"When I woke up again I was here. The messenger told me I had inherited the gem and was appointed a librarian in Maeva's place."

"I don't see why they just could not have found another human who wanted the position." Griff pointed out.

"That would be admitting you made a mistake though. The powers that be tend to be less than forgiving from what I noticed." Mel got up to go back to work. Griff, on the other hand, looked up at the ceiling watching the day morph into the night. Right in the middle of the ceiling, the moon was becoming brighter in the fading light.

"Oh, it's a full moon tonight." Commented Griff trying to remember why that fact seemed so important.

"NICK!" Yelled out Griff suddenly causing Mel to let out a speech. "Its the full moon. I need to go."

"Go? Go where? You're not making any sense."

"The reason I was in the desert in the first place is my friend who turned me into a dragon wanted to split up for a while. I was to hide in nature until the full moon while he studied at the Library of Alexandria." Explained Griff trying to find an exit.

"You're leaving me?" Mel's voice sounded disappointed.

"What? No. I mean...yes sort of. Only for a little while. As soon as Nick knows I am ok I'll be right back." Griff tried to explain. Peeking around the nearest bookshelf he spotted a door was forming in a wall.

"Isn't he the one who turned you into a dragon in the first place?" Asked Mel.

"Well yes. But it was an accident."

"Pft. We both know alchemy of that caliber doesn't happen by accident." Griff looked down at the floor choosing his next words carefully.

"It's not like that. He was forced to use the stone by the council." He said evenly.

"He could have said, 'no'." Shot back, Mel.

"He didn't have a choice!"

"You always have a choice. He chose to sacrifice your wellbeing to further his career." Mel accused of taking a step forward.

"No. It's not. He didn't." Griff tried to explain but he kept tripping over his own thoughts. Mel looked smug witnessing Griff becoming more flustered by the minute.

"Can this door lead me to anywhere I choose?" Griff asked changing the subject. Mel scratched a patch under his chin. "As long as it's in the desert. The Sphinx can only form from sand."

"Perfect," Griff exclaimed before opening his mouth to scoop the unsuspecting Mel up. With Mel secured he took off our the double doors that flung open when he got close. Once he was fully out into the night he spat Mel on the sand.

"You are full of surprises." Said The Sphinx. "I've never seen Melvin outside before. Didn't know he could come outside."

"I can but there is no reason I should be dragged out here in the first place. Why did you bring me out here anyway?" Mel tried to flick off the dragon saliva instead licking it off.

"You were saying cruel things about my friend and I thought if you were to actually meet him it would change your mind." The statement sounded better in his head.

"Well, that is not going to happen. Sphnix, I would like to be let back in please." Mel managed to lift the rest of the saliva off using his charm. Tail hoisted high the cat made his way to the entrance before Minerva placed her paw over the entrance.

"Actually, I'd like to see that too." She smiled showing off her inhumanely sharp teeth. Not willing to argue with her Mel sauntered back to Griff.

"You have until midnight for him to show up. If he doesn't we go back to the Hall and give up on this Nicholas Flamel forever." Declared Mel using his trinket to place himself on top of Griff's head. "Watch, he'll show."

Anxiety made it easy for Nick to stay awake until his 'Master' fell asleep. For the past few days, all Nick could think about was if Griff was going to show up tonight. Terrible thoughts plagued his mind every night. Did Griff find a safe place to hide? Did he get recaptured by another army? Was he dead? Maybe he was safe but never wanted to see him again?

Concentrating he shuffled in the dark towards the door. He slipped out into the courtyard without so much as a sound. Feeling confident he stood up to walk towards the front entrance to see if he could slip out the front gate. In the bright moonlight, he didn't need to have a lantern to see where he was going. Halfway towards the gate, a bright flame caught his attention it was heading towards the gate like he was.

Worried that somehow they knew he was sulking about Nick ducked down behind one of the many bushes surrounding the courtyard. The person approached the gate stood there for a second before quickly backtracking towards the domed library. Nick crouched there for a minute trying to figure out exactly what the man just accomplished. He unlocked the door but did not go through it. Like he was leaving it open for someone else to come inside. But that did not make sense.

