Inside an unsuspecting office. Filled with unconventional people, and things that for all intents and purposes were people too. Such as a little doll sitting at the edge of the desk staring at the surprised Djinn looking bored, or the floating ball of light that was practically drolling as it tried to bounce towards the book the human was holding. Only to be stopped by an invisible wall. Remarkable things, in such an ordinary place.

“Welcome Rixar. You do wonderful work.” The Human beckoned Rixar inside, once he passed the threshold. The door shut and locked with an audible click. Rixar jumped almost second-guessing his choice. The human either didn’t notice or chose not to address his fear, as he continued, “This is quite brilliant.” He shut the book and put his full attention on Rixar. “Not a tome of mana or cultivation specifically tailored to you, but a book filled with a formula for creating your own path, or adapting existing manuals to anyone.”

How could he have read the entire thing so fast? Rixar was too stunned to respond.

The human leaned forward. “Not to mention the conditionals. If you’d have to fix destroyed or broken meridians. If they were injured from poison or if someone broke them. How to cultivate if your spiritual root doesn’t exist, or the universe uses something else for cultivation. How to create your own fighting techniques, Adapt to elemental alignments, and even touch on DNA and its effects. Then on the other side, how to create a mana core if you weren’t born with one. How to find mana, create your own spells, enchantment, smithing, leather working, weaving, and so many more. So much in this one little book.” He held up the book, much too small to contain all the information named. That was a part that Rixar was most proud of. He had enchantment the book itself in a way that it would show what the reader needed, or could be searched via the index, which essentially took up the entire book when not being read. His favorite part was the book wasn’t done, and could absorb other writings. Otherwise, he never would have been able to write all that in a year. The enchantment and the formula took up almost all of the last year.

Rixar shook himself. He decided to try to treat the human like anyone else. “Thank you. I’ve been working non-stop for the last year.”

Strangely the human’s eyes drifted to a large cabinet to the side for just a moment before snapping back to Rixar. Odd.

“I can tell. There’s just one little problem.”

Did I do something wrong? Is the formula itself wrong? Where did I screw up? I knew I should have gone deeper into the theoretical section. Rixars mind was moving a mile a minute trying to figure out what he did wrong. His voice was tight as he calmly asked, “Oh? Did I miss something? I would be more than happy to know what I got incorrect.

The Human smiled, “Oh the book itself is perfect. In fact, if you tossed this to a world with no magic or cultivation. You could use it to change that.”

Rixar stared in confusion, “I’m sorry I still don’t understand what I got wrong.”

“Simple. You can't protect this book.”

“But using the book I’ll be plenty strong.”

“Yes. But will you have time to?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” He didn’t understand. It wasn’t like he was going to advertise the book. At least not until he was insanely strong.

The Human let out a tired sigh, “In all your research you forgot to read the stories.”

“But those were fanciful tales. And I’m not going to challenge some young master.” He had read a few of them. Some had interesting ideas but most were just for entertainment.

“Really?” The human raised an eyebrow. “Even if they are flaunting their powers in front of you. Killing an innocent. Maybe a child, simply for looking at them?”

“No, well of course I'd help.” Rixar defended himself, “But if you look through it you’ll find I accounted for that. I even labeled it How to help without getting caught.”

“Uh-huh.” They looked down seriously. “Now what happens next after you kill the young master?”

“Why would I kill him?” Rixar was taken aback.

“To stop him from hunting you down. Save the child and a young master will spare no cost to find you or the kid and kill them. Maybe they’ll even level the city if they can’t. Maybe they’ll find another child that looks similar. Kill them and their family.” It was the simple way the human said it that made him take what he said seriously.

“But why would they do that?”

“There! Right there!” The human excitedly stood. “That’s what you failed to understand. It’s the culture around these things. A young master cant be humiliated without reprisals. He would lose too much face.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

“I. I didn’t even know. But what if I was in the middle of nowhere? I could follow the book until I was strong enough.” He thought aloud.

The human shook his head, “Power seeks power. A wandering cultivator would sense a person of power in the middle of nowhere and then would probably kill you to steal your treasure.”

“But what if I didn’t have treasure?”

“Doesn’t matter to a cultivator. Finding any hint of chi in a place where there should be none will pique their curiosity. Then if they find too weak.” He shrugged, “They will assume you have some sort of treasure.”

“What if I do nothing?” If he had to just live a normal life he would.

“That book has profound knowledge in it.” He answered placing the book on the desk. “In cultivation and even mana-rich worlds, you’d probably be fine for a while until the book itself starts to gather energy.”

“What?”

“Items in those worlds, those with more importance, tend to end up as magic treasures leaking their own energies out into the world. Even in mana-based ones. There’s too much significance for this to not become more.”

