The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 1: The Butterfly Garden

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Only girls can teleport from the butterfly garden to Aislinn's College, so what is middle aged Fred doing on the equinox at the butterfly garden trying yet again to do magic?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here.

---

Chapter 1: The Butterfly Garden

A giant grin radiates from the lone man, amid a multitude of girls who jeer at Fred, and magic fills him as an overflowing joy. The magic abundance is different, different is good.

The autumn equinox paints the Butterfly Garden in shades of amber and gold, each leaf catching the slanted light like stained glass. Fred stands among the swirling monarchs, their orange wings creating a living kaleidoscope around him as they prepared for their own impossible journey. His heart hammers with anticipation—today feels different, charged with possibility.

He closes his eyes and lets the sensation wash over him: the electric tingle that starts in his chest and spreads outward like ripples on water. For thirty-six years, he'd carried this certainty within him, this bone-deep knowledge that he can step between worlds if he just believes hard enough. The butterflies seem to sense it too, their flight patterns growing more frenzied, more purposeful.

The ancient college, he thinks, picturing the crystalline spires he'd seen in dreams, the halls where students learn to bend reality itself. It's waiting for me.

The joy builds inside him like pressure in a steam engine. This isn't mere hope anymore—it is faith made manifest, burning bright as the equinox sun. Fred opens his arms wide, feeling the cosmic alignment of the season, the perfect balance between light and dark that made all transformations possible.

"I can do this," he whispered to the butterflies. "I know I can."

The world holds its breath. Then Fred takes a step forward—not with his feet, but with his entire being, pushing against the fabric of reality with pure intention. The garden explodes in white light.

When the brilliance fades, Fred finds himself standing in a room that shouldn't exist.

Medieval stone walls rise around him, but they seem to breathe with their own inner light. Tapestries depicting impossible geometries hang between arched windows that show not sky, but swirling galaxies. The air itself feels thick with magic, making his skin tingle as if he'd walk through spider webs made of starlight.

After looking around at the walls, Fred paid attention to the room which was like the medieval cell of a monk or nun. There was a bed with a table beside it. On one wall was necessary things, a larder full of edible food, a bowl of water on a tabletop, a potty, A linens cabinet full of towels, cloths, bedlinens and a comforter. On the other side of the bed along the wall was a writing desk with a slate above it and a bell upon it and a row of bookshelves full of a mixture of ancient and new books.

All of a sudden, Fred found himself over come with weakness and before he fell to the floor, he dove into the bed. It was as though all his strength had been taken away by teleporting wherever he was now. Overcome with exhaustion, Fred entered a deep sleep.

The first image of Fred's dream was a pleasant one of his dearly beloved Sarah. She placed from sitting on her finger to the bridge of his nose a beautiful Monarch butterfly as they both sat on the grass off the ordinary path in the Butterfly Garden. He remembered that this was from five years ago when the relationship between Fred and Sarah had gone beyond friendship to approach romance.

Fred didn't want to replay this experience however pleasurable that might be. He wanted to talk to Sarah about what was happening in the waking world to him. Responding to his desires a portal opened to the room that he was really in with his body unconscious on the cell's bed. Fred noticed a plaque that had been behind him before on the wall but now that he was outside looking in was visible to him. It said, "The Bit Bucket".

"Sarah, what is this place?" Fred's voice came out rougher than he'd intended. "I was trying to reach the college. The ancient one, off-planet."

"Fred, I've read about this, Bit Bucket, as one of the myths, but you have found it to be real."

"I don't want it to be real. I want to be at Aislinn's College instead. That's where I'll get all my answers about who I am in reality." Fred's face twisted in frustration over not reaching his destination instead of joy that he was able to teleport to any place at all.

They both passed through the portal out of the butterfly garden and into The Bit Bucket. They could see the butterfly garden now through the portal.

Sarah's expression softened with something that might have been sympathy. "I know. But the Bit Bucket catches those who don't quite fit the college's usual categories. Think of it as... a waiting room for the metaphysically displaced. A person who's been caught between worlds ends up in The Bit Bucket. The equinoxes are particularly active times for such transitions."

"Caught between worlds?" The words sent a chill down Fred's spine. "You mean I'm trapped?"

"Not trapped," Sarah said carefully. "But the way forward requires mastery of skills you haven't fully developed yet. Teleportation brought you here, but escaping... that requires something else."

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling. The joy of successful teleportation was rapidly giving way to a creeping dread. "How long have people been stuck here?"

"Time works differently in the Bit Bucket. You might find your way out in what feels like days. Each one learns according to their gifts. You might take much longer to learn what you need to know."

As if summoned by their conversation, the air in the room began to shimmer. Fred felt a presence pressing against the edges of his consciousness—ancient, vast, and somehow familiar. The sensation was like trying to remember a dream that kept slipping away.

"The spirits are stirring," Sarah murmured, her eyes growing distant. "They can sense the change you've brought. Your arrival has awakened something that's been sleeping for a very long time."

Fred wanted to ask what she meant, but the words died in his throat as images flashed through his mind: a woman with eyes like starlight wielding power that could reshape reality; another figure wreathed in shadow, her beauty terrible and cold. The visions came and went like lightning, leaving him gasping.

"What's happening to me?" he managed.

Sarah's hand found his shoulder, her touch surprisingly warm and solid. "You're not just anyone, Fred. The Bit Bucket doesn't call to ordinary people. There's something about you—something that connects you to the ancient powers that shaped this place."

The room pulsed around them, the medieval stones seeming to breathe with renewed life. Somewhere in the distance, Fred could swear he heard the sound of wings—not butterfly wings, but something vast and powerful stirring to wakefulness.

"I need to get back," he said, though even as he spoke, he wasn't sure what he was going back to. The Butterfly Garden felt like a memory from another lifetime. "There has to be a way."

"There is," Sarah said quietly. "But it's not the path you think. The way forward isn't back—it's through transformation itself."

Fred looked at her sharply, something in her tone making his pulse quicken. "What kind of transformation?"

Before she could answer, the slate over the entryway wall began to glow more brightly. New words appeared, written in the same flowing script but in a hand, he didn't recognize: The wheel turns. The sleeper wakes. What was divided shall be made whole.

Sarah's face went pale as she read the words. "It's beginning," she whispered. "After all these centuries, it's finally beginning."

"What's beginning?" Fred demanded, but the room was already starting to change around them. The medieval stones began to shift and flow like water, and the air filled with a sound like distant thunder. The dreamscape shifted around Fred. The Butterfly Garden came into focus again, but this was not a day of joy for Fred. It was the day everything changed for him. The day an accident took Sarah's life on the summer solstice.

The events replayed as they did on that terrible day three years ago. Fred was waiting for Sarah in the garden as they had arranged but she never came. Fred had gotten a call that Sarah had been found. They assumed it was an accident with Sarah being alone and falling from the hiking trail on the way to meet Fred. Fred went to where it had happened and took Sarah into his arms. Fred began to weep again uncontrollably as he did that day. There was nothing he could do since once an event had been written there was no power to unwrite it.

Sarah immediately had joined the spirit realm as one herself. The body that he held was only an empty husk now. Some spirits served the living at the interface between worlds. Other spirits gained the capacity for reincarnation for another chance at life.

Fred realized that it was the intersection of joy and sorrow when he embraced both on the just past equinox that summoned the magic for him to actually teleport after trying each equinox for a lifetime.

"If Sarah was right and transformation was my only way out of here, what could i do? I had already done my very best and had come short of the goal. I would need a guide for my journey. Not just anyone but someone who knew me personally and also knew what it would take to get me to the point where i could escape."

But that was impossible. Wasn't it?

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and everything went white.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 2: The Bit Bucket Discovery

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Who is Gwen, the ghost, that Fred in The Bit Bucket can't place her, as he ponders this detour from his destination?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here.

---

Chapter 2: The Bit Bucket Discovery

The white light faded like morning mist, leaving Fred standing in a space that defied every law of physics he thought he understood. Stone walls rose around him, their surfaces breathing with an inner luminescence that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. This wasn't the crystalline spires of the ancient college he'd envisioned—this was something far older, far stranger.

Medieval tapestries hung between arched windows, but the scenes they depicted moved and shifted like living dreams. Through those impossible windows, Fred glimpsed not sky but swirling galaxies, their spiral arms rotating in slow, hypnotic dance. The air itself felt thick with possibility, making his skin tingle as if he'd walked through a web of starlight.

Environmental Exploration

Fred moved deeper into the room, his footsteps echoing strangely in the charged atmosphere. Every surface seemed to hum with contained energy—the wooden table with its silver bell and platter, the bookcase filled with volumes whose titles shifted when he wasn't looking directly at them, the lamp that burned with a flame that cast no shadows yet illuminated everything.

"Aislinn C" was stamped on the flyleaf of every book, the letters glowing faintly blue. The mysterious liquid in the lamp's reservoir never diminished, though the flame danced as if responding to unseen winds. Everything here existed in a state of perpetual almost-motion, as if the room itself were holding its breath.

Most intriguing of all was the slate mounted on the wall near the bookcase. Its surface was smooth as black water, and carved at the top were three simple words: "Who Are You?"

Writing on the Slate

Fred approached the slate with a mixture of reverence and curiosity. A piece of chalk rested in the wooden tray beneath it, worn smooth by countless hands. Without quite understanding why, he felt compelled to answer the question.

His hand trembled slightly as he picked up the chalk. The moment his fingers closed around it, warmth spread up his arm—not unpleasant, but definitely magical. He could feel the room watching, waiting.

Carefully, he spelled out his name: F-R-E-D.

The letters blazed to life the instant he finished, glowing with the same soft blue fire he'd seen in the books. But more than that—the moment his name appeared, Fred felt something shift in the room around him. The air grew warmer, more welcoming, as if the space had been waiting specifically for him to arrive.

"Fascinating," said a voice behind him. "It's been over a thousand years since anyone wrote their name on that slate."

Meeting Gwen

Fred spun around, his heart hammering. A young woman stood near the arched doorway he was certain hadn't been there moments before. She wore robes that seemed to shift between blue and silver with each breath, and her dark hair moved as if touched by an unfelt breeze. But it was her eyes that made his chest tighten with impossible recognition—storm-gray eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of centuries.

"I'm Gwendolyn," she said, stepping closer with fluid grace. "But you can call me Gwen. I'm what you might call a spirit monitor—your guide in this place."

"Spirit monitor?" Fred's voice came out rougher than he'd intended. The recognition nagging at him was growing stronger, like trying to remember a half-forgotten dream. "You mean you're...?"

"Dead? Yes, technically." Gwen's smile was both sad and beautiful. "Though 'dead' is such a limiting term when you're dealing with metaphysical spaces. I exist here, between life and whatever comes after, helping those who find themselves caught in the Bit Bucket."

"The Bit Bucket?" Fred gestured to the medieval walls around them. "That's what this place is called?"

"A rather undignified name for such an ancient space, I'll admit." Gwen moved to the window, her form seeming to shimmer slightly in the strange light. "But accurate. Think of it as a cosmic waiting room for souls who don't quite fit the usual categories."

Exposition on Metaphysical Mechanisms

Gwen turned back to him, her expression growing more serious. "You see, Fred, teleportation isn't as simple as most people believe. When someone attempts to travel between worlds, they enter a metaphysical state where reality becomes... fluid. The college has rooms designed to intercept girls of specific ages—Room 11 for eleven-year-olds, Room 12 for twelve-year-olds, and so on. Each room is modern and appealing, designed to make the transition comfortable."

She gestured to the medieval surroundings. "But the Bit Bucket is different. It catches those who don't fit the college's usual parameters. The thirty-six-year-old man with a woman's soul, for instance. The spirits who've lost their way. The ones who are... complicated."

Fred felt a chill run down his spine. "How long have people been trapped here?"

"Time works differently in metaphysical spaces," Gwen said carefully. "Some find their way out quickly. Others..." She glanced at the slate where his name still glowed. "Others take much longer to learn what they need to know."

"And what exactly do I need to know?"

Gwen's eyes grew distant, as if she were listening to voices he couldn't hear. "The way forward isn't back, Fred. You can't simply teleport home—the pathway that brought you here was one-way. The only escape from the Bit Bucket requires mastering not just teleportation, but reincarnation as well."

Understanding the Prison

The word hit Fred like a physical blow. "Reincarnation? You mean I have to... die?"

"Not die, exactly. Transform." Gwen moved closer, and Fred caught a scent like rain on summer flowers. "The Bit Bucket doesn't just trap people, Fred. It offers them a chance to become who they truly are. But that transformation requires letting go of who you think you are."

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling. "I don't understand. I came here to reach the college, to learn, to become whole. Now you're telling me I have to give up everything I am?"

"Not give up," Gwen said softly. "Evolve. The college accepts students who fit certain categories, Fred. But you—" She paused, studying his face with those storm-gray eyes. "You're something special. Something that doesn't fit their neat little boxes."

The room pulsed around them, and Fred felt that presence again—ancient, vast, and somehow familiar. The sensation was stronger now, pressing against the edges of his consciousness like a half-remembered song.

"There's something else, isn't there?" he said. "Something you're not telling me."

Gwen's expression grew troubled. "The Bit Bucket has been empty for a thousand years, Fred. No one has been sent here since the time of the great sorceresses. Your arrival has awakened something that's been sleeping for a very long time."

As if summoned by her words, the air in the room began to shimmer. The tapestries on the walls fluttered without wind, and the flame in the lamp flickered wildly. Fred felt power stirring in the depths of the space—not malevolent, but vast and patient as mountains.

"What's awakening?" he whispered.

"Memories," Gwen said, her voice barely audible above the growing hum of energy. "Ancient memories that have been waiting for the right person to unlock them. The question is, Fred—are you ready to discover who you really are?"

The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, and new words appeared beneath Fred's name in flowing script: The wheel turns. The sleeper wakes. What was divided shall be made whole.

Fred looked at Gwen, seeing something in her face that made his heart race with both hope and terror. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Gwen said, her form beginning to shimmer more intensely, "that your journey is just beginning. And that perhaps—just perhaps—we've both been waiting for this moment far longer than either of us realized."

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a transformation that would change everything he thought he knew about himself, about magic, and about the impossible woman standing before him with storm-gray eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 3: Past Love Revealed

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What can Gwen, the ghost, tell Fred that rocks him to his core?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 3: Past Love Revealed

The white light faded, leaving Fred standing in the same medieval chamber, but something fundamental had shifted. The air itself felt different—charged with recognition, heavy with memories that weren't quite his own. Gwen stood before him, her storm-gray eyes wide with an emotion he couldn't immediately place.

Then it hit him like a physical blow.

Recognition

"Sarah?" The name escaped his lips in a whisper, barely audible above the humming energy of the Bit Bucket. But it was her—the curve of her smile, the way she tilted her head when thinking, the gentle strength in her posture that had first drawn him to her three years ago.

Gwen's ethereal form shimmered, her spirit-monitor composure cracking completely. For a moment, her careful mask slipped, revealing the woman he'd loved and lost. "You remember."

The memories came flooding back in a torrent that made Fred's knees buckle. Sarah laughing as butterflies landed on her shoulders in the very garden he'd just left. Sarah's hand in his as they walked the winding paths, talking about dreams and possibilities. Sarah's eyes lighting up when he first told her about his belief in teleportation, how she'd listened without judgment, even encouraged his wild theories.

"But you're..." Fred's voice broke. "You died. Three years ago. The summer solstice."

"I know." Gwen stepped closer, her form becoming more solid, more real. "I remember everything, Fred. Our casual relationship that became something deeper. The way you used to bring me wildflowers from the garden's edge. How we'd sit by the fountain and you'd tell me about the ancient college you dreamed of finding."

The Truth About Her Name

Fred stared at her, his mind reeling with questions. "But why Gwen? Your name was Sarah. Sarah Elizabeth Hartwell. I remember because you always said you hated how formal it sounded."

A shadow of pain crossed her features. "Gwen was my middle name. Sarah Gwen Elizabeth Hartwell—though I never told you the full version." She looked away, her spirit-form flickering with emotion. "When Aislinn first found me after the accident, when she offered me this position as spirit monitor, she asked what I wanted to be called in this new existence."

"And you chose Gwen," Fred said quietly, understanding beginning to dawn.

"I couldn't bear to hear my first name spoken aloud," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sarah was the woman who loved you, who had dreams of a future together, who died on the way to meet you that solstice evening. Gwen... Gwen could be the spirit guide, the one who helps lost souls without being reminded every moment of what I'd lost. Of who I'd left behind."

Fred felt his heart breaking all over again. "You were trying to forget me."

"Not forget," she said quickly, her storm-gray eyes meeting his. "Protect myself from the pain of remembering. Every time someone said 'Sarah,' I could see our last conversation, feel the excitement I'd had about telling you..." She stopped, her form wavering.

"Telling me what?" Fred pressed gently.

"That I loved you," she whispered. "That I wanted more than just casual dating. I was going to tell you that night, at the garden. I had it all planned out."

Flashback to Their Relationship

The Bit Bucket around them seemed to respond to their shared memories, the medieval walls shimmering and shifting to show glimpses of the past. Fred saw himself as he'd been then—younger, more carefree, his hope untainted by years of solitary practice. He watched as past-Sarah traced patterns in the air with her finger, creating temporary light trails that made him believe magic was possible.

"You never thought I was crazy," Fred said, his voice thick with emotion. "Everyone else looked at me like I was delusional, but you..."

"I believed in you," Gwen finished. "Because I could see it, Fred. The way reality bent slightly around you when you concentrated. The way flowers bloomed brighter in your presence. You had magic in you even then—you just didn't know how to access it."

The visions shifted, showing them their last day together. They'd been planning to meet at the Butterfly Garden for the summer solstice, to watch the sunset and talk about their future. Sarah had been excited about something, had mentioned wanting to tell him something important.

But she never made it to that meeting.

Gwen's Death and Transformation

"The accident," Fred whispered, remembering the phone call that had shattered his world. "They said you fell from the hiking trail. That you were alone."

Gwen's expression grew pained. "I wasn't alone, Fred. I was with someone—someone who claimed they could teach me about the magical world you'd described. They said they knew about the college, about teleportation." Her form flickered with anger. "It was a trap. They were looking for people connected to those with magical potential. They thought if they eliminated me..."

"They thought it would break me," Fred finished, understanding flooding through him. "They wanted to stop me from ever reaching the college."

"Instead, it did something they didn't expect." Gwen's voice grew stronger. "My death on the solstice, combined with my connection to you and your latent magical abilities, created a spiritual anchor. I became tied to the metaphysical spaces between worlds. When the Bit Bucket needed a spirit monitor, I was... recruited."

The Name Request

"So when you ask me to call you Gwen..." Fred began.

"I'm asking you not to rock the boat," she said, her voice carrying a note of pleading. "Sarah died that night, Fred. She died with dreams unfulfilled and words unspoken. Gwen is who I became—the spirit who learned to guide others through their transformations. If you call me Sarah, I'm afraid I'll fall apart completely. I'm afraid I won't be strong enough to help you escape this place."

Fred studied her face, seeing the careful control she'd built around her pain. "But I loved Sarah. I've been grieving Sarah for three years."

"And I've been existing as Gwen for just as long," she replied. "It's not about forgetting who we were, Fred. It's about accepting who we've become. Sarah and Fred had their chance at love, and it was cut short. But maybe... maybe Gwen and whoever you become after reincarnation can have something different. Something that transcends death itself."

Years of Isolation

The weight of three years of grief crashed down on Fred all at once. He remembered the months after Sarah's death when he couldn't bear to enter the Butterfly Garden. How he'd thrown himself into studying teleportation theory, desperate to escape a world that felt empty without her. The way he'd pushed away every friend who tried to help, every potential romantic connection that might have healed his heart.

"I couldn't love anyone else," he admitted. "I tried, but every time I looked at another woman, all I could see was you. All I could think about was how you'd never get to see the magical world you believed in."

"Oh, Fred." Gwen reached out as if to touch his face, her spirit-form wavering with the intensity of her emotion. "I watched you sometimes, when the barriers between worlds were thin. I saw you sitting alone in your apartment, practicing teleportation until you collapsed from exhaustion. I wanted so desperately to tell you I was still here, still believing in you. But I was Gwen then, not Sarah. I had to maintain the separation."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, responding to their emotional reunion. The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, and new words appeared beneath Fred's name: Love transcends death. Hearts remember what minds forget. Names may change, but souls remain constant.

Spiritual Reunion

"This is why you're here," Gwen said, her voice filled with wonder. "This is why the Bit Bucket called to you specifically. Our connection, our love—it created a resonance in the magical field. You weren't just trying to reach the college, Fred. You were trying to reach me. Even if you didn't know it consciously."

Fred felt something shift inside him, a piece of his soul that had been missing for three years suddenly clicking back into place. But it wasn't the desperate, grief-stricken love he'd carried for so long. This was something deeper, more mature—a love that had been tested by death and separation and emerged transformed.

"I don't want to lose you again," he said. "I can't lose you twice, whether you're Sarah or Gwen or anyone else."

"You won't," Gwen replied, her storm-gray eyes blazing with determination. "But Fred, our love has evolved beyond what it was when I was alive. We're not the same people we were three years ago. You've grown, learned, suffered. And I've become something more than human. If we're going to escape this place together, it won't be as the couple we once were."

Fred nodded slowly, understanding. "So I call you Gwen. Not because I'm forgetting Sarah, but because I'm accepting who you are now."

"Exactly," she said, relief flooding her features. "Sarah was my past. Gwen is my present. And whoever we become after reincarnation... that will be our future."

The air around them began to shimmer again, and Fred felt that familiar presence pressing against his consciousness—ancient, vast, and somehow connected to both of them. The artifacts in the room hummed with increasing energy, and the flame in the lamp flickered wildly.

"Something's happening," Gwen said, her spirit-monitor instincts taking over. "Our reunion has triggered something in the Bit Bucket's magical matrix. The ancient powers that created this space are responding to our combined spiritual energy."

Fred looked at the slate where their story was being written in flowing script, the words appearing faster now: Two souls, divided by death, united by love. The wheel turns toward transformation. What was lost shall be found in new form. Names are but vessels; love is eternal.

"Gwen," he said, deliberately using her chosen name, "what does that mean?"

Before she could answer, the medieval walls began to shift and flow like water. The bookcase with Aislinn's volumes started to glow, and the silver bell on the wooden table chimed once, its note hanging in the air like a promise.

"It means," Gwen said, her voice filled with both hope and trepidation, "that our love story isn't ending—it's about to begin again. But in ways neither of us can imagine."

The Bit Bucket pulsed once more, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a transformation that would change not just his form, but the very nature of his connection to the woman he'd never stopped loving. Their reunion had awakened something ancient and powerful, and there would be no going back to the simple life he'd known before.

The only way forward was through the mystery of reincarnation itself, where Sarah and Fred might finally become something new together.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 4: The Rules of Reincarnation

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred understand the rules of reincarnation to take Gwen with him and together escape The Bit Bucket?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 4: The Rules of Reincarnation

The Bit Bucket hummed with renewed energy after Fred and Gwen's emotional reunion, the medieval walls pulsing with a rhythm that seemed to echo their combined heartbeats. Fred could feel something fundamental shifting in the metaphysical space around them—as if their love had awakened forces that had been dormant for centuries.

Spiritual Conflict

The air shimmered, and suddenly a presence filled the room that was both familiar and entirely new. The flame in the lamp flickered wildly, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls as a voice spoke from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Aislinn," Gwen whispered, her spirit-form becoming more solid as she straightened with recognition. "She's trying to communicate."

Fred felt the presence wash over him—ancient, wise, and tinged with a sadness that spoke of countless years spent watching over lost souls. When the voice came, it seemed to speak directly into his mind rather than his ears.

The wheel turns, young ones. The equinox has opened pathways that have been sealed for a millennium. But the way forward requires understanding.

"Understanding of what?" Fred called out to the empty air, his voice echoing strangely in the charged atmosphere.

The rules that govern this place. The laws that bind spirit to flesh, soul to destiny.

Explanation of Equinoxes

The bookcase against the wall began to glow, and one of the volumes marked "Aislinn C" floated free from its shelf, opening itself in midair. Pages fluttered as if turned by invisible hands, finally settling on a passage that blazed with golden light.

Gwen moved closer to read, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the magical illumination. "The equinoxes," she said, her voice filled with wonder. "They're not just astronomical events—they're cosmic hinges. Moments when the barriers between worlds become permeable."

Fred joined her, reading over her shoulder. The text described how twice a year, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the metaphysical fabric of reality grew thin enough for certain transformations to occur. Teleportation became possible for those with the right spiritual resonance. Reincarnation could be achieved by souls ready to transcend their current forms.

"That's why I was able to reach the Bit Bucket today," Fred realized. "The autumn equinox created the perfect conditions."

Precisely, Aislinn's presence confirmed. But the same forces that brought you here also limit your options for departure. The pathways are specific, governed by laws older than human civilization.

Teleportation Limitations

The slate on the wall began to glow more brightly, new words appearing beneath Fred's name in flowing script: One-way passage. The seeker who enters the Bit Bucket cannot return by the same path. Forward lies transformation; backward lies only emptiness.

Fred felt his heart sink as the implications became clear. "You mean I can't just teleport back to the Butterfly Garden? I can't go home?"

Gwen's expression grew pained. "The Bit Bucket exists between worlds, Fred. It's a waystation for souls in transition. Those who arrive here are meant to move forward, not backward."

The floating book's pages turned again, revealing diagrams of metaphysical pathways that looked like intricate spider webs connecting different realms. Fred could see the Butterfly Garden clearly marked, along with what appeared to be Aislinn's College and dozens of other locations he didn't recognize. But every pathway leading from the Bit Bucket pointed in only one direction—toward transformation.

"The college has rooms designed to catch students of specific ages," Gwen explained, her spirit-monitor knowledge coming to the fore. "Room 11 for eleven-year-olds, Room 12 for twelve-year-olds, and so on. Each room is modern and welcoming, designed to ease the transition. But the Bit Bucket..." She gestured to the medieval surroundings. "This place catches the exceptions. The complicated cases."

Gwen's Guidance

Fred stared at the pathways on the floating pages, his mind racing. "So what you're saying is that the only way out of here is through reincarnation? I have to become someone else entirely?"

Not someone else, Aislinn's presence corrected gently. Someone more complete. The Bit Bucket doesn't destroy identity—it offers the chance to become who you truly are.

Gwen moved closer to Fred, her ethereal form radiating warmth despite its insubstantial nature. "Think about it, Fred. You've always felt incomplete, haven't you? Like there was something missing, something that prevented you from being whole?"

Fred nodded slowly, remembering the years of feeling caught between worlds—too feminine for the masculine role society expected, too uncertain of his place to fully embrace any identity. "The chimera nature. My mother's exposure to that artifact during pregnancy."

"Exactly," Gwen said softly. "What if the Bit Bucket isn't a trap, but an opportunity? A chance to resolve the conflict that's been tearing you apart your entire life?"

The floating book's pages turned once more, revealing a passage that made Fred's breath catch: Reincarnation through the Bit Bucket requires mastery of both teleportation and the deeper magic of spiritual transformation. The soul must willingly release its current form while maintaining the essence of its true self. Only those who can navigate this paradox successfully can escape to their destined realm.

"But how do I master something I don't understand?" Fred asked, frustration creeping into his voice. "I barely managed to teleport here in the first place."

Practice, Aislinn's presence suggested with what might have been amusement. But not the kind you're thinking of. The magic you need cannot be learned through repetition—it must be felt, experienced, lived.

Emotional Bond Renewed

Gwen stepped closer, her storm-gray eyes meeting Fred's with an intensity that made his heart race. "There's something else, Fred. Something I haven't told you about reincarnation through the Bit Bucket."

"What?"

"It doesn't have to be a solitary journey," she said quietly. "Souls that are truly connected—that share a bond deeper than mere attraction—can undergo the transformation together. They can choose to be reborn in forms that complement each other, that allow their love to transcend the boundaries of their previous existence."

Fred felt hope flare in his chest like a sudden flame. "You mean we could escape together? We could both be reincarnated?"

"If we're willing to let go of who we were," Gwen said. "If we're ready to become something new while holding onto the love that connects us."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, responding to their emotional connection. The artifacts in the room—the silver bell, the mysterious lamp, the floating book—all began to resonate with a harmony that filled the space with music too beautiful for human ears.

The choice is yours, Aislinn's presence whispered. But know this—the transformation, once begun, cannot be undone. You will emerge from this place as different people, with different bodies, different lives. Only your souls will remain constant.

Fred looked at Gwen, seeing in her ethereal features the woman he had loved and lost, the spirit guide who had helped him understand this strange new world, and something more—a partner willing to face the unknown by his side.

"I won't leave without you," he said firmly. "I can't lose you again, Gwen. Not after finding you here."

"And I won't let you face this alone," she replied, her form becoming more solid as their bond strengthened. "Whatever we become, we'll face it together."

The slate on the wall blazed with new words: Two souls, united in purpose. The wheel turns toward transformation. What was divided shall be made whole.

The floating book snapped shut and returned to its shelf, but the knowledge it had shared remained burning in Fred's mind. He understood now that the path forward wasn't about returning to his old life—it was about embracing a new one. The Bit Bucket had brought him and Gwen together not to trap them, but to offer them something neither had dared hope for: a second chance at love, in forms that would allow them to be truly themselves.

But as the medieval walls began to shimmer with increasing intensity, Fred sensed that their decision to attempt reincarnation together had awakened something else in the depths of the Bit Bucket. Something ancient and powerful that had been waiting for exactly this moment to stir from its long slumber.

The real test was about to begin.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 5: Mastering the Impossible

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred master the impossible and initiate reincarnation to take Gwen with him and together escape The Bit Bucket?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 5: Mastering the Impossible

The Bit Bucket settled into an expectant silence after Aislinn's presence faded, leaving Fred and Gwen alone with the weight of their decision. The medieval walls seemed to pulse with anticipation, as if the ancient space itself was preparing for what was to come. Fred could feel the equinox energy still thrumming through the metaphysical realm, but now it felt different—more focused, more demanding.

Training Montage

"Show me," Fred said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of what he was asking. "Show me how to master reincarnation."

Gwen moved to the center of the room, her ethereal form becoming more luminous as she drew upon her spirit-monitor knowledge. "It's not like teleportation, Fred. Teleportation moves your body through space—reincarnation transforms your very essence. You have to be willing to let go of everything you think you are while holding onto everything you truly are."

She gestured to the floating book, which opened itself to a page covered in diagrams that seemed to shift and breathe on the parchment. "The process requires perfect balance between faith and surrender. Too much control, and you'll resist the reincarnation. Too little, and you'll lose yourself entirely."

Fred studied the diagrams, trying to understand the intricate patterns of energy flow and spiritual resonance. His first attempt was clumsy—he focused too hard on maintaining his identity, and the magic simply fizzled out like a candle in the wind.

"Again," Gwen said patiently. "Remember, you're not trying to preserve Fred. You're trying to become who Fred was always meant to be."

The second attempt went further. Fred felt his consciousness begin to expand, touching the edges of something vast and transformative. But fear crept in—what if he lost his memories of Sarah? What if he forgot their love?—and the process collapsed, leaving him gasping on the medieval stone floor.

"I can't," he said, frustration bleeding into his voice. "Every time I get close, I think about losing you, losing us, and I pull back."

Internal Conflict

Gwen knelt beside him, her spirit-form solidifying enough that he could almost feel her touch. "That's exactly the problem, Fred. You're trying to hold onto the past instead of trusting in what we could become."

"But what if reincarnation changes us so much that we don't love each other anymore?" Fred's voice cracked with the weight of his fear. "What if whoever we become doesn't remember this connection?"

"Love isn't about memory," Gwen said softly. "It's about recognition. The soul recognizes its mate regardless of form. Sarah loved Fred, but the essence of that love—the recognition, the resonance—that transcends any single lifetime."

Fred closed his eyes, wrestling with doubts that felt as ancient as the Bit Bucket itself. He'd spent three years mourning Sarah, three years believing that their love was tied to their specific forms, their specific memories. The idea of letting go of that felt like betraying everything they'd shared.

"I've been Fred for thirty-six years," he whispered. "It's all I know how to be."

"And you've been incomplete for thirty-six years," Gwen replied with gentle firmness. "The chimera nature, the constant feeling of being caught between worlds—that's not who you really are. That's just who you've been forced to be."

