The Heavens Shall Fall

The moment they crossed into the library, Siu almost forgot the argument that had just happened. It was clear they had passed through some kind of barrier, as the air grew cool and dry, while the noise, no matter how many people were inside, got magically muted to a whisper. Although it was still early, the sun was just rising on the outside, and there were a handful of people walking around, but Siu could only hear what they were talking about when they got an arm's length away from them.

As for the lowest floor, it stretched forward in a long, straight line, with dozens of browsing rows, each made of darkwood shelves that rose five or six meters high. They were so tall that Siu had to tilt his head back to see the uppermost ledges. Sliding ladders were set against some of them, but others had small floating steps that drifted up and down whenever a disciple or servant touched the brass handles beside the shelves, summoning them out of the floor. To avoid creating an impassable barrier, the rows were broken at set intervals by wide cross-paths, signs detailing the contents, and separated spaces with reading stations.

As he followed Quillian, they walked beside shelves that not only held books, but, just like in the Red Leaf, were filled with scroll tubes and stone or wood tablets. The shelves themselves seemed to be enchanted, because when a servant passed one row and murmured a title, several drawers rattled and opened for him, allowing the man to place the tomes he was carrying back to their slots. After passing the third row, he noticed reading boxes set into the floor, like some kind of island, some of them hidden behind curtains of light that obscured them, probably occupied by someone who didn't want to be bothered.

"Nice, isn't it?" Quillian glanced back at him with a half smile. “You could spend a lifetime in here and still be unable to read all the records the sect has gathered. Trust me, I'm the living example for it.”

"I can see that," Siu said, nodding his head understandingly, his eyes still scanning the massive space, dug directly into the mountain.

Despite their conversation, what Siu noticed was that Arya said nothing, which made him glance down, reach into the satchel, and rub her head. Normally, she would have already said something, especially about insulting Pellan, and the library he was overseeing, or all of them together. Instead, only her ears were visible above the bag’s edge, low and stiff... Even Marly stayed silent, also hidden inside.

Shaking his head, he decided to let them stay silent, waiting until they wanted to talk about it. As for Quillian, he kept walking, and when they passed a group of servants arranging notices of recent arrivals, one of them bowed to Quillian, showing that not everybody was standing with Pellan.

"This is it, the letter K," Quillian said suddenly, steering Siu into a long row, "This and the other ones in the same line from wall to wall."

True enough, when Siu began looking at the books' titles straight on his right, they were all of the same:

Kavernacht: River Cities (Revision 11), Kavernacht: Toll Roads (Revision 419), Kavernacht: Noble House Registry (Copies, Revision 69), Kavernacht: Agricultural Output and Tithe Adjustments (Revision 282), Kavernacht: Beast and Bandit Reports (Revision 1,012), so on and so on.

“Get to work, then!”

“Yes, Senior,” Siu said without hesitation, reaching for the River Cities and Toll Roads.

"First, I want you to focus on the road you all took, all the people you met, and the details you noticed about the places you stopped at." Quilian continued, "Check your memories against what is in here, then compile a record for me. Second, look up the details about House Vardek. Recall everything he told you, and check how much he has grown since the last refresh.”

“Yes, Senior.”

"Lastly, try to recall who you me, how they looked, what they wore, because we should check on who controls the current toll houses, the warehouses, anything the mortals rely on. When you are done, I will be on the fourth floor. Come and find me then.”

"Um," Siu glanced up from the book he was already flipping through while standing there, “The fourth?”

“Cultivation Archives.” The old man nodded with a slight smile, "There are elevators in here that will take you up there, so you don't need to go out and climb the stairs." He added, pointing to the left-hand side of the massive chamber.

There, between two stone pillars, stood a vertical shaft enclosed by bronze railings and patterned glass. Inside, he saw a square platform floating lazily, large enough for several people. The moment two servants pulled the railings to the side and stepped in, it began to rise, carrying them upwards.

“That looks nice.” Siu muttered, liking how it looked and felt, following the servants inside the 'tube,' disappearing into the ceiling.

“Thank the heavens for it." Quillian agreed, "If I had to see Pellan every time I changed floors, one of us would already be dead.” Siu was not sure if that was a joke... Most likely not. “To use it,” Quillian continued, “just step in, speak the floor you want to go to, and it will take you as high as your access allows. If you try to reach a floor you cannot enter, it will refuse you. Simple. Also... If you repeatedly try to go where you mustn't, it will report you."

“Floors that I can't access? Like?”

“The sixth and seventh. The former is only open with an Elder's permission, which is usually limited to a specific time or a targeted, numbered usage. The last floor is simply off limits to anyone who is not an Elder, and even I can't get there. Anyway, come up to my floor when you are done here." He turned to leave, then paused. “And boy.”

