Laios Touden was the sort of guy whose world revolved around microscopes, DNA sequences, and fantastical creatures born from the depths of his imagination.

His passion for biology was evident in the way he eagerly devoured every book on genetics, zoology, and evolutionary theory he could find.

On a lazy Saturday afternoon, he found himself at the city’s public library, perusing the shelves for new knowledge and inspiration.

As he reached for a particularly thick volume on mythical creatures intertwined with real-world biology, his elbow nudged a nearby stack of books.

In an instant, he stumbled forward, colliding softly with someone behind him.

The collision caused a cascade of paper and covers to scatter across the aisle.