As morning arrived, the soft orange glow of the sun barely peeked over the horizon. Arthur stepped into the room, stretching his arms before walking over to Adam, who was still curled up and sleeping.
"Alright, time to get up," Arthur said, nudging him.
Adam groaned, pulling the blanket over his head. "Five more minutes.."
Arthur narrowed his eyes with a smirk. "Nope, not today." Without warning, he grabbed Adam by the feet and began dragging him right out of bed.
"H-Hey!" Adam yelped, kicking. "Okay, okay! I'm up!" Arthur set him down with a chuckle and handed him a dark cloak.
"Put this on. You're gonna need it."
Arthur wore a similar cloak, pulling up the hood before slipping on a mysterious mask that hid most of his face. Once they were both ready, they made their way toward the kingdom gates. The streets were mostly empty, bathed in the stillness of early dawn.
As they approached the gates, two guards stood blocking the path. One squinted at them.
"What are you two doing here this early? And what's with the mask?"
Arthur kept his posture relaxed and came up with a quick excuse. "This mask.. it's cursed. I'm trying to get it removed."
The guards exchanged skeptical glances. One of them raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."
Arthur silently reached up, pulled down his hood, and tightened the straps of the mask, making sure it was stuck firmly in place. The first guard stepped forward and gave it a good tug. It didn't budge.
"Huh.. that really is stuck."
The second guard gave it a try, pulling even harder. Arthur flinched as he felt the mask begin to loosen, and both he and Adam quickly shouted, "Wait!"
The guard stopped, startled.
"You would've ripped my whole face off!" Arthur snapped.
Adam nodded, adding, "I'm here to help him get it removed. That's all."
The guards, now understanding, backed off and opened the gate. "Alright.. sorry about that. Go ahead."
As they stepped through, Arthur rubbed his face with a sigh. "I'm surprised it held that long.."
As they stepped through the gates, the city stretched out before them, still cloaked in the gentle quiet of early morning. The soft golden rays of sunlight began to pour between the tall buildings, casting long shadows over the cobbled streets. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of fresh bread and blooming flowers.
The buildings on either side were a mix of stone and wood, with sloped rooftops covered in moss and ivy. Some homes had little flower boxes hanging under the windowsills, with delicate blue and purple blossoms slowly opening to the morning light. Thin streams of smoke drifted from a few chimneys, hinting that early risers were already preparing breakfast inside.
Shops lined the streets here and there, their wooden signs creaking gently in the breeze. One read Marion's Enchanted Wares, another The Silver Mystics, and a smaller one tucked between them simply said Books & Charms. Most of the shops still had their shutters closed, but a few flickers of light peeked through the cracks, and the soft clang of a blacksmith's hammer echoed in the distance.
Adam slowed down to take it all in, eyes wide. "It's so beautiful here!"
Arthur glanced around with a soft smile. "It really is. Peaceful, too.. for now."
They passed a narrow alleyway where a small group of cats lounged lazily, one stretching its paws while another chased a fluttering leaf. On the far side of the street, an old man slowly swept his doorstep with a straw broom, nodding quietly as they passed. They walked deeper into the quiet kingdom. Adam looked around, eyes wide. "Wow.. there's barely anyone out here."
Arthur glanced at him. "Well yeah. We left early, remember?"
A few minutes passed until Arthur spotted a tall beautiful structure in the distance. "Adam, look! I think that's it!"
He grabbed Adam's hand and picked up the pace, rushing toward the large building. But before they could reach the entrance, a massive figure walked by, casting a long shadow over them.
It was a towering golem, shaped like a knight, with thick armor and a small glowing blue gem on its forehead. Its white eyes glowed softly as it moved with heavy yet graceful steps.
"Whoa.." Adam whispered. "What are those?!"
Arthur kept walking but explained, "Knight golems. They guard the kingdom during early hours and protect the people."
Adam stood frozen, admiring its elegant armor and quiet power.