Gwen's Support

The hours passed in a blur of failed attempts and growing desperation. Each time Fred approached the threshold of reincarnation, something held him back—fear, doubt, the desperate need to control an inherently uncontrollable process.

Gwen never lost patience. She guided him through breathing exercises that helped him connect with the metaphysical currents flowing through the Bit Bucket. She shared memories of her own death and becoming a ghost, how terrifying it had been to let go of Sarah and become something new.

"When I first became a spirit monitor," she said during one of their rest periods, "I tried so hard to hold onto who Sarah had been. I would recite our conversations, replay our memories, anything to keep her alive inside me. But it wasn't until I accepted that Sarah was gone—truly gone—that I could become Gwen. And Gwen was stronger, wiser, more capable of love than Sarah ever was."

Fred looked at her with new understanding. "You're saying I have to let Fred die."

"I'm saying you have to let Fred reincarnate," she corrected. "Death implies ending. Reincarnation implies becoming. The love between us won't die, Fred. It will evolve into something more beautiful than we can imagine."

Ancient Resonance

As the day wore on—if day had any meaning in the timeless space of the Bit Bucket—something began to change. Fred's repeated attempts to access reincarnation magic had created ripples in the metaphysical fabric of the room. The artifacts began to respond: the silver bell chimed softly without being touched, the mysterious liquid in the lamp swirled with increasing luminosity, and the books on Aislinn's shelf glowed with inner fire.

"Do you feel that?" Gwen asked, her storm-gray eyes wide with wonder.

Fred did feel it—a resonance building in the very stones of the walls, as if their combined spiritual energy was awakening something that had slept for centuries. The slate where he'd written his name began to pulse with blue light, and new words appeared: The wheel turns. Ancient power stirs. What was lost seeks to be found.

"It's responding to us," Fred realized. "Our connection, our attempts at reincarnation—it's triggering something in the Bit Bucket itself."

The floating book's pages began turning rapidly, settling on passages Fred hadn't seen before. These weren't instructions for reincarnation—they were fragments of history, glimpses of the legendary sorceresses who had once shaped the magical world.

Andromeda of the Pure Heart, one passage read, whose love conquered even death itself.

Morgana of the Endless Night, read another, whose pain became a darkness that consumed worlds.

"Fred," Gwen whispered, her voice filled with awe and growing alarm. "I think our love story is connected to something much larger than we realized."

Growing Desperation

The revelation should have been encouraging, but instead it filled Fred with a new kind of panic. If their connection was somehow tied to ancient magical forces, what did that mean for their ability to control their own destiny? What if they were just pawns in some cosmic game played by powers beyond their understanding?

His next attempt at reincarnation was his most desperate yet. He threw himself into the magic with reckless abandon, trying to force the reincarnation through sheer will. The result was catastrophic with energy exploded outward from his body, sending books flying from their shelves and causing the medieval walls to crack and groan.

"Stop!" Gwen cried, her spirit-form flickering as the chaotic energy disrupted her manifestation. "You're going to tear the Bit Bucket apart!"

Fred collapsed, his body shaking from the magical backlash. Blood trickled from his nose, and his vision swam with exhaustion. "I can't do this," he gasped. "I'm not strong enough, not wise enough. Maybe I'm meant to be trapped here forever."

"No," Gwen said fiercely, her form solidifying with determination. "I won't let you give up. Not when we're so close."

She moved to him, and for the first time since his arrival in the Bit Bucket, Fred felt her touch—not quite physical, but real enough to anchor him. "Listen to me, Fred. The power you need isn't about strength or wisdom. It's about trust. Trust in me, trust in us, trust in the love that brought us together across death itself."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, the ancient resonance growing stronger. The artifacts hummed with increasing harmony, and the very air seemed to thicken with possibility. Fred could feel something vast stirring in the depths of the metaphysical space—not malevolent, but so powerful it made his soul tremble.

"Something's coming," he whispered, looking at Gwen with eyes that held both fear and desperate hope. "Whatever we've awakened, it's almost here."

Gwen's storm-gray eyes met his, and in them he saw the same mixture of terror and anticipation. "Then we'd better be ready," she said. "Because I have a feeling that whatever happens next will change everything—not just for us, but for the entire magical world."

The slate on the wall blazed with new words: The sleeper wakes. The wheel turns. Love and darkness prepare to dance once more.

Fred felt the first stirrings of a reincarnation that would reshape not just his body, but the very fabric of reality itself. The real test was about to begin, and there would be no going back.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 6: The Chimera's Truth

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred figure out how his origin and his sister's origin might affect his ability to leave The Bit Bucket?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 6: The Chimera's Truth

The ancient resonance that had been building in the Bit Bucket reached a crescendo, and Fred felt something fundamental shift within him. The artifacts around the room hummed with increasing intensity, and the slate on the wall blazed with words that seemed to write themselves: The divided soul seeks wholeness. Truth reveals the path to reincarnation.

Gwen's ethereal form flickered as the energy surged through the medieval chamber. "Fred," she said urgently, "something's happening. The Bit Bucket is responding to your presence in ways I've never seen before."

Fred's Background Revealed

Fred staggered as memories flooded through him—not just his own, but deeper truths about his very nature that he'd spent thirty-six years trying to understand. The floating book opened itself to a page he'd never seen before, revealing diagrams of genetic structures that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.

"I'm not just different," he whispered, his voice filled with wonder and terror. "I'm a chimera."

The revelation hit him like a physical blow. All those years of feeling caught between worlds, of never quite fitting into the masculine role society expected, of sensing that something fundamental was missing—it all made sense now. He wasn't a man struggling with identity issues. He was literally two beings merged into one body.

"My brain," he said, touching his temple as understanding dawned. "My soul. They're female. They've always been female."

Gwen moved closer, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the magical light emanating from the artifacts. "Tell me," she said gently. "Help me understand."

Abigail's Story

The floating book's pages turned of their own accord, revealing passages written in flowing script that seemed to glow with inner fire. Fred read aloud, his voice growing stronger as the truth emerged:

"Abigail Hartwell, my mother, was twenty-five when she encountered the artifact. She was working as an archaeologist on a dig site in Scotland, investigating what they thought were medieval ruins. But the site was much older—ancient beyond human memory."

The images formed in the air around them as Fred spoke, conjured by the Bit Bucket's response to his revelation. They could see a younger version of his mother, her dark hair tied back as she carefully excavated what appeared to be a crystalline structure buried deep in the earth.

"The artifact was beautiful," Fred continued, watching the ethereal replay of events that had shaped his very existence. "A crystal formation that seemed to contain starlight. When she touched it, it opened like a flower, releasing energy that had been contained for millennia."

The vision showed Abigail gasping as waves of power washed over her, her body glowing with the same blue light that now filled the Bit Bucket. But she wasn't alone—the energy reached out, touching something precious she carried within her.

"She was pregnant," Fred realized, his voice barely above a whisper. "The artifact's blessing—or curse—affected me while I was still developing in her womb."

The Chimeric Nature

Gwen's expression filled with understanding and compassion. "The artifact contained genetic material from one of the ancient sorceresses. When it merged with your developing form..."

"It created a chimera," Fred finished. "A being with two distinct genetic patterns, two souls, two identities trying to coexist in one body. The male physical form from my father's line, but the brain, the soul, the magical potential—all female, all connected to the sorceress whose essence was stored in that crystal."

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, and Fred felt the truth of it resonating in every cell of his being. This was why he'd always felt incomplete, why he'd been drawn to magic, why teleportation had seemed not just possible but inevitable. The female soul within him carried the genetic memory of powers that transcended ordinary human limitations.

"That's why I could teleport," he said, wonder filling his voice. "That's why I ended up here instead of one of the college's regular rooms. The Bit Bucket recognizes what I am—someone who doesn't fit the normal categories because I'm literally two people in one body."

Wanda Introduction

The slate on the wall began glowing more brightly, and new words appeared: The sister follows the brother. Blood calls to blood across the void.

Fred felt his heart skip a beat. "Wanda," he breathed.

Gwen looked puzzled. "Who's Wanda?"

"My younger sister. She's twenty years younger than me, but..." Fred paused, the implications hitting him like a thunderbolt. "If the artifact affected me while I was in the womb, and if its influence lingered in my mother's system..."

The floating book's pages fluttered rapidly, settling on a passage that made Fred's blood run cold: The artifact's blessing does not fade quickly. Those born in its shadow carry traces of its power, diluted but present. The second child bears the mark more lightly but no less truly.

"Wanda is a chimera too," Fred realized. "Not as dramatically as me—she's always seemed more comfortable in her own skin—but she carries the same dual nature. The same potential for magic."

Gwen's ethereal form solidified slightly as she processed this information. "And if she's sixteen now..."

"She's exactly the right age to be called to Aislinn's College," Fred finished. "Room 16 would intercept her if she attempted teleportation. But Gwen, if she's anything like me, she might not fit their categories either. She might end up here, in the Bit Bucket."

Identity Crisis

The weight of these revelations crashed down on Fred all at once. For thirty-six years, he'd struggled with an identity that never quite fit, never understanding why he felt so fundamentally divided. Now, knowing the truth, he felt both liberated and terrified.

"I've been fighting myself my entire life," he said, sinking to his knees on the medieval stone floor. "The male body, the female soul—they've been at war, and I never understood why I couldn't just be normal."

Gwen knelt beside him, her spirit-form radiating warmth and comfort. "You were never meant to be normal, Fred. You were meant to be extraordinary. The artifact didn't curse you—it chose you. It recognized something in your developing soul that was worthy of its gift."

"But what am I supposed to do with this knowledge?" Fred asked, his voice breaking. "How do I reconcile two identities that have been pulling me in different directions my entire life?"

The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, and Fred felt that ancient presence stirring again—not malevolent, but vast and patient. The artifacts in the room began to resonate with a harmony that seemed to echo the rhythm of his own conflicted heart.

"Maybe," Gwen said softly, "you don't have to reconcile them. Maybe reincarnation isn't about choosing one identity over another. Maybe it's about becoming whole—integrating both parts of yourself into something new, something complete."

Destiny Calling

The floating book's pages turned once more, revealing a passage that made Fred's breath catch: The chimera who embraces both natures becomes more than the sum of their parts. In reincarnation, division becomes unity. In reincarnation, conflict becomes harmony.

Fred looked up at Gwen, seeing in her storm-gray eyes the same hope and determination that had first drawn him to her three years ago. "You think reincarnation could heal the split in my nature?"

"I think," Gwen said carefully, "that the Bit Bucket brought you here for a reason. Your chimeric nature, your connection to the ancient sorceress, your ability to love across the boundaries of life and death—all of it has led to this moment."

The slate on the wall blazed with new words: The wheel turns toward wholeness. What was divided shall be made complete. The path forward requires courage to become who you truly are.

Fred felt something shift deep within him—not just understanding, but acceptance. For the first time in his life, the warring aspects of his identity didn't feel like a burden. They felt like potential. The male and female sides of his nature weren't enemies—they were complementary forces waiting to be unified.

"I want to try," he said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of what he was contemplating. "I want to attempt reincarnation, not to escape who I am, but to become who I'm meant to be."

Gwen's smile was radiant. "Then we'll do it together. Whatever you become, whatever form the magic chooses for you, I'll be there."

The Bit Bucket hummed with approval, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a reincarnation that would resolve the conflict that had defined his entire existence. But as the medieval walls began to shimmer with increasing intensity, he sensed that their decision had awakened something else—something that had been waiting in the depths of the metaphysical space for exactly this moment.

The ancient powers that had created his chimeric nature were stirring, and the path forward would require not just courage, but a willingness to trust in forces beyond his understanding. The real test of his dual nature was about to begin.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 7: The Ancient Awakening

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred figure out that his origin contained DNA from a foreign source, the greatest sorceress of life from ancient times, Andromeda?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 7: The Ancient Awakening

The Bit Bucket trembled with an energy that felt older than time itself. Fred's revelation about his chimeric nature had awakened something deep within the metaphysical space—something that had been waiting for exactly this moment to stir from its millennia-long slumber.

Artifact Resonance

The artifacts around the room began to pulse with increasing intensity, their medieval forms glowing with inner fire that cast dancing shadows across the stone walls. The silver bell on the wooden table chimed without being touched, its pure note hanging in the air like a prayer. The mysterious liquid in the lamp swirled faster, creating patterns that seemed to spell out words in languages Fred couldn't read but somehow understood.

"Do you feel that?" Gwen whispered, her ethereal form becoming more solid as the energy built around them. "It's responding to your dual nature, Fred. The combination of your male body and female soul—it's creating a resonance with something ancient."

The floating book's pages began turning rapidly, settling on passages that blazed with golden light. Fred could see fragments of text about Andromeda of the Pure Heart, the legendary sorceress whose essence had been stored in the artifact that transformed his mother. But these weren't just historical accounts—they were memories, experiences, emotions that felt as real as his own.

"Andromeda," he breathed, understanding flooding through him. "The artifact didn't just contain her genetic material. It contained her entire spiritual essence."

The slate on the wall erupted with new words, appearing faster than any human hand could write: The wheel turns full circle. What was lost seeks to be found. The daughter of light awakens to reclaim her destiny.

Magical Cascade Beginning

The resonance between Fred's chimeric nature and Andromeda's legacy created a cascade effect that rippled through the very fabric of the Bit Bucket. The medieval walls began to shimmer and shift, revealing glimpses of other times, other places. Fred saw flashes of a great war fought between forces of light and darkness, of a sorceress whose power could reshape reality itself, of a love so pure it transcended death.

"It's not just memories," Gwen said, her voice filled with awe and growing alarm. "Fred, your presence here is awakening the magical matrix that Andromeda used to create this place. The Bit Bucket wasn't just a waystation—it was a failsafe, designed to activate when someone with her essence returned."

The artifacts around the room hummed in harmony, their combined energy creating a symphony that seemed to echo from the depths of the earth itself. The bookcase with Aislinn's volumes began to glow, and Fred could feel the presence of the ancient college president stirring, responding to the awakening power.

The time of waiting is over, Aislinn's voice whispered through the charged air. The legacy that was divided must be made whole. But beware—such power does not awaken unnoticed.

Morgana's Stirring

As if summoned by Aislinn's warning, a chill swept through the Bit Bucket that had nothing to do with temperature. The warm golden light emanating from the artifacts flickered, and shadows began to gather in the corners of the room—shadows that moved with purpose and malevolent intelligence.

Fred felt something pressing against the edges of his consciousness, a presence vast and terrible and filled with an ancient hunger. It was like looking into an abyss that looked back, recognizing something in him that it had been seeking for a thousand years.

"No," Gwen gasped, her spirit-form wavering as the dark presence touched the metaphysical space. "She's stirring. Morgana is stirring."

The slate on the wall cracked, new words appearing in script that seemed to burn with cold fire: The sister of shadow wakes. Where light rises, darkness follows. The eternal dance begins anew.

Fred could feel the dark sorceress's attention turning toward the Bit Bucket like a searchlight, drawn by the magical resonance he and Gwen had created. Somewhere in the depths of whatever realm Morgana had been banished to, she was awakening to the presence of her ancient enemy's essence.

"She knows," Fred whispered, his voice barely audible above the growing hum of conflicting energies. "She knows Andromeda's power is manifesting again."

Prophetic Visions

The air around them began to shimmer with visions—glimpses of possible futures that flashed through Fred's mind like lightning. He saw himself transformed, no longer the conflicted chimera but something new, something whole. He saw Gwen beside him, not as a spirit but as a living woman with power that matched his own. He saw a great college where students learned to bend reality itself, and he saw it burning under an assault of shadow and flame.

But the visions weren't just of triumph and tragedy. Fred saw moments of choice—crossroads where decisions would determine not just his fate, but the fate of everyone connected to the magical world. He saw himself standing before Morgana, not as an enemy but as someone offering redemption. He saw the possibility of healing ancient wounds, of transforming hatred into understanding.

"The future isn't fixed," Gwen said, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the swirling visions. "These are possibilities, paths that could be taken. But Fred, the choices you make in the next few hours will determine which future becomes real."

The floating book snapped shut and returned to its shelf, but the knowledge it had shared remained burning in Fred's mind. He understood now that his journey to the Bit Bucket hadn't been an accident or a mistake—it had been destiny calling him home to claim a legacy he'd never known he carried.

Point of No Return

The magical cascade reached a crescendo, and Fred felt something fundamental shift within him. The warring aspects of his chimeric nature—the male body and female soul that had been in conflict his entire life—suddenly aligned, creating a harmony he'd never experienced before. For the first time in thirty-six years, he felt complete.

But with that completion came responsibility. The power awakening within him wasn't just his own—it was Andromeda's legacy, meant to be used in service of light and healing. And somewhere in the darkness, Morgana was preparing to reclaim her own terrible heritage.

"There's no going back now," Gwen said, her voice filled with both hope and trepidation. "Whatever we've awakened, whatever we've set in motion—we have to see it through to the end."

Fred nodded, feeling the weight of destiny settling on his shoulders like a mantle. The Bit Bucket pulsed around them, no longer a prison but a chrysalis preparing to release something new into the world. The artifacts hummed with anticipation, and the very air seemed to hold its breath.

"Then let's finish what we started," he said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of what lay ahead. "If reincarnation is the only way forward, if becoming Andromeda is my destiny, then I'll embrace it. But I won't face it alone."

Gwen's smile was radiant. "Together," she said. "Whatever we become, we'll face it together."

The slate on the wall blazed with final words: The wheel turns. The sleeper wakes. Love and light prepare to dance with shadow and flame. Let the reincarnation begin.

The Bit Bucket erupted in white light, and Fred felt the first stirrings of a change that would reshape not just his body, but his very soul. The ancient awakening was complete, and there would be no turning back from the path that lay ahead.

But as the reincarnation began, he could feel Morgana's presence growing stronger, her attention fixed on the magical resonance like a predator scenting prey. The real battle was about to begin, and everything Fred thought he knew about himself, about love, about the nature of good and evil, would be tested in the crucible of reincarnation itself.

The ancient powers had awakened, and the world would never be the same.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 8: The Reincarnation Begins

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred and Gwen come together with the same realization on just what it will take to begin reincarnation for both of them?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 8: The Reincarnation Begins

The Bit Bucket trembled with cosmic energy as Fred and Gwen stood at the threshold of their greatest gamble. The ancient awakening had reached its crescendo, and now they faced the moment that would either free them or destroy them utterly. The medieval walls pulsed with power that seemed to echo from the very foundations of reality itself1.

The Ritual

Fred moved to the center of the room, his chimeric nature finally in perfect harmony for the first time in his thirty-six years. The male body and female soul that had warred within him now worked in concert, creating a resonance that made the artifacts around them sing with anticipation. Gwen's ethereal form solidified beside him, her storm-gray eyes blazing with determination.

"Together," she said, extending her spirit-hand toward him. "Whatever we become, we face it together."

Fred grasped her hand, feeling the electric shock of their spiritual connection. The moment their energies merged, the Bit Bucket erupted in cascading light. The slate on the wall blazed with words that appeared faster than thought: The wheel turns. Love conquers death. Transformation begins.

The floating book opened itself to a page that had never existed before, revealing the true ritual of reincarnation. Not the academic theory they'd been studying, but the living, breathing magic that required complete surrender of self while maintaining the essence of love that bound them together1.

"We have to let go of everything we think we are," Fred said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of what they were attempting. "But we hold onto what we mean to each other."

Gwen nodded, her form beginning to shimmer as the reincarnation magic took hold. "Fred and Sarah die here. But our love—that's eternal."

All is Lost

The ritual began beautifully. Fred felt his consciousness expanding, touching the edges of reincarnation as his chimeric nature prepared to resolve itself into wholeness. Gwen's spirit-form began to merge with the magical currents flowing through the Bit Bucket, her essence preparing to take on new life.

But then everything went wrong.

The ancient powers awakened by their love story proved too vast, too chaotic to control. Morgana's distant presence pressed against the metaphysical space like a storm front, her malevolent attention drawn by the massive magical disturbance they'd created. The artifacts around the room began to overload, their harmonious song becoming a discordant shriek.

"I can't hold it together!" Fred gasped as the reincarnation magic spiraled out of control. His consciousness felt like it was being torn apart, scattered across multiple potential realities. He could see glimpses of who he might become—a powerful sorceress, a broken shell, a being of pure energy with no anchor to humanity.

Gwen's form flickered wildly as the reincarnation process pulled her in different directions. "Fred, I'm losing myself! I can't remember who I was supposed to become!"

The Bit Bucket itself began to crack under the strain. The medieval walls showed fissures of white light, and through those cracks, Fred could see the void between worlds—an endless darkness that would consume them both if the space collapsed entirely.

Vulnerability

In that moment of absolute crisis, all their careful plans and desperate hopes crumbled to dust. Fred found himself facing the same terror that had haunted him for three years—the fear of losing Gwen forever. But now it was worse, because this time it would be his fault. His desperate need for reincarnation, his refusal to accept the limitations of his existence, had doomed them both.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, tears streaming down his face as the magical chaos raged around them. "I'm so sorry, Gwen. I should have left you in peace. I should have accepted that some things can't be changed."

Gwen's flickering form reached for him through the maelstrom of uncontrolled magic. "Don't you dare give up on us now," she said fiercely. "We've come too far to surrender to fear."

But even as she spoke, Fred could see her essence fragmenting, pieces of her spirit being pulled away by the chaotic currents. The woman he loved was dissolving before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His chimeric nature, instead of being an asset, had become a liability—the conflicting energies within him feeding the magical storm that threatened to tear them both apart.

"I don't know how to save us," he admitted, his voice breaking with despair. "I thought love would be enough, but I was wrong. I was so wrong."

The Shift

In that moment of absolute surrender, when Fred finally stopped fighting and accepted that he might lose everything, something extraordinary happened. The chaos around them didn't diminish—it transformed. The wild, destructive energy suddenly found a new pattern, a new purpose.

Aislinn's presence filled the Bit Bucket, not as the distant observer she'd been before, but as an active participant in their reincarnation. Love is enough, her voice whispered through the storm. But not the love that clings and possesses. The love that trusts and releases.

Fred felt understanding dawn like sunrise after the longest night. He'd been approaching reincarnation all wrong, trying to control the process instead of surrendering to it. His chimeric nature wasn't a flaw to be overcome—it was a gift that allowed him to bridge multiple states of being simultaneously.

"Gwen," he called out through the magical tempest. "Stop trying to hold onto who you were. Let yourself become who you're meant to be."

Her storm-gray eyes met his across the chaos, and in them he saw the same realization. They'd been fighting the reincarnation instead of embracing it, trying to preserve their old selves instead of trusting in their love to carry them through to whatever came next.

Together, they stopped resisting. Fred released his desperate grip on his male identity, allowing his female soul to finally take precedence. Gwen let go of her careful spirit-monitor composure, embracing the wild, passionate woman she'd always been beneath the ethereal facade.

The moment they surrendered control, the chaos crystallized into purpose. The reincarnation magic found its true target—not their individual identities, but the love that connected them across life and death.

Reincarnation

The Bit Bucket exploded in white light so brilliant it seemed to burn away the very concept of darkness. Fred felt his consciousness scatter like stars across the cosmos, but instead of terror, he felt joy. This wasn't destruction—it was birth.

Through the blazing reincarnation, he caught glimpses of what they were becoming. Not one person or two, but something more complex, more beautiful than either had imagined possible. The chimeric nature that had divided him was resolving itself, but not in the way he'd expected.

Gwen's essence merged with his, but not as absorption or loss of identity. Instead, they were becoming something that honored both their individual natures and their shared love—a solution to the ancient riddle of the Bit Bucket that no one had discovered in a thousand years.

As the light reached its crescendo, Fred felt ancient memories stirring—not his own, but those of the legendary sorceress whose essence had shaped his chimeric nature from birth. Andromeda's legacy was awakening within him, but transformed by his love for Gwen into something entirely new.

The last thing he saw before consciousness scattered completely was the slate on the wall, blazing with final words: The wheel completes its turn. What was divided becomes whole. The daughters of light are born.

Then everything went white, and Fred's journey as a thirty-six-year-old man with a woman's soul came to an end. But somewhere in that brilliant reincarnation, something new was beginning—something that would reshape not just their lives, but the entire magical world that had brought them together.

The Bit Bucket fell silent, its ancient purpose finally fulfilled. But in a dorm room at Aislinn's College, two thirteen-year-old girls were about to wake up with the memories of a love that had conquered death itself, and the power to change everything.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 9: Awakening as Twins

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Fred and Gwen cope with the result of their reincarnation as twin girls?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in it's entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 9: Awakening as Twins

The first sensation was warmth—not the cold stone of the Bit Bucket, but the soft comfort of cotton sheets and morning sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows. Fred's consciousness stirred slowly, like surfacing from the deepest ocean, carrying fragments of reincarnation that felt both foreign and utterly right.

The Awakening

Two pairs of eyes opened simultaneously in the narrow dorm room, blinking in perfect synchronization before awareness crashed down like a thunderbolt. Fred—no, not Fred anymore—sat up abruptly, her hands flying to her face, her throat, her chest. Everything was different. Everything was right in a way that thirty-six years of existence had never been.

"Gwen?" The voice that emerged was high, clear, unmistakably feminine. Across the small room, in an identical bed, another thirteen-year-old girl was experiencing the same shock of recognition and reincarnation.

"I'm here," came the reply, equally young, equally changed. "I'm... we're..."

"We're girls," Fred whispered, wonder and terror warring in her voice. "We're actually girls."

The room around them was clearly designed for students—two beds, two desks, two wardrobes, all bearing the subtle magical touches that marked Aislinn's College. Floating lamps provided gentle illumination, and the windows showed not earthly sky but the swirling cosmos that surrounded the off-planet institution Fred had dreamed of reaching.

Identity Shock

Fred stumbled to the mirror mounted between the wardrobes, Gwen close behind her. The reflection that stared back was everything she'd never dared hope for—a thirteen-year-old girl with delicate features, bright eyes, and an expression of absolute amazement. But it was more than just the physical reincarnation. For the first time in her entire existence, the face in the mirror matched the soul looking out through those eyes.

"I can feel it," Fred said, her hands exploring her new form with reverent wonder. "The conflict is gone. The war between body and soul—it's over."

Gwen nodded, her own reflection showing a girl with storm-gray eyes and dark hair that seemed to catch light like spun silk. "The reincarnation worked. We're both here, both whole, both..." She paused, searching for words. "Both exactly who we were meant to be."

But even as joy flooded through them, confusion followed. They looked identical—not just similar, but perfectly matched in every detail. Same height, same build, same facial structure. Only their coloring differed slightly, and even that seemed muted, as if seen through a veil.

Memory Integration

The memories came in waves—Fred's thirty-six years of struggle and hope, Gwen's three years as a spirit monitor, and underneath it all, something vast and ancient that belonged to neither of them. Images flashed through their minds: a sorceress with eyes like starlight wielding power that could reshape reality, battles fought across cosmic distances, love and loss on a scale that dwarfed human understanding.

"Andromeda," Fred breathed, the name carrying weight that seemed to bend reality around it. "I can feel her memories, her power. It's like having another person's lifetime layered beneath my own."

Gwen pressed her hands to her temples, her face pale with the effort of processing the flood of information. "And I can feel Eva—not just a name, but a complete identity. She was Andromeda's twin sister, her magical partner, her other half in ways that transcended blood."

The realization hit them both simultaneously: they weren't just Fred and Gwen reincarnated as random girls. They had become the legendary twin sorceresses, inheriting not just their forms but their magical legacy, their cosmic responsibilities, their ancient bond.

Sister Bond

"We're not lovers anymore," Gwen said quietly, the words carrying both loss and wonder. "I can feel it—the romantic connection we shared has transformed into something else. Something deeper."

Fred nodded, understanding flooding through her. "We're sisters now. Not just in form, but in essence. The love is still there, but it's..." She searched for words to describe the profound shift in their connection. "It's the love between souls who've chosen to face eternity together, not as romantic partners, but as family."

They reached for each other's hands instinctively, and the moment their fingers touched, power sparked between them—not the chaotic energy of the Bit Bucket, but something controlled, purposeful, magnificent. They were two halves of a greater whole, each complete in herself but exponentially more powerful together.

"I don't mourn what we lost," Gwen said, her storm-gray eyes meeting Fred's with perfect understanding. "What we've become is more beautiful than what we were."

Aislinn's Intervention

The door to their room opened without a knock, and a woman entered who could only be Aislinn herself. She was tall and elegant, with silver hair that seemed to move with its own inner wind and eyes that held the wisdom of millennia. Behind her came another figure—a woman with mischievous features and an air of barely contained chaos.

"Andromeda, Eva," Aislinn said, her voice carrying the authority of ages. "Welcome to your new lives. I am Aislinn, President of this College, and this is Isabeta, who will serve as your house mother."

Isabeta stepped forward with a grin that promised both protection and trouble. "Well, well. The legendary twins, reborn at last. Though I must say, you're rather conspicuous as you are."

Fred—Andromeda—looked down at herself, then at Gwen—Eva. "Conspicuous how?"

"Identical twins with the magical signature of the most powerful sorceresses in history?" Isabeta laughed. "You might as well wear signs announcing who you are. Fortunately, I have just the thing."

The Glamor Transformation

Isabeta raised her hands, and Fred could feel magic gathering around them—not the wild, transformative power of reincarnation, but something more subtle, more artistic. "A glamor," Isabeta explained as she worked. "It won't change who you are, but it will alter how others perceive you. Give you time to grow into your powers without attracting unwanted attention."

The magic settled over them like a warm cloak, and Fred watched in fascination as their reflections began to shift. She felt herself growing taller, her frame becoming more willowy, her hair lightening to a pale blonde that caught the light like spun gold. Her eyes shifted from their original color to a deep, oceanic blue.

Gwen's transformation was equally dramatic but in the opposite direction. She became shorter, more curved, her hair deepening to a rich auburn that seemed to burn with inner fire. Her storm-gray eyes shifted to a brilliant emerald green that sparkled with mischief and power.

"There," Isabeta said with satisfaction. "Now you look like sisters, but not twins. Andromeda—though you'll go by Meda here—tall, blonde, and ethereal. Eva, shorter, auburn, and vivacious. The glamor will hold as long as you need it to."

Fred—Meda—stared at her new reflection with wonder. Even disguised, she felt more herself than she ever had. The glamor hadn't changed her essence, only her appearance, and somehow that made the transformation feel even more complete.

Girl 101 - A Crash Course in Being Female

Meda sat cross-legged on her dorm bed, staring down at her transformed body with a mixture of wonder and bewilderment. The glamor had changed her appearance dramatically—tall and willowy with flowing blonde hair and striking blue eyes—but the mechanics of actually being a girl remained a complete mystery.

"Alright, darling," Isabeta announced, floating into the room with her characteristic mischievous grin, "time for Girl 101. Consider me your fairy godmother, minus the pumpkin carriage and plus a healthy dose of reality."

Eva rolled her eyes but smiled warmly. "What Isabeta means is we need to teach you the basics before the other students arrive tomorrow."

"Lesson one!" Isabeta declared dramatically, conjuring a hand mirror. "Hair management. That gorgeous mane of yours isn't going to style itself, sweetie."

Meda reached up tentatively to touch her blonde locks, marveling at their silky texture. "It's so... long. And soft. How do I—?"

"Like this," Eva demonstrated gently, showing Meda how to brush from the ends up to avoid tangles. "Start here, work your way up. Never brush wet hair aggressively."

"Unless you're going for the 'I stuck my finger in a lightning bolt' look," Isabeta added with a theatrical shudder. "Which, trust me, is not the aesthetic we're aiming for."

Meda laughed—a bright, musical sound that surprised her. Even her laugh was different now, lighter somehow. "This is incredible. I never realized how much thought went into something so simple."

"Oh honey, we're just getting started," Isabeta said, producing an array of mysterious bottles and tubes. "Skincare routine next. Because apparently thirteen-year-old skin requires a chemistry degree to maintain properly."

Eva picked up a gentle cleanser. "It's really not that complicated. Morning and night—cleanse, moisturize, and sunscreen during the day."

"Sunscreen is your best friend," Isabeta emphasized. "Trust me, future-you will thank present-you for this wisdom. Wrinkles are not cute, despite what some people say about character lines."

