Celtorix sat in front of a large marble desk with golden metal inlays and a plethora of runic carvings, astronomical charts, magical binding symbols and the like. His workspace was cluttered with various tools, both mundane and magical. There were civilizations in the world that would have gone to war over the marvels that lay scattered about this workshop. To the Zeroth, these wonders were commonplace, simple tools used by a craftsman to make simple trinkets that could be bought or sold by anyone in Anameleth.
Celtorix peered out through his window as he tinkered absentmindedly with a small metallic cube with a few runes engraved on each of its faces. The arcane locking mechanism of this magical puzzle box was often used by other cultures to safeguard national treasures from all but the most powerful of mystics, yet in Anameleth, this intricate mechanism was a part of a children's toy given to the young of the Empyrean city to help them learn basic deductive reasoning skills and magical competence.
Just outside Celtorix's window was a planter filled with flowers with glowing blue petals. Above it was a golden pipe that distributed water to the building, and sprinkled it upon the plants below to keep them healthy. These moon lilies were a key ingredient in a potent medicine that could cure all but the most stubborn illness.
There were many places throughout the world where clean water, arable land, and medicinal herbs were scarce enough to wage wars over, yet in Anameleth they were so readily available, they were often used as decorations for common homes. The Zeroth race often took for granted many things that others would kill for. Too often, they neglected the fact that their quiet, peaceful lives surrounded by all of these little luxuries were the envy of most of the civilized world. The Zeroth had grown accustomed to being far beyond most of the world, so much so that it had never even occurred to them that a race more advanced could even exist.
Soon, the Zeroth would see the light.
A blinding flash of green illuminated the Anamelethi skyline.
Celtorix briefly glanced in the direction of the flash.
"Hmm. Looks like Crazy Carnelia is trying to trap lightning again... Hopefully she didn't set the bookstore next door aflame again. It was closed for a week last time.", he remarked.
He had no comprehension of the true significance of the light. No idea that the entire city's place as the most advanced in the world just fell into question. He wouldn't realize it for some time, but his world was changing. His people were changing. His life would never again be the same.
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