Azrael

Two

Adira raced through the deserted lobby, desperate to get home before the rain came down. The little golden pocket watch she clutched showed a time that could only be described as ungodly. She had fallen asleep while engrossed in a book at the library, and it was now almost 2 am. The sky was transforming into a gloomy canvas of dark clouds, and the thunder growled, mocking her futile attempt to outrun the storm. It was a flurry of errors as she desperately rummaged through her purse for the library door keys, only to have them slip through her fingers - not once, but twice. Each failed attempt was accompanied by a symphony of curses from her that echoed through the silence of the night.

As she stepped out of the library, an explosion of lively music from a nearby club greeted her ears. She glanced left and right, scanning the parking lot that hugged the library, and as expected, it was deserted. Part of her had a nagging feeling to do a full lap around the building, just to be extra sure. But gazing at the sky one more time, she cursed herself for not bringing her car. And she had told the guard to go home early tonight, so that wasn't an option. Her phone had run out of charge much earlier so she could not call anyone either.

She zipped up her furry coat and braved the chilly air as she strolled towards the gates. Her long dark hair danced wildly behind her in the gusty breeze, tempting her to whip out a hair tie and secure it in place. But no - she needed to find a haven away from the rowdy party animals littering the streets. She dreaded the idea of having to wait out the rain inside a bar, or worse.

The city seemed to have an endless supply of these bars and clubs, each one bursting at the seams with partygoers, filling the air with raucous laughter and blaring music. Adira couldn't understand the appeal of all that commotion. She had always been drawn to the serene nature of books, spending most of her childhood buried in them within the very same library she now worked in. The noise and chaos that others found exciting, she found bewildering. Why opt for a headache-inducing night of revelry when she could escape into the pages of a good book?

As a child, her father would drop her off at the library and leave to attend to his affairs. Occasionally, he would forget to send his chauffeur to pick her up, resulting in her sleeping late among the bookshelves - a routine that had become quite familiar. The advantage of being in a library owned by her father was that she faced no interruptions or disturbances. Her father, once called "irresponsible and lacking as a parent" in a letter written by one of her teachers, was driven by a willingness to take risks - an attribute that had propelled him to achieve great success. In contrast, she craved stability and orderliness in her life. Nevertheless, there were moments when she felt envious of his unrestrained and carefree existence.

Drawn by his wildest dreams, his travels had led him to Kespen, accompanied by a then twelve-year-old Adira. Living in the small city was akin to living in a paradise. Despite its proximity to the Reine mountain ranges which subjected it to intense cold and constant rainfall for half of the year, the presence of these slopes attracted a continuous flow of explorers and adventurers. As a result, Kespen had transformed into one of Russia's most coveted destinations.

The city had seen a rise in upscale eateries and luxurious accommodations, attracting an influx of tourists who were quickly making themselves at home. The presence of fancy cars parked along the streets was a clear indicator of the standard of living, not to mention the penthouses that adorned the flattened mountainside in the distance from the city center. Admiring the stunning view from up there was undoubtedly breathtaking, but being afraid of heights, Adira preferred her down-to-earth apartment.

As she walked along the sidewalk, Adira consciously avoided the noisy crowd, many of whom smelled strongly of tobacco and carried bottles of vodka. Normally, she wouldn't be so cautious - these were scenes she had witnessed her whole life. However, recent unsettling events in Kespen had put her on edge.