Sachihiro

I have given these people much information about myself. They know my biology, they know the path to understanding I took to get where I am in Awakening and now they will know my behaviour as they watch me live out my life through this eye of Argus orb. There is no speaking down the amount of power these people now have over me, the understanding thry could use to manipulate or neutralise me.

The librarian blinks carefully, neutrally, always presenting politeness and deference to me as though I am some prestigious guest of honour everyone has been looking forward to. He presents to me different types of distance traveling vehicles I may find of interest that are within the price range of points I have.

Library points, now the most valuable currency I have. A currency that gets me access to unbelievable resources and knowledge that may be as old as writing itself. Or even beyond that judging by some of these records.

I have another booklet I requested in hand. Browsing.

I read attentively as the basic primer on Soul Arts explains to me in a way the Hito never had. This book is also theory but I can tell what works for me and what wouldn’t just from my own experiences and what I already know about using a soul weapon. A lot of it explains things I managed instinctively.

"These here mirrors can act as doorways between each other, but each has its own unique key signature that may be changed by the primary user as they wish."

"And if I forget my key signature and can no longer access the mirror’s controls?"

"The library can always be contacted by the member for recovery of such information sir."

They want everything ultimately. My entire life and all its functions in their hands. Exact knowledge on all my activities and travels, in return they promise me access to all their vast resources and network of information that boggles the mind.

"So you have mirrors that can open into Pangaea."

One can only hope.

"Unfortunately this is the only branch on this world currently active, and no other mirrors are known that have survived the current era."

"Right."

He keeps referring to Gaia like it’s one of many world’s with such libraries and hinting that higher access will get me more info and otherworldly sources. Why, what is he trying to lead me to?

Even having given them all this access to me I can only accept and move onwards. Realistically speaking I need them, there is no way I’m passing on this much access. This much information and treasures at my finger tips on demand.

That’s what this is, access. This is what separates the tiers of beings that are the haves and have not’s on Gaia, the rulers and the ruled. Access to information and resources, becoming a high levelled library member will give me that. Enough that i am either amongst the rulers or cut a little safe haven for my family that no one messes with.

"A pair of these mirrors could be yours at only 14 points, a special price as your first purchase.''

I pause at that, "and I could use them to travel anywhere? Like back here directly?"

"Unfortunately direct teleportation access to the library is only reserved for level 7 members," he says apologetically. "But, should tributary library branches open up any level 5 member could be granted access to use such a network of mirrors for personal transportation to those locations."

Tempting, "at a cost of only a few points I’m sure," the sarcasm comes out dry from my voice.

"At a very reasonable rate sir."

I can’t help but feel like the Blacks are getting more and more ahead of me in their own negotiations if we could call these interactions such. I’m not politically connected with a vast network of resources or a powerful family backing. But I shocked them with that summoning circle, god-tier huh? I can ride that momentum.

"Let’s not beat around the bush too exhaustively," I stop between two items of particular interest. The librarian turns to face me fully.

"You’ve been down here a long time isolated. I figure a lot has changed since your time that you’ll need updating about.'' He doesn't immediately start denying so I push on, ''I figure I’m your first visitor in a long time, I figure that should incentivize you to look more favourably towards me than towards other members that come after.

"If not, then the tier of information I can provide should indicate my value as an asset worth investing in whilst I still need you. And indeed need of you I have, I want to go home. I want to go home as quickly as I possibly can getting there intact and being affective once I’m there,'' we eye each other directly the librarian beastmen and I. I'm being as blant as i'm willing to be without more from you.

"Now, what can you do for me?"

His gaze is piercing, searching yet patient. He nods once, "Sir van Damage, you have enough points to advance to level 5, please do so."

I connect with the orb, we look at each other the orb and I, there’s no question which of us sees more. I suppress a shiver connecting to the 614 points I apparently have.

150 of them disappear as I will my access a level higher. Disconnecting from the voyeur's direct gaze as quickly as I can.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I give the librarian my full attention.

That was more expensive than I thought, but I didn’t have any of these points an hour ago so fuck them. I didn’t know what I was going to do with that sigil by myself anyways, I’d have probably used it and gotten myself trapped by that spirit again or worse. I could take me years to figure out all the traps laid into it if any, I don't know how Phosphorus thinks. I don't feel cheated by selling that design, at least not yet.

"Congratulations on your level of access, please follow me."

I follow, it’s a quick walk through a portal door down a flight of stairs through another portal door.

Palm to open doors, I can only vaguel sense the enchantment protecting the doors but nothing else even when they activate.

We get into a room with the far wall made of dark water undulating turbulently, beautifully, like living tapestry sculpuring itself to the whim of a mad artist. Two others of the same race as the librarian float in the large room watching different sections of the fluid wall as it shivers and changes. No visible weapons on the new librarians though that means nothing, their attention fully of the suptly shifting wall. Its a map spanning the wall I realise as I study it.

It stretches over 80m across going more than 40m high, it’s definitely alive with how interconnected and synchronous it’s movements seem to be. Like a dance of bees, if not alive then pseudo alive. Automatic.

"This is our current map of the world," the librarian says, moves forward then floating a step above the ground zooming ahead steadily.

