Technomagica 2 : 49 Ciaori Sestii (Patreon)

“Is our plan going to work, Slava?” Kliss asked me, banking towards the blue ocean and the glittering, gold spires of the city of Agamemnon in the distance. "Weren't we going to lead the Inquisitor and the two legions into the Valley of Death?"

"Yes," I nodded. "That's the plan."

"I'm seeing a big problem here then," Kliss pointed out. "I am immune to the poison there but you... you're a human, Slava. You're going to get hurt if you go there with me."

"I have a solution for this," I said.

"Which is?" Kliss pressed.

"A bag," I said. "You're going to carry me in a bag."

"A bag?" Kliss repeated. "I don't understand."

"A dimensional bag," I said. "They sell these in Agamemnon at the market. I checked. We're going to get the best bag available in Agamemnon and I'm going to modify it. You'll carry me into the Magogenic Fault inside of a bag."

"Uh, Slava. The Magogenic fault disrupts all magic," Kliss pointed out. "If you're inside a dimensional bag it's just going to fold in on you and crush you."

"I'll have to enforce it so that this doesn't happen," I said.

Kliss made grumbling noises.

"It'll be fine," I said. "I'm not going to get crushed. Look, if anything you'll just carry a lead lined case on your back. I can buy lead plates at the market."

Kliss sighed heavily.

We descended into a mountain valley near Agamemnon, the glider's wings catching the updrafts to slow our descent. Kliss landed gracefully, her draconic strength easily absorbing the impact as we touched down on a grassy slope.

I unstrapped myself from the glider, my legs a bit wobbly after the long flight. We took a moment to stretch and pack away the glider before setting off towards the city on foot.

The valley was breathtaking. Wildflowers dotted the lush green meadows, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the snow-capped peaks surrounding us. A crystal-clear stream meandered through the center of the valley, the gentle rush of running water a soothing backdrop to our walk.

As we made our way down the path, Kliss turned to me with a concerned expression. "Slava, where are we staying in Agamemnon? The Inns will leave a paper trail and witnesses which the Imperial Scrutimancers might be able to pick up on."

"We're not staying at an Inn,” I said. “We're going to stay with my grandparents."

Kliss's eyes widened in surprise. "Your grandparents? I didn't know you had family in Agamemnon."

"Yes, my grandmother Jundaria Hellenia Agamemnon and grandfather Lem Hellen Agamemnon," I explained.

"Have you ever met them?" Kliss asked.

I shook my head. "No, I haven't. I only sent them a few introductory letters to them a year ago. I used the Agamemnon Librarium scribe to pen and send the letters through the voicecast orb in the Overseer's office."

"So... we're going to stay with grandparents you've never met? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kliss squinted at me. “Won’t they be suspicious of me?”

"It's the safest option we have. They're family, even if I've never met them in person. And it's less likely to raise suspicion than two teenagers checking into an Inn. As for you–we’ll introduce you as an Imperial scribe Elly Koperi , a lovely girl I met through a voicecast call and grew to like, so we decided to meet in Agamemnon.”

“Right,” Kliss blushed ever so slightly.

As we continued our walk towards Agamemnon, the golden spires and yellow stone walls of the city growing ever closer on the horizon, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about meeting my grandparents for the first time. I hoped they would welcome us, and that our presence wouldn't put them in danger.

As we walked towards Agamemnon, Kliss suddenly turned to me with a worried expression. "Slava, what are we going to do about my appearance? I'm not exactly inconspicuous with my crystalline skin and hair."

I smiled, having anticipated this. "Don't worry, I've got it covered." 

I led Kliss into a small forest patch just off the path, providing us with some privacy. From my pack, I pulled out a bag filled with various brushes and paints.

"I created this makeup specifically for you," I explained as I began to apply it to her face and neck. The specially formulated cosmetics covered her shimmering skin, giving her a more human-like complexion.

Next, I took out a wig net cap and carefully placed it over her crystalline hair. "And now for the finishing touch," I said, producing a wig made of lush, curly, dark red hair.

"Where did you even get this?" Kliss asked, running her fingers through the soft strands.

"I bought it from Eluerra, the Skyisle barber, for a gold coin," I replied, adjusting the wig on her head.

Kliss admired herself in a small mirror I handed her, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wow, I look... human," she said, turning her head this way and that.

"We're not done yet," I said, taking out a small bottle and a pair of tweezers. "These are contact lenses. They'll change your eye color."

"Contact what?" Kliss asked.

"Soft, thin lenses that go directly on your eyes," I explained. "I made them myself using microscopic spell weaving controlled by my Infoscopes. They’re going to change your rather distinctive eye colour and pupil shape."

Kliss looked shocked but allowed me to carefully place the lenses in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, adjusting to the strange sensation.

"Incroyable," she said, staring at her now human-looking brown eyes in the mirror.

While Kliss continued to admire her transformation, I quickly applied makeup to my own face and donned a dark brown wig and contact lenses that made me look more like my father. The change definitely wasn't as dramatic as Kliss's, but it was enough to alter my appearance significantly. Then we changed clothes.

"I see you're going for the rugged peasant look," she commented on my new appearance.

I grinned back at her. "Thanks. Now, shall we head into the city, my perfectly ordinary human… fiancee Elly?"

“Fiancee?” Kliss sputtered. “When did we even… what about…”

“Here,” I handed her a simple gold ring I had made in the forge from one of melted gold coins.

