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Amilar Ereyo	Not too long ago, Flame's Shadow received an Infallible Messenger from Ereyo: "Unfortunately, circumstances have forced me to leave Great Forks behind on rather short notice. I am still interested in hiring you for that investigation I spoke of, but we will not be able to meet as planned. Instead, I suggest the Contemplative Owl in Melevhil. It is a well-known establishment for wandering scholars. The locals will be able to give you directions. Do not leave your weapon behind; the roads are not safe these days." No matter how he is traveling, when the Fire aspect reaches Melevhil, he is greeted by torrentious rains, which have already succeeded in turning the roads to mud. Thankfully, the downpour occurs during mild weather conditions - no risk of freezing. As promised by Ereyo, he only has to ask a few townsfolk to find the meeting place. Like the rest of the town, the Contemplative Owl is housed in a building that has seen better days - the architecture is quite beautiful, heavily influenced by the fallen Intou Shogunate's style, but the city seems to lack money to keep everything properly maintained. At least the roof isn't leaking. The Contemplative Owl has three stories: One for a teahouse, one for a library, and the final one for lecture halls and private meeting rooms. The staff, recognizing Flame's Shadow from Ereyo's description, treats him with immense reverence and directs him to the third floor, where Ereyo has rented one of the meeting chambers with a balcony. She should already be waiting.
Flame's Shadow	"Surtr, please don't whine all because of the rain. I'll give you the best steak I can find once I arrive.....well if they have some." In the raining skies, there is a winged simhata whose fur and feathers has the colors of crimson flames. Once he sets his sight on the town, he lands in the outskirts as Surtr land on his four feet. Now the rider and his simhata walk around to see the Contemplative Owl. With the appearance of a strange looking prince of the earth and a winged beast, his entrance did attract attention whether he likes it or not. He wears a cloaked jacket to endure the chilling breeze of Mela and the water drops of Danaad. Once he arrives and goes inside while leaving his steed behind, he finally meets up with his fellow prince of the earth. "Wish I knew Infallible Messenger so I can respond, but you may be unnerved by it if I did know the spell....but that's another story for now" He takes his coat off and places it in a nearby coat hanger. "Strange you've changed the meeting place. I assume there is a reason for doing so?"
Amilar Ereyo	The room looks spacious enough to house at least a dozen people, but after an attendant of the house leaves them, Flame's Shadow and Ereyo remain alone. Thanks to the large balcony, bleak daylight filters into the wooden room. Paper sliding doors can be used to close it off completely. They have been moved into a half-open position, leaving a gap large enough for a person to walk through comfortably. Amilar Ereyo sits at a small diner table near the balcony, but shielded from the rain by the sliding doors. Her daiklave leans against the wall behind her. Instead of the kimono she was wearing during their first encounter, she has donned her casual uniform, lightly armored. A heavy woolen coat, dyed sky blue, drips rain from the wardrobe. The sorcerer-engineer offers a friendly smile to the horned dragon upon his entrance, then gestures invitingly towards the cushioned chair across from her. "Dragon's blessings", she greets him. "Please forgive the sudden change of plans. It is a... matter of security." She sighs. "I was not entirely sure you would come... What do you mean, I may be unnerved by your spell? That's a strange thing to say to a fellow sorcerer."
Flame's Shadow	"Dragon's blessings upon you as well scion of Lookshy. I admire your culture more than the Realm since they preserved the legacy of the gentes" He orders chai made with Southeastern spices and cookies made with cinnamon. Flame's Shadow's expression darkens regarding his sorcerous skills as they are not exactly favorable even among his fellow princes of the earth. "...it has something to do with my heritage. Ever wonder why I have these horns and why my shadow appears as flames? You may not like the answer, since other dragons may look down upon me" He asks in case she is curious on why he has that mutation. "Security issues? That's concerning for me." The dragon sips his tea calmly while dipping his biscuits into it. "I guess it's bad enough that you left that academy" He is still deciding whether to tell his other birthright even if it will attract suspicion and distrust for him. "I may tell you why I hesitate in using my magic, but not all truths are good"
Amilar Ereyo	Drinks and foods are swiftly placed on the table after a quick knock at the door - black milk tea and thin honey-filled waffle cookies for Ereyo. The server vanishes just as quickly as they appeared. Although the Air aspect frowns in response to the other Dragon's alluded... issues... with his heritage, she eyes him with curiosity now. "There are also family matters for me to attend to in Lookshy. I wanted to spare you the long trip further south. This location appeared to be a more viable option, for a number of reasons." She pauses to take a quick gulp of her tea. Flame's Shadow notices two items on the table, right in front of her: A peculiar necklace of prayer beads, and a small hand mirror - the kind that rich people use to fix their make-up or shave their faces while traveling. "I am sorry - I wish I could speak in more detail about my reasons for leaving Great Forks. It's classified." She smiles, a bit sheepishly. "Indeed, not all truths are good. If you do not want to speak about the cause of your... mutations, then I will not pressure you to do so. But I will not deny that I am indeed curious."
