Chapter 12: The Abandoned Library
It took several minutes of Charlie trying and retrying various keys, but eventually one fit in the keyhole of the oblong wooden door and turned with a satisfying click.
The door was stuck. It was larger than that belonging to the average halfling home, so Chastity put her shoulder against the wood and pushed until it finally popped open. The trio peered into the dim space and, blinking, one by one stepped inside.
Gray light filtered through dusty and cobwebbed windows. Roots from several of the trees growing on the hill above had long since pierced the ceiling and snaked intrusively down the sides of the walls. A smell of mildew pricked Chastity’s nostrils.
“Ahh–achoo!” Charlie sneezed violently, sending a burst of dust off a nearby tabletop.
Barkroot wriggled his nose, using his walking stick to feel his way deeper into the empty home.
“Aye, if my memory serves me, the library is through that passage there.”
He indicated an arched doorway leading into the back section of the home. This front area appeared to be a modest living and dining area, buried under a thick layer of dust.
“Did anyone bring a candle?” asked Charlie. “I can’t see a blooming thing.”
“Maybe our Paladin can cast a divine light,” said Barkroot. “You can, can’t you?”
Chastity frowned, thinking back over her list of Abilities.
“Um, I don’t believe so.”
“Maybe I’m thinking of Clerics. You do ‘ave special abilities, do you not? Granted by the Great Divine?”
Great Divine? What is that, a power source? A reference to their deity?
“Abilities? Yes, a few. I think I still have a lot to learn about being a Paladin,” Chastity admitted.
“Which is why we’re ‘ere. Maybe if the young master will clean off the window panes, there will be a bit more light. Otherwise we can go back and fetch a lantern.”
Not exactly thrilled with the idea, Charlie rooted around until he found an old piece of cloth and began wiping away the dust and cobwebs. It did help bring a little more of the gray light into the abode.
Chastity pushed onward into the spacious rear alcove which served as the library.
In a way, it reminded her of the Professor’s office. It was organized chaos–shelves and tables spilling over with bound tomes and scrolls. Equally dusty as the rest of the place, none of the materials had been disturbed for years.
Where to begin? Chastity wondered. What am I even looking for?
In her searching, her hand casually brushed over a wooden engraving hidden beneath a loose manuscript. There was a slight ‘wooshing’ sound as a symbol within the circular engraving took on a glow. It matched the holy symbol she wore on her finger, and now both were aglow as if resonating.
“Woah!”
The quiet slumber of the home was disturbed by the sounds of unseen wooden wheels turning and ropes creaking.
“Aye! What’s this now?” Barkroot uttered with no little alarm. “What kind of trickery or secret art is afoot?”
A large section of the wooden shelf began to collapse in on itself, parting to reveal a hidden set of stairs leading down into a sort of basement level. The same glow that had appeared on her ring and the engraving, now faded, beckoned from below.
“It looks like a secret room,” Chastity said and boldly descended the steps. The two halflings cautiously followed at her heels.
She was in a rounded, earthen space, partially finished, like a cellar hollowed out of the hillside. A series of sconces in the constructed portion of the walls emitted the glowing light. At the far end of the room stood a pedestal atop which rested a large book, glinting like silver leaf. Flanking the pedestal was an armor rack and a weapons rack, both empty.
Cobwebs and roots were present here as well, but the book appeared improbably immaculate, as if dust and dirt were repelled by its silver-gilded cover. Chastity approached, her blue eyes wide and drawn to the large tome.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Identify,” she whispered.
[Identify]
[-1 Focus Point]
Paladin Codex
This was followed by the notification that her Identify skill proficiency had improved, which she quickly brushed aside.
Paladin Codex? This sounds exactly like what I need! Chastity thought.
“What’s that you found?” Barkroot murmured, squinting from where he stood safely behind Chastity. Charlie, meanwhile, went to inspect one of the glowing sconces.
“A book. A Paladin book,” she answered, taking the hefty object in her hands.
The codex was large, rectangular, and shimmered with a silver sheen on thick covers of unknown material. In the center of the cover was engraved a winged crest different from the holy symbol she was now familiar with.
She flipped the book open. The pages were of thick vellum, and lavishly illustrated. Golden castles in the clouds. Winged angelic messengers. Heroic knights in full armor facing off against coiled serpents.The book reminded Chastity of illuminated manuscripts she had seen, such as the Book of Kells on display at Trinity College in Dublin.
As for the text… it was utterly indecipherable. Chastity had studied Koine Greek, Hebrew, and even a semester each of German and French (she opted out of Latin). Some of her classmates had gone all-in on various Ancient Near East cuneiform languages, but not her. Her best guess was that this book was written in some form of runic alphabet.
“Barkroot, do you know what this says?” she asked, holding the open book before his face.
The old halfing leaned in as close to the page as possible, using his looking glass and scrutinizing the text with his better eye. He shook his head.
“That’s written in the Old Tongue, I reckon. Not Common Speech. I doubt there’s a soul in all of Goldenberry that could read that. Although I’m sure the Seer could have, learned man as he was.”
Chastity sighed, not able to hide her disappointment.
“Thank you, Barkroot.”
The book was fascinating, the images beautiful, but ultimately of little help without an interpreter.
Then– “Ahhhhh!”
Chastity turned as Charlie cried out in pain. The young halfling had a look of terror on his face, his hand bunched into a tight fist below his shoulder. Dangling against the earthen wall was the largest spider Chastity had ever seen. Its abdomen was the size of a basketball, and it had sunk its fangs into Charlie’s shoulder.
“Identify!” Chastity blurted, slamming the codex shut and instinctively reaching for a javelin.
[Identify]
[-1 Focus Point]
The spider shone with a faint outline. A moment later a second box appeared in her vision.
Lute Spider, Lesser
Level: 1
“Yah!”
Mentally dismissing the box, Chastity threw the javelin straight and true, piercing the spider’s fat abdomen and pinning it to the wall. Green ichor splashed the wall and Charlie tumbled forward, released from the spider’s grasp.
Ding!
[You Have Gained Experience]
[Your ‘Identify’ Proficiency Has Increased]
Chastity was on her knees before the halfling in an instant, and Barkroot soon hobbled to her side.
“Charlie! Are you okay? Can you hear me?” she said, gently shaking him.
Charlie was moaning softly. He remained lying face down on the ground, and Chastity began to roll him over. His body was stiff, but his eyes were open.
“Barkroot, he was bitten by a Lute Spider,” she said, shuddering. She hated spiders. “Will he be okay?”
“A Lute Spider?” Barkroot gasped. “We haven’t seen one in these parts for years. Must ‘ave burrowed into this cellar, looking for someplace warm and dry. But… they are venomous. The bite of a full grown Lute can stop a halflings’ breath!”
Oh, no! Charlie!
“This was a Lesser Lute Spider. Does that make any difference?”
“It does! If that is true, young master Cucumber may just be paralyzed for a spell, but should otherwise come out unharmed. Depends how much venom he took. Are you sure it was a Lesser Lute Spider?”
Chastity nodded, nervous but certain.
“I’m sure. Is there no antidote or treatment?”
“There may be. As I said, we ‘aven’t dealt with these pests in quite awhile. Aye, these are ill times indeed! He needs the warmth of a roaring fire to keep his body from stiffening up more. Otherwise, he needs time for his body to fight against the venom.”
“Then let’s not waste another moment,” Chastity said. She slung Charlie over her shoulder in a fireman's carry, tucking the Paladin Codex under her other arm. She pulled the javelin from the wall, letting the gnarled body of the spider crumple to the floor.
“Let’s get him back to the village at once.”