Shadowlight: Sophie Automo and Wesley Indigo
Sophie Automo was an artificer, constantly building gadgets and unique tools that seemed way beyond the current technology. Sophie had once visited the Mechanization School in Sun City, and was inspired to create her own inventions. Currently, she was beginning to create a gadget that would attach to the body, and become an exoskeleton like insects have. It would hold tools and weapons to be of use in and out of combat. As she was finishing up the last specifications for her gadget, a man walked into the shop, the brass bell dinging as he walked in. He skimmed over the various wares that Sophie was selling, while she was in the back, still tinkering. The man looked at a sign that sat on the marble counter that said, "Ring for Service". A small gong sat on the counter with a mallet sitting beside the sign.
He picked up the mallet and rang the gong. No reply. He rang it again, this time hitting the gong twice. Still no reply. Sophie was putting on the last few touches of the gadget when she heard the gong. After setting the last piece together, she walked out of the back room, right before the man could ring the gong again. "Whaddya want," Sophie shouted in annoyance. Before the man could continue speaking, she noticed who he was, a dark skinned wood elf, known as "The Weapons Tester".
"I know you" Sophie said, "With that chiseled chin, bony cheeks and tall, slender build. You're the Weapons Tester aren't you?"
"Most people I know just call me Wesley or Wes," he spoke, "But I do go by that title too."
"I'm guessing you're here to test something" Sophie gestured, pointing out the gear that she hosted in her shop. Most of it were armors and newly developed gadgets, like a grappling gun. She did sport some weapons, a spear gun being one. It was a long barreled projectile weapon, that holds up to three spears at a time. It held three barrels to fire different types of spears. It came with several attachments as well. She also held a sword that could separate into multiple swords, up to five. This weapon was mainly sold to Alti's.
"Yes, but none of these," Wesley said, "A little birdy told me about how one of your gadgets had saved her life. A pair of gauntlets that could summon her weapons to her, if she ever became disarmed in combat."
"Dammit Emerald," Sophie whispered under her breath.
"What was that," Wesley asked, cupping his hand to his ear.
"Yes, I have made something like that, but it runs off of magickal circuits that manipulate polarity. That kind of setup was extremely complicated, and I had to get the materials from Sun City in Star Haven. The magickal circuits within the technology had to use special Crystal's from Oriun Marus, which that little birdy had to provide" Sophie told Wes, "But, I do have a new invention that I just finished. It hasn't been tested, properly naming it, it would be called the Auto-Suit, a metal suit of mechanical armor that strengthens the attacks of it's wearer, while also increasing defense. It has magick deflecting properties as well, but I was limited in options, so I used the remaining crystals our mutual friend gave me. It can deflect all forms of magick, but can only deflect as long as three minutes worth of a magickal attack before having to recharge in starlight."
"I would like you to test it on me," Wes immediately replied.
"I'm sorry," Sophie questioned.
"Put on this Auto-Suit you spoke of and fight me with it. I will not attack unless you prompt me to" Wes answered diligently.
"This is how you...test...weapons and armor" Sophie asked hesitantly.
"What better a tester, than one who cannot die," Wes boasted loudly.
"I'm just going to go grab the suit" Sophie said, walking towards the back room. She picked up the first piece of the suit, being careful not to touch the inside with her hand. The entire set of armor was made of a rare metal called Onixium, similar to the Onyx Stone in color, it was more metal like with the light density of Obsidian, and a similar toughness of Feather Steel. On the inside of the gauntlet were short needles that could penetrate the skin, and use the wearers blood to keep the crystal circuit from degenerating. It stung once it was placed onto the body, but the pain went away afterwards.
"Well, time to test it" Sophie said as she began placing each piece onto her body, beginning with the breast plate, which looked just like one frontal piece for the torso. The moment she stuck the armor onto her body, she could feel the pin pricks of the needles. Also once placed onto her body, the crystal circuits activated, causing the armor to transform into an entire cuirass. Piece after piece, the armor suit transformed from half sized pieces into full sized armor. The folds of the armor moved with Sophie's movement. The last piece was the helmet, a piece that looked was just like it was meant only for the scalp. Once placed, it transformed into a full helm, A button on the side of the helmet, about the size of a small dial, was pressed to form the mouthguard.
Walking out towards the front of the shop, you could hear the armor making noise as Sophie moved. "Where is your sword," Wes questioned.
"I thought I was supposed to test it out on you for you to find out what it is capable of," Sophie gestured sarcastically, "Just follow me, I have a sparring ring just outside."
"Then I shall follow" Wes responded.
Walking towards the right side of the shop, a hallway lead to the back of the shop, where the sparring ring was. Many obstacles had been previously set up for other inventions. But the Auto-Suit had a majority of those inventions already. While the armor looked bulky, it was rather hollow, holding the many inventions that Sophie had previously created. The two had stood in between all of the obstacles, training dummies, bullseye's and other obstacles. Being an Alti woman had it's advantages against this one wood elf, as she had four more arms than Wes. Or so she thought.
"I would like to inform you madam, you will find the reasoning behind my title, 'The Weapons Tester', to be tied to my my ability" Wes spoke.
"Then don't hold back" Sophie commanded.
"Fine by me" Wes said, as he began to suddenly morph his body. It looked as if he was growing extra limbs, his body extending itself to match them. The man was groaning as if he was in pain almost. Suddenly a bone like material began to sprout from his skin, covering his body like armor. When he was finished he stood taller, with four extra arms to match Sophie. His face still remained the same, has a helmet began to cover his face, leaving sockets for him to see through. It was like his skull was now outside his body, as the helmet matched his skull. "I have undergone The Ceremony of the Bodyshifter. It makes me similar to a shapeshifter, but instead of changing my appearance, I can grow extra limbs and grow bone from underneath my skin that can become as dense as any steel that I know of," Wes stated about his strange form, "My skin can also become thicker than the hide of a dragon, and I can use my nerve endings as spear like weapons, whips or anything I will them to be."
"Do you feel any pain" Sophie responded to the explanation.
"None, now let's begin" Wesley stated as he got into a stance for hand to hand combat, "Show me what you're made of."
