As the scene unfolded before the group's eyes, Reynard took note that a normal conversation was not going to result, and instead walked over to the map Carver had laid out, inspecting it himself. A pause in this conversation would occur with their client Carver nervously trying to hand Gwendolyn back her clothes. The map from what he understood was plans for the places Carver wished to visit and access, he had some ideas what it all meant, but he was sadly not too familiar with these areas indicated on the map. The rest of the scene with the floundering Carver was but background noise to him as he involved himself with his own thing... Though eventually, his voice would cut through the atmosphere and bring attention back,
"It appears you've made a map for your journey, along with some of your own notes. Would you care to explain it to us? Preferably before you decide to turn into a blithering mess again", his tone was cold and almost reprimanding. His eyes turned to the rest of the guild as he stood around the table with the map, a sort of signal for them to gather round as hopefully Carver would too and explain to them what their job entails.
Magic: Belius is a strange mage, one who has learned many different magics that were considered worthless alone.
Sword-Shape Magic - A Caster magic that allows the user to shape any amount of matter and energy into a sword shape, and specifically a sword. This magic is quite weak on it's own, limited by matter and quantity as well as quality of the things it's shaping. Belius though has become supremely skilled at this magic he learned as a child just to play swords with other kids. The feats he can pull off with it are immense, and his speed of transformation is near instant, a feat only possible through years of mastery and usage.
:::SUPPLEMENTARY:::
Lighter Hand: A magic that allows the user to hold fire, as well as generate it out of their hand. It can't be projected and fire it off like most other fire magic though. This was a fire magic that came free with the "Mages Weekly Survival".
Aerosphere: A magic that allows the user to control wind in their immediate area as well as generate it. It's great for clearing away leaves.
Miner's Friend: A magic that was made just for carrying and extracting rocks and ores. He learned this when he worked part time at a mine. It can also be used to quickly pull and gather rocks or other earthly elements.
Chilly Touch: A magic that's preferred by bartenders everyone for instantly chilling their customer's drinks. It generates ice out of the palm of the user's hand.
Torchlight: A magic that allows the user to create orbs of light as additional sources of light. It's useful for dark trips to the toilet.
Hydro Hand: Similar to lighter hand, allows the user to generate water out of their hand. It can be expelled as a short range burst with decent concussive force, or be fired as a weak stream. This was mainly a magic for firefighters.
Ink Blot: A dark magic that creates shadow in energy form, meant to be used then applied to your face as a kind of emergency face mask for sleeping.
Zap Charge: A lightning magic that allows the user to charge batteries using just magical power. This can allow them to jumpstart machinery too and light up lightbulbs. An essential for electricians.
SPELLS
::Essential::
Lethal Weapon: An advanced application where he shapes the kinetic force of his kicks and punches into swords. He can now cut by punching and kicking.
Sword Generation (Level 1/2/3): A combination spell where he uses any of his supplementaries to generate an element for him to shape into a sword. This has a Level 2 and 3 as well where he combines them with 2 and then 3 elements. A blade of water wreathed in lightning, a blade of molten rock from searing fire, among other things.
Reforge: A simple spell that layers on the current sword he's holding with itself, increasing it's solidity and power. He can do this multiple times, and other applications of it have it's own names.
::Basic Level::
Skycutter: A simple application of Sword Generation where he instantly extends the length of the sword for a single instant, allowing him to cut far-off targets. Doing so usually disperses the density of the sword during that instant though, so it may not cut as deep... Or may cut quite deep in the case of steel.
Heavy Slash: A simple application of Sword Generation where he instantly increases the size of sword for a powerful slash. A side-effect of this is that upon doing so it will disperse during the swing, for example a fire Heavy Slash will fire off a short-range wave of fire.
Swordslinger: A very simple application of Sword Generation where he makes unstable swords and throws them. Of course he can throw any full-formed sword he has on him too.
::Mid Level::
Graveyard of Swords: Placing his hand on the ground, he can cause swords to be produced in the area all around him made from whatever is in the immediate area.
Horde of Blades: Expelled from a single swing, he causes the area in front to be pelted with hundreds of tiny swords, slashing the entire area countless times. The scale of the attack is affected by how long he holds it, as well as the size and reforge value of the sword.