"Come on, Adam!" Arthur called. "If you're that curious, you'll find plenty about them in here!"
They opened the 2 huge wooden doors and as they stepped into the library. A calm silence blanketed the air, only broken by the faint rustling of pages. Towering bookshelves reached toward the high ceiling, filled with ancient tomes and texts from the past and present.
Adam wandered in awe. "This place is huge.."
Suddenly, he heard something fluttering above. He looked up and saw something flying overhead.
Arthur smiled. "Wondering what that noise is?"
Adam blinked. "Yeah.."
"They're books."
Adam furrowed his brows. "Wait.. books?"
He stared harder, then his eyes widened as he realized the flying shapes were books, flapping gently as they organized themselves on the shelves.
A voice echoed from a nearby hallway. "Hello?"
Adam turned to the source. A tall man with a book in his hand stepped out from one of the bookshelf aisles, his eyes landing on the pair.
"Ah, visitors! Now what may I be in service for you and your friend over he-" He suddenly paused, squinting. "Arthur? Is that you?!"
Arthur froze. "Uhh.. no?"
The man flicked his fingers, instantly removing Arthur's mask and hood with a shimmer of magic. "Ah-ha! It is you!"
Arthur groaned. "How did you know?"
"Because, Arthur.. no one else is that tall and buff. You're almost as tall as me," the man said with a smirk.
Arthur scratched the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "Well.. I brought a friend of mine. He needs help with a weird language he's trying to decode. Or something like that.."
The librarian's curiosity perked up. "Oh really now?"
He turned around and glided toward a massive shelf filled with ancient dictionaries. "What's your name, son?"
Adam stepped forward. "It's Adam."
"Nice name. And your age?"
Adam hesitated, glancing at Arthur, who looked just as confused. "I'm 17."
"Ahh, almost an adult then. Now, Adam, describe the language you're trying to learn. If you don't know the name, write down the words you saw."
Adam looked around for a pencil or paper, but before he could even ask, the librarian pointed at him, and a paper and pencil appeared in Adam's hands.
"Woah.. uh, thank you!"
"You're welcome, my son. Now please, write."
Adam nodded and began jotting down what he remembered from the screen: Kaerai shou'renak.
He handed it over. The librarian's brow furrowed as he inspected the strange text. Curious, he floated up and began pulling books off shelves. The books fluttered open and flipped through pages on their own, searching.
Adam watched in awe. Not only were the books flying, but the librarian himself glided gracefully across the air, scanning and commanding each book with precision.
Then finally, he stopped. He pulled out a dusty, deep red tome with golden inscriptions. With a quick spin of his hand, the dust vanished, and he opened the book.
"Aha.. got it!"
He floated down, landing beside them and holding out the book.
"This is The Hethra Ancient Dictionary."
Arthur raised a brow. "That sounds old.."
"It is old," the librarian replied. This," he said with a warm tone, "is The Hethra Ancient Dictionary. This book is over fifty thousand years old."
Adam's eyes widened. "Fifty thousand?!"
The librarian gave a soft chuckle. "Yes indeed. And I should know... I was born not long after it was written. I'm nearly half its age, give or take a few centuries."
Adam looked at him with disbelief. "But you look like you're in your twenties.!"
"Why thank you!" the librarian said, genuinely flattered and began to smile. "Magic has its perks, my boy." After Lucian placed the book down on the table, he flew back up into the air with a sudden burst of energy. "Now hold on! We can't open it without this!" he said with a grin, as he retrieved a small, orange glowing gem from his pocket. He placed it gently in the center of the front cover of the book. The gem pulsed, and the book's cover opened with a soft, magical click.
Adam leaned in, eager to see what was inside. But when the pages of the book opened, he was immediately puzzled. It seemed.. empty? There were no words on the pages. He blinked, unsure of what was happening, until the glow from the gem illuminated the pages. Slowly, words began to appear, glowing faintly and seemingly writing themselves as if the book was alive. Adam's eyes widened in surprise and awe as the ancient text appeared, filling the pages with knowledge about the language he was seeking.
