[Leo] Chapter 1: Clio's Great Library

[Lance]

Was it fate? Divine guidance from above, perhaps? Maybe it even had something to do with the Devil, but whatever the reason, Leo's wanderings were immediately cut short when he heard the sound of a familiar voice seeping through from inside a small corner-room that would have otherwise escaped his notice.

"...bad after all."

His hand froze in mid-knock. Bad? Just what was so horrendous that even the Devil herself would call it bad? He idly wondered. Could it somehow be related to his sudden appearance in this place? Or maybe the Devil still held a grudge after losing. If so... then was the Devil plotting to deal with him right now!?

Leo grew worried. as he hung around the area. Between cleaning, reading, and simply pacing uncomfortably, he always kept one eye trained on the ominous door, ready for anything the Devil might throw at him.



Finally, only after an hour of mounting dread did the door finally open, revealing the Devil in all her resplendent glory. "Thank God," The soldier sighed before freezing up once more. The Devil wouldn't take offence, right?

Leo made eye contact, and it was only then that he noticed slight irregularities with his infernal counterpart. However, was that a trace of melancholy he saw plastered across the girl's face? He was shocked at this newest development. Surely he was imagining it. There was no way the Devil could possibly feel that particular emotion. Nevertheless, as if forgetting his original purpose for being there, Leo spoke with a voice laden with concern.

"Are you really alright now, Clio? I was getting worried."

[Throndir]

"Of course I'm alright!" Clio proclaimed. "I'm the Great Librarian of this Great Library after all! The one and only!"

"The only one who's... here." Her demeanor softened slightly, but a moment later she gathered up her previous countenance and pointed her finger at you.

"Look here Mr. Grancea!" She said loudly. "From here on out, you will be dubbed Librarian Helper #1. Never forget that it's a great honor to serve the Great Library."

"As a first order of business, you are to clean up the fallen cha-" She stopped, realizing that the chairs were already put up. "Well, then take care of the table cloth-" She stopped again. She was about to mention putting the books back in order as well, but she realized that too was already done.

"Well... do something... Helper-like!" Clio finally finished.

The Great Library consist of more than just books and shelves. There are outdoor areas, which though contained shelves of books, contained many reclining chairs. There was a fully stocked kitchen with all sorts of ingredients. There even was multiple secluded rooms containing beds, though if inspected, would realize had never been used. It has other rooms too, bath houses, etc.

[Lance]

"Something helper-like, you say, but... Librarian #1, huh?" Leo spoke the title aloud, before nodding his head in glee. "Well, it's great that you know our rankings, #2."

"In any case, I'll go prepare us some grub! Can't get any more 'helper-like' than that!"



Thus did their decade of colored history begin. It wouldn't be found in any history books and few would ever know of this brief moment in time shared between the last survivor of an entire world and the Devil herself. However, both gained much from the experience. For Leo, the daily life those two took part in restored some semblance of normality in his otherwise tumultuous life. It helped him move past the tragedy of his past world and revived a portion of his lost humanity. As for the Devil, it seemed she was just happy having someone to finally interact with.

Leo had even erected a small scoreboard in a small, out-of-the-way area to keep track of this 'interaction,' for he was a very thoughtful man. In this way, he wrote his portion in regular white chalk, but made sure to swap to red chalk when writing the Devil's side. After all, the Devil loved red.

"Look at how thoughtful I am."

Time passed, and the two settled themselves harmoniously... or at least as harmonious as it could possibly get between a dead man and a Devil. Still, they made many memories together, some good, some bad, but there was no denying the unusual bond that had formed between these two unlikeliest of companions.

Year 1

"Still in the lead."

It took no time at all for the soldier to adapt to his new lifestyle. Cooking had become his new favorite pastime post-death and, to his delight, he found he was already quite proficient at it. Turns out all his time spent practicing his penmanship did not go to waste! His nimble fingers easily took to culinary arts like fish to water. Thus, with his trusty kitchen knife in one hand and book in the other, Leo began a relatively stress-free life with the Devil at his side.

