CHAPTER 432: ARC 6, CHAPTER 48: OCCULTUS

A greenish-blue hue wisped around her view, for a much longer time than when she first experienced the sensation. Her body felt like it was being stretched and compressed at the same time, being shunted across like a meteorite.

However, still in an instant her foot landed on floors of grey stone. The blonde reeled her head back and blinked a few times. Dim magical light lit up the space around her.

She placed a hand against the ashlar wall and ran her fingers across, pinching the stone dust she collected. Stale air and a narrow path ahead—eerily familiar it was.

Within seconds what followed was several wisps of greenish-blue as one by one each who touched the orb were transported to where she stood. The last wisps being the twins arriving, hand in hand.

They all scanned through what Jotou already saw and felt. "This is..." Hotaru observed the magical lights up above.

"The Ever-Labyrinth," Ben finished the sentence.

"Or some imitation of it," Fumeko stated. "It adds up with the totem and the orb we saw here, but if it’s the same place, well, I guess we don’t know that for a fact," she held a hand to her chin.

"This is where Ambrose was going, so whatever’s up ahead, we’re gonna need to be prepared for. Sobi, do you mind making us invisible?" Jotou turned to look behind her.

"Mmh," Asobi held her forehead and her head swayed in a bit of a daze. She then shivered with her wand held in both hands, "Sure thing. But this place... I don’t know why, I feel weird."

"Now that you mention it," Clyde blew a breath past his lips like he was cold. Colwyn stuck close to her brother, almost nestling into his shoulder for warmth or comfort.

"I thought it was just anxiety," Jotou replied and rubbed her forearms. "Something’s going on here and it wasn’t like this in the Ever-Labyrinth."

"Ha! Grant oneself to precede ahead, for mine spirits are of conviction and poise. Let not stupor foil thy plot mine allies of renown, feet shan’t be cold now for what lies afore us," Tiffany strode in front of the group.

"I actually don’t know what’s going on with you all, I can try some healing, but I feel fine," Hotaru checked and patted down her own body.

"Same with Tiffy and Aru, I’m fine," Fumeko furrowed her brows.

"Add me to the fourth of that," Ben raised his hand.

"Could it be this dungeon?" Colwyn glanced about.

"We should hurry up and look around this place," the raven-haired elf did the same. "There’s just one door up ahead."

"Could be trapped," Clyde replied.

"We can go busting down the place, what’s stealth gonna get us in the end anyway, we’re a group of eight," Ben shrugged.

"I can scout ahead first and maybe send you all a note," the brunette plotted.

"Stop it, all of you, quiet," Hotaru shushed.

"Does thou hark adversaries?" Tiffany whispered.

"No, we’re scattered and without a plan. Jotou," the redhead looked to.

"We didn’t know we’d get this far and now we’re in an unfamiliar-familiar place," Jotou stood in front of the door—in front of the other seven and kept her posture up. "Everyone keep it together and don’t play it risky.

Be wary of every corner, act with extreme caution. We’re going in with invisibility till we can figure out where we are and what’s going. After that, we make another plan that best suits us.

Keep in mind, just cause you’re invisible doesn’t mean you don’t make noise," that sentence was seemingly targeted to an armoured individual. "Stay close, whisper; if anything goes wrong,

Meko, do what you think’s best. Hotaru ready some protection and some healing. Tiffany, ahead with me. The twins get behind me and give cover for everyone present. Ben, you’re the anchor to cover our six. Everyone got it?"

Looking at one another, with deep breaths and nods, they agreed. With a look from Jotou, Asobi flourished her wand and everyone vanished after a glittering of white light.

Taking the lead, Jotou opened the door with her shoulder forward in case of a trap. The immediate echoey sounds of footsteps, wheels upon grates and loud clanks and clinks was not what they expected—the sounds of construction?

A semblance of an ashlar staircase remained that went downwards from the door they opened. However there was no more worked stone that made up the architecture.

It was a cave, lit up by lights unseen and large enough to fit several whales with no issue. Metal grating made up hundreds of catwalks that zigzagged from top to bottom, all blending together and blocking their view.

The cave floor was just a few steps down from the door and across were more ashlar steps that seemed to lead back into the labyrinth-like structure.

A bright bluish-purple glow emanated from around the bend in the cave, where the catwalks were more abundant. And so were the people traipsing across them with their boots.

