Embers of the Dead

Alina sat across from Dr. Thorne in the quiet lab, her body still aching, her mind swirling with questions. The process ahead would not be easy—but there was no turning back now.

"I need to know what you understand," Dr. Thorne said, her voice sharp. "You've told me you have some knowledge of healing magic. That's a good start. Your mother was a healer, correct?"

Alina nodded slowly, trying to push the memory of her mother out of her mind. "Yes. She was a healer. I learned the basics of healing magic... anatomy, biology."

"Good," Dr. Thorne said, her eyes glinting with interest. "I'm going to teach you more. Much more."

Alina's heart pounded as Dr. Thorne moved toward a cabinet, pulling out a number of strange tools and materials. "First, we'll start with surgery—basic but essential. You need to know how to perform repairs. We'll begin with your own body. I'll teach you how to remove organs, replace damaged tissue, and sew things back together."

Alina swallowed hard. This was not the future she had envisioned. But it was the only future she had now.

"We'll also need to address your body's decay," Dr. Thorne continued. "You'll learn how to embalm yourself. How to prevent further decomposition. Then we'll move on to more intricate parts: how to create artificial hair, bones, and muscle. These will be necessary to rebuild your body. But you'll also need magic. You'll learn how to manipulate the energies around you, how to integrate the magic with your body's structure."

Alina's mind buzzed. Could she really do this? Would she want to?

"And eventually," Dr. Thorne continued, "we'll start modifying you. Enhancements. You'll decide what you need: stronger bones, more muscle, better vision. But you must also remember—whatever you add, it's irreversible. You will be your own architect. I'll just teach you how."

Alina nodded slowly. She didn't know if she was ready for any of this, but she also knew there was no other choice.

"So, where do we start?" she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

Dr. Thorne smiled, a hint of something like approval in her gaze. "We start with your body. Let's begin the embalming process."