*◢「 REDHERRING⊹ ) ic

[ohirushika]

Of course, Ivan's enthusiasm was met with much hostility, but it worked out when Abel came to his rescue like the gentleman he was. Not that the blonde even notice he was in peril, but unfortunately he wasn't allowed to investigate the riding lizards any further than he had hoped. Perhaps another day would suit the situation, and maybe with a friendlier tour guide. "Well, I can understand. Not everyone takes positively to curiosity." We responded to Abel's comment on the cold reception. He should know after all, what over-curiosity could do to you. The two left with heavy hearts, but Abel took this opportunity to discuss about his own hometown which was as good as any. Ivan listened eagerly, wanting to know where his companion had come from.

It seemed to him that Abel had come from a much more magical place, a complete opposite of where Ivan come from... Yet something he said struck a cord inside of him. 'Making something out of nothing' in perspective was what every inventor aspired to do. It's how he got so far in his career. Even in different worlds, there are still some principles that remained the same. When Abel conjured a flame in his hand without using things like flint and fodder, or coal and a lighter, he was mystified. If Adscensio lived like that, so many things could be done at the drop of a hat. Everyone wouldn't be recycled based on resource and intellect, but skill and merit, and everyone, if they could wield magic, is able to provide for themselves and not rely on a corrupt monarchy. A question danced at the tip of his tongue, but a question that would have to be asked later as they were summoned for supper before the could get more information out of the two other people they'd approached.

Dinner passed in a buzz, mostly cause Ivan hadn't realized how hungry he was and stuffed his face in. He'd never tasted food this delicious or fresh before, and he wanted to savor every bite, so much that he'd almost missed what Rhina said. Sneaking in? How exciting. Ivan wasn't the stealthiest of people, but he was more than willing to provide his knowledge and intellect if the situation asked. When everyone was settled into groups, they made haste when the lights went out and grouped up. It was obvious that Jiayi had the most knowledge in battle, as where Ivan, he didn't need to learn cause there was no need, and he didn't know Xelia's background, but if the bird could protect her than she was covered.

"I could use one of those swords. I'm not good, but you can at least trust me to not poke myself or anyone on accident." How hard could it be right? He'd read about the knights that used jousting lances that were twice a size of a horse. If humans can carry such heavy objects, surely someone like Ivan could easily carry and use a sword. "I also suggest we come up with a formation at least, in case we find unexpected company at the armory. If you don't mind me suggesting, Jiayi, you should take the front. You have the most experience in combat here, I assume, and your honed instincts can help us out in case you sense something amiss. I don't mean to put you directly in the line of fire but... you seem to excel in it." If the ambush at the forest wasn't anything to go by. "I'll take the rear and keep watch of your backs. I know it's a task warriors don't give lightly, but I suppose since we're a team and in the same boat, there's no cause for concern on betrayal and such." He wasn't even sure if anyone knew what they were going to betray if they decided to go down that road in the first place.

"That leaves you and your companion in the middle, Xelia. Does your bird do anything other than speak to you? Like scouting ahead to check if the coast is clear?" He'd noticed in the brief exchange that the woman had an intimate connection with her animal friend, and if it could help them out then all the better. "There may be soldiers patrolling about, but I think avoiding direct confrontation is our best option right now." When he got into planning, Ivan wanted to take it all the way. "Any suggestions, voice it out too. We're a team now, and we work best if we work together."

[Ryeoji]

They first arrive at a strange but interesting base, and were fully welcomed with a meal that she couldn't help but take ten years to eat. Each bite was a luxury. And it seemed that others thought the same when she spotted the fellow named Ivan fully enjoying his meal at a much faster pace than she did. Eating strange food from strange places. It might actually be her new hobby. But to be stealthy on a mission? Sounded like something she knows all too well. Tahri squawked, already feeling the exhilaration of battle to come.

