Chapter 3 : The Library and A Strange Book

Feeling his stomach full, Vega and Dion walked together to the library. The map was ugly but effective. It was straightforward going from the living area to the library. Some landmarks here and there and some turns helped him to find the way.

Finally, they both reached the library, and after showing their medals to the bored-looking apprentice, they went inside. They agreed to spread out to explore the library. But before they were separated Vega asked Dion to teach him about the map.

"How do you know how to read the ugly map?"

Dion chuckled, "Yes. But here, this circle is the landmark. Follow the sun and you can see that the library is around the north area."

"That's confusing, don't you have a compass?"

"Compass? What are those?"

"Like this." Vega drew a sketch of a compass and showed Dion, "the needles help us to find where is north, south, west, and east. It's faster this way."

"That's clever! But the sun is there and it's easier to find if you get lost without anything. Everyone has the same knowledge and you have to get used to the sun people will give directions based on the sun, here"

Vega nodded and thanked Dion. He then turned to the left shelves finding many books put neatly. He traced his fingers along the edges of the books that stood neatly on the shelves. The cover was nice to touch. It reminded him of when he stole some shoes, sold them after, and got the best meal. When he was still reminiscing, something pricked his finger, and reflexively he drew his hand back.

A drop of blood appeared on his middle finger. He put his finger inside his mouth to stop the bleeding. The familiar tangy taste touched his tongue. 'Why there's nail here?'

Feeling curious, he looked took the book out. No nails. The cover was smooth to the touch. Nothing special about the book. He even brought the book closer to his eyes but found nothing. The book was just like any other book, but the phantom twitching on his finger reminded him that everything was real.

Vega walked toward the desks provided in the library and chose the outermost chair to sit on, even though no one seemed to use the reading section. He pried the book open and looked inside. Nothing, no writing or any words. 'What kind of book is this?!' He flipped from page to page but found it still empty.

Still curious, he brought the book along. He needed to compare it with other books. He took a stack of books and brought them to the desks. He opened the books one by one. He frowned, looking at the titles on the first page of the books.

'A history of magical islands… Enemy or a foe… Dwelling into the creatures of water… Spirits or soul… What are these? Do wizards have too much time to make the titles as creative as possible?'

While Vega felt frustrated with the titles, Dion saw his friend and approached him. Knowing that Vega was too invested in the books, he sat down, not wanting to disturb his friend.

"Vega…, Vega…, hello, Vega…," whispered Dion.

Vega finally looked up, realizing that someone had been calling his name. He felt the heat rush to his face and smiled.

"Hi there," he started the conversation. Looking at Dion and saw several books stacked near him.

"What books do you get?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. The titles are... interesting, to say the least. You're from around here. Are these normal?" Vega showed the titles to Dion.

"Hahaha. That's normal here," Dion finally realized what his friend meant. "Nobles and commoners alike get a simple education about the art of implication." Seeing the confused look on his friend, Dion explained. "What I mean is, the culture here, we believe straightforwardness was something bold, brash, and immature. It's something the savages would do."

Vega half understood whatever the explanation his friend tried to give him, so he nodded slowly.

"Is that mean that everything we say and do, we can't do it straightforwardly?"

"In a way, yes. But the adepts like Master Grondror are different. So the more powerful you are, the more choices you have. And no powerful people care about the social moral anyway."

"Can you explain more about those words you just said? Like adepts and master, and what is the social moral?"

Dion shook his head, "I forgot that you're a commoner, but I thought commoners are taught similar knowledge like the nobles to not offend anyone, I mean?"

Vega felt Dion's question was more about his origin, so he decided to tell the truth. Dion had helped him and was probably one of the nicest nobles he had ever met. Not that he had met many nobles before.

"I'm a commoner, yes. But I'm not from here. We don't have any magical stuff happening around wizards and us that command a ship kept inside a pouch. Some wizards found me stranded on a ship. I think Vin is what she asked me to call her. They took me here and decided I could join the test, and you know the rest." Vega tried to explain his general situation while trying not to share too much.

"You're from outside of the Islands? And Vin, you meant Vin as in Druvinnia Helshound?" Dion turned ecstatic upon hearing the name.

"Yes, outside of the Islands, and I think that's what her name is. I forgot her real name because it's too long to remember." Vega scratched his head, embarrassed.

"No wonder you asked me a lot of general questions that kids here have the knowledge of, and by the way, Vin's not a wizard or adept. She is probably just still an apprentice, a powerful one but still an apprentice. It's nice to be in the same school as the princess. Oh yeah, she was a princess back home but got chosen as a talent about three years ago. I'm glad the academy got intervened so I could be in the same place with her!"

