The Abandoned Library

With a sound like the rustling of papers a black suitcase folded into existence. The case snapped open and out popped the Historian in a beam of light. As he materialized upon the ground the old man caught the case by the handle and let it swing to his side. It was a simple, yet well-practiced flourish. He looked around the wild lands surrounding the library. "Traveling by magic is so dull, but it beat walking at this age."

The old man sighed and stretched as if the suitcase was actually cramped. Unworried by time the Historian began to look for an entrance to the ancient library. A giddy feeling, which had never dwindled with age, reflected in the pounding of his heart. "Oh, what wonderful knowledge will I find here? Maybe, I will never leave this place?"

Ramike blinked. She had seen weirder things, but she couldn't quite wrap her head around a man fitting inside of a briefcase. She watched as the old man surveyed his surroundings, wondering if he had spotted the light brown hawk perched in the tree near him. Quietly unfolding her wings, she contemplated whether she should make herself known.

Before she could make up her mind, the heavy oak doors of the tower swung open.

To hell with caution, she wanted, needed, to know what was in there. With a flap of her wings, she glided to the ground a few feet behind the man. Tucking them back to her body, she could feel the feathers melt into her, and her view of the man rose higher as she grew back to her normal height. "Are you sure you want to go in there alone? Who knows what may be waiting for you."

A smile spread across her face. "My name is Ramike. And parties aren't exactly my forte." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and adjusted her cloak. She had become a relatively adept shapeshifter in recent years, but there were always a few things awry whenever she returned to her human form. "My apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you."

She held out a hand to properly greet her new friend. "I often wander alone when I need to clear my head. I saw this structure poking out above the trees and I couldn't resist the invitation to explore."

Something about this old man intrigued her, and it wasn't his peculiar method of travel, not that she was one to judge. "I've told you my name, now it's only fair you tell me yours."

"Quite fair." The old man shook Ramike's hand. "You may call me Edwin, but professionally I am often known as the Historian. The title is a bit of a misnomer and only reflects one of my interests, but such assumptions are often convenient. Tell me, do you often find yourself wandering along? Surely you have parents who worry for your well being."

Edwin entered the library and first inspected the books closest to the door to check how they had aged. This was apparently the section on fiction. The front of the library was a fitting place for such books. Looking first up and then down he sighed and rubbed his knees. "At least there aren't many stairs." Edwin murmured to himself, noticing the spiral layout of the tower. Still going in either direction promised an upwards trek eventually. "I think that I will proceed downwards. It is in my experience that the oldest and most exciting tomes are likely to be collecting dust in some long lost storage room in the basement.  Do you find reading books to be an exciting adventure, Ramike?" The Historian gave a wry smile, "Or are you holding out for some sort of guarding griffin? While that would be exciting I may have to rely on you to deal with any dangers we might encounter."

Edwin had wondered about the lamps already being lit.  Some trick of magic no doubt, but it was possible that this place was not as abandoned as it might seem. 

@likethecupcakes would find a few technical books that she was looking for, but would notice that they were extremely out of place. They laid scattered on the floor in a small pile, seemingly discarded. The books on the shelves were all adventures and storybooks, and Debbie's cookbooks were clearly not part of the collection.

Ramike Thorval and The Historian entered the library, and would find themselves surrounded by old books. Looking down, the spiraling library stretched into the earth, seemingly endlessly. The books themselves were all different shapes and sizes, with leather, cloth, or paper binding. They had titles such as The Prince of Elusia, The Four Dogs, and Seven Pigeons, Their Journey to the Castle, and What They Did There. Oddly enough, none of the books seemed to have the author's name written on the spine. No matter how many books Ramike and Edwin had read before, not a single one of these stories looked in the least bit familiar. However, they all seemed to beg to be read.

She watched the Historian as he explored, wanting to join him. Perhaps she just heard a draft caused by the opening of the doors. "Hmm, it may have just been the wind," Ramike mumbled. Who knew how long this treasure trove had been forgotten. The breeze from outside could have disturbed a book that was left open. She followed him and ran her hand along a few of the books, reaffirming Edwin's observation. Not a single book had an author. A few paces away from the bookshelf the man was perusing she plucked a dusty tome from the shelf.

The leather bound book entitled The Four Dogs also lacked an author. She turned the book over in her hands then paused. There was that sound again. This time it was followed by a hum of satisfaction. They definitely were not alone.

With a glance towards Edwin, Ramike saw that he wasn't paying her much attention. She stepped back behind the shelf, out of his line of vision, and shrunk to the ground with nothing more than a faint squeak. A mouse was the first shape she learned to take, and it came almost as natural as breathing. As soon as she had her bearings, she wriggled her whiskers and scampered away to investigate.

Edwin opened the book to the first page and scanned a few lines before putting it back on the shelf. If the book itself held no clue, perhaps the contents would be more revealing. As such he did not notice Ramike's departure. At one point he turned to ask her a question, "Ram-Oh!" She had disappeared.

"Hello?" The old man queried the empty room. She must have gone off on her own to explore. How nice it was that someone so young would have a passion for reading. Edwin was torn between looking for the young women and returning to his research. She had heard a noise, hadn't she? could there really be another explorer here already? At last Edwin decided that the young and free-spirited needed to act independently. If Ramike had traveled all the way out here on her own she would be able to take care of herself. Edwin returned to scanning the contents of the book.

As The Historian  skimmed the book, he'd immediately find it to be extremely engaging and beautifully written, almost seeming to draw him into the fantastical world of the story. The seven pigeons in question (named Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Clyde) were all siblings, tasked with finding a mystical castle to help them hide from the vicious cats that roamed the lands. Their journey was long and perilous, involving sea voyages, dangerous hawks, and a long battle on a rickety old bridge that culminated in the total destruction of a village of mice. After they arrived at the castle, they found that it was run by a bluejay king, who demanded that they find the seven pigeons find the mythical Redberry Tree and bring back a Redberry Seed before they would be allowed to take refuge in the castle. After weeks of searching, they realized that the Redberry Tree had never existed, and that the king had sold them out to the cats in order to secure his own safety in the castle. Realizing this, the feathered heroes returned to the castle. Sneaking in disguised as cooks, they revealed the king's treachery to the people and sent him into exile, allowing them to live happily ever after within the safe walls of the castle.

Meanwhile, Ramike Thorval would find her book to be just as engaging. The few lines she read seemed to paint a picture of a luxurious castle, filled with silk and mahogany and gold trim. The particular section seemed to focus on the old housekeeper, a decrepit old man who'd lived there longer than the king himself. The book went into great detail about the wrinkles on his face, the crookedness of his posture, and the red felt cap that he always wore.

Ramike followed Edwin to the balcony overlooking the wilderness around them. The sun was high in the sky and birds were singing their precious melodies.

"What do you think we'll find? I am hesitant to leave this place without discovering at least one thing about its previous inhabitants." She sighed, "But I haven't the slightest idea where to start looking. Should we delve deeper? Or start from the top of the tower and work our way down?"