As they split, she took note of those in her group. Jiayi and Ivan. People she hasn't spoken to, but already has a general idea of. Hm, did she need a sword? She remembered reading about weaponry in books, but never had to use such a thing. Her village might have utilized such technology, but she used only needed to use her hands to conjure her spells. "I'm fine."

Then Ivan spoke of his plan for their mission, which she fully agreed to, responding with a nod. "Ah, Tahri can do many things! Scouting is what he does naturally to keep me safe." Avoiding confrontations was also a good idea. Wow, Ivan seemed very knowledgeable of tactics for battle now that she heard him speak more. It was a good idea to take some mental notes in case she needed to use them in the future, which she did. This was also probably the best opportunity to warn them of her contributions regarding battle. It was like confession time right? Since they were a team now!

"I don't have strong control of my abilities..but I'd say....70% of the time the result is what I want! So if you ever need me or Tahri to do anything, we will do it!" Her companion pecked her shoulder, showing reluctance to what she just said, but she brushed him away and smiled sheepishly.

(Why was this written so weirdly.)

[giraffe laugh]

• The dinner hall was lively and bright, and all the food set out in enormous plates looked plentiful and delicious. However, seated among her travel companions, Helena found she wasn't hungry at all. She pushed around the measly portion of vegetables and fish on her plate, trying not to make it too obvious that she wasn't exactly feeling her best at the moment. To be honest, she was nearing exhaustion and not much in the mood for anything - a side effect of dying and then coming back to life somehow all of a sudden, she presumed. In any case, she was glad the noise of the other people around them was loud enough to discourage their group from conversing with one another.
  
  However, the noise was not loud enough to drown out what their guide, Rhina, would say. Helena felt like throwing a tantrum a little bit, but nodded along with everyone else. She was tired and moody, but she knew whatever Rhina had to say was probably important.
  
  And it was. The group would be splitting up into teams apparently, to breach three different rooms, emphasis on breach - because they would be sneaking in without permission from whoever was in charge of this joint. These rooms were namely the war council room, the library, and the armory. Helena waited expectantly to hear her name in the team going to the library - after all, Helena had already gone there with Litor before and so had a decent idea of what to expect. However, surprisingly, Helena heard her name spoken for the team going to the war council room. Strange... but interesting. Alerted by this unexpected development, Helena quietly resolved to do her best and try not to let her other two companions down.
  
  As they all dispersed into their respective groupings, Helena moved to quietly stand next to Theo and the girl called Elincia. "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," Helena nodded and smiled to them both briefly. "Are we ready to go? How shall we go about this?"
  
  

[Akai Papillon]

we all know I'm never gonna get around to making a post format

It appeared that information wasn't quite as easy ot come by when one wasn't familiar with the act--unsurprising, yes, but things had been somewhat worse than expected. Litor kept the thought to xirself as the group exchanged information, mind trying to gather everything at once. This place wasn't quite as advanced as Kaisydra was, as far as xe could tell. Litor had no trouble distinguishing technology, after all, even if xe wasn't really experienced in the art of using it. A pause as xe thought about the locations. It was Jiayi that spoke first, declaring that she wanted to the armory with two others (what were their names? Litor was having trouble remembering despite xirself). When Jiayi asked for weapon requests, Litor took the opportunity to speak, xir voice controlled.

"If there are small arms, I would prefer a dagger or a knife." A knife would be ideal. Litor wasn't skilled or strong, meaning that the majority of the weapons that xe'd seen used were out of the question for regular use. A sword or lance, after all, couldn't be drawn, used, and then hidden quickly away. "Anything that requires less brute strength would be useful."

And here a pause as Litor considered the options xirself.

"...I'll head to the library. I am not familiar with weaponry and have little experience in true war tactics," Litor murmured, xir eyes glancing in the direction of the others. "It might be wise if someone unfamiliar accompanied me. In the event we are discovered, we can pretend I was showing them what I had seen."

