by Amy Cross
"Well," I continue, "things are going to change once I'm in charge. For one thing, I'm going to make them all look up now and again, and see what's up there in the void. Sometimes -"
"There'll be time for all of that," he replies, interrupting me. "There's no need to hurry, Claire. When the moment comes and you assume the title of Librarian, you can make all the changes you consider necessary. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to catch up to my unit. We're going to check the perimeter wall, and then I'm going to stop off and spend some time with my wife and children before returning to the Citadel."
"When you come back," I say, "I'd like to talk to you some more. I need to go and look into the void, and I feel it would be useful to have you with me." I pause for a moment. There's something about this soldier that interests me, almost as if I could swear that we've met before. More than ever, I'm aware of the fog that seems to be obscuring certain memories, and I'm determined to work out whether there's some reason to my apparent madness.
"It would be my honor," the soldier says, bowing before he turns and starts riding away.
"Wait!" I call out. "You didn't tell me your name!"
He stops and looks back at me. "I am Vanguard. I am a Lord of the House of Lacanth. I have slain ten thousand men. I have led armies around the entire circumference of the Library, and I have fought among the Soldiers of Tea." He smiles. "And I have fought the Forbidders themselves, at the point where the past and the future merge." With that, he rides away.
"Forbidders," I say quietly. The name, which I swear I have never heard before, suddenly seems to mean so much. For a moment, I have a strong mental image of three great beasts standing in a ruined landscape; I look down as I feel a brief flutter of pain in my chest, almost as if I'm remembering some great injury. "Natalia," I say after a moment. "Have you ever heard of the Forbidders?"
"I do not believe so," she replies. "Then again, I doubt that anyone can keep up with all the creatures that exist in this place. Perhaps the researchers can be of more assistance?"
"Perhaps," I say, watching as Vanguard disappears over into the distance. I can't shake the feeling that we need to be on our guard, and that perhaps we need to be less complacent. If there are threats out there, it might be a good idea to be prepared in case they ever arrive. For now, however, I must simply watch and wait, and prepare for the day - most likely many hundreds of years in the future - when I will ascend to the role of Librarian. At that point, I will become custodian of the entire Library, and it will be my job to ensure that this world is safe. If I am to have any chance of success, I feel I must surround myself with wise and loyal allies.
"Come," Natalia says. "It's time to get back inside."
"We've only just come outside!" I reply.
"You've had more than enough fresh air for one day," she says. "I'm worried you'll hurt yourself. How's your back?"
"My back?" I pause, surprised by the question. "My back's fine. Why?"
"Let's get inside," she continues. "I'll run a bath for you. There are more books for you to study."
"Fine," I say, "but I'm coming back outside again soon. I'm not going to just sit around all day getting my information from books. I want to explore the aisles."
"We'll have to see what the Librarian says about that," she replies.
Deciding not to keep arguing with her, I allow her to lead me back to the small door that leads into the side of the Citadel. As we step across the threshold, I glance back out at the Library and I can't help wondering if perhaps, in a previous cycle of this world's existence, things were very different. Sometimes, I feel as if I might have once lived a whole different life, perhaps even in a different world. There is so much I still have to learn about the Library, and so much that I have already forgotten from the last cycle. Still, there's plenty of time. For now, this whole world seems so peaceful. I only hope that, when I become the next Librarian, I'm able to not only maintain the peace, but push the Library forward to a new golden age.
Epilogue
"Halt!" I shout, as I come up upon a stranger sitting near one of the minor entrances. Drawing my sword, I step toward the curious-looking individual. He seems fairly small and scrawny, but I'm taking no chances. The most malevolent of entities can hide in the most inconspicuous of forms, especially in a place like this. "Identify yourself!"
"I'm just a werewolf," he says with a bored sigh, "sitting on a rock, holding a sword, waiting for a girl. As you do." He smiles. "My name's Duncan. You might have heard of me."
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to keep track of every flea-ridden cur that sets foot in this world," I reply sternly. "Werewolves, however, are generally not to be trusted."
"Wrong side of the family tree, huh?" he says. "The house of Lacanth is a pretty torrid place at times, isn't it? Makes my family seem like a bunch of saints, although I had a few rotters in the ranks. Relax, though. I'm not here to cause trouble."
"Werewolves always cause trouble," I reply. "That's why they are generally not welcome in this world."
"You know," he says, "if you keep on like that, I'm gonna start thinking I'm not welcome here. It's not like I've had the best time since I arrived. This place is getting pretty overgrown. Have you ever thought of employing a gardener? What happened to the Soldiers of Tea, anyway? Have they just given up looking after the place?"
"What is your business here?" I ask, determined to get to the bottom of this stranger's presence.
"I'm trying to go home," he says, "but I need the girl to turn up first. Her name's Jess. You haven't seen her, have you?" He waits for me to answer. "To be honest," he continues eventually, "I'm starting to think I should never have brought her. I only came to look something up, and now she's wandered off to do God knows what. She's lost, but I'm pretty sure she'll be out soon. You know how it goes. The Library won't want Jess wandering around, causing trouble. It'll spit her out before too long." He holds his sword up. "Your turn."
