The Behemoths: Fire. Fight fire with fire

The evening had been quiet and peaceful throughout The Ace of Spades outside of the sounds of businesses closing up for the night as well as kids playing games as dusk fell. Like he normally would at that time of day when he had nothing to do, Kite confined himself to his ship Tailspin, which he always had parked just outside of town. Far enough away from town to not cause a disturbance should he have to take off to go travel elsewhere but he was close enough for those who came to look for him could get to him pretty easily and quickly. Fortunately for him things had been calm and easy going for the last little while with the exception of the haunted house job with Vic which was an adventure that he’d rather not revisit, so easy going was nice with however long it would last. Which for Kite it wouldn’t be long. Settled in for the night in his room just below the foredeck of Tailspin he slept peacefully which used to be difficult before his return but typically he had no issues. Tonight would change that.

Kite’s body was snuggly tucked in his bed; however his mind traveled elsewhere for the night. The details of where he was in his dream were blurred beyond direct recognition but he had a good idea of the setting he was currently in. He could hear and smell the sound of the ocean as the waves collided with the beach wafting the scent of sea salt into the air, "Well this is quite relaxing.“ he’d state as he looked out at the horizon. He couldn’t recall the last time he had gone to the beach for the sake of it but this definitely gave him the desire to do so. "One of these days I’ll have to get a guild trip to the beach organized.  That could be fun.“ The last time the guild did anything that was guild wide while he was around was that war against the elders, the beach would be a much better change of pace for sure. "This place wouldn’t be so bad..“ he’d say, turning around to face the town that was behind him. "If I knew where here is.“ Being that it was blurred in the dream he had no clue where he actually was or why only the beach and ocean were clear. His questioning and pondering would be interrupted by something, he didn’t know what it was but he snapped his head back around and gazed out at the ocean, "Something’s coming!“


Suddenly a sudden seismic vibration shook the entire beach before a massive eruption breached the water as lava and smoke shot into the air. "Is that a Volcano? “  he’d question as waves of water swept by him racing for the town but that wasn’t the concerning thing. As devastating as a volcano eruption is that’s not what compelled Kite’s attention, he couldn’t see it right away but something move under the water towards the shore line. Soon the creature’s gargantuan size would be known as a golem like being of titanic proportions emerged from the ocean. "I have never seen such a massive creature.“ The behemoth soon ignited in flame and magma and almost like a chain reaction his aura blazed to life in response. All of his senses were trained on this thing with something inside him wanting to confront and crush it. Alarms suddenly began to blare all around him and at first he thought it was the towns response to the sudden appearance of a massive monster but it was in fact his ships warning alarm with his ship’s ai calling to wake him.

“Kite wake up! You’re melting the ship!

Kite’s eyes snapped open as he saw that his aura was lit ablaze like it was in his dream but his bed and the fixtures of his room all were either burning or melting like ice cream. Regaining control of himself and his power Kite put out the remaining fire that were lit in the room and then made his way outside using the cargo ramp to get some fresh air. "I don’t know what that was about but I can still feel it“ he was facing east where in the far distance he felt drawn to something like a moth to a flame. Taking a sip from the coffee mug he brought out with him he would walk back up the ramp to prepare to leave as soon as Edi was done checking to make sure the ship wasn’t damaged anywhere due to the heat of his magic. Unaware the magic council had already been prepared for something like this and had already forwarded the jobs over to the guilds for aid.

WC:800

A pleasant evening breeze calmed the nerves as the many-tailed vixen made her way through the streets of Ace of Spades, the sky quickly turning dark with an orange rim at the horizon. The first stars were becoming visible, although she knew from memory that it was nothing compared to the view one would enjoy outside of civilization's boundaries. These days magitech lighting were used in almost every household, and many enterprises were taking advantage of the technology to advertise to a point it was almost irritating. For an old soul like hers it seemed almost vulgar to fill the streets with glowing and moving signs.

But she'd been around for long enough to know that such things were part of progress. Times changed, people changed, society changed. Some things may stick around for longer, and the observant would notice the underlying patterns that repeated themselves, but there was little point in worrying about such minor things as overly aggressive advertising.

And it wasn't like that was anywhere near the most important thing on her mind anyhow. There were always a multitude of concerns she could occupy herself with, but right now she was choosing to focus on one just outside the city's borders.

Kite Wilhelm was an old and powerful member of Sabertooth, but not one who was often present. She didn't doubt that he was occupied with his old business and that whatever he was usually up to was no threat to Sabertooth, but it did mean that it could be difficult to contact him when it became necessary, or when he himself might require the guild's assistance whether he realised it or not.

Now that he was present (or at least near the city) she was hoping she could talk to him before he left for yet another journey. Even from a distance, she could feel that there was something wrong with him: something had severely twisted and transformed his soul. An absurd notion for most, but as a spirit fox Itori could perceive the soul as clearly as the body. She didn't know the details, but what little she was aware of alarmed her. Unfortunately, she'd never really spent time with Kite, so she didn't know how receptive he'd be to her concerns. With some luck he'd be forthcoming about what had happened and accept her assistance.

As she pondered this she felt a spike of magic from the direction of Kite's personal vehicle. Dropping her pondering the vixen disappeared in a flash of silver, an ethereal shimmer flowing and bouncing across the rooftops at tremendous speed without so much as disturbing the air.

Seeing the state Kite's ship was in, steam rising from the smooth metallic vehicle as the belly glowed with the owner's immense heat, she didn't stop until she'd left the city behind and was sailing across the landscape, her ghostly form unbound by gravity's chains. Returning to the realm of the physical she felt the land below once again pull her down, allowing this to happen so she could come to an elegant if rather abrupt landing within throwing distance of the ship, vermillion eyes scanning not the sleek design but the single soul that was present within. As she had sensed before, his soul no longer was that of a full human. The essence of another being had been mixed into it, something draconic.

And if she had to guess, that had something to do with him suddenly releasing such an immense burst of heat.

Even within his ship, Kite would be able to hear Itori's voice as the co-master of Sabertooth spoke. The voice wasn't loud, it simply spread much farther than it should have, soft and gentle as it was. Barriers such as metal or glass were of little use when the vulpine siren wished to be heard.

"My apologies for intruding, Sir Wilhelm, but I noticed that you were releasing a significant amount of your magic power. May I inquire towards the cause, and whether you are in need of assistance?"

Storming in and demanding to be told what was going on wasn't Itori's style. Of course, she did have the benefit that her enchanting voice made people more inclined to react positively to polite requests, but even without it she would most likely have preferred to take the more pleasant approach. Especially since as co-master of Sabertooth she was truly responsible for the well-being of all members.

