17: You Passed

I wondered as I descended the stairs, had I not been fighting myself the last three tests? The first, against my morals. The second, against my own strength. And the third, against my very thought process and ironically the person I was for two days. But now I was literally going to fight myself. I hoped I knew myself more than anyone else, because I wasn't so sure I did.

I stepped into the arena. Lance shouted, "Commence." And she appeared. She was everything I feared. She was everything I despised. She was me.

The white of her eyes turned yellow. Her pupils squeezed and thinned. Scales erupted across her cheeks, till the skin of her face and neck was hidden completely. She heaved her glowing red chest and blew an explosion of fire. My arms crossed before my face as I ran through the flames towards her, the skin of my arms hardening into scales. Just before she could direct her flames to the stands, I knocked her over. She struggled under me, screeching, writhing, blowing smoke and fire into my face.

"Please just stop," I begged her, but to no avail. She didn't and couldn't listen.

When my grip loosened by the slightest she took that opportunity to kick me off her, sending me flying across the arena. I skidded on the sand like a human cannonball, only stopping once my back hit the stands. I was too far to stop her when she turned to direct her next blow at the people in the stands.

Had I come so far to give up? No, of course not. I didn't give into the anger when the king killed my family. I didn't give in when that rickshaw slipped from my grasps. And I certainly didn't give up when I reached an impasse and when I was stuck between an open window and someone who wanted to kill me. Why now? Why not then? But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, the distance was too great and my faith was too little.

But giving up was like saying goodbye to my family forever, and I wasn't ready for that.

Something struck the air, beside both my ears. Then I was lifted off the ground. Before I knew it, I was half-away across the arena, hovering over the fake me. She released her flames. I stretched out my arms, accepting my fate, when I flew towards her and took her in my arms, embracing her as a cover of darkness enclosed us.

I heard Lance's voice and finally let go. It was over.

The darkness over me subsided to reveal the knights and Lance staring at me strangely. I looked to my side, searching for whatever had stolen their attention when I saw something dark and large right next to me. I shrieked and stepped forward, turning, only to see that it was now behind me and on the other side of me as well. My hands stretched out and grabbed hold of the unknown figures when a strange sensation shot up my spine. The dark figures flicked out of sight and only one thing made sense, though that both frightened me and shocked me to the point of passing out. They were wings.

~~~

"Why didn't you tell me who she was?!"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know!"

"Were the scales and flames not obvious enough?"

"She was adopted."

"Even so. How do you think the king will feel about this?!"

"How do you expect him to feel? She is as worthy to be his guard as any other vuruk!"

"She's a dragon!"

"Myira is dead."

Silence.

"Do not utter her name." Pain, he spoke with pain.

"What do you expect me to do? she passed. I can't just send her away."

Pause. "I'll bring it up to the king."

Footsteps echoed till they faded away completely. A distant door slammed. I peeled my eyes open to find myself in new surroundings. Shelves filled with books, as far as I could see, some as tall as the room itself which already had high ceilings. Streaks of colored light rained from the glass ceiling washing the room with a rainbow. The environment reeked of dust and at the same time perfume. When my feet touched the cold hard floor, I could hear it. I bet if a page was flipped anywhere in the room I'd hear it as well.

The door again. Though in the silence it sounded more grievous than it should have. I stood, my mind running a mile an hour, imagining every possible scenario that could occur in an empty library. But who I had envisioned was not who had entered.

He was covered in bandages from head to toe. Head, torso, arms and feet. The only clothing he wore were trousers, and even then, rips and holes filled his only garment revealing more bandages beneath. I took one look at him and immediately knew he was here to take my soul.

Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest book and thrusted it at him. It hit him square in the face. He staggered back. Another book to his shoulder and he bumped into a shelf.

I held a book over my shoulder as I took careful steps towards his slumped body. "Who are you, and where have you taken me?"

He lifted his head. If the bandages hadn't covered his eyes, we would have made eye contact. He shook his head and pointed at the bottom of his face, his mouth. He made an x with his fingers.

"You can't speak?" I asked. He nodded. He could easily have retaliated but he didn't. That struck me as odd.

"If I put this book down," I said slowly. "Will you hurt me?"

Foolish of me to let my guard down, I know, but he hadn't and wasn't going to do me harm even if I had harmed him.

He shook his head.

"Alright, I'm putting it down. But just so you know, this place is filled with books."

He nodded. I fitted the book back into the shelf and gave him a hand. At first he tilted his head at my hand, then he poked it.

"I'm helping you up," I explained. His rough bandage-covered hand held mine as he stood. He was a head taller though for some reason that didn't worry me. He had an air to him that put me at ease.

"Is this where you work?" I asked.

He didn't respond immediately. Then he nodded, shook his head, nodded.

"Yes and no?"

He nodded. He put his hands together as if in prayer and held it to the side of his tilted head.

"You live here?"

He nodded profusely. I looked back at the bed I had been sleeping on.

"Is that your bed?"

He nodded. I immediately felt horrible.

"Sorry, for sleeping on your bed and for hitting you with those books. I'm just not used to waking up in different places and to people who look like you."

He scratched the side of his face as if in thought then held out his hands to me, his index fingers touching his thumbs. He was saying it was ok.

We began a walk through the maze of the library. "So you're like a librarian?"

He shook a hand in the air, indicating uncertainty.

"Not really huh?"

He nodded.

"Well I'm guessing this is the castle library?"

He nodded.

"Do you know Philip?"

He nodded.

"Can you take me to him?"

He nodded and took a hold of my wrist. He pulled me along as he maneuvered through the labyrinth created by the shelves. We finally stopped at a large set of doors. He pushed it open to a dark cavernous corridor lit only by torches placed between single wooden doors that lined the opposite wall. Ghastly whispers hung in the air, its source unknown. A draft swept past us and continued onwards. Both ends of the corridor ended in darkness but that didn't stop the bandaged fellow from racing down the end where the breeze had come. I ran by his side as he was still holding onto my hand.

I gazed at the outline of his face, wondering who he was. Who was the man behind the bandages, behind the silence and the underground library? And would I ever see him again?

When he finally halted we were standing at the foot of a flight of stairs. At the top was a door made of twisted wires and covered in ivy. He dropped my hand and pointed at the door.

"I guess this is goodbye," I said.

He raised a hand awkwardly and gave a short wave. I waved back and climbed the few steps. When I reached the top and turned to wave a final goodbye, he was gone. Though I wasn't disappointed, I sort of knew that I'd see him again.

I pushed the door open, and I was welcomed by the majestic sight of the castle and the blinding unfiltered light of the sun.

Philip was standing, not too far off, speaking to a knight in armor. When he saw me, he waved with a big smile on his face. He said something to the knight then came jogging towards me.

"You're awake," he said, releasing a breath. "You passed."

I let myself smile in relief but the conversation I had heard lingered at the back of my mind and awakened in me fears of uncertainty.

A/n: I dunno but the bandaged guy was just hot in my mind. Don't mind my imagination, I have no control over it.