Quite a crowd had formed around Reynard, some seemed to be interested in the job, others just had business with those present around him. Reynard pressed his fingers against his forehead and groaned in slight annoyance. Aside from Gwendolyn who introduced herself as a Gospel, a clan of demon hunters he'd been tracking down for his own reasons, the other two interested him none. The one who introduced herself as Jessica and her talking sword also was an entirely different curiosity. He turned to the small group that had gathered.
"You all will take your trifles elsewhere. If all you are here for is idle chatter then there are better places for that", his cold glare cut an icy slice right down through the atmosphere.
"Now if you will excuse me, I need to sign up for this job request", he turned back to the counter and placed the job request in front for it to be taken and accepted. He would prefer to take this job alone, but his hand stammered a little bit as he slid the paper up. He glanced to his side once before turning back to the man behind the counter... This was also an escort mission.
"Jessica and Gwendolyn was it? You two wish to be part of this do you not? Then you are welcome...", Reynard almost appeared to be biting something back.
"And you... I don't have your name, but if you were just here for a chat then you may leave", he presented Asher with an opportunity to express any interest he may have had. Still... If there were more hands to protect their quarry, then he would have more opportunities to study wherever it was they were going. At least that was Reynard's reasoning. Otherwise, he would double down on going alone.
"Really? That is your question?", the lady took a puff of her pipe, before exhaling almost contemptuously, there was a feeling that she wasn't impressed whatsoever. The pause before she said yet another line was uncomfortable, the air in the room was still, with only the smoke from her pipe mysteriously moving more than it feels like it should.
"I suppose it was my mistake to offer, but yes. You were a poor soul I happened to take pity on, no more”, she waved her pipe just a little bit before what appeared to be a contract appearing in front of her, along with her application form for the school trip.
“Starting today you will be working at this inn. Not forever though mind you, but for a week. You have some power, it seems, which is convenient. However, you have not proven your control”, she began.
“Throughout your time working here you will be learning control. Many of the duties at this inn make use of our kind’s abilities. Illusions can be helpful to those who need respite you see. You start work at tonight’s shift. You have but a few hours to get dressed and learn this inn’s ways. Good luck. I may have a reward for you if you do your best. I am not a wholly cruel mistress afterall… Oh yes, remember to call me by title. ‘Okami’. I’ll not accept any other while you are working here”, whether or not Koyuki had more to say, it appears it was not her place to say or do. The beautiful nine tailed fox did a slight wave with her hand as two mature women kitsune appeared behind and beside Koyuki, before promptly dragging her out of the room, no doubt to put her into their uniform.
The man named Hinoyama clapped his hands together, the white garb he wore fluttering just for a moment as upon the sound of the clap, the game board in front of Icarus disappeared. He had a rather delighted look on his face.
“Wonderful! Yes yes of course that’s why I agreed to the Lady’s program to begin with! Hmhm! Now then… Perhaps you can start by telling me about life over there, oh! And the food, maybe your pastimes? I hope it isn’t too obvious, but I am a sucker for board games you see!”, there was an almost childish curiosity that possessed Hinoyama. This otherwise sharp-looking man with an irritatingly confident-looking gaze and face was leaned forward resting on his hands like some dainty schoolgirl about to gossip.
“Ah… But of course, I am also quite interested in ‘phoenixes’. Such beings exist in this world too, but they are vastly different from what you are it appears. For example, they never take a human form… Rather disappointing really. So please, do tell me about your kind too”, his demeanor changed for just a moment. This man wore his emotions on his sleeve, so it appeared, yet he seemed no stranger to hiding things in those selfsame sleeves.
“You ask too many questions!”, he snapped. Almost not missing a beat as he hammered away at steel at a relaxed pace. There was a kind of silence as Otis stood there awkwardly clutching the chisel almost waiting for an answer. About to give up, the old man broke the silence,
“... Yes that’s correct, different chisels produce different effects. A normal chisel might at best produce weak inscriptions, but better tools can infuse more power…”, he stopped for a bit as he seemed to pull the small blade out of the forge, then cooling it. He then moved over to put it into a small pile alongside a few other small blades, around the size of a tanto.
“Feel free to take any of these and practice… You can keep whatever you successfully make”, he turned back to his forge and began preparing another blade.
“Meteorite in high enough quantity is exceedingly rare, you may get pebbles from time to time but that wouldn’t be enough for even a nail… So I have been interested in substitutes from Arcanis. Unlike here, Arcanis is a land filled with magical power, finding suitable substitutes should not be hard… I may even find some new techniques and possible inscriptions with different materials”, he explained.
Despite his prickly voice and demeanor, he seemed to share some kind of interest in materials that Otis did. Regardless, the exchanges repeated in this way. Otis would ask a few too many questions too quickly, only to be cut down… And then have all of them answered.
The lesson for Overflowing Flame went rather… Chaotically. True, no damage made it out of that room, but Motsumine himself seemed to almost be laughing as students let out flame spell after flame spell engulfing the entire room in flames. It was fun to be sure, and those who were able to get started benefited greatly from just being able to try it out. Eventually though he had everyone calm down and practice the main seals for Overflowing Flame in a structured way.
By the end of the lesson, Ultana’s face felt the warm breeze of the outdoor summer air of Kyoto, which by comparison to where she just was, was quite cool. With this all being said and done she was now free to explore Kyoto for a bit. As she walked out of the Fujiwara estate, she heard talk of Kiyomizu shrine. A famous spot they say?
SKILL POINT DISTRIBUTION
REMINDER: Your Yokai Skill which you'll gain soon is free, so the points you obtain here can be used for whatever you please. @Amaterasu (5 skill points) @Takumi Enishi (5 skill points) @Ginnungagap (5 skill points) @TheHangedMan (5 skill points)
NOTE: The lesson you just attended/skill you learned will be given free. HOWEVER, every Major Skill you gain after your first in the arc must be paid for. @ERode (5 skill points) @Lonewolf685 (5 skill points, you also still have your free Major Skill) @I-Am-X (5 skill points) @Kal-El (5 skill points)
Being a tourist spot, it was expectedly lively and crowded. Recognizing people from their class, Ultana and Lorelai were first to group together, then came Asta, Helena, then soon Otis was actually dragged into the group almost involuntarily. Rodrick also showed up, it seems he and Helena were to meet here with other classmates but they misinterpreted their relationship as romantic, and tried to set them up alone.
The view from the Kiyomizu Shrine was excellent, spanning over a large forest as they stood on essentially a gigantic balcony. The lush greenery below contrasted with the brilliant blue sky created a pleasant summer scenery with the buzz of cicadas in the background.
