by Amy Cross
“I'll kill you!” Christian screams, running toward the nearest soldier, but I grab his arms and hold him back. “Let me go! They murdered my parents!”
“And they'll kill you if you try anything!” I hiss.
“I have to admit,” Darvill says calmly, taking a step forward, “that I've been waiting here for quite a while. It was easy enough to command my armies from this citadel, and to spread a few lies that made it seem as if I had gone with them. The truth, however, is that I decided to simply wait here and let you deliver Rinth straight to me.”
“Let me at them!” Christian snarls, still trying desperately to get free of my grip. “They have to pay for what they did!”
Before I can reply to him, I see several soldiers heading over to Rinth.
“Leave her alone!” I yell, but they're already wrapping ropes around her and she seems unable to fight back.
“If I had more time on my hands,” Darvill says, turning to me, “I'd be quite interested in finding out more about you, human, and about how you came to this world. Unfortunately, I'm rather busy at the moment, so I'll simply have to marvel at your timing.” He watches as Rinth, bound in ropes, is forced toward the archway. “I hope you'll all rest in peace, knowing that you helped me save the Great Library and restore it to its full glory. Now that I have my hands on Rinth, I should have no trouble at all!”
“How did you know we'd come here?” Cromer snarls, struggling to get to his feet.
“Would you believe, I guessed?” Darvill replies. “Of course not. The truth is, I had a little help from somebody who decided he'd very much like to get his hands on five hundred gold coins. I expect that particular gentleman will be coming with me now, so that he can collect his reward.”
“What do you mean?” I ask. “There's no-one here who -”
Before I can finish, I'm shocked to see Tom stepping forward. He walks over to Darvill, and then – with a curiously guilty look on his face – he turns back to look at us.
“You betrayed us?” Cromer shouts, hauling himself up, only for the soldiers to knock him straight back down again. “Why?”
“I happen to think that Darvill is right about some things,” Tom explains sheepishly. “Something has gone terribly wrong in the Great Library in recent years, everyone can see that. Perhaps we really have angered the gods by building these citadels, and by attempting to master all the knowledge that rests in our books. A great schism is threatening to destroy this world, and Darvill offers the best leadership when it comes to finding a way to put things back to how they should be. In the circumstances, I decided... Well, I suppose I just thought that his solution seemed like the best bet, really. I just...”
He looks over toward Claire, and for a moment he hesitates.
“If I'd known that the first book was still alive,” he adds, “perhaps...”
Cromer lunges at him, but more soldiers rush forward and manage to push him back down.
“You've done very well,” Darvill says, patting Tom on the arm. “Your contribution to saving this world will not be forgotten.”
“How could you?” I ask, stepping closer and seeing that Tom can't quite look me in the eye. “I thought you were my friend!”
“I don't believe I used those exact words,” he replies.
“It's time to take Rinth to the Great Barrier,” Darvill announces, as several soldiers use the ropes to drag Rinth toward the archway. “I can assure the rest of you fine people that the day will be saved, even if none of you are around to see it.” He turns to Claire, who remains slumped on the chair. “I must add,” he continues, “that I am pained by what must happen here today. I had hoped that, as the first book, as the overseer of all knowledge in the Great Library, you would see that I am its savior. Then again, perhaps your intransigence is final proof that the old guard have failed. If it is indeed I, and I alone, who can save the world, then I shall take that burden. And I shall make sure that I am able to do so forever. Death shall not interrupt my work.”
“Sounds to me,” Cromer sneers, “like someone enjoys the sound of his own voice.”
“Men, pull back!” Darvill shouts. “You know what to do with these wretches!”
He hurries out of the chamber. The soldiers throw Cromer against the wall, before scurrying after Darvill, and then they start closing the large wooden doors on either side of the archway. As Cromer struggles to get up, Tom rushes over to join Darvill, only for the doors to be pushed shut in his face.
“Wait!” Tom shouts, banging on the doors. “I'm still in here!”
“I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my part of the bargain,” Darvill replies from the other side, as a heavy metallic clanging sound rings out. “Rest assured, grasshopper, that your contribution is noted. Unfortunately, I have no need of people who betray their friends. Your work for me is done.”
“But we had a deal!” Tom yells frantically, as Cromer hurries over and starts trying to force the doors open. “I found Rinth for you, I delivered her right into your hands! You owe me!”
“You may collect your debt in Hell,” Darvill sneers.
“No!” Tom screams, banging harder than ever as footsteps can be heard storming away from the other side of the doors. “You can't do this! I did everything you asked of me!”
“Out of my way!” Cromer snaps, shoving Tom back, sending him crashing to the floor. “There's no door in this place that can keep me from getting out!”
“They've got Rinth,” I whisper, before turning to Tom, who's still down on the ground. “You betrayed us all!” I shout angrily. “You were lying the whole time! I thought it was strange that you insisted on us coming to this particular citadel, but I just assumed you had a plan!”
