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Elentir
Elentir

@Petulant@Sadu@JrVader@BlackMaiden@The Jest@Gerlando@Byte@Aku the Samurai@RabidChoco@Digmata@Taka

Hizuru
Hizuru

Rosletta Library
Rosletta Library

Within the Guild's interior, lies the guildhall, an infinite space, erected by intensive spatial & living magic, hence it's a living space/time library.

Ifrit, Akane, Amaya, Gwen & Eric, all met within the space defying zone, where the gravity, vector & mass don't apply. On the way, Gwen failed to realize why she was summoned. "The Rosletta Library and if I am here - it means a Demonic Hourglass has been located?!"

Gwen swerved and jumped across infinite rooms in the Library, boundless for sure & each pull, put her closer to where the Goblin Sisters were.


Their Master, Azuria Rutines, a Goblinoid, was practicing atop her alchemy lab and expressed tenderness yet disappointment towards her S-Class.

"My sister, Zeire won't be here to give you items. You're here because over 100-yrs, since Fenix Tear's founding, the S-Class has changed. I am disappointed yet proud for the commitment y'all have in intervening with the Sin Kingdom's affairs. A Demonic Hourglass has been located, I need a team of five for that.

However, Azuria couldn't keep bottling up her disappointment.

"Why is it, when faced against a Hellgate Devil, the timeline keeps resetting? I lose track of who is alive, dead or erased. It's not just my precious teardrops that's been wasted but you, the Oracion Sei. Six of you, once were, now five."

Oracion Sei — Six Prayers, a common naming for Guilds of Six People. In Fenix, the Oracion Sei comprised of Six S-Class Unit.

"I am forced to hold another S-Class Exams amidst the upcoming Grand Magic Games. Which means you can't have both, I only need two S-Class for the Game, while the other three facilitates."

True, a Hellgate is a Devil of the strongest caliber, capable of distorting the rifts of time.

"Ifrit, Amaya. Two of the strongest Lieutenants I have, I welcome you for surviving into this timeline."

Azuria then looked at Akane.

"If the Harvest Gods are upon us, would it be possible to alchemize a Sekihara?" Quote: A Sekihara is a killing stone, a philosopher stone that kills Kitsune.

Azuria directed her attention at Gwen and Eric.

"You two, why haven't y'all find the Phoenix Stone?"

"The rest of you, Shinra, Dolores, Conq, Taylor, Lucas. Try harder, the S-Class Exams are soon or would you rather be in the GMG?"

Azuria sighed and her mood changed.

"Don't get rattled, my Teardrops. I just want y'all to succeed. Any questions? Nows the time to be organized upon participation." She smiled.

'No we really have to, especially when the King is watching!'

She looked at Ifrit and Akane, signalling the them to stay behind.

Indeed, the King was watching...

Before Azuria's speech in the Guild Hall, a number of Fenix Tear's members had been called for attendance in the Crèmisi Empire's Royal Castle: a massive pagoda that seemed to defy both the laws of physics and magic in the height it reached, and the sprawling maze-like settlement that extended its way for miles around the space. The buildings in the settlement, depending on the proximity to the pagoda, were either for the residence of either nobles, visiting courtiers, or people of otherwise higher status to spend their nights in, or for the army of servants, scribes and key officials needed to keep a ship as mighty as the Le Lendard's Imperial Castle afloat.

The members of Fenix Tear present were as thus: Dolores, Ifrit, Zeire, Kotaro, and Conq. The former four had been chosen listen to the particulars of whatever request the Sorcerer King herself had deigned to make of the guild. The unranked mage of no particular value, the old hand Conq, was only present because he was the only member of the guild actually familiar with the western continent-influenced courtesies of a court like Le Lendard.

"Do it as I do, one leg extended behind the other while bowing as deep as you can. I'm the first one speaking, so only I need to do it right. Though, Dolores, I expect you'd know, given... well, y'know..." The elderly guild member wisely decided to shut up before the grand twin doors to the throne room. The throne room was decidedly empty of both guards and petitioners, save for a red-headed young woman clad in armor standing in position by the foot of the stairs leading to the throne.

Tap... tap... tap... A rhythmic tapping of metal of stone. Then from behind a curtain she appeared. Long, crimson hair woven into intricate weaves and braids, clad in resplendent armor shined to dazzling, a circlet of golden and studded gems representing immeasurable wealth on her head, a flowing cape of the same hue as her hair emblazoned with the coat of her arms of her kingdom, and a mighty staff that tapped against the marble floors with each of her steps.

But for all the splendor that was Empress Craïstine Le Lendard's appearance and posture, the sheer weight of her presence seemed the most pressing and overwhelming. All mages could sense magic, ambient or personal. And the Empress seemed to have amassed a wealth of magic like a dragon hoards gold. It was beyond what felt feasible, or even possible for mortals...

Yet, Conq held his ground. He swallowed and performed the perfectly dignified bow for the Empress while indicating the others to follow suit as best as they can. "Your Imperial Majesty, you are as radiant as you were a hundred years ago."

The Sorcerer King raised her brows just the tiniest fraction before she asked: "Have we met before, Sir?"

"No. I've only seen Your Royal Highness at parades back then."

---

Lucas let out a groan as he pondered his options with contemplative frown. If he is going to be honest, he would rather not take both and focus on getting books and operating as a librarian for the guilds public library. Especially with the recent of headaches he's feeling. It wasn't anything worrying but sometimes he felt some weird sense of deja vu doing his daily routine and sometimes the reverse also happen as well. He had been considering asking for a brief leave to get some fresh air but this sudden eagerness of the guildmaster put an end to that.

