The Night

Chapter XI: The Arcane and The Arts

The Night

Chapter XI: The Arcane and The Arts

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July 17th, 2025

Most members had very rarely used the library within their first year or so of becoming a spark, but Roxas had spent nearly every waking moment buried among the books, going days without seeing a single soul. Axel and Demyx had to come bring him food, then make sure he actually ate said food because XIII would often skip meals in favor of gorging on information.

Upon first entering the atrium, Axel finds the usual sight: a steady stream of books floating through the air back to their resting places. Every now and again a book is violently tossed skyward, the magick just barely able to catch the object every single time. Zexion's librarian-style levitation enchantment is really being put through the ringer by Roxas, and Axel makes sure not to linger too long under any books in case the spell gives out under the strain. He yawns a long yawn: tired from a long day of work, and also growing steadily hungry from the aroma of the plated food in his grasp.

As usual, Roxas is sitting in a circle of books as if he were the Saturn of written text: one ring of tomes open around him with the outer ring stacked high with untouched books. In his lap balanced on one thigh is a notebook, surely filled to the brim with etchings by now, while the other has one of the library's holo-tablets used for combing their online database. There have been times where, if Demyx and Axel had a free moment, they would come and watch the young man do his work in silence. They've observed that Roxas' process of studying goes something like this: glance, scribble, glance, scribble, page flip, glance, scribble, chuck. Occasionally he would tap around on the tablet, especially if his pile of books ran too short and he needed to find more. After that, he would spring from his small tower of knowledge to jaunt back upstairs to the bookshelves, and yet another stream of books would come floating down to land gently upon the collection table a couple feet away from Roxas' circle.

Zexion's magick was something else. His complicated enchantment (with some assistance from Xigbar) made it where the first time a book was thrown into the air, it would levitate down to a collection table in the middle of the library's atrium. The second time it was thrown, it would find it's way back home on the shelf. Speaking of Zexion, when XI discovered XIII's sudden interest, he often spent his own free time in the library helping Roxas; even bringing texts from his own bookstore if he felt they would interest the younger man. Roxas talked with Zexion plenty, but when his roommates would try to have a conversation with him, he would remain mostly unresponsive unless they had food.

Nobody really knew what he was looking for. It is like he's transfixed by a never-ending spiral of information, caught in a limbo of endless seeking that not a soul could save him from.

As much as Axel adores his little adopted brother, it's been quite aggravating to try and interact with him lately. Normally when Axel greets him in this state, Roxas would maybe nod a little at the most, but if he had food Roxas would make a small sound to acknowledge him.

That's why it freaks Axel out so much when Roxas looks at him and suddenly comes bounding up to him from over the pile of books.

"Axel!" He shouts, and the redhead realizes just how long it's been since he's actually heard Roxas' voice, "I need to show you something!"

"Uh—" Axel responds, holding the plate of curry up as a timid offering. "I brought food—"

"It can wait!" Roxas doesn't even give his roommate a chance to put the plate down as he drags him back to the elevator. Once the silver doors are shut, the blond starts rambling on about something so fast that Axel barely has time to register any of it. He's still mostly surprised Roxas is even talking at all.