“Halvard’s fifth artillery regiment is one of the best. Their unchallenged prowess at sieges can bring down any castle or defensive emplacement in quick order. Of course, it also helps that they operate dwarven cannons that can belch out thunderous fire to do the job much easier than with a trebuchet.”


    - Feslin Hassel, Siege Engineer


    <hr><hr>


    “A magitech tool. Powered by an arcane crystal or crystals. That can be used in a pinch. Is compact, easy to carry, and capable to be used by your hands. Certainly a tall order.” Thalnor mused, his fingers drumming against the countertop.


    Ary had tried her best to outline her vision. Between bites of soft lemon cake and buttery pastries, she managed to at least get the general gist of it across. A device she could use to be a little less useless in the field whenever she needed to travel with Sophie. The siblings seemed surprised at first but found themselves warming to the challenge. Or at least creating a blueprint of something if not actually bringing the concept to fruition. Though, as it currently stands, the page was still empty.


    “Yeah.” Ary sighed, “I just don’t want to be too much of a burden out there. I know she goes out of her way to try and look out for me and well… she gets in enough trouble on her own.”


    “Perhaps. But have you handled weapons before? You have, right?” Maylesa asked.


    “Uhh, kinda? I know how to hunt with a shortbow or throwing spear. Hmm, I’ve also used a mini dwarven crossbow before. But… well… let’s just keep it to it didn’t do much.” Ary felt the memory darken her mood and choose to stuff herself with another bite of cake, letting the sweetly citrusy taste spread in her mouth.


    “Hmm a dwarven mini-crossbow? Haven’t heard of that before.” The elf grumbled.


    “Perhaps it is a variant of their repeater crossbow?” Thalnor suggested.


    “Perhaps.”


    The three nodded to each other and turned their attention back to the little impromptu tea party. Yana was face first inside a cake trying to eat it and Ary could barely hold back a small snigger.


    Finishing her little meal with a sip of the relaxing tea. She let the gently smoky and bitter flavour clear her mind.


    Satisfied with how their guests seemed content by the offerings, the siblings now diverted full attention to the task at hand, crowing a little closer over the empty blueprint. Yana meanwhile, sipped some of Ary’s tea before fluttering over to her own cup and plopping herself into it, resting on the rim as she immersed herself in a ‘tea bath’. Ary had no idea where the fae learned about the concept from, but Yana had reassured her that it was ‘good for the soul, fit for the whole’, whatever that meant. Still, seeing the relaxed expression on the fae’s face, she didn’t have the heart to interrupt her.


    “The biggest problem would still be the mechanism itself. Ideally it is powered by raw arcane power. But to use a crystal seems almost excessive if you plan for a self defense scenario.” Thalnor said.


    “I mean, I don’t plan on getting into any fights.” Besides whatever Galen has planned, Ary held back a snarl.


    “Then the only way I can see this working would be a tool more reminiscent of a lantern that can get very very bright on command. As one might say, blindingly so, if we were to want it to have an tangible effects in a battle.”


    “Remember, it still has to be portable. Aryana is strong but not strong enough to freely swing a large lantern like some kind of weapon. Errm, sorry for assuming.” Maylesa added.


    Ary shook her head, “No worries.”


    “So a small lantern with a crystal in it? It is possible. It’ll still be heavy though, if we were to run any sort of mechanism within it to contain the crystal’s ambient mana release.” Thalnor spoke.


    “It would certainly be a little overkill, so to speak. But we’re already designing a miniature battery so it wouldn’t be too different in principal. But if Aryana really needs it…”


    “N-n-no! No need to go to far on my behalf, I was only speculating anyways.” Ary’s face turned red, the burning embarrassment of having pushed a request onto her friends still felt a little alien to her. And with how they so seriously tackled the task, she felt even worse.


    “Hahah, it’s fine.” Maylesa winked, “A worthy challenge, I suppose. The two of you do have the most odd requests.”


    “Indeed they do.” Thalnor affirmed.


    “Eheh, sorry.” Ary blushed.


    “Nonsense. Tis entertaining.” The elf smiled, “But that does leave us the problem of how do we at least visualize this lantern to look like. In theory it’d be like the battery, but I suspect Sophie would simply shatter the mana crystal hence why we made that without a proper one.”


    “Hahah, true. Whatever powers she has certainly makes it more problematic to work with. It’ll be a nice little diversion, speaking of which we did mean to ask for you help today.”


    “Ah?” Ary squeaked.


    “For Sophie’s battery. We were wondering if you could try and come up with organic or biological materials more effective at wrapping around the wires while containing the mana within. I, at least, believe that if we can improve the efficacy of the wires in containing the mana within. We can increase the overall effectiveness of it to the point where it would reach an acceptable level of power supply.” Maylesa said.


