{Elira}
~**^**~
I began to move through the archive room slowly, the way one would wander through a sacred place—not because of any rule or sign, but because it felt like that kind of space.
Shelves towered high, dust motes twirled in golden light, and everywhere I turned, something called out to be discovered.
I brushed my fingers across the spines of leather-bound books and old scrolls, their labels handwritten in neat, ancient scripts. Some were faded, others crisp and recently re-inked.
A few shelves held rolled maps stacked like scrolls in a wizard's study.
The first scroll I opened revealed an illustrated map of the Eastern forests, dating back over a century. I ran my fingers across the inked rivers and shaded hills, then turned to Rennon, who was seated at a desk nearby, flipping through a worn binder.
"Do you know what this map is?" I asked.