Foundations

16th January 1987

"Brother!" A pitiful and innocent voice pierced the evening silence, cries shattering the palpable tranquillity.

"Shhh, I'm here, brother is here." A compassionate figure emerged from the shadows, his tousled black hair and purple eyes illuminated by a copper lantern hanging at his side, lending him an almost ethereal presence.

"I... I had a nightmare," the younger voice trembled, tears evident in its broken cadence.

"It's alright, Mark, it's alright now." Bondrewd's gentle touch comforted the anxious boy, his demeanour exuding a sense of reassurance.

Despite his young age, over the past three years, he had assumed a paternal role toward some of the children his age, much to the Matron's delight. Showering them with gifts from sympathetic benefactors, he had become a beloved and generous older brother figure.

"Brother, can you read me a bedtime story?" Mark pleaded earnestly, hope glimmering in his eyes.

"It's late..." Bondrewd trailed off, his pause laden with dramatic effect.

"But?" Mark pressed, his gaze pleading.

"That's not a problem for your favourite big brother," Bondrewd replied teasingly, eliciting a happy smile from the young boy.

"Once upon a time..." Bondrewd began, weaving a tale reminiscent of those the Matron used to tell him.

As the night deepened, subtle snores filled the air, signalling Mark's peaceful slumber. With a slight sigh, Bondrewd tucked the excitable youngster in, then turned to leave, the door closing behind him with a soft creak.

The corridor was bathed in an almost mystical blue-ish hue, illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the barred windows. Bondrewd walked through the long corridors of the West wing, his room situated in the East, and the library perched centrally.

Repetitive steps echoed as he briskly made his way to the library, where he settled into a familiar seat. Outside, the wind howled and rain battered the windows, casting a cold, lonely glow over the room.

A solitary figure lounged in the rickety wooden chair, holding a book with a firm grip, surrounded by rows of neatly arranged volumes.

"Bruce, put this back," Bondrewd's harsh amethyst eyes fixed on a skinnier boy standing opposite, as his fingers carelessly toyed with the spine of the book.

As rain lashed the windows and distant flashes illuminated the storm, Bruce, with his soft hazel eyes and nervous demeanour, timidly returned the book.

"Thank you, you can leave," Bondrewd dismissed him curtly, engrossed in his own reading and occasional note-taking.

With a creak of wood and a snap of a book, Bondrewd rose from his seat, towering over Bruce, who turned at the sound. 

Bondrewd's calculating indigo pupils briefly met Bruce's soft hazel gaze, hinting at a deeper complexity hidden beneath the surface as he slinked into the darkness of the east wing.

A faint chuckle reverberated through the darkness, its origins concealed amidst the shadows.

"Too easy..." Bondrewd's voice dripped with amusement, a subtle undertone of satisfaction lacing his words.

After a moment, a wooden door slid open noiselessly, its once audible click now reduced to a mere whisper, a spectral entrance into the room.

"Hm, the first phase has unfolded according to plan. I now possess a foundational level of trust and support to amplify my operations," Bondrewd mused aloud, his darker thoughts shrouded from all but himself.

"Mark hardly interacts with the other children besides me. As long as his isolation persists, his reliance on me will naturally escalate. Bruce, on the other hand, is excessively timid and easily swayed by authority."

Pages rustled as Bondrewd opened his thick leather journal, delving deeper into its recesses to scrutinize and extend his meticulous records.

From a tender age, he had discerned he was... different from the others. When they perceived simplicity, he perceived complexity, and where they saw merely friendship groupings, he identified opportunity.

Exerting control over the diverse array of children and orphans held untold potential for his future endeavours. After all, it never hurt to have an additional set of hands.

Furthermore, their impressionable young minds rendered them exceptionally pliable, and any dependency or vulnerability he could exploit would likely endure well into adulthood.

Though their utility may currently be limited, it would be a mistake to underestimate their value.

Securing specific books for himself, obtaining additional rations, securing special privileges, and even covert surveillance were just a few examples of their potential applications.

"It's remarkable how freely one divulges information when trust is established," he reflected pensively, idly twirling a pen between his fingers.

His encounters with certain literary pieces had uncovered the supremacy of knowledge; the mightiest among them deferred to the wisest. Only through the acquisition of knowledge could one attain true strength, power, and control.

With this microcosmic validation, he was resolute in extending his reach, enriching his reservoir of knowledge and dominion over others without bounds.

In the quiet solitude of the chamber, Bondrewd's mind whirred with calculated ambition, his plans unfurling like intricate tapestries in the recesses of his thoughts.

But as he delved deeper into his strategies, an insatiable hunger gnawed at the corners of his consciousness. It wasn't merely enough to manipulate the circumstances of those around him; he craved a mastery that transcended the boundaries of mere influence.

His gaze drifted toward the flickering candlelight, casting dancing shadows upon the walls like specters of his clandestine machinations. In that wavering glow, he glimpsed the outlines of his grand design—a web of connections and alliances, woven with threads of secrecy and obedience.

With each passing moment, his resolve solidified, his determination unyielding in the pursuit of his ultimate objectives. No obstacle would deter him, no sacrifice too great in the pursuit of his ambitions.

As he embarked upon this odyssey of enlightenment and control, he knew that he alone held the key to unlocking the mysteries of the world—and reshaping them to his will for he would bring a new dawn.