There was something that had frustrated me for a long time. Something that had kept me up night after night as I desperately searched for an answer.

I became obsessed. I dug through every forum I could find, combed through every corner of Dreadspire, cross-referenced every line of my ridiculously long notes over and over again.

But in the end, it had all been for nothing.

Eventually, I gave up. I told myself there probably wasn't anything hidden there in the first place, just a wild assumption, chasing ghosts.

And yet now, all those buried thoughts had resurfaced, because I finally remembered where I'd seen this quill before.

There was no doubt in my mind now. This was the missing piece I had been searching for all along.

But that raised more questions. Did that book monster actually exist in Dreadspire too? Was it hiding all this time?

Then how the hell was it triggered? The others had entered that room before me, and nothing unusual had happened.

Another missing piece.

But I pushed the thought aside for now. There were more important things to do.

I quickly exited the chamber, walked through the short passage, and returned to the third room of the Fabled Sanctuary, the one filled with ancient tomes and shelves towering overhead.

"Eryndor! What happened?" Orin shrieked, her eyes wide with panic. "You have no idea how frustrating it was waiting for you! We thought you'd been vaporized or something!"

"I'll explain everything later," I said, brushing past her. "Where are the others?"

"They're still exploring the area, trying to figure out what happened to you," she said. "We tried everything to break through the barrier, but it was no use. So we took turns searching for clues."

"I see. Then let's call everyone back," I said. "I'll go find Darwyn. Which way did he go?"

Orin pointed toward the front of the room, and I headed that way while she ran off in the opposite direction to fetch Muradin.

It didn't take long before all four of us had regrouped.

"So? What actually happened?" Darwyn asked, curiosity written all over his face.

"You'd better give us the full story," Muradin added.

I recounted the whole ordeal: how the chamber had sealed itself behind me, how I was forced to fight the book monster alone, and how I managed to defeat it.

"Good thing I restocked your Aqua Bombs," Orin said, her large blue eyes blinking in astonishment.

"Yeah, I owe you one, Orin."

"So, so? What did you get from it?" Muradin interrupted, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Hold on," I said seriously. "I need to make sure first. This counts as an individual contribution, right?"

"Oh, for crying out loud," Muradin groaned, rolling his eyes. "Yes, yes, yes. It's yours. Happy now?"

I turned toward Darwyn, waiting for his confirmation.

"I agree," he said with a calm nod. "You earned it. That was all you. And honestly... I'm just glad you made it back in one piece."

"Now show us!" Orin said eagerly. "I wanna see what it is!"

I summoned the quill from my inventory, letting it materialize in my hand.

"Whoa… that's magnificent," Orin breathed as she stared at the long, elegant quill. "And it's... heavy?" she said, taking it from me with both hands.

"Do you know what it's for?" Darwyn asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

His question immediately brought back memories of how he'd once doubted me. It would seem too convenient if I suddenly knew exactly what to do with it.

"I'm not sure," I said carefully, "but I think it might be connected to this room."

"Don't tell me we have to check this place one shelf at a time," Muradin groaned. "I'm beat."

"It's fine. I can do it myself," I said.

"Let me help you," Orin volunteered, her eyes sparkling. It was clear she was curious about the item too.

"Before that… there's something I need to do," I said, storing the quill.

"Ah, let me guess," Darwyn said, crossing his arms. "You want to go back to the previous room, don't you?"

So he had figured it out.

"Well, since you already know, mind coming with me?" I asked with a grin.

"Sure," he replied, smirking. "I'm curious to see it for myself."

***

It didn't take long to find it. Using my notes as a guide, I just had to look through the list of empty glass cases.

"So that's the monster book," Darwyn said, narrowing his eyes as he examined the creature behind the glass. "Is this monster considered a boss? If it is, looks like you'll be summoned back to the palace soon, since you were the one who took it down first. Just make sure that damned guard doesn't steal our loot again."

"Don't worry," I said with a smirk. "My pouch's been upgraded, just like Orin's."

