The Forbidden Library by David Alastair Hayden Read Free Book Online Page A

information anywhere about returning to my world,” said Turesobei, “it would be there, right?”
    “I’d guess so,” Narbenu replied. “But it’d be nearly impossible for you to reach it. The trek would be incredibly dangerous not to mention the important part.”
    “You mean the it’s forbidden part?” Lu Bei said.
    “Legend says that no one is permitted to enter the library,” said Narbenu.
    “Then why have one?” said Lu Bei.
    Narbenu shrugged. “I’ve no idea. From what I’ve heard demons guard it.”
    The wind kicked up. The color of the sun deepened from rose to crimson to blood as it began to set. The temperature dropped rapidly. Turesobei shivered. 
    Lu Bei folded his wings around his body. “If you don’t need me master …” The fetch climbed into the pack and returned to book form.
    A beast howled in the distance. Something responded. It sounded like a girl screaming.

Chapter 6
     
     
    Turesobei turned toward the sound instinctively. “Do you think —”
    Narbenu shook his head. “A demon.”
    “Are you certain?”
    Narbenu sighed. “Nothing out here is certain. There are so many dangers. But it’s definitely not one of your friends. They couldn’t have made it this far on foot in a night. Not a chance.”
    “What are the biggest dangers to worry about?” Turesobei asked. “I may be stuck here. I’m going to need to know.”
    “Well, there’s the bomokagi,” said Kemsu. “They’re as tall as three goronku and twice that length. Razor tusks to rend you, if they don’t just trample you. Big and hairy and hard to kill.”
    “The kusokagi,” said Narbenu. “Also known as scourers. Winged demons that swoop down on you. Usually at night but sometimes in the day, especially if it snows. No one even knows where they live or come from.”
    “And then there are wild sonoke,” said Kemsu. “Don’t underestimate them because these sonoke seem so peaceful.”
    “All manner of demons and beasts unnamed prowl our lands,” Narbenu added. “Hardly any two are alike. The worst things come out at night.”
    The sun was halfway down the horizon. War Chief Sudorga called everyone to a halt to set up camp for the night.
    “When will we get to the reitsu village?” Turesobei asked.
    “Just before dark tomorrow,” Narbenu said.
    “That won’t be soon enough to do anything.” He rode forward to speak to War Chief Sudorga. “Can we travel a few more hours? Avida is rising. That will give us some light.”
    “Not enough,” Sudorga replied. “Maybe in your world, but Avida is not bright enough to travel safely by. Travel is more dangerous at night anyway.”
    “I can see in the dark if I wish and lead us,” Turesobei said. “And I can summon a light to guide us. Just two more hours.”
    War Chief Sudorga stroked his beard and studied Turesobei. “Show me.”
    Turesobei chanted the spell of the dancing fire globe , hiding the pain casting even such a simple spell caused him. Three globes of fire the size of his head appeared. Everyone gasped in amazement. But then fire globes fizzled out. 
    “That’s — That’s strange.”
    Someone said something to him, but Turesobei ignored them. He opened his kenja-sight and studied the terrain. Bright blue and white energies flared across the landscape, mixed with thin green and yellow currents. The only traces of fire energy came from him, the goronku, and the star-stones. 
    “Of course,” he said, “there’s not much fire energy for me to draw on here. Hold on, I’ll have to use another spell.”
    A harder one, unfortunately. He cast the spell of the moon mirrors which relied on air energy and was easiest when Avida was in the sky like it was now. Six white disks, like glass mirrors, appeared. Light radiated from one side of them. By concentrating he angled them to shine ahead of the column. 
    “It’s a simple enough spell. I can keep this going for two hours.”
    “There will be dangers,” Sudorga said.
    “I have no