"Careful with that, you buffoon!" I clamored, watching as these so-called "experts" took my books and scrolls, stuffed them into sacks and bags, and all but threw them into the middle of the tower. Did they have no respect for knowledge?!

With a grunt, a growl, and a groan, I watched as my studies were taken away from me, all because some idiot thought he caught me studying dark magic. Though, he technically did, but I was not learning the forbidden arts! No, heavens no! No magician in their right mind would learn such corrupting magic! No, what I was studying was the power to manipulate darkness in a literal fashion. Not the power over shadows, though by manipulating darkness, I would naturally gain dominion over shadows, but that was TECHNICALLY another form of magic.

For three hours I had argued with the tower master, the court meister, and several high mage's about my works, but they might as well of had corks stuffed into those wrinkly old ears of theirs, for they refused to listen. They just kept repeating, "we shall investigate this matter thoroughly." And of all times for this to happen! I was nearly on the cusp of a breakthrough! I can only imagine the benefits that darkness magic - not dark magic - could provide...

A defeated sigh escaped my lips as I slumped my shoulders and closing my eyes. In that moment, a loud and crisp sound echoed throughout the chamber. It was the sound no pursuer of knowledge ever wanted to hear - that of paper being torn. My head jolted up and my eyes shot open, peering over toward where the sound originated. I was met with a young woman holding a parchment--what used to be a parchment in both her hands. She looked at me with fear and sorrow. My eye twitched, but I had lost all motivation, and thus all I did was slump over to a chair and slink into it, with a look of defeat.

I had no doubt that I would be cleared, I was simply irritated that it would take a while. But the lack of respect for my books and papers...that was years of work I wouldn't be able to get back because these people - I refuse to acknowledge them as magician's any longer - could not show the minimum amount of care for these items. Some of them were one a kind! Others were very limited, and were incredibly difficult to obtain.

"Knowledge is power..." I muttered, leaning my head back in my seat, looking up toward the ceiling.