The Esoterics: Devil's Whisper IC (Fantasy, Intrigue, Open)

[Asardia]

Arrindor

"I understand", Arrindor said blankly. His heart was pounding and he breathed heavier. He had several questions about the army and its usage, but he decided to forgo that for now. "If it's alright, I'll use my transmutation magic to send spy on Maurikael to get more details. Also, where should I meet Darkon?"

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine turned towards Sumani for her next instructions, and he motioned for her to follow him, and by extension, Diva. Sumani responded by saying, "That is our job, your highness. We'll obey you as often as you wish."

Jasmine spoke for the first time. Her nervousness now completely dissipated. "Where are we heading?" She scrambled to add "your highness" at the end. Neither Sumani nor Jasmine knew the prince that well or what will be doing for the foreseeable future.

Kosen Machi District

Several Machi Yin guards accompanied Maurikael and Sarin while they left their estates. The first stage of the coup was already in effect. Jasmine's ability would be tested while Sumani served as a strong weapon to be used to cut down any threats. His Heavenly Judgement power was, by Maurikael's estimates, one of the more powerful forms of magic in the entire country.

But more pressing matters awaited the two men. They needed to return to the Arbitration Censorate to fully exercise the organization's vast judicial powers. The plan was a gradual decrease in the freedom's of the citizens of Ryobei. This already occurred with the restriction on ordinary citizens entering the lands of the nobles. Next was the introduction of a law banning public gatherings exceeding a certain amount of people, probably around 5. Government approval (by the Censorate of course) would be needed for anything larger. Dissent would be far less organized if open disagreement was prohibited.

Maurikael and Sarin walked up the steps of the Censorate's Palace together. Maurikael wasn't the type of man who wanted to display his power for the world to see. Instead, he preferred to work behind the scenes to establish power that rivaled that of the emperor. When they entered the chamber where the law making was to be done, they sat down on the chairs gathered and began to work. Maurikael dictated his words to Sarin, whose expert penmanship was one of his finest qualities. Sarin's seemingly perfect calligraphic handwriting was modeled on the ancient religious texts of the Yuko Taisha, the main religion of the empire's citizens.

ֆȶǟȶɛʍɛռȶ ɮʏ ȶɦɛ ǟʀɮɨȶʀǟȶɨօռ ƈɛռֆօʀǟȶɛ

Eƒƒєƈƭɪvє ɪɱɱєɗɪʌƭєʅɣ, ʌʅʅ ʛʌƭɦєɾɪɲʛƨ ơƒ ɱơɾє ƭɦʌɲ 5 ɱʌʛєƨ ɪƨ ɲơɯ ƥɾơɦɪƅɪƭєɗ υɲʅєƨƨ ƭɦє Cєɲƨơɾʌƭє ʛɪvєƨ єҳƥɾєƨƨ ɯɾɪƭƭєɲ ƥєɾɱɪƨƨɪơɲ. Aʅʅ ƈɪƭɪȥєɲƨ ơƒ Rɣơƅєɪ ʌɾє єҳƥєƈƭєɗ ƭơ ƈơɱƥʅɣ ɯɪƭɦ ƭɦɪƨ ɲєɯ ʅʌɯ

[Frachen]

Arrindor

"I understand", Arrindor said blankly. His heart was pounding and he breathed heavier. He had several questions about the army and its usage, but he decided to forgo that for now. "If it's alright, I'll use my transmutation magic to send spy on Maurikael to get more details. Also, where should I meet Darkon?"

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine turned towards Sumani for her next instructions, and he motioned for her to follow him, and by extension, Diva. Sumani responded by saying, "That is our job, your highness. We'll obey you as often as you wish."

Jasmine spoke for the first time. Her nervousness now completely dissipated. "Where are we heading?" She scrambled to add "your highness" at the end. Neither Sumani nor Jasmine knew the prince that well or what will be doing for the foreseeable future.

Kosen Machi District

Several Machi Yin guards accompanied Maurikael and Sarin while they left their estates. The first stage of the coup was already in effect. Jasmine's ability would be tested while Sumani served as a strong weapon to be used to cut down any threats. His Heavenly Judgement power was, by Maurikael's estimates, one of the more powerful forms of magic in the entire country.

But more pressing matters awaited the two men. They needed to return to the Arbitration Censorate to fully exercise the organization's vast judicial powers. The plan was a gradual decrease in the freedom's of the citizens of Ryobei. This already occurred with the restriction on ordinary citizens entering the lands of the nobles. Next was the introduction of a law banning public gatherings exceeding a certain amount of people, probably around 5. Government approval (by the Censorate of course) would be needed for anything larger. Dissent would be far less organized if open disagreement was prohibited.

Maurikael and Sarin walked up the steps of the Censorate's Palace together. Maurikael wasn't the type of man who wanted to display his power for the world to see. Instead, he preferred to work behind the scenes to establish power that rivaled that of the emperor. When they entered the chamber where the law making was to be done, they sat down on the chairs gathered and began to work. Maurikael dictated his words to Sarin, whose expert penmanship was one of his finest qualities. Sarin's seemingly perfect calligraphic handwriting was modeled on the ancient religious texts of the Yuko Taisha, the main religion of the empire's citizens.

ֆȶǟȶɛʍɛռȶ ɮʏ ȶɦɛ ǟʀɮɨȶʀǟȶɨօռ ƈɛռֆօʀǟȶɛ

Eƒƒєƈƭɪvє ɪɱɱєɗɪʌƭєʅɣ, ʌʅʅ ʛʌƭɦєɾɪɲʛƨ ơƒ ɱơɾє ƭɦʌɲ 5 ɱʌʛєƨ ɪƨ ɲơɯ ƥɾơɦɪƅɪƭєɗ υɲʅєƨƨ ƭɦє Cєɲƨơɾʌƭє ʛɪvєƨ єҳƥɾєƨƨ ɯɾɪƭƭєɲ ƥєɾɱɪƨƨɪơɲ. Aʅʅ ƈɪƭɪȥєɲƨ ơƒ Rɣơƅєɪ ʌɾє єҳƥєƈƭєɗ ƭơ ƈơɱƥʅɣ ɯɪƭɦ ƭɦɪƨ ɲєɯ ʅʌɯ

Nightmare
"Do what you want, but try not to get caught. Darkon will meet you wherever you feel comfortable. Just make sure you have this lit and visible somewhere so he knows where you are." Nightmare hands Arrindor a candle. "It doesn't burn like a normal one, so don't lose it. You'll know what I mean when you light it."
Diva
"I mean, I never plan, so it solely comes down to whatever catches my interests." he doesn't seem to care much about Jasmine's near slip-up. "Really it all comes down to how much money I'm in the mood for spending that day, and how much I care. Personally, I'm feeling a bit lucky." he notices a sign. "Ok, this isn't ideal. Well, it says mages, not everyone is a mage though....right? So this shouldn't affect my habits."

[5pb]

Lili and Sara

They finished their meal and began there walk to Ryobei once more, the way was calm and uneventful. It wasn't long until the rain covered capital city was in their sights. After several years these four esoteric mages would all be reunited. Sara was outwardly excited whereas Lili was still seemingly unchanged. The two girls approached the gate where there were guards, they were hoping they could get in without having to deal with any issues.

---

Rin, Taka, and Unity

Having also finished their meals, they decided to meet up with their younger siblings at the main gate. Although Unity wasn't on duty she still wore her armor and carried her sword on her hip. The three of them were traveling toward the gate Unity didn't look very out of place because she wore armor similar to the guards, but Rin wore dark robes that made him seem like he belonged to some sort of cult and the presence of Taka didn't help this case.

[Asardia]

Arrindor

Arrindor took the candle and examined it. The candle didn't look special, but if Nightmare said it was, then Arrindor believed him. He didn't have any Fire Magic, so he would have to wait until he could retrieve a match. Or actually, he could just use his transmutation power to create a match, but that would only be done under extreme circumstances. "Alright", Arrindor said. "I think it's best if I meet Darkon as soon as possible then."

Sumani and Jasmine

Sumani froze when he read the sign. He knew the last few weeks had been shady. His sudden transfer to the Prince's bodyguard, the eccentric woman with them, and whatever was happening at the Censorate was all signs of drastic changes. "Your Highness, it's just three of us, and assuming the woman is a mage, we still wouldn't break any laws."

Just like the Machi Yin guard, Jasmine was out of the loop on the overall direction the empire was heading in. However, her father was the Imperial Arbitrator and he knew he had ordered this. Jasmine didn't know what Maurikael had in mind, but things were becoming more and more suspicious. She clasped her hands around her necklace. Something big was going to happen.

[DeltaSource]

Arrindor

Arrindor took the candle and examined it. The candle didn't look special, but if Nightmare said it was, then Arrindor believed him. He didn't have any Fire Magic, so he would have to wait until he could retrieve a match. Or actually, he could just use his transmutation power to create a match, but that would only be done under extreme circumstances. "Alright", Arrindor said. "I think it's best if I meet Darkon as soon as possible then."

Sumani and Jasmine

Sumani froze when he read the sign. He knew the last few weeks had been shady. His sudden transfer to the Prince's bodyguard, the eccentric woman with them, and whatever was happening at the Censorate was all signs of drastic changes. "Your Highness, it's just three of us, and assuming the woman is a mage, we still wouldn't break any laws."