"Whoa..." Adam whispered, his voice filled with excitement. "It's... writing itself! How is this even happening?!"
Lucian smiled down at him. "Quite the magical thing, isn't it?" He continued watching Adam, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Adam turned back to the book, his fingers hovering over the glowing words.
Lucian chuckled as he floated down to the floor, adjusting his robes. "Oh! I never introduced myself, did I?" He smiled warmly, his voice light and friendly. "My name is Lucian Drakos, but you may call me Luc for short." He extended a hand with a smile.
Adam, still in awe of the magic happening before him, smiled back. "Oh, okay! Thanks, Luc!" he said, shaking Lucian's hand.
Lucian nodded and said, "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'll be downstairs organizing my books!." He gestured to a door down a hallway and left the room, disappearing into the depths of the library.
Adam turned back to the book, feeling the weight of the mystery growing as he carefully examined each page. And arthur who has been standing next to him, began to stare at the book with confusion.
"Hm.. Not sure where to start on this book, Adam. You should know more about this than I do," Arthur said, scratching his head. "I'll let you handle it. I'll go explore a bit. Don't worry, I'll keep myself busy." He gave Adam a playful nudge on his shoulder, then walked off, eager to look around the library.
Adam nodded and began flipping through the pages of the book, which continued to glow as the words appeared before him. As he looked at the text, his system quietly began translating it. He could see the words shift from one language to another, becoming more familiar to him.
Then, something strange happened. As Adam was studying the pages, the language "Kaerai shou'renak" appeared in glowing letters. He was still processing the strange script when his system prompted him to translate it, which he began to do slowly. However, before he could look around for some paper and a pencil, a pencil bounced onto the table in front of him, followed by a piece of paper that floated down beside it.
"Thanks, Luc," Adam muttered with a chuckle, quickly grabbing the pencil. He scribbled down the translation, but as he wrote, something even more incredible began to happen. The words on his system began to glow brighter, almost as if they were alive, and then the letters shifted.
Before Adam's eyes, "Kaerai shou'renak" transformed into a new phrase: The Silent Warden. As the translation continued to adjust, the system generated a description of this place, showing Adam a new layer of information.
"The Temple of Eldir lies beyond time, its gates sealed, awaiting the chosen one. Only the successor of Luros, the Sovereign of Power, can unlock them with the Ring. Guarding the way is the Silent Warden, a towering iron sentinel, allowing only Luros' chosen to pass. The ancient code will guide the way, but only the power of Luros' chosen can break the Warden's silence and unlock the temple's gate."
Adam quickly wrote everything down on the paper and then stood up, deciding it was time to find Arthur. He walked through the library, passing towering bookshelves and occasionally glancing at the flying books that fluttered around him. It was a strange and awe-inspiring sight.
After a few minutes of searching, Adam found Arthur casually munching on a donut at one of the library's many tables. Adam's stomach rumbled at the sight, and he grinned. "Wow! I want one! Where did you get that?!" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Arthur looked up with his mouth full, smiling around the donut. "This guy makes them! You only need one copper coin, and he'll whip you up something nice. I've got a whole bag of them, I'm pretty broke at the moment, but the guy takes coins like these and makes you food!"
Arthur tossed Adam a copper coin. "Go ahead, Adam. Try it out!"
Adam looked up at the sign next to the table, which displayed a variety of flavors like strawberry, blueberry, and more. Before he could ask, a wooden puppet, it moved rather lifelike, and it appeared from behind the counter. It made a beeline for Adam and, without a word, stared up at him with bright white eyes.
"Uhm, I'll take the strawberry one, please," Adam said, still a bit stunned by the puppet's sudden appearance.
