Looming Threats

"So, what's the situation here? You don't seem to be in any immediate danger."

Mako walked past the redhead, glancing over the dozing Vox Lion, of which hadn't seem to have noticed the blue-haired adventurers entrance or the casual back and forth banter. Just like Jak, he took a few moments to peruse the room, scanning over it all without wasting any sort of time. The writing on the wall, the walls and ceiling made of Athrafstos, and the very beast that the trap had forced the two to encounter.

"From what I can see, it's a trap designed to ensnare a middle rank adventurer." Jak moved up to stand next to his blue-haired friend. "It wasn't designed for a Rift Hunter but rather someone of a much weaker status."

"But it's a Vox Lion," Mako replied, squatting down to get a better look at the creature.

"Yes, but it's young. Only 3 months at most." Jak pointed to the scruff of the felines neck. "A young one is only about as strong as a Diamond rank adventurer. Much stronger than the two of us together but still much weaker than any higher ranks, let alone Rift Hunters. Whoever made this had something specific in mind for what they wanted."

Mako touched his chin. "Yeah, that tracks. From what I hear, it's unlikely they could've captured a fully grown Vox Lion to use. More trouble than it's worth."

Reaching into his pocket, the blue-haired Rookie pulled out an Information Orb and tossed it upwards in Jaks direction. On reflex, the redhead immediately snagged it from midair.

"As for those specifics you mentioned. I'm pretty sure they were gunning for me." Mako looked towards his companion with an ominous look. "Why don't you take a look at that Orb?"

Jak frowned but did as he was told. Tapping the top of the spherical object, he booted it up and switched to the Information screen. A hologram of the Spider Dome erupted into existence, as well as a few red dots, the same dots that Jak had seen when he turned his on. This was likely the places Mako had been assigned to investigate. Other than the red dots, the orb looked to contain the exact same information as the fiery youths, leaving him slightly confused. Without a word, Jak closed the screen and attempted to hand it back to Mako, but was rejected with a simple hand wave.

"Did you see it?" Mako questioned.

"See what?"

Mako let out a sigh of relief. "Good, makes me feel like less of an idiot."

"You're still an idiot though."

"Says the one who didn't see it."

Jak rolled his eyes. "So what did I miss? What would imply that you were their target?"

"Why don't you check again? This time, look carefully. It's actually very easy to overlook."

Letting out a sigh of frustration, the redhead opened it right back up and glanced over its contents a second time. Following his friends advice, he eventually came across what the youth had in mind, allowing Jak to immediately understand.

YANDA, JAK

"We got mixed up."

"Correct."

Jak furrowed his brows, thoughts sifting about at a rapid speed. This new piece of information only served to add onto the steaming pile of questions that the redhead possessed, but it also answered roughly the same number.

"It was me who was meant to press the button and fall into this room with the Vox Lion. I was supposed to perish without anyone being the wiser, becoming yet another Elemental Rookie who died by a random stroke of misfortune." Mako pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his hands. "The sole reason I'm alive is because we accidentally got switched up. Similarly, it's by pure luck that you happened to have a Rift Hunter by your side when you fell through. It was a perfectly placed trap that could easily be covered up should it fall through. My opinion? It's the same one whose been killing off the Rookies."

"Sure it couldn't have been someone who holds a grudge against you?" Jak queried as he tucked his orb into his pocket. He removed Mako's orb and chucked back over to the crouched individual. "A Rival Guild or old fling?"

"What am I, 120?" Mako scoffed a little. "Considering my presence wasn't initially planned, I don't see that being the case."

If what Mako said was true, and it most likely was, it was a huge find, probably the largest one the duo had come across since they set out from Isle Shimura. It pretty much cemented the connection betwixt the Elemental serial killer and the benefactor of Uglio Mapel, the same benefactor whom had funded the building of the Spider Dome. At the very least, it gave them some sort of lead into the ones behind the assassination of the Rookies and by proxy into those who had initiated the start of the Bird Massacre three years ago, should they assume it was indeed the same person. It also opened up the door into a number of other things such as narrowing down the prime suspects involved.

