Amara clapped the 10th book in her stack shut. The dust cloud kicked up from old pages crashing back together tickled her nostrils and the back of her throat. She bit back a few choked coughs and struggled to hold back the inevitable sneeze. When she finally did sneeze, Luffa entered their dorm. The primal patted her on the shoulder and folded her arm.

“Nothing in the histories section then? It’s almost as if whoever Maetraya was connected to was scrubbed from the records.” Luffa said. The red skin around her eyes scrunching together as her face wrinkled in consternation.

Amara appreciated her room mate’s desire to help her study and learn more about this gift she inherited. She wanted to know who Maetraya was. Why she was gifted with her sight? How was she meant to use it?

She couldn’t help her curiosity, considering the incredible power it gave her. Setting aside the magic and health drawbacks when she finished with it. She was comfortable that set back could be mitigated with training. Right now she was a child swinging a claymore. She needed to train and learn.

“You’ve got that faraway look again. What are you thinking?”

Amara blinked and returned her focus to Luffa, who looked at her with a wry grin. “You’ve got an idea, haven’t you?” the primal said, leaning back with a pleased look. “Well, go on! Spill!”

Amara blushed and shifted in her chair. It was a really stupid idea. But Luffa was right. It was an idea, at least. Luffa proded her some teasingly and she eventually relented.

“Alright, okay, okay. It’s not the best idea, but it is an idea at least. So I think you’re right. No one’s recorded histories have any records of Maetraya, or her benefactors. Which means it was more than likely intentional. Since there are gaps in many of the histories where she’d easily fit in. It’s obvious, but effective.”

“Agreed. Your idea?” Luffa said with a huff. The primal was easily impatient. Amara couldn’t help but smile, enjoying stretching it out just for Luffa’s annoyance’s sake.

“My idea is that we should scour the mythologies and legends sections. Most historians will discount them out of hand. Stories aren’t permissible as fact. But there’s usually some truth to myths and legends, right?”

Luffa lit up grinning, “Gods, you’re right. So where do we start?”

“As far as back as we can go.”

Luffa snapped her fingers eagerly, “I know the spot, then. Let’s go!” she snatched Amara by the hand and practically dragged her from the dorm. Amara did all she could not to be towed along the floor on her face, giggling as they went. In the library halls, the peeled hard right, flowing along a set of shelves holding memory discs that transitioned into old scrolls and tomes the further back they went.

Luffa stopped as far back as they could go and pointed to a particular book. It was a dusty old leatherbound book covered in a solid layer of dust. Amara leaned closer to peer at the cover. The title read Aeryn’s Personal Records and Musings on the Sector’s History . It was a curiously odd and long title.

“Certainly a mouthful as titles go.” she said.

A set of eyes opened up on title text where the o’s of personal and records sat. They blinked. Amara blinked. There was an odd moment where the two just looked at each other, each uncertain of the other.

“Well.” The book said dryly. A mouth forming at the bottom curve of a drawn image of the planet Eryn. “I assume you’ve got questions?”

Amara half jumped out of her skin and she could hear Luffa snickering next to her. She shot her friend a stern look before returning to the book. “Erm, yes. You see, I’m looking for someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

“Ohhh. A mystery. Interesting. I’ve been bored for so long, I could use a good mystery. Alright mortal. Entertain me.”

She looked to Luffa for help, who only shrugged. Luffa was clearly out of her depth here. Amara sighed and turned back to the book. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I’m very boring. How should I entertain you?”

The book rolled its eyes. “With your mystery. I’m not asking you to juggle. Wait… can you juggle? Because I’ve never actually seen anyone juggle.”

Amara clapped her hands when the book explained itself before shaking her head. “oh! okay then. I’m afraid I can’t juggle.”

“She’s looking for someone called Maetraya. We know she’s a goddess with visual prowess.”

“The all-seeing eyes of the Maetrayopts. Anyone who possessed them could pierce even the strongest of privacy wards and veils. Incredibly gifted.” The book mused thoughtfully before peering at her. “Wait. You have the gift too, don’t you? Yes, I see it now in that eye of yours. But the gift is still new yet. You’ve only just manifest haven’t you?”

Amara nodded, slightly embarrassed at her novice rank with the ability. “Yes, um… sir? I’m sorry. What do I call you?”

The book’s brows furrowed. “My… name? I haven’t used that in so long. What was it again?” The book paused, its gaze going vacant, and features slackened before it blinked, and refocused. “My name used to be Rozien. I was a captain. Of a spell ship when we traversed more than just this sector. I traded my body for this tome, so that I could serve as historical witness to prevent our fall. She knew we would rebuild. She saw to it.”

Amara glanced at Luffa, who shrugged again, “Don’t look at me. I’m usually forbidden from coming back here alone. This is the first I’ve heard of this. Never even see a talking tome before.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Amara’s mind was racing. So much new information. So many questions! It was all she could do to keep from bursting at the seams with them. She wanted to yank this book from the shelf, clean it off and learn all she could from it. What secrets would it hold? What warnings could it give?

“We have to take this with us.” She said without looking at Luffa.

Luffa retreated a step back. “I’d lose my head. We can’t.”