The puppet nodded and took the coin from Adam's hand. In the blink of an eye, it vanished behind the counter and began preparing the donut with incredible speed. A moment later, the puppet returned, holding the finished donut on a plate, complete with a folded napkin shaped like a flower, all under a minute.
Adam's jaw dropped at how quickly the puppet had worked. "This place is amazing," he muttered to himself, accepting the donut with a smile.
Arthur was nodding, clearly enjoying Adam's awe. "Right? I missed this place," he said, a nostalgic smile spreading across his face.
Adam took a bite of the donut and chewed thoughtfully. "Wow, this is delicious!" he said, before looking up at Arthur with curiosity. "Wait, you've been here before?"
Arthur chuckled. "Yeah, I used to come here all the time when I was a knight. That's why Luc knew who I was. He and I go way back. As he took the last bite of his donut* Oh and also what were you going to ask me?
OH! thank you for reminding me!. He handed Arthur the paper with the written version of the ancient text.
Arthur read it, his expression changing as he read. "Huh, this is pretty interesting," he murmured. "Actually, I think I've heard of this place before. I'm pretty sure there's a book on it somewhere around here."
Adam's eyes lit up, excitement clearly building within him. "Where should we look? Or should we ask Luc about this?"
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, we should probably try asking Luc. He's bound to know something about it."
With that, they both made their way down the hallway where Luc had gone. They entered the room Luc had left through, and as they stepped inside, they found themselves facing a large set of wooden stairs.
The stairs spiraled downward, and it took them several minutes to reach the second level beneath. The door at the bottom opened to reveal a much bigger room.
And there, flying around the room, was Luc. He was effortlessly organizing an entire bookshelf, the wooden shelves floating into place with a mere gesture of his hand.
As Adam and Arthur watched in awe, more bookshelves larger ones than what they'd seen upstairs floated into position, seemingly guided by Luc's magic. It was clear that Luc was moving these giant pieces of furniture with ease, and both Adam and Arthur we're too surprised to say anything.
Adam blinked, still frozen in surprise, then suddenly turned and ran back upstairs. He paused, glancing around the smaller upper room before hurrying back down, his eyes darting back and forth between the two floors. It didn't make sense how could the room below be so much bigger than the one above?
As he and Arthur stepped deeper into the lower chamber, Luc finally noticed their presence. He gently floated down, placing the last bookshelf into position with a soft hum of magic. "Ah, welcome!" he said warmly, brushing his robe as he landed. "Is there something you need help with?"
The sound of his voice snapped them both out of their awe. Luc walked up to them, and Adam quickly pulled out the folded paper he had written on earlier.
"Oh, right here!" Adam said, stepping forward. "I took all the notes and tried my best to translate what it meant!"
Luc accepted the paper, his expression immediately shifting into one of deep interest. Without a word, he turned and began walking off, his eyes glued to the page. He raised one hand and gave a subtle gesture with his finger, signaling them to follow.
Adam and Arthur exchanged confused glances but followed closely behind.
They walked past the towering bookshelves, entering a long hallway lined with endless rows of ancient tomes. The ceiling stretched high above them, and golden lanterns hung from the walls, casting soft, glowing light that danced across the polished floor. The gentle flicker of the flames made the entire hallway feel warm and strangely alive.
Adam looked up as books glided through the air above, fluttering like gentle birds returning to their nests. But then, he heard something else, something heavy.
A deep, echoing thud.
His body tensed as he quickly looked around, startled by the sound. Just as his breath caught, he felt Arthur's hand rest gently on his shoulder.
"Don't worry," Arthur said calmly. "I'm here."
Adam gave a small nod as they continued. The heavy thuds grew closer until, finally, they saw the source.
A towering golem made of dark stone turned the corner. It wore a tattered black robe and carried stacks of books on its wide back. Its eyes glowed a steady yellow, scanning the titles as it placed each one in its rightful spot. As it passed them, it paused briefly and looked at Adam, giving a slow, deliberate nod before turning away.
