So as it turns out, there are at least three nguages in the library that I can read. Wanting to is a bit different. Firstly, so far evidence suggests all the books here are, I guess, schorly in nature. There's a lot about various types of magic, which I guess makes sense. Not so much about history or politics. The best I've skimmed is that there's an empire of some sort. Possibly kingdoms.

  Secondly, all these books are ooold like, ancient. The wording is archaic, and the materials are sketchy. I have to assume the whole pce has some sort of preservation magic, 'cause otherwise these books would be dust and rot. Now, archaic nguage could just be the norm, but from how Drusil speaks, I'd wager not. She's admitted to being old, even if she looks not a day over thirty, and she speaks... normally? A bit formal. I don't know.

  The most interesting book so far was this thin leather-bound one that, Batsy of all things, found for me, knocking it down with his weird stinger. Turns out flying bat eyeballs don't care about a book falling apart, I guess? The book didn't have a title but seemed to be a sort of saga about Silver Foxtooth, some wolf-kin hero named so for the neckces of fox teeth he woere, that went on and on about how he sought the druids to petition the dragons for help with a tribe or kingdom of fox-like people who were raiding his nation. It turns out dragons only cared enough to send him a teacher, and after going through some trials or shit, he returned and saved his people. No idea why it's here when it reads like some third-rate gossip written by a bard so drunk he'd gone blind.

  Now that I'm starting to get a bit bored of prowling the library, suddenly a pair of arms lock around me like a vise, and there's immediate panic as they tighten. I scream.

  "Well, that's certainly an impressive set of lungs you've got, Precious, but that'll hardly keep you safe if I had more nefarious intentions."

  Oh, thank fuck. This bitch.

  "Fuckity fuck, you can't just do that, you--Hmpf."

  "Well, I just wanted to test your awareness. You might be safe here, but if you meet others, I dare say you'll want a means of defending yourself. Surely you remember our first encounter and how I react to demons? I'm hardly outside the norm here, Precious."

  I guess that's... valid.... I do have magic. I guess I could turn her into something or turn into something myself to get away. It's not like this is a normal thing for me to think about.

  "Fine. You're right, but like, I'm not exactly a fighty person. I've been a human without magic for like thirty some years! You don't just know how to do these things!"

  "And that is precisely why we're going to have another lesson. Now that you know how to use mana and how much you can use, it's time to move onto something more practical."

  Oh no. Saints. Please. I give her puppy eyes, and she chuckles.

  ***

  We're back in the big ass room. Is it brighter in here?

  "So Strax. Are you ready to defend yourself? I'll go slow until you get used to it."

  Wait what. Defend myself from what?

  "WaitwhatNO"

  "You don't have to win. Just avoid my attacks for, shall we say a minute? That should get you a feel for what someone trying to kill you is like."

  Trying to kill--

  She starts coming towards me, and at the same time a red mist forms around her right hand and starts growing and condensing. IS THAT A FUCKING BEC DE CORBIN MADE OF BLOOD!?

  NOPE. Wings. I need wings. With a thought, I turn into an owl and get the fuck out of the way.

  "Oh Strax, Precious, I've already seen that trick. The people trying to kill you won't be limited to staying on the ground. Simply growing wings and flying won't help you."

  Something sms into me from the side and undoes my transformation. Oh, that's the ground. The world spins, and there's a loud oomf as Drusil catches me and holds me facing away with her chest pressing into my back.

  "How what I'm not a fighter?" I manage to get out while hyperventiting.

  She rubs her cheek against mine before whispering into my ear.

  "Now, now. None of that nonsense. You need to survive. If not for the sake of others, for your own. Now when I was trained, I was thrown to the wolves, quite literally. My mother's knights threw me into a pit with werewolves. Since we ck werewolves, I'll let you off with a reminder of what happens when we fail."

  Reminder? Of whFUUUUCK! She's biting me. Ow, I knew she was gonna eat me. Oh fuck. Is it supposed to be this painful? It's like being stabbed with searing hot needles. Oh wait, no, that's nice. Like an autumn breeze chilling your body after a workout. I can feel my muscles rexing. Shit, my heart's so loud, and it's only going louder, not faster. She's gonna to hear this. Hells. Oh god, my face is warm.

  I barely register her licking my neck as she sets me down; I fall, and it's taking all I have to not colpse as I try to crawl away.

  "So, did you learn your lesson?"

  What lesson!? That the pretty vampire will in fact try to eat you when you figured she wouldn't?

  "Uhuh. What kind of lesson was that? Can't you just make me run next time?"

  "The lesson of what happens when a predator catches you. Something bigger and stronger than you holding you pinned in pce so you can't escape. The pain and panic. That's what you need to learn to avoid."

  I gulp. There's an intensity in her easy smile. Her fangs are showing, and I can practically feel her staring at me. Her eyes hold a savage gleam, and her breathing is ragged despite her not having done anything to exert herself. I should speak, but I just nod.

  "Then get ready, Strax. Defend yourself. Because if an enemy catches you, you won't enjoy it as much as when I did."

  She materializes her weapon much faster. This time I don't panic and immediately conjure a wall of fire to encircle her as I start running, trying to think of what I can do to stop her. I can hear her unhinged ughter, but I'm distracted by the urge running through my mind to maybe let her catch me again.