I follow, the pull of gravity detaching fading leaving me floating sideways with my stomach suddenly going crazy.

It takes a moment of circling around to get myself straight and moving through empty air towards the far wall. I’m completely weightless, drifting slowly forward through a careful expulsion of water mana through the pores of my naked back propeling me.

I stop myself with a counter current slowing me steadily. This ease of water manipulation is a new experience, this tier of Awakening offering a lot I'm yet to fully explore.

"This is roughly where we are," he circles a dark area on the cloudy fluid wall before us.

I squint my eyes, awareness struggling to fully pierce the inside of the murky fluid wall. The view is grainy through the darkness of the turbulent waters.

"The imagine is unclear because we no longer have access to the world, not for many ages now. With the orbs perspective as you travel we will be able to clear up these images to better scry the planet’s surface."

I kick off my sandals, disappearing them into my left hand as they float about around me.

With water through my feet I follow the map westward, orienting with the map where I think I am relative to the call of my blood. I head slightly southward, pulling the blood crystals silently into my clasped fist.

Most of the map is completely dark but patches of it show the ground below, rocky terrain here, sandy terrain there. I float above the land until I reach the ocean and float passed that as well.

Something catches my mana sense as my awareness passes over the impenetrable darkness of the wall map.

"What is there?"

I point at impenetrable undulating darkness. The librarian comes quickly having been watching me the whole time.

He indicated to the other in the room who comes quickly crossing half the room almost instantly.

They communicate silently, the slightly smaller librarian nodding once before floating behind the librarian giving deference.

"That is believed to be the location of a Ascension Gate in the Mirovia Ocean guarded by a school of dragon-whale-sharks last we were aware of it."

He gazes at me questioningly, "you had a destination in mind?"

"Pangaea,"

He nods once drifting above the strange map, I follow keeping close enough to the map that my awareness gets a feel of what lies within. It’s a very difficult thing to grasp, shifting oddly rapidly. Vibrating in individual slabs of tiles yet interconnected such that the whole of it is in synch.

"Sense anything in this area?" he asks gazing at me as we move slowly.

Actually I do but I wasn’t going to point it out this time.

I lead him to it pointing directly at it under me. This one is much easier to sense than the last one.

The other librarian comes as quickly as last time, gesturing as they silently communicate.

The librarian nods towards me, "this is the World Portal Gate in Northern Gondwana. A place once formally known as the Drake Passage."

We move, I see them leaving some sort of mark on their map to mark the area left behind.

I pin-point three more gates for them, my library points increasing slightly each time.

"This we believe is the Harshit Gate in the Valley of Hinnom in Northern Pangaea. It is guarded by the Elders."

I look at him, he looks back seriously.

"I can cross through these Gates?"

"Using one Gate you can get to any other as long as the destination Gate isn’t locked. We know how, the information is for level 6 access members and above,'' trying to rob me before i even buy anything are they?

"But as a level 5 member with special privileges the information can be provided to you exclusively. Given that you have helped identify the locations of these Gates to our cartographers."

And had I not helped identify these Gates? Or did you bring me here knowing I could? How much do you see of me through this eye of Argus?

I look within the orb for a map of the world to compare where the wall map is pointing relative to where we are in Pangaea as I know it.

On the orb map the coastline looks different to what I’m used to, this might not be the Northern Pangaea I know. The continental shape shouldn’t change much regardless of the passage of time right?

"A more recent map is available," blooms then Aeonian’s map in my mind’s eye through the orb.

It’s like a bucket of ice water over my head reminding me I have competition also collecting points from the library by providing them new information. How many points would a recent world map be worth to these people, hundreds probably? Many of the additional labels are no longer here but this is definitely Aeonian’s map.

"This map has yet to be fully validated, your input in vouching for it’s validity as far as you can would be greatly appreciated."

I bet it would.

On the new map the Gate is in a Persian desert, Northern Pangaea but deeper inland. I definitely have my bearings now.

I follow the wall map with Aeonian’s map for bearings until I feel a Gate below me. Pointing it out to the librarians.

"This is The West Gate on Pangaea. Guarded by-,"

"Eragon, The Sleeping Dragon of the West." I finish. The one through which Master Zaraya came back to Gaia.

"Yes."

I nod, hopefully it will be close enough for me to get home through.

"I want to go there, I’ll take two of those flying shields of yours."

From Gate to Gate and a flight across the continent. Hopefully I can get there before anyone else dies, hopefully I’ll make an impactful difference when I do get there, or at least die with them.

"Show me some of the weapons you have."

Shae will be pissed when she sees me without the others in tow, I hopeSaya gave birth okay. Why weren't all the kids I sent to the Foothills in the same place, which of them died and under what cercimstances? Are the Foothills no longer safe? I'm so fucken' worried!

"Blood spells, some vampire-behemoth albino blood spells if you have any."

I never did get Saya that demon armour I intended to.

"Lets see about some special armours as well. You know what, just show me everything I can afford with my points and access level."

"Of course sir," the librarian bows then gestures. "There is only one problem sir."

Too good to be true, always too good to be true.

"Problem?"

"The closest Gate to the library isn’t very far away. But you see, it is guarded by Draug the Dark One, The Smoking Dragon Under the Mountain."

Always too good to be true.