Yuriko’s first reaction to seeing such threatening runescript formations was to thicken her condensed aura to prevent Animus from being siphoned from her. The density of the ambient Chaos in the room was higher than outside, but it was still lower by several orders of magnitude when compared to the amount her flared Anima possessed.

The formations flared slightly, and the expected attempt to drain didn't come. Instead, she saw the two Archons and Douglas Hart stare slack jawed at her illuminating display.

With her Chaos Sight active, she had the chance to spy the Third Archon’s Anima. Well, that was to say, it wasn’t developed at all. She had expected a mage to have the same kind of Anima and Animus pattern as the Imperials or the Spirit Binders, but that wasn’t the case at all. Third Archon Wendell’s Anima held a core, as all awakened did, but it was miniscule and covered in runescript patterns. The patterns were etched into the Anima, and it looked like they were held there by Will and Intent more than anything else. There was some fraying at the edges, though they reformed almost immediately after.

The runescript weavings in her Anima were etched there. Carved there by her Will and distilled Chaos. Shifting things took some time, but it didn’t take her any focus or Will to keep them there.

Also, the mages had within their persons, sources of concentrated Chaos. They weren’t distilled Chaos at all, which was Chaos energies purified and condensed into a liquid. Droplets that existed as material and immaterial at the same time, depending on how one viewed it. Which was how she could feed distilled Chaos to Desire and also use it to repair her Anima, which was normally immaterial unless condensed. Or flared.

No, the concentrated Chaos was locked into some kind of stone or ore. And each of them held them in varied quantities. Douglas Hart carried only a miniscule amount. They were in the cards he kept on his belt satchel. He also had some diffused into a liquid, carried in a vial tucked into his bag.

The Archons, on the other hand, had the material in rings, pendants, and other jewelry, as well as in cards.

“Miss Davar!” Third Archon Wendell said loudly as he recovered his composure, “That was Astral Sight, wasn’t it? Amazing how you can do that without a focus or component!”

“Hmmm? Oh. Yes,” Yuriko said absently even as she looked around the room and examined the runescript patterns. Her Anima had expanded and she was using her perception to look closely.

“Yuri?” Gwendith tapped her shoulder. “You’re being rude,” she murmured.

“Ah, right. I apologise,” Yuriko shook her head. “Your room…it is filled with a… formation that draws ambient Chaos…”

“Ah. Of course, I did not expect it to be seen so easily,” the Second Archon chuckled. “It is built within the foundations of the building after all…”

‘What did he mean by that? It was painfully obvious to anyone with senses.’ Yuriko thought. She shook her head and said, “This technique is called Chaos Sight. It uses up five lumens of Animus to activate. It remains active as long as I Will it to, and with some effort, the invested Animus can be retrieved.”

“Animus?” the Second Archon, Arthur Delange, asked. “Is that what you call occult resonance?”

“No.” Yuriko shook her head, “What you call occult resonance is probably what we call ambient Chaos. Animus is ambient Chaos taken in by the body through the breath and changed so it could be of use.” She walked towards the two older men, who moved towards a lounge area. There were a few armchairs there as well as a wider sofa, as well as a low table.

“There are three of you, and it would be more comfortable to converse here. Apprentice Hart, please send for tea and snacks,” Delange said with a soft smile.

“Yes, sir,” Douglas said, but there was clear disappointment behind his eyes.

“You may join us afterward,” Delange continued.

“Thank you!” Douglas yelped and practically skipped towards the door, “I’ll be back quickly.”

Once the door was shut, Delange chuckled, “He’s one of our most enthusiastic apprentices. His social graces aren’t the best, so pardon him for that.”

“It’s fine,” Yuriko answered easily as she sat on one of the armchairs. The two archons took the sofa and the rest took the armchairs next to hers. “Now then, let us see where this exchange can lead us.” She offered a smile. The runescript patterns were quite different from what she was used to etching. It was also different from what she saw in the obsidian towers. With three different lineages, she could cross reference and improve upon her weavings. That, in turn, would allow her to improve her Sorcery, her Anima etchings, and perhaps, it would help her repair or reopen the damaged portals.

“Gladly,” Arthur Delange said easily, while Wendell, whose given name Yuriko still didn’t know, nodded happily.

“So, what do you want from us?” Gwendith interjected.

The two elders exchanged glances, then Wendell said, “From all reports, you Outsiders wield the power of occult resonance as easily as turning your hand. We’d like to learn the same capability.” His expression turned grave. “As you might know, the Karcellian Expeditionary forces lost two thirds of its strength in the disastrous campaign. After long months of staring at the border, they got blindsided by a lightning flash attack that broke through from the rear. It should not have happened and there had been signs everywhere, but divination efforts were dampened, and we were fooled by our own hubris.”

“Karcellia must harden her heart now,” Delange said. “And we must seize every advantage we can to keep our liberty. Aircraft reconnaissance showed us that the Confederacy are amassing in northern Norrinth, and are building dozens of airfields. Their bomber and fighter planes outnumber ours two to one. We have the advantage with our naval forces, but half of our ships are protecting our merchant ships. Food and materiel have to be brought into our islands otherwise, we’d starve. Hence, the forces we can bring to bear against a naval assault are about even. Our battleships have the advantage in strength and experience, however.” He grinned, “I served in the navy in my youth, as a shipboard diviner. I can reasonably say that the Admiralty has things well in hand.”

