<span style="color: gold">"Well met, scholar. This one is called by others as Jyuuzou, of the Togishi. The lady sitting with this one is Kaleissa."</span><br/><br/>As Jyuuzou dispensed with the introductions and moved on to more substantial topics, Kaleissa sipped her tea idly, taking the opportunity to casually survey the changes in their surroundings. The shop had become busier, with more customers coming in as the morning wore on; from the look of things, most were mercenaries and prospective employers, coming in after meeting up in the streets to discuss terms and logistics in a more private setting. There was a sigh from beside her, and Kaleissa brought her attention back to the discussion as Jyuuzou began speaking of how they would proceed.<br/><br/><span style="color: gold">"In truth, this one has just exhausted his leads. This one was planning on visiting the Libraries, but that may be a redundant task if we do end up travelling together...Hm..."</span><br/><br/>Jyuuzou paused, brow furrowed, as he pondered something. Kaleissa remained unperturbed, though the other Jakuuzoku woman seemed slightly disappointed. In the first place, Kaleissa never had any expectations that Jyuuzou would be an untapped wellspring of new information; he was a warrior, like herself, not a rogue. It was a little bit of a pity that they would not go to the Libraries, but in all honesty, for ones with limited literary inclinations like the two of them, it probably would not be a particularly fruitful endeavor. That is, assuming she could make it all the way into a Kanzemite library in the first place. The fact that a Jakuuzoku like Rei had managed to get in was a surprise in itself.<br/><br/><span style="color: gold">"Tell us then, Rei - where do you think we should go from here? This one has already gone through the ruins in the Toutetsu, Shiba, Kani, and Tsukinuke Clan's lands...but..."</span><br/><br/>At last, it appeared that Jyuuzou came to a decision about whatever issue had been bothering him, and proceeded to carry the conversation along with an inquiry to their new companion. There was silence for a moment as Rei took on an expression of deep contemplation, before she launched into a proposal with a torrent of words, just like a scholar at a debate. Not that Kaleissa had ever met any scholars or attended any debates. It was not as if there was never any discussion when she was still a raider, but the group generally moved at a few words from the leader or strategist without nearly so much explaining.<span style="color: violet"><span style="font-style: italic">'Ah yes, she did say she was a scholar, didn't she...'</span></span><br/><br/><span style="color: crimson">“...What say you?”</span><br/><br/>Kaleissa blinked, caught slightly by surprise when Rei finished her speech and abruptly directed a question back at the two of them. A glance to the side at Jyuuzou revealed that he was still in thought, but he had already stated that his leads had run out. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she took a moment to organize her thoughts, before her right hand reached out and shifted the pot of tea aside to clear the center area of the table. Dark eyes glimmered for a moment before her eyelids fluttered shut, but she knew without looking that the attentions of the other two were already focused on her. One delicate finger was extended slowly, poised over a single point as if marking a beginning that existed only in her memories.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"It may be premature to say that Jakuu, Kanzem, and Sabaku are accounted for. The deserts to the east are vast, and the swamplands in western Jakuu have erased any human presence since centuries ago. I have also heard that Kanzem's grasslands in the west have been steadily swallowed by the sea."</span><br/><br/>As she spoke, her finger traced graceful arcs on the top of the table, marking points on an imaginary map that only she could see. Like most raiders, the only maps Kaleissa carried were those stored in her head; should a marked map be looted off the corpse of a fallen comrade, the entire group could be in jeopardy. While she had already retired from that kind of lifestyle, this was another one of those habits that she had yet to break.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"I too have been to the ruins in the lands of the Kani Clan, and had just departed those of the Shiba before the detour here. I am told that there are ruins in the lands of the Kounai Clan in the far north, but I have not been able to corroborate this rumor."</span><br/><br/>Her finger, reaching out nearly all the way to Rei's teacup, was withdrawn towards the center, stopping just shy of its initial position. As she continued, her voice gained a tinge of frustration, muted but still discernible.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"Jaskreim is actually built on top of some ancient ruins, mostly in the western district of the city as it is now. That places them in the territory of the Greystroke, though they may stretch far enough south to reach into Silver Moon's area. It has been two years since I was last there, but the borders of the Council's territories shift often and things may have changed. Either way, it is virtually impossible to gain access under either of those two without reaching a high rank in their respective organizations."</span><br/><br/>Kaleissa paused, marking a pair of points on a vertical line to the east of the center.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"The twin cities of Tenkita and Tenmina each have ruins on the outskirts; with so many of the smaller organizations vying for power in those cities, it was easier to gain entry. Neither holds what we seek."</span><br/><br/>Her hand moved upwards once again as her eyes opened, gaze coming to rest upon the final point where her finger stopped.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"I know for certain that there are ruins here, not far from the site of the battle of Isth-Kalam, but I have not had the opportunity to return to search them."