The story of Emilie, Book 1 This is an accompaniment for A Machine's Cage: Second Life, it chronicles the life of Emilie Arpures. Being born exceptional is curse. Emilie was gifted at birth with the ability to use magic flawlessly and without effort. A gift, that might seem like a curse when you nearly burn your childhood home down. People will begin to avoid you and fear you, leaving you alone. Finding somebody in that darkness may seem like a reprieve, a life-raft in dark seas. But you need to learn to swim one day, you need to be who you are. Emilie will find her self, one day.