Sol walked away from the grand hall, his mind heavy with the weight of what he had learned. Every step echoed softly against the polished floors, his boots meeting surfaces that shimmered like liquid starlight. The air carried an eerie stillness, the vast Archive stretching endlessly before him.
Suddenly, he stopped and turned back. "One last thing," he called out, his voice carrying through the vast emptiness. "Am I allowed to take books from here?"
The Archive's response came swiftly. No. Knowledge is stored here never to leave.
Sol frowned, a tinge of disappointment settling in. But before he could say anything else, a small orb of light detached from the Archive's walls and floated toward him. It hovered for a moment before sinking gently into his forehead, sending a strange warmth through his mind.
However, as long as you return to the Luminara District, you will find the Archive when you wish.
Sol blinked, his initial disappointment quickly replaced with excitement. He might not be able to take the knowledge with him, but he wasn't barred from returning. That was more than enough.
A wide grin spread across his face. "Alright, that works for me. Thanks."
Without another word, he turned and hurried off, eager to leave before his curiosity tempted him into staying longer than he should.
Shelves taller than any structure he had ever seen loomed around him, crammed with tomes bound in materials beyond comprehension. Some books pulsed faintly, their covers shifting like breathing organisms, while others were locked away behind invisible barriers, awaiting those who had earned the right to read them. The Archive was alive in its own way, filled with whispers of knowledge and secrets buried deeper than time itself.
A staircase of glass spiraled upward into unseen heights, where floating platforms drifted lazily, each carrying yet more bookshelves. Holographic texts flickered midair, displaying information in shifting scripts, sometimes changing languages as Sol's gaze moved across them. The scent of old parchment mixed with something more electric—raw knowledge waiting to be unraveled.
As he passed by a row of hovering scrolls, he paused. Despite his resolve to step away from learning more for now, the sheer magnitude of the Archive called to him. He could lose himself here. He could drown in the knowledge of forgotten civilizations, undiscovered realms, and truths no one else had seen.
But for now, he just needed to breathe.
As he walked toward the exit, he mumbled to himself, "I wish I could own a library of this magnitude one day."
Deep within the Archive, where the shadows stretched long and the air hummed with forgotten knowledge, a figure stirred. Emerging from the depths of the endless shelves, it remained silent, its gaze locked onto the entrance where Sol had just walked out. The figure's expression was unreadable, its presence woven into the very fabric of the Archive, watching, waiting.
The moment Sol stepped through the invisible threshold, the sensation of displacement returned—not abrupt, but fluid, like sinking through layers of reality. In a blink, the cold, ethereal halls of the Archive vanished, replaced by the vibrant glow of neon lights and the endless murmur of life in the Luminara District.
He stood exactly where he had been before, just outside the celestial fountain that spewed its dazzling star-like formations into the air. The shift was jarring. The buzz of the district felt almost too loud after the eerie silence of the Archive, and for a moment, Sol simply stood there, adjusting to the contrast.
Then, he checked the time. His brows furrowed. Far less time had passed than he expected—mere minutes, despite what had felt like hours within the Archive. That only deepened its mystery.
Shaking off his thoughts, he let out a breath and stretched. The weight of what he had learned pressed against his mind, but he wasn't about to start unpacking it all here in the middle of the street. Right now, there were more pressing concerns—like food.
As he made his way toward the Sparking Den, his bright pink hair and oversized Peach caught the attention of nearly everyone he passed. Whispers followed in his wake, some amused, others bewildered. A child tugged on their parent's sleeve, asking, "Mom, is that a giant cotton candy monster?"
The mother simply shook her head, equally baffled. But despite the odd stares, Sol exuded an undeniable charm, his presence both strange and magnetic. He didn't care about the attention—he was used to standing out when he wanted to.
As he approached the entrance of the Sparking Den, he casually waved his hand, dispelling the illusion. His jet-black hair tumbled back into place, long and untamed, while his eyes returned to their usual deep, starlit hue. Peach shrank down, his fur shifting back to its natural shade, though he let out a small, disappointed huff at losing his grand appearance. Sol just chuckled and scratched behind Peach's ear. "We'll bring it back next time."
He stepped into the district's massive hub, the sights just as dazzling as before. The endless stars of the ceiling twinkled above the glowing colosseum and the chaotic gambling dens, the air thick with the thrill of chance. But his attention was drawn once more to the unassuming, run-down sign of Lover's Bar, looking just as shabby and unimpressive as ever.
With a smirk, he pulled out the ugly remote with the crudely drawn heart and pressed it. Instantly, his body deconstructed into particles of light, reconstructing inside the familiar, dimly lit bar.
A few patrons who had been there during his last visit took notice, their eyes lingering on him with recognition. He felt their curiosity but ignored it, his focus drawn instead to the old man behind the counter. The raccoon-eared server turned as well, her ears twitching slightly in surprise.
The old man's lips curled into a wide grin as he let out a hearty laugh. "Welcome back, traveler! Didn't think you'd take this long to come back and visit an old man!"
A server, a raccoon-eared girl with sharp eyes, sauntered over with a raised brow. "Back already? Didn't take you for the brooding type, but here you are."
Sol sighed, leaning back. "I've been hearing that a lot lately."
As she walked off, Sol let his mind drift. Should he spend time testing his affinities further, or dive deeper into research? The concept of Ascension still burned in his thoughts. He needed to see if there were any records of it outside the Archive.
The Luminara District was full of strange figures—information brokers, eccentric scholars, and those who traded in secrets. If anyone had even a scrap of knowledge about past ascensions, it would be someone here. The only question was who.