Felix clutched his chest as he tried to hold his breath, waiting for the custodian to pass before he made his move. On padded feet, he swiftly moved down the hallway in the opposite direction towards the library. That's where the voice told him to go. He rounded the corner and looked back the way he came. He wasn't noticed. Good. He padded down the stairs.
The stairway opened up into a huge, grand library that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions that the stairway descended into the center of. Shelves and shelves, all full of arcane texts and scriptures, placed every 6 feet or so as far as he could see. It was dark, but the little fox's eyesight got more powerful after his infusion and he couldn't see anyone patrolling the stacks. He was close to his escape.
"Make your way to the Librarian's desk and turn left. Head straight to Section Sigma subsection III and pull on the book labeled 'Outer Beings'. A panel on the floor will open up revealing a ladder that leads to the outside. You are on your own from there" he recalled, reciting the instructions the voice had told him. The voice never identified itself, only promised Felix freedom and power if he did everything exactly as he was told.
Felix checked once more in all directions to make sure he was safe before he proceeded. He'd never been allowed in here before. The library was off limits to students; they would be given only the texts they would require for their studies and were not allowed to investigate extracurricular activities here. It was endless hours of study and unsuccessful training. Many of his fellow classmates "flunked out", he was told, but after watching his closest friend die from exhaustion, he knew what that really meant. He didn't to die here.
"I can help you escape. I can give you the power they are seeking. But it will be yours alone. And you must do exactly as I say." said the voice the night his friend perished. "You must go tomorrow night."
Felix packed what little belongings he had and made his break for it. The escape was going off without a hitch. He reached the Librarian's desk and turned left, immediately heading the direction he was instructed. It took more than an hour to reach Section Sigma, but thankfully subsection III wasn't much further.
"Planar Wars, Hideous Underworlds, The Gods and Their Playthings, ah, Outer Beings" he muttered quietly to himself. He raised a paw to grab the book. Freedom was at hand!
"What do you think you're doing, little fox?" An all too familiar voice spoke from behind him.
Felix's ears flattened as he turned to see his Instructor; Lord Gyrie. "N-nothin' Instructor. I just...I heard about this good book!" He said, grabbing 'Outer Beings' in an attempt to escape. Nothing happened. He just pulled the book off the shelf.
Lord Gyrie regarded Felix with a curious glance, his raising his eyebrow. "This area is forbidden to students. Yet you found yourself here. And you picked that book in particular. How curious." The bat watching his student.
"Voice, what gives? How did he find me? This didn't do anything. He's going to kill me" he thought to himself, the little fox quivering in terror.
The voice did not reply. Felix could feel its presence in his mind, but the voice was silent.
"Come with me, young one. It seems you'll be advancing to the next level. You are deemed a success."
"No no no no no no.." he whimpered as he was led out of the library. Did the voice lie? Was it all in his head? This memory would soon be forgotten when new training started, the little fox having been chosen for the Patronage program.

