The staircase leading to the underground seemed to stretch longer than it should. Each turn increased the feeling that we were entering not just another part of the library, but another layer of consciousness. The steps were made of luminous stone, and the light changed color depending on who stepped on them. When it was my turn, the glow turned golden, warm, as if it were reacting to the flame within me.
Liriel, just ahead, murmured, "This place is aware. It knows we're getting close to the core of memory."
Vespera was not happy at all. "I just hope none of these lights decides to try hitting me."
Elara kept one hand against the wall, breathing slowly so as not to waste mana unnecessarily. "Let's hope nothing here demands extensive magic."
When we finally reached the end of the staircase, a row of doors stretched along a narrow corridor. Each door bore different markings: some shimmered like crystal, others seemed made of shadows, and some trembled, as if something inside them was moving. Rai'kanna partially raised one of her wings, on alert.
"These doors were not made to be opened by mortals. Not even by demigods."
Liriel stepped closer to one, analyzing the symbol. "They are dream doors. Each one holds a memory, a fear, a desire, or a fragment of someone's mind that the library recorded."
Vespera swallowed hard. "Great. Let's hope none of them recorded mine."
Lyannis gently held my arm. "Takumi… I have a bad feeling. As if something here has recognized you."
I felt it too. The flame within me wasn't calm—it was focused, as if waiting for something to happen. But before I could respond, a door to our right began to glow intensely. The symbol at its center distorted and opened a luminous crack from which bluish mist escaped.
Rai'kanna took a step back. "Everyone behind me."
The door opened on its own.
There was no wind, no visible force. Just silence—and then the mist spread across the floor, shaping itself into a figure. First, arms. Then, a face. And finally, an entire body formed of murky light.
And the most disturbing part: it was me. Or rather, a version of me. A distorted reflection, with dull eyes and an empty expression.
Vespera almost stumbled backward. "What is that?!"
Liriel answered immediately: "It's a materialized dream. Not yours, Takumi—but the record the library made of you. An incomplete reflection."
The figure took a step. The sound wasn't human. It was like someone dragging ice across the floor.
Lyannis squeezed my hand tightly. "Don't go near that…"
The figure opened its mouth. No sound came out, only a vibration that made the corridor walls tremble. The flame within me burned in response, expanding automatically as a defense. My distorted version recoiled, but only for an instant before advancing again.
Rai'kanna struck with her wings, creating an arc of fire that cut through the corridor. The creature passed through the flames without hesitation; part of its glow unraveled, but soon reformed.
"It's not physical," Liriel said. "It's made of condensed memory. You can't defeat it with direct blows."
Elara tried to cast a simple spell to push it back, but the mana failed midway. She fell to her knees, breathing heavily. "I can't maintain stability here… the library drains mana."
In desperation, Vespera drew an arrow and fired. The arrow flew crooked, grazed the ceiling, and struck a luminous sphere above us. The sphere exploded in light, and the flash pierced through the creature, opening a hole in its chest.
Liriel's eyes widened. "That works! The light from the spheres… it weakens projections!"
"Then I did that on purpose!" Vespera said quickly.
Rai'kanna glanced at her sideways. "Of course. Keep missing like that."
The spheres began to float, agitated by the presence of the projection. The creature advanced again, but now I could see its movements were erratic. As if it were trying to hold itself together, but failing.
The flame within me pulsed with intensity. I raised my hand, and golden light illuminated the corridor. Each time the flame wavered, the creature retreated further.
"Takumi," Liriel said, "your flame is reacting to the dreams. It can completely undo the projection."
"Then let's finish this," I replied.
I advanced. The distorted version tried to mimic my movements, like a reflection trapped with a delay. But I was faster—and I had something it didn't: the living flame.
I placed my hand on the creature's chest. The light expanded. Its body began to crack like glass under pressure. Fragments of memory flew upward, dissolving. At last, the figure vanished, reduced to a shimmering dust that settled on the floor.
The corridor fell silent once more.
Rai'kanna approached. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. But this library… it's not just storing dreams. It's letting them escape."
Liriel rested her hand against the wall. "That only happens when the central system is unstable. And that means the city… is becoming more and more awake."
Elara took a deep breath. "Then let's get out of here before another door decides to open."
But as she spoke, another door at the end of the corridor glowed softly—as if it were calling to me.
Lyannis looked at me with deep concern. "Takumi… you can't open that one alone."
I agreed.
There was no choice.
And we moved forward together.