I glanced at the mirror beside me, and noticed my unusual face. The surroundings felt unfamiliar to me. From the window bars, the house seemed to be deep within the woods. There was a table put in front with silverware already placed on it. Slowly, I approached it with my shaking right hand, and they were cold to touch. On the corner across it, I noticed the untidy bed. Behind it, a fire was lit in the furnace, radiating heat till here.
I must be in a dream, but it felt as if I knew this scenario well. Soon, I heard a knocking at the door.
"Who knocks at this hour?"
I could hear a silent gasp coming from behind the door, along with a thumping of horse feet. I did not spare an instant to light the lamp, and carry a short sword in my spare. I knew this was not going to be some favorable news.
"Please, hurry." He was short, was my first impression of him. Shorter than where the doorknob was attached. I could not see much with my waking eyes, but he seemed to carry little with him except a dagger and a drinking pouch. Unusual for someone coming this far into the woods.
"We must hurry. The town is in great peril. Attend to your horse quickly, and follow me." He did not give any details. It felt strange to me that I had grabbed my sword beforehand, as if I knew exactly of this situation. Anyone could've been at the door, and for me to pick the right tool for the job felt quite peculiar to me. The horse, I remembered, I had parked beside the house and not inside the stable coincidentally out of the great hassle that it is. Everything just seemed too perfect.
Upon exiting, I noticed the cold wind at an instant. A foul odour spread across the forest, and the man also seemed to notice it. I hopped onto the horse, turning it to face the large green corridor. Giant trees extended outwards to the sky, their branches reclining. The forest seemed to extend infinitely in all directions, and the road was clear of any cattle. In no time, I could see the town. It was not in great shape. Fire was everywhere, and it had spread to the gate. There were orcs everywhere, swarming around houses. The magic from the library did not seem to be doing much against them.
"How long has it been since the orcs arrived?"
"Half a day, sir."
"Is there any hope?"
I could hear the screams of hundreds moaning in despair, and fires consuming their dead bodies. The ash evolved into the air, and I could hear the air scream. I could feel the mud soak the blood, and hear it laughing at this tragedy. It was only for an instant, but I could feel it all. I frequently spaced out, as I rushed towards the library. The only way I could help was to find out what was wrong.
"Try to take as many as you can, and return to the woods."
The forest was protected by a spell. It should work until I stay alive.
I took the right from the town gate front. The people and houses were all ruined with the orc's footsteps following. The trees were leaning towards the road, and their leaves shed as if they were lamenting. The grass did not give enough foot to travel quickly, especially with a horse. The air started to thicken, and I could only see white clouds of fog.
I became preoccupied with fear and dread again. Was it by pure chance that I was alive? Yet, I knew that if today the townsfolk had not been killed, the orcs would have gone to the forest following the trace of mana. And, then I felt terror.
I could see the entrance now. It felt like I had completed a long journey, even though it must have been only a few minutes.
The library gates seemed quite old. The pillars were rusted, yet the doors retained their silver color. The embroidery remained intact as well, despite there being scratches all over it. It did not seem like the orcs were able to enter the place though, since there were no foot marks near it.
I lit the torches lying at the bottom of the pillars, and cut open a wound to let my blood drop onto the forest floor. Now, the night had come, and I knew that the town could not be saved. The smell of wood ash traveled till here, along with mana of the corpse. Soon, I will be able to feel their pains, and the lives they led. The wind will carry it all, right where I am standing. The library is said to open only after the miasma from death cleanses the soul, after all. Sooner or later, I thought, I too will mix with the air, and become dust, and become nothing.
The library opened with a grand thumping noise, and a wind estranged from within. From just a peek, I could tell this was not just a library made for town protection. The grand sight felt haunting. From the touch of the books near the porch, they were unfamiliar. Their covers were blank, with dark hues over them.
Most shelves were paled off of their usual brown colour. A grand chandelier hung at the top, in the middle chamber. From the entrance, this chamber led to many different floors, which extended to other parts of the library. At the entrance, there were two rooms facing opposite to each other, and from just a glimpse, I could see they extended infinitely in one direction. I felt that it was futile to choose one over the other.
I stood in the midst of both chambers and looked at their fronts. There were bronze-plated signs attached above the doorways, on which it was written in stylized scripture. I looked at the two plates twice trying to make a choice from them. But they were both the exact same letters. The exact same word.
'Ego'
But, I could tell from afar that each chamber had different books. I sat on the floor, confused.
Without any incantation in mind, I closed my eyes. Now, I was in the woods again, with the same scene filling my sight. I was horrified at this, and opened my eyes, returning back to the library. This time, I noticed a painting hanging from the walls of the first floor, and my eyes landed at it directly. It was a painting of myself amongst many.
Each figure had a mirror, and they looked at it firmly with determination that they were looking at themselves. Besides the painting were names: 'Skold,' 'Stefan,' and so on, with the last name being 'Immanuel.' Except the last, I knew each and every of these names. After all, they were the people from the town. And then I realized why all this felt too coincidental and perfect.
The scene in its entirety was staged. From being in the woods, and to be called to save the town, I could have done nothing from the start. "If I came earlier perhaps" was the first thought that came to my mind. Yet I knew that could not have happened. After all, I had betrayed the divine command the moment I entered this library.
Then, the proclamation left my mouth, out of fear and desperation:
"Ego eimi."