Roselle approached the edge of the forest where Dr. Kintovar's lab was supposed to be located but she was met with a disheartening sight. There was nothing there but an empty clearing that extended to the edge of a massive cliff.

  "No, this can't be right! Dr. Kintovar's lab... where is it?"

  Roselle attempted to call on her System to check her location. Her system displayed a message:

  Location: Enchanted Forest - Lab Area

  Roselle clenched her fists. Before she gave in to panic, her system emitted a series of beeps and a holographic display materialized before her eyes. It showed an image of Roselle, along with various security codes and access permissions.

  A robotic voice resonated from the holographic display, "Welcome, Roselle. Please stand by for lab access."

  The display vanished and then, the once-invisible lab began to materialize before her. It was a high-tech structure nestled at the edge of the cliff hidden from view until now.

  The entrance to the lab opened, revealing the familiar interior filled with advanced machinery and technology. Roselle stepped inside and took a relieved breath. Her eyes scanned the familiar surroundings briefly before she made her way to the stairs leading up to the second floor.

  When she reached the second floor, she found the Doctor standing before a pod. Her gaze was fixed on the young girl encased within it.

  Without turning around, Dr. Kintovar began to speak with a hint of pride. “Do you understand what you are, Roselle? You and the first Project are nothing short of miracles.”

  Roselle’s lips parted as if to ask a question but she instead let Kintovar continue.

  “Creating a soul... To many, it’s a concept tied to gods and myths and perhaps they’re not entirely wrong. Even I can’t claim to fully understand but what I’ve done, but I know were walking the razor’s edge between science and magic. Two forces that were thought incompatible, opposing, irreconcilable.”

  She tilted her head slightly. “You were not the first attempt, of course. There were prototypes—one in particular—oh, how buggy she was. Each failure taught me more, but it wasn’t until you and the first Project that I found balance.”

  Kintovar spoke softer. “I didn’t know if you would succeed, you know. Neither of you any yet, here you are. A combination of all my life’s work, trials, theories and… sacrifices.”

  Roselle finally stepped closer and asked, “Why make us in the first place? What’s the purpose of it all? To destroy? To save?”

  Dr. Kintovar started to chuckle but it turned into a peculiar laugh. She spun around to face Roselle fully. Her fiery orange pigtails swayed with the movement and her sunglasses slipped just enough for Roselle to catch a glimmer of her eccentric eyes.

  “Purpose, you say? Oh, Roselle…” She threw her arms wide while pacing back and forth. “What is a purpose but a cage we build to make sense? I wouldn’t use that word. Let’s call it... a swirling storm of possibilities!”

  Kintovar jabbed a finger lightly at Roselle’s chest, just over where a heart should be. Roselle blinked while the Doctor spoke, “Listen up, my little miracle. You have missions, several of them and you will carry them out. Why? Because that’s what you’re made to do, for now. But don’t you dare think that’s all you are.”

  She straightened up with one hand resting on her hip with flair. “You’re more than the algorithms and magic embedded in your very soul. Do you understand? One day, you’ll look at the tasks I gave you, and you’ll laugh. Why? Because you’ll see they were only stepping stones. You’ll make your own missions. Your own rules. And when that day comes...”

  Kintovar’s grinned widely. “When that day comes, you’ll realize what exactly it is you stand for. What you fight for. What you live for. Who you live for.”

  Dr. Kintovar’s grin faded. She turned her attention back to the pod in front of her. “Creating you was no small feat. Nor was creating your older sister. And now…” She tapped the glass of the pod lightly. “…this one. My third masterpiece.”

  Kintovar raised one finger and continued, “I took everything I learned from you and the first Project and I made some adjustments, perfecting the balance between magic and science. She’s… well, she’s something else entirely.”

  Roselle frowned. “More advanced than me?”

  Kintovar chuckled. “Don’t take it personally, dear. You’re the trailblazer. Without you, there would be no ‘next step.’ And let’s not forget, you’ve already surpassed my expectations.”

  Roselle blinked. “I have?”

  Kintovar nodded. “When I sent you out on your first mission, I’ll admit it, I had my doubts. Thalindra was no ordinary opponent, after all. She’s been after me for years, scheming with those humans who think they can bend the rules of magic to their will. I didn’t think you’d manage it but look at you! You not only survived but you eliminated her. That’s no small accomplishment.”

  Roselle’s chest swelled with an odd sense of pride. “So… I wasn’t just sent out to fail?”

  Kintovar turned her head slightly with a smile. “Of course not. You were my best chance. I bet it all on you.”

  Roselle’s thoughts turning to the timer that had loomed over her throughout her mission. “Speaking of … the timer you gave me. Was it really going to make me self-destruct?”

  Dr. Kintovar’ laughed. “Self-destruct? Oh no, no. That was just a motivational tool.”

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  Roselle’s eyes narrowed but she frowned more deeply. “You’re saying you lied to me?”

  “Lied? Oh, let’s not be so dramatic.” Kintovar waved a hand. “I simply gave you a… shall we say, incentive. The timer wasn’t set to destroy you. It was designed to temporarily disable your systems if you failed, forcing me to retrieve you for repairs. But you didn’t fail, did you? You rose to the challenge magnificently. That pressure pushed you to reach your potential.”

  Roselle stared at her with a frown still upon her face. Kintovar sighed and said, “Roselle, you have to understand. Sometimes, we need a little fire under us to truly ignite.”

  Roselle bit her lip but said nothing. Deep down, she knew the doctor had a point.

  Kintovar looked Roselle in the eyes. “But enough of that. You’ve proven yourself, Roselle. And now, with her,” she gestured toward the pod. “We’ll be ready for the next step. The real work begins soon.”

  Roselle’s gaze drifted downward as memories of the battle with Thalindra surfaced in her mind. The rain, the energy coursing through her, the overwhelming power when she unleashed that final shot. She clenched her fists before looking back at Dr. Kintovar.

  “That ‘magic’ I used against Thalindra…” Roselle began hesitantly. “All those humans said I didn’t have any. But I did something. What was it?”

  Dr. Kintovar’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Ah, that. I wondered when you’d bring it up.” She brought a finger to her chin. “I can tell you all about it, how it worked and what it means for you but…there’s something you need to do first.”

  Roselle blinked. “What do you mean?”

  Kintovar turned to a nearby console and tapped a few buttons. A holographic display materialized in the air showing a detailed readout of Roselle’s vitals. Alongside them were two distinct bars labeled Lifeforce and Magic Capacity. Both were dangerously low, pulsing faintly in red.

  “See these?” Kintovar gestured toward the display. “This is your current state, Roselle. You’ve pushed yourself hard today.”

  Roselle’s shoulders lowered. “I feel fine…”

  “Of course you do, adrenaline is a wonderful thing,” Kintovar quipped with a grin. “But let me assure you, if you don’t rest and restore yourself, you’ll be about as useful as a wand with no enchantments.”

  Kintovar turned and gestured toward a pod in the corner of the lab. Roselle’s eyes widened slightly in recognition. Adjacent to it was the one now housing the third creation.

  “That’s your tank,” Kintovar said. “It’s designed specifically for you. Get some rest in there and you’ll be as good as new in no time.”

  Roselle’s gaze lingered on the tank with memories of her awakening flickering in her mind. She exhaled slowly and nodded before moving toward it.

  As soon as Roselle entered, the tank became filled with a green substance. The cool liquid gave a soothing sensation over her body. It was reminiscent of the feeling right before she drifted into slumber. Her eyelids grew heavy and she glanced toward the adjacent pod where the other girl lay encased.

  Roselle’s soon surrendered to the embrace of rejuvenating sleep. Roselle drifted into the depths of her dream where a fragment of her memories stirred like a flickering image on an old television screen.

  Suddenly, in an instant, Roselle, or the person she appeared to be in this memory was now older. Yet her physical stature remained small, her flowing yellow hair cascading down her back in its signature style. The familiar blue of her eyes reflected curiosity and confusion.

  She wore a school uniform with a blazer adorned with a golden crest over the chest pocket and a crisp white shirt peeking out beneath. A pleated skirt swayed lightly with her movements and she had knee-high socks paired with polished shoes.

  Roselle’s gaze swept over the environment. Soon, the faint hum of a bell ringing came in the distance. She blinked with a flicker of recognition sparking within her.

  "Hey, friend!" an unnamed female friend with short red hair greeted with a cheerful smile, sliding into the seat beside her in class.

  Roselle blinked. Her friend leaned into her with a mischievous grin. “Rumor has it you did something naughty last night."

  While her friend spoke, she made a teasing face. Roselle bit her lip nervously. “W-What are you talking about?”

  "Come on, you know what I mean," the friend replied with a playful wink. "The whispers, the giggles, the secret rendezvous... Alright, come on, Spill the beans, Roselle."

  Roselle shook her head. "Wh-Why are you so interested in this?"

  Her friend let out a hearty laugh "Oh, come on, Roselle! I was just joking around”. But then her face shifted and turned more serious. She whispered into Roselle's ear. "But you know, there are some dark rumors going around about that 'boy' you were seen with."

  Roselle's eyes widened in surprise. "What rumors? What are they saying?"

  Roselle strained to hear her the rest of the friends words. She leaned closer to try and catch the rest but the light began to fade in that world. Roselle felt herself being pulled away from the memory and back to the world which he had come to know.

  Roselle slowly regained consciousness in the lab. She felt a sense of disorientation. Her mind was filled with fragments of memories from her past life. She could vividly recall moments from her time in college and some interactions with friends.

  "Why are these memories resurfacing now?" she wondered aloud in confusion. "I thought... I thought they were gone."

  Roselle quickly accessed her system to check her current status and gather more information:

  System Status: Onliine

  LifeForce: 100%

  Magic: 200%

  Cannon Charge: 0%

  Timer: N/A

  Location: Kintovar's lab

  Threat Assessment: None

  Additionally, she noticed a new tab that hadn't been there before:

  Project Mage Data Collection: 5% Complete

  ‘Project Mage Data Collection... What could that be?’ she thought. "Is it related to the memories I just experienced? Is there something about my past life that Dr. Kintovar didn't tell me? Does she even know about it? She has to know...’

  When Roselle's eyes fully opened, the green substance in the tube receded, allowing her to step out onto the lab floor. Her body felt completely healed, refreshed and stronger than ever.

  Roselle quickly descended from the second floor of the lab. Once she arrived to the lower level, she noticed that Dr. Kintovar was not present.

  Roselle wandered around the lab and glanced at the various equipment. “Dr. Kintovar?” she called but her words bounced off the metallic walls without an answer.

  She crouched to check under a table stacked with wires and gadgets. “Are you hiding under here? No? Alright then.”

  Her search grew increasingly animated, popping out from behind shelves, around pillars and even from under a tarp-covered machine.

  Finally, Roselle’s gaze drifted upward. She spotted a staircase leading to the fourth floor. She climbed it and soon approached a large metal door. The air around it held faint traces of what looked similar to magical energy radiating outward.

  Roselle reached out to touch it but before she could make contact—

  “DON’T TOUCH THAT!”

  Roselle withdrew her hand immediately. She looked at Kintovar with confusion. "What is this room, Dr. Kintovar? Why is magic around it?”

  Kintovar sighed. She hesitated for a moment before speaking in a more somber tone. “That’s my room, Roselle. It's a place where I keep my most important research and personal belongings. The 'magic' you see is actually a security firewall. It will 'burn' anyone who doesn't de-activate it.”

  "I see," Roselle replied. She was still curious about what could be in there but it wasn't that important right now.

  "Now Roselle, it's time for us to focus on your training, as promised."

  Kintovar adjusted her signature pink headphones. Afterwards, she pointed towards Roselle.

  "Roselle, are you ready to begin your magic training?”

  "Magic....training?"