Princess Famoura—known to the world as Marie II—stood in the center of Sylvester Woodland Library and slowly turned in a circle, her eyes scanning every corner.
Dust covered the shelves like centuries of forgotten breath.
Cobwebs hung from the ceiling like dead curtains.
The air smelled of damp paper and rotting wood.
Then Famoura spoke firmly, as if giving an order to soldiers.
"Come on," she said. "Let's clean this library."
Elizabeth Félix immediately stepped forward, waving her hands politely.
"We can do it, Your Highness," she said. "You should rest here."
Famoura's gaze sharpened.
"No," she replied coldly. "I said we will clean it together."
She stretched her hand forward.
"Now give me that cloth."
Anthony Félix picked up a cloth and handed it to her, still slightly shocked that a princess was ordering him around like a common maid.
But Famoura did not care.
To her, knowledge was greater than blood.
Soon, all five of them began cleaning.
Some moved toward the left corner.
Some toward the right.
Elizabeth wiped the broken windows and shelves.
Anthony swept the floor while complaining under his breath.
Edward carefully arranged books in neat order.
Victor… pretended to work while making dramatic noises and laughing at spiders.
And Famoura…
Famoura dusted the book section with deep focus, wiping each book one by one, as if she was touching something sacred.
Her fingers moved gently over old titles.
Her eyes gleamed with determination.
She did not clean like a child.
She cleaned like a girl who had been starving for freedom.
Three hours passed.
And at last—
The library looked alive again.
The shelves stood clean.
The tables shone faintly.
Even the air felt lighter.
Elizabeth leaned back proudly.
"Finally," she said with a bright smile. "We did it!"
Anthony dropped the broom dramatically.
"I deserve a royal reward," he muttered.
Victor laughed.
"You deserve to be thrown back into the dust."
Edward ignored them both and looked toward Famoura, his expression thoughtful.
"By the way…" he asked. "How did you even find this library?"
Famoura didn't hesitate.
"I was searching for history," she replied calmly. "And that's how I found this place."
She brushed dust from her sleeve.
"No one comes here because the books are damaged—some are wet, some are torn."
Her eyes darkened.
"No one thought it was worth spending money on…"
She looked at the shelves like they were treasures.
"But I only care about knowledge."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Even Victor stopped smiling.
Then Victor suddenly walked dramatically toward a tall cupboard near the far wall.
He stood in front of it like a king before his throne.
"I feel like all the books in this library belong to me!" he declared loudly, spreading his arms wide.
Anthony rolled his eyes.
"Here we go again…"
Before Victor could continue his performance, Edward stepped forward and pushed him lightly.
"There's a limit to lying."
Victor stumbled backward—
And suddenly…
CRACK!
The cupboard shook.
The floor beneath it trembled.
And before anyone could react—
The cupboard gave way.
Victor screamed.
And then—
He fell straight down.
As if the ground had swallowed him.
His voice echoed as he vanished into darkness.
"AHHHHH—!"
Silence followed.
Everyone stood frozen.
Elizabeth's hands flew to her mouth.
Anthony's eyes widened.
Edward rushed forward instantly.
Famoura didn't scream.
She didn't panic.
She simply stepped closer and stared down.
There was a hole.
A hidden opening.
A secret passage beneath the library floor.
Elizabeth whispered in fear.
"A secret passage…?"
They rushed toward the opening.
From below, Victor's voice echoed, slightly pained but still dramatic.
"I'm fine…"
He coughed.
"…I think."
Famoura leaned down, her eyes narrowed.
"I think there's another library down there," she said softly.
Then she turned toward the others.
"But first… help Victor."
"I'll bring a ladder!" Anthony said quickly.
"And I'll bring a lamp," Edward added, already moving toward the storage shelves.
Within minutes, Anthony returned with a ladder and placed it down carefully into the dark opening.
Edward returned with a lamp, lighting it.
The warm glow barely reached the bottom.
Anthony puffed his chest.
"I'll go first," he announced. "I'm not scared."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.
"You're scared of cockroaches."
Anthony ignored her and began climbing down.
But the moment his foot touched the lower ground—
A massive spider crawled out of the darkness.
Its legs moved slowly, like a nightmare crawling into reality.
