Period 6: Library Island

"Wow." Asuna exclaimed as they walked into the building. She Ku, Kaede, Makie, Yue, Nodoka and Mero found themselves at the entrance of a massive structure. The ceiling was several stories high and the interior was completely occupied by oversized bookcases. Some covered the walls, some stood freely, and others sloped at different angles to connect multiple levels."Is this really a library?"

"Yes" Yue confirmed. "It was modeled after the island of St George in Venice Italy."

"It looks more like a dungeon from a video game." She replied.

Yue pulled out a map and laid out a simple path. "The magic book is located here. If we move quickly the round trip should take about four hours."

"Four hours?" Mero asked.

"It can't be helped." Nodoka said. "Remember there are traps, and the library is designed to confuse intruders.

"Let's get going then."

The traps on the uppermost floors were all deactivated. The first section of the journey was essentially a tour of a large elaborate library. Yue and Nodoka were quick to point out whenever they passed a particularly rare or valuable book, but Mero didn't notice anything that could be magical. She was beginning to get anxious. This could be a colossal waste of time. Asuna walked behind her and stared at her back in silence.

"Asuna-san," Mero said without turning around. "If there is something bothering you, perhaps you should just say it."

"Er, uh," The statement seemed to catch her off guard. "Well, it's just, why are you here?"

". . ." The white haired girl turned and gave her a blank look.

"Uh, I mean, why did you want to come with us? You aced all the practice tests, you should do great on the final, so why do you want to get the magic book?" Asuna asked.

"Well you might say I'm interested . . . "

"In library island?" Asuna wondered.

"In magic." Mero answered. Asuna stopped in her tracks. Mero looked back and found herself on the receiving end of a curious stare from the other girl.

"Mero-san are you . . . ?"

"Am I what Asuna-san?"

"Uh, never mind." Asuna shook her head. "Sorry I asked such a weird question. Forget about it."

"What about you Asuna-san?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"Why are you trying to find this magic book? If what you said about this school is true you shouldn't be so worried about your grades. Could it be you're actually trying to save Negi sensei's reputation?"

"Eh, wha-what-" Asuna fumbled uncomfortably, but composed herself quickly. "Y-Yeah. Something like that. That Negi is a brat. He's so childish and never thinks anything through, but . . . he is serious about being a teacher. It just wouldn't be fair for him to fail because of us." Asuna blushed. "G-Go ahead and laugh at me if you want."

"No, I wasn't going to." She said. "To dedicate yourself to a cause greater than yourself is very commendable. You are a good person Asuna-san."

"Uh, t-thanks."

"Hey don't fall behind you two!" Yue called from up ahead. "It would be bad if you got lost here!"

"Ah, we're coming Yue-chan!" Asuna shouted before catching up to the rest of the group. They came to a new area where the bookcases were even larger. The balcony led into walkways that were actually on top of the bookcases, connected by simple wooden bridges.

"Wow, we're actually walking on top of bookshelves? Seems pretty weird." Said Makie walking across the first bridge.

"Yes," Yue said. "Just be careful. If you fall from here you won't get off with just a few scrapes."

"It's okay Yue-chan we'll be-" The next step she took caused the bridge to collapse.

"Makie-chan!" Asuna cried out as the other girl fell. Then in one swift motion she pulled out her gymnastics ribbon and swung it up to the balcony, where it wrapped around the railing.

"Phew, that was a close one!" She breathed as she hung suspended from the ribbon.

"Makie's ribbon sure is useful aru." Ku said, as Makie casually swung herself over to the other bookcase.

"I know right?" She answered. "It's super convenient for grabbing snacks when I'm sitting under the heated table!" Mero looked at Makie, then at the others. None of them seemed the least bit surprised by what just happened.

"Is that . . . normal?" she asked turning to Asuna.

"Well, Makie-chan is in the gymnastics club after all."

"I see. . . "

Makie was on the farther shelf, but with the bridge broken the others were separated from her. Yue pulled out the map.

