#akihide shibata

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #27: Awe Inspiring Sights

Prompt: Benthos

Characters: Akihide Shibata and Uma Eijin (Player Permission given)

Time: Current

Ever since learning that he had inherited the Blessing of the Kami from his mother Uma had been dead set on getting him to get used to breathing underwater without panicking. This was easier said than done since he had to undo decades of instinct when it came to being underwater. It didn’t go well at first at all, but he eventually started to get the hang of it and so they went deeper and deeper.

The first time Uma took him down to the ocean floor it was beyond amazing. His eyes moved around the various plants and creatures moving around the rocky sediment covered floor of the Ruby Sea. Many of the things he had never actually seen before, only heard about. When the xaela spun around to check on him she beamed brightly to see he was more focused on the things around them. Nor was it even dark as there appeared to be fluorescent plants and creatures to provide light.

For the first few moments he just spun around in absolute awe of it all. This was the first time that he was able to see the world that Uma lived in. It took him a bit to realize that she was smiling at him, to which he responded with a bright smile and a nod of his head. He was still too enthralled to even consider that he was breathing just fine without any panic. So while she waved him along he followed without any hesitation at all.

Soon they were swimming over the ocean floor, stopping to look at some of the coral and local wildlife. She even led him into one of the many shipwrecks that dotted the sea floor. He swam as best as he could, though his movements were nowhere near as practiced as hers. Still he pulled himself inside of the wreck, but alas it was already picked clean by the Kojin. Not that it diminished the feeling of being able to move through such a thing.

Eventually he was shaken from his awe as Uma swam up next to him to tap his shoulder before pointing up. With a nod he swam back out into the main ocean to start propelling himself up. As he did so he spotted a domed village off in the distance, the famed underwater village that his mother likely came from. This made him slow down slightly to look but eventually shook off the feeling of going there so that he could go up after Uma.

When they broke the surface he realized she had gotten them right back at the boat. This was surprising at first, but made a lot of sense considering who he was swimming with. He turned to beam at Uma as she looked over at him.

“This one told you that you could do it,” she stated proudly, “Not as good as this one, but did very well.”

“That was… that was amazing,” he told her in an out of breath voice, “Is… is it always like that?”

“Yes. Though this one dislikes the salt, the ocean is more interesting than rivers or lakes. Much better for seeing of sights and finding valuables,” she stated with a nod of his head, “This one hopes to find rare treasure to get much coin. Prove this one is the best in the ocean.”

This caused Aki to shake his head with a laugh. “Well, I will definitely come with you on more of these expeditions,” he assured her, “I would like to see more… and perhaps go to the village down there. I do not know which of my ancestors was from there but I would like to see it.”

“Then this one will take you,” she replied with a nod, “This one is the best swimmer they have seen from surface, trade many things with them so they will let this one bring you.”

“It’s a date then,” he stated with a nod before kissing her on the cheek and pulling himself into the boat. He wanted to pass out, and didn’t care that he was going to be asleep in a small raft.

[leenaevilin]

[Announcement] 舞台「惨劇RoopeR Be Playing Stage Game」(butai sangeki rooper be playing stage game)

the show will be running from February 22nd, 2020 to February 24th, 2020 (Saitama) @ 富士見���民文化会館キラリ☆ふじみ マルチホール (Fujimi Shimin Bunka Kaikan Kirari☆Fujimi Multi-Hall)

Cast:

Takahashi Ryunosuke Oguri Ryou Hamada Miyu Honda Uran Kaneda Akihide Hanase Kotone Kawashima Jun Shibata Kouji Koga Shinobu Miyamari Sela Yamaguchi Yukiko Bridcutt Sarah Emi Fujisawa Ai

homepage twitter natalie

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #7: The Debrief

Prompt #7: Speculate

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Past

There was an unnatural calm settling about the area, devoid of any sounds of fighting or explosions. For the camps near the Bozjan front it was almost unheard of. Yet for now all was indeed quiet. Perhaps it had something to do with what was going on in Garlemald. The Empire was in a state of internal collapse from what he was hearing from all of the reports. As such many defectors were starting to surrender in places, though not so much with the IVth. In fact he was one of the few.

“Excuse me sir you ca-”

The voice was immediately cut off by a loud shout further off, too far off for him to make out accurately. Whatever was said though, was enough for the people outside of the tent to gain access to him. He had expected some kind of diplomat from one of the new alliances that was springing up. Yet instead it was three rather unimposing Elezen in scholarly garb, garb that was all too familiar to him.

“Shibata. Good, we got to you before anyone else did. This will make debriefing you easier,” the lead Elezen stated.

Akihide’s eyes narrowed for a moment as he didn’t recognize any of those who were here. None of them had been one of his handlers. So of course he shook his head slowly. “I believe you have something to show me before I say a word about anything,” he countered.

A smirk tugged on the elezen’s face. “Good, you are prudent and cautious. We had been told you were good at your job,” the man stated before unfurling a signed official document from the Forum, naming the man as Allant Kuihert as well as the one in charge of his debriefing. “Now then. I do believe it is time for your final report.”

“Yes sir,” Akihide responded with a sigh, “Following my previous report we received notice from both the Legatus of the IVth and the Emperor himself that we were to cease all testing. Not to mention that no further subjects would be provided.

“Did it end there?”

“No, it did not,” there was a tense pause, “Unknown to me Drusus had ordered the others to ambush me and place me into the machine. From there he went about the process of trying to imbue with a few changes to the alchemical solution we were using to help stabilize the subjects.”

“And did it work?” By now all three Elezen were giving him a rather critical look, as if expecting him to be some kind of monstrosity. Not that he could blame him as he thought back to some of his old reports.

“In some ways. The aether did take, and for the most part there were no transient memories. However, there was something different about one of the source pods… I am uncertain at this time what the effects of that will be. At times my aether becomes highly unstable and leans towards an astral alignment.”

For a moment the three looked between each other before all making notes. “I see… was anything else done beyond that?”

“No. They were still monitoring me and observing the changes when news came of the internal strife in the capital. Then following news came that the Legatus was going to ignore Garlemald altogether and do his own thing. I used that chance to slip away.”

“I see… could the process work if repeated?”

Akihide’s eyes narrowed a bit at the question. There was no basis for the question, none. His mission wasn’t to develop the technology, but rather prevent it from actually happening. “I can’t say, sir. There are too many unknown variables that I was not privy to about what was done to me,” he admitted.

“Speculate then.”

Now a heavy sigh escaped him. It was what he was worried about, this was going to be another thing the Forum would obsess itself with perfecting and then locking away to use it when it suited Sharlayan and only Sharlayan. “That’s not an easy thing to do. However, there are a couple of factors, which if achieved, should in theory allow the process of Transference to work. The first hurdle is to completely separate the memory from the donor’s aether. Another thing that would be needed is that the aether being pushed into the host would need to be attuned to the same aetheric frequency as the host’s own natural aether. Lastly, and more importantly, it would likely need to be done slowly. In addition to personality fracturing another problem that was observed was subjects were overwhelmed. You are, after all, placing powers into the hands of those that never had it in the first place.”

