Master Of None

Being outside the shifting bookshelves, Walker could see that they were all double sided. There were different books on each side. The section that he was walking around was no different. However, the topics were vastly different.

Some of the book spines had writing on them. There was a great amount of knowledge related to the experimentation of magic. Walker wondered how he could read these. What really stunned him was that when he touched a book he found that there were runes on the paper as well.

They took his mana and the ink in the book became like liquid. It ran and changed forms. These books were more than just books. They translated themselves. The race that had created this had done the same as their counterparts that made the mage tower. They made it possible to be easily passed on.

”Why is this like this? How could they have such in depth runes?” Walker felt this question became more and more complicated the more he looked. The books were so numerous that the knowledge felt endless.

The path he was on was still straight compared to the other paths that curved around. This made Walker sure that he was going the right way. However, it also brought the question if the underground library would have some magical consciousness left by the ancient race.

From what Walker could see, this was not the case. There were just complicated runes used to cause things to happen. More like a watch that ticked on endlessly. The mana for the floor was clearly gathered from the earth and slowly stored to be used to move the shelving and floors. The runes were powered by similar mana gathered from the city above.

”This could be another city! Some of the buildings up there had demonic runes. They could have just been altered origin runes. That means this is the same as the desert elf city!” Walker felt strange exclaiming this out loud. His pride had pushed him to say it all.

Luckily, Fleur chose this time to show herself and acted fairly excited floating in the air. ”I’m glad you are here to celebrate with me. Let’s go check that shelf ahead.” Walker smiled a little while Fleur took the lead. They saw the rounded central book shelf that they knew was their goal.

Fleur had felt the fluctuations of mana but was not confused. She had not really felt anything that interfered with the natural mana in the way that it was here. The books were giving off mana that reminded her of Walker’s personal mana. The mana that everyone had from the depths of their soul. The mana that Walker used when he was using skills with great determination.

”Don’t be so confused just yet. It will get more and more like this as we investigate. See?” Walker used his storage skill and pulled out a light crystal to give off a soft glow. The point of this was to make the spatial magic skill he had resonated slightly with the outside forces on the books.

Surprisingly, this worked perfectly. Ten of the books seemed to glow with runes that Walker had never seen. The patterns were all very different as well. Some were jagged, others turning on themselves rapidly, and even more that seemed to be moving while Walker looked at them.

”These are runes that don’t directly tie to the flow of natural mana. That means they are both parts of nature and also outside forces. It’s pretty crazy…” Walker laughed to himself as he reached out to touch a book.

As his hand made contact the ground rumbled again. The shelves behind him changed but Walker found that the shelves he was reached to were the same. The only difference was that rune patterns showed all the books and even created floating words in the air.

’The one that desires space’

’The one that desires life’

’The one that desires time’

’The one that desires death.’

’The one that desires the void’

’The one that desires existence’

’The one that desires the other.’

”So the runes will show me the research categories for the books.” This was stunning. The runes were smart. They were made with incredible complexity that Walker had absolutely no idea what to do with them. He couldn’t comprehend them. Even his skills affecting memory did not make the runes’ shapes easier to recall.

The curiosity he had made Walker want to read everything. However, he could not do so. Some of the books were clearly research notes. In depth tests to see what the skills they found would do. Even the section that said other was a single book worth of knowledge.

We need to look at the books for space!” Walker focused himself and found that Fleur had been drawn to the books under the life and death category. He realized that these two were present in nature more than the other theories. This would mean that they were both in and outside of natural mana flow. But for some reason, Walker felt that death and life revolved more toward the soul. More about the existence and non existence of a being’s consciousness.

Since this wasn’t the topic that Walker wanted to focus on, he decided to drop the train of thought. He knew if he investigated even one of these topics that he would be lost for lifetimes.

There was one book with glowing spatial runes that seemed to be standing out. As Walker reached for it he realized there were papers crapped inside it. Notes from someone translate the runes. ”This has to be it!” The book could not leave the library but papers could be left. Research papers could be left!

It was easy to follow the process that was used in the notes. Not to mention the fact that there were more papers folded in to the other pages. There was even a diagram of the magical circle used.

”If I follow this right, it will take too much mana to use. It literally could kill people.” Walker looked at Fleur who could feel his sadness growing. The research for such a thing was ridiculous. But it wasn’t over.

”There’s more here too. Ways to make smaller magical circles. Whoever was researching this was-” Walker looked to his left while in amazement of all he was reading. What had stopped him was the dried body of a demon on the ground. One that had pens and ink on the floor next to them. One that had clearly discovered these things then been left after they were not needed.

The atmosphere felt crushing. Walker knew that the demon that had worked hard to learn this was a genius. Once that may not have deserved to be treated like this. ”I don’t know if you were part of the problem or could have been innocent. But I will get you buried.” Walker felt that the researchers would have the same respect for the demon that had investigated these matters. When the researchers made it he could ask them to set up a distinguished funeral.

Keeping the translated research papers, Walker got Fleur’s attention. ”I promise I will come back and investigate more later. For now, we have to go. These notes are enough to get us what we need. We won’t use this method to get anywhere but someone should be able to discern where it puts us when used.”

There were many great researchers that would better be able to decipher these notes. All Walker needed was to get out of the library. Naturally, this was easier said than done. ”Let’s just check things out here first. There might be some control spot or orb like the mage tower.” Walker knew that moving this place would be all but impossible. However, there was great amount of earth elemental mana. Making some path or other way here might be possible.

The investigation of the rounded bookshelf brought more questions than answers. The way it was made seemed to have gaps where books could fall through to the hollow cent. If that was the case, then why? There were runes that drew the books back in place. How could some fall?

”Wait, Fleur!” Walker tried to stop Fleur from investigating. She moved through a gap in the shelf and was in the back where Walker lost sight of her. His hand moved to reach for her and found that he had grabbed something solid. Something with a handle.

Upon pulling the handle the ground rumbled again. This time everything moved. Every floor tile. Every single shelf. It was the entire library reorganizing itself in to a new shape. In to a new form that was not in the natural flow of things.

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