<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: crimson">It seems I’ve wandered into a lion’s den…</span></span>, Rei thought ruefully.  She felt her aura flare up at the barrage of killing intent aimed at her, her eyes flashing a dangerous red.  The very air around her grew tense, like the calm directly before a storm.  Dealing with others was so difficult, especially when it was with the crazed madmen of her own race who were more similar to animals.  She met the girl’s eyes full on, knowing that to show fear or submission in the face of a wild beast was akin to admitting defeat.  She felt almost offended at the girl’s hostility, knowing from the look in her eyes exactly what she thought of seeing a fellow Jakuuzoku.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: crimson">The pot calling the kettle black…This one would certainly kill her companions without a second thought…I wonder if the Sabakujin is aware of the danger he’s potentially in…</span></span><br/><br/>She sighed outwardly this time, shaking off such thoughts from her mind.  It would do her no good to make enemies now and those who sought the artifact were very rare indeed.  These two were undoubtedly more than meets the eye.<br/><br/><span style="color: gold">“Hm...'jou-chan, let us humor her for a while. Sit with us then, 'scholar' of Jakuu. But beware—this one is watching every move you make.”</span><br/><br/>For a moment, it seemed as though the shop had gone silent, when it fact it was just the very air about the three that had frozen in place, ready to swirl into a figure of destruction.  The man’s spirit very blatantly told her exactly what his intentions were, eliciting a strong defensive reaction within Rei.  In that instant, had either of the two tried to take a breath, they would have found it extremely difficult to do so for the air itself would remain still, resonating with the mage’s will.  However, just as quickly as the moment had come, so too did it pass as she inwardly sighed and magic receded back into her core as the man began speaking once more.<br/><br/><span style="color: gold">“ Sit, and un-cloak yourself, 'scholar', and tell us about yourself. Spare us the humility; there are no individuals who can 'merely' know of the artifact.”</span><br/><br/>Rei nodded in response to the two.  At least they didn’t try to attack her right away, even if their killing intent showed their wishes to do so.  Pulling back her hood to reveal the delicate features of nobility coupled with raven-black hair and snow-white skin, her ruby red eyes met the woman’s fading red, their eyes momentarily a matching sets of twins.  The woman looked like your typical born-and-bred in Jakuu with similar coloring to her own, but with a warrior’s build compared to her slender frame.  Based on the roughness of her hands and seasoned, well-worn gear, she was a veteran of many battles but her eyes…it was her eyes that betrayed she was a cold-blooded killer, a trait that followed many Jakuuzoku.<br/><br/>Turning to quickly survey the man to her right, she recognized the tan skin and dark brown locks of the desert-folk of Sabaku.  He was a fine specimen of a warrior, with well-toned muscles obviously pointing towards a lifetime of training.  He was a force to be reckoned with, and in addition to the sharp senses developed by the best of fighters, she knew no trickery would stand here, not that she had been intending any.<br/><br/>Calmly, she sipped her tea, allowing the soul-cleansing scent of jasmine, cherry blossoms, and the like to wash over her and clear her mind.  Convincing them to trust her would be quite the feat.  Not knowing where to start, she decided to go with the first thing that came to mind: introductions.  In this situation, truth and sincerity would be her only weapons in calming down the bloodlust and ill-will directed at her.<br/><br/><span style="color: crimson">“Again, I apologize for my intrusion.  I was just listening to the overall noise in the room and your conversation had piqued my interest since I too am searching for this…ah…specific chair leg.  I am Rei of the Kuro’an household, born and raised in the Jakuu forest.  Back when Jakuu was a monarchy, my family maintained the only library in the kingdom and even after the reign of power changed hands, we have only continued our task, except perhaps in even more isolation than before.  Those bearing the Kuro’an name often wander the world once they are of age in search of magical theories or artifacts that they will perform research on and contribute to the library.  After reading through all the books at home, I had set my heart on a certain chair leg which has always made a large splash in the history of mankind each time it surfaced.  My quest has been ongoing for the past few years.  I have scoured the contents of the Great Kanzem Library, visited 6 sets of ruins in various kingdoms, and connected with many in the archeological community.  As soon as I heard news of the ruins that had surfaced nearby, I had come to check them out only to meet another dead.  At the very least, even if you happen to possess all of the information I currently have, I can tell you which ruins are unrelated, thereby saving you the time and trouble to get there.  I also have a few skills that can be of use, such as in information gathering, and I can generally handle anything magical that comes our way.  On the flip side, the two of you may have information I have yet to come across, and having a few capable warriors could make the road as well as sifting through old ruins go more smoothly.”</span><br/><br/>She finished off her tale with a wry smile, remembering the times she had briefly greeted death due to some unforeseen trap from ancient times that would have been easier to handle had she been more capable physically.  At the same time however, there were many instances in which her magic had conquered an obstacle with ease that would have incapacitated many a great warrior.  Looking between the two in an effort to gauge their reaction, she followed up with her own question, hoping her introduction had been enough to break some of the ice.<br/><br/><span style="color: crimson">“May I have the pleasure of knowing your names and...if you are comfortable...your progression in this quest?”</span>