Flame's Shadow	Since Ereyo doesn't seem to mind if he tells him of the other dragon that courses through his blood. "I am born thanks to the union of a dragonblooded....and a demon of the second circle. I do not know the reason why my mother did it. She claims my father is descended from one of the kings of hell named the Shadow Of All Things. And to make things stranger, I was gifted with the powers of necromancy even before I took my second breath" He sighs in shame thanks to the demon blood in his veins. "Although such power is associated with ghostblooded, I inherited this power because the demons associated with the Shadow Of All Things have peered into the darkness" "I sometimes wish I got normal sorcery instead but no dragon can get both sorcery and necromancy as they can only pick one. If I was a true sorcerer, I would have used it more frequently. I do not know if I deserved to awaken Hesiesh's essence within my veins even with my other birthright." Then he stares at the peculiar items in the table, wondering what is it's importance. "Are these items related to the reason why you invited me here?"
Amilar Ereyo	Ereyo might not be a summoner herself, but she must have been taught basic knowledge about demons, and about the most infamous Yozis - because when Flame's Shadow mentions the "Shadow of All Things", he sees recognition in the other Dragon-Blooded's eyes. She puts her cup down with more force than necessary, reaching for the Immaculate rosary with her other hand as she does so, bringing it close to her chest and running the prayer beads through her fingers. An small pendant with an iconic depiction of Mela dangles from the necklace. Her frown shows only hints of disapproval. Mostly, she looks thoughtful. A few long moments of silence stretch between them. Then, she nods slowly. "I see why you are hesitant to speak of this. Thank you for telling me." The Air aspect sighs softly. "Who can claim to comprehend the whims of the Great Elemental Dragons? If they decided to kindle the spark of their blood within you into a flame, who am I to question them?" She smiles again, more warmly this time. "Necromancy can be used for evil deeds - or for the good of both living and dead. There are many wicked sorcerers, too. Besides, you are using your might for a just cause, are you not?" She drops the rosary back on the table, now picking up the mirror. "Let us talk business, then. But first, I will have to make certain we are truly alone. What we are about to discuss is not meant for the ears of nosy spirits." With that, she sweeps her fingers over the mirror's surface, just close enough that she doesn't touch it, then furrows her brow in concentration. Her eyes continue to gaze into the mirror as she angles it into several different directions, surveying every corner of the room.
Flame's Shadow	"Yes I use it for a just cause for I sometimes perform seances with victims from what they know of their murderers, but the results cannot be guaranteed as some are sadly too consumed by their lower souls. An exorcism would be enough to put them at peace, but I cannot deny they need justice for what happened to them. Even if some give me little information, it is still useful like embers igniting an even bigger flame." As Ereyo scans for any spirits, thankfully there are none with him nor ghostly servitors. "Do not worry, the only companion I brought is my winged simhata, but he's outside and probably demanding steak from me." He says with an assuring tone that he did not bring anything that would break their privacy. "I understand your precautions but is it something to do with Great Forks. An enemy you cannot see but can see is a terrible threat"
Amilar Ereyo	"You could call it that, I suppose", mutters Ereyo in response. Satisfied, she lowers the mirror and turns back towards Flame's Shadow. "I am not worried about any sprits ~you~ might have brought with you, but rather about immaterial spies. Material ones, too, but those I cannot detect so easily." The Lookshyan still does not explain how all of this might relate to her suddenly leaving Great Forks behind. Instead, she grabs one of her cookies, takes a small bite, and continues after swallowing: "I want to hire you to track down a monster. It is responsible for the deaths of good soldiers and innocent civilians both." Her artifical leg, hidden beneath the fabric of her pants, whirs softly as she stretches it below the table. A mournful grey color creeps into her irises, dulling the violet. She lowers her voice. "I have reason to believe that it... that they are one of the Lunar Anathema, and a powerful one at that. Are you willing to take on such a task at all?"
Flame's Shadow	As he hears of the words lunar anathema, he is not deterred by it as it only further peaks his interests towards such monsters in the Immaculate fables. "You are searching for a lunar anathema that injured you and slew your soldiers? Sounds risky if it's just the two of us but I'm up for it" A dangerous job but still interesting for him nonetheless. "Do you have any information that may lead you to this anathema? Even if it's a single clue?" Although it's difficult tracking such silver shifters, it is a challenge worth taking. "I can see why you are paranoid there may be watchers. I heard those anathema employ sorcery and even necromancy to conjure spirit servants, even spirits a prince of the earth is not usually capable of such as a second circle demon or high and even the rumored hekatonhires of the Underworld"
Amilar Ereyo	Ereyo's hands twitch on the table, and she shifts in her chair with discomforts. The scent of lightning rises around her. But she tries her best to remain calm. "Yes. They can wear anyone's face, transform into tiny animals, and wield powerful magic... among other things. I do not know if the one I need you to find commands demons or mighty ghosts. But neither am I completely clueless." The sorcerer-engineer reaches for her leather satchel, which she has hung by its shoulder strap on the back of her chair. She heaves it into her lap - it seems to be quite heavy - and reaches inside with both hands, producing a wooden cylinder. It looks large enough to contain several scrolls, and when the Fire aspect opens the lid, that's exactly what he finds within: Four parchment scrolls, each individually bound and wrapped with flax thread. "Everything I know about this particular Anathema, you will find in here. They are able to invade their victim's dreams, turning them into nightmares. They can become a multitude of beings, a swarm, all with the same mind and purpose." She leans backward, barely supressing a shudder, before adding: "I suspect one of their preferred forms to be a black centipide with antlers, although if that is their true shape, I cannot say for certain. Besides that... I think they might be targeting Lookshy specifically." A quick smile passes over her lips. "Which is why I am hiring an outcaste, instead of going all the way through the Intelligence Directorate."