Once again there was some more furious scribbling. The three then muttered to each other in a low tone so he couldn’t hear. This, of course, meant that he was likely not going to like what came next. “Did you give this information to anyone else?” came the next question.

“No.”

“Then, as of now you are to not divulge information about this process to any other living soul. Doing so will be seen as a defiance of the Forum’s orders and will be punished by death,” Allant stated, “In addition, as of this time your service to the Forum is here by complete. In exchange for your invaluable service to our nation you are free to explore whatever research, in whatever part of the world, you so desire. Just so long as it follows the edicts of the Forum.”

“So wait… I’m free to do as I please?”

“Within reason. Your life is now your own Shibata, as you have served Sharlayan in a manner that few can say they have.”

With that the trio left the tent with a flurry of questions in his mind. The only thing he was certain of now was that he needed to find out how much truth there was to his speculation. He had to see if it would work so he could claim it as his own and prevent the Forum from abusing the information. If nothing else they usually honored the researcher’s wish on the use of a technology. The only other thing they would do is toss the research into the forbidden sections of the main library. So that was his next goal, to find out the truth of what was done to him.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #4 Aether Transference

Prompt #4: Baleful

Character: Akihide Shibata

Timeframe: Past

The first thing that he was aware of as he came to was that he couldn’t seem to move any part of his body. It actually felt like there was something holding him down for some reason. Slowly his eyes started to adjust to the dark only for him to notice that he was in some kind of container. Where was he? What was going on? Instead of fighting against his restraints he tried to figure out what was going on.

The last thing that he remembered he was in Drusus’s office advising him of a letter they received from the capital. He delivered the letter, turned to leave, and then nothing. No amount of straining could call to mind what happened next. It was like he had been ambushed there, but why? None of it made any sense or added up at all. Instead all he had were even more questions than before. That was until he heard talking outside of the container.

“Is everything set?”

‘Wait, that sounds like Drusus. What in the Seven Hells is going on?’

“Yes sir! The prisoners have been secured in their respective pods!”

“Good, and the special one?”

“It took some work sir, but yes he is in there too.”

‘What are the- No, I can’t be in that pod. I don’t have nearly enough aether to power one of them.’

“Is there something else Soldier?”

“Yes sir, some of us are… uncertain about your decision to use Shibata for this. We understand that His Excellency won’t let you test on any more pure bloods, but is it necessary to do this? He is pretty much your right hand man.”

“That is precisely why it must be Shibata. He understands that everything hinges on this. The future of this program is at stake and out of everyone he is the closest fit for it. He will forgive me in time if this works.”

“I understand sir, we’ll prepare the Transference.”

‘No, he put me in the receptacle pod! What is he thinking?! I’ve got to find some way to damage the pod.’

Try as he might, he couldn’t get his limbs free enough to try and break anything. Not that it stopped him from trying even harder as the machines all started to power on. There was no way he could let this happen, he had to stop it. If the process started he wasn’t going to survive, none of their test subjects had managed to survive without going completely insane. They hadn’t figured out a way to separate the donor’s aether from their memories. Soon the confusion from unknown memories caused each of them to start breaking down.

Then a needle jabbed itself right into his back causing him to lock up. All too soon the alchemical concoction that they had designed to start the process of fusing aether was injected into him. There was nothing he could do at this point, if he was being injected that meant he was about to feel the full force of all the aether from others being forced onto him.

Being on the other side several times didn’t do anything to prepare him for what happened next. An overwhelming pressure took over, but there was more to it than just simply a burst of pure aether. Something dark and sinister, baleful even, was lurking in the outpouring of aether that was washing over him at that time. And yet, even then there was nothing he could do to stop it. Not even when he began to scream from it feeling like every shred of his being was being torn apart by aether.

After what felt like an eternity the pressure of the aether began to slowly abate leaving him there alone in the darkness, panting and in pain. At the very least he had survived the injection portion of the process. ‘Perhaps something we-’ It was right as that thought crossed his mind that a flood of whispers took over his consciousness. To make matters worse there was something underneath them all that was far more concerning. What had happened to him?

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #3: Refusing to Break

Prompt #3: Scale

Character: Akihide Shibata

Trigger Warning: Torture and blood

Time: Past

The lights danced off of the pearl-like scale as it fell to the ground, stained with blood. It joined others that had fallen there over the course of his training to survive interrogation, and to make his story more believable for when he went to the Empire. There could be no mistakes. After all, Sharlayan did not interfere with the affairs of other nations, they just sat on the sidelines watching and none could ever find out the truth.

“Who are you and who do you work for?!”

“Shibata no Akihide, I am a farmer from Yanxia,” Aki managed to grunt out. He had been hanging from the chains that connected him to the ceiling for bells now. He could no longer feel his arms, and was beyond exhausted. Yet this was the moment of truth.

Once more the triple headed whip cracked out across his back, ripping skin and removing scale. “LIES! YOU ARE A SPY! WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!”

“Garlemald! I am just a conscript from the Yanxian Prison Labor Camp!”

CRACK!

“I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!”

How long had it actually been? He thought it had been just a few bells, but it could have been several suns by now too. Time was losing its meaning to him. Hells he had no idea whether it was day or night now, there were no windows. In fact there was barely any light in the room either. Perhaps he should just give up. That’s clearly what they wanted, he had never heard of this training going for so long. They wanted him to break.

‘But why should I give them that satisfaction?’

CRACK!

“WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!”

“Garlemald! I already fucking told you!” he spat out with a cry of pain, “I was forced to work for you fucking pricks!”

CRACK!

“You dare speak to your betters like that?!” the man shouted as a second one walked up to slam his fist into Aki’s gut. Then blow after blow came until he was all but forced to vomit, though nothing but bile came up. When was the last time he had even eaten? Or had anything to drink? His memory was becoming hazy.

“You are nothing but trash,” the man spat once again, readying the whip, “I will give you one last chance. Who do you report to?”

Akihide groaned and coughed a few times, it was getting harder to speak now through the pain. Harder to make sense of it all. Was he actually still in Sharlayan? “No one,” he barely managed to get out, “I am just a conscript.”

CRACK!

“I guess we’ll just have to give you some time to reflect on this,” the man snarled, “Perhaps this is just giving you too much attention. Let’s see how you fare in the dark.”

With that both men moved to leave the chamber, taking the only source of light with them. Once the door closed Akihide was lost in the darkness. There wasn’t even sound as far as he could tell. It was just him, alone in the cell hanging from the ceiling. Every fiber of his body was a combination of pain and numbness. At this point he wondered if he had actually already been sent on assignment and was found out. That was the only explanation for this, something happened that he couldn’t recall it taking place.

