“Alright... alright, I've got this," the young man murmured while pacing around the room, hands flexing at his side. His voice wavered slightly, evidently, he was in a lot of pressure.

All around him, assistants bustled around with efficiency, wheeling around carts stacked with peculiar mechanical trinkets that glinted against the room’s light.

"Tesric," out came a voice as sharp as a razor, slicing through the air and freezing the chaos around him. Tesric stopped his pacing, his gaze snapping to the corner of the room where a woman sat with a regal aura. Wearing an extravagant fur coat that was shimmering faintly under the chandelier, matching the color of her auburn hair. Her piercing gaze locked onto him, and her voice was rich with authority.

"Remember what I taught you," she said, her words precise and deliberate.

The woman stood up and moved gracefully towards Tesric, her heels clicking loudly against the floor. She stood in front of him as she reached to adjust his collar and tie. Her fingers brushed lightly against the fabric, smoothing it down as she told him. “One should always keep an air of confidence around them.”

Tesric who was dressed in a sleek dark gray button up shirt and vest with a bright red tie, looked every bit the part of a polished, professional, and brilliant young man. His clean-shaven face was sharp and handsome, his hair was slicked back neatly, his gloves fit snugly over his hands, and a pair of goggles rested on his head, ready to be used.

He took in a deep breath and smiled at the woman in front of him. “I know… I think I might just be excited,” he said, voice laced with a mix of nerves and anticipation. 

A sudden voice broke the moment as a woman came into the room. "Madame Lestair, the council is ready for him."

Madame Lestair’s gaze flicked toward the woman and then back to Tesric, her lips curling into a smile. She leaned in close towards Tesric’s ear and whispered, “Showtime.”

Tesric nodded silently towards her and straightened his posture. He took a deep breath to steady himself before moving towards the velvet curtains at the center of the room. The assistants then began pushing the carts as they followed behind him.

Beyond the curtains, the Vespera Council awaited—a trio of individuals whose influence over the city was absolute. The council members were the gatekeepers of power in Vespera. Tesric knew that if he wanted to truly change the world, he would first have to prove his worth to them.

Tesric stepped through the curtains, and was immediately blown away by the sight in front of him. The room was a masterpiece of architecture, with golden decorations adorning every surface. Silk banners fluttered gently in the air, the colors mixing well with the shimmering in the floating magical orbs used as light. However, it was the floating platform that truly caught his attention.

Elevated above the rest of the room, the platform hovered, it’s edges softly glowing with a magical aura. The three council members who were draped in blinding golden robes, sat atop it, looking down upon him.

Around the room were other influential figures of the city seated in neatly arranged chairs that were lined along the walls. Madame Lestair gracefully made her way to a seat among them, her eyes briefly meeting Tesric’s before she settled down.

Tesric hesitated for a moment, unsure if he was to begin or not, until the council member in the center spoke, his voice smooth and commanding. “Proceed with your presentation.”

The other two council members remained silent and observant, their eyes fixed on him.

Tesric cleared his throat. “My name is Tesric Lestair,” his voice steadying with each word. “And today, I present to you an invention that…I believe has the potential to change the world!” He raised his fist in a burst of excitement before quickly letting it drop.

The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the next words to follow.

He motioned to one of the assistants, who stepped forward and placed a cart infront of him. 

"Magic is the driving force of our society," he began, his gaze going over not just the council but the lesser ranks in the crowd as well. “Yet, not everyone has the ability to wield it. That’s something we all understand. But with this..." He tugged the cloth off the cart in a slick motion, revealing a strange contraption. A web of transparent wires and circuits coiled around a small cylinder. On opposite ends of the cylinder were a marked plus and minus symbol. “Anyone can wield magic!”

The room fell into silence as the council members leaned forward, their expressions unreadable but their interest piqued.

”Or at least, something that can rival it’s power,” Tesric said with a cheeky grin.