Praise for a Gift (Kagami)

[Karakkan Boneshear]

It was not odd to see people pray when among the more rural areas of Kyoto. To see an outsider, dressed in a rather sharp suit, was. Most locals did not pay him heed, although the odd child stood and stared and the silver-haired man. He was on his knees in front of one of the many Shrines, palms pressed together and head bowed.

"Thank you my Lord, for this truly great gift. It will be used in your name and I will end this blight that has plagued your order for many years. May you continue to give my family your blessing, and keep them safe in your Paradise. In your name I pray, amen." Karakkan spoke, opening his closed eyes and moving one of his hands to draw a cross along his chest. With his prayer done, he stood up, brushing the dirt off of his pants. He made sure to give the charm hanging from his arm a gentle rub, then went to a nearby stone bench, sitting down and moving his hands towards his staff.

A Summoner. It sent shivers up Karakkan's spine just thinking about it. And saying the word out loud only made him grin like an idiot. Sure, it was not really official until he had gotten himself a Heroic Spirit, but the title was still his to hold onto. With a happy sigh, he leaned up against the carefully-carved backrest, head lolling back to stare up at the sky. A prayer to his Lord would be helpful in the coming days, for Kan knew little about the proper rituals and practices to being a Summoner, and finding such data would be a journey in itself. So any little bit of help, spiritual or otherwise, helped.

The silent little moment was broken however when Kan heard footsteps making their way towards the shrine and bench he was by. He tilted his head forward, although he left the rest of his body slouched and relaxed. No need to scare whoever it was away, that would be rude on his part. With lazy eyes he watched the person make their way, curious on their intent. Being a bit venturous, he spoke out.

"Seems I'm not the only one around then. What brings you up to this shrine?"

[Kagami Fuku]

Dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, a young man walked towards one of the many shrines, hoping to find a moment of inner peace. Everything had started months ago, when this boy, Kagami, graduated from the Magic Academy. After that, nightmares assaulted his mind every night. At first, it was just a bad dream... Then, it turned into a torment. So that´s why he was going there, he wanted to know why this was happening to him. As he didn´t know how to pray, he would just attempt to talk to “God” by simply speaking out loud. To be honest, the reason why he hadn’t been here before was because he never heard of a place like this or an action such as conversing with the almighty lord.

Near his destination, his thoughts got interrupted. He glanced round the place, and soon found the one to blame. A man in his late thirties, with silver hair. Wearing a red suit, the old man asked Kagami what was the reason he was there. At first sight, he seemed just curious and inoffensive. Unfortunately for him, Kagami Fuku wasn’t the type of man that trusted a stranger right off the bat. Why would he confess his true intentions to him?

-I… Lost someone a long time ago. She used to come here often, so I thought I might find her… here. - He lied. He couldn’t have come up with a better excuse, and it sounded so natural! His voice was cold, his eyes on the ground. –My name is Kagami Fuku… Who are you? – The least thing he wanted was to start a conversation, but, at that time, he didn’t have much of a choice. If he was lucky enough, the old man may even reveal valuable information. Fuku had started a research about the different races, realms and classes that existed in the world. Then again, since Kagami doesn’t trust anyone, no one but him knew what he was doing.

Just by looking at the silver-haired man before him, he could tell that he wasn’t a mere human. Even if the chances that he was a Magus just like him were high, his curious nature forced him to figure out if he was something else or not. Kagami let go of the brown bag his was carrying, and stared at the relaxed man, waiting for an answer.

[Karakkan Boneshear]

Huh, this newcomer didn't seem like one for conversation. A shame, I always did like a good talk. Kan thought to himself, watching the boy through his partly-closed eyes. He sat himself up somewhat, straightening his back and listening as he heard him speak. Kagami Fuku, an interesting name. Then again, Kan wasn't a local to these parts, so all their names sounded cool to him.

"Ah, my apologies then. It is not easy to lose someone close." Karakkan spoke, shifting himself so he was much more straight and attentive, although that look of relaxation never quite left him. He had seen plenty of loss, and had the markings to prove each and every one of them. "If they were true to themselves, the Lord has a place for them in his holy kingdom. My prayers go out to them Mr. Fuku." He bowed his head and murmured a quick prayer before sliding himself over on the bench.

"Well, my name is Karakkan Boneshard. My father loved the idea of Necromancers, changed his last name. Got my mother all huffed up, but at least she had a maiden name to keep." He chuckled, patting the now-vacant spot beside him. A bit of an odd way to call his father a cook, but you never know. This boy had a bit of a stance to him, as though he had a hidden power about him. Kan would have hazarded a guess to say this boy was a Hexxer, maybe even a Magus. he let out a bit of a dopey smile, although his lazy eyes held a spark of interest in them. "Have a seat friend. Prayers to your crazy family are much better with a partner. Doubt you had any with a love for that magic stuff like my Dad though."

What a nice turn of events. Kan finally had someone to talk to, and it was a day bordering on a storm. Perfect.

