Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Library of Trilx

Wolstan woke up in one of the church’s bunk beds to crusty eyes and a terrible drowsiness that made his movements sluggish. It felt like he got three hours of sleep tops, he was more exhausted than after any night spent drinking in Zertold. 

Laurette kept him up until three in the morning trying to sell him on becoming a member of the church. She tried every tactic in the book from telling him fire spirits had plans in store for his future, to going into great details on the many times Evrouin visited the church. 

Admittingly that would have sold him any other time so he could wait there and meet his father but he knew the king was due to make a speech in Gelia any day now.

He sat up and looked beside him. Esta was gone.

A small panic set in, she fell asleep beside him, and with how Laurette treated her he was keen on keeping her close. 

He looked around frantically until his eyes landed on the floor where Esta was curled up in a ball slumbering peacefully. Her tail whipped around every which way like she was having a pleasant dream.

Regardless he couldn’t imagine the floor was comfortable, he went to wake her but stopped short. Esta may have been peaceful but she still had sharp claws and teeth he’d rather not be on the wrong end of.

“Esta, Esta!” Wolstan shouted as loudly as he dared to as to not wake the other hunters. 

The [Wendigo]’s tail stopped at once and she lazily opened one of her emerald eyes. “Hmm?”

“Let’s get out here, the library should be open by now,” Wolstan said though he had no idea what time it was.

Esta nodded and pushed herself upright, shaking the sleep off her. Wolstan got out of bed himself and approached the door to the church’s main corridor but stopped just before it.

“Could you make sure she’s gone?” Wolstan asked.

Esta laughed and poked her head out the door checking either side. “Coast is clear. She’s probably out recruiting already.”

Wolstan nodded and ushered Esta outside, dodging the delicious smell of sausages and not taking the time to appreciate the church’s beautiful statues. 

Truthfully he wanted to explore the building more but Laurette soured his time there to such a degree he didn’t care to stick around.

“So, breakfast first and then the library?” Wolstan asked. He raised his Dredot. “I imagine Rania’s probably hungry in there.”

“We don’t get hungry or thirsty while in the device,” Esta said whilst looking for food stalls. “It’s actually pretty comfortable inside, the Dregux thought of everything. You should try it sometime.”

“Try it? Can I go in?” 

“Well, kind of. You can push your consciousness into it kind of like when you capture a Drenid. I bet that’s what they modeled it after. Don’t try it now!” Esta added seeing Wolstan raise his hand to his face. “Right now, we feast.” 

She took him to a little stall selling fish where Wolstan had the displeasure to learn she liked eating her food raw. Having no idea about Rania’s preferences he bought him and her two fried trouts on a skewer and had them wrapped before they started towards the library.

The second Wolstan stepped inside a wondrous woody smell filled his nose. There were rows and rows of books as far as the eye could see. To his left was a section labeled ‘Myths and Legends’, and to the right was ‘Drenid Management and Care’.

There were people all over taking books from shelves, reading at tables, mumbling to themselves, or else gathered in small groups talking excitedly.

“First time?” Esta asked.

“Zertold’s library is way smaller than this, I don’t even know where to start…” Wolstan said as his eyes zoomed around the building. 

“Let’s find the owner then, or, librarian I think they’re called. They should know what to do with that book of yours.”

That proved easier said than done.

The library was a maze of shelves and Wolstan couldn’t help himself from getting distracted. There were books on the history of the Diamarta family and the hero king Vilihame, rows and rows of books by someone name Drenid Expert Lofus that he felt could help him understand Rania a bit better, and oddly enough an entire section dedicated to the art of being a jester (“A Noble Profession!’ one title exclaimed.) that Wolstan assumed his father commissioned.

“She looks like she could be a librarian, but somethings off…” Esta said, pointing to a mousy-haired woman in the back.

Wolstan stole his attention away from the books to see the woman stacking shelves flanked by two Drenids. The Drenids looked unnaturally grim as they watched the woman work almost as if she was their prisoner. 