Still, Leo made little headway into several more important matters, such as the reason for the attack on his world in the first place or even of any information about the rifts themselves. Clio had always tried to shift the topic whenever he brought it up and it was apparent she was doing more to dissuade him than simply talking to him about it: Books would mysteriously disappear in his presence and shelves would magically rearrange themselves whenever he was near. Leo knew to take a hint when he saw one, so he withheld from delving deeper into the topic until Clio felt more comfortable to talk about it. For he already realized that she was only performing such antics for his sake.

It still bothered him though.

Year 2

"The Devil discovered the scoreboard. She was furious."

From then on, Clio began putting in more effort into their occasional games. As for Leo, he had been making steady advancements in the world of culinary arts. By living in a library filled to the brim with the knowledge of every world and every iteration imaginable, he had made full use of his time to further his view in the world of cooking. That knowledge plus the dexterity developed from his divine penmanship led to some rather miraculous breakthroughs: Already, he could throw a potato in the air and dice it before it hit the ground. He could carve out a beautiful rose from an unassuming block of tofu. And he was even beginning to see why kids loved the taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Needless to say, he had fully taken charge of the kitchen area and from that moment on, most if not all meals the two ate were made by his hand.

Year 3

"Did the Devil actually score a point!? Perhaps it was coincidence?"

This was a monumental year. Armed with the knowledge of all worlds and backed by his intense perseverance, Leo finally reached the pinnacle of cooking by his original world's standards. However, many more worlds existed and Leo found he was only beginning to scratch the surface of something deeper.

However, this year held another momentous event: The Devil had actually scored a point! Was the world coming to an end... again?

Year 4

"It was no coincidence!"

The Devil has begun to frequent the area around the scoreboard, a foreboding smile appearing on her face from time to time. Was that the reason? Leo was starting to feel a creeping sensation wherever he went this year.

But creepy sensation or not, Leo began experimenting with the newest technique he had unearthed from the bowels of the Devil's library itself - mana-cooking! It was a technique that supposedly incorporated the infusion of mana into foods via the cooking process, which not only enhances the taste, but also introduces many elements normally only seen in elixirs and other magical products. And though it seemed a simple task, extreme mana control, concentration, and perseverance was required or else the technique would ultimately fail. In many ways, a mana-dish was even harder to produce than the famed elixer and some included recipes seemed even harder to replicate than the greatest of legendary swords. Additionally, from the information gleaned from the books Leo found, he surmised that it was already considered quite a feat to succeed in creating even a faulty mana-dish and he discovered that there were scant few in history who had managed even that.

However, Leo was not dissuaded! In fact, the more he read about the mana-cooking, the more he wanted to try it himself. Thus, he began his fervent research into the topic, and immediately tackled the first barrier in his path to mana-cooking greatness - mana. For in order to perform mana-cooking one naturally had to possess mana. But just what was mana? His previous world never even had the concept of mana to begin with so he had to start from scratch. Several hours of library diving later, he eventually found several high-grade mana cultivation techniques left scattered throughout the library. Still, it proved a difficult task to wrap his mind around such a foreign concept so he eventually went to Clio for help. However, when she found out what he was up to, she grew increasingly flustered and forcefully made him stop in his endeavor. She later went on to confiscate all the books he had taken about the subject and strictly forbade him from researching further into the topic... "At least for now," she had said. Stingy! Still, Leo immediately took heed of her advice and regretfully put on-hold his dreams of cooking with mana. For after all these years together, the two had developed a mutual trust and respect for one another. Leo figured Clio was stopping him for a good reason, perhaps even the same reason why she can't yet tell him of the rifts. Thus, the soldier could only sigh and carry on with life.

Year 5

"Seems like the Devil's getting serious, but so can I!"

It seems challenging an ancient being to a game of riddles may not have been the greatest of ideas. Even after Leo spent a full month of devoted preparation, Clio was still ready for all the toughest riddles that the soldier could throw out and was able to dish out as much as she was dealt. Was the Devil slowly growing accustomed to his many tricks? This was grim news indeed.

