Kaz had sent word to the guild master of the nearest guild. A light guild named Advent World. Despite all the traveling the wind mage had done, he had never met the man that he requested a meeting from. But he had heard stories. A fearsome combatant and one that held one of the few titles of Sword Master, Finn Mertens. The invitation was open for whoever else Finn wanted to bring and Kaz knew there were many more people of note in the guild.

A trainee of the guild had arrived a few days ago bringing word that Advent World had received the request and would be on their way for the meeting.

The guildhall was always tidy from Kaz's need to always have it cleaned. He couldn't stand mess at any time. He opened the doors for the man to enter once he arrived up the long staircase to the guild.

A room on the second floor was dedicated to a meeting space. It overlooked the courtyard with lard ceiling to floor-length windows. a simple wooden table was in the center of the room and a teapot was set in the center of it with small and snacks surrounding it. A few teacups were positioned beside it and waiting. The items were put out from advice by the receptionist.

He opened the window to let fresh air blow through the room and flap the curtains. taking in a deep breath he made his way back down to the front lobby of the guildhall. This was his first official meeting like this. He preferred dealing with things in a more simple way but his guildmates advised him that this was more than a simple walk through the courtyard. He had someone there waiting and ready to write down a draft agreement if they agreed on anything.

The wind mage opened the doors wide for when they would come. Kazimir sat at a dining table and mulled over some paperwork and mission briefings until a trainee would let him know that Finn and whoever was with him had arrived.

Once Finn got to the guild, he would see the walled fortress built to overlook the city. A member was stationed at the guild entrance to greet Finn and walk him across the courtyard to the main guildhall where Kaz would be awaiting word of his arrival.

The Guild Hall of Astera was an abode very different from that of the Advent World guild. Whereas the Oakian's had built something that reminisced an abode, easy to confuse for a home instead of a place of war, there would be no mistaking the intent of Phoenix Feather. This building appeared like a prison from the outside, and a fortress from within. It seemed to have been made with conflict in mind, and for the three outsiders who had made their way to its gates, the word 'Welcoming' didn't seem to quite fit.

Finn had come here, at the request of Guild Master Kazimir, in order to negotiate the fate of Western Fiore. Oak had fallen to the hands of the neutral guild, though not a single drop of blood had been shed from any citizen or innocent. While respect had yet to be earned, the populace of the great city was now looking toward Advent World with a sense of bated interest. The guild had, so far at least, executed on its word.

That said, rumors of Astera had not yet swelled to the ear of the seasoned warrior. He had yet to hear of Phoenix Feather, of its victories or lack their of. With the lack of secured trust, it seemed, there would be a lack of whispers making their way to the guild hall. No matter, the letter itself had been transparent enough that he was able to make a few educated guesses.

Finn had been called here today to discuss the West as a whole, which meant that regardless of Kazimir's intent, the matters of Baska and Oak would certainly be brought up. This implied, to the young master at least, that the band of ex-Rune Knights had considered Astera as good as theirs regardless of if their conquest was done. That level of confidence being exuded by several seasoned warriors and strategists was enough to make Finn assume it was no bluff, though he could have of course been wrong.

Regardless, he had shown up as agreed upon. Flanking him were two members of his guild, selected not only as guards but as a show of force. While this meeting seemed to be with the intent to improve relations, Finn would be a fool to walk into a potential trap unprepared. As they made their way through the courtyard, accompanied by a lower ranking member of Phoenix Feather, Finn did not bother looking around. Instead, his focus was in front of him, allowing him to immediately lock upon Kazimir once he was led into the main guildhall.

A smile graced his lips, and Finn looked around the room briefly before locking back on the other guild master. "Kazimir, I take it? It's nice to meet you. I am Finn Mertens, the Guild Master of Advent world. Traveling with me are two of my companions, Kenzo Valens and Vali Onfroy. I appreciate your open invite. I'm sure today will be productive."

