● Ninth Day of the Ninth Month, Year 666 - Realm of Light.
Traversing through the endless space of the 5th Level, Jaden and his companions were on their way to a new planetoid. Their last station was Lucis, a planetoid resided near the edge of the «4th Level». And along with Eugene, Jaden was able to emerge victorious, and retrieve the memories of two of his school mates. One was Safi, Julia's original persona, and one of Mado's and Majd's closest friends back in the «Real World». The other was Noor, the best friend to Mado's sister, and Petra's original persona. The two girls had decided to accompany both Mado and Majd on their journey to search for the «Seven Keys of Azerrak».
"Annnd—BAM!" Petra dropped the cards in her hand. "Another victory!"
Eugene and Julia who were sitting in a circle with her, exhaled in desperation.
"That is so not fair, Noor.." he said.
"I give up.." Julia cracked an awkward smile.
"Ain't my fault you two are the easiest to trick." Petra smugged pridfully before she got herself up and walked towards the console.
"Yo, Madz! Anything new?" she asked Jaden, whose hands are piloting the ship. "I've mopped the ship with those pussies way too hard, I think they'd start giving me looks that makes me cry any minute.."
"Well, hate to rain on your parade, but I don't see any close planetoid nearby just yet, so—" Jaden replied whistfully.
"Ughh..gimme a break.." Petra sighed in exhaustion. "If it wouldn't just take forever.."
"Wouldn't that be nice..?" Jaden muttered.
It has been five days now, and we haven't found a planetoid, Jaden thought. We gotta figure out how would we survive if we run outta supplies by this point. Didn't expect Lacrima to be this vast. If only we could teleport with some sort of checkpoint, like in games! Or use portals like how Death Gun did.
—Oh yeah, how can I forget about him..?
.
.
"..This all are just computer built after all.."
.
.
I can't deny how shocked am I since that moment, he thought. There's still so much that I don't know.
~Beep-beep!
"Hmm!"
The system's alarm had brought him back to the moment. Jaden's heterochromic eyes gazed at the monitor as it displayed that a planetoid was detected near the ship's coverage.
"How far is it?!" asked Petra in excitement.
"Uhh—not too far." replied Jaden reluctantly. "I'm heading towards it."
~Vouhoom!
As their ship soared closer towards the planetoid, it wasn't long before it became within sight.
"Hey!" Eugene exclaimed. "It looks huge!"
"Yeah, seems a lot bigger than Lucis!" Julia added.
"Hmm, looks a little dry to me.." Petra said.
"What?! How can you tell..?" Eugene asked.
"I can't see any water surfaces. That's how.." she replied.
"Okay, we'll be landing in few minutes. Everybody to their seats!" Jaden said.
Jaden steered the ship downwards into the new land. The ship rattled as it pushed its way down through the planetoid's orbit. After it crossed into the skies, the atmosphere around them had drastically changed. The starry black space had swaped with the blue sky of daylight.
~Land..
When Jaden and the rest settled successfully on the ground. They noticed that all of the windows were drenched in what it seemed to them like thick dust. Did they land in a middle of a desert?
"Damn, I see nothing." said Petra.
"Why didn't you choose a better spot, Mado?" Eugene wasn't satisfied.
When the foggy dust cleared, Jaden pointed at a raised hill right next to the ship from the window. "This hill could be a perfect hideout for our ship for the time being."
"No one will come all the way to a desert to steal a ship." Eugene added.
"How—about we try to find out where we are at first?" Julia participated.
"Good call.." Petra remarked as she was the first who went through the gates.
The moment they stepped outside, Jaden noticed the two thick rocks that surrounded their ship in their concavity. It was as though they were in a cave that missed a ceiling. When he gazed toward the exit, the only thing his sight caught was sand.
"So, we're actually in a middle of a desert.." he muttered.
"You say that now?!" Petra complained.
"This cave is chilly, though." Eugene said while walking around the ship.
Julia, on the other hand, pushed herself outside the caverns to check their nearby surroundings. But no matter which direction she looked at, the scenery didn't change. It was an ocean of sand; desert that stretched to no end.
"You found something?" Eugene approached her.
"Nothing, I guess.." she replied.
