CHAPTER 51
THE INTERESTING OLD MAN
The trio made their way to spiral like stairs which seemed endless at first glance. But Roman and Lunar had their fair share of stairs back in the devil's mountain.
After a short while of climbing, the reach the twentieth floor and walked towards the Librarian, who's mind seemed to have wondered off to another realm of books.
They stared at the back of the Librarian for a while with surprising gaze.
"A Transcendant?"
Lunar was confused.
"And he's an old man?"
Roman raised a brow.
Indeed the person in charge of the library was a Transcendant stage beast master, the surprising fact was that, he was an old and frail looking man.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen someone look this aged since back in the village"
Sylver said.
When a Beast Master evolves to a new stage, they don't just gain power, the natural aging process slows down drastically.
Not only that, it was very rare to even see a sickly Beast Master. During the evolution, they pass through pains and agony that can't be explained, but when the evolution process is completed, the Beast Master becomes completely new, both in facials and body.
It was hard to describe a beast master as ugly and unattractive.
Further more, a Beast Master can decide stop his or her aging with the use of spirit energy.
They could leave for more than a hundred years if wanted to.
The goal of a Beast Master is to reach the Pinnacle of power and ascension, the Celestial stage, a god, an immortal being.
Yet....
Standing before the trio, absent minded, was an old middle Transcendant stage master.
"Ummm... excuse me...sir"
Roman called out.
But the man was still lost in his fantasies.
Roman shoulders dropped.
"Aren't Transcendants capable of detecting the slightest presence from a mile away?"
Lunar asked.
"Honestly speaking....yes"
Sylver said as she reached out and tapped the old man on his shoulder.
"Goodness gracious!!...."
The old man flinched and exclaimed with eyes widened.
He turned slowly and faced the trio.
His shocked expression turned into a amused grin.
"Do not scare an old man like that"
He said.
The Librarian, Sir Pendragon looked like he was in his late eighties.
But his eyes were filled life.
He was tall, and despite the old looking face, his light skin still glowing. He had long white hair that stretches past his waist, and a long white beard that reaches his lower abdomen.
He was clad in a dark robe that touched the ground, making him looked ancient, and wise, like he had lived for a thousand years.
Yet..he was covered and stained with dust and dirt, obviously from the dusty library, and he had bags under his eyelids, like he hadn't slept in a long while.
This was Sir Pendragon, just an ordinary Librarian, and a five star Transcendant.
"Ummm, sorry for startling you, sir"
Roman said, giving a little bow.
"But you were lost in your study and couldn't hear our earlier call"
Sir Pendragon looked at Roman, then Lunar and then Sylver. Then he looked back Roman.
He stared at him for a while and subconsciously began rubbing his long beards.
"Goodness gracious, you my boy are an interesting young man"
Pendragon mumbled without realizing.
A wide smile found it's way to his face.
"Very interesting indeed"
His voice was clear this time.
"Ummm, excuse me?"
Roman said.
"Ohh, sorry, where are my manners"
Sir Pendragon closed his books and placed it back in the shelf.
"I am know as Pendragon, but it's passed now. Call me Penny. And welcome to my Library .
I barely have guests at this time of the day, though not really guest cause it's an open library, are visitors the right word, huh.."
He stared into space.
Roman glanced at his two friends the back at the old man.
"Oh goodness gracious, I'm mumbling again"
Pendragon chuckled.
"Tell me, how may I be of service to you dear children"
"Well, we're looking for books that talks about the great clans, well to be precise, clans before the current great clans"
Roman explained.
"Hmmm. I think I get what you're saying"
Sir Pendragon nodded while stroking his beards.
"Come along now "
He turned and led the way.
"Books..."
Sir Pendragon began as they reached the spiral staircase.
"....are more than ink on paper. They are doors—doors to worlds we may never physically walk, yet somehow deeply understand.
When I open a book, I don't just read words… I travel. I stand on battlefields, sit in royal courts, wander through ancient cities, and feel the weight of choices made by people who never existed, and yet feel more real than some we meet in life"
Roman Lunar and Sylver followed behind as they listened his fantasies about books.
"This is gonna be a long night"
Lunar exhaled.
"Books teach without demanding. They whisper truths we're not always ready to hear. They give us courage when we feel small, wisdom when we feel lost, and comfort when the world becomes too loud.
A single story can change a life. A single sentence can stay with you forever.
In books, we find pieces of ourselves we didn't know were missing..."
"Pieces of ourselves huh..?"
Roman said.
Sir Pendragon glaced at him with a smile.
"Yes of course. You my boy might even find a piece here"
He smiled then continued
"And perhaps the most beautiful thing?
Books remind us that no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, we are never truly alone.
Someone, somewhere, has felt what we feel… and wrote it down.
So if you ever feel lost, pick up a book.
Because within those pages, you might just find your way back to yourself."
The kept on ascending the infinite stairs in a quick pace.
For an old man, he was very agile.
Sir Pendragon continued his speech.
"To some, booksbare simple objects. But to people like me, they are lifelines.
Because within those pages lie entire universes.
Worlds where the impossible becomes possible. Where heroes rise, kingdoms fall, and ordinary people discover extraordinary strength.
And somehow, through stories that aren't ours, we begin to understand our own.
Books have a way of seeing us… even when we feel invisible.
They speak when we have no one to talk to. They guide us when we don't know which path to take. They challenge us, comfort us, and sometimes… they break us, only to rebuild us stronger than before"
Lunar would be asleep by now if they were sitting.
"Think about it, how powerful must something be to change the way you think? To shift your perspective? To make you feel emotions so real, your heart races for characters who never lived?
That is the power of books."
"I really like your passion about books Penny"
Sylver suddenly said.
Sir Pendragon looked at her.
"While thank you child"
He chuckled.
"I myself have written a book or two, or more..."
He stared into space for a while.
"Huh.. I've lost count"
He chuckled.
"In a world filled with noise, books teach us to listen. In a world filled with chaos, books give us meaning.
And in moments when we feel alone, books remind us, we never truly are.
Every great idea, every revolution, every dream that shaped our world… started as words.
Written. Read. Believed.
So when you pick up a book, you are not just reading… You are stepping into something greater than yourself.
And maybe, just maybe, you're not only discovering a story…
you're discovering who you are meant to become."
Sir Pendragon paused, then smiled.
"Goodness gracious, I got carried away again, didn't I"
"Nah. I really don't mind "
Roman said.
"Do you usually give such speech to everyone that comes in here?"
Lunar muttered.
Sir Pendragon let out a laugh.
"You're a funny one lad. Anyway, we're here, Isle eighty"
He inhaled, then let out the breath.
"I love the smell of history"
He smiled.
"Goodness gracious, I guess I'm a little history myself"
He let of another laugh.
TBC