Snow falls lightly in the village of Aredesh, the small village sitting nestled between two snow capped mountain ranges along the east and west of the village. The blacksmith and his smithy at the south side of the village, the burly grey plumed man hammers away at a new blade for the guards. The general shop just across the cobble stone road makes their final sale of the day as travelers buy food and water for the road. Nearer to the center of the village decorations hang in preparation for a celebration. Children barely able to glide on their own wings run around the center, laughing and playing a chasing game of some description. All of this is witnessed by a young woman, with bright blue feathers, flying overhead and circling as she descends.

Her polished steel armor, pure white mage robes, clean steel shortsword, and ironwood bow with steel tipped arrows do little to hinder her flight at this point. After a few minutes she would make her final approach and land with a jog as to avoid becoming one with the ground. By this point in her training she had her equipment enchanted as denoted by the glowing runes etched in her weapons and armor, and sewn into her clothes. She would remove her helmet and take in a deep breath. "It's good to be back."

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And with that simple statement chaos ensued. Friends, family, and neighbors alike ran up and asked a cacophony of questions about her training before all were drowned out by one voice. A deep, rough, yet very loving voice attached to a grey feathered, soot covered, burly blacksmith. "Arcadia, my my. How have you been girl? They aren't wearing you out yet are they?" He asked with a big smile and an even bigger hug.

Arcadia responded through struggling breath "Dad too tight" and she is released from her prison. "I've been good. They've actually been really helpful in teaching me how to use my magics. I see the forge is still going strong." She said with a warm smile as she looked around.

"Hah!" The old man laughed. "You know the guards always break and chip their blades" He said with a hearty laugh. After the heartfelt welcom Arcadia was obsorbed into the crowd answering questions and greeting old friends as the sun set.

Meanwhile, above the clouds, a new start joined the night sky. White lights, cold alloy, and hardened transparasteel loom above.

Aboard the observation deck a number of aliens watch the world below. Pirates by any other name, all salivating at the prospect of an untapped source of slaves for the market. Their purses have been light as of late but slaves from an unknown species. Even if they get sold to some lab for study could be worth hundreds of thousands of credits. Assuming they even sell.