Furthermore, why rush back into the library? Racking his brain he realized that the flame was actually a torch and not in a lantern like they were instructed to use. An open flame would be disastrous in a library! Nick felt all the blood leave his face cold as he realized, maybe that was the plan all along. His meeting would Griff would have to wait!

Following his ears, he rounded a bookcase to see a man fully covered in desert apparel tossing books into a pile. When he was satisfied with the height he lowered the torch down. The man's face was warped with a sadistic smile as the light of the fire danced in his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Nick shouted worried his suspicions might be true. The figure looked up from his work to yell at Nick threateningly. Backing up Nick held up his hands to show he was unarmed. Undaunted the figure reached for his sword hanging at his waist to draw it with a bone-chilling ‘shink’. Nick backed away only to be stopped by a table. Nick scrambled onto the table in an attempt to get away. The attacker was as cowardly as he was incompetent with a sword. He thrust the too long sword at Nick overbalanced him. The sword grazed Nick’s side to stick to the table. Without any other way to defend himself Nick rocked on his back to solidly plant both feet into his attacker’s solar plexus. Coughing and sputtering trying to catch his breath the attack stumbled backward. One of the many books he was trying to burn caught under his feet causing him to fall back into the roaring fire.

"Did you hear that?" Questioned Mel sitting straight. It was close to midnight with no sign of Nicholas anywhere. A small part wanted Griff to be right and for the Nicholas to be as upstanding as he was told.

"No," Griff grumbled laying his head down. "Let's just go. He's not coming." With a flick of the tip of his tail, Mel made up his mind. Landing softly on the sand Mel stalked off to find this Nick fellow. Sure he was a talking cat but if anyone questioned him all he'd have to do is claim he was a messenger of Bastet. If worse came to worse the trinket would be strong enough to knock down a human if he had to.

Landing on the other side of the gate Mel looked around trying to orient himself. Directly across from where he was standing there was domed building lit up with the light of a fire. Assuming someone inside would be able to help him he headed inside.

Griff walked the cat's tail tip swish back and forth as he walked away. So much attitude for a creature so small. Behind him he heard The Sphinx state, 'Someone is coming'. Confused Griff turned around to see that she had disappeared. The night desert air drifted with it a scent that made his instincts rise up. It was blood, human blood, and it was fresh.

Nick assessed his wound to see how bad he was damaged. As sizeable as the gash was it did not appear to have hit any of his organs. Pressing the wound Nick looked around for something to help stop the bleeding. Ripping his already destroyed shirt he tore off a strip to press to the wound. Smoke was starting to fill the library with furniture and other books began to catch fire. Stumbling around the flames Nick tried to call out for help.

Near the door standing right in the middle of the room was a long-haired cat. it stood transfixed on the fire burning all around. Not questioning why or even how a cat of all things was doing here he approached the animal.

“We don’t have time for this.” Nick protested picking up the cat. His head felt like it was spinning as he staggered to his feet. There was now a thick smoke billowing from the now roaring library fire. Close by one of the bookcases fell sending embers and ash flying in every direction.

Nick had no idea where any doors were now and he was losing blood. The windows behind him looked to be his only exit but they were too high to climb out of. Praying for a miracle Nick grabbed one of the only non-burning books to throw as hard as he could at a window. The second it shattered Nick yelled as loud as he could for anyone to hear.

Griff followed the scent to a twenty man group hiding near the library. In the torchlight, Griff could not make out any distinct features of each person. Did know one thing, they were looking for trouble. One of the men alerted the rest to Griff’s presences. Like the castle guards, they launched themselves at him trying to kill him. Instead of fleeing Griff swatted away the ones who got too close. Their swords glanced off his claws as he batted them away.

There was an off chance that the men would realize they were outmatched and run away. That entire plan evaporated when Griff heart the sound of breaking glass and Nick screaming his name. Griff turned to see orange flames through the glass windows. Realization of exactly what the men were here for settling in.