“I was doing what I thought was best for my home,” he stammers, clearly starting to panic. “Don't pretend that you can come here and claim you know better than the rest of us. Look around you, Alexandra, do you see anyone else who has a practical plan for saving the Great Library? Everyone else failed us, but at least Darvill promised to take action! He's going to save this world, and if he seizes immortality in the process, then that can only be a good thing.” He pauses, as if he's struggling to believe what he's saying. “He wouldn't do anything to harm the Great Library, I... I'm sure of it...”
“Dooma didn't trip, did she?” I continue. “You pushed her!”
“She recognized me from one of the cities,” he replies. “I was worried she might realize what I was doing and tell the rest of you. I couldn't let her stop me, not when I was so close to delivering Rinth to Darvill.”
“Why will this door not yield?” Cromer shouts, as he starts throwing his weight against it. “It's as if it's suddenly made of stone!”
“Hey, what's that?” Christian shouts, and I turn to see that he's at one of the windows. I hurry over to join him, and I see that as a large boat rows back to the mainland with Darvill and Rinth and all the soldiers on-board, several large wooden devices are rolling along the beach. “Where did they come from?”
“They look like weapons,” I reply.
Slowly, the huge machines are turned so that they're facing the citadel. Their tops open, revealing some kind of glowing, burning objects at their centers.
“I've heard of these,” Christian says, his voice filled with fear. “They're used in warfare sometimes, to break down sieges, but... they were banned. Even the worst of the worst warlords agreed that they were too awful to be used. They bring liquid fire burning down from the skies, they destroy anything they hit, but... I thought there were none left.”
“Cromer, we've got a problem!” I shout, and he comes over to take a look as I head over to Claire. “Is there another way out of here?”
“Not one we can get to in time,” she replies, with tears in her eyes. “I've served the Great Library for almost all my life, for thousands and thousands of years. I only wanted to do my best, to make sure that all would be well, but somehow the great cycles have been broken and the old certainties are g
one.” A tear runs down her cheek. “We're facing our greatest threat,” she continues, “and I have failed. Now our fate rests in the hands of a madman. Even Rinth, who was supposed to save us all, is doomed. I can no longer -”
“Incoming!” Cromer yells, and I turn to see that he and Christian are stepping back from the windows. Turning to me, Cromer looks absolutely horrified. “Everybody, get -”
Before he can finish, the entire wall behind him comes crashing down in a storm of fire and stone. The citadel shudders and I fall to the ground, just as another huge ball of flames hits a little further off. I feel the ground tilting beneath me, as if the entire citadel is at risk of collapsing and tumbling down into the sea. My copy of The Book of Libraries falls from my hand, and I slam into the wall with such a heavy thud that all the air is forced from my lungs. I don't have time to catch my breath, either, as another explosion rips through the far end of the chamber, blowing the wall aside and revealing the blue sky beyond.
“Over here!” Cromer shouts, rushing toward me. “There's still a chance! The bombardment has opened the doors, so we have to get back down to Eanu and hope that he can get us away from here.” He turns to Claire. “You have to come with us!”
“It's all my fault,” she replies forlornly. “My fate is sealed.”
“This is no time for self-pity,” he says, running over and picking her up, before putting her under his arm and heading toward the broken doors. “Everyone with me! Let's move!”
Christian and I run after him. As we get to the doors, I see that Tom is coming with us as well. I look at him for a moment, filled with disgust, and then we head out into the corridor just as another explosion causes the citadel to shake and rumble.
“Most of the bombardments have been focused on the lower section!” Cromer shouts out ahead. “Darvill's trying to get the entire thing to collapse into the sea!”
Yet another explosion rocks the corridor, causing me to slam into the wall and then crumple to the floor. Christian immediately grabs my hand and helps me up, and then we set off after Cromer again, catching up just as he reaches the top of the stone steps we used when we arrived.
“This way!” he shouts, turning to us. “We only -”
Suddenly a loud whistling sound fills the air. We all turn to look back, just as an intense fireball fills the windows. A fraction of a second later, the entire corridor is blasted apart and a wall of flames smashes into us as the floor shatters beneath our feet and we tumble down in a hail of brick and stone. The last thing I hear, before one of the bricks slams into my head, is the sound of my own scream.
Chapter Eleven
Slowly, stirring from unconsciousness, I realize I can feel water lapping against the side of my face.
I open my eyes, startled, and find that I'm down at the bottom of what's left of the citadel. I start to sit up, only to feel aches and pains all over my body, and for a moment I can only stare at the beautiful blue sea, and at the cloudless sky above. The scene looks kinda stunning, but then slowly I turn and look the other way, and I see what's left of the citadel.
Nothing. The whole thing is gone, and all that's left is a smoldering pile of rubble spread out across what's now nothing more than a small patch of land in the sea. I guess most of the wreckage must have tumbled into the water and sunk. As I get to my feet, I feel a burst of pain in my right leg, and then I see that there's blood on my hands. Reaching up, I touch the side of my face and feel a cut on my cheek. The last thing I remember is falling, just after the corridor was destroyed, but I guess I must have been lucky.
Looking around, I don't see anyone else. Even the distant beach is now empty, which I guess means that Darvill and his men have moved on.
