The vast chamber of the Apeiro Vivliothiki was utterly silent, save for the gentle hum of floating scriptures gliding through the air. Towering shelves stretched endlessly in every direction, their surfaces inscribed with shifting golden runes that flickered like distant stars. The air was thick with the scent of aged parchment and the faint crackle of temporal energy embedded within the texts. Saphielle stood at a long marble table, her elegant fingers gliding across the delicate pages of an ancient tome, eyes sharp with focus. The glow of suspended lanterns bathed her golden hair in warm light, but her expression remained cold, calculating.
Across from her, one of the books from a large uneven pile suddenly fell to the table, the sound almost deafening in the stillness. It hardly bothered Saphielle, as when she was engrossed in work almost nothing could faze her. I have my doubts, but I'll leave the rest to you. Selara's words echoed in her mind. Even though Saphielle didn't show anything on the outside, her mind was in a deep turmoil. Selara had just left the library a few moment ago, leaving Saphielle alone, the only company she had were the piles of books and scriptures around her.
Now alone, Saphielle exhaled, rolling her shoulders back before methodically spreading several scriptures across the table. She always worked best when left alone, when nobody was there to distract her from her work. The luminescent ink pulsed beneath her fingertips, forming ancient symbols that twisted and shifted as they fell into place, revealing the contents hidden away from ordinary eyes. "Let's see.....ah! here we are, history of the Nightshades" she murmured, her voice barely a breath above silence. She began with the most direct method of verification. "Members of the Legendary Nightshade Bloodline are born with a mark upon their wrist: a series of interlocking patterns resembling an hourglass." Saphielle's piercing sapphire gaze darkened slightly as she recalled the only time she had caught of Kai's bare arms, when he was first brought to the castle. No such symbol was marred his skin. If he truly carried the blood of the Primordial Nightshades, the mark would be there, unmistakable and absolute.
She pursed her lips. "Negative conclusion." she muttered to herself. She swiped her index and middle fingers on the paper to her right, scribbling a quick note on the ethereal parchment floating right at the perfect level for her hand, the ink appearing as lines of glowing script that twisted in response to her thoughts. Her eyes flicked to the next scripture, detailing another undeniable trait. "Keepers of the Nightshade Bloodline wield dark purple temporal energy, a result of its extreme density and raw potency." she continued. Saphielle exhaled through her nose, annoyance creeping onto her. Kai's temporal aura was bright azure, a stark contrast to the deep violet of the Nightshade warriors. Even at his strongest during his battle against Selara, his energy lacked the almost gravitational weight possessed by those of the Primordial lineage.
Her fingers curled slightly against the edge of the book. "Another negative.....damn it" A flicker of irritation passed over her usually composed features. She had thought, perhaps, that his unusual manifestation of Hex could be an exception, a sign of deeper lineage.....but no. The evidence was stacking against the possibility. Her wings shifted slightly, feathers rustling as she turned to the next passage. The next trait was one that not even the most skilled warriors could fake. "A Primordial Bloodline Keeper possesses an almost infinite wellspring of temporal energy. They do not exhaust their reserves." Saphielle's jaw tightened. Impossible. She had been watched Kai's sparring match with Selara with the help of the Monolith. She had witnessed the moment his energy ran out, forcing him to be in a state of complete exhaustion, barely able to stand and let alone fight. The memory played in her mind, crisp and undeniable.
She tossed the book on the table with a sharp flick of her wrist, her patience wearing thin. "Three failed confirmations...fantastic" she said to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose At this point, she should have abandoned the theory entirely. The Nightshade bloodline was mythical, the most powerful of the three primordial bloodlines. Its members were than the most powerful warriors that were unlike anything ever seen across the planes of reality and the world beyond. It was ridiculous to think that some newcomer, a mortal-turned-Keeper, could hold such a heritage. And yet....
She turned and looked down at the final passage, her fingers lingering over the ancient ink. Saphielle hesitated. This final trait was the most elusive, the most difficult to measure. Warriors of the Nightshade bloodline were said to have an innate hunger for combat, a primal bloodlust woven into their very existence. While most managed to control it, a few unfortunate souls succumbed to it's corruption. It was the price to pay for the overwhelming power gifted to the descendants. Her mind drifted to Lorith's report on Kai. She had not been present during their training, but Lorith had mentioned to Selara that something unusual had happened to Kai during their sparring session. The way Kai fought when he was pushed to his limits. The sudden sharpness and deadly precision in his movements. The almost subconscious aggression buried beneath his strikes.
