A forest of sprawling, rickety bookshelves the size of pine trees welcomed Henri and Malik as they emerged from the other end of the passage Serapis had opened for them. More sand had found its way into this section of the underground maze they had been navigating for the past hour. Except they were no longer in the maze. They had reached the Great Library of Alexandria.

A piece of it, at least.

Wide walkways separated the towers of shelves holding thousands of years of forgotten knowledge. More eldricite could be seen in the walkways, the glistening stone forming intricate patterns and signs as it interrupted the monotonous brown and black tiled floors. Creaks and groans sounded out from deep within the library every couple of minutes. More spiral pillars reached for the ceiling, which was guarded by a mysterious fog that engulfed the entire library, amplifying the haunted atmosphere. Egyptian symbols crafted out of gold and bronze were built into the pillars, each one depicting a different deity or telling a different story.

Henri couldn't believe his eyes.

Malik wouldn't stop touching everything.

"Stop it," he hissed. "Everything in here is hundreds of years old."

"So?"

"So?" He facepalmed. "These things are fragile. Plus, this place could be filled with boobytraps."

Malik snickered.

Rolling his eyes, Henri continued, eventually stopping in front of a wooden table covered in dust, old books, and papyrus scrolls. Without touching them, he did his best to examine their contents. They all were in ancient languages; his linguistic skill barely got him by thus far, but it would take a team of experts to decipher everything on this table, let alone the entire library.

"So...what's the plan?" Malik asked.

Henri was starting to hate being asked that question.

Still, it was a valid inquiry. What was the plan? The extent of his original strategy to escape Monet didn't reach past retreating into the catacombs. Everything that happened since then, including their run-in with the magical statue of Serapis, hadn't been on his bingo card. His guess for what they should do next was just as good as Malik's.

"I guess we should look around? Maybe there's another way out of here."

Malik nodded and the pair began to roam through the library.

Henri let out an awe-stricken breath as he gazed upon the entire room again. He couldn't believe he was here, standing in this place that shouldn't have existed. Most of the world presumed the Library of Alexandria to be gone, consumed, and devoured by time and war. Fires, earthquakes, and neglect were said to have claimed the life of the Mouseion. Even those who believed it still might've been out there never really believed it existed in this capacity. Yet here they were, standing amidst knowledge from centuries ago.

But they weren't the only ones.

Monet had burst through the tunnel behind them. Her face was alight with burning rage.

Henri turned to Malik. "Run?"

"Run."

The pair sprinted away without another word, disappearing into the towering shelves filled to the brim with encyclopedias and manuscripts from the old world. Ceramic barrels overflowing with more scrolls and maps impeded their escape. Sand grinded under their feet as they fled from Monet. Though, he couldn't tell if the woman was still behind them.

The pair continued. A bronze sign built above an arched doorway that gave way to a room billowing with shadows read Hall of Legends in Latin. This room held no bookshelves overflowing with archaic works or cupboards full of relics. Instead, Henri and Malik found themselves surrounded by a crowd of statues. He recognized a few of them. Members of the ancient pantheons stood guard, their perfectly carved faces staring back at him as he passed them by. There was Horus, Set, Anubis, Iris and Amun-Ra. Nearby there was Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Athena, and Ares. There were even marvelously sculpted busts of some of the ancient world's most popular figures, such as the philosophers Aristotle and Plato, Archimedes the legendary architect, Alexander the Great, Ptolemy, and Queen Cleopatra.

Henri even spotted figures from other, faraway parts of the world. There was so much here. So much history resided in these halls—history mankind lost. He found himself stopping in front of the face of Confucius. A quote from the man rang in his head like the bang of a gong.

"The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance."

Monet might've wanted to eradicate an entire group of people with what was hidden within the library, but she also claimed to want to better humanity with all the knowledge the library held. After everything he'd seen thus far, Henri couldn't help but wonder if her wishes were valid.

"Who's that?" Malik pointed at the head of the Chinese philosopher. "Woah, his eyebrows are crazy. Are those natural?"

"Seriously? You don't know what that is?"

"Am I supposed to?"

He facepalmed. "That's Confucius. He's one of the most famous philosophers and figures in Chinese history."

"Eastern Asia? But we're in Egypt. What's a statue of a Chinese guy doing down here in Egypt?"

Henri simply shrugged. It was a good question—a question he didn't have an answer to. He glanced over his shoulder. There was nothing but shadows and stone people. He couldn't see the walls of the library anymore, as his flashlight only reached so far. It felt like they were walking through the Fields of Asphodel; except they weren't dead. Yet.

"C'mom, let's keep going. She could still be following us."

The pair delved deeper into the library.

Henri didn't even know where he was going. His feet carried him, guiding him through the Hall of Legends the same way they guided him through the dark corridors beyond the catacombs. Malik never left his side. He would periodically check over his shoulder to see if Monet was still tailing them. Eventually, Malik slowed to a stop.

"What're you doing?" Henri asked between labored breaths.

"It's been like twenty minutes since we've seen her."

"So?"

