The Library - The Complete Series (32 page)

Vanguard

It takes many hours for us to reach the point at which our world touches the edge of the void. It is a journey I have undertaken many times before, heading into the mountains that border the Library and seeking the solace of thoughtlessness that comes when one stares into the nothingness between worlds. Many men come to this place in order to have their minds filled with wonder, but I have always come for a very different reason: to have my mind emptied, so that I might better see the kernel of truth.

"Behold the seven worlds," Reith says as we stand and look out upon the void. "In all their wonder, they come closest to meeting in this place. Have you ever seen anything so wondrous?"

Before us, the other worlds hang in the firmament. There is the human world, bright and teeming with life; there is the Underworld, which is filled with the secrets of creatures that prefer to remain shrouded in doubt; there is the world of the Grandapams, which has fallen victim to a darkness that has snuffed out all life; there is the world of the Drazi, which has fallen to the same darkness that destroyed the Grandapams; there is the world of the Forbidders, filled with fire and torment; there is the world of the Eternals, who long ago locked themselves away in despair; and finally there is our world, the Library, which is now barren and lifeless.

"This is the only beautiful thing I have ever seen," I reply, with sadness in my heart. While some of the worlds have fallen into darkness, others remain bright and vibrant. There is a part of me that would like to stand here forever, but I know I must soon go to my grave. Perhaps if I had been a better warrior, and if I had found a way to defeat the Forbidders, I would be deserving of a grave in such a place. As it is, I must be humble and accept my place in the dirt.

"Many men have stood in this place," Reith says. "Scholars, academics, researchers, philosophers. Even a few warriors, Vanguard, such as yourself. All of them were looking for some kind of peace, some kind of understanding of the void and of the seven worlds. None received the peace they sought, however. It is the curse of our kind that we can look upon the workings of the universe, but we can never come close to understanding any aspect of the higher purpose." He turns to me. "Do you believe in any gods, Vanguard?"

"I believe in the void," I say darkly.

"But the void is nothing," he says. "Do you not believe that, beyond the void, there might be a greater intelligence?"

"There is nothing beyond the void," I say bitterly.

"Perhaps," he replies. "Myself, I prefer to believe in a greater power. A power that we cannot even begin to comprehend."

"It is hard to believe that such destruction could have been visited upon us," I say, as my mind calms. I have no patience for Reith's rambling questions about higher powers. If such powers exist, why would they allow such destruction to be visited upon us? "The seven worlds have hung in balance for so long," I continue, "and now the Forbidders reach out in anger to attack the others. The delicate balance has been destroyed."

"They're scared," Reith reminds me. "For so long, they were godless creatures. Then the darkness came and they became terrified. They eventually decided that they had angered the gods in whom they had never previously believed. In some ways, the Forbidders are like children. Rather than build a religion out of faith, they built one out of fear. They searched desperately for an idol, and they found one in the first book of the Library. That, I'm afraid, is why our fate became so inextricably linked with theirs. It is to be hoped, however, that once they have the book, they will retreat to their world and never again trouble the others."

"Are you so naive?" I ask. "Do you not think they will be back eventually?"

"Eventually, perhaps," he says. "But not in our lifetimes."

Taking a deep breath, I think of Claire. She must, by now, have begun to notice that the Forbidders are interested in her world. I can only hope that she makes the right decision.

"The darkness has already claimed the worlds of the Drazi and the Grandapams," Reith continues, "and its effects have been felt here in the Library and also in the human world. It has reached the Forbidders too, sparking their current fear. There are rumors that the Underworld is affected, but I was never able to confirm such a thing. Regardless, it is clear that the darkness is slowly spreading through the void, reaching out to every world. Perhaps it will even one day attack the Eternals, and who is to say that the Eternals will have the ability to fend it off? It might be the case that eventually all seven worlds will be consumed by the darkness."

"We can only hope that some solution is found," I mutter bitterly.

"The greatest minds of the Library were unable to find a solution," he points out. "They studied the ancient texts for many years, and yet they could never answer even the simplest of questions about the darkness. They could come up with no name for it, nor were they able to determine where it comes from or what it wants. They could not even agree upon the question of whether or not it is intelligent. Some believed it to be a mindless, destructive force, while others argued that it displays signs of intelligence."

"And you consider these fools to be the greatest minds of the Library?" I ask. I have long disliked the smugness of those who set themselves apart as the Library's intellectual superiors. They always looked down upon the warriors, yet it was always the warriors who dealt with any problems that arose.

