The LIBRARY
The place was immense. Books covered the tall walls from high vaulted ceiling to stainless tiled ground, chandeliers brightened the round stone chamber with warm yellow lights. Hundreds of benches were lined before long tables where a great many people sat and read. As it was appearing a pattern in Camp, fashion was diverse: anything from the middle ages to the modern era goes; anything from eastern to western was common. And the people themselves.... I have never seen this much foreigners in my life.
So much for extinct liberals.
Black, white, red, brown people. Asian, African, Caucasian, Arabs, Indians. Blond, brunettes, dark haired, redheads, afro. All the 9/49 Blomart's race classification. Widely considered the most racist of laws. Though it was post World War Three so no one really minded enough.
Anyway, a round desk was at the focal point of the hall. The automaton behind it was the strangest one yet. A dollish girl with pink hair and eyes. She didn't 'wear' armor like the rest of the automatons I had seen thus far; instead she was dressed in a blue short sleeved dress. Her sleek silver metal arms bare for all to see.
Her face was smooth and metallic silver, but just as detailed as a 'human's', and her ears were long at the tip like fictional elves. Her eyes didn't glow to add. "Hello Freshmen," she said cheerfully, "I am rank 25 librarian, Snowpink of the Scholars guild, how can I help you?"
"Ah, um, rules and regulation of Camp, and guide about status screen and stuff," As the anonymous representative of the group, Chloe stepped forward.
"Beginners package, I see," Snowpink reached into a drawer below the desk and brought out a pen and a piece of paper, then scribbled something. She handed the paper to Chloe when she was done. "This has the location of everything you might need,"
We gathered around our British 'friend' to inspect the paper.
Dungeon For Beginners by Jackson Seville. Camp Rules and Regulations. The All Power: Rank, Status, Stats by Betty Mead. Rankers Games by Alfy Dunk. 15 Most Common Monsters In The Dungeon by Annabelle Bruce. History of Camp by Greg Rice.
"You should search for the books in the Shelves," Snowpink pointed across the chamber. "There, through that door labeled 'Shelves'." We spotted the door at the other end of the hall. "And keep the noise down while you are at it,"
"Sure," Dragon nodded.
We thanked the automaton then picked our way through the chamber. We had to cross through the reading area to get to the door. The tiles were black and white, set side by side and very slippery, the table and benches were faded from use but well kept. The readers barely lifted their heads as we passed, too busy doing their thing. A complete opposite of us that studied them like zoo animals.
Two girls came out of the door to the Shelves just as we reached it so we had to step out of the way for them to pass. "Freshmen?" The redhead said staring at us with interest.
"You couldn't miss one," the other giggled. "Good luck Greens,"
We watched them pass in silence then we continued on our way, slipping into the door they came out from.
The drop in temperature was instant as if we crossed an invisible magical threshold that kept the temperature different. It was a narrow stone corridor with floor of hard concrete. There was a dampness to the place proven by the moss on the walls and the musty smell of mold that hung in the air.
At the end of the dim corridor was what could only be described as the beginnings of a labyrinth. The intersection branched out in three sides, left, right and ahead. Ahead we went into a passageway between bookshelves. The only source of light was the occasional low yellow light above, flickering like fire flies, but our eyes quickly adjusted.
Each shelf had a signage at the top. "Shelf 2C," Chloe said facing left. She turned right. "2B, we can find one of the books in 2E so I assume the next passage,"
We nodded.
At the end of the short passage, we went left__ instead of going further ahead into another hallway__ then cornered into shelf 2D-2E at the intersection. Following the instructions on the list we searched and found our first book. 15 Most Common Monsters Found In The Dungeon. We took several copies enough that we got one each then we went on.
Following the classification system on the list we found all the books rather easily. I guess this peripheral section is for books for beginners so we didn't have to comb through the whole library, saving us time.
After that__ deciding to stick together for now__ we went back to the reading area and found ourselves an empty table. We'd be rivals eventually but for now we were all prisoners of the same cell, sailors of the same ship, it was better to stick together in case of bullying. Besides, we are probably the elite of our year so it'd be better to study the competition like grandma advised.
We settled down and started opening books. The somber air in the hall was contagious and it soon enveloped us.
The first book I picked was Camp rules and regulations. Because duh, I couldn't pick anything else, it was the obvious choice. I reckon in a place with different rules from Columbia altogether, I should know its rules as fast as possible to avoid digging my one grave by myself. The others must have thought the same as they all picked a copy. I guess we all felt that instinctively, it was one of the few books we'd picked enough to go round at the same time.
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Camp rules were at times eye opening, at times bizarre, but I read it all committing it to memory. The gist of it was. 1, curfew is from 7pm to 5am. 2, one should not harm another student. 3, one should not fight in an unsupervised setting. 4, It is not compulsory to attend classes but one must respect the teachers if they attend. 5, no racist comments. Those were punished by point deduction for the first two, detention for number 2 and 5, fine for 2, 3 and 5, and ban for 4.
Detention and hard labor for gamblers, Potion addicts, and deserters. Demotion for any Camp game party that breaks Game rules. And more rules and punishment...
The only death penalty was for contacting Diggers. I stared at that line as I felt a headache, I rubbed my forehead. Grandma's letter came to mind, I'd lost it somewhere between the forest and Camp, or maybe it's still in the pocket of my pants. Those cloths are with Kyle. I'd have to ask him and find the letter as it might implicate me.
Camp won't really execute anyone right? Right?
