Dragon Realm
Episode 22
Moreover, it was not unusual for Shade to remain inside for weeks. On the eighth day, the body was dissolved, leaving no trace of the witch. At the same time, in the middle of the Plains of Hell, a figure emerged from the magma hole. It was unharmed by the elements and reeked of evil. Shade's dark side seems to win, therefore he.”
"Then is Lady right about him?" Cabe's eyes darted here and there, looking for a place to hide.
“Do not be afraid! The story is far from over!”
Darkhorse watched the boy relax a little. "That's better! Where'sme? This Shade, who gave himself the name Belrac, immediately created a terror that rivaled the Dragon Kings. He was now convinced of his immortality and carried out reckless attacks. With sheer courage, he won many of his battles. However, for all his seeming immunity, Belrac finds that he is far from perfect. First, he had lost a lot of his memories from his previous life. It was as if he was truly a son and not a true magician. The second and much more important thing he found was that he could be killed. He finds the hard way, when Illian of the Birds directs a magic wand through his form. Belrac curled to the ground and watched the liquid of his life spill. Illian burned her body to prevent the recurrence of the nightmare, but it was not enough. Three days later, in the Dagora Forest, he came out of the trees. This time he named himself Jelrath.”
“Why those names?”
“I came for it. Jelrath remembers only a small part of his past life, but enough to know who he is. Filled with remorse for his evil deeds, he devoted his life to righting his wrongs and helping people. There is no evil in his system; he is the servant of light. He knew that immortality was his, but it was perverted. Both sides of his personality had been torn apart. Both darkness and light demand it; both darkness and light control it. He is cursed to live an infinite life, alternating between good and evil. With one hand, he healed; with the other, he destroyed everything in his path. Each death gives birth to an opposite personality. A name? Maybe to hide his past. If he kept the same name, someone would eventually hunt him down. The shade did not die easily, but he could suffer just like any man. Another possibility is one I believe in. Although all life is Shade, they are only partial. Incompletely. In their desire to be a whole individual, choosing a name will be the first place to start.” The black horse lowered its voice. “Sometimes I think that they all believe that the curse ends with them.”
"How long has this been going on?"
"Ha! I stopped trying to remember those names centuries ago! You want a list, check out any legends! Chances are that many will be him. If you know what to look for, that's it.”
Cabe looked at the wall. He really could not think of anything to say at this moment. How does one understand the pain and sorrow of a thousand lives? The woman was right; no one knew when Shade would suddenly become their most dangerous enemy. Yet he was now one of their few real hopes.
Can they miss such an opportunity?
Do they dare to take the opportunity?
GRYPHON TAKES Lady Gwen to a room very similar to the one they left behind. Like the first room, this room was guarded by two iron golems. He asked about their creation.
She smiles. "There's no doubt you're wondering where that information came from."
"I'd assume it was a library."
“It is true, but the actual spells and items listed are from the time of Harkonens.”
“Harkonen? But that means—”
He's nodding. “Ya, the library contains many surprises.” Gryphon frowned. "Too many. It took me twenty years to understand just that one spell.”
They're passing through the doorway. The ruler of Penacles took him to a tapestry hanging on a distant wall. Gwen checked.
“Transporter?”
"Yes. The library moves randomly. In what way, I don't know. This allows us to reach them, and, as far as I know, there is no other entrance.”
"How did the Purple Dragon build this?"
As he began to rub the picture, this time a small shop, he looked at her strangely. “Purple Dragon does not make this. It was here long before the Dragon King mastered it.”
He would ask more, but the room started to fade. Gwen watched in amazement. This was the teleportation mode he had heard of but never experienced. Within moments, the two of them stood in one of the corridors of the library. Line after line of books lined the walls, and the witch realized that they were all the same.
A small gnome, which may or may not be one of the many librarians, was waiting for them. The Gryphon had mentioned it before, but he was still shocked. The little man did not say anything; he would not make a move until he received news from the current ruler of the City of Knowledge.
Somewhere along the way, the Gryphon feature has returned to the lionbird. Gwen also noticed that her hands were now hairy with claws similar to those of big cats. He wondered what the limits were for the change in the shape of his host. In many ways, it was even more flexible than the Dragon Kings.
King Penacles speaks. "Take us to the same location as before."
“As I mentioned, I know there is no other way to get in. Librarians will support me. However, something has happened making me wonder if the library, and therefore Penacles, is completely safe.”
"What do you mean?"
They turned into a corridor. “What do we know about the knowledge in these aisles?” He showed me endless walls of books. “Most of them contain ideas and spells that we may never think of but would be willing to do anything. With this library, one could potentially master Dragonrealm and beyond.”
“Why don't scholars start reading books?”
He laughed, and the sight made Gwen smile. “Even if it is possible to gather enough trustworthy— scholars, remember—and make them work, they will not go too far. Look."
The gryphon paused for a moment to take out one of the leather-bound ledgers. There is no dust on it. He handed the book to her. He opened it to one of the first pages. Eyes widened.
Pages empty.
He turned the book around. Every page is empty. Gwen searched for a spell, but she felt nothing. Looking up, he saw that the Gryphon was smiling the best it could.
“Every book is the same. I know; I checked over a hundred in various places and asked others to do the same. No."
"What about him?" He pointed towards the gnome. The little, stooped man stood nearby, patiently waiting for his demands.
“His cup, he can only read someone's request. He knows, however, where to find something when I ask him. He felt his presence.”
“How long has he been here?”
Gryphon turned to the librarian. “How long have you been here?”
Gnome closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened it, the answer was quick and short. “I've always been here.”
"You see?" Gryphon shrugs. Replacing the book, he returned to the gnome. "Scoffs."
They turned to the last corridor. Librarian squat standing on one side. Gryphon watched his guest. The madam sighed.
“Rak it! The books have been destroyed!"
He nodded, with a grim expression on his face. "Yes. That's how it was when Shade and I came to investigate the cause of the icy wind.”
“What wind?”
“Only a gentle breeze, but one that cools the soul as well as the body. We came here looking for answers. Instead, we found this.”
"WHO-"
The Master of Penacles slammed his fist into the shelf. “Is it important? The library has been attacked! It's wrecked! Whether it is Azran, the Dragon Monarch, or some other evil, our safest territory is in danger!”
The woman stared at the burning area. The gryphon continued to speak.
"I'm afraid we might have been beaten up before we even started the fight!"