The air grows heavy with the scent of roses sweet, deep, intoxicating.
From the shadows, a voice flows like silk laced with steel.
"How did you find the courage to enter my chamber, Rosielle, without permission?"
Her tone is soft, yet it slices through the quiet like a blade wrapped in petals.
Lyanna freezes. The woman before her Rosielle radiates beauty that borders on divine. Her hair glimmers between silver and lilac, and her eyes, golden violet, gleam with both wrath and elegance. Every word she speaks carries command, as if the room itself listens.
In a blink, she stands before Lyanna. No sound, no warning. Only the faint whisper of her perfume.
Lyanna's gaze flickers to Vaelith. He sits cross legged on the floor, a book open in his hands. Its pages glow faintly, light pulsing like a heartbeat. He looks utterly lost in it, as if the world around him doesn't exist.
Only when Rosielle's presence thickens the air does he finally lift his head.
He closes the book, expression unreadable, and says
"Thief. How dare you touch what belongs to me?"
The words are dry, not cruel almost teasing.
Rosielle's brow arches, her beauty sharpened by irritation.
Lyanna blinks, unsure who's accusing whom.
Vaelith rises, calm as still water.
"So, you're the keeper here," he says evenly. "Tell me where did you find these books?"
There's no fear in his tone, only quiet curiosity, the kind that irritates someone like Rosielle.
Rosielle tilts her head, lips curving into a faint, teasing smile
"What do you think?"
"We need your help," Vaelith replies.
Lyanna stares at him, stunned.
"We… ?"
Rosielle's laughter ripples through the chamber soft, melodic, dangerous.
"I might have helped you," she says, "but after such disrespect especially from her no."
Her gaze darts to Lyanna, sharp as glass.
Rosielle continued, her tone colder now,
"I've known for quite some time that you've been coming here every month."
Before Rosielle could continue Lyanna takes a small step forward, voice trembling but honest.
"I don't know what you think I've done, but I never meant disrespect. I was only… amazed by your beauty."
A faint smile touches Rosielle's lips, something between amusement and pity.
Rosielle chuckled lightly. Lyanna continued softly,
"But if any of my words seemed insulting to you, then I sincerely apo..."
Before Lyanna can say more, Vaelith cuts in ..
"Enough , You did nothing wrong."
He steps closer, meeting Rosielle's gaze without flinching.
"I don't know who you are,or how much you know of me but I can sense your power Smellirion, isn't it? The scent bound aura I read about."
Rosielle's eyes flash like lightning.
"Are you threatening to expose me?"
"No," Vaelith answers, his voice calm but solid. " The one who came with me she has not disrespected you either. it isn't her. If offense exists, it is mine alone, for answering your tone."
Silence falls. The air trembles. Then, slowly, Rosielle laughs again.
Her laughter is beautiful terrifyingly so.
Lyanna watches, frozen, her awe mingling with dread
The laughter softens, Rosielle's voice dripping with amusement.
"You two are morons," she says softly ,
"I was only teasing. And the question you seek? Even if you searched a thousand lifetimes through these books, you would not find it. The truth hides between the lines, in invisible ink. You could spend a thousand years searching and still fail."
Her golden eyes glow faintly in the dim light , She leans closer, lowering her voice to a soft, honeyed whisper
"The answer is hidden within the pages. And to reach it, you will need my help."
Vaelith narrows his eyes.
"You know about the question we seek… but how?"
Rosielle smiles again honeyed, secretive..
"Because I sensed your arrival months ago, thanks to my psychic ability. The first allows me to detect anyone entering my boundaries within a month. The second lets me feel what they are doing… as long as they remain inside my boundary."
She tilts her head, playful now. "The third ability… ah.."
Vaelith raises an eyebrow.
Vaelith looks at her, intrigued.
Rosielle's eyes gleam.
" I felt your presence the moment you entered. I knew why you came. You seek meaning. Truth hidden between these pages."
Lyanna leans forward, drinking in every word, trying to piece together the mysteries swirling in the air.
Vaelith asks, voice cautious,
"Then why not stop us before? Why appear only now?"
Rosielle glances at Lyanna, a soft, enigmatic smile playing on her lips.
"Today," she murmurs,
"I sensed something… different. A fragrance I have never felt."
Lyanna's chest tightens.
Rosielle turns back to Vaelith, eyes glinting, teasing.
"Relax. I am not offended. I came simply because… I wanted to."
Without waiting for a response, Rosielle steps forward . she turns toward a towering bookshelf and draws out a single, pale white volume. Its pages are blank.
From the shelf below, she retrieves a small glass vial filled with rose colored liquid. As she drips it across the page, faint letters bloom from the whiteness ink awakening under the perfume's glow.
"The information is hidden," Rosielle says softly,
"Written in colors so faint no one can see them unless I reveal them myself."
Vaelith watches in silence, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
"Then why show us? What do you gain?"
Her lips curl into a sly, knowing smile ,
"Finally a useful question. My intention is simple. I want what lies beyond this place. I want to know everything about this place,"
she says..
"But I cannot do it alone. You want the answers, you want to escape. Our goals… align."
Lyanna's voice breaks the pause ,
"I… I have a question," she whispers.
Both Rosielle and Vaelith turn to her, attentive.
" i want to understand these powers,"
she says.
"Why they exist… and what they do."
Rosielle studies her, then lets out a small laugh.
"So, you haven't told her, Vaelith?"
Vaelith remains silent.
Rosielle steps closer, her expression shifting from amusement to something darker ,
"When people have everything wealth, comfort, admiration they grow bored.
They start creating things beyond human nature. Some do it for fun, others to escape their duties or pain. But those who come seeking power… never use it for good"
She says ,
"so people come here for two reasons greed or escape. Those who have everything seek more. Those who have nothing seek release. But none of them understand that power never comes without cost."
She traces a finger along the page ,she sighed softly.
"Anyway, I don't have all the answers. But I know this much we're trapped within a barrier. Here, you can create anything. There are countless others too none truly know each other. And when someone leaves this realm, your gift remains only for nine hundred ninety nine days. They can do whatever they wish with it in the real world."
Lyanna frowned ,
"And if they want to keep that power forever?"
Rosielle smiled faintly ,
"Then there are only two ways stay here forever… or sacrifice someone else."
Vaelith muttered,"So no one trusts anyone here."
"Exactly," Rosielle replied.
"Because each one fears the other might steal their ability. But you'll understand more soon."
Lyanna's eyes widen.
" and those who choose to stay?"
"They lose themselves."
Rosielle whispers... "Or they offer another life in exchange."
The silence that follows is heavy, trembling.
Finally, Rosielle turns toward them again, her tone light and teasing once more.
"But enough of that. You're guests now. And since you've already stepped this far . Stay in my quarters for the night. Tomorrow, we begin our journey."
Vaelith and Lyanna exchange a glance unspoken understanding passing between them.
"Fine," Vaelith says.
Rosielle smiles faintly.
"Good. Follow me , then"
They walk through the library's endless corridors, shelves stretching like the ribs of an ancient beast.
At the end stands a massive door white marble veined with gold.
Rosielle touches it, and it opens with a sigh.
Beyond lies a vast hall bathed in soft rose light.
Lyanna pauses at the threshold, everything within her whispering don't trust her.
But beside her, Vaelith steps forward calm, unreadable, ready.
Rosielle glances back with a smile.
"Welcome to my world."