Chapter
3 – Answers in Expected Places
The deepest depth of the library is
mist and lit up by torches with blue cold flames on them. It’s strangely quiet
and vacant down here. I’m pretty sure others were given the privilege
to come down here since I wasn’t the only one who helped the librarians.
Looking through the books, I find a mix of the books I've already read plus some other ones on the nature of truth, metaphysics, political conflicts,
theories on magic, and some other random books. I wonder why this stuff is all disorganized
compared to the neatly organized library above.
“That’s because all of these books
are tailored towards you,” I hear a voice in the mist say.
A librarian who looks different than
the others appears out of the mist. This one only has tentacles for his right
arm and legs while his face and left hand is skeletal. Speaking of his face, it’s
split open down the center with a singular large yellow eye in the center of it.
The eye with a triangle for an iris on his left hand faintly glows.
“My appearance is due to all the
knowledge I have obtained, which is far beyond that of even the librarians on
the upper floors. My name is Najib. As
to the exact reason why God chooses to put me in this form is beyond my
understanding,” the man continues to say.
Ah, of course, he can read my mind.
I should’ve expected it.
“We can have this conversation
entirely like this if you wish.” Or perhaps would you like it to be in your
mind? I already know
your thoughts such as the one about Ishank wanting to talk and get together
with the rest of the librarians. Silly old fool should already know that the
librarians know what the others are thinking.
“No, talking normally is fine. It
feels rude to have you use your magic so we can talk.”
“Not at all, Jigna. I’ve heard what
you’ve done and I thank you for helping to bring peace to this library. This
place is empty to your eyes because you’ve been transported to a small pocket
dimension where we can speak and show you the books that pertain to your
interests in private. The others who came down here are in their own dimensions
while those who come down here without permission are instantly transported
back upstairs once their foot touches the floor.”
“Teleportation magic. I’ve heard
the most skilled mages were able to use it, but I never found a book on how to
use it.”
“That’s because the information is
kept in the most secure places of the most fortified libraries in the kingdom.
In addition, you’ll have to prove to the Church that you’re trustworthy enough
to use it. I can see with this book selection that there are copies of the books in
this library that you have an interest in learning about magic. It’s also very
scattered, which is why it appears to be so disorganized.”
“I am unsure of where to take my
life. That’s why I’m here.”
“Then let me see how I can help.
There should be a common theme between all these books. Let’s see here. There
are books on discernment of being in a relationship or consecrated to God and
it looks like you’re leaning more towards being married. In terms of magic,
there’s no specified field either than wanting to learn the nature of it, which
is good.”
“Why’s that?”
“The power-hungry want to use magic
for anything other than its God-given purpose. That is why they can’t always
wield it properly, can’t use it at all, or aren’t able to use it in the way
they wish. Those poor souls typically resort to selling their souls and using satanic
spells in the end if their desires to use magic aren’t corrected. Anyway, back
to you. Ah! Books on the current day and past mysteries are here too. They’re a
personal favorite of mine as well.”
“Do you have any recommendations?”
“It looks like you’re reading most
of my favorites. There are some that I haven’t gotten to yet such as a book on
the Ignited, grace-starved, Hands of God, and…Lusty Lizardwomen?”
“Huh?”
“Let’s see here…beastmen, takes men,
women, and children away by night, seductive, use magic through their voice…Men
have such strange tastes.”
“What’s that book doing there?”
“It’s another mystery book and it’s
about a particular kind of beastman. It must be a new book that got added to
the library judging from me never seeing it and the publication date being this
year.”
“So, what do you think?”
“I think there’s a definite
direction you’re heading in, but if you want to narrow it further, I can show
you to the most important room in this library which is the source of all the truth
in it.”
“Yes, please show me to it.”
“Very well.”
Without even moving, the room
shifts around us until Najib and I are standing outside a room. The door to the
room opens by itself and inside of it is an adoration chapel.
“Of course it would be,” I say to
myself.
“Of course. I sense some small bits
of disappointment from you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Let God speak to you in the silence
and you’ll know for sure what path to take in your life. I’ll leave you alone
for the time being.”
I kneel in front of the monstrance,
and say, “Lord, you’ve brought me out here for a reason to help me discover my
role in Your plan. I am as ignorant now as I was before and know that no matter
how much I learn, I will never know everything and forget the truth,
especially when I sin. Fill my mind will Your presence and reveal to me the
secrets of Your heart. As in all things, I surrender my will and pride to You.
Make me humble. Make me wise. Make me Your faithful servant. Make me Yours.”
As I silently pray, I push out
intrusive thoughts so that my mind is completely clear. After an unknown amount
of minutes or maybe hours pass, I feel a revelation come to my mind as if I just
realized something. I begin to hear the soft music that comprises reality and
what makes all of reality work in tandem with one another. In my mind’s eye,
reality tears apart until it is all nothing but words describing the truth of
each object. It’s an almost maddening experience because of how much singing is
going on along with the disruptions in it that are caused by fallen men and
demons, however, the disruptions are ironed over by the heavenly singing and
somehow enhanced by doing so. Everything continues to unravel until finally a
singular truth is revealed to me between the lines of every truth that exists.
“I love you,” I hear in a voice
that sounds almost familiar to me.
It’s a voice that I heard in my
family, friends, and friendly strangers. These same two words are repeated over
and over again in every good action and exist in every truth. Reality puts
itself back together as I continue to hear “I love you” over and over again
until I wake up and see that I’m still in the adoration chapel. I can hear a
final “I love you” come from the monstrance before everything goes quiet. Najib
opens the door and doesn’t say anything to me at first as he looks at me. He
then conjures a mirror made of ice. In the reflection of the mirror. I see that
all the eyes in my head have come together in the cross-shaped cut in my
forehead to form a singular golden eye with a triangular iris.
“Congratulations on reaching enlightenment.
I trust that you now know what you want to do,” Najib says.
“I do,” I say.
I go to the university back home
and apply for the role of a librarian with the approval of the librarians I’ve
met such as Najib and his fellow coworkers who gave me a glowing recommendation.
Because of them and the fact that I helped protect a library, I am immediately accepted
and stationed at a library close to home. My family is proud of what I’ve
accomplished, throws a party for me, and promises to visit the library when
they can. Thank you, God, for helping me to get where I belong. Now, I can
contemplate You through knowledge and truth for the rest of my life.
While working one day, a visitor
catches my attention. He’s a man from Canis. The man is dressed in heavy coats and armor and is warmed further through a flame spell. His skin is tan, his eyes
are orange and yellow, and he’s middle-aged judging from his face. As he looks
through the books, I fly over from one of the higher floors to him. My flying
gets his attention and I seem to amaze him.
“Do you need any help?” I ask.
“No. No, ma’am,” he says.
“What’s a man like you from Canis
doing here?”
“I was ‘honorably’ kicked out from
my kingdom because I wasn’t worthy of any role in the army or as a blacksmith,
so I came here because I heard it was a land of knowledge and truth.”
I smile and he smiles in return. In
this man, I see my next learning experience, one that I’ve been preparing
for and hinted at through my studying.
“I’ve done my own search for God’s
role in my life so I can help you find yours. My name is Jigna. What’s yours?”
“Kevalin.”
“That’s a name that means seeker of
the absolute. It’s a wonderful and fitting name for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, let’s journey through truth
and knowledge to find your purpose together.”
The End
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