Just like the Machi Yin guard, Jasmine was out of the loop on the overall direction the empire was heading in. However, her father was the Imperial Arbitrator and he knew he had ordered this. Jasmine didn't know what Maurikael had in mind, but things were becoming more and more suspicious. She clasped her hands around her necklace. Something big was going to happen.

Nightmare and Darkon
He nods "I'm glad you see the importance of the situation." he walks off and teleports away when he's out of sight, right next to Darkon. "Be on the lookout for a green flame, Arrindor will be lighting it, so don't keep him waiting."
"As you wish." Darkon flies off
Diva
"I know how to do math, I didn't fail in that subject, it was history that I failed in. Anyways, I'm hoping this doesn't hinder my plans much because I'm hoping to be able to gamble with more than just you two." he seems to be more annoyed at the law than concerned about what it could mean. "Eh, I'm sure we'll be alright, what's the worst they could do to me?"

[Asardia]

Arrindor

The prince walked back towards the KM district and saw a torch that lit up the streets. He was relieved but still disturbed. Despite his initial fears, at least a fire source was nearby. Arrindor slowly brought up the candle to the torch, waiting to see what will happen.

Sumani and Jasmine

Sumani glanced briefly at Jasmine. As soon as she arrived, things started getting weird. Her act with earlier was bizarre enough that Sumani decided he needed to keep watch over her as well. He turned away and said, "It's likely that this is done for the purpose of keeping the higher nobles safe. The gambling den is not too far from here, and it should not affect your activities inside. In fact, I suggest spending time doing more things you normally wouldn't, just to be on the safe side."

Maurikael and Sarin

One of Maurikael's servants, a Sensor, ran into the estate with a serious expression. Sarin noticed him first, and motioned for him to speak. The Sensor said, "There's a rather unsettling presence in this city. I felt it for several days now. I can't fully explain, but new, unaccounted mages are definitely here. Other Machi Yin say they saw the eldest prince speaking to newcomers, and even he seemed shocked."

Sarin narrowed his eyes. This man was one of Maurikael's most trusted servants, so a lie would be unlikely. There's no way Jasmine would have used Devil's Whisper on him to divert attention away from herself and Sumani, so Sarin decided to take the Sensor's word at face value. "Why was the Prince speaking to them anyway?"

"I'm not sure, sir."

"Hmm," Sarin took a sip of beer and made a stunning realization. In Sumani's daily reports, he did mention a strange group of mages, ones he saw hours before Maurikael transfered him. Did the Arbitrator know something about this? "Send a few Machi Yin to guard the posts where they came and look into keeping the prince more secure. The guard he already has should be fine for now, but I want a few of you to continue to watch over them. And make sure no one breaks the new law. I actually want to see the Machi Yin observing any public gatherings at the limit. Five, despite being legal, is still something we should probably monitor."

[DeltaSource]

Arrindor

The prince walked back towards the KM district and saw a torch that was lit up the streets. He was relieved and but still disturbed. Despite his initial fears, at least a fire source was nearby. Arrindor slowly brought up the candle to the torch, waiting to see what will happen.

Sumani and Jasmine

Sumani glanced briefly at Jasmine. As soon as she arrived, things started getting weird. Her act with earlier was bizarre enough that Sumani decided he needed to keep watch over her as well. He turned away and said, "It's likely that this is done for the purpose of keeping the higher nobles safe. The gambling den is not too far from here, and it should not affect your activities inside. In fact, I suggest spending time doing more things you normally wouldn't, just to be on the safe side."

Maurikael and Sarin

One of Maurikael's servants, a Sensor, ran into the estate with a serious expression. Sarin noticed him first, and motioned for him to speak. The Sensor said, "There's a rather unsettling presence in this city. I felt it for several days now. I can't fully explain, but new, unaccounted mages are definitely here. Other Machi Yin say they saw the eldest prince speaking to newcomers, and even he seemed shocked."

Sarin narrowed his eyes. This man was one of Maurikael's most trusted servants, so a lie would be unlikely. There's no way Jasmine would have used Devil's Whisper on him to divert attention away from herself and Sumani, so Sarin decided to take the Sensor's word at face value. "Why was the Prince speaking to them anyway?"

"I'm not sure, sir."

"Hmm," Sarin took a sip of beer and made a stunning realization. In Sumani's daily reports, he did mention a strange group of mages, ones he saw hours before Maurikael transfered him. Did the Arbitrator know something about this? "Send a few Machi Yin to guard the posts where they came and look into keeping the prince more secure. The guard he already has should be fine for now, but I want a few of you to continue to watch over them. And make sure no one breaks the new law. I actually want to see the Machi Yin observing any public gatherings at the limit. Five, despite being legal, is still something we should probably monitor."

Darkon
Instead of lighting up normally, the candle has a eerie green flame. Moments later Darkon descends. "Finally, I was begging to think you weren't going to light the candle." he looks down the street to make sure no one saw him. "Don't you think it would have been better to light it in a more....private place?"
Diva
"I will do what I want to do and when I want it." he starts walking again, greatly annoyed now.

[Asardia]

Arrindor

"I admit, this may not have been the best spot?" Arrindor stated, admiring the green flame. Where did Darkon even come from? "However, it didn't seem like anyone was around. The KM districts do have several off-limits areas, so perhaps we can go there as we discuss what Nightmare has in mind."

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine subtly shook her head at Sumani. While he was obviously used to dealing with royalty, there are some things that you need to do and certain ways you need to act in order to keep the people around you pleased. Jasmine knew this all too well. Most Sensors were aware of emotions and how they could be manipulated. Jasmine preferred to use that technique for calming purposes, which is exactly what she did. She took her aura, and gently extended it toward Diva. For any non Sensors, this act would be virtually imperceptible.

Sumani, embarrassed by Diva's reaction, went silent and simply followed the other two. While her aura was creating a peaceful effect, she used an illusion spell on Sumani. A more advanced version of the Sensor move she used earlier, the illusion on Sumani would take the happiest moments in his life and bring them directly to the front of his mind, blocking out any stress. Jasmine would never know what would surface when this spell was used, but all she needed was to detect the peace coming over them again.

"Here it is, your highness" Jasmine said. The Essence cost to the two spells weren't high, but they weren't the easiest to do, especially on two totally different people simultaneously. "We'll gladly follow you where you please."

Streets of the Capital

Groups of Sensors and Machi Yin made their increased presence known throughout Ryobei. The swords in their hilts remained visible while patrolling several "high profile areas"

[DeltaSource]

Arrindor

"I admit, this may not have been the best spot?" Arrindor stated, admiring the green flame. Where did Darkon even come from? "However, it didn't seem like anyone was around. The KM districts do have several off-limits areas, so perhaps we can go there as we discuss what Nightmare has in mind."

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine subtly shook her head at Sumani. While he was obviously used to dealing with royalty, there are some things that you need to do and certain ways you need to act in order to keep the people around you pleased. Jasmine knew this all too well. Most Sensors were aware of emotions and how they could be manipulated. Jasmine preferred to use that technique for calming purposes, which is exactly what she did. She took her aura, and gently extended it toward Diva. For any non Sensors, this act would be virtually imperceptible.

Sumani, embarrassed by Diva's reaction, went silent and simply followed the other two. While her aura was creating a peaceful effect, she used an illusion spell on Sumani. A more advanced version of the Sensor move she used earlier, the illusion on Sumani would take the happiest moments in his life and bring them directly to the front of his mind, blocking out any stress. Jasmine would never know what would surface when this spell was used, but all she needed was to detect the peace coming over them again.

"Here it is, your highness" Jasmine said. The Essence cost to the two spells weren't high, but they weren't the easiest to do, especially on two totally different people simultaneously. "We'll gladly follow you where you please."

Streets of the Capital

Groups of Sensors and Machi Yin made their increased presence known throughout Ryobei. The swords in their hilts remained visible while patrolling several "high profile areas"

Darkon
"Lead the way." he adjusts his wings and looks at Arrindor trying to assess how important he was to Nightmare.
Diva
Jasmine's magic seems to be affecting Diva, he seems more calm. "At least you're respectful. I wouldn't mind seeing you later tonight."

[5pb]

Rin,Taka, and Unity

They hadn't been out in the city that long, but apparently word travels fast through the capital because there were a number of people keeping a close eye on Rin. He turned towards His elder sister and spoke, "It seems I've drawn a bit of the populace's curiosity? Maybe even greater from the local guardsmen?"

"You did take up an aggressive tone with the eldest prince last night," she whispered back to her younger brother, too quiet for anyone else to hear them.

"As if the guards watching you would mean much anyways," Taka floated over to Rin, her voice not as quiet as Unity's. In response to Taka's statement, Rin placed his finger to his mouth to tell her to quiet down, "It makes no difference if they know or not, they can't really do anything about what a demon says."

"Well that may be true but you should still keep it down so it doesn't cause them to watch us more," Rin continued to motion her to silence, eventually she complied and they continued to walk around.

