The heavy oak doors of the library closed behind Valentina with a muffled sound that briefly broke the silence of the room. The familiar smell of old leather, parchment and dust enveloped her like a warm blanket. The tall bookshelves stretched seemingly endlessly in all directions, their shadows dancing in the flickering light of the Essence-powered lamps.


    Valentina took a deep breath and felt an inner calm slowly settle over her again. Here among all the knowledge, she felt safe. She had the feeling that the answers to all her problems were surely hidden somewhere in these countless tomes – she just had to find them.


    With purposeful steps, she made her way to the competitions and examinations section. The shelves here were less dusty than in other areas of the library, a sign that these books were frequently consulted. Valentina glanced over the spines of the books, searching for anything related to the Greystone Excellence in Essence Weaving competition.


    "Can I help you?" an unfriendly voice suddenly sounded behind her.


    Valentina flinched and turned around. In front of her stood Matilda Ravencroft, the stern librarian. Her sharp eyes scrutinized Valentina and her thin lips were pressed together in a disapproving line.


    "I... I''m looking for information about the Greystone Competition," Valentina stammered.


    Matilda Ravencroft raised an eyebrow. "The Greystone Competition? An ambitious goal for a student of your... means." She eyed Valentina again, then sighed. "Follow me."


    The librarian led Valentina through a labyrinth of shelves to a small alcove. There were several volumes here, all bearing the Greystone family crest, a grey crescent moon with a face and red eyes.


    "These are the official records of the last fifty years of the competition," Matilda explained. "You''ll find the rules, past tasks and reports on the winners. Treat the books with respect – unlike you, they are irreplaceable."


    With these words, she turned around and disappeared between the shelves, her footsteps surprisingly quiet on the old wooden floor. Valentina grimaced and mimicked the librarian''s snobbish expressions behind her back.


    She then pulled out the first volume in awe. The book was heavy, bound in dark leather with letters decorated in gold. As she opened it, the smell of old parchment and a hint of Essence wafted towards her.


    Hour after hour, Valentina immersed herself in the notes. She read about brilliant young Essence Weavers who had impressed the judges with their innovative techniques. Of complex tasks that tested the limits of what was possible with Essence Weaving. And of the generous prizes that awaited the winners.


    The more she read, the more her determination grew. The competition was tough, no question. But if she won... the prize wouldn''t solve all her problems, but it would at least be enough to save her family from having their land seized and make her studies a little more... possible.


    As she read, Valentina busily took notes. She scribbled ideas for possible projects on a worn piece of parchment, sketched complex Essence patterns and listed techniques she still needed to perfect.


    Time flew by. The golden light of the afternoon sun shining through the high windows gradually gave way to dusk. Around her, other students came and went, their conversations no more than a muffled murmur in Valentina''s focused mind.


    She barely noticed Crispin sit down at the table opposite her, a stack of books on planar geometry in his arms.


    "Val?" he asked quietly. "Are you all right? You''ve been missing all afternoon."


    Valentina looked up, surprised by the interruption. "Oh, Crispin. Yes, everything''s fine. I was just doing some research."


    Crispin''s eyes fell on the open books in front of her. "The Greystone Competition? You''re thinking about entering?"


    Valentina nodded slowly. "Yes, I... I think I''ll try."


    Crispin''s eyes widened. "Wow, that''s... that''s brave. The competition is notorious for how difficult it is. Are you sure you want to do this?"


    Valentina hesitated for a moment. Should she tell Crispin about the letter? About her family''s financial difficulties? About the pressure she was under? She opened her mouth, but then closed it again. No, she decided. That was her burden to bear.


    "I''m sure of it," she said firmly instead. "It won''t be easy, but I have to try."


    Crispin nodded slowly. "Well, if you need any help – practicing or anything – let me know, okay? Who knows, maybe I''ll enter the competition too?"


    Valentina smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Crispin."


    As Crispin turned back to his own studies, Valentina returned to her notes. She knew she still had a long way to go. Her knowledge of advanced Essence Weaving was spotty at best, and she had nowhere near enough practice with complex patterns. How could she, without Distilled Essence?


    With a sigh, she leaned back and rubbed her tired eyes. She needed more – more knowledge, more practice, more Distilled Essence. But how was she going to manage all that in the short time until the competition?If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Her thoughts were interrupted when a loud thud echoed through the library. Several students sitting at a nearby table jumped up, startled. A heavy tome had fallen from one of the upper shelves and was now lying open on the floor.


    Curious, Valentina stood up and walked over. She bent down to pick up the book when her eyes fell on the open page. Her breath caught.


    There, in squiggly lettering, was the title: "Forbidden Arts of Essence Manipulation: A Compendium".


    Valentina''s heart began to race. She knew that there were areas of Essence Weaving that were considered too dangerous or unethical for the young students to study. But here, right in front of her, was a book that promised to reveal those very secrets. She knew it shouldn''t have been here, in the open part of the library. Someone must have shelved it incorrectly.