As Eva guided her through the motions, Meda felt a deep sense of rightness settle in her chest. For the first time in her existence—whether as Fred or in this new form—everything felt aligned. Her movements, her voice, even the way she held herself felt natural and authentic.

"Now, walking in a female body," Eva continued practically. "Your center of gravity is different now. You'll want to—"

"Glide like a swan, darling!" Isabeta interrupted, demonstrating an exaggerated runway walk. "Shoulders back, chin up, and pretend you're balancing a book on your head. Very regal, very 'I belong here and I know it.'"

Meda stood and attempted a few steps, wobbling slightly. "It's like learning to walk all over again."

"You'll get it," Eva assured her. "Your body will remember. Just give it time."

"Speaking of bodies," Isabeta said with a wicked grin, "let's talk about the monthly visitor that shall not be named—"

"Isabeta!" Eva protested, blushing furiously.

"What? She needs to know! Better to be prepared than surprised, I always say."

Meda found herself giggling at their dynamic. "I appreciate the honesty. All of it. For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm learning to be myself instead of pretending to be someone else."

Eva's expression softened. "That's beautiful, Nada. I'm so happy for you."

"And now for the most important lesson," Isabeta announced solemnly, then broke into a grin. "How to properly apply lip gloss without looking like you kissed a glazed donut."

As the impromptu lesson continued, Meda absorbed every detail with joy and enthusiasm. Each new skill, each piece of advice, felt like another piece of herself clicking into place. She was finally, truly, becoming who she was meant to be.

"Thank you," she whispered to both of them. "For helping me learn how to be me."

"Oh sweetie," Isabeta said, her voice unusually tender, "you already knew how to be you. We're just helping you with the accessories."

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 10: The Greatest Sorceress

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Meda and Eva cope with their extraordinary magick and life at Aislinn's College for the Blessed?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Wednesdays and Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 10: The Greatest Sorceress

The morning light streaming through the crystalline windows of Aislinn's College felt different now—charged with possibility and ancient power. Meda stood before the mirror in their dorm room, still marveling at her transformed reflection. The glamor Isabeta had woven made her appear as a tall, willowy blonde with oceanic blue eyes, but beneath the magical disguise, she could feel something far more profound stirring.

Welcome to Aislinn's College

Isabeta floated gracefully to the center of the thirteen-year-old girls' common room, her ethereal form shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence that commanded immediate attention. The dozen newly arrived students—including Meda and Eva—gathered in a semicircle on the plush velvet cushions, their eyes wide with wonder and anticipation.

"Welcome, darlings, to the most extraordinary institution in all the known dimensions," Isabeta began, her voice carrying the musical quality that marked all spirits. "You've just completed the most remarkable journey imaginable—teleporting from your home planet of Miturna to arrive here at Aislinn's College for the Blessed."

A girl with copper curls raised her hand tentatively. "But where exactly are we? This place feels... different."

Isabeta's smile was both mysterious and reassuring. "Perceptive question, Cordelia. This college exists in what we call the indeterminate dimension—a space between Life and Death itself. It's this unique positioning that allows spirits like myself to remain among the living, to guide and teach you."

Meda felt Eva's hand slip into hers as they exchanged a meaningful glance. The explanation resonated with their recent experience in ways the other girls couldn't possibly understand.

"The college is millennia old," Isabeta continued, gesturing toward the stone walls adorned with tapestries that seemed to shift and move in the candlelight. "You'll notice it has the appearance of an Earth medieval castle, yet it contains all the facilities of a modern women's college—laboratories, libraries, gymnasiums, even a swimming pool, though I do recommend checking the water temperature before diving in."

Several girls giggled at this, and Isabeta's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Each age group has its own dormitory, and these serve a dual purpose. When you teleported from Miturna, your magical signature guided you directly to the appropriate dorm based on your age and development. It's quite an elegant system, really—no lost luggage or missed connections."

A girl named Petra spoke up, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Has anyone ever been sent to the wrong place?"

Isabeta's expression grew thoughtful, and for just a moment, her gaze flickered toward Meda and Eva. "The magic is remarkably precise, dear. Though I will say that very rarely—and I do mean very rarely—someone with magical ability might find themselves in... alternative accommodations if they don't quite fit the standard parameters. But that's nothing for any of you to worry about."

Meda felt her cheeks warm, grateful that Isabeta was keeping their secret while still acknowledging their unique situation in her own subtle way.

"The important thing to remember," Isabeta concluded, floating closer to the group, "is that you're here because you belong here. Each of you has been called to this place for a reason, and your journey of discovery is just beginning."

Andromeda's Legacy

The memories came in waves throughout the day—not her own, but those of the legendary sorceress whose essence she now carried. During their first magical theory class, Dean Bronwen was explaining the basic principles of elemental manipulation when suddenly Meda found herself remembering techniques that predated the college itself.

"The traditional approach to fire magic involves channeling personal energy through focused intention," Dean Bronwen was saying, demonstrating a small flame dancing above her palm. Her expertise in illusion and magical defense was evident in the way she wove protective barriers around the flame even as she taught.

But Meda could see the inefficiency in the method, could remember—no, know—ways to draw power directly from the cosmic forces that surrounded them. When called upon to attempt the exercise, she didn't just create fire. She called forth a pillar of silver flame that seemed to contain starlight itself, causing the entire classroom to fall silent.

"Extraordinary," Dean Bronwen whispered, her eyes wide with recognition. "That's not standard fire magic. That's stellar manipulation—a technique thought lost for over a millennium."

Eva caught Meda's eye from across the room, her emerald gaze reflecting the same wonder and concern. They both understood what was happening: Andromeda's memories weren't just surfacing—they were integrating, becoming part of who Meda was becoming.

Magical Abilities Manifesting

The manifestations grew stronger throughout the week. During transfiguration class, Meda found herself reshaping matter at the molecular level without conscious effort. In Dean Bronwen's advanced magical defense seminar, she instinctively wove shields that bent space itself rather than merely deflecting attacks. Each display of power drew more attention from both faculty and students, despite Isabeta's glamor disguising her true appearance.

"It's like watching history come alive," Eva said during one of their evening study sessions. "But Meda, some of the professors are starting to ask questions. Dean Bronwen pulled me aside today and asked about your 'unusual magical signature.'"

Meda nodded, feeling the weight of Andromeda's legacy settling more heavily on her shoulders each day. The ancient sorceress had been the most powerful wielder of light magic in recorded history, capable of reshaping reality itself through pure will and cosmic connection. Now that power was awakening within a thirteen-year-old girl who still remembered being Fred just days ago.

"I can feel her knowledge," Meda said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not just spells or techniques, but understanding. The way magic flows through the universe, how consciousness shapes reality, the delicate balance between creation and destruction. It's overwhelming."

Eva's Transformation

But Meda wasn't the only one experiencing profound changes. Eva's own magical abilities were developing at an unprecedented rate, though in ways that complemented rather than competed with Meda's growing power. Where Meda channeled cosmic forces, Eva found herself connecting with the emotional and spiritual currents that flowed between living beings.

During their empathic studies class, Eva demonstrated an ability to not just sense emotions but to weave them into tangible magical effects. When a fellow student was struggling with homesickness, Eva's comfort manifested as actual golden threads of warmth that wrapped around the girl like a healing embrace.

"You're not just channeling empathy," Dean Molli Rose observed with fascination, her expertise in child welfare evident in how carefully she monitored the emotional well-being of her young charges. "You're transforming emotional energy into pure magical force. That's a gift I've only read about in the oldest texts."

Eva's auburn hair seemed to catch fire in the afternoon light as she practiced, her emerald eyes glowing with an inner radiance that spoke of deep magical awakening. She was becoming something magnificent in her own right—not Andromeda's shadow, but her perfect complement.

College Life Begins

Despite the extraordinary nature of their magical development, Meda and Eva still had to navigate the ordinary challenges of being thirteen-year-old students at a prestigious magical institution. They attended lectures on magical history, practiced basic spell-weaving, and struggled with the complex mathematics that underpinned advanced transfiguration theory.

Their fellow students were a diverse group from across the magical realms—some from Earth's hidden magical communities, others from the crystal cities of Arcturus or the floating gardens of Vega Prime. Most were friendly enough, though Meda noticed that their rapid magical development was creating a subtle distance between them and their peers.

"It's not jealousy," Eva observed one evening as they walked through the college's gravity-defying gardens. "It's more like... reverence? Fear? They can sense that we're different, even with the glamors."

Meda nodded, watching the way other students' conversations quieted when they passed. "Isabeta warned us this might happen. Dean Molli Rose mentioned it too—power recognizes power, and what we're carrying is older and stronger than anything most of them have encountered."

The Aislinn's Cup Competition

After allowing the girls a few minutes to absorb the magnitude of their new reality, Isabeta clapped her hands together, the sound echoing with a crystalline chime that refocused their attention.

"Now then, let's discuss something that will shape your entire experience here—the Aislinn's Cup competition."

The atmosphere in the room shifted palpably, excitement crackling through the air like static electricity.

"Every year, three teams compete for the ultimate prize in our college—the Aislinn's Cup, awarded to the team with the highest overall score across four distinct categories." Isabeta began to pace, or rather float in a pacing pattern, her enthusiasm infectious. "These teams are carefully selected by three of our most distinguished deans, each bringing their own expertise and perspective to the selection process."

Eva leaned forward, her competitive nature already stirring. "What are the categories?"

"Excellent question, Eva," Isabeta beamed. "The four areas of competition are Spirits Magic, Community, Scholarship, and Athletics. Now, officially, all four categories are considered equally important..." She paused dramatically, her eyes sparkling with insider knowledge. "But between you and me, darlings, the real rivalry—the one that gets everyone's blood pumping—is for the Spirits Magic prize."

Murmurs of excitement rippled through the group. Several girls exchanged eager glances, already imagining themselves wielding powerful magic.

"Dean Bronwen oversees Graduate Studies and teaches Illusion and Magical Defense—she has an eye for strategic thinking and raw magical potential. Dean Yseult, our Professor of Metamorphosis, looks for adaptability and transformation capabilities. And our own Dean Molli Rose, who teaches Child Welfare, focuses on heart, determination, and the ability to support one's teammates."

Meda found herself wondering which dean might choose her, given her unique circumstances and the powerful magic she was still learning to control.

"The teams include girls from all age groups," Isabeta continued, "from the youngest eleven-year-olds right up to the graduate students. This creates wonderful mentorship opportunities and ensures that wisdom and experience guide youthful enthusiasm."

"What do the winners get?" asked Cordelia, practically bouncing with anticipation.

"Glory, recognition, and privileges throughout the year," Isabeta replied with a theatrical flourish. "But more importantly, those who truly excel may be granted access to advanced studies. However, the deans are very careful to ensure that academic advancement doesn't disrupt the social bonds you'll form with your age-mates. After all, friendship and community are just as important as magical prowess."

She floated closer to the group, her expression growing more serious. "The selection process begins tomorrow. Each dean will observe you during your regular classes and activities, looking for the qualities that align with their team's philosophy. My advice? Be yourselves. Authenticity is far more valuable than trying to impress with false bravado."

As the girls began chattering excitedly among themselves about which team they hoped to join, Isabeta caught Meda's eye and gave her the slightest of winks—a gesture that seemed to say, You have no idea how extraordinary your journey is about to become.

Ancient Memories

The most challenging aspect of their new existence was learning to integrate Andromeda's memories without losing themselves in the process. The ancient sorceress had lived for over three thousand years before her final battle with Morgana, and her experiences spanned cosmic conflicts that dwarfed anything in recorded history.

Sometimes Meda would find herself in the middle of a conversation, only to realize she was speaking about events that had occurred millennia before her birth as Fred. During one particularly disorienting episode, she spent an entire afternoon convinced she was preparing for a battle against shadow-wraiths in the Andromeda Galaxy, only to be brought back to the present by Eva's gentle touch.

"We need to find a way to balance this," Eva said during one of their late-night discussions. "The memories are important—they contain knowledge we'll need to face what's coming. But we can't let them overwhelm who we are now."

They developed techniques for managing the integration: meditation exercises that helped them distinguish between their own experiences and Andromeda's memories, grounding rituals that anchored them in their current reality, and most importantly, constant communication with each other to maintain their sense of self.

Morgana's Full Awakening

But even as they struggled to adapt to their new lives, darker forces were stirring. The magical disturbances caused by their transformation and growing power had not gone unnoticed. In the depths of whatever realm she had been banished to, Morgana was fully awakening to the presence of her ancient enemy's essence.

The signs were subtle at first—shadows that moved independently of their sources, whispers in languages that predated human speech, moments when the very air seemed to thicken with malevolent intent. The college's protective wards held firm, but everyone could feel the pressure building beyond them.

"She knows we're here," Meda said one evening as they stood on the observatory balcony, looking out at the swirling cosmos beyond the college's reality bubble. "I can feel her attention like ice against my soul."

Eva moved closer, her warmth a comfort against the growing chill. "Then we need to be ready. Whatever Andromeda and Morgana were to each other in the past, we're something new now. We're not bound by their ancient hatred."

But even as she spoke the words, both girls could feel the truth settling around them like a shroud. Morgana's awakening was complete, and her fury at finding her sister's essence reborn was building toward something that would shake the foundations of the magical world itself. The college's protective barriers wouldn't hold forever, and when they fell, the real test of their transformed natures would begin.

As if summoned by their thoughts, a cold wind swept across the balcony, carrying with it the faint sound of laughter—beautiful, terrible, and filled with the promise of vengeance. Somewhere in the darkness between worlds, the greatest sorceress of shadow was preparing to reclaim what she believed was rightfully hers.

The ancient war between light and darkness was about to begin anew, and this time, the fate of all magical realms hung in the balance.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 11: Wanda's Arrival

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Meda and Eva meet the challenge of meeting their sister Wanda and the even greater challenge all being selected for Dean Bronwen's team in pursuit of Aislinn's cup at Aislinn's College for the Blessed?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Wednesdays and Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 11: Wanda's Arrival

The crystalline corridors of Aislinn's College hummed with their usual morning energy as students hurried between classes, their voices creating a symphony of youthful excitement and magical experimentation. Meda and Eva had settled into a comfortable routine over the past week, their glamored appearances helping them blend among their peers while they secretly grappled with the overwhelming legacy of their true identities.

The Team Selection Assembly

The Great Hall of Aislinn's College buzzed with anticipation as students from every age group filled the ancient stone amphitheater. Tapestries bearing the college's crest hung from soaring arches, while floating candles cast dancing shadows across the assembled faces. At the center of the hall, three ornate chairs had been placed for the selecting deans, with President Aislinn's ethereal form presiding from an elevated platform.

Isabeta floated near the cluster of thirteen-year-old girls, her luminescent presence providing a comforting anchor in the sea of nervous energy. She leaned toward her charges with theatrical discretion.

"Now darlings," she whispered, her voice carrying just enough mischief to ease the tension, "remember—this isn't a beauty pageant or a spelling bee. Though I do hope someone asks Dean Yseult about her fascinating collection of transformation mishaps. The woman once accidentally turned herself into a teapot for three days."

Several girls giggled softly, including Meda, who felt her shoulders relax slightly. Eva squeezed her hand reassuringly.

President Aislinn's voice resonated through the hall with otherworldly authority. "Students of Aislinn's College for the Blessed, today marks the beginning of this year's competition for the coveted Aislinn's Cup. Our three distinguished deans will now select their teams of six members each."

Dean Bronwen rose first, her silver hair gleaming as she surveyed the assembly with keen eyes. Known for her expertise in Illusion and Magical Defense, she commanded respect through both her strategic mind and her ability to see potential where others might miss it.

"I seek those who understand that true strength lies not in raw power alone, but in wisdom, adaptability, and the courage to protect others," Dean Bronwen announced, her voice carrying clearly through the hall. "My team will be built on the foundation of strategic thinking and defensive excellence."

Isabeta leaned closer to her girls again. "Bronwen always picks the clever ones," she murmured conspiratorially. "She's got an eye for spotting diamonds in the rough. Last year, she chose a girl who could barely light a candle, but by the end of the competition, she was creating illusions that fooled even the graduate students."

Dean Bronwen began calling names, her selections spanning all age groups. "From our graduate program, I choose Lydia Ashworth, specialist in Ward Construction." A tall young woman with intricate braids stood gracefully. "From our seventeen-year-olds, Celeste Chen, whose defensive strategies have impressed even our most seasoned professors. From our fifteen-year-olds, Rosalind Blackwater, whose quick thinking under pressure has proven invaluable."

The selection continued methodically through the age groups. When Dean Bronwen's gaze fell upon the thirteen-year-olds, Isabeta whispered, "Here we go, darlings. Remember to breathe."

"From our newest students," Dean Bronwen announced, "I select three who have already shown remarkable potential. Nada Blackthorne—"

Meda's heart leaped as she heard her name. Eva's grip on her hand tightened supportively.

"—whose natural defensive instincts and quick thinking have not gone unnoticed. Eva Nightingale, whose analytical mind and protective nature align perfectly with our team's philosophy. And finally, Wanda Hartwell, whose understanding of magical theory and practical application shows great promise."

As the three girls stood to join their new teammates, Isabeta's voice followed them softly. "Remember, my dears, no matter which team claims you, I'm always here. Need advice on handling a difficult teammate? Find me. Struggling with a challenge? I'm your spirit. Want to complain about the food in the dining hall? Well, I can't help with that one, but I'm an excellent listener."

Dean Yseult rose next, her expertise in Metamorphosis evident in the way her appearance seemed to shift subtly in the candlelight. "I seek those who embrace change, who understand that growth requires the courage to transform not just magically, but personally."

Her selections emphasized adaptability and creativity. "From our graduate program, I choose Morgana Blackwood, whose mastery of transformation magic is unparalleled. From our sixteen-year-olds, Seraphina Vale, whose innovative approaches to metamorphosis have broken new ground. From our fourteen-year-olds, Luna Starweaver, whose courage in the face of change inspires us all. From our twelve-year-olds, Iris Moonbeam, whose natural affinity for shapeshifting shows extraordinary promise. From our eleven-year-olds, Sage Willowbrook, whose intuitive understanding of transformation principles amazes even our faculty. And from our eighteen-year-olds, Phoenix Nightshade, whose mastery of advanced metamorphosis techniques sets the standard for excellence."

Finally, Dean Molli Rose stood, her warm presence immediately noticeable. "My team will be founded on heart, determination, and the understanding that our greatest strength comes from supporting one another. I choose those who lead with compassion and fight with purpose."

Her picks reflected her philosophy. "From our graduate program, I select Aria Moonwhisper, whose dedication to her peers is legendary. From our fifteen-year-olds, Jasmine Brightwater, whose leadership qualities shine in every endeavor. From our twelve-year-olds, Melody Songbird, whose unwavering determination and kind heart embody our team's spirit. From our sixteen-year-olds, Harmony Goldleaf, whose ability to unite others in common cause is unmatched. From our fourteen-year-olds, Grace Starlight, whose compassionate nature and fierce loyalty inspire all who know her. And from our eighteen-year-olds, Hope Silverstream, whose wisdom and gentle strength guide others toward their best selves."

As the selection process concluded, President Aislinn stepped forward, her ethereal form commanding absolute attention.

"Now that our teams have been chosen," Aislinn announced, her voice carrying the weight of millennia, "let me remind you all of the rules governing this year's competition."

The hall fell into complete silence.

"The Aislinn's Cup will be awarded to the team achieving the highest combined score across four equally valued categories: Spirits Magic, Community, Scholarship, and Athletics. While all categories carry equal weight in scoring, the Spirits Magic competition traditionally generates the greatest excitement and rivalry among our students."

Isabeta nodded approvingly to her remaining charges. "She's being diplomatic," she whispered. "Everyone knows Spirits Magic is where the real drama happens."

"Each team," Aislinn continued, "comprises six students from diverse age groups, from our youngest eleven-year-olds to our graduate students. This structure ensures mentorship opportunities and allows wisdom to guide enthusiasm. Competitions will take place throughout the academic year, with the final tally determining our champion."

The president's gaze swept across the assembled students. "Those who excel in individual competitions may be granted access to advanced studies. However, such advancement will never come at the cost of the social bonds you form with your age-mates. Community and friendship remain paramount at this institution."

"Translation," Isabeta murmured to her girls, "don't let success go to your head, and don't forget to have fun."

"The competition begins in earnest next week," Aislinn concluded. "Until then, teams are encouraged to meet, strategize, and begin building the bonds that will carry them through the challenges ahead. May wisdom guide your efforts, courage strengthen your resolve, and friendship light your path."

As the assembly began to disperse, Isabeta gathered her remaining thirteen-year-olds around her. "Well, my darlings, those chosen for teams have their adventures ahead, but don't think for a moment that makes you any less special. Every student here has their own unique journey, and I'll be here to help navigate whatever path you find yourselves on."

She winked at the group. "Besides, someone needs to help me keep an eye on those three troublemakers who just got themselves selected. Something tells me they're going to need all the guidance they can get."

Sister's Entrance

It was during their Advanced Transfiguration seminar that the familiar tingle of recognition swept through Meda like lightning. She looked up from her practice of reshaping crystalline structures to see a new student standing in the doorway—a girl of sixteen with dark hair and eyes that held an unsettling mixture of curiosity and calculation.

Wanda.

Even through Isabeta's glamor that made Meda appear as a tall, willowy blonde, something in Wanda's gaze suggested she sensed the truth beneath the magical disguise. Her younger sister moved through the classroom with confident grace, her attention seeming to drift casually over the other students before settling on Meda with unmistakable recognition.

"Class, we have a new student joining us," Professor Morfydd announced. "This is Wanda Hartwell, transferring from the Meridian Academy. Please make her feel welcome."

Eva caught Meda's eye from across the room, her emerald gaze reflecting the same shock and concern. The name Hartwell hung in the air between them like a challenge—their shared surname from their previous life as Fred, now carried by the sister who had arrived to complicate everything they thought they understood about their transformation.

Family Complications

After class, Wanda approached them with the directness that Meda remembered from their childhood, though now it carried an edge of something harder, more purposeful.

"Interesting glamor work," Wanda said without preamble, her voice pitched low enough that only they could hear. "Isabeta's signature style, if I'm not mistaken. Though I have to say, the tall blonde look suits you better than I expected... Meda."

The use of her chosen name sent a chill down Meda's spine. "How did you—"

"Recognize you?" Wanda's smile was sharp. "You can change your appearance, but you can't change your magical signature. Not when we share the same source." She glanced meaningfully at Eva. "Though I admit, I wasn't expecting there to be two of you."

Eva stepped closer, her auburn hair catching the light as she studied Wanda with careful attention. "You're Fred's sister. The one who was also affected by the artifact."

"Among other things," Wanda replied cryptically. "We need to talk. Somewhere private."

Chimera Revelation

They found themselves in one of the college's meditation gardens, a space where crystalline trees created natural privacy barriers and the sound of flowing water masked their conversation from casual eavesdroppers. Wanda settled onto a bench carved from living stone, her posture relaxed but her eyes alert.

"So," she began, "reincarnation. I have to admit, when I felt the magical disturbance three weeks ago, I wondered if you'd finally managed it. Though I expected you to emerge as one person, not twins."

Meda felt Andromeda's memories stirring, ancient knowledge about the complexities of chimeric transformation. "The process was... complicated. Our love for each other created a resonance that split the reincarnation in unexpected ways. Andromeda had her twin, Eva, too."

"Love?" Wanda's eyebrows rose. "I thought Gwen was just your spirit guide."

"She was more than that," Eva said quietly. "Much more, since I was also Sarah and was romantically involved with Fred. We were together before Sarah died, before Fred found the Bit Bucket."

Wanda's expression shifted, calculation giving way to something that might have been understanding. "That explains the twin manifestation. Chimeric souls undergoing reincarnation together—the magical theory alone must have been fascinating to observe."

"You talk about it like an experiment," Meda said, a note of warning in her voice.

"Everything is an experiment when you're dealing with forces this ancient," Wanda replied. "The artifact that affected our mother didn't just create chimeras, Meda. It connected us to a magical lineage that spans millennia. What you've become—what you've awakened—it's going to have consequences far beyond your personal transformation."

Artifact Knowledge

Wanda reached into her robes and withdrew a small crystalline device that seemed to pulse with inner light. Both Meda and Eva felt their magical senses respond to it immediately, recognizing the same energy signature that had shaped their very existence.

"This is a fragment of the original artifact," Wanda explained. "I've been studying it for years, trying to understand what it did to us, what it made us capable of. The chimeric nature isn't a curse, Nada—it's a gift. But it comes with responsibilities."

Eva leaned forward, her empathic abilities picking up complex emotional currents from Wanda. "You're afraid," she said. "Not of us, but of something else. Something connected to our transformation."

Wanda's composure cracked slightly. "Morgana's awakening sent ripples through every magical realm. But she's not the only ancient power that's stirring. The artifact that created us was one of several, scattered across different worlds after the last great war between light and darkness. Your reincarnation has activated them all."

The implications hit Meda like a physical blow. "You mean there are others like us?"

"Potentially," Wanda said. "But most chimeras don't survive the transformation process. The conflicting natures tear them apart before they can achieve integration. You two are... unique."

But even as Wanda smiled and nodded her agreement, Meda caught something in her sister's expression—a flicker of ambition that spoke of desires beyond mere family loyalty. The fragment of artifact in Wanda's hand pulsed with increasing intensity, and for a moment, Meda could swear she saw hunger in her sister's eyes.

Alliance Formation

The weight of cosmic responsibility settled around them like a shroud. Meda could feel Andromeda's memories pressing against her consciousness, ancient knowledge about the delicate balance between magical forces and the price of wielding power on a universal scale.

"So what do you want from us?" Eva asked, her voice steady despite the magnitude of what they were discussing.

"I want to help," Wanda said simply. "I've spent twenty years living with the knowledge that I'm connected to something vast and dangerous. When I felt your transformation, I knew the time for hiding was over. Whatever's coming, we're stronger together than apart."

Meda studied her sister's face, seeing echoes of the girl she'd known in their previous life but also recognizing something new—a determination forged by years of solitary study and preparation. "And what exactly do you think is coming?"

"War," Wanda said without hesitation. "Not just between you and Morgana, but between all the forces that have been sleeping since the last great conflict. Your reincarnation was like lighting a beacon that every ancient power can see. Some will want to ally with you. Others will want to destroy you before you can reach your full potential."

Eva's hand found Meda's, their sisterly bond providing comfort in the face of overwhelming uncertainty. "Then we'll face it together," Eva said. "All three of us."

The Secret Scrolls

Isabeta materialized in the thirteen-year-old common room with her characteristic theatrical flair, floating gracefully above the assembled girls with an armload of elegant scrolls tied with shimmering ribbons. Her ethereal form practically sparkled with mischief as she surveyed the eager faces below.

"Well, well, my darlings," she announced with a dramatic flourish, "it seems some of you have caught the attention of certain distinguished faculty members." She held up the scrolls, each one sealed with different colored wax—deep blue for Dean Bronwen's team, silver for Dean Yseult's, and warm gold for Dean Molli Rose's.

Meda, Eva, and Wanda exchanged excited glances as Isabeta began her distribution with ceremonial gravity.

"Miss Blackthorne," Isabeta intoned, presenting Meda with a scroll sealed in deep blue wax, "your presence has been... requested." She winked conspiratorially.

"Miss Nightingale," she continued, floating to Eva with another blue-sealed scroll, "apparently your analytical mind has made quite the impression."

"And Miss Hartwell," Isabeta concluded, offering Wanda her matching scroll with an exaggerated bow, "your theoretical understanding has not gone unnoticed."

As Isabeta distributed scrolls to other chosen students throughout the room, Cordelia—a copper-haired girl from Dean Yseult's team—practically vibrated with excitement. The moment Isabeta handed her the silver-sealed scroll, her curiosity overwhelmed her patience.

"I can't wait!" Cordelia burst out, immediately breaking the wax seal despite the meaningful looks from her fellow recipients. "I have to know what—oh my!"

Her eyes widened as she unrolled the parchment, reading aloud before anyone could stop her: "You are cordially invited to a celebratory feast in honor of the newly chosen teams, to be held tonight at the stroke of midnight in the Great Hall. Following the banquet, each team will convene privately with their respective dean for strategic planning and orientation."

The room fell silent except for Cordelia's continued reading: "Those chosen are hereby excused from curfew restrictions for this evening. You are to slip quietly from your dormitories once your housemates are asleep and make your way to the Great Hall. Discretion is paramount—this gathering is for team members only."

Isabeta sighed dramatically, though her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, Cordelia, darling. The concept of 'sealed for privacy' seems to have escaped you entirely."

Cordelia's face flushed crimson as she realized her mistake. "I'm so sorry! I was just so excited, and I thought—"

"No harm done, sweet child," Isabeta laughed, her voice like silver bells. "Though I do hope the rest of you can manage to contain your curiosity until you reach the privacy of your own beds. The suspense is half the fun, after all."

Meda clutched her unopened scroll, feeling the weight of anticipation. A midnight feast, private meetings with Dean Bronwen, and the thrill of sneaking through the castle corridors while their dormmates slept—it felt like the beginning of something truly extraordinary.

"Now then," Isabeta continued with mock sternness, "I trust you'll all be model students for the remainder of the evening. Get plenty of rest before dinner, because something tells me you'll need your energy for what lies ahead."

As the spirit began to fade from view, she called back with a final bit of advice: "And do try to be quiet when you slip out tonight. The last thing we need is to wake the entire dormitory with your midnight adventures. Some secrets are worth keeping, my dears."

The chosen students exchanged knowing glances, each clutching their scrolls like precious treasures, already counting the hours until midnight would arrive.

Hidden Agendas

The three sisters afterward met again focused on their previous discussion interupted by the distribution of scrolls by Isabeta.

"There's something else," Wanda said, her voice carefully casual. "The artifacts aren't just connected to our chimeric nature. They're keys—each one unlocks a different aspect of the ancient magical matrix that governs reality itself. If someone were to gather them all..."

"They could reshape the world," Meda finished, understanding flooding through her. "That's what you really want, isn't it? Not just to help us, but to claim that power for yourself."

Wanda's mask slipped completely, revealing the ambitious young woman beneath. "Is that so wrong? We're chimeras, Meda. We're already outside the normal order of things. Why shouldn't we take our place as the architects of a new reality?"

The garden around them seemed to hold its breath as the three sisters faced each other across a chasm of conflicting desires. Meda felt the weight of Andromeda's wisdom pressing against her consciousness, warning her about the seductive nature of absolute power and the price of choosing ambition over love.

"Because," Eva said quietly, her voice carrying the authority of hard-won understanding, "power without compassion becomes tyranny. And tyranny, no matter how well-intentioned, always leads to suffering."

Wanda's expression hardened. "Spoken like someone who's never had to fight for recognition, never had to prove their worth in a world that sees them as an aberration."

"We've all fought those battles," Meda said firmly. "But we don't have to become monsters to win them."

The tension between them stretched taut as a bowstring, and Meda realized that their family reunion had become something far more complex than she'd anticipated. Wanda wasn't just an ally—she was a potential rival, someone whose desires for power could either complement their mission or destroy everything they'd worked to build.

As if summoned by the intensity of their conflict, a cold wind swept through the garden, carrying with it the faint sound of laughter that made all three sisters freeze. Somewhere in the distance, Morgana's presence pressed against the college's protective barriers, drawn by the magical resonance of their confrontation.

The ancient war between light and darkness was accelerating, and now they faced the possibility that the greatest threat might come not from their legendary enemy, but from within their own family. The next few days would determine whether the Hartwell sisters would stand united against the coming storm, or whether their conflicting ambitions would tear them apart before the real battle could even begin.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 12: The Magic System

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Meda and Eva meet the challenge of learning how to cope with and effectively use their majick and the even greater challenge of practicing for the completions as a part of Dean Bronwen's team in pursuit of Aislinn's cup at Aislinn's College for the Blessed?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Wednesdays and Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 12: The Magic System

The Midnight Escape
The grandfather clock in the thirteen-year-old dormitory chimed eleven-thirty as Meda and Eva lay perfectly still in their beds, listening to the steady breathing of their sleeping dormmates. The excitement thrumming through Meda's veins made it nearly impossible to remain motionless, but she forced herself to wait until the last snore settled into a peaceful rhythm.

