Kin of Hearts: Azure Blood

By Viktor Vasilev

A group of red dragons flies over the public eye and throws the world in chaos. A new building is built to gather and train people from all over the world to fight against this unexplainable phenomena.

Damon Star is a student at that academy, pursuing his own goals. He is given the opportunity to go out on a mission with a small group of people to track down clues for the unknown dragon invaders.

The youngster gets lost in the wilderness, physically and mentally, but finds things far more valuable than anything he could have imagined. Nature starts to bloom its wondrous secrets, unraveling new friends, new creatures, new opportunities and ambitions.

However, darkness slowly envelops the very place he studies, and starts plotting unfathomable plans. Bloodthirsty enemies, later known as sentrakhi, appear out of thin air to slice over all one could consider precious. Damon is forced to face their leader, which completely breaks his world. But one must die, in a sense, so he can be reborn and rediscover his own heart and kin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Viktor Velven
• Release date: Mar 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9786199165720

Book preview

Azure Blood

Viktor Velven

Contents

Title Page

I. FIRST AND SECOND TOWER

II. THIRD TOWER

III. DREAM TECHNICIANS

IV. DRAGON RIDER

V. HIDDEN VILLAGE

VI. RISE OF THE UNDEAD

VII. THE SEER’S TEMPLE

VIII. SHADOW

IX. THE MISTRESS OF THE NIGHT

X. CORRUPTION

XI. OGIDNI

XII. THE TOURNAMENT

XIII. LIGHT AND DARKNESS

XIV. THE STRONGEST

XV. A BOY WITHOUT SHADOW

XVI. DANCE OF THE UNDEAD

XVII. THE FINAL

XVIII. THE AZURE WIND

XIX. AWAKENING

XX. BLOOD OF THE AZURE WIND

XXI. LORDS

XXII. WOUNDS

XXIII. THE LAST CRIMINAL

EPILOGUE: MY NAME

About The Author

I. FIRST AND SECOND TOWER

With the price of endless tears and bloodshed, I have found out that the power of the primeval darkness lies in dividing.

(The diary of king Angapour.

First age of Light.)

It was the autumn of the year two thousand and eleven. The dawn of an era in which humanity had recovered from a terrible war. New beginnings were on the rise. The world had been freed of conflicts and begun walking on the path of peace. However, those were also times of an unknown threat that had leaned over people’s heads.

A group of giant red dragons had risen in the blue skies, causing immense panic and horror within the already tormented humanity. After their appearance, it is believed that the winged beasts had crossed most of the continent of Lamvria. Then, without a trace, disappeared. Fear, however, could not leave people’s hearts. Luckily, a hero and savior named Clyde Vowblack had taken serious measures against that problem.

People built a large and majestic construction near the mountains from which they thought the monsters have appeared. People from all over the world could come to learn about defending and surviving an encounter with the fire-breathing threat. The building was made from dark gray concrete without unnecessary decorations and ornaments. It gave off the feeling of durability and stability. The whole architecture resembled a ring of eight primary districts with closed corridors with a giant courtyard in the center. All parts stood high and proud, bearing the name towers. Each tower served an important role. The center yard, for example, was used for physical training and practice mainly. All students, from newbies to the most experienced ones, used it for that purpose.

They roughly divided the studies into theory and practices. The first tower was the academy’s entrance — the place where the newcomers would go at the beginning of their special education. People from everywhere came and signed for various reasons. There we no limitations such as age, gender, race or ancestry, thus everyone was treated equally a human being. The volunteers weren’t that many. Few kept hope for the bright future of the world. Besides, who would have the bravery of facing a fierce, fire-breathing creature?

Most newcomers were previously criminals who had given up thievery because of tight securities. Others were light in their lives, future perspectives, or were outcasts and homeless people searching for a roof over their head. Occasionally, people went for the thrill, adventure, and glory. People were mad at those types.

* * *

Damon Star, a twenty-one-year-old young man, was lying comfortably in his simple wooden bed in his small room. He still had not got used to his new home. It was night hour, so all lights were off while he was thoughtfully watching the risen moon through his small wooden-framed window. Few weeks had passed since his arrival and still he did not have a single clue about the two individuals he was desperately looking for.

He didn't befriend many people here. The only fellow he had was a ginger-colored cat he stumbled upon through his wandering. It kept him company until he reached the academy, then the little animal turned and ran away. He called it Kin and sincerely hope to see him again someday.

