Jolene leaned forward onto the counter of her food cart. She had closed nearly everything down just a few minutes ago. “And here you are.”

“Yes, since you didn’t come to me, I decided to come to you.” Kate greeted the eldritch entity with a smile.

“Then let’s begin with some food.” Jolene handed Kate a paper plate with currywurst and fries. “And then you tell me why you came here.”

“Thank you, first of all.” Kate took a bite of a fry.

“You’re welcome.”

“So, did we do it? Are we on the best path?”

“Maybe, but we are at least on a good path. All paths in which you weren’t involved would have been worse. I must admit that I did not see the… you call them archangels, stepping down as likely, but I am pleased with their decision. That one action has opened a set of very good paths that I did not deem likely.”

“Sounds like success to me.”

“In achieving what I desired, yes. Still, I must apologize. I used you. I am sorry.”

“It was for a good goal, but I would have liked being asked if I wanted to participate in certain things a bit more. I know you just did your best to nudge me in the choices I would have to make regardless, but a little more clarity wouldn’t have been bad. Still, apology accepted. I take you will only show up when there is another fork in the paths?”

“Yes, but are free to seek me out whenever you wish. I am involved in this universe now, I can at minimum offer advice and useful words when you desire them. Not that you lack words, Librarian.” Jolene flashed a brief smile.

“Heh, good one. Would you also answer some questions? Within reason, of course.”

“I will. I will not disrupt your path or give you shortcuts, but I will satiate your curiosity. You have earned that much.”

“I had a conversation with Ara and Nirrti yesterday and one thing came up that bothers me a little. Earth has a long history of fossils to be found, Hell apparently doesn’t. Why?”

“The two most common types of stone in Hell are…?”

“Basalt and marble.”

“Yes, and what is basalt?”

“Cooled lava, right?”

“Yes. The continent on which the first seven circles sit is made up of mainly basalt for several kilometres deep. Only the caves connecting to the Abyss and its depths are something different, something that has snaked through the formerly molten rock. Why would there be fossils in world that used to be fire and brimstone just as many humans imagine it now?”

“I just imagined that the demons aren’t the first to develop in Hell, that it has a history like earth does.”

“My dear Librarian, sometimes there is no bigger fish. But even the biggest and oldest fish have a history they might not know about.”

Kate sighed. “I see…well, thank you anyway.”

“My pleasure. There is a question on your lips though.”

Kate just decided to eat some more to not have to answer that.

Jolene looked at the young Nightmare with pity on her face. “No one dares to ask that question because the answer might be more than uncomfortable. I will not answer it for you, but I will ask you to put it into the world. Ask your question.”

“Why… can angels fall?”

“You will find out, but that moment, the hour of indecision, is far along your path. If you had not posed that question now, the answer would elude you when the time comes. Before you leave, I will give you one more answer to a question you do not know to ask and a direction you may choose to follow if you so wish.”

“Please do.”

“To influence someone’s mind to drive them to their own end is possible but not by any means discovered by anyone who would be capable of doing so.”

“That is a relief. So, the theory written by that ancient high inquisitor doesn’t work?”

“My choice of words is always precise.”

“I see.” Kate had an idea what Jolene was implying. The method likely worked but the high inquisitor who worked it out wasn’t capable of using it. That was troubling but unsurprising.

“Good. You will not need that knowledge, that path has long been averted. Not by you but by someone you know, a young man who abused your friendship.”

“Henry?”

“Yes. His choices never manifested the best paths for himself and caused pain to others, but he has nudged things towards better paths unwittingly. Too bad he will never be aware of the impact he has had. Now it is for me to nudge you. Tell me, Librarian, what is Noxite?”

“Uhm… it’s a mineral from Hell that emulates the night sky as seen from the library.”

“That is what it does, but what is it? Why is it?”

“I don’t know honestly.”

Jolene smiled. “Is not necessary for the good paths of everyone involved, but if you find the answers to my questions before the hour of mourning, the hour of companionship will become inevitable, and you will very much enjoy it.”

“Alright, thank you very much.”

“My pleasure. I am certain we will speak again, even if it is just because of your hunger, your curiosity.”

Kate returned to the library that evening for an event that she always looked forward to: card game night. Somehow, card game night had never been cancelled. Sometimes not everyone could make it, but there was always someone to play with here.

As Kate entered the restaurant in the back of the library, Eisheth, Nirrti and Apollyon had been waiting for her.

“Oh, this feels nostalgic. Where are the others?”

“Evelyn and Adelina will come by later, they both have work to finish, and Ama is currently out with Sarah. But now that you are here, I can test the changes to my deck against someone who doesn’t wipe the floor with me like Apollyon just did.” Eisheth held up her deck.

“Sounds good, let’s have a proper match then.”

Apollyon got up to make room for Kate. “I will prepare some more tea and snacks.”

Everyone returned a nod as Kate sat down and unpacked her deck and gameplay accessories.

It took until Apollyon returned from the kitchen for Eisheth to win.

Kate leaned back in her chair. “Wow, that was quite something. You said Polly wiped the floor with you?”

Eisheth grinned. “I might have exaggerated.”

Apollyon nodded. “She did, I lost two of three games. We need to adapt.”

