Cate did not know much about the Magic Research Bureau to which she was assigned. Fortunately, the young woman, a guide assigned to her, was very knowledgeable. She answered almost all of Cate's questions. She was polite and humble, even though her position in society was far above that of a newcomer such as Cate.
"The Magic Research Bureau is the division of the Avalon Society burdened with analysing and understanding spells, magic treasures, ancient runes, creating new spells, tracking illegal use of magic, and crafting new proposals on the use of magic and the limitations that should be introduced. The bureau also evaluates newly created spells and assigns them a safety level before registering the spell and its creator. In the bureau, you will work in a team, and your immediate superior will give you your tasks. As long as you follow orders and obey the laws of the Immortal Realm, you will not have any issues," the young woman explained as she led Cate towards the Magic Research Bureau.
They moved through the city, passing many interesting places that Cate swore to check out later. After about thirty minutes, they reached their destination. The Magic Research Bureau was set up in a black palace with spires reaching the sky and perfect arches that made one wonder at the madness of whoever had designed the structure.
To enter the Onyx Palace, Cate and the guide both had to show their tokens to the grim-faced guards at the entrance. As she was about to enter the palace, Cate felt something was off and took another glance at the guards. "They look human. They breathe, and their chests move up and down as though they have beating hearts, and yet they are magic puppets," Cate thought.
During her time, the puppets were crude and could be identified at a glance, but these two guards were different. They looked like normal men, with nothing special about them. Even their skin was made realistic, with all the flaws of humanity. Their eyes had a shine that mimicked the presence of souls within.
"Most people go their whole lives without realising that the guards all around the city are puppets. Those who find out are usually so shocked that a few of them have gone insane at the realisation that even they could be puppets masquerading as humans," the guide laughed at this. Cate said nothing. "As long as you have a token issued by the Avalon Society, the Onyx guards will not disturb your peace," she assured. Cate nodded at this.
Magic puppets were indeed the best guards/soldiers one could wish for. They could not be bribed, and they never got tired. Even when they were struck down, a few hours of repair were enough to return them to peak performance. There were even a few puppets that could repair themselves and adapt to their environments. According to the young woman, the Onyx guards were forged by the Magic Research Bureau and sent throughout the Immortal Realm to serve the people.
Cate took the young woman at her Word. She did not make her doubts known about the whole thing. Even though she knew very little about the workings of these advanced puppets, she could still see countless ways in which the Avalon Society could make use of these puppets to serve their own greedy intents.
Bang, bang, bang. "Open up! I have brought you the help you have been crying about for so long!" The young woman continued knocking on the door like a madwoman until the door was opened. On the door, the Word Director had been carved in an elegant style that conveyed power and authority. Cate surmised that the person they were meeting was the Director of the Magic Research Bureau.
"Nice to meet you. I am Thabo Khumalo, Director of the Magic Research Bureau. I hope to work with you for a long time to come." Cate shook hands with the man as the guide left.
Thabo Khumalo was a dark-skinned man with brown eyes, long, messy hair, sharp facial features, an average body build, and a height of about six feet. He patted himself down in an attempt to make himself presentable, but it was clearly too late for that. The large office was cramped with papers strewn everywhere, dirty plates and cups sat on top of heaps of books, and the place had an odd smell. It was not unpleasant but definitely abnormal. Thabo wore a simple black singlet-sleeved shirt and a black robe that fell to his shoulders. On the left shoulder of the long magician's robe, there was a single character that meant Director. This character was from the Tongue of the Gods. Very few people understood the Divine Tongue, but it was still used extensively by the magicians.
When Thabo failed to offer her a seat, Cate sat down and looked at the place in greater detail. "Forgive the mess. I am the Director of this bureau. I hope that you live long enough to deal with some of the work we have been stuck with for the past ten years." Cate was stunned by this man's boldness.
"I will do my par..." Boom! Suddenly, there was an explosion that shook the building, as if it had been lifted off the ground for a few seconds. Cate sat there and listened patiently to Thabo without saying anything. The man ignored the explosion as though it were an everyday occurrence.
"You will work with a new team I am putting together. Your role will be to investigate ancient ruins and decipher any spells found there. You will gather as much information as possible. You will meet your team tomorrow." Cate had already expected something like this, and so she was not too surprised. She only felt that things were moving too fast and too smoothly. She had joined the society as she had wanted, and it seemed that a clear path had been opened up for her. She only had to wait a few years to gather more information about precisely what she needed to do to get her hands on the keys. She smiled at the Director. This smile took Thabo aback. His eyes darted around, and he hurriedly looked away from Cate.