But what was perhaps more grim was that at certain times, mainly while he was cooking, Leo could swear a voice was trying to call out to him. In the end, the voice was always drowned out by a barrier of some sort so, while Leo found it curious, he payed it no heed. Thinking back, Clio was depressed all day the first time it happened. Perhaps she was the barrier after all? Later in the year, however, a second voice had joined with the first and later still, a third had joined as well. With so many voices trying to contact him at once, brief words and phrases were finally breaking past the barrier and were being properly transmitted into his ears. At first, Leo didn't think much of the broken snippets of conversation that one would struggle to make sense of, but one day, a mischievous voice had given him the answer to a riddle Clio was hounding him about and the triumphant grin on her face shattered into many triumphant pieces. Leo grinned from ear-to-ear. Thank you, Mystery Voice A! He inwardly cheered. I owe you one!

[Throndir]

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

http://www.youtube.com/v/p_IOGugEh4g&end=196

Clio stared at the score board waking up on this particular day. It would be exactly 10 years today since Leo had been hired as Library Helper #1. As Clio looked at each mark on the chalkboard that was prepared for their little duels over the years, she couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. Who knew 10 years could be so fun? It was but just a tiny fraction in Clio's life. Miniscule even. Yet, Clio could say with finality that the last decade was some of her most precious memories. It was fun!

But why was she feeling like this?

She felt something tugging at her heart. Clio ignored the feeling. She already told herself this won't be emotional.

"Times up Library Helper Leo!" Clio called loudly - Leo was used to it by now. The man was probably sleeping, or lazing around like usual. It was his final day after all, perhaps the writer was simply having one last look around the place.

Clio looked at the table, the same one Leo had first 'woken' up in. It had taken her ten years of preparing this. In fact, she was afraid she wouldn't even make in time a few times. The ways of her other peers were complicated after all. Plus, this wasn't even in her domain at all. She had no right or jurisdiction.

But she fought.

And fought.

And fought.

And fought.

And finally her hard work paid off.

Spoiler

Sleeping inside a basket, was a small, white-coated, furry little animal.

[close]

[Lance]

It was his greatest work yet, a masterpiece that outshone all that he had ever made. It would have surely landed him multiple awards in his previous world too, had he written it before his untimely demise. For in all his life as a writer, Leo had never once written a piece filled with such emotion and depth that it would stir the soul for years to come. Honestly, the battle-hardened soldier never expected his book to turn out the way it did. From the start, he had merely been detailing the daily life he had shared with Clio since their very first meeting, recording every interaction, every triumph, and every defeat up till this very day - the day when this ten year interlude would finally reach its end.

In this way, the book was completed, the story of a lifetime compressed within its unassuming pages. Included was everything that had made these last few years so special for the two of them; It was their own private history, unrelated to the conflicts raging across numerous worlds and the machinations of demons and angels alike. These precious few moments in time were meant for them, and them alone.

Thus, Leo could think of nothing else that would make a better farewell present then the book he now held in his arms. Many memories were sealed within and so the writer fondly reminisced, as he made his way downstairs. It was time to say goodbye.

Honestly, Leo was reluctant to part with it, the only book of its kind, handwritten, and with no other copies existing in any other world or iteration. The contents were masterfully written and the story itself was a pleasant read, however the book carried great sentimental value for the writer-turned-soldier. By parting with it, Leo felt as if he was leaving a part of his very soul behind.

The writer grinned wryly. Perhaps that was the Devil's scheme, after all. Still, there was no changing his mind. With one final step down from the last flight of stairs, the writer's reminiscence came to an abrupt end. Standing before him was the girl that had given him so much over the course of this last decade. Her back was presently turned to him though, as her attentions focused on something on a nearby table. She was calling for him to come down at the moment, however, causing Leo's grin to resurface. It seemed she did not yet realize that he was already so close to her.