[Granluras]

Tower of Kilgur, Mount Kilgur, Great Southern Mountains

This but more lava

---

Somewhat sustained magically, anchored atop the carved out summit of Mount Kilgur was a dense and black cloud of soot illuminated by pyroclastic lightning. From the base, a good league below, the sight looked incomparably ominous, as was the point of its design. Built into its side, and propped up by hundreds of building-sized columns and brackets that supported the structure, was an immense fortress too big for its own good. It was carved out of and into the natural form of the mountain around it, and was simply a mountaintop ziggurat of grey stone. Steaming lavafalls oozed down numerous crevices built into its sides, adding to its ominous energy. The visible portion of the structure spread across thirty hectares, but plunged hundreds of feet into the core of Kilgur, consuming - in all - nearly a billion cubic feet of the mountain. Hundreds of barracks, dozens of dungeons, thousands of labyrinthine stairways and corridors, millions of pounds of marble and stone fashioned with fine masonry, dozens of large and grandiose halls, and countless thousands of other designs filled the massive home of the Eichtum.

At the top of the fortress, several hundred feet above the rest of the structure, was a huge, conical room. It was a few hundred feet across and around a thousand high, coming to a hollow point at the top which let in an airflow and natural illumination. The first forty feet from the floor up was nothing but a semicircular segment of stained glass that peered out into the discolored landscape of the Great Southern Mountains beyond Kilgur. The rest of the roofing was composed of a coffered ceiling that were all embroidered with refractive jewels and gems. In the center of the room was an elevated section - an outer circle, 300 feet across and a foot high; a middle circle, 150 feet across and a foot high; an inner circle, 50 feet across and a foot high - that was topped off by a large throne composed of black and red stone with wrought iron welded into it. The throne was centered precisely in this grandiose throne room, and commander authority with its stonemasonry. At a 50, 130, 0, 180, 220 and 320 degree position relative to the throne there fell lavafalls from ambiguous sources several dozen feet above that feed a broad and lethal moat that encircled the room. Between the 50 and 130, 220 and 320, 220 and 0 and 320 and 180 positions were tall archways connected to bridges that fed four separate stairwells into the throne room, serving as the entranceways to this room. The room was guarded by sixteen individuals in dark, full-body enchanted armor; the Rotwardą, a sixteen-person protection squad of S’Fursei’s hand picked elite Dark Mages, established four decades prior, trained in several hundred different scenarios that they had won by an overwhelming margin, and accomplice to S’Fursei’s most complex and dark experiments with magic.

It was a greatly self-serving and self-gratifying room. It served as a metonym for S’Fursei and his reign as Overlord. From this throne room he sat for long hours brooding and peering blankly through glassy, red eyes either at a courtier or general, or out the large windows ahead of him. When he wasn’t brooding, he was likely in the confines of his three-part private chambers (a bedroom, a library, and a washroom). In the present, at a time near midnight, S’Fursei remained on his throne, gazing blankly as he watched the large moon flow across the sky through a haze of soot and bolts. Then, from the entrance to his right came a pair of soldiers, one in iron armor with a long black cape, and the other wearing somewhat monastic garbs. Parallel to the social hierarchy of the Eichtum was its military hierarchy, which was composed like this: at the top, the Overlord, the commander-in-chief, commander of all legions; below him, several Captain-Generals, senior strategists and advisers to the Overlord who were assigned to each legion (1,000 Warriors); then the Lieutenant-Generals, of which there were ten, and they supervised each legion directly on the battlefield; there were Captains, who could serve as aide-de-camps to the superior ranks or - and usually - as leaders of a regiment (250 Warriors), and there were thirty-four of them; Senior-Lieutenants, who oversaw troops (50 Warriors) and numbered 163; then Lieutenants, who could either be assigned as aides to a Captain or Senior-Lieutenant in one’s own troop, and they numbered at over 400; and finally, the Warriors, who were the nameless and often faceless foot soldiers of the Eichtum that numbered over eight thousand and were the true agents of S’Fursei’s imperialism (a fact he was well aware of, and led him to cleverly design the Warriors, no matter how nameless they were, to be just a stone’s throw ahead of the peasantry). From the entranceway came a Captain and a Battlemage; Battlemages were non-military soldiers that were parallel to Captains and usually were elite Fire Mages attached a few at a time to each Troop (adding up to over fourteen per regiment).

The duo approached S’Fursei, and stopped at the base of the inner circle that his throne rested on. They genuflected and stopped their heads.

“Rūmen, my Lord.” The Captain said, the Battlemage quietly repeating it behind him.

S’Fursei’s throat released a groggy and hoarse groan, the sound of S’Fursei’s dusty and ancient throat relaxing in order to speak. His hand rose slowly, and then ushered upwards.

“R-Rise, Captain Arwin.” S’Fursei spoke hoarsely but deeply. “Explain your business.”

“Yes, Sire.” Captain Arwin replied. “You see, Sire, several days ago as Regiment 7 was passing through the Cassius Valley, en route to South Cassius to establish a mining operation there with the Tyvkar Mining Guild. It’s outer flank noticed an uncharted riverside town along the way, and dispatched a courier to the Command Troop. In response, Troop 7C was dispatched to conquer the town. U-um…”

Captain Arwin’s voice grew distracted and distraught. That’s when the Battlemage placed his pale hand on Arwin’s shoulder and stepped forward with a blow.

“Sire, Battlemage Idarim. I was attached to Troop 7C.” The Battlemage said, introducing himself. S’Fursei nodded slowly, his blood red eyes shining through the shadow of his amber-striped black cowl. “Once my troop reached the outskirts of the town we found ourselves being ambushed by an equally large group of armed villagers and what appeared to be mercenaries. Their sudden appearance stunned us for a moment, and only when they came within the distance between you and I did we begin firing off arrows, lunging swords, and casting spells. We fought as expected, Sire, but these were, somehow, professionally trained commoners and professional mercenaries.”

“I can see why there is distress in you, Captain Arwin.” S’Fursei said quietly, he too understanding the connotations of a border village that could face off with one of his own troops. Perhaps a regiment would win next time.

“Well, that’s not all, Sire.” Idarim said, twiddling his fingers nervously.

“Pardon?” S’Fursei said.

“After we destroyed half of this attacking force, they retreated back into the town. When we approached the outside of the town we found it had been reinforced with refuse, debris, and...m-magic. Then, at every high point there was an archer, and they began raining flaming and normal arrows in onto us. Then there were swordsmen, who broke the barriers and rushed out to slay some of us before rushing back to cover. By this time, the troop was cut down to thirty men and was losing morale. We, and by we I mean us Battlemages, considered casting an Inferno spell, but feared we’d burn up much of the town’s goods, as it was a river town with a small port.” Idarim continued.

“That would’ve been the best call, yes. However, none of this makes me as distressed as the Captain, Battlemage. What else is there?” S’Fursei said.

“Well, to make a harrowing hour of pyrrhic warfare short, we were able to capture a mercenary and interrogate him using some mind-breaking spells. It...it seems that these mercenaries are composed of both non-mystic professional swordsmen and seasoned mages. They are from multiple parts of the Empire, number in the hundreds, and the detachment which was in this town was...was hired b-by the Kamuri family.” Idarim continued, stepping back with a wince as he dealt the news to S’Fursei.

“Mhm...I see.” S’Fursei said with surprisingly cool. Both Arwin and Idarim blinked at him incredulously.

“Oronin,” S’Fursei said, turning slightly to his left, addressing one of his Rotwardą. A cloaked and shadowy figure mysteriously appeared through the shadow of his throne. “Send forth a reconnaissance team to this town to gather info on those...K-Kamuni scoundrels. Find the person who hired them, and...you can infer what’s next.”

The Dark Mage nodded, and mysteriously disappeared. S’Fursei then turned back to his audience.

“Who remains of Troop 7C?” He asked.

“Twenty-four men, Sire, of which sixteen are injured.” Captain Arwin answered.

“Instruct Regiment 9 to divert to this town and conquer it. All the men are to be enslaved and put into the bowels of South Cassius. The children shall be examined for whether they are useful as Warriors or Mages, or tossed into peasantry if not. The usual.” S’Fursei instructed Captain Arwin, who took in the commands with a clenched jaw and proudly puffed chest.

“Yessir!” He proudly exclaimed, bowing and then turning swiftly on his heel. Idarim copied that move, and followed Arwin out of the throne room.

S’Furset sat back in his throne, and furrowed his brows and he focused into the landscape outside.

“You damn swine, why have you come for me after all this time? Shouldn’t I be dead to you?” S’Fursei grumbled angrily to himself, sparks of fire and lightning flickering across his body. “Well...we shall see, hm? See what you want with my kingdom, see why you infringe on m-my destiny once more.”

A loud and overlapping boom of lightning claps echoed through the sky, and finalized that night’s mood with a perfect taste of drama and doom.

[Asardia]

Ryobei

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine once again ignored the Prince's comments and merely directed them into a building, which many of the nobles had attended. When they went inside, Jasmine began to slowly release the empathic connection spell. She used the breathing techniques she learned at the Yuko Taisha temples to hide the side effects it had on her. She leaned against the wall and quietly motioned for Sumani to take over. Noticing this, the Machi Yin led the group further. "We'll just stand here as you go about your daily routine."

Arrindor

Arrindor stared at Darkon for a few more seconds and then turned away, walking towards a section of the KM district which could easily be cut off from the outside when needed. "I assume you're familiar with the layout of the capital, then?" In the distance, there was a large balcony near one of Ryobei's rare abandoned buildings. ""We're fine to speak now, if you wish."