Lies were only second nature to xir, after all. The dark-haired keeper glanced at the others, eyes sharp and ever-observant as per the usual. "Someone familiar with the art of deception or escape may be preferable in this case." Not to mention it would be the best way to scope out who could and couldn't be trusted in the matter. Settling xir hand on the pouch nestled against xir hip, Litor let the comfort of knowing that the Selt was ready o be used comfort xir. It would be preferable to avoid extensive use, considering the amount of time it would take to refresh it by xir own efforts, but the knowledge that the option was open was more than enough to reassure Litor that xe could safely escape any sticky situations.

It was only somewhat to Litor's surprise that only one person was headed to the library when they dispersed into their groups. It was the one that had been able ot conjure flames--Abel? SOmething similar to that. Names were difficult to remember in such outstanding situations, though Litor never deigned to use them when it could be avoided regardless. It might as well have been a taboo for people like xir anyways.

"The book that I saw before. Shall we, then?" Again, xe withdrew a pair of dark-skinned hands into the folds of xir robe, habit forcing the matter more than anything else. A sidelong glance down the hall and a silent-but-deep breath here. "I can lead the path, compatra." But that meant nothing about Litor's comfort or willingness to have someone walk behind xir. Nothing in the least.

[caffye west]

• Dinner wasn't something Elincia wanted to last, as the heavy knot in her stomach prevented her from enjoying anything in the first place. The food was fresh though; she could tell that much. The fruits laid out before them weren't genetically altered to fit an exact mold. A good portion of dinner was spent just looking at the differences between three apples on the table. These same differences felt extremely unnerving to the blonde, which made her lose her appetite. But while her feelings were against it, she forced herself to eat. Starving in an unknown place was far from ideal, and keeping her strength up would be vital to survival.
  
  And she was right; between bites, Rhina summoned them all to their room to discuss their new information once dinner was dismissed. The exchange of information was expected; the blatant invade wasn't. She raised an eyebrow as they were divided into three, but said nothing. Questioning something like that wouldn't benefit her any. Truly, she cared little as to which room she'd wind up at; regardless she'd do her duty. War room, however, seemed lacking in fire power. It'd probably be for the best if she came and served as a bodyguard, if anything.
  
  Jiayi spoke, asking about any preferred weapons. Honestly, Elincia would give anything for a trusty all-in-one gun, but she doubted they had that. "Something like a..." Green eyes squinted as she tried to recall the proper word. "Lance? Yes. Something with a longer reach, a bit like your weapon, but it shouldn't have a flat blade at the end." The Enforcer didn't have much knowledge on wielding actual lances, but she did have former experience using long solid rods defensively. It shouldn't be too hard to pick up, as opposed to learning sword-wielding on the fly.
  
  There was a brief period where they all separated into their groups, which she acknowledged would be wise. It would be inefficient, not to mention dangerous, to spend time discussing what to do next whilst actually at their respective rooms. She gave Helena a curt nod, and then met the gaze of their third party member to acknowledge he was there. "I don't have much knowledge in stealth, but I assume it would be best that we avoid encounters altogether, right from the moment we leave this room." She hated to admit it, but Elincia didn't want them to wind up relying on her for something she was far from an expert on.
  
  "If it's anything like the briefing rooms at home, there should be maps." Granted, hers were digital, but they used maps here too, right? "Since you were at the library, you're likely the most familiar with country emblems and names."
  
  "We take pictures of anything important or interesting we find; notes, battle plans, important names." She continued to speak, not realizing that some of her companions might not be familiar with the concept of photography. "Then we leave, and piece together what we find from the safety of our room. Without getting caught." Emphasis on without.
  
  

[ninefoxes]

S H R U G tab O F F tab D U S T tab A N D tab M E M O R Y tab A N D tab S T E P tab I N T O tab T H E tab D A Y
♔ tab ♔ tab ♔

Theo stared at the food laid out in front of them, and thought that they probably tasted amazing. He was disinclined to try, though, in part because he didn't really need the nourishment anymore, but mostly because he was not sure he wanted to try foreign food quite so soon. Everything was just so strange that it was hard to... adjust, like he was clearly expected to, from the way Rhina kept pushing them towards more and more tasks.

