As she opened the ancient tome, the scent of aged parchment filled the air. The pages were delicate, adorned with intricate illustrations and flowing script. Nimfa began to read, her silver hair catching the light as she leaned in closer.
The book's text was both vivid and haunting:
"Demons are born of the Abyss, their essence forged from its unrelenting darkness. The Abyss itself, a realm of chaos and raw power, is said to be ruled by a sovereign force—the Lord of the Abyss. It is from his will that demons emerge, molded by the harshness of their environment."
Nimfa's fingers traced the words as she read on:
"In the Abyss, survival is a relentless struggle. Every day, demons fight among themselves, driven by an innate desire to prove their strength. Only the strongest endure, while the weak are consumed by the unforgiving nature of their world. This eternal conflict defines their existence, shaping them into beings of resilience and ferocity."
Nimfa paused, her golden eyes reflecting the soft glow of the library's light. Her thoughts swirled with the weight of the revelation. "So… demons aren't inherently evil. They're shaped by their world—a world of survival and chaos. But does that mean their darkness is something to fear? Or is it simply misunderstood?"
She closed the book for a moment, her gaze drifting upward to the towering shelves above. A newfound determination sparked within her. "There's so much more to this than I realized. I need to learn more—to understand both the light and the darkness."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps. Looking up, she saw Morgana approaching with another book in hand, her golden eyes filled with quiet curiosity.
"How are you finding it?" Morgana asked, setting the new book gently on the table.
Nimfa offered a small smile. "It's… enlightening. But I think I've only just scratched the surface."
As Nimfa carefully set the book she had been reading back on the table, Morgana approached with another, its cover coated in a thick layer of dust. Morgana brushed the dust away with a swipe of her hand, sending a small plume into the air.
"Hmm, it seems no one's taken care of this book in ages," Nimfa remarked, tilting her head as she observed the now slightly cleaner cover.
Morgana frowned, inspecting the mysterious book more closely. The cover was plain, devoid of any title or markings. "This book wasn't cataloged," Morgana said, her tone thoughtful. "I don't even remember it being on the shelves. It's strange that it's here—it's almost as if someone placed it intentionally."
Nimfa's curiosity was piqued, and she leaned in closer. The mystery surrounding the book tugged at her adventurous spirit. "Can I take it instead?" she asked, her voice tinged with anticipation.
Morgana raised an eyebrow, studying Nimfa with a mix of surprise and amusement. "Why are you so eager to take an unknown book?" she asked, though the faint sparkle of determination in Nimfa's golden eyes quickly answered her question.
"Oh my," Morgana said with a soft chuckle. "I can't deny that look in your eyes. Very well, you may take it." With a warm smile, she handed the book over to Nimfa.
Nimfa cradled the book in her arms as if it were a treasure, her heart fluttering with the excitement of uncovering its secrets. She thanked Morgana, her voice brimming with gratitude, and turned to leave the library.
As she stepped out into the open air, the celestial city's glow illuminated her path. Finding a quiet spot beneath a towering tree, she gently opened the book. To her surprise, the first page revealed a single name written in elegant script:
"Elara."
Beneath the name, the words "A Record of My Betrayal" were scrawled faintly, their ink faded but still legible. Nimfa's breath hitched as she began to read, her fingers trembling slightly as she turned to the next page.
The entries that followed seemed to be a diary, each one recounting Elara's story—her struggles, her doubts, and, ultimately, her decision to betray her kin. Nimfa's heart raced as she read about Elara's forbidden love for someone from the opposing side, a love so profound it led her to defy everything she had been taught.
The weight of the words pressed heavily on Nimfa's chest. "She betrayed her kin... for love?" Nimfa whispered to herself, her voice almost drowned by the gentle rustle of the wind.
As Nimfa's fingers delicately turned the worn pages, her eyes scanned the elegant script. She stopped abruptly, her breath catching at the sight of a familiar name:
"Eirlys."
Her mother's name.
"Mother?" she whispered, her golden eyes wide with disbelief. Her heart quickened, unsure of what she might discover.
The passage continued:
"My sister, Eirlys, was against my love for a demon. She sought to confine me within the city walls, to imprison me in duty and tradition, forever separated from the one my heart longed for. But I could not accept her decree."
Nimfa paused, her mind racing. A demon? Was this diary written by an ancestor of mine?
She read on, her curiosity overwhelming any hesitations.
"One night, under the cover of darkness, I slipped through the gates of the Celestial City. My heart guided me to the outskirts, to the meadow where he and I had always met in secret. It was there that I hoped to find him one last time, to defy the barriers between light and dark and forge our own path."
The script grew faint on the next page, as though the writer's hand trembled. Nimfa leaned in, desperate to make out the words.
"To the one who reads this, I entrust you with my story. Find your own answers. Believe that you can shape your life, even when the odds seem impossible."
Nimfa's gaze lingered on the final sentence, her heart heavy with questions. The remaining pages were blank, save for faint, glowing markings that pulsed faintly with an otherworldly light. Before she could process what she was seeing, the magic activated, and a soft hum filled the air.
A circle of light enveloped her, and the library around her dissolved in a swirl of golden energy.