Beneath the harsh winds of the kingdom, a librarian tends to the shelves of a foreign past. Above creaking floors and shelves blanketed in dust, the remains of humanity's knowledge, discoveries, and secrets rest within the sanctuary. As gemstones of guidance hidden in blotted ink and tattered paper, Sonata is the only one in the kingdom to know how much weight a library holds in this hollow kingdom. Pushing up the thin, round frame of her glasses up the bridge of her nose, the librarian nears the front row stacked with books and scans the contents. Finding one that springs her interest, she reaches out to the book in mind, lifting it from its home. Observing the cover, she opens the book and begins to read. In the midst of her reach to turn the page, a heavy thud echoes across the library. Sonata snaps her head to the entrance, peering her gaze through one of the two arches that separate the lobby and the main room.
The front doors have met their fateful enemy once again as they snap open again, slamming against the walls of the lobby. Sonata growls and thins her eyes, slamming her book shut as she races to the lobby in frustration. A storm of emotional turmoil has torn the kingdom as the throne remains without a ruler. Despite the people of the kingdom causing destruction as a form of therapy, Sonata knows well of who enters her sanctuary. Pacing into the lobby to the sound of a stack of books slamming on the desk ahead, Sonata glares at the princess and crosses her arms.
"You expect to pull the cost for those damages out of your father's treasury, your Grace?" The librarian calls out. Keir rolls her eyes and nudges the stack of books sitting next to her.
"I'll fix them when you tell me why you lied to me," Keir growls. Sonata tilts her head, waving out the dust around her face that falls from the ceiling. The impact of the doors had likely been enough to shake the room.
"In what realm would I ever lie to you, Keir?" Sonata asks softly, calming herself to attend to the issue more important to her.
"You said these books would teach me knowledge. You told me they'd teach me about humanity and about my father. These are nothing more than children's stories! Sure, a prince ran from home. A woman named Aries lost her sister. What does this have to do with humanity? Everyone knows they're a species made to mourn," Keir waves her hands out, thinking about what she read from the three tomes. Sonata sighs, walking closer to the princess, her ivory dress flowing with the wind rushing through the front doors.
"You have not read very far, have you?" Sonata asks gently. "Aries lost her sister, yes. In the end, she carried her grievance close and moved to a new threat. Assuming you've only read to the first volume, you know little of that threat."
"Why would it matter to me, or my father? These fantasies will not help me in battle," Keir growls, glaring through her black unkempt hair.
"They are not fantasies, my princess. That threat that she faces, should you keep reading, is what your father is now facing himself," Sonata answers. "It is not the stories themselves that matter most, my dear, but the message hidden deep within their words. You will not only learn the reason for humanity's destruction, should you keep reading, but you will discover what they had left behind in their remnants."
"What's that? Bones and ashes? This world has plenty of that already," Keir scoffs. Sonata lowers her head, hoping the princess will find passion in her words.
"This kingdom was built not long ago, but it will fall even sooner than it was built," Sonata says, her voice falling to just above a whisper. "The kingdoms of humanity were the same, as they failed to learn from their mistakes. They built, and fell, and built, and fell..."
"What are you trying to say?" Keir softens her tone.
Sonata looks to Keir. "We Inners have no right to say we are more than humans. We have stolen their structures, thrown their knowledge into pits of flames, and claimed their bodies as sleeves for ourselves. This kingdom will be ruled, but without the knowledge within these books, Keir, I'm afraid that it will crumble, even with your body on the throne. Another may be built to replace you, but once again, the cycle repeats. At humanity's end, we have not used their hollow bodies to better ourselves, but instead to hold their burdens, their curses, their torment. Humanity is no longer the species that mourns, Keir, for they have no reason to any longer," Sonata holds Keir's arms softly, "It is us that now carry those burdens. Soon, it will bury us, too."
Keir frees a growl of disgust from her throat and lifts her arms to remove herself from Sonata's hold. Stepping back and turning away from the librarian, she waves her hand to disregard Sonata's response.
"You're wrong, this is all wrong," Keir growls.
"Do not be in denial! You do not believe it because you believe those tomes to be fantasies! You know that if you ignore this truth, the fate of your history will be the same as the prince's kingdom, and to Aries' turmoil, and unto the rest of humanity!" Sonata raises her voice.
"Then what is to be done?" Keir screams. Sonata steps back from the sudden call and takes a deep breath.
"We learn from their mistakes. We study what they did to face the enemy that threatened and brought their end. Then, you, Keir, will break the cycle and prevent our species from reaching the same fate. Though death may be nothing more than a myth to us, our species is now bound to an eternity of torment and violence. Within all of the books in my library, they speak of the same cycle: of life and death, of light and darkness, and of victory and defeat. They're always tied together, like a pair of lovers, walking an endless path throughout time. No matter what, however, even in these triumphs and losses, these two lovers follow time in stride -- and neither ever halt. As long as time continues to move, these two lovers will remain eternal, and their hearts pulsate the flowing rivers of existence."
"I don't understand," Keir responds in heavy breaths, "If I am to read these stories, what changes of us? What makes you think the answer to saving us lies within these pages?"
"These lovers I mentioned -- they were once lovers to one another. While they cannot be separated, they are polar opposites to their beliefs. The woman adores peace, while the man adores violence. She adores the light of the sun, while he bathes in the ink of the darkness. These lovers care for each other, deep down, but their desire to clash their sides against one another has brought the fate of all existence into a tilted, restless war. The books in this library talk of this war in fantasies, in reality, and in any realm beyond," Sonata reaches for the stack of books on the desk, "But these books, my princess, are unlike the rest. The lovers battle all the same in the books beyond this lobby, but they're hidden deep in the background and thought to be known as the way of existence. These tomes, however, focus on those lovers alone. Yes, these little stories may seem nothing more than children's fantasies, but soon, you will understand how they are woven together into the fabric of our past, our present, and our future. When putting the pages together, you will find where these lovers rest, and you will bring purpose and prosperity to our kingdom in the end."
Keir turns her head to the books and looks back to Sonata. "How do I break the cycle?"
"You find the couple, face them, and turn them into lovers again," Sonata answers with a smile. She picks up the three tomes again, leaning to Keir, and offers another chance to the ignorant princess to hold the weight of existence in her arms. The princess embraces the librarian's lecture, nods to Sonata in trust, and returns the future into her arms. Watching Keir leave the library again, Sonata sighs and traces her path to the front doors. As Keir passes other buildings and enters the crowd bustling within the town ahead, Sonata looks up to the lone, shining star in the sky and drags her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"You two will find peace soon, my dearest lovers."