EEEERRRRRRRR!! EEEEEEEERRRRRR!!!! EEEERRRRRRRRR!!!
The shrill sounds of the alarm were almost enough to make Mako's ears bleed, the incessant screeching rapidly filling the interior of the Spider Dome's first floor. Everything that the Coalition was doing was immediately grounded to a halt as everyone rushed back towards the area they had first arrived, unsure of what was going on. The blue haired adolescent himself was no exception to this as he and the rest of the Water Wolves hurried to the meet-up spot, hands covering their ears. Having already been en route to the previously established rendezvous point, they made it there long before the bulk of the Coalition could return. Standing near the front of the room with a serious look on her face was the Aries Guild Vice Captain, the white haired Yokina.
"Vice Captain!! What the heck is happening??!!"
Yokina didn't immediately answer the outcries and questions spouted by those present, remaining silent as more and more members of the Coalition came scurrying into the area. It wasn't until the vast majority of the SouthEastern expedition group had returned that she bothered to open her mouth.
"As you probably already know, the alarm set up within the confines of the Spider Dome has been set off." The white-haired woman fished an orb out of her pocket. For some reason, Mako was still able to hear her clearly over the blaring alarm. "It seems that one of our Rift Hunters cast a spell that ran through the whole base, tripping a multitude of sensors that had been fixed to various floors. However, while this does make things more complicated, it in no way changes the plan."
At the same time she finished her sentence, the alarm immediately went silent.
"We will simply have to rush ahead with the plans. Once we locate the entrance, we'll immediately make our way to the bottom most floor and force Uglio Mapel into submission. By any means necessary!!"
Mako let out a breath as he lowered his hands, finally able to think clearly without the constant buzzing in his ears. Ignoring whatever else Yokina was saying, he did a quick glance around the main room, searching.
(("Jaks not here?")) The blue haired Rookie touched a thumb to his chin. (("Was he too far away to get here on time?"))
"Umm, Mako....when did you change your name?"
The image of the redheads name on what was supposed to be Mako's orb briefly flashed through his mind.
(("Testing testing. This is Psych Cho, Second General of the White Rabbits Guild. This is a message to all members of the Coalition responsible for the apprehension of Uglio Mapel."))
Mako immediately halted his own inner turmoil as a familiar voice resonated within his head. Looking around, it seemed that everyone else had also heard it given how many were glancing around in utter confusion. The only ones in the group who didn't appear quite surprised were other members of the White Rabbits Guild and the Vice Captain of the Aries Guild.
(("I have allocated the entrances to each section within the Mapel hideout via my own magic spell. Given the current situation, I had to readjust the strategy accordingly and preemptively used our backup plan. I will relay all respective information obtained to everyone's Information Orbs including the particulars of descent, enemy whereabouts, traps, and so on. However, those within the SouthEastern group, please send a small rescue squad to the following coordinates!! I repeat, send help as soon as possible!! Requesting aid!!"))
There was a moment of silence as the Buttermoth wrapped up what she was saying. Shortly after her quick relay, a number of orbs quickly began to vibrate, including Mako's own as well the rest of the Water Wolves. Fishing Jaks orb out of his pocket, the blue haired individual touched the top of the orb with a finger, turning it on. Immediately a miniature scale of the Spider Dome phased into existence. Near the very top of the infrastructure were glowing red dots, dots that showed exactly where Mako needed to go.
After giving it a quick zoom in and memorizing the layout, Mako turned it off and stuffed it back into his pocket.
(("If Psych and Jak aren't here than the one who went with that bonehead.....shit.")) Mako immediately broke into a run, heading the same direction the redhead had went. (("What did that idiot do this time?"))
"Hold it."
Mako immediately skid to a halt as a wall of ice suddenly materialized in front of him, shooting from the ground up and completely blocking off the hallway. Had the young Rookie not sensed an impending attack, he would have no doubt been struck by or even encased in the wall itself.
"Where do you think you're going?" Yokina asked, an ice cold look on her visage. "I didn't give any instructions yet. As per the rules and regulations, all adventuring parties must follow and adhere to the instructions of those in charge. A Rookie, even an Elemental Rookie, is not above the established laws. Get back to your position."
There was silence for the longest. No one spoke, the Water Wolves and White Rabbits looking on as the two interacted. After a full minute passed, Mako finally gave Yokina a look, an expression of such intense bloodlust that most people close to the boy immediately began backing away. The white-haired woman herself didn't seem to be bothered much by the glare although her hand did inch its way towards the dagger latched to her side.
