The 6th floor of the Grand Library is filled with things that are useful for Ashton's current predicament...
Intermediate knowledge about magic, tips for improvements, important life and survival skills, records of the Outside World expeditions...these are only a few of the things that are in here.
Ashton decided to move here with Aria instead of the 3rd floor since he had read everything that the lower floors have to offer at this point. Plus, Aria's Private Room could be access in any floors anyway so it wasn't much of a problem.
He also recovered well enough to continue his training, now though, he's pacing himself more evenly in order to not burn-out himself anymore. He spent as much as time as he could with Aria since their relationship is fresh and frankly, they just can't get enough of each other since then.
Currently, they're in bed again, naked in between the sheets. They just had another round of passionate activity and both are coming down from the high.
Aria's curled around his body as he peppered her face with kisses. She looked up with him and smiled, causing Ashton to smile back at her as well. His hands were naughtily caressed her breasts, which Aria doesn't seem to mind as she drew circles on his chest.
"Do you think I'm strong enough to challenge the Gatekeepers and upgrade my status here?" He asked.
"I honestly don't know." She replied, "I never really asked the previous Keepers how it went nor did any of them went out their way to tell me. I never actually saw what the Gatekeepers looked like to be honest."
"...that's fine. I guess I just have to figure it out on my own." Ashton stated as he pulled her closer.
"..."
"..."
"Ash?"
"Hmm?"
"...are you really...fine with me?"
Ashton pulled back slightly to look at her face and saw her wearing a hesitant look on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"Well...I'm a lot...older, than you, you know?" She replied, looking down. "W-we're both old mentally but I'm...I'm more...you know."
Ashton frowned and refused to answer that question. For now at least...
Instead, he cupped her face and gave her a searing kiss that left her mind buzzing. His big and strong hands roamed her body, exploring her curves and grabbing them firmly with greed.
Aria knew this was Ashton's way to claiming her as his. She couldn't help but squirm in his touch as he dominantly declared his possession and sheer want through his actions.
After a while in their kiss, Ashton pulled back and gave her a piercing gaze, one that seared through her soul.
"...thought I was bring obvious enough, given by how much time we spent in between the sheets." He whispered with a low growl.
He then climbed on top of her and gave her a trail of soft bites around her neck. He hooked his arm on her leg and raised it, easily spearing through her depths with ease, causing Aria to let out a gasp and shudder under the sensation.
"You're mine, got that?" Ashton asked, and she nodded hastily. He drew back his hips and slammed it back down, bottoming out until their hips made an obscene clapping sound.
"Let's not count age here...we're different, you and I. Things like that shouldn't even get in the way of what we feel." He declared as he repeatedly poked her very depths, eliciting a pleasured gasps and moans from Aria.
"Do love me?" He asked.
Aria's eyes snapped wide open. She stared at his eyes and gave him a nod, saying: "Yes. I'm in love with you."
Ashton dipped his face down and gave her another searing kiss to seal the deal.
"Good. I am very much in love with you too." He declared, "So long as both of us know that, then we're good. Am I clear?"
"Y-yes~!"
"Good. But not enough. I guess I just need to mark you again and again to make sure you never forget about it."
" Ahem! "
Stepping out of the shower, Ashton felt refreshed.
He stretched his body for a bit. He dried up his hair as he shuffled through what clothes to wear. Once he got dressed, he passed by their shared bed and found Aria still slumbering peacefully.
'I might've overdid it.' He mused to himself.
He could still smell their mixed scent in the sheets and could see the marks he left on her body, a proof of his claim and declaration.
Ashton chuckled to himself and let her sleep some more. Aria might be have the strength of a Sorceress here but she clearly underestimates how much stamina Ashton has due to his training.
He exited her room and found himself on the 6th floor of the library. He climbed up the stairs, passing through the 7th up to the 9th floor to arrive at the very top.
The 7th to 9th floor of the Grand Library are still filled with books. The stairs aren't sealed off but there's a barrier that's keeping him from accessing the contents of those floors.
As for the top most floor, there's just a single bookshelf in there. It too, was filled with books but it's also sealed shut. Well, that's not really the reason he had come up here anyway.
He looked at the side and saw that there are rooms that lead towards other places. Most of them are sealed currently to him save one. That door will open up a passage to challenge the Gatekeepers.
Ashton walked in front of that door, he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, entering it to see what's on the other side.
To his surprise, he entered an empty space. He tested the waters and saw that it's safe, he could walk in this empty space with no problems. So he did until he arrived at, what seems to be, the center of the room.
"Welcome, Young Keeper."
Ashton's eyes widened like saucers as he called out: "Chief Leon? Is that you? You're alive?"
"I'm afraid no is the answer to all of your questions, Young Man." The voice, which sounded a lot like Chief Leon, replied. "My voice morphs to mimic the past keepers of the Library. The one named Leon is already dead."
Ashton bit his lips and took a deep breath upon hearing that. Well, so much for that...he had hoped but its dashed away by the cruel reality. Oh well.
"Who are you then?" He asked.
"My, I thought you already know the answer to that, Young Man? Seeing as how you actively sought this place out."
"Gatekeeper?"
"Indeed!" The voice confirmed, "One of them, at least. Welcome to the Trial Space, Young Keeper. I assume that you're here to prove yourself, no?"
"I am." Ashton nodded, "But I'd like to hear it from you as well. My girlfriend just told the minimum. I'd just like to be thorough if that's okay."
"Certainly!" The voice agreed, "We, Gatekeepers, are created for the sole purpose of protecting the well of the knowledge that is the Grand Library."
"Alas, for we have no form and only exist through thought, we need someone, an agent that will face those who craves to hoard the immense wealth of knowledge being kept here. That is how the idea of the Keepers were born."
"I will be your first Gatekeeper. Pass my test and you shall become a Chief Keeper, allowing you to not only stay inside the library for all you want but also give you enough authority to make some minimal changes in the library."
"How many tests are there in total?" He asked.
"Five." The voice answered. "Each test gets progressively harder and each test will only give you three attempts to pass them. Fail and you shall be barred from progressing your status."
"I understand." Ashton nodded, he took a deep breath and said: "Okay, I think I'm good. May I know the contents of the test?"
"Defeat three packs of Imps." The voice declared. Then the room transformed.
He found himself standing in a vast grass plains. Time is currently frozen and in front of his, the packs of Imps are in suspended animation as well.
"You may use your complete arsenal for this task. The conditions of failure are dying under their assault. There's no time limit. Do note that you won't actually die, you'll feel the sensation but you'll be fine."
Ashton nodded upon hearing that. He then equipped his arsenal; the guns, the staff, the cloak and wired himself to be battle ready. He casted all sorts of buffs to improve his chances and then declared:
"Okay, I'm ready."
"Very well. The trial will begin after five seconds."
As the countdown started, Ashton's eyes roamed around to gather as much knowledge as he could. Once the countdown ended, the started firing shots and moving erratically to avoid the swarm of Imps coming his way.
Gunshots echoed throughout the grassy plains, the soil was tainted by the dead corpse of Ashton's victims. It didn't take long before he fired the last shot that ended the trial.
He dusted himself and heard the voice saying:
"Congratulations, Young Man. You're talent is impressive. I now declare you as a Chief Library Keeper!"
