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Chapter 3 - The academy and the library

The Agni Academy was an imposing structure, a symbol of ancient knowledge and power, rising from the heart of Toika. Older than the kingdom itself, the academy was built upon the ruins of a long-lost foundation, its walls echoing tales of times gone by.

Legend has it that mages had discovered the ruins and transformed them into an academy, laying the foundation for the kingdom of Toika.

The core of the academy, shrouded in mystery, was a maze of underground chambers and passageways. These were remnants of the original structure, and many believed they held secrets from a time when magic was still in its infancy on Andhi. Whispers among the mages spoke of artifacts discovered within these depths, ranging from the insignificant to the incredibly powerful.

Some were strange, inexplicable objects, while others remained dormant, their true purpose yet to be uncovered. There were books, too, filled with knowledge of alchemy, construction, and spells, both basic and advanced.

Many mages believed the ruins were once a grand library or a repository of incredible knowledge. Others speculated it might have been a treasury or a keep for magical artifacts. But the truth remained elusive, buried deep within the academy's heart.

Aelar's encounter with Agni Academy was a defining moment in his life. With dreams of becoming a mage, he had approached its grand entrance, heart filled with hope.

But his lack of knowledge about even the simplest of spells or elemental magic had been glaringly apparent. He remembered the oppressive silence in the room when he confessed he knew nothing but had hoped to learn everything at the academy.

Whispers and stifled laughter followed him as he left the testing chamber. With their wise eyes and long beards, professors had exchanged disappointed glances. A few adepts assisting with the tests sneered, seeing him as nothing more than a joke.

That evening had been one of the darkest moments in Aelar's life. The weight of failure, the mocking voices, and the shattered dreams had pushed him to the brink of despair. Thoughts of ending it all had clouded his mind, believing he would never find his place in a world of magic.

But fate had other plans. Sensing his desolation, his father shared some rudimentary knowledge of magic with him. It wasn't much, but it was a start. The spark of hope rekindled, and Aelar sought the one place in Toika where he believed he could satiate his thirst for knowledge: the library.

The library, initially, had been a disappointment. The tales seemed more like fantasies, the musings of imaginative authors rather than genuine accounts of magical feats. But the sheer volume of information was overwhelming. Among the million-plus books and scrolls were treasures waiting to be discovered.

Aelar would often find himself staring at the mysterious artifacts on display. These were relics from the ruins of Agni, considered worthless by most. They held no magic and bore no spells. However, they served as a reminder that Agni's past remained an enigma.

As days turned into weeks, Aelar's determination only grew. He would often find himself amidst the mysterious artifacts on display in the library. These relics from the ruins of Agni were scattered throughout the library, some resting inside long cabinets mounted against the walls while others stood on ornate pedestals.

Considered worthless trinkets by most, they held no magic and bore no spells. Their presence was a testament to the enigma of Agni's past and the vast knowledge yet to be explored.

"Nalanda," as the library was named, was a sprawling edifice of knowledge, its origins lost in the mists of time. No one knew where the name originated; the mystery only added to its allure. This grand repository was divided into sections, each catering to a different domain of knowledge.

There were vast sections dedicated to the history of kingdoms, detailing wars, politics, and treaties. Geography shelves spanned multiple rooms, showcasing the topography of Andhi and beyond.

Biographies of renowned figures, tales of epic battles, and narratives of ordinary people filled countless racks. Art sections celebrated human skills like painting, sculpture, and music. Encyclopedias gave insights into animals, herbs, aquatic lifeforms, and even mysterious species from lands beyond Andhi.

The library itself was a marvel, its age spanning over 10,000 years. Built by the first mages of the Agni Academy, it was believed that the library housed more books and scrolls than one could read in several lifetimes.

Its sheer size was staggering, with vast halls and chambers stretching endlessly. Certain library areas felt like pockets in space, expanding beyond their physical boundaries, a testament to the ancient magic employed in its construction.

The depth of Nalanda was such that even after months of working, Aelar had only scratched the surface, having barely explored the beginning sections. The vastness of his cataloging and library management duties meant that he had yet to get past the first hundred thousand books.

The idea of the millions upon millions of other scrolls and tomes waiting to be discovered was daunting and exhilarating. And the deepest chambers, those untouched corners, whispered promises of secrets, tales untold, and knowledge uncharted.

Yet, amidst all this grandeur and mystery, Aelar's thoughts often returned to the seemingly mundane artifacts. Those "worthless" trinkets held an inexplicable draw for him.

He often wondered if, among those relics, lay dormant an artifact of actual power, waiting for the right moment, the right touch, to awaken from its slumber.

Aelar's daily routine often took him past a particular cabinet, housing an artifact that seemed peculiarly restless. Unbeknownst to him, the object subtly vibrated every time he walked by as if trying to communicate or react to his presence. This artifact was known as the "Eclarian Shard."

The Eclarian Shard was a mesmerizing piece, roughly two inches in length. It was shaped like a perfect tetrahedron, its surface a myriad of colors, shifting and shimmering like an opal caught in sunlight. Its edges were razor-sharp, yet its core seemed to hold a pulsating light. The light was not constant; it ebbed and flowed, almost like a heartbeat.

The shard was named after a legendary mage named Eclaire, who had discovered it almost six to seven thousand years ago. The stories said that Eclaire had found it during one of her expeditions to the enigmatic depths of the Agni ruins. Its true origins, purpose, and the extent of its powers remained a mystery, lost to time.

Like many artifacts of the Agni ruins, the shard had been cataloged and displayed with little understanding of its capabilities. But for some reason, the Eclarian Shard took a silent interest in Aelar, hinting at mysteries deep within its crystalline structure.