The Grand Library

"This is outrageous!" The senior cleric nearly screamed as he finally couldn't control himself. He pushed Dr. Sharon away from the King's bed and pointed a shaking finger at her. "I do not know what witchcraft you have used to bewitch the Third Prince, but you shall not harm the King!"

Dr. Sharon's face flushed red with anger and as she was about to retort, the doors of the King's private chamber swung open. Prince Najja and Lord Sincia entered the chamber just in time to hear the accusations of the senior cleric.

Prince Najja quickly made use of that statement to denounce his brother. "Brother! How could you? Do you want to kill our royal father?"

The clerics and healers quickly bowed to the Second Prince and Lord Sincia as they entered. Lord Sincia put on a worried look on his face as he looked over the King. He turned and gave such a fierce glare at Dr. Sharon that she felt a chill down her spine. "You! What have you done?"

Lord Sincia reached for the IV drip and was about to rip the tube off when Prince Herod grabbed his hand to stop him. Lord Sincia was no match for the iron grip of Prince Herod on his arm and he stepped back, rubbing his arm where red hand prints were forming. He glared at Prince Herod and accused, "Are you plotting treason against the King?"

"I am trying to save my father!" Prince Herod growled as he stood between his uncle and the king. "Unlike somebody's scheming for the throne when father is ill!"

"Enemies surround us!" Lord Sincia calmly replied back. "And unlike someone who went off on a leisure hunt and disappeared... All this wouldn't have happened!"

"You know damn well what happened!" Prince Herod stepped forward in a menacing manner until he towered over his uncle. "Hiring people to kill me? Too bad, I survived!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Lord Sincia frowned. "Y-"

A cough stopped Lord Sincia's sentence mid way as his eyes went round with surprise. Prince Herod turned back and saw his royal father laying on his bed awake and coughing, "Father!"

The clerics and healers all were shocked as they no manner what kind of healing or medicine they used, even draining dozens and dozens of magic crystals for healing spells, they were unable to heal the King. Now, an unknown girl with unknown background could so easily heal the King's illness made them all speechless.

The King gave another cough before he had the strength to speak, "What is going on here?"

He tried to get up but was too weak to do so. The clerics, healers, and servants quickly fussed over the King while Dr. Sharon watched from the side. Both Prince Najja and Lord Sincia had an ugly complexion which they quickly hide while Prince Herod had a look of joy.

Finally, the senior cleric stepped forward after a long discussion with his colleagues and the healers. He bowed to the two Princes and Lord Sincia before he said, "The King is weak but his heart is strong, we do not know what methods that girl used... But... The King should be able to recover fully after a month of rest and proper food."

Prince Herod turned to Dr. Sharon and bowed, "You have my deepest gratitude for saving my father! The Royal Family owes you a debt!"

"Oh, you just have to allow Captain Blake into the locked archives of the Grand Library," Dr. Sharon smiled. "That is part of the deal, remember?"

"Yes! I will do so at once!" Prince Herod gestured one of the servants over and gave him some instructions. "Please wait, he will bring a key and a seal that will allow you all to enter the locked archives."

Blake who was watching everything quietly at one corner nodded and said, "Dr. Sharon will stay here to keep an eye on the King. Mills, take three guys and stay close to the doctor."

Mills nodded and picked three of his Marines to stay behind while the rest will accompany Blake. While they waited for the servant to return, Prince Herod and Prince Najja started another round of argument next to the King's bed until Dr. Sharon snapped at them to shut up. She pointed towards the door, "Get out of the room if you all cannot keep quiet! The King needs his rest!"

Speechless, the room of Iron Kingdomites quietened down and they could only stare at her boldness and fearlessness to royalty. Dr. Sharon did not let up as she pushed Prince Herod and the rest out of the room. "Out! Shoo shoo! Don't disturb the King!"

Before they could process anything, both Princes, Lord Sincia, Blake and the rest were shooed out of the King's private chambers, leaving behind only the clerics, healers and the Marine guards. The royals looked at each other with expressions of disbelief and were about to start another round of arguments when the servant came back.

Blake stepped forward and took the key and a scroll case from the servant who got confused. Blake smiled and patted his shoulder, "Prince Herod is busy now and this is what he asked you to bring to me."

"Come, my friend, can you lead us out of the Palace?" Blake turned the servant towards the hallway. "Now, I don't want to get lost in this place."

-----

The towering metal gates of the Arcanium of Steamworks and Magic were wide open. A wall of bricks, topped with elegant metalworks ringed the entire school which size was almost like a small town. The hired wagons rolled down the cobbled streets that were adorned with decorative trees and a statue of some ancient scholar holding a scroll and a wrench was the first thing the passengers saw when they reached the main entrance of the school.

The hired wagons came to a halt at the entrance of an impressive building. Professor Hamlot hopped off the wagons and stretched his back before commenting to Magister Thorn, "After riding those, kars of your Un An, I am really spoiled for a smooth ride!"

