"Alright... what did we learn so far?" Solomon asked, as everyone began to take their respective seat within the tavern. Whilst Harvard was busy looking at the decorum, then back at his cards to understand any connections, Tsukiya was quick to take up a few documents and present it to the fine table. Recordings, listings, and anything else in-between that were the results of that very night.
"These are the small reports witnesses had regarding the incident. They were able to see a large group of people, I.E, the ones that made the tracks..." She'd began, to which Envy would add on by setting up small humanoid variations of who was involved, using the papers as the scene, allowing the Kitsune to draw into the paper of the situation. "Said massive group were also seen with weapons and armor, most likely used for training purposes. Broken arrows from failed shots, small pieces of metal from what I assume are blades and shields. Even a few torn papers with some writing, Waow!"
"They can cast magic?? Which one???"
"Oh no, no! They're not magic scrolls! Here, look." Tsukiya was quick on making the writing visible, letting the Living Tar help connect some of it in order to be more tangible.
"...Diagonal, in a X-Shaped pattern. If anyone tries..."
"...Utilize your swords to parry any attack within a 360 Radius. Twist the stomach and waist around so that the swings..."
The group would be shocked with the latter's statement, but it would confirm one of their suspicions: That such an army was from the Dead itself. "With the stuff around the area, alongside the many tracks, I think its safe to assume this must be from Ji-Mon's magic. He's gotten way stronger since we last met him, huh?"
"So by extent... that must mean whoever was involved there also caught Envy and took away his speech by that seal thing, huh?" Envy nodded to Solomon's words, letting the Biblical Sorcerer take a moment to think, remembering another person that accompanied with Ji-Mon during the last time he was seen. He was still trying to learn how to fight as an Elite. "...It's Cupid."
"Who?" Koina's question would make Solomon take his own shadow and morph it, letting it mold and transform into Itanos himself. "...OHHHHHH, That guy! ...Still have no idea who he is."
"He's acting as a teacher for Ji-Mon. Think the most notable part about him were his eyes. Harvard's able to know the pattern, right?" Solomon nudged, but the Card Magician didn't budge. The boys got a bit nervous. "Harvard...?"
Eventually, he'd speak up. "Heeeey, Alice? Is there something here that we need to look out for?" A question that would confuse the group, but Koina was willing to answer with her own discovery.
"You mean aside from the fact we have Shadow Mages possibly invading us? When I was trying to gather my own intel regarding Envy's episode, I found another member mentioning something about an invasion coming to Calibren."
"INVASION!?" Solomon shouted.
"Mhm. Whatever break you kids are having might as well be cut short. We're not getting a chance to breathe for a long while."
"There is A thing we should keep an eye out then, if what Koina says is true..." Alice would mutter, having everyone's eyes locked towards the Wonder. "...Ehehe, ah... Not too much eyes, thanks." She'd ask, letting the group relax themselves in such an intense gaze. "Tsukiya can testify, but there is a shrine resting way atop the mountains, guarded by the Seven Wonders and King himself. A Tribute burial to one of the older yokais: Tamamo no Mae. Naturally, only those with royal blood or prestige is to be allowed there. Otherwise it's punishment by exile and removal of energy from your body, leaving you for dead on the outskirts of the Circle..."
"Sooooo, Spooky ghost? Curse that kills everyone in the Kingdom? Meteor on everyone's heads?"
"Oh no, no. It's a peaceful area. It's like a reserve where one must pay respects and give tokens to the departed... Although..."
"Knew it." Solomon would mutter, as he'd be quick on opening his book to try and find any information that may link towards Alice's exposition.
"...Well, this may be the first where I break a bit of character... but there's something under the shrine, hiding in the mountainside. A golem. A Homunculi. A Living stone that is said to use Calibren as its arms and legs when it awakens, splitting the lands apart, rampaging across the world until life goes still and the sun remains as its only face." Alice was quick on taking the pencil and drawing the kingdom and the mountainside, a big circle to indicate the shrine at the top, as well as what they assume was a crude drawing of the monster within the mountain: Blocky and misshapen, a failed constructed concept of what it should be originally human. "He's called Oyama-Don, to the people in Calibren. Its title... is 'The Mountain King.'"
"Mountain... King?"
"Mhm. They say when he rampages, its because someone disturbed his nap and he's trying to burn out his own energy so he can be tired again and go back to sleep. He's blind, so he doesn't know if he's destroying the land. All he wants is to rest peacefully and share his land with many others. He even grieves when he's aware he's taken life. He's kind of a softie, but a monstrous one nonetheless." Alice's words would let the group piece together what would happen, the plans in front of them. If the Shadow Mages are invading, they most likely have intel regarding the slumbering giant. Their plan is simply to awaken the Giant and let it cause as much damage as possible, hoping to use the Shrine to wake it up.
"Has there ever been a 'Soleil' involved with this mountain guy?" Harvard ask, stunting the boys over, but would be surprised when they'd see Alice be just as shocked, growing silent almost immediately. The boy interrogated further. "When I came to this place, I was having the time of my life here. Parties, Food, Games... it felt like what Salvandi was with the Carnival. However... crossing through this tavern, I saw his cards displayed onto the walls. He did something here, didn't he?"
"...How do you know that name, if you don't mind my-"
"Let's just leave it as 'someone told us', if its enough to convince you."
Alice grew a bit suspicious, but elects to answer anyway. "Put simply... he's the reason why the Mountain lives."