Eugene noticed Julia's feet slightly shaking in place. "It's okay to be scared." he told her. "On my first trip, everything felt uncomfortable. Especially when your first landing experience was more like a crash.."
"Uhh—yeah. You guys were stranded 'cause your ship got shot!" Julia smiled awkwardly.
It didn't take long before they felt the overwhelming heat of the scorching sun.
"It sure is hot.." Eugene unbuttoned the upper side if his blue coat.
"We'll need to remain hydrated properly." Julia said.
"Alright," Jaden walked passed the two, and headed toward the open desert. "Let's move."
"Whe—where?!" Eugene hesitated.
"We need to explore the area around us a bit. We might end up finding something." Jaden replied, and continued walking.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous—"
~Shin!
Eugene was interrupted as his weapon, Blue-Rose Sword, materialized in front of him all of the sudden. That was due to Jaden special ability that enable him to summon his and his allies weapons from wherever they might be, and deliver them down to his hands.
Fearing that they might get left behind, Eugene and Julia decided to tag along.
"But, what if we didn't find shit?" Petra asked as she followed Jaden.
"If we have to, we'll fly to another spot." he answered.
As the group were paving their way across the desert, Jaden was experimenting with his UI. The menu that displayed was only visible to him.
My HP and Stamina have raised a little, but my Synchronization didn't change, he thought. None of my teammates are in any better shape, either. And if my theory of this world being built in a sense it's like a video game is correct, going to a new level means the difficulty has just went up! We gotta be on high alert till we make sure we can handle anything here..
After checking his current stats, Jaden then adjusted the Skills bar that showed on the lower part of his unique vision. By merely his thoughts, Jaden moved the Skills icons, and replaced the old ones with new Skills that he obtained after leveling up from his last battle with Death Gun.
[Urmagidar], he thought. Seems like another new move set. But isn't this repetetive? All the Skills I get are only attacks. Why can't I get some magic spells?! I've got Mana coursing through too, right?!
"HEEEY!" Petra started calling out. "ANYBODY THERE?!"
"ALEX!! SOONY!!" she shouted in all directions.
"You think your friends could hear that..?" Eugene asked.
"I dunno! These two could be anywhere! And this heat just got me.." Petra pale cheeks became hot and red. "I feel like I may faint any second.."
"Oh, yeah! You wanted to travel with us so you can find your friends Soony and Alex, right?" Eugene said. "You and Mado are looking for his sister."
"That's the plan.." Petra sighed. "But it ain't as fun as I thought."
"Not like it's suppose to be easy." he replied. "We're going to face all kinds of weird things on our way before we find those we're looking for, am I right?"
"Who are you lookin' for, by the way?" she asked.
"My childhood friend—she'd been taken by the Eternal Knights when I was a kid." Eugene raised his finger as he explained. "I'm not sure if she's an AI or an actual person, though. But I was sort of responsible for what happened to her.."
"Oh, that's harsh, man.." Petra replied apologetically. "That's the same as Madz and his mentor."
"Hm?" Eugene tilted his head.
"He told me about some unfinished business with the one who took care of him." Petra elaborated.
"Really?! Mado, is that true?!" Eugene exclaimed.
Without even turning to face them, Jaden replied with a flat tone, "No, that's not—"
"But you told me back there—" she said.
"I don't remember saying that I'd search for him.." he shot back.
"Uh—ha ha! Looks like we all share similar side-goals, huh?..." Eugene scratched his cheek lightly, and then turned to Julia, who remained walking silently. "What about you, Safi? Is there anyone you're looking for?"
Julia turned to look at him for a second, and then gazed forward. "I just wanna go home. That's all.." she replied.
After hearing that, Jaden abruptly glanced at her before diverting his gaze. Eugene apparently took note of these little gestures. Ever since they left Lucis, Mado and Safi kept avoiding each other. Did something between them? Eugene was not sure.
"KYAAAAH!!"
Eugene and the others jolted from the sudden sharp screaming that came out of no where. They all were turning around, trying to indintify where it came from.
"Over there!" Petra pointed her finger toward a little girl who was dropped on the grounds several meters away from them.
Behind the helpless girl was a large spider-like monster that was thirty feet tall.
"HELP!!" yelled the little girl.