If this was what it felt like to be divinely chosen, then Theo could understand why most people in Point Zero chose not to believe in anything above.

As the group was split up, Theo considered Jiayi's question. It made sense to have something to defend himself with, but he could not come up with any particular weapon he wanted to use. Perhaps a dagger, like the brown-haired girl said, but if he was close enough for it to be useful, then he was done for anyways. Would it be frowned upon to ask for a shield? Theo could stand in front of the others, even if it meant being mauled in questionable ways, for lack of his usefulness in other areas.

Maybe it was better if he just stayed quiet.

It was a relief that Helena was going to go with Theo's group, and he gave her a small smile in return even if he still didn't understand what she was always saying. He didn't know the blond-haired female, but recalled her introducing herself in the forest as Elincia. She had spoken up first of the group. Besides, Theo was feeling a little less tentative about everything after having spent time with Jiayi; everyone seemed less intimidating compared to her.

Avoid encounters. That seemed a reasonable goal to aim for. "How are we going to take pictures?" Theo wondered out loud. He didn't think that this world had technology like cameras or video recorders, or anything of the like, but it was a little bit of a relief that at least someone in their group had heard of technology like that. "There won't be anyone... in the room at the time we're going in, will there?"

[Triple Extra Large]

Abel Reyes
The Pyromancer

Before Abel had much in the way of a conversation with Ivan, let alone with the two gentlemen in the courtyard, a messenger of sorts relayed that it was time for dinner. While the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge certainly seemed to slipped by, Abel figured it was not the end of the world. After all, dinner was a time of conversation a camaraderie, was it not? Different cultures of different worlds aside, food was something to bond over, a source of joy in otherwise bleak circumstances. Realizing that he himself hadn't anything to eat since awakening on that green field, he acquiesced to the call and fell in to formation, following the rest as they entered the dining hall.

Needless to say, Abel wasn't expecting so many people in such close quarters. It was a wonder that so many were able to eat so heartily. The food itself was cooked with the population of the fortress in mind - gamy, but heart through-and-through. He closely observed the natives with many a furtive glance, trying to keep proper etiquette, but find that the military culture in the dining hall simply gave way to anything goes. The din of the hall made it difficult to hear, let alone converse - seat neighbors being the only true conversation partners one could have. Abel sighed quietly, knowing that the ability to gather any sort of useful information was lost the moment they tried to approached the drake and her keeper. He finished his plate, put it away, and met with Rhina and the group as she had suggested immediately after dinner.

"Part of me wants to say 'why can't we ask?' Obvious hostilities aside, these people seem to be an accommodating lot. If we give them the impression we can work with them, I feel as though they aren't necessarily in a position to refuse it." Abel wanted to reason that, if they were losing to the Dell or some rebel faction, having any sort of assistance would be welcome for the armed forces of the fort. If there truly was a war, that there was conflict boiling over in a distant area distinctly not the fort, then it would be simple enough to request information. The worst that could have happen was they get refused and branded for potential treason, or accused of being spies. Abel closed his eyes as it seemed the group was intent on making the evening reconnaissance a behind-closed-doors operation.

The pyromancer then listened as Jiayi spoke of acquiring certain weapons to lessen their load. "A staff of some sort, preferably, Jiayi." Abel spoke her name for his own sake - it seemed like she, along with Elincia, was the most combat savvy of them. He wanted to memorize their names and fast - no better way than to match their names to faces and put it to practice. "While I could make do with a walking stick, I'm more at ease with something multi-functional."