At the stroke of midnight, two figures slipped silently from their beds, bare feet padding across the cold stone floor. They had practiced this earlier—Eva timing each creak of the floorboards, Meda testing how quietly the ancient hinges would turn. Their preparation paid off as they ghosted through the common room and into the corridor beyond.

"I hope Wanda made it out of the graduate dorm safely," Eva whispered as they navigated the moonlit hallways toward their predetermined meeting point.

Sure enough, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows near the main staircase. Wanda's face lit up with relief when she spotted her teammates. "I was beginning to think you'd been caught," she breathed, falling into step beside them.

"This feels like we're in some sort of spy novel," Wanda continued, her eyes bright with adventure as they navigated the moonlit hallways together.

Eva grinned, her analytical mind already cataloging the castle's nighttime security patterns. "I counted three spirit patrols, but they're predictable. We have a clear window if we move now."

The Celebratory Feast
The Great Hall had been transformed for the midnight celebration. Floating candles cast warm, golden light over tables laden with delicacies that seemed to shimmer with their own inner magic. Students from all age groups mingled freely, the usual dormitory boundaries dissolved in the excitement of being chosen.

Meda marveled at the diversity of her fellow competitors—from eleven-year-old Melody Songbird, whose bright smile lit up her entire face, to the graduate students who moved with the confidence of near-mastery. The atmosphere buzzed with nervous energy and anticipation.

"Look at Seraphina Vale," Eva murmured, nodding toward a sixteen-year-old whose hair seemed to shift colors subtly in the candlelight. "Dean Yseult chose well—she's practically radiating transformation magic."

Wanda found herself in animated conversation with Jasmine Brightwater from Dean Molli Rose's team, comparing notes on magical theory while sampling enchanted pastries that tasted like childhood memories. "These taste like my grandmother's kitchen," she laughed, "if my grandmother had been a sorceress."

The feast felt both celebratory and strategic, as team members naturally gravitated toward one another while sizing up their competition. Meda noticed how the graduate students seemed to take on mentoring roles instinctively, offering advice and encouragement to the younger students.

Dean Bronwen's Strategy Session
After the feast, Dean Bronwen led her six team members to a circular chamber lined with ancient tapestries depicting legendary defensive battles. The room felt intimate yet formal, with comfortable chairs arranged around a central table where a three-dimensional map of the college grounds hovered in miniature.

"Welcome to your first official team meeting," Dean Bronwen began, her silver hair gleaming in the soft light. "Before we discuss strategy, I want each of you to understand my philosophy."

She gestured to the tapestries surrounding them. "Every great victory in magical history has been won not through raw power, but through preparation, adaptability, and the courage to protect what matters most. This is what I look for in my team members."

Lydia Ashworth, the graduate student specializing in Ward Construction, nodded approvingly. "Defense as the foundation for all other magical disciplines."

"Precisely," Dean Bronwen continued. "But defense doesn't mean passivity. True defensive magic requires split-second decision-making, creative problem-solving, and absolute trust in your teammates."

She turned to address the younger members directly. "Meda, Eva, Wanda—you three bring fresh perspectives that our more experienced members need. Don't let anyone convince you that youth equals weakness. Some of the most innovative defensive strategies in history have come from minds unburdened by conventional thinking."

The Dean's gaze grew more serious. "My expectations are simple: preparation over improvisation, teamwork over individual glory, and strategic thinking over brute force. We will train together, study together, and support each other through every challenge."

Celeste Chen raised her hand. "What about the Spirits Magic competition specifically? The other teams will likely focus heavily on offensive capabilities."

Dean Bronwen smiled knowingly. "Let them. While they're concentrating on flashy displays of power, we'll be mastering the art of magical chess. Every spell they cast, we'll have three counters ready. Every strategy they employ, we'll have anticipated and prepared for."

She stood, moving to touch the floating map. "Our first training session begins tomorrow after regular classes. We'll start with basic ward construction and move into advanced defensive formations. I expect each of you to research historical defensive strategies and come prepared with questions."

The Return
The team meeting concluded near two in the morning, with each member feeling both exhilarated and slightly overwhelmed by the scope of their commitment. As they prepared to return to their dormitories, Dean Bronwen offered one final piece of advice.

"Remember, you are no longer just students—you are representatives of a proud tradition of magical defense. Carry yourselves accordingly, but never forget that your greatest strength lies in supporting one another."

The three youngest teammates began retracing their path through the castle corridors, moving even more carefully now that exhaustion was beginning to set in. The stone floors felt colder against their bare feet, and the shadows seemed deeper in the pre-dawn darkness.

"Did you see how the graduate students looked at us?" Wanda whispered as they approached the main staircase where their paths would diverge. "Like we actually belonged there."

Eva nodded, her mind already racing with defensive strategies and ward configurations. "Dean Bronwen's approach makes perfect sense. While the other teams are competing against each other, we'll be operating as a unified force."

At the staircase, Wanda paused. "I wish we could all stay together," she said wistfully. "It feels strange having to separate now."

"We'll see each other first thing in the morning," Meda assured her, giving her teammate a quick hug. "And we'll have so much to talk about at breakfast."

"Sweet dreams," Eva added softly as Wanda headed up toward the graduate quarters while she and Meda continued toward the thirteen-year-old dormitory.

As Meda slipped back into her bed and pulled her covers up, she felt a deep sense of rightness settle in her chest. For the first time since her transformation, she felt truly part of something larger than herself—not just accepted, but valued for the unique perspective she brought to the team. Even though their trio would be separated by dormitory assignments each night, their bond as teammates felt unbreakable.

The last thing she heard was Eva's gentle breathing from the bed beside hers, and she smiled knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges, but tonight had proven that she was exactly where she belonged.

The morning after Wanda's arrival brought with it a new understanding of the forces that governed Aislinn's College. Meda stood before the mirror in their dorm room, watching her glamored reflection while feeling the ancient power of Andromeda stirring beneath the surface. The revelation of her sister's presence had awakened something deeper—not just memories, but an awareness of how magic itself flowed through the cosmos.

Gender and Magic

During their Advanced Magical Theory class with Dean Bronwen, the connection between their transformed identities and their magical abilities became impossible to ignore. The professor was demonstrating complex ward structures when Meda found herself instinctively improving upon the design, her female consciousness naturally attuning to magical frequencies that had been blocked in her previous male form.

"Fascinating," Dean Bronwen observed as Meda's modifications caused the ward to shimmer with unprecedented stability. "Your magical resonance has increased exponentially since your arrival. There's a direct correlation between your current form and your ability to channel cosmic forces."

Eva nodded from her seat nearby, her own empathic abilities allowing her to sense the truth of it. "It's like the magic recognizes us now," she said quietly. "When we were... before... there was always resistance, like trying to force water through a blocked pipe. Now it flows naturally."

Wanda, who had been observing from the back of the classroom, stepped forward with the crystalline artifact fragment still glowing in her hand. "The ancient texts speak of this phenomenon," she said, her voice carrying the authority of years of study. "The greatest magical abilities are unlocked not through force or training, but through spiritual authenticity. When the soul and body achieve perfect harmony, magic becomes as natural as breathing."

Spiritual Authenticity

The concept resonated through Meda like a bell struck in a cathedral. For thirty-six years as Fred, she had felt the constant friction between her male body and female soul, a dissonance that had limited her magical potential despite her desperate belief in teleportation. Now, inhabiting a form that matched her true nature, she could feel power flowing through her with unprecedented ease.

"That's why the Bit Bucket called to us," Eva realized, her emerald eyes bright with understanding. "It wasn't a trap—it was an opportunity. A chance to become who we truly were meant to be."

Dean Bronwen nodded approvingly. "The college has long understood this principle. Why do you think we only accept female students? It's not discrimination—it's recognition of a fundamental truth about how magic interacts with consciousness and identity."

During their lunch break, the three sisters found themselves in the gravity-defying gardens, discussing the implications of what they'd learned. Meda could feel Andromeda's memories stirring, ancient knowledge about the relationship between gender, identity, and magical power.

"The sorceresses of old understood this instinctively," she said, her voice carrying echoes of wisdom that predated human civilization. "Magic isn't just about manipulating energy—it's about achieving perfect harmony between all aspects of the self. When there's conflict between body and soul, that conflict creates interference in the magical field."

Training Begins

The afternoon brought their first formal training session in the college's specialized magical laboratories. Unlike the theoretical classes, these sessions were designed to push students to their limits, helping them discover the full extent of their abilities while learning to control them safely.

Meda's instructor, Dean YseuIt, had prepared a series of increasingly complex challenges designed to test her growing connection to Andromeda's legacy. The first exercise involved manipulating matter at the molecular level—a skill that should have taken years to master, but which came to Meda as naturally as breathing.

"Extraordinary," Dean YseuIt murmured as Meda transformed a block of lead into crystalline structures that seemed to contain their own inner light. "You're not just reshaping matter—you're imbuing it with cosmic energy. That's a technique I've only read about in the oldest texts."

Meanwhile, Eva was working with Dean Molli Rose on developing her empathic abilities. What had started as simple emotion-sensing had evolved into something far more complex—the ability to weave emotional energy into tangible magical effects that could heal trauma, inspire courage, or provide comfort to those in need.

"You're not just channeling empathy," Dean Molli Rose observed with fascination as Eva created threads of golden light that wrapped around a distressed first-year student like a healing embrace. "You're transforming the very essence of emotional connection into pure magical force. That's a gift that could reshape how we understand therapeutic magic."

Eva's Development

Eva's magical development was taking a distinctly different path from Meda's cosmic manipulations, but no less impressive in its scope and potential. Where Meda channeled the vast forces of creation itself, Eva worked with the intimate connections between living beings, understanding that love and compassion could be just as powerful as stellar fire.

During their evening practice session, Eva demonstrated an ability that left even Wanda speechless. When a group of older students began bullying a younger girl, Eva didn't intervene directly. Instead, she wove a subtle web of empathic magic that helped the bullies understand the pain they were causing, transforming their aggression into genuine remorse and a desire to make amends.

"That's not just magic," Wanda said afterward, her voice filled with awe. "That's wisdom. You're not forcing change—you're creating the conditions for genuine transformation."

Eva smiled, her auburn hair catching the light from the floating lamps. "Andromeda's memories show me that the greatest magic isn't about power—it's about understanding. When you truly comprehend the connections between all living things, you realize that healing others heals yourself."

Dangerous Experiments

But with great power came great risk. As the days passed and their abilities continued to grow, both sisters found themselves tempted to push beyond safe limits. Meda's connection to cosmic forces was so strong that she sometimes lost herself in the vast scale of universal energy, requiring Eva's empathic touch to anchor her back to human consciousness.

During one particularly intense training session, Meda attempted to channel stellar energy directly, hoping to understand the full extent of Andromeda's legacy. The result was catastrophic—energy exploded outward from her body, cracking the laboratory's reinforced walls and sending magical instruments flying.

"Stop!" Dean YseuIt shouted, throwing up protective barriers as the cosmic energy threatened to tear through the college's reality matrix. "You're drawing too much power! You'll destabilize the entire dimensional framework!"

Eva rushed to her sister's side, her empathic abilities reaching out to touch Meda's consciousness and pull her back from the brink of dissolution. "Remember who you are," she whispered urgently. "Remember that you're not just Andromeda—you're also the person who loved butterflies, who dreamed of magic, who chose love over power."

The reminder worked, and Meda's wild energy gradually stabilized. But the incident served as a stark warning about the dangers they faced as their abilities continued to grow.

The Community Competition

The Great Hall had been transformed into an amphitheater of sorts, with tiered seating arranged in a circle around a central platform where the Community Competition would unfold. Unlike the flashy displays expected in Spirits Magic or the rigorous testing of Scholarship, this competition required something far more subtle—the ability to inspire, unite, and serve others.

Dean Bronwen's team gathered in their designated section, with Meda feeling a familiar flutter of nerves as she watched the other competitors prepare. The Community Competition was unique among the four categories, as it wasn't about individual prowess but about demonstrating leadership, empathy, and the ability to bring out the best in others.

"Remember," Lydia Ashworth whispered to the younger team members, "this isn't about showing off. It's about showing heart."

The first challenge involved organizing mixed-age groups of students to complete a collaborative magical project—creating protective wards for the college's gardens. Each team member would lead a group of volunteers from across all dormitories, and their success would be measured not just by the quality of the wards, but by how well they fostered cooperation and growth among their temporary teammates.

Eva stepped forward when their turn came, her auburn hair catching the light as she surveyed the dozen students who had volunteered to work with her. Meda watched with admiration as her friend immediately began connecting with each volunteer, learning their names, understanding their magical strengths, and gently encouraging the more hesitant students.

"What's your specialty, Melody?" Eva asked the eleven-year-old from Dean Molli Rose's team, crouching down to meet her at eye level. "Harmony magic? That's perfect—we'll need someone to help all our different magical signatures work together."

As Eva guided her group through the ward construction, Meda could see her friend's natural empathy shining through. She didn't just delegate tasks; she taught, encouraged, and celebrated each small success. When one of the fourteen-year-olds struggled with her part of the spell, Eva patiently worked alongside her until the magic flowed smoothly.

The ward that Eva's group created was elegant and strong, with intricate patterns that seemed to pulse with the combined energy of all its creators. But more importantly, Meda noticed how the volunteers looked at Eva with genuine affection and respect by the end of the exercise.

"She's really good at this," Wanda murmured, watching Eva help a shy twelve-year-old add her magical signature to the ward's foundation.

When the scores were announced, Eva had performed admirably—the best among the three sisters, though Meda could see her friend was still learning to balance her natural analytical tendencies with the emotional intelligence the competition demanded.

But it was Aria Moonwhisper from Dean Molli Rose's team who truly dominated the competition. The graduate student moved through her challenges with a grace that spoke of years of dedicated service to others. During her leadership exercise, she somehow managed to coordinate a group of twenty students from across all age groups, creating not just functional wards but a sense of genuine community among participants who had never worked together before.

"Watch how she listens," Celeste Chen observed quietly. "She's not just hearing what they're saying—she's understanding what they need."

Aria's approach was different from Eva's careful methodology. Where Eva analyzed and planned, Aria simply connected. She seemed to instinctively know which students needed encouragement, which ones needed gentle challenges, and which ones needed to feel valued for their unique contributions.

During the final challenge—mediating a deliberately staged conflict between two groups of students—Aria's legendary dedication to her peers became evident. She didn't just resolve the dispute; she helped both sides understand each other's perspectives and find common ground. By the end, the formerly antagonistic groups were laughing together and planning future collaborations.

When President Aislinn announced the Community Competition results, there was no surprise in Aria Moonwhisper's victory. Her score was so far ahead of the others that it seemed almost unfair—except that everyone who had watched her work understood that this wasn't about natural talent alone, but about years of choosing to put others first.

"That," Dean Bronwen said quietly to her team as they applauded Aria's win, "is what true leadership looks like. It's not about commanding others—it's about serving them so well that they want to follow you."

Eva accepted her second-place finish with characteristic grace, but Meda could see the determination in her friend's eyes. This was just the beginning of Eva's journey in understanding the deeper aspects of community building, and Meda had no doubt that her analytical mind would find ways to grow in this area.

As they filed out of the Great Hall, Wanda nudged both her teammates. "Well, that gives us something to work toward. Aria didn't become legendary overnight—she built that reputation one act of service at a time."

Meda nodded, feeling inspired rather than discouraged. The Community Competition had shown them all what was possible when someone truly dedicated themselves to lifting others up. It was a lesson that would serve them well in the challenges ahead.

Morgana's Influence

As if summoned by the massive magical disturbance, a chill swept through the college that had nothing to do with temperature. The protective wards that surrounded the institution flickered ominously, and for a moment, every student and faculty member felt the touch of something vast and malevolent pressing against their consciousness.

"She felt that," Wanda said grimly, her artifact fragment pulsing with agitated light. "Morgana's attention is fully focused on the college now. Your magical development is like a beacon calling to her across the dimensional barriers."

Dean YseuIt appeared in the damaged laboratory, her expression grave as she surveyed the destruction. "The wards are holding, but they won't last forever against sustained assault. Morgana's power is growing stronger as she awakens more fully to your presence."

Meda felt the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders like a mantle. The joy of discovering her true magical potential was tempered by the knowledge that every display of power brought them closer to a confrontation that could reshape the magical world itself.

"Then we need to be ready," she said, her voice carrying the authority of both her own determination and Andromeda's ancient wisdom. "If Morgana wants a battle, we'll give her one. But we'll fight on our terms, using the power of love and connection rather than hatred and domination."

Eva took her hand, their sisterly bond providing strength and comfort. "Together," she said simply. "Whatever comes, we face it together."

Wanda nodded, her own magical abilities resonating with theirs despite her different origins. "The artifacts I've studied speak of a time when the forces of light and darkness will clash for the final time. I believe that time is coming, and we're at the center of it."

As night fell over Aislinn's College, the three sisters stood together in their damaged laboratory, feeling the weight of destiny pressing down upon them. Their magical training had revealed both the incredible potential they possessed and the terrible responsibility that came with it. The ancient war between light and darkness was accelerating, and soon they would have to prove whether love truly could triumph over hate, whether healing could overcome destruction, whether the bonds of sisterhood could stand against the fury of the greatest sorceress of shadow the universe had ever known.

The real test of their magical system—and their hearts—was about to begin.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 13: The Artifact Hunt

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Wanda, Meda, and Eva meet the challenge of practicing for the completions as a part of Dean Bronwen's team in pursuit of Aislinn's cup at Aislinn's College for the Blessed? How will they do in the first one and also to find the relics?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 13: The Artifact Hunt

The crystalline corridors of Aislinn's College hummed with an undercurrent of tension that hadn't been there before Morgana's awakening. Meda could feel it in the very walls—a subtle vibration that spoke of ancient powers stirring, of secrets long buried beginning to surface. The morning light filtering through the impossible windows seemed dimmer somehow, as if the shadow sorceress's influence was already beginning to seep into their sanctuary.

The Scholarship Competition

The Great Hall had been transformed into an academic arena, with floating podiums arranged in a perfect circle and ancient tomes hovering at eye level around each station. The Scholarship Competition was perhaps the most intellectually demanding of the four Aislinn's Cup categories, requiring contestants to demonstrate not just knowledge, but the ability to synthesize complex magical theory under pressure.

Dean Bronwen's team gathered in their designated area, with Wanda adjusting her robes nervously as she prepared to represent them in the graduate-level division. Despite being chronologically only sixteen, her placement in the graduate dormitory meant she would compete against the college's most advanced students.

"Remember," Lydia Ashworth whispered encouragingly, "you've been studying magical theory since you were eleven. Trust your instincts."

Meda squeezed Wanda's hand supportively. "You've got this, sister. Show them what a Hartwell can do."

The competition began with President Aislinn announcing the challenge: "Theoretical Integration of Defensive Ward Networks with Metamorphic Spell Matrices." Each contestant had ninety minutes to present both written analysis and practical demonstration of how defensive magic could be enhanced through transformation principles.

Wanda took a deep breath and approached her floating podium. While other contestants immediately began frantically scribbling notes, she closed her eyes for a moment, drawing on years of theoretical study and her unique perspective as someone who had lived between magical worlds.

When she opened her eyes, her quill moved with confident precision across the parchment. Her approach was elegant in its simplicity—rather than trying to force defensive and metamorphic magics to work together, she proposed a symbiotic relationship where each enhanced the other's natural properties.

"The key," she wrote, "lies not in combining disparate magical systems, but in recognizing that transformation and protection are fundamentally complementary forces. A ward that can adapt its structure based on the nature of incoming threats becomes exponentially stronger than static defenses."

As the written portion concluded, contestants moved to practical demonstration. Wanda stepped forward and began weaving a complex spell pattern, her movements fluid and purposeful. The ward she created shimmered into existence—a translucent barrier that seemed to pulse with inner light.

"Observe," she announced clearly, her voice carrying across the hall, "how the defensive matrix responds to different magical signatures."

She directed various test spells at her creation. Against a fire-based attack, the ward transformed its structure to become more heat-resistant. When faced with an illusion spell, it shifted to become more perceptive. Each adaptation happened seamlessly, the ward learning and evolving in real-time.

The assembled students and faculty watched in amazement as Wanda's ward not only deflected every test spell but actually grew stronger with each encounter, incorporating elements of the attacking magic into its own defensive capabilities.

"Brilliant," Dean Yseult murmured from the judges' panel. "She's created a living defense system."

When the demonstrations concluded, the scoring was swift. Wanda's theoretical framework had been flawless, her mathematical calculations precise, and her practical application revolutionary. She had not only answered the challenge but had advanced the field of magical theory itself.

"The winner of this year's Scholarship Competition," President Aislinn announced, "is Wanda Hartwell of Team Bronwen, whose innovative approach to adaptive defensive systems represents a significant contribution to magical academia."

As applause filled the Great Hall, Wanda felt a surge of pride that had nothing to do with competition and everything to do with finally proving—to herself as much as anyone—that her years of dedicated study had been worthwhile.

Dean Bronwen approached with a rare smile. "Exceptional work, Wanda. That theoretical framework of yours could revolutionize how we teach defensive magic."

Meda and Eva rushed to congratulate their teammate, their faces glowing with sisterly pride. "I knew you'd win," Nada beamed. "No one understands magical theory like you do."

As Team Bronwen celebrated their victory in the Scholarship category, Wanda felt a deep sense of belonging. She had found her place not just as Fred's sister, but as a scholar and innovator in her own right. The competition had proven that intelligence and dedication could triumph just as surely as raw magical power.

"Two down, two to go," Eva said with a grin, already looking ahead to the remaining competitions.

Wanda nodded, her confidence bolstered by this academic victory. Whatever challenges lay ahead in Athletics, and Spirits Magic, Team Bronwen had proven they could excel through preparation, innovation, and mutual support—exactly the values Dean Bronwen had emphasized from the beginning.

Ancient Legacy

During their Advanced Magical History seminar with Professor Ingris, the connection between their transformed identities and the legendary artifacts became impossible to ignore. The professor was discussing the great war between light and darkness when Meda felt Andromeda's memories stirring with unprecedented clarity.

"The sorceresses of old," Professor Ingris was saying, "left behind more than just legends. They created repositories of power—artifacts that could tip the balance between cosmic forces. Most were lost or destroyed in the final battle, but some..."

"Some were hidden," Meda finished, her voice carrying the authority of ancient knowledge. "Scattered across different realms to prevent any single force from claiming them all."

Professor Ingris's eyes widened with recognition. "Extraordinary. That's information found only in the most restricted texts. How could you possibly know—"

"Because I remember creating them," Meda said quietly, Andromeda's memories flooding through her consciousness like a dam bursting. "The Stellar Prism that could bend light itself into solid form. The Empathic Crown that allowed its wearer to heal trauma across vast distances. The Void Mirror that showed not what was, but what could be."

Eva moved closer to her sister, her emerald eyes reflecting the same dawning understanding. "And Morgana created her own artifacts," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Shadow Blade that could cut through reality itself. The Crown of Whispers that turned thoughts into weapons. The Heart of Darkness that fed on despair and grew stronger with each soul it consumed."

The Search Begins

The revelation that these artifacts still existed somewhere in the cosmic expanse sent ripples of excitement and terror through the college. Aislinn herself appeared in their classroom within minutes of Professor Ingris's urgent summons, her silver hair moving with agitated energy.

"If even half of what you remember is true," Aislinn said, her ancient eyes studying Meda with intense focus, "then we're facing a crisis beyond anything I've prepared for. Morgana's awakening wasn't random—she's sensed the artifacts calling to their creators' essences."

Wanda stepped forward from where she'd been observing near the back of the classroom, her crystalline artifact fragment pulsing with increasing intensity. "The piece I've been studying—it's not just connected to our chimeric nature. It's a key, isn't it? A way to locate the other artifacts."

Meda nodded, understanding flooding through her as Andromeda's memories aligned with the present moment. "Each artifact was designed to resonate with its creator's spiritual signature. Now that we've been reincarnated, they're awakening too, calling out across the dimensional barriers."

"Which means," Eva said with growing alarm, "that Morgana's artifacts are also stirring. And if she reaches them first..."

"She'll have the power to reshape reality according to her will," Aislinn finished grimly. "The college's protective barriers won't hold against artifacts of that magnitude."

College Secrets

The search for clues about the artifacts' locations led them deep into the college's most restricted areas—chambers that existed in folded space, accessible only to those with the highest magical clearance. Aislinn guided them through corridors that seemed to exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously, their footsteps echoing in spaces that defied geometric logic.

"The college wasn't just built as an educational institution," Aislinn explained as they descended a staircase that spiraled through what appeared to be solid crystal. "It was designed as a repository for the most dangerous magical knowledge in existence. When Andromeda and Morgana fought their final battle, I gathered everything I could find and sealed it here."

They emerged into a vast chamber that took Meda's breath away. The walls were lined with crystalline storage matrices, each one containing swirling patterns of light that seemed to hold entire universes of information. At the center of the room stood a device that looked like a cross between an astrolabe and a cosmic map—its rotating rings showing the positions of countless worlds and dimensional nexuses.

"The Cosmic Locator," Meda breathed, Andromeda's memories providing instant recognition. "I helped design this. It can track magical signatures across infinite space."

Eva approached one of the storage matrices, her empathic abilities allowing her to sense the emotional resonance of the memories contained within. "There's so much pain here," she said softly. "Centuries of conflict, loss, desperate attempts to prevent catastrophe."

Wanda moved to the Cosmic Locator, her artifact fragment beginning to glow more brightly as it came near the ancient device. "If we can calibrate this correctly, we should be able to locate at least some of the artifacts before Morgana does."

Competitive Pressure

But even as they worked to unlock the secrets of the Cosmic Locator, signs of Morgana's influence were growing stronger throughout the college. Students reported nightmares filled with whispers in ancient languages. Protective wards flickered without explanation. Shadows moved independently of their sources, and the very air seemed to thicken with malevolent intent.

During their evening meal in the great hall, Dean Bronwen approached their table with an expression of barely controlled concern. "We've detected unauthorized magical activity in several restricted sections of the college," she said quietly. "Someone—or something—is searching for the same information you're seeking."

"Morgana's hunters," Meda said, her voice grim with certainty. "Corrupted spirits that she's sent ahead to scout for the artifacts. They can't physically interact with our reality yet, but they can influence those with weak magical defenses."

As if summoned by her words, a chill swept through the great hall that had nothing to do with temperature. Students looked around nervously as their breath began to mist in the suddenly frigid air. The floating lamps that provided illumination flickered ominously, and for a moment, everyone in the hall felt the touch of something vast and hungry pressing against their consciousness.

"She's testing our defenses," Eva said, her empathic abilities picking up the waves of fear and confusion radiating from the other students. "Trying to find weak points she can exploit."

First Discovery

Their breakthrough came three days later, when Wanda's artifact fragment finally achieved full resonance with the Cosmic Locator. The ancient device blazed to life, its rotating rings spinning faster as it scanned across dimensional barriers and cosmic distances. Points of light began appearing on its crystalline display—some bright and clear, others dim and flickering.

"There," Meda said, pointing to a brilliant point of light that pulsed with familiar energy. "The Stellar Prism. It's hidden in the Crystal Caves of Arcturus Prime, protected by wards that I wove myself millennia ago."

"And here," Eva added, indicating another point of light that seemed to shimmer with emotional resonance. "The Empathic Crown. It's on Earth, buried beneath what your people call Stonehenge. The ancient druids were its guardians, though they never understood its true nature."

But even as they celebrated their discoveries, darker points of light were appearing on the display—artifacts of shadow and corruption that pulsed with malevolent energy. Morgana's creations were stirring too, responding to their creator's awakening with eager hunger.

"The Shadow Blade," Wanda said, her voice filled with dread as she identified one of the dark points. "It's close—hidden somewhere in the space between dimensions, waiting for Morgana to reclaim it."

Morgana's Hunters

As if triggered by their discovery of the artifacts' locations, the college's protective barriers suddenly flared with brilliant light. Alarms began sounding throughout the crystalline spires, and students rushed to the windows to see what was happening.

Outside the college's reality bubble, shapes were moving in the cosmic void—not physical beings, but manifestations of pure malevolent will. They pressed against the barriers like hungry predators, their forms shifting and writhing as they sought any weakness they could exploit.

"Corrupted spirits," Aislinn said as she materialized in the chamber, her usually calm demeanor showing cracks of strain. "Morgana has sent them to test our defenses and gather intelligence about the artifacts. They can't breach the barriers directly, but they're learning, adapting."

One of the spirits pressed closer to the barrier, and for a moment, its form solidified enough for them to see its true nature. It had once been a student, perhaps, or a young sorceress full of hope and dreams. Now it was a twisted thing of shadow and hunger, its eyes burning with the reflected malice of its mistress.

"They were people once," Eva said, her voice breaking with empathy for the corrupted beings. "Morgana didn't just kill them—she perverted their very essence, turned them into extensions of her will."

"Which is exactly what she'll do to everyone in the magical realms if we don't stop her," Meda said, her resolve hardening as she watched the spirits circle the college like cosmic vultures. "We need to reach the artifacts first. All of them."

The Cosmic Locator pulsed with increasing urgency, its display showing more and more points of light as ancient powers continued to awaken across the universe. The race had begun in earnest now—a desperate competition between the forces of light and darkness for artifacts that could determine the fate of all existence.

As the corrupted spirits pressed closer to the barriers and the college's defenses strained under their assault, Meda felt the weight of destiny settling on her shoulders like a mantle of starlight. The artifacts were calling to her across the cosmic void, and soon she would have to answer that call, leaving the safety of the college to venture into realms where Morgana's influence grew stronger with each passing moment.

The hunt for the artifacts of power had begun, and failure would mean not just their own destruction, but the end of everything they held dear. The next phase of their journey would test not just their magical abilities, but their courage, their love for each other, and their faith in the power of light to triumph over the deepest darkness.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 14: Identity Crisis

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Wanda, Meda, and Eva meet the challenge of meeting to be a part of Dean Bronwen's team in pursuit of Aislinn's cup at Aislinn's College for the Blessed? How will they do in the first one and also to find the relics?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 14: Identity Crisis

The morning after their discovery of the artifact locations brought with it a weight that seemed to press down on Meda's very soul. She stood before the mirror in their dorm room, watching her glamored reflection—tall, willowy, blonde—while feeling the ancient memories of Andromeda stirring beneath the surface like a tide threatening to overwhelm her consciousness

.The three scrolls appeared simultaneously on their respective beds just after evening meal, each bearing Dean Bronwen's distinctive silver seal. Meda found hers tucked beneath her pillow in the thirteen-year-old dormitory, while Eva discovered hers placed precisely on her nightstand. Wanda's scroll waited on her desk in the graduate quarters, positioned with the mathematical precision that characterized everything in Dean Bronwen's domain.

The message was brief but clear: "Team meeting. Midnight. Defense Tower, Third Level. Come prepared to discuss strategy and progress. - D.B."

The Midnight Gathering
The Defense Tower's third level had been transformed into an intimate war room, with floating maps of the college grounds and magical diagrams illustrating various defensive formations. Soft candlelight cast dancing shadows across the stone walls, creating an atmosphere of serious purpose mixed with ancient mystery.

Dean Bronwen stood at the center of the circular chamber, her silver hair gleaming in the candlelight as her six team members filed in quietly. Lydia Ashworth and Celeste Chen took positions near the tactical displays, while Rosalind Blackwater settled into one of the comfortable chairs arranged in a semicircle. The three sisters—Meda, Eva, and Wanda—found seats together, their bond as both teammates and family evident in their synchronized movements.

"Welcome to our first comprehensive strategy review," Dean Bronwen began, her voice carrying the authority of someone who had guided countless students through magical challenges. "Tonight, we assess where we stand, acknowledge our strengths, and prepare for the battles ahead."

She gestured to a floating scoreboard that materialized in the air, displaying the current team standings. "As you can see, we currently hold second place overall, with one victory and one strong second-place finish."

Reviewing Past Competitions
"Let's begin with the Community Competition," Dean Bronwen continued, her gaze settling on Eva with evident pride. "Eva, your performance was exemplary. You demonstrated exactly the kind of thoughtful leadership and empathetic guidance that defines our team's philosophy."

Eva straightened in her chair, though her expression remained modest. "Thank you, Dean. Though I have to admit, watching Aria Moonwhisper work was... humbling. She has years of experience that I'm still developing."

