The Enchanted Library of Soriana
Within the ancient city of Soriana, where the cobblestone streets wind their way through centuries-old buildings, lies a library unlike any other. The Library of Soriana loomed before the visitor: dark stone, crowned with summer turrets touching the sky. It was said that its tall, heavy doors were made of the fables Yggdrasil tree—that only those of pure heart would be able to pass.
It really differed from the history and age of the library; it suddenly became into the world of legend and myth. Some even believed it to be holding books that could reveal the secrets of the universe, while others whispered of the living library, full to the brim of rooms and corridors that changed places to see to it that the most important tomes were secure. And into this world of wonder and enigma, it was that young Elara would soon find herself drawn.
Elara was a sixteen-year-old lass, and it gave her a heart as curious as a cat's and a mind sharp enough to slice through a dense mystery. She had all of her life been in Soriana, and from the earliest of memories that could be in her infancy, she was enchanted by the stories of the magic library. Her scholar parents had instilled a love for learning and a thirst for knowledge inside her that was insatiable. However, they never allowed her to go to the library, no matter how much she implored them to do so, deeming her too young and the library too dangerous.
The gift Elara's parents had given her on the eve of her seventeenth birthday was wrapped in a piece of soft velvet cloth. Her heart thundered in sweet excitement as she untied the ribbon. Untying the ribbon, she revealed an ominous, time-worn book whose cover was spattered with gold leaf—upon it, the picture of a tree whose limbs extended like the arms of an embrace. The title was, "The Chronicles of the Enchanted Library.
"For this book," her father explained, "has been passed down through our family for untold generations. It speaks of the library's history and its secrets, and now it is in your possession for study."
Her eyes had widened, appalled and thankful. Over the weeks still to come, Elara returned each day to consume what was in the book—the founders, what made them magical, and the numerous tales of those who had ventured into its depths. But there was one that attracted Elara the most: a prophecy about the chosen one who would unlock the library's greatest secrets and bring into existence a new age of enlightenment.
The prophecy touched something deep within Elara, and she could not shake the feeling that it somehow concerned her. Thus, with a resentful approval from her parents, she ventured up to the library, deciding to pay a visit there and possibly unmask some of its secrets, maybe even fulfill the prophecy.
On one brisk autumn morning, Elara went into the library and her heart fluttered with the attendant thrill and trepidation. She was walking through the winding streets; the city seemed to hum with a feeling of anticipation. She approached the massive doors, made of wood, and she could feel a strange warmth emanating from it, like it knew she was coming.
Elara took a deep breath as she pushed the doors open and entered. The air smelled thick with old books and parchment. Soft candlelight cast long shadows across the stone walls. She stood in the grand entrance hall, shocked by the sheer scale and the beauty of the place. Long rows of shelves filled the expanse, and tapestries depicted in full the intricacies of scenes from old myths.
A soft voice completely broke her daydream: "Welcome, Elara.
Before her stood an old woman, all silver-haired and gentle-eyed, in a long robe of deep green, with symbols upon it that shimmered and shifted.
"I am Isolde, the head librarian," her face softened in a warm smile. "I have been waiting for you."
Elara's heart hammered. "So you know me?"
“Indeed,” Isolde replied. “The library has been waiting for you. Come, let me show you the way.”
With amazement and curiosity, Elara followed Isolde's steps through the labyrinthine corridors of the grand library. They passed rooms of rare volumes of manuscripted magic, enchanted artifacts, and ancient maps. It was as though every single corner opened onto another marvel, and Elara's excitement just built and built without end.
At last they reached a door, which, though seeming another-like to all the shimmering, opalescent membranes they had passed through from Ganla-noc, was yet made of crystal, so that, through its transparency, Elara could see the light of some chamber suffused in an otherworld glow. Isolde waved her through.
"It is the Heart of the Library," she went on to explain, "and only the Chosen One is capable of entering. The answers shall all be inside."
Elara nodded; her heart was pounding in her chest. She passed through the crystal door and into a circular chamber. The walls consisted of several books, but they were not just any ordinary tomes; somehow, they looked like they were throbbing with their life, the pages glowing with some otherworldly light.
In the center of the room, there was a pedestal with only one book lying on it. It was a blank-covered book, and as Elara grew closer, there was some strange energy that was coming out of it. She reached out to pick up the book, and in an instant, her mind was flooded with visions.
She saw before her the founders of the library, wise and powerful mages who had built this sanctuary of knowledge. She saw the thousands of seekers that had walked through those very doors, each adding to the library's plethora of knowledge. And finally, she saw herself, standing at the threshold of a great adventure.
The visions faltered—at first in a blur—and opened when Elara did to the overbright pages of the book. Words began to inscribe themselves into the empty space of the page, writing a story of their own: a story of her journey and the destiny that awaited her.
In Elara's innermost being, she had overwhelming emotions, for it was there that she recognized she would never look at life quite the same. She had found her destiny and, with it, the key to the greatest secrets of the library. She pushed the book closed and moved to walk out of the chamber with a full heart, leading in purpose and driven by the intentions now instilled deeply within it.
Knowing, the keeper beamed knowingly at Elara and Isolde as she now finally caught up to them. "The library has chosen you, Elara. Your journey has just begun. You must remember, young one, that the knowledge you seek is not just within these walls but within yourself, as well.
Elara nodded, now really for the first time feeling some affinity to this place—the library—and all its mysterious movements. She realized that her adventure would be very problematic, but she was ready to face them. With the Heart of the Library to lead her, a power rallied into Elara to supplement her confidence.
For the coming months, Elara got fiercely dedicated to studying the really huge collection of the library. Ancient spells, forgotten histories, and lost arts were discovered, all preserved by the library's enchanted walls. Every day, new revelations formed in her head, and all of it was making her wiser and more powerful.
While working in an obscure corner of the library one day, she found a hidden door. She opened it to be in a small, dimly lit room with a dark and still mirror at its center.
As Elara came closer, the mirror began to glow with light; at last it showed a vision for her. It was a vision of a dark power rising that threatened to consume Soriana, and beyond. She could see shadows spreading over the land, eating up everything in sight. Her heart raced with fear and also with determination. She knew she needed to stop this darkness, but she couldn't do it alone.
The following days, the library was the place she was found, going through its texts in an attempt to find any clue that would help her fight back the impending threat. Then she stumbled upon the legend of the Lightstone—an ancient artifact, a powerful crystal said to have the ability to expel darkness and bring back the balance. It had been lost for centuries, though, but Elara was not one to lose hope.
With Isolde to show her the way, she set off to search for the Lightstone. She journeyed far beyond the city of Soriana to the wild land beyond. Many tests and tribulations beset her. Strange creatures and insurmountable obstacles she overcame. She allied with other seekers who joined her in her quest, each contributing their own special skills and knowledge.
Together, they ventured into ancient ruins, deciphered cryptic clues, and battled formidable foes. It is not just that Elara was so inspiring in her courage and resolve that her klektos companions had grown to admire, for being friends with her as each challenge was undertaken an even more intimate circle within the cadre of followers had grown. From their battles, Elara discovered personal values of friendship and loyalty, finding finally that the source of strength avaialble to her was not that developed by knowledge and power, but those that la increased in sent partners equipped alongside her.
Many months passed in the relentless pursuit of Elara, where she finally located the Lightstone, hidden deep within the treacherous mountain, under the watchful eye of a sorceress so powerful as to want to hold the said power from within in order to do her own malevolent. The last battle was vehement and foreboding, but Elara's great determination and hard-hitting efforts together with her friends gave them victory. read more
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