Chapter 1

The Orphanage

Experiment Log: I believe the binding was successful but only time will tell how much so. I have found an adequate location to conduct my greatest experiment, no one will find and disturb me here, i have held the link between the two subjects, it is my hope that with time this will not require external magic assistance. This is the true beginning of everything but, it is a long road and patience will be needed. As such I have begun to call the pup Lillian, and the other will remain being referred to as Subject #11. The first alteration that has been witnessed these last two months and my one sure sign of at least partial success is that my wolf, Lillian has begun to age slower while Subject #1 has aged noticeably faster as if a balancing of the maturity of their growth, their aging is synchronizing. I will continue to document changes from this point forward as they become apparent. The practice of binding two souls has been outlawed due to the common loss of sanity and self in both during the fusion, but records state that there were several successful attempts between twins of the same gender. Perhaps this may become a control of sorts for my experiment. The twinning of a beast with a human has always failed, I believe this was caused by using minds and souls that had already formed a sense of self. So far my theories are holding true.

Mad Magey

The Clinic

Dr. Klen stood across the room going through the test results, an unhappy look beginning to form on his face. He had odd-colored hair like copper, tied back, and a trimmed beard. He was already showing small lines across his face as he approached his forties. Mr. and Ms. Bright impatiently wait to receive the news that would decide the future of their estate. The doctor grabs a few sheets from the test and walks over the smooth pale stone floors to the waiting couple. A slow bead of sweat goes down his face as he gets close he reaches up wipes his face and clears his throat before he begins.

“Mr. Bright I am afraid that this is ill tidings for the two of you.” Dr. Klen begins stiffly. “Ms. Bright I have consulted the best doctors and magicians alike but, I am afraid that nothing can be done. You will never be able to bear a child again.”

Ms. Bright stiffens then begins to cry softly and her husband moves closer to comfort her then looks up at the doctor and a long-known friend. Upon seeing how distressed Klen was becoming almost as if awaiting the unjust punishment for the terrible news. As he held his wife he thought about how cruel nobility could be and how maybe his line dying out might make the world a bit better, but his family had always shown kindness where most nobles only knew greed.

All nobles were families that frequently produced magicians, though it sometimes would skip a child. Such who fail to display their talent eventually end up as outcasts or are kept as house servants, they would never be heirs to the estate. Now his estate was in crisis as he would have no heir to receive his legacy. He was still quite young, but would never betray his love for another woman just to produce an heir. Looking back up at the doctor he makes eye contact and still sees how his friend fears he might use his nobility to punish the doctor for failing to help his beloved wife.

Mr. Bright speaks “Klen, do not fear, I am not unreasonable. We prepared for the worst, I will simply have to pursue a new method” Ms. Bright's sobbing stops as she stiffens again. “I was wondering if you had any alternatives to my problem as it is.”

“Well, sir such a matter….um, what I mean is I am not sure I am fit to advise….” Klen speaks with a stuttering voice

“Do not worry nothing you say will be held against you I ask as a friend Klen this situation has made such intensity, speak plainly as we normally do for one another.”

Finally, Klen begins to relax some and provides a thought that came to him. “Well Mr. Bright there is one thing I can think of….you could try to maybe adopt a child. A niece or nephew from another estate, maybe try the orphanage”

“Oh?” Mr. Bright then noticed his wife beginning to soften in his hands at the suggestion though she had been so stiff, that was when he realized his error. “Yes, that sounds like an idea but we must find one with magic aptitude, such will not be an easy task. Otherwise, if another noble house were to discover a mundane as an heir the estate would be lost. Sweet?”

Mr. Bright straightens up his wife and looks her in the eye, awaiting her thoughts.

Ms. Bright embraced her husband and spoke softly “ Sorry, I am so sorry. Yes, I think adopting would be fine, I was so worried.” She slowly began to recompose herself, this is not how nobility should act no matter the news.

“Well then it's settled we shall go in search of an heir we can start at the local orphanage that we fund. Who knows we might just get lucky. Thank you, Klen for always being a friend to me, I think we best be out of your care before people begin to wonder. We will immediately go to the orphanage now as night is falling soon. Fewer eyes to see us”

Mr. Bright got up and gave Klen a firm hug and put 4 silver coin on the table for payment. Then led his wife out the door, and into the cold winter wind and dark skies. The streets of Renvok, are dimly lit by the magic lamps that line the main streets roads. They quickly boarded their horse-drawn carriage after telling the driver their new destination.

