The Library at the End of the World

Prologue: Here comes Nara

Something nudged her in her shoulder blade. After she opened her eyes she saw that it was a hoof of a zebra centaur. Even his human half was black with white stripes on his chest, waist and arms and he had no hair except for a single strand of braided dreads hanging almost to the ground.

“Hi, I’m Meerkat Stu, I was sent to pick you up,” said the zebra-man with a flash of his white teeth. Nara managed to make a similar smile. She took a look around.

She was lying on a rather small island. She didn’t know where she was and how she got there but she felt good and the zebra guy seemed harmless. So everything was alright, she concluded. Then she remembered she hadn’t introduced herself yet! “I’m sorry. I mean, I’m Nara. I’m sorry, I spaced out for a while there.”

The zebra man nodded with a smile: “It’s ok. They told me it takes some time to getting used to.” Getting used to what? Nara was about to ask when she noticed something in the distance.

On the horizon stood a big city. Something told her that she has never been there before. The same gut feeling told her that she belonged there although she had no idea what she was supposed to do there. I guess I will soon find out, right?

She was right. Meerkat lead her to a motor boat. He sat to the engine while his passenger took a front seat. Nara was looking at the city growing in front of her eyes. “Where am I?” “I thought you would never ask,” grinned Meerkat. “This is Bibliopolis. It’s a city located on a continent called Iskandaria. And as I said I was sent to pick you up and get you to our final destination.”

“Which is,” Nara asked full of excitement watching the odd buildings and their inhabitants taking more and more solid form right before her.

“The great and famous Alexandrian Library. You were chosen to join the Librarians.”