“But the air forces the Confederacy can bring to the frontlines is troubling,” Wendell continued. “The bombing raid yesterday, they destroyed two of the Karcellian Air Force’s fields. They’re still repairing them now, and we still have more fields, but if all of those are destroyed, then our aircraft would be out of play, and they could raid the country with impunity.”

“And how do you expect us to help?” Yuriko asked. She could certainly help fight off those aircraft, but she was only one woman.

“Can you enable us to wield occult resonance as you do?” Delange asked directly.

Yuriko frowned, “I can, but I don’t know how long it would take to reach a strong enough level.”

Wendell coughed. “Pardon my presumption, but you are a young woman, are you not? And Agent Matthews corroborated that you are the most impressive Outsider he’s ever heard of. I’ve done a bit of research myself, and none of the Outsiders of bygone times ever showed near your level.”

“Ahahaha!” Gwendith guffawed and even Sheamus chuckled openly.

“Yes?” Delange asked witha slightly annoyed look, “Are we mistaken?”

“Yuriko is quite young,” Gwendith teased. “We’re both just sixteen, but you make the mistake of assuming her level is a reasonable touchpoint. Even back home she is in the forefront comparing her age to power.”

“Sixteen?” The two old men exchanged a glance and sighed. Delange said, “So young. My granddaughter is roughly your age but she hasn’t even done anything with occult resonance other than conjure a candle flame. Even so, the effort isn’t worth it when a lighter could just as easily suffice.”

“Perhaps you can try to teach our promising youths and apprentices?” Wendell asked. “Ah, us older folk, too. Learning never ends and there’s always more knowledge and mysteries to find.” His face was eager, and his eyes lit up with excitement.

“Alright,” Gwendith interjected, “we understand what you want, but what can you offer other than basic necessities?”

“We wish to trade knowledge of knowledge,” Delange said. “Within these halls, wisdom from thousands of years of arcane practice and secrets, are housed. We’re even willing to show you our ultimate techniques.”

“You have that much faith in us?” Yuriko asked.

“You created a fog in the midst of the Kamwick Sea and you stopped a naval gun’s shells from sinking your ship.” Delange stated. “Yes, we are confident your tutelage would see the country through this horrific war. And, we will do our best to help you return to your homes, and failing that, provide a place you can call home.”

“I see,” Yuriko tapped her lips with her finger. “Very well. I don’t mind helping your country, especially since the Confederacy was so hostile to us. And, we’ll need to return to the portal site to return to Rumiga.”

“To that end, we’re willing to give you any resource you’ll need. Including…er, several ingots of reactive malachite.”

“You mean those bits of ore brimming with Chaos?” Yuriko asked. “You use them to power your runescript formations, don’t you? I see. May I?”

“Of course,” Wendell said slowly. He pulled a ring from his finger and placed it on the low table. Yuriko activated Chaos Sight and carefully observed it. The two elders murmured at her glowing eyes as she reached for the ring. Upon closer inspection, the ring contained a sliver of ore that was barely the size of Chaos dust. Altogether, it should be around three or four GiJin.

“How do you use this?”

“Ah, allow me!” The door banged open and Douglas barged in. He was followed by a couple of women in black skirts and white aprons, while pushing a cart containing a tea kettle, cups, and assorted pastry trays. “Forgive me, I couldn’t help but hear.” Douglas gushed.

“Tsk, your bad habits are coming out again,” Wendell muttered, then, in an even lower voice that nobody else could have heard. “I didn’t notice the clairaudience cantrip…”

“I would be honoured to demonstrate!” Douglas said while bowing to them. The servitors served tea and pastries. Yuriko took a cup and took in the aroma. It had a citrus undertone, and a crisp taste. At her nod, Douglas pulled out a card and was about to use it.

“No, not those,” Yuriko said, “I know how you use spell cards. How would you use those rings?”

“Ah! Er, I…”

“He doesn’t own a spell focus,” Wendell chuckled. “But you know how to use one, right?”

“Of course, sir!”

“If you please?” he turned to Yuriko and asked.

“Ah, yes.” She used her Animakinesis to hand the ring over. There was a long moment of silence, before Douglas gulped and put it on.

“I will cast a minor illusion,” he declared. The ring’s stone lit up, and ambient Chaos drifted out. Yuriko could see Douglas’ Will take hold of the Chaos, and with a combination of murmured words and hand movements, he managed to trigger the Chaos to Shape. Flickers of light appeared above his hand, then shifted and changed until it was practically a mirror image of the five of them seated around the tea table. Well, the details were lacking, and the image was small, barely a dozen inches tall.

More importantly, what he did was to ignite the ore within the ring’s setting, and that it produced enough ambient Chaos to make Shaping, regenerating, or forming distilled Chaos significantly much easier.

Hmmm, perhaps things weren’t so bleak after all.

“Very well, Archon Wendell, Archon Delange,” Yuriko nodded. “We agree to teach our methods. But, don’t hold too much hope. The environment here is vastly different from our home plane, so things might not go as you expect.”

“Whatever will help the Commonwealth,” Archon Delange said with a smile. “Well, then, shall we get down to the details?”