"There should be another way around somewhere."

"Excuse me, Yue-donno" Kaede said before scooping her up in her arms and jumping over the gap. Mero watched as Asuna took Nodoka across and Ku followed close behind. This wasn't surprising after the abilities they'd already displayed. Of course the jump was easy for Mero, and she quickly caught up to the group. They continued their trek through the library. Soon the catwalk terminated in a shear drop from the tallest bookcase yet. The ridge stretched down into the darkness, well past the point that they could see.

"What do we do now Yue-chan?" Makie asked. Yue began rummaging through her backpack.

"Now we climb." She said as she pulled out harnesses and climbing equipment.

Mero peered over the edge. She would have no problem just flying down with her magic, but even if her abilities weren't suppressed that wasn't an option as long as she remained with the group. She sighed and began strapping herself in with the others. After a lengthy climb they finally reached the next sub-level. This part of the library was made of old weathered stone, and had a distinctly ancient presence about it. Mero felt it. A slight tingling sensation that teetered just on the edge of her perception.

"Alright, the clubs aren't allowed past this point." Yue said. "From here on out this is uncharted territory."

A few steps into the cavern Mero stepped on a switch hidden in the floor, and an arrow shot out from the shelf in front of her. She turned toward the projectile. There was no way a simple arrowhead could pierce her magical barrier. All she had to do was concentrate and it would bounce off easily, but before she could Kaede was there snatching it out of the air.

"Be careful, Mero-donno."

Impossible. She had been at least ten feet away from her, yet in the time since the arrow fired, she had been able to identify the incoming threat, close the distance, and catch the arrow, all without any apparent effort.

"How did you do that?" Mero demanded.

"Kaede-san's always training up in the mountains." Makie said. "She's basically a ninja."

What kind of over simplified explanation was that? While she was processing that, Nodoka hit a trip wire, causing one of the massive bookshelves to come crashing down.

"Look out Honya chan!" Ku cried out as she jumped into the air and struck the bookcase with a flying kick, shattering the wood and scattering the books. That was ki! Mero physically gasped when she saw this. An ordinary person couldn't learn to use their body's internal energy so easily just by training a little.

"How . . ."

"Never underestimate the power of 4000 years of chinese martial arts." Ku said bowing respectfully.

"Ku-chan is the captain of the Chinese martial arts club." Asuna clarified.

"We may not be good at studying," Makie said. "But the one thing we baka rangers are confident in is our physical abilities!"

Just who are these people? Mero wondered, finally closing her mouth.

"Come on." Yue snapped her back to reality. "From here it's mostly guesswork, but I have a rough course plotted. Based on the the layout of the rest of the building I'd say the best route is along the east wing."

As they continued the sensation persisted. There was no doubt about it, she was sensing magic. The mana was getting stronger, meaning they were getting closer to it's source. This was it, the mana source she was looking for was here. It had to be. They encountered more traps. At one point a heavy log swung down on a rope threatening to crush them. Ku planted her feet, lowered her stance, and blew the whole thing apart with a single straight punch. Afterward a series of wooden spikes rained down on them from above. Before Mero even registered the attack, Kaede jumped over them and shot them all down with a set of daggers she produced from her clothes. It was becoming impossible to entertain the notion that these two were anything resembling normal girls. Even Asuna, who seemed the most normal managed to kick down a heavy wooden door that blocked their path when Yue couldn't find a way to open it.

"Alright everyone." Nodoka said. "There should be a safe zone coming up ahead. We should stop there and have our packed lunches."

What? They were stopping?

"Yes!" Ku said. "I've been waiting for this!"

No! Mero thought. They were so close! They couldn't stop now! She looked around, and her companions were already rolling out blankets and unpacking food. Wait this could be her chance. If she could separate from the others here then she could complete her mission uninterrupted!

"You all can relieve yourselves here. I will go on ahead."

"That's a bad idea." Yue warned. "We should stick together."