I turn to look for the others, but then my left foot brushes against something. Looking down, I see The Book of Libraries. I lost that thing back up in the chamber, so I don't understand how it could possibly be with me now. Still, as I reach down and grab it, I find that it's pretty much undamaged apart from a few scuff marks on the cover, which I try to wipe away.
“Cromer?” I call out, starting to panic as I set off climbing over the boulders. “Christian! Hey, where are you guys?”
There's no sign of life anywhere. I start making my way toward the center of the rubble, only to find that the rocks are getting too hot for me to touch. Faint orange glows are all around, and I'm pretty sure that only the very worst of the inferno is over. Fires are still burning beneath the wreckage, threatening to burst back to full force at any moment, so I change direction and stick close to the water's edge as I desperately try to find the others.
“Cromer!” I shout, climbing over another, larger boulder. “Christian! Are you -”
Stopping suddenly, I see a mangled, twisted body on the ground. It's Tom, and I can immediately tell that he's dead. All his limbs are broken, there's blood all over one side of his face, and his dead eyes are staring almost straight at me. I can't ever forgive him for betraying us and turning Rinth over to Darvill, but I have to admit that I feel bad for him as I see his mangled corpse.
And then, hearing a spluttering cough coming from nearby, I look a little further on and see Christian sitting up.
“Hey!” I shout, clambering over to him, relieved that I'm not the only one who survived. “Are you okay?”
“I think so,” he replies as I drop to my knees next to him. “I don't exactly remember what happened. I think I must have hit my head.”
“Let me see.” I check the sides and back of his head, but there's no sign of any blood. “Can you move?” I ask.
I help him up, and he manages to get to his feet, albeit unsteadily.
“Have you seen Cromer?” I continue.
“I only woke up about two seconds ago,” he replies. “I haven't seen anyone. Apart from you, anyway.”
“He has to be around here somewhere,” I mutter, setting off again across the rocks, this time with Christian following. “Cromer!” I shout. “Can you hear me? Where are you?”
For the next few minutes, we continue our search, desperately scrambling across the rocks at the edge of the island. Finally, just as I'm starting to give up hope, I spot Cromer up ahead, sitting cross-legged on the ground with his back to us.
“Cromer!” I yell, relieved to have found him. “Are you hurt? Cromer, it's me!”
I struggle a little to get over the rocks, and then – as I reach him – I see that Cromer's staring down at Claire. Her bloodied body is arranged in front of him, flat on her back. At first I assume she's dead, but then I see that her eyes are open and that she's twitching slightly as she stares up at the sky.
“I found Tom,” I say as I drop to my knees and look at Cromer. “He didn't make it.”
I wait for a reply, but he says nothing. There are cuts on the side of his cheek, and his armor is badly broken in places, with burns marks having charred the metal. After a moment I look at his neck, and I see that the little gray tick is still in place, albeit with some scuff marks.
As Christian crouches nearby, I look down at Claire's face.
“Is she...” My voice trails off for a moment. “Is she going to be okay?”
“I tried to protect her during the fall,” Cromer says darkly, “but I was unable to do so sufficiently. Now she's...”
I wait for him to finish, but I think I know what he was going to say.
“The cycle is broken,” Claire whispers after a moment. I don't even know if she's talking to us, or if she's just telling herself something. “So many times, the history of the Great Library went around and around. Lives were relived, stories were told again, and all creatures knew that their time would come again. I don't know how, or why, but now the cycle is gone and the history of our home has become a straight line. I can feel it in my bones, the dead will now stay dead and there are no longer any guarantees that all of this, our world, will survive. Something fundamental has changed. We have reached some kind of limit.”
“What does she mean?” I ask Cromer. “W
hat's the -”
“Quiet,” he says. “Listen.”
“Rinth was the one who should have saved us all,” Claire continues. “For as long as I have known the Great Library, I have known of Rinth, although I never laid eyes upon her until today. She was always a myth, something that people mentioned having seen in the outer reaches. Through my studies, however, I learned of her great importance. She was there at the very beginning of the Great Library, the beginning that existed even before the first cycle. And it is said that she will be there at the end, too. I fear that is where Darvill has taken her now. In his haste to save this place, and to achieve immortality, he may very well end up dooming our world to oblivion.”
“How can Rinth save anything?” I ask. “I mean, she... She can't talk, she can't even see where she's going, she only -”
“Be quiet,” Cromer hisses. “Let -”
“No,” Claire says, suddenly turning to look first at him, and then at me. “You ask the right questions,” she tells me. “All the knowledge of the Great Library has always been open to me, except the one thing that I sought the most. There are so many worlds. It was once thought that there were only seven, then that there were eight, then more, and finally we understood that they could not even be counted. Some are huge and glorious, others are shriveled and almost dead, but there are more and more with each passing year. Somehow, though, this world has always been among the greatest. It was my life-long quest to understand how the Great Library came into being, but I... I failed.”
“You have not failed at anything,” Cromer tells her. “You have brought peace to this land for so long.”
“Everything I learned,” she replies, “I tried to set down in a book of my own. Imagine that, one book writing another. I thought that, as the first book, I would be in the perfect position to understand how this world came to exist. All my research, however, led do nothing. I finished The Book of Libraries without uncovering the truth for which I yearned.”