Current Appearance:

WC: 740
PWC: 740/10,000
TWC: 1,540/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Getting fresh air did do some good for the dragon mage, but calm wasn’t exactly the emotional state he was in either. Whatever was going down in the east it left him far more anxious than anything else had up to that point. On top of that there was a near nagging urge to crush that fiery monster whenever he thought of it. It wasn’t a compulsion, he wasn’t being manipulated to do something that he didn’t want to do nor was it a sense of duty back when he was a demon slayer and he felt the threatening presence of a demon. This feeling was something more primal almost like a base instinct was unlocked upon seeing and sensing the power that the fire giant had. "could it be due to that dragon’s magic? “ he thought to himself as he climbed up the ramp of the ship into the cargo bay. The dragon that withheld its name when it bestowed its magic onto him. All he knew was that it’s power was ancient and the most powerful being he had encountered up until that point. That includes the demon king Asmodeus. There is no telling what side effects came with the magic as a price for power.

As Klte reached the stairs that would lead up the catwalk that lined the perimeter of the cargo bay and that would lead up to the upper deck. ”The good news is that there was no extensive damage beyond your quarters.“ Kite would stop and look at the nearest viewfinder he could find, "and the bad?“ he’d ask genuinely curious. “You tried to melt me.  I don’t appreciate that.” He would let out a loud sigh as he continued up the stairs, “I didn’t try to melt anyone. I just got done fixing the ship. I wouldn't do that on purpose. It was an accident.” No one gave Kite a better rubbing than EDI so he didn’t suspect that to appease the angry A.I. “Accidents can be avoided.  Tell me what happened and maybe we can prevent it in the future. Or I can requisition a fire extinguishing system for the next time you light up.” He had zero doubt that EDI would enjoy witnessing that bit as well as using it to embarrass Kite later. “Neither. There isn’t anything to talk about and we aren’t doing that last thing. Knowing you, you’d turn it on me with or without the fire.” EDI would remain quiet until he reached the bulkhead that connected the kitchen/dining area and the foredeck that lead to the sleeping quarters below and the cockpit on the other side of the hall. “You know me too well.”  With a smirk he shook his head, “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” He’d say as he went across the deck to the cockpit. He didn’t know where exactly the dream took place but he knew that eastbound would be a good starting point.

He didn’t even start the engines to take off before he stopped upon hearing a voice. It was a soft and polite sounding voice. Whoever it was that had spoken to him wasn’t in the ship or rather it didn’t sound like the voice was coming from anywhere in the ship. It also didn’t feel like any sort of telepathy that he has ever experienced but it didn’t take him long to recall who the owner of the voice was. “It’s Lady Itori.” He’d think to himself before answering the question, “Oh hello Lady Itori. Sorry I didn’t mean to cause any sort of disturbance.” He’d say as apologetically as he could. He knew his magic flared only slightly but it must have been enough to alarm her, perhaps thinking there was some sort of conflict that warranted his magic to be deployed. “As for inquiry about the cause, that's no problem. Come on in or up if you’re already in.” He’d head toward the kitchen area to put on some tea for his guest and either wait for her there or meet her there if he beat him there. ”Can I offer you some tea or coffee?”

WC:693
PWC:1493
TWC:2,233

Itori's ears twitched as she heard voices from inside the strange ship. Two, to be exact. While one could be identified as belonging to the sole lifeform in the transport, Kite Wilhelm, the other seemed to come from the ship itself. It wasn't unheard of for magical artifacts to be self-aware, but usually, some sort of spiritual entity was housed inside the artifact, whether that be a full-fledged soul or a lesser spirit. Itori couldn't sense anything like that from the metallic vehicle, which would make it closer to a golem... but a much more advanced one if it could hold a conversation.

As someone who resided in both the spiritual and the physical realm, soulless entities were an oddity Itori had a hard time coming to terms with. It was like an apple made of wood or a door painted onto a wall: superficially correct but lacking something essential that made it authentic.

She dismissed the thought as she waited for Kite's response to her greeting. It was none of her business, and even if it did make her uncomfortable she was rational enough to realise that discomfort wasn't enough cause for action. She had many years to learn such lessons, after all.

Kite's response sounded casual and calm, which helped relieve some tension. She didn't hear any alarm or urgency in his voice, and while she didn't know the man that well she didn't think he'd lie if there was a serious threat present. There might still be some things they needed to discuss, but at least the evening wouldn't have to be ruined by violence.

"Be at ease, only I noticed your magical release. And thank you for allowing me entrance."

With there being no cause for urgency Itori walked up into the ship and towards where she could sense Kite's presence. As she entered the ship her ears perked up, the sensitive organs picking up every sound within the ship and quickly giving her a mental map to help her navigate. It was bigger than she would have expected looking at it from the outside, but once again the lack of a spiritual presence made her wonder just how it worked. These days there were a lot of technological marvels she didn't understand: maybe she should set aside the time to learn more about such matters so she wouldn't be caught unawares by mortal ingenuity.

Reaching the kitchen area she'd come to a halt and bow towards Kite with her usual polite smile, her tails spread out low beneath her.

"It is good to see you again Sir Wilhelm. I would be grateful for some tea if it is not too much of a bother."

Moving over to the table she'd seat herself and remain silent for the moment, giving Kite the space and time to prepare drinks for the both of them. But it wasn't like she was doing nothing during that time: this close she could study Kite's soul in much greater detail, even if outwardly it looked like she was just waiting. It didn't seem like his soul was in danger of degradation, but it was clear that whatever had happened to it wasn't natural. The core was still human, but a significant chunk of it had been supplemented with draconic essence, as if a piece of cloth had been torn in half and the missing part replaced with a different fabric.

Once Kite had finished preparing the drinks Itori would thank him for the tea, curling her hands around the cup containing the liquid as if to warm herself by it.

"I am grateful for your hospitality Sir Wilhelm. I do not wish to impose upon your kindness, but as guild master of Sabertooth it is my responsibility to look into the well-being of our members."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"That which alerted me this evening is one such example, but there is a more worrying development that also brought me here. I presume that you can guess what I am referring to."

Having an essence as powerful as that of a dragon become part of your soul wasn't something you could just not notice.

Current Appearance:

WC: 696
PWC: 1,436/10,000
TWC: 2,929/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Kite stood in the cockpit as the brief conversation with Itori continued. He didn’t detect any hostility in the rather gentle voice of the guild master but to say he wasn’t slightly off put by the disembodied or more likely the ethereal voice. He was more accustomed with the feeling of telepathy where you more or less hear the voice in your head. What definitely helped was Itori reassuringly informing Kite to be at ease. After his invitation for her to come aboard she thanked him to which he replied, “Don’t mention it at all.” Truth be told he had wanted to speak with her since his return home. The opportunity for that to occur had not happened naturally up until that moment and he didn’t want to bother her in light of the conflict abroad with the symposium or any other pressing issues that might be on her or Kenna’s plate. He was familiar with stresses that came with her position and while it wasn’t his job to get involved with the inner workings of the guild he found himself feeling quite nosey about it.  As Kite exited the cockpit to head towards the kitchen area EDI spoke up, “I take it she is an unexpected guest. Should I prepare for departure while you see what the guild master wants?”[/color] Kite would ponder this on the short walk between the sections of the ship before making his reply, “If you want to prime the engines that’s fine but don’t start them up. While they don’t bother me, someone who isn’t used to them may find them annoying during a conversation.” There would be a slight pause, “Oh. Keep any smart remarks to yourself for now. Very rarely does a Guild master pay a member a visit and it is not important.” Kite’s tone of voice was stern to help signify that he wasn’t joking with her. He knew she was one to make sly comments at Kite’s expense and he was usually a good sport about it but he would not tolerate it this time. There would be a slight buzz sound as if EDI was about to say something but then it clicks off.