"So, I think we lost her."

Henri slowed up. Both boys went quiet as they listened out for the enraged woman. The library was as quiet as was when they first arrived. Had Monet gotten lost? Or was she slinking behind the corner, biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? The woman was a snake, venomous and dangerous. He couldn't let his guard down, especially not here.

Speaking of here...

He shined his flashlight forward, the light hitting another placard inscribed with words in Latin. After a few moments, Henri determined the sign read Hall of Antiquities. The name was accurate, as the room they'd entered was full of glass cases displaying armor plates, swords, stone tablets, and more. Dusty cupboards were placed sparsely about, their shelves holding ancient relics from various periods. Henri spotted more books, sacks of coins, and archaic pieces of pottery.

Malik whistled as he approached a shelf. "How much do you think all this is worth?" He examined a few gold coins.

Henri checked behind them before following. "I don't know but put those down. They could be cursed."

"Oh, so now you believe in magic?"

"After everything we've seen, I can't rule anything out anymore."

"Fair enough." Malik picked up a golden figurine. "You have to admit, though, this stuff is pretty cool."

Henri scowled. "Didn't I just say don't touch anything? Put it back."

Grumbling, Malik did as he was told.

The pair continued to marvel at the relics as they journeyed through the Hall of Antiquities. As Malik ventured off toward a stand showcasing an entire set of Egyptian armor, Henri felt the air around him change. The hairs on his arms rose as he felt a sudden warmth pass over him. His eyes went wide.

He'd felt the same thing after Serapis revealed the entrance to the library.

He couldn't explain it, he didn't know how, and he'd never felt it before today, but he knew what that feeling was.

Magic.

"Malik," he called out as he carefully followed the invisible current worming its way through the stale air.

The boy didn't respond. Henri barely noticed. He kept following the feeling until he arrived in front of a case different from the others. It was tucked away from the others, almost as if it wasn't meant to be seen. Dirt and grime covered the opaque glass. A low, dull light pulsated inside, the glass obscuring whatever was producing it. Intricate carvings and symbols decorated the wooden pedestal on the case it stood upon. Despite not knowing where the images originated from or what they even meant, they were starting to become familiar to him now. They were marks of a civilization he—and billions of others across the planet—did not know of. Of a people who shouldn't have existed but did. The Library of Alexandria held hundreds of years of knowledge. What if its halls held records of the maji from the past as well?

He stepped toward the glass case, his eyes working to see what was beyond it. Using the hem of his sleeve, he wiped away some of the dust. He sucked in a sharp breath upon seeing the floating crystal floating within the case. It was jagged, white, and pulsing with an energy originating from deep within itself.

Eldricite.

"Malik!" Henri called out again. As he waited for his companion to return, he attempted to open the case. The bronze-rimmed door had gotten stuck, likely due to the hundreds of years' worth of dust and cobwebs. Furrowing his brow, he carefully pried it open with his nimble fingers. It dislodged with a satisfying pop and the door swung open.

The single shard of eldricite bobbed in place, sustained by the magical energy vibrating inside. Its light seemed to grow brighter once the outside air touched its rough, speckled surface. It was alone, though. Back at Arkangel's research facility, Monet spoke of an entire reserve of eldricite that was hidden away beneath the Library of Alexandria. While there might've been traces of the mysterious element throughout the library, this one crystal was the only substantial piece throughout the entire place.

He hoped this singular shard was truly unaccompanied. Monet's plan to decimate the majus with their own power seemed to depend on an abundance of eldricite. If the woman was only able to recover one piece, perhaps she wouldn't be able to go through with her plan.

Still, he'd rather not leave that to chance. The eldricite was safer with him.

As he got closer to the glass case, another rush of energy reached out and touched him. His skin tingled as his chest swelled with a feeling he couldn't pinpoint. His breathing slowed. His hand entered the opened case. Just as his fingertips were about to wrap around the crystal, a pair of shuffling footsteps sounded behind him. He snatched his hand back and spun so fast he nearly knocked himself over.

Malik was walking slowly toward him with an embarrassed look on his face.

He lifted a brow at the boy.

"Malik, what's wr—"

Monet emerged from behind him. She stood behind Malik with a flashlight in one hand. Her other hand was hidden behind the boy's back. As she got closer, he realized the woman had a gun pressed to Malik's spine.

When did she get that?!

She prowled forward. A crazed smile broke out across the woman's face.

He cursed.

"I'm sorry, Henri," Malik stammered. "She...she snuck up on me—"

"Quiet!" Monet cut her pale eyes to Henri. They moved beyond him, eventually settling on the opened glass case behind him. Her face lit up, much like the eldricite floating inside. "I see you've got a knack for finding things. Maybe I should've kidnapped you instead of your parents."

Henri took a step. Malik winced as she pressed the muzzle of her weapon deeper into his back. Henri swallowed hard as the blood in his veins ran colder than the Arctic Ocean.

"Is there more?" The woman scanned the dimly lit area they stood in. "There's supposed to be more."

He remained tight-lipped. If she wanted to find out, she'd have to figure it out herself.

