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"ARE YOU SERIOUS? How have we not heard about this Lord Alcyrion before? Your Pure Elementalist teacher should have been all over this guy!"

James, Algon, and Lydia were seated outside of the Atherling classroom in the Darkessia, waiting for Delta to finish up. For some reason, he was taking a very long time. Algon had told Lydia about Dragon Scholar Quern and the story he had told in class, and she was obviously very excited. Ever since James had erupted about his lack of magical capabilities, she had been hunting for a way to improve his chances and allow him to participate with them in training and competitions.

"Ow!" James rubbed his head. "You're getting better with the whole volume thing, but I'm still sitting right next to you, you know!"

"This is NOT the time to be concerned about a minor thing like hearing loss!"

Algon snickered.

"THERE COULD BE A REAL, sorry, chance to improve your skills?"

"How Lydia?" James sighed. "Algon and I have been over this. Alcyrion was a God and a powerful one at that. Just because he was probably a Pure Elementalist doesn't mean that I can reach that same level. If you hadn't noticed, I'm only a mortal, not some bigshot with wings and scales."

"Ah phooey! That's just an excuse! Your affinity is super rare; there must be something missing from your training!"

James rolled his eyes. "Guys, as rare as they are, Pure Elementalists have existed for something like, what was it? 12 billion years? In all that time, you really think that someone hadn't tried to figure out why we were so weak?"

"Maybe they were looking at it from the wrong angle?" Algon chimed in. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to try. If you are really so concerned about your lack of magical ability, then you should do something to fix it, not just mope around like an idiot!"

"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"

"Volume Lydia!"

"Sorry. But Algon's right. Right now, you're just being stupid."

"Really? And, determined ones, what would you have me do? I'm doing all the training I can right now, but I can barely hold a full fireball in my hand!"

"I AM a Weird you know. Solving problems is 90% of the reason I exist. Maybe I could invent something to help you train! Or multiply the strength of your attacks! Of maybe create artificial sigils for you..."

The door to the classroom exploded outwards.

"HELL YEAH!!! I'M SO FLIPPING AWESOME!!!"

"Hey Delta!"

"Oh, um, hi guys. I, uh, didn't see you there."

"We guessed that. What has you so riled up?"

"More so than usual anyway," James mumbled. Algon and Lydia chuckled; Delta, for once, ignored the jab.

"So, you know how I've been getting faster and faster right? And the whole shtick about how I'm progressing at an abnormally fast rate?"

"Yes Delta, you've only shouted it to the skies about a thousand times a day for the past month."

"Well, Master Wehn said that because I'm doing so well, he'd allow me to start training in a weapons style before the Mid-Year Competition!"

Each mage trained in a weapon style as well, to focus their magic and to build up their body. And it included more than just traditional weapons, like swords. Everything under the sun could be used, including things like wands and bracers. It was very important to learn a style; if a mage eventually decided to go into the army to protect the universe, then mastery of a weapon style was essential.

"Really? That's great!" Lydia said, excited for her friend. "What do you think you're going to choose?"

Delta scratched his head sheepishly. "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I really want to make sure my choice is good to use with Aether magic, but also that it's cool."

James thought about it. "Hey, why don't we go ask the Librarian? I've become pretty good friends with him after checking out all of those books about the Darkessia for training." He had also come in every day looking for books about Pure Elementalism, but he didn't tell them that. "I'm sure he'd be perfectly willing to help us figure out a weapon style for you."

Algon nodded. "That sounds like a good idea to me."

"Me as well. Let's GO!"

The group made their way to the library of the Arcane Quintessium, which was a huge establishment located in the Fafil Caverns. These were a series of massive caves carved deep beneath the planet's surface by shifting continents. After their discovery, Sherru and the Librarian assigned to the Arcane Quintessium decided to move the original library to its current location.

Teleporting to just outside the library's entrance, James turned to his friends. "Ok, I'm not sure if you've been in here before, but there are a couple of rules you HAVE to follow, otherwise we'll be kicked out. First, you guys can't use magic in the library. This means no speeding around AT ALL Delta! The books are preserved, but the spells on them are very delicate and can be knocked out of balance, causing the books to disintegrate instantly. Second, we can use the library's special magic to locate and retrieve books, but don't put them back. The Librarian HATES it when things get out of order. Just put them in one of the bins or give them to an assistant. Third, stick with me, please. The first time I came down here I got lost for about two hours and it was by luck that the Librarian found me. Got it?"

Algon, Lydia, and Delta nodded, and they all walked down the stone passageway to the entrance. It was quite small, only a wooden door, tall and wide enough for larger species, with windows set into the top half that had soft yellow light shining through. James pushed the door open and smiled.

"Welcome to the library."

