{On The Hill ~ Kaze wo Kanjite ~ and opening animation plays....}
ウィヴァーン様の竜化群れ
Log 13: Lady Wyvern's Ryûka Aerie
"Keith?" Kathryn asked again, holding on to the disguised angel's shoulder as his breathing slowly returned to normal. "What happened?"
"Nothing," he gasped, rising to his feet. He took avellonis from the ground, then faced the girl. "I shall be in my chamber - I need to rest."
The voices in Keith's mind flared in disbelief - an angelic Regent, killed by Kuroiandagia! Such an event was unheard of; even the surviving Regents spoke out in their overpowering voices.
"It was the karyôshi, the Huntress of Astralægia," the familiar female regent whispered. Keith still did not know her name, despite their frequent conversations. "One has not been appointed in years, not since Avalon was first unified. And they have never been successful until now."
Keith walked to the window in his room. He looked up at the keep; Elekiterion had told him to go there, to meet the ryûka chieftan. He swung open the window and removed his uniform coat and shirt. Climbing out onto the windowsill, he saw the castle courtyard far below.
He then leaped from the window, falling a few feet before his wings emerged from his back, enabling him to fly to the keep high above.
The tower was cylindrical, with a pointed roof with four open arched doorways apparently added on recently. A cloaked woman, dressed in the tatters of a tunic and loincloth, waited beneath the roof as she saw the angel alight before her.
"Welcome, Lord Keythedrian," she greeted, extending a clawed hand to the angel. Her skin was a dull aqua compared to the angel's paleness.
The angel took hold of the ryûka's hand, his face expressionless. "You are ... chieftan of the aerie?"
She smiled, her pointed incisors gleaming. "Yes. I am Wyvern, chieftan of the aeries in what was once Avalon." She opened her cloak, which proved to be a pair of giant bat-like wings that were clasped by a small claw on each wing. "I am ryûka - allies of your Regency."
Keith nodded. "You know who I am. A Regent told me to meet you."
"Yes - Elekiterion. He brought something to my attention - something I must show you. It is below. Come." She walked to a staircase that led into the tower, with Keith following shortly behind.
The tower was lit by torches, throwing shadows down a winding staircase. Keith could see the ryûka clearly now - she wore a simple tiara of brass decorated with blue stones over her flaming hair, which grew down to her clawed, birdlike feet. Her tail swished around Keith's feet, tempting him to fly ahead of her.
At last they reached the end of the stairs, in a circular room surrounded by reliquaries. Four tables surrounded a pedistal in the room's center, where a large, round-cut crystal hung suspended in a beam of light.
"Is that what you wished to show me?" Keith asked, pointing to the crystal with his staff.
"No." Wyvern walked to one of the tables, taking a gauntlet from its surface. It was an intricate piece of armor, with silver plates formed like a dragon's scales gleaming in the room's soft light. The plate that covered the forearm was decorated in winding scrollwork, supporting an amethyst cresent moon-shaped crystal embedded over the handguard.
"Miharoshiandagia," Keith breathed when he saw the gauntlet. "The blade of illusion...."
Not much of a chapter to start out with, but things will get slightly better. As promised, there is a fight scene coming later....