Blinking as I take in the sight in front of me. 

It is like an entirely new building. Before me is a counter not dissimilar to the front desk, but also far older, with designs carved by hand into it. We are in the original portion of the Archive. They literally built the addition in front of the original! They built a secondary Archive to hide the old!

"H...How?" I stutter out looking around.

"The perspective the public has only covers about a quarter of the building." Doris says, I can hear her smile in her voice. "Not including certain magical portions that alter space."

Stepping forward, I look around and do a slow spin, taking in everything around me. 

"What is happening?" I sigh, taking in everything. 

There are windows and flowers, and floating statues. Things are radiating magic in such a way that I can feel it, even without being properly trained in my magic. The magic of some items is so powerful that I can see it shimmer or just glow. 

"We wish to make you an offer," Doris says, drawing my attention back to the sisters.

"It is an offer that we've wanted to make to you for a while, but were unable to do so with you magic as it was." Deloris says, taking a deep breath and resting both hands on my shoulders. "We want you to know that we didn't know the depth of what was done to you and your magic. If we had..."

"If we'd known, it would have been undone by means that were not your death. But that is another timeline, and we can hopefully now offer you the tools so that it will never happen again." Doris said.

I have to blink because in front of me Deloris's eyes glow a slightly golden color, as her face tenses in anger.

"Thank you. It means more to me than you know that if you'd known you would have done something." I whisper with a watery smile.

"Morrigan Warren, You've been touched by Death, as such we can offer you initiation into Order of the White Raven without taking you as our apprentice." Deloris asks.

"Should you say yes, you will be inducted into the Order of the White Raven as a chosen of Death. You'll get access to the full Archive, and help should you need it. Such as assistance in finding a home, or job. You will not be required to become a Guardian or be bound to the Archive as we are." Doris says, looking at me from over her sister's shoulder.

"We'll have to try to commune with Death to double check, per the rules of the Order. But should Death respond with her confirmation, you'll hold a place outside of the regular hierarchy. And if at any point you wish to apprentice under us, we would be more than happy to have you." Deloris explains.

Looking at the two of them, I take in what they are telling me, asking me. What they are offering me is a lot. But I don't know what the Order is. 

Meanwhile, on the other hand, I would end up couch surfing, and or living out of my car...which doesn't sound like it would be a great time. At least not in the long run. I have some money saved, but not enough for a place to live and everything else involved. I could make some money selling my art, but not enough to live off of. I could also ask if maybe I could work at The Summoning Scroll, but they wouldn't need anything more than part time. I've done freelance work for Mourning Press, but not sure if they have a more consistent position I'd qualify for.

"Would you be able to help me learn to control my magic?" I ask, slowly stepping away from them.

"Well, of course, and not just us," Doris says, nodding quickly.

"Also I don't know about the whole apprentice thing, but once I know more and and more stable on my own I'll think about it?" I ask, moving towards the counter, and leaning against it.

The sisters look at each other and appear to have a quick and silent conversation.

"If you one day decide to Apprentice with us, we'll have to find you a partner, there does need to be two guardians, that is what our actual title is, need to be bound to the Archive or Vault to keep it running." Deloris finally answers after a moment.

"You should also know that the Archive has been trying to bond with you since you were about 13. We've had to have a few conversations with it." Doris says, staring up at the ceiling intently.

"It can do that on its own?" I gasp. "If it does that, do I even have a choice?"

"Well, yes, and no. The Archive or Vault is originally just a building, but over time and through bonding and absorbing magic, it develops magic of its own. And sort of its own consciousness, and they sometimes get attached, and we aren't sure how but they latch on, rarely of course, latch onto people they feel would benefit from being a guardian as well as they would enjoy the connection with." Deloris says, looking pained at trying to explain a living but not living building.

Doris quickly picks up speaking, "And without a full bond with a partner and the Archive, you are not bound as we are. There is more to it than that. There are multiple levels to the bond."

I stare at them for a few minutes, none of us moving.

Like earlier, I start to feel something pressing in around me, not like it is trying to hurt me or anything, but more like it just wants me to know it is there. But also more, I just can't quite figure out what it is trying to do or say.

"You had better not be trying to force the bond!" Doris shouts, suddenly pointing at the ceiling as if scolding the building.

"She is right! You had better just be trying to let her know you are here," Deloris adds, her voice slightly less scolding, but not by much.

I shake my head, "It's fine, it feels like a pressure trying to let me know they're here."

Turning around so I'm facing into the archive and away from the sisters, gently I rest my hand on the desk, feeling my hand tingle. 

A feeling of reassurance is pushed towards me, causing my eyes to widen for a second. At my shock, the feeling lowers in force and turns to a more of a reassuring hum.

"How do we bond? At the none permanent level." I whisper, the acceptance clear in my voice.

Behind me, I can hear the movement as the sisters and current guardians move towards me. They stop moving once they are standing beside me on either side.

"It is a slow process, but the Archive can let into its magic slowly." Doris says, patting my shoulder.

"Though if the Archive had its way you'd have bonded at 12 and be fully connected by now. But that isn't safe. And still isn't safe. You must also learn to recognize and control your own magic, before you can connect and use the Archives magic." Deloris says, with a wide smile on her face.

Slowly I turn to look at Deloris and I am not even trying to hide the slight pout on my face. Through my hand pressed to the desk still I can feel that the Archive is also giving off a feeling, of what I assume is pouting as well. Which makes me feel slightly better.

Growing up the Archive was my sanctuary, the one of the only places that I was never judged for my lack of magic. The sisters, and apparently the Archive, encouraged me to do the things within my limitations, but also encouraged me to still look into magic. Even though I couldn't practice the magic myself, that didn't mean that I couldn't study magic materials. Meanwhile when it came to magic, or magic related things, I was treated like I was invisible at home and with my mother's coven. My friends didn't treat me like that, but we also hung out at the Archive together, or at The Summoning Scroll. 

And now I know the Archive itself is in a way alive, and wants to build a connection with me to communicate? How could I not want to jump in and say yes to that? Sure I don't want to be a guardian, at least not without knowing all of the details. But I want the feeling of protection and love that the Archive is trying to press into me.