Upon meeting Itori he'd greet her and ask if she’d enjoy some tea. Kite would watch as Itori  reached the kitchen and bowed politely with a kind smile. He has never been referred to as “Sir Wilhelm”. The most formal he had ever been addressed as was Master or master Kite. He gave an amused smirk, “The tea is no trouble at all. All I have is Jasmine green at the moment. Hope that’s acceptable.” He’d set the water to boil and prep the steeper to put in the water once it was done. “And please you don’t have to be so formal with me. You can just call me Kite.”. He appreciated the show of respect but even when he was the master of the guild he didn’t care for such formalities. There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Kite prepared the tea for the two of them. She had stated that her visit was in reaction to his magic flaring up but he couldn’t help but suspect there was more to her visit than that. He didn’t ever interact with her before he had left but he did recall that there was something about her that was different from the others. He kept his thoughts to himself since likely during their tea and conversation hall would be revealed.

After the tea was poured, Kite would bring the cup over to the table where Itori had taken a seat. With a smile he placed the tea down in front of her on the table and then took his seat across from her keeping the cup in his hand but still on the table.  He remained silent, waiting for Itori to begin talking since she seemingly had something on her mind. He listened to her as she stated her gratitude for his hospitality but she quickly got to the heart of the matter. She was there as the guild master and was looking out for the well being of the members of the guild and his magic coming to life like it had was a cause for concern. It was understandable, he wasn’t a weakling by any means and his magic, if it got out of control could hurt people. Before he could interject into the conversation but he saw that there was more for her to say and what she had to say confused him a bit. She stated that there was something else of concern and implied that Kite could guess as to what that would be. “Lady Itori I can understand the cause for concern regarding my magic going off like it did but I honestly don’t know what you are referring to.” he had suspected that his new magic had some influence on his demeanor but he had no concrete knowledge of anything specifically going on. ”I know my magic is incredibly potent and even ancient in origin but that’s about the only thing that comes to mind.” he didn’t go into detail of what his magic is or what it was that gave him his new abilities but she clearly saw something that he didn’t. “If there is something that you noticed that I might have missed please enlighten me.” Whatever insight that she might have he was genuinely curious to what she had seen that he had missed.
WC:925
PWC: 2418

With her sharp ears Itori could listen in on the conversation between Kite and the ship even as she boarded the strange vehicle. The casual and smooth nature of the interaction made it clear that Kite at least treated the ship as an entity rather than a mere tool, and the ship's ability to respond accurately to Kite meant that either that assessment was correct or it was able to fake sapience to a point where it made little difference. Either way, it was a very curious technological marvel she was now entering.

"Jasmine tea is fine, thank you. In fact, I would say it is one of my favourites."

In her past she'd travelled to certain lands where it was even traditional to offer guests jasmine tea. While that place did still exist she hadn't visited it for many years now, but she hoped that they'd upheld that tradition. As Kite commented that she didn't need to be so formal towards him Itori answered with a light shake of her head.

"My apologies. My mannerisms have become second nature over the years, and I find it difficult to abandon them even in the presence of friends and allies."

The only people she ever really addressed without honorifics were her lover and children, the former because such intimacy surpassed all etiquette and the latter because such formalities didn't suit the carefree nature of the immature.

That didn't mean she couldn't make the attempt, but she hoped that Kite wouldn't pay her rather archaic behaviour too much mind.

She had come here thinking that Kite was fully aware of the situation regarding his soul, but as she spoke he seemed to be more curious than alarmed, and that was affirmed when he explained that he did not, in fact, know what she was talking about. He didn't appear to be lying either, so either his soul's mutation had somehow happened without his knowing or it didn't occur to him that Itori would be capable of sensing that, and therefore didn't realise that was what she was referring to.

"While your magic is one of sufficient power that it should be handled with great caution it is not the primary reason for my presence here. If you are not aware of what I am speaking of I shall elaborate upon my purpose."

She took a small sip from her cup before continuing.

"The policy of Sabertooth is to respect the agency of all members, allowing them to travel their own path in life and pursue their own goals. As long as one strives to be virtuous we offer our support without hesitation and only ask for assistance in times of need. However, there are circumstances under which we feel obligated to intervene for the safety of our members: even the bravest and wisest can run afoul of danger which is not easily handled alone.

An example of such a circumstance is when matters of the soul are involved."

Her vermilion eyes looked straight into Kite's, and while her expression was as polite and genial as ever she used her gaze to emphasise the seriousness with which she spoke.

"For any living being the soul serves as the core. Throughout your existence every step of your journey shapes it, representing the growth of the individual. However, therein lies the danger: if the soul is tampered with that reflects upon the individual as well. To permanently alter the soul in such a forceful manner is not easily done, but the possibility exists.

And while the soul is shaped by your journey, certain changes can only occur if such a method is applied. To put it simply, a human soul will not change into the soul of a bear or a fox in the same way that water will not become soil.

A powerful individual such as you will also possess a strong soul, which allowed me to perceive even from a distance that an unnatural change has occurred. Sitting before you like this the draconic essence which now makes up a significant portion of your soul is unmistakable.

As such, if you are unaware of this I urge you to search your memories for any clue as to how this has occurred."

She tilted her head as she studied him using not her eyes or her ears but her spiritual self. She wasn't lying when she said that magic which could interfere with the soul was relatively rare, but that doesn't mean it wasn't unheard of: her own magic was perfectly capable of such a feat, for instance. Furthermore, those types of magics which had collectively been dubbed as Slayer Magics could slowly alter the soul of the user over time, transforming them into the very beings they sought to emulate.

She might have thought that Kite's magic was responsible for this, were it not for two reasons: the first was that she knew his Slayer Magic had nothing to do with dragons, and the second was that the mutation was too artificial in nature. The traditional dragonfication process was very gradual, not the welding of two different essences that she detected inside of Kite. If even with her explanation he still didn't know what she was talking about or what might have tampered with his soul this excessively she might have to request for him to remain in Sabertooth for a while so she could figure out how to best treat his condition.

Which would be unfortunate, since there was another situation developing at the southern fringes of the Fiorean peninsula where Kite's abilities would be very useful.

Current Appearance:

WC: 935
PWC: 2,371/10,000
TWC: 4,789/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Kite had the jar that contained the Jasmine green tea that he had on hand. Ever since his encounter with the swordswoman spirit that Samira was able to summon who was very fond of tea, he had found himself looking for tea throughout Fiore even getting some imported from abroad in case he ever had the pleasure again. He has gotten a small supply of this green tea from Midi to the south west of Fiore. When Itori has stated that jasmine green was in fact her favorite Kite couldn’t help but smile, “Yeah? It’s been mine too as of late.” he’d tell her as he prepares the tea for the two of them. “I actually got this from MIDI and I have to say it’s probably the best I’ve had yet” he’d tell her as he placed the cup in front of her and would smile, “I hope it is to your liking. I also have honey and cream if you want anything added” his hand would gesture to them on the table.  

