The city of Risia, spread before me in a blanket of white and dark grey stone shimmering in the moon's light from my dragon's eye view on the sixth floor of the library.

This is the capital of the kingdom of Iresia. Whoever named this place either didn't have enough time on their hands to pick an original name or wanted to nod their heads at the name of their kingdom. Iresia was apparently a foundling dragon who saved our first king and then became his bond. Interesting legend that I wonder... has it changed as much as my story over the years? I kinda figure it did, seeing as the First King has been dead for over fifteen hundred years.

Anywho, the sprinkling of silver and gold waterlights throughout the streets makes the below look much like the above, as if stars were sprinkled throughout the dark streets. From here, I can see across the many shops and houses, all the way to the palace.

The vast building sits atop a rise that lies many stories above the city proper. I've heard the view of the ocean laying on the other side is exceptional, but never have I had the displeasure of being a guest in the palace. Thank goodness.

Even if I don't particularly like the nobles... the palace is a majestic and beautiful feat of engineering. The crenelations atop the gleaming palace walls reach to the sky. Spires of gleaming white beauty on each of the four corners look like needles from here, each stretching higher than ten stories high. The parts of the actual castle peeking above the white walls are decorated in gold and silver flags, the rounded ceilings painted silver. It gleams in the silvery light of the pale moon, the only other place in the city to be Glass Granite besides the library.

A breeze wafts into my face, bringing hints of salt and fish and fresh beginnings.

I turn my gaze back down to the city proper. It is massive and sprawling, as large as a thousand dragons combined. The sheer size is honestly very hard to describe. And the library is nearly dead-center among some of the oldest buildings in town.

I can make out the innumerable ant-sized people making their ways to and from the city, and I can just barely see the six story wall at the edge of the city that is guarded by knights and soldiers alike. It's also guarded by a small set of specialty knights you don't want to get on the bad side of. Don't ask how I know.

This city is a maze within a maze of winding roads and dead-ending alleyways. It's filled with both the best and the worst of humanity.

It is here that I found purpose and a reason for living besides survival. And I will protect her people with all that I am... after I help my family survive, that is.

On that note, I head to a... door. It's not what one would typically consider a door. This place has its own rules. It's more a, for lack of a better term, a sheet. A sheet of vellum-like fabric that almost feels like warm water as you pass through.

I breathe in the musty but welcoming scent of aged parchment and ink. There is nothing like this. My heart slowly unwinds itself from my chest cavity as I take in rows upon rows of freshly dusted books set in deep mahogany shelves under twinkling waterlights set in chandeliers above and sconces along the shelves.

The inside continues the unerring circular frame of the outside, set in a maze of circular bookshelves, with each consecutive floor getting bigger and bigger, until the top floor is largest of all. Yes, I said higher is bigger, despite outside being the exact opposite. Gifts, anyone?

This magnificent library is only open for those of royalty... and those peacocks have stopped coming here for a long time now. Most commoners can’t read anyhow, so it hardly matters, but it still rankles that only those deemed ‘worthy’ may enter this place of knowledge and learning.

I reverently pad inside the encircling architecture and flowing pathways, searching for the center on healing. It takes many precious minutes to find the section, aided by the little orb I'd say has an uncanny ability to know exactly what I'm looking for and where I need to go. I only have this night to get the knowledge I need. The Honor Knights will patrol this area every other evening, and I don't know how long I'll be able to stay awake until I go cross-eyed. In the early morning, I’ll have to go get my sister, Jill.

I pull out as many books as I think me and Ran can handle, then we both sit down and read our individual books, her laying upon the rich burgundy carpet, and me in a light beige corner couch where light comes from a curious little round light. The light hangs alone in the sky. It is not hot to the touch as the waterlights are and moves as you need it.

The wall behind me hums in what I hope is happiness, and I feel heat emanating from it. Yeah, despite hours spent here, it still weirds me out.

Also, the reason it takes a while to find the sections? Because the sections move. Don't ask me how or why. All I know is that without the little orb of orange light... I doubt I would've found the healing section tonight because I swear it's on the opposite side of the tower, plus on another floor than it was last week. I'm scared this place will someday swallow me up and I'm not gonna come back out.

Perhaps the peacocks have the right of it and lack the idiocy (or desperation) it takes to visit this place.

But enough of that. It's time to study.

Four hours later, I rub my forehead. I believe I can make the Belladonna remedy without creating a poison. I’ll have to test it and be sure. But first I need to visit the apothecary for Belladonna... a poisonous herb most normal, ordinary girls don't go about needing. That will be... interesting.

Ran is dead asleep in a cat nap curled up on the floor. I smile down at her and ruffle her lynx-like ears. I yawn, knowing I need to get a few hours' sleep before going to get Jill.

“Time to go, pretty girl.”

Her feathery soft ears perk just as my light dims and brightens, then flashes red, as if alerting us to something. I hear footsteps just as my light goes out, pitching us into darkness.