The Chronicles of Avytheris: The Bookkeeper

The morning came, it was start of my routine again. Home, work, school. At 5:00 a.m. I was awake, preparing to leave the house before the sun rises. Lakewood Patriot University, that’s where I study and work as a Librarian, and aside from that I also took part-time jobs at morning and night. I know it’s hassle but it’s the only way to support myself ever since my parents had gone divorced. My duty at the library always starts at seven o’clock sharp, while my class is in the noon. Hence, there was no conflict in my schedule at all. As soon as I opened the door, the faint smell of paper and lemon polish welcomed me. I wouldn’t call it pleasant, but rather… addicting. Morning light streamed through the high windows of Lakewood Patriot University’s library, spilling over rows of wooden tables and dust motes that drifted lazily like snow. I sat in front of the information desk. Waiting for the someone to came in. I put my hands under my chin as I stare into a neat, stacked index card that I sorted twice yesterday. It was the same as every morning—quiet, predictable, ordinary. Five years of this… five years of silence broken only by the scrape of chairs and the occasional sneeze. Five years of shelving, sorting, answering whispered questions about overdue fines. Was this all my life would ever be? The heavy oak doors creaked open, their sound far too loud in the near-empty library. The sharp clicking of heels followed, and Nevaeh didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Valerie Gimenez. Valerie, a literature student, carried herself like the main character of every story she ever read—perfectly styled hair, expensive perfume, a sharp smile that could be charming or cruel depending on her mood. “Daydreaming again, Miss Nev?” She mocked, as she leans again the desk. I blinked twice, then looked up—only to find her wearing that mischievous smile. “What can I help you for today, Valerie?” I hurriedly asked. “I need a romance book.” “The romance section is after the thesis section, two shelves down.” My eyes squint when she was still leaning against the desk. “Is there anything you need, Valerie?” “That remind me. Can you be my participants for my research? Well, it’s about love experience.” Love? What is that? It’s just a fantasy-novel things. My silence made her forehead furrowed. A seconds later, her let out a little laugh, a little laugh that annoyed me. “Oh, I get it. You haven’t experienced it. Unless, of course, you’ve been hiding a secret life?” Her smirk widened, waiting me to react. For a second, I want to grab her perfectly fixed curl brunette hair, but I’d fired in the spot. I forced myself to stay compose. “You can call me if you need finding a book,” I said while smiling at her. Valerie leaned closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You really should be careful. If Miss Winslet finds out you’re zoning out again…” Her eyes gleamed. “Well, I might have to let it slip. It would be such a shame for her to think you’re… distracted.” My jaw tightened. “Enjoy your book, Valerie.” I forced myself to smile and be polite as much as I can. Valerie laughed that it echoed through the quiet hall before going to the shelves. I watched her go, biting back a sigh. I had learned long ago that responding to Valerie’s jabs only made things worse. But still, it stung—being reminded that I was twenty-five, single, and still working the same job she had clung to for stability since college. Before I could even move on from Valerie, a new voice strung me. “Nevaeh.” Miss Winslet, the head librarian, stood silently behind me. The old woman moved like a shadow, always appearing where I least expected her. Her gray hair was coiled into a bun, and her lined face carried an expression somewhere between sternness and sorrow. “Good morning, Miss Winslet.” I greeted. “The returns section needs sorting. Some books are not left to be unattended.” Her words carried an odd weight, as though she meant more than she said. Nevaeh nodded quickly. “Right away.” “Oh and… Nevaeh, you know where to put the unfamiliar books.” Miss Winslet’s sharp gaze lingered on me for a moment, and then she turned, vanishing back into the maze of shelves. Those unfamiliar books that she meant was unregistered in our library. I thought she was the one who registered them before releasing them. I kept seeing those books though, I tried to see its content, but Miss Winslet always suddenly appeared behind my back. Valerie, who was walking by with arms full of books, gave a soft, mocking giggle. I swallowed my irritation and headed toward the return cart. I don’t have time to have a beef with an 18-year-old girl. At first glance, it was an ordinary stack of textbooks, novels with weird ending, as usual. I extended my arms, stretching before sorting them—returning them into their rightfully section. With this pile of books, I don’t think I can finish it before ten. A sighed came out of my mouth. Starting off with the children’s section. Yes, there is a kid’s section, even though the students are in college. Following