Now that it was settled, the next thing that needed to be decided was how were they going to go about it? No doubt they had to reunite with Shion and the others, that much Jaakuna knew for sure. But the Emperor’s Tower wasn’t necessarily a place you could walk right up and ring the doorbell. One does not simply do that - one has to use strategy. The thing was which strategy to take?

He went over the possibilities in his head, then he did it a few more times. Each scenario he ran, there were equal positives and negatives. One Jaakuna considered was going the way he knew Dominic and the others went, which was a hundred or so paces in the direction they were going, followed by three rights and lefts, each skipping a turn of each one. That would lead them to a secret stairwell. At the top of that was a secret entrance to the Emperor’s Tower. 

Jaakuna knew if they went that route, there would be a welcoming party waiting for them. Then, of course, there was the matter that Roman was with him and Lannit. So Jaakuna had to take that into account as well.

There was another route he was considering, but there were risks involved. What he had to decide was whether or not the end results would outweigh the risks.

When he looked at Lannit, Jaakuna smiled, giving his friend an affirming nod. “[color=ed1c24]Alright, so here is what we’re going to do.[/color]”

And so Jaakuna would explain the plan he had cooked up. First he would explain what they were going to in regards of getting to Hamut. Jaakuna explained that the best he could. He told them that there was a secret route through the dungeons that Jaakuna himself built. It was a sure fire way to the tower. But what was perfect was that it should get them on the same floor as where Hamut was. The only downside to it was  that it involved using some experimental technology, something that was the prototype of what the Ifrit’s Waystone Warping  System utilizes. 

As soon as Jaakuna explained it to them, he let out a low sigh. “[color=ed1c24]Let’s get going then.[/color]”

And so Jaakuna led them down a series of turns and twists through the dungeons. It was rather lengthy, took them about an hour’s worth of walking time. It would have taken them longer if Jaakuna hadn’t taken the shortcut he remembered taking years ago. But, when they reached their destination, they came to the sight of a worn out waystone. It was like those in the Tomb of Raithwall, but it had inscriptions of ancient Archadian, and the shape was more rounded than usual waystones. Regardless, when they each would get around it, they had been warped; though there was the side-effect of nose-bleeding and upset stomachs. The upside? They warped onto the roof of the Emperor’s tower.

“[color=ed1c24]We all good?[/color]” Jaakuna was asking for good measure because he felt like throwing up. 

“[color=mediumslateblue]Just a little dizzy, nothing to —[/color]” Lannit spoke too soon. He was hurling over, practically swimming in his own vomit. “[color=mediumslateblue]— nevermind.[/color]”

Just perfect.
[hr]
“[color=0076a3]Wouldn’t you?[/color]” Hamut asked, “[color=0076a3]we’re similar, Reia. We both have that innate desire to keep our power no matter what the costs. I mean, you can correct me if I’m mistaken, but isn’t that why you not only took advantage of Grant’s weakened state, but in doing so, you sent him after Emir??[/color]” Hamut strolled closer to Reia, looking down at her with a smile.  “[color=0076a3]You can say what you want about how I treat my grandson, but don’t try and paint yourself to be the innocent victim here, Empress. You are as much to blame for the rash actions I have taken in recent weeks as my foolish grandson is.[/color]” Hamut said, “[color=0076a3]because you felt the need to ‘turn yourself around’, you have not only doomed your life, but by today’s end, your entire bloodline will meet its end by hands and my hands alone.[/color]”
[hr]
So once again they were at an impasse? Terrific. Just when Savayna was getting used to the idea of maybe - just maybe - getting the chance to relax, Vlyn drops the bombshells of all bombshells on her and Grant. She kept scowling, gritting her teeth which resulted in low musings from Mateus, sarcastically scolding her about how that wasn’t good for her, to which she kindly told him to shove it. 

Taking the last bite of the third rabbit leg that Savayna had not-so-subtley helped herself to, she kept on angrily thinking what she was going to say. This conversation had less to do with her specifically, so it wasn’t like she could offer up any insights about what they could do. All the newly-engaged, former general could do was simply eat her food, take in all that she could, and possibly find something useful to say at the end of it.

“[color=lightblue]Wait, [b]WHAT?![/b][/color]” She nearly gagged on the rabbit. She especially would nearly choke when she heard Vlyn say that he was [i]at the helm[/i]. Though she took that at face value, even she knew what that meant. She knew that Hamut, through some stroke of luck, or devious planning(probably the latter), he had gained control of Archadia. The only time in history that Savayna had recalled that happened was when he actually had been Emperor in his youth. But, of course, he wasn’t so young, so obviously something happened. 