After a brief back and forth regarding Itori’s habit of being formal, Kite just nodded and smiled. He had figured that it was as much ingrained in her to be polite and formal as it was for him to be the opposite. For the sake of keeping things as simple as possible he’d yield on this one, not the hill worth dying on. “I can understand that. You can call me however you want.” he’d say to her letting her be aware that there wouldn’t be any sort of corrections or anything of the sort going forward.

Like the sort that he’d expect, the co guild master got right down to business in regards to her visit which to his surprise wasn’t just about his release of magic power but something else entirely. She went on how they would typically leave each member to their own devices unless something pinged their radar and direct interaction or even intervention was required and whatever it was that she felt from Kite that was beyond his magic was the reason. Kite’s eyes would momentarily widen as Itori lead them into the topic of souls, a topic that Kite was all too familiar with but he paid attention to her as she went on to explain the value and the influence a soul has on a person and even more so the tampering of the soul and the detriments that it could have on the owner of said soul’s behavior and over all personality. Even more so just how much effort it takes for a soul to change and make direct comparisons to factors in nature such as the human soul cannot become an animal or nature such as water to soil. Only when she made mention of a dragon taking up and making up part of his soul it all clicked together the new found instincts he’d been feeling, The strongest of which was during that dream upon the awakening of that volcano and the creature made of fire.

After her urging him to search his memories to find the cause it wasn’t needed for the events that transpired in his past would never be forgotten. “Lady Itori, your observation of my soul makes sense. To be honest I hadn’t considered that to be a factor.” he’d pause to take a decent sip of his tea before continuing but at that moment something stronger than tea would have made this simpler. “Not that it will make you feel any better about it but the dragon didn’t have to force anything to change. There was something of a vacancy already there.  Some years back in my naivety and desire to save someone I thought meant something to me, I sought their freedom in exchange for half of my soul. Unfortunately their freedom would result in our parting ways but the damage was already done to me. Even during my time as the guild master the mistakes of the past failures, and even events out of my control but things that I thought I could have prevented weighed down on me. Between that and the creature which I am pretty sure was a hell hound gave my previous magic to me I had left suddenly giving control to Kenna and thus you as well.” Kite was not one to talk about the past nor share his emotions but even Itori could tell it was a painful story. “I had sought sanctuary in a tear in the void where I had found that Jarnbjorn fellow, I switched places with him briefly but during that time the forces of the void while didn’t return the part of my soul it helped fill the missing piece and bolstered my remaining half. I guess when I found….” he paused. He had vowed never to expose or name what had given his magic to him unless he wanted to essentially call upon him “my magic. Which considering how powerful the source was makes sense that it would root itself in the missing part of my soul.” Kite would look at the wall of the ship that was in the same direction of that creature that sparked his magic and brought him there in a dream. “That's why I can still sense it from a distance. It feels challenged.” he would give his attention back to Itori and continue, “It would seem that the answer was right in front of me the whole time but since I lost that ability to see and sense souls I wasn’t aware of it. You have my thanks.

WC:937
PWC:3355

"It is quite a soothing concoction." Kite's admission that he was also fond of jasmine tea made Itori smile. From what she could tell black tea was more popular in Fiore, and while it did have an enjoyable taste as well she felt like it lacked the calmer nature of its greener cousin. To know there were others who shared her preferences was always a pleasure.

"No additions are required, thank you." She took the cup and enjoyed the pleasant scent that drifted from the warm liquid. "If you obtained these leafs from Midi they are most likely of good quality. From my understanding, they understand the importance of good tea even to this day." Her tails briefly swayed behind her before settling down again, the vixen closing her eyes before opening them again and inclining her head.

"I appreciate your generosity. Likewise, you do not have to concern yourself about how to address me: whatever form of address you are most comfortable with should be appropriate." There were people who were huge sticklers about protocol, demanding that their preferred methods were followed regardless of how sensible or rational they were.

As she explained her purpose for coming here, the matters of the soul which could not be ignored no matter the individuality and freedom of Sabertooth's members, she could tell that she was speaking of resonated with something inside of Kite. As he was polite enough to listen she would finish her explanation, and answer in kind as he began to explain what she must have sensed, her expression gentle yet attentive while the cup of warm tea remained held between her hands.

His story was undoubtedly an unpleasant one, and she couldn't help the widening of her eyes as he admitted that he'd willingly sacrificed half his soul in an attempt to save someone dear to him. As the soul formed the core of one's being to offer up half of it essentially meant to be only half a person from that point on. In some ways sacrificing your life would be less harmful. That he then lost contact with the one he sought to save just intensified the tragedy.

While her gaze was sympathetic she didn't interrupt him, letting him continue his story. It was clear he wasn't sharing every detail, but from the way he hesitated at certain points, it was clear he had his reasons. While the missing details might still be important she at least now had an idea of what had happened to him, extraordinary as it was.

"A most unusual chain of events." She concluded. "You have my sympathies for all that has happened to you, but I am also pleased that you appear to have recovered from these events and returned to us safely." She paused as she considered her next words a bit more carefully. "While I can not fully agree with the decision to mutilate your own soul to such an extent, that you were willing to go to such lengths for the sake of another does reflect well on you." Whether it was the right decision was perhaps not something that could ever be proven, but it would certainly have lasting effects. "But now I at least have an understanding of what has happened, and your current state."

She had noticed that Kite was showing signs of being drawn towards a certain direction, and it only required some connecting of the dots for her to realise that it had to do with the same situation that she had been informed about as leader of one of Fiore's guilds. "That I have visited you this evening must be the hand of fate at work, Sir Wilhelm, as there are reports of a new threat approaching the southern shores of this nation. With your history and capabilities, you might be uniquely suited to handle this threat.

However, I must clarify that even for you this would be a dangerous mission." She took a sip from her tea before putting it down. "To request your assistance in this matter so bluntly and directly is shameless of me, but the aforementioned threat is already moving, so regardless of our wishes we must sometimes abandon our propriety.

You are free to decline this request of mine, although I would reiterate that you might be best suited for the task at hand. If you do accept I will have to insist on first tending to your spiritual state. While I no longer worry about the further degradation of your soul the current joining of two different essences is far from ideal, and I should be able to improve upon it." Normally when two different souls were joined the correct course of action was to separate them, but Kite was definitely a special case. While it might be a bit distasteful Itori couldn't deny that, all things considered, it would be better to strengthen and smoothen the adhesion of the draconic essence to Kite's soul, even it meant that it would become even trickier to remove it at a later time.

