Page 82 of The Awakening of Essensia

“Demon lore and history are on level five, aisle twenty-three,” he said quietly. “Aisle twenty-four is mage history and essensia. References only. Nothing leaves the library. Return everything to its exact place.”

He glanced down the hall and back to her, squeezing her arm. “No food allowed. If you want to eat, you’ll have to leave and come back.”

“I’ll manage.” Her eyes drifted towards the corridor beyond, where footsteps echoed faintly, and a strange glow spilled around the corner.

Galfri nodded and stepped aside. “Try not to stare up.”

She frowned, but he only smiled and gave her arm one more squeeze.

As she stepped out of the Index and into the library, the world seemed to fall away. Shafts of light streamed down from above, casting the vast chamber in a kaleidoscope of colour. The air was warm yet crisp, as if she were atop the mountain, not within it. She looked up and stilled.

High overhead, the ceiling vanished into a forest of vertical shafts, each one capped with a flawless circle of stained glass in every colour; crimson and amber, turquoise, emerald, violet and rose. Hundreds of them, maybe more, bored through solid stone all the way to the surface. The light that streamed through was clean, untouched by snow or grime. Essensia. The mages had left this place over a century ago, yet their magic remained.

This was their legacy.

Her legacy.

Along the walls, angled mirrors caught the beams and scattered them across the library, bathing every row of shelves, every balcony, in shimmering rainbows. The mountain stone, once dull and grey, seemed to blaze. What she had once thought plain and simple, now felt sacred.

A figure brushed past her, heading towards the Index. Vaelira forced her eyes down and willed her feet to move. She kept her expression neutral, her stride even, as if she had seen it all before.

She found the aisles easily, though the relevant sections were at the end of each. This part of the library was silent, and only occasionally did she glimpse a figure passing between the rows, but no one came close.

She gathered a stack of books and carried them to a nearby desk. The light here was brighter than it should have been this far from the main chamber. Smaller mirrors atop the shelves focused the beams to the end of each aisle, chasing away the weight of stone and shadow. She almost forgot the mountain above her.

She flipped through the books, catching herself humming under her breath. A lullaby from her childhood.

She reached for another volume. This one detailed demon classifications: minor, major, and greater. Each section listed names, preferred dwellings, and known traits. She skimmed until a familiar image stopped her. A great black wolf, with white, pupil-less eyes and sharp, pointed ears.

Morgia. Shifter demon. Minor class. Often appears as a wounded animal. Transforms into a massive black wolf or other monstrous form, using fear to paralyse prey before consumption.

Had that been what the demon in the woods had been planning after the archery task back in Anhaven? To scare them into submission? Vaelira’s jaw tightened as she remembered the second demon she had encountered on the road to Allen. The only one she’d ever seen up close: a minor Drekal. Lipless and hunched, its mouth dripping with black drool and rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Its screech echoed in her skull.

She slammed the book shut, then reached for another book at random. A History of Mages. She skimmed a few pages, until a heading caught her eye. Conduit Stones. Her hand moved to her pouch. Glancing around to make sure she was alone, she drew out the moonstone and set it gently on the desk. It shimmered in the library’s light.

Crystals and gemstones have played a significant role in essensia practice for well over a millennium. While their precise origins as essensia tools remain subject to debate, it is widely accepted that their early uses straddled both the practical and the aesthetic. Some scholars propose that ancient mages imbued these stones with minor enchantments for domestic purposes such as illuminating dwellings or enhancing objects such as jewellery. Though this interpretation is contested.

According to these accounts, the stones have served one purpose above all: to channel and stabilise essensia. The truth likely lies somewhere between these positions, shaped by shifting cultural attitudes and the gradual decline in essensia literacy.

Nonetheless, there is a broad consensus on one point: crystals and gemstones have long functioned as conduits for essensia. While nearly any naturally occurring stone can be adapted for this use, the following varieties are commonly recorded in both historical texts and mage records: amethyst, quartz, obsidian, ruby, moonstone and labradorite.

Vaelira froze. Her eyes flicked from the page to the moonstone and her pulse quickened.

Gathering the books, she forced herself to walk calmly as she returned each one to its proper place. Hood still drawn low, she walked back to the Index, every muscle screaming at her to run.

When Vaelira reached the barracks, she almost forgot to seal the passage behind her. Racing for the dormitories, she flew through the courtyard then launched herself up the stairs two at a time.

She rounded the first bend and slammed right into someone. Her feet slipped out from under her, and she reached blindly forward as she began to fall. A strong hand caught her wrist and hauled her upright.

“By the Abyss, Vaelira,” Elijah said, still gripping her arm as he continued down the stairs, pulling her with him. She tried to yank free, but he didn’t let go until they reached a shadowed corner beneath the archways that lined the courtyard.

“Where have you been?” he demanded, his gaze raking over her.

Her skin prickled. She was suddenly grateful she’d thought to change back into her uniform.

“Hello to you too,” she said, crossing her arms. He hadn’t spoken to her for weeks but had the audacity to drag her around like a petulant child.