Chapter 04
Mysteries and a Librarian
As Finn pushed open the creaking door and stepped into the dimly lit archway of the shabby wooden shack bearing the label of the renowned Magyo Magic Academy Library, an inexplicable sensation washed over him. It was as though he had plunged into a current of raw mana, into the very essence of mana itself. Before he could even take another step, he was engulfed by a sudden surge of disorientation. His vision wavered, flickering like a candle in the wind, before being swallowed whole by an inky blackness.
In the silent black void that he suddenly found himself in, time seemed to lose all meaning. Finn drifted, adrift in a sea of nothingness, his senses dulled to mere whispers in the void. It was as if he had been stripped bare, reduced to nothing more than a consciousness adrift in the emptiness of space.
Then, just as suddenly as the void had overtaken his vision, the darkness receded, replaced by the familiar sights and sounds of the academy. But something was different. Finn was no longer stepping into the dimly lit archway of the academy, nor could he see the shabby old shack that he could have sworn wasn’t the real library. Instead, he found himself standing on an unfamiliar balcony—that still felt all too familiar, high above the academy grounds with the moon casting its silvery light over the tranquil garden below.
Confusion clouded Finn’s thoughts as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. How, and why was he here? And why did everything feel so… off? The air was colder than he remembered, the cold moonlight a stark difference from the warm summer sunlight he had been under only a few moments ago, It was as if he had been transported to another time, another place entirely.
Before he could ponder these thoughts and questions any further, his body began to move of its own accord, turning back toward the glass door that led into the room behind him. With a sense of inevitability, his hand reached forward and pulled down on the cold metal handle, the glass door sliding open with a soft hiss.
But as he was about to step through into the bare room, a sudden vibration on his wrists interrupted his movement. Startled, Finn looked down at the source of the disturbance on his wrist, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized what it was. Someone was calling him.
Without hesitation, his other hand reached down and tapped on the watch strapped to his wrist, answering the call with a hint of urgency. Instantly, a familiar voice echoed in his ears, the sound of it both comforting and unsettling all at once.
“Finn!” she exclaimed, her voice urgent with concern. “Something’s wrong, I can feel it… I think they are-”
Before she could finish her sentence, the call abruptly cut off with a faint static, leaving Finn alone once more in the disturbing silence of the night. Panic gripped him anew as he stared down at the silent watch resting on his wrist, his mind racing with questions that had no answers. What had she been trying to tell him? And more importantly, what was happening to him?
Her voice sounded so… scared? What is happening right now?! He questioned internally.
Finn’s heart raced as panic continued to grip him tightly. He felt a surge of distress coursing through his veins, a primal fear clawing at his already alerted senses. It was as if the very air around him had turned heavy with foreboding, pressing down on him relentlessly.
In those harrowing moments, every second felt like an eternity. Then, just when it seemed the tension couldn’t escalate any further, a deafening explosion shattered the stillness, jolting Finn out of his reverie. The shockwaves and shrapnel sliced through him like a sharp knife, cutting short the eerie sensation that had enveloped him and bursting into his ears, leaving only but a constant ringing echoing in his mind and throughout his entire being.
Abruptly, Finn found himself snapped back into reality, back within the confines of his own body he had left only moments ago. He blinked, disorientated, as he struggled to comprehend what had just transpired. His mind reeled with confusion, grasping at half-formed fragments of memory that slipped through his fingers like grains of sand.
He involuntarily fell forward and knelt on one knee, his heart still racing with unease. He racked his brain continuously, trying to comprehend the phenomenon that he had just experienced. What? What… was that? He thought to himself amidst deep breaths. Almost instinctively, he lifted his arm and looked at the watch resting on his wrist with intent. Tapping on the screen a couple of times, he sorted through the logs of his recent calls. Not there, he confirmed to himself with both relief and lingering discomfort.
Was it a dream? A nightmare? A memory? He was almost certain that it wasn’t the latter at least. It could have been a dream, but it felt so surreal. It was almost like he was actually there like he remembered being there. No. I’ve never been there. I don’t even recognize that room! He thought to himself. Finn’s mind stirred with a mixture of confusion and worry, his thoughts swirling like a raging tempest inside his head. He wanted answers, he wanted clarity.
With determined resolve, Finn began pushing himself to his feet, his taut muscles straining as his back fully straightened. Shaking off his limbs and taking deep breaths, Finn finally looked up, taking in his surroundings. He expected to see the outside of a shabby wooden shack, with a small sign labelling it as the famous library, but to his astonishment, the sight that lay before his eyes was simply impossible.
With what had been but a humble wooden shack from the outside, now revealed itself as a monumental structure, akin to something of a higher realm. The ceiling soared hundreds of meters overhead, forming a majestic dome reminiscent of classic architecture. The walls, if they even existed, were lost in the vastness of space. Everywhere he looked, countless shelves stretched in the distance, laden with millions upon millions of books. Cyan-blue pulsed through the air, trailing the tomes as they floated about at an impossible speed. Hovering platforms ferried students, professors, and librarians across the library’s expansive chambers while eager scholars navigated the labyrinthine levels with towering stacks of books.
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Finn couldn’t help but stand frozen in awe–rooted to the spot near the arching entrance he had presumably just entered, overwhelmed by the overwhelming sight of the spectacle before him.
“Ha…” he murmured, his gaze darting around in bewilderment.
With what he had just experienced in addition to the spectacle now unfolding before him, Finn's mind was now on the verge of imploding. Finn’s complexion quickly drained seconds later as an irresistible sensation began rising from the bottom of his stomach. His abominable muscles tightened as the unstoppable force continued quickly surging its way through his body and up toward his mouth.