Everyone else could only stare in shock. It was nothing like they had imagined, with shelves soaring up as far as they could see, made of wood that shimmered in the light. Floating gold platforms hovered everywhere, waiting to carry a reader to higher shelves if they needed. The shelves themselves were arranged in a large circular formation, centering in on huge staircase, carved directly into the massive marble pillar that spanned the entire library. This staircase led to the other floors, each as expansive as the one they had just entered. Each floor held tens of thousands of volumes, and the entire library was an absolute wealth of information that would take a lifetime to discover.

"The air's really warm here," Algon noted, the first to find his voice. "Won't that damage the books?"

"Nope. Preservation spells, remember? They were put in place by the Librarian's Syndicate, the group of scholars that have dedicated their lives to keep the information gathered over the course of history for each new generation. Their spells are the best at what they do; they've been revised over a couple of billion years after all."

James led them to the main pillar, stopped, and pulled out his amulet.

"What are you doing?" Delta asked.

"I'm figuring out where the Librarian is. Normally he doesn't like to be bothered, but after he got to know me, he gave me a spell to find him. It's like a master map of the entire library so I won't get lost when I come down here."

"How often DO you visit?"

James shrugged. "I don't know... almost every day, I think. After you and Algon started ramping up your training in the Darkessia, I've been looking constantly for information on how to make more complicated scenarios. The magic used to control that place is ludicrously complex..."

"HOLY HELLS, WHAT IS THAT!!!"

James looked over to see Lydia dancing around, closely followed by a little glowing bug. She kept trying desperately to get away, but the bug seemed very curious and wouldn't leave her alone.

James laughed. "Calm down. It's not going to hurt you."

"I DON'T CARE!!! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!!"

"Oh, chill out. I think it likes you."

"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER DELTA!?!"

James rolled his eyes. "Ok, ok, fixing problem. Stop fighting you two." He held out a finger and released a microscopic amount of magic into the air. The bug looked over at him and then fluttered down to land on his finger.

Algon raised a rocky eyebrow. "Didn't you say that we weren't supposed to use magic in the library?"

"No, I said that YOU weren't supposed to use magic. The Librarian showed me a couple of tricks that are helpful here, and if I carefully manage my energy, I won't damage the books. But that's only because he's shown me how to do it. Don't try it yourselves until you get express permission."

Algon nodded. "Fair enough. Care to explain what that thing on your finger is though?"

"This is an Arcane Glow."

"And why, exactly, is there a bug in the library?" Lydia huffed.

James smiled and pointed up.

"What? There's nothing up there but yellow light."

James raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute," Algon said. "Those lights are moving! You don't mean..."

"Pretty cool huh?" He lightly prodded the bug off his finger, and after buzzing around James it flew back up. "The Arcane Glows provide light to the majority of the library. They don't use magic, can't set the books on fire, and enjoy their jobs."

"How many are there?"

"I don't know, millions? They're everywhere and most of the time just fly around. They're dreadfully curious, however; that's why one came down to look at you guys."

Seeing that they were astonished once more, James turned his attention back to his amulet. Running his hand over it, he pulled up a map of the library using the master control spell he had been given. The others came over to watch in silence as he panned through the multitudes of floors and passageway, looking for the dot that marked the Librarian.

"Found him. Let's go!"

James led the group down the staircase and through a series of rooms, each as big as the first. They were going too fast to really linger in any one area, but they did figure out that the library was organized by genre, then subject, and then presumably by author or a similar method. Finally, James stopped on one of the lowest floors, where they found the Librarian calmly sorting books.

"Ah, good to see you once again, Mr. Newman. I sensed that you had entered my library, but I wasn't sure if you were simply retrieving another book for the growing stack in your room. As you have come to find me, I would infer that it is a bit more complicated than that. And of course, you brought your friends as well. How may I be of assistance today?"

James' friends could only stare at the Librarian. He was very tall and thin, with a serene smile and a robe that hung tight to his body. As for his species, they guessed he was a human, but it was very difficult to tell for certain.

"My friend Delta, the Aetherling I had told you about, got permission from his teacher to begin training with a weapon."

"Really? How impressive. Most first-year students can only dream of beginning so early, but you have the potential and eagerness to be able to start to learn a style right off that bat. Judging from your timely visit, would I be right to assume that you would like my assistance in selecting an appropriate weapon?"

"Yes, that's exactly it."

"As I had guessed." The Librarian gently set down the book he had been holding and walked over to the staircase, almost appearing to glide. "Follow me please."

The Librarian led them to a room a little way further down. This one was colder than the other floors and was quite dark.

The Librarian sighed. "I do not usually have students this far down. Light please!" He clapped his hands once and Arcane Glows flew in, lighting the entire room up in a matter of moments. It was revealed to be very large, with a ring of shelves surround a large stone platform.

"Now then Delta. Please go and stand on that platform."