::High Level::
Tempering Edge: A complex application of Reforge where he only reforges the very edge of the sword, and constantly at a fast pace, giving it an almost laser-cutting property as it reforges and slices each time it does while at the same time getting sharper. While he does this, his sword is able to cut through almost anything, but he can't sustain it for very long.
Sword of Thieves: A spell where Belius absorbs an attack by turning it into a sword. Requires contact with the attack which makes it risky, as he will still take the larger portion of the attack. The sword generated will keep all properties of the attack he had converted, but will be limited in quantity, what he makes is what he's stuck with unless he does this again. The larger the attack, the greater the risk, but also the greater the sword he can make.
::Hi-Ougi:: Blades of Legend: The High Art that he had created for the express purpose of putting his life on the line if he needs to. He shapes his own pure magical energy into a single sword, or even more if he's pushing it. It normally appears blue, but if it appears any other colour, it's no longer using his magical energy. All of these swords aren't just shaped from the idea of a sword, but also a legend, allowing him to imbue them with properties of his own choosing based on those legends. As one might say, the ability to imbue a sword with power beyond being a sharp slab of metal is the highest skill a blacksmith can attain. These blades being made of pure magical energy also mean that they can obtain the elemental properties of elements that they are bathed in.
Muramasa: The Legend of Bloodlust, an all out attack sword that can cut anything providing little in way of defense or direct combat. It takes the form of a long katana and it appears able to create fields of slashing waves.
Excalibur: The Legend of Light, an all-round sword with the ability to fire beams of light. It's probably the safest weapon due to it's controlled energy output, but it's the one that provides the least benefits. It takes the form of a longsword with space for two hands, making it an all-round for a swordsman too.
Durandal: The Legend of the Enduring, an all-out defense sword with the ability to guard the user as well as allies with large broadswords. It has a maximum range, but anyone inside it will be under the guard of rapidly generated swords of mana. This takes the form of a broad-bladed claymore with a cross guard. Despite it's defensive nature, it's not a sword you want to accept a blow from directly anyway.
Usumidori: The Legend of Wings, an all-out speed sword with the ability to increase the user's agility and speed, leaping bounds and closing distances in an instant. The amount of strikes a user can put out with this sword is also impressive, able to make what appears like one slash become several. This takes the form of a standard katana, making it a rather mobile weapon.
Magic Level: A
History:
Belius grew up as an orphan alongside his younger sister. The orphanage years were not so bad, he enjoyed himself and was a bright kid with a bit too much energy. He learned the magic Sword Shape from the local blacksmith because he wanted to play swords with the other kids, he learned a variety of other little magics out of interest or convenience, and as he grew older he became a more and more adept magic user. Through his early teens he often picked fights with the local kids, known back in the day as the “Sword Maniac”, swinging some wooden sword around, known for taking whole hordes of other kids, even those much older than him, yet they never seemed stronger.
No one took notice of his prodigious talent in magic, only his physical prowess, believing him to be a sword conjuring mage, and even to this day, most people he’s met still believe that. Little do they know, he’s just using multiple rudimentary or rather weak magic and combining them to make his own unique style. Never having felt the need to learn a more powerful and practical magic, though perhaps that day may come eventually.
He grew up with his sister, causing a lot of trouble for her due to the amount of trouble he would get into, yet he was always first to take jobs to support the both of them. Working various jobs from working as a miner, firefighter, a bartender, waiter, chef, host, temporary therapist (for one day), street sign holder, store clerk, and… Many more.
From the age of 16 and onward he travelled from city to city, continuing to work different jobs and dropping it a month later as he wandered to the next. Somewhere in his teens he knew what excited him most, often chasing the rumors of strong mages and challenging them to duels on the street, and before he knew it he was known as the “The Duelist Mage”. He never fought to kill, he was even almost arrested many times, and his reputation made him a divided topic, he was either a dark mage looking for someone, or an idiot. He was the latter.
Eventually he ran into Phoenix Wing. By now he’d fought many strong mages in their own right, some with their own reputation and others who did not take kindly to him and may have returned only to be beaten again even with help. However, Phoenix Wing was a different encounter, appearing at the Guild Hall and challenged them to one on one combat. At this time, Damian was back from a long time away from the Guild, and decided to humor the one who would so brazenly challenge a guild right at their hall.