"Damn it!" Petra spat.
"She's in danger!" Eugene reached for his sword.
"NO! Stay put!" Jaden grabbed his friend's wrist.
"Eh?!" Eugene exclaimed. "What's the problem with you?!"
"This is obviously a trap!" Jaden shouted. "If we go help her, somebody's gonna attack us!"
"What?!" he shouted back. "How do you know that?!"
"It's easy to figure out." Julia interjected. "In a world like this, a child can't make it to this desert all alone. She's just a bait to lure us out."
"Huh? You too?!" Eugene exclaimed.
"They might be right; this could be a set up." Petra said while trying to hold herself from bursting out.
"SO WHAT?!" Eugene shouted out loud. "WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!"
"WAIT! We have to wait.." Jaden gritted his teeth. "Until the enemy make their move."
"You must've lost it!" Eugene pulled out his hand, and rushed forward. "I'll save her myself!"
"Uhh—Majd! You idiot!" Jaden yelled after him, but the light-brown haired boy had already took off.
"I have no intention of standing by and just watch AGAIN!" Eugene draw out his Blue-Rose Sword, and got closer to the large spider.
~Clank! Cratch!
The monster tried attacking with its front legs, but Eugene managed to block the assault, and pushed the spider away from the girl.
"Huh..?!" the girl retracted the moment Eugene held her.
"I'm going to throw you!" he told her. "But don't worry, my friends will catch you."
And with that, Eugene threw the helpless little girl toward the rest of his group.
"Waaah!"
~Grab!
Julia had successfully caught her. But at that exact moment, and as Eugene was wide open, they appeared. Four figures dressed in brown cloaks that covered their faces; except for one man that had scars on most of his face. The second their feet landed on the ground, they drew out their weapon. Two were carrying swords, one had a machete, and the scarred one had an axe.
"Ha ha ha ha!" they laughed out loud as they surrounded Eugene. "How stupid!"
As he tightened the grip on his sword to attack first, one of them already dashed on and attacked him.
~CLANK!
"Ugh.." Eugene barely managed to block the attack.
He's fast!, he thought.
But another assault was heading his way from the back. "Eh...?!" he panicked.
~Clank!
Petra had rushed to aid him. She blocked the machete person with her «Knives of Light», and the two exchanged blows.
~Clank! Clank!
~Miss! Clank!
"Uhh—Noor!" he exclaimed.
"As if we'd let that poor girl to her fate, dumbass." Petra replied as they were back to back, surrounded by enemies. "You gotta learn how to use your head, and stop being such a pussy, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." Eugene replied. "System Call • Generate Arial Element • Discharge!"
Eugene's Sacred Arts emerged as his body twisted slightly and directed an instant hurricane that pushed the enemies further away.
~BLOW!
"Ugh!"
"Who are these people?" asked one of the sword figures.
"ROOAR!" the spider-like monster got back up on its legs and marched to attack Eugene and Petra.
"Damn!" Petra muttered. "We're wide open!"
"Heh.."
At that critical moment, Jaden charged forward. With quick strides, he materialized the Engineblade in his grip, and dashed straight as an arrow.
[Sonic Leap]!, his blade shone light green as he evaded the spider's attacking legs in a swift.
Jaden then slid on the ground beneath the large monster's belly, slicing it all the way through to the back. And in split of a second, he jumped up on its head, and stabbed the monster hard until its blood splattered everywhere, and the monster disappeared.
"Where did these moves come from?!" asked the scarred man in panic.
"We better retreat for now.." said the machete wielder.
"What? Have you lost your mind? They're just some Flowershade marchants." said the sword person. "Let us capture them and turn them to slaves."
"They would sell hefty, hehe!" added the other sword bearer.
"Turn us to what?!" Eugene shouted, and crossed swords with him.
~Clank!
"Signal for reinforcements!" hollered the machete holder. "We'll put these disposable maggots where they belong!"
These words had apparently triggered something within Petra. A memory where her deceased brother, Chico, had said similar words to her. The moment she heard it, her face turned grim, and her anger manifested as bright white beam of energy.
"Try it if you dare.." she glared at them, and released a blinding linear blast that dispressed the four cloaked enemies.
~FHAAM!
