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13: Room of Secrets

13: Room of Secrets

I couldn't help but giggle silently while walking towards the wall where I saw the opening - all because of the path made by my dusts. The walls of the library were now filled with glittery lines intersecting together, creating vague shapes and illuminating this dark room. The sun was yet to rise, but the library - the place I'm in - isn't anymore dim.

When the tips of my fingers came in contact with the wall, sparks flew from between, spreading into the air like thousands of firecrackers. It was made of different colors just like rainbows on a gray sky after a rain. I was amazed once again by the sparkles and crackles flying across the room upon touching it again.

I slapped my cheeks with my hands to refocus myself. I inhaled deeply, closed my eyes and silently counted in my head. When I reached a hundred, my eyes opened, ignoring the tempting sparks as it flies in all directions.

The wall moved with a soft grinding sound after pressing. It wasn't getting louder, nor does it gets softer. The sound has been just the same until it came to a halt, and the wall slid off to the right. It revealed a darker room, of what looks like a mass of blackbody. I couldn't see anything inside, even with my tamer eyes.

With no hesitation, I led my feet in there. The wall made another sound for a minute and ended with a soft thud as it closed itself. The dark room became darker and colder.

I made a huge orb of golden light and separated it into smaller ones. The small orbs floated in the air, soaring upwards as they wandered across the room before they attached themselves to the ceiling, walls, and what looks like shelves lining like that at the library outside.

I walked towards the shelves, touching the covers of the book, mesmerized by its age. Though worn and faded, the titles were still readable. I was in awe of the uncountable number of books neatly arranged on the shelves, from here up to where my eyes can see.

But what confuses me was the fact that most of these books are... familiar. Like I have long known them, but my mind could not pinpoint the memory. I knitted my eyebrows as I continue to walk in what seems like an endless shelves of books.

I sighed. With a click of my finger, the orbs became larger and brighter. But they couldn't give light and reached everything. As I looked at my left, even my sharpened eyesight could not reach the end of this room. This must be a work of magic.

I once again focused my mind to the sole reason why I came here. My eyes remained on the titles as I move from one shelf to another, hoping that I could find something.

Deltoria, Delvido... I quietly traced the hard covers and silently read what I can see. Steps moving forward, eyes on the books. It was when I reached Deoricius when I caught a movement in my right. I held my hand up when I was about to run, but my coat got stuck in between two books and I tumbled to the ground. The light in my hand rolled on the flood and gave light to where I saw the silhouette.

No one was there. Not a trace, not even prints from the soles of the shoes could be seen.

I inhaled deeply and calmed myself. I must have been imagining things. I pulled my cloak from the books and stood up, dusting myself before checking the books again.

And I halted.

I looked back to where my cloak got stuck and wondered why it happened when the books were tightly arranged, leaving no opening. I inhaled sharply as I felt a trickle in my neck, and a mischievous aura occurring and dissipating in the air.

As if ignoring the eyes watching me, I started looking at the books again. My body and eyes became more alert, and my palms are open, ready to defend myself.

But my defense was shattered quickly. It went down as I saw something - something I could never anticipate.

I blinked several times as I read the words written on the cover of the book I'm looking at. I even had to close my eyes for a few seconds before opening it again just to make sure that I was not imagining things.

And then, I gasped.

Written on the cover of the book is none other than my family's surname, de Tame. In bold letters. Shining in golden colors. Glittering amidst the darkness of the surrounding.