"...Nice to meet you Mister Juni." Thames quickly bowed towards the old librarian. "I'm Thames, a new magician and painter!"
Juni had a bright infectious smile on his wrinkly face. "What can I do for you, new painter and new magician?"
"New magician, I've painted for quite a long time..." His speech drifted off but quickly focused back on the old man's face. "Could you help me find... entry level magic books...?"
Juni stroked his beard as he entered deep thought then snapped loudly. "Yes! I happen to be able to, young Thames!"
With a clap, he turned back towards his desk and the stacked books flew off, circling around Thames as he followed after him. Juni began to whistle as books flew in and out of his hands, the action was incredibly fast paced, but he didn't seem to be overwhelmed in the slightest.
"Ah-hah!" He lifted a large thick book and stuck it out towards Thames. "This shall assist you for now! If you turn to the right path, you will find a reading section."
He took the book and turned towards the path as directed. "Thank you, Mister Juni."
"It is my job after all!" Juni retorted cheerfully.
Waving goodbye, he left behind the librarian as he entered a reading section.
The reading section, much like the rest of the library, was made of a lighter oak, but was rather small. It had five red cushioned chairs making a circular formation around a round coffee table at the center. There was a lamp, but Thames disregarded it, inwardly questioning if the lights ever even turned off.
Taking a seat, he began to read the book given by Juni, titled "So You Wanna Be a Mage?". The author wasn't noted.
Time passed by quickly as he found himself entranced by the over-the-top book.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he quickly recollected the new knowledge.
So, magicians, the ones under the Tower Association at least, use the power of deities. Ode already told me this, but he didn't tell me how to grow!
Apparently... Magic comes from the soul or the energy that's used in spells. The book said its strengthened by belief... but how does Ren's magic work?
Most of the book didn't make much sense... I probably need an actual teacher that isn't Ode.
He scowled, unsatisfied with the rudimentary knowledge that the book contained. However, it did place emphasis on the Tower Association's structure.
He learned that most magicians officially a part of the association lived within the towers, like the Flowery Tower or Inferno Tower. These towers were then operated by tower masters like Rubes or Frio. Most beginner magicians learned from teachers at these towers, but it seemed like Thames was much too old to be one of these learners.
The tower masters made up a council which oversaw most magical laws, this must be who sent Ode to arrest rogue magicians.
Magicians who were powerful enough or had enough accomplishments to become a tower master, but didn't wish to, were allowed to create a team that would answer to the council.
Hmmmm... Ode is clearly powerful then, but he's such a poor teacher! The association seemed to be loose on security too... I didn't even have to be investigated to join his team! Wait did I even fill out paperwork???
Discontent with the book, he quickly got up and returned to Juni who was still at his desk.
"Finished already?" He asked with whimsy dripping into his tone.
"Yes... But it wasn't quite what I was looking for." Thames admitted exhaustingly.
"When was the association established?" He asked, the book quickly flew out from Thames' hands and into Juni's.
"Uh... Was it at the beginning of the Magical Era?" He answered, doubt crept into his voice.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Juni shook his head in disapproval. "TECHNICALLY it marked the beginning of the Magical Era, so in actuality it was established towards the end of the Godly Era." The librarian said matter-of-factly.
He just nodded along, allowing the librarian to continue.
"It was during this era that laws were created to prevent magicians from wreaking havoc!" Juni nodded his head as another book flew into Thames' hands. "Read this now."
Speechless, he returned to his reading chair.
This book was titled "Modern Magicians", written by Renny Syn.
Huh? They have a book written by him...? Isn't he the most wanted by the association?? Why would they just have this laying around...??
Thames' mind raced as he flipped to the first page, reading it as quick as he could. Despite his previous questions he quickly found himself lost in the heavy book, consumed by the knowledge that was hidden in its pages.
Time flew by once again as he quickly turned each page.
Closing the book, Thames let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose, this seemed to be developing into a habit.
"This is... a lot." He muttered under his breath, scanning the area.
Renny Syn? This book is interesting... Although I don't know the politics involved in magic... This seems like a strange first book.
The book was a long manifesto written by the leader of the rogue magicians. He seemed to vehemently oppose the Tower Association's views on deities, which, he claimed, were subservient. He wrote "Magicians should utilize magic in a manner to free themselves from the natural world, but the Tower Association's method of creating magic only solidified their servitude to deities."
This line, along with others very similar, struck a deep chord in Thames' heart, but he had no idea how to feel. Ode, and other magicians he knew, had mentioned very little regarding the tower.
"What a bothersome event I've found myself in..." He let out a self-deprecating chuckle before setting the book onto the coffee table.
It must be late... Deciding that, he leaned back in the chair and let the flow of sleep slowly consume him.
The familiar feeling of a dense cold consumed his body slowly, creeping into both his mind and heart.
Wha-?!?
He snapped upwards, quickly looking around the space which he quickly deemed a dream. His eyes quickly widened as he noticed a dense fog, similar to the one in the illusion forest, encasing him. Below him was wet swamp land, and his legs were fully covered by the dark water. All the surroundings were made of an unnatural near pitch-black color.
Suddenly, the fog clearly shook, and he felt his point of view snapping from his body.
As his eyesight rose from his body and quickly above the fog, he noticed a light towards the horizon.
It resembled a rising sun, the rays shone through the fog, completely illuminating the swamp. As he briefly turned towards where his body once was, he noticed that it had vanished completely.
This is a new dream...
Turning his attention back to the lit-up swamp, he noticed three figures approaching one that stood on the cusp of the fog.
The being masked by fog appeared to be wearing a robe with a hood covering its head and held an opened book.
[Just as the three challengers stopped approaching the being, it raised its right hand, pointing at the people.
Do not gaze...
A voice, similar to the one he heard in his Blind Reader dream, shook the space completely. The sun, casting the four individuals' shadows, shuttered and was blacked out like an eclipse.
The swamp fell back into darkness and the scene escaped from Thames' mind. His heart and soul shook in his chest as his vision blurred, the trees of the swamp multiplying as his spiritual eyes closed slowly.
O' Sleepless Painter... Beware thy dreams. They are a tall order.]
Just like that, he abruptly awoke back to the library but was surprised by the view of a concerned Juni.
"What...?" Thames groggily asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Who is your deity, young Thames?"