The Dark Library

By Emily R. -2021

 The Dark Library

For weeks and weeks on end, Tom had tracked across the lands of the unknown in 

search of anything to assist him. Knowledge was always the key, or at least that’s what his brothers told him growing up. 

Halfway through the journey, he discovered a place simply known as the library. A place 

so full of knowledge that the smartest scholars in all of the lands could go there, and still learn a great deal. A myth is what common folk had called it, a story not to be messed with, for the library of all knowledge was guarded well. A place only unlocked by two unobtainable keys that had originally come from the library. A lost cause, most had called it. 

Still, Tom journeyed on, no matter what anyone told him. If there truly was a 

library of knowledge, he would find it. And, if there truly was a guardian of knowledge, he would feed them. Without hope, what did he have?

The keys, he’d soon learned, had been nothing but two plates of black metal inscribed in 

silver writing. Something that meant nothing to Tom, but legend had it, they were the key to the library.

 A truthful statement he would soon learn that to be as he now stood before the spot 

he’d found in the woods yesterday. After countless weeks of searching, of mapping out everything he could, asking everyone he could, Tom had finally managed to locate something. It was two, plate-sized holes in the wall of a large mountain; between it, two flat slabs of rock were pushed against each other so tightly, it could’ve been easily missed. Familiar, but faded markings were etched into the stone wall— something that Tom had seen before. 

It hit him not too long after that. The plates! Of course! Tom pulled the two plates from 

the pack at his side and examined them in the light. Silver swirls and lines shone in his eyes as he studied them, ancient words and scriptures foreign to his eyes— exactly like the markings on the wall. This had to be it. 

The plate slid into the slot with a resounding thunk, then suddenly, a small clicking noise 

began emitting from the doors. The two, stone doors emitted a sound that seemed close to static as they rubbed against each other. 

Tom was nearly buzzing with excitement as he stood before the slowly opening 

doors. A puff of dust burst from the crevice and, slowly, the doors began to pull apart. 

Tom stumbled back with a gasp as a large cauldron of small, black creatures erupted 

from the doorway with ear splitting screeches. He managed to catch himself on a nearby tree and he pressed himself close as the tiny bats whizzed by him into the night. When they had vanished from sight and Tom had caught his breath again, he pulled his backpack closer to him and peered into the cave. He brought his torch forwards and held it close to the darkness. “Hello?” 

The only response he received was the echoing of his own voice at him. 

Tom swallowed nervously, but he willed himself forwards. He’d traveled too far to 

chicken out now. So, ignoring the knowing feeling growing in his stomach, he stepped into the darkness. 

Tom welded a torch in one hand and his gleaming sword in the other. He forced 

himself  a cautious step onto the cold stone floor and sucked in a deep breath when nothing happened. A part of them hoped this so-called guardian had truly been a myth and nothing more— hoped that the keys were the only thing laying in his path. If that were true, then that must’ve meant that Tom was dreaming… but, he couldn’t be… could he? 

A large, hollowed out area stood out before him. It led off to a hall lined with vast, 

wooden shelves of books, scrolls, papers, and scribes. Ancient texts from archives not yet known to mankind. Knowledge upon knowledge as far as the eye could see. 

Tom blinked and looked again, just to be sure he saw it as if it’d suddenly appeared. 

However, he soon gasped softly and froze in the spot he stood. It was real, he thought to himself and scanned it over just to be sure. The library was real! 

Tom ventured down the large corridor  stretching down the center of the library, filled 

with newfound excitement. His footsteps echoed in the empty darkness around him, and bounced around the area like a frog. He breathed deeply, and the smell of old paper was a comfort as it brushed past his nostrils.

He turned down an aisle about halfway away from the entrance, his body nearly buzzing 

with excitement. He had no idea how to even navigate this area, but he figured anything he could get his hands on was good. He stopped near the middle and reached out for the first book he saw, just to make sure it was real. 