[EXIT]

”Hoh… Quite impressive Mr. Captain-Commander~” A thought crossed Kenzo’s mind as he laid eyes on the fortress built within Astera. Looking at it from afar, the place exuded an imposing air of marshal might. A smile painted the mercenary’s face as he imagined the obstacles one needed to overcome if someone were to assault such structure. The man had seen his fair share of sieges with the years, so he was no stranger to the art of conquering a castle. From what he could see, the headquarters of Phoenix Feather was definitely within the best of them. The person that designed the place definitely knew what he was doing. As expected from an ex-rune knight.

The blue haired swordsman followed his Guildmaster’s orders to serve as a bodyguard. Finn, Vali and Kenzo traveled to Fiore’s western port to meet with the new master of Phoenix Feather. Rumors about the guild had reached the mercenary’s ears before, but he had never taken the time to travel to the city and corroborate them in person. Nevertheless, when a messenger from Astera arrived, Kenzo looked forward to attending. The leader of the group was someone he knew quite well after all. Kazimir Seiryu, ex captain-commander of the council’s law enforcement organization was an acquaintance of Kenzo. He even considered the man to be a friend. After meeting in a scuffle with Crocus’s underground, the guildless swordsman frequently took jobs from him before joining Advent World. He knew that he had left the Rune Knights at some point, but both males had not met in person for more than a year now.

However, this was not a meeting between friends. The matter at hand was above him after all. A meeting between the guild masters of Fiore’s West was inevitable. Phoenix Feather was the first to send word of the two. As Kenzo entered Phoenix Feather’s grounds alongside his guild mates, the truth was clear to him. The events that would happen that day would define the course of the region.

Kenzo walked at the right side of Finn just a couple of steps behind. A large golden blade hung from his side and his armor was firmly placed onto his chest. Even if Kazimir was a friend to him, the young Bellan was a professional. He wouldn’t hesitate to strike anyone if Finn ordered him to, his loyalty was with Advent World above all. Kenzo was calm as he followed the knight towards the meeting place. However, the same could not be said from Vali at his left. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew him good enough to notice that he was tense. There was something within the Viking that struck him odd. He made a mental note to stay alert in case he needed to intervene for whatever reason.  

The group finally made it to Kazimir. The man exuded an aura of calm and gentleness as always. As Finn introduced him, Kenzo nodded with a smile at the guild master. Perhaps if everything went well, he’d invite Kazimir to that round of beers they had pending later.

Was Kazimir-sama an idiot or simply overconfident? Then again, those two characteristics went hand in hand. But either way, Shimura was questioning while Kazimir would arrange such a thing without protection or other precautions. It was absolutely infuriating that Kazimir-sama would organize the meeting without having some bodyguards or someone like Shimura or Noyiah with him. He understood that Kazimir-sama was strong, and not having a bodyguard could make a statement. But he knew from experience that when the cards where down Kazimir-sama would be surrounded and outnumbered. At least with his presences any attempt at assassination would be discouraged.

The scarred black hair male wore his finest attire. A crimson red suit with black rider boots, and a white admiral over coat that hung over his shoulder’s like a cloak. He may not have been the most intimidating figure, but there was a fearsome fire in his eyes that removed people from his path. He marched down the hallway and to the room that was being used as the meeting place and opened the door with ease and care. “Good evening gentlemen, Captain Commander.” Shimura would speak in a gentle  and calm voice, and a smile plastered upon his harsh face. There were three men in the room, not counting Kazimir-sama and Shimura. Three strangers that had repugnant reputations, and one of the men looked familiar. Shimura could have sworn that he had seen him somewhere, but decided to let the feeling subside until brought up later.

Shimura would make his way across the room to flank his guild master and gave him a harsh glare that wouldn’t be visible to the guest; only Kazimir-sama. It was a glare that said ‘we need to talk later’ but  as he turned on his heels to face the guest his glare faded and he watched them intently. From his jacket, Shimura retrieved a golden box and opened it; there was a bunch of cigars. He momentarily offered the group some cigars; before taking one out for himself and tucking it in his lips. Shimura brought his thumb to the cigar, the tip of his thumb momentarily turned into lava and lit the cigar.

He would give a cigar to anyone who wanted one before he placed the case back into his jacket. “I am sorry that I am late, there were some things that caught my attention. Hopefully I haven’t missed to much.”