Flame's Shadow	"They can also shape-shift into small animals the size of a fly, that certainly is disturbing enough that may drive a person to paranoia if they know their dread powers" He collects what she knows as he grabs a small notebook in his pocket to list some info. The fire aspect then grabs the scroll as he carefully takes it for it is sensitive information after all. "To think we know of the anathema through Immaculate fables but there are still other capabilities that is little known to us. Who knows what dread powers they may have" Even if the information about this lunar unnerved him, he is not afraid of them yet still wary. "Now that you mentioned their true shape, I wonder if the people of the surrounding are may have sightings of them. Lookshy is one of the Shogunate's more legitimate successors for the legacy of the gentes still survive, so targeting them may be a big blow to Immaculate influence in the Scavenger Lands."
Amilar Ereyo	Ereyo nods along in acknowledgement. "Exactly. I have not been able to determine how they want to harm Lookshy, but of their hostile nature, there can be no doubt." She pauses, hesitating before the next sentence. "They invaded my dreams for months. I managed to shake off their influence, but not without help." Here, Ereyo lowers her gaze and stares at her cup for several seconds before finally reaching out and taking a long gulp. "The scrolls contains reports about their first attack on Seventh Legion forces, as told by witnesses - purged of classified information, of course." She smiles apologetically. "Even so, it should give you a rough idea of the tactics they employ in combat. Of course, they might act differently in other circumstances. I realize that this isn't much to go by, and the job is dangerous, even for one such as you. You don't have to fight the Anathema, of course... I only ask that you find them, so that I can bring the might of Lookshy to bear and raise a proper Wyld Hunt against them." After setting her cup down again, gently this time, she leans on the table, clasping her hands together, and looks the Fire aspect straight into the eyes. "So name your price, Flame's Shadow."
Flame's Shadow	"They invaded your dreams and tormented you in your sleep? I see you had a rough time during that state before you were healed of this morphean affliction. But now it's gone you can thankfully rest but of course, the anathema is still out there planning something" He says to Ereyo as he eats one of the biscuits. "If I were to investigate more about this anathema, I'll try to be careful and I'll have to amp up my spearmanship just in case" In searching for anathema, expect trouble. He puts the scrolls in his bag with care. "I'll begin the investigation when I have the time and thankfully most of my current activities are just side projects. And speaking of names, besides my moniker my name is Laevatein Velther or you can call me Velther for short. Laevatein is the name of a long lost gens that once had a presence in the Northwest but mysteriously got wiped out. Even with survivors, no one knows what truly happened. For the price usually money but I'm interested in artifacts that may be of use for future investigations. But if you can go with the former if you want"
Amilar Ereyo	"Gens Laevatein, you say?" Ereyo looks contemplative for a bit, then shakes her head. "I cannot say I've ever heard of them, sadly. Velther, then." She smiles warmly, visibly pleased with the other Dragon's willingness to accept this job, perilous as it may be. "You may call me Ereyo. I don't insist on being referred to by my rank all day long." Then she falls silent, considering the two options posed by him for payment. While she does so, the cookie she already started on earlier is devoured in a few quick bites. "I have the means to pay you in silver, of course", the Lookshyan says, nodding, "but let me make you a counter-offer for your second option: An artifact for whatever purpose you need, crafted by my own hand." Her eyes light up in anticipation. "I have access to a full workshop within my manse. All I will need from you are the specifications... and of course, you would have to find a way to procure the needed materials - although I could assist you in that, too."
Flame's Shadow	"Even my mother doesn't know but she told me there are only a few thinblooded lineages left out there in the North somewhere. I'm not surprised you haven't heard since even my mother has little knowledge of my ancestral gens, only the flaming direlance Fjalhar is the remnant of it." He sighs with sorrow and longing for he is the lost scion for a long dead gens of the Shogunate. "Ah interesting, I'm still deciding on the specifics for the artifact. I'll try to meet you up once I get new information and I have to go for now, my simhata is probably demanding tons of steak from me right now"
Amilar Ereyo	At that remark about steak, Ereyo giggles, then quickly tries to compose herself. "Oh no! We don't want to risk your mount devouring the stablehands. Please, don't let me keep you." She rises and gives him a respectful nod. "I will contact you again in a few weeks. That should give you enough time to go through the reports, and to think about my offer. If you want, I could take a closer look at your direlance, too. Maybe there are family secrets woven into the enchantments..." And with that, she bids him farewell for now.