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[center][b][h3]Prologue
Fledgling's First Flight[/h3][/b][/center]

It was finally the day. Since the mysterious celestial body fell from the sky and crashed unto the world in the Dragonspine Mountains, everyone from the humblest of peasants to the highest of lords had their curiosity piqued with the sudden and unusual event. For most people, it was an interesting but ultimately entirely ignorable event that doesn't really affect their daily lives. For the intellectual or the powerful however, the event was very much significant, with concerns ranging from the promise of discovery to the possibility of dangers all being valid.

Emperor Tiberius Oberon, and the Empire of Oberia under his rule and guidance, happened to be filled with those that are both intellectuals and powerful such as the emperor himself. Indeed, it simply will not do for Oberia to just let the event pass without getting involved in investigating it directly. Add to that the fact that the Kingdom of Pataliputra was an important economic and academic partner of the empire, and the perquisite and reasoning were all there for Oberia to involve itself. It was then only a matter of who Oberia were going to send as the investigator that shall brave the potential dangers in the name of discovery. Such situations would normally warrant sending one of Oberia's fabled Royal Arcane Knights of the Knightly Order of Titania or a Royal Alchemist of the Adeptus Alkemia, highly capable individuals hand picked by the emperor himself to be Oberia's royal agents in affairs both domestic and foreign.

This time however, things had turned out differently.

All in the empire, and even many of those beyond its borders, knew of the twin princesses of Oberia. Adopted daughters of the empire himself, even just the circumstances of their miraculous "birth" had attracted the curiosity of the world similar to how the meteor had done now. Those who knew their names tended to also knew of their unusual upbringings, of their quite literally unnatural beauty, and of their great potentials despite their significant youth. However, not many among these people were also aware of how flawed the twins were. Miraculous their existences might be, they were after all still people. Flawed, with faults and weaknesses of their own, most glaringly being their general inexperience unsurprising due to their yet few years of lives.

And it were these flaws and these imperfections that made the emperor worry to no end when the younger of the twin, the 2nd princess Khaltesh Anki, had insisted that she be the one to go and investigate the meteor. On one end, Oberon was reluctant to allow Anki to go due to the reasons previously stated. On the other end, Oberon also knew that it's also simply wrong to refuse his young daughter's wish and deny her the chance to finally see the world outside of Oberia's borders. There's wisdom in giving her the chance; such endeavor might prove to be what Anki needed to significantly grew further as a person. Not to mention that Oberon, pioneer of revolutionary civil rights and advancement in racial harmony, would be akin to a hypocrite if he were to deny Anki's request.

Oberon, whom miraculous research had brought upon the advent of the sentient constructs to the world. Oberon, who had quickly adapted the laws and traditions of the empire to accommodate the constructs' existence and gave them rights as individuals and persons just like all other sentient beings. People would then be right to argue that it would be hypocrisy for him to deny Anki's wishes, seeing as how this beloved daughter of his was one of those very sentient constructs.

In the end, it was only after significant ruminations and discussions with many people including Anki herself and Anki's sister Spenta Armaiti that Oberon finally relented and allowed Anki to go with his blessings. On one condition. She were not to go on this expedition alone. Instead, she was to join up with other highly capable individuals who were also sent to investigate the crash by other countries allied with the Empire. One such individuals in particular being the famed Ksatria Naga, Pataliputra's very own Srikandi Nagasari. Talks supported by Oberia's own revolutionary Long Range Arcane Communication Aperture had already been done to finalize it. Regardless of how many other individuals might be joining the expedition, Anki shall be companion to Srikandi for this expedition.

All preparations for the mission were already done. She had also already said her goodbyes to her father, her sister, her mentors, her friends and many others significant to her. There shall be no fanfare, celebration, or other formalities. It was to be her first adventure after all, and she will return home all the better for it. Of this, Anki was very confident.

And so off she went. It was finally the day, for the young fledgling's first flight to the wide majestic world, out of the safety and comfort of her silver cage.

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[center][b][h3]Expedition's First Days[/h3][/b][/center]

She could have gotten her own private lodgings, it was after all part of the arrangements due to her status as a princess of Oberia. It would have been way more lavish and extravagant than a private room in Cendana's Adventurers Guild for sure. Instead, she had decided to change that part of the arrangement. Anki was not here for vacation, nor did she believed that she was here in her capacity as a princess. No, in her mind, she's here on a mission as an agent of the empire. She had no need for extravagant comfort, though then again she never were one for such things anyhow. That was why she was completely fine with her involvement being something of a mutually beneficial thing for the empire and the Pataliputra both instead of something that will exclusively benefit herself. The rewards that were promised by the kingdom to those adventurers that joined the expedition and made it a success will not be applicable to her; neither she nor the empire had need for it anyhow. The strengthening of the bond between the empire and the kingdom, along with the experiences Anki shall doubtlessly accumulate, will be rewards enough.

So there she was with her trusty magical specter Ur Terra, one of the two fabled "doll princesses" of Oberia, walking out of her own private room within the guild to go to another room where her supposed companion should be located in. Curious gazes followed her from what bystanders there were along the way; she was not bothered by it at all, mostly because she didn't even really noticed that she were observed. Regardless, soon enough she arrived to her destination. Standing in front of the door, she paused for a few moments seemingly absently gazing at the wooden partition, in reality confirming that this door indeed will lead to the right room. Then she raised her free right hand to knock on the door exactly thrice, each time with exactly the same amount of strength put into it to cause three solid thuds to sound out from the wood.

Then she spoke, simply. [color=DEB887]"Ms. Srikandi Nagasari? Are you inside?"[/color]