Moments passed, then bells, and then what felt like suns. Still no food or water was given to him, they didn’t even let him go from his shackles that left him suspended. There was no way to tell how long he had been left in there before the sound of the door opening again caused him to look up, though he was almost immediately blinded by the light that was let into the room.

“Now then. Let’s see if you have anything to say to us.”

I can’t let them win. I don’t care if this is real or fake anymore. I will not show them weakness.

“Glory be to Garlemald,” he was barely even able to summon up a whisper to say it, but he made sure it was said.

After that he couldn’t keep himself conscious. He remembered someone shouting from the doorway, and then his chains being released to let him fall to the ground. The last thing he remembered was seeing his pearl-like scales decorating the ground, like blood stained flower petals.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Donning the Mask

Prompt: Foster

Timeframe: Past

Trigger warnings: None

Character: Akihide Shibata, Mateus Server

“The best way to prevent being discovered is to foster as much good will with those in charge of you as possible. People are less likely to believe accusations about those they believe they know and trust.”

These words rang in his head as he stood outside of the Centurio’s office. Being accepted into this unit was the whole goal of his mission in the Garlean ranks, if he failed to do this then everything he had endured up until then was all for not. Too many rumors had reached the forum about the research this unit of the IVth Legion was conducting, and they needed to verify them and keep an eye on the man behind it all, a Centurio named Drusus quo Caelestis.

“Akihide Aan Shibata!”

A sigh escaped him as he moved to enter the office. It felt weird hearing his name said like that, though not nearly as weird as responding to a name that wasn’t his own. The best cover is one that has the least amount of lies, or at least that is what they drilled into him. Standing up as this all went through his head he opened the door and came to a stop in front of the Centurio’s desk while at attention, his gaze locked straight forward as he held himself completely still.

“Akihide aan Shibata reporting as ordered sir!”

“At ease soldier,” Drusus told him, to which Aki relaxed to mimic the Garlean parade rest, “It’s not often that someone from a Province gets referred to this unit. Especially someone with a past like yours. I see you had initially been sent to one of the prison camps for fighting against the Empire and then were conscripted into our forces after they discovered you had an aptitude for working with Magitek.”

“That is correct sir.”

“So tell me… why? What has made you go to such lengths to help our ranks and brought you to me?”

This was the moment of truth, if he messed up here it was all over. “Permission to speak freely sir?”

“Of course.”

“I won’t lie. I hated the empire. The stories I heard growing up, I didn’t want them to take over my home,” he admitted, “Even after we failed I hated the empire. Yet when I was conscripted I heard that one of the Legions was different from the others. I heard what the IVth was like, and it was then that I realized that if anyone could change how this world works and bring an end to all the conflict it would be Legatus Noah van Gabranth. I want peace brought to this star, and I wholly believe that the IVth is the key to it.”

For a moment the Centurio just stared at him before starting to chuckle and then went into full laughter. Reaching up he removed the helm of his uniform and caused Aki to blink in absolute shock. For so long he, and everyone back in Sharlayan, had assumed that Drusus quo Caelestis was a pure blooded Garlean. It was after all the standard for those high in power in the Garlean Legions except for the XIVth under Gaius van Baelsar. Yet here was a normal Hyuran man standing there without the Garlean eye.

“You are not alone here, Akihide. Many of us are from lands that fell to the Empire, and many of us learned that not all of the Legions hold the same values,” Drusus stated, “Legatus Gabranth is a visionary and one whose ideal for the empire differs greatly from the others, save mayhaps the Black Wolf. Like the XIVth a number of non-Garlean soldiers hold positions of power, and I hope one day you will be among them.”

“Does that mean you are accepting my transfer sir?” Aki asked with anticipation in his voice.

“It does. From this day forward you are part of my Magitek Research unit. Together we will unlock the secrets of aether so that the gift can be shared amongst all. Hells, by your file I will likely put you working right under me. You are malms more qualified than the others.”

A smile tugged at Aki’s lips, though not for the reason Drusus likely assumed. He had managed to actually infiltrate the unit after all. Now, all he had to do was silently send reports back to Sharlayan and interfere with their process whenever he could without raising suspicion. Honestly he had assumed it wouldn’t work, that he was laying it on too thick but instead it appeared that the hubris of the Garlean military was even greater than he had realized.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #20: Uncovering Secrets

Prompt: Petrichor

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Current

There was something soothing about the scent in the air as he lounged in the alley, all but ignoring the rain. It had been over a sennight since the last storm had moved through the port city, leaving Kugane to the mercy of the final hot days of the season. With the rain, however, there was a sense of needed relief hanging around the city along with the gentle scent. Not that it was something he could afford to focus on at the moment.

His gaze moved up to the large imposing structure of the Garlean Embassy, waiting for the expected patrol to make his rounds. If there was one thing he could always count on Garlean forces for, it was consistency. Which paid off by the guard walking by at the expected moment which prompted Akihide to pull his hood down to conceal his identity. Now a black clad figure is all that would be seen scaling the ledge up onto the Embassy grounds and making for the nearest window.

It was funny to him. When most people thought of spies they usually thought about someone going undercover, working the information out of people, and similar things. True that was a part of the job, but so was breaking and entering, which is exactly what he was doing right now. It only took a few seconds to find out that the window was unlocked and for him to get it open from the outside before he was in the embassy with no one the wiser.

The room he had slipped into appeared to be a meeting room of sorts. A large table surrounded by more than a few chairs was in the center and along the walls there were maps of every known place in the three continents. Not exactly the room he had hoped for, but it was better than ending up in a guard’s break room or something. At least now he had a stable point to work from, especially since his intel put the records room in the upper reaches of the embassy. Thankfully a little gil in certain hands got him the layout of the upper floors plus the information that guards didn’t patrol those floors.

‘The only real challenge will be getting to the upper floors without being spotted.’

Slowly he eased the door to the meeting room open to glance in the hall, and for the most part it looked empty. From what he saw of the outside, plus the plans of the upper floors, he shouldn’t be too far from a stairwell. So with a deep breath he slid out into the hallway to start making his way for where he figured the stairs would be.

“I don’t even know why we’re still guarding this place,” a voice echoed from around the corner.

“Me either, but you have to admit it is better than being back in the capital. At least the Hingan government won’t let anyone storm the embassy,” came another voice.

“You have a point. Though, why are we bothering with this patrol then?”

“You know… I have no idea. Let’s go find something to drink.”

A heavy sigh escaped Akihide as the two turned around and it wasn’t long before he heard their footsteps fading away completely. With that close brush hovering over him he darted across the hall and up the stairs. Nor did he waste any time at all in scaling them to the floor the records were being kept on. This way he would manage to avoid most of the guards, if any were still taking their job seriously.

The records room was more expansive than he had anticipated, then again it was rather thoroughly organized so it wouldn’t be too much trouble to get to the communications concerning the IVth legion. His main issue was trying to find which ones came from the unit he had been a part of and which ones were useless to him. This took him quite a bit of time, and was made even more difficult by his inability to use a light without giving himself away.

