image [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1fhibyu820qwgtzpllg08/01148-1736461042-best-quality-masterpiece-detailed-futuristic-factory-sci-fi-thick-brush-HD-anime-wallpaper-8k-ultra-realistic.png?rlkey=vicrdpyv9kxjy6f1rpsbu74i9&st=8j0wh79v&dl=1]
High Lord Genevieve is different from High Lord Chandra. High Lord Genevieve is different from High Lord Chandra. Fu Shang knew this, and repeated it like a mantra, but her knees refused to believe her, and quaked on their own rebelliously.
Calm down! Deep breaths! Just like training! she told herself, but those words rang hollow as she stared up at the walls of the FloatingScreen factory. Their staunch and solid design carried the usual stand-offish brutalism that AutoMagic Incorporated buildings were known for. If not for the perpetually lighted blue and orange bars that peppered its façade with colour, Fu Shang might’ve mistaken the building for a regular industrial factory that produced regular industrial goods.
But no, this was not a regular industrial factory. It was a technomagical one.
And in it was a ‘profane mix of magic and industry’, as Coalesce doctrine would have it. When she asked why it was ‘profane’ at all, most Coalesce elders would sidestep the question. “Remember when those born without magical talent could at least get by with good ol’ hard work and a regular engineering job? It’s impossible now. Look at the displaced Nostrivans in the slums! We must stand up for the unspoken majority. For justice!” That was how their argument went, as far as Fu Shang could recall anyway.
Regardless, with that as their ‘casus belli’, the Coalesce had been launching assaults on technomagical factories all over Nostriva. And this particular one stared down back at her with its speckless, metallic walls, as if daring her to raid it, to breach its laser fences, its locked doors, to brave its guards, its drones, and all its spell traps. Fu Shang replied with a limp smile. No, no I don’t dare.
Last week, she heard that under High Lord Chandra’s directive, over a hundred Coalesce recruits gave their lives for the cause in the past month alone.
Although, truth be told, she wasn’t supposed to have heard that. There were whispers of course, rumors of missing team members, and a handful were indeed declared killed in action for the cause. But more than a hundred Coalesce recruits? Indeed, there was no low-ranking grunt in the Incitement Team who had the clearance to hear that. But as fortune would have it, Fu Shang, who was at the right place at the right time, happened to cast the right spell, and heard it all.
She came across the spell by chance as well. A fortnight ago, her team raided the holiday home of a high-ranking manager from one of the many technomagic companies. That was when she saw the tome peeking out of a drawer. Why will a manager study spellcasting? That’ll be better used in my hands.
Without hesitation, she pilfered it.
As the rest the raiders lit the home on fire, Fu Shang inspected the tome. Its cover was written in an esoteric symbolic language, but she had studied it before and was able to translate it in a jiffy.
“Three Ways to Cast SneakHear: A Spy’s Guide to Eavesdropping”.
Mm. Perfect.
She knew exactly on whom she wanted to use it. Trisha! That pesky new-comer who had been getting on her nerves. Nobody would dare interrupt Fu Shang when she was talking about her favourite spells, but Trisha turned away immediately, walking off without a single explanation. And all that on her first day alone. The rest of the recruits tried their best to stifle a laugh, but Fu Shang was spurned, and the Incitement Team had no fury like a Fu Shang scorned.
To Fu Shang, the SneakHear spell came into her life at just the right time - she could now spy on Trisha, dig up her dirtiest secrets, and get back at her. For that very purpose, she had been studying the tome from cover to cover, and a week later, she was ready to do a test cast.
But because they were in one of the most decrepit Coalesce camps in Eastern Caschian, there was no such thing as a ‘training room’. Mages would go to a secluded corner somewhere, cast their spells, and hope it didn’t just blow up in their faces.
Fu Shang’s favourite secluded corner was the sandpit next to the hardly-used briefing room. Before she left the girl’s dormitory, she made sure to generate some mana first, storing it in her hands and feet. In a few minutes, she was ready, and left for the sandpit.
As she trudged closer to it, she heard faint noises coming from the shack nearby. “Heh. What are the odds that there’s someone in the briefing room today huh. It’s not a bad thing though; I can practice a little SneakHear on them,” she muttered to herself while rubbing her palms together excitedly.
With actual people in there, she’d be able to get a feel for how the spell worked. And since she frequented that sandpit to practice the usual fireballs and the like, nobody would suspect her of any insubordinate subterfuge.
The tome revealed at least three different ways to cast the SneakHear spell. Having studied all the details provided in its browned and aging pages, Fu Shang knew that the third method was the best one for this moment. This particular method used a runic spell system, which Fu Shang was already familiar with, but it was more the method of preparation that drew her to it than the spell system alone. All it required the caster to do was to mark out a precise sequence of runes on any surface, so long as it was visibly clear. That meant that she could even work with sand.
