It took a hot minute for everyone to get their wits back together again, but once they confirmed the need to enter the library, they clapped their cheeks, got back into focus and just... followed the rune brick road.
"Hey look! The runes change color as we walk on them!," Hurricroak pointed excitedly, "looks it changes color based on our aether expression too!"
Nepherage, Frosttusk, Jin Fang and Razor Maiden all looked down at their feet and did notice that the runes had changed color. Orangish red, ice blue, green and white, respectively.
At Zhen Liu’s feet, the runes alternated between rainbow and black...he didn’t know if this was ominous or interesting.
The group eventually passed the gate threshold beyond the two demon guard statues, that Zhen Liu swore he saw turn their heads to look at them enter the building, but he tried not to dwell on it for too long.
"Damn maestro, it is dark in here! I thought you said this place was illuminated with magic torches or something," Hurricroak complained as they entered what Zhen Liu remembered to be the main lobby.
Normally this place looked a lot like a big ole library that looked like it belonged in a fantasy series, but right now it was pitch black.
"Seriously, where’s a light switch when you-"
Suddenly, the room illuminated in a flash, literally and figuratively, temporarily blinding everybody. Everyone let out a small grunt of annoyed pain at the phenomenon, except for Hurricroak. She went on full dramatics and flopped to the floor.
"Ay, dios mios! The light! It burns!," Hurricroak exclaimed as she dramatically covered her eyes while posing.
"Oh quit being dramatic," Nepherage chided, "it’s just the room suddenly illuminating."
"Never! Drama is forever!," Hurricroak shot back while using a hand to emphasize her point. Granted, the only ones paying attention were the other kaijin, Zhen Liu and Jin Fang were busy being awestruck with the suddenly illuminated lobby room.
"Xiao Liu...this doesn’t look like any library I’ve been to before," Jin Fang commented Ina confused manner.
"No, no it does not," Zhen Liu replied in an equally confused tone.
Illuminated by seemingly nothing, Zhen Liu and Jin Fang were standing in a stark white, empty room that definitely clashed with the asthethics of the building outside.
’Why does this place look like a holodeck or something out of a corporate dystopia?’
=Pardon me, dear lord, but this is just the default setting before you make a choice.=
In the center of the room, a bit away from Zhen Liu and Jin Fang, two distinctive looking spirals of energy manifested out of the ground. One was a rainbow of colors while looking a tad flowery, while the other was pitch black and surprisingly geometric.
When the two pillars faded away, a pair of distinctive non-human humanoid figures appeared in place of the pillars. Zhen Liu could sense they were kaijin as well, just not the ones he made...he thought.
=Like a performing clown.=
From the rainbow colored pillar came, well a rainbow colored clown of sorts, complete with an oversized hat that had two jingling bells on the end and a simple clown mask. Additionally, from what Zhen Liu could see, there was no flesh underneath that outfit, just solidified rainbow energy. Granted, that did not stop the clown from adopting a feminine build.
=It’s been ages since I took on a physical form. Everything in the right place?=
On the exact opposite of the spectrum, the kaijin that emerged from the black pillar looked like a robotic secretary, complete with a suit and a tablet of some sort. With a distinctive featureless face and big robot eyes, this particular kaijin radiated calculated professionalism. Again, rocking a somewhat feminine build which leads to questions.
With their appearances in check, the two kaijin turned toward Zhen Liu and Jin Fang, while they had no facial features, Zhen Liu could sense they were...happy?
=It’s good to finally meet you as well, Kaijin Lord,= the secretary on the left lightly nodded.
"Uhhh...hi?," Jin Fang said first.
Zhen Liu looked a tad shocked at the two kaijin, namely because it took him up until now to realize something major.
"Wait a minute, you’re the one that’s been talking in my head!," Zhen Liu exclaimed while pointing at the clown kaijin. In response, she cutely tapped a knuckle to the side of her head while her mask emoted a winky face.
the harlequin said as she cartwheeled towards Zhen Liu until he was in front of him, quickly grabbing and shaking his hand in an exaggerated manner.
Pathos said excitedly while still shaking Zhen Liu’s hand. She had a surprisingly strong grip.
=The two of us normally have no names,or forms for that matter,= the secretary interjected as she separated Pathos from Zhen Liu’s numbing arm,=but for the ease of understanding and interfacing as it were, we have decided to adopt some names and forms that the two of us deemed appropriate to meet you with. You may call me, Logos.=
With his arm now free from Pathos’s grip, Zhen Liu began to move it around to get the feeling back. The "irony" of the naming convention was not lost on him.
"Logos and Pathos? Logic and emotion? Am I supposed to be Ethos, then?"
=Technically, yes,= Logos answered straightforwardly, =But you should know that we took on these names based on your knowledge. "Greek" philosophy is rather
=That’s illogical and hinders progress.=
While this particular show was going on, the kaijin and Jin Fang were a bit... stupefied about the situation. The former were in the middle of playfully arguing, until Logos and Pathos showed up out of the blue.
In the midst of the two arguing, Hurricroak nudged Nepherage with her elbow.
"I just thought of something...is the reason why the two of us have bombshell bods is because of these two?"
"Huh? We’re not explosive though."
"Hey," Jin Fang said aloud to catch the attention of Logos and Pathos, who were still arguing, "the rest of us are kind of...confused. Would you mind explaining...whatever this is or where this place is?"
=Oh right, formal introductions. Let’s start from the top= Logos said as she stood to the left and straightened her outfit again. Mirroring her counterpart, Pathos stood to the right and straightened her cap. Once they were in place, they immediately dropped to one knee like knights.
<=We hereby formerly welcome you, Kaijin Lord, to the Library of Nowhere. May it’s (un)hallowed halls provide you the knowledge needed to wreak havoc, establish peace, or whatever you deign necessary to wield [Chaos] in it’s totality,=> Logos and Pathos said in perfect unison.
As if to punctuate their point, the previous blank room began to warp and change, until forming an impossibly large library, filled with thousands of articles of knowledge.
Everyone aside from Zhen Liu, felt their jaws drop.
"Alright, now that’s what I’m familiar with...a lot more magitek than last time though..."