Both Adam and Arthur stood in quiet amazement, watching the golem disappear into the glowing mist of lanterns and ancient paper.
After nearly ten minutes of walking, the hallway opened into an enormous chamber, and in front of them stood the largest bookshelf they had seen yet. The glowing books lining the wall pulsed with soft light, arranged with perfect precision.
Arthur leaned in and whispered, "He sure is obsessed with bookshelves.."
Adam quietly nodded in agreement.
Luc turned his head. "Wait here, ok?" he said, then floated up swiftly, vanishing to the second level above.
Arthur and Adam looked at each other, confused. "Uh?" they said at the same time.
A few seconds later, the ground beneath their feet began to rumble. The floor shimmered faintly before it started to rise. They held on for balance as they were lifted upward, the hallway below slowly disappearing from view.
When the platform stopped, they found themselves in a cozier, more intimate upper room. The bookshelves here were smaller and closer together, but the books glowed brighter, humming softly with ancient energy. In the center of the room stood a large circular table, covered in open books and strange relics.
"Please, come in," Luc said, beckoning them forward as he flipped through the paper Adam had given him.
Arthur stepped forward with a baffled look. "First of all! How do you have a second floor in this place if this whole giant room is already the second floor?! I'm already getting confused just by saying that.."
Luc glanced back with a soft smile. "You learn things as time passes," he replied, then turned his attention back to the paper.
Arthur just blinked and sat down. "I'm not even surprised at this point," he said with a small laugh.
Meanwhile, Adam was glancing around, his eyes drawn to a nearby shelf filled with even stranger books some bound in scales, others with pages that glowed faintly or changed color as he looked at them.
Luc's voice interrupted his curiosity.
"Adam, where did you get this type of language?" he asked, turning around. "Actually.. let me ask you this first." His tone shifted slightly, more serious now. "Who gave you this language? And how did you translate it?"
Luc's eyes narrowed slightly. "There are only four people who know this language. Me, Luros, and two others whose names I cannot reveal. There's no way you could've translated this so easily."
Adam hesitated. He hadn't expected a question like that. But he did have something he could say.
"How do you know Luros?" he asked.
Luc sighed softly. "If I tell you.. will you answer my question?"
Adam nodded. "Yes. I promise"
"Alright..." Luc said, his voice calm. "I met him a couple trillion years ago. He was kind, funny... kind of annoying at times. But a good friend. We met when this kingdom was still being built. The castle wasn't even done yet. I was about sixteen years old back then."
Adam listened closely, eyes wide with interest. Luc continued as he absentmindedly jotted notes in a nearby journal.
"I used to love walking around outside the kingdom, always searching for new knowledge. One day, I wandered into a mysterious forest. I had my books with me, taking notes on strange creatures I'd never seen before.. how they lived, how they interacted."
Luc's eyes softened with nostalgia.
"Then, I heard an explosion in the sky. When I looked up, I saw a glowing object falling fast. It crashed nearby, and I ran toward it. What I found.. was a book. Glowing, pulsing with power. The title read, Knowledge of Life and Creation."
He smiled faintly. "It pulled me in. The more I read, the more pages it seemed to have. There was no end.. just more knowledge."
He paused, then chuckled gently. "Then, I sensed a presence behind me. A shadow. I turned and there he was. Luros."
Luc's voice softened again.
"He asked what I was doing. I told him about the book, and he just smiled. He sat beside me and asked how far I'd read. I told him I was on page fifty. Then he said something I'll never forget: 'I am God. The protector of this world.' He placed his hand on my shoulder and explained.. that this book contained every detail about this world. Every life, every war, every event. No one was supposed to read it..
"Adam was too shocked to say anything"
"Lucian looked down slightly, his voice softer."
"I didn't know what to think. Was I lucky? Was I not supposed to touch it? Would I be punished for even opening it?" Then he asked if I wanted to be its guardian. I couldn't say no. I loved that book. So I agreed."