</span>The woman looked up, meeting the eyes of both of her companions, a humorless smile on her face.<span style="color: violet">"After all, I'm not particularly welcome in Kanzem."</span><br/><br/>Reclaiming the teapot, Kaleissa refilled her cup and took a long drink, before turning her attention back to the others, focusing on Rei sitting across from her.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"As for South Kaminoyama...that half of the kingdom has not had a capital city in over a decade, not since the White Dragon became Ryu."</span>Her expression darkened momentarily in a personal memory.<span style="color: violet">"She, and the cities themselves in fact, tend to roam, the latter more predictably than the former. That said, there are plenty of ruins half-buried in volcanic ash; the only question is which of them are ancient and which are not."</span><br/><br/>Still, it was not a bad idea to visit South Kaminoyama first, since in all likelihood she would need to make the trip eventually anyway. Kaleissa knew next to nothing about North Kaminoyama, and was frankly still dubious about crossing Kanzem. The trip south through Jakuu, or even the longer route through the United Territories of Sabaku, was mostly familiar to her, though probably no less dangerous. Perhaps they could even stop by Jaskreim; she was always happy for the chance to visit Maya again.<br/><br/><span style="color: violet">"The Kaminoyaman city of Grandem should still be near the Jakuu border, and it may be a good place to start. Crossing the swamplands…"</span>Her eyes lingered on briefly on the other Jakuuzoku woman.<span style="color: violet">"It may be easier to traverse the desert, especially with Jyuuzou. Shall we go south then?"</span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~ . - . ~</div><br/><br/>The man ambled down the street with the casual gait of one not in any particular hurry. Although the young master was certainly excited over the prospects of finding an old enemy, this man, like nearly all Sabakujin mercenaries worth their salt, knew better than to lose themselves to the shadow of a single opponent. Comrades on one battlefield could become enemies on the next; all was at the mercy of fate. He too had been present at the battle in which the young master had suffered his injury, but there was no particular recollection of this Jakuuzoku archer that the young master was so desperate to find. Over the years, he had seen many Jakuuzoku, and many archers, some of which he killed, others of which nearly killed him. He had become able to respect the martial prowess of his enemy without any hard feelings; he felt that this was what it truly meant to become a veteran. In any case, the preparations had been made as per the young master's orders, and they could only wait for their prey to fall into the net.<br/><br/>Stepping into the crowded tea shop, the man quickly scanned the interior, noting that the old proprietor had kept everything exactly as it had been the last time he had come to Khalem-Dol years before. The tables were still set out in the same unique fashion, all of them surrounded by mercenaries, merchants, and the like discussing business, trading stories, or just passing the time. It took him but a moment to locate his grand-niece, and from the way she met his eyes, it was clear that she had immediately noticed him as well. A small smile appeared on his face at her progress; such perceptiveness in picking out one face among many was a vital skill for the trap masters of the Kounai. As he approached their table, his gaze drifted to her companion, a young man garbed in the traditional robes of the Kazari bearing the markings of an earth-shaker. At this, his eyes grew colder, his bearing changing from that of a doting grandfather into that of an overprotective father. The younger man, not yet aware of his presence, shivered at the sudden chill; at least his malice detection abilities were adequate.<br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"Ah! Ririka, daughter of the daughter of my brother, it has been too long!"</span><br/><br/>The woman rose with a smile on her face, allowing herself to be swept up in the embrace of her grand-uncle. The hug lasted several seconds longer than normal; closer inspection would reveal that each party was subtly taking note of the concealed armaments of the other. Their grins grew wider as they moved apart, the striking similarity of their expressions making their blood relationship apparent despite the differences in their age, gender, and attire.<br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"It is good to see you well, grand-uncle. Grandfather is hoping you will return to the Clan in the near future, if only to see the new generation. It has been over ten years, has it not? Not since you brought me out for my first employment?"</span><br/><br/>Stroking his beard, the man nodded in understanding; it did seem to be about that time after all. Time seemed to pass so quickly, nowadays, what with his young master and Alfrei constantly bustling about.<br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"You are right, perhaps it is time to show my face again. Perhaps after this next assignment is completed. Speaking of which…"</span><br/><br/>He was met with a nod of understanding; his favorite grand-niece was as astute as ever.<br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"I, and my companion, will most certainly join you. Ah, this is Soren, an earth-shaker of the Kazari Clan. We have been working together for nearly a year now."</span><br/><br/>The temperature seemed to drop several degrees, and the gentle look in the man's face became predatory. The newly introduced Kazari clansman instantly went pale.<br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"Hou...companion, is it? It seems you have been of some assistance to my little Ririka, boy. I trust you will be mindful of the boundaries, yes?"</span><br/><br/><span style="color: gray">"Stop it, grand-uncle! Mou, you still haven't changed at all!"</span>