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isabellacruzwrites · 8 months ago

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The Beast Within

Summary: Ana is burdened by family duty, finds herself the reluctant caretaker of a magical library that devours people for knowledge. The library, an imposing and sinister structure, has been entrusted to her family for centuries. Ana, always the second choice, inherits the role after her older sister abandons her responsibility.

Word Count: 2.4k

A/N: This is my first piece of writing I am sharing on here. This was just collecting dust in one of my many abandoned WIP, so I thought it would be fitting to be my first actual writing post. I would love to know what you think!

CW: Third person ^_^

The library loomed over Ana like a death sentence. Her hands clenched and unclenched her amulet as if it would absolve her anxiety. She watched the willing people enter the library, only unbeknownst to them, they would never walk out.

This job was not meant for Ana.

It was meant to be passed down to her older sister, Alexandria, but an unforeseen event prevented her from fulfilling the duty. Ana’s family has been charged with watching over the magic library for nearly six centuries. As a child, Ana was always petrified of the opulent building. The dark, arched windows were like beading eyes, constantly watching—waiting.

Swallowing her terror, Ana hobbled to the palatial doors. The door chimed signaling a new meal has entered. Ana rounded the corner of the open counter, her hands shaking as she set her hunter-green messenger bag onto the floor. Other than the few victims who walked in before her, the library was otherwise empty. Her ankle twitched in pain, making her stifle a groan. She should be used to it by now. The damaged ankle was just one of the many sacrifices she’s already made for her family. Why was she always the go-to when others couldn’t fulfill their jobs?

Why did she never say no?

As she sat in the high-backed black chair, the carpet rumbled beneath her, the designs swirling elegantly across the fabric. She surveyed the area. No one seemed to notice the wall's breathing or the sounds the floors made. No one ever did. She rolled her ankle slowly, trying to disperse the pain and some of the tension. The time was only 8:30 in the morning. She had twelve more hours to go.

Just as she expected, the afternoon has brought the majority of the city with it. The sun up ahead blazed down on the building, making the temperature in the library uncomfortably warm. How could she help anyone with the temperature near scolding? That only angers it more.

Ana scanned a book for a young woman, sunlight bouncing off the shine of her blonde hair. The glimpse of it making Ana wary. She finished checking out the book and prayed that she made it out in time.

Early evening was around the corner by the time most of the visitors left. Ana was just finishing her head count before a scream echoed from the darker corners of the already dark library. Ana’s breath shuttered as she ran as fast as she could. She nearly tripped over her own feet as she swerved through the multiple bookshelves, each with a history of its own.

Ana arrived just in time to see a young girl's arm trapped in the wallpaper. To anyone else, they would have suspected the girl was a lunatic. But Ana knew better and took no chances.

She grabbed the amulet around her neck and chanted,

Abi, abi, turpis.

Fames tua oppressa est

Non nocebit tibi amplius in reliquum tempus

The words of the enchantment needed to be uttered seven times. Each time the beast’s hold would grow weaker.

The power of starvation is strong. But the resilience of the hunted is stronger.

The amulet, that had been passed down for generations, glowed brightly as Ana said the enchantment louder— bolder—than she felt. But with each tear of fustration that fell, with each droplet of sweat, she chanted. She felt her throat grow hoarse, the power of the words making a coppery taste fill her mouth. Her arm and hand burned from the excessive power she drew.

After the seventh time, the grip on the girl's arm loosened and she fell like a sack of potatoes. Ana blew out a heavy, harsh breath. She cautiously limped to the girl’s side. The girl’s blonde hair darkened and feathered beneath her heavy head. The girl’s eyes widened with fear when she saw Ana’s full face leaning above her.

“It’s alright,” Ana said slowly. “You fainted. Try not to move too fast.”

Ana’s voice was hypnotic as she looked at the girl directly. Brown clashed with blue as the girl slowly nodded her head. Ana reached out a hand and led the shaken girl to the front. Once the doors closed, the foundation of the library shook, causing Ana to grip the door handles for dear life.