He drew near and his immediate thoughts were of mischief, to pull one last prank before their final goodbyes. However, that was when Leo finally noticed what had so captured the girl's attention before - a small puff of white fur laying curled up on the table with a blue mark on its head. Its size was infinitely smaller than what he remembered, but he recognized it at a glance. It was the silver fox demon from the time he was alive, the last comrade to remain by his side in the conflict that had so thoroughly consumed his previous world. It had presided over his final moments then and had remained a true comrade until the very end.

It seemed the Devil had brought quite a farewell gift of her own. However, perking up with sudden movements, the fox had apparently noticed him too, as it quickly came bounding over onto his outstretched hand.

Gone was its regal bearing, and few would be able to connect the fox's present state to the silver terror of the battlefield it had once been. Leo himself could not help but let a chuckle escape his lips, as he viewed the little creature standing attentively upon his palm. For now, the former lord of all demons looked as small and cuddly as the common household pet.

Finally, Leo turned to address Clio for perhaps the last time. "This is for you," he said simply, as he handed over the book in his hands. And though he already knew the answer, though he knew that there was already no turning back, he still had to ask anyways:

"Clio, if you'd like, how about I remain here a little longer? Just you, me, and the fox as well - it'll be great! Besides, it's not like the world will suffer much from the lack of one mere writer," Leo explained. "And even if that were the case, I'm sure... the world can solve its own problems for once."

[Throndir]

http://www.youtube.com/v/p_IOGugEh4g&end=196

"A book?" Clio asked as you handed the book to her.

"It better not squirt water in my face! Release gas from rotten eggs, or explode." Clio took it hesitantly. But her demeanor quickly changed once she saw the title: "The Devil and I".

"I..." Clio began. She accepted the book then, and held it tight against her chest. She looked towards the white fox you held in your hands.

"I had to make a deal with the devil himself to get your pet back." Clio laughed jokingly. "No, not with myself." Clio quickly corrected knowing full well Leo's antics.

When you suggested to stay for a little longer, Clio's eyes softened.

"That can't do, you know? You weren't even supposed to be here in the first place... Try explaining why a mortal lived up here to everyone else. Not fun!" Clio laughed, though you can tell it was forced.

"You know... it was in the morning that you first appeared. Waking up from this table. You remember?" Clio looked at the spot where you had appeared. "It doesn't feel like it was that long ago for me actually... You know how the older you get the faster time seems to be? Also no, I'm not telling you how old I am." She smiled wistfully as she made her way to the opposite end of where you had woken up 10 years ago. It was the same place she sat in the first time.

"Do me one last favor Library Helper #1? Lets commemorate your 10th year anniversary re-enacting how you first got here! It'll be fun!" Clio suggested and smiled, though, it was easy to tell she was forcing herself.

"Hello there!" Clio announced, putting on airs. "Congratulations on round one! You lost!"

[Lance]

http://www.youtube.com/v/zNB-Q9zzlhQ

"I had figured as much," Leo bitterly smiled. Earlier, there was no knowing just how many strings the girl had to pull to allow him stay for as long as he did. Thus, the thanks he already felt was plentiful enough. Still, a slight tinge of disappointment now strained his otherwise cheerful voice.

"Alright," Leo mischievously replied, as he closed the gap and pulled Clio in for a warm embrace. For though such a scene never happened back then, it was the writer's job, after all, to add their own creative spin to tales they would recount. "My name is Leo Grancea" The writer reintroduced himself. "Are you the Devil?"

"Do be honest this time."

[Throndir]

The shock of getting pulled into an embrace caused her to stir, but she held firm.

"Yes I am! That's why I brought you here!" She let herself fall into the man's grasp, as she instead started to hold on to his shirt.

"Of course not! Jeez! Calling me a... devil." Tears were already forming in her eyes. Her will being shattered by Leo's closeness.

"I'll have you know..." She said, clutching to Leo's shirt tighter.

"I'm the Great Librarian..." She was trying to fight against the feelings, and willing herself to calm down.

"Of this Great Library..." But she couldn't hold it anymore, as tears started to flow down her face. In between sobs, she finally got the final word in.

"Clio."