But it's 2122 so who knows? Hundred years ago, before the war, before the Decay, the world had followed one rule. You know what is internationally wrong and right, what is human right and not. At least that's what our history books told us, and movies disputed, but now it just depends on the territory. Talking of that, is Camp even an international recognized territory? By the number of elites attending? Apparently. By the secrecy? I'd say no. But I had a feeling that mattered less than I think.
The next book I picked was 15 Most Common Monsters Found In The Dungeon by Annabelle Bruce. I thought it'd be an encyclopedia of sorts but it was instead an autobiography of the author, a suppose scientist that wondered into a dungeon and met fantasy monsters. But the book had pictures of the creatures so it might have some degree of legitimacy.
I didn't read the book, I just flipped through the pages for the pictures. The pictures were taking with good cameras that they appeared half alive and clear as if they'd leap out of the book. Goblins were the exact creatures I purported them as in the forest, though I got the sheepmen wrong entirety, their real name was supposedly Centaurs. Trolls and Minotaurs I knew, but Orcs were these white furred Trolls with long ears.
Other monsters were Kobolds, Forest Druids, Harpies, Ogres, Ghouls, Skeletons, Golems, Cyclops, Elementals and Fairies. The last were in the same page. Elementals were a ball of essence while fairies looked like little ribbons. Where were Slimes? Dragons? Elves? And why does the fairies not look like little winged girls?
I shut the book and looked up. The others were still lost in their reading. I stretched then looked around. The population in the library had thinned up some. I sighed, I can't do this anymore, my head was hurting to be honest. "I am gonna be outside," I whispered to Sid and rose to my feet.
She gave me worried look then nodded. "I am also tired of this, why don't we call it a day?" She said. "Besides, it's almost curfew, let's just return the books,"
I gave her a curious look. "How did you know the time?"
"The transmitter," she smiled lifting the book she was reading so I could see the title. All Power; Rank, Status, Stats. "Its been teaching me how to use these new abilities. The transmitter is like a computer and we can access it when we do the status screen, try it,"
I closed my eyes and thought 'status screen'. It wasn't the words, I suspect, but the intention. A glowing white screen appeared in my mind.
[Name: Samantha Ravens]
[Serial number: 477123]
[Level: 1. 0% progress]
[Class: Assassin grade B]
[Skills: Shadowalking(weak) lv1, Archery(legendary) lv3]
[Stats (baseline): Strength 6, Speed 7, Stamina 8; Mp 5\5, HP 5\10; intelligence 9]
[Universe Rules: All Power]
[Destiny: First Voice]
[Party: Unnamed (Leader)]
# WARNING# {STATUS EFFECT}
[Time: 6/12 pm]
[Camp Freshman]
[Rank 8]
[Points; 10]
[Games Party: none]
[Barrack; East 48 wing]
[Bunk no; E167]
[Offense history; none]
[Achievements; none]
"No shit," I said.
"Keep it down," Sid warned.
"Yeah,"
The others decided to call it a day too and soon we started parking the books. A hill of Five books was carried by me while Sid carried six and we set out first. Sid was to return the books at the first shelves while I volunteered to return those at the farther ones. Rankers Games and All Power; Rank, Status, Stats were among them.
I was just returning the later, fitting them in gaps in the shelves, when I heard an explosion. The building shook making me drop the books I was holding. The sound of commotion followed after, from upstairs. I heard the sound of swords clashing and this little explosions. A loud explosion went off again making the ground quake, knocking off a few shelves down, though away from me so I was unhurt. Dust rose in the passageway obscuring vision.
Then it was silent.
No, my ears were ringing but behind it was more screams and indistinct moans of pain. "Help!" A voice said. I paused thinking I was hearing things but then I heard it again and was sure it was real.
I stumbled through the cloud of dust tracing the voice. Left at the intersection then right into another passageway, I found a cleared space where the ceiling had collapsed in a slant leaving a gaping round hole above that connected this floor to a rather bright chamber. The sound of the groans were louder here. Up there, a man in red armor dangled halfway into the room. I could have considered helping, trouble is, he'd lost his head somewhere.
Below, amidst the concretes and broken bookshelves, a man lay in a crater.
I recognized this man. Strong build, brown haired, a hard face with a scar below his left eye. Paul, the surgeon. "Holy shit," I said. "Are you alright?"
He blinked at me, bleary eyed, and shook his head.
"Right," I cursed my foolishness, "I should get you help,"
"No," the man groaned. "It's already too late anyway, his power has already affected my status. Come closer,"
"What?"
"Come closer, it's not safe, there's something you must help me with," Skeptical and terrified, I walked over. "Closer, keep your voice down,"
I leaned over to him. "What is it?" I whispered.
Paul reached into his robes and brought out a lizard like creature of mottled brown scales the size of his hand. The lizard has a big head and two horns. "You must... take this to Khalid,"
I received the creature automatically. It whimpered sadly with intelligence as it separated from the man as if it didn't want to go, as if it knew the man was dying. "Who the fuck is Khalid?"
"One of the Diggers."
"What!?" I remembered the rule. Death penalty. "I can't!"
"You must!" He hissed forcefully. Staring into my eyes with deadly earnest. "I knew your father, he could have been among the greatest if he wasn't so selfish. This, you must do what you Ravens always fail to do, the right thing. The fate of the universe, the All power and all creation depends on it... Don't trust anyone,"
He went silent.
"Paul?" I shook him but he wouldn't wake. A gasp escaped my throat as the realization dawned on me. I rose to my feet and drew away from the corpse.
The lizard creature was warm in my hand. I looked down at it and it stared back at me with unmistakeable intelligence. What the hell is this thing?
I eased it into my sweater pocket then gave Paul one last look and left.
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