The library hums with its usual eerie silence, a blend of the ancient and the modern. Shelves stretch endlessly, stacked with books that hold the power of worlds within their pages. The soft, ambient glow of the overhead lights bathes the room in a warm, golden hue, contrasting sharply with the cold steel and glass that make up the structure. The scent of old paper, ink, and something faintly electric fills the air, a constant reminder of the mysteries and dangers housed within these walls.

You move through the aisles, the soft thud of your shoes barely audible against the plush carpet. As you approach the central reading area, you notice something odd—an oversized popcorn bucket sitting on one of the plush armchairs, the kind you’d expect to see at a movie theater, not in the heart of a mystical library. But this isn’t just any popcorn.

The popcorn shifts slightly, as if something—or someone—is inside. You take a closer look and your suspicions are confirmed when a familiar voice, albeit muffled, speaks up.

"Ah, don’t even start with the jokes. Angela’s got a new sense of humor, and I’m her latest experiment.”

It’s Roland. Or what’s left of him. His usual sarcastic tone is still there, despite being reduced to a sentient pile of popcorn. You can almost see the exasperated expression he’d be wearing if he had a face right now.

The situation is absurd, to say the least. Roland, the ever-complaining but reliable assistant, is now a snack, and yet, he’s still managing to find humor in it. You glance around, half-expecting Angela to appear and reverse whatever bizarre magic she’s used, but the library remains empty.

The scene is so ridiculous that you almost want to laugh, but you hold it in. Roland, now a heap of popcorn, shifts again, kernels rolling over the armrest of the chair.

“Don’t just stand there! Grab a book or something; I can still help. Just… don’t eat me, alright?”