Kliss choked as I slipped the ring on her finger.

“We got engaged a week ago in Skyisle,” I said. “Got it?”

“Uhhh,” Kliss looked at the ring with wide brown eyes. “Yeah…. Sure. Why not just…. a girlfriend?”

“Grandmother Juni is a tough cookie, at least from what dad said. She absolutely wouldn’t let a mere girlfriend stay at their place,” I shrugged. 

“Right,” Kliss nodded, looking far too stunned by the sudden week-ago engagement. She linked her arm with mine as we walked back onto the path towards Agamemnon.

As the forest path connected with a bustling road leading from the South to Agamemnon, I was immediately struck by the whimsical array of magical carts and beasts surrounding us. It was a far cry from the modest village life of Skyisle, with colorful carts and creatures I'd only read about in books.

To blend in with the crowd at the great gate, I couldn’t help but stare at a particularly eye-catching, colourful cart pulled by what appeared to be an oversized winged dinosaur clad in rainbow feathers. 

The Infoscope defined the dinosaur as a [Rainbow Therisorarinosaurus LV 49]. The whimsically-painted cart featured a gold sign ‘Sestii’s Critter Managerie’ and was piled high with large, vibrant, shimmering eggs filling the inside of the wooden sleigh with wheels. At the reins sat a cheeky-looking foxgirl with bright orange hair which the 2nd Infoscope ID’d as a [Vulfix Arcanicx - LV 87 Merchant].

The sleigh was defined as [Arcanicx Cascade Magellanum Sleigh LV 411].

I choked mentally. My Infoscopes rapidly spun around other carts. None of the other carts heading into the city were anywhere as magical or high level. This thing was monstrously magical, possibly the most magical thing I’ve encountered so far on Novazem.

What the hell? How could a Sleigh be twice the level of Aradria? 

The Infoscopes identified the material comprising the Sleigh as Moonwood. Wooden carvings all over its surface featured scantily clad females with animal-ish features standing atop of stairwells formed from naked men.

"Hiya there!" the foxgirl called out cheerfully as her cart drew near. "Need a lift to the city?"

"Thank you, we'd appreciate that!” I nodded eagerly, helping Kliss climb aboard before joining her. 

“Lovely,” the orange-maned foxgirl grinned, her bushy tail swishing behind her. "No problem at all! Name's Ciaori Sestii. And you two lovebirds are?"

"I'm Slava, and this is my fiancee Elly," I replied. "We're visiting from Osk."

Ciaori's eyes lit up. "Ooh, Osk! Never been there myself. Small village North of here, yeah? How's the weather up in those mountains?"

“Cold, snowy and wet,” I replied. “And where are you from?”

“Born and raised in Stormfall Fault, Cascade Citadel, Ciaori replied, waving an orange, clawed paw at her eggs. “Live in Agamemnon now though. Rent a stall at the market selling critters. You interested?”

“What kind of critters?” I asked, mostly preoccupied with scanning the sleigh. 

“All sorts,” Ciaori grinned with sharp chompers. “Plenty of lovely beasties from all over. You should totally stop by my stall, I’ll give you two a discount on your first familiar!”

As the dinosaur began to trot along the path, I found myself utterly captivated by our new acquaintance, four of my Infoscopes scanning her entire body. Her soul was completely different from that of a mundane human, looking like porous hollows, reminding me of cheddar cheese.

Violet-silver magic tendrils danced around her body, probing at absolutely everything. It was decidedly some kind of magic, but utterly different from anything I’ve encountered so far. There was no linearity to it, just pure chaos of a thousand constantly wriggling soul-threads. Negatively-charged magic constantly poured from her body in violet-silver waves as if she was a fountain of magic that constantly pulled power from the Astral Ocean.

"Ciaori, did you say you're from Stormfall Fault?” I asked.

“Yeppers,” she nodded. “Is why I look like a fusion of human and fox.”

“So magic is capable of changing people this much?” I asked.

“Mhmm,” Ciaori replied. “Let me guess, it’s your first time seeing an Arcanicx?”

I nodded.

“I thought that Magogenic Faults are too dangerous to live in,” I added. "The one closest to Osk is called Valley of Death. It messes up people's levels, that's about it."

“Oh they dangerous,” Cioari shrugged. “I wouldn't go into the centre of our fault for example, that place is packed with flying leviathans which like chomping on everything. I was born in one of the Ring cities.”

"So, what's it like living in a ‘Ring city’? How deep into the fault are they? Do you have any special abilities due to your Arcanicx nature?" The questions tumbled out of me in rapid succession.

Ciaori laughed, her large fox ears twitching. "Whoa there, curious kitten! One at a time. Living in a Ring city is... interesting. We're right on the edge of the abyss, about 300 hexa-clicks from the fault's Centre, close enough to see the flying leviathans but not so close we get eaten. As for abilities, well..." She winked mischievously. "I can do this."

Suddenly, her fur shimmered and shifted, and in the blink of an eye, her mane changed from orange to blue-black. 

My Infoscopes went wild flooding my mind with information, time slowing as I observed her magic. Each of her fur strands twisted its edges like the wings of a butterfly observed through a microscope.

It reminded me of an undersea octopus changing its color.

I felt Kliss shift beside me, her arm tightening around mine. I glanced at her through Infoscope 5, noticing a deep frown on her face, but my attention was quickly drawn back to Ciaori as she began boasting of her color-shifting ability, cycling through various colors one by one.