A Minecraftian's Misfortune

Chapter 2: The Book Thief

As I entered the library, I got a sense of antiquity from the dusty tomes on the shelves. There were new books and old books alike. As I wandered deeper into the forgotten hallways of the massive library, some of the old, thick books gave me a sense of power. I felt as if I'd wandered into a section I shouldn't have. I studied a few of the books, some were encyclopedias, atlases, and almanacs. Others were guides, accounts of periods in history, works of fiction and non-fiction. All of them made me feel as though there was something else, lurking between their yellowing pages like a beast in the shadows.

I eventually became curious after perusing through the books, taking one off the shelf. It was a thin book, with dust all over it and even between the pages. The edges of the front cover had an intricately designed border in dark leather, the middle space being occupied by an inlaid design of gold. There was no title or author on the spine. I opened the book and inhaled the earthy smell that old books seem to give off. The first page was blank, and upon turning it I came to the title page.

It was titled "The Beginner's Guide To Thaumaturgy". I looked at it quizzically. What on earth was Thaumaturgy? I flipped through the pages, seeing text and images appearing to show how to create an magical tome called a Thaumonomicon. To get one, you needed to craft an iron capped wooden wand, then wave it over a bookshelf. Nothing that even the most idiotic, mundane person couldn't handle. I glanced around, then slipped the book into my bag and arranged the books on the bookshelf as if The Beginners Guide To Thaumaturgy had never been there.

I began poking around another section of books, some of which had their titles written on the spine in some sort of runic language. Then I realized it was the language of the Elders, an extinct race of people who lived nearly a million years before the current generation of Minecraftians. After more searching, I stumbled across a book that was yet another guide to, what seemed to me, arcane practices.

My family, unlike other families within Three Streams, actually had a history of practicing the arcane arts. The book interested me, so I discreetly snuck it into my bag like I did with the other book. Besides, who was I to deny my ancestry? After all, the Eldwicks had started as mages and wizards.

I glanced around again, looking for any more books that would interest me. Upon not finding any, I decided it was time to leave. I hadn't found anything on how to stop the Taint, but I had a feeling the two books I... borrowed, would help. As I was leaving, I marveled at the design of the castle. It was large, and I had an inkling that some, if not most of the taxpayers' money, went into improving the palace.

I left the castle around four in the afternoon. I'd been in there for roughly four hours. As I walked down the same cobbled brick path that I took to get to the castle, I saw few people wandering around. It was common sense to stay indoors with the apocalypse at your doorstep, after all. I rushed back to my house once it started getting to be close to sunset. I realized I didn't have a door, and cursed softly under my breath. I went back into my basement, grabbed my father's old pickaxe, and went to some nearby ruins of houses to get the cobblestone that served as their foundations.

After having a few near misses with things houses crumbling on top me, I took my new cobblestone, built a little wall around my house, then blocked myself inside for the night. I looked at my clock. It was about five, and I decided to dive into the books I stole from the library. I grabbed another bottle of my dad's beer, a candle, and the two books, then plopped into bed. I lit the candle using my flint and steel, uncorked the bottle and drank a little, then delved into the world of the arcane. I drank and read, and drank some more to wash away the troubles of this world, until I passed out. The books slapped to the floor, though neither them nor the furious knocking on my cobblestone door woke me up...