The carriage came to an abrupt halt outside the library. Ag and Vanity stepped with haste at their heels. They pass by Bucky who is still patiently waiting at his carriage.
The stepped inside and momentarily gathered the attention of everyone inside. It seems a Dragonkin and Demonkin walking into a library is still an uncommon occurrence.
"Do you see them?" Ag whispered to Vanity.
"No, wait, up there! Second floor loft, right side."
The two quickly made their way up stairs to see Mordeki pacing around a table muttering to himself while Yoona napped on the table surrounded by books.
His frills perked up noticing Vanity and Ag's approach. "Ah good, you two are here..." He then looked confused, specifically in Ag's direction. "...Why are you two here?"
"Yoona's in trouble." Ag stated.
"Damn right she's in trouble. She has a lot of explaining to do." Mordeki muttered agitated.
"So you stopped the beast?" Vanity questioned.
"Beast? What? No. Let me explain." Mordeki moved over the table and piled up 3 different stacks of books. He placed his hand on a bundle of seven.
"These are seven full volumes of Arkheim's history. From it's conception all the way to present day..." He moved his hand to a pile of four. "...These are all books of law. Almost every rule and mandate in Arkheim is written in here..." He then moved to a small stack of two, but the books themselves were much larger than the rest. "...These are encyclopedias of the animals and monsters of Arkheim and beyond."
Both Vanity and Ag looked at Mordeki with worried expressions. Ag spoke up. "And this is important, why?"
Mordeki fiercely pointed at the snoozing Yoona. "Because she has read and recited ALL of them in less than an hour!" He shouted.
A shushing noise resonated from somewhere else in the library which forced Mordeki to compose himself.
"So you're upset because she can read faster than you?" Vanity questioned with a grin.
"She still wears tribal beastial garb, she speaks in the third person, and I'm pretty sure she hasn't bathed once since we first showed up here... So yes. I am upset she can read faster than me." Mordeki admitted, adjusting his coat.
"Listen, this is very riveting but --" Ag started but was interrupted by Mordeki.
"I'm not done." Mordeki leaned over to grab one final book. "This is what has been stressing me out the most. Look." He slid over Yoona's old tattered tome.
"Isn't this the book she talks to every so often." Vanity picked up and opened it. "What about it?"
"Yoona said it's the one book she's seen where the text is constantly changing."
"Are you sure? Because it's just ink marks and chicken scratch."
"Try using different words." Mordeki suggested.
"Why?"
"Just do it, please."
Vanity focused on the pages for a second, flipping them back and forth to see if anything changes.
"Uhmmm... In--... Ch-ch-ch..." Vanity struggled to get a word out, and a look of surprise came over her face. "I can't."
"Okay, let me try." Ag grabbed the book from Vanity's hands and looked through it himself.
"Try to describe what you see without the words 'Ink' or 'Chicken scratch'." Mordeki again suggested.
Ag stammered with a strained expression and eventually gave up. "I can't. It's like it's forcefully trying to make me describe it with those exact words. I can think of other words but it won't let me say them."
"It's as I've feared." Mordeki quietly stated. "This... 'book' is some sort of artifact of great power. Something we can't use..." Mordeki looked over to the still peacefully resting Yoona. "...but she can."
"Maybe we should test the rest of the team. There's got to be someone else who can read it." Vanity suggested.
"Speaking of which..." Ag leaned over the second story railing looking towards the library entrance, as well as Ave, who just made his way in. Ave noticed back and quickly made his way up to the group.
"Good you're here Ave. Read this." Mordeki handed the old tome to his lizard companion. Ave took it in his hand and opened it. His silver eyes glinted purple as he read the first line.
[Can you read me?]
Ave flipped a page.
[Please tell me you can read me. It would make my existence much less dull.]
Ave closed the book.
"So what did you see?" Mordeki asked. All three were tentatively waiting for an answer.
Ave's eyes returned to a dull silver as he dropped the old tome on the table. "If that was an attempt at humor, you have failed. I do not feel amusement regardless of your attempts."
The three looked back and forth at each other confused.
"Now, we must move. The beast has changed course. It's not hunting the gnoll female. It's hunting the grey cat."
Ag sighed. "You've been vague and cryptic our entire time here. How can we be sure you're even telling the truth?"
"It is your choice if you believe me or not, but do not dare to stand in my way." Ave spoke slightly more callous than normal.
"Do you even care for his well being?" Vanity chastised. "Because I know normal Lizardfolk don't feel emotion or compassion."
"I care if a potential meal is stolen from me." Ave hissed as he stormed off alone.
The library was silent once again. Only the sound of Yoona's soft snoring making noise in their area.
"Should we stop him?" Mordeki asked.
"I don't know..." Muttered Ag. "...But I want to see where this goes." He steadied his gear and followed behind the white scaled lizard.
Mordeki visibly hesitated until Vanity gently pushed him forward. "I know you're curious. Go with him. I'll handle her." Vanity motioned to Yoona who stirred slightly.
"Thank you my Qu-- ...Vanity." Mordeki ruffled his frills then took his leave after Ag. Vanity sat down next to Yoona moving a stack of books aside to get a better view of her.
Vanity never had any friends growing up with the exception of Mordeki, nor did she have any pets. Her hand twitched. Vanity looked at Yoona and had a mischievous thought. 'Such a large, monstrous girl, yet she sleeps so soundly.'
She raised up her hand and gently touched the darker hairs along the back of Yoona's neck, weaving here fingers in and around her mane. 'She must know some magic that keeps this mane so smooth.'
Yoona fidgeted slightly causing Vanity to retract her hand. Yoona stopped moving; back to her peaceful, undisturbed slumber. Vanity got a playful grin and went back to petting the gnoll. She scratched up behind her ears causing her leg to thump unto the ground. "Awwww, it's just like Mordeki!" Vanity cutely whispered to herself.
Yoona jolted awake with a startled yelp; just missing Vanity pulling her hand away. "Yoona's awake!" Yoona whisper shouted. She looked around in confusion. "Yoona doesn't see Mordeki."
"That's because Mordeki had to go. So now you get to be with Vanity." Vanity said, then realizing speaking in third person might be contagious.
"Oh... Ok." Yoona sighed with a disappointed look. She reached over the table to grab her master, opened him up and read the first few lines.
She got a playful smile as she looked at Vanity.
"What? Did I chip a horn?"
"If Vanity wanted to pet Yoona, Vanity could have just asked."