Chapter 53: Pyramid In Vines (1)

"By the way. What is he even leading the way to?" Mako looked on curiosly as the bright haired duo sprinted after Knox, of whom had only just started to get moving. "Did you just tell him to follow the tingly feeling?"

"The tingly feeling?" Jak raised an eyebrow, sidestepping a close cluster of trees.

"How else am I supposed to label it? You never properly described it to me. Tingly feeling is the best you’re gonna get."

"Mysterious energy? Unknown sensation?"

The blue haired rookie made a face. "Since when did you become a novelist? Gonna be the next Shakespeare?"

"Who the heck is Shakespeare?"

As the two continued to exchange banter back and forth, they darted through NorthClaws confines at a full sprint, weaving through vegetation, people, and buildings with relative ease. Even with the tremendous speed the group was travelling at, neither Knox nor the rookies seemed to be the slightest bit effected, maintaining their velocity without a single hint of physical exertion.

It wasn’t really clear as to how far they had to travel, Knox being unable to commune information properly due to his young age, but it was definitely going to be a lengthy venture. Just to leave the Village itself took around an hour and a half, Mako and Jak having to traverse 500 kilometers worth of land in order to see the seemingly endless sea of sand resting outside of NorthClaw. To reach the actual destination Knox had in mind, the dual Rookies would have to grit their teeth and have patience, the two stars blazing in the afternoon sky.

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

Godezan, World Of Lightning

Bang!

Twin oak doors flew open, slamming into the walls behind them as a lone individual quickly ran in. Without a single wasted second, the new arrival sprinted to the center of the large and rather luxurious room before getting down on one knee, head lowered with eyes on the floor.

"Your majesty. Forgive my intrusion. I have important news!!"

At the head of the room, sitting a few feet above everyone else, including the number of guards lined up to the side, was an unknown figure. Cloaked in a thin layer of darkness, the only clear features were a set of bright purple eyes that seemed to glow. Other than that, the person was akin to a shadow, the outline of the body barely able to be seen by those present within the vicinity.

The Violet King - Licelle Madont

"You may proceed." A deep voice filled with indifference echoed through the room. "Make it quick."

"Sir." The messenger took a quick breath, sweat pouring down the sides of his face. Whether it was from the run to that very palace, fear of the man before him, or both, it was largely unclear. "I’ve just received word. As of five days ago, Kenma Iroas, the Golem God, has been sealed away via an Artifact."

As the messenger paused, the room fell into a heavy silence. Licelle leaned forward in his seat, a sliver of his face revealed to the moonlight, showcasing a long, jagged scar running from forehead to chin. The purple hues narrowed, as if processing what the messenger had said and what it entailed as a whole.

"Elaborate."

"Our info brokers state that Kenma left for the world of Piedra in search of Mjolnir, one of the 52 Legendary GodKillers made during Ragnarok. Reason for the search is unknown but he was able to locate the weapon shortly after entering through Piedra’s Rift." The messenger kept his head down as he reported, not daring to ever look Licelle in the eye. "Before he could retrieve the hammer though, he was attacked by a group of assailants. Among the assailants were a Leonidas of unknown origins and Moeru Hai, the Crimson King. Following the battle, he was sealed away with the promise to return in 6 months time."

With the last bit of information, the messenger once again fell silent, awaiting any further orders that Licelle might have for him.

"So, the day has finally arrived. The board has been set up." The Violet King slowly leaned back on his throne, hands folding in front of him. "Call a meeting with the other Kings. I’m issuing a Roundtable Parley."

"It’ll be done immediately." The messenger quickly rose to his feet, keeping his eyes to the floor.

After one last bow to Licelle, the man swiftly took his leave. He didn’t glance back a single time as he rounded the corner, breaking into a full sprint the moment he was out of sight.

"Now then. How will the pieces fall?" The King reached up and carefully touched his scar with the tips of his fingers. "The Kings. The WGC. The Worlds. Ornera itself. The Guild Wars have officially begun. Show me something entertaining."

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

Bhundekn - World Of Metal

Clang! Clang!

"Damn it Ticken!! I told you to be ready-"

Before the person speaking could finish their sentence, the door they had been banging on slowly opened. Letting out a yawn, a shirtless individual stepped out, arms held outwards in an enormous stretching position. Fluttering behind the arrival, fixed to the man’s back, was a lustrous set of green and black butterfly wings.

"Oh, Jakoben. It’s you." The Buttermoth let out a loud yawn, rubbing one of his bright green eyes with the palm of his hand. "Why’re you up so early?"

The Emerald King- Lunah Ticken

"Lunah, it’s 5 in the afternoon!!" Jakoben shook his head, an incredulous look on his face. "However, forget that. That’s not why I’m here. There’s been an incident."

"Tell me about it later." Lunah waved it off as he turned around, preparing to head right back into his room. "I’m sure it can wait for 8 more hours-"

"Kenma Iroas has been sealed."

The Buttermoth Rift Hunter halted in his tracks, wings flicking every which way. Slowly, the man turned his head to look at his compatriot, all traces of lethargy and indifference disappearing almost instantaneously. It was as if he hadn’t been sleeping moments prior, alertness and curiosity now filling his piercing gaze.

"Iroas got sealed? Well now. That’s not something I ever thought I’d hear." Lunah faced his room, eyes staring yet not truly seeing. "I wasn’t aware of anyone who could take that man down."

