The Bane of the Empire

Chapter 19.2

Having realized she had cowered from returning to the Library long enough, she pushed through the gate. Sending a the winged statues a nod, almost saying, nice to see you still keeping watch. There wasn't a purpose to her visit today. She was not running inside, frantically looking for the final piece of the puzzle. Today she would allow the answer to come to her.

Also she had been eyeing a distinct row of books that looked to be a collection of volumes neatly arranged along the bottom of the logs. So walking in, Dawn did not reach for the log but bent down and withdrew a leather bound book. There was a system to the logs, upper shelves were given to current mages, and lower shelves contained the records and details of previous mages. One of whom had taken it upon themselves to document the way their power worked in this collection of volumes. Finding a comfortable enough seat in the vacant antechamber, she opened the delicate pages to the first entry.

The mage wrote with a confident hand, the nib of the quill gliding across the paper with deliberate movement as the writer explained the intricacies of their ability.

There is a flame or flicker of light when I find the source of one's ailment. It is within me to nourish the flame until it can burn out the disease. A woman complaining about pains in her joints had multiple points of light. The body trying to burn out the disease—but failing miserably. Fever and the subsequent death of this woman was inevitable, her disease having spread body wide. If she had come earlier she would have been saved. With my limited strength, all I could do was ease her pain. A strong mage would be able to spread their power to encompass the entire human form, urging each point to grow until it purged the body of disease.

A point of light at the centre of one's disease? Seemed counterintuitive that light, something so pure and untarnished, would be at the centre of disease. But the mage spoke with such conviction that Dawn believed the words written on the page. A strong mage? Was the Archmage the strongest? Could Gabriel or his successor have healed this woman?

The light may appear differently to others. It may be a flame, a wisp of light, a warmth emanating outward, or something entirely different. That is what makes this power so confusing. There are others were it comes naturally and some in which the user must practice to hone the skill. I will continue to document my findings.

The remaining entries spoke further about the various forms this light took. The mage was a curious one, having interviewed the others and written down their own description of how they saw the light. One even spoke that the light could be heard! It emitted a long haunting note that called out to the mage, guiding her to the point that required her attention. Dawn read the first volume, engrossed in the words written by its author and unable to sate her curiosity.

One could forget the outside world in here. Forget what time of day it was.

She had come to a standstill in her search but after her day with Luke she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. And for once, she had a reason to smile again. Snuffing the candle she had lit upon her arrival, she closed the gate behind her and walked up the steps of the Library.

She walked to the stables and gave Duke a friendly pat on the neck and told him to behave as the stable hands took him for his meal. Leaving Duke she spotted the mop of blond hair that had been the source of her happiness.

"Where are you headed?" She asked as he came into earshot. Pointing to his bow and quiver, she asked,"Came back from hunting?"

He turned back to the service entrance he walked through a latched the door shut. The gate could only be opened from the inside so either someone had opened it for him or he had left it open for his return to the castle. She took note of that but kept her bright expression in place. "I was just out purchasing new arrows."