Noyiah spent the week prior to the impending guests getting ready for their arrival,  each day she did daily chores and then went a little above and beyond, making sure the place was in near perfect order when they arrived.  Though she wasn’t as ready,  from her office she managed to see the three men walking into the main doors,  she had last track of time as she reviewed case studies and others categorized files,  trying to find a good solution for the growing dangers they face from being on the sea.   It had been enough to call for their aid on a number of occasions since they started accepting requests, almost every one of them had them venturing out into the seas to meet the problem,  deal with it and return to the shores, but if she could find a solution, or a pattern to predict them it would be safer for the people of Astera.   Shuffling the cases to the side of her desk she would pick up a pad of paper and a few assorted pens.

Noyiah had arrived in time to see Shimura enter the room, from down the hall,  about twenty seconds later she would enter through the door and close it behind her, taking a quick look at the new faces, she would then take her seat beside the door and pull the pad of paper onto her lap, and drawing a pen from her pocket.  She placed the pen to paper and looked out about the room. And then to Kazimir nodding to signal she was ready for them to start.

She knew how important this meeting was and would be here to take notes, as the official record keeper. This could potentially be the history in the making, and she would be able to recall the events with detailed notes that would allow them to one day put in historical texts.

Noyiah remained unarmed, as a show of goodwill and a starting of a potential alliance, she wasn’t completely useless without a weapon, but by the reputation that a lot of the people within this room, she was undoubtedly the least experienced.  Her expertise resided out of combat, in her organization and records, in her ability to devise tactical plans and  the support in educating and training new members and the citizens that took their open lessons.

OOC:

Kaz waited in the lobby until he heard the footsteps coming up the path. He stood to meet the arrivals and as he turned to look out the door, he was met with mixed emotions. In the middle of the group, came the guild master. Walking with the weight of experience. Next to him was a man he already considered an ally. Kenzo, the mercenary. Over the past year, while Kaz was still in the knights he helped him with numerous missions, but work seemed to always get in the way of a casual drink. Then there was the last. Vali...a man he shared a troubled past with. One he hunted once and led to dark days. He didn't expect so many people from the guild to arrive but safety was always a concern in the troubled times they lived in. And with that mix of people, it was sure to be an interesting meeting.

He gave a small bow with his eyes still on them as they arrived, "Yes. And It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Thank you for accepting,"he said with a smile, keeping a relaxed demeanor. At the mention of his allies, Kaz looked toward Kenzo with a grin to an old comrade, "Good to see you again Kenzo I trust time has treated you well. Well enough for a new blade I see."

His eyes glance over to the final member..."Vali," he said with a wistful hint to his tone. "Perhaps when this is over we can talk in private. Vikings are a proud heritage and I don't want to dishonor without an offer to settle anything left between us...it would be hard to move forward with peace on a foundation of tension,"he spoke, making eye contact with the man and broke it once his last word was spoken. His offer was clear cut. he didn't know what that talk would lead to but it was something Kaz felt was unavoidable and best to face it sooner rather than later and hope that could come to amends.

The wind mage returned a smile to his face and rose his arm to gesture for Advent World to come in and join him when Shimura appeared. A proper greeting came from the magma mage, except for the glare he discreetly shot Kazimir. One that caused Kaz to smile and put a hand innocently on the back of his head, knowing that he was going to get an earful later.

"This is Shimura Shigaraki, head of Military Affairs," Kaz answered as he gave a small wave to turn down the cigar. "And we are actually just about to get started, please, have a seat," Kaz said and as the members took their places around the table, he would begin to pour them all tea, including a cup for Noyiah who was just entering the room."This is Noyiah Dashi. Head of Intelligence. She'll be documenting the meeting if that is alright with all of you?"