"My turn to what?" I ask, still not sure that I trust this creature.
"Identify yourself," he replies.
"I am under no duty to identify myself to you," I tell him.
"But it'd be nice," he says with a smile. "I told you my name, so -"
"I am Vanguard," I say, interrupting him. "I am a Lord of the House of Lacanth. I have slain ten thousand men. I have led armies around the entire circumference of the Library, I have fought among the Soldiers of Tea, and I have met and defeated the Forbidders at the point where the past and present meet one another."
"Cool," he replies. "Busy man." He glances over at the horizon. "So that's where they went..."
"Where who went?" I ask.
"The Forbidders," he continues. "Big, nasty lizards with horrible breath. Every time I came to the Library recently, people were always nattering on about them. I thought there was a big war raging, but it almost seems as if the whole thing's gone rather quiet. I was wondering what happened to them. I guess..." He pauses for a moment. "This is a cycle world, isn't it? Time goes round and round. Not like the world I come from." He points into the distance. "I swear, there used to be a huge war raging here. I guess that must have been part of a different cycle. It's amazing how fast things can move when I go away for five minutes. Looks like you've got some peace and prosperity ahead of you."
"How do you know of the Forbidders?" I ask.
"Oh, I know of a lot of things. I'm not from around here, remember? Where I come from, time goes in a more linear kind of way, so it's easier for me to spot the curves of this world. Besides, this isn't the only library in existence, you know. The great house at Sangreth has got a few books kicking around. You seem to be on a fairly new cycle. How's it going so far?"
"If your business here is concluded," I reply firmly, "you would be well advised to leave."
"Would I?"
"If you value your head."
"Again with the unwelcoming language. What's the problem?"
"I don't like the smell of werewolves," I tell hi
m.
"As soon as Jess is back, we're off," he says. "Happy? She's got some explaining to do, too. I can't believe she just ran off and left me sitting here like a fool! Believe me, I don't want to sit and hold this sword. Between you and me, there's a chap named Malkioch loitering nearby, and I think he's angry with me. He likes shiny things."
I stare at Duncan for a moment. "I see," I continue finally, as I realize that at last I understand what I'm dealing with. "You are a simpleton."
"Excuse me?"
"An idiot."
"An idiot?"
"You are clearly a fool. I do not like fools, so I will simply warn you to be on your way as soon as possible. If I hear your screams, I will not rush back to help. If I come across your rotted and dismembered corpse, I will not brush the flies from your meat. If anyone asks after you, I will tell them nothing of your presence here."
"Okay," he says. "If you want to be like that, be like that. I'm just waiting for Jess, and then we'll be out of here."
"See that you leave swiftly," I tell him.
"Whatever," he replies. "Don't worry. I can already smell my friend. She's getting closer." He sniffs the air. "She's with someone. God, I hope she hasn't done something stupid like making a new friend. I always hate it when they do that. Everything gets so complicated. I swear, sometimes I want to just throw in the towel and go off to some remote part of the world and be a hermit or a monk or something. Don't you ever want to do something like that? I hear the Himalayas are nice. Of course, I don't really like snow. Or maybe I do. I can't remember, but it'd be fun to find out again."
Without saying another word, I turn and start walking away. I do not have the patience to waste time with such a fool, especially since I am keen to get home to my wife and children. It feels like it has been an entire lifetime since I last saw them, and I could dearly use the chance to rest. Besides, with Claire on track to become the next Librarian, I am certain that the Library is in safe hands. I do not know how, or why, but I have retained my memories of all the events that transpired during the previous cycle of this world's existence. Perhaps God has granted me this gift, so that I might steer the cycle away from the dark points that occurred previously. The Forbidders are permanently gone, and although the darkness remains, we have many hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years in which to come up with a solution. We simply need to find the necessary knowledge, and as I reach the crest of a nearby hill and turn to look out across the vast Library, I cannot help but believe that this knowledge can be found in one of the billions of books before me. For as long as the Library persists, the darkness will never prevail.
Bonus:
Broken Spirits (Lupine Howl 2.4)
Note: This is the Lupine Howl book in which the Library was first featured.
Prologue
Hundreds of years ago
Although his armor doesn't fit, the knight stands proudly before the great door. He knows that his people are depending upon him: if he succeeds, the land will be saved and there will be good harvests for generations to come; if he fails, the land will fall barren and the people will starve. Already, there is great suffering throughout the valleys, with entire families starving. The secret to unlocking the riches of the land has been lost, and there is only one way to get it back. There is only one power that can save them all. And there is only one man who can complete the quest.
"You alright?" asks a voice nearby.
The knight turns to find that Staveley, the old fool from the village, is slowly limping towards him.
"I'm ready," the knight says.
"I fear you do not appreciate the magnitude of the challenge that you face," Staveley says, turning to look with awe at the huge wooden door that towers over them both. "Beyond this point, you will face -"
"I've heard the stories," the knight says. "I know all the legends. I am as prepared as any man can be for such a journey. If you do not have faith in me, you are free to choose another to follow me into this place. But my heart is set and I cannot falter from this quest."
