Quinn scrambled back from the encapsulated Esposian, shocked at how he looked frozen in time. Not even blood flowed out from him. He was simply suspended in a clear casing. She looked at her hands, unsure of how he’d gotten in such a state. She’d just wanted to shield him from the damage that was obviously beginning to affect him.
She hadn’t been close enough to Tenejo to help in time. But Adrito had been inches from her.
“Quinn.” Malakai grabbed her arm and tugged her up, looking her over for any signs of injury. “Are you okay?”
She nodded numbly, still trying to get her head around the encasing of the Esposian. “You shot the arrow, right?” She stated more than asked, not even looking at Malakai once.
“Yes...” He walked around her slowly, making sure she was okay. “Are you hurt anywhere? What did he do to you? We couldn’t see.”
The slight frantic note to his voice caused her to turn and look at him. “I’m not hurt, I’m okay. He was just... well, he wasn’t exactly being clear, but now I know for certain there’s someone behind all this crap who isn’t Kajaro. And...”
Hal finally made it to where they were, a scowl on his face. “You should have let me disable the dome. This will take forever to repair.” His commanding tone of disapproval had no effect on Malakai at all.
Instead, the elf glowered at him. “If I’d waited any longer, she could have been killed, or seriously injured at the very least.”
“That’s besides...” but Hal paused, looking at the Esposian with a frown. “What happened to him?”
The satyr commander squatted down and poked at the shielding surrounding him with one finger. A soft knock resonated from it, but nothing changed. Not the casing, not the pose Adrito was in, and not the complete and utter lack of bleeding. “How in Halschius did you manage that?” He asked, looking straight up at Quinn.
She shrugged. “I was just trying to extend my shielding. Just like Kajaro, his body started to break apart. In his case, it was more like disintegrating like it did back when we fought the tree. How those five Esposians suddenly just fell apart...”
Malakai frowned. “That was one of the worst deaths I’ve seen... and you halted his disintegration?”
“Well, it’s what I was trying to help with when you shot him with an arrow.” She said pointedly.
Malakai had the good grace to look sheepish. “In my defense, I was trying to keep you safe.”
Quinn chuckled, “Goal achieved, even though I think I was reaching that goal quite well myself.” She paused before speaking softly. “Thanks. Again.”
“No problem. I’ll just have to train you harder.”
She nodded, most of her attention back on Adrito. “What can we do with him?” She asked Hal.
He shrugged. “Not much. I don’t understand the intricacies of how you’ve done what you’ve done. What led you to even contemplate this?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, when I felt a malevolent presence near us on Ishiposa Isle, I extended my shielding around my whole party. Doing so kept them, and me, safe from whatever it was. I just did it instinctively.”
Hal’s eyes narrowed. “Sort of like you injured Kajaro with ice, freed the book from the possessed tree, stopped Tenejo from wrecking havoc in the Library, cured Eugea, and melted a golem?”
“Not to mention shot down a whole flock of miasma drones.” Malakai inserted cheerfully.
Quinn gave him a withering glance. “Yes, just like I sort of just did those things.”
“You realize that makes you volatile and likely a danger to yourself and everyone around you,” Hal said, his stern face back on. He waved the thought away. “Hold that thought for now. Opier.”
“Yes, sire?” The shorter satyr asked.
“Carefully gather him up, check him for life signs, and let’s see exactly what feat it is our Librarian has managed this time around.” He glanced around at everyone, and it was only then that Quinn realized Eric was conspicuously absent.
“I’ve never hurt anyone.” Quinn grumbled. “And half the time I’ve moved before I realize I’ve thought of a potential solution.”
Hal let out a sigh. “I’m not angry with you. I’m irritated by the set of circumstances we find ourselves in. I am, however, not very good with communication when it’s not a direct command. So, follow me back and we’ll see if we can’t sort all of this out. It’s high time I gave you an examination.”
