An End and A Beginning
The dragon’s attention focused completely on Remi and the Paladin’s brazen insolence so swift on the heels of the Sorceress’s rebellion. With her taken care of he was able to lash out at the rest of the vermin infesting his tower, but it was the Paladin with his brightly glowing glaive that the dragon seemed determined to destroy. Fire swept down on the warrior, though the shield protected him and the glaive dissipated much of the heat that made it past.
The shadows trailing from Isla ’s new blades seemed to obscure her form, and the dragon’s attack was only glancing. The Halfling took a bruising strike to her ribs but was able to hold on. The great lizard writhed beneath her as it reared back with wings spread wide enough to touch both sides of the tower, bellowing its rage as it started to twist its sinuous neck around to snap her from its spine—
Remi had not been idle, however, the young warrior sprinting to cover the distance in the distraction provided by Isla, and the armor slowing him down only a little. As the dragon came down, Remi’s weapon struck true, fracturing the glowing gem in a burst of green light that washed over the room – and left stone flaking from Jigano’s skin.
The destruction of the jewel didn’t seem to hurt the beast so much as enrage it, but even as it gouted fresh flame at Remi, Isla made her strike with all the strength in her diminutive body. Between her arm and the preternatural sharpness of the daggers, the golden metal cracked and then parted in two places. As the circlet shattered the dragon screamed, cracks running through its entire body in echo of the breaking metal at its brow. It flung its head back, Isla finding herself airborne as she was shaken free, even as light began to break through the cracks, widening them further.
The Halfling would find herself striking hard into a surprisingly soft target – Jigano’s ample chest – knocking them both back as the Sorceress found her recently-returned breath taken from her once again at the impact. They were still tumbling when the dragon EXPLODED in a pillar of light and swirling updrafts created by the heat of its demise. The light blew the top off the tower, striking the clouds and cutting through them, continuing upwards and then spreading out across the land. The clouds began to dissipate in its wake, stars and bright moonlight shining down like a benediction upon the survivors in the ruins of the crumbling tower.
The paint had been burned from Remi’s shield, bubbling away to reveal a design hidden beneath – a crown in gold set flush against the steel of the scutum. Jigano sat up, groaning, and blinked at the device before breaking into a weak, coughing laugh. ”All hail the king,” she managed, before slumping back against Isla--
The tower itself seemed to waver around them, growing hazy and indistinct at the bard’s words. The light faded and then went out, and for an interminable moment it felt as though they were falling through nothingness, unable to see or hear anything but their own heartbeats—
The book burped on the floor in their midst, giving off an air of satiated satisfaction. They stood (or sat) together around it, in their proper bodies and clothes, without so much as a bruise or burn to show for their adventure. And around them, groaning and blinking in shock and confusion, were the missing villagers, freed at last from the gorgon’s spell with the destruction of his Eye.
Jigano caught his balance quickly, bending down to wrap the broken chains tightly around the now-quiescent book. He grunted as he struggled to lift it – the book was heavy enough on its own, the chains only adding to its weight – but he looked around at his companions – his friends – with a bright gleam of pride in his blue eyes.
”We’ve done good work here today,” he said, nodding to the rescued people who were beginning to pick themselves off the floor. ”Very good work, both individually and together. But we know this isn’t the only living book in here… and we all have our own specialties.” He paused, meeting the eyes of each person in turn.
”Remi, you have a good sense for sorting fact from fiction. Isla, your medical knowledge is both broad and deep. Kalt, you know your myths and lore better than most. Samuel, you have insights into not only the making, but the writing of books, and have the longest experience with the Atheneum. I have seen all of you in here at one point or another, asking questions and seeking answers… often the same questions that others are asking, but so often our searches for answers go off in different directions, separate and not always shared. And there is no easy way to communicate between those who seek knowledge, and those who have already found it.” He glanced to the people gathered around them, many of whom were listening wide-eyed with surprise and clearly near-bursting with questions of their own. They, too, Jigano realized, would need help adjusting to what had happened. Some had gone missing recently and would return home to families and friends with little difficulty, but others… were not so lucky.
He hesitated, taking a deep breath and hugging the large sentient book closer to his chest as he straightened his spine. ”I propose a change to that. A Guild, of sorts. Or perhaps an Order. An organization where people can seek and share knowledge freely, where others can bring questions and we can, I hope, find answers. Some of which may be within the pages of books, but others… may require more dangerous journeys.” Then he bowed his head humbly, his voice turned beseeching. ”But I cannot do it alone. It is too much for one person. Because of our different strengths, and because of how well we worked together within the book, I ask – will you join me? Will you help me build a Loreseeker’s Guild here on Caido?”
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