[Lance]

"There, there, Devil," the writer merrily patted Clio on her back between sobs. There was a brief pause and Leo waited for the girl to get her bearings before continuing. "So then, why did you bring me here, oh dearest?" The man spoke at length, with a jestful cadence. "Surely it's not to eat your food and read your books? Perhaps it's to do your laundry then? Ah, or maybe it's simply so that I might serve you a nice heaping platter of BBQ wings, your favorite."

"...In any case, did you bring the others too? If so, are they well?" Leo grinned wryly, as he glanced at the small fox that had dutifully climbed up to his shoulder now that his hand was occupied.

"However, if all you want is my soul, then I'm afraid you'll be sorely disappointed." The writer gave Clio one long, drawn-out smile. "Because that's mine. All mine~"

[Throndir]

Clio didn't respond however, and only wiped her tears as she listened to you. She eventually pulled away from the embrace, and forced a soft smile.

"Perhaps we'll see each other again Mr. Grancea. Or... maybe if you die, you'll come back here!" Clio teased. "But... don't actually do that, I will tell you right now that there are laws that bind us... It's not so easy." Even though she tried to keep her words light, it was still easy to tell that she was distraught.

"I heard the light gets really bright when this happens..." Clio said staring at you wistfully. "Maybe... maybe close your eyes?"

[Lance]

The writer immediately noticed the Devil staring at him intently. "Not trying to start another staring contest, are you?" He asked tentatively, but still complied with the girl's wishes. For despite his iron-clad mask, a torrent of feelings had long since rushed inside him: anger, sadness, joy, pain, and hollow acceptance. The soldier almost wished he could relive the tragedy of the Grim Journey if it meant being able to stay with her for another ten long years. After all, there were just too many things he wanted to say. He could've gone on and on for days and never run out of topics to discuss, but instead...

"Thank you, Clio."

...was all the writer said before he closed his eyes: a simple three word phrase unadorned with any rhetorical flourish or embellishment, yet packed with more feeling than any mountain of text could ever hope to express. For sometimes less was indeed more; sometimes any excess words merely got in the way of the message being conveyed and Leo wanted there to be no doubt of his intent.

He consciously let the arm that once held Clio drop loosely to his side. Past this moment, the soldier knew that she would forever be out of his arm's reach. However, there was absolutely no way that Leo would let things end on such a mellow note. Thus, he spoke with his customary grin even till the end. "You may be the Devil, but you are already a goddess in my eyes. So take care of yourself over here while you wish me luck over there!"

The writer laughed, his smile never leaving his lips. For there was one last thing he could do for her now that he was being granted life in the world below. Therefore, Leo opened his eyes to give the girl one final message before his body fades and his life is born anew.

http://www.youtube.com/v/uhA55hYnoHw

"I'll show you a story worth watching."

[Throndir]

"I'll be looking forward to it." Clio said softly. "I'll be watching..."

The lights continued to swell brightly. Brighter and brighter did the glow fill your vision. The library was the first to disappear in that white haze. The shelves being swallowed. Then the books disappearing. Finally, for that brief moment, the only thing you saw was Clio.

"Goodbye Leo."

The light dissipated then. Leaving Clio alone in her library. For a few long moments, there was nothing but silence. Then a deep voice resounded behind her.

Spoiler

"Do not forget your end of the deal."

[close]

But Clio ignored the beast behind her. Instead, the goddess went towards the scoreboard that was still up. She remembered claiming that Leo wouldn't even last a single day, much less an entire decade. By her calculations, it was just a bit over 10 years.

Though the darkness behind her started to overwhelm the rest of her library, Clio took the red chalk stick, and moving to Leo's side did she finally write down the last tally.

Spoiler

"Looks like you won... Leo."

[close]

With that she finally turned towards to face the darkness. And a second after that they both disappeared.

The lights of the library flickered then. The false 'sky' that illuminated the windows struggled to keep lit for a few moments. But a few more seconds after, all was dark.

Gone were a certain writer's provocations. And gone too were a certain goddess' angry retorts.

The Great Library was silent.

Continued in Chapter 2: A Trade Deal