2025-04-20 07:04:08The sun never really rose in Smogtown, it just decided not to fall asleep. A thick haze of alchemical fumes floated above cracked towers and crooked chimneys, painting everything in a toxic glow. This was the kind of place where spells went to die, and where Rico Maldino once thrived.
Back before he was “The Alchemist,” before the robes and titles, he was just Rico, the street rat with quick hands and quicker feet. And Smogtown was his old playground. Now it was the last place he wanted to be. “Remind me why we’re here again?” Juno asked, swatting away a floating rat with wings and a bad attitude. “Because I need a war tactician,” Rico replied, hood up, cloak wrapped tight. “Someone crazy enough to draw up battle plans in the middle of a noodle shop.” “I don’t see how that narrows it down.” “It does in Smogtown.” They turned a corner and approached a crumbling building with a glowing neon sign that read: “Xiao-Mage’s Wok & War Room.” Juno stopped. “You’re joking.” “I wish I was.” --- Inside Xiao-Mage’s Wok & War Room The interior smelled like soy sauce and burnt spells. Floating lanterns bobbed above mismatched tables, each one enchanted to defend itself against impatient customers. A chalkboard listed the specials: Fireball Pho Spicy Necro-Ramen Soul-Steamed Dumplings Strategy Session: Free with Any Meal Over 10 Gold Behind the counter stood General Xiao, a one-armed ex-warlock with a chef’s hat too big for his head and eyes that burned with tactical fire. His left hand — now replaced with a glowing rune-forged ladle — never stopped stirring. “Well, well,” Xiao bellowed. “If it ain’t Rico the Renounced!” “Retired,” Rico corrected. “Same thing. You look terrible. Welcome home!” Rico smiled. “You still feeding soldiers and planning chaos?” “Until I’m cooked or crowned,” Xiao winked. “What’s the war?” “Varnox.” The entire room went silent. A spoon froze in mid-air. One of the floating lanterns dimmed in fear. “That snake still alive?” Xiao muttered. “Thought we fed him to the time beetles in '17.” “He’s back,” Rico said. “He’s got Enchanta. He’s got labs. And he’s got a plan.” Juno stepped forward. “And we’ve got... a few friends, an angry Syndicate, a talking skull in a top hat, and a deep hatred of being blown up.” Xiao cracked his neck. “Sit. Eat. We plan.” --- War Plans and Wonton Soup A massive parchment map unrolled across the table, weighed down with chopsticks and dumpling baskets. Tiny enchanted figurines of soldiers, beasts, and Rico himself marched across the map as Xiao barked commands. “You’ve got four fronts,” he said. “South District’s crawling with Varnox enforcers. East has labs still hidden. North is quiet... too quiet. West holds the Spire of Screams.” “Ah, yes,” Juno muttered. “Sounds like a cozy Airbnb.” “That’s his command tower,” Rico said, tapping the map. “Built it after he learned how to bend time around himself. No one goes in without aging five years.” “Lovely,” Juno muttered. “That’s where we’re going, isn’t it?” Xiao leaned in. “Not yet. First, we need leverage. We take his power grid.” “His what?” “Varnox uses siphoned ley lines to power his operations. Factories, spell forges, even his teeth-cleaning enchantments. You cut that off, you rattle his whole machine.” Rico’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s the grid?” “Beneath the Crystal Sewers.” Juno winced. “You just keep making up worse locations.” Rico stood. “Then that’s where we go next.” Xiao grinned. “I’ll rally what I can. The Noodle Knights owe me favors. The Soup Sorcerers too.” “The what?” “Don’t ask,” Xiao said. --- Crystal Sewers – Hours Later The Crystal Sewers were ancient, built by dwarves who thought glowing quartz walls were a good idea. Now, the entire tunnel system looked like a disco ball made of broken dreams. Rico and Juno dropped through a maintenance hatch, boots crunching on crystal dust. The air shimmered with latent magic and the occasional whiff of sewage. “Smells like betrayal and old potions,” Juno said. “Homey,” Rico replied. They moved through the tunnels, ducking under low-hanging stalactites of pure mana. Ahead, they saw the power grid: a massive, pulsing crystal heart, covered in glowing runes and guarded by Mana Golems — ten-foot constructs made of stone, crystal, and very clear anger issues. “Any plans?” Juno whispered. “Yes,” Rico said, pulling out two vials and a match. Juno blinked. “That’s not a plan, that’s a cry for help.” He threw one vial at the ceiling. BOOM. The explosion rained debris down, pinning one golem under a slab of rock. The second vial went into the grid itself — dissolving the outer rune layer in sizzling acid. The golems roared. “RUN,” Rico shouted. They darted through the collapsing hallway as crystal pulses flickered and the grid began to short. Behind them, the golems shrieked and exploded in a burst of raw magic and sparkles. They reached the exit hatch, gasping for air. “We just declared war,” Juno said. Rico wiped sweat from his brow. “Good. Let’s make it a loud one.” --- Meanwhile – Varnox’s Spire Varnox stood before a map of his empire, eyes glowing, fingers twitching. His top lieutenant, a banshee in formalwear named Mistress Wail, floated in silence behind him. “They’ve hit the grid,” he growled. “Do you wish to retaliate?” Wail whispered. He turned, teeth bared. “No. I wish to erase them.” He waved his hand, and a dozen shadows emerged from the wall — assassins wrapped in cloaks of living night. “Send in the Black Veil.” --- Back at Rico’s Apartment Rico returned to find Fritz the Goblin pacing across his coffee table. “Where have you been?! You’re trending on WitchTok! The whole city saw that sewer explosion!” “Good,” Rico said. “Let them know we’re done hiding.” Juno collapsed on the couch. “We need allies.” “Already working on it,” Rico replied. “Xiao’s got noodle mercenaries. Vesper’s prepping the Syndicate. We just need one more piece.” Fritz adjusted his monocle. “You mean her?” Rico nodded. Juno looked between them. “Wait. Her who?” Rico walked to a drawer and pulled out an old photograph — of a girl in a leather jacket, holding a sword made of moonlight. “Her name is Zara Flame. She’s an outlaw, a bladesinger, and my ex.” Juno groaned. “Oh no.” Fritz muttered, “Oh yes.”
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