Current Appearance:

WC: 846
PWC: 3,217/10,000
TWC: 6,572/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Kite felt quite elated by Itori’s enjoyment of the tea that he had procured from a merchant that had imported the tea directly from Midi. Her referring to it as a soothing concoction was truly nice to hear. After offering her mix-ins for her tea she would decline stating that it wasn’t needed and even seemed pleased that the tea leafs were from Midi and thus must be of a high quality. “I had heard of the reputation of Midi’s tea. And after having tea with Samira’s one spirit who was very much about good tea.” he would pause as he would add honey to his tea. While she didn’t need any sort of additions to the tea, Kite himself was one to add honey to his green tea and would do so and drink his tea. “And since then I have been pretty obsessed with finding a good cup of tea.” He would give a small chuckle just before Itroi got down to the business that she had with him. Leading into the matters of the soul and specifically his very soul.

Kite had never spoken about the event that resulted in his soul being ripped in half. Judging by the widening of Itori’s eyes she understood what such an event could do to a person and what would remain afterwards or perhaps it was the fact that his sacrifice of half of his soul for another had a rather unfortunate result. In either case what had been done was already done. Kite would listen as Itori commented on the events being unusual and that while she was willing to give him her sympathies but was indeed glad that he had recovered and returned safely. “Me too to be honest and thank you, but I wouldn’t say that I am fully recovered.” he would state looking a bit somber. “While my soul has been repaired with new magic, the events between then and now will always be with me. The loss of the castle, the death or disappearance of the guild masters that are our predecessors.” he would recall his walk on the border of life and death where he met his dear friend Frederick who, unknown to him, left to go die.”But with a repaired soul I can process it all much better.”

She would state that she couldn’t fully agree with him choosing to split his soul in such a way but would go on to commend him for the reasoning for it and that he was willing to do it for someone else’s sake. “When faced with a decision in the presence of a death lord, little else could have been done. I was weak then, a far cry from what I am now.” both in his magical ability and just overall approach to life. His attention kept being drawn to that creature, he could feel its movements, as if he was able to feel the heat even from such a distance. His attention would be given back to Itroi as she now believed that her visit here was one of fate, for the Guilds have been given reports of the creature and she believed that he was suited to deal with it. He would remain silent as she continued to speak on the matter, referring to the mission as dangerous and herself as shameless for so bluntly requesting his assistance. After speaking her peace about if he did decide to accept that they would have to tend to his soul. “To be honest Lady Itori before your arrival I was going to confront the threat myself. As you might guess that desire is likely a result of the influence of the dragonic being that constitutes my magic and soul but I must have to decline your insistence on messing with my soul’s current state.” he would say politely but somewhat sternly as well. He had no doubt that she was more than capable of doing it but given his history with it he wasn’t comfortable with it. “I’d rather not have my soul meddled any further than it already has been. Plus I am already acclimated to how my magic works and would rather not risk having to make an adjustment in the presence of such a dangerous threat.” he would finish off his tea and stand from his seat, “If you are willing to wait until after we deal with the threat, I’ll comply with you treating any sort of issues related to my soul state.” He’d look up at one of the viewfinders that was connected to EDI, “EDI Start up the engines now. Lift off will be happening shortly.” he would tell her. The whine of the engines starting could be heard throughout the ship. “If that is acceptable we can get started. Do you need to get anything before we go?”

WC:810
PWC:4165

Samira was another member of Sabertooth who was rarely home, although Itori wouldn't be surprised that she and Kite had crossed paths before. The thought of Samira having a contract with a spirit who was notably enthusiastic about the importance of tea was fairly amusing, leading Itori to smile faintly as she brought her cup of tea to her lips to take a sip. "To have a stock of tea available for peaceful days would be considered a blessing by many."

It appeared that Kite had interpreted her statement about his safe return more literally than she'd intended it. Itori didn't object, however, only nodding as the man sitting in front of her explained that he still bore the mental scars of everything that he'd endured and survived. As one's soul was shaped by one's experiences that also meant that those experiences would become a part of the soul, and thus only truly disappear if forcefully removed. "To live is to experience trials, and have the result of such events be engraved upon our souls. Accepting what has happened allows us to grow and learn." She lightly shook her head. "I find that those who believe themselves capable of truly moving on from the past, rather than carrying its lessons with them into the future, are those who value little and grow less." From her those last words were quite sharp, but Itori did have a genuine dislike for such people.

Unfortunately, that was when they reached a point of disagreement. While it was clear that this new half of Kite's soul was firmly welded to the remnants of the original Itori could also tell that the process had been rather rough. Not to the point of the result being unstable, but her expertise told her that there was a risk if Kite was exposed to certain stimuli. The man himself, however, declared that he wasn't comfortable letting Itori heal his soul, arguing that he couldn't afford to be blindsided by potential side effects of Itori's work as they ventured forth to address the issue that threatened the southern coast of Fiore. Itori frowned at Kite's refusal, her ears stiffening slightly while she willed her tails to remain where they were. "I understand your reluctance, Sir Wilhelm. I would not insist upon this if I did not believe it to be a serious matter."

The nine-tailed fox was left contemplating her two options as Kite made it clear that he wasn't planning on letting this discussion drag out. Given the connection he apparently felt with the very threat they were heading towards it wasn't impossible that this expedition would wreak havoc with Kite's soul, which was why she'd insisted on healing it beforehand. But it seemed like Kite wasn't willing to accept that, and would head out to meet the entity down south whether or not he had Itori's approval.

Which meant she could either accept Kite's deal that he'd let her tend to his soul after the threat was nullified, or force the issue and try to minimise the fallout such a forceful approach would undoubtedly have. Well, she could also just walk away of course, leaving it up to Kite to both figure out what to do with his soul and how to handle the threat at the coast, but "walking away" wasn't an option, it was what you did when ran out of options.

"I must admit, leaving such an important matter untended to does naught but give me a sense of frustration." Itori sighed, taking another sip from her tea before continuing. "However, as important as the soul is, its integrity must be upheld, meaning that as long as you do not give consent for me to tend to it, I shall not. If fortune is with us my assistance will prove to be unnecessary."

Of course, the sanctity of the soul wasn't absolute: if the salvation of the world required the defilement of a single soul then even Itori, understanding the importance of the soul, could not deny that the world was more important still. But rationally speaking she couldn't argue that Kite's situation was so dire that she could just ignore his opinion or override it with either force or authority, so the best she could do was pray that this outcome wouldn't come back to haunt them.

With the ship already preparing to take off and head for their next destination Itori shook her head in response to Kite's inquiry. "Anything I require is already present or can be procured when necessary. We can depart whenever you and your vehicle are ready, Sir Wilhelm."

While Kite had gotten up as he prepared for departure Itori remained where she was, still taking small sips from the tea to savour the taste. "In addition, it is within my capabilities to communicate with you regardless of your current location and activities within this vehicle, so if you have no objections I shall enjoy your hospitality for a little longer." She didn't know how fast this vehicle truly was, although she'd be surprised if they reached the coast before she finished her tea, even drinking it as slowly as she was.