    “Indeed. Though I disagree with her on the specifics, the general principle there could work given that nature itself is an arcane conduit. Of course, we need to bear in mind the type and how it reacts to the metal as well.” He paused, “Although it does raise a secondary question. Since we''ve already incorporated biological elements, if we include more, would that make the battery an organic device? Curious.”


    A more effective plant, huh? Ary mused. She tried to think back to her studies in botany and alchemy. Both had gifted her a decent sized repertoire of knowledge to tap into. But neither had given her anything new that she hadn’t already suggested to the siblings.


    “Nothing yet, do you have any sketches for me to see? I’ll try to think of something that might fit.” Ary answered.


    “Sketches, pah, what do you take us for? Brother, can you go get it?” Maylesa chuckled.


    “Of course. One minute.” Thalnor went back into the proper workshop area before plopping a small box onto their table with a hefty thunk.


    “We’ve made a copy.” Maylesa bragged.


    “A-a copy?! Wasn’t it just a prototype that still needs a lot of work?” Ary replied.


    “Of course. But we figured it’d be easier for you to find solutions if you had an actual sample that you wouldn’t be too afraid to damage.”


    “Well… I could work with the normal one too.”


    “Hahah, Aryana, please. My brother and I can both see how afraid you are when you have the original in your hands. You want to make sure it is always functional for Sophie’s sake, I get it, we get it.”


    “Guh.” Ary tried to not let her surprise show. A complex piece of magitech, a miniaturized battery. And they just casually make a second one. Yet they see themselves as insufficient compared to their own siblings. House Calnodel is scary.


    Thalnor returned with the replica. Or to be accurate, the second prototype. It was an exact replica of the first barring the awkward ‘2’ that the siblings had etched onto the side of the box that held the battery. Ary smiled, it was a hint of something normal amongst otherwise bewilderingly magical creations.


    Yana’s tea soaked form dripped onto her as the fae used her as a hand-towel, earning the mischievous gremlin a soft growl. Yana just fluttered her wings in a show of force and Ary rolled her eyes. The faerie was unpredictable, but surprisingly cute. Every once in a while, Ary wished that she could just twirl about like her.


    Sensing a hungry gaze upon her, Yana pinched Ary’s arm to startle her. The faerie looked up, suspicious but not accusatory. Ary just clicked her tongue and pointed to the replica battery. Yana scuttled up to it, examining it before turning to Ary. She nodded. Yana’s eyes then widened and Ary gestured for her to continue.


    Yana slammed the mechanism to open the box and propelled herself upwards. Doing a small twirl before she fluttered down to inspect the internals of the device in detail. Seeing this however, something twinkled in Ary’s mind. An image formed in her mind’s eye, tracing the movements of the fae, the stem, the petals, the flower. A connection then appeared, a memory of colder times, of when she saw Sophie storing a lily. Of when her curiosity got the better of her and she snuck around to touch it without the elf around. Of it’s iciness, of the magic imbued within and how it was still alive.


    Huh… huh! Magical flowers like the lily, preserved using... cyromancy? Heh, that’d be quite symbolic if it worked. Or maybe fae magicks? But with Yana’s help… maybe, it might be possible. Unwittingly, Ary cackled a little at the absurdity of the thought, eheheh, magical flower stems. Spirits watch over me, berate me should I fail. What a stupid plan.


    “What hideous machinations lurk in thy mind, your current face looks very unkind!” Yana exclaimed.


    “Sorry, sorry.” Ary contained herself, “I just had a thought, is all.”


    Yana flew up and perched herself on the lid of the box, “Well? Do share.”


    Seeing how intently the faerie stared at her, Ary grew a little more self conscious and calmed down a little.


    “Right, right.” She breathed, slowing down to collect her thoughts, “Ehum, how about this. Let me know if this sounds just, crazy or something.”


    “Oookay?” Yana narrowed her eyes.


    “So magic is still a little weird to me. But it can be grasped and shaped as mages do. Currently, the battery keeps pure mana contained within it, but the absorption and uhh, I guess amount that Sophie can drain at once is limited by how much gets left behind in it.”


    “Grrr, the half elf.” Yana growled.


    “Yana! Focus. I’m talking about the battery, not Sophie.”


    “Grrr.”


    “A-ah-anyways. Seeing you, I wondered if we could enchant flowers, or rather their stems with cryomancy or fae powers and use them as the container. That way, it’d improve the current iteration, since we’re already using some flowers and stems in its creation, though to a far lesser degree. Especially since having a more sturdy but organic material could ensure that the mana flow isn’t interrupted within the device. Even more so if we specifically enchant them for this purpose.” Ary excitedly explained.