Tom wiped his hand across the hardcover and coughed at the dust that billowed up 

from it. After taking a moment to clear his lungs, he peered down at the book in his hand. No words were visible, but the picture of an animal-like creature grinning at him made him return to gesture briefly. 

A coyote, if Tom remembered correctly with a small smile as he slipped it into his bag. 

The trickster. 

He reached out and grabbed another book, this one was far dustier than the last. An 

ancient language was scribbled across the front; too foreign for his eyes to read. However, the unmistakable sight of a green and purple swirl was enough to send shivers down his spine. He flipped open the cover to discover more foreign writing.  

“A mortal…” 

Tom whipped around, the book now forgotten. He slammed it into his bag, then drew 

his sword at the soft chorus of voices mixed into one that whispered behind him. When he turned, however, he was met with nothing but a shelf of books. 

“In my library?” 

The voices came from his left this time, but Tom again came up empty when he 

turned. “Who are you?” He demanded. 

“Few dare enter our presence, mortal,” the voices whispered. “How have you come to 

find us today?” 

 “I… I seek knowledge!” Tom called out to the empty air. “Knowledge that my people’s 

libraries cannot provide.” 

“You seek power, Boy…” the voices growled so close to Tom’ ear, he could nearly 

feel the breath. When he turned, however, there was still nothing. “The power to rise above and destroy others…” 

“No—!” 

“That is what humans do with knowledge and power!” The voices snapped. “Humans 

quarrel with each other! They fight and they bicker senseless and constantly they are trying to find ways to make themselves stronger than each other!”

Tom swallowed, knowing full well that the voices spoke truth, though he never 

would’ve admitted it aloud. “I come seeking knowledge,” he said again, this time more confidently. “And, I will not leave without it.”

Suddenly, something slammed into Tom’ side so hard, he was knocked off his feet. 

He sailed through the air a couple of good feet before his motion was harshly put to a stop by a bookshelf. He crumpled to the ground, his body pulsing in pain, and his sword dropped from his 

fingertips. It clattered to the ground next to him, the sound of metal on stone was grating on his ears and spinning head. 

“You foolish boy!” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Tom caught the slightest flash of a dark shadow wisp 

across the wall, almost like a cloud of smoke. 

“You dare come into our home and threaten us? You dare suggest stealing from us as if 

we are nothing?” 

Tom shakily pushed himself back to his feet, his knuckles white with how tightly he 

grasped his sword. He gasped sharply as a gust of cold air blew past his shoulder from behind the bookshelf. When he turned, however, he again came up empty on sight of anything. 

“The humans who come here pay dearly,” the voice continued. “They pay very dearly 

with their lives!” 

Tom stumbled back into the nearest shelf, his breath catching in his throat at the sight 

of the ever-looming shadows that suddenly grew above him. With its eyes of ink that blended in with its smokey appearance, it peered into his very soul. “You… You…” he couldn’t find the words to finish. 

A low rumble echoed through the corridor, seeming to come from every direction. “I am 

the guardian of this library of knowledge,” the voices hissed. “My spirit forever remains tethered here to these holdings of intellect...” 

Tom pressed back into the bookshelf he used as a crutch, his hand slowly dragged 

across the shelves, searching for a weapon. Now wasn’t the time to allow fear to control him, he realized this fact quickly enough. He would never make it out of here alive if he did. 

“The humans who trespass here never usually make it this far, Mortal,” they continued. 

“We are impressed… though, your record will not be heard by another ever.” 

“Really?” Tom choked out, always one to try and diffuse things with humor. It was a 

trait that truly got him into trouble more than he was willing to admit, but calming nonetheless. “I must be pretty special then, yeah?” 

“You are among three others,” the voices continued. “Three other lucky mortals who 

managed to find me…” 

“So, you’re impressed, then?” Tom grinned up at the creature, though even he could 

feel it’s fake-ness. “I’m special, right? A clever boy?” 

“A foolish one, more like,” the voices taunted him. “You see, not many can escape my 

clutches.” 