"UGH!" one of them got slightly caught in the blast.
"Oh, no! Pohe!" yelled the machete holder in anger. "Hurry! Call for the others to come forth!"
"Get whoever you want! We'll crush you all at once!" Eugene shouted back.
"No, we won't! That's enough!" Jaden said. "Let's head back, now!"
"What?! Not a chance!" Petra shot back with fire burning in her eyes.
"They will bring even more people. We can't fight 'em unprepared." Jaden argued.
"The girl is already safe, you guys." Julia shouted from the distance. "Let's get out of here!"
"Dammit.." Eugene gazed back toward Julia, clenched his fist, and used his Sacred Arts. "..Sphere shape • Discharge!"
~SHAA!
A small ball of light hovered towards the bad guys, and blew so bright; blinding the entire area.
"Dehh!"
"Don't let them flee!" one of them yelled while covering his eyes. But when he regained sight, Jaden and the others had vanished.
After safely retreating back to their ship, Jaden made sure everyone, including the little girl they rescued, were not harmed in any way. And then, he turned to scold Eugene.
~Paw!
"Ugh.."
"Do you have any idea what you've done!" he punched the golden-brown haired boy. "You put your team on the line! How many times do I have to tell ya? We don't need unnecessary meddling!"
Both Julia and Petra watched the two boys scrunching each other' collars.
"Heh...Imma get myself a shower.." Petra retreated to her room.
"Mado, I'm sorry—I put you guys in danger.." Eugene uttered. "But I don't regret it. There was a child to rescue."
"Those are AIs, we're could've died—" Jaden tried to argue.
"So what?" Eugene looked him straight in the eye. "That seems real to me. Renee is also an AI. All of Beylin Village were just AIs."
"Don't get it twisted.." Jaden muttered.
"Tell that to yourself! These AIs are the same as Elaine to me! This world is where she came from! Do you expect me to sit back and watch?!" he shouted. "I would do the same thing again, no matter what the situation..."
Jaden gritted his teeth, "..Why you..?"
"Umm, you people.." the little girl broke the silence with her sincerely hesitant smile. "I—uhhh..I owe you my life. Thank you!"
"You're welcome. We only carried our duty." Eugene smiled back at her.
Julia crouched down to comfort her. "Everything will be all right. These guys won't hurt you anymore. We'll protect you."
"Okay!" the girl smiled gleefully.
Feeling totally out of place, Jaden clicked his tongue, and headed outside.
Few minutes later, after getting enough air to calm down, Jaden decided to walk back into the ship. He then found Petra approaching the little girl.
"Here!" she handed her a juice box. "So, what's your name?"
"Uhhh—Lara.."
"That's a nice name!" he interjected. "How old are you, Lara?"
"Uh, Mado..!" Petra didn't see him coming.
"10 years old.." Lara muttered shyly.
"I see, there's still one more thing I would like to ask you, Lara." Jaden said. "Are you okay with that?"
Petra noticed Lara averting their gaze. "But you don't have to answer if you don't wanna." she added.
"..It's okay.." she hesitated. "It will be my way to thank you for saving my life.."
"There's no need to thank us. Don't worry about it." Julia joined in on the conversation. "Just live a happy and healthy life. That's the best way to show us your gratitude."
"Thank you!" Lara replied.
"Listen up, then.." Jaden began. "About those bad guys in cloaks—did they kidnap you?"
"..Yeah.." she nodded. "They captured us and said they would sell us across the border.."
"What..?!' Eugene came in.
"..Majd..?" Julia addressed him.
"Human trafficking..." Petra clenched her jaw.
"They sell people as slaves.." Julia muttered in anger.
A little kid her age, sold as a slave, Jaden thought. This world is just rotten..
"Lara, can you tell me," he looked her hard in the eye. "Where's their hideout?"
Jaden and the others went to the exact location Lara had told them. Once they arrived, they stood in front of a cave with a triangular enterence. It was at the bottom of a large rocky mountain several miles to the North-west of their ship.
"So, this is the place.." Eugene gazed at it.
"Yeah.." Jaden exhaled.
"According to Lara, there are nearly 22 victims inside." Julia said.
"Not to mention 6 of those bad shitbags." Petra added.
"She also said the place inside is branching.." Julia sighed.