While the others were busy circling the display and studying the creature from different angles, my attention drifted to something else entirely.

"Grimoire," I whispered, reading the small nameplate at the base of the case. I still didn't fully understand how it worked. Unlike with Horrogoth, I hadn't made up a name for this one. But it seemed to have one anyway.

"How's the fire still burning if it's just a display?" Muradin asked, puzzled as he watched the blue flames flicker behind the glass.

I had no idea either.

But one thing was certain, Grimoire didn't exist in Dreadspire. Back in the game, I had collected every single monster for this gallery, without exception. And there hadn't been a single empty display left.

Wait... what about the quill it dropped?

If Grimoire never appeared in Dreadspire, then maybe... the quill didn't either.

Was that the reason I could never find it?

Only one way to find out.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Okay, I'm done with this room," I said, breaking the silence. "How about we head back to the previous chamber? You guys can rest, I'll keep looking for clues in there. Oh, and Orin, can I trouble you to prep another Aqua Bomb for me?"

"Got it," she replied, still admiring Grimoire through the glass. "I'll make sure it's ready."

"And... anyone got a spare robe?" I added, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's getting kind of chilly. You know, with my back exposed and all."

"Sure, I've got one," said Darwyn, pulling a folded piece of cloth from his inventory. "Just a basic cloak with no additional stats. Not sure it'll fit you properly, though."

"Well, I'm in no position to be picky right now," I said with a grin, accepting it gratefully.

***

Once we returned to the room lined with towering bookshelves, Orin immediately got to work crafting potions for me, while Muradin flopped down and started resting with a loud groan of relief.

Meanwhile, Darwyn insisted on sticking with me to help figure out the purpose of the quill.

"I have a feeling it's connected to the books here," I explained as we walked between shelves. "Most of them are either blank or sealed shut. I think this quill might be the key to unlocking something."

"I've been thinking the same thing," he replied with a nod.

We began testing the books one by one: pressing the quill to their covers, flipping through empty pages, trying to write something down.

Fortunately, the book I was actually aiming for wasn't far. I had deliberately started our search close to its location.

"I think we need a more efficient approach," Darwyn said after a while, clearly growing tired of checking books one at a time.

"Let me gather the ones nearby and bring them to you," he offered.

"Good idea," I said with a smile. "Maybe start with the shelf on the left?"

That shelf, of course, was exactly where the book I was targeting rested.

"Alright. You keep checking the ones here," he said, already heading over. He scooped up a small stack of books and dropped them near me before turning back for more.

Time passed, until suddenly, Darwyn shouted, "Erynd! I think I found something!"

Finally, I thought.

I tried to look curious and walked over to him. "What did you find?"

"Look at this cover. The design on the front, it's just like your quill, isn't it?" he said, holding up a black book with a golden-quilled emblem on the cover. "Even the intricate etchings near the base are identical."

He tried to open the book, but it wouldn't budge. "I think we need the quill to open this thing," he said.

"I guess you're right," I said, reaching for it with slightly trembling hands. My excitement was barely contained. "Let me try."

I brought the quill close to the cover, silently hoping for something to happen.

[Quill of the Arch-Scribe used. Seal of the Oberion Codex released]

The quill sank into the book's surface like ink into parchment, fusing with the golden-etched emblem. The black-and-gold image shimmered and pulsed before vanishing entirely, replaced by bluish-purple hue.

Darwyn and I stared in awe. Hands still trembling, I opened the book.

This time, it yielded easily.

It wasn't very thick, only a handful of pages. I flipped through a few at random. All of them were blank.

Then I turned to the first page.

There, in large, elegant lettering inked in deep black with golden accents, was the title, Oberion Codex. It seemed to be the name of the book.

Beneath it, in smaller script, written in the same regal black and gold, was a flowing verse:

The seal was broken, the silence torn, By the Quill of the Arch-Scribe, gold-adorned. Bluish-purple ink, a shimmered hue, Touched the Codex, dark as midnight dew.