‘Where the hells is it all? Surely they have something.’

He was about to give up when he stumbled across a small file. There wasn’t much in it, aside from an alert with his name on it and the mention of a successful test subject. There were a few more things, but they hadn’t been decoded yet so he couldn’t make sense of it. Not yet anyway, so he stashed the file into his armor and moved for one of the windows in the room. No point in going back downstairs after all.

‘Let’s see what was said about the whole unit.’

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #15: Surpassing the Master

Prompt: Thunderous

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Past

The air was alive with tensions as onlookers followed the movement of the two swordsmen on the field below. It was a rare time for those who focused on more martial skills in Sharlayan to have such a demonstration of prowess. Especially in the arts of a Hingan Samurai. So many had gathered to witness the two squaring off against each other, trading blows easily as they examined each other's defenses to look for an opening. Out of this crowd one person was a bit out of place, a small raen woman whose scales were shining like pearls that matched one of the fighters.

Another clang of metal on metal echoed through the air as katanas clashed before the two fighters broke apart yet again. Both raen were smirking at each other as they appeared to be almost evenly matched. Neither one of them was willing to give the other an opening or the open hand.

“Careful Father, you seem to be slowing in your old age,” Akihide taunted with a laugh, “It almost looks like you are struggling.

A loud scoffing laugh escaped Kazuna. “Oh please boy, I was just entertaining our guests. Now the real fight begins.”

When Kazuna came in at him this time it was far quicker than any of the other blows. So much so that he almost missed the movement entirely. Thankfully for him he had his own tricks up his sleeve. The man’s blade tore through an image of Akihide, dissolving an illusion instead of striking him.

“Clever, but will it be enough?”

The following exchange of blows were enough to boggle the mind. One of them using strikes that were blindingly fast while the other resorted to illusions to mask their true movements. To make it even harder to follow, Akihide was constantly changing whether his movements were faster or slower than the movement of the images. Kazuna was able to keep up with them for the most part, but it was clear that he was struggling to do so and was often parrying blows at the very last moment. Which, surprisingly, caused him to smirk.

“Not bad, you’ve got your mother’s talent with illusion. But it defies all the traditions of our fighting style.”

“Weren’t you the one who told me that tradition should only ever be a foundation to grow from, not a restraint to keep us stagnant?”

“True, but can you defy tradition and win?”

“We’ll have to find out, now won’t we?”

Kazuna suddenly backed off from Akihide and slid his katana back into its scabbard. The stance he then took was similar to iaijutsu, but there was a slight difference that told Akihide that this was going to be his father’s own personal style of a strike, one that was passed down for generations and perfected. Like most iaijutsu it was a quick draw technique, but this one was at such a high speed that it was imperceptible to the naked eye and created a massive shockwave in a full circle around him. The only real counter that had been designed was the same move executed at the same time.

At least that is what his father and grandfather thought. Aki was of a different mind and took a new stance. The air around them shimmered to make it difficult to see what was going on, only for there to be several images of Akihide surrounding Kazuna and they were all taking the same stance. They were leaning back slightly with their katana horizontal to the ground and one hand sliding down the length of the blade.

“Interesting…” Kazuna muttered with a slight pause, “A perfect illusion. They have the same aether signature, make sound, and even give off a presence. I have no way to tell which one is the real you. But it won’t be enough.”

As expected, both samurai moved at speeds that few could follow, if any could follow it. For a moment it looked like Kazuna had succeeded in having the upperhand, with all the images of Akihide having been slashed through. Then the images shifted to show they were all illusions. This then led to two additional images having come in from above and below. Kazuna couldn’t tell which was real and which was fake and went with his instinct to block the blow from above. In the end it turned out the one coming from below was the real Akihide who now held his blade to his father’s throat.

“I agree, it wasn’t enough. Which is why it was just a diversion.”

His father suddenly laughed before putting his blade up and clapping. This then prompted a thunderous applause to come from their audience, drowning out all else. No one had expected any of this to happen, and on the sidelines the small raen was smiling brightly as her husband and her son offered each other a bow. There could be nothing more pleasing to see her son find his own way while still honoring the beliefs of his father.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #11: Finding Resolve

Prompt: Preaching to the Choir

Character: Akihide Shibata

WARNING: Depression and suicide mentions

Time: Recent past

----------------------------------------

Impossible

Unlikely

Outrageous

Unbelievable

Unthinkable

Ridiculous

Time and time again Akihide was turned away by various healers, seers, and soothsayers. When he attempted to explain what happened they laughed in his face and called him a liar. At this point he was so used to it being said to him that he anticipated the response. In those times that he was eventually able to get them to believe him, they still turned him away telling him that nothing can be done at all. If he didn’t find someone who could help him soon he would end up like all of the others.

Whatever had been used for the Transference was starting to consume him, aether and mind, from within. His ability to use his aether was slipping and he was no longer eating or sleeping. His skin was bale and his features gaunt as he was turning into a mere shell of his former self. Yet, despite all of this he somehow felt stronger than ever, not to mention the uncontrollable rage and desire to rip everyone around him limb from limb. At this point he might as well just give up and end it all.

“You have a dark spirit inside of you.”

He hadn’t expected anyone to be out here, this was supposed to be a secluded shrine where he could just walk off the cliff before he hurt someone. Yet the voice behind him seemed to know something none of the others have ever realized. It seemed to know what it was that plagued him so.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“You’ve given up.”

“Of course, I’ve been told enough that it can’t be fixed. I’d rather take my own life than someone else’s because of this.”

“Fool.”

“There is no other way.”

A heavy sigh escaped the old man standing behind Akihide who then shook his head. “Only a fool gives up and declares that without asking the right people.”

“And who are the right people?” The man’s words had given him enough of a pause that he turned around to look at the man. He was wearing an almost ritualistic styled robe and had a bell in his hand.

“I am one, obviously. The spirit inside of you is consuming all that you are. It was twisted out of anger for those that killed its master and seeks to make all suffer,” the man just went on without actually answering the question, “Soon, there will be nothing left of you and the spirit shall have taken over the husk of your body. Luckily for you, I know how to stay the beast.”

“Who are you? What are you?”

“I am just simply an old man who had heard rumors of such a problem. As for what I am, well that should be obvious. I am a Geomancer.”

He had heard of the Geomancers before, and had even tried to go to a few. Not that it had worked. All of the ones in Kugane were more concerned about providing false predictions in the hope of getting coin, and he had not been able to find any in Doma. As far as he could tell the Garleans had killed all the Doman Geomancers.

“And will you help me?”

“That depends. Are you ready to live?”

“Obviously I want to live!”

