Chapter: The Library of Alexandria.
Mikoto and Aikko followed the crowd into the library. A refreshing breeze swept through the throng, bringing back memories of home for Mikoto. "Is this place air-conditioned?" she asks hopefully. Aikko grinned, her tone teased. "Air… conditioning? What curious magic is that?"
"Rune magic, actually." Little Misaka quickly says, "It would be quite helpful on the march."
As they entered, the crowd dispersed in different directions, leaving Mikoto in awe of the sheer scale of the place. The library's silence reminded her of her futile attempts to find peace and quiet at home with her bickering daughters. Pushing that thought aside, she focused on the sights before her. Her steps faltered momentarily as her gaze roamed, catching the perfectly preserved fossilized skeleton in the stone wall. The massive bones of an ancient aquatic beast arched gracefully with large vertebrae reminiscent of an ancient whale or monstrous sea serpent. Thick, curved rib bones radiated outward. The skull loomed above them, its frightening tooth-lined jaw and hollow eye sockets suggesting a once intelligent predator of an ocean depth. Intricate patterns of smaller barnacles and marine flora fossils played in the background. The enormous creature stood as a silent testament to the immense history held within these walls. Her gaze wandered away from the skeleton. The clamoring at the main desk caught her attention.
The main desk area sprawled out on her left. It took a moment before she blinked in astonishment when she realized the individuals behind the counter weren't human but foxes and other beast-like creatures all working. A group of robe-clad individuals gathered close by, registering for access to the library's vast resources. Some pointed to the slots behind the counter, hoping to reserve rare manuscripts rumored to hold some forgotten knowledge. And despite the chaos at the main desk, an eerie silence was hanging in the air. Mikoto leaned in and murmured to Aikko, her voice barely audible in the hushed atmosphere. "Why is it so quiet?"
Aikko smiles. "Linga magical devices maintain the library's tranquility." She looked over at the main desk at the controlled chaos. A sense of satisfaction gleamed in her eyes. "After all," she says, with a playful glint, "no one wants a library filled with noise, right? "Her grin got bigger as if she was sharing a secret. "Don't you think?"
Mikoto shrugged with a distant look in her eyes. "True," she whispers. "I suppose everyone has their own way of learning."
Still, the silence reminded Mikoto of just how rare it was back home. Her mind drifted. the girls voices echoed through the halls, too loud to ignore. She could almost picture them, their faces flushed with frustration as they argued over something undoubtedly trivial.
"Girls," she called out, her tone firm. "If I have to close this book and come over there, you'll spend the rest of the afternoon doing something you will find very unpleasant. And trust me, it won't be as fun as whatever you're fighting about." The noise died down, replaced by a guilty murmur. She would allow herself a small smile, her gaze falling back to the book. "Honestly," she mutters, "settling down for a quiet read is harder than fending off an army." She glanced at the door before refocusing on the book, determined to dive back into the story.
"your beginning to sound more and more like your mother," little misaka quipped.
"shut up!"
"I have always liked these," little misaka whispered.
"Girls, if I have to close this book, you will both regret it," they would quickly reply. "already are."
"I thought we agreed. My reading time is not yours; I am going to kill my sister's time!"
"Or the infamous loud slamming of the book closed often ended the interruptions….usually followed by an electrical charge rolling across the floor like a snake on a mission."
"nothing like parenting for a distance," little misaka invited herself into the memory. "lots of good times and proper loving communication between mother and daughters," she chuckles.
As Aikko and Mikoto made their way into the library's central area, the full scale of the place slowly revealed itself. Mikoto couldn't shake the feeling that this library held a few secrets and surprises for her beyond just the ancient text, perhaps helping her understand those nagging questions about that certain person.
Taking a few steps, Mikoto found herself just inside the atrium, her eyes tracing the sprawling scene before her, where five towering floors rose above them. In the far corners of the room, large, dark wooden stairs wound upward like the coils of a great serpent, connecting the levels in a fluid, graceful dance. The library buzzed with quiet life, a serene hum of scholars lost in thought. Little Misaka, not one to be outdone, was sending out magnetic pulses, building a 3d map of the library,in her mind.
