Chapter 7

Sylvan was waiting for Samuel and Jackson to come back to the Elflem Gate, and he was playing with a dagger while doing it. 

“How was the goodbye?” He asked, “I left as soon as I said goodbye to them.” Sylvan was smiling at them, 

Samuel smiled back “Well Eric was telling me all about the school.” 

“And Charles and Charlene told me about their respective magics.” Jackson said from beside Samuel. 

“Alright, now back to business. The museum is on the School campus so it’s technically owned by the school, but I know the curator who I went to school with. He said we could look around and if it's really important, we could ask the president of the campus for missionary access to their research.”

“Perfect, so where do we go first, the president or the curatory?” Jackson asked. 

“I suggest we go to the curator, mostly because we want to make sure the book is intact, and that we can see if the key can really open it.” Sylvan suggested. 

“Then why are we standing here? Let's go! I want to learn all about the history of this place, and how the magic works, and the book can probably tell us that!” Samuel started running down the campus, only to stop and walk back to Sylvan. “Can you lead the way?” Sylvan smiled, and slid his dagger into his pouch. He started walking towards the school, and Samuel and Jackson followed.

From their entire journey through Marshlake, Samuel never thought he’d go to see a magic school. Even when he came to Marshlake and heard of the school he’d ever thought he could actually come and see it. Sylvan turned again into another big building, but it was much smaller. 

“What is this place?” Jackson asked. 

Sylvan turned around “Welcome, to the Museum of Magical Items. This place has been run by my friend for years, he said I could come whenever I liked. Put your hood on, we don't want him to be freaked out by you first thing” Sylvan opened the door, 

“Hello! Gabriel! Are you here?” Sylvan yelled into the building, 

“Just a moment!” Yelled back a voice. 

On the first floor there was a big square with paintings on the walls, and stands with information on it. A man came running out of a hallway from the right of the entrance, 

“Sylvan? What are you doing here? I thought you left Elflem for good last time.”

Gabriel was a small, probably 4-foot man, with a button down shirt and ragged pants. 

“Ha ha, listen I need some help and I have something you might be interested in.” Gabriel looked past Sylvan to see Samuel and Jackson, 

“Who are they?” Gabriel asked. 

“What you might be interested in.” 

Sylvan nodded at them and they both took off their hoods to show Gabriel their ears. Gabriel came closer to them, inspecting them almost, 

“Amazing, where did you find these humans?” Gabriel asked Sylvan, 

“Actually we found him.” Jackson said. 

Gabriel looked puzzled, “You know you can't find any information from the book, we’ve never been able to open it.” 

“Until now,” Samuel stepped closer, pulling out his Tome Key. 

Gabriel's eyes widened, “Where did you find that?” 

“My mother gave it to me before she died. We can open the book with the key, but we’ll need to take the book with us.” Gabriel was stunned by what Samuel had just said, 

“Like I would ever give up the most treasured item in all of Marshlake!” 

“Well without us it’s not very important is it?” Samuel smiled, it seemed like he’d inherited some of Sylvan’s attitude. Gabriel looked at Sylvan, 

“You owe me anyway don't you?” Sylvan said. Gabriel looked down, 

“Fine, just don't tell anyone I'm letting you have it. We aren't even sure if it’s the original copy.” Gabriel said. 

“That's fine, we’ll find out.”

Gabriel brought them around the museum to a room on the second floor, 

“It’s not even completed yet so just don't break anything please?” Everyone nodded. 

“Ok, let’s take a peak.” 

Gabriel opened the door to a small room, with paintings and scrolls on the side. Some even showed the book itself. 

“Legends say that the Tome Key was lost to the ages, but as it seems you've found it I believe you should know the truth.” 

‘Long ago, before magic was even controlled. There was a man, and only a man. Who found out how to hold magic in his palm, he found a way to control magic and mold it. He stored all the knowledge he learned in a book, a book passed down through generation through generation. Giving its knowledge to all generations, but after the Knights Coven became The Controllers, the knowledge was hidden by the great knights family. The Knight Protectors. They cast a spell on the books, making a key for each book. The Controllers weren’t fond of this, they stole all of the keys and destroyed them except for one. The Knight Protectors destroyed that key only leaving one key left, and that key was hidden from the Controllers.’ 

