Theron's soul was free-falling into the Realm of Darkness, like a meteorite falling from the sky. He felt a strong suction force pulling him at a staggering speed to a specific location.

While falling, he saw glimpses of some otherwise unique areas in Realm of Darkness. The whole realm was shrouded in shadows, which you could barely see through, as though a thick haze had been placed. But from the ground emanated a soft purple-ish ghostly glow, providing some light to the otherwise dark realm. He could see huge canyons and eerie forests with unknown weird-looking trees illuminated by an ethereal purple glow from the ground, mountain chains so immense it seemed like they were piercing the sky.

Slowly, once he gradually neared the solid ground, he noticed a majestic medieval castle made out of glowing purple stones that illuminated the nearest surroundings, causing shadows to ripple around the exquisite creation. Theron realized his destination was the softly glowing castle.

'Ah... what a magnificent sight this is.'

Theron plummeted straight down, passing through the glowing purple stones of the Grand Library, and then his vision turned black.

***

'Ugh my head…'

Theron awoke to a splitting headache so excruciating it felt as though a supernova had exploded inside his skull, painting his vision with vibrant, swirling hues.

Coming to slowly, he took in his surroundings:

A tall, circular ceiling stretched above him, casting a soft purple light down, as do all the walls and ground floor, basking the entire space in an ethereal, soft purple light. Ancient-looking books and tomes, scrolls crafted from old parchment, and meticulously detailed maps decorated the walls. At the heart of the Grand Library lay an expansive central hall, and surrounding it, each floor featured concentric, winding aisles. Nine spiraling staircases, constructed from the same peculiar purple stone, linked all levels in a mesmerizing display of chaotic yet oddly captivating design.

'How fascinating…'

Two rounded doors, fashioned from rough, uneven black stones, stood on opposite sides of each floor. Unknown runes adorned the purple-glowing walls that encircled the doors. It appeared as though the runes were drawing in the surrounding light, casting an ominous aura upon the black doors.

While the nine floors above him held their own unique mysteries, it was the ground floor that captivated Theron the most. It was a space teeming with peculiarities: a weathered broom, its bristles moving of their own accord across the dust-free, glowing stones; brushes meticulously attending to dusty tomes and ancient books. Groups of six sumptuous leather chairs encircled tables that resembled obsidian, though not entirely. At the heart of the floor stood an enigmatic structure unlike anything he had ever encountered - though, to be fair, everything he had seen thus far was progressively stranger. This structure took the form of a pitch-black dome, exuding an aura of impenetrable darkness. Remarkably, Theron could sense its surprising solidity, yet it seemed to possess a liquid-like quality that defied easy explanation. Naturally, Theron found himself struggling to absorb it all.

Theron couldn't help but notice one important thing:

"There is no one here…"

The majestic Grand Library, truly a wonder unlike anything he has ever seen, has no one residing in it, not a single living soul.

After a minute, during which Theron gathered himself from the overwhelming sight of the Grand Library, he examined his reflection in the obsidian-like table. To his surprise, the face that met his gaze in the table's surface was a face full of greed, wrath, and a smattering of other sins- his face from Earth.

"Ah, look at this handsome bastard…it would be a horrible tragedy to lose such a devilish face." Theron admired himself quite openly.

Apart from the 'devilish face' he retained from his previous existence, the resemblances between Earth Theron and his current form ended there. He appeared semi-transparent, as though colors had permanently faded from his figure. He donned a somewhat tattered black robe, draping from his neck downward. To his astonishment, where his legs should have been, a pale blur replaced them, barely concealed beneath the folds of the ancient garment he now wore.

'the shredded garment isn't really my taste…but it seems like I don't have an option of replacing it. It feels as if it's woven into my very essence as a dark wraith.'

His race's abilities of a dark wraith flooded his mind. Theron could instantly grasp how to use his newfound powers as if he had always been able to use them. Nonchalantly, he used the ability Frost. The unique ground floor close to him formed a fragile layer of ice. The cracking sound of the ice could be heard in the Grand Library's vast, otherwise empty space. Theron analyzed the ice around him, estimating how potent this ability was.

Suddnely,as though from a distant place, a voice roared:

"What's all the ruckus here about?!"

Startled, he felt the relentless thud of his heart in this dark wraith form, pounding furiously. A wave of icy dread washed over him.

From the black dome of solid liquid, a figure appeared- A man in his late years of life, around the age of seventy on Earth. His appearance startled Theron not only because of his sudden arrival but because the old man looked, at first glance, quite normal. However, Theron realized rather quickly he was anything but ordinary. Once Theron focused on the figure of the old man, he realized something odd - he had runes of a similar kind to the ones etched on the foreboding doors on each of the floors of the Grand Library.

Gazing at the new company, Theron came to a conclusion considering everyhing he absorbed thus far:

'So this is Black Wizard Aldred…the Grand Library's guardian.'

Black Wizard Aldred, an old man, had a slightly hunched posture and plenty of long white hair. His face was pale and wrinkled, and he had a distinctive, long nose that gave him a unique look. He wore a long white cloak that flowed elegantly across the floor, giving off a sense of grandeur and grace. The light around him seemed to bend, creating a circle of shadows.

Aldred walked slowly, his steps thundering in the silent Grand Library. he stopped once he reached the edge of the layer of ice Theron created.

Aldred gazed disapprovingly at the ice blemishing his precious floor and said in a low, quavering voice:

"...I don't like you already!"