Did I make the right decision by coming here? No matter how much he asked himself, he couldn’t find an answer.

The students were of the people without light in his life. An orphan, raised by a foster family that was one day cruelly murdered by two cold-blooded criminals. Despising orphanages, he fled on a trip in search of the reason for his existence. In this context, he meant finding those murderers and avenging his dead foster parents. After endless wandering, tired and hungry, he stumbled upon the academy and thought that he might find some clue regarding his desired vengeance. Most of the teachers there were previous military men, or so he heard, and the murder of his parents happened during the global war. This was his only chance for some clue about the case. Sadly, there was no access to their tower, because the tunnel connecting all towers was locked with a hard thick steel doors. The way to reach the teachers was to start his education and climb his way up to the upper towers, where the more advanced students lived. Only they could reach the next tower of the senior teachers. One way for such an encounter was the occasional passing of the veterans through the first tower, and that happened just once.

On the second day of his arrival, four teachers had passed to have a glimpse of the newcomers. They had extremely serious expressions on their faces and their voices suited that carriage of theirs. Only two of them spoke, and that which they said were their names and the subjects that they teach. The other two just observed silently, without uttering a word. Their presence emitted absolute owe, and that gave him shivers.

Sadly, the past still haunted him. Instead, it held him tight by the throat with its deadly grip as nightmares that came every night. He thought he would get used to them, but the horror they caused him was like a sharp thorn piercing him daily.

The student let out a sigh: I don’t feel sleepy. Not the slightest bit. He tried to focus his thoughts in another direction.

Dragons. Do they really exist? Damon did not know the answer for sure, since few were the witnesses to those winged beasts, and he was not one of them. He was considerable enough to know that there is more to the world than meets the eye, but the human mind always needed a proof to feel secure in the things it believed. He did not accept, nor rejected to possibility of those creatures’ existence.

His worries swirled wildly like a storm in his head and did not let him fall asleep.

Magic. Is there anything of such a sort? If there are dragons, then what is out there beyond our grasp?

He was just in the beginning of finding that out.

* * *

Anna Stephenson, a twenty-year-old student of the anti-dragon academy, was sitting peacefully in her room. She was curiously listing through the pages of an old encyclopedia. It was full of theories and speculations about the winged monsters — the sole reason they built this structure.

A year had already passed since she started her education here, but still she could not get used to those rough walls, the small window, and the spacious rooms. I suppose they had little a choice since this was an urgent situation, but through the course of an entire year, they could have helped students feel more comfortable. Well, at least the food is not that bad.

The girl came from a wealthy luxurious family, but they did not spoil her as her pretentious acquaintances — so-called friends. Her passion for the paranormal and mysterious overshadowed the typical stereotype for the rick personalities. It was a great joy for her to get away from her boring surroundings and join the academy.

Her parents were so busy with their important obligations that they could not pay any attention to their own child. The only thing left for her was to follow her dream to uncover mysteries, which was the final factor for her final decision to sign here.

She had plenty of suitors since she was more than attractive to the boys with her beautiful blue-green eyes and gorgeous blonde hair, but relationships were not in her interest for the moment. Her biggest wish was to learn more about the preparation for retaliation against the dragons. The best thing was that she now had to opportunity to experience all that first hand. Even though she feared those mythical beings, a sense of duty burned within her. A duty to be of help to the world.

She had heard that her grandfather Stephen was a veteran on the battlefield during the global war and she never stopped admiring that relative of hers, even though she has never seen him in her life.

The maiden’s best choice was to join the fight indirectly, or with knowledge and tactical abilities rather than physical confrontation. After all, no man could stand face to face with an actual dragon, not to mention defeat him. Therefore, she had diligently focused on her studies and books and the third tower was her favorite place in the academy.

The place was a large, breathtaking, refined library. Even though it had a lot of dark corners and scarce light, she was brave enough to go there to enjoy the rich abundance of readings. They even let her take a book or two to read in her room that she, or course, returned after finishing. Such was the case at the very moment.

An insisting knocking on the door scared the student, and she lost concentration on her reading titled Scientific theories and hypothesis of the dragon kind with an unknown author.

— Night hour — mumbled the teacher on duty from outside. — Turn off the lights.

Anna did not like the dark and she avoided all dark places, so she reluctantly got up and switched off her light. Since a small child, she was home alone and used to sleep with lights on. She had classes tomorrow, but she did not feel sleepy at all, so she had an idea. She got up and opened her window, placed the book on the ledge. The moon vaguely lit up the reading and the student, although difficultly, continued her research.