“Hm, the air out here is excellent. Compared to the smell of the sea in Seidoujima, the lush forest is more familiar to me”, Rodrick seemed to be enjoying himself, all things considered.
“I wonder if there’s a spot where I could set up tea…”, Helena pondered while looking around, but based on her expression it appears she was a little disheartened to get such a spot in the immediate area. Meanwhile a little behind her, Asta was waving a fan almost frantically standing beside Ultana. It seems she was not used to the heat, though considering her country of origin it was not a big surprise.
It was an eventuality that they grabbed drinks from a vending machine on the premises and found a place to relax and take photos. It wasn’t uncommon that they got tourists to ask them to help take their photos too. The atmosphere overall was rather nice, and the souvenirs offered a little something to remember the experience by.
As the group moved along the temple, they bumped into a young girl, she crashed into the group and proceeded to try to hide between them.
“S-sorry! Just… Please pretend I’m with you guys for a bit…!”, her hair was long, dark, topped by a brown messenger hat, wearing a denim pleated skirt with suspenders over a fluffy white blouse. Up ahead, the group could see a few people moving around as if they were looking for someone, after maybe a dozen seconds, they were gone. Peeking out from the group, the girl saw that the coast was clear.
“Ahhhh, thank you! It’s so hard to have fun if I’m being babysat like that… Oh! I’m so sorry to intrude! I am Kaganomiya Seirin! I uh, hope I had not been intruding. I-if that was the case, then I can just go…”, the way she spoke was overly formal, suggesting she was from a well-to-do family. Was it possible the people looking for her were just her bodyguards…? In any case… Those who had good eyes like Otis would recognize her. She was the girl at the conference yesterday on the stage, sitting there like decoration. That day though, she was too far away to see her fair features in proper unless you had eyes like a bird of prey.
With the festivities, the job board looked a bit fuller than normal. After all, who wanted to be out doing a job when they could be out and about, enjoying themselves in an annual celebration. Far as he knew it was just an overblown birthday, though some may not want to hear that at all. Loud and rowdy events were not his kind of thing though, so perhaps while everything was going in that direction, he'd occupy himself with a bit of work. Rather nostalgic standing here to take a sheet of paper off of a crusty wooden board... Though this board was not as crusty. He hadn't taken a job as a guild mage for many years by now, and to think he would start again.
"Scholarly Assistance, hmmm...", the mention of ruins and artifacts interested him. It was a job within his rank. An A rank, based on the assessment he had to do prior to joining. He wasn't sure if the guild was thrilled to have a strong new member, or were pervasive to suddenly have some kind of competition or threat to their own claims to glory. It didn't matter to him, but overall it seemed rather positive.
"Escort...", he sighed as he read that over. He was not one for an escort mission... Yet, he had keen interest for everything else associated with it. He pressed his fingers on his forehead for a moment, then decided then and there, perhaps he will take it.
"There is nothing else to do these days anyways... I suppose it can't be that bad", he surmised, turning and moving towards the counter to get the job approved, holding the sheet in his hand.
Utsumi emerged from the front doors of the traditional Japanese inn with what appeared to be some paperwork, reading as he stepped outside. He was not accompanied by anyone, from today on was the student's responsibility. Some brushed past him wanting to go sightseeing, which was perfectly within their rights, however he was concerned that they chose to do that on the first day. One of the requirements was to visit any of the prior places, or to be doing in-field research, as they called it. Any form of productive sightseeing, so to speak, one that would further one's own abilities, even if it was just going around and documenting the shrines.
"Well, I don't have to worry about those who are at Eiseikato... And, I expected a few here to be a bit out of focus but they'd already headed out with purpose. I suppose I've been too judgemental of some of my own students... Ahh, that's no good Utsumi, an accurate assessment is what you always aim for, it's not good to be thinking that way", he mumbled to himself.
"Talking to yourself again I see", the bespectacled teacher turned around and standing there was Kuuto, he had his coat worn, rather than hanging off his shoulders.
"My my, I thought you were just going to be here as a teacher, but it seems there were other matters weren't there?"
"Murder case, due to the nature of it I was put on as it's prosecutor, curse that Motsumine... He knew something was up in this city", Kuuto didn't seem too happy about it... Was it possible he really just wanted to relax? Utsumi adjusted his glasses.
"Well, given how Eiseikato is here too, it may not be a coincidence. It often avoids Kyoto unless a big event is meant to occur. Too many exorcists living here, too big a risk to visit just because they wanted to", Kuuto just sighed and walked past Utsumi.
"I'll be back before dinner, send out your little bird scouts and tell me what you can learn about the city",
"Alright, well then, have a good day at work", and with that Kuuto left.
"Now then... I suppose that would be wise, I do want to keep an eye on the students too afterall", he clicked his fingers and with that, a flock of blue glowing birds burst from him, before disappear amidst the great blue sky.
The Kirizanto blacksmith's forge was kept on the grounds of the household, the procedures to get in here were rather strict, characteristic of their teacher who Otis had expected to be accompanying them. However, it came to the class as a surprise that following up with these places was up to them. They were also given special badges to show they were part of the school and part of this program, to which he showed the guards.
The Kirizanto estate was a rather modest place compared to some other areas she had walked past, situated deep in the eastern forests of Kyoto. It's an estate with large zen gardens surrounding a single large estate, it had few attendants and there were some clan members here practicing their art too. One or two other classmates were spotted there as well. After some time walking through the estate he finally found himself in their forge.
It was small, the class all visited just yesterday so he was familiar. It had all the traditional tools and so forth. Already tending the furnace was the old man he saw yesterday, and by the looks of things, Otis was the only one here to learn the forging style.
"I am Kirizanto Ishinari, the head smith of the Kirizanto family and successor to the style. So you're here to learn our ways of forging are ya? Trust me it isn't too fancy, if you know how to forge katana, you're already halfway done here. The key to our way is the inscriptions, made by the first generation of my family. But, you can't just use anything to etch them, a chisel that's appropriately blessed, and made from the right material, any iron found from places thick with oni and yokai such as at the top of mountains, or recently, meteorites, will do. Such materials conduct magical and spiritual energy very well", he explained.
"This one here is a few hundred years old, such materials have become rare, and I attended the conference today in search of substitutes from Arcanis... Well, anyway I'm sure you're not here to listen to an old man ramble on, first thing you will learn today is the patterns to etch. Take any old chisel and I'll make you some blades you can practice on", he put his current chisel down, before grabbing one from the wall and throwing it softly at the young bird boy. Hopefully he can catch it.
