ALL NOVEL Albari, The Gnome
As they approached the city center, Hala turned to Najma, who was riding beside her on her black stallion, her vibrant, multicolored shawl flowing in the wind. "This place is something else, huh?" Hala said, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "They're serious about fighting monsters here."
Najma nodded, her dark eyes scanning the streets with interest. "Yes, they are. The people of Coleus live by the sword. Every day is a battle for survival, and it shows." She glanced at a group of heavily armed Adventurers passing by, their skin deeply tanned from long hours under the sun. "But there's a strength here that's rare. They don't just fight to live; they fight for honor."
Hala chuckled. "Honor's nice, but I'm more interested in what they can build."
"You've come to the right place for that, Empress," said Faune, the Elder, her voice thoughtful. "Coleus is home to some of the finest monster hunters and crafters in the world. The materials they harvest from the desert are used to create weapons and tools infused with immense power."
Pan, Faune's husband, nodded in agreement. "With the right connections, we could secure resources that would take your magic tech vision to the next level."
Hala’s eyes sparkled at the mention of her magic tech plans. She had come to Coleus to recruit crafters—renowned for their expertise in merging magic and technology—but seeing the quality of the monster materials being traded here opened up new possibilities.
Her gaze shifted to the sand lizard caravans passing through the city’s gates, their cargo filled with massive monster bones, glowing hides, and shimmering scales. These raw materials could be used to create powerful components for the crystal tablets, VoidTV, and magic Wi-Fi systems she envisioned for her kingdom.
But before she could approach the crafters, Hala knew she had to make an impression. She wasn’t just any ruler, after all—she was the Empress of the Lazurite Kingdom, and Coleus needed to know it.
As they neared the heart of the city, Hala noticed the bustling activity around Herbaria’s central marketplace. Rows of stalls and shops were set up around the oasis, where merchants traded everything from weapons made of monster bone to enchanted relics forged in the heat of the desert. The air was filled with the sound of haggling, the clang of metal, and the laughter of warriors returning from successful hunts.
But even in the midst of this activity, the arrival of Hala’s group did not go unnoticed. The sheer presence of Nyra and the Pride Beasts was enough to cause a stir among the Adventurers. Whispers began to spread through the marketplace, and soon, all eyes were on Hala.
And it was in that moment that a roar—deeper, more menacing than any monster they had encountered thus far—echoed through the city.
From the skies above, two powerful dragons swooped down, their massive wings casting shadows over the marketplace. Their scales glittered in the sunlight, their eyes filled with hunger as they locked onto the people below.
The Adventurers around them scrambled for their weapons, but Hala simply sighed, her expression shifting into one of mild annoyance.
"More dragons?" she muttered. "This is getting old."
Without missing a beat, Hala raised her hand lazily, her fingers crackling with the familiar indigo energy of her cosmic magic. With a simple snap of her fingers, two enormous bolts of indigo lightning shot down from the sky, striking the dragons square in their chests.
The force of the lightning was so immense that the dragons didn’t even have time to let out a final roar. They were vaporized on the spot, their bodies disintegrating into ash as the indigo energy consumed them.
The marketplace fell silent.
Hala stretched lazily in her seat on Nyra’s back, not even bothering to look at the remains of the dragons. "Alright, now that that’s taken care of…" she turned to Najma with a grin, "let’s go find those crafters."
After the dragons were disposed of in a matter of seconds, the people of Herbaria watched in stunned silence. Even the Champions of Coleus, Prince Aslan and Marquis Barak Jahil, who had witnessed many powerful warriors and mages in their time, were left in awe at the sheer ease with which Hala had dispatched the dragons. It was clear to everyone present that this was no ordinary ruler—they were in the presence of someone truly extraordinary.
As Hala and her entourage entered the crafting district of Herbaria, the bustling capital of the Kingdom of Coleus, she was greeted by the familiar hum of activity. The crafters were busy as ever, tinkering with enchanted contraptions, crafting new tools from the spoils of slain monsters, and discussing the latest magical engineering theories. However, no one in Coleus had yet heard of Hala, her Lazurite Kingdom, or the ambitious vision she had for magic tech.
Coleus, isolated as it was from much of the rest of the world due to its constant battle with the monsters of the Desert of Death, was a land preoccupied with survival. Information rarely traveled quickly here, especially news from beyond the Long Wall. As Hala and her group made their way through the city streets, many eyes were on her, not because they recognized her, but because of her imposing presence and the unusual group she traveled with.