"Yeah, I get it from what you said earlier." Vega scoffed.

"Heheheheh," Dion scratched his right cheek. "But yeah, you already know that the word wizards you use basically meant adepts here. They get the titles elder or professor, I heard some more powerful adepts have the title professor, but I haven't met one yet. We are apprentices. Before coming here, my father told me to read books about the common things in the academy and the whole adepts situation. As an apprentice, we had a lower, middle, and high apprentice before finally we got chosen to be an adept. Not everyone can become adept. I heard for every thousand apprentices, only one or five people can become adepts. The rests stay as an apprentice."

"Wait, are you saying that the elder receiving me was more powerful than Master Grondor?"

"You met an elder?"

Vega then recounted his first experience getting here and told Dion that Vin reported what happened to the ship he was on before getting to Master Grondor for examination.

"Okay, we spent our time talking about unnecessary stuff." Dion stood up, browsed the shelves quickly, took a book, and brought it back. "Here, take it. I think this has to be your first book of the day to learn more about the Islands, and oh this," shoving a heavier and thicker book he had on his desk. "I think you're gonna need this more than me."

Vega realized that the other book Dion gave him was one of many books Dion brought to read, "But this is yours. You read it first." He rejected the offer.

"No, it's okay. The subject is probably not strange for me, and I have a lot more to read anyway," showing Vega three more books. "This one for me to learn potion, the other about the herbs and plants, and one more about souls."

Vega opened his mouth to ask but stopped looking at Dion's hand raised, stopping him. "No, I think the knowledge you're asking is in the book too. So please read it first before we discuss more. Because it feels like I'm a father teaching a kid common knowledge."

"I'm sorry," apologized Vega. He felt his cheeks redden again. He didn't know how many times he felt embarrassed about his lack of knowledge since he arrived on the islands.

"Wait, no, no… I didn't mean it like that, it's just I told you about my brother's situation, and I didn't want you to be my real brother. I want you as a friend, so if you have the appropriate knowledge, our exchange will be more meaningful, not like an older brother teaching his younger brother something." Dion saw the expression on his friend and felt he had said something wrong.

After both of the boys apologized to each other, they bid their goodbyes, knowing that without appropriate knowledge, Vega won't understand many things Dion was saying.

Vega traced his steps back to his house while shouldering three books on his shoulder. The book here was definitely lighter than the one he found in the past, but still, three thick books together were different. He found his wooden house and took out his medals. 'Stupid. Why didn't I ask Dion about the lock on the door? How can I open the door now?'

Vega put the books in front of the door and moved his medals all over the door. He tried every possible way to unlock the door and sat on the floor. He gave up and chose to read the first book Vega suggested and hoped the answer was there.

-'Adepts are people blessed by the souls to walk on the pathway to truth. We are the guardian of knowledge. Our power lies in our ability to manipulate our minds and our soul. Mernoralin, the first adept, created the first path toward meditation, a way to strengthen our minds and soul.'-

Reading the introduction, Vega scanned the book for any method of controlling the souls or even meditation but found none. But during his reading, he found some knowledge of potions. He read some descriptions and his eyes landed on one potion in particular. Mana Starting potion. A pretty straightforward name for a potion considering their books had elaborate names.

It seemed to him that he was familiar with the liquid and question and remembered something inside his pouch. He observed the flask, and from the description, he looked back. A clear thick liquid with bubbles. When you shake it, it shows different shades of color. He tried shaking the flask and saw the color red and blue together. The liquid changed yellow and green when he shook it the second time.

"Okay, this is it. If not, then I would probably get some crazy side effects." Vega

The first thing he noticed was warmth all over his body. He thought that the heat from the beach was hot enough, but this one was even stronger. It started from around his face, spread slowly to his neck, chest, belly, and all over his limbs, and finally settled down.

Then the paint hit him, he groaned, trying to not shout, but a sound escaped his mouth. Unknown to him, who was trying to get through the pain, some apprentices approached the hut. They looked around and saw a pouch without anyone to guard it.

The braver ones acted first and ran toward the screaming Vega, trying to steal the pouch. The others noticed someone started. They all tried to activate their magical items to be the first to snatch the pouch. However, Vega's strange book from the library vibrated and shone brightly. From it, a shimmering, glowing shield surrounded Vega and all of his belongings.

The apprentices realized what was happening and tried attacking the shield that suddenly appeared. They used their sigils and magic items, but after sensing their mana depleting, they gave up.

Unbeknownst to everyone, the female elder Vega, whom he met the first time, was watching the whole thing. She observed the fight, looked at the book, and sneered at the quality. She ordered the masters to keep everyone away not to disturb Vega.

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