"The way of the Overflowing Flame is to flood the battlefield with flames, but the trick is to not overcommit, rather, the flames we flood the field with are not lethal. Using the haze of the fire and the confusion of our enemies, we exploit any opening we find in the chaos. Our objective is to cause fear within those who embody fear, the greatest practitioners of this art are the flashiest of us, but it is a fine art to balance flashiness with efficiency, for you see, it is a common misstep to..."
It was no good, Ultana was beginning to fall asleep. There were more than just a few of her classmates here and it seems they felt the same thing. Flashiness they said, but there was nothing flashy about their lesson.
"And then... Hm?" the room was suddenly flooded with fire, the class was absolutely jolted awake by this maelstrom of fire, the center stage in front of them was instantly engulfed in flames as even the lecturer was surprised, before appearing before them was Motsumine himself. He was dressed differently, which wasn't a surprise, yesterday was a ceremony, unlike today.
"I sensed people were falling asleep in my own estate, I had to come and take a look", it was unclear if he could actually sense that or he was joking.
"I knew I should've made my schedule clear today to teach this class, Master Urayama you do have a talent for putting people to sleep, as good as you are at our arts", he then turned back to the class.
"Then a special lesson today for all of you, I can't be here long, so I will quickly impart you to practice any of the skills you wish. Don't worry, I've already placed wards all around this room to contain any possible damage that might happen", he flipped his wrist a moment as some talismans of his were pulled out at the ready. Those who were studied in the Fujiwara arts might recognize them as containment, sealing, and defensive seals.
"Ah yes, your scrolls and study material, feel free to experiment them immediately", he stated, making a hand seal with his other free hand, causing a scroll to appear in front of every student.
Lorelai was sat in the modest blacksmith's hut, accompanied only by the blacksmith himself, a rather young lad with a serious scowl, and his younger sister, who seemed to be amazed at Lorelai. It appears she had never met a foreigner before.
"The material is surprisingly brittle... Perhaps... Hmmm no, it's luster is in that same material... Maybe I could... Yes, that could work", the boy's name was Muramasa Kenjo, the Muramasa family had once made fine blades, so fine and so full of bloodlust they were considered cursed or demon blades. Now though, not so much. However with such little material, none of the other blacksmiths at the expo seemed interested, but when this boy saw it... There was a certain glint in his eyes.
"Truly though, this material is curious and it's properties interfering with magic are astounding. Those other smiths were not interested because there was not enough, but I see that this is incredibly rare material. Any weapon made from this will be more than helpful to it's wielder... Though, with this much, I'm afraid only a spear will do", ah, right, he didn't know Lorelai used a spear anyways.
"If that is alright, how would you like it? I can make a naginata, or a yari. I'm afraid if I use too much ordinary steel to make it into a sword, it will lose it's abilities", it was amazing he could understand that just from inspecting the material. No tests required...
"I'm quite eager, if this turns out good, then you can tell all about who made your weapon, and perhaps I'll finally get my name out there... Perhaps I had said it before, but my dream is to make the Muramasa name more than just an old legend of demon blades".
Aurelius and his accompaniment Lady didn't find any of the presented teachings to be really interesting, so today they elected to go sightseeing. Something about a small shrine up in the mountains interested him, so that's where he went. It was a pretty standard tourist affair, the lush green forests of Japan with the occasional small shrine and some Inari shrines as they ascended, the long staircase with torii gates too, was rather atmospheric.
They spent some time just enjoying the tourist attractions, souvenir shops, food stalls, and so on, rather quiet up here all things considered, but soon they ran into something that piqued Aurelius' interest.
"There you are, Akimoto",
"I won that duel fair and square, and more importantly, the deal was if I won you'd drop the debt",
"Shut up! That's not how it was supposed to go, I'm ruined if I don't get that money back", he had more than a few men with him. The man in the red yukata and straw hat just sighed.
"Alright fine, but bringing a few extra bodies won't help, but if it makes you feel more confident, maybe you'll do better this time",
"You...! Kill him!", the men charged forth, raising their weapons, whether it be clubs or bats or whatever else they could find. The man in red though did not draw the two blades set upon his hip. Instead he picked up an old stick laying next to him, kicking it up and wielding it. No one's eyes could follow completely where he had struck. The first men when down, appearing to have only taken one hit, then the second, third... Until they were crumpled upon the ground. Aurelius could look over the bodies, and it appeared as if each one had taken several blows, yet... He only saw one.
"Goddamnit! If I don't kill you they'll kill me!", the panicked man pulled out a pistol from his person, in his frantic state he fired rather quickly, three shots. In that instant they expected to see the red man take a bullet or two, but by the time Aurelius' eyes looked back to him, the man had drawn his sword, with it held up high in one hand to his side. The sounds of some metal falling onto the stone pavement was heard as Aurelius spotted a bullet roll towards him. It was cut clean in half down the middle.
Akimoto relaxed himself as the man stumbled backwards, not believing what he just saw, then scrambling to get up again to run.
"I-I'll! I'll be back! You hear me?! You'll pay for this!", and with that, he was gone.
The snowy-looking fox stepped around almost excitedly as she wandered through the ethereal streets. As she entered the town proper she noticed something odd about the residents. Not a single one was human. Was it the smell that gave it away, or that there was literally a walking umbrella passing her by, or a towering Oni wearing a fancy suit with sunglasses? The residents aside, there appeared to be a number of stalls and bustling restaurants and souvenir stores, and amidst the bustling she got an idea for what kind of place this was.
A town of yokai, such a prospect seemed to be quite exciting for her. How and why was she here? She immediately stopped caring as soon as she stepped in here. Despite her status as a yokai, the existence of such a city was unknown to her. However, it appeared as if her enjoyment was going to be cut short, the same familiar haze swept past her nose, unseen yet ever-present. Her eyes panned around, before settling upon the stairs leading further into the city. At the very end and atop the hill stood a towering building.
She climbed the steps in what appeared to be a trance, and as the building came into better focus, the initial interpretation of it being a castle quickly faded as she realized. This was an Inn. What was however, more interesting to her was that all the women who worked here were for the most part, kitsune like herself.
Her focus though was immediately grabbed yet again by the scent from earlier, the same one that had led her here, and following that scent she entered. The working ladies seemed to notice her but did nothing to stop her, even if it appeared as if she had walked into a staff-only area. As she rose staircase by staircase, where she would normally be fraught with fatigue, she would find herself being pulled in and climbing beyond her ability, until she finally reached the top.