"Which is precisely why your second-place finish was so impressive," Celeste Chen interjected supportively. "You're competing against graduate students with a fraction of their experience."

Wanda nodded enthusiastically. "Eva, you had those volunteers eating out of your hand by the end. The way you helped that shy twelve-year-old find her confidence was beautiful to watch."

Dean Bronwen smiled approvingly. "Eva's performance in Community showed us that our defensive philosophy extends far beyond magical combat. True protection means nurturing others' growth and creating environments where everyone can succeed."

The Dean's expression grew more serious as she continued. "However, we must acknowledge that Team Molli Rose's victory was decisive. Aria Moonwhisper's legendary dedication to her peers isn't just reputation—it's a living example of what years of selfless service can accomplish."

Celebrating Academic Victory
The mood shifted as Dean Bronwen turned to address their triumph in the Scholarship Competition. "Wanda, your victory in Scholarship was nothing short of revolutionary. You didn't just answer the challenge—you advanced the entire field of magical theory."

Wanda's cheeks flushed with pride and embarrassment. "I just applied what I've been studying for years. The symbiotic relationship between defensive and metamorphic magic seemed... obvious, once I really thought about it."

"Obvious to a brilliant mind," Lydia Ashworth corrected with a grin. "I've been working with defensive ward construction for a decade, and I never conceived of adaptive defensive matrices. Your theoretical framework is going to change how we teach magic."

"The practical demonstration was equally impressive," Rosalind added. "Watching your ward learn and evolve in real-time was like seeing the future of magical defense."

Dean Bronwen nodded approvingly. "Wanda's victory proves that our team's emphasis on preparation and innovative thinking can triumph over raw power. She exemplified everything we stand for—strategic analysis, creative problem-solving, and the courage to present revolutionary ideas."

Current Training and Future Challenges
"Which brings us to our current training regimen," Dean Bronwen announced, moving to touch one of the floating tactical displays. "We've been focusing on integrated defensive strategies, where each team member's strengths complement the others. How are you finding the advanced ward construction exercises?"

"Challenging but enlightening," Eva replied thoughtfully. "Learning to coordinate my defensive instincts with Meda's intuitive magic and Wanda's theoretical knowledge is like learning a new language."

Meda spoke up, her voice gaining confidence. "I'm starting to understand how my... unique background... actually gives me advantages in defensive magic. The way I can sense magical signatures feels different from traditional training."

"That's because your magical development has been unconventional," Dean Bronwen explained. "Your instincts aren't constrained by traditional limitations, which makes you unpredictable—a valuable asset in both defense and offense."

Looking Ahead: Athletics and Spirits Magic
Dean Bronwen's expression grew more intense as she addressed the upcoming competitions. "The Athletics Competition is next, and Eva, you're our clear favorite. Your background gives you advantages that extend far beyond physical conditioning."

Eva nodded, her competitive spirit evident. "I've been training with both magical enhancement and traditional techniques. The integration feels... natural. Like my body remembers things my mind is still learning."

"Your performance in practice sessions has been extraordinary," Celeste observed. "The way you move through the obstacle courses—it's like watching poetry in motion."

"But we can't become overconfident," Dean Bronwen cautioned. "The other teams have strong athletes as well, and they'll be studying your techniques. We need to prepare for them to counter your strengths."

The Dean's gaze shifted to Meda, and her expression softened with something approaching awe. "And then we come to Spirits Magic—our final and most crucial competition."

Meda felt a familiar flutter of nerves mixed with anticipation. "I know everyone expects me to perform well, but sometimes the magic feels so... overwhelming. Like it's bigger than I am."

"That's because it is," Dean Bronwen said gently. "Meda, your magical potential is unlike anything I've seen in decades of teaching. But potential means nothing without control, focus, and the wisdom to use power responsibly."

Wanda reached over to squeeze her sister's hand. "You've been getting stronger every day. The way you handled that defensive exercise yesterday—even Lydia was impressed."

"More than impressed," Lydia confirmed. "Meda, when you created that multi-layered protection ward, it wasn't just powerful—it was elegant. You're developing an intuitive understanding of magic that most students take years to achieve."

Final Strategy and Team Unity
Dean Bronwen moved to stand directly in front of her team, her expression serious but warm. "Here's what I want you to remember: we're not just competing for points or glory. We're proving that defensive magic—protection, preparation, and strategic thinking—can triumph over flashy displays of raw power."

She gestured to the three sisters. "You three represent something unique in this competition. You're not just teammates—you're family. That bond gives you advantages that other teams can't replicate. Trust each other, support each other, and remember that your greatest strength lies in working together."

"Eva, your athletic prowess will showcase the physical discipline that underlies all great magic. Wanda, your scholarly achievements prove that knowledge and innovation can overcome any obstacle. And Meda..." She paused, her voice growing softer. "Nada, your magical gifts will demonstrate that true power comes from the heart, not from ambition."

As the meeting concluded, the three sisters exchanged glances filled with determination and mutual support. They had come so far from their origins in the Bit Bucket, and now they stood on the threshold of proving themselves in the most challenging competitions of their new lives.

"Two competitions down, two to go," Eva murmured as they prepared to return to their dormitories.

"And we're going to show everyone what Team Bronwen can accomplish," Wanda added with quiet confidence.

Meda nodded, feeling the magical energy that always seemed to pulse just beneath her skin. "Together," she said simply, and in that single word lay all the power of their unbreakable bond.

The midnight strategy session had reminded them not just of their individual strengths, but of the extraordinary force they became when united. Whatever challenges lay ahead in Athletics and Spirits Magic, they would face them as sisters, as teammates, and as the living embodiment of Dean Bronwen's philosophy that true strength comes from protecting and supporting one another

Fred's Memories

The crisis began during their Theoretical Magic class with Professor Ingris. As the professor discussed the historical implications of magical artifacts, Meda found herself slipping between identities like a person caught between waking and dreaming. One moment she was listening to the lecture as a thirteen-year-old student; the next, she was remembering the creation of the Stellar Prism from Andromeda's perspective, feeling the cosmic forces flowing through her hands as she shaped starlight into solid form.

"The ancient sorceresses understood that power without wisdom leads to destruction," Professor Ingris was saying, but Meda heard the words through a filter of three-thousand-year-old memories. She remembered speaking those very words to a council of cosmic guardians, remembered the weight of responsibility that came with wielding forces that could reshape reality itself.

Eva noticed her sister's distress immediately, her empathic abilities picking up the chaotic swirl of emotions radiating from Meda. "You're fragmenting," she whispered during a break between classes. "I can feel Fred's memories fighting with Andromeda's for control."

The observation hit Meda like a physical blow. She was fragmenting—caught between the man she had been for thirty-six years and the legendary sorceress whose essence now flowed through her veins. Fred's love of butterflies and simple magic warred with Andromeda's cosmic perspective and ancient wisdom, creating a dissonance that threatened to tear her consciousness apart.

Andromeda's Personality

The situation worsened during their afternoon practice session with Dean YseuIt. When asked to demonstrate basic matter manipulation, Meda found herself instinctively reaching for techniques that predated human civilization. Instead of the simple molecular restructuring the exercise required, she began weaving reality itself, her consciousness slipping fully into Andromeda's memories.

"The fundamental error in your approach," she said, her voice carrying the authority of millennia, "is assuming that matter and energy are separate phenomena. They are merely different expressions of the same cosmic principle."

Dean YseuIt's eyes widened as Meda—no, Andromeda—began reshaping the practice materials at the quantum level, creating structures that seemed to exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously. The other students backed away as power radiated from her in waves that made the air itself sing with harmonic frequencies.

"Meda," Eva called urgently, but the name felt foreign, distant. She was Andromeda now, the greatest sorceress of light, wielder of stellar fire and cosmic wisdom. The concerns of a thirteen-year-old girl seemed trivial compared to the vast responsibilities that pressed against her consciousness.

It was only when Eva's empathic touch reached her—not through magic but through the deep bond they shared as sisters—that Meda snapped back to herself. The quantum structures collapsed, and she found herself gasping on the laboratory floor, her body shaking from the magical backlash.

Internal Conflict

The episodes grew more frequent and more intense over the following days. During meals, Meda would find herself critiquing the college's magical defenses from Andromeda's perspective, seeing weaknesses and vulnerabilities that a thirteen-year-old shouldn't be able to perceive. In their dorm room at night, she would wake from dreams that weren't dreams but memories—battles fought across cosmic distances, loves lost to the passage of millennia, the terrible weight of decisions that affected entire civilizations.

"I'm losing myself," she confessed to Eva during one of their late-night conversations. "Every day, more of Fred disappears, and more of Andromeda takes his place. What if I forget who I really am? What if I forget our love, our journey together?"

Eva took her sister's hands, her touch warm and grounding. "You're not losing yourself," she said firmly. "You're integrating. Fred's memories, his love, his essential nature—they're not disappearing. They're becoming part of something larger, something more complete."

But even as Eva spoke the words, Meda could feel the truth of her fear. Fred's simple joy in magic was being overshadowed by Andromeda's vast knowledge. His human perspective was being subsumed by cosmic awareness that saw individual lives as brief flickers in an eternal dance of creation and destruction.

Eva's Support

Eva's own transformation was proceeding more smoothly, but she could feel her sister's struggle through their empathic bond. Where Meda was being overwhelmed by ancient memories, Eva found herself naturally integrating the emotional wisdom that came with her inherited abilities. She understood instinctively how to balance her own identity with the deeper knowledge flowing through her consciousness.

"The difference," she explained to Wanda during one of their study sessions, "is that I'm not fighting the integration. Meda is trying to hold onto Fred's identity while also embracing Andromeda's power. She's creating the very conflict she's afraid of."

Wanda nodded thoughtfully, her artifact fragment pulsing with sympathetic resonance. "The chimeric nature makes it more complex for her. Fred was already divided between male and female aspects. Now she's trying to integrate those with Andromeda's cosmic perspective. It's like trying to harmonize three different symphonies simultaneously."

Eva's support became Meda's anchor during the worst moments of identity confusion. When Andromeda's memories threatened to overwhelm Fred's consciousness entirely, Eva would reach out through their sisterly bond, reminding Meda of their shared journey, their love that had transcended death itself, their commitment to facing whatever came together.

"Remember the Butterfly Garden," Eva would whisper during the crisis moments. "Remember the man who believed in magic so deeply that he was willing to risk everything for it. That's who you are at your core—not just Andromeda, not just Fred, but someone who chooses love over power, hope over fear."

Magical Instability

The internal conflict began manifesting in dangerous ways. Meda's magical abilities fluctuated wildly, sometimes barely functioning and other times exploding with cosmic force that threatened to destabilize the college's reality matrix. During one particularly severe episode, her attempt to light a simple candle resulted in a pillar of stellar fire that burned through three floors of the crystalline spire before Dean Bronwen could contain it.

"The magical instability is getting worse," Aislinn observed during an emergency meeting with the faculty. "Her consciousness is fragmenting between multiple identities, and her power is reflecting that chaos. If we can't help her achieve integration soon, she could become a danger to herself and everyone around her."

The college's protective wards began showing strain as Meda's uncontrolled magical fluctuations created ripples in the dimensional fabric. Students reported nightmares filled with cosmic imagery, and several of the more sensitive empaths had to be moved to shielded quarters to protect them from the emotional chaos radiating from Meda's internal struggle.

Wanda worked frantically with her artifact fragment, trying to find some way to stabilize her sister's condition. "The problem is that she's trying to maintain three separate identities instead of allowing them to synthesize," she explained to Eva. "Fred, Andromeda, and the integrated female consciousness she's becoming—they're all fighting for dominance instead of finding harmony."

Breaking Point

The crisis reached its peak during a routine Transfiguration class. Professor Morfydd had assigned a simple exercise in reshaping crystalline structures when Meda's consciousness suddenly shattered completely. One moment she was a confused thirteen-year-old girl struggling with her homework; the next, she was Andromeda in her full cosmic glory, wielding power that made the classroom walls crack and the very air burn with stellar fire.

"Mortals," she said, her voice carrying harmonics that seemed to echo from the depths of space itself, "you play with forces you cannot comprehend. This institution is a pale shadow of the true academies where cosmic principles were taught to those worthy of such knowledge."

The other students fled as reality began warping around Meda's uncontrolled power. Crystalline structures grew from the floor like living things, and the windows showed not the college's usual cosmic vista but glimpses of distant galaxies where Andromeda had once walked among the stars.

Eva rushed to her sister's side, her empathic abilities reaching out desperately to find some trace of the person she loved beneath the overwhelming presence of the ancient sorceress. "Meda!" she called, but the name seemed to have no meaning to the being of cosmic fire that stood before her.

It was Wanda who provided the key to breaking through the crisis. She pressed her artifact fragment directly against Meda's forehead, using its resonance with their shared chimeric nature to create a bridge between the warring aspects of her sister's consciousness.

"You are not Andromeda," Wanda said firmly, her voice cutting through the cosmic chaos. "You are not Fred. You are Meda—someone new, someone who carries the best of both while being limited by neither. Stop fighting what you're becoming and embrace who you already are."

The words hit Meda like a revelation. She wasn't losing Fred or being consumed by Andromeda—she was becoming someone entirely new, someone who could love butterflies and wield stellar fire, who could remember being human while understanding cosmic principles. The conflict wasn't between different identities; it was between her fear of change and her potential for growth.

The stellar fire gradually subsided as Meda's consciousness found its new equilibrium. She was still tall, still blonde beneath Isabeta's glamor, still thirteen years old in body. But now she was also complete in a way that Fred had never been, integrated in a way that honored both her human origins and her cosmic destiny.

"I remember," she said quietly, her voice carrying both Fred's wonder and Andromeda's wisdom. "I remember all of it—the garden, the love, the magic, the responsibility. And I choose to be all of it, together."

Eva's smile was radiant as she felt her sister's consciousness stabilize at last. The identity crisis was over, but Meda's journey toward full integration was just beginning. The real test would come when they faced Morgana's forces, when the harmony she'd achieved would be tested against the chaos of cosmic conflict.

As the damaged classroom slowly returned to normal and the other students cautiously returned, Meda felt a new sense of purpose settling over her like a mantle of starlight. She was ready to face whatever came next—not as Fred trying to be Andromeda, but as Meda, the bridge between human love and cosmic power, between mortal dreams and eternal responsibility.

The breaking point had become a breakthrough, and the real battle for the future of all magical realms was about to begin

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 15: Sisters' Story

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Eva meet the physical challenges set before her in that phase of the Aislinn's cup competition at Aislinn's College for the Blessed? How will they uncover the sisters connection between Eva and Meda and how does Wanda figure into the mix?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:

This book, in its entirety, is available on my Patreon. BCTS will get weekly postings on Saturdays to complete it here. Patreon Free Members can read my new complete book by chapters, Things We Do for Love

---

Chapter 15: Sisters' Storys

The aftermath of Meda's identity crisis left the college feeling different—charged with new possibilities and deeper understanding. As autumn deepened around Aislinn's crystalline spires, the three sisters found themselves navigating not just their magical education, but the complex dynamics of their transformed family relationships.

The Athletics Competition

The college's expansive athletic complex buzzed with anticipation as students from all age groups gathered for the Athletics Competition. The Great Hall's magical architecture had transformed itself into a multi-tiered arena, with floating platforms for aerial events, enchanted pools for aquatic challenges, and traditional fields for ground-based competitions. This was where physical prowess met magical enhancement, creating displays of athletic achievement that defied mortal limitations.

Eva stood with Team Bronwen in their designated area, her athletic frame radiating a quiet confidence that had been building since her reincarnation. The memories of Sarah—her past life as a world-class gymnast and collegiate field hockey champion—flowed through her consciousness like muscle memory made manifest. But these weren't just borrowed skills; they had been refined and intensified by her transformation.

"Remember," Dean Bronwen addressed her team quietly, "this competition tests not just physical ability, but the integration of magical enhancement with athletic discipline. Eva, your background gives you a unique advantage here."

Meda squeezed Eva's hand supportively. "You've got this, sister. I've watched you train—you're incredible."

The competition began with individual events spanning multiple disciplines. Eva's first challenge was the Aerial Gymnastics segment, where competitors performed routines on floating rings and bars that moved through three-dimensional space. As Eva approached the starting position, she closed her eyes briefly, feeling Sarah's championship instincts merge seamlessly with her enhanced magical abilities.

When the signal came, Eva launched herself into the air with a grace that seemed to defy gravity itself. Her routine was a masterpiece of controlled power and artistic expression—each flip, twist, and hold executed with the precision of someone who had dedicated two lifetimes to perfecting her craft. The floating apparatus responded to her movements as if it were an extension of her own body, creating patterns of light that traced her path through the air.

"Extraordinary," whispered one of the judges, a graduate student from Dean Yseult's team. "She's not just performing the routine—she's conducting it like a symphony."

The second event was Magical Field Hockey, played on an enchanted pitch where the ball could phase between dimensions and players could use limited magical enhancements. Eva's experience as a collegiate team captain shone through as she read the field with tactical brilliance, anticipating plays three moves ahead while maintaining perfect ball control even when it shifted between physical and ethereal states.

"Look at her positioning," Celeste Chen observed admiringly from the Team Bronwen section. "She's not just playing her position—she's orchestrating the entire field."

Eva's stick work was poetry in motion, each pass and shot delivered with the kind of precision that came from years of championship-level play. When the opposing team's striker attempted a dimensional phase-shot, Eva was already there, intercepting the ball as it materialized and launching a counterattack that resulted in a spectacular goal.

The final event was the Endurance Challenge—a grueling obstacle course that tested stamina, agility, and magical efficiency across varied terrain. This was where Eva's dedication to physical conditioning truly showed. In her mortal life as Sarah, she had been disciplined about fitness, but death and reincarnation had given her an even deeper appreciation for the gift of a physical form.

As Eva navigated the course, her movements were economical and purposeful. She scaled enchanted walls that shifted their handholds, swam through pools where the water's density changed mid-stroke, and sprinted across fields where gravity fluctuated randomly. Her breathing remained controlled, her form perfect, even as other competitors began to falter.

"She's treating her body like a sacred instrument," Wanda observed with scientific fascination. "Every movement is calculated for maximum efficiency."

When Eva crossed the finish line—not just first, but with a time that shattered the previous college record—the arena erupted in applause. She stood there for a moment, chest rising and falling steadily, her face glowing with the satisfaction of perfect performance.

President Aislinn's voice resonated through the complex as the final scores were tallied. "The winner of this year's Athletics Competition, with the highest combined score across all events, is Eva Nightingale of Team Bronwen."

As her teammates rushed to congratulate her, Eva felt a profound sense of completion. Sarah's athletic legacy hadn't been lost in death—it had been transformed, refined, and elevated. The dedication to physical excellence that had driven her mortal achievements now served a greater purpose in this magical realm.

Dean Bronwen approached with a rare smile of genuine pride. "Exceptional work, Eva. You didn't just win those events—you redefined what's possible when athletic discipline meets magical enhancement."

"Thank you," Eva replied, her voice steady despite her exhilaration. "Sarah's training gave me the foundation, but this body, this life—it's allowed me to push beyond what I ever thought possible."

As Team Bronwen celebrated their second competition victory, Eva looked around at her teammates and felt a deep sense of belonging. She had found her place not just as a reincarnated soul, but as an athlete who could honor both her past achievements and her present potential.

The Athletics Competition had proven that excellence wasn't just about natural talent—it was about the dedication to perfect one's craft across lifetimes, and the wisdom to use that perfection in service of something greater than oneself.

Wanda's Guidance

It was Wanda who first noticed the subtle changes in how other students responded to Meda after her breakthrough. During their morning Theoretical Magic class with Professor Ingris, she pulled her sister aside as they walked through the gravity-defying gardens.

"You're different now," Wanda observed, her artifact fragment pulsing gently in her robes. "More centered. The other students can sense it—they're not afraid of your power anymore because you're not afraid of it yourself."

Meda nodded, feeling the truth of it. The integration of Fred's memories with Andromeda's cosmic awareness had created something new—not a conflict between identities, but a harmony that honored both her human origins and her legendary destiny. "I finally understand what you meant about embracing what we're becoming rather than fighting it."

"The real test," Wanda said carefully, "will be when you have to face your fears about what that power means. Andromeda's memories carry more than just magical knowledge, Meda. They carry the weight of cosmic responsibility, the burden of decisions that affect entire civilizations."

Eva joined them as they settled on a bench carved from living crystal, her empathic abilities immediately picking up the serious tone of their conversation. "You're worried about something specific," she said to Wanda. "I can feel it."

Family Dynamics

Wanda's expression grew troubled as she looked between her transformed sisters. "The artifact I've been studying—it's not just showing me the locations of other magical items. It's revealing the history of what Andromeda and Morgana were to each other before their final battle."

She withdrew the crystalline fragment, its surface swirling with images that seemed to move just beneath the translucent exterior. "They weren't just opposing forces, Meda. They were sisters. Twins, like you and Eva, but their bond was corrupted by jealousy and competing visions of how to use their power."

The revelation hit Meda like a physical blow. Through Andromeda's memories, she could feel the echo of that ancient sisterly love turned to bitter rivalry. "Morgana was her twin?"

"More than that," Wanda continued. "They were created by the same cosmic forces that shaped our chimeric nature. The artifacts that affected our mother—they were fragments of a larger whole, pieces of the original matrix that gave birth to the first sorceresses."

Eva's hand found Meda's, their sisterly bond providing comfort against the weight of this new knowledge. "But we're not them," Eva said firmly. "Our love has already been tested by death and transformation. We chose to become sisters rather than lovers, chose cooperation over competition."

Emotional Relief

Despite the gravity of their discussion, Wanda's next words brought unexpected lightness to the moment. "You know," she said with a grin that reminded Meda of the mischievous girl she'd known in their previous life, "watching you two navigate magical academia while pretending to be normal thirteen-year-olds has been absolutely hilarious."

Eva laughed, her auburn hair catching the afternoon light. "Yesterday in Basic Levitation, Meda accidentally made the practice stones orbit each other like a miniature solar system. Professor Morfydd just stood there with her mouth open."

"And Eva," Meda added with affection, "turned a simple empathy exercise into group therapy for half the class. Dean Molli Rose is still trying to figure out how a thirteen-year-old managed to help three upperclassmen work through their homesickness in one session."

The laughter felt good, a reminder that beneath their cosmic destinies and ancient legacies, they were still family. Still sisters who could find joy in each other's company despite the weight of responsibility pressing down on them.

"Isabeta's glamors help," Wanda observed, "but they can't hide the fundamental changes in who you are. The way you move, the way you think—it's like watching legends come to life."

Wanda's Doubts

But even as they shared this moment of levity, Meda could sense deeper currents in Wanda's emotions. Her sister's artifact fragment was pulsing with increasing agitation, responding to some internal conflict that Wanda was trying to hide.

"There's something else," Meda said gently. "Something you're not telling us."

Wanda's composure cracked slightly, revealing the uncertainty she'd been carrying since her arrival at the college. "I've been studying the artifacts for twenty years, preparing for this moment when the ancient powers would awaken. But now that it's happening, now that I'm watching you become who you're meant to be..." She paused, struggling with words. "I'm not sure I belong in this story."

Eva's empathic abilities reached out, sensing the deep well of insecurity beneath Wanda's confident exterior. "You think we don't need you anymore."

"Don't you see?" Wanda's voice carried a note of desperation. "You two have each other. You have this perfect bond, this cosmic connection that transcends everything. You're the legendary twin sorceresses, inheritors of power that could reshape reality itself. What am I compared to that? Just Fred's little sister with a fragment of artifact and twenty years of study."

The pain in her voice made Meda's heart ache. She reached out, taking Wanda's hands in hers. "You're wrong," she said firmly. "You're not just Fred's little sister anymore than I'm just Fred transformed. You're Wanda—the person who spent two decades preparing for this moment, who understood the artifacts when no one else could, who found us when we needed guidance most."

Personal Growth

Over the following days, Wanda's role in their growing alliance became increasingly clear. While Meda grappled with cosmic forces and Eva developed her empathic healing abilities, Wanda served as their anchor to practical magical theory and strategic thinking.

During their Advanced Artifact Studies seminar, it was Wanda who made the crucial connection between the Cosmic Locator's readings and the ancient ward patterns protecting the hidden artifacts. Her years of solitary research had given her insights that even Aislinn's vast knowledge couldn't match.

"The artifacts aren't just hidden," Wanda explained as they worked late in the college's restricted archives. "They're connected to each other through a network of magical resonances. Finding one makes it easier to locate the others, but it also sends out signals that Morgana's forces can detect."

Her confidence grew as she demonstrated her understanding of the complex magical matrices involved. "We need to be strategic about which artifacts we pursue first. Some will strengthen our defenses, others will give us offensive capabilities. But each one we claim will make us more visible to our enemies."

Eva watched with growing admiration as Wanda outlined their options. "You've thought of everything," she said. "All those years of preparation—you weren't just studying the artifacts, you were preparing to guide us."

Hidden Connections

As the week progressed, deeper connections between their pasts began to emerge. During a particularly intense practice session with Dean YseuIt, Wanda's artifact fragment suddenly blazed with light, creating a resonance with both Meda's cosmic abilities and Eva's empathic powers.

"Extraordinary," Dean YseuIt breathed as the three sisters stood connected by streams of magical energy that seemed to flow between them like living light. "I've never seen anything like this. Your magical signatures are harmonizing, creating something greater than the sum of your individual abilities."

The connection revealed memories that belonged to none of them individually—glimpses of the cosmic forces that had shaped their chimeric nature, echoes of the ancient sorceresses whose legacy they carried, and most surprisingly, hints of a destiny that required all three of them working together.

"The artifacts that affected our mother," Meda realized as the vision faded, "they weren't random. They were drawn to her because she was meant to give birth to us—all three of us. We're not just siblings by chance, we're connected by cosmic design."

Wanda stared at her fragment with new understanding. "That's why I could always sense when you were in trouble, even before your transformation. That's why I knew exactly when to come to the college. We're not just family—we're part of the same magical matrix."

Preparation for Greater Challenges

As the chapter drew to a close, the sisters found themselves standing together on the observatory balcony, looking out at the swirling cosmos beyond the college's protective barriers. The stars seemed brighter somehow, as if responding to their growing understanding of their place in the universe.

"Morgana's forces are gathering," Eva said quietly, her empathic abilities picking up distant currents of malevolent intent. "I can feel them pressing against the college's wards, testing for weaknesses."

Meda nodded, Andromeda's memories providing glimpses of the shadow sorceress's tactical brilliance. "She's not just trying to break through our defenses. She's studying us, learning our capabilities, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

"Then we need to be ready," Wanda said, her artifact fragment pulsing with determined light. "The next phase of our journey will take us beyond the college's protection. We'll need to work together—not just as sisters, but as a unified force capable of standing against the greatest evil the universe has ever known."

The wind that swept across the balcony carried with it the scent of change, the promise of challenges that would test not just their magical abilities but the bonds of love and trust that held them together.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 16: Morgana's Forces

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Meda meet the spirit magic challenges set before her in that phase of the Aislinn's cup competition at Aislinn's College for the Blessed? How will uncovering that Meda is actually the reincarnation of Andromeda through the spirits magic challenge endanger Aislinns College as Morgana's forces attack?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

---

Chapter 16: Morgana's Forces

The protective barriers surrounding Aislinn's College had been flickering for days, but this morning brought something far more ominous. Meda woke to the sound of crystalline walls humming with strain, their usual melodic resonance replaced by discordant notes that spoke of immense pressure building beyond the college's reality bubble​.

The Spirits Magic Competition
The Great Hall had been transformed into a mystical amphitheater for the most anticipated event of the year—the Spirits Magic Competition. Floating platforms arranged in concentric circles created viewing areas for students and faculty, while the central arena pulsed with ethereal energy that made the very air shimmer. Despite the recent spiritual attacks from Morgana's corrupted forces, tonight offered a blessed respite as ancient protective wards surrounded the competition space.

The Betting Pool
In the hours leading up to the competition, an underground betting pool had emerged among the older students, with whispered conversations in dormitory corners and hastily scrawled odds passed between classes. Graduate student Lydia Ashworth had become the unofficial bookkeeper, her ward construction expertise lending credibility to her predictions.

"Current odds," she murmured to a cluster of sixteen-year-olds, "Team Yseult's Phoenix Nightshade at three-to-one, Team Molli Rose's Hope Silverstream at four-to-one, and..." she paused dramatically, "Nada Blackthorne at even money."

Seraphina Vale from Team Yseult shook her head in disbelief. "Even money? She's thirteen years old!"

"Have you seen what she can do in practice?" countered Melody Songbird from Team Molli Rose. "Last week she created a defensive ward that made Professor Bronwen's eyes go wide. And Professor Bronwen doesn't get impressed easily."

Wanda approached the group, her expression thoughtful. "I'm putting my money on my sister," she announced quietly. "Not because of family loyalty, but because I've seen her tap into something... ancient. Something that goes beyond normal magical training."

The Competition Begins
As the competitors took their positions on the central platform, President Aislinn's ethereal form materialized above the arena. "Tonight, our three finalists will demonstrate the highest form of magical artistry—the manipulation and communion with spiritual forces. They will be judged on power, control, creativity, and the ability to work in harmony with the spirits that guide our college."

Phoenix Nightshade stepped forward first, her eighteen-year-old confidence evident as she began weaving complex patterns in the air. Spirits of transformation responded to her call, creating a spectacular display of shifting forms and colors that drew gasps from the audience. Her mastery was undeniable, each movement precise and purposeful.

Hope Silverstream followed, her gentle nature evident as she called upon spirits of healing and protection. The arena filled with warm, golden light as benevolent spirits danced around her, creating patterns of comfort and peace that made several younger students sigh with contentment.

Then it was Meda's turn.

Andromeda's Wisdom Awakens
As Meda stepped into the center of the arena, something shifted in her demeanor. The nervous thirteen-year-old seemed to grow taller, more regal, as if ancient memories were stirring within her consciousness. Eva watched from the Team Bronwen section, her heart racing with a mixture of pride and concern.

"She's different tonight," Wanda whispered to their teammates. "Look at her eyes—they're glowing."

Meda raised her hands, and the very air around her began to thrum with power. When she spoke, her voice carried an authority that seemed to echo from centuries past: "Spirits of light, guardians of wisdom, keepers of the ancient ways—I call upon you not as a student, but as one who remembers."

The response was immediate and overwhelming. Spirits materialized throughout the arena—not just the college's familiar guides, but ancient beings of immense power that hadn't been seen for generations. The protective wards around the competition space blazed brighter as these elder spirits recognized something in Meda that transcended her young appearance.

"By the goddess," Dean Bronwen breathed, "she's channeling Andromeda's own spiritual connections."

Meda began to weave magic that was both beautiful and terrifying in its scope. She created not just illusions or displays of power, but actual bridges between the physical and spiritual realms. Students gasped as they could suddenly see and hear spirits that had been invisible before, as if Meda had temporarily lifted the veil between worlds.

The climax came when she summoned a spirit of pure light—a being so radiant that it illuminated every corner of the Great Hall. The spirit spoke in a voice like crystal chimes: "The daughter of light has returned. The ancient compact is renewed."

Victory and Consequences
When the competition concluded, there was no question about the outcome. President Aislinn's announcement was almost anticlimactic: "The winner of this year's Spirits Magic Competition is Nada Blackthorne of Team Bronwen."

The betting pool erupted into chaos. Students who had backed Meda at even money cheered and collected their winnings, while those who had bet against her stared in stunned silence. But the real drama was among the faculty.

"This changes everything," Dean Yseult murmured to Dean Molli Rose as they watched students surround Meda like she was a conquering hero. "If she truly has access to Andromeda's full legacy..."

"Then Morgana's attacks make perfect sense," Dean Molli Rose replied grimly. "She's not just trying to corrupt random students—she's specifically targeting the one person who could match her power."

The Heroine's Burden
As Meda was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrating students, Eva noticed the exhaustion in her sister's eyes. The connection to Andromeda's wisdom had taken its toll, and the weight of newfound expectations was already settling on Meda's young shoulders.

"Meda! Meda! Meda!" the students chanted, treating her like a legendary figure rather than their thirteen-year-old classmate.

Isabeta materialized beside Eva, her expression unusually serious. "Your sister has just painted a very large target on herself," she warned quietly. "Morgana will have felt that display of power. The attacks will intensify now."