Azukana

A few hundred miles to the east of Ryobei sat the city of Azukana. Being one of the three Great States, the city housed the Kamuri, the most eccentric of the states. There were dozens of major differences between Azukana and the other cities, but there was one thing it had in common with Ryobei: bizarre weather phenomenon. While Ryobei has never seen the sun or a break in the millennium long rain, Azukana has heavy fog that rivals that of even the capital. Explanations for this event are hard to find, but the popular theory is that this is punishment by the gods for the wars and millions of lives lost during the wars with the nearby Erimous Confederacy. This was further exacerbated by the fact that Azukana was located on an island, surrounded by one of the empire's major lakes. In fact, travel to and from Azukana is usually done by either boat, or flight through a divine beast. The heavy fog makes either of these methods incredibly difficult and dangerous, which is why the city has become so isolated from its neighbors. This isolation led to a strong obsession with the ancient Rikki Sogo philosophy. Rikki Sogo preached self-reliance and proficiency, and to a city-state with no real allies for centuries, this was a concept they viewed as important as life itself. This could be seen with an abundance of massive temples and priests who wandered about, spreading the word of the religion of Yuko Taisha, which takes Rikki Sogo and forms it into an organized faith. Here is where the belief in it is perhaps the highest.

While orange lanterns lit up every city block, there was a special temple just on the outskirts of the island. The temple was surrounded by jagged rocks which protruded out of the surprisingly clean water. Clouds blocked the temple from view, and many citizens of Azukana didn't venture out to see it anyway, as it was home to the Shendian Ji, the Kamuri's secret police. Among the attendees was the Archduke of the city himself. The head of the Kamuri: Zhian Kamuri. Zhian was a bitter man. He fought in the brutal border wars that Ryobei dragged the state into, which ended in a draw. Fortunately for Ryobei, they were nearly a thousand miles away from the real combat, but Azukana, no, Kamuri soldiers were forced to fight on the front lines, lest their city be captured, sacked, and razed. Hundreds of the Kamuri's best mages died, and although they remain strong, the losses still hurt 30 years later. Zhian had numerous scars on his face, arms, and chest. Sword piercings and burns were the reasons for these rather grotesque marks. A permanent reminder of what happened three decades ago.

Zhian Kamuri commanded respect wherever he appeared, partly due to his combat history, and partly due to his domineering personality. Even today, just walking into the room where the Shendian Ji (sometimes called the Shenji), the other Kamuri mages immediately halted in their tracks, leaving hours long conversations up in the air. To them, their lives were more important than a few words which could be re-said a few days later. When Zhian walked in and sat down in front of the Shenji and the Kamuri, he had an even angrier expression than he normally did. A venomous hatred seeped out of him, threatening to consume everyone in the hall. His Aura was so strong, and his resentment so deep, that it was reflected in his own life energy. Whenever someone was unfortunate enough to come into contact with his Aura, they were immobilized. His blood-lust was evident to even non Sensors.

Zhian turned towards his appointed administrator of the Shenji. Zhian's eyes were a dark gray, seeming almost lifeless. His muscular frame jutted out of the robe he wore, intimidating all who took a glance. His spiky silver hair was a stark contrast from the more...orderly hairstyles. All of these factors contributed to the cult of personality he cultivated.

"Explain," Zhian stated in a low, deep voice. "What the hell happened in the Great Southern Mountain regions? Why did I hear that we lost dozens of Kamuri?"

When his questions were met with silence, the Archmage pounded his fist into the ground, causing a massive dent and sending stone flying. Gasps were heard as fear quickly overtook everyone. "I asked a question, so I expect to hear answers."

One man spoke up. "We received word that an officer of the Shendian Ji sent a patrol force to look into reports of a disturbance of the area."

When Zhian darted his eyes to the speaker, he recognized him as Nanderzi, the Kamuri he appointed to the leadership position years ago. "Where is this officer now?"

"He is currently being held in the prison to the southwest of the city. A court-martial awaits him, Your Highness."

"Were you able to extract information from him?"

"Yes, your highness. He said he just wanted to rise in the ranks. He hoped that if the mission was successful, then the Archduke of Azukana would give him a higher position and the benefits that his family would receive."

"You're telling me that a Shendian Ji officer put my men on the line so he could make some extra money?"

"That is what we believe, Your Highness."

Zhian covered his face with his hands, let out a sigh, and asked, "Who were the victims of this?"

"The Eichtum".

[DeltaSource]

Darkon
"It's familiar enough to me." he spreads his wings before folding them behind his back again. "Now, I assume Nightmare has already told you of an oncoming invasion. The group consists of mostly mercenaries and a few people who the Emperor upset during his reign. They don't necessarily want to rule, more than likely they simply want to see your father's legacy gone. I have men ready to serve you in defending the city, and they are unquestionably loyal. Simply put, lead them, and we can secure the throne for you."
Nightmare
He reaches out to Xavi. "I want you to keep an eye on Diva, one of his two escorts is likely influencing him, and I want to know which one it is, and who they are reporting to."
"Do you have suspicions?"
"I see it going either way, the guard could be looking for a promotion and so be influencing him, or the girl could be related to someone he raped, or maybe had a child with and abandoned, or maybe overall doesn't like the prince's treatment of women. Either way, I want to know who they report to, and if the arbitrator is directly responsible or if someone used his title to influence the prince. Diva isn't at all a part of my plan, but he is a wild card, and I don't like those."
"Understood."
Dmitri
Xavi approached him so he stood up and at attention.
"Dmitri, you wanted to be out of the Kosen Machi palace, correct?"
"Uh, sir, if this is about a conversation you overheard I-"
"I'm not getting rid of you, I'm offering you an assignment."
"Oh...sorry sir I-"
"Just listen, ok? I want you to spy on the two escorts that prince Diva has, I don't trust them and am concerned for the prince's safety."
"I-uh-but sir, I'm just a guard, not a spy, wouldn't it be bett-rmfhfh"
Xavi puts his hand over Dmitri's mouth.
"I don't want excuses, just do it, and prove your worth, you might get a promotion."
Dmitri nods and Xavi removes his hand.
Xavi walks away and Dmitri is left in the hall. Without much more to do he straps his sword on his back and walks off to find the prince. He checks the palace first, before being told the prince was already gone, and likely gambling. He walked around the city until he saw Diva going in a building with Jasmine and Sumani. He waits for a few minuets before going in.
Diva
He nods and walks off, looking at the current stakes of various tables before settling on one of them. He doesn't pay much attention to Dmitri, assuming he is just there to guard another noble.

[Asardia]

Arrindor

"While it would be in mine and everyone else's best interests to maintain the internal security of the empire..." must he be the Emperor? "But is Nightmare's army that much better than the prestigious Machi Yin? I think the Imperial and State Affairs ministries should be involved as well. My father was popular even with the Kamuri and Jikosuro, so I doubt they're the ones who'll be against the very coalition they agreed to form. Those two families would be instrumental in defending us, but even if they don't, I can still use the imperial guard in tandem, yes?"

Jasmine and Sumani

As the two "guards" escorted Diva into the building, Jasmine felt uneasy. There was a bizarre presence here, and her Sensory Magic immediately picked up on it. She briefly glances at the source, and spots Dmitri. Who the hell is he?. Jasmine bumped into Sumani while she was quickly gauging the situation.

"What's wrong?" Sumani asked, his face frowning in concern.

Jasmine didn't respond, but she did extend her Aura to him again, this time conveying the feeling of agitation. She didn't want to set off the imperial guardsmen for a false alarm, but this was something worth being alert about. When Sumani felt the Aura reach him, he gasped for a second and then turned towards Diva. He still wasn't used to Jasmine's absurdly strong Aura, even if it wasn't being used maliciously. Sumani nodded to show he understood.

While Jasmine and Sumani were distracted, two people approached the table. One of them was wearing the navy blue robes of the Kamuri, and the other wore Ryobei's signature clothing. "May we sit down, Your Highness?" asked one of the men. "We haven't played with anyone above a Kosen Machi before. In which case, I advocate for a simple game. It's akin to a memory game we would play as children."

The man pulled out a bag and emptied it onto the table, revealing 20 gold pieces, and 20 cards. "Both sides will see the twenty cards at the start of the game, but they will soon be flipped upside down. The goal is to get a pair of matching cards, which means that there are two of each type. Whomever is able to collect the most wins the twenty gold pieces. I feel that is an easy enough start?"

[DeltaSource]

Arrindor

"While it would be in mine and everyone else's best interests to maintain the internal security of the empire..." must he be the Emperor? "But is Nightmare's army that much better than the prestigious Machi Yin? I think the Imperial and State Affairs ministries should be involved as well. My father was popular even with the Kamuri and Jikosuro, so I doubt they're the ones who'll be against the very coalition they agreed to form. Those two families would be instrumental in defending us, but even if they don't, I can still use the imperial guard in tandem, yes?"

Jasmine and Sumani

As the two "guards" escorted Diva into the building, Jasmine felt uneasy. There was a bizarre presence here, and her Sensory Magic immediately picked up on it. She briefly glances at the source, and spots Dmitri. Who the hell is he? She asked herself. Jasmine bumped into Sumani while she was quickly gauging the situation.

"What's wrong?" Sumani asked, his face frowning in concern.

