~Shinnnn!
"WHAAAA!" Eugene, Petra, and Julia rematerialized from thin air, and along with the strange red-cloaked man, they landed on solid ground.
The trio found themselves in a new place. The walkway they fell onto was all lined with blue bricks. It was to the right of a water stream that snaked farther beyond the ground they could walk on. The walls around them were very high that the ceiling couldn't be seen clearly from where they stood.
"What the—?" Safi looked around her in confusion.
"Where are we?" Eugene asked.
"This is the Waterways." the red-cloaked man answered with a deep voice that shook Eugene and the two girls.
"Wait, you mean—the sewers?!" Petra grimaced.
"It's the water supply of the city. There are Sacred Instruments that regulate the water flow." he turned to face them. "Our mission is to report back to base, regroup, and make our way up to the castle."
Way up to the castle!, Eugene exclaimed. "Are we below the castle..?!"
"By three stories." the man gazed upwards. "But we will stop by the second floor first. Our leaders supposed to be there by now."
"Leaders..?!" Petra backed off.
The man gazed at the trio from head to toe. "Aren't you members of the Resistance?"
"Eh?" Eugene was at lost for words.
"We're not with any Resistance." Petra said.
"We're travelers." Julia explained. "We came to this city to find a treasure.."
The cloaked man remained quiet for few seconds before replying, "How unfortunate.."
"Coming to Flowershade at such time. It's not going to be a simple task trying to get that treasure of yours." he continued. "The Imperial soldiers will label you as outlaws. Especially once they report that you were seen with me."
"They would probably be lookin' for us now.." Petra said.
"What should we do?" Julia asked.
"We are the Deranna Liberation Force. We're fighting to restore our homeland." he said.
"D—Deranna?!" Eugene exclaimed. "You people are going up against the Empire?!"
"I'm not going to ask of you to lend us your strength by force. This is not your matter by far." the mysterious man pointed to the linear path ahead. "At the end of the path, there's a secret entryway that will get you to the Underground. If you remain put, nobody will suspect you."
After he finished explaining, the man turned to walk away.
"But—we can't!" Julia uttered, forcing the cloaked man to halt. "We need to get back up to the castle."
"Yeah, our friend is still back there!" Petra added.
"So, is it okay if we come with you?" Eugene asked.
"Hmm.." the strange man thought about it for few seconds. "It is true you have got enough skill to survive.."
He then put his hand out, and a symbol appeared briefly before him. And a soft green light shone all over the trio.
~Flinnn!
"Uhh," Petra witnessed the wounds on her skin gradually vanished.
"I feel—better!" Julia remarked.
"My Mana is restored!" Eugene smiled in relief.
"The road ahead is not an easy one." said the man in the red cloak as he started to walk. "If you choose to climb up, you will need to be prepared. If not the Imperials, Landers would stand in our way."
"Ehh, sir—can you at least tell us your name?" Eugene asked reluctantly before following him.
"Humph." he stopped, removing the hood on his head as he faced them. His face was that of an early 40s man with a fair skin, overal short brown beard, and short brown hair. "Olin Efternaven, but you call me 'Captain' from here on out."
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Petra replied.
"Good," Captain Olin nodded. "Our camp is not far from here, so we'll go there first."
And with these words, Eugene, Julia, and Petra accompanied Olin through the deep Waterways. The atmosphere was quiet and calming. The path ahead of them was fully lit by bluish-white lanterns dangling from the ceiling.
As they paved their way, Eugene noticed Petra's face being tensed. "..What's wrong..?.." he whispered.
"..This guy.." she replied. "..He's not sure about most of what he said. Like it's fine if he died.."
"..Really..?" Eugene was surprised. How could she tell all of that about the man leading them? He didn't have any evidence to confirm nor deny it, so he chose to trust his comrade.
"..Let's stick along till we get to Mado.." he whispered.
"..That's the plan.." she replied.
—— Hang in there, Madz, she thought. We're on our way..
Meanwhile, in the castle's treasure room, Jaden had an unexpected encounter.
"All right, that's enough." said the brown haired guy. "Hand that Key over, boy, and I won't tell anyone about this."
Dammit!, Jaden thought. He doesn't seem like the one to quit. If we end up fighting and I'm like this, he'd beat me for sure.