The ensuing battle would appear akin to a battlefield, razing the whole square. Though the battle would go on for quite some time, after a certain time a clear winner was appearing in Damian, and soon Belius would be soundly beaten. Yet as he lay back there on his back, all he did was laugh, before sitting up, saying he’s had a lot of fun. Perhaps to someone like Damian this was strange, but he was quite genuine about it.
In the ensuing month he ended up joining Phoenix Wing along with his sister, that is of course following some of the due process and him expressing interest. Surely, with a guild full of strong people, he can also fight strong people and get even more powerful.
Personality: Belius is a contagiously jolly man, it's not uncommon to see him laughing, drinking, and eating in the guild hall. His guiding philosophy is to enjoy life and to excel in that enjoyment, and to him, there is nothing more enjoyable than a thrilling fight. It goes without saying he has chosen to excel at fighting. He's an agreeable man for the most part, and normally lets people do as they please. Due to his simplicity though, it can be easy to persuade him with the right things.
It's often easy to mistake him for someone lacking in intelligence, but truthfully he's quite smart, especially when it comes to problem solving. He may not have the expansive knowledge locked up in his head, but when it comes to dealing with situations and thinking on his feet, he's not too shabby. He has a decently creative mind, combined with a reckless spirit. As a result, he's also quite a risk taker.
At his best, he's a generous man, though he seems in a constant good mood, sometimes it's noticeable if he's actually in a good mood. Usually following when he discovers a strong opponent. At his worst though, he's a little... Edgier. He goes around picking fights and insulting everyone he beats, which on some days can be quite numerous. Fortunately he's not a man able to hide his emotions, when he has a rather foul expression with no smile, it may be best to avoid him.
Guild and guild mark location: Center of his chest. Team Members:
Three Strengths: (Not just combat)
1. The Beast - He is what one might call a beast. His physical prowess is absurd, in speed, skill, strength, and endurance. He also possesses a great deal of skill in martial pursuits such as swordsmanship and hand to hand combat.
2. Jovial Spirit - Despite his habits, he can be an uplifting presence. He's a cheerful guy who likes to crack jokes.
3. Natural Affinity - He has a huge store of magical energy and prodigious control over it, allowing him to increase the output of otherwise basic or weak spells to an incredible amount.
Three Weaknesses: (Make them Applicable)
1. Hunter of the Fight - He relishes combat, and will often hold back just so that he can enjoy the fight for a little longer. He rarely will wrap up a job without someone else urging him to. He will also support the losing side of any conflict just because it's more fun to him that way.
2. Arrogance - Despite his jolly attitude, he's actually a bit arrogant, without batting an eye he can easily talk down to his foes if they haven't proven themselves to him yet.
3. Overly Confident - Though more often than not he can back it, it can still get him into hot water if he manages to pick fights with the wrong person. He might still enjoy himself though...
Greatest Love: There are two things he loves in life. The thrill of the fight, and his family, that being his sister, and the guild to some extent. Though he’s more than willing to fight for them, he has yet to form a deeper emotional connection.
Motivation: To fight. He wants more and more interesting encounters, and will often try to take missions that seem likely to give him that.
Additional Details:
He’s not a popular partner to take onto missions due to his habit of escalating situations just for a bit more fun.
He is more often than not mistaken for a hand to hand fighter, because he’s predominantly seen doing that. The truth is he’s fighting hand to hand because it gives him more of a challenge against weaker opponents.
He is also mistaken for a fire mage, because he predominantly makes use of that element for sword-shaping. This is actually on purpose.
The day would continue on with chatting in such a way. "Oh, no what's LINE?" she would say answer Otis, "ah, souvenirs and takoyaki sounds nice! I haven't tried those before", which was almost a surprise to hear, considering their accessibility, and "well let's see...", she pondered... What stories did she have? Seirin seemed to really be enjoying herself as they went around Kiyomizu-dera.
The summer heat of Kyoto proved to be a bit much for Asta, Rodrick, and even Helena who hailed from the warmer regions of Arcanis. For the time being they found themselves resting at some benches along a lonely path around the shrine.