The Orphanage

The Bright-Worths Orphanage was long ago named such after the two noble families that funded the construction though there were many donations. The Worths who were disgusted with seeing homeless children on their streets, they managed to have the law remove the homeless adults but nothing would be done about the young. Then the Bright who had proposed the project to give youth a chance to learn and find work, Worths jumped at the opportunity to finish cleaning the streets of of Renvok. That's how the two noble families of Renvok brought about the construction of the orphanage north of the town far from the main road. The orphanage still survives off of the funding of the Brights nobility and from some of the old residents of the orphanage who managed to find work and a new life. This is how it has managed to make it through time and barely survive.

The building was two stories with a stone chimney and double doors. All the upper floor and a couple of rooms on the lower floor were used as bedrooms. The kitchen and bathing room were also on the lower floor. The only room that has a glass window is the living quarters often used for the reading of books and teaching the orphans. All the other windows were wooden shutters and sealed up to keep the winter cold out. That is all but one window, that was carefully unsealed to make way for a cold and bitter escape. Bare footprints in the shallow dry snow led out to the front gate and beyond.

I need to keep going, but it's so cold. This isn’t safe but I need to keep moving I have to fix this, they tore me apart. It hurts being so cold and torn. A noise is coming, it may be danger. It's not normal for people to be out at this hour.

I get behind a tree on the edge of the road and look out. Slowly I see a carriage coming down the trail to the orphanage and soon it's almost past, just a little more and they’ll be gone.

______________

Mr. Bright slides open the forward window in the carriage slightly.

“Driver?” he calls out.

“Yes sir” the driver responds.

“How much further until we reach our destination?”

“Yes sir, we will be ariv--guh”

Suddenly the carriage pitches forward as one of the wheels sinks into deep mud hidden beneath the light snow. A quick high-pitched scream escapes from his beloved wife.

He gives her a reassuring pat and asks “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” She responded with a slight fluster. “Just got surprised is all.”

Mr. Bright smiles and tells her “I am going to go check on the situation, be right back.”

Mr. Bright opens the door and steps out into the chill.

“Sorry sir, this mud was beneath the ice and snow, I will bring the horses round to the back an pull the carriage out then we can be on our way.”

“Do you need any help with this?” Mr. Bright asks as he walks around to the front of the carriage.

The driver vigorously shakes his head. “No sir, it won’t fit for a noble to be out in the cold like this please I will have us righted here quick and we can be on our way again.”

Mr. Bright nods his head in acknowledgment but then notices small bare child's footprints in the snow along the trail dimly lit by the moonlight and follows them with his eye until he sees a pair of eyes peek back out at him that seem to glow a luminous deep blue.

A young girl with black hair, around 10 maybe 11 years of age stood there.

“Hello, are you from the orphanage?” Mr. Bright calls out, but the small child dashes back into the trees and Mr. Bright chases after her.

__________

Why have they stopped? I heard a scream, sounded like a women must be in the wagon. Their wagon is stuck in the mud. A man came out too, they are talking about what to do I guess, the man at the front seems nervous. Wait the man is looking out here he must have noticed the footprints--he is looking right at me. No, I can't be brought back there!

“Hello, Are you from the orphanage?” the man calls out to her.

No no no no I won’t go back again. I need to go, I need to run.

I begin to run as fast as my feet can carry me through the trees, even jumping over fallen branches as I go. I slip and lose my balance but catch myself with my palms and push to right myself again without losing much time.

I hear him, he's getting closer, going to catch me.

Beginning to panic, my concentration slips, and suddenly I lose my footing, feet sliding forward out from under me. I fall hard onto my back on the ground, dazed and struggling to breathe. Looking up, there he is this unknown man.

At least he's out of breath too. I am so cold.

After taking a moment to catch their breath.

“You know for such a small child as yourself you run fast. You can’t be more than 12 years old” the man says then begins to chuckle. He lays his overcoat on me and leans on a bare tree, snow lining the branches up high. “You must be very cold with almost nothing to wear.”

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“That's because I had nothing warm to wear and I was taught stealing is wrong!” I shout at him. “Doing wrong things hurts others so it shouldn’t be done. That’s what Rena told me. I am not going back there, so just go away.”

As I prepare to get up, shifting my arms to my sides and a quick check for injuries, he continues to speak.