“That is not what I mean. I can seal the beast away in the depths of your soul, but I cannot banish it,” the old man explained carefully, “It has become too intertwined with your soul, if I were to banish it I would kill you. So, you must live and move forward. Work to undo what has been done. Otherwise, the seal will break one sun and if you have not yet found the answer all around you will die.”

Was this man actually serious? What did he think he was trying to do?! Of course he had been working on figuring a way out to remove the spirit for good. Akihide was about to retort in a sarcastic tone before something struck him. He said reverse, not remove. Instantly the raen’s mind started to work carefully on the problem. Like most processes, there is almost always a way to do something in reverse, to return an object back to its original state. Even time itself in certain cases can be reversed from what he had read. The same should apply to Aetheric Transference.

“I am ready.”

The old man smiled warmly as he fully believed Akihide. Gesturing for Akihide to sit in front of the shrine, the man moved around to light some of the incense. “Good. You are a smart young man, you will find the answer,” the geomancer proclaimed as if it was written in stone, “For now, let us give you the time you need to solve this riddle. Let us silence this weasel for now and give you some peace. Then you will need a feast. You are skinnier than me and I am just a bag of bones.” The man paused to chuckle. “Worry not, my wife will make you fatter than she is.”

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #25: Storming Delays

Prompt: Silver Lining

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Past, shortly after graduating from the Studium

The sound of thunder rolled across the evening night as the shoreline was pounded by the raging sea. This storm had come out of nowhere and had put his assignment on halt until a vessel could safely leave the port. All of this resulted in Akihide leaning against the pillar on the porch of his parent’s house while looking out to the bay. He was annoyed that his mission was delayed, and was perhaps a bit too eager to get started. As far as he was concerned it was the only way to make everything he went through worthwhile.

“You shouldn’t be so anxious to get out there,” a voice behind him said.

Aki sighed heavily. “I know mother, but I…” he paused there for a moment knowing fully well he could not divulge what he had gone through, “The sooner this is done the sooner I can do as I please.”

“There is more to it, but I figure they likely swore you to secrecy or something,” the small raen woman stated as she walked to stand next to her son, pulling her kimono tightly around her, “One of the few things I truly dislike about your father’s people.”

“It’s for a good reason.”

“Perhaps. All I know is that secrets never do any good. Eventually it will cause nothing but trouble as secrets always do,” she muttered, “It didn’t work out so well for my home.”

“Even if you are right, I don’t have much of a choice,” he reminded his mother.

“You always have a choice Aki, never let anyone tell you otherwise. Your sisters don’t feel as bound to these rules as your father and you do.”

The mention of his sisters caused him to chuckle a bit. It was true, the world would end before that troublesome duo ever followed the rules. They were nothing but trouble makers and that is what he loved about them. Now he was smiling despite himself while starting to shake his head.

“You do have a point. Still, this is a result of the choices I made,” he pointed out, “So I must see it through.”

“You do, but do not look upon this delay as a problem. Think of it as a silver lining in it all. You have time to reassess your situation and ensure that you leave no unfinished business behind.”

She was making a rather solid case, so much so that he couldn’t find a way to argue against her logic. This made him laugh even more and his shoulders sagged out of defeat. “Alright mother, you win,” he assured her in an amused tone, “I will do as you say. After all this storm is supposed to last a few suns from what those studying the weather say. I have at least another sennight on my hands as a result.”

“See? So what is the point in brooding out here? Come inside and spend some more time with your family. And for the love of the Kami help me get your sisters out of the attic. They have been doing nothing but causing straight up chaos. You know how they are, the only one they listen to is you.”

“That’s because I bribe them with sweets.”

This admittance earned him a swat as his mother just straight up glared at him. “No wonder they wait for you to come around to solve the problem,” she grumbled, “They get exactly what they want from you.”

Akihide just shrugged as he pushed himself off of the pillar to start heading inside while waving his hand. “It’s really easy mother. Just offer them mochi and they will do anything you ask.”

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #24: Work Musings

Prompt: Illustrious

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Current

A string of curses escaped him as the wrench in his hand slipped causing him to slam his knuckles into the steel. The frustration of making the alterations to his set up himself were starting to come to a head. He wasn’t an engineer, and though he knew the mechanics of it all and the theories it was something different altogether to actually do it all himself. Not to mention the fact that this setup was a combination of magitek, aetherotech, and clockwork technology.

“Seven hells,” he swore again as he picked the wrench up to keep working, “Perhaps I should have asked Noemi for help on this.”

Then again the Illustrious Head Seeker of Aether likely had her hands full maintaining the lab set up for the whole Aether department. He would be better off learning how to do all of this himself. After all, he was set on getting a better focus on aetherotech since Aetheric Transference turned out to be a dead end for his problem. Though he would definitely be able to use it to create something if he got a hang of the aetherotech setup.

“If I can just get this to work, then I can use my own aetheric signature to create something that will enhance it,” he muttered as he went about working, “Not to mention the scanning function needs improvement.”

There was indeed more than one reason that he was doing this. In one last ditch effort to see if there was any way he could separate the corruption from his aether he noticed something a bit odd. There was a good deal of water aspecting to it, in fact more than there should have been for a normal person. There were a few exceptions to this obviously, but as far as he knew there was no way he should be one of them. So he needed to find out the truth. Then again there was also the kelp gathering he was going to do with Uma.

“Maybe I will have answers then.”

When he had first learned that the stories about a village of raen existing at the bottom of the Ruby Sea were true he was shocked. Such a thing should theoretically be impossible. Afterall with the lack of sunlight down that far, how do they grow crops or get food period? There was more to it, he knew that. Then he thought about his mother for a moment. She never spoke about where she was from. In fact, he didn’t know anything about his mother from before the time she met his father.

“I never considered it before… but our scales are unique amongst the raen. The fact that they are like pearls might just be a coincidence but what if it isn’t…”

There was a heavy sigh that escaped him as he kept working. It served no purpose to dwell on it. There was only one way to find out for certain which was why he was adamant about helping Uma. One it would give him a chance to confirm it, two she’d be able to save his sorry ass if he was wrong, and three… well she was just fun to be around. Even if her way of wording things often gave absolutely everyone the wrong impression.

After a few more moments he finally moved out of the machine he was working on and made his way over to the crystal power supply. “Time to see if that did it.”

With a pull of a lever a hum started to fill the lab, aether flowing from the power supply and into the display set up next to him. It then went even further than that to another set up beside it. After a few moments it looked like everything was up and running as the terminals showed a proper start up was achieved.

“Alright… so I’ve improved the efficiency of the power supply enough to power two terminals, which will reduce the amount of ceruleum I’ll need,” he muttered to himself in thought before activating the terminal, “Now just to see if this is taking the updates to its wiring… and it seems to be. Now just to test…”

Pulling out one of his fallen scales he placed it on the scanner and the whole terminal lit up. Symbols moved about the terminal as certain portions lit up and danced around as it worked on scanning the scale. Soon enough the display shifted once more to show the results of the scan which caused his eyes to narrow.

