Chronicles of Forgotten Extra

Alden blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim, familiar light of the library. The scent of old parchment, leather, and ink filled the air, grounding him back in this strange space. His heart raced a little as he looked around, searching for any sign that something had changed.

'I'm back,' he thought, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over him. He looked at the towering shelves, each one brimming with ancient knowledge. "Guess that answers how this works," he muttered to himself.

But before he could calm his thoughts, a sudden realization hit him like a brick. His stomach dropped.

"Wait... Did the librarian see me vanish?" Alden blurted out, louder than he intended, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"Oh, I saw," came a voice from behind him, smooth and melodic. But there was something in it—a hint of amusement or perhaps a touch of annoyance.

Alden froze. Slowly, he turned, his pulse quickening, only to be met with a figure that made him stop in his tracks.

She stood there a woman. Her white hair shimmered faintly, catching the dim light of the library like silver threads. She had ethereal beauty.Her eyes glowed softly, unblinking, as if they could see straight through his soul. It wasn't just her ethereal presence that left him stunned ,it was the feeling of being trapped in her gaze. For a moment, he forgot to breathe, his heart pounding in his chest.

Focus, Alden told himself, shaking his head and forcing himself to look away.

The woman tilted her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips, as if amused by his reaction. "So," she said, her voice lilting with an unspoken playfulness, "you've inherited the Eclipse Codex."

His heart skipped. 'How does she know about that?' Alden's mind raced. "How do you know about that?" he asked, his voice sharp with surprise.

She sighed, an exaggerated breath as if bored of explaining the same thing over and over.

"I'm Ellara," she said, as though the name itself should explain everything. "The librarian of this library and Guardian of the Codex. Bound to this library for—" she waved her hand vaguely, dismissing the years "—longer than I care to count, thanks to your founder and his brilliant ideas." She said sarcastically.

"Guardian?" Alden repeated, confused.

"Yes, guardian," she repeated. "A spirit bound to the guarding Codex. As long as the Codex exists without an owner, so do I."

Alden raised an eyebrow. "So... you're not—"

"Human?" she cut him off, raising an eyebrow. "Not even close. I'm a spirit. One of the many contracts made by your founder. He needed someone to... babysit this tome. And lucky me, I got stuck with the Codex."

Alden's mind scrambled to catch up. "Wait, so you've been here this whole time? Watching?"

Her lips twitched with amusement. "What else was I supposed to do? Take a vacation? I've been bound here, genius. Couldn't leave even if I wanted to."

Alden hesitated, the weight of her words sinking in.

"That sounds... lonely."He muttered in a quiet voice

Ellara's expression softened for just a fraction of a second before it returned to its usual sharpness. "Maybe. But that's not your problem, is it?"

She gave him a sidelong glance. "You've got the Eclipse Codex now, which means I'm free from that headache."

Alden wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or uncomfortable. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

"Oh, don't thank me," she said with a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You have no idea what you've just signed up for."

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Days turned into weeks, and Alden found himself coming back to the library more and more.

He had been given the Noctus Grimoire and had been attuning his body to it to avoid arousing suspicion. He didn't need to do the same with the Eclipse Codex, as his body had already attuned to it as soon as he inherited it.

But through it all, there was one constant: Ellara.

At first, their conversations were tense, awkward even. Ellara would make a comment about the Codex, and Alden would respond with a question. But gradually, something shifted. There was a rhythm to their exchanges now, an unspoken understanding that grew with each passing day. And most surprisingly, she started teaching him.

It happened one evening, when Alden was still struggling to lift a simple blade. He couldn't utilize his mana as he hadn't awakened yet, so he had to rely on physical strength.

He was sweaty and frustrated as he gripped the sword awkwardly. It was heavier than it looked, and his arms were shaking from the effort.

"Is that how you plan to fight?" a voice called from behind him, sharp and to the point.

Alden whirled around, still struggling to hold the sword. There she stood, as graceful as ever, her arms folded and an eyebrow raised in that characteristic way.

"What?" Alden snapped. "This isn't as easy as it looks, you know."

Ellara raised an eyebrow. "Clearly. But I'm not here to watch you make a fool of yourself."

She stepped forward, a movement so swift it was as if she'd teleported. Without warning, she took the sword from his hands, her movements a blur.

"Let me show you something," she said, her voice cool.

In an instant, she was in position her body poised and steady, her sword raised just so. Her movements were precise and elegant, each strike coming in fluid succession.

Alden could barely follow the speed of her actions, and yet, there was a calmness in how she wielded the sword. She wasn't relying on brute force, but on balance, finesse, and timing.

"This," she said, voice low, "is true swordsmanship. Strength doesn't come from the body alone. It comes from your mind, your center. The moment you focus only on raw power is the moment you lose the battle."

She demonstrated a few elegant strikes, cutting the air with ease. "You'll need more than just strength to survive. Swordsmanship is an art of precision and control. If you can't control the blade, it will control you."

Alden watched, transfixed. Every movement was seamless, as though she was dancing with the blade rather than fighting with it.

"I... I didn't know it could be done like that. I've been focusing so much on strength.". he whispered under his breath.

Ellara's lips curled into a faint smile. "Watch closely. I'm not using any magic. Just pure technique."

She tossed him the sword, the hilt landing neatly in his hands. "Now it's your turn."

Alden stared at the sword, still unsure. But this time, he concentrated on her words balance, focus, control. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a second, and then tried again.

The first few strikes were shaky. The sword felt unwieldy in his hands, the weight pulling at his arms. But with each swing, he felt himself settle. His grip tightened, and he focused on the rhythm, not the result. His movements became smoother. Slower. Controlled.

Ellara watched him for a few moments, then nodded approvingly. "Better. But still too stiff. Relax, Alden. Swordsmanship is a reflection of your mind. If you're tense, the blade will be too."

Day after day, she drilled him in the art of swordsmanship, each lesson becoming more difficult but also more rewarding.

At first, she had been critical, almost cold. But now, there was a subtle warmth in her voice, a softening in her eyes. It wasn't just about the sword. It was about the connection they were forming.

Alden began to realize that Ellara wasn't just teaching him to fight. She was teaching him how to live.