A slow chill ran down her spine. This wasn't definitive proof, but....She tapped her fingers against the marble surface, deep in thought. She could not confirm nor deny it yet. The evidence against his lineage was overwhelming, but there was something, something was off about Kai. His weapon, his unnatural instincts, the way he fought....Saphielle exhaled and leaned back, her wings stretching slightly before folding neatly again. She had much more work to do. If Kai truly bore even the faintest trace of primordial heritage, she would uncover it. One way or another.
She was immersed deeply in her thoughts, when suddenly the towering double doors to the Vivliothiki suddenly burst open, crashing against the marble walls with a thunderous boom. The force sent a ripple through the air, causing countless floating scriptures to tremble and shift in response. The explosion of sound echoed across the chamber, breaking the fragile stillness that had settled around Saphielle. However, she did not flinch. Instead, she exhaled sharply through her nose, her sapphire gaze snapping toward the entrance with a look of pure, unfiltered annoyance. Through the open doorway, Zyren strode in with his usual smug demeanor, his gait relaxed, yet undeniably commanding. His scarlet ember-like eyes flickered with amusement as they swept across the endless library, lingering briefly on the scattered tomes and floating pages before finally settling on Saphielle.
Saphielle folded her arms, her pristine white wings shifting slightly in irritation. "Zyren," she said coldly. "Do you possess even the slightest concept of decorum, or is this your attempt at making an entrance worthy of a fool?" Zyren smirked, entirely unfazed by her glare. He walked toward her with an almost lazy grace, his silver hair flowing like liquid mercury beneath the library's golden light. "Oh, come on, Saphielle," he said, his voice laced with his usual teasing lilt. "I was expecting a 'welcome, great and mighty Zyren, how may I serve your infinite wisdom today?'" Saphielle's frown deepened, her fingers tightening against the marble table.
"Perhaps you misheard," she replied, her voice dripping with disdain. "What I meant to say was, get out." Zyren chuckled, clapping slowly as he leaned slightly against one of the towering bookshelves. "Oh my dear Saph, why must you hurt me so," he said, placing a dramatic hand over his chest. "Truly. But I'll stay....since, I have actual business here." Saphielle was half a breath away from throwing an arcane scripture at his head when she noticed something shift in Zyren's demeanor. The teasing glint in his ember eyes dimmed, his ever-present smirk fading into a thoughtful frown. His next words came out quiet, but firm. "Did you find anything? about Kai that is...."
The sudden shift in his tone made Saphielle pause. She studied him for a moment before exhaling, brushing a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. "I've ruled out nearly everything," she said, voice clipped with frustration. "Kai does not bear the Nightshade sigil. His temporal energy lacks the density of a Primordial Bloodline warrior. He does not possess limitless reserves, I've seen him exhausted firsthand. The only thing of note is...." She hesitated, recalling Lorith's words. "The way he fights," Zyren guessed, his eyes narrowing. Saphielle nodded. "Lorith mentioned something about his aggression, about how Kai's combat instincts change when pushed to the limit. It isn't enough to confirm anything, but it is nonetheless.....an anomaly." Zyren was silent for a moment, his ember-like gaze flickering as he processed her words. Then, with a short exhale, he stepped away from the bookshelf, his expression unreadable.
"I'll be looking through the archives as well," he said. Saphielle blinked. "Since when were you one for research?" she asked dryly. Zyren shot her a sidelong glance, his smirk returning for only a brief second before it faded again. "There's something that's been bothering me about Kai," he admitted. "Something I can't put my finger on. And I, for one, don't like unanswered questions." Saphielle narrowed her eyes slightly. Zyren was many things, but rarely did he drop his laid-back facade like this. If he was concerned enough to dig through historical records, then something was seriously amiss. Before she could press further, however-
An alarm shattered the silence. A deep, resonant wail filled the chamber, sending shockwaves through the air. The runes across the shelves flickered erratically, and the floating texts trembled as the warning pulsed through the Vivliothiki. Saphielle and Zyren snapped their heads up at the same time. The sound was unmistakable. It was the alarm signaling them that Leviathan was attempting to breach into the planes of reality reality.