“Yes… far more detailed and accurate. It seems I fixed that finally… but it is still reading both the corruption and the abnormality. I guess it wasn’t an error after all…”

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #22: Tense Meetings

Prompt: Fluster

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Current

A sigh escaped Akihide as he sat at a table in the Hostelry. It was becoming his spot to relax and let go during the week, not to mention make use of the variety of sake that they have to serve. If anyone from Sharlayan were to see him they would likely think he was becoming a drunk. Which he had to admit wasn’t all that far from the case. Between his own issues and the messes that COMET seemed to get themselves involved in it was a shock that he wasn’t.

This latest bout with going and disabling a Garlean airship was just as bad as all the others. Mostly due to the lack of an exit strategy. He was definitely never jumping from airships while they were still in the air ever again. Just no. This thought was promptly followed with him downing a large gulp of sake right from the bottle. He had completely given up on the idea of using the sake saucer.

“Careful there Aki, you’ll end up a lush if you keep that up.”

His eyes shifted up to a midlander who was standing there with a wide grin on his face. “What are you doing here Joryn? I’m done with the forum,” the raen replied in a rather unfriendly tone.

“Now don’t be like that. Besides, you know damn well that the Forum isn’t done with you,” Joryn countered rather quickly, “And I know you are aware that they have been keeping tabs on you.”

“Only an idiot wouldn’t have noticed. Seriously, where did they find this latest bunch of spies?”

“They are rather green aren’t they? That reminds me, where is that cute little thing that you’ve been seeing?” Joryn questioned as he dropped into a seat opposite of Akihide, “Not like you to stick with one, but I can’t say I blame you. I’d tap that in a heartbeat myself.”

“Wh-what? I-I have no idea what you are talking about,” Akihide instantly shot back, though he was blatantly flustered over the topic, “Uma and I are just friends. That’s all.”

“Riiight. You’ve tapped that, don’t lie. You are rather infamous for it after all. She must be something special to keep you going back to the same source.”

Aki scoffed in an attempt to play it off and abused his sake bottle to help with that. “What are you doing Joryn? We both know you didn’t come here to talk about my romantic life. What is it that the Forum has a problem with? I haven’t shared any of my research with anyone.”

“I’m not here for the Forum,” the man told him while quickly ordering a drink of his own before going on, “I’m here as a friend. Which means for the moment your shadows are off doing something else. You were recognized on that airship venture of yours.”

Akihide swore there, then groaned, and finally shook his head with a defeated sigh. “What gave me away?”

“Really? How many raen in the Garlemald military have pearl scales and held the rank of Architectus Veteranus? Now I will say that not much will likely come of it. The Empire is in so much disarray I don’t even know how far out it got reported. The Forum, on the other hand, is a bit concerned. If you keep drawing attention to yourself like that it is only a matter of time before others catch on. Especially those you work with,” Joryn paused for a moment as his drink arrived so he could take a sip, “You do know that your organization is being monitored by them right? The owner is apparently high up on the shite list of some of the Forum members.”

“I kind of figured. Being a Sharlayan there is a bit tense, and for obvious reasons,” Akihide admitted, “But they have nothing to worry about. I have given up my research on that. You can tell them that too. Aetheric Transference between two living creatures is impossible, the receiver will always experience a breakdown of their mind and aether. Eventually they are no better than the tempered.”

A heavy sigh escaped Joryn as he nodded slowly, taking a much longer sip from his cup before leaning back in his chair. “That’s not surprising. Basic aether theory is all about balance, and the problems that happen when that balance is meddled with are indoctrinated in all of us. Just be careful, Aki. Despite how they want to be seen, we don’t work for the good guys. The Forum is up to something, and a lot of us are starting to realize it.”

“You are just now realizing it? I knew it from the moment they put me undercover. They were just the lesser evil at the time. Now that the empire is less of an issue they are now the greater evil,” Aki countered but then gave the man a knowing nod, “But don’t worry, I am being careful. The fact that you aren’t bringing other things up means that I have been successful in losing my shadows when needed.”

A barking laugh escaped Joryn as he shook his head in disbelief. “Good man. Keep it up and you might not be such a pompous ass all the time.”

“Oh please, I am hardly pompous despite what that racist Gridanian I work with suggests. I just have expectations of people that are higher than they seem to be able to meet.”

“Aki… that’s the definition of being a pompous ass.”

All Akihide did was laugh loudly before getting up and taking his leave. This information changed things greatly.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Commission of Akihide Shibata as done by the wonderful Goodlucktomy!

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #18: The Consultation

Prompt: Devil’s Advocate

Character: Akihide Shibata and Emrys Bennett

Time: Current

He shifted nervously in his seat as he looked around the Gridanian Adventurer’s Guild. For some reason he never quite felt comfortable being anywhere in the Black Shroud. It probably had something to do with how snobbish all the residents were. Already he had seen more than a handful of the local Elezen and Hyurs eyeing him distastefully. The only reason he was putting up with it was because this was the only place he was told the expert he was meeting with would willingly meet.

It was nearly half a bell, and enough time for him to consider thinking this wasn’t going to happen, before an middle aged blonde Hyur took a seat across from him. The man carefully set his cane aside and the ruby carbuncle at his feet moved to take the remaining free chair. As he settled himself in the Hyur’s mint green eyes locked on Akihide with an appraising look in them from behind his glasses.

“So you are the one looking for a way to remove a spirit,” the man stated in an even tone, “And by the fact that you are ignoring what most sources say about it means either you are the subject or someone you care about.”

Akihide was about to comment on the bluntness without introductions when he saw the archon tattoo on the man’s neck. He then shifted his gaze from the man, to the carbuncle, and then down to the man’s attire. Even by Sharlayan standards the Hyur was well dressed. A fresh forest green jacket, a button up white shirt, a black tie with the Sharlayan emblem, and black gloves covering his hands.

“The missing archon…”

“Ah good, I was right to assume introductions would not be needed,” the man mused with a faint hint of a smile on his face.

“When my contact said he would get me in touch with an expert, I didn’t think he meant an Archon of Lithovivimancy and Aetheric Wards,” Akihide replied, “Not that I am ungrateful or anything. Just surprised.”

“I surmised as much, especially considering what you used to do. But your family was one of the nicer ones to know back home, so I took a risk,” Emrys explained before leaning back in his chair, “So,  what made you desperate enough to chase me down?”

During all of this a waitress brought over a plate of cinnamon rolls to place right in front of the ruby carbuncle, who proceeded to slam himself face first into them. Then she placed two wine glasses down, one in front of each of them only to shuffle off back into the crowd.

“Well… to make a long story short, I was forced to be a part of an experiment. Kami only knows whether it went right or wrong, all I know is that there is something else taking up space and wanting more,” Aki stated in a low tone, pausing only to take a quick sip, “A geomancer had placed a seal on it, but it was just a temporary fix. Unfortunately a permanent one has yet to present itself and the seal is wearing off. I’ve looked everywhere, but all the sources can do is suggest me killing myself as the only solution.”

