The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023

36| Silver Oak Academy

Cloud waits for it to get dark before sneaking out of his empty dorm room, finding it useful to only have to manoeuvre around one Antonio Navarro.

Even with everything going on he never forgot his main reason for being here which is to find the mysterious book known only as the Apothecary.

He managed to sneak off during the day to locate the library on the second floor but the door was locked and his chances of being caught would have been a lot higher if he decided not to wait.

It takes Cloud a few tries to find the Library again, what with the Academy looking completely transformed during the night, somehow managing to walk into dead ends at least ten times.

Cloud scratches his head as he remembers that the Library had a torch missing at one end of the corridor so instead of focusing on the look of the doors, he follows the rows of torches lined up on the walls, eventually recognising the strange looking statue of a man whose design clashes with the aesthetic of the castle, looking like he is stuck in a perplexing state of surprise with his finger held up in the air.

There's no doubt that whoever made it butchered the face a little because although the details of his outfit are sharp and clear the details of his face appear rounded and dull.

Cloud hears the shuffling of multiple footsteps so he correctly decides to hide behind the statue inside the tiny crevice space, covering his nose and mouth with his own hand as the sources of the noise skate on by.

He hurries after that and once he successfully sneaks up to the entrance of the Library he peeks through the glass, covering his hand over his eyes to get a glimpse inside, making out the tiny details of bookshelves and an oval reception desk.

Upon feeling the light tickles of someone else breathing down his neck, Cloud snaps around with his hand already set ablaze, instinctively rushing his stalker into the wall.

"You're jumpier than usual." Casey whispers with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "We must be up to something real serious then."

Cloud scoffs. "We?"

"Did you really think you were going to successfully break into anything without my expertise?"

"How'd you know?"

"Your left eye twitches when you're up to something."

"You're an idiot, you know that," Cloud punches Casey lightly in the arm, feeling the padding of his jacket absorb most of the attack. "I could have killed you."

Casey chuckles quietly, rubbing his hands together once Cloud releases him. "I get that I scared the hell out of you but there's no need to lie. I know you're glad to see me."

"Okay, fine, how quickly can you-"

Casey pushes the door open, holding his arm out to let Cloud go first before carefully closing it behind himself.

He doesn't even attempt to hide his smugness, whistling a soft tune as he hops on top of the oval desk. "Alright, what we looking for?"

"A book." Cloud replies, lighting the way with a kindling flame.

"Well obviously, I didn't think this was a drive thru." Casey retorts, slapping Cloud on the back of the head who retaliates by turning on him with a murderous glare. "I'm just gonna go behind here, for safety reasons-"

"-yeah, you do that." Cloud grumbles, gingerly rubbing the back of his head.

He deliberates how much he should share with Casey, wondering how much he can trust the loud blabbermouth with before putting his best friend in any potential danger. "It's called the Apothecary. Heard of it?"

"Heard of it? Bro, you just named the Mona Lisa of books." Casey replies. "Wait...you didn't think you'd find it here did you?"

"It's a book, I thought," Cloud halts, realising his mistake far too late. "I was told it was here."

Casey covers his mouth to cover up his laughter, coughing a little once his fit of giggles is over. "Oh boy. You're like a lost puppy. What would you do without me?"

"Alright, thanks for that, very helpful, moron!" Cloud curses, holding his head as he walks in between bookshelves, taking a moment to calm himself down.

'What was he thinking, of course it wouldn't be that easy.'

"Is there something specific you were looking for? Maybe I can still help." Casey calls out when he can't find his friend, accidentally walking into a chair. "Excuse me."

Cloud closes his eyes, leaning his head against the wooden frame of the nearest bookshelf. "I doubt it."

"There's a spell I know. It's a compound enchantment, so I can teach it to you. It's a locator spell but I can tweak it a little."

Casey being an Arcanist shouldn't surprise Cloud as much as it does but on second thought, Enchantments, Runes and Wards aren't that dissimilar from codes and puzzles.

He throws the idea around in his head for a while, deciding there's no harm in trying, before channelling more energy into the flame so that Casey has an easier time finding him. "What do I have to do?"

"You say the enchantment and then say what you're searching for."

"Sounds pretty simple."

"Yeah but there's a catch, you can only use up to three words to find what you're looking for so you gotta be super specific."

Whilst learning the correct words and pronunciation of the enchantment, Cloud tries to think up the three words that could possibly give him the answers he seeks, the answers deliberately being kept from him, the secrets to secrets that start well before his time.

"You ready?"

"Nope."

Casey taps Cloud on the back before stepping a few paces back. "That's the spirit."

Cloud sighs, swallowing the stone in his throat before hesitantly uttering the enchantment, snapping his fingers three times out of habit. "Pulsate tres, et invenies...Helel Ben Sahar."

A single book kept far up on the shelf, too far for Cloud to reach, starts to glow, rattling like a feral animal trapped inside a cage. "Great, now we just need to get it down."

"I got it." Casey replies, his irises shifting as he leaps through the air and starts drifting like a feather.

"You can fly?" Cloud asks once Casey's grounds himself.

"No. It's not true flight, just a technique we call cloud shifting." Casey replies, juggling the book in his hand before offering it to Cloud once it starts to lose its glow. "Here."

"Thanks."

"What is it?" Casey asks, noting how unsatisfied Cloud appears after aggressively flipping through the first pages.

"It's a nursery rhyme."