"What you're not going to eat with us aru?" Ku said, shoving a rice ball into her mouth.

"No. I'm going to continue. I will reconvene with you all later."

"Hey, Konoka's cooking is really good you know." Asuna said offering up a bento box.

"No thank you, I'm going-"

"Yeah," Makie said. "Have some anmitsu."

Mero turned her head slowly.

"What is that?" She was holding a bowl full of jelly cubes, sweet bean paste, and an assortment of fruits.

"Heh, heh, you'll just have to try it for yourself Mero-chan." She said handing her the treat.

She accepted it gingerly, as if she wasn't sure what to do with it. She sat down and took a bite. It was very different from the cake she had before. There were a variety of flavors that fit together in a way she didn't fully understand. She savored the taste. In a few moments she was staring at an empty bowl. What am I doing? She said to herself. She was a disciple of the lifemaker, tasked with the most important mission in history, yet here she was indulging in some, admittedly delicious, local cuisine.

"Thank you." She stood up and wiped her mouth. "I will go scout the terrain ahead." She said before quickly running off.

"Ah wait Mero-chan!" Makie called out after her.

"She's gone aru." Ku said still eating. Yue sighed.

"Well, there's nothing for it. We'll have to go after her."

X

Mero Averruncus ran full speed ahead toward the source of magic. She had to move quickly, she ignored every trap she activated. Some sharp metal needles shot toward her face. Before they could impale her she swiped her hand in front of her, catching each projectile between her fingers. She kept sprinting onward until a trap door opened under her. Just as she began to fall she front flipped back onto the floor and kept running. Almost immediately after she was nearly decapitated by a long blade that slid out from the wall. Without even pausing she threw her head back and slid under it. The fact that the traps had increased this much in frequency and intensity must mean that she was getting close to her goal.

The corridor ended in a large chamber bordered on either side by a river. On the far side of the room, was an ornately carved ivory door decorated with magic sigils and pentagrams. Kneeling in front of the door was a colossal statue. It appeared to be made of clay or stone, with knight's armor and a sword hanging from it's waist. In front of it on a small podium was a stone tablet with a series of questions inscribed onto it. After taking in the scene, Mero approached the door. As soon as she got close the statue began to move. It's joints groaned as the warrior rose to his full height. Then the statue drew his long double edged sword, and planted it's point in the ground between his feet with his fingers laced around it's hilt. Not a statue, she realized; a golem. A creature created by alchemy, and animated by a puppetry spell. From a technical standpoint it was actually quite similar to herself. Well 'similar' in the same way a steam engine is similar to a nuclear reactor. A single purple light lit up the golem's face and he began to speak.

"Who goes there?" The voice was deep and steady, without any kind of inflection. "State your name and purpose."

"Stand aside. The Averruncus of water has need of this place."

"Only those who prove themselves worthy may enter the hidden library. Step forward and face the challenge."

She inspected the tablet. It appeared to be a set of questions designed to test a person's intelligence and 'prove their worth'. She didn't have time for this. She had to secure the area before the baka rangers realized what she was up to.

"I've no time for your game golem. Stand aside."

"None shall pass without completing the challenge." Now she was getting frustrated. She puffed out her chest and raised her voice.

"In the name of the Lifemaker, and the bloodline of Vespertatia, you will let me pass!" The golem's voice maintained the same steady monotone base as he answered.

"No."

"Then perish."

The golem raised his sword above his head. He was at least twelve feet tall, Mero didn't even reach his waist. She charged forward, and he brought the sword down. She raised her arm and reinforced her magic barrier. The sword slammed against the invisible wall of force. She pushed against it with all her strength, but it soon became clear that her tiny body could not move the stone behemoth. She slid backwards and the sword cleaved through the ground where she had been standing a moment ago. Looking at the gash in the stone she decided that she had to do something about that sword. The golem lifted the weapon to attack again. Mero raised her hand and chanted.