Jasmine didn't respond, but she did extend her Aura to him again, this time conveying the feeling of agitation. She didn't want to set off the imperial guardsmen for a false alarm, but this situation something worth being alert about. When Sumani felt the Aura reach him, he gasped for a second and then turned towards Diva. He still wasn't used to Jasmine's absurdly strong Aura, even if it wasn't being used maliciously. Sumani nodded to show he understood.

While Jasmine and Sumani were distracted, two people approached the table. One of them was wearing the navy blue robes of the Kamuri, and the other wore Ryobei's signature clothing. "May we sit down, Your Highness?" asked one of the men. We haven't played with anyone above a Kosen Machi before. In which case, I advocate for a simple game. It's akin to a memory game we would play as children."

The man laid pulled out a bag and emptied it onto the table, revealing 20 gold pieces, and 20 cards. "Both sides will see the twenty cards at the start of the game, but they will soon be flipped upside down. The goal is to get a pair of matching cards, which means that there are two of each type. Whomever is able to collect the most wins the twenty gold pieces. I feel that is an easy enough start?"

Darkon
"I have extensively trained them to be able to utilize any weapon and adapt to any fighting style. They are exceptionally skilled, and unquestionably loyal. They are at the very least as good as the Machi Yin. State Affairs is with us already, and while I'm not stopping you from using some of the Imperial Guard, know that they can still harbor treacherous thoughts."
Diva
He eyes the gold. My Memory's sh*t. but if I win.....well that's gonna be a great night..
"Sounds simple enough, I'll play your game."
Dmitri
He tries to look interested in another table but isn't very convincing. He sees Jasmine look at him and quickly turns away. He leans down to ask a noble something but is shooed away. He shakes his head and starts to walk to another table, one that is about the same distance away.

[Asardia]

Arrindor

And why should I trust you any more than the men my father personally chose? Arrindor nodded and replied. "I'll still talk to the Shogun to make sure he can remove any traitors. In the meantime, where is your faction? I want to get to know them a bit before I lead them. It's something my father hammered into me as a child. Ironically, it's one of the few things I remember the old man saying."

Streets of Azukana

Shendian Ji members were uncharacteristically being summoned in one place as the head called half of them to travel off the island and onto the mainland. The leader of the Shenji was a man by the name of Nanderzi, and a man whose only goal was to ensure no traitors remained in Zhian's secret police.

Streets of Ryobei

A boy, perhaps no older than thirteen, spotted Rin and Taka. He heard the rumors of mysterious mages gathering, along with the new law that made social gatherings illegal. He saw the miniature demon, and was captivated. It was like the stories his mother told him before sending him off to the local academy. These guys must have acquired Summoning Contracts! He thought to himself. The boy inched near a small garden which housed several tall trees, and climbed them. Foot by foot, he traveled over the branches and stopped hopping from one to the other. Before he knew it, he was right above them, and was able to get a bird eye's view. While he grinned mischievously, a purple bug with thick wings approached him and buzzed in his ear. Startled, he tried to slap it away, but ended up losing his balance, and fell flat on his face. He was now directly in front of the group.

Jasmine and Sumani

Sumani eyed the newcomers with suspicion. Were they the ones Jasmine was trying to warn him about? He briefly diverted his attention towards the Sensor, who had a mystified expression. The chances of these two men being dangerous is not exactly high, Sumani thought to himself as he said nothing while the Prince engaged in their game. It's likely they might be trying to swindle the Prince out of a few hundred coin, beginning with just twenty here.

Jasmine Taulra sat beside Diva and tried to relax. She could tell Sumani was now vigilant to any possibility of an attack, but now she became more focused on the game. Jasmine was tempted to weave an illusion of a commotion outside to lure the noble out, but that would only make them higher suspects, and would also give away Jasmine's powers. Just as she began to lessen her interest in the nobleman, the gambler made a comment.

"That's excellent, Your Highness," the man responded. "Since you are a beginner, I will allow my subordinate here to try the game out as well, to be fair all around. His name is Kan. I'll be the dealer."

Kan smiled shyly when he was introduced, bowed, and sat in front of Diva, glancing at Jasmine before turning back towards his friend. The men exchanged a nod, which was a signal of something more....

The dealer set the cards in four rows of five, and then flipped them over. "There are ten matching Divine Beasts here," he said, pointing to one. "These two cards hold the Water Dragon. This set has the Double Headed Snake. The rules are quite simply, yes?"

While the dealer made an effort to explain the game one more time, Kan's Aura was already at work. Just like Jasmine, he too, was a Sensor. But there was one major difference between the two. Kan was trained by Sensors who knew how to conceal their Aura, even from other mages like themselves. All mages could hide their Aura, but to do so in the matter that Kan was going to demonstrate required years of training, and this was one of Jasmine's weak points.

Kan took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds. His precognition called for complete tranquility as he focused his Aura. Kan's eyes were closed during this process, and Jasmine instantly glared at him. This was a technique she had seen the monks do occasionally, but that was only for meditation. A thousand scenarios raced through her head. I thought that other nobleman was trouble, but now these men as well? Can't we go a few minutes without having a bizarre situation on our hands?

Diva's opponent touched all the cards, depositing a nearly imperceptible amount of Aura near each. The moment the Prince moved to flip a card, Kan's Aura would dissipate, and he would be able to see his future actions for the next ten minutes.

[DeltaSource]

Arrindor

And why should I trust you any more than the men my father personally chose? Arrindor nodded and replied. "I'll still talk to the Shogun to make sure he can remove any traitors. In the meantime, where is your faction? I want to get to know them a bit before I lead them. It's something my father hammered into me as a child. Ironically, it's one of the few things I remember the old man saying."

Streets of Azukana

Shendian Ji members were uncharacteristically being summoned in one place as the head called half of them to travel off the island and onto the mainland. The leader of the Shenji was a man by the name of Nanderzi, and a man whose only goal was to ensure no traitors remained in Zhian's secret police.

Streets of Ryobei

A boy, perhaps no older than thirteen, spotted Rin and Taka. He heard the rumors of mysterious mages gathering, along with the new law that made social gatherings illegal. He saw the miniature demon, and was captivated. It was like the stories his mother told him before sending him off to the local academy. These guys must have acquired Summoning Contracts! He thought to himself. The boy inched near a small garden which housed several tall trees, and climbed them. Foot by foot, he traveled over the branches and stopped hopping from one to the other. Before he knew it, he was right above them, and was able to get a bird eye's view. While he grinned mischievously, a purple bug with thick wings approached him and buzzed in his ear. Startled, he tried to slap it away, but ended up losing his balance, and fell flat on his face. He was now directly in front of the group.

Jasmine and Sumani

Sumani eyed the newcomers with suspicion. Were they the ones Jasmine was trying to warn him about? He briefly diverted his attention towards the Sensor, who had a mystified expression. The chances of these two men being dangerous is not exactly high, Sumani thought to himself as he said nothing while the Prince engaged in their game. It's likely they might be trying to swindle the Prince out of a few hundred coin, beginning with just twenty here.

Jasmine Taulra sat beside Diva and tried to relax. She could tell Sumani was now vigilant to any possibility of an attack, but now she became more focused on the game. Jasmine was tempted to weave an illusion of a commotion outside to lure the noble out, but that would only make them higher suspects, and would also give away Jasmine's powers. Just as she began to lessen her interest in the nobleman, the gambler made a comment.

"That's excellent, Your Highness," the man responded. "Since you are a beginner, I will allow my subordinate here to try the game out as well, to be fair all around. His name is Kan. I'll be the dealer."

Kan smiled shyly when he was introduced, bowed, and sat in front of Diva, glancing at Jasmine before turning back towards his friend. The men exchanged a nod, which was a signal of something more....

The dealer set the cards in four rows of five, and then flipped them over. "There are ten matching Divine Beasts here," he said, pointing to one. "These two cards hold the Water Dragon. This set has the Double Headed Snake. The rules are quite simply, yes?"

While the dealer made an effort to explain the game one more time, Kan's Aura was already at work. Just like Jasmine, he too, was a Sensor. But there was one major difference between the two. Kan was trained by Sensors who knew how to conceal their Aura, even from other mages like themselves. All mages could hide their Aura, but to do so in the matter that Kan was going to demonstrate required years of training, and this was one of Jasmine's weak points.

Kan took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds. His precognition called for complete tranquility as he focused his Aura. Kan's eyes were closed during this process, and Jasmine instantly glared at him. This was a technique she had seen the monks do occasionally, but that was only for meditation. A thousand scenarios raced through her head. I thought that other nobleman was trouble, but now these men as well? Can't we go a few minutes without having a bizarre situation on our hands?

Diva's opponent touched all the cards, depositing a nearly imperceptible amount of Aura near each. The moment the Prince moved to flip a card, Kan's Aura would dissipate, and he would be able to see his future actions for the next ten minutes.

Darkon
"Fine, but the majority of them are still coming. A few are outside the city, I'll take you there." He spreads his wings then looks back at you. "I can't carry you by the way, you are going to have to walk."
Diva
"Yeah yeah, I understand." his hand hovers over a card before he moves to another to flip it over. He looks at the other cards, deciding which one to pick next. He tries to think back and see if he remembers if there was any specific pattern they were placed in or anything that would help him.
Dmitri
He stands silently, in the corner of the room, watching Diva, he's starting to get bored and yawns, not having gotten much sleep the night before.

