"I do have a few questions. Though I feel as if your story is missing a few things."
Jak shrugged. "We're in a time constraint. I simply cut out the parts that I didn't think were necessary. We could've been sitting here for another hour if I added all the more superfluous details."
(("I'm siding with Kunzite on this one. I also have a few questions about everything. Mainly about this guy named Aamon Belphegor and that magic he used. A flame that can melt a top tier Dark Rift Hunter in seconds is insane."))
"Not to mention the presence of Black Moon." Mako touched his chin. "They were wiped out by a top WGC brass six years ago. I don't remember hearing about any remnants of them surviving. Even if he WAS the only survivor, Rygo Armuran was regarded as one of their top tiers and a Defense Class fire mage. It's hard to believe that a beast such as that would take to a new master so easily, unless said Master was extremely capable."
Jak nodded. "According to what I heard, The Master was able to predict Dante's actions and then act accordingly. Likely, we're dealing with someone of ample intelligence, able to control high tier Rift Hunters in a strategic manner. Even if its a surprise attack, nothing short of raw power and careful strategy could've wiped out the Flaming Sparrows as well as all the other guilds. Killing off Rookies in planned accidents, eliminating witnesses and manipulating events to his will without anyone being the wiser. The only reason I'm even alive is solely due to Aamon and his sudden appearance, otherwise no one would be suspect a single thing."
(("Who even IS Aamon?"))
"A friend. I met him a little after my parents died."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Unlike before, these reverberations were louder than before as well as much more powerful, shaking the room to the point where Jak was surprised he was able to maintain his own balance.
"It seems our time is up." Jak pulled Masamune from its sheath, it's crimson surface flashing briefly.
"Unfortunately," Mako agreed. "We can pick everything apart at a later date."
(("Just in time. I finished the preparations for the spell."))
Jak and Mako both glanced at one another, both a tad confused by the Buttermoths sudden proclamation.
(("A spell?")) Jak inquired.
(("One that will send you and Mako to the place that I desire. It takes quite a bit of time to cast, especially when you're splitting your consciousness into three tasks, but I managed. I can't do it with fellow Rift Hunters yet but the two of you perfectly fit the criteria. You and everything attached to you will be sent directly to the top floor, where Obinay and the other Squads are closing in."))
"If you could already do that then why..." Mako trailed off when he registered the No Rift Hunters part. "Okay. Very well. Please do so Miss Cho."
"Counting on you Psycho."
(("You really make me want to teleport you into an active volcano."))
A soft humming filled the room as a gentle white light appeared around the dual Elemental Rookies, a coating of magic that tickled the skin.
(("When you get there, tell Hokozoku that his plan sucked. Arc Soul Shift!"))
The next few seconds were a bit odd and more than a bit disorienting. One second Jak was surrounded by a warm light and walls made of Athrafstos and the next, all of that had disappeared. The space wiggled and rippled, distorting and moving out of focus to the point where the redhead almost felt like throwing up. Even when everything settled down, the feeling remained.
The scenery had completely changed, which was to be expected.
Instead of the cozy, metallic walls the two had spent the longest time getting acquainted with, they were now in a room that seemed to spread outwards for maybe half a kilometer. While there was no conflict in sight, there were plenty of individuals located within the space, though it was hard to see any of them as enemies. Lined along the walls, piled on top of each other, and with some even hooked to the ceiling, were crates of various sizes and shapes. Sealed in each of them were various entities of numerous species and genders. Wrapped around every one of their necks was a thick black metal collar with a blue gemstone embedded in the front.
No matter how Jak looked at it, even in the most positive of lights, it was-
"A slave room," Mako said, wiping the vomit from side of his mouth. The teleportation had done a number on him, his face now pale and completely colorless. "This is where he keeps all of his purchases. Dwarf, elf, spirit, human, demihuman. This sicko must've been doing this for years on end. It's no wonder the Mapel line wiped him from the board. This goes beyond minor cruelty."
The blue haired Rookies voice echoed through the chamber, bouncing off the walls, floor, and ceiling. Even though the area was packed with living beings, it was deadly quiet, enough for a dropped coin to sound like an earthquake. Even with the youths sudden appearance, not a single soul made a sound or made a move to acknowledge them. Some of them in fact had moved even further into their cages, huddling in the back corners and trying to look as small and insignificant as possible. A good number of them didn't even move, lifeless eyes staring at the new arrivals with no reaction.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Jak didn't utter a sound as he walked over to the nearest cage, katana held to his side. After glancing over the lock, a shackle made from what looked to be simple iron, he swiped at it without hesitation.
"A person's life isn't ours to command. Everyone has the right to decide their own choices and their own destiny. That's the beauty of living, to see what we can do with the time we have." -Hadok
Jak opened the cage and held his sword away from himself as he knelt down.
Resting in the middle of the miniature prison was a girl that looked to be around 12 or 13 years of age, maybe older or younger since it was hard to be sure. Like the rest of the slaves, she looked the worse for wear with a raggedy cloth that barely passed for proper clothing and bruises that lined the visible parts of her delicate looking skin. Her sky blue eyes held nothing of note within them, not a scrap of emotion present, and her long azure hair was tangled and knotted. Fleas jumped around her and dirt clung to the parts of her body that the bruises hadn't reached.
