Astera Birklake stood by the tall window overlooking the academy grounds, the light catching the sharp angles of her face. The corridors were empty. The students long gone. The marble floors below reflected nothing but darkness.
The phone rang. Once. Twice.
She let it ring a third time before picking it up.
"Birklake."
Her voice was firm. Controlled. The kind of tone that did not ask who was calling. It already knew. On the other end, a man cleared his throat.
"Astera. I didn't clear my whole fucking afternoon so you could sit your stupid ass there and read every archive. If you’re going to do this, make it quick!"
Astera’s gaze did not shift from the night beyond the glass.
"You will lower your voice," she said calmly, almost gently. "And you will remember that you owe me a debt. A significant one."
Silence. The man inhaled through his teeth. A small surrender.
"...You’re right."
He sounded older when he sighed. Tired. Worn by years of decisions that stained more than paperwork.
"Do you even know what you’re looking for?" he asked.
"No," Astera answered without hesitation. "But ignorance is not grounds for retreat."
A pause stretched between them. Not hostile. Not friendly. Just heavy.
Finally, he spoke again.
"Is it them?"
Astera did not answer. Her fingers tightened slightly around the receiver. Several seconds passed. She closed her eyes.
"...I hope not," she said at last.
On the other end, the man shifted. His voice changed. Less authority. More strain.
"Tell me something," he muttered. "That red-eyed girl. The one my units are shadowing. The one under discreet protection with patrols near her house. The flower shop. The rotations."
Astera’s expression didn't move as he continued.
"Is she his daughter?"
There it was. The question neither of them had wanted to say out loud. Astera didn't breathe. The silence was her final answer. Then—
Click.
She hung up. The room swallowed the sound.
For a long moment, she stood motionless, staring at her reflection in the dark window. A regent. A former Rank-A Spellborne. A woman who had seen war burn cities into ash. She exhaled slowly. On her desk, the files waited.
Thick. Heavy. She crossed the room, sat down, and pulled the first folder toward her. Her fingers opened it. Paper whispered. Old names stared back at her.
Dates. Reports. Photographs.
She
...
...
...
ARCANE SECURITY DIRECTORATE
KINGDOM OF LARION
CLASSIFICATION: OBSIDIAN-TIER
FILE REF: ASD/STRAT-01/A (Arcane Security Directorate | Strategic Threat Assessment 01 | Archive Copy A)
SUBJECT: MACRO-ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS PRECEDING THE EMERGENCE OF “THE DESIGN”
The Kingdom of Larion currently maintains its position as the leading economic power not only within the Western Hemisphere, but globally.
Following the conclusion of the Second Great War, Larion underwent accelerated industrial expansion. Strategic incorporation of arcane elements into large-scale manufacturing systems resulted in unprecedented production growth. Mana-fueled machinery, maintained by licensed technicians and arcane engineers, allowed full-spectrum automation across multiple sectors, including agro-industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and logistical distribution networks.
Competing nations refrained from similar integration due to internal political resistance and labor reform disputes. In several states, the use of arcane artifacts within industrial workflows was restricted out of concern for workforce displacement among non-magical populations. Larion, by contrast, implemented controlled arcane mechanization under state oversight, gaining decisive economic advantage.
Within twenty years, the Kingdom became the primary exporter of both agricultural and manufactured goods. Its trade routes expanded, tourism increased, and diplomatic ties with Western Republics strengthened.
This growth phase is internally classified as The Accelerated Arcane Industrial Cycle (AAIC).
While the AAIC produced measurable economic stability and international leverage, collateral societal effects were significant.
Larion experienced the largest migratory influx in its recorded history. Populations displaced by war, economic collapse, and regional instability relocated to the Kingdom in search of employment and protection.
The demographic shift introduced:
-
New magical traditions and heterodox doctrines
-
Unregulated arcane practices
-
Underground mana markets
-
Alternative interpretations of arcane ethics and cosmology
The diversification of magical ideology occurred faster than regulatory frameworks could adapt.
Internal memoranda from the Ministry of Civil Integration (Ref: MCI/18-77) note that the sudden cultural expansion created regulatory blind spots within the lower arcane sectors. Informal magical communities formed outside licensed academies and guild structures.