She ascended the final steps, turning her head to the end of the room as she was met with a gorgeous view of the town she was in just now. A fan-shaped window adorned with with red and gold, the walls to the sides lined with various tapestries and fine kimono, with an empty centre, though seated in front of that window was a lady. Her back was turned to Koyuki, who walked closer, still drawn by the haze, but she now could see where it came from. The pipe that the lady smoked. She wore a kimono, slightly let down to expose a bit of her upper back, black hair tied up in an elaborate Oiran hairstyle, adorned with golden ornaments and pieces. As Koyuki's gaze moved around, she would notice tails coming out underneath the large arrangement of silks wrapped around her bottom half. Her eyes counted... One... Two... Three... Six... There were nine tails.
Being a Kitsune herself, she knew what this meant. But as soon as she stepped at the end of the room, barely past the paper doors.
"Bow"
Koyuki immediately bowed down, her face but inches from the ground.
"I see, so I was right... What is it you call yourself now, Koyuki...? An adorable name, one well-picked", she seemed to almost laugh, but Koyuki could not tell given her pose.
"My my, four tails already? You have been busy haven't you? How promising... Hm, but I sense confusion from you... Very well. I will allow you one question before I continue", the stern request was rather strong-handed. Koyuki would have to pick her question carefully.
Tsurara walked the streets, naked, or relatively so. As such she got looks from a lot of the yokai. While it was not strange for yokai to reveal their true forms, it was rather rare for ones with feminine beauty to do so. It was a strange sight seeing monsters of all kinds make catcalls to the Yuki-Onna, but soon the pattering of footsteps began to become louder before Tsurara felt indignant pain as her ear was pulled.
As she was turned around she looked into the eyes of a woman with such a cold expression, she herself as a yokai of ice froze inside too. Without a word she was dragged off by the ear by this woman. She wore a blue done-up Kimono depicting a tundra and a clear blue sky, all proper, white hair in a braid and bun combination with bright adornments, which stood out even more with her white hair, and most of all, her silver, cold eyes.
Next thing Tsurara knew, she was ushered into a house, as she entered, a group of women all in a similar outfit and setup to her bowed and greeted her.
"Welcome back, Lady Yukiano"
Now identified as Lady Yukiano, she stepped towards the stairs, but when she noticed Tsurara was not following she turned, "what are you standing there for? Follow me", the atmosphere did not allow her to defy her, not to mention she felt it too... This woman was also a Yuki-Onna, all the way down to her touch.
Pretty soon the two were seated in front of some freshly brewed tea, across from each other. The room they were in was decorated quite nicely, flower arrangement, calligraphy, some other minimalist decoration such as a vase, nothing extravagant.
"Now then... Tsurara... It appears I may have much to teach you. I am Yukiano Tsukihara. Your mother... Is an old acquaintance, and now I see why she was so concerned. Have you no decency child? To bare yourself before anyone, such filth", she sipped her tea and breathed as naturally as she dished out insult after insult.
"What would people think of Yuki-Onna if you did something like that. How do you expect to be married doing such things? I am sure we have our wild years, but this is... Beyond wild", her sharp eyes did not seem to approve of Tsurara.
"One week... Will barely be enough, I would be lucky to even make you half-way respectable by then", she sighed before putting her cup back down.
"All of that aside, I am obligated to be informing you of what is happening. No, you do not have a choice", she pulled out some papers and slid them over to Tsurara. It was her application form for the school trip, but also a second was stapled to it, signing her up to a Yokai training program. There was an extra note here too whose handwriting she noticed. It was her mother's. "Please make her into a respectable woman".
"If I did not owe your mother anything I would have refused. I can hardly believe you two are related let alone being mother and daughter... Now then. There is much to learn. First... Your mother paid for this kimono herself, so you may keep it beyond your week training here", she clapped twice, the paper doors opened as two ladies holding a kimono were there, which she presumed was the one. It had a snowflake pattern amidst a sunset. And before she knew it, she was dragged off and forced into a new and rather unfamiliar attire.
As Mason was being led through town being surrounded by an entourage of thugs, he began to notice something... There's monsters, everywhere, he looked right and left, and there were monsters straight out of storybooks. In fact after a few minutes he noticed that his entourage increased in size, grew horns, and changed skin color. They were oni.
He had no idea what was happening but there was amidst this, no time to enjoy the ethereal and unique scenery this town offered. Pretty soon, he was ushered into a building just off the side, though it had a traditional look on the outside, it looked like an office building on the inside. He briefly read as he entered a plaque at the far end saying "Koujou". The way everything was styled was just like Yakuza as he'd seen in movies and anime and... Anything else he had time to get his hands on. It seemed one of them noticed his nervousness.
"Heh, don't worry kid, we're not here to gut you or anything, we're just having you meet our boss", the one who spoke though he also had horns like the others, did not tower as much, and his eyes had a golden glint to them too even visible underneath his sunglasses. He had short golden hair and a constant confident smile with small fangs.
Pretty soon Mason did see the boss, as assured. He was sat inside a traditional Japanese room, at the far end sitting there like a daimyo was what would safely be assumed to be the boss. The biggest oni in the room, large, towering, with skin red like blood, wearing oversized sunglasses for his large self, and wearing an elaborate haori like a cape.
"Ehhh, so you're the one I was told about eh? A half-demon, strength type...", he seemed to be reading from some documents, which in his huge hands were... Almost comical.
"Oh I see, so that's why you're here. A foreign type too even, that's interestin', but you match Oni so well you sure your dad or somethin' wasn't one? Haha! Fire attribute too that's amazing... Hmmmmm. But bein' half... Oh right you must be wonderin' why you're here then", the big man handed a sheet to his assistant who sat beside him, who then quickly scuttled up to Mason to hand it to him.
As Mason read what was on the sheet he recognized it as his form for applying for the trip. But there was another page stapled to it. It was a page signing him up for a Yokai training program, along with a note... "As Yokai cannot learn exorcism safely, you have been submitted to this unique program lasting around one week. Signed, Kirizanto Kuuto". The biggest surprise though was... The person that made that note, but now he kinda got the picture.
"So that's the deal. This program is... Ordained by Lady Kuzunoha who rules this little place. To make sure Yokai do not eventually die out with urban developments, she has made a program requiring many of us to take in... Apprentices for a week. Teach'em what it means to be Yokai... Or... Somethin' like that I dunno this stuff's not my strength. Anyway, welcome kid, to the Koujou Clan. We're a clan of Oni who also operate as part of a Yakuza family in the world you know", he introduced.
"I've already figured out who will be your senpai for your program. Back there, Yuzaki!"
"Sir!", it was the guy with golden eyes again. He bowed as he was addressed.
"He's all yours",
"Yessir! Mason was your name right? I hope we get along!" Likewise, Mason found himself bowing as he did too.
"Awright, now that's settled, ya got any questions before I get back to... My business?"