“Haha well, yeah that's right, however, there are times when you have to hurt others to achieve a goal. I am guessing your being out here is hurting someone.” he gives out a slight smile.

I can tell how much I hate him already. He thinks hurting others is fine if he gets what he wants!

“So you are one to argue with a small girl and be proud of it” I slowly begin to get back up off the ground and realize just how cold I was. “Are you planning to take me back there even if I haven’t done anything wrong? Even if I don’t want to go back.”

“Well yes, I did find you half freezing to death in the woods, so I think taking you back to a fire would be the right thing to do.”

“So what I want is meaningless?” I ask harshly trying to find a way out. “ I thought you had to make wrong choices sometime, why not now?”

“Well to achieve my goal now I have to take you back and keep you alive” he takes a deep breath of the cool air. “Even if it means hurting you in some way by denying you what you want. That's just how it is sometimes. So are you coming back with me to a warm carriage or do I need to carry you?”

Carry me? I would never let such a cruel person who would stop me from going, carry me. Why won’t they all just leave me alone? There really is no way out for me tonight, I might as well go back on my own feet.

“Fine Mr.….”

“Bright, Mr. Bright. Yours?”

“I am Lillian, Mr. Bright and yes I can walk” speaking his name with slight disdain.

I notice him staring at the metal band on my neck that bears my name and ignore it.

I began heading back towards the carriage followed by Bright. I looked forward to the promised warmth and I hated that.

Almost as much as I hate Mr. Bright right now.

“Ah, Lily huh no last name Mmmm?” Bright inquired catching up to walk beside me.

“No Sir Bright,” I said snidely realizing for some reason this man must be noble. “and it's Lillian, not Lily, the last person to call me that sent me here.”

“So do you want to tell me your reason that you almost froze for?”

“Nope”

So we walked back the rest of the way in silence.

_________

“Master Bright, we sincerely apologize for this one, she has been a wild child here. She is always trying to run off even though it's the death of cold out there.” The head caretaker of the orphanage Loria apologised over again and again.

One of the kids from the top of the stairs yelled “She is not normal mister, not one bit. She used to be smaller than me but three months ago now she stares me in the eye. Oh, her eyes! They--”

Stay calm, it’ll pass.

“Back to bed Elliot it's not for you to be butting in.” Yelled Loria “Sorry again Sir, what do we owe the pleasure of your presence in this house.”

He introduced me to his wife on the carriage, she seemed nice but a bit….tired. I think something is going on with how they were talking in circles. He is scheming something I am “kinda” certain of it. Rena told me to watch out for this kind of thing. Uncle Magey was always like that!

“Yeah, please tell us why I got dragged back?” Lillian pouted “I would have made it this time!”

“Lillian! You speak with respect if not for Master Bright you would have found your--” Loria stops as Bright raises his hand out and begins to speak.

“Oh?” Bright mused “Loria you asked why I came out here, and young Lily seems to be interested too. I simply must oblige with two ladies are to demand this of me.” Bright pauses for a moment then continues “Why I am here for the fishing, so to speak. I plan to take your wild child, Loria, from this point on young Lily will be staying at my estate.”

Everything in the room froze for several moments as they all tried to understand Bright's words. Then what broke this silence was a piercing scream.

“Noooooo! I would never go with such a horrible person as you I hate you! You ruined everything!”

Another obstacle! Why does this keep happening?

“LILLIAN!!” Loria yelled. “You can never speak to nobility in that way. Master Bright please find mercy, try to be lenient in your punishment to this girl.”

Mr. Bright begins giving a big hearty laugh. “Loria I assure you that it is perfectly fine for one's daughter to speak so to their fathers, well maybe not all right but--” Bight continued his laughing.

“Daughter?” In almost too soft a voice to be heard Loria asks. “You will make this child into nobility?”

“Yes she will bare my family name and be known as Lillian Bright and be the heir. That is….if she can perform magic as I suspect she can.”

Rena told me not to admit to doing magic.

At this, Lillian jumped from her corner but spoke flatly “I can’t do magic. I was told so.”

“If you never tried then how do you know you can’t Lily?”

“My name is Lillian. Sir Bright, now please leave me alone.” Lillian spoke in a cold voice.

“Well, caretaker Loria I can see when I’m beat. Plan on my return another time, I have not given up yet young Lily yet.” Mr. Bright walked to the door, paused, and spoke one last bait. “Of course, should you decide to come along to my estate we could see about helping you out with that mysterious goal of yours that drags you out into the woods half-frozen. You wouldn’t even need to give the details beforehand as long as you agree to become my heir.”