So many kinds. Amazing!

Among the dragon types, there was water — legless and wingless, eastern — four legged and wingless, two legged and feathered, instead of scaly, arctic, ice; light-colored, four legged with large wings, green — four legged and not so large, but fire-breathing, red — giant, winged, fire-breathing, deadly.

According to witnesses, those who had flown over the cities of eastern Lamvria had blood-red coloring. The book says that those exactly are the most ferocious and mighty ones known to humankind. They reach over twenty feet and can incinerate any living being standing in their way.

Something suddenly covered the pale moonlight and darkened the already scarcely visible book before her. Anna looked up in puzzling confusion and blinked. What’s happening? A cloud? Shadow?

Whatever it was, the student decided it was a sign that she should go to bed already. The stifling feeling that something horrible was about to happen kept her awake for a while, but eventually, sleep took over.

* * *

Chezzar Gadjev, nineteen-year-old student with short dark hair and brown troublemaker eyes. Also known as the worthless boy by his friends and family, he walked tirelessly in circles across his room at the first tower. The rebellious feeling of disobedience stormed in his head and he was just wondering what kind of mess to get into. Being the black sheep of the family, he was the youngest of four children and the first suspect for every mischief that happened. The right suspect, usually.

Although deep inside, he wished not to harm anyone; it was in his nature to get into everyone’s nerve. So much that one day his parents sent him to a place where he could freely go crazy, but away from them. The best place, of course, was the anti-dragon academy.

He did not mind it at all, since he longed for thrills and adventures in his life.

It was his second month here, but instead of adventures, he only got long and boring classes of creatures he did not even believe in.

Boring, boring, boring. I wish to see such beasts, but I’m not sure if they actually exist.

This room drives me crazy.

He suddenly came up with an interesting idea, which made his lips curve into a devilish smile. He opened the window, protruded his head and had a careful look around. There was nobody in the dark. He sneaked through the window, which was on the second floor of the tower, and hanged. After a brief consideration, he let go and dumped himself like a bag of potatoes in some bushes. He let out a groan from the hit, but it was nothing. He had jumped from higher places and had experience with it. Time for a walk.

It was fortunate to have some bushes right under the window. Otherwise, his fall would have been much more painful in the stone alleys. With an enormous grin on his face, Chezzar threaded hastily across the dark paths around the academy. He stumbled on every few steps since the light was scarce and only the pale moon threw vague gleams of light at this late hour. This could not stop him at all. He had little to do out there, but the thought of doing something forbidden urged him to keep going.

I’ll be a total mess tomorrow morning for the classes, — he thought for a moment. — Shoo, who cares? — and continued ahead.

The academy’s borders had marks thick stone fencing, about three meters tall, and the entrance was locked and strictly guarded. Chezzar sneaked through the dark corners without being noticed by the guards, swiftly climbed up, jumped from the concrete wall and landed on the other side.

Is this a school or a prison? — he thought. The similarities were disturbing.

Ahead unveiled an unfamiliar forest, and the student pondered about checking it up more closely.

The answer was obvious.

He advanced within the woods as the moonlight lit his way even more scarcely, since the wide-leaf trees had spread their crooked branches like umbrellas. He was not afraid of the dark. After some wandering, he heard a noise coming from some nearby bushes behind him and he suddenly questioned his bravery. He froze still and asked with a shiver in his voice.

— Who’s there?

No answer. Instead, something rubbed in his leg. Chezzar jumped and squealed in fright.

It turned out to be a cat. The student took it in his hands and took a good look at it, then laughed.

— Hey, little guy, you scared the hell out of me!

The cat’s answer composed of an unpredictable gaze and a meow. After petting it, the student put it on the ground. The animal ran and hid into the night. It was orange-colored with white stripes. Could be a special sort of breed. I wonder if it’s someone’s cat. It doesn’t look like a stray. Chezzar shrugged, then decided that he had enough walking and it was time to turn back.

After a brief wandering, stumbling and risk of getting lost, he found the way back to the academy’s borders. He threaded slowly and carefully like a thief with the sincere hope of not getting caught by anyone. The student climbed and jumped over the fence-wall again. He reached the bushes under his window and thought. This was higher than the fence, but he was a skillful climber. There was not a single tree that could stand up to him. As a kid, he climbed them all, swiftly, like a monkey.