As he stepped into the shrine's grounds, he began to notice the ethereal night around him. Almost glowing pink sakura petals amidst a dark navy blue sky adorned with only a single full moon. The stone pavement in front of him was clean and even, swept only by the pink petals of this strange place he was in. Being that of Arcanis, nothing here was familiar to him, yet he felt something similar to that which were called "yokai" in this world. His focus was brought back as the flitter of flame brushed past his sight, the flame bird that led him here, then flew further in towards the shrine, wistfully fluttering about before disappearing beyond the doors.
Icarus found himself sliding those same doors open within some moments, only to be greeted by a man sitting by a table. From what he could tell the center was a game board, using black and white pebbles, and sitting across was a phantom that took the shape of the man, yet was lined with flames.
"Ah, so you have finally come... Or rather, you arrived pretty quickly. Please... Take a seat", he stated, and as he did the flame phantom disappeared.
"So, have you ever played Go? Ah why am I asking of course not. I have already foreseen such afterall", though he was right, there was something about him that was kind of irritating. He had a clean look about him, and was dressed like that of an onmyoudo, like the exorcists back in the conference he saw, but this man did not appear to be an exorcist.
"Here, I shall give you some guidance", he made what appeared like a seal with his hand. For a brief moment, symbols appeared around his hand written from flame, before conjuring yet another fire bird that circled Icarus before settling on his shoulder. As he looked at it, somehow the rules of Go became clear to him.
"It's temporary, and you will forget once that bird is gone, but we can now play. I will try to go easy on you", for some reason, Icarus felt he was not going to.
He was right. He was promptly defeated in what he understood thanks to the little firebird, a very fast game. The man then clicked his fingers, causing the board to clean itself and start a game anew.
"I suppose you must be wondering why you're here", he began, starting yet another game. Icarus felt compelled to make a move too and keep playing, there was nothing else to do and... It seemed rude not to.
"I am Hinoyama Kikutori, a... Suzaku. A fire phoenix much like yourself, but I have never had the pleasure of meeting such until today", his next move was quite aggressive.
"The place you find yourself in is my shrine here in Eiseikato, a wandering city so to speak. It drifts between rifts in the world's planes of existence going from place to place around Japan. You are here because... Oh an opening", he took it rather eagerly. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Ahem... So you are here because you have been signed up for a little program the Lady Kuzunoha runs here for young yokai, or... In your case, demons is the term you use", he made another seal with his hand, a little different to before, but the effect was same, though this time it conjured some papers in front of Icarus. He saw his application for the school trip, but attached was another page that detailed this... Program. "He is talented at magic, but I feel he needs guidance from one of his own", was a note from Utsumi.
"That is the situation. This little program takes place over 5 days, and daresay it would be preferable over being surrounded by people who can erase your existence no? In any case... Looks like I win again", this man really was a bit irritating.
"Hmhm, I can feel your bubbling frustration, so perhaps we shall not play another. Instead I shall be teaching you my arts. I had taken this position to be your tutor without any prior thought only wishing to see a 'phoenix' in person, but now that I am here, I realize I actually had no plans for your development, so I shall simply teach you my arts", his arts...? Kikutori opened his palm, and in a few moments a bright and revitalizing flame flickered in his hand.
"We may be a bit different, but the undying and rebirth aspect of our fires are... The same so to speak, and so I can teach you that which I have learned. Flames that do not die, even in the face of the coldest water or the most powerful exorcist. Sounds like a worthwhile study does it not?"
Seated in an armchair in a small corner of the Fenixtear library, as far back and in a corner as possible as to not be disturbed, with a coat of dark turquoise flung over the chair, a far eastern blade leaned against it, a book in his hand with legs crossed, and a few small snacks on the tiny sidetable was the one known as Reynard Faust. Ever since joining Fenixtear he had been in the library if there was no requirement for him to be anywhere else. This corner that he sits in is piled with books on old legends and tales, notably ones relating to malicious occurrences within all of Fiore. A force of habit for him it seems, he had come this far inquiring about the organization of Gospel and one thing led to another, and now he was a member of Fenixtear.
At the very least, it was not a waste of time as members of it were sincerely a part of this guild, and being surrounded by others rather than being alone on the road gave him some measure of peace, even if he did not want to interact with them. It reminded him of some better days, yet in his eyes he cannot make peace and accept this, at least until the nightmare that pervades him is vanquished. For now, he accepts their hospitality, as is convenient.
"Hm, I suppose this will be enough for the time being", he muttered to himself, snapping the book closed with one hand, before putting it aside. He got up, walking over to the window as he thought to himself... Everyone here seemed to be rather relaxed, which was refreshing to see, but in the few days he'd been here he still couldn't feel at ease. Staying still and not progressing to his goal somehow made him anxious,
"Hmmm... I suppose I should be patient", demons don't just want to be found he was told by the guild members part of Gospel. So it would seem they would have to wait.
Name: Reynard Faust Age: 24 Guild Mark Location: Right Palm
Magic Type:
Astral Light Magic - A form of light magic that takes the form of blue-green light. It's dimmer than any other light magic, and furthermore has different properties to typical light magic, as it does not emit heat, but has a chilling edge instead as a cold light. It's about as versatile as one would expect of light magic, but this does have one other property that sets it apart, and that it's able to solidify more keenly and sharply. That property combined with being just a bit cool makes it a terrible beam attack, but an excellent physical attack.
Spells:
Passive
Astral Flow: This is a passive effect. As he fights the flow of his Astral Light magic will build up within his sword and sheath as it absorbs excess. The more Basic spells he uses, the more range his normal swings have as they get trailed by Astral Light, and the more magic is built up into his weapons. He can expend the magical energy in them to use his Advanced spells for about the same cost as a basic spell. To clarify, only Advanced Spells.
Basic
Astral Judgement: He can conjure a storm of slashes that detonate and slice an area. The range of this is high and with more than decent power, however it has a delay before it lands, making it easy to avoid as long as you're moving. He is able to use this consecutively too without much trouble up to three times, or even more if his Astral Flow is high enough.
Astral Refinement: He can add a glowing buff to his or any ally's weapon. The effects of this buff include an improvement to cutting power, and slight detonation of the magic on contact depending on surface area. For example a buffed sword might benefit from the improved cutting power, while a hammer might benefit more from the detonation.
Astral Phantom: Reynard is able to move like a phantom, increasing his speed and cloaking himself with his magic, appearing like an after-image made from Astral Light whenever he uses this. The properties of this is he moves blindingly quick, but it's always a straight path.
Starshower Swords: He can conjure swords made from his magic to fly at opponents. He can arrange these in multiple different arrays, and even use them as off-hand weapons. These swords are also not 100% solid so when they pierce opponents, they may appear to go all the way through but won't cause a wound as severe as that seems.