Current Appearance:

WC: 864
PWC: 4,081/10,000
TWC: 8,246/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Kite couldn’t help but agree with the notion that Itori spoke on, having tea in abundance is quite the blessing. “I don’t think I could agree more.” he would state before pausing as he sipped from his cup of tea before, “however there is something about tea and company that go hand in hand. It’s nice to have from time to time.” he would say in regards to his current guest.  He didn’t have many guests on his ship for social reasons and while her visit wasn’t strictly social this social element of their interaction he found quite enjoyable.

As the topic of his return and recovery has come up they discussed the trauma and mental scars that had come his way. He would listen intently as Itori made her point regarding a person carrying their past experiences instead of outright moving on from them is the difference between growing and learning versus stagnation and a lack of growth. He would nod, “I don’t particularly disagree with that notion, but there is a fine line between carrying the past and it’s lessons, and letting the past hold you back like an anchor.” the ladder is what Kite has found himself struggling with in the past. “I guess you can say it’s the same difference as moving forward and not just moving on.” He didn’t really have any other way of conveying what he has learned or what he felt improved his life during the time away. His expression would soften a bit when remembering those who were near and dear to him that were no longer around, “to move on would dishonor the memory of them all”

It was apparent that Kite’s refusal of Itori’s assistance to further heal and mend his soul wasn't the response that Itori had wished to hear.  Her prominent frown was all the evidence that he needed to see. She was polite in her response with understanding Kite’s hesitation with meddling with his soul but would mention she wouldn’t have insisted on the matter if it weren’t important. He would nod slightly at her answer. He knew that matters of the soul weren’t to be taken lightly and with Itori being someone who seemed to know just as much or likely knew more than Kite would on the matter it wasn’t an easy refusal. He remained politely silent sipping his tea while she stated her frustration but wouldn’t proceed to do anything with his soul without his consent. Hearing this was relieving to say the least for the slayer, and with that response he would speak, “I really do appreciate that. And I wouldn’t insult your intuition or experience by down playing whatever it is you sensed inside of me as anything less than serious.” he couldn’t see what she could but he did know that in his current state his magic worked well and he was acclimated to it in its present state. With the threat drawing him to its location it was more tactically sound to fight how he was familiar than risk something going awry in combat. “I trust you Itori and what you say so if you want to treat my soul I am not against it but I won’t risk it before going after this thing.” he would lift his hand and let a little bit of his fiery aura radiate from his fingers, “I already have full control of my magic from a combative standpoint. My magic is quite ancient so if mending my soul somehow increases the power beyond my skill level then I could hurt others. I'd rather hurt myself before doing that.”

Putting away his aura he would stand to prepare to take Tailspin into the air and head towards their destination. He would look over at Itori and give a nod when she stated she had all she needed or could produce what she didnt have on hand. “Alright good enough for me” Walking towards the hall that lead to the cockpit he would stop and look back at her as she stated she would enjoy his hospitality a little longer. “A little longer?”[/color] he’d ask as he turned to fully look at her “You’re welcome to all of my hospitality while you’re on my ship. You’re welcome to explore or make your way down to the lounge area just past the infirmary if you’d like.” After the brief exchange he would take his seat in the cockpit and place his hand on the wheel. “EDI I’ll be piloting this time.” the declaration would catch his AI off guard a bit, “You didn’t put any coordinates in. Do you know where you’re flying to?” Kite would fix his gaze onto the horizon and trace along the sky, “No I don’t know exactly where I am going but I can track our target. That’s all we got at the moment.” lifting the ship into the air he would steer it in the direction that he could feel the presence of the behemoth. He’d call back to Itori “Lady Itori! Did you get any information from the council regarding where this thing was going?” he was curious to know if the council had any actual Intel about the creature.

WC:872
PWC:4953
TWC:9,118

"Retaining the lessons from the past without allowing those experiences to cloud the future is a balancing act all must practise. I would advise you to accept the assistance others can offer you in this endeavour, as it is a rare soul indeed who does not benefit from the warmth of company." Itori smiled warmly as she tried to offer some comfort to Kite, who clearly was remembering some of the people he'd lost throughout his journey. While she herself had spent many, many, many years alone, she still keenly understood the importance of having people you could trust and rely on, especially when you were struggling with past experiences and needed some help recovering from them.

Kite's argument that he currently had good control over his magic, and didn't want to risk any accidents, did make sense from a pragmatic perspective. Itori didn't think that her mending efforts would cause such accidents to happen, but given that Kite had already made it clear that he wasn't going to change his mind she could only acquiesce and hope that he would accept her assistance after they'd resolved the crisis at the coast, as he'd said he would. "I understand your concerns Sir Wilhelm." Her smile turned just a tad amused. "Although I feel obligated to point out that, given the threat we shall be facing soon, a greater challenge than neither harming yourself nor others would be to fulfil this mission safely. Of course, given that my abilities are such that they are better suited for support than direct conflict I promise I will undo any harm that befalls either of us, regardless of the source." Itori was far from a powerful combatant: even when they faced off against Pergrande's troops her victory had been a difficult one, and if it wasn't for her powerful healing abilities it would have cost her an arm.

Kite's invitation for her to enjoy his full hospitality for as long as she wished was met with a nod and a smile, the vixen remaining seated for now even as her host made his way to the cockpit and prepared for them to depart. Sipping from her tea her ears twitched as she took in all the sounds of the vehicle and its owner, from the conversation to the many different sounds that indicated that the ship had stored enough energy to leave the ground behind and carry them to their destination. Even as they took off she didn't move from her position, abusing her sharp senses to not only keep herself balanced but to also hold her tea without spilling a drop. A rather silly thing to focus on when one was heading for a fight with such a dangerous opponent, but Itori didn't lie when she praised the tea Kite had prepared for the both of them.

Her sharp ears picked up Kite's question even though the two of them were in different rooms, the vulpine siren setting down her tea now that they were in the air and their flight had stabilised. When she spoke her voice carried so Kite could hear it as quickly as if she'd been sitting right next to him. "Given that this creature was thought to be a legend by many the council only has limited knowledge of its mannerisms and motivations. However, they did formulate a theory, which involves the presence of a dark guild. I shall weave a minor projection to assist in the explanation of the theory." With Itori's illusion magic it was a small task to have a transparent map appear in the cockpit, to the side so Kite could see it without it obscuring his view of the skies before them. The map was focused on the Forgotten Deserts, showing most of the southern side of Fiore.

"It is believed that the entity in question was resting within the confines of a submerged volcano. Whether it awoke because the volcano erupted or whether its awakening caused the volcano to erupt is unknown." A fiery light appeared on the map, off the coast of Fiore at the volcano's position. "Tracking it took little effort, as aside from being quite noticeable its movements are also slow and straightforward." A fiery line departed from the volcano's location, heading for the nearby coast. "So far the council has been unable to determine whether the entity was aiming for a specific target when it chose this direction. No structure or site which the entity would pass through should hold any importance to it, at least so far as the council is aware. However, after the entity made landfall and continued its advance towards the west those keeping an eye on its movements also caught the presence of a dark guild which goes by the name Pillar of Endless Screams. At first it appeared that they engaged with the entity from a distance, but once it changed its course to address their assault they retreated, only to keep repeating this pattern." The fiery line curved to indicate the changed direction. "This new direction would cause the entity to pass straight through several heavily populated areas, including Hargeon. The council believes that these dark mages are intentionally guiding the movements of this entity to maximise the damage it causes, although there is no consensus on what ends they seek to achieve with such destructive methods. So far there have been no attempts at extortion or negotiation, which would suggest that they do not seek concessions from either the council or the government."

