Prologue – The Past & Future
On top of the tower that appeared to claw at the sky. “Keep fighting until the enemy is annihilated.”
The order was given, and the gigantic scorpion rushed towards the battlefield without hesitation.
Its body dwarfed buildings, and its carapace was a deep black that not even blood could stain. It collided with the large opposing army in a display of absolute carnage.
“Lord, everything is ready for your escape.” A blue raven was perched at the window of the tower.
Heat spewed off the scorpion as flesh melted against its shell, poison was emitted from its mouth, and lava was pulled up from the ground.
Today marked the day the united army assaulted the base of the grand evil mage. A man who brought great disturbance to the world with his craft and the monsters he created. Dangerous beasts that surpassed all known understanding, that brought destruction to nations that stood in his way.
The mage stayed unmoving as he watched the situation through his glass projections. While killing everyone would be preferable, he didn’t have the time or resources to attempt such an action at this point. Many of his minions were in various other locations, and his priorities laid with his more important developments, which would be severely impacted if he involved himself in this conflict.
While sad, a decision had to be made.
A third figure entered the room. A humanoid with demon-like protrusions, wearing a dress that screamed nobility–one of his creations designed to infiltrate key areas of civilization.
“Sending Velasteros off to die?” The demoness giggled, bat-like wings twitched in delight, imagining the chaos.
“It is unfortunate.” The man expressed deep regret. “They were the apex of physical combat, but they didn’t achieve much else.”
His words lamented the beast’s misfortune as if he weren’t the one who doomed its fate.
The [Apocalyptic Obsidian Scorpion], the one who was titled by the countries it slaughtered as the Obsidian Calamity, was going to die here today.
The battle raged on. Men and women with revenge and justice bleeding in their hearts fought for days against the calamity.
While many saw the battle as a fruitless endeavour, the fact remained that humanity did triumph that day.
The monster known as Velasteros was defeated, unable to retreat if it even knew such a concept.
But some part of its soul had a wish to keep living.
Not for a master, not to fight in this conflict, but just to live.
In the midst of the conflict’s end, a small split fell into the cracks of the earth. Soon, the human champions celebrated their victory and hailed the coming of a new beginning.
“Hrm hm, hum.” Walking down the city street, a girl was humming as she made her way to the library.
Finally, time for a new set of books! My budget was always so tiny, and I had to sell some of my old books… My collection… I will get them back someday!
She could only lament her temporary weakness.
Completing her journey along the stone-paved pathway, she reached the large purple-coloured building that stood over four storeys tall and was one of the largest buildings in the city.
Reflected in the glass door was a tall woman with long dark purple hair that neared black. A purple crystal flower accessory was worn on the right side of her hair. Her shiny orange eyes were hidden by a pair of glasses that kept her line of sight hidden.
For anyone staring, her clothes looked to be nice ordinary clothes. The dark blue fancy leather armour had been tailored to be as unassuming as possible and not interfere with daily use. Matched in design with her purple skirt that stretched to her knees.
She smiled as she entered the building.
“Oh, good afternoon, Valmyst. Here again, I see.” She was greeted with a warm welcome. “Anything in particular you are looking for?”
“Afternoon, Mrs Tonight, yes, good to see you again,” Valmyst said hello to the lady at the deck. Mrs Tonight ran to the library and was always kind to her. Except when Valmyst was reselling the books back to her. “I have a few books in mind already.”
Valmyst loved the city’s library. For her it was the perfect place; you could go there to read any book they had available if you were a high enough member tier. An individual could also buy and borrow books; Valmyst personally preferred to buy, but she did borrow quite a bit as well.
“Please tell me you aren’t wasting your entire budget again? I’m happy for the business and recurring customers, but would it kill you to keep some cash for yourself?”
“Don’t worry, I am.” She said without a hint of doubt.
“You say that every time, but then I hear you are hunting for food. Food isn’t even expensive in this city.” Tonight, chastised again, an annoying but required event.
“Ke Keh Ke Ke.” Valmyst laughed. She always enjoyed chatter before reading, even if Tonight might be mistaken.
