The Forsaken Hero

The next day, I brought up heading to the library. Soltair paled the instant he heard the word 'library,' and gave some excuse. So, I ended up going alone, following his instructions, of course. Which mainly consisted of "Stick to the main corridors," and "Don't follow anyone anywhere."

The Divine Throne was a sprawling mess of buildings and passages, but important places, like the chapels and library, were easy to find. It was its own building within the complex, surrounded by a narrow courtyard but towering above my head. It was a few hundred feet tall, equaling the height of the Great Chapel. Statues of prominent priests and mages surrounded its four entrances, with small plaques detailing their contributions or donation.

"Welcome!" a priest in brown robes said as I entered the library. His expression froze when as he got a good look at me, especially my tail, which swished in excitement. "You must be the... hero... I've been hearing about."

"Good to meet you. I'm Xiviyah." Although the constant surprise and disgust were a bit wearying, I planned on coming to the library too much to risk making an enemy.

"I see," he said, scratching his chin. "And what brings you to these hallowed halls?"

As I looked over his shoulder, the sight made my mouth drop. Similar to the Great Chapel, the only ceiling was the roof, which filtered light through layers of stained glass. The library was an enormous dome, with hundreds of bookshelves spiraling around the room. Although the room was open, I counted five floors. Each layer was like a giant ring attached to the dome, ascending until it reached the ceiling. Dozens of priests wandered about, conversing and studying at the various alcoves and tables. My keen nose twitched at the smell of musty paper, accompanied by the constant drone of paper rasping together.

"Amazing, isn't it?" the brown-robed priest asked. "We call this the Library of the Light. Not just for our devotion to the Sun God and pantheon, but as a symbol of knowledge. Thousands of years of knowledge and experience are gathered here, much more than any one person could hope to comprehend in a lifetime. You may call me Thron, the chief librarian. May I see your pass?"

I Wordlessly handed him the pass Selena had given me, still staring around the library. There had to be millions of books! The dome itself was fifty feet wide at the top, let alone the base, with every available space lined with shelves. Magical lights filled the room, dancing over tables or bobbing up and down on bookshelves.

"All seems to be in order," Thron said. He turned to another brown-robed priest and beckoned him over. "Take her to the third floor. And please, mind your manners."