Half an hour earlier…
"Three cheers for Olem!" Ragna announced in his booming voice.
"Hip hip hooray!"
"Hip hip hooray!"
"Hip hip hooray!"
Olem was chucked into the air with each cheer and caught by Ragna, who would then throw him back up.
"W-While I-I a-appreciate t-the s-sentiment, I-I r-really d-didn't d-do m-much." Olem tried to speak but was finding it very hard, mostly because he'd smack the roof above him whenever he was thrown up.
"Nonsense." Clause shook his head and also helped throw Olem up. "You got us our first win! Because of you, Phoenix Flight managed to earn some points!"
"Yeah!" Mama Herta also cheered. "We haven't gotten a win on Pantheon since… Well, forever!"
"It should have been me!" Falco whined. "Not him! I should have been the first member of the guild to win a match!"
"There, there." Ghost patted him on the back. "Just be happy that we got any wins at all."
"I guess…" Falco sighed and hung his head in shame. "I still wish I got to play, though."
"You'll get your chance, I'm sure," Merlin hummed. "I don't even get a chance since all these games take place during the day. Miranda is less than reliable."
"Don't let her hear you saying that," Gormay chuckled. "She might beat the snot out of you."
"We share the same body?"
"She'd find a way."
"Yeah. Probably." Merlin hummed.
The final games of day two had come to an end. Thanks to Olemn's knowledge of blacksmithing, Phoenix Flight was able to squeak out their first win of the games and get a score on the board. Five-to-One! There were three games left for the third day, and then one final game, which was worth the most points, so if they could somehow win the next few, they'd be set! That likely wasn't going to happen, but still, they could dream.
Once the day came to an end and Miranda switched with Merlin, they all headed back to the hotel they had been loaned and celebrated. Though not everyone was present.
"Does anyone know where Olivia and the others ran off?" Falco asked, looking around the common room. It looks like we're missing quite a few people."
Olivia, Ken, Sieg, Davi, Susie, Vlad, Pock, and Laerton were all gone. Eight. Eight members of their guild weren't here to celebrate.
Merlin hummed and shrugged. "Not sure where Vlad stalked off to, but Laerton and Pock took Susie and Davi for something."
"What was it?"
"I don't know. It involved the other captain, though," Merlin explained. "I saw Whisper and Myth leaving with them, and they also had those two other weirdos. Max and Sera?"
"And what about the rest?"
"Olivia, Sieg, and Ken all said they wanted to check out more of the city," Gormay grunted out. "It is their first time being here, so I'm not shocked they want to check it out a bit more."
"This place is amazing." Clause nodded. "It makes me wonder what secrets it's hiding."
"You think it's hiding something?" Gormay grunted out.
"Oh yeah." Clause snorted. "Without a doubt. This place is shady as it gets. A perfect city doesn't exist. Peace is made on the back of someone else's suffering."
Olem shifted, looking a bit uncomfortable as he was placed down. "I would ask that you not talk about my home in such a hostile manner."
Clause winced. "Right, sorry."
"No, no. You're fine to be suspicious. Not even I truly know what secrets this realm has," Olem admitted. "Still, I like to think that it isn't all bad. The Licht-Fulk could have forced us to be slaves, yet they allowed those of us who can think and feel to be free, and even the worker golems are treated well and given homes and repaired if they're ever damaged. This place might have some bad within it, but it also has to have some good. At least, I have good memories of it. Even if they are few and far between."
Olem shifted once more and folded his arms. His thoughts went to his brother and the last time he saw him. So much had changed. Both with himself and this place he called home. Life was a constant series of events that all worked together to shape the person who currently followed along the trail.
The him of today was different compared to the him of yesterday, and the him of tomorrow would be ever-changed as well. That was part of the beauty of life and time.
"Bolem, I hope you're doing well, wherever you are. I pray that your choices are correct and you're following the path that you're meant to be on." Olem silently prayed before finally turning to the rest of the guild. "Well, even if we're missing a few members, we should still celebrate, should we not?" His body opened up and revealed a section filled to the brim with wine. "Drinks anyone?"
"Alright!" Ghost cheered. "You're the man, Olem! Or… Golem?"