"There would be a lot of places for them to sneak in on us." Eugene argued. "Plus, we're out-numbered!"
"We'll need a plan.." Petra said. "Madz?"
Before responding to her, Jaden was deep in thought.
This is obviously a trap, he looked at his comrades one by one. Majd has hit level 22, Noor is 21, but Safi is 18. Besides, these bad guys won't hesitate to kill. I can't put her in danger.
"Here's the thing," he explained. "Majd, Noor, and I will go inside—rescue the hostages, and get back in 15 minutes."
"Wha?!" Eugene stuttered.
"Sounds good enough.." Petra materialized a knife of light in her hand.
"Hey, what about me?!" Julia asked.
"You'll stay here, and be look out." Jaden answered in a flat tone.
"But—" she avoided facing him.
"We can't afford any one of those kidnappers escaping the cave and chasing after Lara." Jaden continued. "It won't take long anyway. We'll be back in no time."
Eugene watched both of his friends, looking away from each other. "Geez—these two.." he mumbled.
The group took their first steps into the caverns. The walls around them were wet and dripping constantly. As they delved deeper, the way before them became wider and more irregular. But once they passed the septation, Petra noticed something.
"What is it?" Jaden asked her.
"This is.." her eyes caught a scene of at least ten children, either sitting or lying around on the ground.
The kids reacted in discomfort when they saw the three walking towards them.
"Who are they..?" some of them whispered. "How did they get here?"
"So many kids..!" Eugene whispered.
"What the heck is going on here? These children aren't chained, nor even tied up!" Jaden felt utterly confused. "Why don't they try to escape?"
As they continued walking forward, they encountered more and more captured people. There weren't only young people, but adults as well. Laying lifelessly on the floor, and loosely glancing towards Jaden, Eugene, and Petra.
They look—helpless!, Petra thought to herself. "What in the hell..?"
"Huh..?" someone emerged from a corner, wearing the brown cloak.
"Get ready to attack!" Jaden said, as the other two drew their weapons.
Eugene immediately charged at the cloaked guy before he even make any move.
"[Ground Swift]!" he slashed his sword at him.
~Slice!
"Haaa!" Petra delivered a hit to his head that knocked him down.
~Drop!
"That how's done!" Petra dusted off her hands. "Whoa..!"
Jaden grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her close. "Look out!"
~Clank!
A brown cloaked swordman was about to strike Petra from behind, but Jaden blocked it in the last minute. He pulled her away, and dashed against the enemy.
~SLASH!
"UGH!" the bad guy collapsed.
"Don't let your guard down.." Jaden said.
"Uhh, my bad.." Petra regained her balance.
"There's still 4 more." Eugene said.
When they took another turn, they encountered two more cloaked enemies. Petra and Jaden charged at them in a nick of time.
~Slash! Clank!
"System Call • Generate Blizzard Element • Discharge!" Eugene's Sacred Art covered the entire walls, and the two targets in ice.
"Yeah! Nice one, man!" Petra hi-fived Eugene.
At that moment, Jaden felt something closing in on them.
~CLANK!
The Engineblade collided with a blade of a dashing cloaked figure. When Eugene and Petra tried to aid their friend, another three armed enemies attacked them from different direction at once.
"Huh?!" Petra exclaimed.
"Where did they—?!" Eugene countered one of them. But when he decided to use Sacred Arts, his body felt limp.
What the—?!, he panicked. I can't feel Mana!
~Slash!
~Miss!
"Huh?!" Petra's eyes widened. "I can't use my powers..!"
"Ha ha ha!" laughed the axe bearing enemy. "What is the matter? Can't use your Mana?"
~Paw!
Jaden's punch knocked one enemy down. "What's going on here?!"
But then, the machete's figure ambushed him from behind.
"Ugh..!" he grabbed Jaden by the neck, and threw away his weapon.
"He he he he! What a shame!" said the cloaked figure. "All of this power is merely useless against our Mana Dampener.."
Another group of brown cloaked people emerged from the shadows.
"3! Wait, 4!" Eugene was completely surrounded.
"No, 7..!" Petra struggled against one swordman.
The machete's bearer tightened his grip on Jaden neck.
