This story is the sequel to "The Gray Witch," a tale of magic, mystery, and romance. Before you embark on Senna's new journey, make sure your caught up in the events of the first book to fully understand this work. **Trigger Warning** This work will have dark sexual and abusive themes later on.
Chapter 1 The Reprogramming Part I
In the dream state, Senna struggled to make sense of the flashes of unfamiliar faces, places, and events that came to her mind. She felt as if she was trying to solve a puzzle without having all the pieces, and it frustrated her.
Who am I? She wondered.
What am I?
She tried to focus on the details of the memories that came to her, hoping that they would trigger something, anything, that could help her remember who she was. But everything felt disjointed and incomplete, like a jumbled mess that refused to make sense.
Senna's eyes slowly fluttered open as she found herself lying in a dimly lit room. Stone walls surrounded her, a fireplace against the wall. She was lying on a large, soft bed strewn with an array of pillows and layers of blankets. The room smelled like smoke and old paper. It was slightly familiar, but she couldn't figure out why.
She felt confused, disoriented, and completely lost.
Feeling overwhelmed, she sat up and looked around the room. It was empty of people and housed a small desk, chair, and an old wardrobe.
She felt lost and alone, like a stranger in her own body. She longed to know who she was, where she came from, and what her purpose was. But all she had were fragments of memories that refused to fit together.
She had nothing to tune into, except for what she felt in that very moment.
So she did just that. She pulled the covers over herself and closed her eyes.
As she focused on her breath, she could feel her vitality, her energy, and her essence.
It was as if she was pure magic, a combination of light and energy that flowed through her veins. She felt a sense of power and strength that amazed her.
For a moment, she forgot about her lost memories and her confusion. She was in tune with herself, with her essence, and with the universe. She felt like she was a part of everything, and everything was a part of her.
In that moment, She knew she would always be connected to her magic, her essence, and her vitality. She understood that she was more than just her memories, more than just her past. She was a powerful being, full of light and energy, and nothing could take that away from her.
With a smile on her face, she opened her eyes and looked around the room. She felt a sense of peace and clarity that she had never experienced before. She knew that she still had a lot to discover about herself and her past, but she was no longer afraid.
She tried to remember her name, her family, and her friends, but nothing came to mind.
As she looked out the window, she saw a beautiful sunset, with shades of orange, pink, and purple painting the sky. She felt a sense of awe and wonder as if she was seeing it for the first time.
She got up and walked around, trying to find a way out. But the door and window were locked, and there was no way to escape.
Then, she heard the door click, and spun around as the door creaked open. A tall young man stood in the doorway with a wide smile. Neatly combed dark hair framed his very handsome face, complete with high cheekbones and a perfectly sculpted jawline. His dark eyes, framed by long lashes, added contrast to his pale skin. Clad in a perfectly tailored robe with silver linings and green stitches, he exuded an air of grace with his long limbs. Despite his familiarity in posture and gaze, he remained a complete stranger.
"You're awake," he said in a gentle voice. His smile was wide, as if this in itself was a wonderful gift.
She was surprised to see the young man, but also relieved that she wasn't alone anymore. She tried to speak, but her throat felt dry, and her words came out as a hoarse whisper.
"Who are you?" she managed to say.
The young man's smile faded a little. "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself first," he said. "My name is Struan. I'm your twin brother."
Senna didn't know what to make of her brother, but he seemed friendly enough.
"Oh." Was all she could say.
Struan stepped closer to her, and Senna noticed that a tray with a bowl and a glass of water was floating next to him.
"There is a lot," he said. "But first, you need to eat something. You've been asleep for a while."
She wasn't sure if she trusted Struan, but she was hungry, and the soup smelled delicious.
"Okay, thank you," she said, taking the bowl from the floating tray.
Struan sat on the edge of the bed as she started eating the soup. He observed her cheerily. She felt no ill will from him and decided that he was okay. However, she felt a little self-conscious under his gaze and tried to focus on the soup.
The soup was warm and comforting, and she felt a little better with each spoonful.
After a while, her brother spoke again.
"You must have a lot of questions," he said.
She nodded, swallowing a mouthful of soup.
"I don't remember anything," she said. "Not even my name."
His expression softened, and he reached out to touch her hand.
"Don't worry; everything will be fine," he said. "Your name is Senna."
As Senna finished her soup, she looked up at Struan. "Thank you," she said, feeling a little more comfortable around him. "Do you know why I'm here? Where are we?"