Scholars scattered throughout the area occupied long tables stretching out before them. Crafted from rich dark wood, the tables gleamed in the light filtering through the towering stained-glass windows. Deep in concentration, the scholars buried themselves in ancient tomes. Between the tables stood pedestals, each cradling an open book that dared her to peer into its secrets.
Her gaze wandered upward, following endless rows of shelves stacked with books of every size and color. Five floors of knowledge rose higher than she'd imagined, framed by dark wood and iron railings that gave the space an almost sacred air, as though time itself respected the wisdom held within.
Something about the place tugged at her, pulling her deeper into its quiet embrace. There was history here—old, whispered secrets locked away in forgotten corners, waiting to be uncovered. And Mikoto, ever curious, felt the pull. She took her time, looking over and hoping to locate this pull and it did.
Something caught her eye as her gaze wandered over the countless tomes and scrolls. She sensed something calling out to her, pulling her somewhere, and for that moment, she couldn't help but be drawn toward a certain pedestal. On it sat an ancient book, its presence demanding attention. Mikoto felt an inexplicable pull towards it, her feet carrying her closer.
"It must be fate," Aikko remarked her tone a mixture of smugness and surprise.
Mikoto barely heard her words as she approached the pedestal. The book before her revealed its age, its leather binding weathered and cracked. Despite its worn appearance, the cover still held a commanding presence, drawing her eye to the embossed symbol on its surface. The symbol—a runic character she somehow knew represented 'vampire'—sent a shiver down her spine, yet she couldn't look away.
"The Tales of Tessa," Mikoto read aloud. The name felt heavy on her tongue, a strange combination of familiarity and distance. She took a breath and opened the book.
The fragrance of aged parchment floated upwards, carrying the weight of centuries. The pages, with their frayed and uneven edges, were a pale ivory hue. When Mikoto's gaze fell upon the text, an unfamiliar sensation flooded her. The writing appeared familiar and alien as the letters shifted between recognizable shapes and incomprehensible symbols.
"It's a rewrite, but the leather is original, so is the preface, and the stories are true," Aikko explains, her voice low and reverent. She paused momentarily before adding, "As told by Father."
Her words hit Mikoto with the same force as a physical attack. She was overwhelmed as she breathlessly uttered, "Ronan?"
The meaning behind her thoughts started to become apparent, yet it only led to more questions than answers. Mikoto stood there, her fingers hovering over the ancient pages, caught between the urge to delve into the book's secrets and the shock of this unexpected connection to her past.
"she would write in her diary every day," Aikko whispered. "thousands of them…"
She closed her eyes, taking a long, calming breath. When she slowly opened her eyes, she had already opened to the first page. Tessa's handwritten preface greeted her, the writing and flow perfect, and she began to read.
I am Tessa, Queen of the Vampires, and this is the story of how I found life in the midst of certain death.
As a young vampire girl, I fled from my own kind, terrified of returning to the suffocating darkness of the caves. Trapped between the deadly sun above and my pursuers behind, I huddled beneath a large stone, awaiting my end.
Then came Ronan - a human boy who saw not a monster but a child in need. He offered me safety when all I'd known was danger. At that moment, cowering between sunlight and shadow, my entire existence changed.
This book chronicles our unlikely bond - a love that defied nature and time. From that first act of compassion grew a connection that has spanned centuries.
To those who read these pages: this is a tale of survival, transformation, and love born in the most unexpected places.
— Tessa, First Queen of the Vampires
Mikoto paused, staring at the words. "Ronan… saving vampire children again." She allowed herself a small smile, already knowing his soft spot for young vampires, especially queens. He had a way of hiding behind his bravado, but this compassion always showed in unexpected ways.
"But this." Her gaze lingered on the sentence about their centuries-long bond. "how could it have started so long ago." Curiosity tugged at her, pulling her deeper into the story. This was a part of Ronan's life she'd never fully grasped, a connection he'd forged in his youth that shaped the young man, she knew back then.
She turned the page slowly, her thoughts swirling. "What else did he hide?" There was a history here, hidden beneath his layers of arrogance and charm, and Mikoto couldn't help but wonder how much more she had to learn.
"is he even human?" she asks herself.
Just as she settled in to read further, a familiar, irritating laugh shattered the library's silence, pulling her sharply from her thoughts.