Tonight shuddered. “Stop it with your terrifying laugh. I don’t want you to scare off customers.”
Valmyst ignored Tonight’s complaints and explored the library, mostly the second and third floors. As they contain the books that were in her price range. She still peeked at the other two floors in case anything interesting arrived.
During her wondrous exploration of the library’s new material and finding the books she wanted, she accidentally spent over five hours in the library.
Oops, where did the time go? I wouldn’t have so many issues choosing if I just had more money…. It would be so much easier if I could get a job as a solo adventurer. Why do those guild staff have to be so detailed about examining monster carcasses?
There were other issues as well, and despite debating the process, the risk wasn’t worth the reward.
During her time in her personal heaven, rude interlopers arrived.
“Hey! We want a refund! This book didn’t teach us shit!”
“What kind of crap pot of a library is this!”
“Such third-rate material you have here. But I guess you pulled the wool over people's eyes with their looks, right?”
Who’s yelling in the library?! This was a place for learning and entertainment of the quiet kind. Not for some ruffians to get into their drunken brawl. Finishing collecting what she desired—it was always so hard, so many things to read, so little money. Valmyst went down the stairs to complete her purchase, all while the delinquents kept yelling.
“Give us a refund, you hag!”
Tonight’s expression was completely unmoved. “My, my, looks like you need some glasses, or is everyone over the age of thirty a hag now? My, I wonder how your mother would react to your tongue. Well, if she were around, you probably wouldn't be speaking like this.”
“That’s it! If you aren’t going to give us a refund, we're just gonna take it!”
“Really? Take money? Books? For one of the most popular libraries in Elpton?”
“Come, George, don’t cause a scene. Now.”
The thug's party was made up of three idiots. A muscular dude, one skinny man, and a pink-haired female, a rare colour indeed. The skinny man whispered into the muscle man's ear, but Valmyst could still hear it. All three had a turn yelling at some point, and it appeared that they might try something else later.
From what Valmyst overheard, they brought a magic book and tried to get a magic skill, but it seemed they all failed and were blaming the store. Or perhaps that was the plan all along? Either way, idiotic; no matter the amount of intelligence they invest, it will never help them. Valmyst recognised the description as people who had caused trouble in the past, within and outside of the library, belonging to one of the minor gangs.
“These, please.” Valmyst presented the forty-eight books she was about to buy, with the money perfectly counted in a bag on the table.
Tonight briefly looked over the bag, but not long enough to count the coins.
“Thank you for your purchase. Please come again.” She said with a smile.
Waving her hand over the pile of books and activating the purple gemstone on her ring, the books were sucked up and
Mrs Tonight gave her the eye but wouldn't make a fuss.
Valmyst walked outside the city wall and went to the nearby hills, just before the forest. It was her usual reading spot.
She sat down with a book in hand but stood up as she heard something in the forest. Getting up and summoning her staff, she walked towards the forest as night was settling.
Creeping through the bushes.
“Pss, Melody. Can you see her?”
“No…! I can’t…. She can’t have noticed us, right?”
“Would it matter? She is just a support, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. Easy picking.”
“Please be quiet, George.”
The three were still proving that they lack smarts; well, the girl had something, but it wasn’t enough.
“George, Melody. I saw a light over there.” He pointed in a direction.
“Where?”
“Just follow.”
They moved for a minute.
“We probably lost her, damn it!”
The surroundings were empty.
“Hey... What's that?”
“It looks like a gemstone?”
“Oh, oh, yeah. Maybe this is our lucky day!”
The trio, happy about their lucky day, were in for a nasty surprise as the gemstone and two large claws emerged from the ground. A large black scorpion with purple gemstones covers sections of its exoskeleton, with the majority being on the back and tail. A small chunk on the pincers was what sealed their fate.
The scorpion shifted back to a woman with gemstones covering her arms, and her tail with a stinger emerged from her dress. She picked up the books that were on the trio’s bodies, and with soft light, the corpses were crushed into dust.
The magic book in question was simply a book called The Magic of Math. She smiled and decided that would be the first book to read in her new batch.