Percy leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. The flickering torchlight cast shadows across his face, making him look older, more dangerous. “You’ve noticed it, haven’t you?” he continued, his voice low and measured. “The factions are mobilizing. Ysondre, Grimshaw, Tasselia—they’re all making moves. And if you’re not careful, you’ll get caught in the crossfire.”

  Ayana froze, her mind racing. “What are you talking about?”

  Percy’s smile was faint but sharp, like the edge of a knife. “The tower’s balance is shifting. Ysondre’s been gathering followers, Grimshaw’s been stockpiling resources, Tasselia’s been making deals in the shadows and about the other two I know very little as of recent, they seem to be couped up in their rooms or absent all together. None the less they’re all preparing for something big. And when it happens, the rest of us will be left scrambling.”

  Ayana’s stomach churned. “And where do I fit into all of this?”

  “You’re a wildcard,” Percy said, leaning forward. “You’re not tied to any faction, and that makes you dangerous—and valuable.

  Ayana’s mind spun. She thought of the factions she’d seen in the dining hall, the whispers in the corridors, the way the apprentices seemed to move in packs. “And what about you? Where do you stand?”

  Percy’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I stand where it’s safest. And right now, that’s with you.”

  “With me?” Ayana raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “Because you’re not like the others,” Percy said, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. “You don’t play by their rules. That makes you unpredictable. And in a place like this, unpredictability is power.”

  Ayana studied him for a long moment, trying to read his intentions. Percy was always playing some kind of game, and she wasn’t sure if this was a move in her favour or his. But she didn’t have many options. “Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll help you. But if this is some kind of trick—”

  Percy’s smirk returned, but there was no warmth in it. “It’s not a trick. But if you want to survive this tower, you’re going to have to start trusting someone. And right now, I’m your best bet.”

  His words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Percy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the cluttered desk, his fingers steepled in front of him. The flickering torchlight caught the glint of a strange crystal on the desk, casting faint, shifting shadows across his face. “The tower’s a game, Ayana,” he said, his voice low and measured. “And the rules are always changing. To survive, you need to play by your own rules.”

  Ayana frowned, her arms crossed. “And what are my rules?”

  Percy’s smile was faint but sharp, like the edge of a knife. He reached for the crystal, rolling it between his fingers as he spoke. “That’s for you to figure out. But remember this: the shadows are your ally, but only if you know how to use them.”

  Ayana’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Percy leaned back slightly, his chair creaking as he tilted it onto its back legs. He held the crystal up to the light, watching the way it refracted the torch’s glow. “You’ll figure it out,” he said, his tone casual but his eyes piercing. “Just don’t wait too long. The factions won’t.”

  His words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Ayana didn’t respond, but his warning echoed in her mind as she turned and left the room. The corridors felt colder now, the shadows deeper. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Percy’s words were less of a warning and more of a prophecy. In a place where alliances shifted like the fog, trust was a luxury she couldn’t afford—not even with someone like Percy.

  As Ayana walked away from Percy’s room, his riddle played on repeat in her mind. “The shadows are your ally, but only if you know how to use them.” What did he mean by that? Her affinity for darkness was no secret, but how could she turn it into a weapon?

  Her thoughts turned to the library. If there was a tome with the model for Shadow Bolt, that’s where it would be. She quickened her pace, her resolve firm. The library was her next stop, and she wouldn’t leave until she found what she was looking for.

  As she descended the spiral staircase to the first floor, she noticed the torches were burning lower than usual, their flames flickering weakly. She quickened her pace, her boots echoing softly on the stone floor. The tower seemed to hum with a strange energy, as if it were alive and watching her every move. She shook off the feeling, chalking it up to nerves, and pushed open the heavy wooden door to the library.

  The library was a cavernous space, its high vaulted ceilings disappearing into shadow. Towering shelves of dark, polished wood stretched from floor to ceiling, crammed with books, scrolls, and strange artifacts that glinted faintly in the dim torchlight. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, dust, and the faint tang of ink, mingling with the musty smell of centuries-old tomes. Long, narrow windows near the ceiling let in the last faint rays of sunlight, casting slanted beams of golden light that illuminated swirling motes of dust in the air.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Ayana stepped inside, her boots clicking softly on the stone floor. The library was eerily quiet, the only sound the occasional rustle of pages as a lone apprentice flipped through a tome at a nearby desk. The shelves seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction, their contents organized in a way that only the librarians seemed to understand. Strange symbols were carved into the wooden ends of the shelves, glowing faintly with a soft, blue light—wards, perhaps, to protect the knowledge stored within.

  She moved deeper into the library, her eyes scanning the spines of the books. Some were bound in plain leather, their titles faded with age, while others were adorned with intricate designs and glowing runes. A few shelves held glass cases containing strange objects: a crystal orb that pulsed faintly with light, a dagger with a blade that seemed to shimmer like water, and a small, intricately carved box that hummed with a low, resonant energy.

  As she turned down the third aisle, the shadows seemed to deepen, the flickering torchlight barely reaching the back shelves. The air grew cooler, and she could feel a faint, almost imperceptible hum in the air, as if the library itself were alive and watching her. She shivered, pushing the thought aside, and focused on her task.

