"We need to go to the Forbidden Library right now!" Lyon said with a loud voice.
"But-"
"There's no time Princess, I need answers now!"
Emotionally confused, she didn't know what to do. It may seem like an act of disrespect for someone like Lyon to order her around but she, of all people knows his situation. When she could no longer think of an answer the Princess simply nodded and helped Lyon to get back on his feet. She lifted up her dress raising its end to knee height before running like her life was on the line. Lyon followed behind her. The two passed by numerous notable people from The head maid, guards, knights, and a few nobles. But before they could even reach the library's entrance they passed by the commander who seemed to be concentrating on the book he held with his hand.
As they passed by him, Lyon glanced back as he thought he saw the Commander smiling as if he had seen them despite the two running as fast as possible. They were running so fast that they couldn't stop on time. They passed the doors and collided with a maid who was carrying a large basket of used clothes.After tumbling down Lyon immediately apologized and helped the maid to get the clothes inside the basket again, as for Jiniya, once she stood up after the collision she immediately went inside the library.
When he finished helping the maid return the clothes back to the basket, Lyon followed the princess pushing open a large wooden brown door. It revealed the majestic sight of books stacked in various ways. It looked nothing more than an ordinary library that had been given a wealthy makeover. Walking to the western side of the library Lyon stubbled against the Princess almost causing the two to fall down.
In front of them stood two statues that represented the night and day. In between the two statues was a pathway, it was large enough to fit a few people lined up. The two statues both held different weapons, the lighter colored statue held a sword and the darker colored statue held a shield. The statues were sculpted to look as humanly as possible, they represented both goodness and evil a person may possess.
The Forbidden Library's entrance could be found easily, most of the time there are knights who guards the entrance allowing only people who were given authority by the King. But the library's entrance is the only easy part, once you enter everything becomes pitch black and there is no way back. Created by a mysterious person who was very close to the Queen, that person cursed the entrance; "your thoughts are the key to the lock for you to reach the books. They are the judge, if you are not worthy then you will be held inside the void for all eternity. If they deem you worthy then this books will tell you the truth about the world"
Years passed by but the kingdom was, yet, to enter the library. The few people they sent in to figure out how the entrance works never came back, they even tried tying ropes on the people but once they entered the dark pathway the rope would immediately snap. It was only about 10 years ago since the King ordered to stop the studying of the entrance, later on knights were placed there to stop anyone who dares to enter for it is harmful to even animals.
Jiniya stared at the pitch black void that didn't reflect a single inch of light, while Lyon checked if there was any guard inside the library.
"Are you sure about entering" Jiniya asked
"Yes… beyond this darkness is the answer I sought for a long time"
Lyon spoke as he lowered his head and stared at his left hand which had a large burn mark that covered most of his palm, clenching it before turning around to look at Jiniya. Her face was filled with unease as she stared at the empty tunnel ahead of them. Lyon held his hand in front of her to which she stared and hesitates to grab at first, but with Lyon assuring nod she eventually grabs it. As they started to walk forward towards the tunnel they heard the sound of metal boots clanging on the wooden floor.
"Shhh" Lyon muttered.
Placing his finger above his lips he slowly started walking backward, his eyes wandering the library looking at shelves one after the other, waiting to see where the guard could possibly come from. Gradually the footsteps grew louder, he faced the shelves towards the right side and immediately pulled the two of them inside the tunnel as he saw a silver boot coming out from in between the shelves.
Everything suddenly went black, the two of them holding each other by the hand. There was nothing to be seen, no walls, no ceiling, no flooring, not even a pathway that could lead to somewhere. Yet, their visions were clearer than day as they could see each other as if they were emitting light themselves. Jiniya gripped his hand as tight as she could so she wouldn't be separated from him, Lyon stood close to her and placed her head against his chest as they continued to hold hands.
"I'm scared..." Jiniya sobbed. She embraced him and dug her face deeper into his chest.
"Don't worry i'm here" he reassured her, rubbing her back up and down.
Lyon felt her tears seeping into the spaces in between the threads of her clothes. Despite the confident appearance she displays to her people, behind everyones back she was very weak as a person. Only a few had the knowledge of the weak side of the princess, but even so no one could take advantage of her. As darkness continued to envelop the two, their visions slowly dimmed. Jiniya's embrace got tighter and tighter until she realized that she was hugging nothing.