The last few hours of Ana’s first was quiet, the beast turning dormant. Ana was just getting ready to wipe down the library’s tables before a bone-trembling growl shook the building’s foundation. Ana set down the bucket of cleaning supplies and she readied herself to run or expel the rest of her power to keep it at bay.

But, before she could, a deep, almost animalistic voice rang out.

“Your interference will not be forgiven, dear Ana,”

Despite her fear, Ana had to fight back an annoyed sigh. Her day was almost over, and she couldn’t wait to jump through the portal and land in her giant, plush bed. Ana returned to her previous actions, grabbing the disinfectant, and approaching the first table.

The beast let out another fear-inducing growl before rolling the carpet beneath her already unsteady feet. With a huff, she dropped the bottle and grabbed the table for dear life.

“I will not be ignored, Witch,”

“Obviously not,” she muttered.

She grunted as she got on her two feet. The walls pulsed as a booming noise traveled all around her. It almost sounded like… a laugh. The human-eating, library-bounded, beast was laughing… At her.

“What a pity,” its monstrous voice bounced off her skull. “They sent a cripple to protect these ridiculous creatures.” Another vindictive boom reverbrated around the library.

With effort, she resumed her cleaning, still ignoring the self-entitled beast. Anything she wanted to say was an invitation for the monster to try and break free. Ana and her mother were sitting together in the dining room after they received the note her older sister had, so graciously, left them. Alexandria ran away with her boyfriend, fleeing halfway across the world, leaving Ana to pick up her responsibilities.

Her mother rested her head in her hands, squeezing her temples tightly. Ana’s mother had been the librarian for over fifty years and was looking forward to her retirement.

“One of the most important things to remember Ana,” her mother began, her voice heavy with disappointment and apprehension. “The beast not only has physical hunger, but he feeds off your energy as well. That is why the amulet is key to keeping him confined within those walls. Never give him more of you than needed, it will give him an advantage and he will kill you.”

Ana swallowed her unease and nodded, solemnly promising to do her best.

Now, here she was, squeezing one edge of the table and scrubbing it clean, as the floor and walls rumbled with the beast's displeasure.

“Always the second choice, aren’t we Ana?” The beast spoke her name tauntingly, waiting for her to get defensive and angry. But Ana was not so easily provoked. Especially when that particular insult was no more than an old, but healed wound of her past.

She would never deny that she will always be the second choice, the second option. How could she not be? She was the second born, the second grandchild, and so forth. Never has she ever been first.

“Playing the silent game, are we?” The beast continued to bait. “Taking lessons from your mother I see. You will never amount to her potential. Never.”

Ana moved to the next table, her tongue held tightly between her teeth.

Okay that one, stung. And the beast knew it too, its deep rumble shaking books, making some fall to the floor. Ana took a deep, measured breath. Ana finished with the tables, growing skeptical of the increased quiet of the library.

She reach the bucket and reach down to grab it when a hand-like touch grasped her shoulder. She jumped and turned, clenching the amulet. Her brows furrowed when she saw no one there. A whisper settled over the room and traveled through one of her ears and out the other, leading her to the right side of the library.

She silently set the bucket down, her urgency to leave now replaced with damning curiosity. With slow measured steps, she ambled towards the historical non-fiction section.

Books lay strewn about the floor. Ana reached down to the one closest to her, mindlessly picking it up.

“Please,” A man’s voice whispered.

Ana quickly straightened, looking for the owner of the voice. When she found no one, she looked back to the book. The title had faded. And the dust it had collected was astronomical.

“I’m in your hand,” the voice whispered again, this time it was clearer. Ana bit back her startled scream. She turned the book over. It had been partially open from its fall. Ana flips the book open. The yellowed parchment blank. No evidence or trace of ink.

“What?” she whispered to herself. Ana flipped through the many pages, but all remained the same. She was about to slam it closed when same voice stopped her.