“Now that last key has somehow gotten to you, young one.” Gabriel said to Samuel, “It's time to see again.” 

Samuel stepped up to the stand holding the book, Gabriel unlocked the case protecting the book. Samuel opened the case to find a lock bound book that had many cuts and stains on it. In the middle was a lock connecting all around to the other side of the book. Samuel slowly placed the key into the book, and he realized that it shouldn’t be possible to do that. Suddenly the key wouldn’t move, and it started to enter the book even more. This continued until the end of the key turned to form an eye on the front of the book. a flow of energy swept the room, and the book's eye blinked once. Samuel picked up the book, and immediately he could feel the leather it was made of, the ancient pages, and metal at the corners of the book. He opened the book only to see the words 

‘Hello young Knight, I'm excited to aid you in your adventures.’ Then faded into what read ‘Belongs To: Samuel Knight’ Samuel gasped at seeing his name in the book, and closed it.

“Yes!” Gabriel yelled from a corner in the room, “Now that the book is finally opened their secrets will allow Marshlake to grow beyond what it was once!” 

Everyone is looking at Gabriel, “Right you don't know, that book holds prophecies for what Marshlake can truly become.” 

Gabriel ran over to Samuel, and took the book from his hands. Then the book closed instantly, making Gabriel drop it. 

“What!?” Gabriel yelled. Gabriel picked up the book, and tried to open it with no success. “No!” He looked over at Samuel, “What did you do!” 

“I only did what you told me to do and it worked. I opened the book!” Sylvan stepped up, 

“But in doing so you created a connection to the book, making it only open for you.” Gabriel looked up from the book, “You will pay! Holding the secrets of Marshlake to yourself! Away from its people!” He held it to its chest, “I swore an oath to never let that book fall into the wrong hands!” Gabriel yelled. 

“Well we’re not the wrong hands, you can trust us.” Samuel said. 

“Nobody can trust a Knight!” Gabriel yelled. 

“A, Knight?” Samuel questioned, 

Gabriel lifted his hand “Security!” Suddenly the entire building started to move, 

“Run!” Sylvan yelled. 

Samuel pushed Gabriel back and took the book. Samuel clutched the book to his chest, he wasn’t letting go of it after what he just heard. Sylvan turned into the railings of the second floor, only to stop as a giant stone behemoth stepped out from the walls. 

“What's that!?” Jackson yelled to Sylvan, 

Sylvan looked back “They're called Wardens, now RUN!” Samuel ran to the other side of the hall only for them to be stopped by another Warden. 

“Jump!” Jackson yelled, Jackson jumped right over the railings making it to the first floor. Sylvan on the other hand, he jumped a little late and his foot got caught on the railing lining the wall. He fell all the way to the first floor, Samuel was about to jump when one of the Wardens caught him. He struggled and struggled until the book and his hands were free, then he used his enchanted necklace to boost out of the Warden's hand, and onto the first floor. 

“Sylvan, can I have your pouch?” Sylvan looked at him, 

“You think this is the best conversation to be having now!?” 

“I need it to hold the book! I can't fight well with carrying it the whole time!” Sylvan looked from the wardens to Samuel, 

“Fine!” Sylvan passed him his pouch. Samuel tucked the book into the pouch, right as one of the wardens swiped for him. Samuel was able to dodge the attack, and rolled out of the way of the Warden. They were all backed into the middle of the museum, 

“So are we fighting or what?” Jackson started to pull out his knife, but Samuel put his hand in front of him. 

“We don't want to become even more wanted than we already are, I have an idea.” Samuel looked at the still open doors, and grabbed Jackson and Sylvan's arms. 

“Also I don't know if this is going to work.” Samuel boosted all of them through the door opening it and flying out of the building. 

Jackson opened his eyes, “Well, that guy was one weird dude.” 

Sylvan got up next, “That's what it feels like to do that? It’s so slow.” 

Samuel smiled, “What else would it be?”

They went a bit quick, but they were able to get back to the magic school. Sylvan said they should check in on Charles, Eric, and Carlene. They went up to the doors of the magic school, and when they got in it looked like a maze of corridors and halls. It didn’t look like it stopped. 

