As The Snow Falls

Chapter Five - A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing

The library is a place that only exists if you believe it does, as such, very few believe it exists. The librarian guards the knowledge kept within; some say the librarian is a manifestation of the Power itself, the fact that the librarian can take almost any form they wish suggests it may be true, but it is as yet unproven, and none are brave enough to ask.

They arrived through the portal and found themselves in a section titled Fiction That Isn't.

'Works of Prophets is this way.' Nadia said, leading the way through the maze of endless bookshelves.

Legend has it that the librarian can only be seen if they wish for you to see them, and that if they allow you to see them they first appear in the form of an owl, and if they deem you worthy of the knowledge within the library, then they take the form of a human, and serve as a guide if need be; the librarian has been known to take a different form every time they appear to you, showing no preference over genderc colour, or age.

'Do you want to here a joke?' Kai asked Apphia.

'A joke?' she replied.

'I'll take that as a yes,' he instantly shifted to comedian mode, 'horse walks into a bar, bartender says "Why the long face?"'

Kai struggled to contain the fit of laughter that hit him from his own joke.

Apphia gave him an incredulous look and rolled her eyes at him.

'Oh come on, that's hilarious.'

'I'm fairly certain dictionaries are back that way, maybe you should go look up the definition of hilarious.'

'Ok, guys,' Kai spoke loudly to everyone, 'I think Apphia has been replaced by a doppleganger with no sense of humour.'

Everyone shook their heads at his attempt at humour.

'You've all been replaced by German dopplegangers!' he exclaimed humerously, 'Haven't you!'

'Ha ha ha,' Raphael chuckled sarcasticly, 'how much further are we, Nadia?'

'Phew!' Kai said, 'You're not all dopplegangers, I've never met a doppleganger that understands sarcasm.'

His underlying serious tone got him a series of confused looks.

'We're here,' Nadia said, 'librarian?'

A barn owl appeared at her feet.

It gazed up at her with wide eyes, blinked a two or three times, then began to grow until it was just taller than they were; its wings morphed into arms, and its feathers knotted together to become a sweeping robe.

Before them stood a red headed woman of around thirty with olive skin, wearing a grey robe, with one white sleeve, and one black sleeve, to symbolise her neutrality.

'Nadia,' she spoke softly, 'welcome back.'

She smiled at them all.

'Please, libra-'

'Please,' she interuppted, still smiling, 'in this form, call me Jane.'

'Please, Jane,' Nadia tried again, 'We're looking for a prophecy that speaks of the death of the masters, and the return of the white?'

'Ah,' Jane inclined her head, 'you seek the book of Uriah.'

A book to their right, and seven rows from the top floated from the shelf, and glided to the open hands of the librarian, it opened itself to about three quarters of the way through, and Jane handed it to Nadia.

'The book of Uriah speaks of a time when white shall return and slay the masters,' Jane told them, still smiling, 'there are no others that do, if I remeber any, I shall find you.'

'Thank you.' Nadia said, smiling back.

Jane once again morphed into an owl, and flew away.

Nadia read quickly.

'This is not good...'

'Why?' Samson asked.

'"When one of three shall rise after a fall, a white knight will be bold, as seven black will fall to light. The risen shall weild the greatest weapon, or will it weild him? The dogs of war shall face against their age old friends and foes, as the djinn wage war with their sky beasts. It shall fall to seven more to fight for a world that will no longer exist."'

'What does it mean?' Lei asked.

'Well,' Nadia said, thinking, 'the seven will fall, I'm guessing is the masters, white knight it the white who killed them. I've no idea what the greatest weapon is. Dogs of war? And aren't djinn genies?'

'Is it talking about a battle?' James posed, 'The dogs of war...' he thought for a while, 'does it mean lycans?'

'I'd bet so,' Nadia said, 'do you think the seven it will fall to are us?'

'What chance do we stand against someone that took out all seven masters?' Samson asked in despair.

'You're right.' Raphael said, a plan forming in his mind, and a smile forming on his face.

'I'm what?' Samson asked.

'That's not a good thing!' Kai exclaimed.

'But what if we had help?' Raphael said.

'Who would we get?' Apphia asked.

'Who are the age old enemies of lycan?' Raphael said, clearly thinking he was a genius.

After a moment, Lei realised what he meant.

'You want to willingly go to vampires?' she exclaimed.

'Not just vampires.' Raphael said, the smugness set in on his features, clearly marked with a grin.