"But do you not see it?" Reith continues. "Have you, like all the others, been dazzled by the lights of the seven worlds?"

"What do you mean?" I ask. "I see everything that there is to see. I see the seven worlds and I see the void."

"Look deeper," he says. "Look over toward the gap between the human world and the Underworld. Although they shine brightly in the void, try to look into the emptiness between them. Tell me what you see."

"I see the void," I reply, a little frustrated by his determination to make me see something that doesn't exist.

"And nothing else?"

Sighing, I stare for a moment at the huge nothingness that hangs between the worlds. Finally, just as I'm about to turn and ask Reith again what he thinks I should see, I realize that there's a vague shape far, far beyond the other worlds. I narrow my eyes for a moment, trying to get a better view, and after a moment I start to realize what I'm seeing.

"Such a thing is not possible," I say, feeling my heart start to pound.

"And yet there it is," he replies. "You see it with your own eyes."

"No," I say firmly. "This must be a mistake."

"I would have said so myself, had I not seen it myself."

I open my mouth to argue with him, but no words come out. Instead, I stare up at the heavens and keep my eyes firmly fixed on the dark, ominous shadow that I had never before noticed. There are seven worlds in the void, but now I am seeing another shape, further out than the others and barely noticeable. Huge and dark and spherical, it appears to be an eighth world.

"This is some kind of trick," I say after a moment. "Someone is trying to..." My voice trails off as I realize that there is no way anyone could conjure up such a massive sight. The distant dark world looks to be at least as big as the rest, if not slightly larger. It is beyond the means of anyone, even the Eternals of old, to create such an illusion.

"Since we were children," Reith continues eventually, "we were all taught that there are seven worlds. This is part of the sacred knowledge that has been passed down to us for generations. Our forefathers, and their forefathers before them, meticulously chronicled these seven worlds, documenting their people and their effect on the void. Never, in any of the literature, was there mention of an eighth world, yet there it is. It seems to hang much further out than the rest, in the far reaches of the void. It's little wonder that we were so blinded by the closer worlds that we neglected to notice the eighth, but I'm now quite certain that this must be where the darkness comes from."

"An eighth world is not possible," I say quietly. All my life, I have been absolutely certain that there are only seven worlds. Now it seems that this eighth world exists, but I cannot understand how it could have been missed for so long.

"There is another explanation," Reith says after a moment, his voice filled with doubt and fear. "While it is possible that we have all been blinded by the light of the seven worlds, there is another reason why the eighth world might not have been noticed by our forefathers." He pauses for a moment. "Perhaps it was not visible before. Perhaps it is moving closer to us, and only now does it loom out of the darkness."

"The worlds are static," I say firmly. "Our forefathers -"

"Our forefathers seem to have been on shaky ground," he replies. "It seems they were wrong about many things. They were wrong about the Forbidders, and about the demise of the Drazi, and they were wrong when they claimed that the Library would last forever. What if the eighth world has been hanging at the far edges of the void and only now comes close enough that we can see it? What if this is how the darkness is spreading?"

"I cannot comprehend such a thing," I tell him. "If there is an eighth world, who lives there? Surely the Drazi, with all their knowledge of the void, would have searched the outer reaches?"

"That is why I speculate that the eighth world has moved closer over time. Perhaps the world of the Drazi was the first to be destroyed precisely because its people had begun to explore the depths of the void? Perhaps the Eternals fled to their own world precisely because they knew that this eighth world was returning. Either way, this can't be a coincidence. I'm certain that we've finally found the source of the darkness."

I stare in awed silence at the large dark sphere that hangs in the void. I had previously believed the darkness to be an unintelligent phenomenon, eating away at the fabric of the seven worlds. Now, however, I am starting to wonder if it reaches out from its own world, with its own agenda. This eighth world must surely have some kind of malevolent intent as it slowly makes its way toward us.

"I show you this not because I believe there is anything that can be done to stop it," Reith says, "but because I believe all men should know the truth as they go to their grave."

"And there has never been any mention of an eighth world before?" I ask. "Not in any of the records?"

"Only once," he replies. "There was an old document, long since ridiculed as the ravings of a madman, that spoke of an eighth world that was thrown to the far reaches of the void. Its people were said to be the most technologically advanced in all of creation, but their experiments went too far and they caused a huge blast that spent their world spinning away. Of course, such ideas were swiftly discounted as nonsense, but now I find myself wondering..." He pauses for a moment. "Is it possible that such a world really existed, and that its people survived and are now returning?"