The brave part of him longed to stay in the library to get what he’d come for, but the 

rational part of him knew he stood no chance. For ages, he’d been told to leave the spirits of the world alone. There was simply no telling what powers they could hold. “Not many?” Tom went on shakily in his continued search for a weapon to aid him. “So… it’s possible?” 

“The humans who escaped me, they’re abilities are far above those of a puny boy,” the 

voices growled. “You stand no chance.” 

Tom’ hand closed around a nearby candlestick as he nodded, trying to seem 

nonchalant. “Of course not,” he said. “I am nothing compared to you, am I?” 

“That’s—?” 

Tom snatched the candlestick up and hurled it directly at the darkness’ top. Then, 

without even waiting to see where the stick had landed, he slid around the edge of the shelf and bolted down the nearest corridor. He vaguely heard the candlestick drop to the ground behind him, though he dared not risk a glance back. The air turned chilly around him and the room shook as if the voice of the spirit was an earthquake. 

“YOU DARE RUN FROM ME, MORTAL THIEF?” The voices shouted greatly. “YOU 

WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!” 

Tom spun on his heel and darted into a row of shelves to cover, though he didn’t stop 

running. Books flew off shelves that were aimed for his head, papers blew across his path like a strong gust of wind, and the world around him seemed to dim as the darkness approached. 

He turned down another hallway, looking to head closer to the entrance, but the second 

his foot made contact with the stone in the entrance room, a hand of pure ice suddenly locked onto Tom’ arm. 

The next thing he knew, he was flying through the air once again. His back was met with 

hard oak, wood and the air was knocked clean from his lungs. He hit the ground with a thud. His sword went clattering against the stone ground in a direction he didn’t see. 

Every instinct screamed at him to move, but Tom found himself physically unable to. 

He shakily pushed himself onto one hand despite his body’s protests.  When he tried to stand again, though, Tom was knocked back again and, this time, his head met stone with a sickening crack. 

The world spun around him like a disc as his vision exploded into a mesh of colors and 

shapes.  Above him, loomed the unmistakable figure of the darkness he’d tried so hard to escape from. 

“You are but a mere, weak mortal…” the voices whispered down to him, somehow both 

comforting and terrifying at the same time. “Now you can never escape…” 

Tom was pressed back into the floor now, with wide eyes staring up at the darkness 

as it threatened to crush him. He felt as if the world was closing in around him, turning to ice and stealing any breath from his lungs. 

“A fool like you will not deceive us!” The voices chanted. “How dare you attempt to lie 

and escape? On this stone, you will breathe your last breath, and your soul will be trapped here for all of eternity!”  

There was a growing pressure on Tom’ chest as if a weight were resting on it. A 

frigid feeling was seeping in between his ribs, creating a crescendo of pain as the life was sucked out of him. “No—!” 

“A thief and a beggar, just as the rest of them!” The voices were screaming in his head 

now as if they’d crawled into his ears and infected his brain. “Doomed to meet his demise in their presence! Who’s body shall serve as a warning to all who think they are brave enough to attempt to steal…” 

“Please…!” Tom choked out despite his fading breath. He struggled as the edges of 

his vision began to fuzz and darken, but he forced himself to speak. “You... need…. me!” 

Just before Tom’ breath ran out completely, the pressure on him suddenly let up 

slightly, he was left only to breathe through a straw as the spirit regarded him with interest. 

“And, why would we need you?” They asked, a noise vibrated through the room from the 

monsters, a low and grating, but amused, sound that could only be a laugh. 

Tom moved his lips to speak, but no air brushed past. Instead, he pointed to his throat 

desperately the very first chance he got. The pressure loosened considerably and Tom gasped in the biggest breath he could manage. His body was quick to shudder and spasm as it tried to replenish the much needed oxygen. 

“Speak!” The voices boomed. 

Tom flinched. He brought a hand to his throat to try as he coughed to try and calm the 

burning sensation that had grown there. “Hold on…” he rasped. “Give me a—!” 

“You speak now, Boy!” The voices commanded. “You speak now or die!” 