Anthony let out a scream that did not sound human.
"AAGHHHH!"
He climbed up so fast he almost fell backward.
Elizabeth laughed so hard she nearly dropped the lamp.
Edward covered his mouth, trying not to smile.
From below, Victor shouted angrily.
"Whatever you're doing, hurry up and get me out of here!"
Famoura stepped forward.
Her expression was calm.
Confident.
Almost… fearless.
"Move aside," she said.
She took the lamp from Edward's hands.
"Everyone, follow me," she ordered. "There might be something important down there."
Edward's gaze sharpened.
He nodded.
Victor's voice echoed again.
"Just don't let me die down here!"
Famoura descended first.
One step.
Then another.
Her purple crown was not on her head…
yet somehow her presence felt crowned anyway.
Elizabeth followed nervously.
Then Edward.
Then Anthony, still trembling from the spider.
When Famoura finally reached the bottom, she found Victor sitting against the wall, rubbing his back dramatically.
She reached out her hand.
"Get up," she said.
Victor blinked.
Then took her hand.
Famoura pulled him up with ease.
And instead of checking if he was injured…
everyone's eyes turned forward.
Because the darkness ahead looked endless.
They walked deeper.
Their footsteps echoed.
The lamp flickered as if the flame feared what lay ahead.
Then suddenly—
The tunnel opened into something enormous.
All five of them froze.
Before their eyes stood something impossible.
A library.
But not an ordinary library.
It was massive.
Ancient.
So wide that the lamp's glow couldn't reach the far walls.
Shelves towered high like cathedral pillars.
Books lay stacked like bones.
The air was colder.
Heavier.
And it smelled like forgotten centuries.
Elizabeth whispered.
"This is… a whole underground library…"
Anthony swallowed.
"Why is this under the forest?"
Edward's eyes narrowed.
"This doesn't feel natural."
Victor stepped forward, wide-eyed.
"This is… amazing."
Famoura said nothing.
Because her heart was pounding.
Not with fear.
With recognition.
Like she had been searching for this place even before she knew it existed.
Famoura walked toward a cupboard and picked up a random book.
She opened it.
The pages looked normal.
But the words…
They appeared and disappeared.
Like living ink.
Like the book itself refused to be read.
Famoura's eyes widened.
"This… isn't normal writing," she murmured.
Edward stepped closer.
"It's enchanted."
They moved further in.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
Then suddenly—
Famoura stopped.
Her eyes locked onto a single book resting on an old shelf.
It looked different.
The cover was darker.
The title was carved in faded gold.
And the moment she read it…
her breath stopped.
History of the Felòenz Family
Famoura's fingers trembled as she reached for it.
Her eyes burned with obsession.
This was it.
The book she had been searching for for over a year.
The truth.
The reason behind Marie II.
The reason behind her name being forbidden.
The reason behind the fear in her mother's eyes.
Famoura lifted the book carefully.
Her hands were gentle.
As if the book was alive.
She was about to open it—
When behind her…
Anthony and Elizabeth began arguing again.
"You always act like you're the leader!" Elizabeth hissed.
"I'm protecting you!" Anthony snapped.
"You're annoying!"
"You're arrogant!"
Their voices rose.
Victor stepped between them.
"Stop fighting—"
But in the chaos…
Anthony stepped backward and accidentally stomped on Victor's foot.
Victor yelped.
"Are you blind?!"
He shoved Anthony.
Anthony shoved back.
The force hit Famoura.
Her grip loosened.
And the book slipped from her hands.
It fell to the ground—
BANG!
The sound echoed through the entire underground library like thunder.
The air froze.
The lamp flame flickered violently.
Then—
A voice echoed from the darkness.
Deep.
Terrifying.
Not human.
"WHO IS THERE?"
Everyone stepped back.
Elizabeth screamed softly.
Anthony grabbed her hand.
Edward pulled Victor behind him instinctively.
But Famoura…
Famoura stood still.
Her eyes slowly lifted toward the shadows.
Two glowing eyes appeared.
Bright.
Cold.
Watching.
Then something stepped forward.
A creature.
It was only three feet tall.
Its skin was pale and bald like wax.
Its ears were long and sharp.
