With a spine, she will dine,

And a sign will make her fine.

-Prophecy of the duskbringer

4993 A.D. Third day of the second week of Autumn, sometime in the afternoon…

Guppy's Grakoan captors returned after what must have been several hours.

Her keyed master's face turned quite unpleasant as he saw the alchemists body and Guppy took some small joy in his displeasure.

He motioned towards Eumber and one of his enforcers walked over to check his vitals.

"Dead as a doornail boss." He reported.

Guppy's master turned to her, frustration evident in his face.

"How and why?" he demanded from Guppy, sending little spikes of pain through the collar to let her know her answer had best be a good one.

Guppy stood and lifted a lead ingot before their eyes.

"He learned the truth and despaired." She answered.

Guppy could see the confusion on her masters face, but she had found it was easier to show proof then explain.

So Guppy pulled on her mana and shaped it into patterns that by now were growing familiar and easier to use, then she let the magic flow through her palms into the ingot.

The men were silent as they witnessed the ingot turn golden.

"What I do is not alchemy but pure magic." Stated Guppy.

"I do not know what you held over Eumber, nor why he worked for you, but when he learned the truth of this he took his own life, I can only imagine it was better than what his future otherwise held."

A few moments passed as her master absorbed these facts and adjusted his plans.

"Very well, then you shall do it all, get to work, I expect that pile you are sitting on to be golden by the days end"

He turned to leave, his enforcers collecting Uember's body and dragging it out.

"No." came Guppy's response

Well that caused her master to freeze in a half turn.

He unfroze and faced her once more, a disbelieving look on his face.

"No? I think you misunderstand our relationship. Slave."

He pulsed waves of pain through the necklace, far stronger than any he had hitherto sent, and it took all of Guppy’s will to keep standing amidst the fog of agony that threatened to cloud her mind, but she did.

She had prepared herself for his reaction and stubbornly refused to fall, trying as hard as she could to not show the gut twisting pain she was experiencing on her face.

Her master raised an eyebrow and momentarily relented, allowing Guppy to draw a breath and continue, the man no doubt had limits on the mana he could wield and was unwilling to spend it needlessly once he saw she was unrelenting.

Guppy spoke with slightly ragged breath, outlining her proposition to her master.

"I can make gold for you, a lot more of it if I do so willingly rather than unwillingly, and that will help you look good to your bosses will it not?."

Her master raised an eyebrow but Guppy ignored it, the man reeked of middle management, which to Guppy meant he had the power to decide her living conditions, but not enough power to truly do anything to harm her.

In other words, the perfect target to bully a little to get what she needed.

For she was sure like any other middle manager, he had quotas to fulfill, and a great desire to impress his boss and move up in the ranks. Well, Guppy could use that bargaining chip.

Anything could be a commodity if you viewed it as such, and Guppy had precious few to trade with.

"But I have conditions." Guppy continued, "I need proof that my siblings have not, and will not be harmed if I cooperate, I also need food, a lot of it, my magic consumes my energy at a staggering pace, I would also work better with clean warm clothing to keep me from sickening."

She gestured to her blood stained and torn attire, far too lacking for a girl heading into the depths of winter.

There was an incredulous silence after she finished, obviously these men weren't used to their prey doing anything more than crying, begging, and pleading for mercy.

Too bad for them, Guppy was no victim, she was a survivor, and she would keep her family safe.

"What kind of slave demands working conditions?" exclaimed her master as he almost absentmindedly sent another pulse of pain into Guppy, torturing her already frayed nerves.

She endured, barely, her legs already felt like jelly and the foul taste of bile graced her throat.

She forced it down.

"The kind that is unique, irreplaceable, and about to make you very, very rich." Guppy retorted through clenched teeth.

“Be smart master, what I ask is insignificant compared to what I give in return."

Her master thought it over, evidently displeased at the presence of a deal, despite how beneficial it was for him, while he pondered and calculated he kept the pain layered over Guppy, a steady burn that raced throughout her body.

Guppy's stomach curdled and her jaw clenched so hard she feared her teeth would crack, but she kept standing somehow, she would not fall, not when she was so close.

The agony sought to rob her of reason and will, her body trembled and called for merciful respite, but Guppy held on through sheer force of will. The consequences of her failure here were too dreadful to bear.

She had to succeed.

"Very well" Her master eventually agreed, logic eventually overcoming his displeasure.

"But you had best work hard, and just because I agreed this time do not think I will pander to your future whims."

He then sent a crashing wave of pain down upon her, shutting down her remaining mental defenses and collapsing her to the floor and into sweet, sweet unconsciousness.

As her mind faded to black Guppy took pleasure that she had succeeded without a single whimper, the pain was worth it.

…………………………..

Same day Second bell of the afternoon…

John Mithrilsmith sat in his small office, deep in thought.

His Journeyman Marek had returned without the Kyle boy, something he had not expected.

Despite Marek searching high and low the boy seemed to have vanished, no sign nor hair of him even after long hours of futile frustration.

