When Zenyph stepped foot into the library, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe wash over him. This place was truly magnificent.
The library itself was a vast, seemingly endless space, stretching out as far as the eye could see.
It was filled with shelves upon shelves of books, stacked high from floor to ceiling.
The sight was breathtaking.
Each shelf was packed with tomes, scrolls, and various other bits of literature from all different races and times.
And among those books were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of unique spells, techniques, and tricks that Zenyph knew he'd have to dig into before long.
In addition, there were countless ancient artifacts, rare gemstones, and rare potions.
This library had everything you could ever imagine, and Zenyph was excited to get his hands on the knowledge hidden within its depths.
However, Zenyph couldn't help but notice something odd as he entered the building.
There seemed to be a strange tension in the air, almost as if something had occurred here recently.
The room was quiet, save for the occasional murmurs and whispers coming from the shadows.
Zenyph wondered what the hell happened but decided not to dwell on it.
He looked around, scanning the room for anything related to mind magic. He had never studied the subject, and he needed to get his hands on every relevant volume he could find.
He found a stack of books in a section labeled "Mind Magic and Manipulation" and eagerly began to thumb through them.
Unfortunately, the texts proved to be disappointingly lacking in useful information.
Most of them seemed to consist of old fairy tales, or overly theoretical explanations for how the brain worked, but nothing of any practical use.
However, Zenyph did notice a strange pattern in the books.
They all had a certain author named Astra.
Whoever this person was, they clearly had an extensive knowledge of mind magic.
Zenyph couldn't find anything about Astra, except for one article that mentioned her as a legend among mages.
As he searched further, Zenyph stumbled upon something intriguing.
He came across a small stone tablet, etched with symbols that he had never seen before.
He reached for it, only to have his wrist caught in a tight grip.
He looked up, startled to find a golden-haired angel woman staring down at him, her eyes glittering with amusement.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warned.
"And why is that?"
"Because that's a forbidden spell. If you read that, you could end up turning yourself into a blob of jelly or worse."
"Oh, I see. Well, in that case, I guess I won't touch it."
The woman stared at him suspiciously, as if trying to figure him out. Her golden eyes flickered from a shade of red to a shade of black, revealing the true nature of her character.
Her gaze was penetrating, it would've sent chills down anyone's spine, but not Zenyph. He felt an attraction of some sort, it wasn't a feeling of longing nor the feeling of love, but it was something akin to comfort. As if they complemented each other somehow.
As they stared at each other, the room seemed to disappear, replaced by an infinite expanse of darkness. The darkness reflected chaos and order, and everything else in between.
They continued to stare, neither making a move.
Finally, the woman spoke, her voice soft and soothing, yet there was an edge to it.
"So you're Zenyph huh? Interesting, I never thought the man who ruthlessly killed two women would have such mesmerizing eyes," said the woman, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Ah, I guess word travels fast. Unfortunately, I won't apologize for protecting myself. What matters is that I survived."
The woman laughed softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You intrigue me. The way you handle yourself is rather impressive. There's something special about you, though I'm not entirely sure what that is just yet."
"Perhaps I'm not the only one with secrets? Maybe we have more in common than I thought. Anyway, do you know of someone named Astra? I need to learn about mind magic and I think they might be the key."
The woman nodded, "Astra? Yes, I've heard of them. They are a legendary mage, said to have mastered every form of magic. Supposedly they even taught some of the strongest wizards and witches at the Nexus Academy, though that may just be a rumor. As for the details, no one really knows. But if you're interested in learning mind magic, I suggest seeking out Celeste Luminara. She's a second year student but shows incredible promise in that field."
Zenyph couldn't hide his surprise. He was shocked by this revelation, though he tried to mask his reaction. "Really? Do you think she could teach me?"
The woman smiled enigmatically. "I doubt it, you did kill an elf after all. Angels don't look kindly on that. However, I'd keep an eye out for her. She may be able to teach you a thing or two, even if you don't know it yet. Besides, who knows? She might be exactly who you're looking for."
"Speaking of which, who are you? You seem knowledgeable about mind magic too."
The woman smirked. "Well mind magic, just like the other types, have a certain order to them no? I'm quite good at discerning a particular order. And your aura, while chaotic, is strangely consistent in its consistency."
"Uhhhh....I don't quite follow."
"To put it simply, you don't strike me as someone who practices mind magic. No offense, but you seem like a man of action. The kind that thinks with his sword. Or his dick, in some cases. But you clearly aren't used to manipulating your surroundings with your thoughts alone."
"Are you calling me weak?"
"No, merely suggesting you lack experience. To me, you seem like a child who found a new toy to play with. Which is odd for a twenty year old no? Anyways, just keep an eye out for Celeste and let her know you want to learn about mind magic. She might just prove helpful in that regard. Oh and stay away from the mind torture stuff, I don't like that." said the woman, suddenly dropping her playful tone, and becoming serious.
"Will do. You still haven't told me your name."
"And I won't tell you, I'm a fan of anonymity. Besides, I'm still not sure if you're their enemy or ours. It's always hard to tell when dealing with someone who isn't pure."
"Fair enough. So, why did you stop me from touching the stone tablet?"
The woman smiled mysteriously. "My instincts. But you're free to touch it now."
With that, she disappeared, leaving Zenyph alone in the library with the stone tablet and his thoughts.
He turned back to the shelf and carefully pulled the tablet out, placing it on a nearby table. He examined it closely, taking in every detail.
He couldn't make out the symbols etched on the surface, but he was intrigued. He felt drawn to it, like he had to decipher its mysteries.
After a few minutes of studying the tablet, Zenyph realized that he wasn't alone. He turned his head, expecting to see the mysterious woman from earlier, but instead found himself staring into the cold, soulless eyes of his classmate Alaric.
"Alaric? What are you doing here?"
"The same could be said for you, Zenyph. Researching mind magic, huh? Interesting choice given what you did to Alice and Audrey. Mind sharing the truth? What was really behind it, I wonder? Is it related to the mind magic you want to learn?"
Zenyph snorted, not appreciating the tone. "Get to the point, Emberstone."
"Fine, fine. So, I saw you talking to that woman earlier. Who is she? Your new lover?"
Zenyph couldn't help but roll his eyes at the insinuation. He had never been interested in that woman that way, but he couldn't deny that he had felt some kind of connection to her.
"Not at all, Alaric. She's just someone who wanted to stop me from messing with the wrong objects in this library. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, you're the one who's constantly harassing me with questions. Care to share why?"
"Simply curious, Zenyph. Like I said before, your actions don't match up with who you are. For someone who spent most of his time in the Royal Palace fooling around, to suddenly turn into a strong bloodthirsty maniac? It seems strange, don't you think?" asked Alaric as he gestured to the section of the library reserved for Royalty.
"Let's talk there, shall we? In private?"
Zenyph smirked, knowing that Alaric wasn't going to give up without getting answers. He followed him to the secluded area reserved for royalty, where they both sat down, facing each other.
"In case you don't know, this room was created by a Seraphic-ranked mage who specialized in space magic. Not even the Cynosures can hear our conversation here." said Alaric, as he took out a quill pen and a contract from his bag.
"Interesting, so you want me to sign this contract? What does it do?"
"It prevents either of us from speaking about anything that is discussed within these four walls. Not even a telepathic link can penetrate this barrier. It's a precaution, nothing else. I know you must have something to hide, and I want to respect that. So, will you sign the contract or not?"
"Sure, let's get this over with, shall we?"
Both men signed the contract, binding them to their word. They stared at each other silently for several long moments, not daring to say anything else.
Finally, Alaric spoke, breaking the silence. "You're not Zenyph."