Just as one era ends, another begins.

On December 22, K-pop powerhouse Ateez released the prologue for their highly-anticipated comeback SPIN OFF: FROM THE WITNESS. It promises not only to continue the lore of their previous comeback THE WORLD EP1: MOVEMENT and its title track “Guerrilla,” but the lore begun from their 2019 release TREASURE EP2: Zero to One and its title track “HALA HALA (Hearts Awakened, Live Alive).”

The lore surrounds a group of dark mirror versions of the Ateez members, known to fans as “Halateez,” clad in black clothes, masks and wide-brimmed hats. According to Suzy Gardner for Koreaboo, these characters “exist in a different dimension from ATEEZ, who exist in the real world.”

“The dimension that ‘Halateez’ is from is a dystopian society where feelings are prohibited and the government bans music,” Gardner wrote. “Through a time and dimension traveling hourglass, ‘Halateez’ can evade their government and put on music performances to remind their society what emotions are. ATEEZ’s lore essentially suggests that ‘Halateez’ are captured, and ATEEZ likely is trying to rescue them.”

Based on this latest teaser, it looks like the plot is about to thicken considerably. The video features a scarecrow-like effigy of one of the members of ‘Halateez’ between clips from previous music videos and members in various scenes of distress. A particularly interesting scene is of Seonghwa, who is stood in front of the effigy holding his arms out as he seems to blink in and out of reality.

Most intriguing is the titular prologue itself, which is interspersed through text at the bottom of the screen. Not only have “the people lost emotion,” but they have despaired as the world “lost gravity” itself.

“People did nothing but wait for ‘them’ to return,” the prologue continued. “All the while knowing that ‘they’ would never appear again. Amidst the desolated hope the great sound of a bell resonated through the air and a new Eight made their appearance.”

Could the ‘new Eight’ be referring to Ateez, Halateez or a third, yet-to-be revealed syndicate? What exactly did The Witness see? Until the album is released on December 30, fans can only speculate.

Are you looking forward to Ateez’s comeback? Check out the full video for “SPIN OFF: FROM THE WITNESS Prologue” below!