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“However, it has only been in the last two hundred years that people from the university have been able to regularly access these archives. As the archives from the old days operated under a principle they called ‘Knowledge for Knowledge’. The principle dictated that to gain access to the archives, you needed to submit some sort of written work or research documentation related to arcane study. And, it needed to be works that the archive did not already have stored in their libraries.

“This practice greatly increased the size of the archive and its wealth of knowledge, but made it extremely difficult to gain access. As the amount of information you were allowed access to was limited by how much you could contribute yourself to the scholarly work of arcane study, which was extremely difficult if you couldn’t access the archives in the first place.

“The more modern incarnation of the archive now simply charges a nominal fee for access.”

—Writing of Archmage Setta on “The Founding of Graheel and it’s University”

Joe walked into the Arcanium Archive with most of his team in tow.

They had stepped into an expansive reception area designed to welcome visitors. The space was lined with rows of reception desks, all conspicuously unoccupied. To the side, a cluster of seats offered a place for people to sit and wait. Just a bit further in, an imposing, grand door caught their attention. The door had countless glowing runes carved into it and looked to be magically locked.

Despite serving primarily as a reception area, the room\'s walls were adorned with bookshelves overflowing with volumes on a myriad of subjects. The number of books on display in this area was more than any normal library would have, and yet, everyone in the group understood that there was somehow even more further inside.

Seeing that there was no one at the reception desk at the moment, Joe made his way over to one of the vacant desks. With a sense of familiarity, he reached out and pressed a small button embedded in the desk, designed to summon a receptionist. This was something he had done before when he came to take out certain books.

About a minute had passed as the group waited. Suddenly, the runes etched into the grand door glowed more intensely, radiating a bluish energy. With a faint creak, the door slowly opened just enough to reveal a narrow gap big enough for a person to walk through.

Emerging from the opening was a young woman with neatly tied brown hair in a bun. She wore long, simple blue robes, complemented by a red scarf bearing the emblem of the Arcanium Archive intricately woven into the fabric.

She paused for a brief moment, her eyes scanning the room. Upon spotting Joe and his group, she began to approach them. As she drew nearer, the faint scent of parchment and ink seemed to linger in the air around her, likely as a result of handling paper prior to coming here.

Victoria: “Hello, and welcome to the Arcanium Archives. My name is Victoria. How may I help you today?”

Joe didn’t say anything. He reached for a pocket on the inside of his jacket and produced a neatly folded piece of paper with the emblem of Graheel University on it. Without a word, he handed the document to the young woman.

The librarian named Victoria received the paper, unfolded it, and quickly began to read its contents. Her eyes darted over the text, and within moments, her expression transformed into a mix of confusion and contemplation.

Victoria: “Um, so you\'re here to go over all the documents that Sorin had checked out in the last year?”

Joe: “That’s what the letter says.”

Victoria: “This might be a problem.”

Joe: “What’s the problem? I thought the university sent a request ahead of time for you to gather all the documents for us.”

Joe and his team had been tasked with reviewing the documents Sorin had checked out from the Arcanium Archive. Archmage Dakka wanted to be thorough in this investigation and go over every possible thing related to Sorin, aiming to uncover any potential leads concerning Jixi or evidence of cult affiliation.

Victoria: “We have. All the books Sorin took out in the last year have been gathered and prepared, as per Archmage Dakka Vinko request. But, we were expecting the archmage to come himself.”

Joe: “Well, the letter explains that he sent us in his place.”

Victoria: “And that’s the problem. Do any of you have level four access?”

Hearing that, Joe turned his gaze towards Rell, silently hoping for confirmation of his level four access. Catching Joe’s silent cue, Rell responded promptly.

Rell: “I only have level two access.”

Joe: “Shit. I only have level three.”

Victoria: “That is what I suspected. Therefore, I can’t let you look at those books.”

Joe: “Com’on, we’re working for the police and university on an important manhunt for a murder. We need to see those documents,” he said as flashed his police badge.

The librarian seemed unmoved by Joe.

Victoria: “As a police officer, you should know that books marked as danger level four require a similar access level. These books are extremely dangerous, and it’s against the law for us to allow anyone to read them without proper approval.”

Joe groaned. He quickly discerned that the woman he was speaking to was the “by-the-book” kinda person. Someone who is strictly adherent to rules and protocol, leaving no room for flexibility, regardless of how much he might attempt to convince her otherwise.

Victoria: “If whatever you\'re working on is so important, it should be easy for you to gain temporary level four access through the police or university.”

Joe: “I know,” he said in an annoyed tone. “But, that means I have to head all the way back to the police headquarters to get the stupid papers that give me access to level four, and then I have to drive back here. So, is there really nothing you can do? I would rather not waste time.”

Victoria: “I’m afraid not.”

Joe: “How about you take out the books that are level four and only give us the level three and lower stuff today?I have level three access. We can look through those books now, and I can come back later for the level four stuff.”

Victoria: “It was a fair number of books Sorin took out. It might take us two days to sort out the level four danger book from what we’ve gathered.”

Joe: “Seriously? Why does it take you two days to do that!” he half yelled in frustration.