Several of the guild members cheered and were about to grab some of the offered wine glasses, but everyone instantly froze in place when a new mana filled the room. It washed over them all, and Ragna was the first to spin around and enter a boxing stance. Greenie hissed and twisted into the shape of a weapon in case Ragna needed it, and they all stared at the entrance as a figure quietly walked forward.
He was clad in golden armor and wore purple robes. He was tall yet thin, and none of his flesh could be seen, but the aura he gave off was intense.
Slowly, Himvel looked around before his eyes settled on one figure. "Olem. I need you."
Meanwhile, outside of the hotel, Ken rapidly stalked forward, dodging in and out of alleyways. She moved like a thief in the night, twisting her body to hide behind lamp poles perfectly or rolling across the ground to get back into the shadows and remain out of sight. Sieg and Olivia awkwardly followed behind her, making no effort to hide themselves.
"Why are you being so dramatic?" Sieg sighed.
"I'm like a ninja." Ken corrected, and she moved part of her shirt up, covering her mouth and nose, like some sort of face mask. "This is a stealth mission. We must be as silent as the night itself."
"You're bright fucking red; you stand out like a sore thumb." Sieg snorted.
"Impossible. I was trained in the ways of stealth by the monks of Mount Tai-pon-do." Ken rolled again and pressed her back up against the wall of an alleyway, peeking past it to look out ahead. A few of the Licht-Fulk waved at her.
"Mount tai-pon-do? Does she mean like a mountain?" Olivia asked.
"I think she's just making shit up to try and sound cool," Sieg responded flatly.
"Oh."
After winning the final match of the day, the three of them headed back to the common room with the others, but then Ken noticed Laerton taking Davi and Susie off to the side to talk to them in private. That then made Ken get curious, so she decided to see where they went, and lo and behold, Laerton left for the castle where the royal family resided.
Somewhere along the way, Olivia and Sieg got dragged into joining her.
Ken eyed the castle up from a distance. It was placed near the middle of the mighty city and stood out like a sore thumb since it looked almost like a normal structure, which was weird compared to all the floating crystals or metal huts. The castle was small, with only a few towers and walls built around it, and there was an arch leading directly into it.
Ken clasped her hands together and focused a thin layer of Qi through her body. "I'll harness the energy of the world and use it to mask my presence-"
"Let's just go through the front door." Sieg picked Ken up, threw her over his shoulder, and marched toward the castle opening.
The entryway to the castle was blocked by two Licht-Fulk in armor who held spears. "Halt." One of them called out when he saw Sieg walking up. "What are you doing here? This place is restricted."
"It's cool." Sieg gave a thumbs up. "Our captain entered earlier."
"Oh, that drunk woman?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. Okay." The guard placed the spear down and nodded. "Go on in. She's on the third floor, first door on the right."
"Thanks."
"It was that easy?" Ken asked, baffled.
"If you have enough confidence, you can enter anywhere." Olivia giggled. "By the way, why exactly did we come to the castle?"
"Didn't you see Laerton take Davi away?" Ken growled, still placed over Sieg's shoulder. "I want to figure out what's going on. He's been acting so out of character that it's getting weird!"
Olivia nodded. "Yeah, I would like to know what exactly is going on with him. Maybe the voice stuff is messing with his head?"
"Doesn't explain, Susie," Sieg grunted. "One moment she's wanting to kill him, and then the next she wants his babies."
"I didn't even think Susie liked men," Olivia said sheepishly. "I thought she and that Hannah girl were an item."
"Exactly!" Ken announced. "They're behaving way out of character! Something must be going on, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it! Captain Laerton figured something out, and she's keeping it hidden from us!"
Sieg grunted and shifted his grip on Ken. "Alright, alright, let's go see what she's up to."
The three of them made their way through the halls. The castle was just as one would expect. It had a rich carpet with depowered golems lining the walls as well as empty suits of armor. There were paintings of various Licht-Fulk hung up, and the smell of roast beef filled the air, as well as the sound of a piano playing.
They ignored most of it and made their way up a flight of stairs, heading for the floor above. They then repeated that action until they arrived at the third floor, where they were met with a surprising sight.
The door the guard spoke of was in front of them, but a shimmering barrier of energy was placed around it, blocking it off. Standing in front of the barrier was Sunny, and he was blocking Ash of all people from getting to it.
"I'm sorry, but the queen does not wish to be disturbed," Sunny explained for the thousandth time in his usual stoic and bland voice. "She has silenced the room and is in a meeting."
