Aldric stamped down the corridor, his rage boiling in his chest. His small fists were balled tightly, digging his nails into his palms. The tower around him felt cold as he shuffled through. He lost sense of time and direction as he navigated the winding corridor.
His mind flushed with vengeful, hateful thoughts, and his intentions were clear. He hated Jasper, and he wanted him to pay. His winding walk continued as his rage deepened. Then, he had realized, he'd been walking for entirely too long. His furious stomping came to a heavy thump, then a heavy step, before coming to a gentle halt.
He glanced around to find himself in an empty corridor that stretched out in a winding pattern as far as he could see. The walls weren't decorated, and there weren't any windows around. It was almost completely dark aside from the torchlight. He breathed deeply, and his anger seemed to subside.
"Master magus?" He called out reluctantly. There was no response. The walkway was silent and still. He felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach, but quickly shook it off.
"Master Magus!" He demanded, stomping his foot firmly. Again, for a brief moment, it was silent. Then, the wall across from him rippled open and revealed a staircase behind it. He gazed in at the poorly lit stairway and hesitated before stepping into the corridor.
The wall behind him rippled closed again as he stepped in. It went pitch black for a moment before torches along the wall began to spark, one by one. When he could see again, Aldric realized the rooms around him had changed. The staircase had vanished, and the room grew larger.
The walls were lined with books. Even more than the architect's office had. The shelves stacked high above his head as he peered at some of the titles. Identifying runes, potion keepers' guide, precision and intent of magical abilities, and a complete history of alchemy.
There were tables in the room, each with four seats and a small stack of books. He was transfixed on the various choices surrounding him. He wondered if this, too, was something he wasn't quite meant to see yet.
"Who is it? Who's there?" A shrieking voice called out from across the room.
"Uh-oh, hello? Sorry, I-I'm a bit lost," Aldric called out, squinting to see who he'd been talking with.
"A student? How did you get in here, boy?" The voice asked, more frantic and louder.
"I-the master magus let me in," he insisted.
"Nonsense, you are not ready to be in here. It's time for you to go, goodbye," the voice called.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know how to leave. The door disappeared," Aldric said, turning toward the stone wall behind him. The room went silent as Aldric rested with his echo. Then, a rapid pattering clomped loudly above him. The thuds grew louder before stopping right above him.
He glanced up, but there was nothing there. More books lined the walls, and the tops of the shelves were barely visible.
"You must leave," the voice said, matter-of-factly. He jumped as the warmth of breath broke against his neck. When he spun around, he saw the source of the shriekish voice. A chimpanzee stood, wearing a yellow sundress splattered with polkadots. She wore round-rimmed glasses and a large straw hat.
Her teeth were bared behind her bright red lipstick.
"You are not supposed to be here," she reemphasized. Aldric stumbled backward and fell to the floor, gazing up at the chimp.
"I-I don- I didn't- bu-"
"That'll be all, Moxxy," a soft booming voice rang out. Both Aldric's and Moxxy's heads shot over to see the architect standing between two of the shelves. The architect's eyes fell softly onto Aldric, and he greeted him with a smile.
"Terribly sorry for the misdirection, Aldric, but I feared you were about to make a terrible mistake," he said, offering a hand to the boy. Aldric gazed up at the architect and then at the primate. He slowly took the bony hand offered to him and felt a strong pull. He was hoisted to his feet and found himself between the pair.
"My apologies, architect, I hadn't been aware of any expected guests," Moxxy said, bowing her head shamefully.
"Quite alright, Moxxy. You couldn't have known of a meeting I never informed you of," the architect said, bowing back to her. The primate squatted low and leapt to a shelf. She swiftly swung and leapt from shelf to shelf, reshelving books and dusting crannies.
"They beat him," Aldric's tone was cold and angry.
"Yes, it seems they did," the architect nodded, smiling warmly.
"They beat him until he couldn't walk. He stumbled in the dark alone," Aldric added, his tone getting angrier with each word.
"And so you thought you'd return the favor?" The architect asked, his eyebrow lifting subtly.
"W- I don't know, he admitted, his sour look softening.
"That is my fear. You don't know," the architect knelt beside the boy.
"But you will," the architect said, placing a hand on the boy's small shoulder. Aldric gazed up with a quizzical look.
"It is natural to feel the need to defend one's flock. However, in moments where you are outnumbered, you must understand the appropriate attack," the architect explained.
"I'm not sure I follow you, sir," Aldric said.
"Use the skills in your current artillery to attack where it hurts. Taking on a flock alone, dreadful plan. Taking a flock on from the inside slowly and over time, that's the right approach," the architect explained, his tone almost excited.
"How do I attack from the inside of a flock I was thrown from?" Aldric asked skeptically.
"Thrown?" The architect raised his eyelids quickly. Aldric gazed at him and thought to himself. The architect was right, though his bed was thrown from the flock; he had willingly left.
"You mean give their flock reasons to leave?" Aldric stated, his understanding of the situation was growing.
"Precisely,"