Current Appearance:

WC: 923
PWC: 5,004/10,000
TWC: 10,041/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

Kite sat and gave Itori his full undivided attention with the exception of sipping his tea aside, as she shared her words of wisdom. He had often and foolishly dealt with these sort of delicate matters on his own or ran headlong into a situation much to his detriment. Ever since his soul splitting and the numerous tragedies along the way the idea of accepting aid was foreign to him and rarely accepted unless forced upon him. A somber smile would reveal itself for Itori to see as he spoke, “You know a few years ago I might have scoffed at the notion of accepting assistance in this matter but it's hard to ignore genuine wisdom when you hear it.” he would run his hand through his hair, “Lucky me keeping warm has never been an issue for me but gotta say company does make this a lot brighter” he would chuckle as actual joy could be seen on his face.

As the conversation regarding the matter of his soul continued Kite made it clear his reluctance of any mending occurring before the mission didn’t sit right with him. Outside of his enemy he didn’t have any desire to risk anyone else if something he wasn’t used to happened such as a possible increase in fire potency that he’d be ill prepared to temper or maybe even weaken and he would not calculate that into his offensive strategies. As she smiled amusingly at him and pointed out to him that the greater of the challenges would be to fulfill the mission safely given the severe threat that was waiting for them. He would nod, “If there is anything I learned about threats of this scale is that safety is left to chance just by accepting something like this. Realistically minimize the destruction, take it out and hopefully live to tell the tale.” he would don his goofy smile as said it, but as she stated that she was going to be there undoing any harm that might befall them his expression would grow more serious, not a hard expression but a sincere one. “Well then, got nothing to worry about then.”

With the prelude conversation done Kite had taken them into the air and then were heading in the direction where the creature was pinging his instinctual direction. Not wanting to go in blind because called back to Itori to see if she had any Intel from the council regarding this threat. He had expected her to either join him in the cockpit or to call down the hall but instead as she spoke from where he’d left her, her voice was being heard as if she was right next to him. Not that she could see but he did jump a little bit not really used to that trick and wasn’t expecting it. She started off explaining that the creature came from a dominant volcano and it wasn’t known which came first the awakening or the eruption. Thinking back to his vision like a dream he would add, “I think I can shed some light on that. When  that spike of magic you felt from me went down I was in the middle of a vision. Just like I’m feeling it now, I felt that creature’s presence just before the volcano erupted. Pretty sure I saw it all out of body like.” He would continue to listen to her explanation of what information she got from
The council as he looked at the illusory map that she created for him to see. It seems that aside from a whole lot of speculation the creature itself doesn’t seem to have a particular aim of it’s own and he remained quiet listening until the mention of a dark guild was getting involved by attacking the creature and seemingly leading it across the country using its destructive capabilities to do as much harm as possible. “Pillar of Endless screams?” he said almost mockingly. “What were all the other names taken already or are they trying to just sound cool? Aside from a pretty silly name and clearly needing to be taught a lesson, do we know much about this dark guild? I don’t think I have heard of them before”

Wc: 709

"I am grateful for your praise." Itori smoothly replied in response to Kite declaring her advice to be wisdom worth listening to. Her smile widened a little as he joked about how, as a fire slayer, staying warm wasn't exactly an issue for him. "I suppose that for Sir Wilhelm warmth itself is always available in abundance."

It was true that once you reached a level of strength where you were trusted to handle the greater challenges you would have to accept that safety was rarely, if ever, a guarantee. The average adventurer would only be given missions that they should be able to handle safely, barring misfortune and mistakes. But Kite and Itori were both powerful enough that any task which required their intervention was one of urgency and dire nature: they had to handle those tasks because somebody had to, not because it was guaranteed that they could.

"Your compatibility with the entity we are to face should be a great boon in minimising the destruction, Sir Wilhelm. As for me... well, I would consider it my responsibility to ensure that we live to "tell the tale"." She sipped from her cup. "Our combined abilities should be sufficient for achieving those objectives."

Even with her remaining inside of the break room Itori's peculiar method of perception allowed her to notice Kite's reaction to having her voice arriving to his ears unburdened by distance, a familiar reaction to her. Most people got used to the fact that Itori's voice did whatever she wanted it to do, although she admitted that she always found it mildly entertaining when they experienced it for the first time.

But that was irrelevant next to the more serious discussion of the task at hand. The vixen paused as Kite explained that he believed to know the answer to at least one question, namely the connection between the behemoth and the submerged volcano. "I see... That would mean the behemoth served as the origin of the eruption, and something else was responsible for its own awakening. The Magic Council will greatly appreciate this information, Sir Wilhelm. You have my gratitude for bringing us closer to the truth of the situation." They would have to figure out what exactly had awakened the behemoth, but now they at least knew there was something to look for.

Kite's mockery of the dark guild's name wasn't entirely unexpected: in the past, such a name might have inspired dread, but in modern society, it was often dismissed as a weak attempt at intimidation. Itori permitted herself a slight smile, her nine tails briefly curling behind her. "Throughout history there have been nearly as many organisations wrought by men as there are stars in the night sky. To make oneself feel unique one might have to reach far into the realm of the unwieldy to claim a monicker which has not seen use before. Especially if one also wishes to strike fear into the hearts of others with name alone." Overall the name wasn't very important: while names could hold power during rituals and other mystical feats, those who left their mark on history would be remembered regardless of which title they held.

"However, the desire for renown which their name reflects has made it easier for their feats to be noticed and recorded. As such, we do have some information on them which could be relevant to the current incident.

The Pillar of Endless Screams is a relatively small guild, both in stature and membership. They were first noticed when an incident occurred in the region of Talonia where many citizens had disappeared without warning. It became apparent that they had been stolen away by this guild, but fortunately, all their victims were safely returned home thanks to the interference of the Rune Knights. Attempts were made to reach out to the guild and align them with the same rules all legal guilds willingly observe, but it quickly became apparent that the guild had no interest in abiding by the code of law. Before they escaped capture they declared that the art of magic should not be restricted by either common sense or the demands of society.

Combined with the lack of clear motivation behind their various activities the Rune Knights believe they are in essence a cult of magic. They were labelled a dark guild when it became apparent that they had little concern for the lives and well-being of others, even repeatedly seeking to sacrifice innocent lives in various rituals and incidents which were most likely meant to be experiments. They have also been recorded to perform assassinations and various more mundane criminal activities, although the frequency and scale of these activities suggests that they perform such acts to sustain themselves, in contrast to other dark guilds who fervently pursue further wealth and fortune.

