The accursed library (part 2)

He had finally reached the entrance of the library, and attempted to open the door, but it was locked.

Noodok threw his shoulder into the door and it shook, but refused to open.
"God damn piece of..."
He threw himself into it again, and it rattled on its hinges, but stood firm, a bruised arm the only result.
His leg was bleeding badly now, and the exertion of attempting to break through was causing the blood to seep softly through the ragged scraps of cloth he had knotted over his thigh.
He felt dizzy, but he had no doubt that to fall asleep here would result in him waking up in the same fugue as before, meaninglessly staring into the sky.
He was tired though, and he wouldn't be able to keep concentration for long.
Soft murmurs echoed from the hallways behind him. The prisoners were stirring, no longer staring aimlessly, but gathering slowly towards him. The weakened woman he had seen earlier stepped into the entrance hall, and stared at him with blank black eyes. She paused a few meters away, watching as he again hit the door.
Another joined her, a short man with an unkempt beard. He snapped his jaw closed violently, and Noodok heard his teeth grinding from the force. Something seemed to be controlling them... and whatever it was knew he was here. He turned back to the door. His chance was getting increasingly limited. The woman babbled behind him.
"No.. Stop, no, no, not leave, stop."
He ignored her, and threw himself against the door again. It again stood firm, but this time a series of black runes sank into the surface of the wood.
The lady behind him was wailing now, and he turned to face her.
Her face was contorted and she was bleeding from her face. The man next to her lunged and knocked her to the ground, closing his shattered teeth around her neck, and she went silent.
He howled upwards to the sky, blood running down his chin and staining his clothes.
More wailing sounded from the hallway.
The man stood and moved towards Noodok. Abandoning the door, Noodok turned, took two steps forward and beheaded the man. His swords black blade slipped cleanly through the neck, and the corpse pitched forward. He stepped over it, and slammed shut the door to the corridor, removing the bandage from his leg and wrapping it around the handles.
Seconds later the door began shaking as the others pounded their fists against it, attempting to break through to get to him.
It wouldn't hold long against the press of bodies. Limping back to the main door Noodok ran his hands over the black runes, trying to block out the sounds coming from the next door.
Frustrated, he pulled his dagger from the sheath on his shoulder and jammed it into the crack between the doors. They suddenly shook violently, dragging the knife into it, and wrenching it from his hands.
The blade disappeared as the door engulfed it, and then returned to its same flat form. The doors behind him shook again. A screw fell out of a hinge. He lashed out again with ash, cutting a deep scratch into the exit door's surface.
He watched as the surface of the door mended itself, pulling back over the cut.
It wasn't going to work.... The magic of the door was healing the wood irrelevant of the damage he caused. A crunching noise behind him alerted him to the door shattering.
He paused momentarily, before spinning and slashing upwards, catching the first underneath the jaw in a sweeping blow, and pulling an arrow from his quiver, he jammed it roughly into the next's neck.
He pulled ash out of the corpse and readied for the next assault, but it didn't come.
Confused, Noodok paused, lowing the weapon. They fell to their knees with their arms raised high.
Were they.... Worshipping him?A low hiss sounded behind him and he realised that they weren't interested in him at all. He turned slowly to find the door bubbling and hissing like a boiling liquid, before chucks of wood fell away from the door and moved across the floor towards the praying scholars. Thin tendrils wrapped slowly around them, encasing them each in brown armour with black runes. He glanced back at the door momentarily. Again it was smooth mahogany.
Each of the creatures, amalgamations of flesh and wood rose around him.

Noodok sighed softly. The hard way it was. 

(Image source:  DaveRapoza on DeviantArt)

Words from me: part one here: https://steemit.com/writing/@ilovebatcatstew/the-accursed-library-part-1

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