Once the tea was poured Kaz sat down along the round table and took his cup in both hands, feeling the warmth before bringing to his lips for a sip. It was almost therapeutic in the face of such an important conversation. "So...I'll not waste any time. If I understand correctly, both of our guilds are working towards the same goal. Stability and peace for the people. We may have different ways of going about it, but I believe we will be stronger in an alliance. Before long Astera will be in full support of Phoenix Feather. I would like to form an alliance and under one banner, unite and bring stability to Baska," he said taking another sip of his tea and letting strands of his indigo hair fall loose around the sides of his face.

After everyone had joined the room, the meeting began without a hitch. Some more pleasantries were exchanged as Kazimir took the initiative. ”Not as good as it has treated you from the looks of it” Kenzo said jokingly and looked around at what the captain had built during the past year. ”Well… maybe it has.” he chuckled as his attention shifted back at his new sword. The last time the two of them met, Kenzo’s sword had broken during battle. The blade he held now though, was a completely different beast. However, he needed to be careful around Kazimir with it. Masamune was a sword commonly found in Joyan myths. Almost every native knew about the blade and the tragedy of its loss. Kenzo trusted the man, but he wanted to avoid any unnecessary troubles.

For now, he observed as the group of people from Kazimir’s side started arriving one by one. The first person to enter was quite a peculiar male. The first thing Kenzo noticed was the large burn scar he had on his left eye. The swordsman had spent many years in the battlefield, so he had seen his fair deal of burnt people. From what he could deduct thought, the Phoenix Feather male’s was not a normal one. On the other hand, he was also elegantly dressed and carried an air of dignity and sternness which the merc though was perfect considering his role. It was the look he most commonly attached to people related to the law; fitting considering with whom they were dealing with. Despite his mean look, he greeted them quite amicably in comparison. Kenzo couldn’t help but innerly chuckle at the thought. Having dealt extensively with the rune knights through the past year, he wondered if all of them had to take a course on how to act in public.

As Shimura approached them and offered a cigar, the blue haired male accepted with a smile of his own. It had been a long time since he’d smoked, but it would be a waste not to accept such a fine offer. ”No worries. The bosses have yet to start.” He answered at his comment as he flashed a smile.

Not long had passed since Shimura entered the room when a blond-haired woman did as well. She was quite an attractive person, but she didn’t seem to talk much. Instantly sitting by the door and taking out a pen and paper, it looked like she’d be the person in charge of recording whatever was spoken. Either way, Kenzo was not disappointed on the wind mage’s choice of subordinates. The male was happy to see that his friend was able to garner the loyalty of such people.

Either way, it seemed that the captain wanted to get to the point as quickly as possible. After him and Finn discussed on the details of Kazimir’s proposition, there came a point in the conversation when the two of them asked the rest to be left alone. The swordsman simply nodded as he left through the door with his guild mate. Placing his arm around Vali’s neck, he turned at Shimura with a playful tone. ”So… Any chances you could give us a tour around the place while we wait?”

-EXIT-

OOC: Sorry about it! Had to leave town soon. Hope we can rp another time in the future.

Kaz smiled at the new sword that his old comrade wore on his back. It looked menacing already and he could only imagine what he could do with it, but he was glad he finally got a weapon that suited his skills. The wind mage looked at the guild house behind him. "Time has treated me well also. But there is still a lot of work to be done."

As they all sat to get ready, he gave Noyiah a nod as she entered, ready to take down a record of what was going to happen. All the people were present and it was time to dive in to which Kaz jumped straight into business.

The two guildmasters were left to their own conversations after all pleasantries had been discussed and the basics as the others left and Kenzo excused himself. Soon after that once Finn and Kaz were finished speaking, the wind mage made his exit. He'd like to catch up with him more but time was against them yet again today. Not to mention the situation he had to tackle with Vali at some point.

Things wrapped up well enough and the wind mage left the room to catch up with his other guildmates, and let them exactly what had happened in there. Kaz himself left and hoped he and the members of Advent World could enjoy a drink together later at least some of them.

The wind mage waited for the rest to return from the tour where they would get to see, the academy and training areas. As much as it was a fortress it was inviting and built to protect civilians in case of a disaster.

He would escort his guests out once they returned from the tour and wish them well on their journey. Afterward he would have a meeting with his guild members about all that had transpired and where they were going to go from here.

-Exit-