Abel then noticed as Litor elected to head to the library. He nodded his head to Rhina and the rest of the group. "I'll join Litor in the library. If, as he says, we are discovered, I can play the part of fool fairly well, being one myself. In case we're not... well, call it luck." He chuckled lightly. He followed in Litor's footsteps and found him in something of a rush. "Someone familiar with the art of deception or escape may be preferable in this case," the black-haired robed individual requested.

It was certainly familiar ground.

Abel fell into step rather quickly with Litor. "Litor." He greeted, again, for his own sake. Names and faces, putting it to practice. His then-partner made mention to the book that he saw before - one that Rhina was interested in, herself, seeing. "On your lead, amico." Abel addressed Litor using the affectionate term for friend, seeing as to how Litor may or may not have done the same. He'd have to ask what "compatra" was.

As they walked, Abel asked for the particulars of the library in question and what exactly the intended to do with the book. "I think if we lay out a plan, we'd be in for some smooth sailing." He suggested. "I suppose it comes down to what we wanna do with the book. Are we just gonna look at it, commit the contents to memory? Or are we going to take the book? Two, uh... different approaches here. One has less of a chance of... angering the occupants." Just as Litor had done, he placed his hands in his own robe.

"Stop me if I'm talking too much, though. Hear me out: easiest thing on our list of options is to sneak a peek, have someone on lookout. Maybe trace the contents, assuming there aren't any, uh... wards or safeguards. In, we get what we need, out." Abel himself was indifferent to what action they took, but he wanted to leave their options open. "We could just snatch the book, make it a smash 'n' grab sorta thing. In, we take it, out. Not my personal favorite." He shrugged, then turned to Litor. "Third, we can make this a legitimate heist. Lot more planning there - take the book, put in a replacement. Maybe remove the binding on the book in question and put it on the substitute. Don't think he have nearly enough time to do that, but it's an idea nonetheless."

The walk seemed farther than Abel could really remember from when he was first given a tour of the facilities. "Of course, there's the exit strategy. Few plans there, but I haven't actually seen the place myself. Every door and window is an opportunity, so we've at least those to bank on. Thoughts?" He said, shifting his gaze to his black-haired partner.

[caffye west]

　 　*◢「 ARMORY REQUIREMENTS⊹ )
--

• ＧＹＳＴＲＥＮＧＴＨ 　AT LEAST 5 (5)
  ＯＬＯＧＹＳＩＧＨＴ 　AT LEAST TWO (2)
  ＧＹＣＨＡＲＩＳＭＡ 　NONE
  ＮＯＬＯＧＹＬＵＣＫ 　NONE, BUT SUGGESTED AT LEAST THREE (3) / THE HIGHER THE BETTER
  ＬＯＧＹＣＯＭＢＡＴ 　AT LEAST FOUR (4)
  ＯＬＯＧＹＭＡＧＩＣ 　AT LEAST FOUR (4)
  ＴＥＣＨＮＯＬＯＧＹ 　AT LEAST TWO (2)



　 　*◢「 ARMORY⊹ )
--

• Rhina was mildly irritated that one more than she expected would be coming along with her, but she didn't argue. It would be a waste of effort to do so as everyone had already settled into their roles. You learned from your mistakes; apparently this was a universal quote amongst all humans.
  
  They managed to get to the armory without incident, managing to get past the guard with a bit of sleep magic courtesy of their pink-haired Dell. She quietly closed the door behind them as the last of her group got inside. Lighting one of the lamps farthest from the door, she studied the items inside. Something was... wrong. But she carried on, wanting to peruse the area more before confirming it with the others.
  
  "Not a bad selection, although after we go through this, they'll be out of good weapons." She proceeded to one of the bookshelves, exploring the tomes until her hand settled on an elder, or as it was commonly called, dark magic book.* The light was meager, but it was enough for her enhanced eyesight to read with. She was better at elemental magic, and knew little to none about dark and light. The spell that was bookmarked looked interesting though. A portal? "Do you all remember what everyone else asked for?"
  
