Amelia Watson sighed, a soft exhalation that carried the weight of her recent struggles. She had just managed to keep Gura preoccupied with a game, a small victory that granted her a precious moment of solitude. Her eyes, a mix of determination and weariness, scanned the room before settling on the ancient tomes that lined the shelves. The dim light of the study cast long shadows, adding an air of mystery to her surroundings.
She approached the nearest bookshelf, her fingers trailing along the spines of the books, feeling the texture of the aged leather and the embossed titles. Each book seemed to whisper secrets of the past, and Amelia's curiosity was piqued. She selected a volume that looked particularly promising and settled into a worn, comfortable chair by the window. The soft glow of the setting sun bathed the room in a warm, golden light, creating a serene atmosphere.
As she delved into the text, Amelia's brow furrowed in concentration. The calamity she sought to understand was shrouded in layers of myth and legend. Each culture had its own interpretation, some believing that a human would bring the calamity upon the land, while others insisted that such a disaster could not be caused by human hands. The conflicting accounts only deepened the mystery, but one thing was clear: the prophecy of unconditional doom had persisted throughout human history, a dark thread woven into the fabric of time.
Amelia's eyes sparkled with a mix of frustration and determination. To have even the slightest chance of saving the world, she knew she needed more power. "Then perhaps I will do it that way," she murmured to herself, a sly grin spreading across her face. The thought of gaining more power ignited a spark of hope within her.
A few days earlier, around the same time she found Gura, there had been a discovery of a relic. The memory of that moment was vivid in her mind. She had been in the bustling marketplace, the air filled with the sounds of haggling and the scent of exotic spices. Amidst the chaos, a whisper of intrigue had reached her ears—a relic of great significance had been unearthed. Amelia's heart had quickened with excitement, and she couldn't resist investigating further.
Obtaining the relic had been surprisingly easy, thanks to assistance from higher-ups. Amelia had always viewed them as fools, but even fools could be useful. The relic, a book written in an ancient language, was now in her possession. She ran her fingers over the cover, feeling the intricate designs etched into the leather. The language was unfamiliar, possibly an early form of Latin, though it sounded different in some ways.
As she began to decode the words, Amelia noticed something odd. The text seemed more like a spell, perhaps one to open a gateway to another place. Her heart raced with anticipation. "I wonder where this leads," she pondered aloud, her voice tinged with excitement. Her curiosity was insatiable, and she couldn't resist the lure of the unknown.
With each word she deciphered, the spell became clearer. Once she had decoded it completely, she infused mana into the book. The air around her crackled with energy, and to her amazement, a gate appeared before her. It shimmered with an ethereal light, casting an otherworldly glow on her surroundings. Without hesitation, she stepped through.
"Wow," she whispered in awe, her eyes wide with wonder. The gate had transported her to a place unlike any she had seen before. The landscape was surreal, with dark colors and strange, otherworldly aura . The air was filled with a sense of magic, and Amelia felt a thrill of excitement course through her veins. GPS was useless here, as if this place wasn't on Earth. She took a deep breath, savoring the unfamiliar scents that filled the air.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, materializing out of the mist. The girl had hair that was half white and half black, a striking contrast that immediately caught Amelia's attention. Her eyes were a deep black, almost as if it contain bottomless pit of knowledge.
"Welcome, visitor," said the figure, her voice melodic and soothing. "My name is Shiori, and I am the archivist, the person in charge of this library. No need to wonder where you are, for I can assure you this is not the place you call Earth. This library exists beyond your world."
Shiori's presence was calming, and Amelia felt a sense of peace wash over her. The library was vast, with towering shelves filled with books that seemed to stretch into infinity. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and ink, a testament to the knowledge contained within these walls.
Shiori continued, her voice filled with a quiet reverence. "This library contains all knowledge of this world and every possible reality."
"May I ask you, Ms. Amelia Watson, what is it that you desire?" Shiori asked, her lips curling into a curious, almost ridiculous grin. The question hung in the air, filled with promise and possibility. Amelia's mind raced with the endless possibilities that lay before her, each one more tantalizing than the last.
"If only time ran slower, then I'd be reading a lot of books here," Amelia sighed, her voice tinged with a wistful longing as she gazed at the endless rows of ancient tomes.
"Well then, why don't you control time itself?" Shiori suggested, her tone casual yet laced with an underlying intensity.
Amelia's eyes widened slightly, curiosity piqued. "And how do you propose I do that?" she asked, leaning forward, her interest unmistakable.
Shiori's smile grew darker, a shadow passing over her delicate features. "Do you know the Warden of Time?" she inquired, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Yes, obviously. She is one of the ruling council of this world, in charge of time," Amelia answered, her tone matter-of-fact. The council was a well-known entity, its members woven into the fabric of human history.
Shiori's smile twisted into something almost sinister, yet strangely inviting. "Did you know that the Warden of Time used to have a clock lying around? She infused her power into it, creating a relic that holds time within its containment for a purpose the world has yet to see. Amelia, would you like to know where to find it?" Her black eyes gleamed with a mysterious light, and her smile became more ridiculous, yet Amelia sensed no ill will from her and discarded her concerns.
"Well now, how do I begin?" Amelia asked, her voice steady but filled with anticipation.
"Start with this book," Shiori replied, handing her a tome bound in dark, weathered leather. The cover was adorned with intricate symbols that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. Amelia took the book, feeling its weight and the promise of secrets within. She opened it, ready to embark on yet another journey into the unknown.