"Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library."
-Walter Savage Landor
The library floor was a soft pine brown the walls a warm russet color. Like the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Italy the ceiling was painted with thousands of designs, rising higher than four floors, and yet the bookshelves nearly reached it. Ladders lined every bookshelf probably to give easier access to the thousands of books that stretched across the wide expanse of the library. In the midst of it, all stood a circular little place, comfy-looking chairs scattered across it, a tiny campfire-like thing was built there, fire crackling gently. I pursed my lips, sure I absolutely adored the library but how the heck am I supposed to find what I'm looking for here? I glanced at the obviously grumpy librarian in deliberation...I really do not want to deal with any more grumpy people. Exploring libraries had always been pleasant. Why should this colossal one be any different? The shelf passageways were wide enough for six people to stand side by side with enough space to spread their arms, yet there were still so many of them. Hours or minutes later combing through the shelves I found a book on the local fruits within the forest. It took even longer to find books on smiting material, the Siren of Casiad and The Figure Five.
Reading in those comfy chairs seemed both a blessing and a curse because I had almost passed out twice. And that while I was reading, now that had never happened before. The only interesting thing I read from any of these books was about The Figure Five. The book was old, and fraying at the pages. The cover is well-worn and stained with who knows what. The author's name was faded and almost gone along with the rest of the words on the pages. But I just managed to read them.
"The Figure five is heroes of olden times." The book starts, and if the pages of the book are so old and frayed image how old these figures actually are? Is it like those fairy tales or legends told throughout the ages? "The first to form a team against the newly formed monsters that had destroyed millions of towns already and succeeded. They are the first to receive the ability of magic and greater strength. Caleb of the Stars was the first powerful enough wizard to do more than just street performances like so many others were and was the leader of the figure five. He created the book of Wizardry and Battle strategies founder of the Adventurer Guild. Second in command, swordswoman Khali Pears, first lady to ever fight a battle without being judged for it, founder of the Hunters Guild. Rogue the hammer man, a bear man the first hybrid man to stand free of slavery and be himself, is the founder of the Trading Guild. Lili of the Stars the archer was the first princess of a continent to fight for and defend it. Edward the mage was the first Elementalist with more than just one element and the founder of the Guild of Mages. Five thousand years ago they had been gathering in the City of Carols for a commissioned painting but a miss-fired curse had them turned into the new material crystal. Unfortunately, the City of Carols has been lost for decades now and there is no mention of its whereabouts anywhere. " The book went on to explain how they had met and so on and so forth. But nothing more of whom was responsible for the curse or what had happened. I frowned down at the book. Perhaps I should try and find the City of Carols? It could be fun. But that doesn't explain why there were crystal figures in front of the guild. Is that the reason they couldn't find Carol City anymore? Because there were replicas placed in each city and town? It's highly possible that this is true. And yet this could also be false. My frown deepened before I shook it off and stood up. Well, might as well return these and get to the librarian. I blinked in surprise when I lifted the books and several things I hadn't seen in them fell out and onto the planked floor. I bent down, poking at them in curiosity. All of them were different colored than the others, each of them different. One was a beautiful flower I had no name for, I picked it up as I sank to my knees, twisting it this way and that, the petals curled inwards in a slight spiraling form, it was a light baby pink. I placed it gently on my lap and reached out for the next object, a wolf in a howling position, colored almost the exact shade of Caspian's left eye well mine now, but it might be white now, who knows? I spun it around and grinned slightly it was just as beautiful as the flower, I put it down and reached for the next one. Only to freeze at the sight of it, yes it was beautiful, but it was a figure of a small angel or demon if they have wings that are. And it was glowing a bright- but how could it be so bright if it was black?- blackish blue. I started unsure before looking at the last two, an egg of peppermint green and a miniature staff of almost transparent gold. My eyes flickered back toward the small angel/demon. Gathering all of them and placing them on my lap. I blinked again when my mind finally caught up to the number of items that had fallen from a book.
5
Five figures that had fallen from a book that describes the story of five people named the figure five. I frowned down at them. Why were they not within the book if they had been there all this time? How had no one taken them? Or had they put no meaning on these objects? I placed them in the pockets of my robe without putting further thought into it. Somewhere in my mind, I realized that I might be stealing....but really? There was no way that these objects would belong to a library of all things and there was just a tiny chance that they belonged to the figure five. And that glowing angel/ demon...I want to study it.