The Shesemu were a longstanding family within Atlas. While they were never on the level of Atlas’ Six Sources, they could be considered a step or two away from them. Originally, they were a family of traveling surgeons before finding a new purpose and home within the Titan’s Pit. The actual story here does not exist in any records, but there is little to assume anything notable occurred beyond this being the origin story for one of Atlas’ more prominent families.

The Shesemu spent generations attempting to appeal to the Six Sources. As the Six Sources explored the potential of the human body, the Shesemu worked with blood in an attempt to impress them. This striving towards achieving the greatness of Atlas’ greatest families ended when the family gave birth to a true genius, Mehi. Mehi was the genius of his generation with the ability to use up to seven partitions. His research in medicine and mathematics were groundbreaking at the time, on top of him pushing his family’s alchemy beyond what they ever believed possible. Mehi’s magnum opus was going to be revolutionary within Atlas. Yet, surprisingly, the day before he was able to unveil it, the current head of the Eltnam had presented it.

This was odd, as Mehi had shared none of it with anyone. In fact, it was in a field the Eltnam were not specialists in. Yet, miraculously, the Eltnam was able to copy his thesis and research perfectly. What transpired was obvious, of course. Using their Etherlite, the Eltnam stole his idea and the credit for it. The rumors of the Eltnam as vultures were completely true. They were abominations who pried into the minds of others, violating and stealing whatever they pleased. Truly, they were no better than the vampires which existed on the surface.

The illusion of the Six Sources grandeur had been smashed, with the Eltnam revealing themselves to be monsters. It was known that the Eltnam were this vile, yet the other families of Atlas did nothing to stop them. The Shesemu would no longer work to impress these jokes of Alchemists. Calling them openly antagonistic would be wrong, but the family’s policy had forever changed. If Atlas was a prison which locked both people and information inside, then the Shesemu would guard their knowledge better than the rest. No longer would they let the fruits of their research be taken. Mehi’s magnum opus had changed. Using his heart as the basis, Mehi would create the Mystic Code, Ma’at.

It is in this environment, namely one which hated the most influential family in Atlas, that Io was fostered in. Io’s brilliance shined at a young age, with her very quickly being hailed as the best head of the Shesemu since Mehi. Of course, as Io was raised to be a good little calculator, this attention meant nothing to her. Her goal as an alchemist was to avoid The End. From childhood Io consumed herself with nothing beyond what was needed to save the primates.

Of course, such a thing would very quickly break a few things. Only ever coming to the same conclusion, that of humanity’s destruction, would very quickly make those unprepared deranged. With her six partitions, Io got to see even more new and creative ways for humanity to stop existing. The very concept of Atlas was to crush oneself in order to hold up the world. It became increasingly likely that Io was to be another such casualty. However, there was one event that forever changed her.

The naming of the next Atlasia.

The next Atlasia was truly a genius, even if she was still a child. With seven partitions, it was not like Io could even form a logical argument as to why it should not be her. And yet, this was the greatest sin done to the Shesemu family since Mehi.

Sion ELTNAM Sokaris was to be the next Atlasia.

The current head of that cursed dynasty was to be the next director of Atlas. The last time an Eltnam was in that position, he went mad, became a Dead Apostle, and then became a force of nature. For the first time in her life, Io had an emotional reaction to something. The greatest danger to Atlas, therefore humanity, were the Eltnams, yet they kept receiving blessing after blessing.

Surprisingly, this had little to do with jealousy over the position. While Io was absolutely one of the modern geniuses of Atlas, she had no illusion she would be crowned Atlas. It was a game of politics, something the Shesemu had been hiding from since they were robbed. Io also wanted nothing to do with the role. It seemed like a role that would distract her from her work. What drove this was a general hatred of a family which went against everything both Magecraft and Atlas stood against.

This event broke something within Io far faster then endlessly predicting humanity’s doom ever would. As years passed, the constant ruminating on this Sion would get in the way of her research. Io went from nothing more than a calculator, to something which could express at least one emotion. It was that of hatred, but it was better than nothing. In fact, she became capable of two emotions when Sion became a wanted fugitive after a TATARI showing. This calculator experienced bliss, as finally, the Eltnam were getting their punishment.

And yet. . .that is not how it happened.

Despite being absent for three years, trading Atlas’ secrets, and becoming a wanted fugitive by both the Church and Atlas, Sion was allowed to return to her place as the next director.

This, of course, was the final straw for Io.

Time after time, the Eltnam were given special treatment. This cursed family continued to break rule after rule, but nothing was done. An illusion had been destroyed, that of Atlas’ supposed competency. If this was going to be a foolish institute run by the worst of them, then there was little point in staying. Escaping Atlas was an ordeal, but one she would strive towards. There was little to be gained remaining in this dump.

It took her several months of planning, but she eventually devised a method to escape the Titan’s Pit. It required an intense understanding of the security system, as well as an absurd amount of copies of herself created through her blood, but Io would finally taste the fresh air she had never done before.

Of course, Io would remain a wanted fugitive in the eyes of Atlas. It was unlikely that they would call in the Association at large, but to be sure, Io initially fled to Japan. While she was there, she befriended one of Japan’s most famous magi. The brunette found Io that her current approach to saving humanity was pointless, as only a human could save humanity.

Io, taking this about as literally as she metaphorically could, moved to Las Vegas. She learned from a brochure that this city was nicknamed “Sin City,” so Io believed that there was no better place to learn what it was like to be a Primate. And so, Io delved into everything the World of the Primates truly had. It was like a sheltered child unleashed onto an unsuspecting city.

She was kicked out of all the casinos on the strip within a week.

While those earnings were enough to let her live comfortably, Io wanted to try to live a normal life. Yet, instead of working as a waitress or something,she runs an illegal clinic out of her home. Her primary demographic are those without health insurance.

Io has had this life for roughly a decade now, meaning it has left an actual impression on her. While she wears a mask on some level, it can be said she has graduated from the status of calculator.

Now, if this graduation was a good thing is an entirely different debate. . .

The situation with the Holy Grail was something she had learned through some forums on the DarkWeb. With a little more search and some calculations, Io had figured out the general situation and status of things.The wish was fascinating, but she mostly just wanted to stop Anastasios Palaiologos. His ideal would surely spell the end of humanity, therefore it was her job to stop him..

Initially, Io was going to join the Red Team. However, there was a non-0% chance that someone from Atlas would partake. To avoid a dramatic team situation, she teamed up with Darnic. She actually holds almost no respect for Darnic, considering he was a politician before a magus. Unfortunately, it was the best outcome for her.