The Warlock's Tome

The ancient book fluffed its pages, waiting.

Over centuries, its contents had possessed monarchs, warriors, clergy. Together they'd wrought delicious destruction. But its paper was crumbling, its lifespan imperiled.

The archives' lights flickered on, and the woman appeared.

The book thrilled at the warm touch of her fingers. She lifted its front cover and gasped as its ideas swarmed forth.

Greedily, it explored her. She possessed a wondrous tool: a thin black stone. It could copy words instantaneously and fire them across the Earth.

She would be perfect as its next messenger. And perhaps it didn't need paper after all.