Page 21 of Whispers of the Magical Forest

"The ghost librarians only work Tuesdays," Mrs. Pembroke replied without missing a beat. "Though Herbert can be quite helpful if you catch him in a good mood."

I couldn't tell if she was joking. Given our track record, there probably was a Herbert. We proceeded to examine the book while she held it. None of us wanted to risk starting another magical catastrophe. It was filled with increasingly frantic entries. Some described dreams of beings that existed before time. It also talked about powers that could reshape a person. The monk's handwriting grew more erratic with each entry. I swear the knowledge itself was driving him mad.

"The last entry just says 'They're coming back' over and over," Violet read aloud.

"Cheery fellow," Fiona commented, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

The shadows between the shelves seemed to deepen as we continued our research. They took on shapes that made me shudder. They had to be the guardians Mrs. Pembroke had mentioned. They were growing restless. Our presence was stirring up things best left undisturbed. As usual.

"I've got something," Violet called out, her voice tight with excitement or fear. Possibly both. "A detailed account of aseventy-seven-year cycle. It describes the entire ritual process."

We gathered around as she read, the words seeming to echo in the ancient space. "The vessels must be prepared in precise order. Each one should be tuned to resonate with specific energies. Shades must be used to keep from contaminating the chosen. Use binding runes to create containers to collect power until there is enough for transformation. When the circle is complete and all the vessels are in harmony, the barriers between worlds will weaken enough for Those Who Came Before to reach through."

"Well, that's properly terrifying," Fiona muttered.

"It gets worse," Violet continued. "The final vessel is the key. It has to be powerful enough to stabilize the entire circuit. It must handle the combined energies of all other vessels without shattering."

"Which explains why they're so particular about their victims," I said, thinking of the bodies we'd seen in the cellars. And at the accident scene. Not to mention the ones in the woods. They needed a variety to get the right ones. "They're building a magical circuit made of shades."

Mrs. Pembroke nodded gravely. "The First Ones cannot fully manifest in our realm. The barriers between worlds are too strong. But they can influence those willing to listen. That's how they get them to help prepare for their return."

"And let me guess," Fiona said, "they're not coming back to spread peace and harmony?"

"They want to remake the world as it was before the separation of realms," the archivist replied. "When magic was raw and unchecked. When you could move between the fire demon realm as easily as going to the market." Their comment that things would go back to the old ways suddenly made sense.

"That sounds..." I startedand shivered.

"Apocalyptically bad?" Violet suggested.

"That works." I wrapped my arms around my middle.

The business card in Fiona's pocket pulsed again. It cast purple light that made her look like she was a cast member of Wicked. The text had changed.The vessels sing of their purpose. The circle nears completion.

"Anyone else really tired of this thing's cryptic messages?" Fiona asked, glaring at the card.

"At least it's keeping us updated," I pointed out. "Though I could do with less dramatic flair."

Her response was interrupted by a sudden shift in the room's energy. The shadows cast by the shelves began to move with purpose. They formed patterns that matched the binding runes we'd seen on the victims. The guardians were no longer content to simply watch. Were they going to make us pay for the knowledge?

"They're trying to show us something," Mrs. Pembroke said in a voice barely above a whisper.

The shadows coalesced into a map of the town. It showed the locations of all the vessels we'd found. They highlighted lines of power connecting each point. It formed a pattern that made my elemental powers cut out. It felt like a loose wire that created a weak circuit. Not something I wanted when facing great danger.

"Is that a key?" I asked.

“Looks like it,” Violet agreed.

"A key to what?" Fiona asked, though I think we all knew the answer.

"To everything," Mrs. Pembroke said softly. "To the barriers between worlds themselves."

The shadow map pulsed once and then dissolved. It plunged us into relative darkness. The image was burned into my memory. The pattern of vessels, the flow of power,and the precise positions that would allow ancient beings to reach through into our world.

"Right," Fiona said, straightening up. "So, we know what they're planning. We know how they're doing it. And we know when they're going to try again."

"We just need to stop them," Violet added. "Simple, really."

"About as simple as teaching a troll ballet," I muttered.

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