Author's note: thanks for the reviews all… it would be nice to have more though… lol. Here's where the story really gets started… and Ryo gets even more of a part. grins (can't help it, I love my own characters…)

Chapter Three

So far, Ryo had not found anything to help him. He had been so sure that in his vision Erika had been in the library. Nothing looked familiar. He strained his mind, trying to remember the name of the book she had been holding. Something about gods and a universe. He had fruitlessly searched for it on the library computer catalog. Now he was looking through the stacks, wondering if he would be able to find it. Then again, if the book didn't exist, then the dream was just that, a dream. Pleased with that thought, Ryo decided to find a book for himself.

Stooping to look at the names of books lower on the shelf, he didn't see Rika enter behind him. "So this is the National Library." It was an interesting place. Rika wondered why Yui hadn't shown her this. Miaka had probably never set foot in the building, but Rika was sure the intelligent Yui would have. "Oh well. They must have a good reason." It seemed that they had a good reason for everything, even if they liked to keep those reasons between themselves. Why did they always make her feel like an outsider? Oh well, she was new. Perhaps it would just take a little more time.

Rika continued inside, gazing around her at all the books. She had never seen so many books in one place before. Wondering if she could find some in English, she headed to one of the many computers to search the lists of books. Finding one that she was interested in, she started off towards the back of the library, where it said it was located.

At that instant, Yui and Miaka entered the library. "Now we have to find Rika," Yui gazed around and spotted Ryo searching the racks, but no Rika.

Miaka was way ahead of her. "Ryo?"

Ryo turned around, startled to see the two of them. "Hello Miaka. Hi Yui. What are you doing here?"

"Have you seen Rika err… Erika?" Yui asked, "Miaka lost her and we heard she had come in here."

Ryo's mind went blank. Could it be? But, he hadn't found the book! It was a dream, wasn't it! The book didn't exist. Miaka and Yui had never had experiences inside it like he had seen… it was all a dream! "Erika? Rika's here!"

"Yeah, or so that old lady said," Miaka smiled at the geeky friend of Liam. "You haven't seen her?" She just wanted to find Rika and go get some food. Why had she wandered into the library? It was one of the few places where food wasn't readily available! It didn't occur to Miaka to wonder about their own connection to the library.

"Miaka," Yui turned to her friend. "Isn't it obvious that he hasn't?" Miaka may not have wondered but Yui did. Whenever she entered this library, she thought about the book. It seemed very odd that Rika had just happened to go in there, but she rationalized it. The library was the biggest building around, it probably just caught her eye.

"I just wanted to make sure, Yui." Miaka stuck her tongue out at her friend.

As the two began to squabble, Ryo had a bad feeling come over him. "Rika . . ." He saw her in his mind, walking toward the back of the library, opening a door, finding a book. His eyes widened and he began to half run to the back of the library. He had a feeling he knew where she was. And he hoped he wouldn't be too late.

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Rika had journeyed to the back of the library to find a book. Now though, she couldn't seem to locate it. She found where it should be, but it wasn't there. "It didn't say it had been checked out. . ." Looking at the other shelves, she suddenly felt a cool breeze from behind her. And a noise, like something falling on the floor.

Turning around, she tried to find where the noise and breeze had come from. There was no one around. Spotting an open door, she moved to it, pushing it open slightly. "Hello? Is anyone there? I heard a noise." When no answer came, she pushed the door open more fully.

She found herself in a small book room. The walls were lined with books. Old books, by the looks of them. Many were coated heavily with dust. Some of the titles she couldn't even read. In the middle of the room was a work table, also covered in dust. There was no one there.

Brows knit, she stepped inside and looked around again. "Strange." Then she spotted a book lying on the floor. "Hmm? Was this what made that noise?" She reached down to pick it up. It was cold, very cold.

Shivering once involuntarily, Rika shook her head slightly. What was that? It must just be because the whole setting was a little creepy and the book was cold because it was on the floor. That's it. She looked down at the cover. She could read it. "The Universe of the Four Gods," she read, "translated by Einosuke Okuda." She knew the author's name. He had been a great Japanese writer in the early 20th Century. Intrigued, she opened the book. . .

Ryo spotted the door from his vision, cracked slightly open. "Dammit!" He threw the door open and raced in. He recognized this room, but not from his vision moments ago, from his nightly dreams. If this was his dream then…

Turning slowly to his right, he saw Rika . . . holding a book. Ryo was stunned and afraid. Then he acted on instinct. "Rika! Rika! No! Don't!" He lunged toward her to snatch the book away. This was his dream! He couldn't let it happen though! He was meant to stop this!

Miaka and Yui, having followed Ryo (while giving each other quizzical looks over his behavior) poked their heads into the room. "Oh Rika! We've been looking for you, where did-?" Miaka broke off, her eyes on the book in her hands. "Rika!"

Ryo's hands were just inches from the book, from the startled Rika, when it happened. At that instant, black light filled the room, obscuring the vision of all. When he could see again, Ryo's face fell, as did his body. Sinking to his knees, Ryo continued to look at the spot where she had been. He was very pale, almost ghost white, though disbelief still showed on his face. He closed his eyes as his failure really hit him. "No, I. . . I was too late."