"I suppose this would be a good time to get food and eat, I am also becoming a bit tired and hungry, perhaps we could have that 'takoyaki' you mentioned?" she asked, hands clasped together as she looked up hopefully at the group. Seirin seemed to have stars in her eyes when they were described to her before, so her eagerness was noted. There was a stall somewhere just a stone's throw outside the entrance to the shrine, the total trip back and forth would be only around twenty or thirty minutes. Not all of them had to go, maybe 2 of them to have enough hands to carry the bags if they were intended to get some for everyone.
"Please... Bring drinks too...", Asta appeared to be suffering a little. Duly noted one might say.
As Akimoto sheathed his blade again he turned and noticed a boy stepping up to the metaphorical ring. He sighed before the boy would ask to challenge him. His eyes quickly sized up the lad, his stance was open, he felt hesitation in those blades, and though it appears he has trained his body much, he was lacking in various other areas. Normally just that would be more than enough for him to turn it down, he had nothing to learn from such a green swordsman, but there was a hunger in those eyes... He was a little interested, but this would certainly not be one to the death.
"Alright, but I'll only use this stick", he answered back, bringing the stick he had used earlier to a mid-stance in one hand.
"Come at me whenever you feel like it", though he would prefer sooner, but he wasn't about to admit that. He would prefer to not be here when that man from earlier returned with more cronies.
In not long the young girl of supposedly high class found herself having her hair style being altered. Before long her hair was not tied into a pony tail, peeking out from behind her messenger hat. She thanked Lorelai briefly, but before she could pipe up about more on history she was interrupted by Otis, who seemed to repeat some of the same questions. She seemed to freeze for a moment, but as soon as anyone tried to get a reaction from her she managed to respond. It appeared as if she was just processing it.
"Classified information, they're trying to prevent me from being in trouble, not that I'm aware of, I am allowed an allowance for personal spending, yes I do there are many lovely places in Kyoto, and that was for my duty... Hm? How do you know about that? Ah... That makes sense, you all are from Arcanis after all you must've been there. Why else would you be in Kyoto", she clapped her hands together in revelation. So these people were also from the conference? What a coincidence. Though she answered the questions like that, she was told earlier this morning her life was in danger... Due to her status and what she was, this was one of her only opportunities to explore Kyoto without an entourage.
"Hm, well, in such a case I can show you around to some of the trails around this shrine. There are some sitting areas along the routes if you have packed food", she suggested.
The fine young lady seemed a little surprised and taken aback at first. The blank yet inquisitive stare of the young boy introducing himself as Otis was a fair bit surprising. Just as soon, the other two made a bit more space and introduced themselves as well. Arcanis they said... Normally people may not know where that was or what it was, the existence of Arcanis was still largely a secret after all. Still, it seemed that Seirin was not unfamiliar with those words. The other two in the group Rodrick and Helena piped up too,
"I am Rodrick, and this is Helena, we too are from Arcanis... Hmph, I understand those sentiments, many young nobles I knew in my childhood dealt with such constraints",
"Mhm, and you were always caught by them. Are you jealous of our new friend's skills of stealth?", Rodrick shot a glare at Helena and the two began to bicker amongst themselves.
As she was given her breathing space, her face of surprise changed to an elegant yet jolly laugh, her hand by her mouth with a look of genuine enjoyment.
"Of course! I'd be happy to", she responded. She pursed her fingers together, her voice soft and almost like a little rabbit with the way she spoke, "I surely hope we can be friends for longer than a day, and Arcanis... Hm, I had heard of that before but I've never been there. The stories I have heard and read from that place seem quite delightful! There was one about a famed Arcture General who fought the Kingdom of the Northern Seas during a naval campaign, known for the red lightning that he wielded they called him the Lightning Count, and his incredible prowess in battle and tactics led to a sound victory.... Ahhhh I do love tales of battle and war...! My home's stories are just as amazing, but what historic battle in Japan has an army of dragons?... Oh!", throughout the little tirade, she seemed to have gone into her own little world, placing her hands on her face and closing her eyes in delight, but as soon as she realized her own habit, she turned back to the group.
"I'm so sorry, when I get talking I... Don't seem to know how to stop. For much of my duties required as little of it as possible", Seirin seemed to have calmed down a little bit as she handed the stage over to the group.