[Kagami Fuku]

The man before him finally introduced himself. Karakkan Boneshard, he was obviously not from Japan. Indeed, a perfect opportunity to collect information. Kagami's eyes suddenly widened for a brief moment the second he heard the word 'Necromancers'. That just proved him right, if Kan's father was a magician, then he had to be one too. But, Why would he reveal his class that soon? Was he aware of Kagami being a Magus too? He felt like he was being analyzed or in some sort of mental game. Even so, he managed to look calm, at least that what you would see on the outside. Inside, however, his mind was a sea of thoughts. It took him a little while to react to the old man's proposal.

- Yeah, I guess you are right about that... - He said, faking a smile. He then carried his bag and sat next to him. He felt an unpleasant feeling run thought his entire body. He then felt the urge to talk, hoping to erase that uncomfortable sensation that appeared every time he was alone with someone. - I can't really help you with the... prayers. I do not know how to do it. - He confessed. It was also a good excuse to change the subject, as Kagami didn't want to reveal his identity before needed.

- I can tell that you are not from here, Would you mind telling me where are you from? With details if possible. - Fuku smiled to himself. If he answered that question, he would have some new data to add to his book. Of course, he still ought to see who he was dealing with, but first things first. - I just like to imagine places. - He added in the end, to erase any possible sign of suspicion.

Honestly, this man seemed to be too nice. He could be faking, like Kagami, or he could actually be that kind of person. He couldn't know at that stage. Either way, all he cared about now was the information. Then, after he got what he wanted, he would leave with no regrets. Unless something caught his attention, that is.

[Karakkan Boneshear]

"You don't know how to pray?" Karakkan raised an eyebrow, his smile turning into a slight frown. He liked this look, figured it made him look older and wiser. He looked at Kagami, attempting to meet his eyes. Despite recognizing the Necromancer part, the prayer thing had thrown him off his game somewhat. "You parents were not religious I guess. Ah well, you're at a shrine, I'm sure I could teach you while we are up here." The smile returned to his face, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts. Now was not a time to be unsure about himself or about this boy.

The question he was asked though, set Karakkan's mind back on track. "Where I'm from?" He repeated, breaking his attempt at eye-contact. He took in a deep breath of air, then let out a happy sigh. "I think I can do that, yes." It was nice to look back and think about the nice parts of a past.

"Hmm, lets see. I was born in Canada, moved to Ottawa, the capital, about thirty years ago when I was seven. Parents were always traveling back and forth between places, although I always had my mother or father around. They both died a few years ago, plane crash. I have an older sister, who's still in the country teaching." Kan returned to the position he was at first, hands behind the head, leaning back and staring at the clouding sky. "Not much really exciting about my life. Joined the church after I had a daughter; she's ten and with my sister right now. Just been wandering and trying to learn about all the things in this world and beyond." He turned his head, half-closed eyes making sure to make eye-contact with Kagami. This was another bait for him. He was still unsure about this boy's past, but this next bit should have solidified it in Kan's mind.

"Oh, forgot to mention my school. Graduated from a little place in a town called Vildia. It's out of the way, you wouldn't find it on a map. I forget the name of the school though, for the life of me I can not remember it. I doubt you would know about it though." Truly, he didn't know if Kagami did or not. He only had assumptions about the boy, and this gesture was the one way of proving at least one of them true. It was all about the reaction to the name. Kan let a smile cross his face as he watched carefully for a reaction.

Your move, friend.

[Kagami Fuku]

- I guess I don't... - He replied a little ashamed of himself. Still, was it that odd for someone not to know how to pray, for Karakkan to give him that look? Well, for one, this time Kagami wasn't lying. Oh, he didn't even know what "Religious" meant, yet he didn't comment on it. - I wouldn't mind a lesson or two. - He figured they would have to do some sort of ritual, where they summon a divine spirit, to answer their questions. Again, he never did nor see this before, so he didn't believed it himself either.

- I see, interesting background. - He said, as he heard the story of the middle-aged man. In his mind, however, he cursed. He didn't want to hear how was his life like, he wanted to know where he came from and details that would help him get info about that place, to fill in his book. Fortunately, it wasn't a complete loss, as one particular word called his attention. "Church", that sounded like a kind of organization to him, there was no doubt about it. "Vildia" was the next word that stood out. Every single magician would know what that meant.

- You are a Magus. And you would have figured I' m a Magus as well. - Gaming time was over. Now to the point. - I'm on a journey to gather data about everything that lies a foot in this world, analyzing its abilities, behavior and how they organize. Are you, by chance, interested in traveling? - He spoke out, all of a sudden. Maybe it was too early to trust that person, and what he just did was a mistake, but he had to accept the fact that he couldn't do it alone. Still, this individual seemed to have a pacific nature, and looked wise enough to teach him a few things.

As he waited for Karakkan's answer, he stared directly at the glorious shrine.