The door of the Divine Library was sprawling, a monolith of ancient silverwood and marble that seemed to hum with the weight of a million secrets. It was designed with intricate engravings of blooming lilies intertwined with open books, their pages appearing to flutter if you stared at them too long.
Not only was it tall, but it was also incredibly wide. It would have taken at least two grown men just to heave open one side of the double doors. It was actually inside the very same palace were I was living.
"So, this is the Divine Library?"
I muttered the question to myself, a little amazed by the craftsmanship. I hadn't even reached for the handle when a shadow draped over me.
"Yeah," a familiar, sharp voice drifted from my left. "It is. But what exactly do you want from here, Rio?"
Standing there, leaning against a pillar with her arms crossed, was Elena. She had been "coincidentally" crossing the hall the moment I left Alvis's solar.
I tried not to linger or strike up a conversation, but the moment my eyes met hers, she started peppering me with questions. Why was I coming out of Alvis's room? Where was I going?
In a way, it was for the best. I actually hadn't known the way to the library, so I'd ended up asking her. But as we walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that her being there wasn't a coincidence. She was definitely following me.
"I just... wanted to do some light reading," I replied, trying to sound casual. "Expand my knowledge. You know, since I am a 'simple mind' and all that."
Elena's crimson eyes narrowed, scanning me from my messy hair down to my shaking legs. She didn't look convinced. "You just came from Alvis's room. There is no knowledge in this library that he doesn't already know."
She stepped closer, the faint scent of ozone and burnt embers following her like a physical weight. "He knows every single thing that lies in here. So, I doubt you only came for 'light reading.' You never did that before. You usually prefer to spend your mornings in a stupor."
Elena stared at me for a long beat. For the first time, her gaze didn't hold just murderous intent; it held a flicker of genuine curiosity.
"You're thinking too much lately, Rio. That doesn't suit you."
She reached out, her hand surprisingly heavy as she pushed one of the massive doors open for me. The hinges didn't creak; they breathed, a low, airy sound that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Whatever, let's go in. I have things to do, so I will leave you," she said, her voice dropping to a warning tone. "But be careful. The Librarian isn't fond of visitors, especially ones who carry the scent of demon blood like yours."
With that cryptic parting gift, she turned and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway. I took a deep breath and stepped inside, my gaze shifting to the interior of the "Divine Library."
I had expected rows of wooden shelves lined with heavy, dust-covered tomes. I expected ladders, reading tables, and the smell of old parchment.
But that wasn't the case at all.
There wasn't a single book. No tables, no chairs, none of the things a library should have.
There was nothing but empty space.
The room was a massive, circular cathedral of white stone, stretching so high that the ceiling was lost in a hazy, golden mist. The floor was polished to a mirror sheen, reflecting the nothingness back at me. It felt less like a room and more like the inside of a giant, bleached skull.
'Did we take a wrong turn? This... isn't Library.'
I took a few steps forward, the sound of my boots echoing unnervingly long in the silence.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice sounding small. "Is anyone here?"
There was no response. Nor any sound that replied.
"I'm looking for the Librarian."
As soon as the word 'Librarian' left my mouth, the air in the center of the room began to ripple. It looked like heat rising off a road in the middle of a Pakistani summer. Suddenly, a single drop of ink fell from the ceiling—except there was no ceiling.
It hit the floor with a loud 'drip.'
From that one spot, black ink began to bleed across the white floor, forming shapes, letters, and finally, a figure. It rose from the ground like a shadow coming to life.
[The Librarian
Age: ???
Status: Bound to the Divine Ink]
"A son of Aragon," a voice rasped, appearing from all directions at once. "And yet... you smell of the Abyss. You're early, little prince. Your mother didn't expect you to find this place for another year."
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine and I felt as if my heart was being crushed by some invisible weight and my breathing became really heavy.