She turned to the primal with pleading eyes. “We can’t just leave him here. Setting aside the fact it’s sentient, who knows what it could tell us? And we don’t have time to sit around the library until we figure it out.”

“Hello? I’m right here.” The book said, annoyed.

Amara winced, “Right. Sorry.”

“I can tell you what I know about Maetraya. Since you’re willing to get me out of this dungeon of words.” Rozen said. Amara thought she detected a small glimmer of hope in the tome’s words.

Luffa buried her face in her palm. “I knew this was a bad idea.” She grumbled. Amara prodded her friend playfully. “C’mon, this was your idea. Besides, you know you want to. If nothing else than to snub Erlaut.”

Luffa huffed and folded her arms. “Fine, but I’m not watching. I know nothing.” She waved a hand at Amara, gesturing to take the book.”

Amara’s fist pumped as she lifted the old book and tucked it into a pack gently. “Now be quiet in here. Most books don’t talk, and too many would raise questions we can’t answer if stopped.”

“Understood.” The book said, and the next thing Amara knew, the eyes and mouth shut, and she’d have never known it was alive. She glanced at Luffa. He stuck a finger out to poke its cover.

“Still here guys.” Rozien said with a sigh.

“So strange.” Luffa mouthed.

The two secreted the ancient tome back to their dorm and she wiped it off with a towel before placing on the table propped up. She glanced around and cast a basic privacy ward. It wouldn’t stop anyone walking in, but it would at least trap sound inside unless someone cast a more invasive spell.

“Ok, we should be clear from most of the other faculty and staff. What can you tell us about Maetraya?”

“Not too much officially. Even though I’ve been tethered to this tome, my memory has gaps where Maetraya’s master should be. That said, there were some rumors about her that might be illuminating.”

“Go on.”

The book snapped open on her table, pages blurring by showing an image like a flipbook. This one moved. It showed a woman with a face shrouded in shadow. A result of Rozien’s memories of Maetraya being altered, Amara suspected. One thing Amara noted, however, was that Maetraya’s eyes always appeared to glow.

“One legend reads that in the final era…”

As Rozien spoke, magic welled up from his pages, and it swept away Luffa and Amara in a magical storm. She recognized elements of dream and air magic, not too unlike her own. When the storm settled, it deposited the pair onto the bridge of a massive spell ship. The bridge sat a few kilometers away from the tip of the stern. She knew from her training with the Sgt. that was the front of the ship. Sides swept away into downward curves. A lone figure stood at the fore of the vessel. A woman bathed in light with golden hair. A magical illusion of the ship floating beside her. It looked like a solar system sized spell staff. She assumed that was the captain.

“Indeed, it is. That is Captain Aeryn. A demigod, but ships captain all the same.”

“Where are we?” Luffa asked. Amara caught the hint of wonder in her voice.

“This is the Asclepius. The first great Spell ship.” Rozien’s voice intoned all around them. Amara could no longer see the sentient book. It included them within its illusory spell. Part of the story, so to speak.

“Wow…” Luffa muttered, glancing around. Amara couldn’t take her eyes off the radiant woman in the center of the bridge. The ship’s captain and eventual goddess of the planet to adopt her namesake.

“Mae. I told you not to stay. It’s not safe with us. Sauridius is coming for us.”

Aeryn turned to face Maetraya. The radiant woman wore a simple blue combat uniform. Some kind of naval fatigues? Aeryn’s soft features warmed into a smile as she and Maetraya hugged each other.

“I wanted to say goodbye. I couldn’t live with myself if I let you meet this fate without trying to apologize for giving you the news of it.”

“Mae. How often have I warned you not to fret over your visions? How often did they save us from certain doom at Maleficus’ hands? or Sauridius? You don’t decide fate. You only see it. Don’t confuse the two together.”

Maetraya nodded, her head dropped to the deck. Amara got the impression there was a storied friendship that went deep here. Aeryn clapped Mae on the shoulders.

“So, don’t suppose you can share where you’re going?”

“I can’t. Sorry. If I’m to pierce the darkness of the future Maleifcus left us, I’ll need to plunge deep into it myself.”

Aeryn rolled her eyes. The glowing azure jewels reminded Amara of Akamori’s eyes. “You always speak so cryptically. Anyway. I’ve positioned the rest of the fleet for our feint. If we pull this off? We might yet purchase a future yet.”

“If anyone can do it, it will be you. Die well, Aeryn. I hope our souls meet again.”

Aeryn grinned broadly, fishing a beer bottle from a small slash in reality. She tore the metal cap off in a swift motion, then enjoyed a long pull of the bottle. She finished the bottle and chased it with a loud belch. Mae sighed, and Aeryn simply grinned.

Amara got the impression the people of Eryn had an entirely incorrect view of their goddess. The illusion flickered, then shattered. Motes of magic twinkling all around Luffa and Amara. The two glanced around mid panic before a large figure blocked out the light of the doorway.

“It is illegal to steal artifacts from the forbidden section of the Library.” Erlaut said.

He raised his hands to weave and Amara knew if she didn’t act quickly, she and Luffa may not live to see the end of the day.

‎