The night was strangely warm and bright. It was warmer than normal for both regions.

In the far North Goshenite was having an out of season aurora that spread across the skies and in the south Alexandria had a night so bright lit by the moon that it almost seemed like it would be forever dusk.

Alexandria~
"We attack tonight...?" She asked, her fox-like mask covering her face. She was tall for a woman, around 6'3'', and lanky like a skeleton in a cloak. Her long, black silk hair ran down to her mid back. She was with two others, the three of them in an abandoned building, protected by magic, in the 7th of the Capital City Alexandria.

"We have spent enough time wasted. We will kill That man. Once and for all we shall end this all" Another responded, this one also female. She completely hid in a dark black cloak. Not an inch of flesh could be seen behind all her obscure garb.

The third was silent. He wouldn't say a word. He sat in the corner of the room, cloaked by the natural shadow of the room. No matter where he went, stood, or placed himself the darkness of the room always bent to shroud him. He was like the darkness of midnight itself. He waited for the first to confirm. They had been in this city waiting for their moment for 2 weeks. They wouldn't waste another moment once the time was right.

"Yes. We shall do this," The first nodded, smiling behind her fox mask.
Tonight was the Summer Solstice. It is the warmest night of the year and for Alexandria the brightest night. This was also a night where these three, in particular, held enhanced power. The three, mages from the North, were here to assassinate a certain individual. This individual was someone the three had reserved their ire for years due to the state of the two nations. However, with both their countries at odds, the three decided to take their moment and slip between the cracks to execute their own selfish desires.

Who would hold them accountable during this time of war after all?

"We must be swift. He will not allow himself to be taken so easily..." The second said, her body completely still as she spoke.
"Then lets not waste a moment..."

---

The rest of the city of Alexandria was having an typical "Start of the work week" day. Everything was very "usual" and customary. The city seemed strangely dim today actually.

The hospital was having a strangely dry night with a 50% reduction in inpatients. This significant shift has the director prowling and prodding into the R&D Division an making sure everyone was "working". From the mental manipulation technology to the genetics department to the anti-magic department everyone was getting a quick drop in by their "bosses" and with them was the loud, mean and arrogant Mr. Gasbowden.

Ghosenite ~
The North was a sharp contrast to the South. There was an explosive Summer Solstice Festival in the capital city. It was full of nobles, commoners, and even a few mythical beasts such as the Astral Dragon. The Astral Dragon is an enormous green dragon that flies over the city during the summer and winter solstice that flies from East to West in the Summer and the opposite in the Winter. The Summer Solstice festival typically is decorated to represent it's mascot, the Astral Dragon. It is said the Astral Dragon is the oldest of all dragons and is said to be so powerful that it turns the planet in such a way that it aggravates the seasons to bring about fall or spring. The dragon itself does not interact with any species on the planet and, although as large as a small forest.

The capital was bustling. Most of the other main cities were also having their own celebrations as well. Everyone typically decorated and cooked and set depictions of the Astral Dragon out of the homes during the solstice. For the most part, though, it was a fun, active night in the north full of drinking, eating, and celebrating. Even the King himself was out walking about among the commoners which he did every Summer Solstice to see the Astral Dragon. Every single year the King of Ghosenite has always walked among the people giving the holiday even more substance.

Today had started as a pretty normal day for Ayven. He got up, he got dressed, and he made his way to the hospital. He had taken notice of the day, recognizing today as summer solstice. It was cool. The sky was rather... beautiful, but it all had no point or influence over what Ayven was doing today. He had no time to waste on silly things like summer solstice! Sure, he'd like to paint the sky or just kind of waste the day doing nothing in particular... There might be some really weird parties tonight...

But he was Amelia Lockeheart's kid, dammnit! He wasn't going to be late for work. Ignoring the sky, he boarded his train and continued his commute to the hospital. Once he had arrived at the hospital, Ayven had hurried himself into his research department. He'd rather not run into Demeteri. The guy just seemed to hate him for some reason. It... wasn't Ayven's fault Demetri was dumb! He hadn't made Demeteri that way-- Demeteri's parents had! Ayven quickly shut the door to his department and slipped a white lab coat over his black button up shirt and distressed jeans. Lab coats were the perfect tool to turn street clothes into something that looked halfway professional.