Tom nodded, not feeling it was his place to argue at this very moment if he ever 

wanted to breathe again. “You need me…” he repeated and swallowed sharply. “You need me because I… can leave this place.” 

The dark tendrils reached out again, but Tom desperately shot out a hand to stop 

them. 

“Wait, wait!” He gasped. “That’s not what I meant!” 

“Speak!” The voices groaned. “You stall too much!” 

“I-I only mean… I can leave this place, you can’t! There’s no way you could possibly get 

back the ones who escaped from you because you can’t leave, right?” Tom pointed to himself quickly, desperately. “I can help you get them back! I’ll bring them to you and, in return, I get freedom!” 

The darkness stared down at him, it’s lifeless pools of black eyes bore into his very soul, 

it searched every square inch of him as if trying to find something to prove he was lying.

“You want them back, don’t you?” Tom continued. “To punish them for betraying you?”

 “You make a familiar bargain, Mortal,” the spirits whispered. “Just as the one who stole 

my knowledge and used it to aid in their escape? That stole my power and my tools, the tools that could break reality?” 

“No, I—!” 

“The ones who I changed and gave the gift of power, only for them to use it against me?” 

“No—!“ 

“Or how about the ones who I’ve trained their entire lives only for them to turn their 

backs on me the second they get? The ones who used my own knowledge against me? Who fought me in a great battle with their bare hands, then, too escaped?” 

“Now, I think we both know I’m not the greatest fighter,” Tom jumped in with a small, 

nervous chuckle. “Otherwise, I definitely would have beaten you fair and square—!” 

“SILENCE!” 

Tom snapped his mouth shut obediently. 

“You, Mortal Boy, you are no different,” the voices chided him. “You are a foul and greedy 

thief, just as the rest of them. You claim to be able to escape while I cannot, though that is simply not true. I can escape, just not in the way you think. I am not physical, you see, I can only be transferred like an infectious disease.” 

“Then, come with me,” Tom said and desperately held up his hands in surrender. His 

chance was coming soon, it had to be. “Infect the land, for all I care, take back your traitor prisoners, just leave me and everyone else out of it.” 

Another low chuckle emitted from the smoky darkness and reverberated around the area 

like a beam of light on a mirror. The darkness pinning Tom to the 

ground suddenly released its hold on him and, as quickly as he could, Tom sprang to his feet. He held his hands out to the creature that towered above him like a great pine, a sign of peace. 

“Very well…” the voices said. “Though, for me to leave this place, I will need a vessel. 

Something that may be connected to everyone.” 

“Of course!” Tom scoffed. “No, of course! A vessel!” A bead of sweat dripped down 

the side of his temple and he shook his head quickly to clear it, hoping the beast didn’t notice. “Remind me again, what kind of vessel?” 

“Anything with energy, anything with spirit, attachment...” the darkness somehow 

managed to scan him. Rather, Tom felt it more than saw it as they did so.  “A human will suffice, don’t you think?” 

“Hah!” Tom forced and laughed and cast a quick glance around the beast, trying to 

locate the exit. If he could just make it there. “That’s a good one!” 

“That is no joke…” 

“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Tom sighed. He placed his hands on his hips as he leaned 

back. How was he supposed to get through the beast without being possessed? He would have to get as close to the entrance beforehand… and, he also would have to leave without his sword: it was a lost cause now. “Now, listen, Spirits, I actually like the side you’re standing on better than this one, it would make me more susceptible if I were standing over there. You know, make it go faster?” 

“The process is not fast,” the spirits said. “It is very, very slow.” 

“Well, the side you’re standing on will make me feel better about it!” Tom shot back. 

“Do you want my body or not?” A shiver shot down his spine when the creature shot him another look. 

“How do I know that you do not lie?” 

“I don’t think I’ve asked for much,” Tom said. “All I’ve asked you to do is switch sides 

with me. I like it better over there and it would definitely help me… Erm… open myself up to you.” 