  Racks that held every sort of medieval weapon imaginable filled the walls and floor, with spots empty signalling their use. They were all in mint condition, perfectly shined and polished. Which begged the question who did that task? For one thing, it seemed like majority of the army took care of their own weapons. Even books were missing from the shelves and pretty sure a blacksmith didn't use those.
  
  "Anyone else notice something a bit... off?"
  
  xx * - REQUIRES 6 POINTS IN MAGIC TO USE







　 　*◢「 WAR COUNCIL ROOM REQUIREMENTS⊹ )
--

• ＧＹＳＴＲＥＮＧＴＨ 　NONE
  ＯＬＯＧＹＳＩＧＨＴ 　AT LEAST FOUR (4)
  ＧＹＣＨＡＲＩＳＭＡ 　NONE
  ＮＯＬＯＧＹＬＵＣＫ 　NONE, BUT SUGGESTED AT LEAST THREE (3) / THE HIGHER THE BETTER
  ＬＯＧＹＣＯＭＢＡＴ 　NONE
  ＯＬＯＧＹＭＡＧＩＣ 　NONE
  ＴＥＣＨＮＯＬＯＧＹ 　NONE



　 　*◢「 WAR COUNCIL ROOM⊹ )
--

• Much to everyone's relief, the trip of the war council room proved to be uneventful, managing to avoid encountering a single soul on their way there. The room itself had been hard to find; if it weren't for Rhina's instructions, they'd have missed the semi-hidden side entrance within the stairwell. The area was unguarded, if only to keep the knowledge of where the room was from spreading.
  
  For all the secrecy that cloaked the area, the room itself was very spartan and simple. Only a single window illuminated the entire area, and based on the soft light, there was a single large table in the middle of the room. On top of it was what looked to be a map with several pieces on top, moved at various sections in representation of their host's and the enemies movements.* Several areas were circled in red, with notes written to the side. Around the foot of the table there was a pile of books, a few of which appeared magical in nature. One of them in particular had several pages on it marked.** The page it was open on contained information about an orb that was said to absorb spirit power, while another page talked about the concept of having a shadow self.
  
  xx * - REQUIRES 6 POINTS IN SIGHT AND 7 POINTS IN COMBAT (INDIVIDUAL OR COMBINED)
  xx ** - REQUIRES 4 POINTS IN MAGIC TO READ; 9 POINTS TO USE







　 　*◢「 LIBRARY REQUIREMENTS⊹ )
--

• ＧＹＳＴＲＥＮＧＴＨ 　NONE
  ＯＬＯＧＹＳＩＧＨＴ 　AT LEAST FIVE (5)
  ＧＹＣＨＡＲＩＳＭＡ 　NONE
  ＮＯＬＯＧＹＬＵＣＫ 　NONE
  ＬＯＧＹＣＯＭＢＡＴ 　NONE
  ＯＬＯＧＹＭＡＧＩＣ 　AT LEAST FIVE (5)
  ＴＥＣＨＮＯＬＯＧＹ 　NONE



　 　*◢「 LIBRARY⊹ )
--

• Because nobody noticed that Abel and Litor's combined luck is a literal 2, they were not as fortunate as the rest. Upon first entering the room, they were met with a disconcertingly direct pair of mismatched eyes. Two white cat ears twitched at the top of her head, and if they weren't mistaken, fangs jutted out just past her lips. She looked far from amused at the sight of people at this late hour, especially ones she didn't recognize.
  
  Selkie leisurely stretched her back, her actions distinctly feline. "Ah, the scragglers little Serith and Lady Millie picked up." Her voice matched the expression of disdain she wore. More important however, in front of her was one of the books that just earlier Serith, Saren and Zoltar were reading.* "I didn't quite catch your names; I was asleep most of the day. Most of us cats** are nocturnal, you see."
  