"What?"
"Nothing. It's just good to have you around idiot."
"Let me ask you a question Yokina. What exactly is your reason for stopping me?"
The woman didn't respond.
"Maybe you didn't hear me. I asked you a question."
Again, Yokina didn't open her mouth.
Mako turned his body fully around to face the woman. "Book 2. Chapter 7. Paragraph 14. In case of emergencies in which another party member is under threat of death or serious injury, another member can forgo authority to assist said companion so long as it doesn't endanger the rest of the party. Hierarchy will return upon success or failure of said rescue attempt. You knowing the rules to the tee, you surely know of this already.
Yokina narrowed her eyes but still didn't offer up any words to the blue haired youth.
"It wouldn't be that you're aiding in the demise of my colleague Jak Yanda correct?" Mako questioned, shaking his head. "A Vice Captain from one of Eegalia's top Guilds would never resort to the action of aiding and abetting a criminal in the midst of a dire situation."
Yokina didn't reply.
"So. I'm only going to tell you this once, and only once." Mako reached for the staff fixed to his back and removed it, giving it a twirl. "Remove the wall Yokina. I have a brother to save."
(("I sent out a request to the Coalition. If you can hold out until then, we can get you out of there without any difficulty."))
(("Why don't you just come down here and help me then?")) Jak rebuttalled mentally, relaying a message of his own. (("You're a Rift Hunter right? Surely someone as logical as you can come and rescue me."))
(("You sure have an awful lot to say Jak Yanda!! Especially since you're only still alive because of my secondary spell. How about a little gratitude?"))
(("Second spell?"))
(("Quite. It's why you're still alive to gripe and moan about me not helping, Jakklo.")) Psych sounded more than a bit annoyed. (("Arc Enlightenment gives me full view over a vast area and allows me to take in the given information at twenty times the speed I normally would. Arc Deduction reduces the presence of those I target. Magic, sound, smell, and even sight are all heavily influenced for those unaffected by the spell, allowing the target to move about unabated."))
(("That sounds.....handy,")) Jak responded, moving a hand to his katana. (("And this spell is the main reason you can't help me?"))
(("I have to use this opportunity to send the Coalition information about the Spider Dome as well as whereabouts of traps and enemies within the Hideout. Unfortunately, when Arc Enlightenment is active, I cant move too much or it breaks the spell, even more so since I didn't do my full incantation. I can't even draw forth a fraction of the power I usually do since I activated it so quickly. Even Arc Deduction is severely hindered. However, as long as you stay put and don't move around, it should be-"))
Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak.
(("-You're not listening to a word I say, are you."))
(("You said something?"))
(("You're such an ass."))
Jak glanced around the room he was in as he walked forward, crimson hues shifting back and forth across the areas dark expanse. Luckily there were several blazing torches fastened to the walls, making it easy to see everything what lay before him.
The room was a bit larger than the room Jak had just fallen through, and about as cluttered as well. For the most part, the location was almost completely bare, nothing but Athrafstos on the walls, floor, and ceiling. The only thing within the redheads confines was a living mass of muscle and fur slumped in the far corner of the room, an entity that seemed to be snoozing away without a care in the world, seemingly unaware of the Rookies sudden arrival.
(("The Vox Lion,")) Jak thought to himself. (("Glad it's asleep."))
Shifting his attention from the slumbering behemoth, the young man began a slow trek around the interior, gazing at the walls. He had taken note of it when he had first dropped, but it was only then that he finally addressed the writing on the wall. The literal writing on the wall. Scrawled out in bright crimson streaks, as if someone had hurriedly scribbled using their very own blood, were three big words written in an Amazonian language that was almost completely foreign to Jak. Luckily, it was three words he was able to understand.
Beware The Lions!!
Jak frowned, tracing his fingers gently over the words. (("Beware the lions. But there's only one in here. Maybe they had more than one at some point?"))
At first, the redhead tried to decipher the meaning behind the text, but he eventually just let it drop. Not only did he have far more pressing concerns to worry about, but the writing could very well just mean exactly what was depicted, the warning of others about the Vox Lion wandering the room. Of course, at the same time the warning was pretty useless. If one happened to wander this close to a Vox Lion, it was already far too late to simply retreat and rethink their life choices. If an adventurer came across a beast such as the fully grown Vox Lion, their life was as good as forfeit no matter what rank of adventurer or Rift Hunter they happened to be. It wasn't something that you could just walk away from unless the Lion happened to be feeling merciful that day.