These gaps are now assessed as the probable incubator conditions for the emergence of organized arcane criminal networks.
Assessment Note:
The economic rise of Larion did not generate instability directly. However, the velocity of arcane-industrial integration combined with rapid demographic diversification created structural vulnerabilities within enforcement and oversight mechanisms.
These vulnerabilities coincide chronologically with the earliest recorded intelligence indicators of the organization now designated:
“THE DESIGN”
SUBJECT: ORIGIN ASSESSMENT — “THE DESIGN”
The precise origin of the organization self-identified through the inverted pentacle insignia and internally designated as The Design remains unverified.
Preliminary intelligence indicates that, during the period of post-war instability and accelerated migration, the arcane underworld within Larion capitalized on regulatory blind zones created by rapid demographic expansion. Unlicensed practitioners, displaced magi, rogue ritualists, and foreign occult sects established informal networks within urban peripheries and industrial outskirts.
It is within this convergence that The Design is believed to have consolidated.
No founding charter, manifesto, or early operational signature has been recovered.
The identity of the organization’s founder remains unknown.
All detained members have provided mutually exclusive structural accounts prior to their deaths.
Case References:
-
Informant [NAME REDACTED – DECEASED PRIOR TO FORMAL DEBRIEF]
Hypothesis: The Design is directed by a single ancient archmage of millennial lifespan, possessing knowledge predating the First Elven Codices.
-
Primary Interrogation Subject [NAME REDACTED – FOUND DECEASED IN HOLDING CELL]
Hypothesis: The organization is governed by five hereditary criminal dynasties operating through distributed command nodes.
Neither statement could be independently verified.
However, both agreed that those involved seek to radicalize and push a discriminatory doctrine against non-mages; considering them "inferior" and believing they should "exist as servants".
Both subjects expired under circumstances classified as operationally anomalous.
Cause-of-death documentation remains under restricted review.
Multiple investigations suggest The Design possesses advanced knowledge of prohibited cognitive manipulation techniques.
Operational patterns indicate:
-
Witness memory degradation post-incident
-
Familial recognition erasure
-
Inconsistent temporal recollection among affected civilians
-
Informant behavioral fragmentation prior to detention
Arcane Forensics Division reports residual signatures consistent with high-order mnemonic displacement or total recall rewriting.
The technique exceeds standard academy-taught illusion craft.
Classification pending under: Cognitive Override Protocols — Black Archive Tier
Given the sophistication of suspected memory manipulation methods, attention was directed toward individuals with potential access to restricted arcane archives.
Primary Person of Interest:
Glorthamiel Xanderius
Current Regent Director, Academy of Magic of Larion
Operational Alias: “Smiley”
Director Xanderius was subjected to interrogation under an Unbreakable Oath binding. Inquiry focused specifically on the potential dissemination of restricted cognitive alteration knowledge.
All oath-verification procedures returned positive. Xanderius told the truth each time.
No evidence of direct knowledge transfer was established.
However:
-
His tenure overlaps chronologically with early Design escalation phases.
-
Archive access clearance remains among the highest in the Kingdom.
-
Several classified grimoires remain cataloged under sealed academic authority.
Director Xanderius has not been cleared as a principal suspect.
Internal risk status: Conditional Monitoring – High Sensitivity
Analytical Summary:
The Design demonstrates one of the following:
-
Access to pre-war forbidden arcane archives.
-
Internal infiltration within institutional structures.
-
Independent development of memory-altering methodologies beyond recorded magical doctrine.
-
Leadership predating contemporary state frameworks.
Until verified otherwise, The Design is to be treated as possessing structural longevity and cognitive manipulation capability sufficient to compromise institutional testimony.
SUBJECT: OPERATIONAL EXPANSION — THE DESIGN
Confirmed and suspected revenue channels attributed to The Design include:
-
Illegal arcane weapon trafficking
-
Distribution of unlicensed mana catalysts
-
Smuggling and containment trade of arcane-classified beasts
-
Production and sale of prohibited alchemical compounds
Investigations indicate The Design functions not merely as a cult entity but as a vertically integrated criminal enterprise with diversified logistical capacity.