Astral Storm: Every time he swings his blade, he can cause an additional slashing arch to accompany it at a timing he so chooses following the same swing with added range of up to a feet. He can have it accompany his blade at the same time to be a heavy slash, or have it come out shortly after his swing for pressure.
Sundering Star/Storm/Judgement: He'll dash forward and use one of three moves. Sundering Star is where he'll do a single slash through an opponent, easily the fastest and most precise move. Sundering Storm is where he'll use Astral Storm around him slashing wildly, and Sundering Judgement is where he'll dash through opponents leaving behind an Astral Judgement on their positions.
Advanced
Moonlight Twin: An advanced spell where he summons a knight made from Astral Light as a doppelganger to fight alongside him. It can fight independently of him to deal with multiple opponents, or become part of his offense. The Twin can take a few hits being solid enough to do that
Rain of Swords: A Starshower Swords spell applied to summon a powerful rain of blades that can stop most things in it's tracks. He can either set it to an area in front of him, or all around himself.
Phantom's Judgement: He'll take an Iai stance in a specific posture, upon being attacked he'll leave behind an after-image and disappear before appearing behind the attacker as they're struck by several slashes from Astral Judgement.
Hidden Arts
Astral Judgement End: A wide area effect spell that wraps up a gigantic area with Astral Judgement following Reynard seemingly splitting into multiple after-images moving at high speed. The amount of Astral Judgement is so dense it can bind enemies within it. Upon sheathing his blade the entire spell detonates, slashing everything inside it with high intensity. Though this attack is incredibly powerful, it requires concentrating and charging before it's executed.
Sword Techniques
Returning Blade: A rapid three-strike technique where the 3rd strike comes at an unexpected angle while the first two are a back and forth on the same direction. This is a move made to open up an opponent. This can be done from a draw slash or an open blade.
Magic Rank: A
Equipment: Tsukiame Mikazuki [Heavenly Crescent Moon] - A special katana that is forged as both weapon and catalyst for magic. The scabbard is lined with magical crystals that show up as runic patterns when he's casting, and the blade is lacquered with a special mix of the same crystals liquefied. As a side-effect, the lacquer protects the blade from wear and tear more effectively than standard lacquers, and gives it a unique effect when swung. This blade has a curious potential laying in wait within it.
Strengths:
Unwavering Will: He's the least likely to flinch or stand down in the face of adversity, and is usually the first to step up to a challenge.
Swordmaster: He is a skilled swordsman before being a skilled mage, capable with swords in various forms to certain extents. He also has sword techniques, which require only a weapon to use.
Now I'm Motivated: When pushed into a dire situation, he has greater focus as the adrenaline starts pumping. This results in more precise and potent attacks.
Weaknesses:
Independent Priorities: He has his own motivations and goals, and will place those above others. As a result he normally prefers to separate from groups to achieve those goals.
Distrustful: He is somewhat distrustful of others, though in the nature of preferring to confirm things for himself rather than taking the word of others.
Standoffish: He is a rather distant person, making him hard to approach or intimidating to work with. His cold demeanor and appearance can also make him a less than ideal candidate for speaking with some clients.
Personality:
Reynard is an abrasive person to put it simply, letting little get in the way of expressing his distaste with anything, or expressing praise where it is due. He isn't a person of extreme emotions, though he may express himself at times, it's never anywhere near loud or dramatic. As a result though, at times he may take some things just a little too seriously, or even focus on the wrong things.
Thought not uncooperative, he is a strong-minded person, rarely accepting to compromise from his own convictions, and at times even go as far as to go against requests if he doesn't agree with them. If no consensus is found, he will often act on his own. He is a man of a reason however and those that understand that may find him easier to work with.
In battle he is cold and analytical, but when faced with a strong opponent, a kind of fire is ignited within him that causes him to be uncharacteristically eager to fight. To him, every difficult enemy is a chance to push his limits further, to see what he is currently lacking, and in the heat of battle, create a solution for it. It is unclear whether he simply enjoys battle, or enjoys growth.
History/Bio:
Atop a hill behind a thick forest lay a burned down mansion, grounds marred by craters and singed earth. The stories of what happened here varied, some say it was just a fire, a magic gone wrong, or the cursed family was finally claimed by hell itself. No one knew when it happened, just one day there was no one here any longer. The family known as the Fausts, a small reclusive family of mages just simply disappeared one day, and the name now stricken as lost as their bloodline was declared over. The truth was, one person survived the events that ripped the family from the face of the earth. The young boy named Reynard Faust.
Reynard Faust was a young boy barely eight when his family was ripped away from him. The Fausts were a small family with as they claim, a storied history going back more than a few centuries. He knew their family had a reputation for being related to demons, or being a cursed family of misfortune that everyone was told to never go anywhere near. In actuality they were normal people, keeping to themselves, but unknown to them their ancient family estate sat upon powerful demonic artifacts, one that piqued the interest of a demon.
It happened quickly, the house was on fire as a demon descended upon it. At the night of the attack he had found a strange sword within the family estate while exploring, ending up in the sanctum where they kept old artifacts. The sword glowed, called out to him, and at that moment he felt a sense of foreboding. The moments after this, he smelled smoke as he ran outside and his home was already ablaze. He ran around looking for his parents, only to find them slaughtered as he peeked amidst the rubble, and standing over them a demon of fire. If not for the sword he held giving him clarity, he would have been frozen here. With tears in his eyes as he realized what had happened, and the monster he saw, he ran.
The months following this event he went from town to town, being involved in various events, from involving thieves trying to steal the valueable-looking sword he was clutching, to kind people who offered him food and drink when he was desperate. Yet none of those would last, months went by as he continued on, rumors of a boy clutching a sword started to circulate until he was eventually approached by authorities in Oshibana. He was brought in for questioning as to who he was and what he was doing. Being the last of the Faust family came to them as a surprise, as the family was noted to be deceased some months back.
He was put into an orphanage where he would live out the next few years uneventfully, though unhappy. He felt it was unfair that he was here, he still questioned what happened that night. When he said it was a demon that killed them, they laughed, but he knew what he saw, saying it was just a fire. Psychiatrists thought the demon was just a manifestation of his trauma, but he was too set into it, and he was told explicitly by others that demons did not exist. It was for his own good of course, but telling a young child what they saw wasn't real doesn't tend to go over well. In frustration, he would finally run away from the orphanage barely 12.
It wasn't unexpected that a guild would be utilized to find him and bring him back, but when he refused to return they offered him an alternative. He can join them, or he can eventually just be brought back again. Naturally, he chose to join the guild. He was but a whelp far as a mage went, but during the altercation he attempted to use his sword to fight the mages off, and that caught their attention.
