Chapter 1

He bolted up with a gasp, furiously heaving breaths in and of his lungs as he patted himself down for non-existent injuries. Finally calming his breathing to a level where he wouldn't exhaust himself, though still quite fast, he looked up and couldn't help but be amazed. Huge, towering cedars stood around him, all rising from green grass and exotic plants. They reached hundreds of feet up, leading to the clearest blue sky he had ever seen. Clouds dotted the blue canvas and it was almost perfect.

Tearing himself from the view the man examined his surroundings and was amazed at how beautiful the life here was. It seemed, he mused, that falling to his death had landed him in a forest. He clearly remembered the wind rushing past his face as the parachute refused to open. The rapidly approaching ground had gotten rid of any rational thought. All the training for this situation was gone from his mind and then he hit the ground.

The man had been officially turned into a red paste for someone to collect and put in a grave. He could see the news title now, "Skydiver James Goldstein, 29 Years of Age, Dies in Tragic Accident as Parachute Doesn't Open" He could imagine people watching that and gasping in horror, only to return to their day and forget hours, even minutes later. He knew this because he had done the same, being sad for a person he didn't know dying, only to return to his business 5 minutes later.

Grunting, he picked himself off the ground and turned to examine a sparkling lake. Wherever he was, clearly had not been touched by pollution, he thought as he walked to the lake, intent on checking his reflection. As he stood above the water he sighed in relief that his appearance was the same. The same black hair with a single gold streak, a single earring pierced through his left ear, dry lips and blue eyes. The picture in the water would have been perfect if not for the apathetic look he had.

Hearing a meow, he turned to see a cat flicking its head between him and the undergrowth. "Want me to follow you, little buddy?" The cat meowed what sounded like a yes and turned around, leading him through more trees and underbrush until they came across a great rolling plane. He couldn't help but pull a shocked scream through his throat as he gazed upon what lay in the middle of the field. Yes, James Goldstein was currently looking up at a ginormous tower. Stretching at least 10 miles up, the tower was white with black markings carved intricately into the sides. The tower was also thick, with a diameter so large he couldn't see the other side. At the base of the strange tower was a huge circular yin and yang circle. It looked almost like….a door?!

He looked around to find the cat but found that it had vanished into the winds rolling silently through the plains. Sighing at the phenomenon, James walked towards the tower. As he got closer he realised that it was much bigger than he thought, and the carvings on the stone were much more detailed. Finally stepping up to the yin and yang symbol he spotted a hand on it. Placing his hand on the symbol he jumped in shock as the great doors rumbled open, blue lines flashing across them, and the sound of huge gears grinding permeating the area.

Stepping through the door, he realised that the great tower was actually a library. His eyes bulged out of his sockets as he realised how many books there were, drool escaped his mouth at the site of such knowledge. Yes, he was a book nerd and a historian. His love of books contracted his thrillseeker side activities and people often looked at him in disbelief when he said he did both, like it was weird.

He watched in fascination as countless blue orbs floated around, casting light in the tower as well as scanning books and seemingly repairing them?! He wished those existed back in his old world, it would save so much trouble. "Admiring the sights, I see." An old voice rang out, shocking him and causing him to fall on his ass and turn around. An old man sat at a desk, chuckling at his surprise.

The man was clearly ancient, with long white hair held up in a ponytail and a beard reaching to his chest. He was wearing a white white robe with a gold yin and yang symbol on the left breast. His voice rang out again, "Follow me if you would please. Introductions then, I am the tower master Mr. Goldstein." Gaping he followed as the man swept up onto his feet and walked towards the shelves.

Quickly following the man through a series of crazy twists and turns where he viewed multiple crazy books covered in ancient langauges, they arrived at a wooden door. Pushing it open he found himself in a mix between a dojo and study area. Sitting on the floor, the man motioned for him to do the same. As he sat, the man began to speak.

"I am sure you have many questions, however let me overview things before you ask. Number one, yes you died, but you are no longer dead. Number two, I did revive you and bring you here. Now, ask your questions." The man motioned for him to speak and he did, though shakily. "Where exactly are we?" He questioned. The man smiled and answered, "We are in the middle of everything that exists. This world is the starting point for all life in the multiverse and holds the grand library. The grand library holds everything that has ever been written down, from a child's essay, to a secret technique." Shaking his head in disbelief the man chose to accept it for now. "Why am I here exactly?" He asked, wondering if this was a prank. "Well, you are to become the master of the library, and subsequently all the knowledge of the multiverse." Gaping like a fish at the man's answer, he wanted to scream but held it in.

The man continued, "I will train you in everything you need to know to run the library and protect it from unsavories. Sadly, I am dying and need a successor. Seeing as you are from one of the core worlds and love books, I chose you. I will teach you to harness great power and how to be a scholar. All you need to do is accept." The man held his hand out to shake and he did just that. Then promptly passed out. Chuckling filled the room once more.