Lillian bit her lip and then suddenly jumped up, her collar gleaming off candlelight, and made her way to the door.

“Do you mean it?” Asks Lillian

“Of course.”

He might be lying. I shouldn’t trust him.

“I want to go somewhere,” I tell him

“And where would that be?”

I do not know where, I feel it.

“A place . . somewhere.”

“A place somewhere, to find something?” Mr. Bright realizes it might not be the place but something there. “Where is this place?”

“No. I do not know where, but I can feel it.”

Mr. Bright is a bit confused, but can tell she attaches great importance to this issue. Mr. Bright puts on a smug smile “Well it's too late now but tomorrow morning we can go look for this place. Now if everything is settled let's go, Lillian.”

I really don’t like that annoying look on his face.

She hesitates by the door but with little choice, she starts forward. “I still don’t like you.”

“Only because I won.” The fish hooked, he looks over his shoulder “ Loria we shall be on our way, I will be back for the paperwork tomorrow evening.”

Loria bows “Yes, Mister Bright we will have everything prepared, safe travels home, sir”

__________

Going Home

I sat across from the Brights’, now my potential parents, as the carriage brought them closer to home, the Brights estate. The Bright estate is southeast of Revnok buried within the forest. As they near the large gate that marks the start of the estate's grounds.

I jump up to look out at the grounds and quickly realize that I feel much better than I had in a long time. My mind is clearer here and I have more energy.

I was close to freezing to death but hadn’t cared before. What was wrong with me, am I better now, my head clearer….because I feel closer?

Her sudden ability to comprehend and be more aware of her surroundings shocked her. She had been so obsessed with getting back to her other half that she had not thought about much else. Something concerned her though. . . a pain felt across an unseen connection. Her mind wanders off to distract herself as she looks out the carriage window.

This place looks nice. Even in winter, I can see how large the lawn and what may be flower gardens with a stone fountain with frozen water in its basin. There is a hole burrowed in the snow which must belong to a rabbit?

I turned and sat back in my seat and pondered over how I was feeling some more. Then I look up and see Mr. and Ms. Bright staring at me expectantly. Ms. Bright had fair hair and a rounded face, with dark brown eyes. She appeared to be well-shaped but under her winter coat, it was difficult to tell. She had yet to say a single word to me directly since I first got aboard the carriage near the orphanage. She seemed to be wearing a face of mixed emotion. Mr. Bright sat comfortably with his hands folded together, he had dark brown hair and an angled face with eyes too dark to find color in them. He was very slim but not weak and is wearing dark clothes with a scarf around his neck. His overcoat was absent and still draped around me.

“So?” Mr. Bright asks idly into the silence “What do you think of your new home?”

“I think it would amazing in the summer was that a garden around the fountain back there?” I point back the way we had came.

“Ha, so you are interested in the flower garden, it will be quite the sight to see in the spring”

For the first time while looking directly at me, Ms. Bright speaks “The garden is wonderful in the summer and we even have a very rare and beautiful flower that grows there. It's a Moonlit Lily, on nights of the full moon its pale petals open and shine like a reflection of the moon itself!”

Way more vigor than I expected she had been so quiet! She must really like flower gardens.

Bright looks off to the side and continues “Once we pass over this hill we will arrive at the manor I shall have a maid prepare a room for you, but for the night you may use the guest bedroom.”

“What about letting me go find….that goal of mine? You said you would allow me with no questions asked.” I began to worry if he’d keep his word now that he had me here.

“Well so it is something you need, all you have to do is ask and it shall be brought here if it is reasonable. Could it be that Rena you spoke of in the woods?” Mr. Bright smiles warmly at me.

Can I ask him to find my other half, no it was something that I have to follow. When I told Loria about it she said I could not have a pet. The orphanage could not afford such a thing. They all said that a wolf was dangerous and would be just another mouth to feed. It’s why I had to get away. What if Mr. Bright turns me down, but he can feed more than himself he’s a noble. They said Rena had also returned to her own job. Can I get her to come back to me or would she even want to? How far can he help me?

“Well, I don’t think you can find…. her without me. It's my pet, a wolf” I replied remembering the story Rena set. “Loria said it was not safe to have a wolf when I told her about it.”

Mr. Bright froze and muttered “Wolf?” under his breath.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bright looked positively stunned by it. “N-not a dog?”