[5pb]

Streets of Ryobei

A boy, perhaps no older than thirteen, spotted Rin and Taka. He heard the rumors of mysterious mages gathering, along with the new law that made social gatherings illegal. He saw the miniature demon, and was captivated. It was like the stories his mother told him before sending him off to the local academy. These guys must have acquired Summoning Contracts! He thought to himself. The boy inched near a small garden which housed several tall trees, and climbed them. Foot by foot, he traveled over the branches and stopped hopping from one to the other. Before he knew it, he was right above them, and was able to get a bird eye's view. While he grinned mischievously, a purple bug with thick wings approached him and buzzed in his ear. Startled, he tried to slap it away, but ended up losing his balance, and fell flat on his face. He was now directly in front of the group.

Rin, Taka, and Unity

The group was walking through the streets when a young child fell from above them and landed directly in front of them. The three of them jumped a bit as the unexpected happened, not long after the child had fallen did the confusion strike, "Did a child just fall from the sky?" Taka was the first to make a remark on the event.

"No, he probably fell from there," Rin quickly corrected her as he pointed up to the trees where a few branches were broken.

"Why would he be up in the trees?" Taka responded

"Probably watching the floating girl with vibrant blue hair and a matching jacket," his words stung taka with an intense sarcasm that caused her to physically wince.

"Glad to see you two have your priorities straight," Unity accosted the two as she kneeled down to pick the kid up, "you all right? That was quite the drop."

[Granluras]

Azukana

(Image)

A few hundred miles to the east of Ryobei sat the city of Azukana. Being one of the three Great States, the city housed the Kamuri, the most eccentric of the states. There were dozens of major differences between Azukana and the other cities, but there was one thing it had in common with Ryobei: bizarre weather phenomenon. While Ryobei has never seen the sun or a break in the millennium long rain, Azukana has heavy fog that rivals that of even the capital. Explanations for this event are hard to find, but the popular theor is that this is punishment by the gods for the wars and millions of lives lost during the wars with the nearby Erimous Confederacy. This was further exacerbated by the fact that Azukana was located on an island, surrounded by one of the empire's major lakes. In fact, travel to and from Azukana is usually done by either boat, or flight through a divine beast. The heavy fog makes either of these methods incredibly difficult and dangerous, which is why the city has become so isolated from its neighbors. This isolation led to a strong obsession with the ancient Rikki Sogo philosophy. Rikki Sogo preached self-reliance and proficiency, and to a city-state with no real allies for centuries, this was a concept they viewed as important as life itself. This could be seen with an abundance of massive temples and priests who wandered about, spreading the word of the religion of Yuko Taisha, which takes Rikki Sogo and forms it into an organized faith. Here is where the belief in it is perhaps the highest.

While orange lanterns lit up every city block, there was a special temple just on the outskirts of the island. The temple was surrounded by jagged rocks which protruded out of the surprisingly clean water. Clouds blocked the temple from view, and many citizens of Azukana didn't venture out to see it anyway, as it was home to the Shendian Ji, the Kamuri's secret police. Among the attendees was the Archduke of the city himself. The head of the Kamuri: Zhian Kamuri. Zhian was a bitter man. He fought in the brutal border wars that Ryobei dragged the state into, which ended in a draw. Fortunately for Ryobei, they were nearly a thousand miles away from the real combat, but Azukana, no, Kamuri soldiers were forced to fight on the front lines, lest their city be captured, sacked, and razed. Hundreds of the Kamuri's best mages died, and although they remain strong, the losses still hurt 30 years later. Zhian had numerous scars on his face, arms, and chest. Sword piercings and burns were the reasons for these rather grotesque marks. A permanent reminder of what happened three decades ago.

Zhian Kamuri commanded respect wherever he appeared, partly due to his combat history, and partly due to his domineering personality. Even today, just walking into the room where the Shendian Ji (sometimes called the Shenji), the other Kamuri mages immediately halted in their tracks, leaving hours long conversations up in the air. To them, their lives were more important than a few words which could be re-said a few days later. When Zhian walked in and sat down in front of the Shenji and the Kamuri, he had an even angrier expression than he normally did. A venomous hatred seeped out of him, threatening to consume everyone in the hall. His Aura was so strong, and his resentment so deep, that it was reflected in his own life energy. Whenever someone was unfortunate enough to come into contact with his Aura, they were immobilized. His blood-lust was evident to even non Sensors.

Zhian turned towards his appointed administrator of the Shenji. Zhian's eyes were a dark gray, seeming almost lifeless. His muscular frame jutted out of the robe he wore, intimidating all who took a glance. His spiky silver hair was a stark contrast from the more...orderly hairstyles. All of these factors contributed to the cult of personality he cultivated.

"Explain," Zhian stated in a low, deep voice. "What the hell happened in the Great Southern Mountain regions? Why did I hear that we lost dozens of Kamuri?"

When his questions were met with silence, the Archmage pounded his fist into the ground, causing a massive dent and sending stone flying. Gasps were heard as fear quickly overtook everyone. "I asked a question, so I expect to hear answers."

One man spoke up. "We received word that an officer of the Shendian Ji sent a patrol force to look into reports of a disturbance of the area."

When Zhian darted his eyes to the speaker, he recognized him as Nanderzi, the Kamuri he appointed to the leadership position years ago. "Where is this officer now?"

"He is currently being held in the prison to the southwest of the city. A court-martial awaits him, Your Highness."

"Were you able to extract information from him?"

"Yes, your highness. He said he just wanted to rise in the ranks. He hoped that if the mission was successful, then the Archduke of Azukana would give him a higher position and the benefits that his family would receive."

"You're telling me that a Shendian Ji officer put my men on the line so he could make some extra money?"

"That is what we believe, Your Highness."

Zhian covered his face with his hands, let out a sigh, and asked, "Who were the victims of this?"

"The Eichtum".

Military Prison, Azukana

---

The hour was late in Azukana. All was quiet there. Its streets were dark and only lit dimly by a faded moonlight. Among a swath of dark grey buildings of stone and metal stood a fortress-like structure above the rest. A military prison, quite prestigious among the others under the authority of the Kamuri due to its position within the great city of Azukana. Situated in a cell at a higher level than most, in the outer edge of the prison, sat an officer of the Shendian Ji. His cell was simple, with a rigid bed with thin sheets propped up by taut iron chains, a rusty wash basin, a foggy mirror, the works. The only different or good thing about the cell was the food, which was a bit higher in quality what most other prisoners received. As an officer, despite his crime, he was expected to be punished with a healthy palette.

Despite the late hour, the officer was awake, sitting on the edge of his bed slowly swaying his legs. He was consumed in thought about his predicament. He had assured himself that while he didn’t something wrong, it was just wrong, not terribly wrong. No matter how angry that bastardly mage is, he thought, this is not a capital offense. However, his assurance of his survival was one built on guesswork, not sure knowledge. With every passing hour of silence, no visit nor message, the wrench in his heart flared.

“Ehh...everything should be alright. There’s no cause for capital punishment for what I did. No deaths, a few injuries, simply major insubordination I suppose. I’ll be discharged, shunned, and shamed by my family. Shaming can wear off over time, so I won’t be scrounging for scraps anytime soon. Yeah...I’ll be fine.” He muttered to himself, laying down on his back.

As he stared at the ceiling, the pulsating light from a nearby candle waxed and wanted on it, like a wave against a shore. He could hear the wind outside the old and warped window of his cell pick up. Must be a storm front moving in, he thought to himself. The whistling wind and rattling glass loudened as time passed, and then the wind began to adopt a scratching sound as it whizzed past the glass.

“That’s odd.” The incarcerated soldier mumbled, turning his head toward the glass.

The view outside was blank. A dark, almost black, fog clung to the window, and he could see wisps of it whizz by, carried by the strong wind. He thought nothing suspicious about it, shrugging it off as another strong Azukana storm system. He rested his eyes now, turning over onto his side, and let the sound of the storm act as white noise. As he attempted to rest, outside something strange began to happen.

From the dense ‘cloud’ outside two red dots appeared. Even though they were obscured, they shone brightly and seemed to be independent of the fog. Their appearance was only blurred by the glass. The dots grew slowly as they approached the glass, and the shape of the ‘cloud’ outside coalesced into a vague cloaked shape. A shadowy tendril grew from the mass outside, sharpened unnaturally, and approached the glass. The scratching sound from the harsh currents masked the cutting of a circle into the glass. The tendril flattened out and, like a cookie cutter, surgically excised the circle from the glass.

“What!?” The officer gasped, jumping up as the sound of rushing wind filled his cell. He stared agape at the unnatural, inexplicable circle in his glass.

Then, seeping through the hole, came the dark mass from outside. The officer took a few frightened steps back, his eyes glued to the mass, and then ran to his cell door.

“Hey! Hey!! Help, help! Oh shit...help!” He shouted through the metal door, pounding on it.

The entirety of the mass entered the cell, and then merged together, materializing into a cloaked humanoid figure. Red eyes still peered through its shadowed face. The officer stared at it with fear, breathing shakily.

“You chose the wrong enemy, sir.” The figure spoke in a quiet, raspy voice. It raised its hand slowly, and from its palm crackled and sputtered numerous sparks.

“Wh...what? I-w-w...hey n-no!”