Victoria: “Because it’s level four. Danger level four books have to be handled by someone who has the appropriate access. There are only so many people here at the archive that are approved to even touch those books to allow for sorting, and they\'re all very busy.”

Joe glared at the librarian, his frustration mounting. She blocked every effort to reach a compromise, appearing determined to turn them away. With her refusal to budge, he realized he would have to return the following day since he wouldn’t be able to get the papers before the Arcanium Archive closed today, unless he could reason with this librarian.

In one last ditch effort, Joe decided to invoke an Archmage’s name.

Joe: “You\'re seriously going to deny a request from Archmage Dakka of Graheel University?”

The librarian remained silent, taking a brief pause as she carefully considered her next words before finally speaking.

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Victoria: “I’ll talk to someone higher up. But, I make no promises,” she said before leaving.

The female librarian entered through the large, enchanted door she came from and left Joe’s team by themselves in the reception hall.

A few seconds went by, and a silence hung in the air. The quiet made Alan feel uncomfortable, so he decided to make idle chatter.

Alan: “So, how dangerous are level four books anyway? Are they cursed or something? And what even is a level four book?”

Everyone turned to Rell, expecting an answer. Rell met their gaze and provided one.

Rell: “Sometimes a level four book can be cursed. That’s why they have to be managed by people approved to handle them. But, the real danger is in the contents of the books. Level four danger books contain forbidden knowledge and spells.”

Dan: “R-Really? What kind of spells and information are we talking about?”

Joe: “All kinds of shit. Anything to do with cults, outsiders, and necromancy is the stuff they label as level four. Pretty much anything that has detailed instructions on how to perform forbidden magic ends up as level four.”

Alan: “Necromancy… So this is where Sorin learned how to turn his victim into undead.”

Joe: “Possibly. That\'s why we’re here. To confirm if Sorin learned soul-binding magic himself through the Archive. Or, to find out if he had any help from an organization like Dakka suspects.”

Jafar: “Huh? The Archmage of the Grayscale College thinks Sorin had help from an organization?”

Both the recently elevated Arcane Eye students were confused. This was the first time Alan and Jafar heard about Sorin working with a third party that was directly involved. So far, the investigation has only revealed people who were willing accomplices, not an organized group working together with Sorin.

Joe: “Yeah? Didn’t you know? Wait, did you not tell them?” he said while turning towards Rell.

Rell: “No. I forgot to,” he said, with a deadpan expression.

Alan glared at Rell, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. His mistrust of Rell had been growing steadily ever since they met him. Rell had always carried himself with an air of professionalism. Alan found it increasingly hard to reconcile the idea that the Grayscale enforcer conveniently forgot to mention this.

Joe: “That was your job.”

Rell: “I was going to explain everything properly once we had a group meeting. But, you threw us at this investigation without having a proper discussion as a group. I still haven’t even met the third member of your group yet.”

Joe let out a long, weary sigh. He felt the weight of blame being unfairly put on his shoulders from Rell\'s comments. Despite feeling wrongly accused, Joe decided against pushing back. He knew that arguing now would only escalate tensions and compromise the group\'s cohesion.

Instead, Joe shifted his focus to the two other enforcers in his group. With a measured tone, he began explaining the current circumstances, outlining the situation clearly and calmly.

Joe: “Well, since we’re here. Yeah, Dakka thinks that Sorin might have had help from a cult when conducting his experiments. Specifically, the archmage mentions Rattle Bone in particular in the report I got.”

Alan: “Sorin was a cultist!” he yelped in surprise.

Jafar: “That would make sense. Rattle Bone is the cult of necromancy.”

Joe: “I wouldn\'t be too sure about that. While I respect the archmage, I think he might be wrong on this one.”

Rell: “I also concur with Joe. From what I know from working with Sorin, he doesn\'t have enough of the traits of a Rattle Bone cultist.”

Jafar: “What kind of traits are those?”

Dan: “Oh, Rattle Bone cultists are crazy. Like, super crazy, from what I understand. Even more so than other cults.”

Jafar: “Aren\'t all cultists crazy? And, what do you mean by super crazy?”

Joe: “It’s hard to explain if you’ve never met one. But, Dan’s right. Actually, he might be understating it. But anyway, it’s not the traits I’m looking at. It’s the idea that Rattle Bone was working with Sorin in any capacity. Rattle Bone cultists don’t usually work with each other at all. I think the only form of collaboration they have with each other is that they won’t immediately kill each other on sight, and that’s it. I highly doubt they would extend even that sliver of cooperation to a non-member of the cult.”

Jafar: “He might not be working with them, but what makes you rule out that Sorin himself is a Rattle Bone cultist?”

Joe: “Well, if he is one, we would have found that out real quick. There was another team that had already searched Sorin\'s home, and they didn’t report finding anything particularly strange. If he’s Rattle Bone, there would have been a whole lot of bones in his house. Those freaks are always collecting bones.”

Rell: “Hmm, it sounds like you’ve dealt with Rattle Bone cultists before.”

Joe: “Only twice. And every time… Just… Something is seriously wrong with those folks. I can’t explain it. It’s not mental illness that drives those people, it is something so much more.”