This guild was a small guild, they offered little, were friendly, they helped him grow as a mage and even for a time he felt he had something again. He improved his skills as a mage, with some help learned to better utilize the last memento of his family, but such a thing was not to last. After a few years in his late teens he returned to a guild in flames, the bodies of his fellow guildmates were strewn about and some were trapped inside. As he stood there watching the flames, there was not a single voice. Everyone that was here at the time was killed. He stood there, watching the flames in silence, and the events of that night at his family home came back to him.
He re-emerged a few years later, a mage without a guild wandering the country. He went from town to town, searching for demons, as well as looking into any information he can find about them. As he'd expected, any information was scarce, and many times he'd found evidence that it had been removed for reasons unknown. He wagered there were people who didn't want others to know they existed, but there were a few rare instances that he would find some, small encounters with hostile demons hidden away or terrorizing fringes of the countryside, but while he sated his mind's need to know if they existed, these ones were nothing like the one he saw many years ago.
His few years of journeying, hunting and searching led him to learning of the Gospel family. He traced whatever information he could obtain which led him to the guild Fenixtear.
Extra:
- Awaken the Power: The Tsukiame Mikazuki called out to him once with a curious glow, and since then has never glowed in such a way again. Perhaps it hides a hidden power, or even the secret of his family's lineage.
You have incredibly unfortunate timing because the arc just started, and isn't accepting new players until the arc is over. The projection for that is around 4-5 months, but can be sooner if things go smoothly.
If you are somehow still interested you're free to swing by the discord and get to know the other players.
Though as it's literally day 1 of the arc, my recommendation is to talk to me immediately, as it is possible I can make an exception, though I make no promises. Please do so on the discord as I'm pretty quick to respond there.
Kyoto, the city of tradition, history, mysticism and culture, as far as Japan went, Kyoto was considered by many as the most Japanese city. It's idyllic shrines, castles, mixed with the urbanisation seen in many cities of Japan gives it the unique touch of a fusion of culture and urban society. The city was on the cusp of summer as there was a tizzy in the air among the population. It was June after all, and for Kyoto, June through to August was the season of festivals, some even going back to back. There was no shortage of a festival to attend while here in Kyoto.
Unfortunately however the enticing outdoors and interesting cityscape these students could see out the window, served only to be a groaning reminder of why they were here. Yet they bore with it through the promise of free time after today.
"So welcome, to the 2nd Japan Arcanis Alliance Conference, hosted by the Kyoto Mystics Alliance. Those attending today are from places far and wide around Japan. As you know, there is an effort to bring Arcanis and Earth closer together in unity, and harmony...",
The speech bore on for awhile. Some students were a bit too tired from the trip to the hotel and then immediately having to make their way here. The stage of the conference hall had what many are to be believed very important people. Most of which were adults, or very old men, but only one stood out among them, which was a young girl sitting in the center of the rows. It was strange that she would not be mentioned having such an important position, but everyone was a bit too bored to really question it.
"... in particular the academy known as Silver Gate has been making good progress over the last two decades. This conference we hold every year starting from last year is to help those interested in the craft and practice of magic here in Japan to get to know..."
The general point was understood already, the droning seemed to knock a few of the less interested students to sleep already. Kuuto and Utsumi for some reason seemed rather dauntless to this seemingly effective sleep spell of sorts.
"...so we'd like to introduce the head of the Fujiwara Clan who has been working with Arcanis practitioners, to help us understand the benefits of cooperation. Please, give a warm welcome to Motsumine no Fujiwara"
Taking the stage in a complete set of onmyouji gear, the long hat, the white robes, he appeared as if out of a tapestry depicting such figures in Japanese feudal courts. He wasn't the only one dressed this way, those sitting down along the stage wore such things in a variety of styles to represent their schools of exorcism, in fact it came to the attention of some that there were new interested persons this year. Blacksmiths in particular.
"Yes, thank you. I would like to speak today in regards to the equipment that I have made use of from Arcanis", he began. Motsumine was a rather well-done up person, his face was clean, sharp, and eyes that seemed to laugh and scrutinize all at once, and an everpresent slight smile.
"The iron of our world has served us well for generations, and our smiths are the best I could ever ask for, but as our country has faced many trials, so too did our weaponry. When faced with inferior iron, we created the tachi. When the opportunity showed itself, we used the superior iron found on western soil. In the midst of war, we even borrowed the technology of our enemies at the time. Today I ask that we do no different, for you see, the materials of weapons and equipment I have found in Arcanis are among the most effective I have ever had the pleasure to use", he waved a hand as a curtain behind him revealed a set of swords. Those of Arcanis present today might instantly recognize their unique stylings. Motsumine took one of the swords, a gleaming straight sword with a golden edge boxing in a bright silver body.
"I am sure we are familiar with the properties of silver, being able to cut away the impure and corrupted, but what if I told you that within Arcanis lay an even better silver? This sword I hold here is made from Indranite, this is an impressive metal that mere presence can keep the wearer safe from demonic disruption",
There were some murmurs among the blacksmiths, looking to each other and giving some kind of reaction. It was a mix of interest and skepticism.
"So today I have invited many blacksmiths who would be willing to heed my call, to inspect these weapons. I also have invited investors from Arcanis who sit among the crowd today should my esteemed craftsmen wish to purchase some material to try out. I surely hope that my actions today would create a foundation where both our worlds become stronger", there was an applause following his bow, signifying the end of his speech. As he concluded his time on stage he headed back to his seat, letting the host return.
"Thank you Motsumine no Fujiwara! I will also surely be interested in seeing what comes of this. Now onto our next guest...", the rest of the conference was not quite as interesting as Motsumine's speech. Many of them were about relations, the issue on handling both demons and yokai, as they had some differences as well as similarities.
One Hour Later
As soon as the conference ended, people were free to walk around and speak with the guests. Before that though... Motsumine had approached the class group as Kuuto was telling everyone what they were allowed to do while here.
"It is rare to see you, heir of Kirizanto. Perhaps you are here on business?", Kuuto turned to see Motsumine.
"School business. I see you haven't done anything about your showmanship",
"Please, you say that as if it were a bad thing. Think of it, perhaps you would rather a better blade than your family's flimsy demon cutting swords. As effective as they are, you find yourself with a new one every other day", Kuuto looked down in thought, and after a moment he turned back.
"True, perhaps a better weapon would serve me better, but it will be one crafted by our family", Motsumine laughed lightly.