She got to work scrawling on the sand with a perfectly manicured nail. Part of it chipped off, but she continued with the same fervency. I told Natsuki that manicures were stupid for mages. And she still insisted that I do it with her! To any casual on-looker, it seemed as if Fu Shang was manically scribing out theoretical formulas on sand, which was a very Fu Shang thing to do. Under that perfect cover, she leisurely took her time to pen out every curve, dot, and stylized stroke. The only thing a girl should have to care about is how pretty her spells looked.
It was not only pretty by the standards of that particular runic language, but it was also absolutely accurate, despite being completely referenced from memory. She even worked on the custom variable - the target of the eavesdropping - without any difficulty, fluently translating the description of the briefing room into the spell’s runic symbols.
In just a few brief minutes, the spell was fully prepared. To trigger it, she had to meet its specific activating condition, which was to draw a pentagon at the very center of the runic sequence. As she completed the very last line, she felt a warm sensation at her hands and feet where she had stored her prepared mana earlier. The sensation flowed inwards and up toward her ears.
As mana molded itself into her ears to empower it, she felt it warm up for a moment, before the sensation wore off.
She did it. The spell was active.
Almost immediately, she heard a voice.
“Yes, I know that almost a hundred lives were lost, but don’t forget that those were mostly tactical mistakes, not strategic ones.” The voice was soft at first, but it grew louder in seconds as her ears quickly adapted to the spell’s effect. “This month, High Lord Janus and I have worked out a strategy to reduce casualties, and we’ve already been seeing results - our personnel losses have been cut by more than ninety percent.”
Wait. Isn’t that High Lord Genevieve’s voice?
The voice crackled every few syllables - probably because it was coming through a transmission gemstone - but Fu Shang could tell from that unmistakably terse tone that it belonged to the High Lord.
She froze, standing as still as she could, before remembering that there was no way the High Lord could tell she was using an eavesdropping spell. She was in one of the most decrepit Coalesce camps in Eastern Caschian after all, and it hardly had any counterspell mechanisms embedded onto it. What’s the point, when the Peacekeepers didn’t even bother with this place? Its citizens – nay, denizens were too far gone to be worth protecting.
And without counterspell mechanisms, Fu Shang could eavesdrop all she wished without being caught. She relaxed a little.
“Genny, dear,” she heard another familiar voice say. Fu Shang put a hand over her mouth. She knew whose voice it was. Just the timbre of it caused her muscles to tense up again, a trained instinct from having heard it so many times in so many missions. It was through that voice that orders were given, warnings were sounded out, and post-mission briefs delivered. It belonged to none other than her Team Leader, Vishnod.
Why was he calling a High Lord by a pet name? Goodness, could they be dating?!
She briefly considered cancelling the spell and running back into her bunker. After all, she had just heard not one, but two unspeakable things, and any one of them might’ve resulted in an equally unspeakable punishment should she be caught. But Fu Shang was neither restrictive when it came to curiosity, nor was she a stranger to fear, and so she did not stop listening in. She made sure to continue scrawling nonsense on the sandpit with her increasing clammy hands so that she would not look too suspicious.
The two leaders continued discussing mission sensitive details, with Vishnod occasionally peppering terms of endearment.
That settles it, they’re definitely going out.
Vishnod had chocolate dark skin, and a thin but muscular build that was typical of Coalesce members who have been in the Incitement Team for a long time. The tension of not knowing if you’d survive from an operation was best managed by pounding out reps in the gym. He was of regular height, just standing a head taller than Fu Shang. But High Lord Genevieve was a towering woman, and envisioning them standing hand in hand on a date almost made Fu Shang chuckle.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, darling Genny, but I’m down here in the weeds,” Vishnod’s voice grew more serious by the second. “The recruits are looking up to me. I can’t gamble their lives on such a risky plan. We’re talking about the busiest FloatingScreen manufacturing plant in Eastern Caschian!”
“Don’t you dare ‘darling’ me.” Her voice was so cold and cutting that Fu Shang flinched, forgetting for a moment that she was a safe distance away. “Right now, I’m your High Lord, and I need you to take orders, just like all the other Team Leaders I’ve called today. Follow the plans that I’ve sent you, and your recruits will do just fine.”
I knew it! They’re crazy! I shouldn’t have joined the Incitement Team!
But she already had, and so, she was beholden to ‘take orders’ and ‘follow the plans’, ones that supposedly would remedy that costly hundred-member sacrifice just a month ago.
A week later, she found herself in front of that AutoMagic Incorporated building. It was the FloatingScreen manufacturing plant that she had overheard Vishnod talking about. And she was struggling to keep her knees from quaking.
To her left was her annoying squad mate, Tricia. In front of her, was Team Leader Vishnod. From where she stood, he looked like he had a broad back, and what seemed like dependable shoulders. Yet, from his submissive pleading to High Lord Genevieve, she could tell that he was clearly not the one who wore the pants in their relationship.