However, if they are successful in directing the awakened behemoth towards populated areas that would put this incident on a much greater scale than any of their previous crimes. It also deviates from the theory that their foremost interest lies with experiments in dark magic. Under different circumstances it might have been prudent to further investigate their motivations, but given the limited amount of time available to us before our target reaches a populated region we have little choice but to prioritise the behemoth. Eliminating the dark guild is a secondary objective, and unearthing their true motivations is tertiary."

Current Appearance:

WC: 905
PWC: 5,909/10,000
TWC: 11,655/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm

" “  Kite
       ” “   Edi
      “ “   Turq

Kite would smile and chuckle slightly at Itori commenting about Kite’s lack of heat not being an issue for the slayer. “In abundance and always able to share. The day that isn’t the case would be a true cause for concern.” he’d smile before walking off to the cockpit. During their discussion about the state of his soul and the concerns he had about being able to perform at his best or the capacity he was comfortable with the topic of safety of the mission being brought up. Itori brought up the very good point that his magic was very compatible with taking on this beast and it’s flames. This wasn’t lost on him, in fact the primordial flames he couldn’t help but feel the magnetic pull to them. Like a predator sensing it’s prey. Hearing her state her role would be to make sure that they lived to tell the tale he smiled and nodded, “and I’ll be sure to not let old habits interfere in that. I’ll make sure no harm comes to you too.” and that was a promise he would keep.

“Don’t mention it. For whatever reason I was able to sense it’s arrival hence me being pulled there all dream like. I’m not sure if my connection to the dragon that shares part of my soul made that happen but I get the feeling it doesn’t like this thing.” he would say plainly giving his recount of the situation and being open as to what gave him the insight as he knew that Itori had concerns regarding his soul state. “I was too far from the volcano to properly see anything and as one might expect it was quite the distraction. That said, maybe it woke up on its own. Do you know if the council has investigated the area where it emerged from?” he was curious as to how much or how fast the council was able to follow up on the event.

Kite, in proper Kite fashion made his smart remarks about the dark guild that decided to get involved with this Behemoth and in turn make their job that much more difficult.  She explained that the Pillar of Endless screams while small lived up to their name.  Being a smaller guild in reputation as well as size they had something to prove and based on the information that Itoei had to share it was revealed they had no problem earning their fear. In the town of Talonia they had abducted civilians for who knows what but were stopped by the Rune knights. The next bit of news hit him a bit close to home. He had been “adopted” by a cult that opposed magic so finding his first cult of magic and them being labeled a dark guild set his blood a boil. During Itori’s debriefing on the situation she mentioned that eliminating the dark guild is a secondary objective. He wasn’t sure if she could see his face but he had a cross between a hardened smile and a smirk on his face, “I’d say eliminating them is a bonus. Cults of magic or anti magic in my experience need eradication but you’re right the big fiery boy needs to be addressed.” Just the two of them against the big boy and the Pillar of endless whatever it was called was going to be a tall order but an idea sparked in his head as his eyes locked on to one of EDI’s view finders, “EDI, is he sleeping on top?”

A screen popped up showing the top of the ship and curled up and tucked under his wings was the Turquoise dragon whom he has befriended. “Of course he is. I swear sleeping is all he does.[/color] Edi quipped.  “Good news Itori we will have air support.” he would gesture his finger upwards, “Itori say hello to Turq. The Turquoise Dragon who lazily sleeps on the ship instead of flying himself.” A deep voice could be heard resonating through the ship as the dragon lifted his head to reveal his blue eyes and metallic looking scaly head, “It sounds like we have some excitement coming up. I think I’ll rest my wings before we get to enraptured in combat. You must be one of the Guild masters. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

"I myself am not aware of any noteworthy connection between dragons and the entity we will be facing shortly, but the possibility exists that the dragon whose soul has bonded with yours possessed an affinity towards sensing the presence of other fire-attuned entities." She frowned thoughtfully. "Elemental entities often are sensitive towards one another, and while dragons are not quite the same as true elementals they can display similarities depending on the strength of their elemental affinity. Given the importance of understanding your current state it would be advisable to seek the assistance of an expert in the field of drakology."

Itori could help when it came to matters of the soul, but she wasn't an expert when it came to dragons. Just because she'd lived a long time and experienced many things didn't mean she knew everything or was an expert in every field.

Kite's suggestion that maybe the volcano was unrelated to the behemoth was one that the Council had asked themselves as well, so Itori could at least answer that one. "There were no reports of volcanic activity in the affected region before the awakening of the target, and as such it is considered unlikely that the eruption is unrelated to the aforementioned awakening. The possibility does exist, but the probability is treated as insignificant to the point of irrelevance. Given that we will most likely have to dedicate our full attention towards the task of subduing the target we are not expected to investigate the issue of the eruption. Most likely the Council will send other individuals to the site of the eruption once we have secured the area."

So far as she knew neither of them was a geologist, and when it came to volcanoes, even those with magical properties, you wanted experts to be involved.

Even from her position in the cafeteria of the metal ship she could tell that Kite was agitated when she mentioned that the Pillar of Endless Screams was a cult of magic. She might not be able to see his face, but the body had numerous small ways in which it could signal pleasure or displeasure, and her sharp ears caught enough that she probably could pick up more from sound alone than most people could with all their senses combined.

"Given their proclivity for harming others, including innocent souls and those incapable of retaliating, I agree that it would be better if we dealt with them conclusively alongside the behemoth." She might not share Kite's personal feelings towards cults, but she knew enough about them, or this one in particular, that she felt relatively safe in saying that the world would be better off without it. "However, we shall have to keep in mind that the behemoth is the greater threat. Should the undesirable happen and we have to decide between eliminating the dark guild or successfully subduing the behemoth the latter option should take precedence."

She had picked up on the presence of another person, but given that they were outside of the vehicle and hadn't gotten involved in the conversation so far she'd remained focused on Kite. Now that she was getting introduced to the dragon who was resting on top of the ship the nine-tailed vixen inclined her head, even if it wasn't visible from Turq's position. Like with Kite as she spoke her voice would arrive to him as if she was right next to him, bypassing even the physical barrier of the ship's exterior.

"The pleasure is mine, Sir Turq. You are correct that I am one of the guild masters of Sabertooth, Shirokawa Itori. I am honoured." She smiled slightly before taking another sip from her cup, which admittedly was almost empty by this point. "And I find myself in agreement with Sir Turq. The challenge we shall be facing upon arriving at our destination will require our full focus and test the limits of our capabilities. To rest beforehand is a sound decision."

Of course, it was clear that Kite was just teasing the dragon, but the statement still held true. It was one of the reasons why Itori was still enjoying her tea instead of getting all tense and worked up in the cockpit.

"If you have no objections to my curiosity, Sir Turq, could you give a brief explanation of your capabilities? I am already aware of which powers Sir Kite possesses and his skill in utilising them, but for what lays ahead of us it would be best if each of us is familiar with each other. Naturally, if you prefer it so, I could first provide an explanation of myself."

Current Appearance:

WC: 773
PWC: 6,682/10,000
TWC: 13,151/20,000

@Kite Wilhelm