The dreamscape Secret Library hummed with a silent energy, a paradox of stillness and boundless possibility. Its vastness defied geometry, the towering bookshelves stretching into an unseen ceiling, most were still empty though.
A long, polished conference table, inexplicably pristine in this ethereal realm, sat at the library's heart. Here, Sparrow Night and his sister Canary, both dream weavers and secret librarians of this fantastical repository of knowledge, were locked in serious discussion with their aunts, Autumn Elheart and Raven Hood.
The scene was sharp, defined, every detail rendered with crystalline clarity, except for the figures themselves. They possessed a disconcerting translucence, their human forms only partially solid, flickering like candlelight in a draft.
Canary, her blurry brow furrowed, tapped a vague spectral finger against the dream-woven table.
"Birdbro! Do you still have a quota for guest invitation?" She inquired, her melodic voice echoing slightly in the library hall space. "Each of us should only have one guest invitation per week, shouldn't we? We invited Big Aunt and Li'l Aunt only two days ago, didn't we?"
Sparrow's single eye glinted amidst his unclear visage. "Hey! You're right, Tweety. I have one more spare chance for invitation."
Autumn, her blurry form raising her hand to touch her chin, responded in uncharacteristic display of contemplation. "But aren't we library members now, Kids? Since we officially became ones, that invalidated the 'guest' status, didn't it?"
Raven, her dark eyes gleaming with amusement beneath her blurry form, nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Being official library members should void our 'guest' status."
"That does make logical sense." Sparrow, ever the pragmatist, also agreed with the reasoning.
Canary sighed dramatically. "Well, as the quota reset seems valid, why don't we try the 'super secretive involuntary guest profound knowledge documentation' feature."
Autumn and Raven exchanged baffled glances. Sparrow facepalmed at his sister's naming sense.
"The what now?" Raven asked.
"Come on! It's that function," Canary explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "The one that allows us to extract and record a guest's area of expertise and convert it into books."
Sparrow added, "Theoretically, that's the only way for us to rapidly expand the library's collection. For now, at least. But let's just call this feature: 'Guest Contribution'."
"Your naming sense is very bad, Birdbro!" Canary complained. "We should call it with the name I've just said."
"It's way too long, Ree!" Autumn immediately replied. "Do you even remember it?"
Raven chimed in to stop the pointless discussion, "OK, enough for the name." She then continued in serious tone, "This feature should be carefully tested. The ethical implications are rather… significant."
Autumn raised a skeptical eyebrow on her hazy face. "Ethical? They're extracting knowledge, not souls. What's the harm?"
"The potential for abuse," Raven countered. "Imagine extracting the confidential knowledge of a general's military secret, and using it to wage war. Or extracting a scientist's breakthrough and weaponizing it. Or extracting an artist's unpublished creative ideas and using it to bypass copyright laws."
"That actually does seem terrible," Autumn agreed.
"Which is why," Raven said, planting her hands on the table, "we need to test it in a controlled environment. On someone who possesses significant knowledge, but whose work, however valuable, is unlikely to be catastrophically misused."
The four of them fell silent, each lost in thought. After a moment, Sparrow's lips curled into a faint, almost mischievous smile.
"I think I have an idea for the first candidate," he said, his voice laced with a touch of dark humor. "There's a professor from my university… Jerome Gearlow. A grandmaster of mechanical engineering, a walking encyclopedia of anything mechanical. But also a colossal… well, let's just say his personality is not his strongest attribute."
Autumn grinned. "A brilliant mind in a jack-ass character? Seems perfect. Let's do it."
Raven and Canary nodded in agreement.
With a wave of his hand, Sparrow initiated the summoning sequence. the translucent screen in grey light appeared. An image of a haughty old man's face could be seen in the screen, along with some of her information... name: Jerome Solair Gearlow, age: 64, etc.
Wordlessly, Sparrow touched the screen and... the grey light of the screen glowed stronger until a blinding light covered the whole space. Afterward, the air shimmered, and a figure solidified in the center of the library, bathed in an eerie, ethereal light.
It was not very clear, but Sparrow quickly recognized him as Professor Jerome Gearlow. Amidst the blurry form, the four could still see him, his face slack, his eyes glazed over. He stood motionless, seemingly unaware of his surroundings, trapped in a sleepwalking-like trance.