"Yes of course, the pride of our traditions are what keeps our arts alive is it not? All the better to help those arts evolve even further", he waved his paper fan lightly. Despite the somewhat hostile nature of Kuuto and his unwavering frown, it seems the two seemed to enjoy the conversation somewhat.
"Now then Motsumine, surely you have better to do than talk to a teacher. Perhaps it'd be more productive to speak with potential investors", Motsumine laughed heartily, waving a fan lightly as he did.
"Come now, surely I am afforded a conversation with an old friend after so many years! Perhaps you would even have interesting stories to tell, which I would prefer over talking about numbers and trade", Kuuto just pressed his forehead as he looked away a bit, sighing then turning back.
"Fine, but it'll be later. I'm sure we still have some business for the day before we can relax", he gave in. Motsumine's fan snapped back closed in a distinct clap.
"Excellent! I shall contact you thereafter! We have many things to discuss, why I believe it may be a good chance to show you a new tea set I had obtained! Well then, do not let me keep you", Kuuto nodded as Motsumine began walking away. An interesting man to be sure.
Kuuto turned back to the class,
"Alright, so for today we're going to be going around to the various shrines around Kyoto owned by exorcist families. Though that will be after lunch. Until lunch time, you may go around the centre and look at the stands people have setup", he was referring to something akin to employment expos, which was indeed something that was setup in the next hall.
Over the rest of the day...
The rest of the day went by rather quickly, the class went from shrine to shrine, all of them quite large, and were introduced to the many styles of exorcism that existed and were crafted by the various families. They even had time to visit some blacksmiths who were headquartered here in Kyoto, and even went by Kuuto's family house, during which he was mysteriously absent.
Utsumi though for a majority found himself explaining to students the many types of exorcism that existed, at least the ones besides the one they were taught in class. He went into some detail about western style exorcism, as well as what he knew about Arcanis style. Though it was not a classroom setting, so unfortunately there were no books to distribute during this.
Eventually though, everyone would retire to the hotel. Only a select few people realized some people were missing, but when they asked Kuuto or Utsumi about them, they simply said they were on extra-curricular activities, and really, no more than that. As no one could get anything about the missing people out of them, most just went off to do their own thing. At the very least it seemed the two knew what was going on...
The young fox girl wandered the expo place to place. For her, the only worry she had was to make it back to the meeting place in time for lunch, which was a perfectly good reason as any to get back in time. But out of the corner of her eye she spotted someone, a courtesan, back turned, smoking a pipe, disappearing amidst the crowd of the forum. There was an alluring sense to her, but not in the way of attraction, but deep in her being she felt a connection to this person. And so she pursued.
As she sprinted around, some of the people she brushed past stepping back in surprise, and some even telling her to be careful, she turned a corner around the hall as a haze obscured her vision, as soon she took but one more step, the entire area around her was but gray smoke. With no recourse other than to keep moving, backwards, forwards, left or right, none of it seemed to matter. The feeling of panic combined with curiosity filled her as she walked into the smoke, and pretty soon... She found herself standing within a new place.
The pink ethereal blossoms that lined the air around her and the pathway before her almost beckoned her forward, the eternally dark sky above with a full white moon... She was no longer in Kyoto, so she felt.
Todoroki Tsurara
As lunchtime arrived, the lady of ice found herself fatigued by the heat of summer. While the inside of the hall was just fine, it was when lunchtime had come, and beyond when she began to feel her race's limits under the blazing Kyoto sun. Truly, a yuki-onna was not suited for such an environment. Comes to mind the story of a yuki-onna that simply disappeared when she entered hot water. Though no such event has occured for her specific kind, one cannot help but feel such fears may come to pass.
She eventually found a nice place under the shade upon a bench, eating shaved ice as she sat there. Time passed as lunch time was almost over, but it felt as if the shaved ice wasn't enough, and the tiredness and lack of energy began to set in, a fate locked as soon as she began to rest, and just like that she began to doze off. Even if only for a moment.
As she opened her eyes, she was greeted with what felt slightly familiar... Eiseikato.
Jhackson Micheal Mason
Mason kept with his classmates for the majority, in fact he almost felt at home among all these employment-expo-like stands. He would notice a bunch of them weren't just here to represent, but also to recruit, and as a result might notice that it wasn't just their school that was here, there were a few others too. As a result, he safely was untouched throughout until lunch.
In the middle of lunch he had to go to the restroom in the park, but as soon as he emerged from it, there were some men in various suits and sunglasses with a mean look, surrounding him.
"Wait so this the kid?", were they Yakuza? It didn't seem Mason had any room to run except back into the bathroom but somehow a few emerged behind him.
"Just nab him and go, we'll explain everything later", before Mason could react had had a bag put over his head and felt himself being dragged off. Try as he might, he couldn't struggle, but somehow about these guys didn't seem human.
Sure enough... He would have the bag removed from his head as he found hismelf flanked by some goons. Nervously, he would take the ride, not knowing where he was being taken...
After what seemed a few minutes, he would be ushered out, "go on kid get out!", despite the rough words, they didn't handle him too roughly, though as he turned his head towards the outside of the car, he would notice it's ethereal beauty first and foremost, before then realizing this was not a crimelord's estate at all.
Icarus Ochre
The fire bird boy strode around the various stands curiously as he browsed the... Many methods to which he could be snuffed from this world. A strange thought to have but it was one that he had, being a slightly lackadaisical boy with a bit too many thoughts sometimes. Though as he went along he noticed something strange... A small fire bird. A very small one. No one else seemed to be able to see it but it flitted around him as if beckoning him to follow before it led him around the area for a bit.
As Icarus followed it, turning a corner, he suddenly found himself looking at a shrine entrance, a big torii gate acting like a portal between the expo hall and... The shrine. The small fire bird beckoned him to follow as it went deeper in. Look behind him he might, and notice that no one else noticed this was here... Still, this was such a curious event that he could not help but step through, and as soon as he did the entire area changed. The shrine extended further out, disappearing beyond a long winding street as ethereal pink petals fell over an eternal night sky...
@j8cob Just letting you know I went over and made some changes. I also made a new section called Passive for Astral Flow, as I do plan on adding one or two more passives down the road.
I do commissions, specializing in character design. Ask me for prices, or make an order on my Ko-fi.
https://www.artstation.com/sq5
https://ko-fi.com/sq505x
I also play FF14 and PSO2 so yeah.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I do commissions, specializing in character design. Ask me for prices, or make an order on my Ko-fi.<br><br><a href="https://www.artstation.com/sq5" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">artstation.com/sq5</a><br><a href="https://ko-fi.com/sq505x" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ko-fi.com/sq505x</a><br><br>I also play FF14 and PSO2 so yeah.</div>
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