The young Nightmare closed her eyes. “This really feels like our first game night, doesn’t it? The three ancient librarians kicking my arse in Heroes while having tea and snacks. I love it.”

“Sounds like you need to up your game, head librarian.”

“I should. And you should too, can’t have the great Apollyon lose like this, can we?”

“No, we can’t. But it’s healthy to lose every so often.”

“It is, yea. Still, one should always work towards winning. And speaking of winning, I talked to Jolene earlier.”

“Oh?”

“We did it. We are on the good paths, paths that she didn’t even think likely before the archangels stepped down.”

“Very good. That also sounds like we won’t be involved in too much interesting stuff anymore.”

“Well, unless we want to be. Might be nice to help a bit here and there.”

“Yes, as long as we have enough time to just do our work here. It will be good to get back to what we all came here for.”

Kate nodded. “Absolutely. I also made up my mind about the locked section. Would you care to accompany me there before we get to our match?”

Apollyon raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”

“Right now.”

“Sure. Let’s go. Anyone else who wants to join us?”

Nirrti shrugged. “I need to look in there someday, why not now? I’ll come too. Eisheth?”

“Yea, sure.”

The librarians stood before the door to the locked section in the Hell-half of their library. Kate reached for the handle and pulled the door open.

Everyone took a few minutes to look around. Eventually, Kate just sat down at the one table in the centre of the room and started laughing. Nirrti turned away from the shelf was currently looking through to question the head librarian.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” Kate shook her head. “I just expected more. I don’t know why, but I thought this would be more than just paper. I know what is written here but it always felt like such a scary place and honestly? This is quite underwhelming. The main hall here in Hell is scarier. Big gothic cathedral with like eight-metre-tall dark wood shelves and a mezzanine that overlooks everything compared to, well, this. Just a nicely sorted little storage room. There is so little here and it feels so mundane compared to our normal spaces.”

“I like it this way. Yes, the imposing feeling of the main hall is awesome and I love it, but I think this is just right for a place full of actually dangerous stuff. When it’s just for show all the theatrics are super fun but this is serious stuff and it feels that way for me. No more imposing shelves and intimidating architecture, just everything to the point.”

“That makes sense. I guess this kind of space feels too normal for me. I didn’t grow up with demonic architecture, but with this. This is just like my primary school used to be. But you’re right, compared to the rest of the library, this is the right way to build this room.”

“But you are also right, Kate. I expected more as well. This is by far not as scary as I thought it would be and just standing here feels normal. If you are up for it, we should take a closer look at some of what is on the shelves here. Well, after the game night.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Apollyon ran a finger along the spine of a book. “I will join you as well. There are things here that I want to revisit. Memories that aren’t allowed out there.”

Kate nodded. “We will take our time here then. But first we need to make sure we are where Adelina and Evelyn expect us when they arrive.”

“Right, of course.”

The four librarians made their way out of the locked storage again with Kate pulling the door closed behind herself. She took a moment to turn around and look at it again from the outside.

“I would have called you crazy if you told me six years ago that I would be allowed in there. That I would be allowed to know the deepest secrets of reality, allowed to meet very embodiment of finality or a cosmic horror entity.” She chuckled. “And that they would call me their friend.”

Apollyon put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “And that you would be the lead authority of this place? The head librarian of the most complete library, the oldest library, our library.”

“I would have called you absolutely insane.”

“And now?”

“Now I’m absolutely insane. Let’s head back and play some games.”

Apollyon nodded and followed Kate back to the border world, back to earth. Adelina and Evelyn had arrived in the restaurant now and had begun their first round of Heroes.

“There you are!” The vampire waved at the demons.

“Sorry, we took a little detour through the locked section.” Kate waved back.

“The forbidden books? Anything interesting in there?”

“A few things. We are going back later to check some specifics out. Care to join us?”

“If it’s safe for me, yea, why not.”

“We’ll make sure it is. Evelyn?”

Evelyn nodded. “Count me in. But first we need to play some matches. Feels like too long since we last met like this.”

Kate shook her head in amusement. “We were here last week.”

“A week can feel like eternity.”

“It sure can. How have you been anyway?”

“Pretty well. Mochi and I did some planning for our home with Joro.”

“Oh? Any specifics you can tell me?”

Evelyn nodded eagerly. “We have confirmation that our plan for a mobile house actually works. I thought we would just be able to get a little demonic camper van but we are getting an entire house. A small house, yes, but a house that can move and just hover a little over the ground so we don’t damage anything. Joro showed us one she made for Freya and it is so cool.”

“I look forward to seeing your version. Any idea when it’s getting built?”

“Proper planning will begin next week, Joro estimates everything being done in a year or two.”

“Awesome! What about your home, Adelina?”

The vampire smiled contently. “I have ideas but I’m not ready to start planning yet. Lucifer has insisted I move to Hell in at least a little temporary cottage but I like this city. I don’t want to move out just yet.”

“Understandable. I guess I wouldn’t have moved over so early if things didn’t need to be rushed.”

“Yea. There is still so much to see over here, so much to learn.”

“And all the time in the universe to do so.” Kate finally sat down. “I love this place.”

“We all do, that’s why we’re here.”

Apollyon took the seat opposite of Kate. “This is our home after all. Ready to play?”

Kate picked up her deck to shuffle. “The best home I could ever imagine.”