This is war.

Griff had always heard about it throughout his life but it always seemed a distant concept. Somewhere in the very back of his mind, he remembered a person saying, "Knock knock. Who's there? Genocide!" That’s when the dragon instincts began to push Griff’s human logic out of the way. The animalistic rage boiled from his gut making its way up his throat.

“So you like fire do you? Let see how you like this fire!” Griff dropped him as he let out a streaming fire towards his enemies. Within seconds the murders were reduced to smoldering ash leaving Griff equal parts disturbed and satisfied with what he just did. Shattering glass behind Griff reminded him why he was so angry.

“Nick.” Griff rushed over to where the smoke was billowing desperately looking for Mel or Nick.

“Nick where are you?” Griff called into the building.

“We’re.” Nick coughed against the hot ash and air. “We’re over here.” With no other real choice, Griff thrust his head inside the inferno. Lying in the center of the flames is where Griff found Nick curled around Mel passed out. Griff swooped to gather both Nick and Mel safely in his mouth in one motion. Knowing he didn’t have much time he pushed off the building flying into the desert away from the fleeing inhabitants of the library.

Far from the commotion, Griff felt comfortable enough to set his friends down. Mel was already awake covered in his fair share of salvia.

“Disgusting but effective,” commented Mel shaking off his back leg.

“What about Nick?” Griff pressed nudging his friend fearing the worst. Mel stopped preening to jump on Nick's chest.

“He’s alive but barely.” Mel assessed.

“He doesn’t look burned so why- ” Griff trailed off not liking the idea of his friend dying.

“It’s the smoke. Living beings are not meant to breathe it in." Mel refused to look at Griff as if there was something he wasn't telling.

"There is a cure, right?" Griff stopped nudging Nick to try and catch Mel's eye. "Some plant or incantation." Much to Griff's dismay, Mel shook his head.

"I have read every book that has graced that library and not one contained anything helpful to our situation." Mel bowed his head already beginning to mourn Nick eventual passing.

"You're lying! There is no possible way could have read everything! There has to be a potion or a sigil or chant or even a tincture! Something!" The cat bowed his head.

"The best thing is to make him as comfortable as possible." Mel walked off allowing Griff to rest his head next to his friend. The Sphinx resurfaced from the sand watching over the duo in silence.

"Help me set him upright." Instructed Mel. He had resurfaced from the Hall with a goblet of water. Careful not to scratch his friend with his scales Griff sat Nick upright the best he could using his head. Silently he prayed for the water to help ease the pain as he felt Nick weakly drink a small amount of water.

"What the?" Mel cried out. Before Griff could ask Nick started to cough violently pushing off Griff snout. Eventually, he coughed up a thick tar-like mass onto the sand.

"That was terrible." Nick managed to complain.

"Don't push yourself," Griff warned.

"He's right. We have no idea how much damaged you've suffered." Mel added sternly.

"I think it would be best to retire to the Hall until everyone fully recovers." The Sphinx chimed in.

Nick blinked for a second realizing when he realized Griff had spoken. He looked from the dragon's face to the talking cat. Then all the way up to the face of the living statue of the Sphinx.

"Did I die?"

"Don't be stupid. Only the living feel pain." Mel pointed out before making his way towards the staircase.

"Yeah. I do feel that." Nick groaned massaging his chest.

"Take some more drink then. Come along I don't want to be stuck out here all night." Mel huffed before descending the stairs.

The Sphinx placed her paw over the opening looking down at Nick. "It can’t only be given, not taken nor bought, what the sinner desire but the saint does not."

"Forgiveness," answered Nick without hesitation.

"That's not fair. How'd you get that so quickly?" Griff complained.

"My riddles are tailored to the individual. Each person wants something different from the Hall. I use them as a way of informing potential knowledge seekers I know their intentions. People with cruel intentions tend not to make much farther than here." Minerva removed her paw to allow the two of them to descend without delay.