"It was a collaborative effort from what I’m aware of. Moeru Hai and a few others were the main perpetrators, including a mysterious Leonidas, a rare beastfolk race hailing from the Forsaken World of ’Ard Araml." Jakoben crossed his arms, a solemn look on his face. "Lion beastfolk are known for their brute strength and stamina. With the help of a Colored King and other select individuals, they could potentially survive long enough to slip an Artifact on the man. Especially if it’s a sneak attack meant to restrain and not kill."

"Even so....." The Buttermoth looked widely unconvinced, uncertainty clouding his vision. After a few moments, he quickly slipped into his room and shut the door, though his voice still managed to travel through it. "Did they take the body with them?"

"I don’t believe so."

Tons of banging emanated from the rooms interior, as well as a number of loud crashes that most would consider questionable. However, given how often Jakoben had to come and wake the Buttermoth up from his lengthy slumbers, the man didn’t even flinch as he waited right outside the Kings personal quarters. After a full minute had come and gone, the door flew open, revealing a fully clothed Lunah. Closing the door behind him, the demihuman shot his compatriot a gentle smile.

"Let’s go and see. What world is he on currently?"

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

Ornera- Frogalia - HeartFord Kingdoms Capitol: Jumokin

"Whaaa?! The old man got captured?! We talking about the same guy? Golem Gramps?"

The Beige King- Kiden Nerost

"Yes sir." The info broker gave a small bow towards the sandy haired individual in front of him, long tail forming question marks in the air. "With the help of others, Moeru Hai managed to seal Kenma Iroas in a plant based Artifact built by the Dwarven Tribe. The same Kenma Iroas that many refer to as the Golem God."

Kiden let out a laugh as he gently kicked the ball he had been playing with into the air, quickly following it up with a bump of his knee the moment the checkered sphere descended. After bouncing the Soccer ball from his chest, to his knee, and back to his feet, the young individual spun around and slammed it across the room with the tip of his shoe.

BOOM!

The ball rocketed across the large open space faster than the eye could travel before plunging into a makeshift chain net with enough force to almost shatter the entire structure.

"Well now, that’s an interesting report." The Beige King rubbed the back of his head. "I guess this means I’ll have to get back to work. The other old fogies will definitely be making their own moves. Cant fall behind."

"I agree."

"Keep me updated on all fronts if you will. Your payment will be sent in a few days time." Kiden grinned before gesturing towards the full on soccer field he was currently standing on. "In the meantime, do you wanna play a match?"

"Apologies my liege. I have clients to attend to. Perhaps another time."

"Shame."

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

"It is a shame. Does your Lion even know where he’s going?" Mako let out a small breath, a few beads of sweat pouring down his face.

"No clue." Jak shook his head, shaking the mixture of water and sweat away from his eyes and matted red hair. "Why don’t you ask him? Let me know how that goes."

"Rooooaaa!!" Mako let out a heavy growl, a poor imitation of the one Knox usually used when getting someone’s attention. "Rooaarr!!"

"....." Jak could only give his friend a deadpan stare, as if unsure of how to respond. "What exactly are you doing?"

"I’m asking him. Like you said."

The redhead immediately rolled his eyes, clearly regretting everything that lead up to that very moment.

As if to put emphasis on the redheads clear disapproval, a whiplike shadow emerged from Knoxs tail, elongating and twisting through the air. The whip-like magic flicked to the side and struck Mako on the side of the face with a force equivalent to a sturdy slap, causing the youths face to jerk to the left. Upon a successful strike, it gradually shriveled up and disappeared. From the front, Jak could hear a series of chuffs from the Vox Lions throat, something that was unmistakably full on laughter.

"So. What did we learn today?"

Mako rubbed his cheek, a small pout on his face. "That your Lion has no sense of humor."

Jak stifled a laugh.

The blue haired rookie, upon seeing an amused look on his best friends face, grinned in turn. Without missing a beat, Mako reached out and playfully punched the redhead on his shoulder.

It had been an entire two hours since the group had left NorthClaw, an entire period of nothing but running under the ever increasing heat of ’Ard Araml’s twin suns. Though having started off with no qualms and very little effort, things had rapidly deteriorated during the journey, leaving Jak and Mako drenched in a filthy combination of sweat and sand. Even after dousing himself and his fellow Rookie in generous amounts of fresh water, it did little to actually help the two stay cool for longer than a few minutes.

After that, the two ran in silence for a little while longer, exchanging words every so often. Immersed in their own thoughts, neither youth seemed to be bothered by the heat or run despite how much it had affected them in the beginning. It wasn’t until Knox eventually stopped in his tracks that the two really snapped back to reality.

Grrrrr!!

Shifting through the sandy ground, Jak made his way over to stand beside the pitch black feline, placing a single hand on the big cats head. Mako wasn’t too far behind, slowly maneuvering a path along the uneven landscape, donning a look of genuine amazement.

"Must be the place." - Mako

"Yup." - Jak

"I guess you were right after all." - Mako

"I usually am." - Jak

"....Shut up. Bonehead." - Mako

Looming before them, blocking out a good portion of the light coming off the planets twin stars, was a pyramid large enough to easily hold all of NorthClaw. However, even with its immense size, it wouldn’t have been intimidating in the slightest had it not been for the thick coating of vines piercing the structures very walls. Vines, thicker than any tree trunk Jak had ever seen, emerged from the sandy depths before plunging into the pyramids sturdy looking slopes before snaking their way up.

Even without being told, the Dual Rookies knew what they were looking at.

A Dungeon.