Date of formation remains undetermined.
The organization’s identifying sigil has been consistently documented across multiple crime scenes:
An inverted pentacle, rendered in ink, blood, carved stone, or residual mana etching.
Symbolic analysis remains inconclusive. No direct doctrinal text referencing the sigil has been recovered.
Final testimony from Informant [NAME REDACTED – CURRENTLY MISSING] indicates a structural shift within The Design occurred following the emergence of a specific, unidentified individual.
Exact designation unknown.
According to the informant:
“Everything changed after that person appeared.”
Post-emergence patterns show measurable deviation from prior operational restraint.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Risk tolerance increased.
Public exposure tolerance increased.
Violence against civilian populations intensified.
The identity of this catalyst figure remains under Priority Tier investigation.
Approximately twenty years prior to this report, The Design initiated systematic abduction operations targeting non-magical minors (“blanks”).
Confirmed national disappearance reports within the 20-year window: 1,337 cases minimum.
This figure excludes rural and undocumented zones where reporting mechanisms are unreliable or absent.
Statistical modeling suggests actual numbers may exceed documented figures by a significant margin.
Victim selection patterns indicate strategic targeting of:
Economically vulnerable blank households
Socially isolated families
High-density migrant districts
Low magical surveillance zones
Primary infiltration method involved use of a prohibited illusionary technique classified as:
Alteration Discipline — Veil of the Body or known as "Alteration Style: Body's Veil."
This technique allows complete somatic mimicry of external subjects, including facial structure, vocal timbre approximation, and aura masking within limited detection thresholds.
Per witness reconstruction:
Operatives impersonated neighbors or extended relatives.
Victims were voluntarily transferred under false familiarity.
Post-abduction, immediate mnemonic erasure was applied to primary guardians.
Family members frequently failed to recognize the absence of the child until third-party observers initiated concern.
Arcane residue analysis indicates repeated application of layered memory suppression following each extraction.
Observed effects:
Parent inability to recall existence of child.
School attendance records altered or destroyed.
Residential artifacts removed.
Emotional memory disruption without apparent trauma recall.
Cases often remained undetected until inconsistencies emerged in community memory mapping.
This method allowed The Design to maintain operational continuity for extended periods without mass public panic.
Analytical Assessment:
The transition from contraband trafficking to systematic child abduction marks a doctrinal shift within The Design.
Motivation for blank-specific targeting remains classified under Ritual Intent Investigation (File: ASD/ARC-RIT/Black).
Given the timeline alignment with the unidentified catalyst individual, escalation is considered intentional rather than opportunistic.
SUBJECT: EXTRACTION FACILITIES — FIELD TESTIMONY & RESOURCE STRAIN
Following confirmed extraction events, immediate familial memory erasure was consistently observed.
Primary guardians demonstrated:
Inability to recall existence of child.
Absence of emotional disturbance typically associated with disappearance.
Rational reconstruction of household structure excluding missing minor.
Initial disappearance reports were most frequently initiated by:
Extended relatives not residing within primary household.
Neighbors maintaining prior familiarity.
Parents of school classmates noting attendance irregularities.
In several cases, secondary reporters experienced partial memory distortion within days of filing complaint.
Victim: [IDENTITY REDACTED]
Recovery Site: Periphery zone outside [LOCATION REDACTED]
Facility Classification: Unlicensed subterranean structure — industrial shell repurposed
Upon regaining consciousness, the victim reported:
Confinement alongside multiple minors of comparable age.
Absence of clothing and personal belongings.
Containment within iron-barred enclosures.
Unsanitary environmental conditions.
Presence of decomposed biological remains other minors in adjacent chambers.
- Daily sequences of torture using [REDACTED].
The victim further described recurring ritual vocalizations referencing [ENTITY DESIGNATION REDACTED].
Operational pattern described:
Enclosure access opened intermittently.
Groups of two to five minors removed at a time.
Hooded adult individuals conducted unspecified procedures.
