66th of Summer, 514 AV
Glyphs. The very language whereby one could unravel the nature of magic. The codex for understanding it, for giving reason and shape to a thing that normally defied both by its very existence. Ironic then that a servant of all that was chaotic in this world, a Chaon marked by the blood of Rhysol, would seek to harness this power. Perhaps in that simple fact there was true madness that could be found, order harnessed for the cause that sought to enslave it. It seemed to Anna at least that in that there was true chaos and corruption to be found.
Wizard Annalisa Marin stood within her personal laboratory, Lab 30-G, facing the large stone table in the middle of the main labspace. Surrounding the table were a trio of Glyphing Barriers, rings of stylized geometric shapes designed to prevent hostile magic from released upon the table from destroying the lab. Upon the table itself was a leather bound book, two hundred pages long with each page completely blank. It was opened to the very first page, long pale fingers gliding across its surface as a smile came to the sorceress’s lips. She could already envision the creation she was about to give birth to, something so utterly magnificent that all of her other projects would pale in comparison.
The idea seemed so very simple but at the same time was extremely dangerous to all but the most experienced of Reimancers or Glyphers. The sorceress had been constructing small scale weaponry mostly, nothing too stand out among her peers. While politics were important in Sahova displays of superior skill would aid her when she finally attempted to apply for the coveted position of Master. She needed spectacular creations, things that were masterpieces to behold to be worthy of such a title. That was what this book would become, a simple thing that would soon have the ability to unleash untold destruction upon its target.
The tall dark haired woman sighed; closing the cover for now as she had rather pressing business at the harbor unfortunately that demanded her attention. The sorceress needed more slaves, some as test subjects and others as more long terms accessories to her Lab. With power came the need to consolidate that power, to that end she needed extra hands to handle minor tasks she herself could not be bothered with. Cleaning the lab for instance sounded like a good idea, especially as she looked at the parchment and ink scattered around the floor and her rarely used desk.
The sorceress stepped away from the table, casting it a longing look before making strides towards the thick iron door that was the only entrance or exit to and from the Lab as a whole. She stepped out into the Gug Andjak proper, the soft glow of the magelights illuminating the darkened corridors of the lower floors of the Citadel. Anna’s lab was actually located beneath the ground floor of the Gug Andjak, ten levels beneath it in fact. This was more due to the nature of her destructive work, when working with volatile weaponry it was best to place it where the least damage as possible could be done.
Anna mounted a set of nearby stairs and started the ascent to the ground floor of the Gug Andjak, passing the occasional Nuit Apprentice going about their Master’s work. The tall woman herself was the very image of a Wizard, elegant black silk robes trimmed in purple hugging her form and bound by a purple sash over her shoulder. Comfortable black dress slippers held her feet and upon her right ring finger was located a silver ring encrusted in rubies, its sigil that of a burning scroll. Her long black hair was bound into a high ponytail, bangs framing her face but away from her eyes so as to not interfere with her work.
It was not long before she reached the ground floor of the Gug Andjak and from here she made her way across the Courtyard, wisps of the eerie mist that hung there swirling about her. There was the occasional tug at her robes and the sound of some far off ghostly wail, but Anna paid it no mind. The sorceress merely kept to the marked path Wanda had laid out, smirking as she did at the poor spirits trapped here. Soon enough she arrived at the Vestibule and left the Courtyard behind, her steps quickly carrying her through the entrance hall of the Citadel and down the long steps of the path to the Harbor.
The path out from the Citadel was little better than a mere dirt road, the sorceress had travelled it many times and was used to the walk down. There were the occasional cries in the distance from the Testing Grounds, monstrous in their nature and delivered from the maws of alien beasts. The tall woman ignored these and walk along her path and finding a small gathering had already assembled at the Harbor to bid upon the slaves. Golems and Apprentices mostly, the majority of Wizards were likely too busy to be arsed with such tasks. Anna lacked Apprentices or Golems to do her bidding so thus here she was.
There was already a rather emaciated human male up on the block, a mix of mechanical and organic voices calling out bids that were rather low. The final price he sold for was one hundred and sixty gold rimmed Mizas, a rather cheap price for a human life in Anna’s opinion but she’d killed her fellows for less than money. She had not bothered to add her own voice to the bidding for that one, waiting for one that looked at least somewhat alive.
Her eyes widened by a fraction when the next one was brought out, something that looked positively monstrous. A dark grey looking female bestial thing, garbed in merely a loincloth and breast bindings, shackles adorning a pair of leathery wings. Dark haired as well and with yellow eyes that just spoke of inhumanity. Anna swallowed at the sight, immediate revulsion and interest entering into her mind in an odd mix as she waited for the price and identity of the creature offered up for bid.