Ayven got out a few vials and started on his work.

He was oblivious to the reduction of inpatients at the hospital. If he wanted to know the statistics of how many people were at the hospital, he could have easily figured that out. However, that information wasn't vital for him. It had nothing to do with what he was working on-- a super strong, potentially semi-permanent anti-magic sermon. Ayven, being the brilliant clone of a brilliant scientist, had put up measures to avoid check-ins from people like Demetri. He had learned from the hospital staff group chat he was involved in, that Demeteri had been running around, sticking his nose into business that wasn't necessarily his business.

Of course, Demetri would probably argue that anything going on in the hospital was his business but Ayven completely disagreed. He couldn't have that man constantly "checking-in." It took away precious time to do anything important things... like developing a semi-permanent anti-magic sermon.

Anyway, the point was, Ayven had taken careful measures to block the door to his department with a carefully placed table. He had stacked a few chairs onto the table just incase. However, being the paradox that he was, Ayven had also baked cookies that he would possibly share with Demetri or the rest of the de-magicization team, if they managed to get through the blockade. It wasn't that Ayven hated any of them. He really wanted to be all of their friends! But, at the same time, they were all rather stupid and didn't really do anything to help Ayven's research.

Working on the summer solstice? How predictably sad.

“Oh, these things are actually pretty good.” Key said after biting into half of a cookie. Honestly she was pretty hungry so the fact that Ayven had made a plate of them had been fortuitous. At that point she had suddenly just seemed to appear, although she'd already been here for a few minutes watching Ayven work and making sure they wouldn't be disturbed. She didn't think he'd go as far as to barricade the door shut, though that was a pretty convenient way to secure it and since she didn't use the door anyways it really didn't bother her.

Ayven was, presumably, some kind of genius or something that was working on some anti-magic weapon for some government program, not that Key was interested in that sort of thing. In the past she'd worked with (robbed and then blackmailed) him for some medical supplies and access into certain networks. Most of the time -or at least some of the time- it went to good causes like helping get some medicine and medical supplies to her neighborhood slum in sector seven, although more often than not it was just things like refills on good ol' Mary's compliance drug. On the rare occasions when she'd gotten hurt she'd even grace Ayven with a visit and let him patch her up.

Unwilling or not by this point he was practically an accomplice to some of her crimes, she had far too much evidence of his involvement for him to risk getting caught. Well she liked to think that he'd grown fond of her random visits and that was why he didn't try to turn her in (not that it'd do much good if he did) and while he certainly was convenient to have around she actually kept poking her nose to bother him specifically because despite his rather poor bedside manner she enjoyed talking (messing) with him.

Taking the plate in hand she started to make her way towards the busy Ayven. “Sooo what'chu working on? That anti-magic thing still?” Seriously how long had he been on that project, she thought he was supposed to be some kind of genius. Weren't they supposed to be able to just make whatever they wanted with no effort and stuff? Well maybe that was just a fantasy, as a non-genius she couldn't really imagine it. “Anyways I need more of that one drug, what's it called? I got a mi-ffiom tonigmh...”

Key's speech got just a bit harder to understand as she stuffed her mouth with the cookies, helping herself at this point. Being from sector seven meant that food was typically not all that fancy or sweet. Having a nice treat like this before a heist was kind of nice. Swallowing she continued. “Also maybe we should make some medical supplies disappear while I'm here, I've got a couple hours before things begin. Oh, you got any milk?”

He probably wouldn't bother trying by now but any lines of communication with the outside had been disabled, and the room's surveillance had already been set to a loop. All of that was meticulously managed by the capable AI Robin. It wasn't quite perfect, but for the most part this little room was a safe haven for the two of them to commit whatever nefarious deeds and thefts she wanted, made all the more secure by the barricade Avyen had set up. Having made her urgent request for milk known Key popped another of the chocolate chip cookies into her mouth and started chewing.