Its hand then erupted, a massive, sweltering flame pouring from it. It consumed the officer instantly, and instantly scorched him. The power and heat of the blast created a phreatic explosion that blew open the iron door, blew out all the glass in the room, and cracked the solid stone walls. When the dust and smoke settled, whatever had came to end the officer was in its incorporeal form again, and had departed as easily and quickly as it had came.

[Asardia]

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine Taulra just couldn't shake the feeling that plagued her when the nobleman entered. Using her illusions were out of the question, but even approaching the man may inform him that she was a Sensor. But he wasn't the only problem. The two men who were playing a variant of Xiangqi with Diva were incredibly suspicious. The mage named Kan used a high level technique that marked him as one of the better Sensors in the land, which would require Jasmine to remain vigilant on him as well.

While Sumani tried to ascertain Jasmine's trepidation, Kan was busy with the boardgame. Kan laid out the pieces while his partner quickly went over them. "We have the Emperor and Empress, two Palaces, two Priests, two Cannons, and eight pawns."

The rules of the game were very similar to chess. Kan made the first move and had the pawn on the far left advance upwards. With his aura deposited over all the pieces, he would be able to see Diva's future actions, guaranteeing his victory and another easy prize.

Arrindor

"That's fine with me," Arrindor replied, secretly relieved. He didn't trust Darkon, and having the opportunity to talk to several Machi Yin in the meantime could prove invaluable later. "The noble district is housed in a closes off section of the city. It'll be awhile before I can arrange for a carriage, but that'll be far quicker than walking."

Arrindor also considered simply using his transmutation magic to act as a temporary divine beast, but he wasn't willing to expend that much Aura. He began to walk towards the palaces and asked a servant to deliver a message straight to the Imperial Affair's headquarters.

Zhian Kamuri, prison in Azukana

The Archduke stood directly in the cell where the officer was imprisoned. Glass littered the floor while the stone walls were cracked. Besides that, the entire cell was blackened, almost appearing like it was burned. Zhian had requested, or rather ordered, that none of his servants move anything in the prison. This was one of the more inexplicable occurrences that Zhian witnessed in his entire life. In a city that was virtually inaccessible to outsiders, someone had managed to not only enter and leave undetected, but also to kill the very man that held the answers Zhian was looking for. His death had to have been planned by someone. None of the reports Zhian's advisers gave him suggested he had any powerful magic that could accomplish such a feat.

Next to the dictator was his closest friend, Nanderzi. The latter recently killed 20 Shendian Ji in connection to the late officer's illegal actions regarding the Eicthum. While they did intimidate the Shenji, it was now unlikely to find any more leads to what exactly transpired. Zhian, whose lifeless eyes stared at the floor, questioned Nanderzi, asking, "And you're certain no one saw what transpired?"

"Yes, your highness."

"In that case," responded Zhian, "make sure this incident stays under wraps. Call some of our Sensors to check out the city and lock down the exit points. Meanwhile, I'll stay here for a bit."

Nanderzi didn't need to ask why Zhian wanted to stay behind. As the head of the Shenji approached the door, he noticed Zhian's eyes glow a bright red. This was the empire's Bloodline Magic. One so powerful that it was said to be a gift from the gods themselves. Zhian's eyes scanned the room, noting any oddities and remaining Aura or Essence.

Streets of Ryobei

The boy blushed and glanced at all three mages, before fixing his gaze on Unity. Upon seeing her uniform and sword, he stumbled up, bowed, and said, "I'm so sorry to have caused the Machi Yin trouble. I...am alright, and I appreciate your concern. Um..." he trailed off as embarrassment took over. His mother prepared him for a situation where he had to address the imperial guard, but not in an extended conversation, especially one such as this. It was right after he stopped to think that his arm started throbbing. He instinctively grabbed it and winced. "I think I should get going now, if that's alright."

[DeltaSource]

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine Taulra just couldn't shake the feeling that plagued her when the nobleman entered. Using her illusions were out of the question, but even approaching the man may inform him that she was a Sensor. But he wasn't the only problem. The two men who were playing a variant of Xiangqi with Diva were incredibly suspicious. The mage named Kan used a high level technique that marked him as one of the better Sensors in the land, which would require Jasmine to remain vigilant on him as well.

While Sumani tried to ascertain Jasmine's trepidation, Kan was busy with the boardgame. Kan laid out the pieces while his partner quickly went over them. "We have the Emperor and Empress, two Palaces, two Priests, two Cannons, and eight pawns."

The rules of the game were very similar to chess. Kan made the first move and had the pawn on the far left advance upwards. With his aura deposited over all the pieces, he would be able to see Diva's future actions, guaranteeing his victory and another easy prize.

Arrindor

"That's fine with me," Arrindor replied, secretly relieved. He didn't trust Darkon, and having the opportunity to talk to several Machi Yin in the meantime could prove invaluable later. "The noble district is housed in a closes off section of the city. It'll be awhile before I can arrange for a carriage, but that'll be far quicker than walking."

Arrindor also considered simply using his transmutation magic to act as a temporary divine beast, but he wasn't willing to expend that much Aura. He began to walk towards the palaces and asked a servant to deliver a message straight to the Imperial Affair's headquarters.

Zhian Kamuri, prison in Azukana

The Archduke stood directly in the cell where the officer was imprisoned. Glass littered the floor while the stone walls were cracked. Besides that, the entire cell was blackened, almost appearing like it was burned. Zhian had requested, or rather ordered, that none of his servants move anything in the prison. This was one of the more inexplicable occurrences that Zhian witnessed in his entire life. In a city that was virtually inaccessible to outsiders, someone had managed to not only enter and leave undetected, but also to kill the very man that held the answers Zhian was looking for. His death had to have been planned by someone. None of the reports Zhian's advisers gave him suggested he had any powerful magic that could accomplish such a feat.

Next to the dictator was his closest friend, Nanderzi. The latter recently killed 20 Shendian Ji in connection to the late officer's illegal actions regarding the Eicthum. While they did intimidate the Shenji, it was now unlikely to find any more leads to what exactly transpired. Zhian, whose lifeless eyes stared at the floor, questioned Nanderzi, asking, "And you're certain no one saw what transpired?"

"Yes, your highness."

"In that case," responded Zhian, "make sure this incident stays under wraps. Call some of our Sensors to check out the city and lock down the exit points. Meanwhile, I'll stay here for a bit."

Nanderzi didn't need to ask why Zhian wanted to stay behind. As the head of the Shenji approached the door, he noticed Zhian's eyes glow a bright red. This was the empire's Bloodline Magic. One so powerful that it was said to be a gift from the gods themselves. Zhian's eyes scanned the room, noting any oddities and remaining Aura or Essence.

Streets of Ryobei

The boy blushed and glanced at all three mages, before fixing his gaze on Unity. Upon seeing her uniform and sword, he stumbled up, bowed, and said, "I'm so sorry to have caused the Machi Yin trouble. I...am alright, and I appreciate your concern. Um..." he trailed off as embarrassment took over. His mother prepared him for a situation where he had to address the imperial guard, but not in an extended conversation, especially one such as this. It was right after he stopped to think that his arm started throbbing. He instinctively grabbed it and winced. "I think I should get going now, if that's alright."

Diva
He looked at his opponents opening move and reached for the pawn in front of his Empress, moving it two spaces forward. He looked back at Kan before removing his hand.
Darkon
He nods and flies off, flying towards the south of the city and landing a bit off from it. He walks up to one of his men. "Captain, expect Arrindor show up, he shouldn't take too long to arrive."
"As you wish sir" the Captain's voice is deep, unnatural, and sounds like something from a horror film
"Really, are you worried about that?" the new voice came from inside one of the tents Darkon sighs "Azgorith, I'm not going to be putting up with any of your antics."
"I'm hurt" the demon walks out of the tent and looks at Darkon, "Care for a drink commander?" he asks smiling.
"No, I've already told you I'm not going to drink anything you give me, you poison it all."
"Not all, only one of them, it's what makes it fun for me."
"Because either way you are fine, and there is a fifty percent chance of the other person dying?"
"Precisely! But you don't share the same sense of fun, do you even try to have fun? I mean after all you are always running about, doing things for Nightmare, never taking the time to relax."
"Because there is no time to relax, Nightmare's plans will soon come to fruition and I won't be the one to ruin them."

[5pb]

Jasmine and Sumani

Jasmine Taulra just couldn't shake the feeling that plagued her when the nobleman entered. Using her illusions were out of the question, but even approaching the man may inform him that she was a Sensor. But he wasn't the only problem. The two men who were playing a variant of Xiangqi with Diva were incredibly suspicious. The mage named Kan used a high level technique that marked him as one of the better Sensors in the land, which would require Jasmine to remain vigilant on him as well.

While Sumani tried to ascertain Jasmine's trepidation, Kan was busy with the boardgame. Kan laid out the pieces while his partner quickly went over them. "We have the Emperor and Empress, two Palaces, two Priests, two Cannons, and eight pawns."

The rules of the game were very similar to chess. Kan made the first move and had the pawn on the far left advance upwards. With his aura deposited over all the pieces, he would be able to see Diva's future actions, guaranteeing his victory and another easy prize.

Arrindor

"That's fine with me," Arrindor replied, secretly relieved. He didn't trust Darkon, and having the opportunity to talk to several Machi Yin in the meantime could prove invaluable later. "The noble district is housed in a closes off section of the city. It'll be awhile before I can arrange for a carriage, but that'll be far quicker than walking."