Savayna thought about it for a moment. How would he be able to do it? Sure Roman wasn’t always the most keen person. In fact, due to his happy-golucky disposition, Savayna recalled many times in her reports about him that, while he was a terrific ruler, he was often too trusting. So maybe that’s how Hamut did it. No, that doesn’t sound right. Even if Hamut did somehow find a way to dethrown Roman - and that was a strong [i]if[/i] - that still left the door open for when Jaakuna and company got there. 

“[color=lightblue]Argh![/color]” Savayna rubbed her hair with both hands in frustration, leaning back as she lay on the sand, gazing upon the stars. Through all that happened, it dawned on her that it was night out. Not only that, but it was beautiful. The way the sparking stars danced with the odd clouds and the constellations. “[color=lightblue]Wait, constellations.[/color]” Savayna murmured, hardly audible.

[color=7ea7d8][i]Something on your mind, Ice Queen?[/i][/color] The Corrupt One asked, Savayna’s roaming thoughts seeming to pique his curiosity..

Mateus, more or less, was baiting Savayna with the mention of her famed alias. She didn’t seem to mind, though. “[color=lightblue]There might be,[/color]” Savayna muttered to Mateus, propping herself up. “[color=lightblue]Say, Vlyn, I had a thought.[/color]” Savayna hummed thoughtfully, trying to find the right way to phrase it, “[color=lightblue]this might be out of the blue, but I was wondering what you could tell me about The Esper Seals.[/color]”

As Savayna asked that, Mateus made a sound that suggested he was pleased with Savayna. One could say it was a verbal smirk.
[hr]
She may not have wanted privacy, but Shinto wasn’t about to let the peering eyes of two idiots desecrate the honor of Shion, so with a wave of his hand, he used his telekenisis spell to carefully shut the eyes of Lorenzo and Dominic while effortlessly floating all three sets of armor, dismantling them, and putting them on the two of them as Shion would put her own on. Impressive, as Dom would note with a low whistle, though he scowled when he found himself getting whacked by his own helm thanks to Shinto. Whoops.

By when three minutes passed, the group of four were in their respective sets of armor. The unfortunate fact of them using these disguises was that they had to carry the weapons the soldiers were carrying. It didn’t seem to be so bad for Shion and Lorenzo. Based on what the two soldiers had for weapons, it easily accommodated them. Shion’s had a sword and Lorenzo’s had a pair of gauntlets. However, much to Shinto’s faint scoffing and DOminic’s complaining, they were met with less-satisfactory weapons. Shinto had a dual Koga Blades and Dominic had two Phantom Daggers. It wasn’t so much the weapon itself, but the size of them. They were puny in comparison to Dominic’s bulky muscles.

“[color=cb0015]Guess we’ll just have to make due.[/color]” Dominic moped about his weapon.

“[color=50c878]It’s part of the disguise, Dominic.[/color]” Shinto reminded him.

“[color=cb0015]I suppose.[/color]”

Shinto sighed. He made sure that his armor was aligned correctly before letting Shion take the lead. Since they were on the same floor, it was only a matter of them maintaining their cover until they reached the Emperor’s Office. Of course, the plan of what they were going to do had to be decided, assuming there was a viable plan that wouldn’t get them killed…
[hr]
Time after time they went and time after time Ultima chose for them: right, left, center; left, right, center; center, left, right; center, right, left; left, center, right, yet through all of those decisions, they still weren’t any closer of getting out of this maze than they were when it started. 

And after a while, it began to get to them. Sylvester was growing wary, Naadeline apparently liked to complain. Still, that didn’t help them get out of the maze they were in any faster, nor did it help morale.

When they were heading down the final pathway that Ultima set them towards, Sylvester stopped, prompting Nadeline to bump into his armored back. He turned around, scowling at what seemed to be at Nadeline. “[color=mediumseagreen]We’ve been at this for hours. And we’re no closer to getting out of here, so obviously something is wrong.[/color]” Sylvester said, trying to contain an obvious need to scream. “[color=mediumseagreen]Get Ultima out here now.[/color]” Sylvester demanded, nostrils flaring, and tone taking a dark turn. “[color=mediumseagreen]Do you hear me, High Seraph!? Get. Out. Here. [b]NOW!![/b][/color]” for a moment, a small display of sickly green and white mist, laced with black, pulsed around Sylvester.