  She found the section on elemental spells, marked by a small plaque with the word “Elementium” etched into it. The shelves here were crammed with books of all sizes, their spines bearing titles like “Fundamentals of Fire Manipulation,” “The Art of Water Weaving,” and “Shadows and Their Secrets.” She began pulling books off the shelf, her fingers trembling with urgency as she scanned their contents.

  “Shadow Bolt… Shadow Bolt…” she muttered under her breath, flipping through pages filled with diagrams, runes, and dense blocks of text. The minutes ticked by, and the sunlight streaming through the windows grew fainter, the shadows lengthening.

  Just as she was about to give up, her fingers brushed against a slim, unassuming tome bound in dark leather. The title was embossed in silver letters that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light: “The Essence of Shadow: A Beginner’s Guide.” She pulled it from the shelf, her heart racing, and flipped it open. Inside, she found detailed diagrams of hand gestures, runic sequences, and a step-by-step guide to channelling shadow energy. This was it—the model for [Shadow Bolt].

  But before she could celebrate, a sharp voice called out from the end of the aisle. “The library’s closing. You need to leave. Now.”

  Ayana looked up to see the librarian apprentice—a tall, wiry figure with glasses perched on the bridge of their nose—standing at the end of the aisle. Their arms were crossed, and their expression was one of mild annoyance.

  “I just need a minute,” Ayana said, her voice firm but hurried. “I found what I was looking for.”

  The librarian sighed, clearly unimpressed. “You’ve had your minute. The library closes at sundown, and I’m not staying late because you lost track of time. Take the book and go. You can check it out at the desk—if you’re quick.”

  Ayana nodded, clutching the tome to her chest, and hurried toward the desk. The shadows seemed to press in around her as she moved, the library’s hum growing louder, almost like a warning. She didn’t look back.

  Ayana hurried toward the desk, clutching the tome to her chest. The shadows seemed to press in around her as she moved, the library’s hum growing louder, almost like a warning. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see the apprentice who had been reading in the corner earlier. But the desk was empty, the book they’d been flipping through left open and abandoned. The library felt even quieter now, as if it were holding its breath.

  She reached the desk just as the librarian apprentice—the same one who had warned her earlier—was gathering their things. They looked up, their glasses slipping down their nose as they gave her a pointed look. “Cutting it close, aren’t you?”

  “I didn’t realize how late it was,” Ayana said, setting the tome on the desk. “But I found what I needed.”

  The librarian glanced at the book’s title—“The Essence of Shadow: A Beginner’s Guide”—and raised an eyebrow. “[Shadow Bolt], huh? Ambitious. Most shadow apprentices stick to something simpler. But I guess you’re not most apprentices.”

  Ayana shrugged, trying to hide her impatience. “I like a challenge.”

  “Clearly,” the librarian said dryly, pulling out a ledger and flipping it open. “But challenges come with a price. You know the rules: knowledge isn’t gained for free.”

  “How much?” Ayana asked, already dreading the answer.

  The librarian tapped the ledger with a pen. “Twenty-five gold coins for a week. One hundred and twenty-five if you want to keep it longer. And if you damage it, you’ll owe double that.”

  Ayana’s eyes widened. “One hundred and twenty-five gold? That’s more than my monthly stipend!”

  The librarian gave her a flat look. “And? You think knowledge grows on trees? This tome’s one of the few copies in the tower. If you don’t want it, I’m sure someone else will.”

  Ayana hesitated, her mind racing. She needed this book, but twenty-five gold was already a steep price—let alone one hundred and twenty-five. Still, she didn’t have much choice. She reached into her pouch and counted out the coins, placing them on the desk with a reluctant clink. “There. Happy?”

  The librarian smirked, sweeping the coins into a drawer. “Ecstatic. Now, sign here.” They slid the ledger toward her, along with a quill that looked like it had seen better days.

  Ayana scribbled her name quickly, her hand trembling slightly from the rush. As she handed the quill back, the librarian glanced at the abandoned book on the corner desk and shook their head. “Honestly, some people. They come in here, act all studious, and then leave their books lying around like they own the place. Do I look like a maid to you?”

  Ayana couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm.”

  “Harm? No. Inconvenience? Absolutely,” the librarian grumbled, closing the ledger with a snap. “Anyway, you’ve got your book. Don’t forget to return it on time—or else.”

  “Or else what?” Ayana asked, half-joking.

  The librarian leaned forward, their glasses catching the light in a way that made their eyes look unnervingly large. “Or else I’ll send the library wraiths after you. They’re very… persuasive.”

  Ayana blinked. “Library wraiths?”

  “You don’t want to know,” the librarian said, their tone ominously cheerful. “Now, get going. I’ve got a mess to clean up.”

  Ayana nodded, clutching the tome tightly, and turned to leave. As she stepped out of the library, she couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder one last time. The librarian was already bustling toward the abandoned book, muttering under their breath about “irresponsible apprentices.” The heavy wooden door swung shut behind her with a soft thud, and she was alone in the dimly lit corridor once more.

  P.S. it is really appreciated if you let me know what you think of the storie so far