If he had to put a pin on when the eagerness started it would be when some members of the guild acted weird, as if they were seeing the guild for the first time. He would look more into it but he is busy organizing a new function for the library, one that would allow the library to turn into a hang out for younger people with toys, board games and other activities they could partake within reason.

But if he needs to choose then...

"I think I'll participate for the games." he decided as a bout of deja vu entered his head.

"I'm not sure when but I remember promising to do that." he added as memories of a time separate to his mixed in his head.

---

---

For all the pretty speeches and convoluted drama, Dolores had endured. She stood, straightened back and poker face in hand. Time was relative and she didn’t really seem to fully grasp what the guild master was talking about. Whatever it was insinuated that it was important to some, less so to Dolores.

One eyebrow arched involuntarily at the implication that there had been a reset of some kind. To Dolores it sounded like a purge and she decided that prodding the equivalent of a beehive was probably not the best course of action.

She weighed the options in her head, a hand absently twirling a strand of curly red hair between thumb and forefinger. Thoughts swaying between ‘Spotlights? Not my style.’ and ‘Haven’t even had my morning coffee yet.’

And still she had endured…

Dolores wasn’t one for spectacle, and the grand magic games were a pastime she rather didn’t entertain. Kids playing at fighting and parlour tricks, she once said to a merchant asking the details and purpose of the games.

The S-class exams, however, she had an equal mind for. Status was pretty, but useless in the grand scheme of things. And she’d prefer ranking on a more practical basis, power wasn’t simply flinging a giant fireball in a particular direction, after all…

Regardless,

“I shall assist in any way I can, ma’am.” She offered matter-of-factly. A hand flicked reflexively near her staff, a trail of smoke licking the haft as it bellowed from her fingers.

Her violet eyes fell on Gwen for a moment. She considered finding a kindred spirit in detachment, but decided the ice alchemist had better things to do than entertain Dolores’ dissonance.

“If there is nothing else,” Her head twitched slightly in what may have been a nod. “I will return to my duties.” Paperwork didn’t file itself after all, and for whatever reason Dolores had quickly learned that Phoenix Tear was… sloppy. Disciplined in all but administrative work, and she’d picked it up on her own initiative for want of something productive to do.

---

Dolores couldn’t deny that any pretence of these kinds of places irked in ways she was unable to describe. And perhaps the half-glower half-pucker face like she sucked on a lemon in between scolding a junior mage for setting the guild bar on fire gave that thought away.

So when Conq decided it was a good idea to teach everyone etiquette, Dolores sighed and gave the old man a reluctant nod. The woman glanced over at the other mages. Passing judgement perhaps, though it was hard to tell from the icy stare alone.

“We shall endeavour to follow your lead.”

Not that she needed the reminder, muscle memory was one Hell of a thing; the motions almost instinct. A graceful stride, a head held high. The noble never quite faded no matter how hard she’d tried to tuck it away underneath the merc demeanour.

When Conq moved, she mirrored him with precision. A measured bow, one hand over her heart. Not deep enough to submit, not shallow enough to insult.

When the Sorcerer King descended from behind the veil of curtains, that weight of magic struck the air like a stormfront. Her stance was the same calm readiness she carried into battle: one heel back, shoulders square, hands folded behind her back. Power this concentrated wasn’t new to her, not really.

Dolores inclined her head a fraction deeper, the subtlest gesture of acknowledgment. Nobles knew that language of inches and pauses, and Dolores still spoke it fluently. She let Conq’s voice carry the room while her eyes lowered just enough to seem dutiful.

Confused by all this talk of timelines, one who was very quiet, if not entirely asleep standing up, was Akane the Kitsune from the East. In her memory, she had been in this guild for some time, before some of its members started to act strangely, as if they were seeing others for the first time. She had some ideas, but she kept it to herself as the meeting confused her even further. She didn't talk much, she never had, and when she did speak, she was very matter-of-fact about everything.

Her voice carried a maturity far beyond what she appeared, as she was half as tall as most others around her. She almost looked child-like, with white fox ears, and a single white fox tail. Her colors were a symbol of nobility, but she claimed no clan of origin, no 'people' from the East. If anything, what very little anyone had managed to get out of her about her past suggested she was a loner who somehow knew very little of the going-ons of her own homeland.

Though many in the guild likely wondered why she was S-Class to begin with. She never gave any displays of power, never took on particularly difficult jobs. In fact, she had never been seen so much as looking at the S-Class board, only ever taking on the most simple quests imaginable. Someone once said 'If your cat ever gets stuck in a tree, she's the perfect wizard to help you.'

Perhaps she was accepted simply because if the Guild Master thinks she's S-Class, then she's S-Class.

Still, almost falling over, she jerked upright when she heard her name, and still as confused as ever, contemplated the question until her words came out as if she never had any concerns about the question to begin with.

"The power required to create a Sekihara is currently well beyond what I am capable of as I exist now. Such power would destroy me were I to even try and use it, and in fact I doubt there is any of my kind in the world capable of creating one. That would suggest the ability to even create that much magical energy to harness in the first place... but even with the aid of everyone present, that level of magic is simply impossible right now." Crossing her arms behind her back, she added- "If you truly wanted to create one... it would take a few years of planning, and the sacrifice of three, maybe four major cities worth of people. That is to say... it is not an option."