Portions of the testimony regarding procedural actions are sealed under:
[ Ritual Activity Classification — Black Archive / Clearance Required ]
During debriefing, the victim exhibited acute psychological fracture and dissociative breakdown.
Testimony terminated.
Current status:
State-protected psychiatric facility — [FACILITY NAME REDACTED].
Long-term cognitive integrity prognosis: guarded.
Due to the scale and systemic pattern of blank-targeted abductions, full operational prioritization was enacted.
Spellborne units were redeployed nationally with primary objective:
Containment and disruption of extraction networks.
Consequences:
Parallel criminal enterprises expanded under reduced surveillance.
Smuggling corridors increased activity.
Urban magical contraband distribution escalated.
Rural monitoring infrastructure degraded.
Larion’s geographic scale and dense urban development significantly impeded coordinated response.
Agent density was insufficient.
Internal staffing reports during peak abduction phase indicate:
Functional arcane field agents below sustainable operational threshold.
Burnout incidence among active units exceeded projected tolerance margins.
Emergency recruitment proposals initiated.
The Design effectively exploited enforcement saturation limits.
Strategic Assessment:
The abduction crisis represented the first confirmed instance in which The Design demonstrated sustained, nationwide operational superiority over arcane law enforcement.
Memory manipulation capability combined with limited agent deployment created asymmetrical advantage conditions.
Escalation potential classified as existential at time of peak activity.
SUBJECT: LARDFORD INCIDENT & SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONAL COLLAPSE
Incident Location: City of Lardford, State of Brimm, Kingdom of Larion
Event Classification: Arcane Catastrophe — Internal Breach Suspected
Casualty Count (Confirmed):
1,015 civilian fatalities
Two full Rank-A Spellborne squadrons eliminated
Perimeter analysis confirms ignition source originated from a high-output pyromantic discharge event within urban density.
Responsible party: unidentified arcane pyromancer.
Photographic evidence recovered from civilian devices suggests the subject was wearing standardized Spellborne field armor at time of detonation.
Armor authenticity remains under forensic review.
Possibilities under investigation:
Active Spellborne operative rogue event
Armor acquisition through infiltration or theft
Illusionary mimicry consistent with Veil of the Body discipline
Embedded asset within agency ranks
At the request of Regent Director Glorthamiel Xanderius, the identity of the suspected individual remains sealed.
Official record lists subject as deceased in combat following intervention by Rank-S response units.
Thermal signature collapse confirms terminal outcome.
Within weeks following the Lardford Event, blank abduction incidents decreased abruptly.
National reporting frequency fell to near-zero levels.
Civilian discoveries increased in abandoned industrial sites and peripheral facilities.
Recovered locations contained:
Skeletal remains of unidentified minors of all types of races
Ritual etching patterns
Residual mana saturation beyond acceptable safety thresholds
Concentrated NEG-class arcane energy deposits
Arcane Forensics classified the residual energy as:
NEG Signature — High Volatility / Ritual Concentration Grade
Environmental contamination required containment sealing in multiple districts.
Notably, operational structures appeared intentionally vacated rather than forcibly disrupted.
In the months following the decline, smaller independent cult clusters continued ritual operations referencing [ENTITY DESIGNATION REDACTED].
Without centralized coordination attributed to The Design, these cells were systematically dismantled by Spellborne tactical divisions.
Engagement reports indicate:
High fatality rates among cult members
Minimal surrender compliance
Widespread preference for lethal confrontation over capture
No substantial intelligence was extracted from surviving participants.
Temporal alignment between:
The Lardford pyromantic catastrophe
Immediate cessation of large-scale blank abductions
Sudden abandonment of clandestine holding facilities
…remains statistically significant.
Unresolved variables:
Was the Lardford individual affiliated with The Design?
Was the event an internal purge?
Was it a failed ritual escalation?
Or was it an uncontrolled variable that disrupted ongoing operations?
No direct evidentiary bridge has been established.
However, post-Lardford operational silence suggests structural reorganization rather than collapse.
The Design did not disappear.
It withdrew.
