Chapter 12

Aiden got to his feet again and almost immediately, he could feel an incoming attack.

At that moment, something snapped inside him and he raised his staff to block the blow.

He took a look at Princess Diane and saw that her eyes looked like they had whirlpools in them. He knew she was doing something but at that moment, he did not feel anything instead he blocked the blow, and the next three she threw at him.

He could feel the pain recede at the moment and he no longer felt like he was being rammed by a semi-truck.

Suddenly, he was able to attack after blocking and his attacks got faster and faster until he found an opening and his staff smashed down toward the Princess' shoulder.

The attack came too fast for any sort of recovery but Aiden did not feel the satisfaction of a successful hit, all he got was a smack to the face and he lost consciousness almost instantly.

...

[” Hey, snap out of that daze and listen to me"]

Aiden mumbled incoherent words as he opened his eyes and blinked them multiple times before taking a good look at the sight in front of him.

"Where am I", he thought to himself when he remembered something and quickly checked his side but he saw no broken bone, no bruises, and no torn clothes.

[” When you are done checking yourself, would you let me know? Truthfully, you look broken right now in real life"]

Aiden's face jerked up and he turned his head but he saw no one but he remembered that voice, it was that library 'spirit'.

[” You are focused now, that is good. Do you remember this person?"]

Aiden nodded in response.

In front of him was the wizened old man who had assigned him to fight Princess Diane.

[” This is that old library keeper I showed you an image of. He changed his appearance and came looking for you. He is also the one who slapped you unconscious"]

Immediately, he shivered. The old library keeper was capable of changing his appearance. Why didn't he know of this earlier?

["Don't you even dare to judge me. I am usually in hibernation. Sometimes, it can last anywhere from a decade to a century. How was I supposed to know what skills he learned when I was not awake"]

However, Aiden still blamed the voice in his thoughts. 

[” Okay, it's my fault, if that will make you feel better. I guess, it all worked out great. He has tested you and it seems you passed"]

"Test for what?"

[” Obviously it's to know if you are the inheritor needed to make me open the library gates"]

"Wait!! You mean to say, the library doors were locked by you specifically?"

[” I am the library spirit, what do you think?"]

"I guess that is reasonable?"

[” Reasonable...?"]

"Where am I right now?", Aiden interrupted.

["Unconscious and lying on a bed in the infirmary with half of your face swollen enough to scare away savages"]

"Thanks for that. Did not really need that much of a description"

["Not my problem. You get extra as an apology for the inadequate information provided. Things could have turned out really badly"]

"How about using that extra to give me important information instead?"

[” I'll try"]

Aiden was speechless. The same voice that seemed sorry had become snarky in a quick moment.

"How bad are my injuries?"

[” As I said, your pretty face is gone and your body is in a bad state. Fractures everywhere with bruises all over"]

Aiden listened attentively till the second statement. Wasn't that too much of an exaggeration?

[” Don't agree? Don't ask me anything then"]

Aiden was left speechless because he understood the library spirit was not joking.

”Hey, how long do you think it will take to recover from my injuries?"

There was no answer. Aiden's face quickly changed into one wearing a wry smile. He understood that the library spirit was giving him the silent treatment.

"Fine, I am sorry", he articulated each word clearly but there was still no reply. 

"What do I call you? Hey doesn't sound like a name and library spirit is just too long, besides its also not a name"

There was silence for a moment before an answer came after a sigh.

[” The disrespect. Just call me Darwyn"]

"That's a random name, isn't it?"

["What do you care? You wanted a name and you got one"]

"Okay"

[” Let's stop wasting time. I pulled you into this dream space to discuss a path forward in your journey as an Arcana. You can't train your body just by working out, especially when you have a job and almost no time"]

"Do you mean my elemental seed has been unsealed?"

[” Let's just say... things went well and you got something good out of your disfigurement"]

Aiden's face scrunched up almost immediately. "You didn't need to remind me of that"

Darwyn chuckled before he continued speaking.

["You are going to be unconscious for the next three days and I will open the library before you wake up. When you come to the library, I will know what element you have awakened and then inform you. You need to find a way to get 1st order potions. Don't ask me, figure it out. You will..."]

"Can I make them myself?", Aiden interrupted.

For a long time, there was silence. Aiden felt he had touched on a subject he shouldn't have but he did not understand why, when it was a normal question.

After a while, the silence got uncomfortable, "or I could just..."