In fact his whole family had disappeared, the only hint being something about Kyle's sister being a genius alchemist who figured out how to turn lead into gold, at least that was the rumor being whispered on the street.

John questioned it’s veracity, Guppy had been diligent, but he knew the lass had been working for Friedrich, she was a technomancer, not some brain addled alchemist concocting vile or explosive brews.

‘What to do? What to do?’. John’s finger tap-a-rapped upon the smooth grain of his desk as he thought, an old habit of his.

An open letter he had penned lay open at his writing table, unsealed and waiting.

He could send it, but he was unsure how much it would help.

Still, some people owed him favors, his word was not to be taken lightly, and the boy must be recovered.

He would become a national treasure with but a little time and shaping, John was sure of it, and that was not something their nation could afford to squander, not in these days.

John hesitated no longer, pulling out a black wax coin and heated it with magic until it softened over the closed letter.

He then pulled out his signet ring and twisted it, revealing an altogether different insignia which he used to press down the wax and seal the letter.

A black raven now stood sentry over the letters contents, none but the intended recipient would now open it.

For none but the foolish and suicidal would unworthily dare to open a letter sealed thusly.

Still, procedures had to be followed, so John took a short stroll behind his shop, removed a wall brick and placing the letter in a small revealed cavity before replacing the brick once more.

On his way back into his shop he placed a steel rose into a plain white vase that sat on a windowsill.

The letter would be gone before long, though he never saw who took it.

Not that he wished to know, each did their part and that was enough.

And now he had done his, the rest was up to his master's will and the roll of the dice.

………………………….

Seymour awoke in darkness.

He felt groggy and dizzy, as if he had binged on ale for three straight days.

He had been doing something...somewhere...someone was waiting for him…

Why was it so hard to think…

Seymour mind slowly, ever so slowly cleared.

He had been in a rush to save someone…

STALIA.

The memories started flooding back, causing Seymour to sit up rapidly and hit his head.

“Ouc…”

Seymour stopped mid sentence, hitting his head on a hardwood plank should have hurt, but it didn’t, he only felt a rebound from the collision, and a momentary pressure as his head flattened slightly, and then reformed.

Seymour remembered getting stabbed and felt his back, no wound, no sticky blood, had a healer got to him?

And why was he feeling fur with his fingers, had the healer dressed him in a tight fur coat? It practically felt like a second skin.

It was dark wherever Seymour was being held, and held he was, for he felt wooden walls all around him.

Had he been buried alive? No, there was a slight airflow, he was pretty sure you didn’t get those six meters down.

Maybe he was stored in a casket and going to be buried soon? But then why bother healing him?

Was he being rescued and smuggled out of somewhere? Maybe, but the box was motionless for now. Was th..

Seymour stopped his racing brain, find out more now, question later.

He rolled over, and something flopped, Seymour reached up and felt two long fluffy things, what was worse was he felt himself feeling them.

Tracing their source back he confirmed that they were attached to his head.

He was not amused.

………………………….

Same day, Grakoan Mafia headquarters, Fifth bell of the afternoon...

Braexia sat before Selena in a small private room sipping a cup of rather good tea, the mellow flavour tied with a sweet spicy aftertaste went oh so well with the ginger biscuits that were laid out.

Braxia had zero reluctance in availing herself of her host’s hospitality and the biscuits disappeared rapidly as the two sat and sipped their beverages.

Selena’s eyelids twitched briefly as she sipped her own tea, a fact Braexia observed but made no mention of.

Eventually Selena could stand the silence no longer and spoke up.

“What brings you to me today miss Braxia?”

“A favor I wish to have fulfilled, one I am calling in.” Braxia explained.

“Oh? What favor might this be that you wish to call in?” Asked Selena innocently, a faint smile on her lips.

The tiniest frown, a brief twitch of the lips appeared on Braexis's smooth face.

“Please, don’t be coy Selena, I know your man reported that I let them have miss Bright after I had captured her, and~ that I would be around to collect on the favor, in fact I heard the whole conversation, how did it end again?...

Oh right, in your anger you poked a hole through his larynx with a heel, lovely form by the way, then you had him butchered and fed to your little pets.”

Braxia gave Selena a brilliant smile before taking another delightful sip of the tea and swiping yet another biscuit.

To Selena’s credit her smile cracked only slightly.

“Very well, what do you want? I retain the option to refuse if I deem it too great a request.” Selena stated.

“Oh nothing much, just an invitation to the royal summer ball.” Braexia requested, appearing as if she was asking for a trifling thing.

She took the third last gingersnap and gave it a delightful little chomp as Selena spluttered into her tea.

“You think those grow on trees? I think not miss Braexia, each invitation is numbered and vetted by the palace’s chief of ceremonies, He also takes care to know the face of every individual who is invited, even if you killed someone, stole their invitation and had a glamour cast over your face you would still fail, they know to look for illusions after someone tried the same thing three years back.”

Braexia made no mention that the attempted entry three years ago had been her, her master had been furious with her for a long time afterwards.

True, she had jumped the gun somewhat, and despite coming close her plan had failed, but now she had both her masters blessing and another plan.

