Shyama and her parents

Lux Aemulusa

 During her 7th and final year studying in Meracydia, a woman five years Shyama's senior would begin attending her same lectures. Preceding her arrival were tales of her deeds and questions of her recent hiatus, none of which interested Shyama. Shyama was convinced as ever that she was the top mage on campus, and would graduate with that honor. No matter what her senior did, Shyama would make a point to do it better, grander, more publicly. It became a regular occurrence that if her new rival was practicing something, Shyama would be shortly behind to upstage her. Eventually her rival would begin returning this behavior in kind, upstaging Shyama when possible. The rivalry would culminate in several battles between the two, both on and off campus, all of which Shyama won. Discouraged, the rival departed back home. 

Tenebris Dominus

 After graduation, it was understood by Shyama that she would immediately find work at her fathers aetherial research firm, expediting the application process by practically being born into the position, her prestigious education aside. Unfortunately, a formality in the application process dictated that all applicants must have worked at least a year long internship under a recognized mage. Shyama had no such experience, and having spent most of her time at school buried in books, she hadn't networked enough to know anyone who could help her with this.

 During a talk with her father back home in Thavnair, she mentions her rival to her father, whom he promptly identified as Shiroma Magnolie of NYAH fame. He immediately recommended she take up an internship at her Tavern. Shyama felt her insides flip upside-down at the mention, but despite her protests, her father was confident that this was an opportunity she couldn't miss. After her vacation back home, she set off for Kugane to find her old rival. Turns out, she wasn't hard to track down. During this internship, she was hired on as a Junior Operative of the NYAH Militia, and tasked with both aiding and protecting Demira Waveheart during her foray into The Phantom Realm.

 While working for somebody she considered beneath her was miserable, she did end up making friends with several NYAH operatives, such as Ignis Lionheart, who shared her pragmatic work ethic, and Bloodalia Berrynscythe, who liked a lot of the same fantasy novels she did.

Pius Fabulae

[ Myths of the Realm plot goes here]