A military officer is seen being chased by military police through city streets. He's finally apprehended by Colonel Genz Bresslau. Cut to another part of town and Armony Eiselstein is returning home from surreptitiously practicing alchemy which her father, Professor Wilhelm Eiselstein, has forbidden her to do. He created their town via alchemy and she can't understand why he won't allow her to learn it as well. Their disagreement is interrupted when Brigadier General Nemda arrives to see the professor.