Sage woke to find herself completely fine, and not tied up like she thought she would. When she probed at where the winged girl had grabbed her, she felt nothing. Not a bruise, or even a scratch, just smooth skin. She felt better too, all her small cuts and bruises from the streets gone, leaving her to wonder if it was all a dream.
Checking her sleeves, she felt intense worry fill her as she grasped at empty air. Her daggers, her only protection, were gone.
Sage looked around the small, windowless room she was in, and immediately felt like she was suffocating. The room she was in was quite small, only enough space for her bed and the door, if it was swung wide open. Every wall, every inch of bare space was painted white, the large rectangle lights in the ceiling blinding her vision. Even the bed she was lying in was dressed in white.
Glancing at the doorknob suspiciously, she tried to open it, but it remained locked, not to her surprise. She banged on the door, hoping someone would listen, but no one came.
Finally, panic set in and she felt the need to get out of this white, blinding room, to leave, go anywhere except here. Soon she realized that all she could do was wait, and sat on the bed for what felt like hours.
Sage jumped when someone finally knocked softly on her door. Her feet burned from pacing back and forth in the small space the room allowed her. She had been trying to recount for the past couple of hours what had happened down in the alley, but nothing made sense and everything felt real.
"Come in," Sage called. She heard a click and then a squeaking noise as the door swung open.
A black haired girl came into the room, and the first thing she noticed about her was the small gold freckles on her face. And as Sage looked closer, she noticed they were in the shape of stars.
The girl entered cautiously, one foot in the room and one foot in the doorway. Her large black wings covered up most of the doorway, preventing her from coming inside all the way.
"Come," she told Sage.
She had two curved blades strapped to the sides of her waist, and she pulled these out as she led Sage out the door.
She walked down the hall and turned left towards an elevator, Sage following reluctantly, but glad to be out of the room. The girl turned instead towards the stairs, which led downwards.
She wondered if the girl cared whether she was following, if she could just escape without her noticing. Looking around, she saw that no one was around, but the corridors all led down paths that were unknown to her.
The girl was halfway down the stairs now, and deciding on her better judgment, Sage followed the girl into the slowly darkening spiral down.
"I have brought her here, madame," the girl spoke. They were in a dimly lit room partly under the ground, an elegant woman standing before both of them at what looked like her office.
"Thank you, Suri," the woman replied, smiling at Sage. "You may stand guard outside. I wish to speak with her alone."
A small shiver tickled the back of Sage's spine. The woman looked intimidating when she wasn't smiling, her back straight as a ruler and surrounded by an aura of superiority. Gulping, she turned toward the woman as the girl named Suri left the room, closing the intricately designed door behind her.
Staring at the expression on Sage's face, Celeste smiled again. "It's okay, I won't hurt you, darling. You may speak."
"Who are you and why am I here?" Sage blurted out.
Celeste smiled. "Don't worry, Sage, we will have time for questions later. In the meantime, my name is Celeste, and I have much to discuss with you."
Leahe flew toward the library, Emilie traveling towards the other direction. "Where are you going?"
"Library!" Leahe called over the wind.
"I'll get you something to change in. You look uncomfortable,"
"Thanks, Emilie!"
As soon as she said it, Leahe felt the uncomfortable fabric and metal plating rubbing against her skin and wished to hurry and change into more comfortable clothes.
The library loomed in front of her, a grand yellow-golden color that looked exactly like the color of old, yellowed book pages. Pillars coated in the same color stood proud and tall, supporting the large domed roof. The smell of fresh and old paper wafted through the air.
Inside, shelves of books lined the floor, varying from topics such as human behavior, and the unknown history of how Valkyries developed abilities.
A boy sat behind the librarian's desk, his dark skin and blue hair easy to spot in the light of the library. Large white wings protruded from his back. His amber eyes glowed in the afternoon sun streaming from the large stained glass windows around the room.
"Hey Leahe, what brings you here?" Roy looked up in curiosity, adjusting the black-rimmed glasses on his face.
"I'm kind of here on a mission for the Puzzle Master. I need some information on the Demonic War." she replied.
His smile immediately evaporated, replaced by a serious look. "Come with me to the back. I'll show you the ones I have." He flew toward a room in the back, painted the same color as the yellow-gold walls.
Roy fished out a couple books from the back of the shelves in the room. "I have exactly three books right now. I used to have four, but oh well. Take these, and be careful."
"Thanks, Roy," Leahe whispered, and tucked them into the folds of her armor and dress.
She found Emilie waiting for her outside with a bundle.
"I have what I need. Let's go," Leahe said.
Sighing, Leahe came out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. Her armor had been finally taken off and rinsed out in the tub, and she was fitted into a new pair of comfortable jeans and a T-shirt. She realized too late her house was the best private place to flip through and discuss the books, so she felt bad when Emilie had delivered the extra clothes anyway.
Emilie was already examining the stack of books on the table.
"The Demonic War?" she questioned.
"The weapon was a Dark weapon. Which means that we might be able to find out more about the girl's weapon through the books—"
"—and hopefully find out what she was doing with it." Emilie finished.
"Right."
Slowly, Leahe opened the first book.