  Across her was an unopened book called HISTORIA, the image of a dragon entwining the words. It would likely be a good idea to give the book a read when they could.*** Reading about the history may provide a clue as to how far developed the Dell might be in this world.
  
  xx * - REQUIRES 6 POINTS IN CHARISMA TO ATTAIN BOOK
  xx ** - REQUIRES 2 POINTS IN CHARISMA TO ASK ABOUT FELINE STATUS (TAGUEL INFO)
  xx *** - REQUIRES 5 POINTS IN SIGHT TO READ

[giraffe laugh]

• Helena took in the sight of the war council room in what could only be described as awed silence. Everything looked so... official. The people who gathered here clearly knew what they were doing. She felt as if she had just intruded on a very secret, very serious meeting with high-ranking salarymen, except in this situation, the salarymen in question were RPG-like, weapon-wielding individuals who weren't actually present, and the very secret, serious meeting was over - and she, Elincia, and Theo were staring at papers and files that remained.
  
  Daydreaming again, are we? Helena scowled and shook her head, giving herself a mental slap on the wrist before attempting to focus on the scene at hand once more. The large table that dominated the center of the room seemed to have extremely important things laid out on top of it. Helena was, by no means, an expert, but even she could tell it was some sort of map. There were areas encircled and marked and noted too, which meant... what, exactly? Were the higher-ups planning a vacation? A road trip? A parade?
  
  On the other hand, there was a pile of books by one of the table legs. Helena felt a weird tingling feeling down her spine when she saw them. Somehow, she subconsciously knew that those books contained old, powerful magic - something a little more up her alley, at least.
  
  She turned to Elincia and Theo. "I can't make head or tails of that map on the table," she softly said in an apologetic manner. For some strange reason, she felt as if she had to speak in a hushed voice, like her voice would wake some invisible thing that was sleeping in the room. "Those books over there, though... I may be able to glean something from them. I'll go look through them."
  
  Helena's black leather school shoes made muffled footsteps as she made her way towards the magical books. She sat down on the floor, carefully arranging her skirt to modestly cover enough of her legs first before proceeding to peer at the books. A closer inspection revealed her hunch to be correct - these books were full of spells and curses. Picking up the one with the most pages marked, Helena opened it to one of the marked pages and began to quickly read through. When she finished with the excerpt, she moved on to the next nearest marked page and read through that as well. A feeling of urmost concentration covered the room like a cloak, as for the next few minutes, the group threw themselves into gathering information.
  
  Moments later, Helena sat back and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands, her fingers too dusty after flipping through page after page. Everything she had read swam through the river of thoughts running through her head, lazily bobbing just out of reach on the surface. She could definitely tell the other two what she had read, but she wouldn't be able to tell them how all of it connected.
  
  She said aloud, "In my... world... we magical girls were fighting these things that we referred to as 'Inner Demons.' People would become so wrapped up in their own problems and insecurities that their negative selves would take over them and turn them into 'Inner Demons.' This book talks about something sort of similar - a shadow self, or basically a sort of living thing that seems to be a more negative, dangerous version of someone else. Could this have something to do with the war? Are they going to war against their... shadow selves, perhaps?"
  
  

[Ryeoji]

While following the mini group that they had formed, Xelia took her time to take in the surroundings. She loved the ominous feeling the place gave off, bringing back familiar vibes from back home. As they approached closer to their destination, Rhina had targeted the guard outside the door. But...why was there only one guard?

Heading over to the shelves further reinforced her nostalgia and allowed her to digress the situation. Her own hand had followed the motion of Rhina's, as she traced the books to pull out a certain one. It almost felt magnetic. "That looks awfully familiar.." She started to mumble. Where had she seen that type of design before? Portals...portals?

"Anyone else notice something a bit... off?"

That BOOK seemed a little off in Xelia's perspective. It was all she could focus on. Agh, she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Excuse me, but do you mind if I take a closer look at that?" Hopefully, she understood what her request was, but just in case she didn't, she pointed towards the book in Rhina's arms.