[” Good idea. I will show you what you need and if you can do it when you wake up, that will be the best thing to do. Seems you are not the worst thing ever, you still have a small part of your brain working"]

"Why do you keep insulting me? Also what was that long and uncomfortable silence? Were you just trying to unnerve me?"

[” Uh, a little more than I thought. Good job"]

Aiden was defeated at this point. His expression had turned into a frown and he looked annoyed.

["I was just messing with you. Focus, you have three days all to yourself, make good use of it"]

Suddenly the scene changed and Aiden was standing in a garden with an old man in front of him. 

The old man turned around and walked up to a plant and mentioned a name. 

"Black Friar: a plant that absorbs the aether and transforms it into shadow energy which it uses to grow. The core ingredient in the 1st order potion for a shadow Arcana"

The old man walked to another plant with red highlights on its leaves and stem.

"Red Friar: like the name suggests... Try to keep up", the old man said to Aiden who was a tad overwhelmed by the sight in front of him.

At that moment, he understood something, the old man was teaching him and his job was to listen. He was surprised at the abilities of the library spirit and hurried up to the old man.

"Red Friar: like the name suggests transforms aether into fire energy. It is a core ingredient in the 1st order potion for a fire arcana"

...

It was early in the morning and most people were still asleep when a loud chime shook the entire city.

The chimes came from the library but it was louder this time. Everywhere in the capital, people could hear it.

Being something that was so loud in the early hours of the morning, it woke up the entire city.

There was almost no one who could sleep. It was a big deal as everyone in the palace rushed out toward the sound. Even the Princes, Princesses, The nobles, The Queen, and even The King were standing in front of the library with the thousands of workers serving as their backdrop.

Unlike it had been before, the library doors were wide open. There was no shine or removal of the library's weathered looks but everyone looked at the library with solemnity in their eyes.

The nobles and royal family who were privy to the words the old sage had said, had stars in their eyes. They could almost see themselves becoming great men and women after finding some obscure knowledge in the library.

Despite these dreams of grandeur, no one took a step forward. 

It was unknown when there was an additional person besides King Robert. The old sage bowed to King Robert, "Your Majesty"

"Old Sage, what is happening? Has the inheritor been found?"

"No, Your Majesty. The library has opened its doors by default. It is a rule I found in the library that when the inheritor has left the library's vicinity for some time, the library will open its doors. It seems the library closing its doors and kicking everyone out is to give a befitting welcome to the inheritor"

King Robert was surprised but he nodded. "Will the library be as you said?"

There was no need to explain what, so the old sage answered, "As I mentioned that day, the wheels of fate have slowed down and are to start anew. This means things will change and the secrets of old will be known to us once more"

King Robert smiled before he turned to face everyone. 

"I see the chimes have woken you all. It is great news that the bells ring. The library closed its doors to signify the end of an era but now that the library has opened once more. It has unlocked its store of knowledge to all. The library has prophesied a new era and in this era, some are destined to rise above others. When they enter the library, they will have to themselves a store of knowledge. But I must say that the time is not now. 

A ceremony is required to welcome the new era and celebrate the rise of the new era's greatest. I hope you will all be there to witness it in two days"

The crowd started to murmur because the next thing King Robert did was to order four of his guards to guard the library's open doors. 

This meant no one was allowed inside until King Robert said so.

"Thank you, Old Sage"

"Just doing my job, Your Majesty"

The old sage faded away after he said these words. One could imagine where he went but King Robert only smiled and took his leave, heading back to the palace.

With King Robert leaving, the royal family also followed. The nobles could not stay as well as they quickly left albeit with the excitement bubbling in their minds.

The crowd of workers and servants also dispersed. It was easy to imagine that the news of what King Robert just said would spread over the capital before long.

...

In an environment, filled with pits and burnt areas of land, a group of people were riding horse-like beasts.

They were very organized and they all carried weapons of varying types and sizes with them.

The sky had a grey overcast that gave the area a gloomy feeling. In the distance, there was a wall of grey that had flashes of color now and then.

At the head of the group was a man with fiery red hair who sat with his bad straight and a halberd strapped to the right side of his mount as well as a bow and a quiver filled with arrows. He had two short swords on his waist and was wearing full armor. 

"General, the patrol has sent a reply. We are almost at the patrol station. They are a day's ride away"

Fraser Tarren, Aiden's father nodded when he saw a cloud of dust approaching them from the distance. 

It was not a large one but it also wasn't small, as it looked like something was charging straight towards them.

"Battle positions", General Tarren ordered in a deep voice. "Watch the flank, we cannot afford any ambushes"