Cultists—potential hundreds of them moving large pieces of metal, toolboxes and even wheelbarrows of nuts and bolts. It was time to explore, if it were not for, "The walkways are way too narrow," Jotou broke their silence.

"Brighter side, I don’t feel like shit no more," Clyde sighed in relief.

"Same here," Jotou looked ahead. Fortunately, no one was using the catwalk straight ahead of them, but it did split into several intersections. "Even in single file we’re bound bump into someone."

"Can’t we just, split up?" Ben suggested.

"Hmm, then making sure everyone’s invisible’s gonna be harder," Asobi hushed.

Hotaru asked, "Are you doing the magic manually?"

"No... but this place is super-duper-giga ginormous, if someone gets too far away I can’t promise they’ll stay completely invisible."

"Let’s just rely on our stealth skills," Ben advocated for once more.

"Being found out in any way is a bad idea. Invisibility isn’t a foolproof failsafe against that, but it does lower the risk, so we’ll just have to make a diversion."

"Hey paranoiac, that’ll only risk it even more," Fumeko spoke.

"Well," there was a hint of mischief in Jotou’s tone. "Not the way I’m planning it."

"What’s this plan...?" anyone could hear the suspicion in the wolf-girl’s voice.

"Let me go ahead, towards wherever that glowing’s coming from. I can move through anyone and you guys stay here till you hear my diversion. At which point, you should be able to explore freely."

"If you are at the location we’re meant to investigate, what are we supposed to explore?" Colwyn whispered.

"That," Jotou pointed to the continuation of the labyrinth... and realized nobody could see that. "Wherever this place continues. They’re building something in the cave, I’ll figure it out myself."

"I’m not sure-"

"Actually," Jotou interrupted Hotaru. "Meko, do you mind being with me? I think Sobi and Aru are best with the others."

"I’ll be right there," the swish of Fumeko’s dagger cut through the air.

"Alright. If you think that’s best," the redhead conceded.

"Ben, you’re in charge. Stay safe," Jotou went forward, splitting from the group, followed closely by Fumeko.

"Wait you serious dude?" Ben was not answered. "Uh, I guess wait for a signal."

"Was one such as I, blessed of the void and the sea of stars, insufficient for the role? Hmph."

Around the bend, sneaking past the cultists that walked and paused to talk with their arms draped over the railing, Jotou and Fumeko glanced at the source of the glow they sought after...

Low shrieks wailed out from a massive octagonal pillar, glowing from base to top in a greyish-white light with several dark grey spots and patches.

The light ebbed and flowed throughout the expanse of the cavern it was nestled in, bolted down. Atop it sat a sphere the size of a small house, pulsing with a much more pure white glow.

Waists against the railing, Jotou and Fumeko surveyed the hundreds of cultists in normal attire, aiding in the effort of its construction. Each moment it dimmed and let out ghostly wails, they felt a shiver down their spine.

Each time the light brightened, there was a sense of warmth—eerie, but comforting; almost like they felt an urge to touch it...

Jotou reached her hand out in the air till it caught onto an invisible figure. The figure lurched slightly, but then reciprocated with a hand back on her arm—both confirming they were still there.

Jotou lowered her head to whisper, "It’s the same thing, right?"

"The pillars in the warehouses... How many souls can thing bring out..." Fumeko asked rhetorically.

At the base of the pillar the light seemed to not dim or brighten, rather it was muted entirely; for this was where most of the construction was occurring.

"Are they trying to cover it up?" Jotou referred to the slates of metal being bolted into metal frames that extended up to the waist of the pillar.

"Why’d they need to? Not like it’s gonna make it less suspicious."

"I meant to transport it. It could be that that device in the middle’s fragile."

"Some sort of casing for teleportation?"

"Possibly," Jotou pondered.

Fumeko laid a hand on what she assumed was Jotou’s shoulder and whispered to her ear, "Look up."

Jotou glanced upwards through the network of catwalks and... "Well, that’s a problem..."

Overlooking the project in a poised pace was a figure with a thick braid of shimmering silver hair with streaks of white, tied off by a red hair tie by her ankles.

Silver boots and four muscular arms—her scarlet-red gaze pierced down, making Jotou and Fumeko jolt slightly as if they were caught.

But of course, they were invisible and the figure’s gaze continued as if there was no one there. The two steadied themselves and in unison let out audible sighs.