"If that is the case," I say, as the truth dawns, "they might be a far greater threat than the Forbidders."

"On this point, at least, we are agreed." He pauses for a moment, clearly stunned by the vast image before us. "Even if we had been able to drive the Forbidders from this world, we would have been doomed anyway once the darkness reached us."

Turning away from the void, I look back across the Library. This place has been my home for so many centuries, and I have fought countless battles in an attempt to keep its people safe. Now, finally, it seems that all my efforts have been in vain, and the Library has come up against enemies that can no longer be held back. Although it is perhaps a little harsh, I cannot help but think that this is a personal failure. I should have found another way to save this world. I'm certain that every beast has a weakness, yet I was unable to determine the true nature of the Forbidders. I rushed foolishly into battle, rather than hanging back and attempting to come up with a better strategy. Either way, it is clear that I have failed, and that there is only one course of action left open to me. I must go to my grave.

Claire

"So where are they?" I ask, as we stand alone in the darkened hall. It's been several minutes since the storm passed, but there's been no sign of anything else happening. With the crowd having dispersed from outside, heading back to the bar and to their homes, it's almost as if the whole world has come to a standstill. "Where are the Forbidders?"

"They're waiting at the Library," Gum replies. "They canceled the bridge, in order to spare this world any further pain. The bridges are temporary at best, and they rip a hole in the fabric of the void that can never truly be repaired. The scar tissue persists, and can be manipulated and exploited by weaker species. This is not something that the Forbidders like to encourage. Don't worry, we'll just slip back across through a smaller portal, and then you'll formally offer yourself to them."

"And then they'll be happy?" I ask, drying my eyes. Strangely, I feel totally calm. It's as if, now that the decision has been made, I'm able to live with it. My mind feels clearer, and all the fear from earlier has eased. I should be running and screaming, and looking for a way to escape from this situation, but it's as if I've accepted the inevitability of this moment. "They
will
be happy, won't they?" I ask, turning to her. "This'll be enough for them, right?"

"They'll never be happy," Gum says, "and I doubt they'll ever truly be sated, but they'll retreat to their own world, and I doubt anyone else will ever hear from them again. They're superstitious creatures these days, and they've changed a lot over the few hundred years since you were last at the Library. Even though just a year or so has passed in this world, the Library's time stream is very different." She pauses for a moment. "The Forbidders know what they want, and they have great plans for you. Claire, are you ready to come with me now?"

I nod.

"I should warn you," she continues, "that if you try to escape, or to trick us in any way, we'll destroy you, and then the Forbidders will come and ruin this world in order to punish you. They'll rip everything apart, and they'll make you watch. Is that understood?"

"Yes," I say quietly.

"You seem very subdued," she says. "It's a good feeling, is it not, to finally accept one's destiny?"

I smile weakly.

"All creatures fight their destiny at first," she continues. "They want to break free, to prove themselves. Some do this by denying the very concept of destiny, even though they know at the back of their minds that it's all true. To embrace that destiny, and to seize the day, is a brave act indeed, Claire. The fact that you're scared shouldn't seem like a reason to turn back. It should propel you forward. It should encourage you to go on in all your beliefs, and to allow the universe to welcome you into its embrace."

Taking a deep breath, I try to focus on the fact that I'm doing the right thing. Not the easy thing or the safe thing or the best thing, but the right thing. I'm doing the thing that's going to save lives.

"There's no need to be afraid of me," Gum adds. "I'm just here to help. If it hadn't been for my interference, the Forbidders would have ripped this world apart as they searched for you. As you might have noticed, they've not very keen on conversations. Fortunately, I was able to intervene and persuade them to try a more subtle approach."

"
This
is the subtle approach?" I ask.

"It is by their standards," she replies. "Believe me, other worlds have suffered a great deal more damage."

"Thanks," I reply bitterly.

"Is it the head?" she continues, reaching up and running her fingers over Haley's dead features. "Is that what's making you so uncomfortable? This was a friend of yours, was it not? Does it concern you that I've appropriated her body parts in order to augment my own?" She pauses for a moment. "As a sign of good faith, I'll do my best to find another head as soon as we're back in the Library. Even though I rather like this one, and even though I'm sure I could make it last a few hundred years, I'll dispose of it as soon as possible. Does that make you feel better?"