“Where would they be?” Jackson asked, 

“In their rooms getting settled in.” Sylvan replied. Sylvan took a left which led them to a long hallway of doors, and Sylvan entered one that said Aragon & Hatcher. 

“Hey guys, how are you settling in?” Sylvan asked. 

Eric turned around, “Just fine, good thing they left it just how it was like they said they would.” 

Eric pulled out a rag from under his bed, it wasn’t really a rag, it was a long piece of some kind of cloth with two strange points at the top. Eric let go of the rag creating what seemed to be a bat. Jackson's eyes were wide, while Samuels mouth was hanging open. 

“What’s that!” Jackson said a bit too loud, the bat hissed at him. 

“It’s called an emerald bat, and there are long time companions. They never disrespect or leave their owners, and they are able to do this.” Suddenly the bat turned into a cloak and put itself over Eric, “Cool, right?” Suddenly Charles came out of a closet from the side of the room, 

“Oh, hey guys!” Charles said “Did you find what you were looking for?” Samuel looked at Jackson, and Sylvan. Samuel looked back, 

“Kind of?” Eric and Charles gave them questionable looks, then Carlene came into the room. 

“Hey guys, do you have any extra… Samuel, Jackson! Did you guys find what you were looking for?” Samuel pulled out the book, 

“Wow it looks much older in person.” Eric said, 

Then the book decided to blink its eye at him. Eric jumped back, “Ok, you have a book that’s alive. Good To know. So where are you gonna go now?” 

“Well we first need to find out how to get information from the book first…” 

Suddenly the book started to move, and the eye started to move very fast. Samuel looked at the book which opened suddenly, the book flipped through pages and pages until it stopped at one page. The continents of the book were covered in dust, Samuel whipped the page of all the dust. The book's pages lit up and started to read, 

‘The portal is the link between the Human Realm and Elf Realm. The portal is locked for anyone deemed not ready, the clock symbolizes the amount of power you have gained from being in the Elf Realm. To make sure of full security the door has three locks, and they can't be opened unless deemed ready.’ 

“Samuel!” Carlene and Jackson were shaking him, and he held the book in his hands. 

“Did you guys hear that?”

“What are you talking about?” Charles asked. 

“When I put the key in Gabriel said I had made a telepathic connection to the book, and now the book listens to me and will read to me. I guess it puts me in some kind of trance.” Samuel said. Samuel had been looking over the page of the portal for over 10 minutes, and found nothing other than that the person opening the portal had to be ready to return. Which, who knew what that meant. 

“Well you're never going to read that book again then.” Carlene said from behind him. Samuel turned to her, 

“No, I need to read this book so we can get back home. The book just has the information, and it has been giving me more and more information. Every minute out here is like 5 minutes in there, imagine what I could learn.” Jackson came in front of him, 

“Imagine how much you’ll miss.” Samuel looked down, 

“You're right. But I’ve been looking through the book, and it has all kinds of things in it. Monsters, Magic, Prophecies, and it has multiple ways to help us get back home. It also has a map of all the locations the portal is at throughout the human world.” Jackson put his hand on Samuels shoulder, 

“So have you found a way home?” Samuel nodded. Jackson sat next to him, “How?” 

“Alright, it won't be easy but I think I found a way to get there.” 

“How.” Jackson said Samuel looked up 

“The Controllers use tunnels created by burrow rats, and they connect all throughout the island. There’s a tunnel close to the portal, but it will take two days to get there.” 

“perfect!” Sylvan exclaimed, 

“But, the portal will only open to those who prove themselves worthy. It didn’t specify what that meant.” Everyone’s faces looked shocked, Samuel had a confused face on. “Are you guys ok?” Sylvan shook his head, 

“Ya, it’s just your asking us to travel half across the island, fight off monsters and bad guys, and we might not even make it in the end? That’s asking a lot.” Sylvan said.

“I know and I was only suggesting you, me, and Jackson go. They're at school, and me and Jackson need to get home.” Samuel said, 

Sylvan shook his head “I’ll do it, as long as you both have my back.” Samuel and Jackson both nodded, Sylvan sighed. 

“Alright, where's the closest one of these things?” Sylvan asked. 

“Northeast of here.” Samuel said. 

“Then pack up it's time for another trip, as long as it doesn't take as long as last time.” Sylvan said.