Emrys was quiet for a moment after Aki had been rather blunt about the whole situation. His eyes practically boring into the Raen’s soul at this point. “Now, I want to be very clear. I do not mean this personally, or maliciously in any way. Twelve know I am not a nice person, but I understand the situation,” the Hyur prefaced, “That said, have you considered that the reason the only solution is to kill the host is because there is no other way? And that the only way to protect those close to the host is by ending it?”

This question forced Aki to look down at the table in silence for several moments. He had to admit that Emrys had a point. Logically speaking, that was a reasonable assessment. Yet, he couldn’t help but refuse to accept that.

“I know what you are trying to say, Master Bennett. It may very well be that the only recourse I have is to end my own life,” he admitted, his voice oddly soft, “However, as a scholar and Sharlayan I refuse to accept that it is the only way. Our nation was built on finding new ways to do things.”

“Good.”

“What?” Aki suddenly blurted out as he was instantly confused.

Emrys laughed softly. It was clear he wasn’t quite used to it, but the man was a bit lighter than he had expected. To make it odder the carbuncle let out a laugh of its own, albeit one that caused a bit of crumb spraying.

“You’ve passed my test. The types of magics I’ve delved into, the knowledge I have amassed, is not for the faint of heart. Many of them are untested purely because they are so dangerous and seek to defy reality itself. Obviously I wouldn’t waste my time if you’d take the easy way out to moment someone suggested it might be hopeless,” explained Emrys, who was now leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table, “Now then, let me get a good look at what we’re working with here.”

The scholar was quick to pull out a grimoire and then flip through it a few times. He hummed mostly to himself as his carbuncle just idly went about gorging himself on sweets. In fact the waitress even came by with a second tray of cinnamon rolls for the glutinous summon. Eventually Emrys came to a spot in his tome and stopped. One hand was placed on the grimoire while the other was raised towards Aki. The ink on the page started to glow as arcane geometries etched themselves into the air.

“Interesting…” Emrys mumbled under his breath, “That is different, and- Oh. Perhaps…”

Akihide tried his best to sit still during all of this, not knowing much about what the man was doing. All he knew is that the words being used offered at least a small amount of promise. After what seemed like forever the geometries faded from the air and Emrys’s hand fell back down to the table.

“You weren’t kidding about the situation,” he remarked, “I am rather impressed with the seal that the geomancer used. It’s intricate and strong, though there is some room for improvement.”

“So you can make it stronger?”

“Don’t get too far ahead, I didn’t say that,” Emrys was quick to counter, “No seal I could make would ever be able to do what that one is doing any better than it is right now. The problem comes down to a conflict of aether. The reason why killing the host is usually the only option is because when two different aetheric entities inhabit the same body one will always dominate the other. There’s just no other way around it. Even if they try to coexist one will always be stronger, and in time it will eat away at the other. In cases like Voidsent, and in your case, the stronger is the unwanted entity. Sealing the unwanted entity is a way to buy time, but as you are aware it doesn’t solve the problem. Your body’s aether will continue to try and right the wrong, and eventually force a conflict.”

“Then what should I do?”

“The way I see it is that you have three options. The first is the most obvious, and not the answer you want to hear. If all else fails, you must take your life. If that thing remains in its current state and takes control, it will kill everything you hold dear,” the tone Emrys was using was not one to take lightly, nor did it get better as he went on, “Option two is to create a vessel and attempt to relocate the spirit into it. This is difficult, and usually can only be done if the spirit is amicable to the idea. I can supply you with the geometries needed, as well as the materials and methods.”

None of this was sounding good for Akihide, as it seemed only option one was viable at this time. “What is option three?”

“Option three is vague. Over time in my research I’ve delved into many things. Obviously the study of Voidsent was there, since they are used in Lithovivimancy by Sharlayans and not to mention the fact that they are bloody fucking everywhere. I swear, a plague of vilekin is easier to stamp out than voidsent,” Emrys paused to let out a heavy sigh, “During this, however, I have come across rumors. Now keep in mind I have not confirmed any of this, but from what I’ve read and has been alluded to is that there was potentially a group in Northern Ilsabard that managed to control voidsent within themselves. I’m not saying it will work for you, but if this did actually happen there is a chance.”

“Wait… so a method to force the spirit to submit?”

“Possibly. It’s really hard to say, nothing concrete has ever really been recorded about it. All there is on the subject are myths and legends. Not even back in Sharlayan is much known about this group. Just where they are from and that they have something to do with Garleans.”

A heavy and almost defeated sigh escaped Akihide at this point. So he had one option that was never going to work, an option he was trying to avoid, and a rumor. Sure, the rumor was something he had stumbled across too but that meant nothing. He had hoped to find something a bit more concrete on the matter.

“Hey, I know it sounds bleak but there is hope yet,” Emrys tried to reassure him, “Research and discovery is like following a bread crumb trail. It might be hard to spot, and you may get lost along the way a few times, but so long as you stick with it you will reach your destination. Just keep at it kid, if you do you will find that your perseverance will be rewarded.”

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #17: Frantic Research

Prompt: Destruct

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: current

As of late Akihide had found himself bouncing between the library and his lab more often than not. Each time he was seen moving books it was usually by the arm load. He was taking things from every section, and politely returning them to the correct spot. Everything from technology, to aether, to magic, and even several from Geology and Culture. Whatever he was looking for appeared to be elusive as each trip to the library only resulted in a larger array of books.

At one point inside of his lab he let out a heavy sigh and allowed his face to fall into the book he was reading. It was already slow going because he had to translate some of them, but so far it was all useless.

“How can there not be a single recorded case?!” he asked out loud in an incredulous tone, “The closest I can get is voidsent but nothing else. And even then their answers always seem to be: kill the host.”

There was no denying that he was starting to become desperate. True, he had time, but it felt like the walls were closing in all the same. Already there were some signs of it. Such as when he had stretched his aether usage to its limits, his illusions would suddenly become unstable and self destruct. Which wasn’t normal, since at most they should just fade not explode. Then there were the nightmares he had begun to have. By his estimates he had only a few moons left before the seal was gone completely.

Deciding not to let himself drown in his sorrow, he pulled over one of the next tomes to flip through its pages. It was one of the more random picks he had grabbed, a cultural book on pre-empire Ilsabard cultures. At one point during his read he froze, flipped through the pages, went back, and narrowed his eyes. Something had caught his interest.

“But how?” he muttered, “Clearly this was the basis for the experiments we were doing… but there’s no further information.”

Of course, he knew where there was likely to be more information. If he could find out something about the early experiments maybe there would be a way to reverse them. That meant getting into one of the Forbidden sections of the library. Obviously he wanted to poke around inside the Aether one for a bit, which all he would need to do is ask Noemi. Yet this sort of thing was likely in the Magic Forbidden section, which meant Ement. This thought then led to a long drawn out groan.