"My captain is in there," Ash growled. "So is Max, and Sera. Let me in."
"I will not."
"Ash?" Olivia spoke up, a little surprised when she saw the wind mage. "What are you doing here?"
Ash turned and frowned when he saw her group. "I assume the same reason you three are here. Our captains are in there, but this monster won't let us through."
Sunny's eye twitched at the monster comment, and his hand went down to his sword. "I have to insist that you four leave. Now."
Ash growled, and his hand darted for his bow, but he stopped when Olivia suddenly grabbed his wrist. "What?" He frowned. "You see it too, don't you? Something isn't right with our teammates. The royal family did something to them."
"You have no proof." Sunny sneered.
"I do." Ash glared back. "See, I happened to follow behind, just in case something happened. I don't trust that Susie girl not to start trouble, and Davi is always looking to pick a fight. While they were in the alleyway, that 'princess' showed up and put a barrier around the area. When it came down, she was gone, and suddenly, my teammates were acting strange. Now, I discover that your queen called for our captains. How do I know you're not planning to do whatever it was that you did to them, again? I don't trust monsters."
"We are not monsters." Sunny spat out. "We are the Licht-Fulk, and we are the inheritors of the world the elves left behind. Watch your tone before I take your tongue."
Olivia stepped between Ash and the royal guard. "Hey. I don't like the way Ash is talking to you, and I definitely don't like the way you're talking to him. We just want to talk to our captains. Can you tell her we're out here waiting?" She tried to give Sunny a reassuring look. "Please?"
Sunny stared into her eyes and seemed to mull it over. "Sorry, but I really can't."
"Bullshit," Ash spat out.
"I'm telling the truth." Sunny turned and knocked on the door, the barrier shimmering around it. "Like the barrier you saw in the alleyway, there is one around this room, and it won't go down unless the queen wills it. None of us can get into that room even if we wanted to."
Olivia let out a sigh and nodded. "I see. Thank you."
"In that case, how about a change of plans?" Ken suddenly spoke up and finally dropped out of Sieg's arms. She placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward, smirking. "I have something I want you to do."
"And what's that?" Sunny questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Take me to the core!"
"Huh?" Sieg and Olivia both stared at Ken, completely baffled.
"You heard me," Ken announced, jabbing a finger into Sunny's armor. "The core! I want to see it! I already figured out that it's here. That sun is being created by the machine, right? That's sort of what you said to Davi and me. Well, I want to see it! Maybe it'll give me a clue on what happened to Davi."
"I'm not taking you to see our prized possession."
"Yes, you are." Ken folded her arms and gave a half smirk. "Or else."
"Or else what?"
"Or else, I'll start knocking down floors and walls until I find it." Her hair ignited in a burst of gold, and her eyes lit up like a pair of red suns as she fused with Yujin. "Your move. What now?"
Meanwhile, inside the queen's personal chamber, several figures all stood. The queen of the Licht-Fulk casually rested on a throne and stared at the many figures that were before her in amusement.
On one side, Laerton, Pock, and Myth stood. On the other side, Davi, Susie, Sera, and Max stood.
"You can cut the act," Laerton said in a blunt tone.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean?" The queen said, still sounding a bit amused.
"I know these aren't my guildmates." Laerton glared at the fake Davi and Susie.
"I figured it out as well." Myth nodded.
"They're golems, right?" Laerton glared at the queen. "My eyes can tell when something is fake. I didn't say anything at first because the Davi one was so good I couldn't see past it, but your work on the Susie one was awful. Same for the Sera and Max one. I thought maybe I could figure out where they were and was hoping we wouldn't have to have this discussion, but it seems no matter where I look, I cannot locate my guildmates. That's why I've decided you're out of time. Tell me where they are. Now." The queen giggled, then that giggle broke into a laugh. "Something funny?"
"I just think it's amusing that a human of no noble status can tell me what to do." The queen sneered.
"Watch it," Myth growled. "I am a noble. A real one, unlike you. Your kind only live because it would be a waste of effort to wipe you all out. Don't give us a reason. The king won't forgive so easily."
