Nara landed gracefully on the stone floor, the faint crimson glow of the completed shield fading behind her. Her breath was steady, but her eyes were sharp with concern as she pushed open the ancient door to the library chamber.
"I've finished casting the Blood Dragon Shield," she said as she entered, brushing off her shoulders. "But... how did they find the Forgotten Library?"
The priest followed close behind, his robes stained with smoke and blood. He shut the door behind him with a tired sigh. "How wouldn't they know?" he muttered. "Their lords were once part of the ancient realms. The Forgotten Library wasn't just a sanctuary—it was a symbol of the Dragon Realm's pride. We may have lost everything, but this place remained… because our Lord—your Lord—made it only obey those of Dragon blood."
He crossed the room, placing his scorched staff gently against the wall. "But now…" he continued, his voice tightening, "now that our Lord walks in a human shell, the scent of dragon has faded. The Shadow Knights can smell the human in him, even if they can't smell us."
Nara sat down on a stone chair, wiping a bit of dried blood from her wrist. "Yeah, I know," she said quietly. "We don't have a scent… only our bonded partners can sense us."
The priest paused, mid-step, then smirked—just faintly.
Nara narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Why are you smiling like that?"
He waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. You're imagining things."
"Uh-huh." She leaned back, crossing her arms. "You're definitely hiding something."
He turned away quickly, pulling out an ancient scroll from a shelf—anything to avoid her gaze. "Haha—just stop. We have more important matters to deal with. No time for teasing."
But Nara caught the slight grin tugging at the edge of his lips.
She smiled too.
"Wait… where is our Lord?" Nara asked, suddenly alert.
"Don't worry," the priest replied calmly, glancing toward the far corner of the room. "He must have gone into the hidden chamber. I told him to hide there if anything felt off. The second knight approached just as I was leaving, so he must have heard the clash and acted quickly."
He tucked three small, ancient books into the side of his worn leather bag.
"That's a relief," Nara exhaled. "But… what exactly is inside that chamber?"
The priest gave her a faint smirk. "Come see for yourself."
He led her toward the corner where the hidden wall shimmered faintly.
"How will you open it? You're not the Lord!" she teased, raising a brow.
"As you can see," he said, gesturing to the already cracked-open entrance, "our Lord already activated it. Once the seal is broken by him, any Dragon Realm soul can enter after. Which is exactly why I told you centuries ago to study more, hmm?"
He chuckled as the door slid open with a low, ancient hum. Nara made a sulky face and gave him a gentle shove before walking ahead.
"Hmph! You just love throwing those 'centuries ago' lectures at me, don't you?"
The priest grinned, walking behind her. "What can I say? It's fun watching the great Blood Carnation Sword pout like a child. Honestly, with how fierce you fight, no one would guess you could be so dramatic."
She rolled her eyes but didn't stop. "Says the man who once tripped over his own robe mid-duel."
They both laughed softly, their footsteps echoing in the dim hallway. But deep inside, they knew—their moments of peace were fleeting. Shadows always returned.