Chapter 35: Library of Desires
The hallways echoed of our footstep. We kept walking for hours until finally, I saw the light piercing through a giant door at the end of the dark hallway.
There seemed to be no keyholes... I pushed the door, but it didn't budge... maybe it'll open when we press the right bricks again.
I tried pressing the bricks at the side randomly, but the only thing it did was making Rex chuckle quietly.
"It's surprising how you can still laugh" I glanced back in frustration
"I try to keep the little parts of humanity I still hold. Humans laugh either to hide pain or to distract themself from it"
Did Rex use to be human?
Rex saw my puzzled faced and said "I believe I have only informed Amber about this... I was a hero once, but that long ago." While he spoke he pushed the door with his right arm.
It wasn't locked?!
"Why didn't it open when I pushed?" I asked out of curiosity, but also anger from feeling inferior.
"This door is probably as heavy as a mountain. About 11 tons I think. I expected to leave it for dead so I installed this door. Aside from me, I imagine only Amber can open this door"
Amber... so strong... so smart... so confident. So something I can never be... a light too bright for someone like me to see.
I walked in to find an endless hallway into the darkness with only one light source, the light that pierced through the door. A flame that burnt so bright that I'd say it almost looks like pure light.
"I would like you to learn some spells that are compatible,"
So the only reason I'm here is that I'm that weak huh? The leftover, the one no one even knows the name of. I'll never be like them... never as good. Never the one that the story's about...
Suddenly I heard a finger snap.
"Back from thoughts?" Rex asked
"Yes..." I looked away...
"Information about our enemy's ability is in one of these scrolls. It can be vital to our success too. While I look for that, I'd like you to look around You can learn from all the books here, but refrain from even touching the one chained down"
The one chained down? Is it filled with curses or something? Him telling me not to touch it just makes me want to even more...
"No" Rex gazed at me as if he could read my mind. Is he Amber the second?!
I explored deeper and deeper into the library trying to master every interesting magic I could find until... I found it. It felt as if it was calling me to come closer. It was on a podium and below it was writings in English about it:
The Book of Impermissus
Found in the ruins of Dolores Guard
Warning!!! Contains powerful forbidden magic
________________________________________________________________________________________
Forbidden magic... I've never heard of it before... it's powerful huh? Rex didn't want me to see this... I'm sure he thinks I can't handle it...
"Refrain from even touching the one chained down" Rex's voice echoed in my head while my hands slowly moved closer and closer...
The air surrounding the book was dark and depressing. It felt as if the book was a siren singing the most alluring melodies in a voice that tempted me to touch it. The closer my hands went, the looser the chain seemed.
I made contact with the chains that pull me in... then...
A hand grabbed me.
Rex appeared from beyond the light of the torches, emerging from the shadows, "Tempting, I know. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist it. It's odd how knowledge can help as much as hurt. You wouldn't want to know what lies beneath that cover. Great power yes, but everything comes at a cost"
He didn't trust me... I mean who does? At this point, I've betrayed my classmates by choosing to side with survival, my friends by not being in the fight when my presence could've helped most and myself... for never being good enough.
Damon you idiot, you dropped your mask. You weren't cautious enough.
"Sorry sorry" I smiled at Rex and walked away. When Rex was out of my sight again I glanced back to find that the book disappeared.
"Rex!" With just a word he reappeared, "T-The book... it's..."
"Gone" Rex looked towards the empty pedestal in shock.
Rex then suddenly disappeared again with only a gust of wind telling me his direction. I followed it as fast as I could but every corner I turn the wind gets softer. Before I knew it, I was left behind.
I bit my lips and returned to the empty pedestal. A few seconds passed by peacefully until I heard Rex shouting, "Put. The. Book. Down!"
With that, I instantly sprinted trying to follow the direction of his voice.
"Please..." His words guided me through the maze and finally, I arrived to find Rex looking at someone blocked from my view by a bookshelf. I stepped as slow and as quiet as possible to see the thief.
There I found a girl with long silky black hair and crimson red eyes. She was covering her face with some black cloth and her hair, but I can't be tricked... "Misa..."
"Damon... you caught me" She raised both of her hands up. I'm not sure about this, but I'm willing to bet that she has a plan. "Well... if you don't let me go that'd be a problem... I'd have to burn this entire library down to escape from the smoke..."
"Come on Misa, be reasonable here!"
"It's not too late... you can still come back to our side." She reached out her hand towards me.
"I... I can't." I don't deserve it... not anymore.
"Well, can't blame me now... I tried" Misa narrowed her eyes and her hopeful tone had that slight edge of bitterness. Well hidden, but not enough.
All of the sudden, she jumped on top of bookshelves after bookshelves trying to escape Rex and I. The books falling off made me stumble and fall and it made Rex slowed down too.
"Did you close that heavy gate?" I screamed to Rex, if he did then we might catch up to her.
"No... dammit!" Rex yelled
It was only when her trace was nowhere to be found that we got to the gate. I'm... too late... too weak... too slow again!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone