The Fractured Mage

Chapter 1 - Who Am I?

Huh...? What's going on? Everything's dark, and I...I feel so drained and worn out. I can't even open my eyes...

Wait, who...who am I? I...I can't remember.

I can't remember anything. My head, it...it feels so foggy and cloudy...

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"...-42 and subject 43. You're up next."

Huh? Whose voice is that? A memory? But it's unclear, I can't see anything-...

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Huh? Is this a different memory now? It's unclear again, everything's so blurry...but I can just about, vaguely, hear what's being said to me in the memory...

"You defiant little-...! Cooperate or die, we can make good use of your corpses if you prefer!"

I...I don't remember this, but it...it feels familiar, the emotions welling up and taking over my senses, they feel so...so painfully familiar. I can feel a sense of immense fear and blinding rage surging inside me...

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"It's no use, the result is a failure after all...how frustrating, we were so close too!"

Another different memory. I-I can feel pain this time...devastating, unbearable pain...

"Yes, a shame...however, we aren't out of options. This is rather experimental, but then, that's exactly what test subjects are for. Run the experiment again."

N-no, stop...wh-what is this? I-I don't understand what's happening, but...th-this anguish I'm feeling, i-it's unbearable...! Please, I-I'm begging...m-make it stop...!

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"N-no way...it actually worked! You actually did it, sir! This is...this is revolutionary!"

"I must say, even I expected this to fail...but it really worked! I'm not one to usually pat myself on the back, but I've outdone myself! With this, we've done it...all the Keys have been created!"

S-something feels different about this memory, something disconcerting and unsettling...something's changed in me, something important.

But, what? I...I don't know...for the life of me, I can't figure out what's changed...

This feels so...so agonizing. Why...why does it feel like my head is being torn in half...? My mind, i-it feels so...so fractured. It...it hurts, I can't bear it, I l-I can't take it anymore...m-make it stop...!

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"...-my ultimate masterpiece!"

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"...-won't you, brother?"

"Yeah, of course. I-..."

W-wait...what's happening? Broken fragments of blurry memories are flashing through my head in rapid succession, too fast to keep up with...

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"N-no, we can't go against Father!"

"But if we don't, we'll be-..."

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"...-undermining my authority, how dare you? If you weren't such a valuable subject, I would-..."

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"I told you, didn't I? It's useless...we'll never be free, we might as well accept-..."

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"How did they find us!?"

"Kill them! Don't let them anywhere near the Keys!"

"D-damn it, they're too powerful!"

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"...-you okay? Hey, can you hear me, kid? Tell me, what's your name?"

"Ir-...*????*...-dia."

Huh? The memories are getting more and more unclear, I can barely hear anything anymore...

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"...-safe now. It's-...*????*...-be ok-..."

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"Go-...*????*...-orning, kiddo, I see you're-...*????*..."

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"Come on, you-...*????*...-to study, or-...*????*..."

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"H-hey, stop messing with my hair, it's annoying..."

"Hahaha, I-...*????*...-help it, you're j-...*????*...-cute!"

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"...-really am sorry about this-...*????*...-wish it didn't have to be this w-...*????*...-oing to miss you so m-...*????*...-care of yourself."

H-huh? Why...why do I feel so much sorrow? I-it feels like my heart is breaking apart...

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"Goodbye."

No, wait...n-no, please don't go. Hold on, come back...please, don't leave me...!

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Huh? Wait...what was I just thinking about? I...I don't remember. My mind feels so clear, but...it also feels empty, devoid of any memories. Who...who am I?

Hm...? What's the sound? I...I think I hear voices...

"...-sorry to put this on you. But you're the only one I can trust enough to turn to with this..."

Whose voice is that? It sounds strangely familiar, but I...I don't recognize it...

"Of course, you can count on me, I'll protect him. But are you really sure about this?"

An unfamiliar voice, this time...but while I can hear them, I barely have the strength to listen. I...I feel so...so sleepy...

"Yes, I am, given the situation, there's no choice. It's too dangerous to keep him with me."

"That's not what I meant. His memories are-..."

"I know...but it's for the best. With everything he's been through, I-I...I decided the best thing for him now is to start over with a blank slate."

I-I feel like something important is being said, but everything's starting to go dark and I can't focus, I think I'm losing consciousness...

"That's your decision, then?"

"It is. Oh, I almost forgot...his name is...," The familiar voice floated out, before fading away as everything went dark...

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Hm...? I slowly opened my eyes with a grimace as light hit my eyelids, letting out a slight groan as I sat up groggily, rubbing my head. My left eye feels misty...is that a tear? Am I...crying? Why?

Where am I? Wait, who am-...?

"Why does this feel...familiar? Have I...asked myself these questions before...?" I muttered, getting a strange sense of deja vu as I posed those questions to myself.

"Oh, you're finally awake. Good morning," Came an unfamiliar voice from my left, startling me.

I warily turned my head that way, to see a man seated on a chair beside the bed I was on, smiling at me. Well, this isn't creepy at all...

"Uh...who are you? More importantly...were you watching me sleep?" I frowned, backing away slightly.

"Hey, relax, there's no need to be on guard," He responded assuringly.

"You didn't answer my questions..."

"My name is Ifeus Lero, it's nice to meet you. And I suppose, yes, you could technically say that I was watching you sleep...but I think it's more accurate to say that I was waiting for you to wake up," He replied with a wry smile.

He looks like he's in his mid-thirties or so, with a slightly dark complexion, long, straight shoulder-length snow white hair, purple eyes and a mustache and small chin beard. He had a small mole below his left eye, and had silver piercings studded into both his ears.

"Tell me...why can't I remember anything? Who am I? What is this place?" I inquired warily.

"Oh, you have amnesia? How tragic...I just found you passed out in an alley, so I brought you here," He answered, briefly averting his gaze slightly.

He's lying, and not very convincingly, at that. And besides, he isn't treating me like some random stranger he happened to save, a normal person wouldn't let a complete stranger into their house like this and treat them without any suspicious or wariness.

He knows something. In fact, I bet he knows who I am, and why I don't remember anything. Well, I'm not gonna play along with his crappy act. I've got nothing but questions, so I want answers...

"Wow, how kind of you, you have my gratitude, good sir. Now, let's cut the crap, old man...what's the real answer?" I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.

"Wha-...old!? I'm not that old, you little-...ahem. Let's, uh...let's get back on track, shall we? Alright, guess there's no point in keeping up the facade...I suppose that I should've taken the time to come up with a more convincing story. Let me assure you, it's not my intention to deceive you, but all I can say is that I can't tell you anything about your past. It's better if you don't think about it. Trust me...it's for your own good," He remarked after a pause.

Somehow, that's a worse answer than just making up a lie.

"Seriously? If it's my past, I think I have a right to know about it," I frowned indignantly.

"Sorry, but I really can't say. Well, literally speaking, I technically can, but I won't. Oh, but I can tell you thing...your name," He offered sheepishly.

"...feel like my memories are more important than that, but fine, whatever. Well? What's my name?" I relented with a sigh.

"Your name is...Topaz Oriole."