After leaving the training hall, Alira gave them a quick wave, heading off with some of her friends. “Sorry, guys, I’ve already got plans for today. Let’s catch up later!” she said before disappearing into the crowd.
Towan watched her leave, then turned to Elliot. “Well, I guess it’s just us. So… where do we start digging?”
Elliot rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “The first thing that comes to mind is… the library! If there’s one place that might have something about corruption, it’s in the academy’s archives. Books are the main source of information for, well, everything.”
“That’s actually a good point,” Towan said, nodding. “All right, let’s head there.”
The two began walking across the academy grounds, the chatter and energy of the training hall gradually fading behind them. The path to the library was lined with tall trees, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze, providing a brief moment of calm.
As they walked, Towan broke the silence. “I guess it’s useless to try and stay under the radar now, huh?”
Elliot smirked. “For you? Absolutely. Fifteenth rank on your first try? You might as well be wearing a neon sign saying, ‘Challenge me!’”
Towan sighed. “Yeah, I figured. I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.” He glanced at Elliot. “You, though, you’re still unranked. That’s gotta make you stand out in its own way.”
Elliot chuckled, crossing his arms as he walked. “You think so? I figured staying unranked meant I’d stay invisible.”
“Not really,” Towan said with a grin. “If anything, being the only unranked student here makes you even more interesting. People probably think you’ve got some crazy plan or secret up your sleeve.”
Elliot paused for a moment, considering his brother’s words. “Huh… now that you mention it, maybe I should get my rank later. Just to throw them all off, you know?”
Towan raised an eyebrow. “Sure, because adding more mystery to the situation is exactly what we need right now.”
“Hey,” Elliot replied with a shrug, “a little suspense never hurt anyone.”
As they continued toward the library, they passed groups of students chatting and training in open spaces. Some whispered as they walked by, likely having already heard about Towan’s rank.
“Looks like the news is spreading,” Elliot said, noticing the glances being cast their way.
Towan groaned. “Fantastic. Just what I needed.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Elliot said, giving him a pat on the back. “They’ll get bored eventually. Probably.”
“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence here,” Towan muttered, but a small smile tugged at his lips.
Finally, the large double doors of the library came into view, towering over them. The building was as impressive as any other in the academy, with intricate carvings of Essentia patterns etched into its stone façade. The doors were slightly ajar, inviting them inside.
Elliot gestured dramatically toward the entrance. “After you, oh mighty fifteenth rank.”
Towan rolled his eyes but couldn’t help chuckling as he pushed the doors open.
Inside, the library was massive, with towering shelves stretching to the ceiling and rows of students quietly reading or studying. The faint scent of old books mixed with the soft hum of Essentia lamps that illuminated the room.
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“Now,” Elliot said, scanning the area, “let’s find the section on corruption.”
“Easier said than done,” Towan replied, looking at the endless rows of books.
A librarian, an older man with glasses that seemed too small for his face, approached them. “Can I help you two with something?”
“Yes,” Elliot said, stepping forward with a confident grin. “We’re looking for information about corruption. Anything you’ve got on its history, origins, or… well, anything, really.”
The librarian raised an eyebrow. “Corruption, you say? That’s not exactly light reading.”
“We’re not here for light reading,” Towan said firmly.
The librarian studied them for a moment before nodding. “Very well. Follow me.”
He led them toward a secluded corner of the library, where the shelves were dustier and the air felt heavier. The titles on the books grew more ominous as they walked: Essentia Aberrations, The Dark Arts of Corruption, Warriors Against the Void.
“This is the section you’re looking for,” the librarian said, gesturing to the shelves. “But be warned—most of these accounts are incomplete or heavily biased. Corruption is a… delicate subject, even within the academy.”
Towan and Elliot exchanged a glance before turning back to the shelves.
“Thanks,” Towan said.
The librarian nodded. “If you need anything else, I’ll be at the desk. Just don’t take too long back here—it’s not a place for lingering.”
As the librarian walked away, Elliot leaned closer to Towan. “This just got a whole lot more interesting.”
“No kidding,” Towan replied, running his fingers along the spines of the books. “Let’s see what we can find.”
It was vast academy library, its towering shelves filled with books that seemed to stretch endlessly toward the high arched ceiling. The air was tinged with the faint scent of aged parchment and leather bindings, while the soft glow of enchanted lanterns bathed the room in a golden light.
“Where do we even start?” Towan asked, marveling at the sheer size of the collection. “There must be thousands of books here.”
“Thousands of answers, you mean,” Elliot replied with a grin. He walked up to a nearby shelf, his fingers trailing along the spines of dusty tomes. “We just need to know what we’re looking for.”
Rows of heavy books sat untouched, cloaked in dust. Towan pulled out a thick tome titled Essentia Imbalances: A Historical Study and set it on a nearby table. Elliot grabbed another, Legends of the Essentia Wars, and joined him.
They flipped through their respective books in silence for several minutes, the sound of turning pages and distant whispers the only noise around them.
“Listen to this,” Towan said, pointing to a passage in his book.
‘The spread of corruption is often tied to unexplained anomalies in Essentia flow, leading to erratic behavior and eventual physical degradation. The last recorded outbreak occurred nearly two decades ago, during the Essentia Vanguard’s final campaign. Details remain sparse, as much of the information was sealed by academy officials at the time.’
“The Essentia Vanguard,” Elliot repeated, tapping his chin. “That has to be Rheon, right? Didn’t the librarian call him a Vanguard during training?”
Towan nodded. “It sounds like him. But why would the academy seal information? If they’ve faced corruption before, wouldn’t they want everyone to know how to handle it?”
“Unless there’s something they’re trying to hide,” Elliot suggested, leaning back in his chair.
He turned his attention back to his own book and froze. “Hey, Towan, look at this.” He spun the book around to show him. On the page was a faded diagram of the academy grounds from decades ago, annotated with hand-drawn symbols. One symbol, marked with an X, stood out near a part of the academy they didn’t recognize.
“Does that look like… a map?” Towan asked, leaning closer.
“Yeah. And this section…” Elliot traced his finger over the marked area. “I don’t think we’ve been there. It’s not part of the regular academy grounds.”
“Think it’s worth checking out?” Towan asked.
Elliot grinned. “Of course. But let’s finish what we’re reading first.”
---
Hours passed as they continued to dig through the texts. They uncovered fragments of information: references to a shadowy figure called The Corrupter, whispers of experiments gone wrong, and brief accounts of corrupted warriors who turned against their allies.
“Take a look at this,” Towan said, sliding the open book across the table to Elliot. He pointed to a passage written in bold, ancient lettering.
‘The corruption was born from the misuse of Original Essentia, a primordial force that twists and consumes everything it touches in order to sustain itself.’
“Original Essentia?” Elliot muttered, furrowing his brow. “I’ve never heard of it before.”
“Really?” Towan asked, surprised. “I thought you would know about it, given all the reading you do.”
Elliot leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in thought. “It does remind me of something I’ve read… something about the Great Old War.”
“The Great War?” Towan repeated, his voice rising slightly in disbelief. “Wasn’t that thousands of years ago?”