Magister Thorn laughed as he rubbed his behind. "Me too!"

"Professor Hamlot?" A middle aged female wearing a set of loose robes called out. "You are back!"

"Oh, Scholar Kalena!" Professor Hamlot stepped forward and bowed. "It is good to see you!"

"Where have you been?" Scholar Kalena asked. "We... heard what happened to your class..."

"Yes... that was a real tragedy..." Professor Hamlot let out a soft sigh. "Only... me and three... no... two other students survived..."

"There are other survivors," Scholar Kalena said gently. "Half of your class managed to escape... but the other half..."

"I see..." Professor Hamlot nodded before he turned and introduced the rest to his colleague as he changed the subject. "This is Magister Thorn and Captain Blake. They are the ones who saved me."

"Greeting, on behalf of the Arcanium, thank you for saving Professor Hamlot," Scholar Kalena gave a bow. "I am Scholar Kalena and welcome to the Arcanium!"

"We would like to visit the Grand Library," Blake said and he handed over the scroll case.

Seeing the crest on the scroll case, Scholar Kalena was surprised as it has the royal seal on it. She opened the case and read the letter inside before she returned the letter into the case. Her expression turned stern and she said, "Follow me!"

As they headed towards the Grand Library, Professor Hamlot gave a small tour of their surroundings. He pointed out the numerous classrooms, dormitories, workshops, and magic research towers. Along the way, students dressed in uniform robes bowed and greeted Scholar Kalena and some students recognizing Professor Hamlot, pointed at him and whispered among themselves.

After crossing several parks and the school's training arena, they reached the Grand Library. Built out of white stone, the dome roofed library sat in the middle of a small thicket. Guards patrolled the premises, making Blake raised an inquiring eyebrow at the books stored inside.

Scholar Kalena seemed to have noticed Blake's action and she politely explained, "There are many precious and ancient manuscripts stored inside the Library, hence the guards."

Blake nodded and wordlessly followed her into the Grand Library. Scholar Kalena waved the guards away and led the group in. Thousands of scrolls and parchments were stored in rows and rows of pigeon hole shelves. An old musky smell of books was thick in the air and the tables and chairs were all occupied by students studying or doing research.

Magister Thorn kept looking here and there as he clenched his robes in excitement. "Are there any scrolls or books on magic?"

"Yes," Scholar Kalena replied with a smile. Despite the dwindling magic in the Old World, there were still many people interested in magic. "Magic studies are on the second floor."

"Great!" Magister Thorn rubbed his hands together. "That I need to see!"

"Later, when we are done with our business," Blake reminded the Magister who nodded vigorously.

They went up three flights of stairs before coming to a simple double door that had more guards on duty. Scholar Kalena turned to Blake and asked, "Do you have the key?"

Blake nodded and took out the plain looking brass key and handed it over to Scholar Kalena. She took the key and inserted it into the only keyhole in the door and turned it. There was a loud click and she pushed the doors open.

To everyone surprise, except for Scholar Kalena, there was only a single long table with chairs in the middle of the chamber. A crystal chandelier powered by gas hung right above the table and on one side of the wood panel wall was several pipes and tubes.

Scholar Kalena led them inside the room and she pointed to the pipes on the side and explained, "Those are message pipes."

"All you need to do is take one of these," She took a capsule like tube from one of the brass pipes and twisted it open before placing it on the table. "There is writing materials in the drawer of the table. Write down what you want to view. Then put it back into the pipe and put that lever."

"The message will reach the Library's vaults and the librarians will sort out your request," Scholar Kalena continued. "Once they collected all the research materials related to your request, it will be sent up by the tube."

Blake nodded and he took the quill and parchment from the table drawer and scribbled down what he wished to view. He rolled the parchment up and slipped it into the capsule and screwed it shut and he inserted it into an opening on the pipe before he pulled the lever on the side.

A bell softly buzzed followed by a loud hiss and the capsule disappeared. Magister Thorn bend over the pipe and examined it carefully while the rest waited. "What an interesting contraption!"

"Not many people can get a royal seal and key to enter here," Scholar Kalena probed Blake. "You must have made some great merit to the Iron Kingdom to be allowed here."

"Last I heard, only six people in the past few years had gotten permission to open the Library vaults!" Professor Hamlot excitedly said. "This is the first time I have ever been in here!"

"Yes," Scholar Kalena proudly nodded. "The vaults are not for anyone to view. Only the Royals and a few prestigious people have access to the vaults."

There was a sudden soft chime and next to pipes was a small door. Scholar Kalena opened the small door and there was a stack of scrolls on a tray. She took the tray out and placed it on the table before Blake and stepped back. "I will leave you all alone. Once you finished your work, just pull that cord and a servant will bring you out."

Blake did not seem to hear her words as his attention was focused all on the pile of scrolls before him. His hands shook slightly as he reached out to the first scroll, "Finally... I can find her!"