Dean Bronwen approached through the crowd, her face a mixture of pride and concern. "Exceptional work, Meda. But remember—the Aislinn's Cup hasn't been awarded yet. This victory, magnificent as it was, is just one piece of a larger puzzle."

As the celebration continued around them, Wanda joined Eva and Meda in a quiet corner. "So," she said with a wry smile, "no pressure, but I think you just announced to every dark force in the known dimensions that Andromeda is back."

Meda managed a tired laugh. "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds almost ominous."

"Almost?" Eva raised an eyebrow. "Sister, I think we've moved well beyond 'almost' into 'definitely terrifying' territory."

Despite the levity, all three girls understood that tonight had changed everything. Meda's victory in Spirits Magic had been more than a competition win—it had been a declaration of war. And somewhere in the shadows, Morgana's forces were undoubtedly preparing their response.

The Aislinn's Cup competition was far from over, but the stakes had just become infinitely higher.

Dark Magic Spreading
The corruption began subtly—shadows that lingered too long in corners, whispers in languages that predated human speech, moments when the very air seemed to thicken with malevolent intent. During their morning Theoretical Magic class with Professor Ingris, several students complained of nightmares filled with visions of burning libraries and sorceresses locked in eternal combat.

"The wards are holding," Dean Bronwen announced during an emergency assembly, "but Morgana's influence is seeping through the dimensional barriers. She's not trying to break our defenses directly—she's poisoning them from within."

Meda felt the truth of it through Andromeda's memories. This was exactly how Morgana had operated in their ancient conflict—not through brute force, but through insidious corruption that turned strength into weakness, hope into despair. The dark sorceress understood that the most effective way to destroy something was to make it destroy itself.

Eva's empathic abilities were picking up the emotional disturbance throughout the college. "It's like a plague," she said as they walked through corridors where students huddled in groups, their usual confidence replaced by nervous glances at every shadow. "Fear is spreading faster than any physical contagion."

Spiritual Attacks
The first direct assault came during their Advanced Magical Defense class with Dean YseuIt. Meda was practicing matter manipulation when the air around her suddenly turned arctic cold. The practice materials in her hands began to writhe and twist, transforming from simple crystalline structures into grotesque shapes that seemed to mock her efforts at creation.

"Corrupted spirits," Dean YseuIt shouted, throwing up protective barriers as dark forms began materializing around the laboratory. "Everyone to the center of the room!"

The spirits that pressed against the college's defenses were unlike anything in the textbooks. They had once been people—students, perhaps, or young sorceresses full of hope and dreams. Now they were twisted things of shadow and hunger, their eyes burning with the reflected malice of their mistress. They moved through the protective barriers like smoke, their touch leaving frost patterns on the walls and despair in the hearts of everyone they approached.

"They're not trying to harm us physically," Wanda observed, her artifact fragment pulsing with agitated light as she studied the attacking spirits. "They're trying to corrupt our magical signatures, turn our own power against us."

Meda felt one of the spirits brush against her consciousness, and for a moment she experienced the full weight of Morgana's hatred—a thousand years of rage and betrayal focused into a lance of pure malevolence that sought to pierce her heart. Only Eva's immediate empathic support kept her from being overwhelmed by the psychic assault.

Student Conflicts
The spiritual attacks had a cascading effect throughout the college community. Students who had been friends for years began turning on each other, their fears and insecurities amplified by Morgana's corrupting influence. During lunch in the great hall, Meda watched in horror as a group of third-year students nearly came to blows over a perceived slight that would have been laughed off under normal circumstances.

"She's weaponizing our emotions," Eva said, her voice tight with the effort of maintaining her own emotional equilibrium while trying to help others. "Every doubt, every fear, every moment of jealousy—she's feeding on them and making them stronger."

The situation reached a crisis point when two students from different houses began dueling in the gravity-defying gardens, their magic wild and uncontrolled as Morgana's influence stripped away their training and left only raw emotion. It took the combined efforts of three professors to separate them before someone was seriously injured.

Dean Molli Rose worked tirelessly to provide counseling and emotional support, but even her expertise in child welfare was being tested by the scope of the corruption. "I've never seen anything like this," she confided to Meda and Eva during one of their sessions. "It's as if something is actively working to tear apart the bonds of trust and friendship that hold our community together."

Protective Measures
Aislinn herself took charge of organizing the college's defenses, her ancient wisdom finally revealing the full extent of her power. She moved through the crystalline corridors like a force of nature, weaving protective enchantments that shimmered in the air like aurora borealis.

"The barriers between dimensions are thinning," she explained to the assembled faculty and senior students. "Morgana is using the same cosmic forces that allowed Meda and Eva's transformation to create pathways for her influence. We must strengthen our defenses not just against physical assault, but against spiritual and emotional corruption."

New protocols were established: students were required to travel in groups, protective amulets were distributed to those most vulnerable to psychic attack, and meditation sessions were scheduled throughout the day to help maintain mental clarity. The college's reality bubble was reinforced with additional layers of protection, each one attuned to a different aspect of Morgana's dark magic.

Meda found herself at the center of these efforts, her connection to Andromeda's legacy making her both a target and a crucial defender. "Your very presence here is what's keeping Morgana from breaking through completely," Aislinn told her during a private meeting. "She remembers your power, fears it, but also craves it. That internal conflict is creating hesitation in her attacks."

Escalating Danger
But even as the college's defenses strengthened, Morgana's assaults grew more sophisticated and dangerous. The corrupted spirits began working in coordinated groups, probing for weaknesses in the protective barriers while simultaneously launching psychological attacks on the defenders.

During one particularly intense assault, the spirits managed to breach the outer perimeter of the college's reality bubble. For terrifying minutes, sections of the crystalline spires were plunged into a darkness that seemed to devour light itself. Students trapped in those areas reported visions of their worst fears made manifest—failure, abandonment, the destruction of everything they held dear.

"She's learning," Wanda said grimly as they surveyed the damage after the attack was repelled. "Each assault teaches her more about our defenses, our weaknesses. We can't keep this up indefinitely."

The attacks were becoming more frequent and more targeted. Morgana's forces seemed to know exactly when and where to strike for maximum psychological impact. They disrupted classes during crucial examinations, attacked the dormitories during sleep cycles, and corrupted the college's communication systems to spread false rumors and misinformation.

Alliance Building
In response to the escalating threat, unlikely alliances began forming throughout the college. Students from different houses and academic tracks found themselves working together, their shared danger overcoming traditional rivalries and social barriers.

Meda and Eva took the lead in organizing these defensive efforts, their unique combination of cosmic power and empathic healing making them natural leaders in the crisis. They established safe zones throughout the college where students could gather for mutual protection, and created communication networks that bypassed the corrupted official channels.

"We're stronger together," Eva told a gathering of frightened first-year students. "Morgana's power feeds on isolation and despair. When we support each other, when we refuse to let fear divide us, we become something she can't corrupt or control."

Even some of the faculty began looking to the sisters for guidance, recognizing that their connection to the ancient conflict gave them insights that traditional magical education couldn't provide. Professor Ingris worked closely with them to research historical precedents for Morgana's tactics, while Dean Bronwen helped them understand the technical aspects of the college's defensive systems.

Wanda's role in these alliances proved crucial, her years of artifact study providing practical knowledge about the magical matrices involved in the attacks. "Morgana isn't just sending random spirits," she explained during one of their strategy sessions. "She's using them to map our defenses, to understand how the college's reality bubble is constructed. She's preparing for something bigger."

As the chapter drew to a close, the three sisters stood together on the observatory balcony, watching the corrupted spirits circle the college like cosmic vultures. The protective barriers held firm for now, but everyone could feel the pressure building beyond them—a storm of ancient hatred and dark magic that would soon test every alliance they'd built and every defense they'd prepared.

"She's almost ready," Meda said quietly, Andromeda's memories providing glimpses of the tactical brilliance that had made Morgana such a formidable enemy. "All of this—the probing attacks, the corruption, the psychological warfare—it's been preparation for her real assault."

Eva's hand found hers, their sisterly bond providing comfort against the growing darkness. "Then we need to be ready too. Whatever she's planning, whatever form her final attack takes, we'll face it together."

The wind that swept across the balcony carried with it the scent of ozone and distant fire, the promise of a confrontation that would determine not just their own fates, but the future of all magical realms. Morgana's forces were gathering strength, and soon the real battle would begin—a conflict that would test everything they'd learned about love, power, and the bonds that held their newfound family together.

As they stood united beneath the cosmic sky, each sister felt the weight of destiny settling more firmly on her shoulders. The real battle for the future of all magical realms was approaching, and their success would depend not just on individual power, but on the strength of the family bonds that had been forged in transformation and tempered by love.

The next phase of their journey would test everything they'd learned about themselves, about each other, and about the true nature of the power they carried. But for now, in this moment of perfect understanding and unity, they were ready to face whatever came next—together.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 17: The Anticipated Crisis

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

What will be the outcome of Aislinn's Cup and will Team Bronwen win?
How will Morgana's forces attacking the college effect Aislinn's College for the Blessed??

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

---

Chapter 17: The Anticipated Crisis

The discovery came at dawn, when the crystalline spires of Aislinn's College caught the first light of the cosmic sunrise and transformed it into something that made the very air sing with power. Meda stood in the college's deepest vault, her hands trembling as she held an artifact that pulsed with the rhythm of her own heartbeat—the Stellar Prism, first of Andromeda's legendary creations.

The Aislinn's Cup Victory

The Great Hall fell into hushed anticipation as President Aislinn's ethereal form materialized above the central platform, her presence commanding absolute silence from the assembled students and faculty. The four competition banners—Community, Scholarship, Athletics, and Spirits Magic—hung suspended in the air around her, each glowing with the magical energy of the contests that had defined the academic year.

"Students of Aislinn's College for the Blessed," President Aislinn began, her voice carrying the weight of millennia, "we gather tonight to conclude this year's competition for the most coveted prize in our institution—the Aislinn's Cup."

Dean Bronwen stood with her team in their designated section, her silver hair gleaming in the candlelight as she maintained her characteristic composure despite the tension radiating from her six team members. Meda felt Eva's hand slip into hers, while Wanda leaned forward from her position with the older students, her eyes fixed on the floating scoreboard that had just materialized beside President Aislinn.

"The scoring system," Aislinn continued, "awards points based on both individual excellence and team cohesion across all four categories. Let us review this year's remarkable achievements."

The Community banner pulsed with warm golden light. "In Community, Team Molli Rose claimed victory through Aria Moonwhisper's legendary dedication to her peers, earning them twenty-five points. Team Bronwen's strong second-place finish, led by Eva Nightingale's exceptional leadership development, awards them twenty points. Team Yseult earned fifteen points for their collaborative spirit."

Meda squeezed Eva's hand supportively as her sister's cheeks flushed with pride at the recognition.

The Scholarship banner blazed with brilliant white light. "In Scholarship, Team Bronwen achieved a decisive victory through Wanda Hartwell's revolutionary theoretical framework, earning them twenty-five points. Team Yseult's innovative approaches secured second place with twenty points, while Team Molli Rose earned fifteen points for their practical applications."

Wanda's face lit up with quiet satisfaction as her teammates beamed at her from across the age divide.

The Athletics banner shimmered with dynamic energy. "In Athletics, Team Bronwen dominated through Eva Nightingale's extraordinary integration of physical discipline and magical enhancement, earning them twenty-five points. Team Yseult's strong showing earned twenty points, while Team Molli Rose received fifteen points."

Eva's competitive spirit glowed as she accepted the acknowledgment with characteristic grace.

Finally, the Spirits Magic banner erupted in cascading starlight. "And in Spirits Magic, Team Bronwen achieved an unprecedented victory through Nada Blackthorne's channeling of ancient wisdom and power, earning them twenty-five points. Team Yseult earned twenty points for their transformative displays, while Team Molli Rose received fifteen points for their harmonious spiritual connections."

The scoreboard blazed with the final tallies:

Team Bronwen: 95 points
Team Yseult: 75 points
Team Molli Rose: 70 points
"Therefore," President Aislinn announced, her voice ringing with ceremonial authority, "this year's Aislinn's Cup is awarded to Team Bronwen, under the guidance of Dean Bronwen, for their exceptional demonstration that true strength lies in wisdom, preparation, and the courage to protect others."

The Great Hall erupted in applause as the magnificent Aislinn's Cup—a crystalline chalice that seemed to contain swirling galaxies within its depths—materialized before Dean Bronwen. Her team members rushed together in a moment of pure triumph, the three sisters embracing as their older teammates surrounded them with congratulations.

But even as the applause continued, President Aislinn's expression grew grave. The celebration that should have followed—the traditional feast, the ceremonial presentations, the joyous revelry that marked the end of the academic competition—would not come to pass.

"However," Aislinn continued, her voice cutting through the celebration, "these achievements, magnificent as they are, must be set aside for now. The spiritual attacks we have endured throughout this competition were merely the prelude to a greater threat. Morgana's forces gather strength with each passing hour, and war approaches our sanctuary."

The mood in the Great Hall shifted instantly from celebration to solemn determination. Dean Bronwen stepped forward, the Aislinn's Cup floating beside her as she addressed her victorious team.

"We have proven that defensive magic, strategic thinking, and mutual support can triumph over any challenge," she said quietly. "Now we must apply those same principles to protect everything we hold dear."

Meda felt the weight of her recent display of power settling on her shoulders like a mantle. The Spirits Magic competition had announced to every dark force in the known dimensions that Andromeda had returned. The celebration they had earned would have to wait—the real test of their unity and strength was about to begin.

As the students began to file out of the Great Hall, the Aislinn's Cup remained floating beside Team Bronwen, its crystalline surface reflecting not the joy of victory, but the determination of those who had won the right to stand as the college's champions in the darkness that was coming.

The war that would define their generation was about to begin, and they would face it not just as students, but as the proven defenders of everything Aislinn's College represented.

Major Artifact Discovery

The Cosmic Locator had led them through dimensional pathways that folded space like origami, bringing them to a hidden chamber beneath the college that existed in seven dimensions simultaneously. The Stellar Prism hung suspended in a matrix of pure light, its crystalline structure containing what appeared to be captured starfire.

"It's beautiful," Eva breathed, her empathic abilities picking up the emotional resonance embedded within the artifact. "I can feel the love that went into creating it—not just power, but hope. Andromeda made this to heal, not to harm."

Wanda circled the suspended artifact, her own fragment pulsing in harmony with the larger creation. "The resonance patterns are incredible. This isn't just a tool—it's a philosophical statement made manifest. Andromeda believed that light could overcome any darkness if it was focused properly."

But even as they marveled at their discovery, Meda felt something else stirring in the depths of her consciousness. The moment her fingers made contact with the Stellar Prism, Andromeda's memories flooded through her with unprecedented clarity. She saw the artifact's creation—not just the technical process, but the emotional weight behind it.

"She made this after Morgana's first fall to darkness," Meda said, her voice carrying the authority of ancient memory. "It was meant to be a beacon, a way to call her sister back from the shadows. But Morgana saw it as a weapon pointed at her heart."

Morgana's Direct Challenge

As if summoned by the mention of her name, the temperature in the chamber plummeted. The protective wards that surrounded the college flickered ominously, and through the crystalline walls, they could see shapes moving in the cosmic void—not the corrupted spirits that had been testing their defenses, but something far more substantial.

Morgana herself materialized in the chamber, not as a physical presence but as a projection of pure will and malevolent power. She was beautiful in the way that a supernova is beautiful—terrible, magnificent, and utterly destructive. Her form seemed to be carved from living shadow, with eyes that held the cold fire of dying stars.

"Sister," Morgana said, her voice carrying harmonics that made the very stones of the college tremble. "How touching to see you playing with toys from our childhood. Do you remember what happened the last time you tried to 'heal' me with your precious light?"

Meda felt Andromeda's memories surge in response to Morgana's presence—not just the final battle, but millennia of sisterly love slowly poisoned by jealousy and competing visions of how to use their power. The weight of that ancient relationship pressed down on her like a mountain.

"You were never evil," Meda said, her voice steady despite the cosmic forces swirling around them. "You were hurt. Afraid. You thought I was trying to control you, but I was only trying to—"

"To fix me," Morgana finished, her laughter like breaking glass. "To make me into your image of what a sorceress should be. You never understood that some of us were meant to walk in darkness, that shadow has its own beauty, its own purpose."

Eva stepped forward, her empathic abilities reaching out toward the projection of the dark sorceress. "You're in pain," she said softly. "Even now, after all these centuries, you're still in pain. The darkness you've embraced—it's eating you alive from the inside."

Powers Revealed

Morgana's attention shifted to Eva, and for a moment, something almost like surprise flickered across her features. "Interesting. The little empath sees more than she should. Tell me, child, what do you sense when you look at me?"

Eva's face went pale, but she didn't back down. "Loneliness. Rage. And underneath it all, love—love that's been twisted into something unrecognizable, but it's still there. You still love her, don't you? You still love Andromeda."

The admission hit Morgana like a physical blow. Her projection wavered, and for an instant, they saw not the terrible sorceress of shadow but a young woman whose heart had been broken by betrayal and misunderstanding.

But the moment passed, and Morgana's form solidified again, more terrible than before. "Love is weakness," she snarled. "I learned that lesson when my dear sister chose the cosmic balance over our bond. When she decided that her precious light was more important than our sisterhood."

Meda felt the Stellar Prism responding to the emotional turmoil in the chamber, its crystalline structure beginning to resonate with frequencies that made reality itself hum. Without conscious thought, she began to channel power through the artifact—not to attack, but to understand.

The light that erupted from the Prism wasn't the harsh glare of a weapon, but something softer, more complex. It revealed truth—not just what was, but what could be. In that illumination, they all saw the same vision: two young sorceresses, twins in power if not in blood, working together to heal a wounded universe. They saw the moment when that partnership began to fracture, when fear and misunderstanding drove them apart.

"This is what you've forgotten," Meda said, her voice carrying the full weight of Andromeda's ancient wisdom. "We were never meant to be enemies. We were meant to be balance—light and shadow working in harmony, not opposition."

Stakes Raised

Morgana's projection flickered with rage and something that might have been hope. "Pretty words, sister. But words won't undo millennia of separation. Words won't heal the wounds we've inflicted on each other."

"No," Meda agreed, "but love might. The kind of love that chooses healing over vengeance, understanding over judgment."

For a moment, the chamber hung in perfect silence. Then Morgana laughed, and the sound was like the death of stars. "You always were naive, Andromeda. Love is what destroyed us in the first place. Love made you think you could save me from myself. Love made me think I could trust you with my heart."

The projection began to fade, but Morgana's voice remained, echoing from everywhere and nowhere. "I'm coming for you, sister. Not as the broken girl you remember, but as the sorceress I've become. When next we meet, it will be in the flesh, and one of us will not survive the encounter."

"Wait!" Meda called out, but it was too late. Morgana's presence vanished, leaving only the lingering scent of ozone and the memory of cosmic forces barely held in check.

Point of No Return

In the aftermath of Morgana's challenge, the three sisters stood in the artifact chamber, each processing what they had witnessed in their own way. The Stellar Prism continued to pulse with gentle light, but its power felt different now—not just a tool for healing, but a responsibility that weighed on all of them.

"She's coming here," Wanda said, her voice tight with fear and determination. "Not just sending spirits or projections, but actually manifesting in our reality. The college's defenses won't hold against her full power."

Eva nodded, her empathic abilities still reeling from contact with Morgana's tortured psyche. "The pain she's carrying—it's like a wound that's never been allowed to heal. Every year, every century, it's gotten worse. She's not just angry anymore; she's become pain incarnate."

Meda held the Stellar Prism up to the light, watching the way it refracted the chamber's illumination into patterns that seemed to show glimpses of possible futures. "Then we have a choice to make," she said quietly. "We can prepare for war, gather our artifacts and allies and meet her force with force. Or..."

"Or?" Wanda prompted.

"Or we can try to heal the wound that created this conflict in the first place," Meda finished. "But that would mean risking everything—not just our lives, but our souls. If we fail, if we can't reach the part of her that still remembers love, then we'll have given her exactly what she needs to destroy not just us, but everything we're trying to protect."

Transformation Complete

As they stood in the chamber, surrounded by the artifacts of ancient power and the weight of cosmic responsibility, Meda felt the last barriers between her current self and Andromeda's memories finally dissolve. She was no longer Fred trying to become Andromeda, or even Meda carrying Andromeda's legacy. She was something new—a being who honored both her human origins and her cosmic destiny, who could love butterflies and wield stellar fire with equal passion.

"I know what we have to do," she said, her voice carrying the certainty that comes from perfect integration of purpose and power. "We're going to save her. Not defeat her, not destroy her, but save her from the darkness she's wrapped around herself like armor."

Eva's smile was radiant. "Together?"

"Together," Meda confirmed, taking her sister's hand. "Whatever it costs, whatever we have to sacrifice, we're going to prove that love really can conquer hate, that healing is stronger than vengeance."

Wanda looked between her transformed sisters, seeing in them not just the legendary sorceresses they'd become, but the family they'd chosen to be. "Then we'd better start preparing," she said. "Because when Morgana comes, she'll bring everything she has. And if we're going to save her instead of destroying her, we'll need to be stronger than we've ever been."

The Stellar Prism pulsed once more, its light seeming to approve of their decision. In that moment, the three sisters felt the weight of destiny settling around them like a mantle of starlight. The real battle was coming—not just for their lives, but for the soul of the universe itself. And they would face it not as conquerors, but as healers, armed with the most dangerous weapon in existence: the unshakeable belief that love could triumph over any darkness.

The anticipated crisis had passed, and they had chosen their path. Now all that remained was to walk it, whatever the cost.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 18: Preparing for War

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Morgana's forces attacking the college effect Aislinn's College for the Blessed?
Will the preparations by War Council be sufficient to meet the threat of Morgana?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

---

Chapter 18: Preparing for War

The aftermath of discovering the Stellar Prism and Morgana's direct challenge left Aislinn's College transformed. Where once students had moved through the crystalline corridors with the casual confidence of youth, now they walked with purpose, their faces reflecting the gravity of what was coming. Meda stood in the college's war room—a chamber that had been sealed for over a millennium—watching as ancient defensive systems awakened to her presence.

Strategic Planning

The war room existed in folded space beneath the college's foundations, its walls lined with tactical displays that showed the positions of every magical realm in known space. Aislinn moved between the holographic projections with fluid grace, her silver hair seeming to conduct the very energies that powered the ancient systems.

"Morgana's projection was more than just a threat," Aislinn explained as she manipulated the displays to show dimensional pathways converging on their location. "She was conducting reconnaissance, mapping our defenses, understanding how we've changed since our last encounter."

Eva studied the tactical readouts with growing concern, her empathic abilities picking up the tension radiating from every faculty member present. "She's not just planning to attack the college," she realized. "She's going to try to corrupt the entire magical education system. If she can turn the students against their teachers, the institutions against each other..."

"She'll have an army of young sorceresses under her control," Wanda finished grimly, her artifact fragment pulsing with agitated light as it responded to the war room's ancient energies. "And they'll be fighting for what they believe is justice, never realizing they've been manipulated."

Meda felt Andromeda's memories stirring, providing tactical insights that spanned millennia of cosmic conflict. "That's exactly how she operated before," she said, her voice carrying the authority of ancient experience. "Morgana never relied on brute force alone. She understood that the most effective way to destroy something was to make it destroy itself."

Artifact Assembly

The next phase of their preparation involved gathering every artifact they'd discovered and several more that Aislinn had kept hidden in the college's deepest vaults. The Stellar Prism sat at the center of a crystalline array, its light harmonizing with fragments of other ancient creations that pulsed with their own inner fire.

"The Empathic Crown," Aislinn said, carefully placing a circlet of what appeared to be crystallized starlight next to the Prism. "Eva, this was created specifically for someone with your abilities. It amplifies emotional healing across vast distances and can turn despair into hope, hatred into understanding."

Eva approached the Crown with reverence, feeling its power calling to her empathic nature. The moment she touched it, golden threads of light spread throughout the war room, and everyone present felt a surge of courage and determination that pushed back against the fear Morgana's influence had been spreading.

Wanda's role in the artifact assembly proved crucial, her years of study allowing her to understand the complex resonances between different magical items. "They're not just tools," she explained as she helped calibrate the array. "They're components of a larger system—a network of power that Andromeda designed to maintain balance across the magical realms."

"But Morgana created her own network," Meda said, Andromeda's memories providing glimpses of shadow artifacts that pulsed with malevolent energy. "The Shadow Blade, the Crown of Whispers, the Heart of Darkness—they're designed to corrupt and consume, to turn the very concept of magical education into a weapon."

Alliance Coordination

Word of Morgana's awakening had spread throughout the magical community, and representatives from dozens of institutions began arriving at the college. The gravity-defying gardens filled with beings from across the cosmic expanse—crystal-winged delegates from the Arcturus Academy, flame-wreathed professors from the Solar Collegium, and shadow-touched scholars from the Void Universities who had chosen light over darkness.

Dean Bronwen coordinated the defensive preparations with military precision, her expertise in magical defense proving invaluable as she organized the college's faculty and visiting allies into cohesive units. "We're not just defending one institution," she told the assembled defenders. "We're protecting the very concept of magical education—the idea that knowledge should be shared freely rather than hoarded by those who would use it for domination."

Professor Ingris worked with the historians from other institutions to research precedents for Morgana's tactics, uncovering patterns of corruption that stretched back through cosmic history. "She always begins with the students," Ingris reported during one of their strategy sessions. "She identifies those who feel overlooked or undervalued, then offers them power and recognition in exchange for loyalty."

Dean Molli Rose's expertise in child welfare became crucial as they worked to protect the younger students from Morgana's psychological manipulation. "We need to strengthen their emotional defenses," she explained to the assembled faculty. "Fear and insecurity are the cracks through which her influence seeps in."

Personal Preparation

While the college prepared for siege, Meda found herself grappling with the full weight of Andromeda's legacy. The integration of her identity was complete, but the responsibility that came with cosmic power pressed down on her like a mountain. During quiet moments in their dorm room, she and Eva would sit together, drawing strength from their sisterly bond.

"I keep thinking about what Morgana said," Meda confessed during one of these sessions. "About love being what destroyed them in the first place. What if she's right? What if my feelings for you, for Wanda, for everyone here, make me weak?"

Eva's hand found hers, warm and reassuring. "Love didn't destroy Andromeda and Morgana," she said firmly. "The absence of love did. Morgana chose power over connection, control over trust. That's what corrupted her, not the love she once felt."

Wanda joined them, her own preparations complete. She had spent days studying the artifact network, understanding how their combined power could be focused and directed. "The difference between you and Morgana," she said to Meda, "is that you're not fighting alone. She isolated herself, convinced that strength meant independence. But you've chosen to share your power, to trust others with your vulnerabilities."

Eva's Role

Eva's preparation took a different form than her sisters'. Where Meda focused on mastering cosmic forces and Wanda studied tactical applications of artifact power, Eva worked to strengthen the emotional bonds that held their alliance together. She moved through the college like a healing presence, using her empathic abilities to identify and address the fear and doubt that Morgana's influence had planted.

"Your role in the coming battle isn't to destroy," Dean Molli Rose told her during one of their training sessions. "It's to preserve—to maintain the connections between people that make them stronger than the sum of their parts."

Eva practiced with the Empathic Crown, learning to project waves of courage and hope that could counteract Morgana's psychological attacks. But more importantly, she worked to understand the deeper currents of emotion that flowed between all living beings, the connections that Morgana sought to sever and corrupt.

"She's going to try to turn us against each other," Eva explained to the assembled defenders. "She'll show us our worst fears, our deepest insecurities, and try to convince us that our allies are really our enemies. When that happens, remember this feeling—" She activated the Crown, filling the room with a sense of unity and shared purpose. "Remember that we're stronger together than we could ever be apart."

Final Doubts

As the preparations neared completion and the college's defenses reached their peak readiness, moments of uncertainty still crept in. During the final strategy meeting, held in the war room as ancient systems hummed with power, the magnitude of what they faced became impossible to ignore.

"She has a thousand years of accumulated power," one of the visiting professors pointed out. "Morgana has been growing stronger while we've been teaching students and maintaining institutions. How do we know we're ready for what she's become?"

Aislinn's response carried the weight of millennia. "We're ready because we've chosen a different path than the one that led to her corruption. Morgana seeks to dominate, to control, to remake the universe according to her will. We seek to preserve, to protect, to ensure that knowledge and wisdom can flourish freely."

But even as she spoke the words, Meda could feel doubt gnawing at the edges of her consciousness. Andromeda's memories showed her glimpses of their last battle—the terrible cost of that conflict, the civilizations that had been caught in the crossfire, the price of choosing war over surrender.

"What if we're wrong?" she asked quietly as the meeting dispersed and the final preparations began. "What if the cost of fighting her is greater than the cost of letting her win?"

It was Wanda who answered, her voice steady with conviction. "Then we make sure the cost is worth paying. We fight not just to defeat her, but to prove that love really can triumph over hate, that connection is stronger than control, that the bonds between people are more powerful than any individual's desire for dominion."

As night fell over Aislinn's College and the final defensive preparations were completed, the three sisters stood together on the observatory balcony, looking out at the swirling cosmos beyond the college's protective barriers. Tomorrow would bring the battle that would determine not just their own fates, but the future of magical education throughout the universe.

The artifacts hummed with power, the alliances were forged, and the defenses were ready. But the real test would come when they faced Morgana herself—not just as an enemy to be defeated, but as a sister to be saved, a soul to be redeemed, a darkness to be transformed back into light.

The war room's ancient systems pulsed once more, detecting movement in the dimensional void beyond the college's reality bubble. Morgana was coming, and with her, the final confrontation that would reshape the magical world forever. The time for preparation was over; the time for choice had begun.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 19: The Choice

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Meda's forces and allies react to the onslaught and war brought on by the feud between sisters Andromeda and Morgana?
Will the abrupt change in tactics from that of the War Council be sufficient to meet Morgana in Aislyn's College for the Blessed?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 19: The Choice

The war room beneath Aislinn's College hummed with desperate energy as the final preparations for battle reached their crescendo. Ancient defensive systems blazed with power, their crystalline matrices straining under the weight of cosmic forces gathering beyond the college's protective barriers. Meda stood at the center of it all, the Stellar Prism pulsing in her hands like a captured star, while around her the greatest magical minds in the universe prepared for what might be their last stand.

~o~O~o~

The moment of ultimate decision came not with fanfare, but with a whisper of understanding that cut through the chaos like a blade of pure light. As Morgana's forces pressed against the college's defenses and the assembled defenders readied their weapons, Meda felt Andromeda's memories crystallize into perfect clarity.

She saw the ancient battle that had torn the magical realms apart—not as history, but as lived experience. She felt the rage that had consumed Andromeda when Morgana first fell to darkness, the righteous fury that had demanded justice, punishment, the complete destruction of everything her sister had become. She remembered the moment when love had been sacrificed on the altar of cosmic balance, when the bonds of sisterhood had been severed in the name of protecting the universe.

"No," Meda said quietly, her voice carrying such authority that every conversation in the war room ceased. "This ends differently."

Eva moved to her sister's side, the Empathic Crown glowing softly on her brow as she felt the shift in Meda's emotional landscape. "You've made your choice."

"We've made our choice," Meda corrected, taking Eva's hand. "The same choice we made in the Bit Bucket when we chose transformation over destruction, love over fear. We're not going to repeat Andromeda's mistake."

Wanda approached them, her artifact fragment resonating with their combined power. "The assembled forces expect us to lead them into battle," she said carefully. "They've prepared for war, not... whatever this is."

"Then we'll have to show them a different way," Meda replied, her oceanic blue eyes blazing with determination. "Morgana isn't our enemy—she's our sister. And sisters don't abandon each other, no matter how far they've fallen into darkness."

~o~O~o~

The revelation came through the Stellar Prism, its crystalline structure serving as a conduit for truths that had been buried for millennia. As Meda channeled her power through the artifact, images flooded the war room—not just memories, but understanding. The assembled defenders watched in stunned silence as the true story of Andromeda and Morgana's relationship unfolded before them.

They saw two young sorceresses, twins in power if not in blood, working together to heal a wounded universe. They witnessed the moment when their partnership began to fracture—not through evil or corruption, but through fear and misunderstanding. Morgana had always been drawn to shadow magic, to the healing that could only come through embracing darkness and transforming it. But Andromeda, in her certainty that light was the only path to salvation, had tried to "fix" her sister, to force her into a mold that denied half of her nature.

