A Trip to Firerock ~Sylvan~

Shelves filled with hundreds, maybe thousands, of thick books, many of which appeared to be hand-bound originals, lined the walls from floor to ceiling while the center of the room was dominated by several large tables made of a rich, dark wood. A few of the seats were occupied by students hunched over, absorbed in their studies. The room itself smelled of old bindings and paper, a scent Sylvan loved. She walked along the shelves, passing the time while she waited to be seen by the headmaster by perusing the vast library. The collection here dwarfed even her own collection of rare tomes, stoking her scholarly desire for knowledge. There were books she'd only heard of sitting openly on the library shelves, free for anyone to read at their leisure.

The sorceress was so enthralled by the selection that she didn't notice the man trying to get her attention at first. "M'lady?" he raised his voice slightly, startling Sylvan slightly but successfully breaking her focus.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she bowed apologetically then gestured to the packed shelves, a sheepish smile on her lips. "This is just such an amazing collection, I got a little lost."

The man chuckled. "Understandable. Nearly everyone feels that way when they first see the library. The headmaster is ready for you now and has asked me to escort you to his office. If you'll follow me, I can take you there now."

Sylvan followed the young man, engaging in pleasant small talk as they made their way through the corridors, the glossy black volcanic rock walls reflecting the warm light of the regularly spaced light crystals.  Soon they arrived at the headmaster's office, a large, well-appointed chamber dominated by a massive desk of carved mahogany with near stacks of papers and books on its glossy surface. The headmaster, an old but spry Fire Elf with long, elegantly curved horns, stood and greeted his guest, gesturing for her to sit in one of the chairs across from him.

After a time spent exchanging pleasantries, the conversation moved to the reason for Sylvan's visit. He had found and  commissioned a copy of the book in question, personally verifying that it had been faithfully reproduced down to the misspellings and scribblings in the margins. Sylvan thanked him and gave him a small pouch of gold to cover the costs of the copy and for his time in locating the book. Their business concluded, the headmaster summoned his assistant to escort her out to ensure she didn't get lost in the maze of unfamiliar corridors.

As Sylvan walked down the street that led from the Academy to the bazaar, she carefully tucked the book into her pack; she was excited to get home and start reading. This tome could be the key to her current research, the key to helping an untold number of people avoid a fate worse than death.