The Library, Part 26

Inch by terrible inch, Leonie pulls themselves forward closer to the open door, but metal clinking with easy strides alerts Leonie to the awful truth. They cannot crawl faster than the servitors of the Central Sun can walk. Heavy metal footfalls move ever closer.

It is only a moment before Leonie feels the imposing presence of one of the two armored men at their back. With a quick thought Leonie decides to push and roll onto their back, the pain jumping two dozen decibels as Leonie puts eyes on the suit of armor standing over them at their feet.

With groaning effort Leonie sits up and faces the servitor, and the servitor says, "Please do not make this difficult. The easier you make this the more quickly we can restore you to your true and proper self."

Leonie stares directly into the visor getting no eyes in return, only a slit of metal, and says, "I am my true and proper self. I need no restoration, only healing. I can do that on my own. I don't need your help."

With a shifting of weight, the servitor moves closer to Leonie, kneeling down and reaching out with their right hand, and before letting him touch them Leonie summons their staff to fight. As with each and every time it is summoned, the staff materializes within the palms of both hands.

In a flash a gauntlet finds its way in between Leonie's own two hands, the servitor's hand grasping the staff simultaneously with Leonie as it solidifies. The staff is summoned with three hands holding it, and it only takes one jolt from the servitor to loosen Leonie's grip.

Lifting the staff away from Leonie the servitor says, "Thank you for surrendering your arms."

The servitor takes Leonie's staff and secures it to their own back. Leonie asks, "Where are you taking me?"

"Home."

"I am home."

"But you are not home, no one on this world is home. Few are ready to serve, but you are of the few. We bring you home at the behest of the Central Sun. Rejoice in the forgiveness now shown to you for casting a shadow."

Leonie winces in pain and struggles to give breath to their words, but they manage to say, "My shadow is as much a part of me as all the rest."

With a sweep of their arm back to the cylinder standing in the center of the floor and the other servitor bent over the controls, the one now close to Leonie says, "We shall make you whole. You will be one with the Central Sun. The false shadow to which you cling will be no more."

Without another word the servitor brings their arms underneath Leonie and lifts them into the air, carrying Leonie on their back across both arms. The pain of the quick movement elicits a yelp from Leonie, but the servitor ignores Leonie's pain as he carries them back towards the cylinder.

As the servitor approaches the waiting cylinder with Leonie in hand, the second man hunched over the controls presses a series of buttons, and emitted from the side of the device a straight beam of light forming a platform starting on the ground to the right of the cylinder's base.

Curling to fit the form of the cylinder, the platform of light's hums reverberate through the building. With a few more inputs, the top of the cylinder lifts off its seat with the closure head swinging open on hinges mounted in the rear of the device.

Walking in silence the servitor carries Leonie onto the platform, getting into position on the formed light landing. The platform starts its slow ascent along the side of the cylinder, carrying the servitor with Leonie up far enough to grant access to the opening in the top.

Leonie is able to look down into the cylinder and see it is full almost to the brim with what looks like water. The liquid within is crystal clear. The internals are a light gray color and completely visible through the liquid. A low light emanates from within tinting the water with a golden glow.

One last time Leonie looks into the visor of the servitor holding them over the cylinder. Leonie cannot find the light of his eyes, only metal between him and they. Leonie speaks one last time, "Please don't. Just let me be."

The servitor is careful to prop Leonie up on the edge of the top of the cylinder. With a gentle push Leonie slips into the device, sinking below the waterline. Leonie takes a gasp of air before dropping, and before they can try anything the closure head moves to shut.

Leonie holds their breath as long as they can, bracing as best they can against the inside of the cylinder. After a minute or so Leonie's lungs give out and the air in their lungs rush out in a rush of agitated bubbles. Leonie takes a big breath of fresh water.

Leonie reflexively panics, thrashing about for a moment, but the expected darkness never comes. Leonie finds they are still conscious and alive as they breathe the water itself. Leonie's relief is only momentary as they are blinded with a sudden burst of light.

All of the inner surfaces of the cylinder light up, bathing Leonie in their shine. The light does not burn, but it does penetrate through everything, right through Leonie's flesh and bones. There is no surface the light does not touch, no space it does not fill.

Leonie is not destroyed or atomized by the light. They still exist and maintain awareness, but the light exposes Leonie completely. Leonie tries to think through the light, but it fills their mind just as readily as it filled their body. Soon all Leonie can see in their mind's eye is the light.

Outside the device, the operating servitor finishes his inputs as the other servitor descends on the platform of light, stepping back onto solid ground. The platform recedes back into the device, and the two men take flanking positions beside the cylinder.

Standing in the sunlight shining through one of the roof's windows, the two servitors and device containing one disappear, carried away on a beam. Quiet fills the large space, and huddled against the wall near to the exit outside with eyes wide is a tortoiseshell Cat.

The Cat takes only a moment in wonder before dropping onto all fours and bounding out through the door and into the morning light beyond.