Rixar could only stare at the book on the man’s desk and the one in his hands. Would he have the will to protect this? It was his life’s work. Everything he’d learned. Everything he could possibly do. If he took it he would have to get strong fast, or he might die. “I’m still taking it.” His resolve firmed.

The Human held his hands up in surrender. “I’m not saying you can’t. It will just be a bit tricky for you. You’re just going to need to get strong fast. And this little glutton here is who will help you out.” He said pushing the little blue light towards him.

The little light was floating looking shy and almost like it was drooling. How can a light drool?

“How?”

“A knowledge spirit is probably the closest analog. But they will possess your book becoming one with it. It will record new findings and help create and assist with formulas for you. They will even help with the more esoteric stuff as you progress. Even with everything in here. There is a lot you missed.”

“And they know it?”

The human moved his hand in a kind of motion. “They have absorbed the knowledge of millions of books all through the library over the past ten years.”

“Ten years? Has it been here all this time?” Rixar thought back to when he first ran into the light. It had been a long time before but he didn’t know if it had been that long ago. Then he remembered a dark room filled with moving lights. “Oh. I think I remember. I guess that would help.”

That was all the permission the wisp needed as it trilled excitedly flying fast into Rixars book. Its trill quickly turned to purrs then annoyance as the book itself began to fight in his hands.

Surprised Rixar let go and the book flew up and flapped open excitedly.

“Fun.” The human smiled. “Now you’re ready.”

“Am I?”

“You came here on your own thinking you’re ready didn’t you?”

“How can anyone?”

The human smiled. “I don’t know. But it is time.”

There was one thing he needed to know. “What about Illia?”

The human chuckled his eyes going to the cabinet again. “What about her?”

“Where will she go? “

“I don’t know yet. Would you like to go with her?”

Rixar was shocked by the option. He stumbled over his words. “I don’t know. I thought we;d be separated forever. She’s my best friend. But I…I…I just don’t know.”

#

A Djinn steps through a doorway terrified yet resolved for what was to come, as another Djinn steps out of a cabinet behind the human.

“You know he wanted to see you before he left.” The man said turning to the Djinn woman.

“If he did. I don’t think I could have let him go off on his own, and would have been a complete mess.” She said but inside she was screaming. She had just watched her best friend and sometimes lover walk off into a new life. She felt torn up inside, just wanting to scream. She felt a cold wetness on her face but dutifully ignored it. “He finally has his fire back and we were just something to do to pass the time.”

The human looked at her a bit too knowingly as he asked, “Is that what you think?”

“No.” She answered honestly wiping her eyes. “Just let me have this.” She knew her eyes were green and puffy.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, the human casually said, “You and Sasha are the last two.”

Stunning Illia. She could have sworn there were others left. “What about Grev and Shia, I just saw them not an hour ago.” She didn’t even get to say goodbye. Why does that matter to me?

“Gone.” The human leaned back. “Not everyone takes their time. After a year some are just ready. None wanted to be the last. The only reason it took so long, was there were a lot of files to read. Speaking of.” The human held out his hand.

Illia felt her hands tremble. The file she had on her, felt heavy against her chest. All she had to do was not hand over the file. It's been ten years maybe she could do her own thing. Run. Get away from here. Away from the human. Find her own way back. She looked over at the floating saber. Sasha. It had been ten years since they first met, and Sasha had become one of her best friends. Such a strange pairing. Before she knew it she was handing a manilla folder to the Human.

“Where will I go?” She asked terrified. Never did she think she would actually hand over the file.

“That is up to you.”

#

A man stands alone in an office with only a doll for company. He had finally done it. He had sent over a thousand Djinn off to be heroes. Nicki didn’t feel accomplished, nor did he feel better. He didn’t really feel much about what he had done. Sure he was happy he made some of their lives easier, despite what they had done to him. He knew it wasn’t all of the Djinni’s fault. Maybe it wasn’t even the one who shot him’s fault. Three months was a long time, and none at all to forgive, even with a therapist.

He was still sometimes angry when he thought about the entire thing. Now though. He was just glad he was able to do something. Though he might have been a bit hard on the horror movie tropes a few times.

Now he just looked at the closed door, feeling alone. “Didn’t think they were that close,” he said to no one.

The doll’s head turned, “I don’t think they were. At least not in the way you're thinking?

“Oh? And what was I thinking?” Nicki asked eyebrows waggling.

Drystia rolled her eyes, “Don’t give me that look.”

Nicki snorted, “You thought of it too.”

“Not everything revolves around that kind of love.”

“But it does revolve around love.” He replied sagely.

“Everything does.” The doll stood and straightened her dress. Before she found a more appropriate spot to sit.

“Hey, Drystia.”

“Yeah?”

“How do you make friends?”

* * *