Upon opening her eyes Jiniya saw herself hugging air, her face directly parallel to the solid light colored wall of the library. She heard a voice calling out to her and when she faced her left shoulder she saw a guard walking towards her wielding a long three-headed spear. Her eyes widened, she looked at the statues that stood in front of them a few moments ago, but what she saw sent her shiver. The statue's heads were looking directly at her, their mouths giving an eerie and disturbing smile.
Without hesitation she deliberately ran past the guard and left the library. She ran all around the palace searching for someone who could help them. As for Lyon, he didn't return outside the library like the princess. His eyes started to feel which eventually caused him to fall into a deep slumber, his body looking lifeless as it floated around the depths of the endless darkness that gradually started devouring him. Outside Jiniya had returned back to the supposed entrance, but no one was there.
It was an ordinary wall with stone carvings in the large portion that was in between the two statues. The person Jiniya had found was Captain Alistair who was coincidentally walking by near the entrance of the palace. Alistair gave Jiniya a confused stare as she placed her palm on the random carvings on the wall. She looked like she was finding something but he couldn't comprehend what it was.
"What are you doing, dear princess?"
Jiniya looked at him with worried eyes, she immediately returned her vision to the wall in front of her and continued to look for something. She didn't give him a reply nor did she try to mumble anything, she just looked at him with eyes that screamed "Please Help Me!!" Alistair, pitying the princess, went ahead and started feeling the carvings on the wall.
Amidst the commotion happening outside, Lyon had woken up inside a very small room. It could possibly be occupied by at least seven people at max. Lying down on the cold cemented floor, he saw a glimpse of a person looking directly at his eyes, his vision still blurry from what seemed to be an eternal slumber. He only realized that he was alone when he gazed at every corner of the room, but there was not a single soul inside the room except for him.
He stood up, his legs shaking like that of an old man who sat for an hour or so, he felt his back aching in pain as he heard eerie whispers coming from all around the room. As he continued to glance around, his eyes noticed a stone podium standing alone at the center of the room. He walked closer to it and saw moss building up at its base and slowly climbing up its body, at the top rested a single book which had an incomprehensible title at the front.
It looked like it was erased using weird chemicals just to remove the name from its solid wooden cover. At the time wooden covers were more likely to be seen in the libraries which had their titles and authors' names carved at the front. But the book Lyon saw didn't have a carved title, moreover it looked like it was written using some sort of special magic he had no knowledge of.
"What is it you are looking for?" one of the eerie voices said, laughing at his confused face.
"Is it a name?"
"Is it a soul?"
"Is it the past you could not remember?"
"Is it your mother who had abandoned you?"
"Is it the monster whom you may be?"
"What is it that you wish to know?"
Each voice had its discrete corresponding tone. Lyon stared at the book and tried to ignore the voices but they kept getting louder and closer to his ear until he heard a faint voice speaking from in between the others. It had this nostalgic voice, so familiar to his ears. But he couldn't figure out who it was, his eyes widened as he understood the words spoken by the voice.
The book then suddenly opened on its own, flipping pages slowly. Lyon tried to read the pages as it goes on, it had symbols rather than letters. It was the writings used before humanity had divided the lands into continents, it was the writing system that was never taught in school, but for some reason Lyon could understand it. His left eye began throbbing, even for someone like him who had gone through many rigorous training to maintain himself under extreme pressure and intense situations.
The pain he was feeling could break him into pieces, he started screaming in pain, falling to his knees as he leaned back his head and covered his left eye with both hands. His scream echoed around the enclosed room that had no windows or doors. Looked like a solitary prison meant for humans and monsters who had done atrocious things.
As his eyes throbbed more painfully, it began to secrete a red liquid. He looked at his right hand and saw covering his palms, there was immense blood coming out of his eye that the lower side of his left face was covered by it. The white sleeves of his clothes had turned red as well. He bended forward, forehead forcefully pressed on the cemented flooring as he continued to scream in pain, a puddle of blood started to form below him.
Suddenly the pain disappeared. His vision had returned to normal along with his face and clothes having no sign of blood. Yet, the puddle stayed right in front of him. He stared at it until a reflection started to appear, it was not his for it had a more feminine face. Slowly hands started to manifest from the puddle, it held both his cheeks and pulled him closer that his lips almost touched the bloody floor.
"Had you forgotten your father's sins?"
Chapter End.