Calista
I unlocked the heavy wooden door and pushed it open, the creaking sound echoing in the quiet. Shelves upon shelves of ancient books and scrolls stretched out before me, going as old as the 1st century. Ruth and her family really were a great collector.
The dim light from the lone bulb flickered, casting eerie shadows on the archive walls. The air grew colder with each step, and the musty scent of old books filled my nostrils. Oh, I love the book smell. I breathed in and walked inside.
I walked along the rows, my fingers trailing over the spines of the books. Titles in various languages caught my eye, some I recognized, others completely foreign. It was overwhelming, but I was determined to find answers.
I started with the section labeled "Mystical Creatures," pulling out books