Luc looked down at his hands, then continued.
"The book closed, sealing itself with my name. He smiled and told me he was proud. Then he gave me a gift, a glowing necklace made of a rare ore not found in this world."
Adam was stunned by the weight of the story. Arthur, sitting beside him, had gone quiet too.
"But being the god of knowledge," Luc added quietly, "came with a price."
He turned around, his voice suddenly heavier. "I watched my family die. My beloved wife and children.. gone. I can't die, Adam."
A single tear slipped down Luc's cheek. He quickly wiped it away with a tissue from his pocket. "Apologies for the tears," he said softly.
He looked around the massive room and gestured to the walls and ceiling.
"I didn't know where to place all this knowledge.. until I discovered a trick from the book. I could create my own small dimension. That's why this room is so much larger than what's physically above it. That's how I have more rooms stacked inside the second floor."
Luc took a breath, eyes slightly red. "And now.. that book.. it's here."
He glanced at Adam, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Now then, Adam. You promised. So tell me.. how do you know Luros?"
Arthur leaned in closer to Adam and whispered, "You probably should.. he did tell you his side of the story."
Adam looked down for a moment, then slowly stood up. "It started back in my village… it used to be called Swinford. It's not far from this kingdom, but it's not exactly close either, if that makes sense."
He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing.
"I loved exploring forests. I'd usually go out to hunt animals or gather plants for the village.. but one day, I saw a forest I'd never seen before. It was strange. The trees were different, the animals were unfamiliar, some didn't even look real. And as I walked deeper into it, I saw this floating ring."
Adam raised his hand and pointed to the black-metal ring around his finger, the golden gem on it glowing faintly.
"It had a black metal edge, with a golden diamond at the center, softly glowing. I was curious.. so I reached out and grabbed it."
His voice softened as he tried to stay calm
"The moment I did, I was pulled into another place. A calm, radiant dimension. It was so quiet.. so peaceful. And in the middle of it, there was a white castle. That's where I saw him.. Luros."
Luc was shocked.
"He was standing there.. wearing a black blindfold. His hair was tied back in a long white ponytail. And he smiled at me. He said, 'I am the God of Omnipotence. But you may call me Luros.'"
Luc, leaning against the table, nearly slipped, his hand shaking slightly.
Adam continued, "He said I'd been chosen. That the ring picked me because my heart was.. pure. I didn't even get a choice. He said that once the ring chooses, there's no taking it back. Even he couldn't remove it. From that day on, he trained me. Every single day, he helped me unlock abilities I didn't even know were possible."
Adam clenched his fists. "But.. I started to notice. He was getting weaker. He tried hiding it pretending everything was fine.. but I could see it. He was always pushing me harder in training, always making excuses."
He took a deep breath, voice trembling.
"Then another god showed up. Yrher. He said horrible things about Luros. Said he wanted revenge.. that he'd already regained half of his power. Yrher was furious.. and ready to kill."
Adam looked down again, voice tightening.
"Luros didn't hesitate. Before they even started fighting, he teleported me away. Far from the battlefield. Far from the village. To somewhere safe.. a quiet, peaceful place where I wouldn't get caught in it all. He didn't want me to get hurt."
He paused, his voice softer now.
"The fight lasted for almost an hour. Yrher couldn't find me. He searched all around the forest. His speed.. his voice.. it was terrifying. He kept screaming the same words. He kept calling me the Chosen One."
Adam's lips trembled.
"But then Yrher destroyed it. He burned it all to the ground. My family.. my home.."
Tears fell down Adam's face.
"Luros tried to stop him. He pushed him deep into the earth and used everything he had. But he was injured badly. He still forced himself up. And somehow.. Yrher survived. His body was shattered, but he kept moving."
"Adam's hands trembled."
"Luros noticed too late. He turned.. shoved me into the portal just before they hit. The spears stabbed into his chest and arms, slamming him into the wall behind us."
Adam's voice cracked as he continued.