As he was stepping back, Jaden felt someone crippling on him from behind.
"Hey—!" he jolted, and backed away.
"I'll take that—!" startled a short girl wearing a wizard hat as she tried jumping on him.
"No, you won't! I found it. It's mine." Jaden clutched on the Golden Key.
"And when I'll take it from you, it'll be mine." replied the brown haired man as he relaxed on a rusty table.
~Grrrrrrr!
The room quaked vigorously, and both of the unknown duo jolted. But the moment things settled, they turned to discover that Jaden wasn't in the room with them anymore. He apparently fled through the entryway they came through.
The brown haired guy looked at his partner and shrugged, "Exits the stage right."
"Heeh.." the short girl sighed. "The gods don't smile on us.."
"I like better that way." he replied.
Jaden ran through the castle's corridors, and reached the white marble hallway. He kept looking in all directions, but there was no trace of his comrades.
"Carry on! Make haste! FAST!"
Jaden saw the armored soldiers running around. They didn't bother with Jaden, like there were more important problems. "Squads B and C need backup!"
What's going on?, Jaden wondered. They seem in a hurry.
"EUGENE!" Jaden called for his comrades. "PETRA! JULIA!"
The heterochromatic boy turned his head left and right as he ran. He then stumbled across a large gate. Once he pushed it open, he gazed at the castle's wide garden. But before he stepped out—
~BOOM!
Something exploded against the gate; throwing the boy farther inside. Jaden coughed while he was dropped down on the floor. The world was spinning around him. All he could do was hear the guards clashing with some other force. Could it be his comrades? He wished for that, but deep down, he knew it couldn't be further from the truth.
After the dizziness subsided, Jaden pulled himself up, and pushed his way outside through the smoke. The armored soldiers were fighting other people wearing lighter armor.
——What the hell?!, he was confused. Who are these people..?
"Hey! Another one is here!" a guard charged his way.
~Clank!
Jaden's sword clashed with the soldier.
"This'll be your very last night, you filthy Derannian!" he said.
Jaden twisted his body, and in one swift, finished him off.
..Level Up!..
"Huh!" Jaden's UI showed that his HP and MP bars were refilled. Plus, he unlocked a new Skill.
"Found one over there!" one soldier hollered at the other ranks. They assembled immediately to chase Jaden.
Gotta move!, Jaden sprinted away. He saw a staircase leading upwards, and decided to head toward it.
The entirety of the garden was in a mess. The chaotic battle between the Imperials and the unknown warriors continued. As he cut his way through the clashing swords and spears, Jaden reached the stairs, but the armored guards were running right after him.
Crap, there're too many!, he thought. If only Majd was here, he could've used some Sacred Arts. Or, if I can use 'em myself.
As Jaden hurried on the stairs, he started reciting "System Call • Generate Arial Element • Discharge!"
~Fwiiinn!
The boy released a sudden gush of wind that forced the enemies behind him to stop for few seconds.
"Shit! Not strong enough.." Jaden gritted his teeth, and resumed upward.
He reached the end of the stairs, and arrived at a wide bridge that stood high above the garden. It stood around the level of the second or third floor of the castle. Jaden stopped for a minute to gaze down. All he could see was trees burning and people fighting. The chaotic scene forced Jaden's jaw to drop. "What is all this—?!"
~BOOM!
Another explosive attack fell like a meteor onto the garden, near the castle's gate. The strike ended up setting the area in flames. It even shook the bridge Jaden was standing on. When the startled Jaden glimpsed upwards, he saw a large ship floating above the castle. It had cannons that was yet rotating to strike again.
The brown haired guy found his way on the bridge as well. His eyes widened as soon as he spotted the ship.
"A ship, eh? Now that's a dramatic enterence!" he chuckled. "Impecable timing! If I didn't know better, I'd say they were waiting all along.."
~Blast!
~Boom!
The ship shot two more times, and killed the soldiers down the bridge. Smoke rose up, and the brown haired boy spotted Jaden getting away.
"Hey," he shouted for him. "Stop running!"
Before he could reach the other end of the bridge, fireballs from below flew up, and hit the floor; blocking the way in front of him.
