Rain fell on a few lonely umbrellas in the darkness of the Terrarium.
Bell, Mona, Magnus, and Wren descended the stairs, none of them had a Marble that could act as a raincoat or other protection against the weather. Bell and Mona had their matching umbrellas, while Magnus had a simple black umbrella, and Wren had a see-through umbrella.
They all resisted the rain well enough, and kept the students dry enough.
On the way down, Bell noticed that there were a very small number of overhead lights showing the paths around the base layer of campus. That, shared with the low visibility of a flashlight function on the pathfinders wrapped around every student's wrist was a recipe for getting lost.
'It can't be that expensive to install some lights around here, right?'
As of now, she, as well as Magnus, were following their pathfinders to the Library on Terrarium campus grounds.
From what Bell gleaned from the pathfinder upon setting course was that the library was a large building somewhere near the main office, and that it was "unmissable."
'Stupid machine...' Bell thought bitterly, shaking her head.
Mona's voice rang out just above the rain, "You okay?"
Bell turned to face Mona, who had her classic warm, kind smile on her face. With a nod of her head, Bell said, "I'm fine, just a chill."
'Why am I lying to her?'
Bell shook away the thought, as well as the cold, and continued down the steps.
Magnus and Wren were having a conversation, but due to Bell not having eyes on the side of her head, she wasn't able to tell what Wren was saying. However, due to how Magnus was replying and speaking, was able to deduce a bit of the conversation.
"Yeah, the weather here is really gloomy..." Magnus had said.
He chuckled after a moment, likely to read what Wren had replied, and then whispered something into Wren's ear.
After another moment of silence, he said aloud, "That's true, that is very true."
From just those two sentences, Bell assumed that the two were talking about the pros and cons of the weather here at the Terrarium.
With her minor thirst for knowledge satiated, Bell then zoned out and followed her pathfinder forward. The rain made a few shallow puddles on the paved paths around campus, and Bell was careful to not step in any of the larger ones. The drainage system around the base of campus was done extremely well, now that Bell was inspecting it.
'I should see what they look like up on our dorm's layer.
As they continued, time passed by quicker and quicker, with the time between passing another lamppost feeling shorter and shorter. Within what felt like the next five minutes, the four were standing at the double doors of a large building.
The architecture was grand, yet somehow minimalistic and modest, all at the same time. Bell assumed that her perception of grandness from the building emanated from the marble used in the construction, and the gold-plated outlines surrounding it.
A simple sign next to the door read: [Library]
That, tied with the fact that Bell and Magnus's pathfinder windows shattered at the same time indicated that they had reached their destination.
The four stood under a small canopy just in front of the doors leading in. At the same time, they all closed their umbrellas and carried them into the building, with Magnus opening the door and holding it for them.
"Thanks." Bell said, entering the large library.
"No problem." Magnus said, following shortly after Wren, who was the second last to enter the library.
Bell looked up and found that the ceiling was much farther than what she had expected, considering the tall, yet modest roof of the library. The atmosphere was quiet, the sound of rain pattering against the walls and roof of the library sounding like nothing more than a faint buzzing from far away.
There were two floors, with a small overlook from the second to the first in the middle of the room. Bell saw hundreds of shelves from just coming into the room, and she could only assume that there were thousands in the building's entirety.
Bell didn't see a single electronic light in the entire building, and from what Bell saw, the library was lit up by a large number of candles placed everywhere.
"This can't be safe." Magnus's hushed voice broke the silence like a pebble falling on soft, thick wool.
Mona's voice was in a similar tone and quietness to Magnus's, she replied, "They probably have safety measures."
Wren didn't say anything, choosing to walk towards the shelves to the groups left. Bell looked around for a librarian or other staff member to help her for what she was looking for.
'Technique booklets... The Quiet Life of Noah Shpink...' Bell thought, wandering around the open spaces.
After a short while, Bell gave up on that idea, choosing to walk around the shelves while hoping she found someone. The thick scent of scented candles and the pages of older books filled the air, inviting coziness. The warm, thicker air inside of the library only added to the inviting nature of the library.
For a moment, Bell thought about finding a couch to take a short nap in. She knew that her body and mind needed it after the events of the day. Just short nap to digest the teachings of her teachers, and to recuperate from the dull ache that spread throughout her muscles.
'Don't fall for it, they want you to take a nap here, they want to keep you here.' Bell thought to herself, using "they" as a blanket statement for any type of evildoers lurking around. There was no rhyme or reason for the sudden thought outside of keeping Bell awake for long enough so that she can get the books she needs and leave.
After wandering around a short while more, Bell started to feel a bit infuriated.
'Why aren't there signs?! Where are the staff?!'
Bell was yet to see any indicator on the shelves that pointed to showing what types of books are on the shelves in the isles. She was yet to even hear the sounds of life outside of Wren and Magnus holding a conversation several isles over. Bell had lost track of Mona, and she wasn't saying anything or making any noises to indicate where she was.
'She probably doesn't want to make too much noise, this is a library, after all.'
However, Bell would soon find a person restocking books from a type of cart that he was dragging around.
"Excuse me, sir?" Bell announced, slightly startling the man.
He looked to almost drop a book before catching it and turning around, asking, "Yes, Ma'am?"
The man wore a pair of black pants and a white undershirt, with a cozy looking beige overshirt. He had slightly sharper features, but looked wiry and thin, like he refused to eat every other meal. His long, shaggy looking brown hair fell in short tufts around his eyes and below his ears. Decorating his face was a pair of round glasses, as well as a stubble that was threatening to turn into a short beard.
Bell then replied, "Can you help me find some books?"
The librarian smiled before answering, "Of course! What are you looking for?"
"Some swordsman technique booklets and The Quiet Life of Noah Sphink, Volume Seven." Bell answered from the top of her mind.
He then turned to his cart and looked for a book, all the while muttering, "Yeah, I should have The Quiet Life of Noah Sphink somewhere..."
After a moment, he sprung up and said, "Well, well to you know? I have that volume seven right here!"
He took a step forward and extended the book forward. Bell smiled and took the thick looking novel from his hands. She checked the book for the title and volume number just to make sure, and with a smile, offered her thanks.
"No problem! Let's go find you those booklets, now." The librarian said, turning to leave his cart and walking towards the middle of the library.
Bell followed wordlessly, carefully walking around corners, just in case there was somebody there. The librarian walked at a brisk pace, as if he had directed thousands of students like Bell to the area where the booklets were stored.
After a few turns and heading up a flight of stairs, then taking more turns, the librarian turned into one of the isles of bookshelves and said, "Here we are!"
He then paused and let Bell examine the shelf for a few moments. The booklets looked like small, thicker magazines, and each looked well worn and in desperate need of a reprinting.
"What kind of warrior are you?" The librarian asked, kneeling down in front of a few spear technique booklets. "That is, if you don't mind me asking."
Bell answered, "I'm a swordsman, looking for some longsword and dual sword booklets."
The librarian then said, "Alrighty then. Since I haven't seen you around, and that Teacher Brutus sends every single student he has my way, I'm going to assume you're a beginner."
Bell nodded, saying, "That's right."
The librarian then picked two of the booklets off of the shelf and handed them towards Bell. She took the booklets, finding them to be thinner than most, and examined them. One had a depiction of a longsword with a square, white background amidst a blue cover, and the other had a depiction of two scimitars in a square, white background amidst a yellow cover.
The librarian asked, "Will that be all for you tonight?"
Bell nodded, "Yeah."
He smiled and started down the path that they had taken previously, "Well, let's get you checked out then."
Bell followed the librarian with a smile on her face as she looked at the three books.