    Yana pointed to the other room, “Sounds like a plan from thee. Now go, tell them, not me.”


    Exasperated and a tad annoyed, Ary used her finger to rustle the fae’s hair, much to Yana’s displeasure. The fae responded in kind and stuck her tongue out before fluttering over to restore herself using the tea.


    Trying to better formulate her ideas into a proper plan, Ary went over the words she would use as she stood back up. If this could really work then I… I’ll have no clue what to do, heh. Getting closer to the doorway, she sighed and stepped through to the siblings. Only one way to find out.


    <hr><hr>


    Maylesa and Thalnor were surprisingly supportive of her suggestions, already digging into the specifics and suggesting different species of plants the trio could acquire and test Ary’s theories. They even stretched her idea of enchanted stem based containers to the limit by incorporating it into ‘Ary’s weapon’. Drawing inspiration from her mention of a miniature dwarven crossbow and the lantern. The siblings settled for a wrist based launcher of sorts with an attachable light source that could use mana to sense the presence of magical monsters nearby, though that part would still require for them to learn more about resonance on in the field. The launcher itself would be enchanted so that whatever mana based projectile was shot out would explode into a blinding ball of light that should hopefully serve to both blind and stun foes.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    It was an intricate and highly utility centric ‘weapon’ in the most stretched sense of the weird. A crossbow like component that only stunned but lacked damage dealing potential. A light source used mostly for detection rather than as a light. In a warrior’s hands, it would most certainly be a failed abomination of a thing. In Ary’s hand’s however, it was a useful augment to her currently lacking skillset.


    That being said, this was also likely to be just as time consuming as the battery, more so because of the precision required. It was also far less revolutionary than miniaturizing the mana battery and thus was the first thing that Ary paid for from the siblings. Though amused, they understood her reasoning and charged twenty gold artes for it. A price that she winced at a little but gladly paid nonetheless. It was expensive, but so would anything crafted with such quality and care. She would however, need to recalculate what budget she and Sophie had left. Their reward from the king of Melton was running dangerously low, though Sophie’s new work at the adventurers guild would likely help cushion their finances.


    Still, the three of them and Yana spent the rest of the time enjoying themselves themselves. Or rather, while the sibling would theorize or concoct a bevry of different ideas, Ary was content to just occasionally offer her own opinions before basking in this rather strange but pleasant friendship. Yana just explored, animated and imbued creations to see how they would function, admiring the magitech handiwork before her.


    Their time together came to an end when someone knocked on the door of the workshop. Unlike when they had first answered the door, the siblings neatly shunted everything into place before adopting far more formal poses as they moved to open it. Though they didn’t motion to Ary or Yana, the two could sense the tension and Ary sat up a little straighter while Yana clambered back into the pocket, only poking her eyes out to see what was happening.


    After a few elvish words were exchanged, the siblings both seemed to growl before officially opening the door. As it clacked open, Ary could see two elves standing stoically with the barest hint of smugness to them. It wasn’t just the sharp nose or well groomed appearance that she found odd. There was an air of elegance and class to them that she couldn’t quite place.


    “Same, same.” Yana whispered.


    Ary refocused her eyes and sucked in a breath. The twins.


    Aside from having known Thalnor and Maylesa long enough that the two had begun to be more casual around her. She finally knew what it was that she felt was so different. Their eyes. Where the siblings had a penchant for genius mixed with an equal part of curiosity and vigour. These two looked far more refined, older and more practiced. With the gaze of experience and the calculations that it brings to a person after having simply done more in life.


    Though the twins were focused on the siblings, they briefly glanced over at her. In that one instant, she felt an uneasy chill run down her spine as their eyes seemed to glow for all of a second before returning to normal. Spirits. Where before she would’ve been afraid and intimidated by the gesture, assuming it to be a challenge. Now she was just afraid and intimidated because of the implications.


    In her magicology class, she had been one who had been exposed to the professor’s mana detection spell and saw the same tell tale signs of its use. But even then, it had taken a moment for everything to happen. Just now, they had done it at such speed that if she blinked she would’ve missed it. They weren’t just magitech geniuses, they were also mages on a caliber far beyond those around her in class. Scary.


    Stealthy hiding the replica battery into a drawer, Ary got up and tried to stand a little straighter. She waited until the elven crowd seemed to cool down and met Maylesa’s gaze. That then led the other three to also look at her and she almost shuddered.