the history section. This is my favorite section, talks about events in reality. Then, the fiction section, where romance, fantasy, horror, and adventure are alive. The most visited section. I can see why people are captivated by stories that aren’t real. One may desire but can never attain. As I worked my way down the stack, checking if there were any books left, something unusual caught my attention. The very last one at the bottom of the cart wasn’t like the rest—it was glowing faintly. For a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I froze. A glowing book? Was that even real? I blinked as many times as I could, but the glow remained soft and pale, as though it were trying to call out to me. My hand hesitated before I finally reached for it. Curiosity kills cat I guess. I had just wrapped my fingers around the cover and was about to open it when a voice came from behind me. “Coffee break, Nev!” I startled, nearly dropping the book. Melanie, my co-worker, had appeared from behind, smiling. “You’re still here? Come on, it’s break time.” “I’ll join in a minute,” I said quickly, closing the cart. “Just need to finish these first.” “You and your work ethic.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “Don’t let the books eat you alive.” With a wave, she disappeared toward the break room. I turned back. The glowing book was gone. No… not gone. Just… no longer glowing. Its cover looked perfectly ordinary now, plain and unremarkable. My lips parted slightly. Was I… seeing things? I shook my head hard. I probably just needed more sleep. All those homeworks, and thesis are killing me! I just wished I could graduate soon. After finishing my duty, Melanie and I went for a coffee break. We sat by the small table near the window, sipping our drinks while gossiping a little about school and the people we knew. It felt nice to relax for a moment, away from the shelves and the endless stack of books. The rest of the day passed quietly, almost too quietly. I was surprised when I found out my afternoon class was canceled. Instead of going home, I decided to stay in the library and help Miss Winslet with a few more tasks. By five o’clock, Melanie gathered her things and waved goodbye, leaving me alone with the old woman. The library felt bigger and quieter without her, the sound of turning pages and Miss Winslet’s soft footsteps the only things breaking the silence. “Could you help me with the accounts, Nevaeh? I have to do more sorting at the back. Those students always return the books late.” Miss Winslet asked, handing me a stack of records. “The monthly expenses of the library must be balanced.” “Yes, ma’am.” Numbers. Columns. Receipts. I worked quietly, writing and checking until the task was finally done. The only sounds in the room were the steady scratching of my pen and the thunderstorm raging outside. Miss Winslet still wasn’t back, so I figured she was stuck somewhere at the back. I guess there’s too many books that needs to sort out. I sighed and tapped my pen against the desk, the rhythm echoing in the stillness. I couldn’t leave yet not until Miss Winslet returned as she was the one with keys. Restlessness crept in, and before I knew it, boredom pushed me to wander through the shelves. The library always felt different when it was this quiet, almost alive in its silence. I drifted through the rows, letting my fingertips brush the spines of books that smelled faintly of dust and age. My steps slowed as I reached the history section—when suddenly, I froze. My breath caught. There it was again. The glowing book. But it didn’t make sense. I was sure I had returned it to the office earlier before I went on break. Yet here it was, tucked neatly between worn volumes of forgotten wars and faded maps. Does Miss Winslet put this back? Could be. My hand shook as I reached for the book. For a second, I thought about leaving it, but I couldn’t stop myself. When I pulled it out, the glow under the cover grew stronger. It beat slowly, like a heartbeat. “The Chronicles of Avytheris,” I read softly. I felt scared, but my curiosity was stronger. I had to know what was inside. Taking a deep breath, I opened the book. The words glowed faintly. “In the age of chaos, the princess shall awaken in a garden of starlight. She alone will seal the darkness, and the realms shall rise or fall by her hand.” My laugh was shaky. “Sounds like something Valerie would drool over.” But as the words shimmered, they lifted from the page like tiny glowing fireflies, swirling around me. I gasped, stumbling back as the air vibrated with energy. The library walls seemed to tilt. The ground spun. The glow grew brighter, surrounding me in a cocoon of light. My vision blurred. I tried to reach for the desk, for the book, for anything solid. And then everything went black. Third Person POV From the shadows of another place, a figure watched. Her lips curled into a delighted smile as the book snapped shut. “At last,” she whispered. “The prophecy has begun. She has entered the tale. The war will come sooner than expected. May the book guide you, Veyra.”