Standing outside the tower left a spine chilling feeling through Nicholas' body. He could look up at the gray sky and see no end to this mystery he stands before.

Martin had run over to its gate, its entrance. Inspecting the engraved details.

He spoke silently “I have not seen anything like this before. It's amazing! Who could have created such a splendid thing, such a beauty.”

Kane was still tying his horse and making sure that every other horse was neatly tied.

He’d said “There's nothing wrong with being extra cautious. I will check our horses one more time, just to be sure that everythings good and that we haven't forgotten anything.”

Kane walked up on Nicholas handing over his backpack.

“You forgot this. Don't forget it again, it's very important to have your backpack with you, especially when you're out in the wild like we are,” he said.

Nicholas and Kane approached the entrance. Martin still examined every detail.

“That's interesting! There's no door knob or some kind of handle here that we could use to open the doors?” Martin said. His excitement changed his personality gradually.

Almost like a child. Nicholas with doubt said “Well I think you're supposed to push it then.” Martin gazed at Nicholas and turned to the door.

Kane thereafter said “Wouldn't hurt to try it, right?” Nicholas could see how Martin pondered upon the idea with his hand at the beard, his eyes tightening and his voice Humming.

He let out a sigh. “Well alright then, let's try it.” he waved his hand for them both to come and help.

“Let's push on three.” he continued. Nicholas fixed his backpack's position within a swift upwards motion of the shoulders.

Martin folded up both arm sleeves till the elbow. And Kane fixed his brown leather gloves.

Nicholas placed his hands upon the door preparing for the push. Martin started counting “One, Two…Three.”

Nicholas pushed harder than he ever had burying his shoes beneath the dirt in the process. Peering in Martin's direction he could see how much effort Martin was putting in, almost slipping in mud.

And as he peered to his right side Nicholas witnessed Kane pushing himself to the limit as-well.

Thump! Martin hastily looked in Nicholas' direction. He wasn't there anymore. “Nicholas!” A muffled sound erupted from somewhere “yesh, Immm okeyy.”

When glancing down he saw Nicholas laying on his stomach in cold wet mud. Martin lent his hand offering to help. “You wan any help?” Nicholas moved his hand saying “No i'm alright thanks.”

He laid his right hand on the door to steady himself only to feel the hand slipping right down it. “OH! FOR GOD'S SAKE” Heading face first into the cold mud again.

Kane made up his mind and decided to help Nicholas out, he thought “Now he's just embarrassing himse–” Suddenly a sound of air moving past the tight space that is the stone slab door escaped from its prison within.

Shocked by the sound of two giant stone slab doors barely grazing the stone laid floor made Nicholas turn his head up in a heartbeat.

“How the fuck did you do that?” exclaimed Kane. Nicholas didn't know what to say other than “I'm not sure.”

Helping Nicholas up; Martin said “Well the gods have surely blessed us this time.”

Kane responded with “They really have.”

…

Kane had lifted the torch from its nest, using flint in order to make fire.

When they entered the tower passing through a dark and narrow pathway, what they'd found looked to be a room occupied with darkness, perhaps more.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Seeing proved hard for Nicholas but then Kane brought two torches. Martin said “Hey where's the third one?” Kane didn't say anything.

He handed over the other torch in his left hand to Nicholas saying “Clean your goddamn face.”

Nicholas, surprised by the words, hurriedly reached down his left side pocket with his free hand scrambling through his unnecessary collection of paper and coins.

“I can't seem to find my rag, could I borrow your's Martin?” he asked.

Martin scowled then he pulled out his roughed up rag which did not look clean, but it indeed was the only option in the moment for Nicholas. So he accepted the rag.

Delving deeper into the room which they now stood in proved easier with the torch. Its orange-yellow light spreading through its confines helped Nicholas manage every step he took.

In the room shelves taller than four men combined surrounded Nicholas. Their placement reminded him of a maze of some sort.

Kane delved deeper into what now seemed like a library, disappearing into its darkness.

Martin followed closely behind Nicholas, being awestruck by all the books.

“Ti’s an amazing library.” He said.

“Where do you think all these books come from? There Can't be a library even close to its size anywhere else in the kingdom or in any of the kingdoms.”

Nicholas tried finding the room's ceiling, only to realize the darkness above had no end. Its appearance resembled what the feeling of true horror felt like.

Petrifying even warriors brave enough to dare adventure into hell itself. Something like a chair being moved sounded not far off.

Nicholas felt uneasy but he knew Kane was over there in the distance. “Histoya an valembya noctis vi Crolaius Sifanu Vallanår.” read Martin from an old clothbound book covered in dust.

“What does that mean?” asked Nicholas. “I'm not a hundred percent sure, my old Cascan is very rusty.

But it says something along the lines of: The history of, and then by someone called Crolaius Vallanår. What's in between I don't know, could be anything.”

Martin opened the book only to hear Kane calling for them both. His voice echoed through the halls of the Library.

“Martin, Nicholas, you should come and see this!” he yelled. “Let's take the book with us.” Martin said.

Nicholas responded saying “Sure, put it in my bag.” Martin opened the backpack and dropped the book. Landing on soft cloth.

…

A candle lit by fire melted resin slowly like a book being written.

Sitting in a red wooden chair with soft cushioning was Kane, and on the table front of him there lay a book in which he'd tried to understand its writings for about eight minutes.

Fur capes loosely dragged on cold stone flooring and soft-hard steps approached behind Kane. One man's voice from afar vibrated through the hall that is the library.

Oddly enough Kane couldn't put the name on the voice he heard but it felt familiar. “Kaaaannneeee, aaarreee yoooouuuu alllrighhtt?” the voice said.

Distorted in his mind. A woman's voice entered his personal inner plain which was the mind.

In a quick manner it said “Do not rise above ground, to seek fortune, open the gate and death will fall upon the lap of he.”

Nicholas rested his hand on Kane's shoulder. Repeating what he’d earlier asked “Are you okay? What did you want?”

Kane’s mind centered itself, dragging him back to reality, but wasn't he already in reality? He couldn't tell the difference.

Confusion developed. “What do you mean, what did I want? he replied. Nicholas peered in a fast and calm manner in Martin's direction.

They both wore the same facial expression, filled with worry. “Well you told us to hurry on over to you……didn't you?” Martin whispered.

Kane's mood had changed drastically and not for the better. “The only thing I am sure of right now is that, it wasn't me who called for you.”

Martin could feel the Thumping of his heart rising above the normal speed. “What is that book under your palms?” he asked.

Kane hadn't realized, his thoughts ran amok. “Well I'm not sure I have been trying to decipher its contents but to no avail.”

Nicholas inspected its name closer, he couldn't manage to translate it.

Martin read its name aloud “Maakis an Nekramanc vi Daider Olypus Mantaas,” he continued.

“It means Magicks of Necromancy By Daider Mantaas. T’is a dark book in which we should really get rid off.” Martin said.

Nicholas spoke out “Necromancy. So it's real, I thought it was a made up concept for folk-tales and legends spread around the Kingdoms.”

Kane stared Nicholas in the eyes and said “Not anymore.”

A gust of cold air swept their faces suddenly, stealing the candle fire as-well as the torches' orange glow.

All's now dark again.

Nicholas' nerves shivered his whole body.

Light but quick footsteps could be heard running a few paces away from the table.

Kane did not believe what he witnessed a centimeter from his face.

Martin unsheathed his sword creating a Schiing as it left its scabbard.

“We aren't alone.” Nicholas thought.