Sorceress

THE LIBRARY (Ruby P.O.V)

"And the death shall rise and the sorcerer will control them like an army and they'll be a hollow shell, without soul and conscience, but powerful. No one will be able to stop them except the sorcerer will and, every time they kill, one new death will rise to join the army till the death covers the earth..."

"Shit, this is dangerous," I think while leaning back on my chair. Knowledge like this shouldn't be available to anyone... It's true that to arrive to this point and understand the spell you need to have studied a lot, you need to gather a large amount of energy and the sorcerer must have immense power... I could do it, I have the necessary knowledge but I'm smart enough to understand that I shouldn't play with some kinds of things. I've known very powerful sorcerers without scruples and without conscience... well, it's not like I have a lot of those but there are certain boundaries I just don't cross. I sigh while tapping my chin with my finger, lost in my thoughts, till finally I make a decision: with a gently gesture of my hand I erase the dried palm leaf sheet that I'm reading. Actually, the spell isn't lost, just hidden, and a good sorcerer would be able to find it and read it again if he knows what he's looking for but I feel much better now that I've added a challenge for anyone trying to take advantage of such a dangerous knowledge.

I lean back on my chair again and look around me, focusing on the specks of dust suspended in the air that are dancing under the sunlight in front of me. Soon it'll be time to come back home, I've been here for hours and I miss my girl, I wonder what she's made for dinner... I hope she's bought some litchis for dessert at the market... Thousands of those books made of dried palm leaves tied up with string forming a book are piled up on massive bookcases in the room next door, protected from light and dust; only the librarian can touch them, I have to check the book catalogue and ask for the specific manuscript I want. They cover all the imaginable subjects, not only magic but also botany, zoology, philosophy, religion, history... The study hall is pretty big, very well-lit with large windows and packed with heavy tables made of carved wood, and my chair is very comfortable but I'm starting to feel pain in my back even if I'm a mighty vampire... I've been sitting here too many days. I'm only anxious to complete my studies and get out of here with Iselen to visit Koji's island... luckily I'm almost there.

"Talking about my girl... isn't that her right there walking out the back door wearing blue silk?" The prince is most likely showing her around the library, they've been visiting temples and markets, palaces and gardens for the last few days, I guess that today was the library's turn. "Why haven't they stopped by to say hello?" I frown, confused. "They didn't want to interrupt me probably, Iselen knows that I concentrate hard when I'm studying and I hate being disturbed." I get up of the chair on impulse because I've decided to go back home now, it's a little earlier than I'm used to leave but I'm tired, I've read too many complex spells today. I'm going to take a bath, enjoy a good dinner and then... my girl and I will try a new tantric position... it's been days since we don't have fun in bed, in fact since the day I bought those silks which have the same colour as my eyes, I've been working too much and it's time for me make it up to her...

I walk through the pink marble floor of the entrance hall, tall square columns support a stunning ceiling made of carven wood, this room is so massive that my footsteps echo through it. The exit door is also made of beautiful carven wood and the doorframe is adorned with blue and pink tiles forming a geometrical pattern, copper handles shine under the evening sun... luckily, it's getting cooler... going outside by noon would be unbearable for me since I'm a vampire, it's almost unbearable for humans too. I sigh while I put on my hood so I can cross the gardens: I just have to go out, dodge a big fountain, walk for around 15 minutes and I'll arrive home where a wonderful bathtub full of fresh water is waiting for me.

- Panditain(*)- I turn around surprised when I realize that's the King the one who's calling me, I didn't knew he was in the library. I bow respectfully before the man dressed in golden silk while his escort, servants and bodyguards, stay at the other end of the room in silence.