Terla looked around in an amazed manner.
All these glows surrounding her; some in the fire form, a drop of water, leaves, snow, and their elemental forms, made her feel like she was finally someone.
'Can't I see them like you?'
'You can. If you desire them to show themselves, they will.'
'Ahh? Desire…?' Terla became lost in the word.
'It's not like they will appear if I say hello, will they?'
However...,
To her surprise, thousands of figures appeared in place of the glows.
They sat on one knee, lowering their heads towards her and Anna.
"Wha…, everyone, please rise." Terla spoke up immediately but no one moved.
Instead, "You may all rise.", they all rose in unison.
'What? Didn't they say I am their master? How come they don't listen to me but you.'
'Who are you to be qualified to be their master? What have you done for them?'
'I…' Terla couldn't argue Anna's statement.
Terla looked at the glows group by group. Similar to Anna, the light spirits had light blonde hair, and golden eyes and wore white dresses with golden accessories, however, their glows were not as bright and shining as Anna. Beside them, were figures with hair as dark as midnight, skin like dark chocolate, and eyes that feel like the darkest abyss surrounded by smoke-like darkness. Fire spirits with red and orangey hair, eyes that burn like flames, and water spirits with ocean blue hair and aqua eyes.
And a contrasting group with spirits wearing all kinds of flower petals, dresses made of different kinds of leaves and some wearing earthy brown dresses.
'They are?'
'Earth spirits.'
'Unlike other elements, they are made up of different tribes.'
'Oh…'
'And what about those with smoky white hair?'
'Steam Spirits.'
'Steam…?' Terla was astounded.
'Those with snow white…'
'Snow Spirits.'
'What?'
'Stop wandering, you will know over time.'
"Hello.."
"Hello…"
Cute little voices rang behind her.
When she turned around, she saw some light spirits flying out from their group.
These little spirits looked younger compared to others and their glows were fainter.
They came in front of her and the little female spirit asked,
"Master, do you remember me? I accompanied you last time."
"Yes, yes, me too.", a male spirit beside her spoke up.
"We grew so much stronger, thanks to you, master.", he continued as he showed off his non-muscular arm.
*hee* *ke…ke*
The little spirits beside him laughed and Terla laughed with them.
*hymph*
"Bluffing…", a cheeky male voice came out at her back.
"Zephyr!!!" the female spirit from before shouted angrily as her hands reached out to his hair.
"Eleni…!" the spirits around her quickly called out and held her arms.
*puff*
A handsome male spirit wearing wind-patterned cloth with his fairly-built muscles peaking out, walked to Terla's front, along with some other wind spirits as streams of air surrounded them.
"Master," he called out, bowing politely to her, "we saved you this afternoon…, and we haven't gotten our shares."
"Saved me?..." then Terla remembered the air whirl protecting her this afternoon when she was sucked into the tower.
"Mmmm…so you guys were…" Terla was about to confirm her thought but the male spirit posed a proud style as he swaggered and crossed his arms.
*hymph*
"Ridiculous…" Eleni snorted as she too crossed her arms.
"Ahh…, okay…" Terla poured out some magic as she looked at the two back and forth.
'Hey, Anna… now that I became their master, doesn't that mean I made a contract with all of them?'
'Nope.'
'Then,... must I?'
'They won't and you can't.'
'Ahh..?'
Anna explained, 'There is a limit in everything. A spiritualist can only make contracts with six low-grade spirits, three mid-grades, two upper-grades, and one…'
'One…?'
'One spirit king, but to be able to get in contact with a spirit king, dream on.' Anna sheered..
'Oh…' Terla felt a little disappointed.
Anna saw her expression and added, 'But don't worry. They are now your people and they will protect you.'
Terla wasn't comforted. She wasn't disappointed because she needed their protection but because she couldn't do anything for them although they call her "Master".
Terla lifted her head a little and saw a glass dome shimmering in a pale gold light in front of the light spirits.
'That dome…' she clearly remembered how she met Anna.
Anna was trapped in that very glass dome and she helped her out.
Her eyes swayed and saw another dome filled with dark energy in front of dark spirits. It wasn't clear because of the darkness but there was surely a hole in it.
Anna followed Terla's gaze but as she saw the dark dome, she frowned angrily.
Terla felt rage from Anna at the back and turned around.
Anna was trembling with rage and although she was a light spirit, the killing intent coming out from her made Terla feel so dark and frightening.
So, she quickly looked away, only to find another dome with only a dead leaf in it.
Unlike the other two domes, it felt so empty and lonely.
Terla looked around in search of other domes but there was no dome in front of other groups.
"You feel it too?" a cute male voice entered her ears.
When she found the voice's source, a little spirit wearing an acorn cap was sitting on her shoulders chewing a tiny piece of burger in his hand.
Terla was surprised…
"He is my grandpa, my parents told me." the little spirit continued.
Terla looked at the dome again and undoubtedly, the leaf in it was an oak leaf although it was already in a state of decay.
