Kate waved happily at Apollyon who was standing on the side of the big stage that had been set up in the city centre. It was ten in the morning on Halloween, time for the opening speeches of the medieval fantasy festival. Apollyon didn’t wave back but fshed her friend a quick smile.
Mayor Carlisle took his pce before the microphone. “First of all, good morning everyone! It is amazing to see how many people actually decided to come here this early, especially when our offerings reach a good way into the night today. The people of this city and our visitors keep positively surprising me, no matter how much faith I put in you. This is a special day for us here, it is the first time in over thirty years that we have decided to celebrate our history and the myths that have formed around it. To that end, we are not just having the market and events you see around you here in the city centre, we have also partnered with the two oldest institutions in this city: our beloved university and the mysterious library. I will let representatives of both tell you about what they have on offer for you on this fine weekend.”
He gestured to the older man to his left. “May I introduce Professor Alfonso Corsetti from the faculty of history and theology at our university.”
There was a round of appuse as Professor Corsetti stepped up to the microphone.
“Thank you, Mayor. There is a rite of passage for our history students, one that is a wonderful example for how unique this city and its history are. The task they are given is simple: find out how old this city is and defend whatever number they come up with. Over my decades as a professor, I have heard an uncountable number of guesses and none of them correct. The truth is that we don’t know how long this city and the library have been here, only that we predate the roman occupation by many years. So much of our history is shrouded in legends and mythology, which can be frustrating for some of my colleagues, but to me, well, it is something wonderful and fascinating.”
He took a deep breath. “To combine a celebration of our history with a celebration of our imagination is the best way to celebrate ourselves. Over at the university, we have decided to offer a variety of workshops, shows, and many other fun activities and dispys. You can learn about medieval and fantastical cooking, trying out some recipes from well-known fantasy worlds. You can even learn how to make your own fictional world and how to begin writing stories in it. Down in the basement floors of the main building, you can take a look at a rge selection of archaeological finds, some of them are being shown publicly for the very first time. We have also gotten together with the fencing and HEMA clubs to offer lectures about medieval and fantasy weaponry and even allow you to wield some for yourself in workshops at the fencing hall. On the university campus, you will also be able to enjoy thematic food and drink and even buy a few knickknacks to remember this wonderful festival. But we are not the only ones with special offerings. I will hand the microphone over to our mysterious but good friends of the library.”
He gestured to Apollyon, who nodded politely and took the professor’s spot at the microphone. The disguised demon was greeted by a round of appuse as well.
“Thank you, Professor Corsetti. Many will have seen me before, but few know who I am. My name is Pauline Taharos, I have been part of the library team for a very long time and have had to uphold much of the secrecy surrounding our lovely library and the people who work there. As much as we have kept to ourselves, always being a looming shadow over this city, influencing not just its founding but much of its development, it is time that we shared some of our history. The mayor and the professor are right, our shared history is to be celebrated. As such, for the first time in centuries, we will be offering a peek behind the curtains. We will be offering tours through several parts of the library, even opening our vaults for a quick peek inside. There are rumours that we hail from a culture not native to this region. There is a certain truth to those whispers, and we have brought food, drinks, entertainment and some of our support staff from our home for you to meet. You will get the chance to ask us any questions you might have had about us. I cannot promise answers to everything, but we will try to shed light wherever we can.”
Apollyon let her eyes wander over the crowd of people. “Among the tales spun about us was the story of a student at the university here, one of the oldest universities in this country. It was said that they found one of our secrets on our shelves, sitting there for anyone to find. It made them ask the right questions and thus, they sold their soul to the devils who wore the faces of librarians. Devils who freely gifted others with knowledge to lure them in. Those too curious would be their victims or, if their mind was like the devils' already, become one of them.”
She chuckled. “We do not take souls and we don’t lure anyone in beyond our desire to share knowledge. Still, that story eventually came somewhat true. Our current head librarian was a student in this city and by asking the right questions, she became one of us. Kate Crowley might be our youngest member, but it is thanks to her that we have decided to be as open as we will be on this weekend to the world beyond our walls. You can find her crossing swords with me on this very stage ter today, and at the library for the rest of the afternoon. The knowledge she found among our shelves that gave her enough insight into who we are and what we do was the date of our founding. We have not shared this voluntarily with anyone else before, but today I can at least tell you that the library predates this city, this country, even civilization on this isnd. When we came here, this was a nd of scattered tribes. Ever since then, our mission has not changed. It is engraved on the foot of every shelf, into the side of every desk, and encircles the emblem some of you may have seen before. A book framed by two swords, surrounded by the words that guide all who give their time to the library: to preserve, to learn, to teach, for eternity must remember. We have always prided ourselves on the fact that we have gathered and protected a complete collection of humanities written works. And I invite you to come and see it for yourselves. But before you do so, our esteemed mayor has a few more words.”
Apollyon stepped aside to let Carlisle take the microphone again.
“Thank you, miss Taharos. As you have just heard, there are many things to explore and experience here for you on this weekend. As it is also Halloween today, many businesses around the city and of course the university and the library will keep their doors open longer into the night to let your children enjoy some trick-or-treating. Until then, I hope you all have a good time and enjoy the festival! Have fun everyone!”
With that, he and the other speakers left the stage. Apollyon immediately made her way to Kate. The young Nightmare hugged her friend the moment she got close enough.
“Great speech! You did amazing up there.”
“I have held many in the past, this one was no more difficult than the others. After my retirement speech, all of them feel trivial.”
“Yea, I imagine that one was hard.”
“It was. We have four hours until our show anyway and the others at the library only expect our return after it. Do you want to take a look around until then?”
“Absolutely! Where do we start?”
“Right where we are. Maybe we can find a little souvenir on this market. I would like to have something to commemorate this occasion.”
“Maybe something I can gift you.”
Apollyon raised an eyebrow. “Why would you do that?”
“Polly. It’s your birthday.”
“Ah, right.”
AnnouncementIf you enjoyed what you read of my works so far, you might also enjoy the Halloween bonus chapter in which Apollyon learns how trick-or-treating works. You can read that, and the first of hopefully many Pride Month bonus chapters if you haven't checked that one out yet, over here.
Thank you all for reading my work!
