They wandered for a while until they had put some distance between them and Koz. Then they located the nearest index.

“Alright,” Leo said, picking up the quill. “What was the serial number? 8.14-something?”

“8.15.73,” Gianna said, reciting from memory.

Leo transcribed it onto the parchment, and the Index yielded a swift reply:

Item presently inaccessible

“Try Collection 8,” said Enzo.

Leo did so, but the result was the same:

Collection presently inaccessible

The words faded and were replaced by a comprehensive map of the Library. It was immediately apparent why Collection 8 was inaccessible: the only way to reach it was by crossing Collection 5, Fiction. The whole region was shaded red, designating it condemned. Many of the Manifestations within bore ominous names.

Gianna whistled. “The Ghouls of Parnassus, the Forbidden Forest, Xyl’s Labyrinth. Oh, we are exquisitely fucked.”

“What are those?” Leo asked.

“Fictional places,” said Enzo. “The Manifestations are taking the form of fictional characters and realms.”

“And not fun, cute fairy tales,” said Gianna. “Ominous, gory, grisly Vedic folk tales.”

“Our best bet will be the Bejeweled Bridge from the Tale of Niesus,” Enzo said. “Come on — this way.”

***

Entering Collection 5 was like entering another world. One moment they were traipsing through Collection 2, Series 82 (Aquatic Mammals), which was tranquil and boring by the Library’s standards, except for the occasional leaping otter and the incessant sonorous drone of a blue whale.

The next moment they turned a corner and entered Fiction, finding themselves in a thickly wooded boreal forest. It was exactly like Merigold Forest from the Tale of Niesus. Tall pines and spruces blotted out a hazy sun, and moss grew thick upon tree bark. Some of the trees had faces, black sap trickling from their mouths like drool. Little golden winged sprites were nesting in the boughs — in the Tale of Niesus, these sprites could heal mortal, festering wounds...

Some vestiges of the Library remained. A few bookshelves could be seen, scattered incongruously among conifers. Books dangled from branches like ripe fruit. But as they plumbed deeper into the Collection, the Manifestation became more absolute. It was as though they'd been transported to another world.

“Tell me more about the Tale of Niesus,” said Leo, as they stepped carefully through the undergrowth, leaves rustling against their legs. “What’s it about? What happens in it?”

“A Vedic romance. A boy travels to the ends of the earth to steal a rainbow and impress a girl. Everyone, including the girl, believes it's a fool's errand.”

“Does he prevail in his quest?”

“He acquires the rainbow, but upon his return a pack of wild crows pluck his eyes out, disfiguring him.”

“Ah, murdered. A terrible way to go.”

Enzo was about to correct him — the boy survived his encounter with the crows, albeit maimed — when he realized it was just wordplay.

“Your lousy puns will be the death of me someday,” Gianna said. “Nytios says puns are the laziest form of wit.”

“Well I say quoting dead philosophers is the laziest form of intellect.”

“Touche.”

They came to a clearing in the forest and discovered the Bejeweled Bridge. It was exactly like it was described in the story, a tall arch spanning the rushing Merry River. Rubies and sapphires studded its handrail. They looked so real Enzo was tempted to pry a few off. A decade of adventuring had taught Enzo that side loot from a quest often totaled more than the value of the contract.

“Look!” said Gianna. “Is that the Obsidian Castle?”

Enzo looked where she was pointing. About three miles yonder, on the edge of the horizon, stood a castle with many onion-domed spires. “Nine obsidian spires and one diamond gate. That must be Obsidian, where Ania was tormented by her evil step-mother.”

Leo looked at him quizzically. “Who?”

“It’s from a different story, another Vedic romance. Princess Ania is locked away in the highest spire of the castle, but she finds a magic mirror that transports her to a magical realm.”

“They marry, and live happily-ever-after?”

“On the eve of their wedding, a snake bites her. She dies a slow, agonizing death. Then the prince commits suicide.”

“Well that’s terribly morbid.”

“The Vedics are sadists. They delight in morbid endings.”

“I pray we meet a better fate…”

They finished crossing the bridge and began trekking through another expanse of boreal forest. They had barely walked a quarter mile when Enzo heard something wizz past him — an insect, he assumed. Then it happened again — a dart flew past, narrowly missing his right ear. Looking up, he saw a figure moving furtively in the dark: an albino man, his face covered in black and yellow warpaint, with a tall feather headdress.

“Run!” he shouted, but it didn’t need to be said.

They sprinted forward, heedless of the thorny underbrush, barreling through the forest. Enzo could feel his ankles being torn and gouged by the thorns. A few more darts wizzed past them, one of them nearly hitting Leo in the arm. They came to an ancient felled log and leapt over it, taking cover inside its hollow.

“Kofi,” said Enzo, panting, as they took cover inside the tree’s nook. “I saw them in the trees.”

“Kofi?” said Leo. “I’m like a fish out of water in this place. What are Kofi?”

“Cannibals — from another story, a different story. They use poison to paralyze their victims and then eat them alive. There are at least four of them, judging by the angles the darts came from.”

Leo poked his head up, quickly scanning the vicinity. A dart flew over his head.

“Nine,” he said. “Scattered around. Actually, I see four more. Thirteen in all.”

“We can’t beat them in a straight fight,” said Enzo.

“Then how do we beat them?” asked Gianna, a plaintive note in her voice.

An idea occurred to Enzo. He grinned. “Gimmicks.”

“Huh?”

“We beat them with gimmicks. Tricks. Remember that cantrip you learned?”

Some of the fear drained from Gianna’s face. She smirked. “Hoodwink.”

“How many illusions can you manage at once?”

“Four, maybe five. I can try six - two copies of each of us.”

“Don't stretch yourself. It will be difficult to hold the illusion when we're fleeing and being shot at. Stick with three illusions, each of us running in that direction. I'll add another set heading that way.”

“You know the cantrip?” Gianna seemed taken aback.

“I'm the one who bought the book," he said, smiling. "Ready on my count? Three, two, one, go!”

And so they ran, as other copies of themselves fanned out in different direction. He could hear darts wizzing past them, in all directions. Behind them he could hear the sounds of twigs snapping; the cannibals were in pursuit.

The three adventurers sprinted at top speed for as long as their legs and lungs would carry them. Enzo knew not how far they had gone. One moment he was leaping over tree roots, and the next he landed on hard marble floor. He stumbled awkwardly to his knees.

Looking up, he saw they made it. A vast rotunda soared above them.

They were in Collection 8, Buildings & Architecture.

“Well,” said Leo, dust leaves off his pants, “we made it. Unscathed. Unsauteed. Minus the roving pack of hungry cannibals, that was a rather dull journey. Let’s choose a more exciting route on the way back.”

“Speak for yourself,” grumbled Gianna.

With the help of a nearby Index, they were able to trace the location of the item they sought — 8.15.73.

It was a book with the title Landmarks of Edmeer.

Leo started to reach for it, but Enzo stopped him. A chill ran up Enzo's spine. “Look — the dust has been disturbed. Someone’s been here recently.”

“The plot thickens,” said Leo. “Pun intended.”

“What pun?”

“Well, it’s a book. You know, plot… book…”

Gianna shook her head and pulled the dusty tome. There was a sound of gears clicking, and then the entire bookshelf swung open slightly ajar.

The three adventurers exchanged intrigued looks.

They stepped in cautiously, finding a narrow chamber, dim and dank. The walls were blocks of stone with inscrutable inscriptions on them. Gianna invoked an Illumination cantrip, revealing the writing on the wall.

It was another strange code: nrlcw ms mel akwl

And below it was the symbol of the Black Cabal.