"He was already more or less in that state when I was born. My mom says he is just sleeping but he never wakes up and looks at me. Isn't he a bad guy?"
Terla felt sorry listening to the little spirit.
But then, she saw little spirits behind the dome chewing on something, "That…"
"My burger!"
"Didn't you give it to us?"
"What? I just dropped it accidentally…" "... onto the ground…"
Terla ran to the window where she found an oak tree standing tall just beside the tower.
"You see…, you dropped it onto us."
"But…, spirits can eat too?"
"Yes…?" the little spirit bit down another piece with his tiny teeth.
Terla looked at him and asked, "What's your name?"
"Adair."
"Adair, since you are cute, I will let you guys off."
Adair gave a casual nod as if he was not interested and kept on chewing.
Terla turned around to find Anna and leave but she realised she was actually in an empty room without any bookshelf or book as it was supposed to be.
The spirits were still there chatting with each other and the three pillars with domes were still in their place.
'Since when?'
'What?' Anna finally looked at her.
'The library…it's empty.' 'Don't say I was supposed to be the owner of an empty library.'
*sigh* Anna rolled her eyes out of stress and frustration.
'It is inside you.'
'Inside me?' Terla asked in dismay.
'In your inner world…'
'Ahh…?'
Terla was speechless, imagining any possible way of putting the huge library inside her small body.
'Then how do I read the books.?'
'Go in or take out.'
'But how?'
'Ask yourself.'
'Huh?' Terla was more confused.
'Can't you just tell me how?'
'I can't.'
'Why?'
'Caz' I don't know myself. I only saw my master doing that.'
'Master? You have another master?'
Anna frowned again and she looked like exploding in anger very soon.
So, Terla shut up.
Anna turned away and explained, still wearing a frown on her face.
'He disappeared. He told us he would come back but… but… our contracts were broken.'
'He… is he dead?'
"Nonsense!!!" Anna raged with her true voice, her eyes blazing with anger. All the surrounding spirits shook in fear and Terla was startled as she felt killing intent from Anna.
She also felt the tower trembling along with them.
At the stairs, Lucas was on his way down holding onto the shaking wall, "An earthquake all of a sudden?"
All the little spirits including Adair, Eleni and Zephyr came running at her as they disappeared together into her and she felt like being hit by an energy ball.
"Anna, calm down." a beautiful looking spirit with long reddish-brown hair wearing an oak leaf dress flew to Anna.
'Mom.' Adair's voice echoed in her mind.
'Your mom?' Terla asked as she saw Anna calming down.
'Yes…'
'She doesn't flinch a little to Anna's fury.'
'Of course, who is my mom… she is the bravest and strongest lady in this world! She is the sole leader of us, earth spirits!!' Adair claimed in a proud voice.
Terla couldn't help but agree, looking at the lady spirit soothing Anna.
But then…, 'though I am not sure since I have never left the tower's vicinity.'
'You have never been out?'
She couldn't see Adair but still could figure out the gloomy face he would be making.
'Why?'
'We are restricted to this tower, master.' Eleni answered gloomily.
'But didn't you come out with me the other day? '
'Only us, younger generations can move about in the tower's vicinity.'
'Why so?'
'We don't know either. We only got to know about it because Adair accidentally fell from the oak tree when he was a baby.'
'Yes, my grandpa went out to test in case we are finally free but…but he never came back.' Zephyr added, this time his voice was also gloomy.
'Then, what about Anna? She even stayed at my house.'
'My mom told me it was because Master found her and she got a new contract.' the little spirit who showed off his non-muscular arms voiced.
'Lucian's right. My mom told me the same.' the quiet Adair finally spoke up again.
'She also said we can also be free if you become our master.'
'Imm.!' the other spirits also voiced.
'But how do I help you all if I can only make contracts with six of you.'
'It's okay! As long as you become the library's master, we can stay with you since we are attached to the library.' Eleni declared excitedly.
'Really?'
'Yes. Chief Anna said so.'
'Chief Anna?' as if hearing her name, Anna turned around with a glare at her.
Then Anna announced, "Let's return first. We can talk it out later."
"Yes, chief!" all the spirits agreed in unison as they all flew towards Terla.
"What? Wait, wait, wait, you all coming with me?"
'Is there a problem?' Anna asked her with a glare.
'And inside me?'
'So?'
Terla was speechless. She knew she was like the only straw to a drowning man but for all these thousands of spirits to live inside her is a whole different topic.
Whatsoever…, Terla closed her eyes and decided to let them all in.
Seconds passed but she felt nothing.
"Hmmm?" Terla opened her eyes but only two figures were left in front of her.
"See, you chose a good master this time, too." Adair's mom said to Anna as she wore a beautiful smile on her face.
*hymph*
Anna snorted and she also disappeared into Terla.
Terla was left speechless, incapable of making out the situation.
Adair's mom smiled and her tiny hand touched Terla's face as she assured, "Don't worry girl. You did a good job.", then she too disappeared.
"Did I?"