"It-it took my memory!" Avelon stammered, her voice a mix of fear and disbelief. She clutched at her chest, where a phantom pain stung. The tendrils of a once-cherished memory slipped, leaving her gasping for the remnants.

"It will give it back once you leave." Brianne whispered beside her, watching her warily.

"What in all the Gods is this place?" Avelon breathed deeply, feeling utterly violated and disturbed.

"A library. Nobody knows where it's powers come from or how it functions in the way it does, all we know is that this is the only place in all of Vexar as alive as another fae would be." The information did not sit well with Avelon.

"That seems impossible." They were standing in the middle of the desolate library, feeling intently aware of eyes watching them from every nook and turn.

"Honestly, it freaks me out just as much. We have literally no information on it." Avelon gave Brianne a blank look, trying to remember the reasoning behind coming to the library in the first place.

She desperately needed answers to all the questions burning in her mind, though she was not sure that she was comfortable with an unknown entity rummaging through her mind.

"As long as you keep yourself in line and keep your mind guarded. Nothing bad can happen." Brianne shrugged and sidestepped toward a nearby shelf.

"You mean to tell me bad things have happened in here?" The screech in her voice caused a few books to rustle in awareness, causing her lips to slam shut. Avelon was completely out of depth in here.

"Bad things happen to bad people."

"Bad things happen to everyone, Brianne. Good or bad." Sarcasm dripped from every word as Avelon followed Brianne down the hallway.

"I guess that's true, but in the library you can only get wounded if you have ill intentions. The library would strip your memories from you completely." Avelon's mouth was dry as she processed Brianne's words.

"We've seen it happen. The library guards its secrets fiercely." The nonchalance in Brianne's voice had not settled the wariness raising in Avelon's stomach.

How did Balor and Elha get the information they wanted then?

"If you have ill intentions and need information. How would you go about getting that information?" Avelon proceeded, pointedly taking note of her blind spots in case the library wanted to shove a book in her direction. She could feel the weight of her question looming around them.

Brianne paused mid-step, narrowing her gaze at Avelon, "I am going to go ahead and assume you are asking for educational purposes. The alternative would have been obvious by now."

The library would have fried her brain if she had any other motives.

"And in that case it would be easy to send in an unsuspecting servant to gather information. If you don't know the why, the library can't really pinpoint the motive behind it."

Balor and Elha had to have been sending in other fae to do their bidding.

"It's possible that the information was available outside of the library." Avelon voiced her thoughts. Brianne hummed in agreement and continued forward.

"Of course, this is the only living library in Vexar. There are other sources of information which are far more accessible." Avelon's brows furrowed in thought. Brianne knew the dangers of the library before she brought Avelon. She knew that if any ill intentions crossed her mind, she would have been dissected by the library itself.

"You were testing me?" Avelon's eyes narrowed, a mix of accusation and hurt flickering through them. Brianne met her gaze, the warmth in her eyes softening the edges of her smile.

"Yes, and it seems that I judged your character accurately. Even though the things you say might sometimes be up to shit." Brianne chuckled and gestured in front of her before continuing, "Now go look for whatever you need information on. We can't be gone for too long."

Before Avelon could snap at her for risking her life or praise her for her wittiness, Brianne disappeared around a corner of shelves. Avelon's gaze swept across the expanse of the library, a prickle of unease crawling up her spine. There was something unsettling about the stillness, a silence too heavy, too expectant. As if the library itself was holding its breath, waiting for her to misstep to unleash its hidden wrath. Slowly, with her breath held, she scanned the bindings of the books that lay before her- none of them entirely linking to anything she needed.

A deep scowl was etched onto her face as she sighed in defeat. She wished Brianne would have opted to stay with her so that she could ask her where to find information, though she knew the less Brianne knew about everything- the better. Absentmindedly Avelon reached for one of the books. Avelon's fingers barely brushed the spine of the book before a jolt of searing energy lanced up her arm, a mingling of pain and otherworldly power that left her skin tingling with a thousand pinpricks of heat.

