[UPDATE IN PROGRESS] Onmyou-Pocketville: Fallen Dusk

Chapter 19: Secrets of the Ceremony

Chapter Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of horror and distressful themes, which may not be suitable for young or highly sensitive readers. Read at your own risk.

Also, the images of the tome pages have text in a calligraphy/cursive style. If you have trouble reading them, I will give out the transcript for you.

The cold rain continued to pitter-patter on the crimson tiled turrets of the palace as Malorie, Tia, and fox priestess Amaterasu stepped in yet another room, which was much larger than the sitting room they were in whilst they ate their sakura anpan. Their paws and sandals caused the floorboards to make noticeable creaking noises, as the palace was very old. They were following Eva, an aging Tenneko with soft pale fur, charcoal grey markings, and shiny blue eyes, who wore a collar nearly identical to Ava's albeit with different encrusted gems and one big emerald heartstone, the Wise Heart.

The library was indeed one of the largest rooms of the northern section of the palace, as it had to be big enough to house all those books. A large scroll painting hung on the wall with the shoji windows, depicting an ancient monarch of Onmyou surrounded by fluttering sakura petals and staring down at anyone who enters the library. Wooden tiles made up the floor of both levels, with only some areas such as the one with the zabuton and a table over it covered with tatami mats.

Outside the windows, rain continued to fall and dwindle from a desolate, ashy sky, landing in the distant River Rei that circled the palace from afar and the much closer pavements.

Along the crimson walls were towering bookshelves filled with all kinds of books, many of them with dark covers. All the books of the palace storeroom were manuscripts, as they had writings that were written by paw rather than printed, and if they had any illustrations, they would most certainly be artists' depictions.

Upstairs were more shelves with more books, along with more tables and more cushions to sit on and smaller scroll paintings that had landscapes and flowers instead of Onmyoujin.

Near the beige ceiling were statues of elemental Kami perched on ledges. It seemed as if they all looked down at the floor below.

"Anything about the missing three?" asked Tia.

"I suppose we have to look for them too. From what I've heard they were last seen near Tachibana Shrine."

"Not to mention we also need to find more information on what the Star Blossoms are. We already know that they're located in three different shrines, west, north, and east of here, including the Tachibana Shrine which I mentioned." Amaterasu noted.

"Well, if it's the Tachibana Shrine then not only would you find what you need and find the three missing Onmyoujin, but also possibly meet someone from the noble house of Tachibana who resides in the manor nearby. Surely they will help you on your travels."

Then, the fukuro-tengu Kozue, now with a bandage wrapped around her leg, swooped into the library from the large open set of fusuma with a small red pouch secure in her beak. She placed it down on the desk and landed on a cushion. "Eva-san, I brought what you need."

Inside the pouch wasn't just chamomile, but different kinds of herbs such as bindweed, thyme, dappled peony petals, and goldberry leaves. Eva needed them for a potion she planned on making, and she was running out of some of the ingredients she needed to use. She didn't feel like venturing out in the rain so she had to send someone to fetch them for her. Someone that was skilled in flying in such an environment.

"Thank you very much. Keep them there; I'll get to them in a moment."

After Kozue left the library, and as Eva continued to arrange a collection of books in a neat order, Malorie curiously walked over to see a stack of rather large but old books, each having different kanji on the spine. She picked up the top book from the stack and placed it on top of a table, turning to the first set of pages with writings.