Bab 2: Surprising Visit

Vincent lay in his bed, listening to the sounds of footsteps outside his room. It was a sound he had heard many times before, but tonight it was different.

The footsteps grew louder, more insistent and he couldn't ignore them any longer. He slowly got out of bed, his heart racing in his chest as he approached the door.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay on the other side. And then, with a sudden burst of courage, he threw open the door.

"What are you doing here ?" He screamed.

But there was no one there.

The hallway was empty, and the only sounds were the echoes of his own breathing. He let out a sigh of relief, realizing that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him after all.

He spun around, his heart pounding in his chest, as he thought he heard a noise. But when he looked down, he saw a small envelope.

He knelt down to pick it up, his hands shaking with a mixture of excitement and fear. He tore open the envelope, revealing a simple piece of paper with three words written in bold, black ink:

"Go to Rome."

He was stunned. What could this mean? Who would send him such a cryptic message, and why? He felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized that someone was trying to play a prank on him.

"Is Nathan behind this again?"He whispered to himself,

He remembered Nathan, his best friend, who was captivated by all things supernatural. He was obsessed with tales of vampires and werewolves, and although it seemed childish for someone their age, Vincent couldn't deny his friend's enthusiastic spirit.

"Nathan, come out." Vincent's voice was tinged with annoyance as he called out, He impatiently shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his arms crossed over his chest.

He knew that Nathan was just playing a joke on him, but at this early hour, it was not appreciated. The prank was becoming more of an annoyance than a source of amusement.

"Nathan stop playing with me "His voice echoed through the empty halls, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of his mischievous friend. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he couldn't ignore the nagging suspicion that Nathan was simply trying to scare him.

Finally, he heard a faint shuffling noise and spotted a figure peeking out from around the corner.

"Nathan, what are you up to this time?" he called out, his annoyance melting away.

He approached the figure, his steps slow and cautious. But as he drew closer, he realized that the figure was completely silent. No sound came from it, no movement, no sign of life. He reached out a hand, still fully convinced that this was just another one of Nathan's pranks.

But as his hand brushed against the figure, it suddenly fell to the ground with a heavy thud. His eyes went wide in shock as he realized that this was not Nathan, but something else entirely.

He took a step back, his eyes briefly widening in surprise, but then he quickly composed himself and let out a small laugh, trying to hide the fear that was starting to grip him. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to act casual even though his heart was pounding in his chest.

"Well, this is unexpected," he said with a shrug, his tone light and nonchalant. Despite his efforts to appear unfazed, the fear was still there, lurking just below the surface.

"Gotcha!" Nathan exclaimed, slapping Vincent on the back. "You should have seen the look on your face, man. Classic!"

"You're lucky I have a sense of humor," Vincent said, pretending to be annoyed.

"I know, I know. But where's the fun in always being serious?"Nathan grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischievous delight.

Vincent chuckled, shrugging. He couldn't argue with that. Nathan always brought a sense of excitement and playfulness to his life, and for that, he was grateful.

"Okay, okay, You win this round. But next time, I'll be ready." Vincent said.

"I wouldn't expect anything less."Nathan grinned, already planning his next prank.

"Why are you here?" Vincent's eyebrows rose with curiosity as he asked his friend.

His best friend had a friendly, easy-going demeanor, his smile always ready and his blue eyes sparkling with humor. His blond hair was styled in a messy, effortless manner, and he stood tall with a broad-shouldered build. He was the picture of a casual, laid-back guy, with a warm and welcoming aura that put others at ease.

Nathan's grin grew wider as if he held a secret too delicious to keep.

"Oh, I just thought I'd come and see what my best friend was up to so early in the morning,"

"Can't a guy check in on his buddy?"Nathan said, his tone light and teasing.

Vincent rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile at Nathan's antics.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure that's all it is," he said.

"So, what's really going on?"

Nathan leaned with an excited glint in his eye.

"Well, if you really must know... I've heard whispers in the wind, rumors carried on the morning breeze. They say that something magical is about to happen, something that could change the course of our lives forever."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. Nathan was always one for drama, but there was something in his tone that made him think he wasn't entirely joking this time.

"What kind of magic?" he asked, intrigued by his friend's weird way of talking.

"That, my friend, remains to be seen. But I have a feeling that it's going to be a wild ride."Nathan simply smiled enigmatically, his gaze distant.

"Where are we going?" Vincent arched a brow in query.

"To Rome," Nathan answered, his eyes alight with excitement.

"Where the magic and mystery of the ancient world await us." He smiled as if they were embarking on a grand adventure.

Vincent stared at Nathan, disbelief etched on his face.

"Are you out of your mind? I have to finish my thesis by next semester," he exclaimed, frustration building in his voice.

Nathan simply smiled, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Don't worry about it, it's just a thesis," he said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Just a thesis? "Did you forget what's at stake here?"Vincent's eyes narrowed, his tone growing serious

"Did you forget who I am?."Nathan chuckled, with a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"No way," Vincent shook his head, his expression one of bemusement mixed with disbelief.

"Yes, way," Nathan said, a sly grin on his face.

Nathan let out a hearty chuckle. "Don't worry about your thesis, my family donates millions to the university every year. I already spoke to your professor, so we're good to go." He gestured towards the door.

Nathan's reminder of his family's wealth hit Vincent like a ton of bricks. He forgot that Nathan was none other than Nathan Wayne, the son of one of the richest men in New York.

Suddenly, postponing his thesis paper seemed like a minor inconvenience, a mere blip on the radar of the Wayne family's vast wealth and influence.

"I'm not ready yet." Vincent hesitated, his words reflecting his uncertainty.

"Don't worry about it, just bring your laptop with you, and we are all good to go," Nathan insisted.

"After all, why waste such a beautiful day stuck inside when we can see the world and make memories to last a lifetime? "All you need is your laptop, and we're good to go," he added.

With a reluctant smile, he gathered his things and followed Nathan out the door, ready to see where this wild ride would take them.