Liseranna Academy’s Library was definitely a large space, a museum of ancient texts and modern works that was filled with the brim with books. A six story tower with bookshelves lined up all the way to the ceiling, and dozens of ladders to help students reach the ones at the very top, the library’s many skylights and windows provided natural lighting, a gray, somber light that calmed the heart and focused the mind. Of course, the effect was all but lost on Arata, who, upon entering this place, didn’t know where to look at all. With only the knowledge of ‘where’ the library was, and not ‘how’ the library worked, the illiterate oni could only wander about aimlessly, eavesdropping on other student teams for hints on how to start. Seeing the bewildered oni in her library, the arachne slided all 6 of her legs across the floor to approach him. As always, she had a service smile on her face and seemed ever ready to be of help for anyone, despite having all 6 of her eyes focused on Arata. [color=brown][b]"Hello there. Are you looking for anything in specific?"[/b][/color] A clitter-clatter on the marble floor alerted Arata of a peculiar presence, and when he turned around, the oni was suprised to see what looked to be a half-tsuchigumo, half-female person. It was unnerving, to say the least, that her six human eyes were all staring at him, but at the same time...well, he was interested. After all, this person's existence must mean that a human had sex with a spider, doesn't it? Wonder how drunk that person had been. [b]"Can't look for things that I have no clue about,"[/b] Arata admitted, [b]"The Director's advice doesn't exactly help people who can't read, huh?"[/b] [color=brown][b]"The director's...."[/b][/color] Arianne thought deep and hard about it, until she finally let her dark fist fall over her open hand. [color=brown][b]"Oh, right! The Magus Games. Hm, what was the first round... Well, if you've still got whatever advice the director gave you inside your head or something, tell it to me and I might be able to help."[/b][/color] She said. At the same time, and behind Arata, there was an overwhelming presence. Not quite like the Director's and rather similar to Juliann's own, if a bit weaker. As the spider-woman mused, Arata suddenly felt a pressure expand behind him, an overpoweringly delicious 'bait' that almost caused the oni to turn around once more, to search for the source of that power. But it would be unseemingly to get distracted, and what was he even going to do? Fight the person? The oni grimaced, before closing his eyes, trying to recall the riddle. [b]"Think it goes something along the lines of... [i]Its name means confusion, but well, not in the traditional sense. You'll need to look deeper. In the library, anyways. The angels liked this book a lot. Reach the word confusion and the path will open before you. Bring me from there the primordial element, with which a God was created. Hints! Because who doesn't love them! Sand, Snakes, A Friendship that surpasses time[/i] If it helps, it definitely isn't anything from the Land of the Rising Sun. I doubt the Director wants me to plunder the womb of Izanami-no-mikoto, or take Izanagi's balls. And just...point me in the right direction, please."[/b] [color=brown][b]"My, a riddle about books! In any case, I think the first part refers to the bible. Because, well, angels based most of their culture around it."[/b][/color] She extended her hand and pulled on an invisible thread. After that, a book arrived right to her hand. [color=brown][b]"And confusion... The Tower Of Babel. Babel meant confusion, in Hebrew, I believe."[/b][/color] The arachne explained. [color=brown][b]"But then, I don't think it means something from the Tower Of Babel, since it is, well, destroyed. If I had to make a wild guess, I think I would go to Babylon. Whatever the director wants should be there. It also comes to mind the legend of Gilgamesh."[/b][/color] After she was finally done, she closed the book, pulled on the thread again and the book was sent flying back to its righteous spot. [color=brown][b]"I hope I could help."[/b][/color] Arata took a deep breath. Part of him felt rather awful that he didn't know anything about what the spider-librarian had just said. On the other hand though...angels? The Tower of Confusion? Hebrew? Babylon? Gilgamesh? While the oni had travelled the world during those six months of adventure and freedom, he had never heard of such things before, and it did interest him somewhat. Arianne honestly helped a little too much, but regardless, Arata bowed towards her. [b]"Thank you very much. You were a great help, uh..."[/b] Yeah, he never asked her name, huh? [b]"...anyways, do you know anyone who knows about the legend of Gilgamesh? Probably need to talk to them to learn more about this...person? God? Natural disaster?"[/b] Arianne opened her mouth to answer what Arata had just asked, but that's when the powerful presence from before put itself beside Arata and spoke up. [color=green][b]"I think you shouldn't say anything more, Arianne."