“Wait! Please, I need your help,” the masculine voice pleaded again.

“Well, where the hell are you?” Ana whispered harshly, growing tired of this library already and it was only her first day.

“I am in your hand,” the voice spoke slower, pronouncing each syllable. “Look down.”

Ana gazed back at the blank pages, only there was writing on them this time.

Take this book with you. I will explain everything. Please, we don’t have much time.

Ana sighed and rushed back to the front desk, grabbed her things, locked up, and booked it out of the library.

When Ana arrived home, the house was silent. There was no warmth or smell of her mother’s cooking. No one was home. With a sigh, Ana threw her keys in the tray and took her bag to the dining table. The book had heavily pressed into her side as she walked to the communal portal.

Her nerves were stronger now than they had been this morning. Especially as she removed the book and set it down on the scratched surface of the table. The book itself was strikingly different from the rest of the books in that death hole. In most of the books, are victims themselves, having their lives written as the beast within the walls feasted.

This one, she had assumed, was no different. However, the magic that thrummed from it told her that assuming was not her friend and would only damn her further.

Ana flipped the book open with quick, trembling hands. The pages remained blank until ever-so=slowly words began to form.

Are you in a safe place?

“Yes,” Ana answered aloud and waited. After no reply, Ana reached for her favorite pen from the front pocket of her bag. She then wrote her reply underneath the question.

A reply came immediately.

Firstly, I should explain who I am. My name is Atlas. I am the one who cursed the powerful creature within your library’s walls.

What!

Ana put her pen down, her mind reeling. How… How is this possible? Her mother, Grandmother, and Great-grandmother had all told her the story of how the beast came to be. Never once did they mention a curse, and that it had been one of their own to do it.

Atlas, Atlas, Atlas.

Why does the name sound so familiar? Before she could find out where the name came from, Atlas’ reply appeared, and a lengthy one at that.

I knew the beast once as Vidir. He is one of the most powerful warlocks I have ever come to know. He was my friend until he betrayed me. He sided with our enemies in the time of war, just as we were about to reach victory, he aided them in our near extinction.

Ana remembers the war. Not as if she was physically there, but from her school's history class and books in her mother’s library.

After the carnage he expelled upon us, I used the last of my reserves of power to create a powerful curse, a curse powerful enough to make him fall to his knees to beg for forgiveness. At least that is what I wanted, but he embraced this punishment. And in return, imprisoned my physical body and the rest of the power I had left.

Ana’s brows were set in a permanent frown as she tried to get her head around this possibility. The history books only divulged the winning and defeated, who the enemies were, and who our allies were. It never correlated the library’s beast to the war.

But the more she thought about it the more it made sense. The library had been the only thing unharmed by the destruction of war. The only building to house thousands of women and children.

If he took your power… How are you communicating with me through this book?

Ana had asked a fair question. But the response took longer to appear than it should’ve.

I cannot tell you… yet.

Yet? What exactly is it you need my help with? My plate is pretty full already, I don’t know if committing to helping you is in my best interest if you can’t be honest.

Ana felt empowered by her reply. She was never one to not help people when they asked. She hadn’t uttered the word ‘no’ in almost three years. So to deny this warlock indirectly made her heart race incessantly.

I understand the hesitation, but you must understand. Our kind hangs in the balance if Vidir is set free.

How could he be set free? I assure you I am and will do my best to keep him contained, just as the members of my family have done before me.

Ana stomach churned and twisted as she watched Atlas reply appear halfway down the page.

Like I said, he is the most powerful warlock, the only one to have ever bested him is me. And that shining amulet will not keep him for much longer. Every curse can be broken, even his.

How could it be broken? Ana had asked after many minutes of contemplation. If… If the beast was set free, what would really become of her world, of her kind? Just imagining it sent shivers down Ana’s spine.

Just as any curse can,

How? Ana had asked again, but how could she have guessed the answer when she had received such little of it?

Love. But not just any love. True Love.

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