THE ARCHAIC SKY

CHAPTER: THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLIANCE

"what are those things you're wearing as brooches" Amara pointed to the small glass balls surrounded by a thin metal frame with a full circle and a half circle bow as well as an odd symbol in the middle that they wore on the sides of their dresses. Amara looked at Sayami's dress that didn't have one, instead she bore an insignia, the Yamiyo insignia.

"they're symbols for us gifted, see this one is for the Cryptic" Meissa explained holding her one up. "this one is for the Delphic" she passed it off to Amara.

"why am I getting this one? I'm Cryptic too"

"you're a stigma-less Cryptic, miss, we'll be able to pass off as Delphic, it's just for status however, their ones are mandatory for them to differentiate themselves from the Delphic... it's because of the decree" Sayami explained further. Amara could tell it was upsetting her by the look of their faces, so she didn't want to pry any further. She looked at the three. Meissa had a diamond shape crystal engraved on her bareback skin where she could summon her rubies. She was nearly like a crystalian.

Eira had a tongue engraved with a snowflake-shaped stigmata, useful seeing as Eira has talent to become a mage. Her ice-coated breath should make her spells especially deadly. while Sayami had a flower-shaped black stigmata on the palm of her hand, used for heavens knows what.

The only thing resembling a stigmata on Amara was her four-pointed star pupils. Which she sees every minute she stares at her reflection on the mirror. Yet apparently no Delphic eyes had ever noticed them.

The four arrive at the foot of the imperial terrace of Kanazakura cliff, walking through a gateway-like main entrance with a three-layered dramatic roof that had beams of wood sticking out with two stone lion guards on each side. Not far from the festival was the small residence of the three families that were loyal to the sha-bugyou, the yashiro commission. This was not the headquarters of the yashiro commission, but one of their many estates.

The main house, the Tenshu, was for the family of the head of the commission, the Kazemai who dealt with ceremonies. The two wing houses connected with corridors were for the Kinzokurai who managed the building of shrines and the Raikomai who dealt with the festivals. The main hall had a large veranda, supported by tall circular pillars banded with gold, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the Sakura trees that covered every inch of this hill.

"so, how was the workshop of the swindler? I can't believe she's expanding her franchise" Amara teased Eira who had returned only for the time being before she has to leave for the Kataikami grand shrine to speak with the saiguu. "I assume her greed is more than her height"

Eira giggled. "expanding franchise? No, that qunyu workshop is still the same, she merely added a door in a forest of never ending autumn," Eira explained, of course, it would have been a hassle to go between nations to keep up her shop. And seeing as she is magical, she could do the weirdest things. "you're right about her, she's quite straightforward and answered all my questions... and then some.. but somehow I still have a feeling she's hiding an ulterior motive,"

"so what did she want so badly that we have to play peacekeeper?"

Illuminated beasts and beings were akin to the youkai and the fox was like a blend of a human and an illuminated beast, a kitsune if one may. Small, cunning and fair, she usually carries around her pipe, which she uses to stamp her goods.

She knows people well, and is good at using others to make deals. Though she deals with artifacts and weapons of the magical sort, she is also greatly interested in the vitality of others. "she wants the lively essence to create her artifacts, giving them to others for a price. The fox saiguu caught wind of this and aims to snatch all the essence away from the fox fairy so that she may give it to those who need it without a price,"