The library inside the Thrakian temple was large, awkward and incredibly cold. No windows meant that no sunlight was ever capable of warming the smooth, stone floors. Any heat that did manage to make its way in would be quickly swept out by the wings of Thraki flying through, only using the library as a shortcut to the meditation halls or the mountaintop crater, where their holy waters ran.
Despite the unusual, almost uncaring environment, the library was kept impeccably tidy. Each massive scroll was labelled alphabetically and covered vast amounts of knowledge, anything the average Thraki would want to know about Thanatian magic. The scrolls, each one about 30cm tall and a meter long, were lined up on huge shelves. There were no ladders, just scratched, oddly cut grooves along each shelf division. The Thraki would climb up these and cling on with their claws, while they used a free hand, their tails or their jaws to find whatever it was they were looking for.
“They should invest in a rope and pulley lift system…” Ksiel muttered to himself as he searched through the AL and AK sections. He was looking for scrolls on Alteration, the magics of warping the world around oneself, but he was mostly just stumbling across Alchemy books. He had no interest in potions.
“It’s a library for large, flying Thanatians,” Kayel tutted as he put away a rather pointless scroll discussing the dangers of necromancy. “As useful as that would be, none of them would be able to use it properly.”
“Surely they have to carry more than one or two scrolls at a time?” Ksiel grunted. “And seriously, scrolls? Why can’t they use digital archives with paper copies like everyone else? Or even just normal books?”
Kayel shrugged and started a search for more informative scrolls based on what he wanted to learn. This was the first time he’d been given full access to the Thrakian library, despite all his years being loyal to them. He was going to make the most of it.
“Well, when you think about it…” Thitel mused as he glanced up from his scroll on elemental magic, only to pause to re-read what he’d just looked at, having distracted himself. “You ever seen a Thraki holding a pen? Looks pretty hard with those wings and claws of theirs.”
Back in the HE section, Veeyel was putting back a large number of scrolls, his leg braces strapped on but not functioning. Ever since he’d been here, he’d been using his telekinesis to move around more and more, due to the fact that the mechanical leg braces simply couldn’t keep up.
“It’s better this way,” Veeyel smiled as he replaced a scroll on restoration magics and picked up a second titled Healing Yourself – Restoration Basics I, a scroll that had obviously been well used by the Thraki. “Everything they write is limited, so they omit the useless stuff and get straight to the point.”
“Be careful though!” Kayel warned. “That also means they don’t often include safety instructions. I knew a Thraki who burnt down her nest by accident because she didn’t read about the dangers of electric magia.”
Just as Kayel spoke, something sizzled down the hallway, where Zitel was sitting. Little, burning sparkles bounced into the air, and the smell of singed skin lingered briefly in the air. A soot-covered Rethan stumbled around the corner, huffing and puffing.
“Could have told us that earlier…” Zitel growled.
“I did tell you that earlier,” Kayel grinned as the other Ksa laughed. “You just weren’t listening. What were you trying to do anyway?”
Zitel opened his hand to reveal a few melted wires.
“I was trying to charge my reading light…”
Kayel leaped down from the taller shelves and waltzed over to get a closer look. He glanced at the scroll Zitel had been reading, then back at the remains of Zitel’s reading light.
“Hm…”
Zitel picked himself up and dusted himself off, tutting and sighing, then joined Kayel’s side.
“I fucked it right up, didn’t I?”
Kayel’s eyes scanned the scroll. He seemed more surprised than angry.
“You know what? You were actually on the right track,” Kayel smiled. “You just used the wrong strength.” He pointed at the part of the scroll which Zitel had marked with a sticky note. “Rather than this Anaps spell, you should have used this Fortse one, which is weaker and a lower voltage.”
Thitel, Veeyel and Ksiel had all come along to see what all the fuss was about.
“You mean Zitel wasn’t being an idiot?” Ksiel gasped.
“Not at all. You all just need to be a bit more careful!” Kayel’s grin only got bigger, before briefly fading as he glanced his stomach, then at his watch. “Hm. It’s noon. I wondered why my tummy was rumbling. You guys want something to eat?”
“Yeah, sure,” Zitel sighed. “But I gotta clean myself up first. Good to know that we’re not completely hopeless after all…”