This concrete is rough and uneven. It shouldn’t be a problem. He stepped on the wall in a mountain climber’s pose, placed his hands in the most convenient spots, and started carefully climbing up. However, after a few steps, the pale moonlight disappeared, forcing him to look up and see what was going on. Something enormous had covered to moon crescent and quickly hid into the night. Chezzar gasped, lost concentration and fell down on his back. His breath stopped, but not just from the fall. His pupils had expanded, looking at the moon. What the hell was that?

A few moments later, he got a hold of himself and stood up. An icy wind blew.

The student stood and started quickly climbing in panic like a master alpinist on the building and sneaked through his opened window. He closed it, as well as the curtains, and rushed onto his bed, covering his head with the blanket. I’m not that afraid of the dark, but when suddenly everything goes dark, that’s another story.

His sleep would definitely take some time.

* * *

Jonatan Grail, previous soldier, and current junior teacher in the anti-dragon academy, was getting ready in his room at the fourth tower. He was about to have classes at the second tower soon, so he put on his green uniform coat on. The emblem of the academy shone on his shoulder — a dragon head pierced with two crossed swords. He prepared his tools and went out, began his walk in the corridors.

Today, people in the class were about to be mixed between novice and senior students, since the subject was of great importance. It will include security measures and techniques in a case of an eventual confrontation with a dragon.

Since the way from fourth to second tower passed through the third, the smell of books which reigned in this place fondled the teacher’s senses. They were all ordered within pristine and artfully crafted shelves. He did not think of himself as a passionate reader, but he deeply respected the books and their environment gave off a pleasant sense of comfort. He saw in the distance the librarian lady in charge and kindly waved at her. She responded with a nod and a charming smile.

The students in the corridor paid him great respect. Everyone nodded and greeted him, in which he responded with a wave. Even one of the senior teachers passed and nodded his head respectfully. His name was Azmil, as he recalled correctly. Maybe his two years of teaching here made him raise in other people’s eyes.

He reached the room’s door in which he was about to give lessons, then stopped. Voices came from inside:

— Did you hear that there’s a bloodthirsty killer that they locked somewhere on a distant lone island? — someone narrated excitedly. — He was so fierce and merciless that they needed an entire legion of soldiers to restrain him. They feared him so much that they mummified him so he could not move, since every stirring of his body could cause instant death. This was the one last criminal case since the global war. This was the Last criminal.

Excited and amazed voices exclaimed with interest at the story. There was always some sort of news that grew onto the lips of everyone and they loved chewing on it until it gets old and replaced by another more interesting one. He was not sure if that last criminal exist but the story sounded fishy. If such a person existed, Jonatan would have heard something about him from other fellow soldiers, since he himself took part in the global war.

He ignored the thoughts of his past, opened the door, and entered the room. It was spacious, with more windows than other dark corners of the academy. The glass comprised over sixty people, most of which were in their twenties, but there were also older ones sitting in the back rows. Some were quiet, while others were gossiping about the story of the criminal. And some were not even fully awake, yawning sleepily. Two young boys and a girl in the front rows.

His entrance caused all talk to stop at once, followed by a respectful silence. The teacher put his briefcase on the desk and opened it.

— Hello and good morning, everyone — he voiced the room. — My name is Jonatan Grail and today my task is to introduce you with a few important lessons. They concern the security measures and survival techniques under eventual confrontation with a dragon.

Some students were still novice and did not know who he was, so an introduction was a good idea.

Vague whispers followed. Nothing special.

— Before I continue, I would like to ask: Does anyone know where the weak spot of a dragon is? — he asked and pointed with a stick two feet away. There, on the floor, stood an amazingly crafted wax dragon figure. It was green and almost human size.

A brief silence, after which one blonde and charming girl from the first rows raised nervously her hand. She was among the three sleepiest youngsters in the room.

— Yes? — Jonatan urged her. — State your proposal.

— Their belly — replied the shy girl, seemingly uneasy from the large number of people here.

— That is exactly right — the teacher smiled. — It seems someone spends time in the library. What is your name, young lady? — he added with a proud tone.

— Anna. Stephenson.

— Two points for Blondeland! — someone shouted from the back rows.

Few of the senior students giggled as well as one of the novice ones. He did not know his name, but he was among the other two sleepers. He sat only a few seats away from the blonde girl and often threw looks at her. The person who called out with his silly joke was well-known to Jonatan with his bully nature, since it was not the first time for him to cause problems. The student who answered his question stood uncomfortably in her seat, as if she felt guilty for answering.