"It was different from the time we summoned Li'l Aunt and Big Aunt," Canary commented idly, while curiously checking the summoned man.
"He appears to be in sleepwalking mode," Raven observed. "Unlikely to recognize us, in this state."
Sparrow suddenly had a wild idea. He squinted his only eye, focusing his concentration. He invoked the [Greater Appraisal] skill from his {Eye of Wisdom} talent.
Within his eye-sight, a faint web of shimmering lines danced around Professor Gearlow, each line representing a specific field of expertise. His skill somehow gave him ability to interpret those lines easily. Thicker lines indicated deeper knowledge, while thinner lines represented fleeting understanding.
"As expected," Sparrow murmured.
"What are you doing, Birdbro? Using [Greater Appraisal]? Can you do it here? What can you see?" Canary, instantly recognizing the aura appearing from her brother, immediately sent barrage of questions.
"[Greater Appraisal] surprisingly works here," Sparrow replied. "It shows that Mechanical Engineering is indeed his dominant field. He's an absolute master in this field. But there's also a great amount of knowledge in applied mathematics, and a large amount in… well, passive-aggressive insults."
Ignoring the last category, Raven stepped forward. "Alright, let's initiate the extraction process. Sparrow, use your librarian privilege to command him to share his knowledge of Mechanical Engineering."
Sparrow nodded, raising his hand towards the dazed professor. "Jerome Gearlow," he intoned, his voice resonating with the ancient power of the library. "By the authority vested in me as a librarian of this realm, you are hereby commanded to share your deepest knowledge of Mechanical Engineering."
The effect was immediate. Professor Gearlow's body began to glow with a vibrant, bluish light. The light intensified, enveloping him in an ethereal aura. He stood motionless, seemingly oblivious to the energy coursing through him.
The four other people in the library watched intently as the extraction process unfolded. The air crackled with energy, and faint humming sounds filled the library. The bluish light pulsed rhythmically, gradually dimming as it extracted the professor's vast knowledge.
After approximately ten minutes, the glowing aura began to dissipate. The light faded, until finally, Professor Gearlow stood once more in his normal, albeit still dazed, state. Then, with a final, almost imperceptible shudder, his spectral form vanished completely, leaving behind only the faint scent of burnt mint.
Where Professor Gearlow had stood, a stack of eight thick, leather-bound books now rested on the floor. Their spines gleamed with an arcane script, shimmering with an otherworldly light. Each book was labeled: "Mechanical Engineering Series," followed by a level number from 1 to 8.
A wave of anticipation washed over the librarians. Canary eagerly picked up the "Mechanical Engineering Series, Level 1" book. "Let's see what we've got," she exclaimed, her fingers tracing the intricate symbols on the cover.
Canary flipped open the book. The pages within were not only filled with text, but also with intricate diagrams, equations that seemed to shift and rearrange themselves as she watched, and holographic projections of complex mechanical systems whirring into existence before her eyes.
"Whoa," she breathed, "This is amazing. I don't understand any of this but still... it's amazing."
Raven picked up the "Mechanical Engineering Series, Level 8" book, its spine radiating a subtle warmth. She opened it cautiously, and a wave of complex formulas appeared over her eyes, making her vision swim.
"I don't really understand this stuff either. But, it's definitely advanced," she commented, closing the book with a snap. "Seems like... this isn't just textbook theories; it's the kind of knowledge that comes from years of hands-on experimentation and theoretical breakthroughs."
Autumn gathered all books into a pile. "Okay, initial test: successful. We've managed to extract a significant amount of knowledge and convert it into usable texts. Though, no one here but Sparrow could understand them, it seems." She then looked at Canary. "Time for the next target, Ree!"
Sparrow hesitatingly interrupts. "I still have reservations about this. Even if Professor Gearlow is a… er, this still feels like an invasion of privacy."
"He won't remember a thing," Autumn countered dismissively. "Besides, knowledge must be preserved. And the best way to preserve knowledge is to document it... and share it."
Raven nodded in agreement. "It is indeed a valid concern, but we've established safeguards. We're choosing subjects carefully, ensuring their knowledge is unlikely to be misused, and we're limiting the scope of the extraction."
Sparrow sighed, conceding the point. "Alright, alright. Next target, then." He thought for a moment, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "How about targeting awakened people this time, for more mystical knowledge? Something… related to surreal power?"