Nyra, her massive Lunar Pride Beast, padded gracefully beside her, the sun glinting off her dark, star-speckled fur. Behind them, Najma, the beautiful and mysterious Gypsy leader, rode in quiet observation, her eyes always searching the crowd. The Elders Faune and Pan, wise and stoic, followed at a measured pace, flanked by three more of the Pride Beasts, each radiating power and poise. The sight was enough to make anyone curious, though no one yet knew what to make of the group.
It wasn’t long before the eccentric leader of the gnome crafters, Grandmaster Albari, caught wind of their presence. He had no idea who Hala was, but the moment he laid eyes on her, riding Nyra like a queen of the desert, he felt a tug of curiosity. His keen mind, always hungry for new information and ideas, latched onto the idea that this strange group from the desert might hold something interesting.
Albari was a short, wiry gnome with wild, unkempt white hair and goggles that magnified his bright blue eyes to almost comical proportions. His clothing was a mix of patched-up leather and enchanted trinkets that clinked with every step. He was known for his eccentricity and brilliance, always chasing the next big idea, no matter how unconventional. And something about Hala, her confidence, and the raw magical energy that radiated off her, piqued his interest in an instant.
With his natural boldness, Albari approached the group. His goggles bounced slightly as he practically skipped up to Hala, looking up at her with eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.
"Who might you be, desert traveler?" Albari asked, his voice tinged with the excitement of discovery. "You don’t look like any Adventurer I’ve seen here in Coleus, and those lions of yours… magnificent! I’ve never seen creatures like them in these parts."
Hala looked down at the energetic gnome with an amused smile. "I'm Hala, Empress of the Lazurite Kingdom," she said casually, as if she expected the name to mean something to him, but she could already tell it didn’t by the blank look on his face. "I’m here looking for craftsmen—people who can help me with some pretty big ideas."
Albari’s ears perked up at the mention of "big ideas." He adjusted his goggles, blinking rapidly as if to sharpen his already enlarged vision.
"Big ideas, you say?" he repeated, clearly intrigued. "What sort of ideas? What could a queen from some far-off desert kingdom possibly be looking for in a place like Coleus? We've got a lot of monster materials and adventurers, sure, but... what are you really after?"
Hala grinned, always enjoying the chance to explain her vision to someone new. She swung down from Nyra’s back, her boots landing softly on the sandy street as she stood eye to eye with the gnome.
"I’m building something new in my kingdom," she began, pacing slightly as she spoke. "A network of magical devices—crystal tablets, VoidTV, and even magic Wi-Fi. Imagine a world where people can communicate across vast distances in an instant, where knowledge flows as freely as the water in your oases, and where magic and technology work together to create something entirely new."
Albari’s eyes widened as she spoke, his mouth slightly open. "Magic… technology… together?" he muttered, almost to himself. "Are you saying… that you want to merge magical energy with crafted devices to… share information? How… fascinating!"
The gnome was already halfway through thinking about the implications of such a system, but then he shook his head, blinking up at Hala as if coming back to reality.
"But… how do you plan to do this? We’ve never heard of anything like that here in Coleus. And no offense, Empress, but if this kingdom of yours is out there in the desert, who’s even going to know about it?"
Hala chuckled softly, crossing her arms. "That’s where you come in, Albari. I need people like you—crafters, inventors—who can take these raw materials and magic and turn them into something revolutionary. And trust me, once we get it up and running, everyone’s going to know about it. My kingdom may be in the desert, but it won’t stay hidden for long."
Albari’s mind was racing, his fingers twitching with excitement. "A system to share knowledge… crystal tablets to communicate... and VoidTV, you said? What is that, some kind of visual magic?"
Hala nodded, her mismatched eyes gleaming. "Exactly. Imagine watching performances, learning magic, or even just sharing news, all through magical screens."
The gnome paused for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I’ve worked with enchanted devices before, but never on this scale. If what you’re saying is true, Empress… this could change the way we live."
He looked up at her, his blue eyes sharp and filled with an eager light. "Alright, I’m in. But I’m going to need resources—rare materials, enchanted items, and skilled workers. If you can provide that, we can make this happen."
Hala grinned widely, knowing that she had found exactly what she was looking for. "Don’t worry, Grandmaster Albari. I’ve got more than enough resources, and the people of the Lazurite Kingdom will provide anything else you need."
The gnome nodded, clearly pleased. "Then it’s settled. I’ll gather my best crafters, and we’ll come with you to your kingdom. This… magic tech… we’re going to build something the world has never seen before."