In Sevishenei, Qalai, at Ume Imi palace a young man sat at the bottom of the steps eating an apple and attempting to look nonchalant, not realizing that he was utterly failing. He had attracted the attention of a street rat called Asp, who could tell a street rat even if he was dressed up in diamonds. Asp you could say was called Asp because she resembled someone who has grown too much and eaten too little, the result being that the person had an oddly stretched appearance, but those who knew Asp, knew better.
She was named not for her inky black too-short unevened hair or her black eyes like dark pebbles, or maybe her way of moving that was quick like a strike of a snake. Asp was named for her speed.
The young man wasn't stupid, and he knew someone was watching him. Asp knew he knew that. Her thoughts raced. Maybe if I stop watching him he'll forget a rata like me.Asp thought wistfully. It was an old hope, one many a "street scut" as the upper classes called them stopped in their free time to dream of. Asp had a talent for knowing when stuff was magicked. This kid reeked of mahloshunu, the aura that ambient mages gave off. Asp would've known better, had she judged her limits correctly.
In Qalai, a race of nomads called the Sevishni, the first inhabitants of Sevishenei roamed. They had been long stamped out, with the exception of a few lone families that had hidden amongst the Amborhinu mages that lived in the cities. Asp knew that she had family in these tight knit clans, and had had no desire whatsoever to go back… Until now.
If ida stayed a bit longer ida figured out a way outta the street gangs and into the Amborhinu. Asp mused, pondering the advantages and disadvantages. Nope. The Amborhinu didn't like my tricks. Asp was sure about that. She gritted her teeth and stopped breathing. The odd, annoying smell of mahloshunu seemed to disappear.
The young man, a grass mage named Briar, felt the eyes on him disappear. He jerked to his feet, losing his feeling of nonchalance. Asp noticed the change. She had but seconds to act. Reaching out with her suruhuki, or magic sense, Asp yanked up several pliable elements from around the steps. Four, she thought. Why'd it have ta be four? Shadow, light, water and dumb luck. Coulda just had one for all the good three elements have done me. Mama's ancestors would be ashamed to have an Ambirhinu'hi in the family without the usual four. At least Papa was an Amborhinu'hu so I don't have to worry about his ancestors. The grass mage was trapped by his magic, though he didn't know it, and as soon as he tried to leave the steps to the palace, the stupid net would activate, sapping a third of his magic.
Briar got up and walked away from the landing in the square, trodding in a puddle on his way out. Tendrils of water wrapped around his ankle, glowing a vibrant shade of blue that Briar had no name for.
He yelped, having just had the peculiar sensation of being attacked by a very crude attempt at a Mahloshunu tap. As a reflex he sent a shot of his magic back through to "zap" whoever was at the other end. He didn't realize that it would work. Asp was attempting to get free of the vines that ran down the wall of an alley nearby, and having no success.
Briar limped over, amused at seeing the mage that had sapped so much power in one spell was a stick like girl dressed in soot streaked, soaked clothes no older than he was, but probably in fact younger.
Asp glared up at him, and hissed, "So a bloody street scut like me is considered nothing to a rat-gone-bag like you, huh?"