orgin

Cior stared at the screen, her breathing uneven as the results from her "AllKnow" device stared back at her. She had hoped for clarity, for a clear answer about her origins and heritage, but what she found only deepened the mystery.

---

Cior's Report Highlights

Heritage: Unknown

The device, despite being designed to analyze and determine identity with precision, failed to define her heritage. It simply returned the word "Unknown" under her species and origin.

Location of Origin: Unknown

The device couldn't pinpoint where she came from. There was no traceable link to any known continent, kingdom, or species.

Mana and Power Levels:

The readings were off the charts, beyond even what the device was calibrated to handle. It left a vague but ominous note: "Unquantifiable."

---

Kieran Everhart's Report Highlights

Cior, desperate for answers, ran a scan on her adoptive father, Kieran. When the results came in, her confusion only grew.

Heritage: Unknown

Just like her, Kieran's species was listed as "Unknown."

Location of Origin: Unknown

The device failed to locate where he came from.

Connections:

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the section listing Kieran Everhart as her biological father.

There was no doubt. The device was accurate.

Kieran's Wife:

Listed under familial connections was Lioriah Atlyn, the same name that appeared as Cior's mother. A woman Cior had never met or heard of before. Her details, too, were shrouded in mystery, with both her heritage and location listed as "Unknown."

---

Her Reaction

Cior leaned back in her chair, staring at the screen in disbelief. Her hands trembled slightly as she reread the results again and again, hoping for a mistake or a different outcome. But the words never changed.

"How is this possible?" she muttered to herself, her voice shaky. "He's... my biological father? And my mother... who is she? Why is everything about them... unknown?"

Her mind swirled with questions. If Kieran was her biological father, why had he never told her? Did he even know? And who was Lioriah Atlyn, this mysterious woman who shared her unknown origins?

Her stomach churned as she tried to process it all. The lack of clarity was maddening. Even her own identity—the one thing she thought she might understand—was now shrouded in doubt.

"I'm... an unknown," she whispered, the words tasting bitter.

She slammed her hand on the desk, frustration bubbling up. "No, this can't be it! There has to be more! Why does it feel like this whole thing was designed to keep me in the dark?"

---

A New Determination

Cior took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. She couldn't let this mystery control her. She had to find answers, no matter what it took.

"This isn't the end," she said firmly, glaring at the device as if it were mocking her. "If the answers aren't here, then I'll find them somewhere else."

She shut down "AllKnow" and leaned back, her eyes drifting to the ceiling. Questions about her true origins, her parents, and even Kieran swirled in her mind.

But for now, one thing was clear: she couldn't tell anyone about this. Not yet. She needed time to think, to process, and most importantly, to uncover the truth herself.

Kieran, lounging in his office chair, looked up at Cior with an easygoing grin as she stormed in, throwing the report on his desk. He didn't flinch, his relaxed posture unaffected by the intensity in her eyes.

"Well, well, you got your hands on the 'AllKnow' results, huh?" he said, tapping a finger to his temple. "Pretty advanced stuff, but I'm guessing you're not thrilled with what you found?"

Cior crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed. "What is this all about, Kieran? Why does the report say that you're my biological father? And who the hell is this Lioriah Atlyn?"

Kieran leaned back in his chair, spinning it casually, as though the whole situation was some amusing puzzle. "Ah, the suspense has gotten to you, huh? Look, I didn't plan for you to find out like this, but… there's no easy way to drop that bomb, is there?"

Cior's frustration flared. "Don't dodge the question, Kieran. I need answers. This—this doesn't make sense. It's all—unknown."

He smirked and rested his chin on his hand, looking her up and down as if contemplating the right words. "Ah, the grand mystery of your origins. Fun, isn't it? I'm not surprised you're confused. But you've got to understand, not everything's supposed to make sense right now. Some things are just… complicated."

"Complicated?" Cior scoffed, her hands on her hips. "I don't care about complicated, I care about the truth! Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Kieran's eyes twinkled with a playful glint. "Tell you? Oh, I didn't think you were ready for all that, kid. You were living your life just fine—no need to go stirring up the past with all these existential family revelations, right?"

Cior's fists clenched. "You think this is a joke?"

Kieran chuckled, his shoulders rising in a nonchalant shrug. "No, it's not a joke. But it's all part of the bigger picture. You're special, Cior. That report, all that weird stuff—it's a reflection of your uniqueness. And I'm your father, sure, but there's more to it than just bloodlines and names. Much more."

Cior's expression softened slightly, confusion mingling with suspicion. "What do you mean, there's more to it?"

He leaned forward a little, eyes gleaming with mischief. "I mean, your mother's name—Lioriah Atlyn—isn't a name you'll find in any history books. She was… complicated too. Think of her like a puzzle, one that's been scattered in a million pieces. The reason all this heritage stuff came back as 'unknown' is because the world doesn't quite have a place for you. Not yet, at least."

Cior took a deep breath, trying to make sense of his words. "So, you're saying I'm some kind of anomaly?"