Canary's eyes widened. "Ooh, goodie! I have an idea! Remember that creepy guardian from the Soragant Underground Realmgate Warehouse? Elder Grey Demon? He looks like he knows a lot about realmgates!"
"Grey Demon? That scary old man? He is still in Soragant MIST Union?" Raven asked.
"Yeah," Autumn shuddered as he answered. She looked pointedly at Canary. "Haven't you read my Database Compilation? That guy is scary. Why the hell do you have to choose him for the first target?"
"Huh?"
"Mantero Pancolt, codenamed: Grey Demon," Sparrow informed his sister. "His most infamous accomplishment was slaying a high level Sentient Green Vampire Lord and massacring 126 thralls controlled by the monster. The battle severely damaged Maranga Village in Northern Frostgane and took 44 innocent civilian victims. Are you sure about this, Tweety? That guy is… unnerving."
"Uh... But... but he won't remember anything in this place, will he?" Canary argued unconvincingly. "Understanding realmgates better will definitely help us, right? Besides, he's already guarding the place, what's the harm in extracting some of his realmgate knowledge?"
Raven considered the idea. "Realmgates… well, that's a fascinating idea. It can definitely be useful in a way."
Autumn reluctantly agreed. "Although, I think it will be better if we tried easier target first... But, let's just try it!"
"Alright then, let's proceed with caution," Sparrow's single green eye was locked at Canary. "Tweety, can you pull up his information?"
Canary nodded and initiated the summoning sequence. A translucent screen with golden glow flickered to life, displaying an image of a gaunt, creepy old man. Information about him appeared in the screen... name: Mantero Altair Pancolt, age: 71, etc.
"Summon!" With a dramatic flair, Canary touched the screen. For a few seconds, the library was filled with an oppressive silence. The air thickened, growing heavy with an otherworldly energy. Then, with a flash of golden light that blinded the whole room, the blurry form of Elder Mantero Pancolt materialized in the center of the library.
Unlike Professor Gearlow, Elder Pancolt was immediately alert. His cold eyes scanned the surroundings with unnerving intensity. He didn't seem to recognize the librarians, but he was clearly aware of his surroundings and on high alert.
"That's… different," Canary whispered, nervously clutching her brother's arm.
"[Sleepwalking Mode] unavailable," Raven observed grimly. "He's consciously present."
Sparrow squinted his eye, invoking [Greater Appraisal] once again. The web of shimmering lines materialized around Elder Pancolt, revealing his knowledge in stark detail.
"Realmgate Knowledge is very high," Sparrow murmured, awestruck. "But there's also a significant amount of knowledge related to… binding contracts, forbidden rituals, and, unsurprisingly, a deep understanding of fear."
Canary gulped. "Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea…"
"Who are you? Where am I?" Elder Pancolt, the Grey Demon, growl with intimidating voice.
Panicked, Canary immediately commanded, "Elder Pancolt! By the authority vested in me as a librarian of this realm, you are hereby commanded to share your deepest knowledge of Realmgates."
Elder Pancolt's creepy eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. He didn't speak, but a low growl rumbled in his chest. The air crackled with tension.
Then, slowly, reluctantly, Elder Pancolt's body began to glow with a yellowish light, a sickly hue that seemed to drain the color from the room. The extraction process had begun.
But unlike the relatively smooth extraction from Professor Gearlow, this process was fraught with resistance. Elder Pancolt's body trembled, and his face contorted in what might have been pain. The yellowish light flickered erratically, struggling to break free from his grasp.
The air grew heavy, laden with an oppressive dread. The librarians felt a creeping sense of unease, a feeling that they were tampering with something far beyond their comprehension.
After what felt like an eternity, the yellowish glow began to subside. Elder Pancolt remained standing, his body visibly weakened but his eyes still burning with malevolent intelligence.
Then, with a shuddering breath, he vanished, leaving behind a stack of six thick books. Their spines pulsed with an inner light, radiating an unsettling aura. Each book was labeled: "Encyclopedia of Surreal Realmgates," followed by a volume number from 1 to 6. The smell of ozone was mixed with sulfur this time.
Canary cautiously approached the stack of books, her hand trembling as she reached for "Encyclopedia of Surreal Realmgates, Book 1." She hesitated, a sense of foreboding washing over her. What secrets lay within these pages? What consequences would they unleash?