Braexia lent forward slightly, her eyes catching the candle light and reflecting the flames within.

“Let me be more specific Selena, I want a list of who will be attending, names and brief backgrounds, but most importantly, their marital status. That is the favor I am calling in, and it will be my ticket.”

Selena’s eyes narrowed, “That's a dangerous game you’re playing Braexia, but I don’t think I'll give it to you what you seek, no point in gifting pearls to a corpse after all.”

Selena gestured and the wall panel behind her swung open, revealing her orc bodyguards.

“Snap her neck boys, I don’t want any blood on my carpet” She instructed coldly.

Braexia sighed, so very very predictable.

She raised both hands and charged her magic, the red mana lighting her arms with a fiercely sharp emission of light.

Both orcs let out grunting noises as they were lifted into the air, their grunts quickly turned to gurgles as the blood in their bodies ruptured it’s vessels and flooded their lungs.

It was more difficult than usual, the slight magic resistance inherent in an orc’s skin stifling the magic somewhat, but Braexia was in her element and oh so proficient in this spell, she had originally trained it on orcs after all.

Braexia powered through the resistance, ripping every last drop from their bodies and suspending the stolen blood in two dark revolving balls over her shoulders.

“How?” gasped Selena, “That tea held magebane, you shouldn’t be able to coordinate a drop of mana right now!”

Braexia rose and walked around the table before bending over and patting the stunned Selena on the cheek.

“You poor fool, I knew the taste of magebane since I was twelve, no matter how you tried to hide it with spices it was obvious with the very first sip, and I developed an immunity to it years ago.”

Braexia paused and tilted her head to one side in consideration.

“Although I must say, It does make a lovely tea.”

“And now.” continued Braexia, “You owe me two favors, I feel a little light on coin, I don’t suppose you’d be a dear and lend me some would you?”

Selena rose stiffly, fear deadening her limbs under Braexis's gaze, she moved aside an expensive looking artwork to reveal a black combination safe that drew a whistle of admiration from Braexia.

“An adamantium sheathed safe, well that's one way to hide and protect one's valuables against magic, though it must have cost you a pretty copper to have the dwarfs make it for you.”

Selena’s reply was merely a sniff as she twirled the dial several times before opening the door, she was pushed aside by Braexia who then eagerly examined the safe’s contents before withdrawing several small bags and a crystal card.

She handed the card over to Selena, “A drop of blood please.”

Selena looked up incredulously, “You cannot seriously be trying to break the binding, that’s impossible!”

“Oh Honey.” Braxia said with a beautiful sunny smile, “I happen to be unique in the field of blood magic, and I do believe I can.”

Selena sighed, giving up as she pricked a finger with a pin and dripped a drop of blood on the cards central groove.

Braexia concentrated and carefully unravelled the droplet, analysing, rewriting, copying, and then she was done.

Tucking the card away into her cleavage she looked up at Selena, “Now as we both know your word has little worth I will require some additional..insurance.”

Braexia moved swiftly and tore the front of Selena’s dress with some small red claws she conjured on her nails.

Braexia then removed the delicate necklace that hung there and examined it.

"What is this?" she asked.

Selena shut her mouth, but opened it quickly when she felt blades stabbing into her thigh.

"It's a magitech pulse bomb, it does not harm creatures but will destroy all magitech devices in a five block radius." She blurted out, feeling relief as the blades retracted and her blood clotted over.

Braexia smiled, a rare genuine one, this would help her plans tremendously.

The necklace followed the card as Braexia appropriated it.

Ignoring the angry look she received Braexia manipulated one of the blood spheres and crushed it into Selena’s chest, shoving the woman down onto the couch and causing her to twitch and groan in pain.

“Now while I did some marvelous work on a young lass the other night I think I’ll keep it simple this time.” Braexia prattled on.

She always got chatty when she was experimenting with magic, a bad habit her master had tried, and failed to wean her off.

Braexia muttered an aria for a few seconds and the blood sphere on Selena's chest contracted rapidly and then.. diffused into Selena, pigmenting her skin and forming a crude magic array.

A moment longer in examination and casting, then Braexia stepped back and addressed her spasming victim.

“There, I’ve placed a lovely little bomb in you, if you try to double cross me again, all I have to do is will you dead and boom! There goes your heart! And probably the rest of your organs as well! Isn’t it exciting!”

Ignoring Selena’s very obvious distress Braexia then turned and cast her gaze over the room, she picked up the final remaining gingersnap with one hand and took a nibble, with the other hand she moved the last orb of blood and very deliberately let it drop, coloring the carpet, chairs and Selena a crimson hue.

Not a drop landed on Braexia, for she needed none.

“Have a lovely day now darling.” Braexia said as she sauntered away, waving a hand in goodbye over her shoulder.

Her hair opened the door for her and she left the room very different from when she had entered.

It took Selena a few minutes to overcome the pain and fear of imminent death and emotionally process recent developments before she erupted in fury.

Needless to say everyone in the Grakoan mafia had a bad day after that, Selena made sure of it.