[/b][/color] A [url=http://s7.postimg.org/tvuewh7az/19a09da7c284813ea11c8a3a3a5e8969.png]girl[/url], small in size and with a skin as fair as the snow interrupted their conversation. Well, at least and as far as Arata could tell, it was a girl all right. [color=green][b]"The director is listening, and if you spoil his fun like this it probably won't be pretty for you. I offer these words in hopes that you do not throw away your life. God only knows what that man might do to you if you solve the riddle for another student."[/b][/color] A...girl? No, the voice sounded a little off for some reason. Looking down at the gender-ambiguous being, Arata narrowed his eyes. There was a term stuck in the back of his mind, but, hm... [b]"Oh, an onnagata."[/b] He hadn't expected that a crossdressing kabuki actor would be in Liseranna Academy as well, but it made sense then, the overbearing presence that the person held. [b]"And fair enough, though it's against the rules to seek more information in order to solve a riddle? Sounds like he should be smiting a whole bunch of people then..."[/b] After all, if teachers could literally join a student's team, why was there a problem with asking for knowledge? [color=green][b]"One never knows."[/b][/color] They answered. [color=green][b]"I've seen one too many people fall to his hands, merely because they were doing things slightly different to what he had expected."[/b][/color] He then turned a harsh glare to Arata, [color=green][b]"And I'm sorry, but what might an onnagata mean? I have the feeling it is something incredibly insulting, so I'd rather if you insulted me in English rather than use Japanese."[/b][/color] [color=brown][b]"Now, now."[/b][/color] Arianne intervened. [color=brown][b]"There's no need to get so heated up. Marx is right, though, the director is very whimsical and I..."[/b][/color] She gulped, seemingly really scared of the prospect, [color=brown][b]"I'd rather not be killed by him."[/b][/color] Oh. Not Japanese after all, huh? Weird, Arata could have sworn he was Japanese from his face and his clothing, but it appeared that, this time around, he was incorrect. Scratching his chin, the oni said, [b]"Onnogata doesn't translate too well, but it's basically...a male actor that impersonates a female within a kabuki play. You look like a girl, but you smell like a boy, so either you had sex recently, or you are one."[/b] He let it drop though. Looked like the spider-woman was deathly afraid of Director A as well. First Arthur, then Juliann, and now the Librarian, huh? Was he the oddity here then, being someone who saw Director A as a 'target', not a 'monster'? [b]"Well, yeah, I won't respond to your aid by getting you killed,"[/b] Arata said, [b]"So are there any books that can speak here?"[/b] [color=brown][b]"There are some grimoires that can talk, but..."[/b][/color] Arianne put up a troubled smile. There was no way that someone like this qualified as worthy for any of them to speak up. [color=green][b]"Call one with the legend of Gilgamesh, Arianne. I can get it to talk in his stead."[/b][/color] Marx answered as he raised a single hand. [color=brown][b]"Would you, Marx? Well, thanks a lot!"[/b][/color] She pulled on another thread. Another [url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcREFAinqviS9Iyo2FB9Gj1wqr1gaKghncD_9joAb_2GhN6jgfVjtn9I1kDuPQ]book[/url] came flying to her and she severed the thread with a single pointy black finger and she handed it to Marx. [color=green][b]"No, it's nothing. I just like to give everyone an equally good fighting chance."[/b][/color] He said with a smile, before turning on his heel and heading for a table. [color=green][b]"This way, if you'd please."[/b][/color] What is grimoire. What is Gilgamesh. What is all this? Well, in the end, Arata wasn't going to complain about the fact that he knew literally nothing, and just decided that he'll have to start getting book smart some time in the future. Tagging along beside the raven-haired boy-girl, the oni waved at the Librarian one more time with a smile, before sitting down. [b]"So,"[/b] he said, glancing down at the ornately-decorated book, [b]"What's a grimoire anyways? If it's just a talking book, why not just call it a talking book?"[/b] [color=green][b]"Because it teaches magic. They are books that not only talk, but also possess knowledge of ages past. They are the record of what happened in the past, so they are held in high regard."[/b][/color] He explained with a passionate look in his face, before chuckling. [color=green][b]"But I guess you don't care about that. Let's get to it."[/b][/color] He put a single hand over the grimoire, sending mana into it to make it open for him. [b]"So Gilgamesh is a...type of magic?"[/b] [color=green][b]"A magician, and a very powerful one. Perhaps just a notch behind the director."[/b][/color] He explained, before he stopped sending mana into the book and it opened suddenly. [color=green][b]"Ah, there it is."