Arrindor also considered simply using his transmutation magic to act as a temporary divine beast, but he wasn't willing to expend that much Aura. He began to walk towards the palaces and asked a servant to deliver a message straight to the Imperial Affair's headquarters.

Zhian Kamuri, prison in Azukana

The Archduke stood directly in the cell where the officer was imprisoned. Glass littered the floor while the stone walls were cracked. Besides that, the entire cell was blackened, almost appearing like it was burned. Zhian had requested, or rather ordered, that none of his servants move anything in the prison. This was one of the more inexplicable occurrences that Zhian witnessed in his entire life. In a city that was virtually inaccessible to outsiders, someone had managed to not only enter and leave undetected, but also to kill the very man that held the answers Zhian was looking for. His death had to have been planned by someone. None of the reports Zhian's advisers gave him suggested he had any powerful magic that could accomplish such a feat.

Next to the dictator was his closest friend, Nanderzi. The latter recently killed 20 Shendian Ji in connection to the late officer's illegal actions regarding the Eicthum. While they did intimidate the Shenji, it was now unlikely to find any more leads to what exactly transpired. Zhian, whose lifeless eyes stared at the floor, questioned Nanderzi, asking, "And you're certain no one saw what transpired?"

"Yes, your highness."

"In that case," responded Zhian, "make sure this incident stays under wraps. Call some of our Sensors to check out the city and lock down the exit points. Meanwhile, I'll stay here for a bit."

Nanderzi didn't need to ask why Zhian wanted to stay behind. As the head of the Shenji approached the door, he noticed Zhian's eyes glow a bright red. This was the empire's Bloodline Magic. One so powerful that it was said to be a gift from the gods themselves. Zhian's eyes scanned the room, noting any oddities and remaining Aura or Essence.

Streets of Ryobei

The boy blushed and glanced at all three mages, before fixing his gaze on Unity. Upon seeing her uniform and sword, he stumbled up, bowed, and said, "I'm so sorry to have caused the Machi Yin trouble. I...am alright, and I appreciate your concern. Um..." he trailed off as embarrassment took over. His mother prepared him for a situation where he had to address the imperial guard, but not in an extended conversation, especially one such as this. It was right after he stopped to think that his arm started throbbing. He instinctively grabbed it and winced. "I think I should get going now, if that's alright."

Rin, Taka, and Unity

Unity looked at the kid a sort of confusion in her eyes, it was then she remembered how similar her armor was to the Machi YIn, "Don't worry I'm not a direct member of the Machi Yin, is your arm hurt?" She reached her hand into a small bag the was resting at her side and pulled out a small glass vial with a dark-red substance. She offered the vial to the young boy, "It isn't the highest quality but it should help with the pain," she gave a pleasant and warm smile to the kid. Off to the side Rin watched the exchange and smirked as well, but for a completely different reason, "Some things never change," he muttered to himself.

[Asardia]

Jasmine and Sumani
(Emperor=King
Empress=Queen
Palaces=Rooks
Priests=Bishops
Cannons=Knights
Pawns=Pawns)

Kan quickly took a glimpse of Jasmine, who was obviously a Sensor herself. He decided to ignore her for the time being, instead putting his full attention to the game. Kan saw Diva's first move, and smirked briefly before reaching across the board to make his own counter. Placing his fingers on his left-most Cannon, he moved it two spaces forward and one to the right, being in range of taking Diva's Pawn. He planned on making seemingly random moves to put Diva into the best position, which he hoped to use to increase the bet.

Arrindor

The servant he talked to had moved to the Imperial Affairs building, exhausted from the sudden jog. The steps were made of stone with a railing on either side. As the servant traversed the stairs and made it onto the main floor, he saw the Machi Yin who guarded the entrance. After informing them of his purpose, he was allowed to enter. The Shogun, the head of the Machi Yin, resided in this grand palace alongside the Imperial Premier and Promoter. Perhaps one of the bleaker sites in the entire city, the servant hesitantly made his way to the Promoter's quarters. Before any meeting could be arranged with the higher ranking ministers, the Promoter had to approve of them. Standard procedure. It didn't matter to the servant as he had no idea why Arrindor requested the audience, however it was not his place to question it. Once the Promoter was available, the conversation the two had lasted just a few minutes. The Promoter agreed to send for the Shogun, who would meet Arrindor while he got into a carriage to be taken to Ryobei's outskirts.

The Shogun was among the highest ranking military officials in the entire empire. One of the most experienced archmages, the Shogun was knowledgeable in many forms of magic, which was reflected in his job as the head of the country's imperial guard. The man wore a black uniform with a red patch on his chest, akin to the ones worn by officers of the guard. Stitched onto the patch was a carving of a divine beast. His outfit appeared similar to a formal robe, which was common attire by the nobility.

When the man saw the servant, he scowled, making the wrinkles in his face more distinct. Walking with a slight limp, the Shogun called for his own carriage. Arrindor was well on his way across the wide city streets by the time his driver stopped. He hopped out and bowed upon seeing the Shogun. Arrindor motioned for his driver to carry on while he entered the one with the Machi Yin leader. "Sir," Arrindor began. "I would like an inquiry on the status of the Machi Yin. Specifically, do you trust them to be around me?"

The Shogun spoke through clenched teeth. "My- your organization is top tier. We ensure that no traitors live in its ranks."

The carriage raddled about while they drove through the streets. There were a few mages who used their magic to remove water gathering in dangerous puddles, and transferred them to buckets. These buckets would later go to get purified and recycled for Ryobei's water system.

"I'm not questioning your methods nor your thoroughness, Your Excellency. I've just received reports of a danger approaching us. I need to know exactly how this organization is run, if I'm to rule over it."

The Shogun coughed dramatically. The carriage was large, and there were no windows, allowing for full privacy. He replied in a bleak tone. "The Machi Yin was investigated after your father's death. I have personally addressed the men and women who serve, asking them to swear loyalty to their country and the emperor. I would like to believe you are safe with them in tow."

Arrindor sighed and ordered the carriage to a halt. He glared at the Shogun before kicking the door open. I should have known that man was only going to talk cryptically, he thought. Next on his list was going to Darkon.

Streets of Ryobei

The child's eyes widened after his further interactions with Unity. His mother had always told him that nobles and Machi Yin were selfish mages whose only goal was to serve for the emperor. But seeing her concern was odd. She did say she wasn't a "direct member" of the guard. Reaching out reluctantly, he grabbed the vial and smiled nervously in response. "Thank you," he said. Consuming its contents, the boy bowed once again as he stopped holding his arm. "I caused enough trouble." With that, he began to turn around.

[DeltaSource]

Diva
He cocked his head, The piece is safe, what is his plan here? He continues with his set up and moves the pawn that was to the left of his first two squares as well. (C2 to C4) he lifts his hand signaling the end of him move.
Dmitri
He looks at the Prince playing and sighs. Maybe I should go, after all it's not like...no, I shouldn't forsake my duty, what would father say if I were to do that?
Nightmare
He sits and thinks to himself in the camp before Darkon walks in.
"Sir, Arrindor will arrive shortly."
"I take it he doubted my men?"
"Yes sir, he wanted to see them for himself."
"Make sure Azgorith is well out of the way, we don't want that rabid bastard of a demon to ruin any first impressions do we?"
Darkon shakes his head "No, I have taken the liberty to prepare my men and have something to serve his highness."
"Thinking ahead, that's good." Nightmare stands up and looks at a map of the city. "I've had the mercenaries prepare to attack the east side of the city. Our main force on the other hand will come from the South-East. I want you to take a small group and flank the enemy when we have their attention, understood?"
"As you wish."

[Asardia]

Sumani and Jasmine

The Machi Yin guard was getting bored while watching the prince and the noble play. He stood up, walking in the direction of Dimitri, but went past him to a counter that had water and snacks prepared.

As Jasmine watched Sumani leave the table, she gave one more look to Dimitri before returning her gaze to the board. Jasmine used her Sensory magic to attempt to detect any abnormalities in Kan's Aura. She also pondered why Kan would be making these bizarre moves in the first place. His partner seemed content, which made Jasmine believe there was some sort of shady deal occurring right before her eyes. Jasmine could not see any of Kan's Aura on the pieces, but an increasing frustration made her act out. She began weaving an illusion over Kan. The illusion would cause only him to see fog momentarily cover the board and dissipate.

Kan looked up at Jasmine, and smirked. She's a Sensor after all, he thought. That still doesn't explain how she was able to do this...

Standing up, Kan exaggeratedly pointed a finger at Jasmine and said, "I know exactly what you're doing. You're messing with me to ensure your side wins. Well, I'm not having it. Let's go."

Kan's partner face twisted with shock at Kan's outburst. They grabbed the bag of gold and the game, and began to walk away.

Jasmine, meanwhile, was not expecting this outcome. With a pale face, she examined Diva, trying to predict his response. What the hell did I just do?

Arrindor

Arrindor walked in the rain for half an hour. Collecting his thoughts and cooling down, the heir was now heading straight to Darkon. With no Machi Yin flanking him, Arrindor was going to inspect the new army from the mysterious Nightmare. He finally arrived at the location outside the city, drenched. He made no effort to remove it as he approached them