I nod.

“Oh, so it was a wolf that you were looking for? That seems a bit dangerous… There is a chance if we check the animal handlers that she might be there, what's her name, and did she have a collar and tag?” Mr. Bright leaned forward.

“Yes” I pull out my collar from the neck of my shirt. “the collar has her name, it’s the same as mine, Lillian”

Ms. Bright receives another shock to see a named collar around the girl's neck. She looks over at her husband for any clue, but he just shrugs.

Mr. Bright recomposes himself before speaking.

“The wolf shares your name? Well, that's alright it just gives me more reason to call you Lily again should I find her. After all, I did promise you.” Mr. Bright had the beginnings of a grin on his face when a knock came from the carriage’s front.

I stay quiet and annoyed that the same logic once again tries to rebrand this me with a new name.

“Sir Bright, we have arrived at the manor you may disembark at your pleasure.” called the driver.

“Claire dear, you may go ahead of us, please ask Ruei to prepare a guest room for the night.”

Ms. Bright turned and looked at her husband and spoke a little absently, overwhelmed with a day of various shocks.

“As you wish dear William, I shall speak to the head maid and retire to our room for the night.” she glances cautiously at me.

Claire and William. . . . I take note of the names possibly given for my benefit.

She swept past us and out the door toward the manor which was a two-story manor at least three times the size of the orphanage. In fact, the place seemed just so, if the balcony was taken off the second story it would be like the orphanage's older brother.

Mr. Bright reached over closing the door and blocking my view of my new home. He puts his head down for a few moment as to gather himself then looks back up and makes eye contact with me, giving me a hard look.

“Before we go any further there is one thing we must do. Do you know what I am talking about Lily.”

Thrown by his sudden change I ask without thinking.

“What?”

“It’s simple, test your magical capabilities as a magician and nobile”

I suddenly freeze as I recall how everything began and how I was torn apart. Uncle hurting Rena, my anger that destroyed my first home, and the mages that questioned and split us up.

“I can’t last time the uncle left and people took Lillian and Rena away. I don’t want that to happen again.”

“Well you can’t lose what's already lost, but you have cast spells before? Do you know which it was?”

“I remember, I will never speak it.”

My body slowly begins to shake from the stress of my memories and the thought of everything vanishing here too.

In a moment, I could make this home disappear. Would he forgive me? No, so I must never cast that spell.

“How about this than, nec est umbra lux, is the activation phrase. This is a common light spell for beginners” A spell circle floats in the air with a simple structure.

Activation phrase? I think back and remember how I healed Rena. The arcane spell circle still burns in my mind as I recall it, but the word. . . seems to have been forgotten. Does this mean I can no longer heal? I should try to remember.

Bright flicks his hand out and a bright orb of light appears stealing all shadows from within the carriage. I quickly cover my eyes, but as soon as I do the light vanishes.

“So how about it, can you give it a try? This is a simple light flare spell. It is perfectly harmless.”

My stress begins to rise I try to cast the spell while fearing the worst.

“nec est umbra lux” I speak out in a small voice, and then a small light flickers into being near the top of the carriage where I had been looking.

“Mmmmm. Well, it's not much but it is magic.” Mr. Bright sighs lightly looking disappointed. “I guess it will do.”

I suddenly became very angry at Mr. Bright and myself for appearing so weak to him. Then suddenly the flare sparks and pulses as if in rhythm with my rising anger as I fuel the spell with all the mana I can. Then the orb of light explodes blinding us completely.

Ha, take that Mr. Bright I made your light look like a candle. I will not be looked down upon.

Immediately a wave of even greater fatigue washes over me.

Joyous laughter suddenly booms forth from what could only be Mr. Bright.

“Oh, my wonderful daughter my young Lily!” Mr. Bright yells out “ You have such potential, only the greatest of magicians could make such a show of such a simple spell. I will hold true to my word. A maid from our house and Thomas the driver will be your escorts tomorrow while I make arrangements. I will also provide you with coin for your personal use. Welcome to my family.”

Tomorrow, I can have everything back. Maybe I can forgive him. I’ll need to hold my end of the deal too. To be his daughter and become a noble. I am so tired…

A new and completely suffocating round of fatigue takes me.

Mr. Bright scoops me up in his arms and carries me out to the manor. As soon as he enters, there is a rush of conversation, but my eyes are closing, and just before I fall to sleep, I mumble.

“Finally…tomorrow….”