"You let us live because you're scared of the great beast escaping." The queen scoffed. "You know that it will get out unless the games are played. Mess with us and cause the games to break, and a great evil will be unleashed. One that even Haru was unable to kill-" Blood trailed down the queen's cheek as a knife stabbed into the side of her throne. She reached up and stared at the blood that coated her fingers in shock. Her eyes then landed on Laerton, whose arm was outstretched, another knife already in it. "You dare?"
"I dare. Tell me where they are, now."
"You should listen to her." Pock toyed around with the zippers that ran along his body. "The captain gets pretty pissed when you mess with something that is hers."
The queen looked like she was about to erupt, but she somehow managed to rein herself in and took a cool breath. Her smile returned. "You're wrong."
"What?"
"About the golems." The queen explained. "See, I didn't plan to do anything at first. My goal was rather basic, actually. I would host these tournaments like usual and then marry my daughter off to whoever had a body that was most compatible with hers, so I could reverse her blight. That all changed, however, when I learned that someone long banished had returned. Tell me, do you know of Himvel the hero? He left for the underworld long ago, yet sometimes he pops back up here. He often takes people down to his false land in some scheme he has cooked up, no doubt, going on and on about how he'll save the elves. Well, yesterday he came to me and told me something interesting. A few invaders entered the dungeon, but these invaders were ones that he knew, and they also had the ability to speak and be reasoned with. So, we had a bit of a chat. A long, long discussion, where we talked about many things. We just so happened to come up with an agreement."
Laerton saw the flash of color. Her senses were well past their normal level, and Danger Sense had long evolved within her. As such, when various red threads spilled out of the fake Davi's body, she was able to grab Pock and move them out of the way just in time. Several orbs of water formed in the air and blasted out with incredible speed, leaving holes in the wall.
Myth lacked the sight she did, since it was an extremely rare trait, but he was able to react fast enough to shield his body with mana. That thankfully blocked most of the damage, but he grunted and winced as some of the water bullets bruised his skin.
"I'm sick and tired of wearing this mask." The fake Davi growled, and a golden light swirled around him. Suddenly, the stench of raw fish filled the air, as well as the sound of water dropping. In Davi's place, a disgusting monster that looked like a mix between a horse and a fish now stood, blood dripping down his gums. "Stealth isn't my forte. I planned to only go into hiding until I could figure out who the enemies were."
Behind Rage, Susie, Sera, and Max all changed as well. Max became Farkiss, his body covered in scales, while the two girls both became Huli, one a clone and the other one the real kitsune.
"I knew they were in disguise." Laerton winced. "Still, that Davi one was good; I couldn't see past it at all."
"Y-You!" Myth's eyes went wide when he saw Rage. "You're the bastard Snow told me of!"
"Who?" Rage growled.
"Snow!"
"Cares." Rage finished, and more water flowed out and fired like bullets.
Laerton held on tight to Pock and got ready to dodge, as did Myth, but as soon as they moved, the queen tapped her finger down and suddenly a white circle formed beneath them.
"You've caused quite the mess." The queen purred out, and Laerton felt her body start to sink as a portal opened up. "What happens next is on you."
Laerton went to throw another knife, but it was too late. The portal closed around her, and all three of them, her, Pock, and Myth, appeared in the sky, above a city deep under the ground…
The queen laughed as the portals closed. "Oh my, that worked even better than I thought it would!" Then her eyes landed on Rage and the others. "Ah, so this is our first meeting face to face, isn't it? We've spoken through our mutual contact, but at last we can talk freely now."
"Indeed." Rage folded his arms, blood dripping down his gums. "It seems we can."
"Were you informed of the plan?" The queen asked.
Rage sneered, more blood dripping down his chin. "High told me enough. He's going to tire out the captains down below, along with my targets, getting them weaker. After that, he will have the one called Davi seal the core away with his shadow vault spell, thus freeing your people and ensuring that you no longer have to worry about the demon breaking out. Before that happens, I can have my people pretend to be the two captains that are now missing and cause infighting, while you use your Licht-Fulk army to support us. This way, all groups will be drastically weakened by the time the captains and Davi do get out. During all the confusion, I just need him to seal the core; then I can kill him and anyone else who gets in my way."
"There's a bit more to it than that, but sure." The queen nodded. "That's basically most of the plan."