"Crap!" Jaden had no choice but to stop.
"End of the line." the brown haired guy caught up to him. "You have something that belongs to me."
Jaden turned to face him. His foe was gesturing with his hand, as if ordering Jaden to obey immediately.
"There's no way you're getting this!" Jaden tightened his grip on the Golden Key defensively.
The brown haired guy took out a bronze dagger from the back of his waist. It was medium sized with twin-snake-like sharp edges twirling around it's blade. "All right, then have it your way.."
The guy threw the dagger at Jaden, and the latter summoned his Engineblade, ready to block it.
The bronze dagger flew like an arrow toward the hemochromatic boy. Once it got close enough, Jaden swang his sword, but missed.
What?!, he was shocked. That's impossible!
Blood splattered on Jaden's face, but it wasn't his. When he realized it was coming from his right, Jaden turned in a split second. His eyes caught an Imperial soldier, with the bronze dagger stabbing his face through the helmet. But then—
~Dash!
"Huh—!" Jaden saw the brown haired guy dashing like a ghost. One second he was in front of him, and now he's behind him. "—When did he?!"
The guy slid one hand to snatch the Key, and tried thrusting the dagger on Jaden with the other. But Jaden retracted in a fraction of a second. Then, he spinned his body with incredible speed, and used [Ground Swift] to block the attack.
~CLANK!
Jaden and the brown haired guy locked blades.
"A theif and a warrior—that's impressive.." remarked the guy as the two were struggling against each other.
"Save it." Jaden shot back, and jumped away.
He then put the Key inside his pocket, and readied his sword.
He then saw ranks of the armored soldiers climbing up to the bridge using ropes. They were coming from behind the brown haired guy.
"Humph. Looks like the Imperials are gonna steal your thunder.." Jaden smirked.
"Couldn't say any less about you, theif.." he replied, pointing to the soldiers coming from behind Jaden as well.
He then snatched another dagger identical to the one he was holding. "How about we put this property dispute on hold for the moment?" he told Jaden. "Let's address our eager guests now, shall we?"
He then turned to stab a guard that was about to deliver a blow at him. Then, he progressed to attack the next one, and the next one, and the one after that. Jaden watched the brown haired guy as he was slipping through the armored soldiers, injuring each one he passed with his twin bronze daggers.
"There're over here!" shouted a guard from the other side.
Jaden charged at him using [Sonic Leap].
~SLASH! SLASH SLASH!
"BWAAAH!" the enemies groaned as they fell.
"Die!" a heavy armored guard swang his spear against Jaden, hindering him.
~Clank!
"[Urmagidar]!" Jaden pushed the soldier away, along with a number of the assaulting guards.
~Blow!
"Kill those insurgents!" the guards closed in on the two of them. Jaden and the mysterious twin daggers' guy were back to back, fending off the armored enemies.
"Fancy that..!" the brown haired guy chuckled.
"What? Having some kinda trouble?" Jaden asked sarcastically.
"It might get tough if one more showed up." he replied.
" 'Guess that'd be the one I'd take care off." Jaden shot back.
"So, you call what you were doing 'Fighting', huh?" he joked.
"Hey, boss!" a voice called from above. When the two looked, they found the short girl with the pointy wizard hat riding a floating bike-like vehicle.
"Oh, Mika! About time you show up, indeed.." he said.
"Come on, let us hurry!" Mika told him.
"Then how about you lend me a hand?" the brown haired boy raised both dagger up.
Mika stretched her hand down at them and began making intricate patterns in the air
with her hands as she whispered obscured words of incantation. Then, a twin orbs of light descended toward the bronze daggers.
~Shaaaaaa!
One dagger was enveloped in fire, and the other looked frozen in ice.
"That's more like it." he said.
With his brand new power, the brown haired guy carved his way through the silver armored soldiers. When he waved his right hand, the fire wrapped dagger released a turpido of flames.
~BLAZE!
"AAAHHHHHH!"
And when he waved the frozen dagger on his left hand, a frosting blizard stormed upon the enemies.
~FWAAAN!
"WHAT IS THAT?!' one soldier got his feet frozen in place.
"THIS IS A MONSTER!!" another one screamed.