Based on the redheads knowledge, the orbs handed out by the WGC for quests were a subset of spheres operating under a number of parent Information Orbs. Any and all data pertaining to changes in the quest could only be done and sent out by those in possession of the corresponding orb.

"Oh? The Parent Orbs?" Mako tilted his head after hearing a question from his companion. "The ones in command of those for the Mapel Subjugation are the WGC, the White Rabbits Guilds obviously and by extension House Raine, and the Aries Guild."

"We can rule out the WGC," Jak said, shifiting to face the way the duo had dropped in. "The World Guild Center is definitely questionable but they wouldn't do something as reckless as killing off an Elemental Rookie. It's more beneficial to nuture them and use them in the future. If they were found out, it would impact them to irreparable levels."

"That leaves us with two options then," Mako said, walking over to the spot the trap had been. "House Raine or Aries."

"What's the likelihood of them being in on it together?"

"Slim."

"I see."

Mako took the staff off of his back and began to poke the ceiling, looking for the trapdoor. "The two of them don't get along too well. From what I heard? Aries only joined because of the insistance from House Raine. More specifically, Sir Lugoh."

"Sir Lugoh?" Jak frowned. "House Raine's butler and former Rift Hunter. "

"House Raine is very particular about whom it chooses for its missions. They don't just choose anyone. They have a system they follow depending on the quests difficulty level, the contents of said quest, and a few other factors."

"That's right." Mako's staff eventually hit a hollow point in the ceiling, around the same spot the duo had fallen through. "Additionally, it was Sir Lugoh and, by extension, House Raine that roped you into this quest wasn't it?"

"You say that like he wasn't the one who scouted the Water Wolves Guild."

"He wasn't. It was the Aries Guild."

Jak closed his eyes and tried to make sense of everything he already knew and attempted to put together the mystery the two youths were now burdened with. Rearranging the given information and putting them in an order that not only made sense but would help lead them to answers to the even bigger question.

Who had been responsible for the deaths of the Elemental Rookies?

"Let's leave the area for now. We can talk about it all when we aren't in danger of becoming Lion chow." Mako jabbed his staff onto the hollow point of the ceiling. "Come help me with this trapdoor."

"Yeah," Jak replied, opening his eyes. "Let's finish the mission at hand."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

At The Northwest Group

(("Yalinay. I know you and your group managed to find your way down first but please wait until the other Coalition members arrive. You're moving too far out."))

Around the same time that Jak and Mako were piecing things together and trying to wiggle themselves out of the trap, the other groups were on the move. Of the six groups, two of them had managed to make their way to the bottom floor where they were instructed to wait until the rest of the Coalition could catch up. However, despite the clear cut orders given to them from those of a higher authority, the Northwestern group had taken it upon themselves to continue its ascent to the higher floors of the Spider Dome. Yalinay Ordra, a Rift Hunter from the Aries Guild lead the charge as they searched the floor for the next way up.

(("It's fine. We have you to alert us to any danger.")) Yalinay waved aside the majority of complaints made by Psyche as her and her entourage moved from room to room. (("If we encounter something strange, we'll turn away immediately."))

(("My spell isn't foolproof,")) Psyche reasoned, trying to make her compatriot see logic. (("There are many ways around it."))

(("Fine. Fine,")) Yalinay let out a small sigh. (("We'll start heading back the moment-"))

(("Someone's approaching!! I didn't even notice until they were right on top of you!! Yalinay, you need to fall back. NOW!!"))

"Yarra Yarra. Looks like we finally found the intruders. Though it seems like they came to us."

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with."

Yalinay didn't even have time to respond to the Buttermoths warning before a wave of intense magic previously undetected pressed down on her. The air became thick and heavy, making it hard to breath, as if all the oxygen had been ripped from her very lungs. Even though the leader of the Northwestern group was a Rift Hunter, Yalinay felt a sense of danger that made her want to turn tail and run.

Standing before the small force of adventurers were two lone individuals.