It was his failure to assert himself that led them to this situation after all, wasn’t it?
Enough! Stop blaming others! Focus on the present, or I… I - she gulped - …I might actually die.
She glanced at the area around the manufacturing plant once more. There was a laser fence separating the team from their objective, not to mention the multiple guards patrolling the area. It wasn’t going to be an easy incursion.
While waiting for Vishnod to give the signal, Fu Shang felt inclined to nervously ramble on about a new spell system that she learned over the weekend, but then she remembered that her only other squad mate was smarter-than-thou Tricia, and decided to keep her mouth shut.
Instead, to still the chaos in her mind, she tried to recall the personal briefing notes that she was given prior to the mission. As part of High Lord Genevieve’s strategic overhaul of High Lord Chandra’s methods, full briefings were no longer given to every squad member. Instead, information was delivered on a need-to-know basis, preventing leaks from occurring, which might put the entire team at risk.
In the notes, she received a summary of the mediums she would be using, and what they would be used for. Her arsenal for this mission comprised of two spell mediums that the Team Leader had entrusted her with. The more advanced mages were already messing around with multiple medium spell casting, but at Fu Shang’s level, she was only expected to use one medium at a time.
Just as well. Multiple mediums will be impossible to use on a stressful mission like this.
The first medium was a wand that would activate when she squeezed it hard and pointed it at a target of her choice. It contained the spell LaserIncision, which did not make a sound, and yet could cut through the toughest steel. She would be using it to sabotage the most critical part of the factory.
If I can even get in, that is.
The second medium was a scroll that gave a speed buff. As a one-use spell, it was convenient to activate – simply tear the scroll into two, and the effect would be cast. The scroll itself would then burn up into ashes upon activation, leaving no trace behind. She was to use it at her own discretion to help the team get to the extraction point after the sabotage was complete.
Hopefully, I won’t even have to touch this.
She racked her brains to try and recall any part of her briefing that hinted at what was Tricia’s role. But there wasn’t anything. Apparently, the coordinator had decided that Fu Shang had no need to know about Tricia’s role.
Fu Shang stared at her. This girl, with a militaristic buzz cut and a mean snarl on her face at all times, was a junior-ranking teammate, and yet she hardly ever acted like it. Not only did she refuse to take Fu Shang’s guidance on any of her spell-casting, but she would regularly butt into Fu Shang’s attempts at guiding the other juniors with her own tips. Not that she was ever wrong. But she was so rude. So detestable. And not knowing what Tricia’s role was grated on Fu Shang’s nerves even further.
Enough about Tricia. She gripped the wand tightly before releasing it back into the utility belt that she was wearing around her waist. There are bigger problems to worry about.
According to Vishnod’s extensive research, right now, at this very hour, was the exact time with the lightest security. And yet, Fu Shang could see armed MageGuards and their trusty summons, the SnifferCerberus, at every viable entrance. Could she trust this Team Leader who sounds like he gets regularly whipped in his personal relationships?
“Fu Shang, Tricia, you girls ready for the operation?” said Vishnod, who had been inspecting his SpellWatch for the past five minutes or so.
Finally!
“Calm your nerves,” he continued.
Easier said than done!
“I promise we’ll get back to the camp after this, safe and sound.”
Oh, you better do.
“Thanks to the intelligence operatives, the Peacekeepers are not even around tonight - those MageGuards are simply the company’s hired men, and we can deal with those fools easily.”
Vishnod’s voice sounded reassuring, and there wasn’t even a single crack in his voice.
How can you be so confident - do you really trust your ‘Genny’ that much?
For some reason, most of the guards started to head towards the other side of the factory, leaving only a few to guard the important entrances.
Eh?
Fu Shang stared at their convenient exit suspiciously before realizing it was part of the plan.
“As you can see,” he said, with a confident smirk on his face, “Team Two and Three have been working hard on their distraction assignment. That means it’s ‘go time’ for us. Get ready, team.”
On his hand signal, the three of them ran through the laser fence that Vishnod had already stealthily sent offline with his spell. There was an entrance into the factory just up ahead, and Fu Shang saw that there was only one MageGuard and his SnifferCerberus patrolling that spot. But from what she had heard from other recruits who had survived a factory raid, a pair of them was enough to make quick work of her.
The MageGuard had a standard issue ElectroBaton that could easily stun or decapitate, depending on how much mana was channeled through it. And the SnifferCerberus was a ferocious three-headed dog that had an excellent sense of smell, matched only by its unbreakable biting grip from all three jaws.
All that was scary enough, but it didn’t even have to come to that for Fu Shang to be in trouble. The SnifferCeberus alone was already at least half of Fu Shang’s height, and easily heavier in body weight. It could easily knock her down by simply slamming onto her with its muscular body.
