Once they had arrived back to the Charred Citadel, Akoni felt instant relief from Nichts' pressing mental assault, which meant that the others should be recovering as well. He let Souta down while Mary rushed to Midori's aid, and the old man felt a pang of regret. [i][color=dodgerblue]How foolish, you proud old bastard.[/color][/i] He knew there was a chance that the little girl could get injured, demon-blood be damned. He made a conscious decision to grab only the nearest ally he knew to be suffering, believing the rest of the team could fend for themselves or hold each other up. He was at least correct that the group supported one another, but grossly underestimated how strong the demonic girl could be. [i][color=dodgerblue]How could you forget so much in a mere twenty years? Sitting on your ass and drinking, all while the world moved on the path of destruction. Idiot.[/color][/i]

Souta had thankfully kept enough presence of mind to latch onto Midori's unconscious form while Akoni dragged him out, so all three had escaped via his Surge technique. The old mage would have been impressed with one of their youngest and most inexperienced, had he not been wrapped up in his own self-loathing. But then Souta revealed to them that Nichts gave him a parting gift: the location of the 5th Seal. Akoni felt no elation, no relief, but was overwhelmed by a sense of purpose and duty. [color=dodgerblue]"We will have to pass on our thanks to the old librarian sometime, then."[/color] 

Everyone had something to do at that point. Mary approached Souta for a new weapon, and Midori needed her rest. Silas certainly would be up to something as well, but Akoni couldn't concern himself with whatever the Lumen was tasking himself with. The old mage called for a Watcher to look after Midori, and to expedite her healing process, while he attended to the Citadel's library. While they were away he had little doubts that buffoonish bird creature had made a muck of things.

[hr]

The elderly mage stood within the library of the Citadel, sorting out the books everyone had recovered from Nichts' library. The thought that since it had not been abandoned, they had actually stolen from the abyssal passed through his mind rather casually, and just as casually he dismissed the idea. It was nothing to dwell on, and they had need of knowledge. [i]He[/i] had need of knowledge. And training. Akoni felt horrible over his performance at the library. Despite having the drop on Sevrin, despite being capable of bending the laws of space at a thought, the Fallen creature that had taken over Sevrin's body was still faster than he, one step ahead. It reacted with greater speed than Akoni could manage even in a surprise assault. Then came the battle with Nichts. The old mage was thankful that they had not killed the sagely creature, but the others took a more active role in assaulting their host, while he could barely hold his own in a support role. Akoni, the Gatewalker. The mage that had slain demon and angel alike for decades. The man that survived ten years in Hell itself. He shook his head, closed the book he perused, and shelved it. The experience was not a total failure. While their enemies would be focused on the next seal in line, his team would be busy setting up security at the fifth seal. Not only that, but in the end he tapped into knowledge and power eh hadn't used in over twenty years, but was it enough? No.

[color=dodgerblue]"Watcher."[/color] The old man spoke the word evenly, as though making an observation. One of the creatures emerged from the shadow of a bookcase.

"Na' as focus'd as ye look, eh?" it replied. Akoni didn't even turn his head to face it. 

[color=dodgerblue]"Hand me the scroll two shelves up on the far left."[/color] Akoni held his left hand out, palm open, waiting for the paper to touch his skin. As he spoke, another book levitated from a far shelf and opened in front of his face, held aloft by his magic. The watcher scowled, but did as asked.

"'ere!" it borderline shouted, slapping the scroll into Akoni's hand with more force than was necessary. "Wot's a great majah like 'ou need wit any 'elp in grabbin' scrolls anyway? Waste o' my talents." The watcher crossed its arms and scowled at Akoni, who still never looked upward.

[color=dodgerblue]"I don't like being spied on,"[/color] he replied nonchalantly, unraveling the scroll and allowing it to float just like the book so he could compare what was written in both. [color=dodgerblue]"And I hate useless things. So I'm making you useful while you're here."[/color]

"USELESS?!" the watcher bellowed, rattling some of the shelves. It closed the gap between itself and Akoni, getting within an inch of the old man's face. "Aye'll 'ave you know tha' ahm the bes' damn watcha' in dis 'ole bleedin' place, an' ahm jus' for you, ya twat!"

[color=dodgerblue]"Hm. Never much cared for familiars,"[/color] Akoni muttered, closing the book and rolling the scroll back up, then telekinetically handing them to the watcher. [color=dodgerblue]"Be sure these get put away. I've developed a highly specific sorting system, which I've notated on the frame of my bed I setup in here. Don't let the bird creature touch anything."[/color]

Akoni turned to leave. He had just discovered something [i]very[/i] interesting in the books that he had studied. Something that revealed to him the nature of the Horsemen. More specifically, the origin of their species, the same species that his teammate Wrath happened to be part of. A very interesting name came in in those readings. Lilith.

"Oy!" called the watcher, which had reappeared in front of Akoni, a single hand outstretched to stop him in his tracks. "I was-n't 'ere ta spy on yew, y'know. I ave some news."

Akoni began to grow impatient, but it was best not to let it show, so he merely raised an eyebrow in mock fascination. [color=dodgerblue]"Well? What is it then, Watcher?"[/color]

"'eve got a guest. Outworlds Room. Well g'on den, get goin'!" With that, the watcher faded away into the shadows and Akoni was, once again, left without anybody to keep watch over the library in his absence. Well, nobody apart from the [i]massively[/i] irritating bird creature, the self-proclaimed master of knowledge. With a sigh, the old mage ascended the steps and began making his way toward the Outworlds Room to meet this new guest of theirs. Perhaps this individual could assist them on their mission to stop Armageddon.