Quinn nodded, even though it felt like a bowling ball hit the bottom of her stomach. She tried to make herself feel better by convincing herself that the universe needed the Librarian and, therefore, her, but it didn’t really do any good. She steeled herself against the journey back up top.
Hal might be a lot of things, but she was absolutely positive he wasn’t a spy. It wasn’t his fault he was named after a killer computer.
~~
Back up in the reception room they’d been using previously, Quinn sank into the couch, suddenly tired again.
“What happened in there?” Hal asked, quite gently.
Quinn gave them a run down, making sure they knew she’d managed to disguise where she was by practically throwing and modulating her voice, not to mention obfuscating her whereabouts with shielding and other methods that just seemed to come to her.
“So, your body acts instinctively when you’re in danger, then?” Hal muttered half to himself.
“Pretty much.” Quinn suddenly felt ill. The images of her accident with her parents kept flooding her mind again. It wasn’t a nice sensation. She didn’t want to recall those memories.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
But she also couldn’t deny the specific pattern that emerged. In the case that Quinn didn’t know how to save herself, it appeared her design stepped in and took over. Her heritage had saved her over and over again, and a few of those times, had also saved others by proxy.
“Anything else?” Hal asked, studying her face as her thoughts ran rampant through her head.
“It’s oddly disconcerting how much of what I’ve done is just a failsafe.” She didn’t like this sudden realization that she had so little control over herself. Sure, she’d chosen to remain in the Library, she’d chosen to be this magical link between the Library and the rest of the universe.
But this autonomy thing? That wasn’t okay. Taking it from her...
She looked up to find Mal standing in front of her, a frown on his face. ‘You know you can’t be angry at an innate ability that saves your life, right?”
Quinn blinked. When he put it that way, it sounded almost childish. “But I want to make my own choices.”
“What? To die because you can’t react quick enough yet?”
His words were cutting, but they needed to be. It managed to slice through the momentary lapse of Quinn’s steely resolve. It ripped away the self-pity she felt and replaced it with strength. “That’s a good point...”
“I know we sometimes forget,” Malakai continued, his expression grave and nothing like the cheeky friend she’d come to know and care for. “that you’ve only been here a bit over three months, right? In that time, you’ve had to realize that the universe is full of magic, that you have it, that you are one of the keys that feeds magic to the entire universe, and that you have a new home. Not to mention your heritage, your history revelations.”
She kept nodding at each new incident he brought up. There really had been a lot going on ever since she got there. So much. And the thing was, there was still so much for her to learn. So much for her to absorb. Knowledge and experience wise. “Yeah, I know...”
“We sometimes forget that, Quinn. Those of us who are not you.” He stepped closer and put his hands gently on her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze of encouragement. “But you should never forget that. You’re not allowed to let yourself forget that. You’ve overcome, learned, and accomplished so much... don’t sell yourself short.”
Quinn nodded and then paused. Malakai was suppressing a laugh. She scowled. “I thought you were being serious.”
He tried to fend her off, laughing full-throatedly now. “I am serious, it’s just...” he paused, dancing out of her way slightly, but also to regain his breath. “I said don’t sell yourself short... like you can help it.” And peels of laughter started again.
Quinn couldn’t help but join in. The expression helped let go of some of her nerves, and most of her fears. Then she grinned. “Has no one told you then?”
“Told me what?” Malakai made as if to brush a tear of laughter away.
“Told you that when I fully come into my powers, I’ll be able to adjust my appearance.” She winked at him, feeling much better. “Thanks though. I needed that.”
Hal cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’ve got a good training partner in each other, but you also need to make sure you stay aware of the surrounding dangers. Understood?”
After they nodded emphatically, Hal clapped his hands. “Excellent. Because we have a lot to do.” He clapped his hands and first Opier appeared followed by three other satyrs slightly taller than he was, who were pushing carts. There were books placed on each of them. About ten on each.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “Did you just borrow a heap of books?”