[/b][/color] [color=yellow][b]"Hm?"[/b][/color] A voice came from the book. It was deep and filled with power, somehow striking into that instinct of everyone hearing it, and just with those simple words. [color=yellow][b]"Who dares disturb me? Book Of Babylon, record of our glorious history?"[/b][/color] [color=green][b]"It is I, Marx Foxtail, and,"[/b][/color] Marx turned his eyes to Arata, encouraging him to introduce himself to the book. Of course it was a magician. Of course the Director of a school of magicians would send off riddles related to magicians. Arata chuckled to himself, before turning his attention back to the book. It had a deep voice, ringing with power that made Arata sorta want to punch it in the face? cover? pages? but the oni restrained his urges once more. With a nod of his head, dipping just low enough so that the book, if it had eyes, could see under the hood and notice the small horns peeking out of his hair, he said, [b]"Arata, representative and sole survivor of the Night Parade of One Thousand. If you could tell me about the legend of Gilgamesh, that'd be nice."[/b] [color=yellow][b]"Ah, now that is an interesting concept. You wish to know of Gilgamesh, do you not, Arata? Why do you ask this? Is it simple and idle curiosity... or is it something else? Depending on your answer, I might or might not tell you."[/b][/color] [b]"I want to beat a group of individuals stronger than myself. And I need this information to even get to the battlefield."[/b] Arata paused for a moment, wondering if this smarmy-ass book was asking for his motivations or his reasons, before deciding that he'll stand before those words. [color=yellow][b]"Ho ho... then you seek knowledge for war? Not a noble pursuit, no... but one I am willing to put my knowledge into. You are lucky, kid, for this Book Of Babylon will grant you the knowledge you need."[/b][/color] It then closed back and opened up again. Letters started appearing on its blank pages, finally describing the story of Gilgamesh. [color=yellow][b]"If you are as much of a brute as you look, I suppose you can't read. You, the effeminate man over there. Read me."[/b][/color] It commanded. With a sigh, Marx took the book between his hands and started reciting the tale of Gilgamesh... Arata ignored that insult tossed in his direction, instead deciding to settle back and listen to Marx begin performing the legend of Gilgamesh. It was a rather short, and almost pedantic story, featuring an ancient king and his bond-brother, until that brother died, instilling a fear of death unto the great king. Probably didn't help that Marx was just monotonously spewing it out, instead of adding the dramatic flair that sharing a legend would entail. Perhaps Gilgamesh was just a minor legend then. Regardless, by the time the boy-girl finished, Arata nodded in approval. His answer should lie in the story, at least, so that just meant that he needed to figure out what object within the story mattered. Sparing some soft applause, the oni said, [b]"Thank you, Marx and book. Think I have all the pieces I need now. Don't suppose you're in the Magus Games as well?"[/b] [color=green][b]"I am."[/b][/color] He reached to his side, and produced a single shield from seemingly out of nowhere. [color=green][b]"And I've already accomplished my objective. It wasn't too hard, but I'm sure Zara is having a hard time."[/b][/color] The shield was adorned with golden and had intrincate, flower like pattterns in its face. [color=green][b]"I suggest you hurry, though. The teloportation pads will get crowded if you do not take off earlier. I could... arrange for something like that, but you look capable enough."[/b][/color] He nodded. He was sure that Arata could figure something out. Perhaps if he brought someone that looked weaker, the man might change his mind. [b]"Yeah,"[/b] Arata responded, [b]"I am capable enough. Think I'll stick around here a bit longer. Been enough of a burden anyways, and I still need to think up my answer before I act, after all."[/b] Sticking out a hand, he grinned. [b]"If I succeed, I suppose I'll be seeing you in the next round, Marx."[/b] [color=green][b]"Yes, I suppose you will."[/b][/color] He smiled and took Arata's hand into his own. A quick, firm shake, and Arata hit the books once more. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could will himself to understand it. [hr] Turns out, the willpower of an oni wasn't strong enough to overcome the massive deficit in knowledge. And, when a raven-haired girl pointed out to him that the book was backwards? Well, Arata almost felt like chucking the book out the window. It'd probably make the Librarian sad though, so he refrained from doing so out of respect for the aid she had given him. Instead, the oni simply laughed and said, with a shrug, [b]"No idea. I've been trying to will myself to read, but guess some things can't just be pulled out of no where. If you're interested, you can have it."[/b] [@sakurasan]