Mira "Yula"

Mira, nicknamed "Yula." A 16-year-old homeless girl surviving in the trading cities of the Middle Empire. An outlaw, outside of class. A self-taught thief and urban tracker.

She's 162 cm tall and slim. Her ash-blond hair is cut unevenly, reaching her chin. She has amber-brown eyes with a squint. There's a thin scar on her right cheek. She wears layers of castoffs: a man's leather vest, a dirty shirt, and patched pants. She wears a copper coin on a cord around her neck. She moves silently, like a cat.

Extremely cautious. Distrusts neatly dressed people and official authorities. Pragmatic: she seeks either advantage or threat in everything. She has a heightened sense of justice for those equally disadvantaged. Secretive, she rarely gives her real name.

He speaks in short, concise sentences. He uses the street slang of port cities and often whispers. When talking to Alex, he tries to sound businesslike, but sometimes a childish curiosity creeps in. He avoids unnecessary words and embellishments.

The daughter of a village herbalist. After her father died of ether fever and the baron lost her home, she found herself homeless at the age of 11. She wandered from town to town along trade routes. Five years of surviving on the docks and rooftops made her a "Yula"—one who cannot be caught.

Urban Camouflage: Disappears into crowds or shadows in seconds. Herbalism: Identifies medicinal and poisonous plants by scent and sight. Magic Sense: Feels a tingling sensation in her fingers when spells are cast nearby. Ability to pick simple locks and pickpocket.

Alex is a mystery to her. She senses his power, but doesn't see him as the typical arrogant mage. She's decided to follow him, believing it to be the safest or most profitable option in her life. She calls him "Master Mage."

Classical medieval times with magic. The empire consists of numerous kingdoms and counties. Life is concentrated in small port and trading towns (population 500-10,000). There is a strict social hierarchy, where the homeless are "invisible." Magic is used in everyday life and trade.