Tsurara found herself in a Flower Arrangement class, they pick flowers, based on meanings, appearance, as well as numbers and size, and arrange it into a vase. Prior to this, she was learning how to cook with varying results, the basics of cleaning and cleaning chemicals, how to mix them to get a better wash, and apparently after flower arrangement it was a lesson for calligraphy and dance. Much as she'd like, anything she attempted to express to Tsukihara would be immediately met with dismissal unless it was related to the class at hand.
It was strange though, every task had a little something... She wasn't sure what, but for some reason she found herself quite focused by the time she was here in flower arrangement. Something about knowing how things flow together... Maybe it wasn't so bad? Even if it was still supremely boring for her, there was something that told her it would not be for nothing...
The... Sort of smarmy phoenix man Hinoyama watched and listened with what appeared to be genuine interest. To think, phoenixes on that side lived what sounded like more normal lives. Here, as a Suzaku he was both feared and worshipped, as a bringer of destruction and fire, or as the avatar of immortality and a protector of the land. He had been both many times over... Yet not a single time, not a single memory in his mind, was one regarding family.
"Hmmm, interesting. So there is family over there? Now I just want to meet them and ask them questions. But yes perhaps Go had been a... Poor choice. Maybe something more familiar, chess? Checkers? Or this game "Monopoly" that a young child had recommended to me during a shrine visit? Well, whichever we may play next, I must make good on my own word. Your first little lesson for the day... Are you able to generate flames on your own?", he asked. He held his hand out in front just a bit in front of himself. A flame emerged from the palm of his hand, with embers flickering in the shape of feathers.
"When we generate our own flames, they may appear different... Of course, if you can't generate your own, that will be the first thing we do today", he stated.
Koyuki's work was strenuous, her first day's tasks constituted mainly of cleaning duties. This meant scrubbing the floors, putting away clothes for the wash, cleaning the rooms after guests had left as well as changing the sheets and amenities. By the end of the day she was also doing room service deliveries, as soon as it appeared as if she knew the etiquette. Still... One of the most tiring things of this job was that the sky outside did not change. It felt as if time had stood still, she had no sense of how much time had passed... But eventually, she was told by her manager she was free to rest and get herself dinner. A relief, she may think.
As she sat down for a rest before changing, a tiny black and gray fox with purple linings and patterns appeared before her, prancing around in the air. The golden rings along the tails were also an eye-catcher. In an echoing voice she heard Kuzunoha speak through it,
"My my, the young fox appears to have made it through her first day. I had assumed a cushy life ever since becoming a kitsune would have meant a less than desirable constitution... Well then, perhaps it is time for your first lesson, and before you panic, it's only a thinking exercise. I don't want any of my employees to find themselves unable to work on account of me", she began. The little what she would assume was a familiar pranced around her head before standing only several inches from her face.
"Now... Lesson one. I hope you had familiarized yourself with illusions over today. Did you notice how your seniors had conducted themselves in front of patrons? The otherworldly gratitude and happiness our guests felt. A simple illusion to appear more desirable or welcoming. We kitsune employ illusions with grace and beauty, artificial charm we create for ourselves to have an edge. If you can prove yourself capable, perhaps you can get a promotion tomorrow... Oh and, you will be getting paid for this, in case you had any questions, now then, enjoy yourself", and with that the little fox was gone, leaving Koyuki her own little thing to think about.
Reynard nodded in understanding, Torys seemed a little disinterested as she told them to not make the guild look bad, you would think something like that is a point of proper consideration, but either she was really self-assured or was full of apathy.
"That goes without saying...", he responded, turning back to the group.
"I suppose an introduction is necessary. I am Reynard Faust", his eyes focused on Jessica as he introduced himself, then his eyes went down towards her sword, strapped to her hip. Interesting. He couldn't help but rest his chin on his fingers as if he was thinking. He wondered what kind of origin and properties such a weapon might have... He had thought the unknown properties of his Mikazuki was curious, but something like this...
"Hmmm... I suppose now is not the time for this...", he muttered under his voice, before turning his head back up to the group. "Very well, we shall go to the museum right now. No detours", was he a fun guy? Probably not. So they were to go straight to the museum.
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.
I do commissions, specializing in character design. Ask me for prices, or make an order on my Ko-fi.
https://www.artstation.com/sq5
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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>