"She wasn't corrupted by darkness," Meda said, her voice thick with the weight of ancient regret. "She was driven to it by our refusal to accept that shadow and light are meant to work together. Every time we tried to heal her with pure light, we pushed her deeper into the darkness she thought was her only refuge."

Professor Ingris stepped forward from the assembled faculty, her historian's mind grappling with the implications. "You're saying that Morgana's fall was caused by the very attempts to save her?"

"I'm saying that love without understanding isn't love at all," Meda replied. "It's control. And control, no matter how well-intentioned, always breeds resentment."

Eva's empathic abilities reached out through the college's reality matrix, touching the edges of Morgana's consciousness as it pressed against their defenses. "She's in so much pain," Eva whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Centuries of isolation, of believing that she's fundamentally wrong, fundamentally evil. She's convinced herself that darkness is all she deserves."

~o~O~o~

The transformation began not with grand gestures or cosmic displays of power, but with a simple act of vulnerability. Meda set down the Stellar Prism and walked to the war room's central display, where Morgana's approaching forces were shown as points of malevolent light pressing against the college's barriers.

"Lower the defenses," she said quietly.

The command sent shockwaves through the assembled defenders. Dean Bronwen stepped forward, her expertise in magical defense making her voice sharp with alarm. "Nada, if we lower the barriers now, Morgana's forces will overrun the college in minutes. Everyone here will be corrupted or destroyed."

"Not if we meet her with love instead of fear," Meda replied, her voice steady despite the magnitude of what she was proposing. "Not if we show her that she doesn't have to be alone anymore."

Aislinn moved through the crowd of defenders, her ancient wisdom finally understanding what Meda intended. "You're going to attempt a healing on a cosmic scale," she said, wonder and terror warring in her voice. "You're going to try to transform Morgana's darkness not by destroying it, but by embracing it."

"We're going to prove that love really can conquer hate," Eva added, her hand finding Meda's. "That understanding can overcome centuries of pain and isolation."

The assembled defenders looked between each other, fear and hope battling in their expressions. They had prepared for war, trained for battle, gathered artifacts and allies to face the greatest threat the magical realms had ever known. Now they were being asked to trust in something far more dangerous than any weapon—they were being asked to trust in love.

~o~O~o~

The decision to lower the college's defenses was not made lightly or quickly. Faculty members argued, students voiced their fears, and visiting allies questioned the wisdom of such a radical departure from conventional magical warfare. But as Meda and Eva stood together, their combined power creating a harmony that resonated through the very foundations of the college, something shifted in the collective consciousness of the defenders.

Dean Molli Rose was the first to step forward, her expertise in child welfare making her uniquely qualified to understand the healing Meda proposed. "In my work with traumatized students," she said quietly, "I've learned that you can't heal someone by fighting their darkness. You have to love them enough to sit with them in it, to show them that they're not alone."

One by one, other defenders began to voice their support. Professor Ingris spoke of historical precedents where understanding had succeeded where force had failed. Dean Bronwen, despite her reservations, acknowledged that their conventional defenses had never been designed to face a threat of Morgana's magnitude. Even some of the visiting allies, beings who had traveled across cosmic distances to fight in this war, began to see the wisdom in Meda's approach.

"The power of compassion," Wanda said, her artifact fragment blazing with new understanding, "isn't just about feeling sorry for someone. It's about seeing them clearly—all of them, light and shadow together—and choosing to love them anyway."

The vote, when it came, was not unanimous. Some defenders chose to evacuate rather than participate in what they saw as cosmic suicide. Others remained but prepared for the worst, ready to fight if Meda's gamble failed. But enough stayed, enough believed, that when the college's barriers finally lowered, they did so with the backing of a united community committed to proving that love was stronger than fear.

~o~O~o~

As the protective barriers dissolved and Morgana's forces swept toward the college like a tide of living shadow, Meda felt her purpose crystallize with perfect clarity. She was no longer Andromeda seeking to impose her will on a chaotic universe. She was no longer Fred struggling to find his place in a world that didn't understand him. She was Meda—a bridge between light and darkness, a living proof that transformation was possible, that love could transcend any boundary.

The Stellar Prism rose from where she had set it down, floating in the air between her and Eva as their combined power flowed through it. But instead of the harsh light of judgment that Andromeda had once wielded, the artifact now blazed with something softer, more complex—light that embraced shadow, understanding that welcomed pain, love that asked nothing in return.

"We're not here to defeat Morgana," Meda announced to the assembled defenders as the dark sorceress's presence filled the college like a storm front. "We're here to welcome her home."

Eva's empathic abilities reached out through the college's reality matrix, weaving threads of connection and understanding that touched every consciousness present. "Remember," she said, her voice carrying to every corner of the institution, "we're not fighting an enemy. We're healing a sister."

~o~O~o~

The final moments before Morgana's arrival were spent not in last-minute tactical preparations, but in a collective act of spiritual readiness that transformed the war room into something resembling a temple. Students and faculty joined hands, their combined magical energies creating a web of connection that spanned the entire college. Artifacts hummed with harmonious power, their individual purposes subsumed into a greater whole.

Meda and Eva stood at the center of it all, their sisterly bond serving as the focal point for energies that spanned the spectrum from pure light to deepest shadow. The Stellar Prism floated between them, no longer a weapon but a lens through which love could be focused and amplified.

"Whatever happens," Meda said to the assembled defenders, "remember that we chose this path not because it was safe, but because it was right. We chose love over fear, understanding over judgment, healing over destruction."

"And if we fail," Eva added, her voice steady despite the cosmic forces gathering around them, "we fail together, as a family united by something stronger than magic—united by the choice to see the best in each other, even in our darkest moments."

The college trembled as Morgana's presence pressed against its reality matrix, no longer held back by protective barriers but welcomed by open hearts. The real test was about to begin—not a battle between good and evil, but a healing that would determine whether love truly could triumph over the deepest darkness.

As the ancient sorceress materialized in the war room, her form wreathed in shadows that seemed to devour light itself, Meda stepped forward with arms outstretched, ready to embrace the sister she had lost so long ago. The choice had been made, the purpose transformed, and now all that remained was to prove that some bonds are stronger than time, stronger than pain, stronger even than the cosmic forces that seek to tear the universe apart.

The healing was about to begin, and with it, the ultimate test of whether love really could conquer all.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 20: The Battle and Transformation

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Eva, Wanda and Meda's forces and allies prepare to meet Morgana not to destroy her but to heal her?
What will be the result of Morgana's attack and how did the students fare as Morgana's forces overwhelmed Aislyn's College for the Blessed?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 20: The Battle and Transformation

The war room beneath Aislinn's College erupted in brilliant light as Morgana materialized in her full physical form, no longer a projection but a being of terrible beauty and cosmic power. Her presence filled the space like a storm front, shadows writhing around her form as she surveyed the assembled defenders with eyes that held the cold fire of dying stars.

Morgana's Assault

"Sister," Morgana said, her voice carrying harmonics that made the crystalline walls tremble. "How touching to see you surrounded by children playing at war. Do you really think these mortals can stand against the power I've accumulated over a thousand years of exile?"

The attack came without warning—waves of shadow that swept through the room like living darkness, seeking to corrupt and consume everything they touched. Students screamed as the darkness pressed against their minds, whispering promises of power in exchange for surrender. Faculty members threw up protective barriers that flickered and strained under the assault.

But Meda stepped forward, the Stellar Prism blazing in her hands as she channeled Andromeda's full power for the first time. Light erupted from the artifact, not the harsh glare of judgment, but something deeper, more complex. It was light that embraced shadow, understanding that welcomed pain, love that asked nothing in return.

"I'm not here to fight you," Meda said, her voice carrying across the chaos with perfect clarity. "I'm here to heal you."

Defensive Response

Eva moved to stand beside her sister, the Empathic Crown glowing on her brow as she wove threads of connection and understanding throughout the assembled defenders. Where Morgana's darkness sought to isolate and corrupt, Eva's power created bonds of trust and shared purpose that held the community together.

"You feel it, don't you?" Eva called out to Morgana, her empathic abilities reaching through the swirling chaos. "The loneliness. The pain. You've been carrying it for so long that you've forgotten what it feels like to be loved."

Wanda joined them, her artifact fragment resonating with the combined power of her sisters. The three of them stood together—not as conquerors, but as healers, their combined energy creating a harmony that made the very foundations of the college sing with hope.

Around them, the defenders rallied. Students who had been cowering in fear found courage in the sisters' example. Faculty members who had prepared for war discovered that their greatest strength lay not in destruction, but in protection and healing.

Magical Combat

The battle that followed was unlike anything in recorded magical history. Where Morgana struck with shadow and corruption, Meda responded with light that sought to understand rather than destroy. Where the dark sorceress tried to turn the defenders against each other, Eva wove empathic bonds that made them stronger than the sum of their parts.

"You cannot heal what chooses to remain broken!" Morgana snarled, her form growing larger and more terrible as she drew upon reserves of power that had been building for millennia. Shadow-wraiths materialized around her—the corrupted spirits of those she had consumed over the centuries, their faces twisted with eternal anguish.

But even as the battle raged, something unexpected began to happen. The light from the Stellar Prism wasn't just pushing back the darkness—it was revealing the truth beneath it. With each clash of power, glimpses of the young sorceress Morgana had once been flickered through the shadows. A girl who had loved her sister, who had wanted to heal the universe in her own way, who had been driven to darkness by fear and misunderstanding.

Dean Bronwen coordinated the college's defenses with military precision, but even she could see that this wasn't a battle that would be won through conventional magical warfare. "They're not trying to defeat her," she realized, watching the sisters work in perfect harmony. "They're trying to save her."

Combined Powers

The turning point came when Wanda made a crucial discovery about the artifact network that connected all the ancient magical items. "The fragments aren't just keys," she shouted over the chaos. "They're pieces of a larger whole—a matrix designed to maintain balance between light and shadow!"

Understanding flooded through Meda as Andromeda's memories aligned with present knowledge. The artifacts hadn't been created as weapons, but as components of a healing system that could restore harmony to the cosmic forces that governed reality itself.

"Eva, Wanda—with me!" Meda called, and the three sisters joined their power in a way that transcended anything they had achieved individually. The Stellar Prism, the Empathic Crown, and Wanda's fragment blazed with unified light, creating a resonance that reached out to every other artifact in existence.

Morgana's assault faltered as she felt the network activating. For the first time in a thousand years, the balance between light and shadow began to shift—not toward one side or the other, but toward harmony. The shadow-wraiths around her began to change, their twisted forms straightening as the corruption that bound them started to dissolve.

"No," Morgana whispered, her voice carrying a note of something that might have been hope. "This isn't possible. The network was destroyed in our final battle."

"It was never destroyed," Meda said gently, stepping closer despite the cosmic forces swirling around them. "It was waiting. Waiting for someone who understood that light and shadow aren't enemies—they're partners in the dance of creation."

Merciful Transformation

The moment of ultimate choice arrived as the artifact network reached full resonance. Meda could feel the power flowing through her—enough to destroy Morgana utterly, to erase her from existence and end the threat she posed forever. It would be justice, vengeance for a thousand years of suffering and corruption.

But instead, Meda made a different choice.

"I forgive you," she said, her voice carrying the weight of Andromeda's ancient wisdom and her own hard-won understanding. "I forgive you for the pain you've caused, for the darkness you've spread, for the sister you stopped being. But most of all, I forgive you for the pain you've carried alone for so long."

The transformation that followed was unlike anything the assembled witnesses had ever seen. Instead of destroying Morgana, the combined power of the artifact network began to heal her—not by forcing her to change, but by offering her the chance to remember who she had been before fear and isolation corrupted her heart.

Morgana's form began to shift and change, the shadows that had wrapped around her for centuries dissolving like mist before the dawn. But this wasn't a return to her original form—it was something new, something that honored both the light she had once carried and the darkness she had embraced.

When the transformation was complete, a young man stood where the terrible sorceress had been. He was handsome in a way that spoke of both starlight and shadow, his eyes holding depths that reflected both joy and sorrow. But most importantly, he was free—free from the corruption that had consumed him, free from the isolation that had driven her to darkness.

Redemption's Chance

"Mark," the transformed man said, testing the name as if it were something precious and fragile. "My name is Mark now. Not Morgana, that was the name of someone who forgot how to love. I'm a transwoman just like you were as Fred, a chimera. All my powers are gone, reset."

Meda approached her carefully, seeing in Mark's eyes the echo of the sister she had lost so long ago. "The Bit Bucket is still there," she said gently. "The same space where my journey began. If you choose to enter it, if you can hold onto love instead of hate, you'll have the chance to be reborn—truly reborn, as someone who can start fresh."

Mark looked around the war room, seeing the faces of those she had terrorized, the damage her assault had caused. "After everything I've done, you're offering me redemption?"

"I'm offering you choice," Meda replied. "The same choice I was given—the chance to become who you're meant to be instead of who you think you have to be."

Eva stepped forward, her empathic abilities reaching out to touch Mark's consciousness with gentle warmth. "Love is stronger than hate," she said simply. "But you have to choose it. Every day, every moment, you have to choose love over fear, connection over isolation, healing over revenge."

Mark nodded slowly, understanding flooding through her transformed consciousness. The equinox energy that had brought Meda to the Bit Bucket was still flowing through the cosmic matrix, offering her the same opportunity for transformation and rebirth.

"I choose love," Mark said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I choose to try again."

As she spoke the words, the familiar tingle of teleportation magic began to surround her. But this time, it wasn't the chaotic energy of forced transportation—it was the gentle pull of cosmic forces offering a second chance.

Mark looked at Meda one last time, seeing in her sister's face the love that had never truly died despite centuries of separation and conflict. "Thank you," she said. "For seeing who I could be instead of who I was."

Then she was gone, transported to the Bit Bucket where her own journey of transformation could begin. The war room fell silent except for the gentle humming of the artifact network as it settled into its new configuration—not as weapons of war, but as instruments of healing and balance.

The battle was over, but more importantly, the ancient wound between light and shadow had finally begun to heal. The sisters stood together in the aftermath, feeling the weight of cosmic responsibility settling around them like a mantle of starlight. They had proven that love really could triumph over hate, that healing was stronger than vengeance, that even the deepest darkness could be transformed by the power of forgiveness.

Faculty Post-Mortem Meeting

The faculty meeting chamber had been restored to its ancient grandeur following Morgana's defeat, with floating candles casting warm light over the assembled professors, deans, and staff. President Aislinn's ethereal form presided from the head of the circular table, her presence both commanding and serene as the college community gathered for their traditional end-of-term assessment.

"Before we adjourn for the evening," President Aislinn announced, her voice carrying the weight of recent events, "I believe we should reflect on this most extraordinary term. The assault on our college tested not just our defenses, but the character of our students." Her gaze settled on the various faculty members. "Let us begin with our thirteen year old charges."

Isabeta's Report on the Thirteen-Year-Olds

Isabeta materialized more solidly than usual, her mischievous demeanor replaced by something approaching solemnity. "President Aislinn, esteemed colleagues," she began, floating slightly above her designated seat, "this term has been... unprecedented in every conceivable way."

She gestured gracefully, her ethereal form shimmering with emotion. "When I first took charge of the thirteen-year-old dormitory, I expected the usual challenges—homesickness, academic adjustment, the occasional magical mishap involving accidentally enchanted hairbrushes. What I did not expect was to witness three of the most remarkable transformations in the college's millennia-long history."

Dean Molli Rose leaned forward, her warm eyes reflecting pride. "Isabeta, your guidance of Meda, Eva, and Wanda through their... unique circumstances... has been exemplary. The way you helped them navigate their identities while maintaining the necessary discretion was masterful."

"Indeed," Isabeta continued, her voice growing stronger. "But it wasn't just the sisters who rose to extraordinary heights. Every single thirteen-year-old in my care demonstrated courage that would make graduate students envious. When Morgana's corrupted spirits infiltrated the dormitory, these children, and I use that term with the deepest respect, formed protective circles around their younger dormmates without being asked."

Faculty Perspectives on the Crisis

Dean Bronwen spoke next, her silver hair gleaming in the candlelight. "From an academic standpoint, the integration of practical defensive magic into their daily routines was seamless. Meda's intuitive understanding of ward construction, Eva's strategic thinking, and Wanda's theoretical innovations—they didn't just excel individually, they elevated their entire peer group."

Professor Morfydd of Genetics nodded enthusiastically. "The magical development I observed was unprecedented. The way the sisters' abilities seemed to resonate with and enhance their classmates' growth suggests something far beyond normal peer influence. It was as if their very presence raised the magical potential of everyone around them."

Dean Yseult, her form shifting subtly as her emotions influenced her metamorphic abilities, added, "The transformation challenges they faced—not just physical, but psychological and spiritual—would have broken lesser souls. Yet they emerged stronger, more integrated, more authentically themselves than students twice their age."

The Broader Impact Assessment

Professor Tabitha, the College Physician, cleared her throat delicately. "From a wellness perspective, the stress these children endured should have resulted in significant trauma. Instead, I observed remarkable resilience. The support networks they built, the way they cared for one another during the darkest moments of the siege—it was extraordinary."

"The thirteen-year-olds weren't just victims of Morgana's assault," Professor Magy of Physical Defense interjected. "They were active participants in our defense. I watched eleven-year-old Melody Songbird coordinate evacuation procedures with the efficiency of a military commander, while maintaining the emotional well-being of terrified younger students."

Isabeta's expression grew fierce with pride. "What struck me most was their absolute refusal to be defined by fear. When corrupted spirits breached the dormitory wards, instead of hiding, they formed study groups to research counter-curses. When food supplies ran low during the siege, they organized rationing systems that ensured the youngest students ate first."

The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Dean Molli Rose smiled warmly. "But perhaps most remarkably, they never lost sight of being children. Even in the midst of cosmic battles between light and darkness, I observed pillow fights, giggling fits over magical mishaps, and the kind of innocent joy that reminded us all why we fight to protect this place."

"The way they embraced Meda, Eva, and Wanda—despite sensing something different about them—speaks to an emotional intelligence that surpasses their years," Professor Arianna of Language and Culture observed. "They created an inclusive environment where transformation and growth were celebrated rather than feared."

President Aislinn's expression grew thoughtful. "And what of their academic progress, despite these extraordinary circumstances?"

Professor Ingris of History spoke up. "Remarkable across the board. The practical application of theoretical knowledge during the crisis accelerated their learning exponentially. They've essentially completed two years of curriculum in one term, though not through traditional methods."

Looking Forward

Isabeta's voice grew softer, more reflective. "As we look toward next term, I believe we're witnessing the emergence of a truly exceptional class. They've been forged by adversity but not hardened by it. They've seen the worst that magical forces can unleash, yet their capacity for wonder and joy remains intact."

"The question," Dean Bronwen mused, "is how we continue to challenge and nurture them appropriately. They've already faced trials that would test advanced students."

"We treat them as what they are," President Aislinn concluded, her voice carrying ancient wisdom. "Extraordinary young women who happen to be experiencing puberty. We honor both their capabilities and their need to grow at their own pace."

Final Reflections

As the meeting drew to a close, Isabeta offered one final observation. "This term has taught me that age is far less important than character. These students—all of them, not just our celebrated sisters—have shown that courage, compassion, and wisdom can emerge at any stage of life. They've reminded us why Aislinn's College exists: not just to teach magic, but to nurture the kind of souls who will use that magic to protect and heal the world."

The assembled faculty sat in contemplative silence for a moment, each reflecting on the extraordinary term that had tested them all and revealed the remarkable strength that lay within their youngest charges.

"Very well," President Aislinn announced. "Let the record show that the thirteen-year-old class of this term has not merely met expectations—they have redefined what we thought possible. I say that not only of them but of every age girls, in our college. May their example inspire generations of students to come."

As the meeting concluded, the faculty dispersed with a renewed sense of purpose, carrying with them the knowledge that they had witnessed something truly special in the courage and growth of their youngest students.

Recovery

As the college began to recover from the assault and the defenders started to process what they had witnessed, Meda felt a profound sense of completion. The journey that had begun with Fred's desperate leap of faith in the Butterfly Garden had culminated in something far greater than he had ever imagined—not just personal transformation, but the healing of wounds that had festered for millennia.

The real work was just beginning, but for the first time since her reincarnation, Meda felt truly at peace with who she had become and what she was meant to do. The artifact network hummed with gentle power, ready to help others find their own paths to transformation and healing. And somewhere in the Bit Bucket, Mark was beginning her own journey toward redemption, carrying with her the hope that even the greatest evil could find its way back to the light.

The battle was won, but more importantly, the cycle of hatred and revenge had finally been broken. Love had triumphed, and the universe was a little brighter for it.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 21: The Aftermath

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Aislynn's College for the Blessed react when after the battle the celebration of Aislynn's Cup and the feast occurs?
What will be the initial status of Mark's time in The Bit Bucket along with the prospects of the future for the sisters and the College?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 21: The Aftermath

The war room beneath Aislinn's College fell into an almost sacred silence as the last echoes of cosmic power faded from the crystalline walls. Where moments before the greatest battle between light and darkness had raged, now there was only the gentle hum of the artifact network settling into its new configuration. Meda stood at the center of it all, the Stellar Prism still glowing softly in her hands, while around her the defenders slowly began to process what they had witnessed.

~o~O~o~

The transformation of Morgana into Mark and her subsequent departure to the Bit Bucket had left everyone stunned. Dean Bronwen was the first to break the silence, her voice carrying a mixture of awe and concern. "The magical resonance readings are unlike anything I've ever seen," she said, studying the displays that showed the college's reality matrix stabilizing after the cosmic upheaval. "The entire dimensional framework has been fundamentally altered."

Meda felt the weight of what they had accomplished settling on her shoulders like a mantle of starlight. Through Andromeda's memories, she understood the true magnitude of their victory, not just the defeat of an ancient enemy, but the healing of a wound that had festered in the cosmic order for millennia. The artifact network hummed with harmonious energy, no longer weapons of war but instruments of balance and healing.

"The cost," Aislinn said quietly, her ancient eyes reflecting the wisdom of ages, "is always higher than we anticipate. Morgana's corruption touched countless souls across the magical realms. Even with her transformation, the damage she caused will take generations to fully heal."

Eva moved to stand beside her sister, her empathic abilities picking up the complex emotional currents flowing through the assembled defenders. "But the healing has begun," she said softly. "I can feel it, like a wound that's finally been cleaned and can start to mend properly."

~o~O~o~

Though Mark had vanished into the Bit Bucket, her presence still lingered in the war room like an echo of ancient pain finally finding release. Through the artifact network, Meda could sense glimpses of what the former dark sorceress was experiencing in that metaphysical space between worlds.

The Bit Bucket had changed since Fred's time there, no longer just a waystation for those who didn't fit the college's categories, but a place of genuine redemption and transformation. Mark found herself in the same medieval chamber where Fred had first written his name on the slate, but now the space pulsed with the gentle energy of second chances.

"She's fighting herself," Meda said, her connection to the Stellar Prism allowing her to perceive Mark's struggle across dimensional barriers. "A thousand years of hatred and isolation don't disappear overnight. She's having to choose love over vengeance moment by moment, memory by memory."

Wanda approached them, her artifact fragment resonating with the network's new harmony. "The equinox energy is still flowing through the cosmic matrix," she observed. "If Mark can hold onto the choice she made here, if she can truly let go of the darkness she's carried for so long, she'll have the same opportunity for reincarnation that you did."

The thought filled Meda with both hope and trepidation. Mark's transformation had been genuine, but the path to redemption was never easy. In the Bit Bucket, she would face every moment of pain she had caused, every soul she had corrupted, every choice that had led her deeper into darkness. Only by accepting responsibility and choosing forgiveness, both for herself and others, could she hope to be reborn.

~o~O~o~

The immediate aftermath of the battle required all of Aislinn's considerable administrative skills. Students who had been affected by Morgana's psychological attacks needed counseling and healing. Faculty members worked to repair the damage to the college's reality matrix, while visiting allies from other institutions began the process of returning to their home realms with news of the victory.

Dean Molli Rose coordinated the emotional recovery efforts, her expertise in child welfare proving invaluable as she helped younger students process what they had witnessed. "Many of them have never seen cosmic forces of that magnitude," she explained to Meda during one of their debriefing sessions. "The very concept that such darkness could exist—and be transformed—challenges everything they thought they knew about good and evil."

The college's crystalline spires had been cracked by the battle's intensity, but rather than simply repairing them, Aislinn chose to incorporate the damage into new architectural features that would serve as permanent reminders of what had transpired. "Let future generations see that even the strongest defenses can be tested," she said as she supervised the reconstruction. "And let them remember that sometimes the greatest victory comes not from destroying our enemies, but from helping them find their way back to the light."

~o~O~o~

The Great Hall had been transformed into a magnificent celebration space, with floating banners displaying the final team standings and individual achievements from the competition. Despite the shadow of recent battles with Morgana's forces, President Aislinn had insisted that the students deserved recognition for their extraordinary accomplishments throughout the year.

"Students of Aislinn's College for the Blessed," President Aislinn announced, her ethereal form radiating warmth as she addressed the assembled crowd, "though war has tested our resolve, we must not forget to honor excellence when we see it. Tonight, we celebrate not just victory, but the courage, dedication, and growth each of you has shown."

~o~O~o~

Dean Bronwen stepped forward first, the crystalline Aislinn's Cup floating beside her as she addressed her victorious team. "The individual achievements within Team Bronwen exemplify our philosophy that true strength comes from preparation, wisdom, and mutual support."

She gestured toward Wanda, who stood with quiet pride among her teammates. "Wanda Hartwell's revolutionary victory in the Scholarship Competition has already begun changing how we teach defensive magic theory. As recognition for her academic excellence, Wanda is granted access to the Restricted Archives and a personal research stipend for advanced magical studies."

The hall erupted in applause as Wanda's face glowed with satisfaction. Her theoretical framework had not only won points but had genuinely advanced the field of magical education.

"Eva Nightingale's dominance in the Athletics Competition demonstrated the perfect integration of physical discipline and magical enhancement," Dean Bronwen continued. "Eva is awarded priority access to all athletic facilities, a personal training mentor from our graduate program, and the honor of designing next year's obstacle course challenges."

Eva's competitive spirit shone as she accepted the recognition, her teammates cheering enthusiastically around her.

"And Meda Blackthorne," Dean Bronwen's voice grew reverent, "whose unprecedented performance in the Spirits Magic Competition revealed depths of power we are still struggling to comprehend. Meda is granted advanced placement in all magical disciplines, access to Andromeda's personal study chambers, and the privilege of working directly with our most senior faculty."

The applause for Meda was thunderous, though she seemed almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of recognition. The recent revelation of her connection to Andromeda's legacy made her achievements even more extraordinary.

~o~O~o~

Dean Molli Rose approached the platform with her characteristic warmth, her team gathered proudly behind her. "While we may not have claimed the Cup, Team Molli Rose exemplified the very best of community spirit and compassionate leadership."

"Aria Moonwhisper's legendary victory in the Community Competition sets the standard for service to others," she announced. "Aria is appointed as Student Community Liaison, with authority to coordinate inter-dormitory activities and serve as student representative to the faculty council."

"Melody Songbird, Jasmine Brightwater, and Hope Silverstream each demonstrated exceptional growth and dedication throughout the competition. They are granted leadership roles in their respective age groups and priority consideration for advanced community service projects."

~o~O~o~

Dean Yseult stepped forward, her form shimmering slightly as her metamorphic abilities responded to her emotions. "Team Yseult's innovative approaches and creative thinking deserve recognition, even in defeat."

"Phoenix Nightshade's mastery of transformation magic in the Spirits Magic Competition was truly spectacular," she declared. "Phoenix is granted access to advanced metamorphosis laboratories and the opportunity to assist in teaching younger students."

"Seraphina Vale, Luna Starweaver, and our other team members showed remarkable adaptability and growth. They are awarded additional laboratory time and access to specialized transformation resources."

~o~O~o~

President Aislinn returned to center stage as the individual recognitions concluded. "Now, let us address the privileges earned by each team based on their final standings."

The scoreboard blazed with the final results:

Team Bronwen: 95 points - First Place
Team Yseult: 75 points - Second Place
Team Molli Rose: 70 points - Third Place
"Team Bronwen, as our champions, receives the ultimate privilege—the right to propose and implement one significant change to college policy or curriculum. Additionally, team members gain priority course selection, extended library privileges, and access to the Dean's private magical research collection."

Dean Bronwen nodded graciously as her team exchanged excited glances. The power to influence college policy was an unprecedented honor.

"Team Yseult, our worthy runners-up, are granted enhanced laboratory access, priority for advanced magical experiments, and the privilege of hosting next year's Spirits Magic exhibition. Your innovative spirit will help shape future competitions."

"Team Molli Rose, whose community focus enriched us all, receives expanded authority over student welfare programs, additional resources for dormitory improvements, and the honor of organizing the college's community service initiatives."

~o~O~o~

As the formal ceremony concluded, the Great Hall transformed once more into a magnificent banquet space. Tables laden with enchanted delicacies appeared, and the atmosphere shifted from formal recognition to joyous celebration.

Meda found herself surrounded by well-wishers, though she noticed how many students now looked at her with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. Her display of Andromeda's power had changed how others perceived her, and she wasn't entirely comfortable with the newfound reverence.

"Hey," Eva said, appearing at her sister's side with two plates of food, "remember when our biggest worry was fitting in at the thirteen-year-old table?"

Wanda joined them, her face still glowing with pride over her academic recognition. "Now we're college celebrities with access to restricted archives and personal study chambers. I'd say we've come a long way from the Bit Bucket."

As the three sisters stood together, watching their fellow students celebrate around them, they reflected on how far they'd traveled from their origins. The Aislinn's Cup victory was sweet, but it also marked the end of their time as ordinary students. The challenges ahead would require them to live up to the extraordinary expectations their success had created.

The celebration continued late into the night, but for the three sisters, it felt like both an ending and a beginning, the close of their competition year and the dawn of whatever greater destiny awaited them in the magical world they now called home.

~o~O~o~

In the days following the battle, Meda found herself grappling with the full implications of what she had become. The integration of Fred's memories with Andromeda's cosmic awareness was complete, but the responsibility that came with such power was overwhelming. She was no longer just a thirteen-year-old student at a magical college—she was a cosmic force capable of reshaping reality itself.

"The temptation is always there," she confided to Eva during one of their evening walks through the gravity-defying gardens. "Andromeda's memories show me how easy it would be to impose my will on the universe, to 'fix' everything according to my vision of how things should be. That's exactly the path that led Morgana to darkness."

Eva's hand found hers, their sisterly bond providing the anchor that kept Meda grounded in her humanity. "But you chose differently," Eva reminded her. "When you had the power to destroy Morgana, you chose to heal her instead. That choice defines who you are more than any amount of cosmic power ever could."

The artifact network continued to evolve under Meda's guidance, its purpose shifting from the preservation of ancient knowledge to the active promotion of healing and understanding throughout the magical realms. Students from across the cosmic expanse began arriving at the college, drawn by reports of the legendary sorceress who had chosen love over vengeance.

~o~O~o~

Eva's own journey of growth was more subtle but no less profound. Her empathic abilities had expanded during the battle, allowing her to touch the consciousness of every being present and weave them into a unified force for healing. Now, in the aftermath, she found herself serving as an emotional bridge between different factions within the magical community.

"The victory belongs to all of us," she told a gathering of students and faculty who had participated in the defense. "Not because we defeated an enemy, but because we proved that love really is stronger than hate, that understanding can overcome centuries of pain and isolation."

Her work with the Empathic Crown had revealed new possibilities for therapeutic magic—not just healing individual trauma, but addressing the collective wounds that affected entire communities. Dean Molli Rose worked closely with her to develop new curricula that would teach future generations how to use empathic abilities for large-scale healing.

"You've changed how we understand the relationship between individual and collective consciousness," Dean Molli Rose observed during one of their planning sessions. "The techniques you developed during the battle could revolutionize how we approach conflict resolution throughout the magical realms."

~o~O~o~

Perhaps the most significant change was in how the magical community viewed Wanda's contributions. No longer seen as just "Fred's little sister" or a minor player in cosmic events, she had proven herself to be an essential part of the team that had saved the universe from eternal darkness.

