On the planet of Symka 7, there is a nondescript apartment building, in a lazy, hot town. It's a town called Naramande, built up the sides of a massive, sloping mountain, with several parts flattened-off, and where some of the forest was too stubborn to completely clear away. It's a town that's always muggy, where the air ripples and quivers above the pavement.
There are several unfinished, unused apartment buildings; many of which were designed as ambitious public works projects, few of which came to fruition. The focus of our story is what is thought to be another empty building, hollow and humdrum. Yet inside, a genius kind of madwoman, revered and reviled by mages the Universe over, is never at rest. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and it would be for the best that Old Scratch not have the resources at Touko Aozaki's fingertips. At the moment, with her glasses constantly sliding down the bridge of her nose for sweat, her reddish-brown hair tied back in a ponytail, she tinkers and fiddles with a small, pentagonal plate of silver metal.
It's a peculiar little object; it's silvery-white, small enough to easily fit in the palm of someone's hand, painted in black ink with a spiralling, five-point symbol. At each corner of the plate are painted tiny runes, which periodically flash to life. Whenever this happens, they sputter and hiss with purple and blue sparks, and transient pink smoke. This forces Touko back a step, before she waits for a moment of cooldown, then returns to the task at hand. Eventually, she seems to find satisfaction with the project, and exits the room. Snatching a taijitu-emblazoned carton of cigarettes off of a cluttered desk, she bustles out to an area behind the apartment building.
Here is an oddly-shaped lot, enclosed by a tall picket fence, within which it is surrounded by grass and flowers. A small koi pond glimmers in the sun, just meters away from the back door. Sitting on the step before the door, Touko removes a cigarette from the carton, and sets the rest down on the grass beside her. With her now-freed hand, she draws a lighter out of her pocket, and lights up. Taking a long drag of the smoke, she exhales through her nostrils. Staring ahead of her, she reflects upon her project. If I can perfect the equilibrium of the magical circuits, she muses to herself, then I can start work on storing more mana. But I need to get all of their rotational aspects to correspond before - Her thoughts are abruptly cut off by a polite knocking at the front door.
With a long-suffering sigh, Touko shouts, "I'll be right there!" She squashes the cigarette out on the pavement, retrieves the carton, and makes her way back through the building. At the front door, she uses a rag from a nearby stand to wipe down her face. Replacing her glasses, she tosses the cloth back to its place, and opens the door. There stands a certain elven sniper, dressed in sharp, nondescript clothing. "Ahh, Tyrigosa," she says, "one of Malygos's most loyal and efficient agents. You're a model for anti-mage combat. If you don't have cash, get the hell off my property." Touko leans against the doorframe, eyes locked with Tyrigosa.
Tyrigosa removes a small, rectangular leather pouch. Unwrapping the cord tying it, she slightly tugs down the covering. Within is a truly massive topaz, hewn into a flawless gem. That instantly focuses in Touko's attention - any gem, not the least a topaz, is always valuable to the right mage. Considering this one's size and clean cut, any Jewel Mage would kill for it - Touko would know, she's seen Jewel Mages murder in order to acquire such a medium. Allowing Touko a brief initial appraisal, Tyrigosa speaks. "There is a certain case for which we require your expertise," she says smoothly. "This topaz will be your payment, should you solve our little conundrum. As for what you get for complying..." From her breast pocket, the elf retrieves a small, smooth, stone sphere.
As she allows Touko to rest her hand on it, the female mage can feel the faintest of heartbeats. She hums in thought. "The heart of a golem," she says contemplatively. "Yeah, I can do your job for that. Will I be receiving the details tonight, or later?" Already, she has envisioned the golem's heart on her shelf, and is deciding the styling of plaque, as well as the price she'll put on it.
Tyrigosa tosses the pulsing stone into Touko's grasp. "We'll contact you when it's time," she says plainly. "Expect us at any moment." She walks off down the street, leaving Touko behind. Touko closes the door behind her after moment, and walks back to her desk. Placing the stone heart onto her desk, Touko stares into space for a moment. Then, she sighs with a smile on her face, and begins collecting papers.
