.)

Pretending that he was paying attention, Han pulled out his phone while the two continue their tirade.

4:11pm

Han had arrived at 3:59. The club normally ends at 5:30.

[Han] *Sighs* (Goddammit...)

...

..

.

Groggily walking up to his apartment door, Han had an agitated look in his eyes after having to sit through the two's endless stream of chatter and being unable to get any of his studying done.

[Han] *Grumbling* "I swear, those fucking two..."

Then he noticed the package sitting in front of his door and bent down to inspect it. The box was about the size of a briefcase, with no other outstanding features besides the address label on the side:

To: Han Nook

From: Junta Nook (and Holly Too ★ ( ´ ▽ ` )b)

The last part of the label was written on hastily in permanent marker and with his mother's signature old-school emoticon doodle at the end. Han let out a small chuckle as he imagined his mom scribbling little doodles and emoticons on anything she had to sign. Although, knowing his mother, that might not be too far from the truth.

Han took the box into his apartment and set down his backpack before opening the box his parents had mailed him. Inside was only a single object, a worn-out looking book with leather covers and a solid metal lock attached to it that keeps the book shut with a large leather strap. In other words, it looked exactly like any other stereotypical fantasy spellbook or grimoire.

[Han] "Again with this...? I seriously don't need this thing dad..."

His father was always pestering him to take up the family business of running their antiques shop, but Han had always refused doing so. Han just wanted to live a normal life and didn't really want to inherit his father's strange shop in the middle of nowhere. As such, he had moved out and headed to the manmade island of Erusia to attend college there and hopefully live out a normal and peaceful life.

[Han] "Well, whatever. Maybe I can sell this off to one of the occult members? It could probably fetch a lot of money if I sell it right..."

Tossing the book aside, Han plopped onto his bed as he stifled a yawn. Staring up at the ceiling, Han got lost in his thoughts as he though about how much he'd have to pay for the rent on Monday, what food he should stock up on, and what he really wanted to do in future. All of which, he didn't really have an answer to, which was a slight problem considering rent was due in 3 days and he had forgotten to pay last time.

Eventually, sleep caught up to him and he closed his eyes. His consciousness slowly grew hazy until he finally entered a deep dreamless sleep...

---

Mei was unsure why she had such a fascination with the occult. In fact, she didn't remember having any interest in it before she entered college. And yet she constantly finds herself browsing the web looking for info on cults, rituals, deities, and more. Thinking back, the first time she grew interested in the occult was when she was passing by the apartment that they would be exploring much earlier in the school year. She couldn't help but feel that something was off though...

[BEING TOO TIRED TO REALLY THINK FURTHER INTO IT], Mei shrugged it off as she gathered things for their exploration trip tomorrow. [SHE BETTER BRING A WEAPON JUST IN CASE]. After all, who knows what might be there right? And of course she had to bring her [ROPE AND TOOLBOX]... just in case?

There was something in the back of Mei's mind that felt... off. But she couldn't figure out what. [SO INSTEAD, SHE SHOULD GET READY FOR THE TRIP RATHER THAN THINKING AOUT IT]. She couldn't wait to explore the apartment. It looked like the perfect place [TO HOLD A RITUAL] or [SACRIFICE ONE'S SELF TO █████].

Smiling, she finished packing all of her stuff and got ready for bed. All the while being excited to be exploring the apartment and [FINALLY MEETING █████, HER GOD.]

[SHE WILL FINALLY AWAKEN TO THE JOJYS OF SERVING █████.]

[SHE WILL GIVE HER ENTIRE BEING TO █████.]

[█████ WILL FINALLY HAVE A FOOTHOLD IN THIS INSIGNIFICANT WORLD]

[ASRT'ED'NULK]

[Mei] "ASRT'ED'NULK."

And then she slept, he dreams polluted by shadows and horrors which transformed them into nightmares.