“Yes, Senior?”

“Do your work and do not wander. If someone asks you to help, tell them you are busy with a time-sensitive assignment. Pellan is an old fuck and may try to screw with you when I'm not here. Tread... lightly.”

“I will keep that in mind.” He nodded seriously, his eyes flashing, making Quillian smile, before finally walking away, the tapping sounds of his cane disappearing the moment he was out of reach.

Siu watched him reach the internal transit and how the platform descended for him without anyone else touching it, and he vanished toward the upper levels in just a few seconds. Sitting down with his books, he finally looked down at the satchel, opening it to see how the two were doing as Arya and Marly were both far too quiet.

"Want to get out? It's stuffy in there, isn't it?"

Neither beast climbed out or answered him, making him sigh, reaching down and patting their heads. Deciding to give them more time, he focused on the book before him and began writing. Lost in recalling his memories and doing his best to match them to the details in the thick tomes, time began to accelerate without him noticing. He was at it for almost three hours by now when Arya climbed out of the satchel, finally sitting on the table. She climbed up very carefully, her claws held back from the wood, and stopped beside the notebook Siu was writing in.

"Welcome back." Siu looked up, put down his quill, patted her head, then watched as Marly also clambered out, crawling up on his side, settling on his shoulder.

“He looked at me like I was filth,” Arya said suddenly, sounding hurt and angry at the same time. “And he said Marly should be put down!”

Siu’s chest pulled tight, feeling both of their thoughts, and they felt his thoughts too, knowing how much he wanted to punch the old man, but held back, knowing he just couldn't do that. Not yet.

“He said that because he is cruel,” Siu said coldly, "Bitter and nasty, because he failed, and now he is rotting away in both body and spirit. Unlike us."

"Master..." Arya’s lips peeled back, smirking, but it was more like a growl from an angry beast. “I should be cruel, too.”

“No, that would just be what he wants, Arya.”

“I know.”

“So? Be smart.”

“He deserves it.” She pushed on, making Siu shrug.

“Yes, he does. But, it would for sure satisfy him, and you don't want to satisfy such an old man, do you now?”

Arya paused at that, thinking because that had not been the answer she expected, but it made sense.

"Look," Siu sighed softly. “He does deserve something, but not from you, well, not here. Not in the way he wants it. Do you understand me?” He asked as Arya stared at him. “He tried to make you angry because if you snapped, he would win. If you peed on a shelf, clawed his face, bit him, threatened him, or even ruined one page, he would have proof that he was 'right.' He would say he was justified, and then he would say Senior Quillian brought dangerous beasts into the Hall. Then Senior Quillian would be blamed for defending us.”

Arya looked away, clearly pouting because she understood it all, but the frustration in her was so big, she almost didn't want to care about any of that.

"I..." Marly’s voice came very quietly. “I wasn’t drooling because I am rabid...”

"Of course not!" Siu said out loud as he looked at her, smiling, "We know that, silly. Don't bother with the old fool. You are my companions, and he can go stew in his own piss; he will never have any friends anyway.”

Both of their tails moved at once, and he suddenly got a feeling that Arya had an idea... on how to pay back the old man in her own way. Although Siu was unsure what she was planning, he could tell it was not something she would do now, so he decided to let it go. Let them think about plans for taking their revenge; it was better than wallowing in silence.

Or to complain about being bored, because what he had to do for a few more hours was incredibly dull.

...

....

......

By the time Siu finished recording everything he could recall, his eyes felt as if someone had thrown dirt into them. The work was not difficult, but it was so tedious and monotonous that Siu missed the thrill of fighting. It was better to hit Titus's metal body raw than to hold a quill and write down so many words. It hurt his wrist less, too.

"Maaaasteeeeeer..." Arya yawned from the edge of the table. “Are we done?”

“Almost.”

“You said that befooooooooore.” Marly moaned too.

“I'm done, really.” He chuckled, putting the quill down and massaging his wrist, closing the books for real this time around.

"Master..." Marly lay flat across his shoulder like a dead scarf. “Writing is super stupid... I will never write a word...”

Siu wanted to agree in the moment but held back, not wanting to enable either of the two rascals.

“There you are.”

Siu’s hand froze, while Arya’s head snapped up, and Marly made a sound halfway between a squeak and a hiccup, hearing the sudden voice talking to them. All of them thought that this was Pellan's second attack today, but instead, Elder Thane stood at the end of the browsing row, arms folded within his sleeves, scanning them.

"Ah," Siu rose immediately. “Elder Thane.”

“I found Quillian, he told me where you are,” he continued, walking up to his table, grimacing, "What a punishment... My sympathies.”

“Ah...” Siu chuckled, shaking his head, "It was my fault. Um... Elder Thane? Are you here to tell me what my other punishment will be?"