"Ugh...!" Jaden struggled. "...How's that possible...?"
Jaden then noticed a round shaped tattoo on the bad guy's wrist.
"He he he! We've been expecting you. So, we made ourselves prepared." smirked the bad guy.
Expecting us?!, Jaden wondered. Could it be?! The little girl..!
.
.
"..I owe you my life.."
.
.
"...Yo—you scumbags! Using a child..." Jaden managed to utter.
"Heh, humans are indeed despicable creatures! When a friend or a family member is taken hostage, you don't hesitate to turn in your own brethren.." said the machete's figure before facing Noor and Eugene. "You tow better surrender, or this one is dead!"
"Ehh..?!" the other ranks were closing in on Eugene. "Jaden!"
"Don't move!" shouted one of them.
"This is fucked up.." Petra raised her hand. And the bad guys restrained her on down immediately.
"Ugh! DAMMIT! I'M DONE FOR!" Jaden yelled. "Get up, and run for—!"
Before he could even think for second, Eugene was dropped on his stomach by the evil cloaked figures.
"Ha ha ha! As if we'd let you escape!" one of them laughed.
"We're gonna sell them to some duke in Rulia for tons of gold!" another one snarled.
"Ugh.." Jaden couldn't do a thing. His UI wasn't responding due to the Mana Dampener.
"Haaaa!" someone rushed toward them, and pushed one bad guy to the ground.
"Oof!"
"Uhh?!" Petra exclaimed.
"Safi!" Eugene said.
"You guys' okay?" she asked.
"What do you think you're doing, dumbass?!" Jaden barked at her. "I told you—"
"The 15 minutes were up." she responded.
"Heh heh! What do we got here?" a cloaked enemy charged at her.
"Stay away!" Julia tried to back off.
"No way, sweet cheeks!" he vigorously pushed her to the ground.
When she tried to get up, the cloaked guy stepped abruptly on her foot. "Oh, you think someone like you can stop us?!" he laughed out loud as he squished hard on her foot.
"Ahhh!" Julia agonized in pain.
"Yeah! Yeah! This voice turns me on!" yelled the bad guy. He then crouched down at Julia and drew out a knife. "I need to take this chance and try you myself, first. Ha ha! Maybe I wouldn't let them sell you.."
"Ugh! Let me go!" Julia's struggle was futile.
The bad guy's free hand crawled down to Julia's belly. "Ohh, you're so SOFT!" he let out a pleasure cry.
"Nooo!" she cried.
"JULIA!!" Eugene shouted. "LET GO OF HER, YOU COWARD!"
"STOP IT, YOU SHITBAG—SON OF A BITCH!!" Petra yelled at him.
"Time for the good stuff!" the bad guy's hand were about to touch her skin. "Ha ha!"
"NOOOOOOOO!" a sudden loud scream mixed with a monstrous roar escaped through Julia. And a dark demonic shadow resembling her figure came out of her.
The dark shadow grabbed the assaulting man, and smacked him on top of the cave's wall.
~SMACK!
The vibrating shadow pressed harder on the cloaked enemy. It's rigrous hand went through his chest in a swift without leaving any wounds. The shadow then, got sucked back into Julia; stiffing her for a second.
"Ugh..!" the bad guy fell down to the ground on his knees. "Wh—what have done to—"
~Spill!
He vomitted perfused blood before collapsing lifelessly.
"Uhh.."
"Pohe?!" one of them shivered. "What is this..?"
Petra noticed the one restrained her screaming in dread, and then charging against Julia. "AHHHH!!"
The moment he was about to deliver a blow at her, Julia raised he hand against him. Her eyes glowed purple, and a vibrating wave pushed the enemy back as though he was a tape played backwards. He then ended up getting smacked against the wall.
"Huh..?" Petra light powers returned. "My chance..!"
She materialized a knife right away, and threw it at the cloaked man grabbing Jaden.
~Thwip!
"Wha—!" the kife hit; completely rendering the bad guy unbalanced.
Jaden dropped himself down. His UI returned to function.
"Alright..!" he stretched his hand as his swords appeared in his grip. And in a split second—
~SLICE!
~SPLATTER!
Injured, the bad guy retracted before falling down. Afterwards, Jaden hastened towards Eugene and Petra.
