Leo had been in the Archive for what felt like hours.
Time got weird in here. No clocks. No sunlight. Just scrolls that whispered when you opened them and a librarian who glared like he could smell your grammar mistakes.
He was flipping through something titled "Echoes of Lost Tongues: When Spells Go Rogue", trying to find anything remotely related to the whisper swarm.
> "Chapter 3: Misheard Incantations and Unintentional Chicken Spells… nope."
Next: "Binding Languages of the Forgotten Courts"
> "Cool name, zero help."
Then he found one that looked promising:
"The Lingering Voice Effect: Ancient Messages in Magical Fields."
> "Okay, now we're cooking."
He opened it and a puff of dust exploded in his face. He coughed, stumbled back, and accidentally knocked over a tower of scrolls labeled "DO NOT TOUCH (SERIOUSLY, LEO)."
> "How do they even know my name—?!"
He turned, flustered, still holding the whisper-related scroll, and started trying to read the opening passage upside-down for no reason other than chaotic brain energy.
That's when—
> "The Council has summoned you."
Leo screamed.
And then tripped.
And then somehow ended up inside an empty bookshelf.
From the shadows beyond the bookcases, Rayleigh emerged like a badly programmed ghost NPC — calm, serious, and somehow looking more annoyed than usual.
Leo popped up from behind a scroll basket.
> "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"
> "You were hyper-focused. I didn't want to break your concentration."
> "You broke my soul."
Rayleigh stepped forward, brushing aside a scroll that tried to latch onto his coat like a clingy toddler.
> "They've called you. It's official now."
> "Me? Why? I didn't even set anything on fire today."
> "Doesn't matter. The council wants answers. You triggered something."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "Wait. You said you weren't going to their summons. What changed?"
Rayleigh didn't answer immediately. His eyes flicked down to the scroll still glowing faintly in Leo's hand.
> "Something's happening," he said. "Bigger than language lessons. Bigger than jokes."
Leo blinked. "Is this… a serious arc?"
Rayleigh turned away. "Come. You'll find out soon enough."
Leo stared at the ceiling for a second, then whispered to himself:
> "Man, I should've just stayed a croissant."
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