Worst part was, based on what Jak had seen upon first glance, this was probably one of the tamest looks on the majority of the slaves present.
"Hey. Can you stand?" Jak reached out carefully with his hand, making sure not to move suddenly. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you. Take my hand.
The girl didn't respond to the redheads question with any enthusiasm, even though she reacted to the request without any pauses. It was as if she was an automated machine that simply followed whatever she was instructed to do. Even when being helped out of the cage and the collar swiftly removed from her neck, the girl didn't even look at Jak or Mako, let alone note her newfound freedom.
Mako, having managed to regain some semblance of normalcy, let out a breath. Even from where Jak was standing, he could feel his brothers building rage.
"Attention! Everyone within this room!" The blue-haired Rookie rose his voice to maximum volume, until it was booming off the walls. "We are adventurers working with the WGC!! As of this very moment, you will all be released from your cages and become free citizens of this land once again!! Just give us a few minutes while we come around and cut off your shackles."
There was a flurry of activity after Mako finished his small announcement as a multitude of slaves crowed to the front of their cages. Though there were plenty of those who still had no hope or life within them, there were those who were had retained some shred of willpower. Like wildfire, cheers rang up from the cages as Mako and Jak set to work, cutting up the slave binds one after the other.
While they did that, the first girl stayed where she was, her eyes a bit more responsive as she watched slave after slave be set loose.
"Reminds me of that one quest we went on," Mako said, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "The Elven Princess Kidnapping."
"You mean the one where you fell down two flights of stairs?" Jak raised an eyebrow as he sliced yet another lock. "And then afterwards you tried making friends with some elves but failed?"
"Was I supposed to know that they were girls?" Mako grimaced. "They didn't exactly have much to go off of....."
"It's okay. Me and Dante were just as confused."
Slice!
"Okay." Mako let out a sigh of relief as he smacked off another collar with his staff. "I think that's the last of them. Talk about hard work."
"All you did was swing your staff a few times. Tired already?"
"Yeah. Tired of you." -Mako
"Not tired of your own breath?" - Jak
"Not tired of your own personality?" - Mako
"Um, excuse me."
The two Rookies halted their exchange as one of the slaves stepped forward, a demihuman girl with a thick bushy tail and rounded animal ears. Unlike the other slaves who were still too timid to do anything but talk amongst themselves, she didn't seem the slightest bit afraid. Additionally, she was probably the cleanest looking one among the bunch, only sporting a few bruises and a smattering of dirt upon her rags.
"Thank you for rescuing us. You have my thanks."
"Oh. It's not an issue at all." Mako waved his hand at her, Jak taking a solid step back so the Rookie could take center stage. "We're here with a number of Guilds in order to bring down Uglio Mapel. Freeing all of you is part of our job. No one deserves to be chained up like that...."
While the Rookie was talking, the demihuman took a step around Mako and moved up towards Jak, eyes the color of freshly fallen snow meeting his crimson ones. Without a word, she stepped forward and gave the redhead a hug, squeezing him tightly. Her thick bushy tail wrapped around him, encompassing both of them in a cool embrace.
(("She's....cold.")) Jak didn't react as he held his katana away from his body so as to not accidentally cut either of them. (("My magic isn't doing anything to help."))
"Well well well." Mako smirked a bit as he watched the slave hug the redhead tighter. "I didn't know you were such a lady killer. Learned a thing or two from me I assume?"
"I'll cut you," Jak murmured, speaking through the breasts that were shoved into his face.
"So," the female slave spoke into the redheads ear, just enough for him alone to hear. "It wasn't a mistake then."
BOOM! BOOM!
The wall at the far end of where the slaves had gathered was blasted apart, chunks of Athrafstos sent flying forward. A number of it barely missed Mako and Jak, them having to swiftly move out of the way in order to avoid it.
"Whew. That wall was tougher than I thought." Obinay Hokozoku shook his hand as he leaped down from the rubble of the collapsed structure. "Sorry about that guy's. Didn't mean to put you in harms way like that."
"No worries. Glad you're here."
Little by little, the dust from the recent destruction began to settle, allowing Jak to make out what was happening. The girl from before had all but vanished, leaving only the destroyed wall and the new arrival of Obinay's group.
For the most part, Obinay looked widely untouched, sporting only a slight tear on his left sleeve. His squad also looked to be doing just fine, their secondary Rift Hunter and fellow group all smiles and endless energy. Most probably, they had been heavily carried by Obinay, the strongest of the lot of them.
Things just kept on happening. From one incident to the next. Especially what happened next. It set aside everything that Jak had been thinking about.
It wasn't the fact that Obinay seemed to hesitate half a step when he saw Jak and Mako in a room together, slaves crouched in the back. It wasn't that every single one of the Aries members had been left untouched despite the ferocity of battle happening all over the place. It wasn't even the suspicious way that some of the slaves tried to make themselves less noticeable, as if to hide from the Guild Leaders view.
No. It was what he saw in the split second that Obinay Hokozoku raised his hand to acknowledge both himself and Mako.
A relatively fresh wound running across the innards of his left forearm, three jagged bands racing its way diagonally in a brutal fashion.