[Sonic Leap]!, he dashed like the wind.
~Slash! Slash!
~Drop!
All those who restrained the two were dropped down, and defeated.
"You guys are alright?" Jaden asked.
"Yeah, no worries!" Petra replied enthusiastically.
"Safi, are you okay?" Eugene asked, and Julia nodded in response.
"You think you'll get away with this?!" a sword bearing cloaked guy gestured for his comrades to gather up.
"Wanna bet, bitch?" Petra smirked at him, releasing a white beam of light that shook the entire cave.
"Ugh..!" they grouled. "They're monsters!"
"The seal is broken!" another one cried.
"Let's end this." Jaden nudged to Eugene.
"Okay!" he started. "System Call • Generate Arial Element • Torrnado Whole!"
Eugene unleashed a destructive torrnado that blew the entire cave, and finished the bad guys off.
~BLOW! BAM!
"UUUGGGGGGGHHHH!!!"
When the wind had rested, Jaden appraoched one of the dropped down cloaked guys who was still semi-conscious.
"You better spell it out!" Jaden pointed his blade at him. "Who are you? Why are you selling people?"
"We...don't.." mumbled the man. "..Our bosses in Afallan—asked us to abduct those who travel the desert to accuse Rulia of trafficking.."
"Huh..?" Eugene shrugged. "What does that mean..?"
"Let's get these poor people outta here, first." Petra suggested.
After some time, near the ship's door. A little girl named Lara was sitting in silence. When she gazed forward, her mind couldn't believe what her eyes were looking at! The four people who had rescued her before returned safe and sound. There were a bunch of people following them, too. The moment they got close enough, Lara ran towards them.
"HEY!" she waved at them, with tears beading down her face.
"Oh, look!" Julia pointed at her. "It's Lara.."
"I—I'm really sorry.." Lara cried out loud. "They—they told me if—"
"You only were trying to protect your family." Eugene comforted her. "Don't worry about it."
"Really..?" she sobbed.
"You did the right thing. You don't have to apologize.." Petra smiled at her.
"LARA!" a little boy her age approached her.
"Talkid!" she exclaimed. "You're safe!"
"You know each other?" Eugene asked.
"Yeah. We live together in Flowershade." Lara replied.
"Those bad guys kidnapped us while we were on errand in the outskirts.." Talkid clenched his fist.
"But it's all right, now. We're safe."
"Yeah.." Talkid muttered.
"BUT, WHY YOU DID THAT?!" an older person voice had raised. He was arguing with Jaden. "What will become of us since these men are gone?!"
"What the hell is he talkin' about?" Petra was perplexed.
"We're refugees from Eudron, and have no place to call home.." a woman explained. "Those people were our only way to emigrate to Rulia!"
"Why. does it have to be this Rulia?"
"Because the Empire of Afallan had taken away our homeland!" the man grumbled. "And now, the Empire refuses to bring us back our properties and our jobs.."
"Sir, we can go to Flowershade!" Talkid said.
"There's no use. We have tried before." the woman replied. "They rejected us a long time ago.."
"It's all right!" Lara said. "Talkid here knows a secret passage!"
"A secret passage..!" Jaden stuttered.
"Yes!" both kids smiled simultaneously.
With the help of the two kids they had rescued, Jaden and the others decided to take the recently saved hostages to a city called Flowershade.
"Okay people," Petra announced. "Line up, to get on board!"
"Let me help you, ma'am." Eugene went to aid the older passaengers.
"Oh, thank you my dear." she said.
While they were climbing the stairs up to the ship, Julia noticed Jaden walking right before her with a straight back; not saying a word. But just before entering the ship, she saw him stopping without even looking her way. "Hey.." he uttered.
Julia gazed up at him not sure what to expect. After all, she went into the cave, and had not done what she was supposed to do. So, a sort of warning was not out of question.
"Back there you—did a good job." he said. "If you didn't go against the plan, we would've been in so much trouble. That power of yours saved us."
Right behind him, Julia squeezed her elbow, "Actually, I wasn't sure what I'd do after I ran inside. I don't really understand this power of mine. So——I'll be careful from now on.."
"In that case.." Jaden replied, and continued his way inside; preparing for taking off.