“Worth a try,” Wolstan said. He tapped his Dredot thinking of Kesta’s book and it materialized in his palm. “Hi, I wanted to return this.”

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“I’ll be with you in just a second.” The woman said. The two Drenids eyed Wolstan suspiciously as if he had alternative motives. The woman put one last book back, turned to Wolstan, and took the book from his hands. “Sorry for the wait, things have been mad lately. People have been passing through here from Ventset to hear Evrouin’s speech and taking books to the capital.”

“They’ll return them on their way back won’t they?” Wolstan asked.

“Some do, but most-” She flipped Kesta’s book open to its front page. “Keep them past their return date and need to be charged. Which, looking at this, the owner will have to be.”

Wolstan started to explain it wasn’t his but the woman laughed and dismissed him with a wave. 

“I know, I’ll charge Kesta through his Dredot, no worries.”

One of the Drenids beside her growled. “You talk too much, just take the book and get back to work.” 

The librarian grimaced but obediently got to work putting Kesta’s book on a little cart. 

That intrigued Wolstan enough to warrant him raising his hand to check the Drenids stats. They obviously didn’t belong to her and it seemed whoever they did belong to was having the woman watched.

 One of Drenids grabbed him by the wrist and squeezed before the menu had a chance to appear.

“Ow!” Wolstan shouted as he tried to break the Drenid’s grip.

“What exactly do you think you were doing?” The Drenid asked.

“Hey, it was an accident, let him-” The librarian began but before she could finish Esta freed Wolstan from the Drenids grip and pointed her claws at them.

“Keep your paws to yourself,” Esta growled. The other Drenid backed away as if on instinct. “Let’s go Wolstan, we delivered the book, there's nothing else for us to do here.”

“Wait!” The librarian said wide-eyed. She looked Esta up and down, paying extra attention to her chest. To her Sigil.

Wolstan grabbed Esta by the arm. “We’ll just be going now! Sorry for the trouble.” He said and tried to get Esta away but the Librarian tipped her cart to the side. It fell with a loud crash scattering books across the floor.

One of the Drenids watching the woman rolled her eyes and huffed.

“I’m so sorry! Um, which book was your friend’s again? Wouldn’t want him to get charged extra.” The woman said before getting on her knees to look.

Wolstan sighed and got down to help so he could leave as quickly as possible. “Here it is, ‘Taming the Wild Drenid’s Heart-” 

He flipped the book over and read the description. He could have lived a thousand years without knowing Kesta’s taste in smut…

“Thanks,” The librarian said and took the book from him. Wolstan tried to get away but she shook his hand. “Enjoy the rest of your stay in Trilx.”

Wolstan freed himself from her, he felt something against his palm. Something he didn’t think the woman wanted the Drenids to see. He curled his fingers to grip it and dragged Esta down a row of shelves.

“What was that about?” Esta asked once they were out of earshot. 

“Let’s find out.” Wolstan said and looked in his palm to see a ripped piece of paper with the words ‘Nedonis Origins, Myths and Legends Section.’ written on it. “When did she have the time to write this?”

“Must’ve been while we were focused on the books. Do you think we should go check out this ‘Nedonis Origins’”?

“Well…” Wolstan started. Part of him was curious but another part didn’t like the way the librarian gawked at Esta’s Sigil. For a moment he feared she recognized it as he had. “I am curious but this doesn’t have anything to do with us. Besides, the conductor said my father’s speech could be any day now, shouldn’t we be there to try to meet him?”

Esta shrugged. “Meeting him won’t be easy either way. They’ll definitely have the army out in force to guard the king. Might as well have some fun for now.”

She tried to hide it but Wolstan could see a flicker of a smile greet her lips. She was excited for the adventure the message would lead them on. He did owe her his life, and she was helping him meet his parents when she didn’t have to. It wouldn’t hurt to indulge her.

“Alright,” Wolstan said and led the way back to the Myths section.

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