Luc was starting to get nervous, but he stayed silent.
"Then he removed his mask.. showing his white eyes"
Adam's eyes glistened with tears.
"He told me.. he was blind. That he'd been using his powers to see. And that the power he had.. was the only thing keeping him alive."
He looked down at the ring on his finger, gently turning it.
"He said this ring.. it connected us. That it was slowly draining his power and giving it to me instead. He knew what it meant and what was happening to him."
Adam's voice grew shaky again.
"He started crying.. said he tried his best to protect my village. That he didn't want any of this to happen."
"I told him it was okay.. while hugging him"
"And then.. he began to fade. His body started turning to dust.."
Adam was trying his best not to cry.
"He placed the last of his power into this ring. Told me it would guide me.. protect me. That it carried everything he had left his fighting styles, his abilities.."
"And with his final breath, he smiled at me.. and asked me to place him somewhere peaceful."
Adam closed his eyes.
"And then.. he was gone."
"I folded his clothes neatly.. Placed them gently above the grave. And then, I set his blindfold on top.. like a final resting place. Like he was still watching over everything."
Luc's eyes watered, but he stayed silent, letting the moment settle.
Adam looked back at him.
"After that.. we made our way to this kingdom. I wanted to figure out what these messages ment, so we could uncover the truth behind all these secret places. So we could finish what Luros started.
Luc cleared his throat and said, "I understand," as he wiped his eyes. "I apologize for making you tell me about this. It was probably hard to say." He looked away for a moment, then gently returned the paper to Adam. "I might be able to help you with this problem."
He placed a hand on Adam's shoulder and said, "We're both Luros' students. He taught you more and had a deeper connection with you, and he entrusted me with his most important book.. and gave me this necklace. As a sign of trust." He held the necklace in his hand. "He placed his trust in both of us. So let's not fail his wishes, Adam."
Adam gave a determined nod. Then Luc smiled and said, "Let's do a handshake. As a sign of trust. We're connected, Adam. We're brothers, both entrusted by Luros himself."
They shook hands, smiling at each other.
Arthur, who had just been watching in silence, finally reacted, clapping as he said, "Wow.. now this whole thing.. was just beautiful. Loved it!"
Luc laughed a little and then turned back to them. "Alright! Now that you know why this whole place is huge, I can finally tell you why there's so many books and bookshelves."
He walked past them, and as he did, the floor beneath them began to move.
"This whole area is my own personal dimension. All of these books are the knowledge of the book Luros entrusted to me. It grows constantly and is connected to me."
He gave a confident smile, then looked at Adam. "Now watch this."
He raised his arms, and two massive bookshelves split apart and opened. Arthur and Adam watched as an enormous book revealed itself behind them, resting on a colossal lectern. The book was slowly flipping through its own pages, with new text appearing as it wrote by itself. Above it, millions of smaller books floated in graceful patterns.
Adam looked down, amazed by the size of it all.
Luc continued, "The golems you saw in the hallway behind us? Those are the standard ones, meant to organize and protect the shelves and the general area. But the ones in here.."
He laughed lightly, then smirked proudly. "These golems are something else entirely. I made these myself."
They were towering constructs, their bodies made of sturdy stone with intricate glowing markings. Their eyes weren't the usual yellow like the hallway golems, they glowed a deep, steady orange, radiating a stronger magical presence.
"These golems are born from a faraway island called Islora," Luc explained. "They aren't built like normal constructs. They're born from the land itself, absorbing the magic that flows through the island. That energy gives them life it's a natural process that can't be forced or rushed."
Adam's eyes lit up with curiosity. "So they're not made.. they're formed by the island's magic?"
Luc nodded. "Exactly. The island is rich in a rare type of ore called Vyreth. It's a light white material, almost ethereal like moonlight trapped in crystal. But when heated and used in golem creation, it changes. Its color shifts, and it gains this raw, vibrant energy that makes it incredibly durable and powerful."