    The only thing she could do was politely bow in a feeble attempt to emulate the ones that Sophie so often did. Seeing her display, the twins turned as one and both dipped their heads slightly, their arms stretched perfectly at an angle to deliver the most graceful bow Ary had ever seen.


    “Zuriel Calnodel, I humbly welcome you to our abode.” The male twin spoke.


    “Muriel Calnodel, I also humbly welcome you.” The female twin joined in.


    “Aryana Frostfyre. Uhh, thank you for hosting me?” Ary tried but failed to suppress her own doubts.


    “Pleasure.” Muriel stated without much warmth.


    Ary could feel them now properly taking notice of her. Likely assessing her extremely casual manner of dress and lack of any identifiable markings of nobility. She sensed their gaze hardening a little even if their expressions didn’t change in the slightest. A shifting of judgement at the presence of what they might call, ‘a commoner’.


    “It is good to see our youngers bring some guests every once in a while.” Zuriel smiled. Though judging by Thalnor and Maylesa’s exceptionally stoic expressions, Ary suspected that there may be more that she didn’t quite understand.


    “They’ve treated me well.” Ary put on a polite smile of her own.


    “Good. Glad to see that they aren’t forgetting hosting etiquettes.” He doesn’t sound very nice.


    Ary nervously nodded and looked to the siblings for help, receiving only a congratulatory nod from Maylesa for surviving so far.


    “If you don’t mind Miss Frostfyre, I was wondering if I could ask you a few things?” The twin continued, “Just to get to know you better, of course.”


    Your tone doesn’t sound like you want to know me better. Ary nodded but gritted her teeth. Miss Frostfyre sounds awful. Over by the siblings, Muriel chatted with them, much to their growing displeasure. Yana thankfully had the wherewithal to stay hidden.


    “You go to the Academy as well, right?”


    “Yessir.” Ary replied.


    “What department are you in?” Huh? What kind of question is that?


    “Uhh, herbalogical studies and alchemical studies.”


    “Ahh, splendid. A student of the noble lands, how delightful.” Is he mocking me? “I’m glad that these two are meeting people outside of their own little world.” He’s definitely mocking them though, right?


    “Ah-hah?” Ary chuckled nervously.


    “To think it’d be a human that they’d invite straight down to their workshops with little fanfare. Ah, don’t get me wrong, it’s just an amusing situation from my point of view. Nothing against you.”


    “Ah?”


    “We heard that they’ve received a guest assistant and just had to come see.” He smirked.


    “I just help them sometimes. Usually I’m just a bother though.” Ary tried to play it off.


    “Is that so? Tis just a little odd for their workshop assistant to be a botanist and alchemist, though I’m sure you all have your reasons. Not that there''s anything wrong, botany and alchemy are lucrative fields as well.”


    “I-I guess?”


    “And what’s this?” He turned to focus on the desk nearby.


    Upon it, the trio’s sketches of her new wrist worn device were haphazardly arranged in a pile.


    “Ah!” Ary squeaked loud enough to distract the siblings and Muriel.


    The group was now gathering together and she felt a little out of her depth.


    “That’s just something they’re working on for my sake.” Ary hastily explained.


    “Oh?” Zuriel turned to the siblings who just glared at him defiantly.


    “That’s right.” Maylesa huffed.


    “And what is it?” He arched his eyebrow.


    “A wrist mounted device, a WMD.” Mayelsa declared.


    Ary didn’t know about the new name they have given it. But she supposed it was a good enough working name until they finished the project.


    “Indeed, but don’t misunderstand, we aren’t breaking our promise to not craft weapons. It’s a defensive and distraction device through and through.” Thalnor jumped in, “She has a friend, one of our friends too, actually, that works as an adventurer and travels quite a bit.”


    He paused and looked at Ary. She nodded, her adventurers and time to spend with Sophie wasn’t supposed to be a secret anyways. A promise to not craft weapons though? This is the first time I’ve heard about it. But I guess it wasn’t really important. Still, I wonder why?


    “She often tags along but lacks a, shall we say, aptitude for the more martial or even arcane aspects required for travel. So she wanted us to make something useful for her.” Thalnor summarized.


    The twins seemed unconvinced and a silent war of glaring broke out as the two duos chafed against each other. Ary tried to remain in the background and breathed a small sigh of relief when Muriel broke the silence.


    “Whatever the case. It is good to see you have friends, brother, sister.” She deliberately called the siblings out, “Aside from greeting guests we did come here with another purpose.”


    “Oh yeah?” Maylesa fidgeted, her eyes darting around, as if looking for something. The replica?


    Ary shot her a small thumbs up. Judging by the small look of relief, her guess had been correct.


