Arboreal Path by Jason M Vallery

Author:Jason M Vallery
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jason M Vallery
Published: 2021-08-25T02:31:59+00:00

Chapter 20

Alim

Alim shielded themself from the accursed morning sunlight glaring from the glass ceiling of Oressa’s ancient magics library. When Hali had described the library, she’d neglected to mention it was more of a campus. Four buildings with different topics of focus. Ancient magic, gift magic, literature, and history. The ancient-magic wing was the smallest by far. With only a single story, it was smaller than Wilton’s library, but the shelves were densely packed. Alim presumed this was where most ancient texts discovered in Refulgent Wastes ended up.

Despite being a Dreamer for years, Alim had always been based in other locations, so they’d never had a chance to see Oressa’s library in person. They studied using whatever books people brought into the mobile camps on the border between Wolloisha and Refulgent Wastes.

The corridors were narrow enough that Alim thought they might become the meat in a bookshelf sandwich if anybody so much as bumped one. Despite being the most prolific type of magic before Tovaloreande’s death, there was precious little information here on runes due to their association with the Old Faith. Alim picked out a book with an obvious, but promising, title—Complete Runic Compendium. The back stated it had been updated with each new finding, with the last update being… Alim hated having to convert calendars. Modern books at least had the courtesy to list both formats.

“Tio! What’s ‘Year 10 under Rasalas’s Shadow, 37th Cycle’ in AB calendar?” Alim yelled. An echo repeated what they asked three times over. Good thing this place is as crowded as the line for mayonnaise banana smoothies.

“AB 698. You’d think the history buff would be able to convert OF to AB,” Tio said, roaming by with a stack of books cradled against his chest.

Then the last update was over thirty years ago. A cursory glance through the pages revealed a paltry eighty-seven runes.

Several aisles over, Alim found the ether section. Each book was dustier than the last, with pathetic, thin bindings more appropriate for children’s picture books than comprehensive collections of a subject. What little was there referred more to the mystery of ether than any substantive knowledge.

How did Tio study this? There’s nothing valuable. Alim was sure Tio must’ve already read everything here, but they tucked one under their arm.

Sitting at a granite table, Alim set down their findings and slipped the ether book to Tio.

Tio spun the book so he could read the title. “I’ve read this before.”

And confirmed!

“Don’t frown—it might have its share of clues. There’s an entire section on surges. Maybe it’ll jog my memory or spur inspiration.”

Alim flipped through the compendium of runes. None of the symbols looked like anything they had seen Hali use, but reading the effect of one reminded Alim of when Hali trounced the guard hounding Tio at Wilton.

Poison rune. Nature aspected.

Found in classroom texts, it was used to teach children how to draw runes. The effect is little more than indigestion.

Like all runes, scholars believe it is based on a gifted creature, though it is not known what creature has such magic.

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