Even then their relief was brief as Jotou pulled Fumeko against the railing and backed into it herself, rising up onto the tips of her toes. A whistling cultist walked by with a toolbox.

"What now?" Fumeko hushed even quieter than before.

"The others still need a signal," Jotou whispered back.

"And that diversion would be?"

"Come on detective~ I think you know."

A breath audibly exhaled.

"While I do that, can you take a closer look below? Watch out for any ghosts too."

"On it. Hey... you’ve been holding me by the waist this entire time."

"Sorry, I thought it was your upper back," Jotou took her hand off of the invisible figure.

"It wasn’t a problem; just seeing if you were aware. Good luck," purposeful footsteps were heard to let the other know she was walking off before her steps became silent.

’How was I supposed to be aware, I can’t see her or my own hand. Anyway, give her a few seconds...’ Jotou made her way through the walkways, trying to get to a higher position, closer underneath the four-armed figure pacing above.

’I’m sure Sobi’s spell will fade if I just.’ A sudden burst of yellow sparks flared several walkways below from where the silver-haired woman was, immediately garnering her attention.

Her posture remained calm and poised, while her chin tipped to the side ever so slightly. The cultists around turned, flinched and looked to the buzzing of electricity and the blonde that emerged out of invisibility.

"Hello there; I’m sorry to interrupt your afternoon," Jotou said loudly and pouted while looking up at her.

There was no immediate response, just her gaze. While the cultists scurried like rats that had been discovered, she gave no order nor command.

And seeing that, the cultists paused their slight panic. They then... continued their work. Not a weapon or a person was spared for the woman who just revealed herself.

’Hm.’ "I never did catch your name, oh great new god," Jotou put on a smile.

A moment passed where she simply stared. "Forallei," her voice was a husky whisper, but still enough to be heard. There was no expression beyond the slight movement of her lips; she almost seemed, bored?

Even so, Jotou peered at those scarlet eyes. The blonde knew what havoc the so-called new god could wreak. "Jotou Howllett—pleasure."

"Not quite." Two of her lower arms went behind her back and the other two crossed over one another and rested above her waist.

"Well quite the operation you’ve got going on here. All the way in the South End, did I scare you that much?" Jotou crossed her arms on the railing and leaned onto it.

"Successful actions are not bound to take fear into account; coincidence merely coincided."

"Oh cut the act~ I’ve been on your trail and I’ve seen the piss poor job you’ve all done to try and make it seem like it was all a part of the plan. I’ve seen through it. If you’re not scared of me, you should be," she said like an off the cuff suggestion.

The scar going across her right eyebrow twitched, just a tad. "You think you are the first adventurer who has sought to oppose us?

You think you are the first that yearned to write their name in legend and face the greatest of adversities?" her voice dropped a little lower and wrath began to ooze into her words. "You think you are the first archer, bard, detective, wizard, rogue-

Child you are a drop in a boundless ocean, wishing to soar into the sky, only to realize you are surrounded by hundreds of clouds with millions the same as you, all before you fall back into the ocean you sought to escape."

With each word she pronounced, her back rose like a wild wolf and the muscles of her arms tensed. Before madness could truly take her elegant visage however, her expression went back to rest. "We have no quarrel with you nor plan.

Insignificant ants have no authority to stop what shall be brought. You are nothing. Hence, we need only do nothing to tend to you.

However much it angers me, I understand it is by design—it is not your folly. It is the folly of mortal-kind. The need to be special, the need to feel gratified, the need to do something, anything before your lives are cut short.

You especially reek of that scent. What a pitiful animal you are," she tipped her chin up at the blonde.

"..." Jotou’s eyes narrowed and brows knitted. ’Trying to get under my skin?’ Her eyes sparked. ’Come on; I can do better than that.’ With a smirk that wiped away the hint of annoyance, she replied, "And I thought I was full of myself."

"You dare confuse our cause as something selfish-"

"Oh please, mortal this, mortal that, must be sad to convince yourself, that it’s anything else other than that~" she sang a tad as her hands went behind her back and she leaned her head forward with a catty smile. "I pity the fool who calls me nothing yet proclaims to be a god~

How selfless~ How noble~ Bitch you’re just as unstable~" Jotou giggled audibly right after.

The chin tipped down and Forallei’s arms uncrossed.

’Got you~’