"What the hell?" Avelon murmured with wide eyes as she retracted her hand.

How was she supposed to get information on anything if she could not touch the books? Frustration bordered her emotions as she studied the books lining her field of view. Nothing seemed out of place, no inclination that the books would cause any harm.

Sighing, Avelon proceeded a few steps further down the shelves and tried again. This time the shock and her shriek was accompanied faint laughter. Laughter, so quiet, that she barely heard it. Her heart skipped a beat as she listened to the sounds around her. Desolate, quietness filled the library once more.

"Care to help a fae out here?" Avelon mumbled in exasperation and looked up to the invisible entity of the library. If they could laugh, they could help.

Nothing answered at first, and Avelon was sure that she was losing her mind entirely- but shortly after a flicker of something that looked like a wind sprite flew past her and down the shelves in front of her. She reacted instantly, chasing after the sprite of wind like her life depended on it. She had no way of knowing whether the library actually responded to her, or if she was rushing after a hallucination- Anything was better than standing in the midst of knowledge with no way of accessing it.

The wind sprite advanced at a speed which had Avelon gasping for breath, her lungs burning as she ran. The fact that her legs managed to keep functioning came as a surprise to her, especially since her recent bodily violations. The instant the thought crossed her mind, the sprite disappeared- Avelon's eyes widened.

"No-no wait, I need help. I need information." She protested at the nothingness surrounding her, willing her feet to stop moving.

Tears blurred Avelon's vision, not just from the physical exertion but from the weight of her predicament. The library seemed to breathe around her, the shelves creaking and groaning as if conversing in hushed tones, discussing the fate of the desperate fae within their midst.

The sprite appeared before her once more, dancing ahead. Studying her. It flickered the same blue hue of the torches that lined the library, a beacon of hope—or perhaps a trickster's lure. Avelon couldn't be sure, but the urgency in its movements suggested it was leading her toward a truth she needed to uncover.

Just as Avelon's resolve began to wane, the sprite vanished, leaving behind a single, glowing tome on a pedestal that hadn't been there before. It beckoned to her, an invitation. The logical, and more sensible part of her brain managed to rise caution that the display could be a trap. By merely studying the pedestal, she couldn't tell—but it was a chance she had to take.

Brianne had mentioned that the library was sentient, alive in sorts. This had to be the library's way of guiding it's visitors to uncover what they needed to know. Avelon had been running after the sprite, blindly, until the moment a fleeting thought of the experiments crossed her mind. Information presented itself in that moment, as though the library was waiting for her to actually ask or rather- think her questions.

The burning in her chest had subsided as her eyes settled on the glowing tome. Shakingly, she took all the strength nestled inside her and dragged herself forward to the pedestal. Keenly aware of the lingering fatigue the experiment had caused her body to endure. She could not run a few sections of the library without feeling as though she would be beckoned into looming darkness again. Shaking the lingering anger sewn deep inside her heart for Balor and Elha, Avelon pressed forward until she was gripping the edges of the pedestal. The glow of the tome had disappeared as she drew closer, though the tugging did not relent.

Unaware of the creeping danger, Avelon's fingertips traced the tome's edges. Warmth, though not scalding, filled her entire being before her vision erupted into dancing colours. Laughter filled her head as the warmth radiated within her. The feeling had her reeling in delight. Happiness, pure and undiluted filled her- almost consuming her. She knew if the moment presented herself she would stay right there for eternity. Fire erupted in her side, pulling her out of the hallucination the tome provided. Confusion struck her first, before pain erupted along her ribcage. A horrifying gnarl sounded to her right, raising the awareness that she was not alone and whatever had made the sound intended to harm her further. Hurriedly, Avelon assessed her side, thankful that no blood was pouring from her body. The ache in her ribcage faded as quickly as it presented itself. Longingly, she spared a glance at the tome that beckoned to her, promising to find it again if only to feel it's warmth, before she bolted in the opposite direction of the gnarl that was nipping at her heels. The being, which she did not dare look at, did not like the fact that she was running. It's breathing was hot on her back as she sprinted, praying to whatever God would listen to her.