The Oberion Codex, bound in black, Whispered faintly, but held words back. Its pages wait, its truth concealed, Till place and time its will revealed.

Bring it forth where stars align, When echoes stir and moons entwine. Only then the script shall show In threads of light the ancients know.

I read the entire passage aloud, slowly, trying to catch every nuance. It sounded like a riddle. A prophecy. Or maybe instructions.

"Let me take a look," Darwyn said once I finished. He reread the poem in silence, his ears twitching slightly as he processed each line.

"Bring it forth where stars align, when echoes stir and moons entwine... Does that remind you of anywhere?" I asked when I saw he'd finished reading.

He looked at me, still deep in thought. "I have no idea," he admitted quietly. "How about you?"

I shook my head. "No clue," I said truthfully. This time, I was completely in the dark.

"But if the books in here can't be taken outside, then the location must be inside this place, right?" Darwyn offered his theory.

"Good point," I nodded. "But let me double-check."

I focused and tried storing the book in my inventory.

"Wait… it worked?" Darwyn blinked in surprise as the Oberion Codex vanished from my hands.

I summoned it back, then stored it again. Did that a few more times just to be sure.

"Looks like we can take it out," I muttered.

"That means your search area just got a whole lot bigger," he replied.

I stayed silent, absorbing the implication.

***

Darwyn and I regrouped with Orin and Muradin and told them what we'd found. Sadly, neither of them had any idea where the mysterious place could be either.

We took a short break before continuing our journey.

Unlike the previous rooms, which each had just a single massive set of double doors, this third chamber had two distinct doors at the far end.

The first was engraved with silhouettes of towering monsters. The second one bore the image of a giant oak tree, its branches sprawling like veins.

And this time, standing in front of them didn't magically open the way.

"What happens if we go through this first door?" Muradin asked, running a hand over the carvings.

"No idea," I replied.

Curious, Muradin tried pushing the door with both hands. It didn't budge.

"These engravings… I think they're all boss monsters from the Tower of Ascension," Orin said as she studied the silhouettes one by one. "They look like the ones we saw in that glass-box room."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Darwyn chimed in, giving the door a push as well. "It seems like we'll need to defeat all the floor one and two bosses before this opens."

Close, but not quite. It wasn't just the bosses, it was every monster. Every glass case had to be filled, every creature defeated. Only then would this door open.

And behind it? A treasure beyond imagining.

I made a mental note. We'll be back here once we're stronger. Definitely.

"So I guess we're stuck with the other door," Muradin said with a shrug.

"Looks like it," Orin sighed. "There's still so much about this place I want to understand…"

"Same here… Maybe we can come back another time," Darwyn said, his tone hopeful.

"I'm all for it! Where else can I boost my Vitality this easily?" Muradin added with a grin.

"Alright then. Now it's time for us to leave this place," I said, stepping toward the door carved with the great oak.

Just as its symbol suggested, this door would take us out of the Fabled Sanctuary, and return us to the ancient oak tree in Edenfall.

I pushed the door open, it swung without resistance.

On the other side, we expected a simple chamber with four portals, just like the ones we'd used to enter this place.

But reality had other plans.

"Eryn, you never mentioned this part," Darwyn whispered, his voice tight with concern.

"I didn't know," I replied, eyes fixed on the creature before us.

A massive beast lounged across the marble floor, gazing at us with unsettling calm. It looked like a cross between a fox and a feline, its sleek body covered in golden-brown fur that shimmered faintly under the ambient light. Two long wings, the same color as its coat, drooped lazily from its sides, yet even in that relaxed pose, its presence was overwhelming.

Even curled on the ground, it stood nearly two meters tall. Its tail, long, sinuous, and strangely elegant, coiled around a large golden staff that stood upright. The head of that staff was engraved with a pattern I recognized instantly.

The same symbol etched into the Quill of the Arch-Scribe.

"You must prove yourself worthy of the Oberion Codex."

The majestic creature spoke, its voice deep and resonant, echoing through the chamber like a judgment from God.

And then… it stood upright.

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