Ardent Flame

    It has been a while, Merek doesn't get to talk with Estelle a lot. That said, it was a library, one of the few that they can still actually use. The man walks around with that dark attire on, taking books to place into a pack with him, while he takes a drink of the water with him, placing the canteen along the hip.

    Estelle hasn't been trying to be absent, since the end of her Yugen. But things have been... rapidly progressing since, and the situation is complicated. Part of which is what's brought her here, to this library - even as she grumbles and growls at the absense of certain key books for her research, recently added to the Athenaeum but not yet copied over to the sister archives.

    It has her letting out a long breath to calm herself, tails swishing and curling behind her. Her mood is not helped by the unknown status of the Atheneaeum, either, given its current occupation. Still, she rubs at her face a little, leaning back from the charts and tomes spread before her, the diagrams and jot-notes on current projects. "I can't decide if things are moving too quickly, or not quickly enough."

    Merek takes a look along to Estelle, while he thinks about it. "Sometimes, it's both." The man nods a bit to the pack that keeps his books, "I am reading, looking for information on Divine Beasts. You know, I am sure that they are taking care of the city. They are taking care of the farms, the monsters."

    "There are some first-hand sources you can interview on the beasts." The vixen points out, folding her arms on the tabletop. "The Tower of Mages maintains the limiters that help them contain their power, I do believe. Or so my lone encounter with a Divine Beast indicated." She casts her mind back to her brush with the Kirin. "Gems that gather the power over the course of years, and get replaced - the powered used for... something by the Tower, afterward."

    "And I know they're likely maintaining it for their own uses, but the Athenaeum is my charge, and I worry. How far are their policing methods going to go? Will I find tomes missing, revisionist works in the place of some? Books stolen for personal collections...?" She shakes her head, the Diviner glancing over some of her charts.

    Merek looks to Estelle, and seems to consider her words for a moment. "Well, I think it will be ok. We will look when we've won the war." With that, the man nods a bit, "I don't know. The Tower knows a lot more than it tells us. It seems to keep stock of ancient magic devices like the one used for the Undead War, and it also seems to keep Enigma Piece with stock." Then he nods a bit, "Someone, actually imprinted with a Divine Beast yesterday. It was Fuka."

    "... Really? I hadn't heard that. I must have gotten caught up in things again." She shakes her head, turning that over in her mind. "I'll have to ask her what it's like, amd see what I can Divine on the matter. Even an omen of weal or woe would be something..." She stares into the distance for a long moment, a single dark ear twitching. Then she gives a full-body shake, casting her thoughts aside. "... but. Perhaps another time. I've other things to look into, at the moment. And not about whatever relics the Mage Tower has stored away, though it's curious they'd gather Enigma Pieces..."

    "What are you looking into? I know that there has to be more than your worry about libraries. Perhaps the Crowns?" Merek will ask, while he takes a look to Estelle. He then places a hand upon her shoulder, "Either way. We are here for you as a Guild, and Alliance. No matter what the stars might bring you to. And you are a friend. I just wish that more of the people wanted to free the Crowned, instead of fighting them. That said, it's a war. We need to."

    "Deepening my knowledge of Divination. Some guides on teaching magic. A bit of work on codifying my method of invoking Constellations..." Pale fingers point to various, poorly-seperated 'sections' of the sprawl of lore before her. "We've confirmed that the Palace Landers have a powerful Diviner working on their behalf, and have begun proper counter-measures. But I think we've found a weakness in their methods, and I'm preparing to try and take advantage."

    "... and remember, Merek, that mercy requires strength /and/ a certain willingness on the other side of the blade. It is harder to capture than kill, and a foe that will resist unto death is hard to redeem." She glances up at him. "It's worth trying, but keep in mind you will be burned. Not everyone has the determination to push past that."

    Merek then looks to Estelle, with amusement. "You think me of all people won't find a way? I have managed it before. We will do it again. We might need to kill people. I did... I still think that if there is a possible way, we should still try. They are people, and now that we know what's taken from them when we kill them. Well, I think we will find a way." The man nods a bit, "I don't know a lot about divination, I do know about sealing powers. If you need to find anything, I will look with you. Anything that we can use to make the whole war easier."

    Estelle shakes her head, at that. "You despaired others choosing to fight instead of free; I pointed out why they would choose that method instead." She wags her finger at him, and then turns back to her work. "I think there are people working on how to... disarm the Crowns, however. We'll see how it works out." She takes up her brush again, silver gaze dancing across the open papers as she correlates and takes notes, beautiful kanji taking form under idle direction and whimsical thought.

    "As for my work... I doubt sealing would work. We know that the Divinatory Link can be used to transmit some effect - I've been attacked through it," and that memory still brings a shiver, "but I don't think we can pull off any sealing effect there-by. The Diviner likely remains in the Palace Lands, though we might know sooner than later the truth of that."

    Merek will nod a bit to Estelle, "Well, either way I will do what I can to find any information. I am glad that you are doing alright," he will admit, while he smiles. The man takes a look about the place, "I am probably going to look into the Divine Beasts, then work on improving my alchemy."

    "I wish you good luck in your search, then. And the research after. Alchemy is a varied art, and I hope you can find some solution there." The Astrologian replies, one hand tracing out little signs against one of the star charts off to the side. "May the Heavens watch over you and guide your steps." It isn't a true Arte, but it's still more... formal, than just an off-the-cuff platitude.

    "As for me... I'll work with what I'm dealt, for good or ill."

    Merek will nod a little bit, then he's making a way from the place, to begin reading the books which he put into his pack to keep for a little while and moving to a librarian probably.