For some decades, the number of people with natural blond hair had drastically shrunk to where seeing one was rare. Here, it was a target for bullying, which Jonatan could not comprehend, nor allow.

— Since you are so clever, dear Jason, why not tell me this: What kind of weapon would be most useful in a fight with a winged, scaly monster?

The student nearly choked on that question and started nervously sweating in search of an answer.

— Well, I... I mean... — he stuttered.

— Just as I thought. Thank you for your brilliant answer, Anna. Let us all take that for an example and read more books, because they are helpful, right?

Jason shrank guiltily in his seat and did not utter a word anymore. The teacher saw Anna’s lips curving into a slight smile and her confidence raised. You should not let the young one stress. The world is stressful enough to live in and those who ask for trouble should be put in their place.

Jonatan noticed another young student from the front row raising a hand. The third of the sleepyheads that cough his eye.

— Yes. Speak, youngster — said Jonatan.

— Short weapons would be a dangerous choice against such beasts, since it would use its wings or tail to counter us — spoke the student. — They are too long for a human to use an ordinary weapon against. The longer the weapon is, the more chance for survival. A spear or a halberd would be a better choice. A bow or a crossbow, too, if strong enough to pierce their hard scales, of course.

The question’s comprehensive answer he asked, only to silence Jason, left Jonatan speechless. This student was surely more than meets the eye. He had the looks of an ordinary kid with mid-length dark messy hair and talk like a tactician and fighter.

— That answer is more than enough — the teacher praised him. — What is your name, young man?

— Damon Star.

— Smart ass! — someone spoke from the back rows.

The student looked back, after which a small ball of paper hit him on the head. Jonatan saw how Damon did not react to that provocation. He just ignored the shallow joke and turned back his head. Good tactic.

— The all-knowing one that speaks so much will receive double his homework, — the teacher stated with a humorous note. A quiet murmur of displease by the back rows followed.

— Are your parents in the military, Damon? — asked Jonatan.

— No, I have no parents.

Everyone in the room grew completely silent and stared at Damon, including the teacher. No one expected such a response. Although many children lost their parents in the war, it was rare for someone to admit such sort of revelation.

Most here hid their identities, since they were hardly proud of them. Poor students usually lacked meaning in life except the primitive instinct for survival. They despised fate from the bottom of their souls because they thought it put them in that box of tragedies. The rich came from noble families but were far from perfect. Something bad definitely occurred in their life to put them here.

With these words, that student stated he had no guardians, no kin, and no blood-relatives that could stand up for him in case of an emergency. Very bold man. The line between bravery and stupidity is very thin, young man. I hope that doesn’t bring you trouble.

— I’m sorry — Jonatan sincerely apologized. — I proposed that someone has taught you.

— Everything I know, I’ve learned myself.

Someone in the room made a loud exclamation.

— Let his answer about the weapons be a role model for you all — said Jonatan to the class.

A few back row students whispered something, but Jonatan ignored them.

— So, let’s go back to the topic, — he said and pointed at the wax figure with his stick. — The belly is a dragon’s weakest spot, so in an eventual confrontation, that should be your primary target.

All students nodded in understanding.

— We assume that there is a great variety of dragons, but from the data, those we are dealing with would be typical large, hard-scaled, winged and fire-breathing. A classic type — the teacher continued. — Currently, equipment capable of enduring very high temperatures is being built, as well as weapons with considered range. As Damon suggested, arrows are a good choice, but for the moment, no arrows can guarantee a fatal hit on such creatures. Regardless, without the proper knowledge and best equipment, you will not survive against a foe you know little about.

A student — the one who whistled in response to Damon’s earlier words — raised a hand. He was just a few seats away from the blonde girl. Likewise, the only one who laughed at the stupid jokes from behind. It was surprising that he wanted to join the conversation.

— Yes?

— Well, you see... — the student murmured nervously. — You speak of old weapons. Where did all the firearms go? Pistols, guns and so on? We live in a modern world, aren’t we? Why are the old ones the only choice?

— All modern weapons were confiscated and destroyed at the end of the global war to prevent future war and conflicts — calmly answered the teacher. — For good or bad. No one expected a common enemy which humankind would have to face against. Most people know that very well. You don’t seem to follow up with the news.

— I understand, — replied the student. — Thank you for clearing that up for me.