What could she even do if it sniffed her out and charged her down? That LaserIncision spell took too long to power up and fire, and it was better against stationary targets. The moment she was knocked down, it would be all over for her. She would get her arm torn off for sure, after getting stunned by the baton.
Or before.
Does it even matter?
She grimaced at the thought and focused on running in a straight line. After all, that was the only instruction she received for this phase of the mission – the rest of it was relevant only when she made it into the factory. Fortunately, right now, the guards were currently walking in the other direction and she did not have to be worry about getting tackled by a large canine.
Hearing the sound of her footsteps disappear, Fu Shang ran with greater confidence. She noted that Tricia had reached for a scroll while they were running. It must have been a SilentSteps spell, something commonly used on raids.
Thank Garakor! At least that rude gal is dependable.
Fu Shang was not religious in any sense, but in a life-or-death situation, she would gladly pray to the Rivoshian god of luck if it blessed her with more fortune. At that moment, however, Garakor seemed to have abandoned her.
In midstride, the three-headed SnifferCerberus suddenly froze, and one of its heads looked up before sniffing the air, the veins in its muscular neck bulging as it did so. It was still facing the other way. But it looked as if it might’ve picked up a scent.
Please! Smell nothing!
The SilentSteps spell could only mask footsteps, not scent. And the trio had been sweating in the heat while waiting for the right time to infiltrate the factory. All that sweat must have caused a stench that wafted to the guards through an unlucky gust of wind.
Unfortunately, the wind did not let up, and now the other two heads of the guard dog followed the first in its scrutinizing sniffing routine.
Fu Shang cussed and kept running forward; they were only a few seconds away from the door, and if they made it in time, they wouldn’t be caught. Besides, turning around and retreating through the laser fence was a much more dangerous prospect, now that it was further away.
They reached the locked door, and Vishnod started casting his DoorHack spell, which she knew from past raids took a whole nerve-wrecking five seconds to activate.
Please, Garakor, don’t let that damned dog sniff us out!
To her relief, the SnifferCerberus made a disgusted face, and continued its patrol path alongside its owner, walking further away from the entrance. After holding her breath in the whole time, Fu Shang finally gave a long sigh of relief.
With one hand still on the door, Vishnod turned around mid-casting, and smiled at the girls, as if saying “I told you so, there’s nothing to worry about!”
Oh, that cocky Vishnod. He must have cast PungentScent on the dog.
As a skilled mage, Vishnod had access to some of the higher-level spells that the Spell Development Team put together for the rest of the Coalesce. The scent spell was something that Fu Shang had heard of, but this was her first time seeing it in action.
It seemed to have a limited radius of effect, as the MageGuard did not notice anything off with the air. And better yet, since it was a spell that affected only the air, and not the olfactory perception of the target directly – which some scent spells are wont to do - it could bypass the usual counterspells that most security forces would buff themselves with during their guard duties.
PungentScent was perhaps one of the best spells for raiding factories where guard dogs were present, and ensuring that team leaders had access to this spell might’ve been part of High Lord Genevieve’s strategy to cut down on casualties. Still, the close brush with the SnifferCeberus felt hard to shake off.
I’d rather be safely researching spells in the Spell Dev Team than risking my life on the Incitement Team… why wasn’t I born with the talent for it?!
The five seconds were finally up. Fu Shang heard a click in the door as it swung open, and the three infiltrators entered the factory.
“It’s safe to talk here”, said Vishnod. “The other guards have gone to the other side of the factory. Anyway, have you been briefed about your mediums?”
Fu Shang nodded, “One of my spells has a higher mana cost, and I was told that it would trigger some emotions.”
“That’s right. You’ve got to anticipate those emotions and not let them affect the mission. You hear me, Fu Shang? I’m sure your SpellMentor would’ve taught you some counteracting techniques. Be sure to use them,” warned Vishnod sternly. “Tricia, you’re the newest here. Do you remember how mediums work?”
She replied without skipping a beat, “Of course. I activate them, and then they draw out mana from my mana store. The mana is then manifested according to the spell instructions on the medium, transforming into whatever effect it’s meant to create.” Tricia raised her hand to stroke back the short hair on her head, revealing toned biceps that slightly intimidated Fu Shang.
Dang it. I should’ve gone to the gym more instead of studying spells all day.
“Good, you’ve got the basics down,” Vishnod smiled. “Spells with higher mana cost will trigger more emotions, so watch out for them,” he looked at Fu Shang before repeating his earlier warning, “So don’t forget to use the counteracting technique if you ever have to cast a high-cost spell.”
He laid out a large sheet of paper before them. “For now, let’s revise the factory layout before heading to the mission objective. We’ll need to avoid all of the spell traps and drone patrol locations, so pay attention.”