Dawn Arbor Academy: Water, Wine, and Blood

Chapter 3. The Guardian and the Restricted Library

Day had barely dawned over the spires of Dawn Arbor when Celeste found herself following Vivian through the library's towering shelves. Even at this early hour, magical tomes shuffled themselves between sections, and ghostly bookmarks fluttered like lost butterflies seeking their readers.

A soft padding sound made them both turn. There, sitting primly between two floating shelves of ancient texts, was a puppy with fur that seemed woven from moonlight and gold. Despite its small size, there was something ancient in its bright, knowing eyes.

"Arcanus," Vivian said with suprise, "I didn't expect to see you this morning."

The puppy tilted its head, its voice resonating with gentle wisdom despite its youthful appearance. "I appear as needed, Miss Blackwood, and in the form most suited to my audience." Its gaze settled on Celeste with friendly interest. "Though I must say, it's been quite some time since I've found myself in puppy form. You must have a particularly pure heart, Princess Celeste."

"You're the Library Guardian," Celeste realized, recalling the rumors she had heard about the magical being that protected Dawn Arbor's collected knowledge."

"Yes," Arcanus agreed, " Now, about your venture into the Restricted Section..." He began, "While I appreciate your scholarly enthusiasm, perhaps I could offer a proper escort? There are safer paths than the one you're contemplating."

As Arcanus led them toward a shadowy alcove, Viv whispered, "Most students try to sneak in through the main entrance, but..." She paused as Arcanus pressed his small golden paw against what appeared to be a solid wall, revealing a narrow passage illuminated by soft, warm light.

"The library appreciates those who understand its secrets," Arcanus said leaving tiny paw prints of glowing light that faded slowly behind them. "And those who respect its power. Otherwise, I can't promise it is always...safe, especially not the restricted section."

Inside, the library felt alive in a way that made Celeste's skin prickle. Books bound in materials she couldn't identify whispered to each other in ancient languages, while crystal cases housed texts that seemed to bend light around them. Vivian navigated the space with practiced ease, while Arcanus trotted ahead, occasionally pausing to nudge certain dangerous books back onto their shelves with his nose.

"Here," Vivian said, carefully opening a tome with vines made of liquid silver. "This one teaches about essences amount other things.  The purple glow we saw? Classic sign of active essences."

"Interesting choice of research," Arcanus commented, sitting back on his haunches. "Though perhaps you'd also be interested in this?" His tail brushed against a smaller volume bound in what looked like glittering stars, causing it to float gently down from its shelf. As he passed it to her he gave a nod that conveyed both encouragement and a warning of sorts.

The star-bound volume revealed diagrams that made Celeste's breath catch – intricate illustrations of essence chambers hidden within the academy's very walls, their locations marked by various astronomical alignments that only occurred at dawn. She carefully copied several pages into her notebook, her hand trembling slightly as she realized the implications.

"We should go," Vivian whispered, her eyes darting to the enchanted timepiece floating near the ceiling. "The morning bell will ring soon, and even with Arcanus's blessing, we shouldn't press our luck."

As they slipped back through the secret passage, Celeste clutched her notebook close, feeling the weight of its newly acquired knowledge like a physical thing. The guardian walked them to the library's main entrance, where he touched his nose briefly to Celeste's hand – a gesture that felt both like a blessing and a reminder to be cautious.