A spacious lobby with high, bright ceilings greeted Grey. The space seemed infinite, with glass windows extending to the ceiling, allowing the morning light to illuminate his silver eyes, where white sparks danced in his black pupils.
Colossal bookshelves rose everywhere, stretching across several floors and forming an immense maze of knowledge. The books, arranged with precision, varied in color, size, and texture, as if each told its own story even before being opened.
Wide aisles separated the shelves into different sections, and strategically placed technological panels displayed the contents of the books, making it easier to find information.
Grey stopped in the center of the library, amazed by a spacious study area. Several finely carved wooden tables extended around him, with adjustable lamps casting a warm and inviting light.
"This is... It's so beautiful."
His silver eyes shone, reflecting the morning light as he contemplated the vastness of the place. For a moment, he forgot his objective, fascinated by the idea of how much knowledge he could find among those shelves.
"No, it's not the time for that. I need to find a way to fix myself."
Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he approached a reception desk where a woman with delicate features, dressed in a blue suit, looked at him with a professional smile.
"Hello?" Grey asked.
The woman looked up, observing with curiosity the peculiar appearance of the boy before her: his bare arms revealed dark forearms and hands contrasting with his white skin, and his simple black shirt further accentuated that difference.
"Good morning, young man. Do you need help with any book or are you looking for specific information?"
Grey thought for a moment before responding:
"I need information on people who became corrupted, who had traits that made them prone to losing control and mutating. Defects that caused them to lose their minds or suffer some mutation in their bodies, and, if possible, how to avoid or mitigate that issue."
The woman frowned, a bit confused.
"Uhm... well, let me check if we have anything related to what you're asking."
She began typing on her keyboard, her eyes moving from one article to another. Grey waited patiently.
It wasn't long before the woman looked back at him, this time with a smile as she turned the screen toward him.
"Luckily, we have several files on people who have been corrupted or were prone to mutating, either due to their defect or external influences. I also found information on corruption in general. Everything is on the third floor, on shelves 3 and 17, respectively."
"Good, it seems there is more information than I thought. This is good."
"Thank you," Grey said as he quickly turned and headed to the indicated location.
***
On the third floor, in front of shelf number 13, Grey walked slowly, running his fingers along the spines of the books as he read their titles.
"Cases of crimes by awakened ones, records of first nightmares... No, no... Not this one... Where are you...? Here you are! 'Cases of mutation and loss of control in former awakened ones'. Finally found you."
Grabbing the book he was looking for, Grey walked quickly to a corner illuminated by a window on his right, bathing the area with the warm morning light.
At the table in that area, someone else besides Grey was already present—a girl he assumed was another Sleeper. Her straight, dark brown hair fell to her lower back, shining under the sunlight. She had brown eyes, surrounded by long black eyelashes that gave a serious touch to her sweet face. She wore a simple white shirt, gray pants, and a pair of boots.
She was quietly reading a large red book and didn't seem to notice Grey, who observed her from head to toe without reservation. Either she didn't care, or she was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't even notice his gaze.
Grey took a seat across from her at a white, smooth marble table, very different from the natural wood tables in the center of the first floor.
He opened the cover of the book, which had only the title, and looked at the first page. There, he found the photo of a serious and disciplined-looking man. The information below him was clear, and Grey read it with interest:
**Person File: [Camilo]**
- Full Name: [Camilo Martínez]
- Alias or Nickname: [None]
- Age: [35]
- Current Status: [Deceased]
- Class: [Awakened]
- Rank: [Mid]
Physical Description:
- Height: [1.90 m]
- Build: [Athletic]
- Hair Color: [Black and straight]
- Eye Color: [Light blue]
- Distinctive Features: [Scar on the right eye]
Skills or Powers:
- [Semi-transformation ability. Could transform into a two-meter-tall, slender creature, with great speed and extrasensory abilities, as well as a significant increase in strength and physical endurance.]
Background:
- [Born in the American continent and was moved to the northern quadrant after a category 5 gate opened in Central America. Had no wife, children, or living relatives.]
Observations:
- [Tended to lose control when using his transformation ability.]
Incident:
- [Seems to have lost control and became irrational after losing his closest friend while defending against a category 3 gate. Although Camilo was not corrupted, he suffered a mental breakdown that turned him into a mindless beast, attacking everything in its path. A full team of awakened ones was needed to capture and study him.]
...
"So, the key or trigger for his madness and loss of control was the loss of a very close loved one. He seemed like a strong individual; it's a pity he's already dead. His transformation ability reminds me of my own."
He continued turning pages, reading through all the files in the book one by one, in detail.
Many cases of madness were triggered by events usually involving a family member, friend, or loved one, which surprised Grey, who didn't remember having any of these.
Among the common cases seen on most pages, one in particular caught his attention. The case of an Awakened who was still alive.
The subject, named Stephen, had an appearance that granted him power in exchange for losing part of his humanity. Although the concept sounded abstract, the report detailed that Stephen could regain this "humanity" by connecting with loved ones and maintaining a connection with the mundane world.
He appeared to be alive and still working for the government. His aspect granted him an increase in all physical and mental senses, depending on how much "humanity" Stephen offered.
"Interesting. Will I get to meet this person? And, it seems that the key to all the cases is the loss of their connection with the mundane, like the loss of a family member or close friend. Could this be the key to avoiding madness and corruption? Maintaining a stable balance between Ascension and the mundane? I'll need to investigate these concepts further."
Grey glanced at his communicator and saw it was 4:34 PM.
"I should stop here. Anyway, the book has no more files. I'll need to look for files on aspects and related defects in library 17."
He closed the book and was about to get up when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the girl in front of him had also finished her book and was getting up at the same time.
They looked at each other for a moment, and she gave him a small smile before standing up completely and leaving. Grey watched her as her silhouette disappeared down the stairs, and a sudden thought came to him.
"If the key is to maintain human connection with others... Should I make friends with others?"
***
Note: Am I adding too much filler? I think exploring this defect concept is important. But I feel it might bore the readers 😞 Let me know if I should stop delving into these things and wrap up the academy arc in a few chapters or at least let Grey finish "fixing himself" and be able to go to the dream realm in a more stable manner.