Finn’s stomach churned violently, a relentless storm brewing within him as the sickening feeling grew stronger. With each passing second, the pressure mounted, threatening to overwhelm him entirely. His throat constricted, a strangled gasp escaping his lips as he fruitlessly tried to suppress the rising tide of nausea.
With a sudden, gut-wrenching lurch, Finn doubled over, a primal instinct driving him to expel the contents of his stomach. A guttural retch tore through him like a raging bull as he began to empty his stomach onto the pristine, wooden floor of the library. Unexpectedly, before the vile, acrid vomit could reach and stain the library floor, a small, grey bucket suddenly appeared from seemingly thin air, catching every ounce of the putrid vomit effortlessly and effectively.
Several moments passed as Finn continued to empty the remains of his breakfast into the small grey bucket until finally, the last remnants of his ordeal passed and he couldn’t help but stumbled backwards and use the nearby bookshelf to support his now drained, energyless body. Taking several deep breaths and struggling to hold his head up, Finn’s body wanted nothing more than to fall to the ground unconscious.
No… not here. How embarrassing and humiliating would it be if I was found by someone else, asleep on the floor? He said to himself over and over, trying his best to stay standing. Amidst his almost futile attempt at keeping his dignity, he suddenly heard a faint chuckle echoing from the side. With effort, Finn managed to turn his head to the side, catching a glance at the person chuckling.
The chuckle emanated from a figure positioned a few paces away, stationed behind a grand desk adorned with layers of books, likely serving as the circulation desk. The librarian, a middle-aged man with short, brunette hair and a meticulously groomed goatee decorating his chin was draped in elegant cream-white robes, intricately embroidered with golden runes. He exuded an air of authority, wisdom and knowledge akin to that of a great mage who had lived many decades, despite his seemingly young age.
“Apologies,” he muttered, trying to stifle his amusement. “It’s just… amusing, you know? The sight of fresh students arriving and promptly losing their lunches and breakfast,” he clarified.
Observing Finn’s bewildered expression, the librarian nodded empathetically. “Ah, I see. When one traverses a spacial barrier for the first time, it can… induce disorientation and nausea. It’s quite common for newcomers a sudden upheaval upon encountering the library grounds. Nearly every student undergoes the same… initiation, per se.”
“After the many… accidents, I've learnt that a bucket is the simplest tool to effectively combat the student's putrid attack on the precious library floor,” he explained as he clicked his fingers together, causing the bucket holding Finn’s vomit to vanish in to thin air.
Finn stared at the librarian, completely dumbfounded by his casual approach to potentially the worst moment of his life. Finn’s eyes stayed locked onto the middle-aged librarian for several moments before the librarian nodded to himself and turned around.
In the ensuing awkward silence, the rather annoying librarian appeared to disregard Finn entirely, returning to his previous tasks. Realizing he now had ample time and space to compose himself, with a loud exhale Finn eased his body down from the unforgiving bookshelves and onto the library’s chilly wooden floor.
“He could at least have explained it in a little less harsh way,” Finn muttered. “I… I feel like I've just been hit by a three-story bus,” he audibly complained, lowering his head into his hands.
Finn let his mind wander as he felt his body ease up and relax, the previous events had taken a large toll on his body, and now was a great time to rest. He leaned against the cool wooden floor, the solid texture grounding him as his thoughts slowly settled.
Minutes passed in relative silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of pages or soft footfalls of other students or librarians in the distance. Finn’s breathing steadied, his heart rate gradually returning to a steady rate. Just as he was beginning to feel somewhat restored, a shadow fell across him. He looked up to see the annoying librarian standing over him, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“I see that you’ve taken a liking to the floor, “ the librarian remarked, his tone lighter this time. “But… perhaps a seat would be more comfortable?”
Finn’s eyebrow raised at the suggestion. Huh, guess he’s not as bad as he seemed, he thought to himself with curiosity.
Finn sighed, pushing himself up with some effort. “Sure, I guess you're right.”
The librarian offered a hand, helping Finn to his feet. “Come, I know of a quiet corner where you will be able to rest up properly.”
*
Finn followed the librarian through the vast, labyrinthine librarian, the towering shelves and floating books seeming less overwhelming now, though they still filled him with an inspiring sense of awe. It won't be too long until he would be capable of creating such things, and potentially something even greater!
Along their journey through the library, they passed by many students and professors alike, engrossed in their studies. Some were working alone, others collaborating in hushed voices. Seeing the students passionately studying with friends, Finn began to feel a tinge of jealousy. He really wanted to spend time with a small group of friends just like them, but unfortunately, he didn’t have many friends back at home—or really any at all.
They eventually reached a secluded nook, a small corner of the library surrounded by shelves that formed a small, cosy enclosed area. Inside the nook, a lime-colored plush armchair awaited Finn. Seeing the librarian’s gesture for him to take a seat, he gratefully sank into the chair, the soft cushions a stark contrast to the hard wooden floor. The librarian followed suit, settling into a grey armchair opposite him with an air of practiced ease. After they both took a moment to catch their breath and take in the sight of the enclosed nook, the relaxing silence was finally broken by the voice of the librarian.
“Nice to meet you, Finn. I’m Aldric,” he said, a pleasant smile at the edges of his lips.
“Huh? I didn’t tell you my-”
The librarian let out a small chuckle at Finn’s confusion. “When someone enters through the spacial barrier, I basically receive the equivalent of a full body scan of them. And you…” he paused, pointing his bony finger at Finn’s pocket, “Happen to be carrying something with all of your details on it.”
“Ah,” Finn exhaled with a small nod.
Of course, he would know my name, if he got a full scan of my body and saw my identification card he already knows everything he needs to about me! Finn thought to himself upon the realization.
“Well. Nice to meet you too then, Aldric,” Finn said, showing the top row of his teeth as he smiled.