"BRIANNE!" Her chest ached as she yelled, pouring all her strength into her voice. She had to find Brianne and get the hell out of the library.

Why hadn't Brianne told her that the library had gnarling, angry creatures crawling around? The possibility that Brianne did not know and was now laying somewhere in the depths of one of their bellies had Avelon's thoughts emptying out completely.

She could not leave without knowing where Brianne was.

Sucking in a deep breath, Avelon ducked to the side and bolted down another row of shelves- retreating back towards the pedestal and the tome. The creature that followed her roared in anger as it collided with a shelf. It was right on her heel and had not expected her to turn back around- fool. She was a fool for thinking she could outrun it in the first place.

The breath she sucked in released through her clenched teeth as she pumped her arms. She had to get back to where she had last seen Brianne.

"Brianne!" She yelled once more, praying that Brianne would answer. The silence that greeted her made her stomach roil.

A dry heave managed to climb up her throat as she turned another corner- the creature's pounding footsteps had not faltered as it distinctly marched after her. Gods, she had not expected to die so soon after making it through a near death experience earlier.

"Avelon?" A faint shout erupted further into the library. Bone-crushing relief soared through Avelon as she instinctively changed her course towards Brianne's voice.

Avelon had no plan, and no way of getting rid of the creature still hot on her heels. Her mind reeled as she rounded another corner- the area sparking instant recognition. The black door loomed nearby. Avelon assessed the area- she could exit and pray that the creature did not follow, but that would leave Brianne. Pain erupted in her jaw as she clenched her teeth. The only sensible thing she could do is find Brianne. She would not leave her behind. Avelon could only hope that Brianne managed to hear the insufferable growls echoing off the walls as they drew closer.

Hard crashing sounds erupted from behind Avelon and without second guessing her action, Avelon shot a look behind her shoulder. An involuntarily gasp erupted as Avelon beheld the thing chasing after her. Books were flying from the shelves as the creature drew out it's claws, its beady black eyes staring directly at her with its mouth drawn open in a snarl. The creature's white pelt was a stark contrast to the dark wood of the shelves.

The sheer size of the creature was enough to make Avelon stumble over her own feet- The action causing the creature to gain momentum. Cursing under her breath Avelon pushed forward, hearing a calm hum emanating from the shelve opposite them.

"Brianne, RUN!" She yelped as she made a sharp left, almost colliding with the shelve directly in front of her.

Brianne's hazel eyes were wide as she beheld Avelon. She analysed her fear-stricken face for a moment before reverting her gaze to the creature behind her. Her brows furrowed and she cocked her head to the side. A smirk playing on her lips.

"Are you crazy?" Avelon threw her arms in front of her, ready to tackle Brianne to the floor.

"No, but you sure do look the part." Brianne chuckled, angling herself to the side as Avelon bolted past her.

A silence settled as Avelon slowed. The creatures snarls and heavy footsteps as silent as though it never existed. Confusion befuddled Avelon as she turned to find no creature except a small little white owl, perched on Brianne's shoulder. Her mouth fell open as she gawked at the scene in front of her, her gaze travelling past Brianne to find nothing out of sorts- not one book was misplaced or disheveled.

"What?" Disbelief shook her to her core, was the library driving her to insanity?

"This is a Quillshifter." Brianne smiled up at the owl perched on her shoulder, its eyes never leaving Avelon.

Realization dawned on Avelon as her gaze studied the owl- a shapeshifter and protector. A dedicated defender for areas containing vast knowledge, known to shapeshift into monstrous creatures in order to ward off fae. Quillshifter's were not able to physically inflict actual damage- a nudge or a shove was the limit, their only job was to scare and disrupt.

"Gods." A deep breath erupted from Avelon as she bent to clasp her knees. Her vision blurring as relief once again soared through her body.

"Why is this place so intent on killing me?" Avelon mumbled through heavy breaths. Her chest burning from all the running.

Brianne chuckled in amusement as she lifted her hand and stroked the owl's chest. Avelon only shook her head as she continued to try and calm the fire in her chest.