    “Considering you spent your day down here, we’ve been told to remind you that the second bell is in about half an hour. Oh and that your guest is welcome to join us at dinner though that’s up to your discretion. Father doesn’t mind either way.” The twin continued.


    At the mention of their dad, the siblings both stiffened up and wore a mask that hid their thoughts. Though Ary knew them well enough to catch glimpses of the dissatisfaction in how uneasy they seemed. Whatever shadow the twins cast, it seems their parents cast an even greater one.


    “Half-an… thank you, sister.” Maylesa threw on a tense smile.


    “Indeed, thank you.” Thalnor tried to calm the situation.


    “And your guest…?” Zuriel looked over.


    “She has to meet with the youngest of House Elaester to return to the Academy around the second bell. It''s unfortunate, but she will not be joining us.” Thalnor answered.


    “Tah, shame. My apologies. But to also know the youngest of House Elaester, you certainly are quite interesting, Miss Frostfyre.”


    “Thank you.” Ary bobbed her head, trying to ignore the slight bit of ickiness that she suddenly felt build up in her stomach.


    The twins nodded at the siblings before dipping their head towards Ary in unison.


    “Pleasure to have met, Miss Frostfyre. May we meet again.”


    Ary shivered a little as she bowed in return.


    “Thank you for the hospitality.”


    “Good luck getting back.” Zuriel waved as he left. Muriel dipping her head and smirking at the siblings. Something which seemed to incense them greatly.


    But as the twins left, the trio still decided to wait in silence until they heard the footsteps disappear back up the steps. Only then did they collectively let out a sigh of relief before turning their attention to the blueprints and the desk. Ary pulled open the drawer with the replica and the siblings gave her a thankful look, exhaustion etched onto their faces.


    When Yana popped her head back out, the trio relaxed a little more.


    “Aryana…” Maylesa brushed her shoulder.


    “It’s fine. A little scary though. It’s like they were looking for something.”


    “Mhmm, they were probably trying to figure out what we’re working on.”


    “Indeed. Though I assume they’re quite disappointed to find out we’re working on a little knick knack like this… errr, what did you call it, sister?”


    “Wrist mounted device, w.m.d.” Maylesa proudly answered.


    “Right, that. Though I was under the impression it was yet an unnamed project until field testing?”


    “And we’d tell that to them?”


    “Of course not. Understandable.” Thalnor nodded thoughtfully, his fingers drumming against the table, “Please don’t mind them, Aryana. While they admittedly do produce higher quality products, they still see us as competition and ahh, shall we say, like doing their due diligence.”


    “It’s fine, it’s fine. All’s well that ends well, right?” Ary tried to lift their mood.


    “In a manner of speaking I suppose.”


    “Besides, we now have a new avenue to try and develop both devices.”


    “True.” Maylesa gave her an awkward but welcome pat on the shoulder, “We’ll be relying on you to try and create the flower stem wraps and containers. Just bring them to us on campus and we’ll get started. Oh, of course! And tell Sophie to let us top up the current mini battery, if our calculations are correct then it should be running out soon, that is, if she hadn’t suffered any grievous injuiries as of late.” The elf chipperly declared. Her mood had done a frightening turn for the better and Ary could barely keep up.


    “I-I will.”


    “But they are right. We should get you going. As unpleasant as that might’ve been, I suspect that meeting father will be a little more undesirable than even that encounter.”


    “Hah-hah?”


    “Don’t worry, she’s teasing. Though it is true that meeting our parents might not be the most ideal of situations on most days.” Thalnor tapped the table. His gaze then lingered on the drawer and pulled the replica battery out and placed it in front of Ary, “Take this too. With their interests aroused I’m sure neither of us would rather they stumbled onto this by accident or otherwise.”


    Maylesa grunted and nodded art Ary. She picked up the battery and stuffed it in a free pocket.


    “Now come on,” The siblings gestured for Ary to follow them to the door, “let’s get you home.”


    “Heh, thanks for the hospitality.” Ary smiled, earnestly this time.


    “Our pleasure. Certainly made the day a little more enjoyable.”


    “Eheh, it was fun for me too.” Ary blushed.


    “Alright then, let’s go you two. Might as well say hello to Lady Miraevie as well.”


    “Eh?” Ary cocked her head, “Don’t worry, I won’t get lost. I can make it on my own?”


    “Nonsense.” Maylesa smirked before glancing at her brother. Thalnor just smirked back as they both smiled at Ary, “How else are the guards going to remember that you’re our guest the next time you come visit.”


    Ary couldn’t respond, she just goofily grinned and looked away. She felt warm on the inside, and for a little while, very happy.