SUBJECT: SURVIVOR INTEGRATION, POLICY RESPONSE, AND INTERNATIONAL ESCALATION
Among the extraction-site recoveries preceding the Lardford Event was:
Subject: [IDENTITY REDACTED]
Sex: Female
Recovery Location: [LOCATION REDACTED]
Recovery Lead: Regent Director Glorthamiel Xanderius
Subject was confirmed to have survived prolonged captivity under Design-controlled infrastructure.
Medical and arcane evaluation reports classified her condition as:
Severe ritual exposure
Residual NEG contamination
Partial mnemonic fragmentation
Elevated arcane adaptability markers
Subject has provided useful information that have corroborated the clandestine operations.
Subject later entered Spellborne service under provisional clearance to dismantle their remaining centers.
Her operational performance records remain partially sealed.
Current status:
No longer active within agency structure.
Present whereabouts unknown.
File flagged for internal review.
Post-Lardford intelligence confirms that The Design ceased direct orchestration of large-scale blank abductions.
Operational responsibility appeared to shift toward smaller, decentralized cult cells operating without centralized logistical support.
During this period:
Major coordinated extractions ceased.
Financial tracing of illicit catalyst trade diminished.
Symbolic markings declined in frequency.
The Design transitioned into low-visibility mode.
Duration of reduced detectable activity: multiple years.
This period is internally designated:
Dormancy Phase Alpha
No verified evidence suggests dissolution.
Assessment favors strategic concealment.
In response to national trauma, casualty rates, and confirmed systemic enforcement limitations, joint deliberations between:
State Cabinets
Arcane Security Directorate
Legislative Council
…resulted in proposed structural reinforcement measures.
Primary initiative:
Mandatory establishment of “Spellborne Juniors” divisions within all accredited arcane academies.
Objective:
Early identification of high-capability students
Accelerated defensive training
Recruitment pipeline expansion
Increased future agent density
Public reaction was immediate and divided.
Opposition groups characterized the initiative as:
Coercive militarization of youth
Psychological conditioning under state influence
Forced alignment with arcane militia structures
Subsequent legislative reform amended participation status from mandatory to voluntary.
Current status:
Enrollment optional per student consent. Students must be above 4th year.
Western allied nations have adopted similar academy-based preparatory divisions.
Multilateral agreement established:
Spellborne operational jurisdiction expanded to provide cross-border assistance in arcane threat containment.
Agency mandate now includes:
International rapid-response deployment
Intelligence-sharing protocols
Joint-task-force formation
Cross-continental ritual disruption operations
This expansion marks the first instance in which Spellborne authority extends beyond domestic territory.
The Design’s apparent dormancy coincided with:
Institutional restructuring
Increased surveillance density
Early-stage recruitment pipelines
International operational expansion
Whether this restructuring deterred The Design or merely delayed escalation remains unresolved.
Current year indicators suggest reactivation patterns.
SUBJECT: REACTIVATION INDICATORS — INTERNATIONAL SPREAD
As of the present reporting cycle, disappearance cases matching the historical extraction profile associated with The Design have been documented in multiple developing nations across foreign continents.
Commonalities observed:
Blank minor targeting
Familial memory irregularities
Residual NEG-class arcane signatures
Infiltration via identity mimicry
Delayed third-party reporting
Affected regions lack advanced arcane regulatory frameworks, mirroring structural vulnerabilities present in Larion during the initial escalation period.
No formal declaration of The Design’s involvement has been issued.
However, pattern congruence exceeds statistical coincidence thresholds.
International monitoring status elevated to:
Reactive Surveillance Protocol — Crimson Tier
Location: Seryndale rail line, inbound to Capital
Target: Gerard Frostweaver
Status: Heir Apparent — Frostweaver House
Incident involved two unidentified arcane-capable individuals, male and female, participating in the attempted capture of the primogeniture heir.
Operational summary:
Engagement occurred in transit environment.
Suspects demonstrated coordinated arcane capability.
Identity records: nonexistent in all known databases.
Extraction attempt unsuccessful.
All Spellborne units placed under High Alert following the event.
Arcane Forensics Division reports unusually dense NEG-class residue at the Seryndale incident site.