‘Seven hells, I’d rather be possessed than to willingly interact with that man. Perhaps I can just go to Braith. After all, she is in charge of the entire laboratory.’

He set the tome aside and pulled out several sheets of paper to start taking some notes on. This was likely going to take checking out a few different tomes from each Forbidden section. So he was going to need anything on possession, corrupted aether, early Garlean aether, aether enhancement, and probably some tomes on Auspices. Even if they were nothing more than legend he should be able to get what he needed from any books discussing the theory of auspices. This also meant he added a quick note on Geomancy. It was best to always have a back up plan.

“Unit 337, begin recording.”

“Bzzzzt. Recording activated. All information will be stored in secure tomestones.”

“As expected the normal selections in the COMET library have not yielded an actual answer. All the methods by which they remove a possession always ends with the death of the host. All, however, is not lost. One tome mentioned that early Garlean farmers managed to find a way to tap into their aether to help repel hostile forces. The exact method was not specified, but it may be along the lines of the research we were conducting.”

“So I have decided to request a journey into both the Forbidden Aether section and the Forbidden Magic sections of the library. I understand that Nox indicated that these sections of the library were dangerous to even attempt entering, but I am left with no choice. I should be able to convince Noemi to grant me access to the Forbidden Aether section, the Forbidden Magic section will be a different story. Due to differences I feel like going to Ement is a bad idea. As such I believe that my best bet to gain entry to that area will be going to Braith.

“I won’t lie, I am nervous about the length of time this will all take. By my own estimates the seal on the aether will remain stable for at least three or four more moons. After that it will begin to fail fully. Already I have seen signs of it weakening. Nightmares have begun to plague my sleep and my aether becomes highly unstable when I over use it. Rather than just failing it self-destructs in a rather spectacular blast. Could be useful in combat when more fire power is needed, but aside from that I can’t say that it is a good sign. I also wonder if the aether swapping in the Forbidden Technology section had a hand in the advanced weakening on the seal. It’s impossible to tell since I am not a geomancer, and few geomancers seem to be well… legitimate. I never realized how full of money hungry charlatans Kugane was until I needed an actual Geomancer.”

“Until such a time that I am able to retrieve additional tomes, I will focus on recreating the experiment that created this situation in the first place. The applications of it are, after all, quite wide and useful. This will also likely involve me finding a way to improve the aetheric conductance of the machinery. The crystal to power ratio is far lower than anticipated and it relies on the ceruleum set up far too much which creates an overheating problem. I should try and get my hands on some more Allagan technology to see if the aether circuits inside can’t be replicated.”

A heavy sigh escaped Akihide as he rubbed at his face. “For now, that is all I can do. End recording.”

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #14: Seeking Answers

Prompt: Commend

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Current

As a discipline, Geomancy had been around for at least a few hundred years. Though much of the information had been locked away in the Swallow’s Compass during the fall of Doma, there were pockets of information hidden away throughout Othard. Which meant perhaps he could find something to help at least empower the seal a bit longer, if nothing else. This was the hope he had as he approached the location of one such burial point.

How he had come across this information was something he was likely going to have to avoid mentioning in any kind of report. While it was probably the norm in the Information section of the company, he doubted it was something that Joy or any of the Head Seekers would approve of. At least the person he got the information from wouldn’t be doing any kind of talking for the foreseeable future.

“I commend the souls of those who I am about to disturb to the Aetherial Sea. May their rest there be peaceful and eternal under the eyes of the Kami,” he prayed under his breath.

Excavating ruins was one thing, breaking into a tomb was something completely different. Unlike many, he didn’t believe that time changed the ethics behind graverobbing. For him it was always a desecration regardless of the passage of time. Yet it was something he now had to overlook in order to ensure the survival of himself and everyone around him.

He pulled his hood back in order to put the Sharlayan aetherometer on to examine the ward protecting this particular burial ground. As far as he could tell it was within what one would expect for this sort of thing. Which meant the information he got was accurate and would mean the countermeasure he brought would be effective. All he had to do now was place the appropriate markings at just the right area to confuse the ward into thinking him one of the order.

The process took some time, the markings he had to make were exacting and the ink needed to be infused with aether. He was able to eventually get it just right and the ward began to vanish under the inspection of the aetherometer. That was the easy part, getting around the ward and the guardian. Now he had to contend with the unknown. Would the spirits of those at rest here impede his way? Were there additional protections that were never recorded? Or was everything inside completely destroyed and unsalvageable?

With great care he forced the door to the tomb open, pausing just long enough to let the ruins breathe so that fresh air could move in. Once that was done he lit a torch and moved to enter. The path down into the ground was a long and winding one, but as he entered the main tomb he was thankful. The bodies were entombed off separately from one another in various adjoining chambers. All of the scrolls, on the other hand, seemed to have been kept right here. So at least he wouldn’t have to fully disturb the dead.

He lit a few of the braziers around the main chamber before moving to sort through the scrolls. Great care had to be taken, while they appeared to be intact these scrolls had been locked away for far too long. The slightest wrong move could cause them to disintegrate, not that handling this stuff was his forte. He was a spy, not an archaeologist. To make matters worse it was all written in old Doman. This was beyond him, but he should try and use what he knew of Doman to attempt to narrow it down.

“Why do you disturb our slumber?”

A shiver ran down his spine and goosebumps sprouted along his arms. The voice was faint, hollow, and not entirely real. “I come searching for answers. A seal was placed on me, but now it falters.”

“And you believe that gives you the right to plunder the dead?”

“I have no intention of taking anything but the knowledge needed to strengthen the seal. After that I will shut this tomb and hide it away from the world.”

“You are still plundering that which we sought to keep hidden from the world. Many of these rituals created in the early years used methods that we did not agree with. We cannot forsake our duty.”

“Please,” he suddenly begged, his voice breaking a little, “I am trying to find a permanent solution, but I need time. This is the only way…”

“What you seek you will not find here. Though our souls have passed on, our memories remain. To contain an Auspice you must seek an Auspice.”

“What does that even mean?” he asked in a confused tone, “Auspices are nothing but legend. How can I seek what isn’t real?”

“Our advice has been given. Now leave.”

There was no time to even try and argue the point. Whatever additional ward had been placed on those scrolls cast him off into the aether stream until he was ejected out onto the shores of the Ruby Sea. He was nowhere near the entrance of the tomb, and now no closer to finding answers.

“Find an Auspice… how ridiculous,” he scoffed with a shake of his head, “It is one thing to believe in gods and the Kami. But animals that have lived for hundreds of years and obtained the level of sentience of a spoken? Preposterous.”

Shaking his head in disgust he attempted to get his bearings. He was going to need to find a ferry to take him to Hingashi. There was more work to be done it seemed. Something, somewhere was going to help him find the answers he needed. He just hoped he found them before it was too late.