"Damn," she says somewhat wistfully, "she was something else."
There are several unfinished, unused apartment buildings; many of which were designed as ambitious public works projects, few of which came to fruition. The focus of our story is what is thought to be another empty building, hollow and humdrum. Yet inside, a genius kind of madwoman, revered and reviled by mages the Universe over, is never at rest. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and it would be for the best that Old Scratch not have the resources at Touko Aozaki's fingertips. At the moment, with her glasses constantly sliding down the bridge of her nose for sweat, her reddish-brown hair tied back in a ponytail, she tinkers and fiddles with a small, pentagonal plate of silver metal.
It's a peculiar little object; it's silvery-white, small enough to easily fit in the palm of someone's hand, painted in black ink with a spiralling, five-point symbol. At each corner of the plate are painted tiny runes, which periodically flash to life. Whenever this happens, they sputter and hiss with purple and blue sparks, and transient pink smoke. This forces Touko back a step, before she waits for a moment of cooldown, then returns to the task at hand. Eventually, she seems to find satisfaction with the project, and exits the room. Snatching a taijitu-emblazoned carton of cigarettes off of a cluttered desk, she bustles out to an area behind the apartment building.
Here is an oddly-shaped lot, enclosed by a tall picket fence, within which it is surrounded by grass and flowers. A small koi pond glimmers in the sun, just meters away from the back door. Sitting on the step before the door, Touko removes a cigarette from the carton, and sets the rest down on the grass beside her. With her now-freed hand, she draws a lighter out of her pocket, and lights up. Taking a long drag of the smoke, she exhales through her nostrils. Staring ahead of her, she reflects upon her project. If I can perfect the equilibrium of the magical circuits, she muses to herself, then I can start work on storing more mana. But I need to get all of their rotational aspects to correspond before - Her thoughts are abruptly cut off by a polite knocking at the front door.
With a long-suffering sigh, Touko shouts, "I'll be right there!" She squashes the cigarette out on the pavement, retrieves the carton, and makes her way back through the building. At the front door, she uses a rag from a nearby stand to wipe down her face. Replacing her glasses, she tosses the cloth back to its place, and opens the door. There stands a certain elven sniper, dressed in sharp, nondescript clothing. "Ahh, Tyrigosa," she says, "one of Malygos's most loyal and efficient agents. You're a model for anti-mage combat. If you don't have cash, get the hell off my property." Touko leans against the doorframe, eyes locked with Tyrigosa.
Tyrigosa removes a small, rectangular leather pouch. Unwrapping the cord tying it, she slightly tugs down the covering. Within is a truly massive topaz, hewn into a flawless gem. That instantly focuses in Touko's attention - any gem, not the least a topaz, is always valuable to the right mage. Considering this one's size and clean cut, any Jewel Mage would kill for it - Touko would know, she's seen Jewel Mages murder in order to acquire such a medium. Allowing Touko a brief initial appraisal, Tyrigosa speaks. "There is a certain case for which we require your expertise," she says smoothly. "This topaz will be your payment, should you solve our little conundrum. As for what you get for complying..." From her breast pocket, the elf retrieves a small, smooth, stone sphere.
As she allows Touko to rest her hand on it, the female mage can feel the faintest of heartbeats. She hums in thought. "The heart of a golem," she says contemplatively. "Yeah, I can do your job for that. Will I be receiving the details tonight, or later?" Already, she has envisioned the golem's heart on her shelf, and is deciding the styling of plaque, as well as the price she'll put on it.
Tyrigosa tosses the pulsing stone into Touko's grasp. "We'll contact you when it's time," she says plainly. "Expect us at any moment." She walks off down the street, leaving Touko behind. Touko closes the door behind her after moment, and walks back to her desk. Placing the stone heart onto her desk, Touko stares into space for a moment. Then, she sighs with a smile on her face, and begins collecting papers.
"Damn," she says somewhat wistfully, "she was something else."