Preliminary spectral comparison indicates high similarity to residual signatures cataloged during:
Pre-Lardford abduction facilities
Ritual extraction chambers
Dormancy Phase Alpha archive samples
Similarity index: statistically significant.
No direct emblematic marking or pentacle signature was recovered.
Officially (to the public media), no confirmed link to The Design has been established.
Unofficial intelligence consensus indicates probable association.
The following variables are now active:
Foreign replication of blank-targeted disappearances
High-profile noble target engagement
NEG signature resurgence consistent with 25-year historical data
Emergence of unidentified operatives lacking institutional record
Conclusion:
Dormancy Phase Alpha is considered terminated.
The Design is assessed as operational.
Global escalation probability: elevated.
All units remain on active deployment readiness.
END OF DOSSIER EXTRACT
Further sections restricted under Black Archive clearance.
"I need some coffee. My head is about to explode."
An extra file envelope slid out without a second thought when she picked up another. It had no stamp, no date, nothing. Blank, unusual.
"Perhaps a copy," Astera murmured, until she opened it, and her thoughts were unexpectedly shaken.
UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATE — ARCHIVE FRAGMENT
Distribution: Unknown
Incident Timestamp:
Early Phase — War between the Republic of Soleria and the Empire of Velkaris
Approximate Date: 7 years prior to current report
Location:
Rural settlement — snowfield outskirts
Coordinates: [REDACTED]
Initial Response Trigger:
Multiple reports of familial dismemberment within isolated farming district.
Local law enforcement reported “animal attack.”
Spellborne Unit dispatched following discovery of arcane residue inconsistent with fauna.
Upon arrival, agents documented:
Entire family units dismembered within domestic structures.
Limbs removed with irregular tearing patterns.
No ritual sigils.
No identifiable weapon traces.
Biological residue inconsistent with known arcane beasts.
Tracks led outward toward open snowfield.
Subject encountered at perimeter tree line.
Classification: Unknown
Taxonomy: Non-correlative
Race alignment: None
Agents reported the following characteristics:
Humanoid silhouette with disproportionate limb extension.
Dermal texture inconsistent with mammalian or arcane-beast hide.
Unstable aura signature.
Feeding behavior indiscriminate.
Entity displayed immediate hostility upon contact with Spellborne unit.
Engagement escalated rapidly.
Subject demonstrated high aggression and resistance to standard arcane suppression.
Unexpected vulnerability observed:
Sunlight exposure following cloud dissipation resulted in dermal ignition and structural degradation.
Subject’s exterior tissue burned upon sustained solar contact.
No biological sample successfully extracted.
Remains disintegrated under continued exposure.
No residual NEG signature consistent with The Design operations was recorded at the site.
(Transcript recovered from personal recording device. Content unedited.)
“It was… a demon.
It wasn’t part of any race. Not human. Not orcish. Not elven. Nothing. Not even a beast…
I’ve seen beasts. I’ve seen cursed hybrids. I’ve seen things warped by rituals and rot and war.
This wasn’t that.
It didn’t belong anywhere.
It moved like it didn’t understand its own body. Like it was learning how to walk while tearing people apart.
It... it ate everything.
And when the clouds cleared… when the sunlight hit it… its skin started burning. Peeling. Cracking open like wet paper in a flame.
We couldn’t get close enough to extract anything. It just… came apart.
But when it was dying…
It screamed.
Not like an animal.
Not like a monster.
It screamed like... like a child.
I could hear it. I swear to you, I could hear it! A CHILD’S VOICE INSIDE THAT THING!
A CHILD VOICE, DAMMIT!
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!”
Recording ends abruptly.
Agent reassigned two months later.
Subsequent psychological evaluation sealed.
No further sightings.
No recurring entity pattern.
No matching forensic profile in later cases.
Incident was archived under:
Anomalous Entity Classification — Non-Repeatable / Low Probability Recurrence
No cross-reference was officially made between this entity and The Design operations.
However, the temporal proximity to early war destabilization and subsequent rise of underground arcane networks remains noted in margin commentary.
Addendum — Handwritten Annotation (Origin Unknown):
“If it screamed like a child, it wasn’t born like that.”