When Rage and his crew had arrived, High came to her and told her about them. This had turned into the perfect opportunity for her people to truly win. She knew about the people in the underworld for a long, long time, and that did indeed serve as a bunker for when the demon in the core got out, but it was never a foolproof strategy since there was a chance the demons could find it. The best way to avoid that happening was to find a way to extra-seal the core, and yet such a person didn't exist.
At least not until Davi Hawker. Part of the Enforcer games allows them to see which guild members exist and if they're able to play or not. It is how they were able to stop Tea and Dog from being picked for the games since those two members weren't present. This list also gives them the stats of people, and when she laid her eyes on Davi Hawker, she knew that something amazing had happened.
The one Haru had spoken of had arrived. Or at least, close enough. Sealing the core wasn't something that could be easily done, but Davi Hawker was unique in that his Shadow Vault spell was something that defied logic and reason. It could go on forever, and it had a property to it that she was sure not even he knew about. It was made to seal things. Like any good vault, what entered it could be locked away forever. A one-of-a-kind spell, as rare as rites, yet no one even seemed to consider it anything grand.
She and High worked together after that. It wasn't a coincidence that he just so happened to be out in the snow. From the beginning, she planned for those two to meet and chat. He was going to get Davi on his side. At first, the plan had been to just get him to seal the core once all the games were done, but that wouldn't actually work.
This was because while the core could be sealed, once it was gone, the kingdoms would wipe the Licht-Fulk out. The only thing that kept her kind alive was that the core itself existed. Without the Licht-Fulk, there were no games, and without the games, the core would open up. Of course, even with the games, it was doomed to break, but no one besides her top-ranking people knew of that fact. If the core was gone, there was no boogieman to scare the other nations, and they'd easily be able to kill her and her people.
That's why it was so good that Rage appeared. By siding with him, not only could they get rid of the core, they could wipe out two full guilds of knights, and then Rage would be able to go on to be a big enough threat that the kingdom would be more focused on him! Her people would be able to escape since the barrier would be gone, and they could go hiding in another dungeon! Rage and his group could easily end the world, kill all the disgusting humans, and create a perfect world!
It was perfect!
So, that was why she got the captains here: so she could send them to the underworld. Sure, they'd get out, but they'd be tired from fighting the guardian that was down there, who was no joke, and also, once they did get out, Rage would have caused so much infighting between the two guilds it would be chaos, and her people would be able to swoop in and kill most of them, leaving the tired strong folk to Rage and High.
This plan was even more likely to work because High was currently getting ready to use Storymaker and its power to weave fate in order to ensure a win for them! That's why he was in the core with her daughter! He made it seem like he was going to kill her and was feeding her false info, which she would then relay to Davi once he came up, motivating him even more to seal the core, lest it get out, and at the same time, High was setting up the trap with Storymaker.
"Hahaha! This is so perfect." The queen laughed. "We basically just win."
"We?" Rage asked.
"Yeah. You and I."
"Oh. Yeah." Rage nodded. "But… Well, you know, do I really need you?"
"Huh-"
Rage grabbed the queen by the throat. "No guards, and in a barrier where no one can hear you or sense you. Just as High said would happen." Rage's grin grew larger, more blood flowing down his lips. As he spoke, one of Huli's glowed, and their body and clothes morphed until they looked exactly like the queen's. "Why settle for someone I don't trust when we can just use an imposter?" The queen's eyes went wide, and she began to thrash. "You. Are. Not. Important. We. Don't. Have. The. Same. Plan."
The queen glared at him even as her face began to turn pale and the force on her neck grew worse. Had High betrayed her? No! Impossible! High wanted what she did right? For the Licht-Fulk to live on?
No...
High didn't want the Licht-Fulk to live. He wanted the elves back. And she... She was a Licht-Fulk who never gained the hearing her daughter did. She was a failure. Someone who couldn't work on the core.
Someone who High never cared for.
Rage was about to twist his wrist and snap her neck, but before he could, the queen's dress lit up, and a burning sensation shot through his palm. The horse monster winced and dropped her, allowing a portal to open up beneath the queen and take her away.
"She escaped to the Underworld?" Rage grunted.
"Should I go after her?" Farkiss asked, dropping to a knee.
"No. She matters very little." Rage sneered, and he then turned to Huli, who perfectly resembled the queen. "Now, it's time for the next step."
"Yes, sir." The fake queen bowed. "Let us slaughter them all."