The spirits eyed him wearily, but when Tom began slowly inching his way to the side, 

the tendrils of darkness did not reach out to stop him. “Very well…” if spirits could even sound 

annoyed, these ones were becoming frustrated. “You may take this side…” 

“T-Thank you…” Tom stuttered out, the word felt foreign on his tongue. “For your 

kindness and generosity—!” 

“I have no time for this!” 

“Okay, okay!” Tom stumbled back away from the spirit momentarily, his hands raised 

in the sky non-threateningly. “I’m sorry. Before we start, though, I have to ask questions to make sure I’m comfortable.” 

“Comfortable? The process will be anything but.” 

“I want to be before it starts, you idiot! Is that so much to ask?” Tom demanded. “I 

give up my temple of a body for your wispy self and you have the audacity to put conditions on me?” 

The air around him turned ice cold and sent goosebumps erupting across every square 

inch of his skin. The spirits said nothing in response. 

“So… what?” Tom swallowed and cleared his throat when his voice caught. “What do 

you need? Like-Like a running start, yeah?” A shiver shot down his spine when the darkness seemed to grow around him, sniffing nearly every light in the room. “Because, I can provide that…” 

“No…” the voices whispered. 

Tom swallowed and stepped back. “No?” He asked. “Are you sure? I would feel more 

comfortable—!” 

“Enough games!” 

Tom nodded curtly. “Right…” he sucked in a deep breath and glanced back over his 

shoulder. If he could just make it out the doors and shut them behind him, he would be free. “Does… Does it hurt?” 

“Briefly,” the spirits said. “Very briefly. Like falling asleep and letting the darkness 

consume you…” 

“Well, I’ll be honest, that’s still more pain than I’m willing to bargain with,” Tom said, 

he continued backing up further as quickly as he dared to move. “I mean, of course I’m all down… just a very threatening thought…” 

“You will not remember a thing,” the spirits said. “You will be asleep.” 

“For how long?”

“Eternity, if I must. Until every last traitorous scum is dead.”  

Tom’ heart dropped cold in his stomach and he nearly stumbled over his own two 

feet in shock. “Ah!” His voice trembled like the string of an instrument and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “So death, then, yeah? Generally that means death.” 

“Death is the release of all life and soul from a body,” the spirits said. “When the body 

drops, that’s when death is prolonged.” 

“Well, you know, I’d argue—!” 

“Do I sense hesitance, mortal?” 

“No!” The light around Tom seemed to dim even further, as if the life itself was being 

sucked away. He was running out of time to make a move. “No, of course not! It’s a great deal we have here, yeah?” 

“So then, you are ready?” 

Tom shook his head. He finally reached the opposite end of where he’d once been 

standing, then held up his hands to the spirit to show he was harmless for now. “No,” he said. “Listen, this is a big deal for me, you know? I need time to… Erm… hype myself up…!” 

“And, what exactly will make this go faster?” The spirits demanded. “I don’t have all 

day…” 

“What if we both close our eyes?” Tom suggested. “That way, I won’t see it coming.” 

“We have no eyes to close,” the spirits said. “We are not one, we are many. A collective.” 

“Well, then close all your eyes!” Tom scoffed. 

“Why?” 

“You want me to cooperate?” Tom demanded. “Because let me tell you, if I have to, I 

will get on this floor and I will kick and scream like a toddler. Now, all of us closing our eyes will make all of our lives easier, won’t it?” 

“No—!” 

“My body, my conditions!” Tom snapped and crossed his arms protectively over his 

chest. “Follow my conditions and I just might let you have it.” When the spirits were still silent, he continued. “What? Think you can’t do it with your eyes closed? I can do so much with my eyes closed, because that’s just shows how great I am, yeah? You using 100 pairs of eyes like that Greek myth…? It just shows that you need that many souls to survive.”

“Dare you insult me?” 

“Me?” Tom shook his head quickly. “No! Not me! Just imagine what everyone would 

say if they found out you can’t close your eyes to… possess someone. It would make you look like a fool since it must be such an easy task!” 

“Closing my eyes wouldn’t allow me to see the world anymore…” 

“That’s the point,” Tom tried for a smile, but even he could feel it was forced. “Don’t 

worry, my eyes will be closed as well! So, I won’t be going anywhere.” 