He gestured toward one of the golems as it walked calmly by. "These larger ones absorb far more energy from the island to be created. I actually traveled there myself, studied the land, the energy patterns, everything. That's how I discovered how to accelerate their formation and upgrade them."
Arthur and Adam both watched in awe as the golems moved silently but powerfully around the giant book, their eyes glowing with a quiet, focused strength.
Luc turned to them again as the floor gently descended back to where they started, the large gates closing behind them with a low, echoing thud.
"Now then!" Luc said with a grin. "Let's get down to business!"
But far away from the warmth of the kingdom, in a realm much colder and darker, a different scene was unfolding...
Far from that world, deep within another dimension, the air was heavy with the scent of blood and burning energy.
Yrher stood in a dark chamber, gasping as he leaned against a wall, his body torn and battered. Thick blood ran down his arms and chest, staining the blackened floors beneath him. Around him, glowing runes softly pulsed with light signs of an active healing process trying to repair his nearly shattered body.
He clenched his teeth, fury in his glowing red eyes. With a furious growl, he shouted, "Death! Where the hell was my support?! I barely survived out there, you stupid idiot!"
A swirl of black mist formed beside him, and Death emerged his form ragged, his cloak torn slightly at the edges.
"Oh shut up," Death snapped, crossing his arms. "Without me, you would've been dead back there. I was keeping you alive, you ungrateful bastard."
Yrher's eyes narrowed. "Keeping me alive? You got knocked into a damn wall!"
Death threw up his hands in frustration. "What was I supposed to do?! He hit me once and knocked me out cold! You saw how strong Luros was! One punch and BAM into the wall, lights out!"
Yrher gritted his teeth, shaking his head with disgust. "You pathetic piece of crap.. I knew Luros' power was fading. I knew he was vulnerable. I thought if I struck while he was weak, I could finish him! But noooo.. you just had to get tossed aside like a helpless child."
He pressed his bloodied hand harder against the wall, the stone cracking under the pressure. His voice dropped into a furious growl. "I barely survived out there.."
But then, after a pause, Yrher gave a low, grudging chuckle. "Still.. I'll admit this much you did help keep me alive just long enough. Just enough for me to kill Luros."
With a painful grunt, he forced himself to stand upright. His body shook slightly from the strain, but the healing runes around the room pulsed brighter, speeding up the regeneration process. Blood still dripped from the corner of his mouth as he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"That moron.." Yrher snarled. "He tore my body to bits. This hurts!"
With a roar, he slammed his fist into the wall beside him, shattering part of it into pieces.
Death leaned lazily against a nearby pillar and said, "Well, now that Luros is out of the picture.. don't you think it's time we find the Chosen One and just kill him?"
Yrher turned his head slowly, glaring at Death with a look of pure disdain. "The thing is, you dumbass.. we can't."
Death blinked. "What do you mean?"
Yrher took a deep, shaking breath. "He has the ring. It's protecting him and it's not just some enchanted trinket. That ring has a mind of its own. It's shielding his presence from us. Even if I wanted to find him right now, I can't."
Death frowned, absorbing the information.
Yrher tilted his head, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "I may not be as strong as Luros was even at full power. But against Adam?"
He let out a dark, menacing laugh. It echoed around the chamber, vibrating through the broken stones.
"Oh, just you wait.." Yrher hissed through his grin. "Once I find you, Adam.. I'm going to end your pathetic little life. Once and for all."
He laughed harder, the sound filled with rage and sadistic excitement.
Death's expression darkened. His voice turned cold. "Remember, Yrher. I'm only helping you for one reason. Once you give me what I want.. we're done."
Yrher rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
He stretched his still healing muscles, small cracks and pops sounding from his joints. The wounds across his body had mostly closed now, leaving behind only raw scars.
Cracking his neck, he grinned and said, "Now that my body's almost completely healed.. let's go see what we can find out about this so called Chosen One.