The City Between the Worlds
The room seems to open up before your eyes. Huge windows climb up the
walls, and paintings and sculptures adorn the walls. Balconies seem
like miles away up on the walls, and teetering ladders lean against
the shelves. On every bit of available wall space are the wooden
shelves, housing no books, but maps. They are all neatly slid into
their positions, and just waiting for someone to come along and open
them. Anyone is allowed to come in here and find wherever they need
to be. You know and have the power to go anywhere-all you have to do
is call out the name of a person or a place, and the map that housed
it would slide out of it's cubby. You can't wait to get started.
You have never been here in your life, even though you are a resident
in this very building. Mostly scholars and wise people live in this
city, Helenopoulos, the City Between the Worlds. You are Cameron
Rothsdatter, and you are usually called Ms. Rothsdatter by everyone
here. You have been forbidden to leave the city, but no one tells you
why. This is mostly the only rule that you follow. You have grown up
among the grandest city in the world and have gotten the best training
this side of the Eastern Star, but it is time for you to explore. You
wish that you could go now, but there are always people in this famous
library, finding maps and jumping into them. You must keep waiting
until you have a reason, even if it takes forever.
You slowly walk up the stairs, cautious of every breath or movement
you make. You suck in your breath as your heacy shoes clunk on the
swirling marble floor, and the cavernous hall seems to magnify the
sound by a hundred times. You step slowly, ever so slowly, and soon
reach the huge doors, as tall as a house. You steal a quick glance
over your shoulder, and assured that no one is looking, you slip into
the huge library.
