Not long after Vincent had managed to collect some of the Acid Slimes' remains with the flask he had received from Thoth, a single vibration pulsed through the Labyrinth. Both Vincent on the third floor and Senna on the first would feel this, a flowing thrum that rose up from below and passed upwards. Far distinct from an earthquake, it seemed cogent, purposeful, but it didn't have enough force to even make their footing unsteady. 

Strange. 

[hr]
When Alexander and the unconscious Cran arrived in Thoth's alchemical lab, the former would have been met with the sight of Thoth standing in front of a cauldron, a small metallic sphere clutched tightly in her right hand, which laid suspended over the cauldron. Upon hearing the door open, she let out a sharp yelp, dropping the sphere into the cauldron on impulse as she leapt backwards. After realizing what she had done, Thoth pouted irritatedly as she peered into the cauldron. "...mou, I hope the Alkahest balance was enough." She murmured to herself, rounding about to face the two arrivals.

"O-Oh, you're back. I-Is this about the potions? I'm sorry, I haven't gotten a chance to work on them yet, but they'll be ready by tomorrow, I promi-wah! Wh-Why is that person not moving?! I-Is he okay?!"

[hr]
[center][b]Heka, Loki[/b]
[i]Office of the Esteemed Headmistress Heka, Academy for the Advanced Manipulation of the World[/i][/center]
The Magic God looked forwards at the intruder to her office, one who had arrived mere moments earlier, appearing from nothing. 

"...you don't usually come here. Shouldn't you be bothering Ares?"

"Ara~? Do you want me gone that bad? Someone seems to be in a bad mood. Come on, lighten up a bit, what's the matter~?"

"Please just tell me why you have come here."

Loki sighed exasperatedly, making an exaggerated shrug as she shook her head. "You noticed, didn't you? The distortion, it's already managed to initiate the distortion and exit dormancy. It's accumulating Authority way, way faster than we expected. And the monsters, they're weaker than they were last time, which means it's trying to gather and conserve as much Authority as possible."

"...yes, I noticed, and came to the same conclusion. The only question is why. Something of that nature should not be necessary. I doubt the others think there's anything amiss, but...I have some notion that there's something we don't know in this equation." Heka murmured tersely, knuckles gripping the edge of her desk. 

"We might be blowing it out of proportion, but...keep an eye on what happens, will you? Generating the distortion that quickly, Elan's magic foundations still existing, none of this sits right with me." Loki murmured, her expression tensing up while her jaw clenched slightly.

"I was planning on it. You watch for any compound distortions; when it comes to feeling those, you outclass me by far."

"...praise from you, huh? It's not that impressive. All I can do is a half-assed version of what Apep had. Maybe if I'd worked a bit harder on condensing my divine rights before, then he'd still be-"

"-Loki. It's not like you to act like this. What's going on?"

"...nothing. I'm fine. I'm always fine."

"Loki-"

And so the intruder left.