Staveley nods approvingly. "I have faith in you," he says. "Shall I do the honors?"
"Time is pressing," the knight says. "Get to it."
Staveley limps over to the wall and rings a small bell that hangs next to the door. For a moment, there is silence, and then finally the huge door starts to swing open. It takes a few minutes for the entrance to be fully opened, as a group of peasants have been entrusted with the job and they are not strong, but finally the knight finds himself facing the entrance to the great library.
"Do you remember the way?" Staveley asks.
"I do," the knight replies. "Do not forget that I have a map as well."
Staveley stares through the door. Scared to get too close, he is nonetheless fascinated to see the vast shelves of books that spread out as far as the eye can see. Like everyone in his village, he has heard many tales of the library, but he never dreamed he would one day be lucky enough to see it.
"Are you thinking to come with me?" the knight asks.
"No," says Staveley. "I'm an old man. Perhaps in my younger days, it would be me standing here in the armor, but as things are, I would only slow you down."
"You are wise, old fool," the knight says. "I thank the gods that I was chosen for this task. I will not let our village down. I will return with the book, and though many expect my journey to take half a decade, I believe I can complete the journey there and back in as little as three years."
"God speed," Staveley says, leaning down and scooping up some mud from the ground. He picks through it and finds a few worms wriggling around, and then finally he puts the mud - including the worms - in his mouth, chews for a moment and finally swallows. "Juicy," he says. "I look forward to your return, so that we may all have better food."
The knight takes a deep breath and starts walking forward. As he passes through the entrance, he feels the hopes of his people resting on his shoulders. The consequences of failure are almost unimaginable: his death would be swift, but his people would face agony. As the huge door is closed behind him, the knight looks back and sees Staveley watching with a look of apprehension on his face. Finally, the door is pushed shut and the knight finds himself standing alone at the start of his quest.
"You!" he calls out to one of the peasants as they hurry away. "I must have an answer to one question!"
The peasant stops and turns. "Me?" he asks. "I'm not supposed to talk to anyone who comes into the library."
"Just one question," the knight continues. "I was told that a war had broken out in the Ethnography section. Is that still the case?"
The peasant looks around to make sure that they're alone. "Yes," he says finally, keeping his voice down. "It has raged for half a century now, with no sign of stopping. You would do well to avoid that section entirely."
The knight pulls out his map and spreads it against the wall. "Here," he says, pointing at the Ethnography section of the library. "This is where the war is? And it's contained entirely within this section?"
"Mostly," the peasant says, still looking around nervously in case someone spots him talking to the knight. He points at the European History section that sits adjacent to Ethnography. "There are rumors that smugglers have been using European History to get weapons into Ethnography. Just rumors, mind, but worth paying attention to."
"And how long will it take me to get here?" the knight asks, indicating the Phonology section.
"Three years," the peasant says, "perhaps a little longer. It depends whether you pick up any injuries. You could cut a couple of months off the journey time by going straight through Ethnography, but like I said, you'd be running a terrible risk."
"And if I try to -" the knight starts to say.
"No more questions!" the peasant snaps, turning and hurrying away.
"Thank you," the knight says, turning and starting to walk along the dusty road that runs between the first sets of shelves. He looks up and sees that the ceiling to this place is high. The b
ookshelves are almost a mile high in some areas, lined with millions of books in varying sizes. The library caters to creatures as small as insects and as large as giants, so multiple copies of each title have to be stocked. That's one of the reasons why the library covers an entire continent, although there are other reasons, some of which nobody seems to fully understand. In fact, there's only one fact that most people accept when it comes to the library: this is a dangerous place.
After walking for a few hours, the knight stops to check his map and finds that he's still in the Aesthetics section of the library. According to the map, this section is rather peaceful but can take up to a week to traverse. Looking along one of the aisles, the knight spots the dispiriting sight of a skeleton resting against one of the shelves. Stepping closer, the knight realizes that the skeleton is crawling with maggots, which have almost entirely eaten away the flesh. Some of the little creatures are even crawling through the eye socket.
The knight turns and takes a few steps along the aisle. He's starting to think about finding a place to sleep for the night, and he was told by Staveley that the Aesthetics section of the library is one of the safest in the entire kingdom. Despite the rather troubling presence of the dead body, the knight decides that he'll find another aisle and bed down for the knight. He takes a few steps forward, but suddenly he stops as he senses a presence nearby. Looking ahead, he sees no-one approaching. Slowly, and with a sense of mounting dread, he turns to find that the maggot-infested skeleton is now standing and bearing down upon him.
"Keep back!" the knight shouts, but it's too late and the skeleton crashes down onto him, forcing him backwards onto the floor. The knight struggles, but the skeleton is strong and soon the maggots from the skull have fallen onto the knight, quickly wriggling through the gaps in his armor He feels them starting to chew on his flesh, and the armor prevents him from brushing them away. Finally he forces the skeleton back against a shelf. Getting to his feet, the knight runs as fast as he can, but his armor is bolted on too tightly and the maggots continue to burrow into his flesh and he falls to the ground, screaming as one particularly adventurous maggot makes its way onto his eyeball and starts digging straight down into him.