"Not really," I say darkly. She's right, though. The fact that this creature has appropriated Sam's head is freaking me out. I'm pretty sure I'm in shock right now, but eventually that's going to wear off and... Well, I'm not quite sure what would happen at that point. There's definitely a part of me that wants to get this whole thing over with first. At least once I'm a book, I won't have to worry about emotions such as shock and sadness and sorrow. Those things will be in the past.

She frowns. "I do not understand your emotions. I thought you'd be happy if I get a new head."

"Let's get it over with," I reply.

"Follow me," she says, leading me back through toward Thomas J. Sharpe's office. "I can assure you, it won't hurt. The Forbidders are going to worship you. As far as they're concerned, you're the most sacred object in all of the seven worlds. They're going to venerate you and worship you. In some ways, it's going to be quite a privilege, although I suppose it might be a little boring. I'm not sure it's something I'd particularly enjoy."

As we reach the door, I suddenly realize that I'm going to be saying goodbye to my whole life. My parents, my friends, my plans and ambitions. Still, there's a voice at the back of my mind that keeps telling me that this is going to be okay. It's almost as if, on a subconscious level, I know I don't really belong here. I wish I understood everything that's happening, and I can't shake the feeling that there's a hole in my memory. I guess the most important thing is that the world is going to survive. I've always led a fairly boring life, at least as far as I can remember, so it's weird to think that I'm going to save the world.

"Will I die?" I ask, as Gum reaches out to open the door to Sharpe's office.

"No," she replies. "You'll revert to your original form. You'll become a book again. Your life will be different, but you'll still exist. I'm afraid I don't know exactly what it'll be like. As far as I know, it's a change that I don't think anyone else has ever endured. But you were a book once before, for many thousands of years in the Library. This period as a human is really just a blink of an eye."

"It feels like so much more," I tell her.

"The illusion is complete," she says, "but it is an illusion nonetheless. It was part of the plan all along, and it was a plan that you helped to devise."

I take a deep breath, getting ready for the journey. There's still a part of me that thinks, and hopes, that this is all part of a dream, or some kind of psychotic meltdown. Deep down, however, Gum's words ring true and resonate with the feeling of discomfort I've always felt. Even when I was a little kid, I never quite believed that I was able to fit in with my friends and family. I felt remote and separate, as if my life should somehow be different. Now, if Gum is to be believed, I know the reason: I'm a book. In fact, I'm the first book, and I'm about to retake my original form. Goodbye arms. Goodbye legs. Hello pages.

"After you," Gum says, pushing the door all the way open.

"And you promise the world will be saved?" I continue, feeling as if the words sound pretty ridiculous even as they leave my mouth. "This world will never, ever be troubled by the Forbidders again?"

"The Forbidders have no interest in this place, other than their desire to get hold of you. Once you're back at the Library, they'll simply transform you to your original state and then they'll take you back to their world." She takes my hand and smiles. "This is your destiny, Claire. It's what you were born to do, and it's the only way you can prevent more destruction. You're too late to save the Library, but the human world can survive."

"Then I guess I've got no choice," I reply, taking a deep breath before stepping into Sharpe's office. For a moment, it seems as if nothing is going to happen. Finally, I hear Gum closing the door behind me; when I turn, I suddenly find that everything has changed and I'm standing in a dark, wide-open clearing under a brooding sky. All around, there are wrecked and destroyed library shelves, spreading as far as the horizon, while in the distance there's what appears to be a ruined citadel. After a moment, the fog lifts from my memory and I remember everything. Vanguard. Sharpe. The Library. The Grandapams. All of them.

"Welcome home," Gum says.

"What happened?" I ask, staring at the devastation. "It's all gone. It's all been destroyed."

"As I told you before," she continues, "the Forbidders were angry with you for not surrendering to them earlier. They took their rage and set it loose on this place."

"This is
my
fault?" I reply, shocked at the thought that I could have saved this place.

"You mustn't blame yourself, Claire. You've already saved one world today. The Library, on the other hand, is beyond salvation. Everything is dead here, barring a few survivors who still scramble through the dirt. Nothing more can grow in this world. Even the light is dimming."

"This didn't have to happen," I say quietly, remembering the Library as it was when I first came here. There was life, and although the war was already raging, there was a sense that the place had a future. Now it's just a charred, ruined landscape. I can't even begin to understand how many people must have died here, but the ground beneath my feet is soggy with blood, and there are piles of bodies in the distance. In fact, I think I can even smell the blood in the air.

"Turn around," Gum says, as I feel the ground start to shake. "It's time to face your new masters."