— No problem. It’s my job — said Jonatan. — he smiled and approached him.

— Here, take this. — the teacher reached out the pocket in his jacked and took out a yellow rectangular card. — This card is special. It will grant you access to the deepest rafts in the library at the third tower. The books there will inform you of many things happening in the world. Such are the minds of prominent writers.

— I… um… thank you.

Jonatan saw how Anna looked at the card with thirst in her eyes. This girl seems to like books.

He came up with an interesting idea. Since the cards are few, and he wanted to see his students more cohesive, he asked.

— What is your name?

— Chezzar — answered the student.

— There is just one simple condition for using this card. You need to share it with somebody, or you must come with a companion — Jonatan whispered in his ear.

— Strange requirement, don’t you think? — the student doubted.

— Let us not question my rectitude now, shall we? — the teacher replied with an innocent and distracted-looking face.

On the inside, he found that mess he embroiled amusing, but in the name of his image and reputation, he could not afford to show it on the outside.

— Alright then. I suppose it won’t hurt to go check it out — hauled Chezzar.

Jonatan stepped back, contended, and continued with his lesson.

— As you can all see, this model over here is not of extreme size, but in reality, dragons may reach unimaginable size. Over twenty feet. Do you know what that means?

— That we are doomed? — someone from the front rows called.

— Not necessarily. It means that large targets are easier to hit — the teacher pointed out. — You see, at any disadvantage, one can find a way to turn things around, be it war or something else in real life.

The students watched with amazement as admiration played on many faces.

The lesson continued smoothly, with no more disruptions and unnecessary jokes, as the teacher gave everything to share his knowledge. With it, he wished to protect the children that he loved so much from the looming threat.

Yes, I really chose the right path. — he said to himself and his day continued in that mood.

II. THIRD TOWER

The chambers of the third tower were blessed with calm and comfortable silence. The favorite place for those who preferred reading rather than tiring physical practices. It was huge and the high concrete walls were seasoned with lots of old-looking book shelves of literature. So high that people had to use the help of ladders to climb to the upper rows.

The rafts were placed not only on the walls but across all the area and that formed like a labyrinth of corridors. In between them, there were tables and chairs where anyone could sit and read his chosen readings. There were also places that were forbidden for the new and even advanced students. To get access, a person would need a special golden card given directly by a teacher.

Chezzar had just entered here and looked around the vast place with confusion. It was his first time in the library and was obviously surprised from the inside view. The design resembled some ancient forgotten age. His field of vision was filled by iron cressets, curved wooden fretworks with simple forms but twisted decorations holding many books. The floor was dark, mosaic and slightly slippery, which almost caused the student to fall down at the entrance.

There were people — not many, nor few. The place was definitely not a wasteland. There were a few students on almost every bookshelf that were sitting and reading.

Although he was fond of activities and adventures rather than books, that place did not seem bad at all. He went for a walk around and thoughtfully looked at the many categories. He had nothing in mind for reading since he did not like making plans, so he decided to pick one on the go. Maybe that would help deal with boredom, even though it’s not much different from classes.

He stopped at psychology. He bitterly laughed on the inside. Regarding that, I’m far from good with human relationships and way of thinking. No, this sector is definitely not for me.

Slow and steady steps from high heels rang in his ear, and he turned to see who was approaching from behind.

— You seem confused — said a female voice.

The student raised his head and before him stood up the figure of a slender woman with a strict bun haircut and glasses, through which gazed dark-brown judging eyes. She seemed about thirty, with a beautiful sharp face. Her outfit was tidy, consisting of coat and silk white shirt underneath and a skirt — not too long, not too short. Her heels made her seem taller than she actually was. Considering her slender figure, the woman stood an entire head over Chezzar. She emitted such rigor that the student could almost sweat in embarrassment of doing something wrong. Could have been a troublemaker’s instinct that Chezzar usually had.

— My name is Camelia Gordon — she said. — Head librarian and the person in charge of all this place. I am here to aid and guide all students in their literary education.

— Uhm… I am Chezzar Gadjev — the student mumbled nervously. — It’s been two months since I joined the academy and, in truth, it’s my first time being here. — he continued and almost frowned his face in guilt, admitting that to the head librarian.

— Well, there is a first time for everything — said Camelia with a calm note. — Do you have a favorite category to get started with?

— I… don’t know, but it’s definitely not this one — Chezzar pointed the psychology shelf behind him.

— Let us check out some other ones, shall we? — she offered. —