After Joe spoke, an awkward silence settled over everyone. No one felt inclined to break the silence immediately, each person seemingly unsure how to respond or perhaps reluctant to address the uncomfortable truth that Joe had just articulated.

Alan spoke first, choosing to steer the conversation away from the previous topic and in on an odd detail that Rell mentioned.

Alan: “You said you worked with Sorin,” he said, directed at Rell.

Rell stared at Alan and looked to be about to respond, when the massive doors leading deeper into the archive began to creak open. The sound drew the attention of the group as another older woman stepped into the reception area. Her gray hair was neatly tied into a bun, and she wore a pair of glasses that glinted in the light. Unlike the previous librarian they had encountered, who was dressed in blue robes, this woman wore gray robes. She possessed an air of seniority around herself.

The women saw Joe’s group talking amongst themselves and approached them.

Sandra: “Hello. I’m one of the head librarians here at the Archives. My name is Sandra. I understand you were sent by archmage Dakka to look through the books that Sorin and Jixi had taken out in the last year, but you don’t have the proper access level to do so.”

Joe: “That is correct. Is it possible that you can make an exception for us? Just for today.”

Sandra: “Unfortunately, no. The laws are very strict and clear about this. You\'re not allowed to look at those books unless you have a high enough access level.”

Joe started to grumble under his breath. It seemed as if this woman was about to refuse his request, just as the previous one had done. However, it seemed to Joe that her refusal would carry more weight. Her title as head librarian suggested she was high on the hierarchy at the Archives. The detective could sense that her denial would be more absolute, leaving little room for argument or negotiation.

Sandra: “However, I myself have maximum access level. The law only states that you need one person of the appropriate level or higher to be present when looking at these books. Therefore, I can let you look at them as long as I remain in the room with you. If that is acceptable.”

Joe: “Oh,” he said as his grumpy demeanor quickly shifted. “Yeah, that would be great. Thank you. And, I\'m sorry about this. Victoria said you guys are busy,” he said, trying to be more polite now.

Sandra: “It’s no trouble. I actually intended to help the Archmage go through Sorin’s research with him. So, it’s not adding to my workload. Anyway, if you will all follow me,” she said while gesturing for the group to follow her.

The group of men trailed behind Sandra as they passed through the towering door, venturing deeper into the vast expanse of the Archives. The hallway they entered was grand, its width spanning generously, and its ceiling nearly twenty feet above their heads. Lanterns levitated overhead, casting a blue, flameless aether light that bathed the corridor in an ethereal glow. The walls were lined with more grand doors similar to the first they had encountered in the reception area, each one as imposing and intricate as the last.

As they passed by one of the grand doors that were open, Alan stole a glance inside and then gawked in astonishment.

The room was even more expansive than the reception area or the hallway they were currently in. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves, each crammed with all manner of documents relating to magic. A second level, accessible by an ornate staircase, held even more shelves brimming with books. On the ground floor, rows of tables were arranged for visitors to sit and read. Overhead, a giant skylight allowed natural light to stream in, casting the warm glow of the sun on the polished wooden floor.

Alan then looked ahead down the hallway they were traversing and saw at least twenty more doors lining the path before it turned off. Each door likely led to a room just as big as the one he had just seen.

“This place is massive! It’s even bigger than the university library, and that place was huge as well.” Alan thought to himself.

Sandra: “It’s because this place has thousands of years worth of research on the arcane.”

Alan: “Huh?”

Alan noticed Sandra glancing over her shoulder at him before turning her attention back to the path ahead.

Sandra: “Sorry, I just saw it on your face. I see it all the time. People make that expression on their first time being in the Archives, and they can’t believe how big it is. I always explain that the size is due to the Arcanium Archive\'s age and history of constantly collecting knowledge on magic.”

Alan: “Oh, really?”

Sandra: “Yes, if you want, I can give you a tour of the Archives for any of you at a later time.”

Alan: “That\'d be great. I might take you up on that offer later.”

Alan wasn\'t the kind of person who liked to sit down and read, but he was determined to one day become an Archmage. In pursuing that goal, he knew he would have to expand his understanding of magic greatly, and the Arcanium Archives was the place he knew where he could do that. He fully intended to use his access to the Archives to achieve that goal later.

Eventually, after going through a few more long hallways, they made it to a private room with a table surrounded by chairs. A chandelier with arcane candlelight hung overhead.

Sandra: “Ok, you wait here. I’ll go get the books. There were quite a few, and it will take me a while to get them all, so feel free to sit down and get comfy in the meantime,” she said, before leaving the group.

They settled into their chairs, arranging themselves in a semicircle to ensure they could all see each other. The room quieted as they waited for the head librarian. It went quiet between everyone. Minutes ticked by before Joe broke the silence between the group.

Joe: “So, what’s this business about you working with Sorin?” he said, directed at Rell.

Everyone present stared at Rell. They waited for him to respond, to offer an explanation for his apparent connection to Sorin. The tension in the room seemed to grow, the air thick with Joe’s question. Rell, for the first time since meeting everyone, displayed some visible discomfort under the weight of their gazes.