The spirits growled once again, but they fell still. Tom felt as the gaze locked on him 

left, though he couldn’t be all the way sure that all the gazes were as well. 

“Are all of your eyes closed?” He questioned and took another nervous step back. He 

prepared himself to run as if his life depended on it because it did. 

“Yes.” 

The second the confirmation met his ears, Tom turned tail and bolted. He ran faster 

than he’d ever run before, powered by the fuel of adrenaline and fear alone. 

A loud screech of anger roared behind him, closely followed by a quick gust of air, but 

Tom paid it no mind. He had to escape. 

The darkness was growing around him, encasing him like a bottle, but he didn’t give up, 

not even when the air turned so frigid, he could see his breath. 

Keep going! His own internal voices encouraged him in his head. Run! Escape! 

“You will never escape!” The spirits behind him contradicted his thoughts. “I will make 

sure of it! Your soul will rest with the rest of the failed attempts who reside here and your body will be mine! If you want knowledge, knowledge you will get because you will not escape!” 

The door was a few feet in front of Tom now, but the dark winter behind him seemed 

to be closer. He could feel the hairs standing up on the skin of his neck as the freezing air bit into it. A feeling ghosted over his shoulder like a dark, invisible hand. 

Pain greater than Tom had ever felt before erupted across his body and, in a last 

ditch attempt, he threw himself forwards towards the door when his body gave out. He skidded on the stone and felt every scrape and bruise. 

The rough cement scraped his skin, but it was better than the bone-chilling darkness that 

awaited him on the other side. He felt blood drip from nearly every scratch on his body, it's feeling like a burning liquid against the cold. 

Tom’ tumble was stopped abruptly by the feeling of his back, once again, hitting 

something rough and sturdy. Again, the breath was knocked from his lungs and Tom curled into a ball to try and subside the pain that grew there. 

Every scratch he’d taken from his fall ached, but after a moment, Tom realized that he 

didn’t feel the darkness’ icy clutches. He opened his eyes with a short gasp, only to find himself staring at a pile of leaves and muck, his nose inches from the stone floors inside the library. Separated by the thinnest line that marked the entrance, the darkness waited on the other side, bristling. 

Tom yelped unwillingly and scrambled back on the leaves away from the cave and 

the spirits. He pressed his back against the oak trunk to try and catch his breath and prevent himself from passing out. Inside the library, the spirit hadn’t moved, though it quivered with anger. 

“A great mistake you have made, Tom Goldstone,” they said, their voices were low 

and cold, like the dead of winter. It seemed to come from all around Tom, as if the trees and animals had lips as well. “A horrible choice that you will soon come to regret.” 

“You can’t get me,” Tom realized breathlessly. “You have no way to get to me 

anymore.” 

The air grew colder still and a growl echoed through the wood, a great sign for him to 

stop talking while he was ahead. However, Tom was never one to listen and, as he slowly stood up again, he continued. 

“You… You cannot leave the library,” he realized with a jolt. “It always has to be 

protected, doesn’t it…?” 

“I will grind your bones into dust.” 

Tom at last found enough humor in that to laugh, though it was more of an action to 

try and calm himself down. He spread his arms wide, taunting. “Come and get me,” he taunted, grinning widely with blood-stained teeth. “I’d like to see you try.” 

The spirits’ invisible gaze somehow darkened even more as they stared him down. 

However, Tom tried not to look. Instead, he kept his eyes located on the key-plates he’d worked so hard for to get into a library. No matter now, he supposed. He ripped the first one clean from it’s hold there and a wave of dizziness was quick to shoot through him. He heard something in the wall click and sputter and, when he reached and yanked out the other plate, the sounds of machinery grew louder. 

The dark spirit had since disappeared from the entrance, most likely having given up on 

trying to catch Tom. 

Nonetheless, the boy kept his eyes locked on the interior of the library as the doors 

slowly shut and the ancient tavern was once again sealed in darkness.