"Frigerans exarmatio." [Freezing Disarmament]

Immediately cold frigid air blew from her palm. Frost and ice collected on the blade until it froze. The brittle stone then shattered and blew away in the wind. The monster continued to advance barehanded. Mero jumped out of the way as his fist slammed into the ground. Seeing her chance she lunged forward and struck the golem with her open palm.

"Gah!" She recoiled and clutched her wrist. The golem hadn't even flinched. Without magic to enhance her physical strength, she was at a clear disadvantage against this opponent. He swung his fist again. Mero ducked under it and escaped through the gap between his legs. Then pushing off the ground she jumped back and kicked the golem in the back of the knee. It's leg bent and the guardian crumpled to the ground.

"Impaired or not you shan't best this Averruncus so easily."

Before she could attack again, the golem whipped around and struck her with his massive forearm. She flew across the room and crashed violently into the wall. She let out a pained squeal as the impact tore through her body. The hard stone bit into her flesh, tearing her clothes and bruising her skin. She slid off the wall and collapsed on the floor. Wha-what is this? she thought. My whole body is on fire! He completely overwhelmed my anti-physical barrier. Ngth! I-I can't move! She began to panic. No calm down. She put a hand to her chest and did a quick diagnostic. The injuries are only external. My core and internal mana flow remain intact. Stop overreacting! She mentally scolded herself. Trembling, she slowly stood up. The golem had already recovered from her initial attack and was lumbering toward her. Mero took a deep breath. You are a disciple of the Lifemaker. She reminded herself. You cannot allow yourself to fall here! The enemy was approaching, she had to act fast. There was no way she could compete with him physically, and with her magic restricted her options were severely limited.

"Visju Tal Li Sjutal Vangeit." A stone boot lifted above her head, poised to crush her. "Acceleret!" [Accelerate] As the foot came down she dashed away at blinding speed. The golem swung wildly in a vain attempt to catch the girl, but mana propelled her body across the floor at an impossible speed. She wouldn't be able to keep this up indefinitely though. With her injuries it as only a matter of time until she was caught. A sharp pain ran through her leg and she dropped to one knee. The golem rushed in. She wouldn't be able to use that spell again, she had to attack.

"Visju tal li sjutal vangeit, undetriginta spiritus aquarius, coeuntes sagitent inimicum." [Gather 29 spirits of water, strike my enemy] Twenty nine balls of water gathered and hovered in the air around her. "Sagitta magica, series aquarius!" [Magic arrows series of water!] The orbs shot forward, blasting the giant in the chest and legs. Each time one of the liquid projectiles hit, it cracked and eroded the stone creature's body. After the onslaught the creature once again collapsed to the ground.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Mero carefully approached the fallen foe. She noticed it wasn't completely disabled. It's limbs still flailed trying desperately to repel the intruder.

"U-U-U-Unworthy, may not pa-pa-pa-knowledge restricted to-zzzz." It's voice was now warped and garbled. From the looks of it, the spell powering him was still active, but his body was to damaged to move. She walked in a wide arc around it, and finally approached the door.

"At last." She exhaled as she put her hand on the barrier. Immediately a magic circle appeared where she touched it, filled with complex patterns and shapes. "No." She sighed in disbelief. This was a multi-layered mandala style seal. Even with all the knowledge she had it could take hours to decipher. She pushed against the door. It glowed brightly but didn't budge. Of course not. There was no way to open this with physical force. She turned around.

"Golem, I demand you release this seal!" She jumped at what she saw. The golem was back on his feet! Impossible. Did it repair itself? It advanced toward her, albeit slower than before. She raised her arms to fight, and her wounds complained. "Ngth." Damn, why didn't she heal herself when she had the chance?

Whoosh

Something large and metal flew thew the air, embedding itself in the ground between her and the golem. It was a bladed four pointed star, about six feet across. A giant shurriken? She turned to the direction the weapon came from and saw the baka rangers standing at the entrance.

"Excuse us Mr. Golem." Yue said bravely. "Would you kindly step away from our classmate?"