The morning had just begun and the halls of the Biblivex were illuminated by the golden shine of the warm sun dispersed into all colours of the rainbow. Raja looked up with troubled eyes to the stained glass windows featuring all those successful Watchers of the past millennia. 

Each of you did it! You earned your place within the Silent Watchers through success and noteworthy discoveries. Ascending through the ranks of our Church until eventually being taken in to live your second life within our god's vast brain. All the lost knowledge got unfurled to you in exchange for cutting ties to this planet. 

The snow elf's red eyes wandered across the immense, filled-to-the-brim, bookcase towering up in front of her until resting on a single empty space at eight meters height. She sighed noisily looking at that place of shame...her place of shame.

It has been 19 years since my secret crush left the city for his expedition. I was eager to work my ass off filling my research spot to maybe impress that dashing panther since I was old enough to be enlisted as a Watcher three years ago. But look at me...he could return tomorrow and what have I to offer? 

Raja let out a silent scream pulling at her long white hair. 

"I have nothing to show! Nothing at all. It is as if I have never been a Watcher in the first place."

The elf was so occupied with cursing in her self-pity, that she didn't notice the clumsy steps approaching her from across the cathedral's hall. It was not until the plumb grabbers of the approacher softly tugged her trousers. The soft angelic voice of the Kobold priest caressed Raja's thoughts ending the imminent breakdown before it had even begun:

"You know that this is not true, sister Raja. You are now only part of our church for a measly three years. This would be worth a measly six months for me and others around."

The marine blue Kobold pointed at a specific stained glass over the altar. It featured an impressive-looking blood elf holding many scrolls:

"Do you think Enlightened Watcher Cantatrix had something to show after he enrolled nine centuries ago? He used his longevity to its fullest studying the craft of other Watchers for 10 years before even attempting to research anything on his own. And look at him now! A 100-year comprehension of the secret life in the city of Illox escaped his trusty feather. He used what was given to him and smashed the expectations of the Omniscient.", he pointed now at the empty spot in the library, "His shelf was empty for a long time as well. But did he give up? No!-"

"You don't understand brother Eğilon. I need results now. My time is running out!"

The kobold looked up into her blood-red eyes and immediately began grinning understanding what was afoot. Slowly shaking his head he offered Raja to sit down with him at a reading table taking a deep breath:

"I fully understand your concerns. I don't know who or what you want to impress with your actions, but your way only leads to burning out your passion.",  Eğilon cracked a soft smile, "I have a bit of time before my duties begin. What do you think about us looking a bit into your file so that I might be able to give you some advice?"

Raja stroked the horned head of her friend softly and nodded. She pulled a small chip out of her back pocket and inserted it into one of the many holographic orbs placed on the reading tables. There they were, her successes and failures boiled down into a few neatly placed words flickering now in mid-air. Brother Eğilon jumped on the table to get a better look at the file. He uttered a few 'mhmm's' and let out a couple of sighs before looking over his shoulder back to the light-grey elf eyes filled with concern:

"First of all, sister Hiss. It is admirable, that you attempted so much in these few years already. But why can't I find any protocols of basic education? Neither low-class assistant jobs are present nor any job applications...but those.", the kobold turned now fully around to Raja placing his paws on Raja's cheeks, "You are aware, that you are actively hurting your career with this? The cartography guild would never accept one with such an empty portfolio...why cartography even? I always thought of you to be more of a charismatic expedition leader?"

The silence going out from Raja answered his concerns. Eğilon wandered with his fingers now to Raja's temples massaging them softly:

"The one you seek to impress is a Cartographer, right? Look, sister, take it from your little pal. You won't achieve anything if you hunt after the dream of someone else. You are Raja Hiss and not that person."

"I guess you are right..."

"Of course I am right!", the kobold coughed trying to soothe his temper, "Excuse me...I mean - Oh boy. Raja...please take the following words of mine on and think about them today. First. What do you try to accomplish with this course you are taking? This feels forced and not something you would desire to research. And much more important: Consider focussing from now on on the basics, for their and my sake. It is better to have a solid foundation you can build upon than continue building whatever you are doing now. I guess you don't want to give off a negative impression when finally meeting your crush, or am I wrong with that assumption?"

The pointy ears of the elf have sunken noticeably hearing all this and she tried to not look into her friend's eyes. Eğilon was sure he had gone too far and worked actively on harming their relationship. But then Raja cracked a sad smile, but full of positivity. She was thinking about her crush, the kobold was sure of that. 

"Do you think if I change my ways and actually do the things nobody cares about, he would even notice me when returning? Maybe you're right Eğilon, maybe you're right. My chance of maybe getting recruited by him or helping him in any way is far more likely when I am actually up for the job. Thank you for the heads-up, pal.
"I am unsure how long I can keep that up, but I will try following your advice...and If you notice my passion for attempting the foolish rises again can I count on you redirecting my path? I...have issues concentrating on the 'boring' tasks...you might have noticed that in our past encounters."

Eğilon took his Silent Watcher out of his garb grabbing it with both hands and placing it in front of his snout. His light-red eyes glimmered softly when he finally looked up to Raja:

"I don't want to lose you, sister Hiss. You render these silent halls far more vibrant with your presence. Just focus on your powers, your athletic abilities and the basics and I am sure you can make a lasting impression when it counts. I am honest, I am a bit envious of your physical capabilities. I saw you a few times training in the gym and imagined being even remotely in control of my body. But I am just a clumsy kobold trying to escape my kin's trope of being naughty numbskulls..."

Raja picked up the kobold, who let out a surprised squeal, and hugged him:

"You may be clumsy, dear, but you have the personality of a saint. No matter with which Watcher I speak, nobody has any bad words regarding you on their tongues. Only praise and appreciation towards the compassionate priest of Knowledge.", she hugged him deeper and sat the kobold on the ground, "Ok! I will try to better myself. I don't want these words of yours to be empty ones. And if I succeed in focussing on the basics in the following three months, I will invite you to a drink. Deal?"

"Deal!"