"There's supposed to be more!" Screwing her face at the single crystal, she spat out curses in French like they were sunflower seeds. She took a slow breath with her eyes closed. Once they opened, she sighed. "This will have to do."

Henri frowned. "I thought you needed more."

"More would've been nice, but my workers can do what we need with just this sample," Monet explained. She tucked her flashlight into her pocket. "Now, step aside."

He glanced at Malik. The boy discreetly shook his head.

"Don't make me shoot you and your friend," Monet threatened. "I don't want to, but I will do what I must."

"But you don't have to do this," he told her. "You don't have to hurt people."

"Hurt people? I'm trying to help people! The majus are dangerous. Their very existence is unnatural and sinful. They must be cleansed from the Earth, or they'll do the same to us once they get the opportunity."

Henri shook his head. "How do you know that? If they're so dangerous and powerful, why haven't they attacked us yet? Why haven't any of us seen them?"

"I've seen them. I've fought them." A shadow crossed over the woman's face. "You have no idea what some of them are capable of...what some of them wish to do to our world."

"Isn't it their world too?"

Monet scoffed. "Step away from the case, Henri."

A dejected sigh escaped his lips. He wrung his hands, his mind buzzing as he tried to come up with anything else to persuade the woman to abandon this malicious quest. Deep down he knew there wasn't anything he could say to change her mind. She was steadfast in committing genocide. The gun she held in her hand also meant she held all the leverage. One misstep, one random burst of emotion from her, could've earned him a bullet to the torso. Or, worse, she would shoot Malik.

He couldn't have that.

He glanced at the boy. Malik shook his head.

"I won't tell you again," Monet said. "Step away! Now!"

Wringing his hands, he stepped to the side. She smiled triumphantly as she moved toward him. She kept her weapon trained on Malik, which was enough to keep Henri glued to the ground. As he watched her prepare to grab the crystal, he took another look at Malik. The pair didn't exchange words, but the message between them was clear. He even heard his father's words echoing in his head.

He didn't know the majus. But he knew he couldn't let Monet and Arkangel Industries carry out their plan. No one else stood between Monet and their destruction. No one except for him.

He had to do this.

If he didn't, no one else would.

Monet had taken her eyes off the two boys. Henri seized his chance.

He threw his shoulder into her with all the might he could muster, sending her careening to the side. She hit the ground hard. The gun broke free from her grip before sliding away and disappearing into the shadows eating the floor. Malik sprang from his position to pin the woman to the floor.

"Go!" he shouted as he wrestled with her. "Grab the crystal!"

Nodding, Henri faced the glass case. The eldricite was glowing brightly now. It seemed to be calling out to him. He reached inside the case once again. This time, he successfully grabbed the crystal.

A surge of energy spiked through his entire body, igniting every molecule within him. He gritted his teeth as he stumbled backward, the eldricite still in his hand. Light poured from the shard. It was hot to the touch, almost hot enough to burn a hole in his palm. He kept hold of it, though, determined not to let Monet have a chance at stealing it. But then his vision started to swim, and his knees wobbled. Before he knew it, he'd collapsed onto one knee.

"What's...what's happening?" he croaked.

"It's not yours!" Monet shrieked while Malik pressed her against the floor. "Give it to me!"

Her voice drifted away, as did everything else around him. He felt the sudden urge to throw up. As he tried to steady himself, a flurry of images sped through his brain like a slideshow. Even with his perfect memory, he couldn't recall them all. They zipped and zoomed and fled his mind quicker than they came. Waves of nausea crested over him and collided with his body with enough force to make him want to vomit.

What is this?

He saw burning buildings. He saw magnificent airships in a blackened sky firing rockets from their hulls. He heard screaming and explosions. The scent of burning flesh tickled his nose. The images warped and shifted until he found himself staring at a world vastly different to the one he knew. Shortly after, he found himself standing in front of two stone doors riddled with cracks and carvings. They opened slowly, revealing black bookshelves and glowing archives. A cloaked figure stood beyond the doors, beckoning him inside...

He inched forward.

The figure held out its hand. An hourglass with silver sand trickling down rested in their pale palm. They whispered a single phrase to Henri.

Then it was all over.

He fell back as tears sprung in his eyes. He hyperventilated as air struggled to find his lungs. With the shard of eldricite still in hand, he whipped his head around to regain his bearings.

"Henri!" Malik shouted. He was doing his best to keep Monet pinned down. "Henri, are you alright?"

His voice cracked as he opened his mouth. "I-I..."

"It showed you something, didn't it?" Monet stopped struggling beneath Malik.

Henri still couldn't speak.

Her eyes widened. "What did you see?!"

Before he could even think about responding, the ground underneath him began to shake. Dust and sand rained from the ceiling. Loud groans and creaks sounded, the noise echoing in Henri's bones. Through the darkness, he could see massive cracks and fissures running up the walls. In that moment, all Henri, Malik, and Monet could do was stop and stare as the place around them quaked.

He swallowed hard.

The library was falling apart.