Its mouth looked thin, stretched unnaturally.
And behind its back—
Bat-like wings unfolded.
Elizabeth trembled violently.
Victor immediately covered her eyes gently.
"Don't be scared," he whispered.
The creature's voice hissed through the darkness.
"You are spying on us."
Famoura stepped forward calmly, her posture proud.
"You've misunderstood," she said politely. "I'm sorry for disturbing you…"
Her eyes remained steady.
"But may I know your name?"
The creature's eyes glowed brighter.
"Silence!" it snapped.
With a wave of its hand—
The fallen book rose into the air.
It floated back to its place on the shelf as if pulled by invisible chains.
The group gasped.
The creature lifted its chin.
"I am a Vimpyr," it said coldly.
"There are many like me here."
Edward's blood ran cold.
Anthony whispered.
"What the hell is that…"
The Vimpyr's wings twitched.
"Leave immediately," it warned. "I am giving you a chance."
Famoura hesitated.
But then she spoke again.
"Could you please give me that book… History of the Felòenz Family?"
The Vimpyr stared at her like she was insane.
"These are not children's books," it said sharply.
"Leave now."
Elizabeth's voice shook.
"Famoura… please… let's go. This place is dangerous."
Anthony nodded quickly.
"Yes, yes! We should leave!"
Even Edward's eyes showed caution.
But Famoura…
Famoura did not move.
She stood like stone.
Her voice softened.
"Please… trust us just once."
The Vimpyr's eyes narrowed.
"This is no ordinary library," it said.
Its voice turned darker.
"This is the Evigheden Library."
Everyone froze.
Famoura's eyes widened.
The Vimpyr continued slowly, as if reciting a curse.
"A place that exists beyond time."
"It means forever…"
"Infinite…"
"Without beginning… and without end."
The lamp flame shook.
"No one knows about this place," the creature said. "No one is allowed to know."
Famoura swallowed.
"Thank you for telling me," she whispered.
Then she lifted her chin.
"Can you help us further?"
The Vimpyr's wings spread wider.
Its voice turned furious.
"You refuse to listen!"
It stepped forward, raising its hand.
"Leave now… OR I WILL ERASE YOUR MEMORIES OF THIS PLACE."
A strange energy gathered in its palm.
The air began to vibrate.
Elizabeth screamed.
Anthony backed away.
Victor pulled her closer.
Edward's eyes widened.
And for the first time…
Edward Laurent looked truly afraid.
The Vimpyr's spell began forming.
A black mist swirled.
The lamp flame almost died.
And then—
Edward grabbed Famoura's hand tightly.
"RUN!"
Famoura's eyes widened.
But she didn't resist.
She ran.
All five of them sprinted back toward the ladder.
The underground library roared behind them like it was alive.
The Vimpyr's voice echoed, shaking the walls.
"YOU WILL FORGET!"
They climbed.
Fast.
Anthony nearly slipped.
Victor pushed him upward.
Elizabeth cried.
Edward climbed behind Famoura, protecting them.
Famoura reached the top first.
She pulled Elizabeth up.
Then Anthony.
Then Victor.
Then Edward.
The moment they all reached the floor—
The air snapped.
The hole beneath them vanished.
The cupboard returned to its place.
The library above became normal again.
As if nothing had happened.
As if the underground world never existed.
They stood frozen, panting heavily.
Sweat on their foreheads.
Fear in their eyes.
And yet…
their minds were clear.
Their memories remained.
The spell had failed.
Somehow…
they still remembered everything.
Famoura stared at the floor.
Her lips parted slightly.
Then she whispered one sentence.
A sentence that made Edward and Victor exchange glances.
"Why didn't it work…?"
Anthony swallowed.
"Maybe… because you're a Felóenz."
Elizabeth's voice trembled.
"Or maybe… because something in that place knows you."
Famoura's purple eyes darkened.
She clenched her fist.
Because deep inside her…
she felt it.
The Evigheden Library was not just a secret place.
It was a living prison.
And the creatures inside were not guarding books.
They were guarding the truth.
And the truth…
was connected to her.
To Famoura Felóenz.
And whatever secret her family had buried…
was now beginning to rise again.
Slowly.
Like a shadow crawling out of the past.