Struan's expression became serious, and he leaned in closer to her. "You don't remember anything, do you?" he asked softly.
Senna shook her head. "No, I don't remember anything before waking up in this room."
"I'm sorry, Senna," he said. "You tried to kill me, and it backfired."
"I tried to kill you?" She repeated, feeling a sense of unease. "Why would I do that?"
"You were misled," He explained. "You were led to believe that you had to kill me to protect yourself, because I was dangerous."
She felt a sense of confusion and disbelief. How could she have tried to kill a person? This boy seemed nice enough.
"Are you dangerous?" She asked him
"Not as dangerous as you are." He smiled at her and winked.
"What do you mean?" Her brow furrowed in confusion.
He sensed her doubts and sighed. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I promise to explain everything to you," he said. "But first, I need to teach you how to stay safe from the people who led you to try and murder me."
She nodded, feeling a sense of urgency. She didn't know who she was or what was going on, but she knew that she needed to trust Struan and follow him.
As they made their way out of the room, she observed the once grandeur wallpaper that was now fading and the portraits of unfamiliar people on the wall.
"Why did those people want me to kill you?" She asked him, afraid of the answer.
He sighed. "Because they fear our power. We are not normal wizards. We are like royalty and have power that rival the Gods." His voice was sad—pained even. "You were more easily manipulated, and so they brainwashed you into thinking I was a danger to the world." Truth and sincerity echoed from his every word.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"No, sister," Struan said. He turned to face me, his beautiful features twisted into an expression of sincere torment. "I'm sorry I could not save you in time. I tried so hard, but it wasn't enough." He took her hand in his. His touch was warm, and it brought her comfort. She observed him and his handsome dark eyes. She could tell that he was telling the truth, from the bottom of his heart. So she decided she could trust him. After a moment, his expression lifted. "But you're home now, and we'll make things right." He pulled her by the hand, and they continued through the old and ornate house.
Finally, they reached a large room with a high ceiling. The walls were lined with cloudy mirrors, and there were various weapons and training equipment scattered around the room.
"This is our training room," Struan said. "We come here to hone our skills and abilities."
Senna looked around the room, feeling both curiosity and apprehension. She didn't know what kind of skills and abilities she had.
Senna walked up to the large mirror and observed her reflection. She was handsome too. Though her hair was all over the place, her dark eyes were alluring, face was perfectly symmetrical, and her cheeks and jaw were also perfectly sculpted. She was in his likeness—they were truly siblings.
She smiled at this revelation. "We look related."
He smiled, too. "Yes, of course. We're twins."
Her brother walked over to a corner of the room and pulled two sticks out of his robe. "Let me show you some basic heirloom magic," he said, holding one stick while offering her another one. "Your wand." He offered.
"Oh." She took the wand from him.
Senna watched him as he whispered something that sounded like, "Come forth, my pet," But its quiet volume and the hissing undertone made it difficult to hear.
A stream of shadow poured from his wand, taking the form of a snake made of black smoke.
She instinctively took a step back.
The black, smoke snake dove as Struan moved his wand. He demonstrated various strikes, blocks, and maneuvers, and the snake obeyed with ferocious precision.
She tried to follow along, but no smoke came out of her wand. She did notice, however, that her movements were more fluid than his. It was as if she danced with magic a thousand times in a hundred different lifetimes.
"Don't worry," Struan said, noticing her frustration. "It takes time to develop your skills. You'll get better with practice."
He helped her get a better grip on her wand and stepped back, allowing her to take the lead. At first, Senna felt self-conscious and unsure of herself, but as she moved and swung her wand, she felt a weird sensation as silver and gold smoke poured from her wand, which then congealed to form a snake—with wings.
Struan smiled encouragingly, but she frowned as she noticed it wasn't the rich midnight black like his. "It doesn't look like yours."
He shook his head, "That's okay. It's different for everyone. You are doing very well."
Before she knew it, she was moving with fluidity and grace, her 'pet' striking the imaginary opponent with ease. She felt a sense of power and strength that she had never experienced before.
After a while, he called a break, and they sat on the floor, breathing heavily.
"You're a natural," he said, smiling at her. "Not even I picked it up so quickly."
Senna felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. For the first time since waking up, she felt like she had a purpose, a reason to exist.
As they stood up and resumed their training, she knew that she still had a lot to learn, but she was excited to discover what other skills and abilities she possessed.