Delta did as he was told, although a little confused about why.

"Now then, please release your magic."

"But won't that damage the books or something? James told us not too."

The Librarian chuckled. "Rare to see an Aetherling thinking ahead for once; what a refreshing day. You would be correct, at least, if we were still in the normal library. However, this room is specifically designed to completely absorb magic. Often, mages need to cast a specific spell while consulting the books, or simply experiment quickly with something they had read about. We don't allow continuous training here, but magic spells are not a problem."

"Well then, if you say so." Delta released his magic, flooding the platform with his energy. Due to his training, it was very large for a first-year student. The Librarian walked around, studying it intently.

Lydia leaned over to James. "What's he doing," she whispered, although it was more of a normal volume.

"I'm studying the way his magic flows," the Librarian answered her. She blushed and hid her head. "No need to worry, you aren't distracting me. You are a Weird correct?"

Lydia nodded; a bit surprised. A glance at James told her that he hadn't revealed her magical affinity though. "How did you know?"

"I looked at your energy briefly and made a small assumption. I'm pleased to see that I am correct. As a Weird, you are able to analyze the energy of something by studying it closely. Have you learned that in your class yet?"

"No."

The Librarian nodded. "Master Tilldrian will teach you about that skill in time." He continued walking around Delta for several moments in silence.

"Delta, which hand do you favor?" the Librarian suddenly asked.

"Um, I think that I'm right-handed, but I can use my left hand pretty well too."

The Librarian stopped circling around Delta and rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he smiled.

"You want your weapon style to be 'cool', correct? Something preferably flashy?"

"Of course!"

"Stay there." The Librarian walked over to the side of the room and clapped his hands. "Weapon G-53 please." After a short moment, the wall slid open and he reached in and removed two small pistols.

"These are a pair of Arcane Guns, obviously of the smaller variety. They were made by an Arcane Engineer that used to work at the Quintessium, quite a long time ago. He passed these on to me when he left. Tell me, have you ever heard of Kinneth Abraxas?"

"I think Master Wehn mentioned him. He was a famous Aetherling that lived many years ago right?"

"That's correct. He was very skilled at his job, and most likely would have become a dragon too had he not been killed while defending innocent lives. You wish to become a strong mage that can protect others, yet you are still hotheaded and full of energy. Exactly like Kinneth. Here."

The Librarian handed the pistol to Delta, who took them a bit gingerly. "Kinneth Abraxas specialized in Arcane Pistols, just like the pair that you are carrying. By using his magic, he could not only speed up the bullets but also aim at lightning speeds." He nodded towards the far wall, where there was a break in the shelves. "Try them."

Delta hesitated for a moment, before taking aim with one of the pistols. It flashed with light before firing a spinning blue ball that shot at the wall. When it hit with a bang, the wall shuddered and James half expected a large hole, but when the smoke cleared, the wall was undamaged and a ball was sitting on the floor.

"Aldion rounds," the Librarian said as he picked up the bullet. "James and Lydia, you might recognize that as the element known for storing large amounts of energy in a small space. These bullets absorb your energy for a greater impact and can even be reused if you can retrieve them. Both pistols have full clips, and Lydia should easily be able to make more; the materials can be bought in the Magical Zone."

"Wait, are you giving these to me?"

"Of course. I have no use for them, as I am a Librarian, not a fighter, and I'm sure my old friend would have wanted to see them used, not sitting around in a corner collecting dust. You would be doing both him and yourself a service by learning this weapon style; it will suit you well."

"If I'm going to learn to use these things, who's going to teach me? You?"

The Librarian laughed. "No, I'm sure I would be a completely useless teacher. Seek out Master Gan when you have the time. He's stationed in the 4th year area, but if you inform him that I sent you, he will be glad to teach you."

Delta jumped down from the platform as James walked over to the Librarian. "Thank you so much for your assistance."

"Anytime Mr. Newman. Oh, and Lydia, concentration is the key. Remember that; it could prove to be very helpful."

The Librarian walked down a side passage, moving out of sight.

"What the heck was that about?" Algon asked.

"I'm not exactly sure," James replied, completely perplexed. "And judging from Lydia's expression, she doesn't know as well."

"Yeah, I've no idea what he was talking about."

"Well, he is a bit of a strange character, but he is very smart and reliable. I'm sure that it was important, even if we don't understand it right now."

"Enough talking! Let's get to the Darkessia to test out my new guns!!!"

James rolled his eyes. "You're not exactly the person that comes to mind when one thinks of dangerous firearms, but whatever. I've got a couple of new tricks I want to test out anyway."

As they walked back through the library, heading for the teleport platform, the Librarian watched through a small portal he had created. "What an interesting group. We'll definitely have to keep an eye on them in the future." He smiled, closed the portal, and went back to sorting his books in the silence of the library.