Standing before the enormous door, I could feel the weight of its ancient aura pressing down on us. Symbols intricately carved into its surface glimmered faintly, whispering secrets in a language long forgotten. The air hung thick with the scent of old parchment and something faintly sweet, almost metallic, setting my nerves on edge.
Taking a steady breath, I carefully pressed the fused gem into the groove. The door rumbled like a waking beast, creaking open with an ear-piercing groan to reveal a vast hall of towering bookshelves. Dust motes swirled in the dim light, dancing like ghosts in the shifting air.
"What the hell?! Another maze of books?!" Frey's exasperated voice echoed behind me. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking like she might punch a hole through the nearest shelf.
{You've opened the path to the library's forbidden section.}{Hidden quest information has been updated.}
A translucent quest panel flickered into view, casting soft blue light across the dusty air.
{ The Secret of the Forgotten Library }{ Description: The library was once filled with nearly all the world's knowledge but was destroyed when forbidden knowledge entered, erasing its records and history. }{ First Task: Find the 10 shards. }{ Shards: 10/10 }{ Explore the Forbidden Section's rooms. }{ Rooms completed: 0/8 }{ Puzzles and Riddles completed: 0/14 }
I stared at the panel, a spark of determination lighting in my chest. My fingers itched to move, to explore, to conquer every corner of this place.
Frey sighed sharply, narrowing her eyes. "Rika… I know that look. Don't you dare say what I think you're about to say."
Geomi shifted behind us, her expression caught between curiosity and caution. "What's she thinking?" she asked softly, glancing between Frey and me, a faint crease between her brows.
"We're one-hundred-percenting this, no questions asked!" I declared, hands on my hips, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I've got my 9th sense on my side—I can tell when something good's about to happen."
Frey groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "That same damn sense nearly got you eaten by a goblin last time."
"Nearly," I shot back, cheeks warming. "But I'm still standing, aren't I?"
Behind us, Geomi let out a soft, breathy laugh, her guarded demeanor cracking. "Honestly, from what we saw those little creeps reading, I'm not sure 'eating' would've been their first idea."
Frey snorted, shooting Geomi a flat look. "Great. Thanks for the nightmare fuel."
I smirked. "Relax, Frey. If anything, we should be flattered—they probably thought we looked too pretty to kill."
Frey crossed her arms with an exaggerated huff. "'Pretty,' huh? More like 'too busy punching their faces in.'"
Geomi chuckled softly, brushing a bit of hair from her face. "Honestly, you two make goblin raids sound like schoolyard drama."
I laughed under my breath, tension slipping from my shoulders. "Hey, whatever keeps us from losing our minds in here, right?"
Frey flashed a crooked grin. "Fair point. But if your '9th sense' drags us into a nest of pervy goblins, you're dealing with it."
We wandered deeper until we reached an open space where the ceiling vanished into shadow. A pedestal stood at the center, etched with elaborate carvings.
"I've played enough games to know that's where the puzzle is," I murmured.
Before I got close, Frey cupped her hands and yelled, "Echo!" The sound ricocheted off the walls like a thunderclap.
The ground trembled as the floor behind the pedestal sank, revealing a staircase. Frey shot me a smug grin. "Guess you were right."
I tried to look composed, but my face heated. "O-Of course! But let me read the riddle next time, okay?"
We hesitated, and I flicked open the quest panel.
"Wait! There's more. We've only solved one puzzle, and there are fourteen."
Frey groaned. "Fine. But if your completionist habits get us killed, I'm haunting you."
I turned to Geomi. "Let's stick together, okay?"
She smiled, a flicker of her usual shyness slipping away. "Sure."
We split up, but it was Geomi's soft voice that called us over. "Guys… I think I found something."
The windmill's soft creaking settled into a pattern—a familiar, almost nostalgic tune tugging at the edge of memory. The melody rose and fell like a lullaby for a storm, the notes woven into the faint whisper of the breeze.
Frey tilted her head. "Wait a second… is this…?"
I snapped my fingers. "Oh! That's from—"
"Shh!" Frey waved me off, eyes narrowing. "I almost have it!"
Before either of us could blurt it out, Geomi stepped up, the breeze stirring her hair. As the final note faded, a soft click echoed through the aisle, followed by a shimmering chime that lifted through the air—a bright little jingle that made my heart flutter as the case unlocked.
We all stared.
"…Did that… just play us a victory song?" Frey murmured.
I grinned, laughter bubbling up. "Guess even ancient libraries have flair."
Geomi smiled, brushing her fingers across the glass before lifting the lid. Inside, the book and scrolls gleamed faintly, etched with flowing script and delicate magical sigils.
{You've collected this room's hidden pieces.}{You've 100% completed the room of "Harmonic Gusts and Stagnant Echoes."}{Items attained: [Book of Harmonic Winds and Resonant Echoes], [Recipe: Resonant Infusion], [Recipe: Gale Infusion].}
Frey crossed her arms, smirking. "Well, fearless leader, guess who's carrying the loot?"
I huffed, tucking the scrolls into my inventory. "We all have inventory tabs, you know."
Frey grinned. "So?"
Geomi giggled softly. "Sorry, Rika… leader's privilege."
I muttered under my breath, but a small smile tugged at my lips.
We regrouped, the glow of the unlocked case fading. For a moment, we stood in companionable silence.
Frey stretched, grunting. "Well, that wasn't so bad. How many more?"
I flicked open the panel.
{ Rooms completed: 1/8 }{ Puzzles and Riddles solved: 2/14 }
"Seven rooms, twelve puzzles," I said brightly. "Piece of cake."
Frey groaned. "Why do I let you talk me into this?"
Geomi giggled. "Because you'd be bored otherwise."
Frey shot her a look but didn't argue.
As we walked, the faint scent of pine curled through the air, replacing parchment and dust. I inhaled deeply, a strange comfort settling in my chest.
"…You smell that?" I murmured.
Geomi nodded. "Yeah. It's… nice."
Frey raised a brow. "Did we stumble into the forest wing of this nightmare?"
I smiled. "Let's hope the monsters are made of pinecones."
Frey grinned. "Good. I'll punch a pine tree."
Geomi's soft laugh came, freer now.
As we moved through the tunnel, I glanced at Geomi. "So… hobbies?"
She blinked, then smiled shyly. "Sewing. Violin. Gardening. My mom taught me to make natural remedies… and some medicinal poisons."
Frey smirked. "Rika, you hear that? Seamstress, musician, poison-maker. She's a walking mystery novel, like a courtesan assassin."
"It's medicine! I was taught how to make medicine! It's not my fault that some are extremely lethal under the wrong dosage. M-Most poisons have medical benefits.
I flushed. "Better than someone who killed a houseplant by forgetting it in her car."
Geomi laughed. Frey yelped. "Hey! That succulent was cursed!"
We laughed, the sound light and unexpected, easing the knot in my chest.
As the teasing faded, the scent of pine thickened. The stone tunnel gave way to soft earth, and suddenly, we stepped out.
The ground was cushioned with pine needles. Giant trees loomed above, their trunks carved with shelves of weathered books. Runes shimmered faintly across the bark, and the air hummed with magic, as if the trees themselves were holding their breath.
We froze, caught in the hush.
"…Okay," Frey murmured, "this is kinda cool."
Geomi gazed up, eyes wide. "It's beautiful…"
I drew a slow breath, fingers resting on my blades.
"Don't let your guard down, no matter how pretty this place is. I'm getting a slight tingle from my 9th sense, it's not strong, but I can tell it's there.
For the first time since we entered this cursed place, it felt like we were on a fun adventure instead of being trapped in a monster-filled library.