Hal nodded. “That’s what I sent Eric to do once I realized you’d been sucked into that dome. I still don’t know what magic trick Adrito used in order to pull you into his manifested dream-state with, but it’s under investigation.” His brow creased with a frown, and Quinn could tell he was truly upset by the invasion.
“For your protection and all of ours, we need to get you up to speed. This will do for now, but shortly, as soon as we’ve dealt with some of this immediate threat, you will need to absorb everything you can get your hands on.”
Quinn nodded gravely. “Do I read these or absorb?” she asked.
Hal watched her closely for several seconds before breaking out in a genuine smile. “I see you’ve realized that absorbing the books isn’t always the correct option. However,” he held up a finger to forestall any comments. “Right now, expediency is paramount, and thus, I’ve sorted this into the books I consider vital to your survival.”
Quinn nodded, and couldn’t help but feel relief at Hal taking charge like this. She wondered why others hadn’t... but then she remembered the sheer amount of books the Library and Milaro had suggested to her, not to mention she also frequently sought out very specific books depending on her mood.
“I have twelve healing tomes for you. While you were fully capable of healing Eugea, you lack the awareness to do it deliberately every time. By absorbing this following pile, you should be able to execute that precise Mental Chaotic Fortitude Abolition that you quite literally managed to pull out of thin air, and you’ll be able to create your manual for others to learn from once you do understand it to a higher degree.”
“Wait, I need to write a manual?” She asked, confounded. No one had mentioned that yet.
He blinked at her. “Of course. You founded the specific principal, the ability. Thus, you are responsible for sharing it. Don’t worry, after everything is organized with the Library, you’ll have plenty of time for this.”
Quinn was starting to feel ever so slightly overwhelmed, but she nodded her head. The books were there for her to absorb right now. She could easily do it. Her energy levels were replenishing as fast as usual.
“With me so far?” Hal asked, kindly.
She nodded.
“I know it’s a lot, but right now we have to strike before they learn of how strong you are. I have a sneaking suspicion there’s something in the heads or bodies of all of this Sölem’s members that gives their leadership feedback of some sort. I’ll know more after we continue the investigation.” Hal paused, a thoughtful look on his face.
“Do you think they know?” Quinn asked.
“Perhaps, but I want you to be stronger before they know, so that even if they think you’re at one level, you’re actually even tougher.” Hal paused and rifled through the book stacks. “Excellent. This pile here is for shielding. You seem to have a proclivity for protection shielding - for yourself and those you wish to protect. We’ll use that and strengthen what you can do with it. The other two piles on that last cart are for fire and ice. You must wield both with confidence.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, even though she was so tired she felt weak at the knees. “Do I start now?”
“Yes. I have you for another day before I must send you back, and I plan to get all of these absorbed. Don’t worry, I’ve sent for the appropriate food from Cook as well.”
She eyed the piles and suddenly really missed Aradie and Lynx.
“I’ll stay right with you.” Malakai said.
“I should hope so,” she murmured under her breath. But it did make her feel slightly at ease.
“Then what are you waiting for?” Hal asked, and his patience was obviously on about a par with Quinn’s. “They’re not going to absorb themselves.”
She sat down on the couch and lifted the first healing book off the cart. Absorbing this one didn’t hurt... frankly, she’d gotten so used to the pain, most of them didn’t hurt anymore. The air rushed up, ruffling her hair as the information flooded her mind. “This is a lot of books,” she said after Sherman’s Understanding of Multiplanar Healing Applications was absorbed.
“It is. But it’s necessary to make you stronger faster,” Hal said matter-of-factly. “We’ll focus on your undeniable strengths and make you temporarily bullet proof.”
“And what happens when they invent a new type of projectile?” she asked.
Hal shrugged. “By then we’ll have you ready for it too.”
Quinn nodded. She liked that plan.
She reached for the next book and started the absorption process all over again.