"More punishment?" Thane looked back at him with a growing smile. “Nah. That is done and dusted, you do not need to worry about Mirebell.”

"Huh?" Siu flinched because he didn't expect it to be thrown away so quickly.

“The Disciplinary Wing reviewed the matter,” Thane continued, “Your acceptance of Vael's asylum request was perfectly within the rules, and High Elder Khuuman deemed that you acted reasonably afterward.”

"Phew..." Siu exhaled as his mood lifted considerably; any invisible pressure on him was alleviated in the snap of a finger.

"Plus, your punishment was already dealt out by Quillian," Thane chuckled, shaking his head, "But I'm not only here to tell you this. There is more. I am leaving the sect, looking into the issue of this Stormglass Pavilion.”

"Is there... really trouble?" Siu’s expression changed at once, getting serious.

“That is not your concern.” Thane said sternly, cutting off any further questions, “When I return, I will find you because I should teach you the last form you are missing.”

"Oh? The Spider Form? Can't I start with it like before?”

"Not this one," Thane answered, shaking his head, "I will have to be there so you don't injure yourself. That one will need a good amount of essence control, so, until I'm back, I want you to work on that part. This includes honing your cultivation and your affinity."

"I indeed need to work on that, because in the fight, I was very much disadvantaged until my affinity decided to copy Senior Seloryn's." Siu agreed, crossing his arms and biting his lower lip, "I couldn't do anything until it kicked in..."

"Yes, that will be a big issue for you," Thane continued, “Your mind is on point with this. In a fight, from this level onwards, you will have to be ready and able to use your powers. If you always need to wait until you manage to catch a whiff of someone's affinity, sync up and start copying, you will be dead before you have the chance to fight back.”

"I began noticing," Siu muttered, closing his eyes for a moment, "That I can't just use my affinity like the others. Even if I copied something before, I can't summon it. Except..." He threw a look at Arya.

"Yeah," Thane nodded, following his gaze, "I had a hunch about that. I guess you can sync up with her since you both have a mutual contract. But I also noticed something else while watching your group fight. Did you, too?"

"Wait, Elder, you were watching?" Siu asked, holding back a grin.

"Shut it," He rolled his eyes, "So? Did you notice something else?"

"My body, my affinity chooses according to my needs. I think it's instinctual, Elder. I just remember noticing that Seloryn's resonance-like attacks disrupted the construct a lot, and that's why my affinity changed to hers."

“Exactly what I caught," Thane hummed, "You didn't copy Arya's, even though you have a link. Your mind went to the optimal one, exactly for the one there that would give you the advantage. Which means you can control it, Siu. You can choose what you copy; you just need to train it."

"Yes... And... I could not copy Titus.” He nodded, recalling the feeling. "I think it was because he was not really alive."

"Hmm... "Thane fell silent for a moment, rubbing his chin, "I think that means you can't really copy spells. Constructs don't really have affinities; they have spell formations copied onto them. Those are different things. We still know so little of the abnormal affinity you were born with, so you will need to develop it on your own. It is a good thing you met Quillian; he will help you categorize this and create your own little manual. I think if you tell him, he will be thrilled to help out.”

"That's..." Siu almost smiled, shrugging.

"I know," Thane said with a kind voice, reaching out and patting his shoulder, squeezing it. "This will be hard. My suggestion is to try and study common affinities first.”

“Common affinities...”

“The ones you will encounter most. Fire, water, earth: the more common a thing is, the more likely you are to meet it in battle, missions, and sparring. If you can learn about and understand them, you may sync up with them more quickly. Then, if you know the ins and outs of those affinities, I am sure you could start using abilities linked with those, even create your own.”

"But to wield such an affinity, I will need to copy them first," Siu glanced at the records around him, thinking, "And it fades away after I stop using it..."

“As I said, you are born with something that wasn't seen before.” Thane repeated, his voice both proud and excited, "You can do nothing but work hard and create your own future. It won't be easy, but if you can't do it, you may end up as Quillian's new servant buddy."

"Ha. Ha." Siu snorted, giving him a fake laugh, rolling his eyes, "I respect Senior Quillian a lot, but I don't intend to accompany him into his old age."

“That's the spirit,” Thane chortled, pulling back his hand. "For now, just keep studying affinities. Explore what yours can do, and try to discover its limits and uses. However, be careful!"

"I know." Siu muttered, already recognizing the next big hurdle, "I need to see one to copy it, so those whom I fight against will for sure think I have the same affinity... Just like Ruben did. And if rumors, conflicting ones, start spreading..."

"For now, spar against people you trust," Thane said, clearly getting ready to leave, throwing a look at Arya and Marly before turning around, "Or, you may need more... friends."