The afternoon sun turned the dust of Qinjin into floating flecks of gold. At the edge of the Su Empire, the town breathed with a restless energy, caught between Su’s still traditional culture, and Kai that’s starting to advanced quickly in the realms of magic and industry.

  At the train station, the iron locomotive from Kai groaned to a halt, a black beast exhaling plumes of white steam that obscured the pillars of the platform. As the heavy steel doors slid open, the silence of the border was shattered. The rhythmic sound of wooden sandals on stone mixes together with the heavy thud of leather boots. Somewhere out of sight, a traveling merchant is complaining about Su’s border tax. People walking near the locomotive could sniff the scent of something burning, the fire magic that the nyxari uses to power the train.

  Among the passenger of that train is Midori, she calmly walks toward the border station where a pair of Su guards checking every foreign people who entered their realm. Citizens of Su can walk pass freely, but the guards take note of everyone else, including their reason for visiting. It takes a few minutes for the line to move, but now it’s Midori’s turn to be questioned.

  The guards are a pair of man and woman dressed in a yellow robe, each of them has a sword sheathed on their waist. When they see Midori approaching, the man guard sits behind a table while the woman guard approaches Midori.

  Woman guard: State your name and reason for visit.

  Midori: My name is Midori; I came here to… capture a criminal running away from Kai.

  The male guard takes note of this on a parchment.

  Woman guard: Do you have a proof of identification that states you’re officially from Kai’s law enforcement?

  Midori: I have here a wakizashi I received from Lady Yayoi; it is a proof that I received this mission from her.

  Midori shows the wakizashi to the female guard, the Sakura motive on its sheath glows magically blue, proving that this is not a usual wakizashi.

  Woman guard: I understand this is a very special kind of weapon. We believe you, is there anything you want to ask us about this criminal?

  Midori: I’m looking for a Kai woman with a long black hair and carries a katana.

  Woman guard: There are 5 people matching your description today.

  Midori: She wears black clothes and there’s this kanji written on her back.

  Midori takes a piece of paper on the table and writes the kanji for “Kokoro” on it.

  Woman guard: There’s one person fitting that description. Her name is Noma Miura, passed here two hours earlier, she said she’s just a traveling adventurer.

  Midori: Can I get more information about where she went?

  Woman guard: She only said she wants to wander around aimlessly before going to the capital. We didn’t question her because we had no reason to suspect her.

  Midori: Alright, next question: was there a group of magicians from Brirene shortly before or after her passing here?

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  Woman guard: You’re right, it was General Raas from Brirene and his entourage that passed by not long before her. Why? Did he have a connection with the woman you’re looking for?

  Midori: I cannot say for sure; I’m still investigating it. By the way, what’s the Brirene mage uniform look like?

  Woman guard: They wear a red top with a long sleeve and a white skirt, complete with boots.

  Midori: I see. Thanks for the information, that is all I have to ask.

  The male guard stamps the parchment, rolls it and tie it with a bow, then hands it to Midori.

  Male guard: This is your permit, it doesn’t matter who you are, if you lose this you’re going to jail.

  Midori takes that permit and then walks past both of the guard.

  Walking outside the station, it was Midori’s first-time stepping foot on the land outside of Kai. The metallic screech of the train is now long gone, replaced by chatters of people and passer-by. The buildings’ roof curved upwards at the end, as if trying to fly away. Not far from the station, a street vendor selling something that look like a food, steamed bamboo baskets stacked on top of each other, white buns can be seen inside the top basket.

  Looming over the intersection was a big three-storied building that’s definitely an inn, “Wandering Moon” is written above its entrance. Thinking that an inn could be a source of information, she heads toward the Wandering Moon.

  The inside of that inn was bustling with people, travellers who are looking for a place to rest or perhaps just enjoy the food at the tavern, some are enjoying pork buns while other eat a bowl of noodle. Several girls are wearing the same outfit; no doubt they’re the maids here though the uniform looks different than the ones Midori is accustomed to in Kai. She approaches one of them.

  Midori: Excuse me, was there a group of Brirene mages that came to this inn earlier?

  Maid: Yes, there were. You were too late; they already left a while ago.

  Midori: Too late again… where did they go?

  Maid: I saw them headed toward the north gate, but that’s all I know.

  Midori: That’s enough, thank you.

  Midori handed a gold coin to that maid before walking out of the inn. She’s heading towards the north gate, but before she reaches the town gate she saw something that surprised her. A blonde female magician wearing a uniform that perfectly matches what the border guard describes as a Brirene mage uniform.

  That mage is alone, it’s not clear why she’s not with her group, but for Midori this is not the time to question that. She rushes toward that lone mage.

  Midori: You, a mage from Brirene! I have something to ask you.

  Brirene mage: What is it? I’ve finally managed to slip away from my squad; I don’t want to deal with civilians.

  Midori: You… slip away from your squad?

  Brirene mage: Yeah, because I don’t want to work under a man, what? Is that weird here too?

  Midori: I need to ask you where General Raas is going.

  Brirene mage: Don’t be stupid, there’s no way I’m telling you that even if I don’t like General Raas.

  Midori: Then I have to ask you where Noma Miura is now.

  Brirene mage: How did you know her? Who are you?

  Midori: I’m the one asking the question here, and you’re going to answer me. By force if necessary.

  Midori adopts her fighting stance, the Brirene mage also responds by readying her magic herself.

  The Brirene mage shoots out a ball of fire, Midori side steps to avoid it.

  Midori opens her palm and shoots out a small tornado at the mage, she is not fast enough to dodge it and that magic hit her directly and sends her back.

  The Brirene mage lash out a fire whip at Midori. She manages to block that attack.

  Midori uses wind magic on her feet and she moves really fast she immediately appears behind that Brirene mage, Midori then attacks her with a 3-hit punch combo.

  The Brirene mage shoots out three fire balls one at a time, Midori manages to dodge two of them but the last one hits her directly.

  Midori charges a stronger tornado with both of her hands and shoots it at the Brirene mage, again her wind magic hits the target directly and sends the poor mage rolling on the ground.

  Midori quickly approaches the mage, and questions her again.

  Midori: Now you’re going to tell me where is Noma Miura.

  Brirene mage: U… urgh… she… is looking for a man named Asata… Asata Takanobu.

  Midori: Who is he? Why is Noma looking for him?

  Brirene mage: Because he has… the orb… that Raas need. He stole it from our men, so now Noma is going to get that orb back.

  Midori: What’s that orb for?

  Brirene mage: I don’t know that much, honest.

  Midori: Well then, where is Noma going? I need to find her.

  Brirene mage: To the west, to the border with… the forbidden land.

  Midori: The forbidden land, you say?