    She picked up the book with trembling hands. It was heavy, bound in dark leather that felt cool and somehow... alive to the touch. Small Essence patterns seemed to dance across the cover, barely visible in the dim light of the library.


    Valentina knew she should put the book back on the shelf. It was clearly not intended for students – probably not even for most professors. But something about it drew her in. Maybe, she thought, maybe it contained exactly the knowledge she needed to succeed in the competition.


    She looked around. The other students had returned to their studies and Matilda Ravencroft was nowhere to be seen. Valentina quickly slipped the book under her pile of notes and returned to her desk.


    Her heart hammered in her chest as she sat down again. She knew that what she was doing was wrong. Dangerous, even. But the thought of her family, of the debt, of everything that was at stake... She simply had to take every chance she got.


    With one last guilty glance at Crispin, who was still engrossed in his geometry books, Valentina carefully opened the forbidden book. The pages felt strange under her fingers.


    Her eyes widened as she began to read. There was information about demons, about techniques and theories she had never heard of. Methods to manipulate Essence in ways she could never have imagined. It was fascinating and terrifying at the same time.


    Valentina knew she had to be careful. This knowledge was forbidden for good reason. But maybe, she thought, maybe she could adapt some of these ideas, make them safer, use them for the competition...


    With a determined nod, she began to copy carefully selected passages into her notebook. She would be careful, she swore to herself. She wouldn''t do anything dangerous or unethical. She could stop at any time if it got too unsafe. This was just research, just a way to improve her chances.


    When the library bell announced the approaching closing time, Valentina jumped. She had completely forgotten the time. She hurriedly packed up her things, carefully hiding the forbidden book among her other documents.


    With one last glance over her shoulder, she left the library, the weight of the forbidden knowledge heavy in her bag. With quick steps, she made her way to her room, determined to spend the night studying her newfound knowledge. The darkness of the falling night seemed to envelop her, as if to protect Valentina''s secret from prying eyes.


    ~


    After arriving and dropping off her things, Valentina slipped silently out of her room, the forbidden book clutched tightly to her chest. The corridors of the dormitory were silent, interrupted only occasionally by the muffled snores behind closed doors. She scurried down the stairs, her heart racing with every creaking wooden plank.


    Outside, the cool night air welcomed them. The Burning Tower loomed in the distance, its eternal flame a signpost on the horizon. Valentina hesitated for a moment, a pang of guilt tingling through her. Then she thought of her father''s letter and her determination returned.


    She made her way to the secluded corner of the university gardens. Hidden between dense rose bushes stood an old, dilapidated arbor where the university gardeners stored their tools.


    Once in the arbor, Valentina carefully lit a small oil lamp she had brought. The flickering light cast dancing shadows on the moss-covered walls.


    With trembling hands, she placed the book on the weathered wooden table in front of her. Valentina took a deep breath and opened the book. The smell of old parchment and something sharp, almost metallic, caught her nose. The pages were thin and brittle, the writing on them in an ancient version of Altothal.


    She began to read, her eyes darting over the pages. The book was divided into several sections. The first part contained detailed descriptions of various demons, their characteristics and abilities. Valentina shuddered at the grotesque illustrations, but forced herself to read on.


    The next section dealt with the summoning circle, the famous Bankreizh that the Martyr invented so long ago. Intricate geometric patterns were depicted, each line and symbol labeled with precise instructions. Valentina recognized some of the basic shapes from her lectures in planar geometry, but the complexity of the circles was beyond anything she had ever seen.


    Then came the binding methods. Here it was described how to control and bind a summoned demon. The techniques ranged from simple commands and binding agreements to complex rituals to manipulate the demon.


    In between, Valentina repeatedly came across warnings. Written in red ink, they stood out clearly from the rest of the text. They spoke of the dangers of demon summoning, of failed bindings and the terrible consequences for the summoner.


    Despite the warnings, Valentina felt her interest growing. The power described here was tempting. She thought of her problems, of the competition, of her family''s debts. Couldn''t a bound demon solve all that?


    She shook her head, trying to hear the voice of reason. But then her eyes fell on a passage about binding demons to objects. The idea formed in her mind: what if she were to bind a demon to something small, something she could control? It would be safe, she thought. Only temporarily, just to help her through the competition.


    Valentina leaned back, her mind racing. She began to formulate a plan. She could be careful, take every precaution. It would be controlled, safe. Just a temporary solution until she won the competition and solved her problems. And if everything would go wrong despite all her precautions, she could simply destroy the object the demon was bound too, sending ít back to its realm.


    With feverish energy, she began to make notes. She listed the materials she needed: A special salt for the summoning circle, she could easily find that, candles made of pure beeswax, she had those, rare herbs for the protection ritual, she knew where to find them, in the forest outside the city. The list went on. It would not be impossible.


    As she jotted down the final details of her plan, Valentina noticed that the sky in the east was already getting brighter. She had spent the whole night here, immersed in the forbidden knowledge of the book.


    She hastily packed up her things and left the arbor. Her heart was filled with a strange excitement. She knew she was taking a dangerous path, but for the first time in a long time she no longer felt helpless.