The Last Stand of the Archivist
Once upon a time, in the realm of lore and legends, there was a small village named Elysian. At the heart of the village, encased by thick stone walls and a large oak-paneled door, was a grand library. But this was not just any library. It housed a millennia of stories, keen insights, wisdom and knowledge of the entire world. The guardian and keeper of this sanctuary were not a king, a warrior, or a magician, but a humble archivist, our hero, called Argus.
Argus was a man of regular stature but tall intellect. He spent his entire life among the whispering leaves of ancient trees of knowledge - the books. His knowledge was boundless. He could tell you of days when dragons roamed the skies, when titans challenged gods, when ordinary men rose above their fate and became legends. Yet, he was no warrior; the notes of wisdom were his only shield and his curious mind, his weapon.
One day, dark clouds blanketed the Elysian sky, and an evil sorcerer known as Moros descended upon the village. He sought the 'Book of Seraph', the most ancient and powerful manuscript concealed within the library. The Book was told to have the knowledge to manipulate time and space, enough to tear the fabric of the world apart. Moros, intoxicated by power, desired the book to overturn the course of reality and become the ruler of all existence.
As Moros approached the library, the villagers retreated in fear, leaving Argus alone to protect the sanctum of wisdom. He stood undeterred, his determination casting a formidable shadow on the grand doors of the library.
Moros, used to conquering through fear, was surprised to find a seemingly insignificant man deny him. In his dismissive confidence, he challenged Argus. 'Solve my three riddles, and I'll leave Elysian in peace. Fail, and the Book of Seraph is mine.' Though afraid himself, Argus saw no other choice and accepted the challenge. His wit was his only defence.
Moros unraveled his first riddle: 'I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?'
With a calm resolve that dulled the nervous throb in his heart, Argus replied, 'You are an echo.'
Moros, slightly taken aback by his swift and accurate answer, proceeded to his second parcel of words, 'What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment but never in a thousand years?'
Argus responded after a brief pause, 'The letter M.'
The final riddle was Moros's trump card, 'What am I that sees only in the presence of light, yet, shadows reflect my state of being?'
With impeccable courage, Argus retorted, 'You are a mirror.'
Struck by Argus's wisdom, Moros, a man true to his word, left defeated. The crowd, which witnessed this contest of minds from afar, erupted in a roar of relief and victory. Argus, the humble archivist, the keeper of wisdom, the torchbearer of knowledge, had safeguarded their world.
His valiant stand against Moros, this last stand of the archivist, gave birth to a new myth. Argus, the overlooked scholar, emerged as the unassuming guardian of Elysian. He demonstrated that it wasn't always power and strength that triumphed. Wisdom and courage held a formidable stand of their own.
From that day forth, Argus was no longer just an archivist. He was the savior of tales and time, the unyielding defender of wisdom and the living testament to the axiom that knowledge is, indeed, power.