Her expertise with the artifact network had been crucial to the battle's success, and now she found herself at the center of efforts to understand and catalog the ancient magical items scattered throughout the cosmos. Aislinn personally appointed her as the college's first Director of Artifact Studies, a position that would allow her to continue her research while training others in the complex art of magical archaeology.

"Twenty years of preparation," Wanda said during the ceremony marking her appointment, "and I finally understand why I was drawn to study these artifacts. Not to gain power for myself, but to help others understand the responsibility that comes with wielding forces beyond ordinary comprehension."

Her relationship with her transformed sisters had evolved as well. The competitive edge that had marked their early interactions had given way to genuine collaboration and mutual respect. They were no longer just family—they were partners in the ongoing work of maintaining cosmic balance.

~o~O~o~

As the immediate crisis passed and the college began to return to something resembling normal operation, thoughts turned to the future. The victory over Morgana had eliminated one threat, but it had also revealed the existence of other ancient powers that might pose similar challenges in years to come.

"The artifact network is stable now," Meda explained to the assembled faculty during a strategic planning session, "but it's also more visible to entities that have been sleeping for millennia. Our success may have awakened forces we're not yet prepared to face."

The college's mission expanded beyond simple magical education to include active monitoring of cosmic threats and the training of defenders who could respond to future crises. New courses were added to the curriculum, focusing on the ethical use of power, the importance of choosing healing over destruction, and the techniques needed to transform enemies into allies.

"We're not just teaching magic anymore," Aislinn observed as she reviewed the proposed changes. "We're teaching wisdom, the understanding that true strength comes not from the ability to destroy, but from the courage to heal."

As the day drew to a close, the three sisters stood together on the observatory balcony, looking out at the swirling cosmos beyond the college's protective barriers. The stars seemed brighter somehow, as if the universe itself was celebrating their victory. But they all understood that this was not an ending, it was a beginning.

The real work lay ahead: helping Mark find redemption in the Bit Bucket, training new generations of magical practitioners in the arts of healing and transformation, and remaining vigilant against the ancient powers that might yet threaten the cosmic balance they had fought so hard to restore.

"Whatever comes next," Eva said, her voice carrying the certainty that came from shared triumph and mutual trust, "we'll face it together."

Meda nodded, feeling the weight of destiny settling around them like a comfortable cloak. The battle was won, but the war for the soul of the universe would continue as long as beings chose between love and hate, healing and destruction, hope and despair. And they would be there, ready to tip the balance toward light whenever darkness threatened to overwhelm the cosmic order.

The aftermath was complete, but their story was just beginning.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 22: The Reward Revealed

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Will a higher power recognize Meda for her choice of using redemptive power rather than turning to destruction?
How will Aislynn's College for the Blessed react when they find out how Meda is rewarded for the way that she offered redemption to her sister Morgana occurs?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 22: The Reward Revealed

The crystalline spires of Aislinn's College gleamed with renewed brilliance in the aftermath of the great battle, their surfaces reflecting not just light but hope itself. Meda stood in the college's highest observatory, the Stellar Prism still warm in her hands, feeling the cosmic forces that had been set in motion by their victory over Morgana's darkness. The artifact network hummed with harmonious energy, no longer weapons of war but instruments of healing that resonated throughout the magical realms.

The recognition came not with fanfare or celestial trumpets, but with a gentle shift in the fabric of reality itself. As Meda gazed out at the swirling cosmos beyond the college's protective barriers, she felt the attention of forces so ancient and vast that they predated the sorceresses themselves. The cosmic principles that governed the balance between creation and destruction, light and shadow.

Well done, daughter of transformation, a voice spoke directly into her consciousness, carrying the weight of eons and the warmth of infinite compassion. You have chosen the harder path, the one that requires true courage. Love over vengeance, healing over destruction, understanding over judgment.

Eva moved to stand beside her sister, the Empathic Crown still glowing softly on her brow as she felt the cosmic acknowledgment washing over them both. "They're pleased with our choice," she said softly, her voice filled with wonder. "The universe itself is celebrating what we accomplished."

Wanda joined them, her artifact fragment pulsing with sympathetic resonance. "The cosmic balance has been restored," she observed, studying the readings from her various magical instruments. "But more than that, it's been strengthened. Your decision to heal Morgana instead of destroying her has created new pathways for redemption throughout the magical realms."

The divine recognition manifested in ways both subtle and profound. Throughout the college, students reported that their magical abilities had grown stronger, more focused. The barriers between different magical disciplines began to dissolve, allowing for new forms of collaborative magic that had never been possible before. Even the college's reality matrix had evolved, becoming more stable yet more flexible, capable of adapting to the needs of its inhabitants.

~o~O~o~

As the cosmic forces settled into their new configuration, Meda felt something unprecedented stirring within her consciousness. The Stellar Prism in her hands began to resonate with frequencies she had never experienced before, not the familiar harmonics of stellar manipulation, but something deeper, more fundamental.

"I can feel it," she whispered, her voice filled with awe and growing understanding. "The power to restore... not just to heal wounds or mend broken objects, but to bring back what was lost entirely."

The revelation came through Andromeda's memories, but these were new memories, knowledge that had been locked away until this moment of cosmic recognition. The greatest reward for choosing love over vengeance wasn't just victory or peace, but the ability to undo the deepest losses, to restore what had been sacrificed in the name of the greater good.

Eva's empathic abilities allowed her to sense the magnitude of what her sister was experiencing. "You're not just talking about healing," she said, understanding flooding through her. "You're talking about resurrection. True resurrection."

Aislinn materialized in the observatory, her ancient eyes reflecting both joy and caution. "The power of restoration is the rarest gift in the universe," she said, her voice carrying the weight of millennia. "It's granted only to those who have proven beyond doubt that they will use such power wisely, without thought of personal gain."

The cosmic forces that had acknowledged Meda's choice began to weave new patterns in the magical matrix surrounding the college. The Stellar Prism blazed with light that seemed to contain not just starfire, but the essence of life itself—the fundamental force that animated all existence.

~o~O~o~

The decision came not from calculation or planning, but from the simple recognition of what her heart had always known. Standing in the observatory with the power of true resurrection flowing through her, Meda felt the absence that had shaped her entire journey, the loss of Sarah, not as Eva her sister, but as the woman she had loved in life.

"I know what I want to do," Meda said quietly, her voice steady despite the magnitude of what she was contemplating. "I want to bring Sarah back. Not as a memory or a spirit, but as herself, alive, whole, in her original body."

In that moment Eva became transfigured, and she was more than just the reincarnation of Sarah, but the full manifestation of the original Eva.

The revealed original Eva's expression showed no jealousy or concern, only understanding and support. "You want to restore her to life so you can love her as she was meant to be loved," she said. "Not as your sister, but as your partner. There is a prerequisite and that is for me to unbind myself from the reincarnated Sarah so that her soul stands alone. Sarah will retain the power she gained and the knowledge she obtained when she was joined with me since we have always shared the same gifts."

The original spirit Eva, wearing the Empathic crown, emerged from the reincarnated Eva in preparation for the return to life for Sarah. Her spirit presence was very powerful as compared to any other spirit at Aislinn's College.

"There is another coming who will want me to bind with her in reincarnation. I depart in physical form and return to being a spirit, waiting until that time comes to be manifest again. A new Eva will return in body before all the cosmic forces at my command are needed again. Even as we communed all that time, I will ever be with you, my beloved sister. I love you, Andromeda."

Meda spoke with the resonance of her memories from Andromeda, "And I will be with you, dear sister, as we have been since our birth ages ago. Thank you for helping us through our reincarnation and challenges. Thank you for helping Sarah and teaching her how best for her to use her gifts because they are the same as your gifts. I look forward to interacting with your spirit at Aislinn's College for the Blessed. I love you, too, Eva."

The process required more than just power. It demanded perfect understanding of the soul being restored, complete knowledge of their essence and identity. Fortunately, Meda possessed both through their shared experiences in the Bit Bucket and Eva's time as Sarah's reincarnated form.

Working together, the sisters began to weave the restoration magic. The Stellar Prism served as a focus, while the Empathic Crown provided the emotional resonance needed to call a soul back from the realm of spirits. Wanda's artifact fragment added stability to the process, ensuring that the restoration would be complete and permanent. In the center of the three sisters was the physical Eva, soon to be Sarah brought back to life again.

The magic that flowed through them was unlike anything they had experienced before. Where reincarnation had been about transformation and change, true resurrection was about perfect preservation, bringing back exactly what had been lost.

~o~O~o~

As the restoration magic reached its crescendo, something extraordinary happened. Instead of simply returning Sarah to her original state, the cosmic forces that governed the process recognized the growth and development she had experienced as Eva. The magical abilities she had gained, the wisdom she had acquired, the bonds she had formed. All of these were preserved and integrated into her restored form. However, this Sarah would start out at the same age of Meda so that they be equals.

"She's keeping everything," Wanda breathed, watching as the restoration took shape before them. "All the power she gained as Eva, all the knowledge, all the connections. They're becoming part of who she is."

The figure that materialized in the observatory was unmistakably Sarah, the same storm-gray eyes, the same gentle strength, the same compassionate spirit that had first guided Fred through the Bit Bucket. But she was also more than she had been before, enhanced by her experiences as Eva without losing her essential self. This was also not the adult Sarah that Fred had lost but a teen Sarah, full of youthful joy, and a perfect match for Meda,

When Sarah's eyes opened and focused on Meda, her smile was radiant with recognition and joy. "Hello, love," she said, her voice carrying both the warmth of their original connection and the wisdom of their shared journey. "I remember everything, being your guide in the Bit Bucket, our time as sisters, and now... this. Thank you for your gift of love, Meda."

Meda wrapped Sarah in a hug and kissed her passionately in welcome, " Hello, Sarah! Thank you so much for all your love in all the forms it has been expressed. I look forward to that love being able to climb to new heights in celebration of your homecoming back to me. I love you, too, Sarah."

She looked down at her hands, flexing fingers that glowed with residual magical energy. "I can feel the power still flowing through me," she said with wonder. "The empathic abilities, the healing magic, the connection to the cosmic forces. It's all still here."

Eva turned to Sarah and taking the Empathic Crown from her head and placed it on Sarah's head. "I know that you will wear and use this Empathic Crown well, Sarah."

Sarah turned to Eva and told her, " I'll just be holding on to it for you, Eva. I know what a difference the live sister bond can make. I'll be glad to pass it back to you when you return to us in body and soul."

~o~O~o~

The reunion between Meda and Sarah was both a return to something precious and the beginning of something entirely new. They were no longer the 'man' and woman in the butterfly garden. They were no longer the uncertain 'man' and spirit guide who had found each other in a metaphysical prison, nor were they the twin sisters who had supported each other through cosmic trials. They were two women, each complete in herself, choosing to love each other with full knowledge of what that choice meant.

"We're different people than we were," Sarah said as they stood together on the observatory balcony, looking out at the cosmos that had witnessed their transformation. "You're not Fred anymore, and I'm not just the spirit monitor who helped him. We're Meda and Sarah, two women who've been through death and rebirth and chosen to find each other again."

Meda nodded, feeling the truth of it resonate through her transformed consciousness. "Our love has evolved," she said. "It's not based on need or desperation anymore, but on choice. We choose each other not because we have to, but because we want to."

The relationship that blossomed between them was deeper and more complex than anything they had experienced before. It carried the weight of their shared history while embracing the possibilities of their transformed future. They were partners in the truest sense, equals in power and wisdom, united by love that had transcended every boundary the universe could place before it.

Wanda watched their reunion with joy rather than loss, understanding that Eva's transformation into Sarah had been a necessary part of their journey rather than a permanent arrangement. "I'm still your sister," she told Meda with a smile. "That bond will always be there. But now you can also have the love you were meant to share."

~o~O~o~

Word of Sarah's restoration spread throughout Aislinn's College like wildfire, and soon the entire institution was celebrating not just their victory over Morgana, but the demonstration that love really could triumph over any obstacle, even death itself. Students and faculty gathered in the great hall, their voices raised in songs of joy and hope.

Dean Bronwen, who had coordinated the college's defenses during the battle, stood before the assembled community with tears of happiness in her eyes. "Today we have witnessed something unprecedented in the history of magical education," she announced. "We have seen that the greatest magic is not the power to destroy, but the courage to heal, to restore, to choose love over fear."

Professor Ingris, the college's historian, was already documenting the events for future generations. "This will be remembered as the day when the ancient cycle of vengeance was finally broken," she said. "When two souls proved that love can overcome any darkness, any separation, any loss."

Dean Molli Rose, whose expertise in child welfare had been crucial during the crisis, worked with the younger students to help them understand the significance of what they had witnessed. "You've seen that the most powerful magic comes not from artifacts or ancient knowledge," she told them, "but from the choice to love unconditionally, to forgive completely, to heal rather than harm."

The celebration continued late into the night, with students from across the magical realms sharing stories of hope and transformation. The college's reality matrix resonated with joy, creating aurora-like displays of light that danced through the crystalline corridors.

As the festivities reached their peak, Meda and Sarah stood together in the center of the great hall, surrounded by friends and allies who had supported them through their darkest moments. The Stellar Prism and Empathic Crown glowed softly nearby, no longer weapons or tools but symbols of the love that had made their victory possible.

"This is just the beginning," Aislinn said as she approached the couple, her ancient eyes bright with hope for the future. "The power of restoration you've unlocked will allow us to heal wounds that have festered for millennia, to bring back what was lost, to offer redemption to those who thought they were beyond saving."

Wanda joined them, her own magical abilities enhanced by her connection to the artifact network. "The cosmic balance is stronger than it's ever been," she reported. "And the pathways for transformation and healing are open to anyone willing to choose love over hate."

As the celebration continued around them, Meda and Sarah felt the weight of their cosmic responsibility settling comfortably on their shoulders. They had proven that love could triumph over any darkness, that healing was stronger than vengeance, that the bonds between souls could transcend any boundary the universe might place before them.

The reward for their choice had been greater than they could have imagined. Not just the reward of the restoration of their love, but the opening of new possibilities for redemption and healing throughout all the magical realms. The real work was just beginning, but they would face it together, as partners in love and guardians of the cosmic balance they had fought so hard to restore.

The celebration marked not just an ending, but a new beginning—the start of an age when love would be recognized as the most powerful force in the universe, and when the choice to heal rather than harm would be seen as the highest form of magic. The reward had been revealed, and it was greater than any treasure: the knowledge that love, once freely given, could never truly be lost.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 23: New Beginnings

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

*?
*?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 23: New Beginnings

The morning light streaming through the crystalline windows of Aislinn's College carried with it a quality that hadn't been present before. A warmth that spoke not just of illumination, but of hope fulfilled and love triumphant. Meda stood before the mirror in their quarters, no longer the dorm room of students but a private suite befitting their new roles as guardians of the cosmic balance. The reflection that looked back at her was no longer disguised by Isabeta's glamor, but her true form—tall, willowy, with oceanic blue eyes that held depths of both human compassion and cosmic wisdom.

~o~O~o~

Sarah emerged from the adjoining chamber, her storm-gray eyes bright with the joy of their new beginning. She was herself again, not the spirit monitor who had guided lost souls, not the reincarnated Eva who had served as Meda's sister, but Sarah in her original form, enhanced by all she had learned and experienced. The magical abilities she had gained during her time as Eva flowed through her like a second heartbeat, making her movements graceful with power.

"Good morning, love," Sarah said, her voice carrying the warmth of their shared history and the promise of their future together. She approached Meda with the confidence of a woman who had transcended death itself, her restored body moving with the fluid grace of someone who had learned to wield empathic magic.

Meda turned from the mirror, her heart swelling with a happiness that felt almost too vast to contain. "I still can't quite believe it," she said, reaching out to touch Sarah's face with reverent fingers. "You're really here. Really alive. Really mine."

Their kiss was tender yet passionate, carrying within it the weight of their journey from Fred and Sarah's tentative love through the trials of transformation and separation, to this moment of perfect union. They were no longer the desperate souls who had found each other in the Bit Bucket, nor the sisters who had supported each other through cosmic trials. They were two women, complete in themselves, choosing each other with full knowledge of what that choice meant.

"We have all the time in the world now," Sarah murmured against Meda's lips. "No more barriers, no more separations. Just us, and whatever adventures await."

The restoration had given them more than just physical reunion. It had granted them the freedom to explore their love without the complications of their previous circumstances. They were equals in power, partners in purpose, united by bonds that had been tested by death itself and emerged stronger.

~o~O~o~

As they prepared for the day ahead, Meda felt the final pieces of her identity settling into perfect harmony. The memories of Fred's thirty-six years of struggle were still there, but they no longer felt like foreign intrusions. They were part of her story, the foundation upon which her current self had been built. The cosmic awareness of Andromeda flowed through her consciousness like a river of starlight, but it was tempered by human compassion and the wisdom that came from having loved deeply.

"I dreamed about the Butterfly Garden last night," Meda said as they dressed in the flowing robes that marked their new status as cosmic guardians. "Not as Fred remembering it, but as myself. I could see how it all began, how every moment led us to where we are now."

Sarah nodded, her own integration complete in ways that complemented Meda's transformation. "I remember being Sarah, loving Fred, dying on that summer solstice. I remember being the spirit monitor, guiding you through the Bit Bucket. I remember being Eva, your sister, supporting you through the trials. But all of those experiences have become part of who I am now, not separate identities fighting for control."

The morning routine they established was both intimate and practical. Sarah's empathic abilities allowed her to sense Meda's emotional state and provide support when the weight of cosmic responsibility threatened to overwhelm her human heart. Meda's connection to the stellar forces gave her insights into the larger patterns of existence that helped them both understand their place in the universe.

They were no longer struggling with questions of identity or purpose. They knew who they were: guardians of the balance between light and shadow, protectors of the pathways to transformation and redemption, and most importantly, two women deeply in love who had chosen to face eternity together.

~o~O~o~

A knock at their door interrupted their morning preparations, and Wanda entered with a confidence that would have been unimaginable just weeks before. The young woman who had once been uncertain of her place in their cosmic story now carried herself with the assurance of someone who had found her true calling.

"The artifact network is stable," Wanda reported, her own magical abilities having grown exponentially since the battle with Morgana. "The resonance patterns are stronger than ever, and we're detecting new pathways opening throughout the magical realms. It seems our victory has created opportunities for transformation that we never anticipated."

Meda smiled at her sister—for Wanda would always be her sister, regardless of the romantic relationship she now shared with Sarah. "And how are you feeling about your new role as Director of Artifact Studies?"

Wanda's grin was radiant. "Terrified and exhilarated in equal measure. Twenty years of preparation, and I finally understand why I was drawn to study these artifacts. Not to gain power for myself, but to help others understand the responsibility that comes with wielding forces beyond ordinary comprehension."

The transformation in Wanda was remarkable. Where once she had been competitive and uncertain, now she radiated purpose and confidence. Her expertise with the artifact network had proven crucial not just in their battle against Morgana, but in the ongoing work of maintaining cosmic balance.

"Aislinn wants to meet with all three of us this afternoon," Wanda continued. "There are reports coming in from across the magical realms—other ancient powers stirring, drawn by the changes we've set in motion. It seems our work is far from over."

~o~O~o~

The walk through Aislinn's College revealed the extent to which their victory had transformed the institution. Where once students had moved through the crystalline corridors with the casual confidence of youth, now there was a deeper sense of purpose, a recognition that they were part of something larger than themselves.

The curriculum had expanded beyond simple magical education to include courses on the ethical use of power, the importance of choosing healing over destruction, and the techniques needed to transform enemies into allies. New students arrived daily from across the cosmic expanse, drawn by reports of the legendary sorceresses who had chosen love over vengeance.

"Look at them," Sarah said softly as they passed a group of first-year students practicing basic empathic exercises. "They're learning not just to wield magic, but to understand its true purpose."

Dean Molli Rose approached them with a warm smile, her expertise in child welfare having proven invaluable in helping students process the magnitude of what they had witnessed. "The psychological profiles of our incoming students have changed dramatically," she reported. "They're arriving with a deeper understanding of the responsibility that comes with magical ability. Your example has inspired an entire generation."

The college's reality matrix had evolved as well, becoming more stable yet more flexible, capable of adapting to the needs of students whose magical development followed non-traditional paths. The rigid categories that had once determined which room a teleporting student would enter had given way to a more nuanced understanding of identity and transformation.

Professor Ingris, the college's historian, was already documenting the changes for future generations. "This will be remembered as the turning point," she told them during their visit to the archives. "The moment when magical education evolved from the simple transfer of knowledge to the cultivation of wisdom."

~o~O~o~

The afternoon meeting with Aislinn took place in the college's highest tower, a chamber that existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously and offered views of the entire cosmic expanse. The ancient president moved with renewed vigor, her silver hair seeming to conduct the very energies that powered the institution.

"The victory over Morgana was just the beginning," Aislinn explained as holographic displays showed the magical realms stretching out in all directions. "Your choice to heal rather than destroy has created ripples throughout the universe. Ancient powers that have been dormant for millennia are beginning to stir, drawn by the possibility of redemption."

The displays showed points of light scattered across the cosmic map—some bright and clear, others dim and flickering. Each represented a potential ally or threat, beings of immense power who would need to choose between the path of healing and the path of destruction.

"Some will seek to test us," Aislinn continued. "Others will come seeking the same redemption we offered Morgana. And a few..." She paused, her ancient eyes reflecting concern. "A few may be beyond saving, so consumed by darkness that they can only be contained, not transformed."

Meda felt the weight of cosmic responsibility settling on her shoulders, but it no longer felt like a burden. With Sarah beside her and Wanda supporting them both, she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"We'll be ready," she said simply. "Whatever comes, we'll meet it with love rather than fear, understanding rather than judgment."

~o~O~o~

As evening fell over Aislinn's College, Meda and Sarah found themselves in the gravity-defying gardens where they had first walked together as sisters. Now they moved hand in hand as lovers, their combined magical energies creating aurora-like displays in the air around them.

"Do you ever miss it?" Sarah asked as they settled on a bench carved from living crystal. "The simplicity of Fred's life, before all this cosmic responsibility?"

Meda considered the question carefully. "I miss the innocence," she said finally. "The ability to believe that magic was just about personal transformation, not universal balance. But I wouldn't trade what we have now for anything. We've proven that love really can conquer hate, that healing is stronger than vengeance."

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the stars wheel overhead in patterns that seemed to dance in celebration of their union. The artifact network hummed with gentle power around them, no longer weapons of war but instruments of healing that would help guide future generations toward wisdom and compassion.

"What do you think Mark is experiencing right now?" Sarah asked, her empathic abilities reaching out across dimensional barriers toward the Bit Bucket where the former Morgana was undergoing her own transformation.

"Hope," Meda replied without hesitation. "For the first time in a thousand years, she's experiencing genuine hope. And that's the most powerful magic of all."

The night air carried with it the scent of possibility, the promise of adventures yet to come and challenges that would test their love and wisdom. But they would face them together, as partners in every sense of the word, guardians of the cosmic balance who had chosen to build their relationship on the foundation of mutual respect and shared purpose.

As they made their way back to their quarters, Meda felt a profound sense of completion. The journey that had begun with Fred's desperate leap of faith in the Butterfly Garden had culminated in something far greater than personal transformation. They had proven that love could transcend any boundary, that redemption was possible for even the most lost souls, and that the bonds between people were more powerful than any individual's desire for dominion.

The real work was just beginning—helping other ancient powers find their paths to redemption, training new generations of magical practitioners in the arts of healing and transformation, and maintaining the delicate balance between light and shadow that kept the universe stable. But they would face it together, as lovers and partners, guardians and teachers, living proof that love really could conquer all.

Their new beginning was also the start of something larger—an age when love would be recognized as the most powerful force in the universe, and when the choice to heal rather than harm would be seen as the highest form of magic. The future stretched out before them like an unwritten book, full of possibilities and promise, waiting for them to fill its pages with stories of hope, transformation, and the enduring power of love.

As they settled into sleep in each other's arms, both women felt the gentle pulse of the artifact network around them, a cosmic heartbeat that connected them to every soul seeking redemption, every being choosing love over fear. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and new opportunities to prove that the bonds of love were indeed stronger than any force in the universe.

The new beginning was complete, but their story was eternal.

The Bit Bucket

A Transgender Paranormal Romantasy

From the Paranormal Visitor Universe

Chapter 24: The Promise of Love

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

How will Meda and Sarah express their love when united again after a crazy journey?

Copyright 2025 by Sasha Zarya Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Opportunity: Would you like to read a story not yet presented on BCTS for free? All that is needed is to become a free member of Sasha Nexus' Patreon to read the all-new book by chapters, Things We Do for Love. Please Don't Miss It!

---

Chapter 24: The Promise of Love

The morning sun cast golden light through the crystalline windows of Aislinn's College as Meda and Sarah prepared for their journey back to where it all began. Three months had passed since the great battle, three months of healing and rebuilding of watching the magical realms slowly recover from centuries of division between light and shadow. Now, as the autumn equinox approached once more, they felt called to return to the place where Fred's desperate leap of faith had started everything.

The teleportation back to Earth felt different this time. Not the chaotic, desperate magic that had once torn Fred from his old life, but a gentle, controlled transition that spoke of mastery hard-won. They materialized in the same spot where Fred had stood exactly one year ago, but everything had changed. The Butterfly Garden bloomed with renewed vitality, its flowers more vibrant, its butterflies more numerous, as if the cosmic healing they had achieved had touched even this small corner of the world.

"It's beautiful," Sarah said softly, her storm-gray eyes reflecting the dancing light as monarchs swirled around them in welcoming spirals. "I can feel the difference, the balance that was missing before."

Meda nodded, her oceanic blue eyes taking in the familiar paths where she had once walked as Fred, tormented by the conflict between body and soul. Now she stood here as herself—complete, integrated, at peace with every aspect of her identity. The Stellar Prism hung at her side, no longer a weapon but a tool of healing, its crystalline surface catching the light and scattering rainbows across the garden paths.

"This is where I learned to hope," Meda said, her voice carrying both Fred's wonder and Andromeda's wisdom. "Where I first believed that transformation was possible. I never imagined it would lead to all of this."

They walked the winding paths together, hand in hand, their combined magical energies creating subtle harmonies in the air around them. Students from various magical institutions had begun arriving for the equinox celebration—young people from across the cosmic expanse who had heard the stories of the legendary sorceresses who chose love over vengeance.

~o~O~o~

As they settled on the bench where Fred had once sat alone, dreaming of impossible things, Meda felt the profound completeness of their journey. They were no longer the desperate souls who had found each other in the Bit Bucket, nor the sisters who had supported each other through cosmic trials. They were partners in the truest sense—two women who had transcended every boundary the universe could place before them.

"Do you ever miss it?" Sarah asked, her fingers intertwining with Meda's. "The simplicity of who we were before? When the biggest worry was whether Fred could master teleportation?"

Meda considered the question, watching a group of young students practice basic levitation nearby, their laughter carrying on the autumn breeze. "I miss the innocence," she said finally. "But I wouldn't trade what we have now for anything. We've proven that love really can conquer hate, that healing is stronger than vengeance."

Their love had evolved through every possible form, from Fred and Sarah's tentative romance, through the spiritual connection in the Bit Bucket, to the sisterly bond of their reincarnated forms, and finally to this: two complete women choosing each other with full knowledge of what that choice meant. It was love that had been tested by death itself and emerged stronger, more beautiful, more real than anything they had imagined possible.

The artifact network hummed gently around them, no longer weapons of war but instruments of healing that connected every soul seeking redemption across the magical realms. Through that network, they could sense the ripples of their victory still spreading—ancient powers choosing transformation over destruction, lost souls finding their way back to the light.

~o~O~o~

As the afternoon wore on, more students arrived for the equinox celebration. They came from the crystal cities of Arcturus, the floating gardens of Vega Prime, the hidden magical communities of Earth itself. But these weren't just ordinary students. They were young people who had been inspired by the story of Andromeda and Eva, who had learned that the greatest magic came not from power but from the courage to love unconditionally.

Dean Molli Rose appeared among the arriving groups, her warm smile brightening as she spotted Meda and Sarah. "The new intake is remarkable," she reported as she approached their bench. "We're seeing students with unprecedented emotional maturity, young people who understand instinctively that magic is meant to heal rather than harm."

Wanda materialized beside them, her auburn hair catching the light as she surveyed the gathering crowd. Her role as Director of Artifact Studies had evolved into something far greater. She had become a teacher of wisdom, helping others understand the responsibility that came with wielding forces beyond ordinary comprehension.

"The applications keep coming," Wanda said with wonder in her voice. "Not just from those seeking power, but from those who want to learn how to transform enemies into allies, how to heal ancient wounds, how to choose love over fear."

Professor Ingris joined them, her historian's mind already documenting this moment for future generations. "This will be remembered as the turning point," she said, watching the students practice their magic with joy rather than ambition. "The moment when magical education evolved from the simple transfer of knowledge to the cultivation of wisdom."

~o~O~o~

As the equinox reached its peak and the barriers between worlds grew thin, Meda felt a profound sense of completion. The journey that had begun with Fred's desperate leap of faith had culminated in something far greater than personal transformation. They had proven that love could transcend any boundary, that redemption was possible for even the most lost souls, that the bonds between people were more powerful than any individual's desire for dominion.

The Butterfly Garden filled with gentle light as the cosmic forces aligned, and for a moment, everyone present could see the true scope of what had been accomplished. The ancient wound between light and shadow had healed. The cycle of hatred and revenge had been broken. The pathways to transformation and redemption were open to anyone willing to choose love over fear.

"Look," Wanda said softly, pointing to the sky above them.

New stars were appearing in the heavens. Not just celestial bodies, but points of light that represented souls choosing transformation, ancient powers embracing redemption, entire civilizations turning away from the path of destruction. The victory over Morgana had created ripples that would spread throughout the magical realms for generations to come.

Students from across the cosmic expanse stood together in the garden, their differences forgotten in the face of shared wonder. They were witnessing the birth of a new age—an era when love would be recognized as the most powerful force in the universe, when the choice to heal rather than harm would be seen as the highest form of magic.

~o~O~o~

As the celebration continued around them, Meda and Sarah found themselves back on the bench where it all began, watching the stars wheel overhead in patterns that seemed to dance in celebration of their union. The artifact network hummed with gentle power around them, connecting them to every soul seeking redemption, every being choosing love over fear.

"What do you think comes next?" Sarah asked, her head resting on Meda's shoulder as they watched Mira being welcomed by the other students, already beginning to find her place in this new world.

"Whatever it is, we'll face it together," Meda replied, feeling the weight of cosmic responsibility settling comfortably on her shoulders. "As partners, as guardians, as living proof that love really can conquer all."

The night air carried with it the scent of possibility, the promise of adventures yet to come and challenges that would test their wisdom and compassion. But they would face them together, as lovers and partners, guardians and teachers, living proof that the bonds of love were indeed stronger than any force in the universe.

Around them, the Butterfly Garden bloomed with renewed life, its flowers opening to catch the starlight, its butterflies dancing in spirals that seemed to trace the very patterns of transformation itself. This was where Fred's journey had begun, where a desperate man with a woman's soul had dared to believe in the impossible.

Now it was where Meda and Sarah's eternal love story continued, where new students would come to learn that the greatest magic was not the power to destroy, but the courage to heal, to transform, to choose love over fear in every moment of their lives.

The promise of love was perfect in its simplicity: two women in love, transformed and whole, watching over a garden where hope bloomed eternal and love conquered all. The wheel had turned full circle, but their story was just beginning, an endless tale of love, transformation, and the unshakeable belief that no soul was beyond redemption, no darkness too deep to be transformed by the power of love freely given and freely received.

The Bit Bucket still served its purpose, the ancient powers had found their balance, and love had proven itself the most transcendent force in all the universe. The future stretched out before them like an unwritten book, full of possibilities and promise, waiting for them to fill its pages with stories of hope, healing, and the enduring power of love that conquers all. With her lover, Sarah in her arms, Meda's joy was complete.

As Andromeda, she still had two sisters of ancient times who were in need of restoration, Eva and the girl that Mark would become. They both needed the transformation and unification ability of The Bit Bucket to bring them home. Then the three sisters of lore would be united with their sister of restoration, Wanda, to make four.

With Sarah's unconditional love, Meda was home!