The one on the left smiled as she made her way forward, a confident look in her bright golden eyes. Her footsteps seemed to resonate through the open area, of which was basically an enormous garden complete with every plant one could imagine. Even compared to other Rift Hunters Yalinay had met, they paled in comparison in regards to the overwhelming strength this one individual possessed. Just at a glance, one could see the staggering difference betwixt her and a common adventurer. Without a word, the woman smacked a fist into her open hand, making a sharp crack, a strong gust swirling outwards from her body.

"Hope you don't mind if I take care of them Yama, Yarra!!" She flexed her shoulders, a delighted grin on her face.

"As long as you make it quick," the other arrival muttered, flipping through the book clutched in his hand. "I have better things I could be doing with my time. Also, my name it Yamagaio. Don't act like we're close. Filthy Goblin."

"Yarra Yarra. I can't expect a lowly poet to be of any use anyways," the female Goblin responded. "Go and write something while I clean up here Yarra."

"Whatever you say Miss Yarra."

"Madam Yalinay. Those are-"

Yalinay grimaced as she slowly pulled out a wand from her back pocket, a sturdy bright blue colored piece of metal with a red gem stuck to the center of it. "Yamagaio Hajima, Poet of The Void. Nessinpa, Goblin Of The East. To think that Uglio would be able to hire such disgusting individuals to his cause."

The woman on the left stood at around 220cm with a rich shade of pale green skin, a color not unlike those of the standard Goblin Guards except smooth and well maintained. She had wild, thick black hair that fell to the small of her back and refused to be tamed even when pulled back into ponytail, spreading outwards and poofing in multiple places. With pierced pointed ears, dark green marking on her exposed stomach and arms, and skin tone, Nessinpa was the textbook definition of a Goblin. However, even with her biased, Yalinay could begrudgingly see just how attractive the beast was with carefully toned muscles and curves in all the right places. Even the outfit which consisted of a white croptop, black leather pants, leather arm guards, and matching boots only added to her appeal.

Nessinpa, Goblin Of The East. A monster who made her debut after slaughtering over a dozen adventurers unprovoked on her home of Ragna. She went on to earn an SSS-Class bounty by the WGC, becoming one of the most notorious monsters since Ragnarok, the War with the Gods.

Even if she was by herself, Yalinay doubted she and her fellow Rift Hunter could actually do anything to her.

The Goblin was just in a whole different class.

The worst part though, there was someone ranking even further above Nessinpa and that person was standing behind her, flipping through a small book with a bored look on his face. Yamagaio, the Rift Hunter said to have massacred hundreds of Guilds within the last three years in pursuit of his own lofty ideals, spilling blood of those he deemed unworthy to continue as adventurers.

As much as Yalinay wanted to keep pushing forward, only death awaited them.

"Digusting individuals is a bit harsh, Yarra." Nessinpa tiled her head slightly. "Just because people don't fit into your own limited worldview doesn't mean they're of any less value then you. I don't recall doing anything to you personally."

"You murdered hundreds-"

"And how many goblins have you slaughtered?" Nessinpa questioned calmly, cutting Yalinay off. "If I hurt anyone close to you then my apologies, Yarra, however this isn't a matter of whose right and wrong. I'm just here to do my job and get paid. You just so happen to be part of my mission. I offer you no real ill will. You even have the offer to retreat after I rough you up a bit Yarra."

"You'll just let us go? Just like that? As if I could trust the words of a monster." Yalinay glared as she raised her wand, her green eyes glowing. "I'll show you."

Visible gusts of wind swirled into existence, encircling the Aries Rift Hunter as the gemstone embedded into her wand began glowing. Without missing a beat, the other members within the Northwestern group began a hasty retreat, leaving only her and the other Rift Hunter to hold the line. Nessinpa herself said and did nothing as the wind grew thicker and heavier, blowing through the area with a force that made natural disasters look like a soft breeze.

"Winds of change and roaring currents. Coalesce so I may smite those who have dared to stand before me. Turn the tides in my favor and scatter my foe among the horizons. Make them fear the name I've been bestowed, unable to look at me without fear and enmity. Venita Cadence!!!!"

BOOM!!!