"Well, aren't we all?" Kieran grinned, tapping the edge of the desk as though he were savoring a secret. "But yes, you're something different. And that's why I never rushed to tell you. The world's not ready for all that you are. You probably aren't either."

Cior was silent for a moment, the weight of his words settling in. "I don't know if I'm ready for it either."

Kieran stood up slowly, moving to the window with a contemplative look. "Trust me, I know. But the thing is, kid—you're going to have to be. You're a part of something bigger, and it's about time you start figuring out what that is. Whether you like it or not."

Cior stared at him, trying to digest everything he'd just said. "And you expect me to just accept this?"

"Not accept it," Kieran replied, turning around with a knowing smile. "But start digging. And when you do, just know I've got your back. Even if it's complicated."

Cior's eyes narrowed, her fists clenching as she faced Kieran. "But why hide the fact I was your own blood and flesh?" she demanded, her voice cracking slightly with a mix of frustration and hurt.

Kieran tilted his head back and sighed, rubbing his temple as though this conversation had been long overdue. "Because, Lunette," he began, his voice casual but carrying an undercurrent of emotion, "the world's not as simple as it looks. You weren't just a regular kid, and I wasn't about to let you get caught in the chaos that's been following me around for years. Your mother and I agreed you'd be safest with the Count family. It was a temporary thing, I swear."

Cior's heart hammered in her chest. "So you sent me away like… like some kind of secret, then just let them take me? What was I supposed to be? A pawn to be hidden away until the right time?"

Kieran shot her a sharp look, leaning against the wall as if he was tired, but his words carried weight. "You think I wanted that for you? Of course not. I would've moved mountains if I could. But they found out about you. My enemies. They killed the Count family. Before I even knew what happened, you were gone, taken and locked away. Took me two years to track you down. Two years, Lunette." He ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't have a choice."

Cior blinked, her head spinning. "So that's why you named me Lunette... when I couldn't even remember my own name."

"Yeah." Kieran's voice softened for a moment, but there was still a bit of humor in it, a way of masking the raw emotion that threatened to surface. "Your mother and I, we picked that name together. It was her idea, actually. She wanted you to have a name that meant something. Lunette—like the moon. Bright, calm, and untouchable. When I found you, I couldn't let go of it. I couldn't let go of the last thing we had together."

Cior's throat tightened, and she blinked rapidly to stop the tears that threatened to spill. "But… what about her? What happened to my mother?"

Kieran's face darkened, and for a brief moment, he seemed older than usual, weighed down by something invisible. "She died just after you were born. Some complications during childbirth. I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't save her, Lunette." His voice caught for just a second before he composed himself. "I promised her I'd protect you, no matter what. And I've kept that promise... I've kept you hidden away because the world's been trying to tear us apart since the moment you were born."

Cior looked away, the pain of that revelation settling into her chest like a stone. "And all this time, you kept me in the dark about who I really was. About you. About everything."

Kieran pushed off the wall and walked toward her, an almost nonchalant attitude masking the seriousness in his eyes. "I didn't want to, Lunette. I didn't want you to carry the weight of this legacy. You weren't meant to be part of all this. You were supposed to have a normal life, not be stuck in this ridiculous mess I've created." He ran a hand through his hair again, looking a little too human for the first time in ages. "You should've been safe. You should've been happy."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Cior's voice cracked, a tear slipping down her cheek before she could stop it. "Why didn't you trust me to handle the truth?"

Kieran's face softened for a split second, his usual cocky demeanor gone. "I'm not good at this whole father thing, Lunette," he muttered, a rare trace of vulnerability in his voice. "I'm not good at putting people I love in danger, especially you. I just wanted to keep you safe."

Cior looked at him, the weight of his words sinking in. Her head spun with the gravity of everything that had been hidden from her—her origins, her past, the choices Kieran had made on her behalf. She still wasn't sure how she felt, but one thing was clear: her world had just been turned upside down.

"You still should've told me," she said quietly, her voice steady but filled with a new kind of determination. "I don't care about the dangers. I care about the truth."

Kieran chuckled softly, the sound tinged with bittersweetness. "Yeah, I know. But, you know me, Lunette. I'd rather dodge a fight than deal with that."

Cior couldn't help but let out a small, dry laugh despite the storm of emotions inside her. "Well, looks like I've inherited that from you."

Kieran gave her a rare, genuine smile—something that wasn't just for show. "You sure did. But, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I didn't want you to find out like this. And I won't lie and say it's going to be easy, but you've got me. You've got your father. And I won't hide it from you again."

Cior looked at him, feeling something shift inside her. It wasn't forgiveness—maybe not yet—but it was something else. Maybe it was acceptance, or at least the first step toward it. "You'd better keep that promise, Kieran."

"I will," he said, giving her a small nod. "And I'll start by not hiding anything from you anymore. Deal?"

"Deal," Cior replied, though her heart still felt heavy. She wasn't sure how to move forward from here, but she knew one thing: her life was about to change in ways she couldn't even begin to predict.