Jaden watched the brown haired guy swinging his daggers in thin air, and fire and ice kept emitting out of them. Even when the soldiers casted fireballs against him, the twin daggers wielder engulfed them with his great walls of burning flames.
~Raging footsteps!
"KEEP GOING!" another squad arrived. "DROP THEM DEAD!"
"Dammit, there's more?!" Jaden was barely catching his breath.
"We are running out of time.." the brown haired boy squeezed both of his daggers against each other, and a smoking fog fomented all over the bridge.
~Tssssss!
"Huh..?!" Jaden was entirely lost amidst the fog. He kept looking left and right, trying desperately to detect anything.
I can't see a thing!, he thought. At this rate, I'd get ambushed any second!
Then, Jaden felt someone was running toward him. But as soon as he tried to turn away, the person abruptly pushed him farther.
"Off with you!" uttered the brown haired guy as he jumped along with Jaden.
"Whoa—!" Jaden flew across the ledge of the still clouding bridge. "Whhaaaa!"
~Grab!
The brown haired boy's hand caught Jaden by his red hood with one hand, and his other hand held onto Mika. The floating bike she was riding, carried the two boys away from the battleground. As they were dangled from the vehicle while it flew near the castle walls, Jaden didn't simmer down.
"What do you think you're doin'?! Lemme go!" he resisted the brown haired guy's grip.
"Keep this up, and I will!" he warned.
As they were flying over, couple of fireballs and arrows were shot at them, but little Mika avoided them. But the vehicle started to wobble.
"What's the matter, Mika?" the brown haired boy asked.
"I don't know. It's not heeding me!"
At that moment, as the three were floating up in the air, a fireball hit the vehicle they mounted, making it totally out of commission.
~Blow!
"Owahh!" Mika leaped out of floating bike as it burned down.
"Mika!" her partner grabbed immediately, letting go of Jaden as the three of them were free falling down.
"Whhaaaaa!"
Before they hit the ground, the brown haired guy intericated a pattern with his fingers. And near the ground, a wind barrier slowed their fall, and landed them gently on the garden's rocky floor; except for Jaden who at few centimeters above, dropped hard on his chin. "Ouch!"
Dang!, he agonized. I think I bit my tongue..
"Are you fine, Mika?" the guy asked.
"Yeah, that was a good change." she rolled her eyes.
"SURRENDER, NOW!" a large group of soldiers holding thick spears encircled them. "WE OBTAINED ORDERS TO KILL YOU!"
This is bad, Jaden thought. There's no end to this! Maybe Noor was right, they keep on getting tougher with time. Plus, they don't seem to show any sort of reduction in their ranks. Do they just duplicate themselves?!
"Now that's a crowd!" the brown haired guy whistled. "Mika?"
The short girl with the pointy hat stood ahead of the two. "Leave it to me!" she smirked, and stretched her hand up. And through neon glowing clusters, a staff appeared.
~Flinnn!
Is that Weapon Summoning?!, Jaden was surprised.
A one and a half meter long dark wooden staff with an arched upper end that got a crimson crystal within it materialized in Mika's right hand. She then began reciting words of incantation. "...From the reign of the demons to the wrath of a thousand soul, lend me the strength to blaze this land as whole... Fire • Gush • Pressure • Blow.." she raised her staff as a red magic circle grew beneath her feet. "EXPLOSION!"
"—Wait, what—?" Jaden muttered.
~KABOOM!
A bombastic detonation engulfed the entire garden, and even the adjacent castle walls in hellfire. All the soldiers that were surrounding Jaden and the other two were burnt in red unforsaken flames. But Jaden was confused. The fire reached them, but didn't hurt them. How could they still stand such explosion completely intact?
"This is the power of Mika's Mystic Art." Jaden heard the brown haired boy, "The Flames of Disaster that brushes off its bearer, and incinerates all that sticks in the way.."
~Crack!
Right after he finished explaining, though, the ground under them started cracking. The cracks soon turned to wobbly depressions. And then, the floor under their feet collapsed.
"O-oh..!" the brown haired guy lost balance. "That wasn't intended..!"
~Crumble!
"WHAAAAAAAAAAA!!" the three fell down as the garden ground crumbled down, burrying them below the castle.
On the top floor of the castle, Gundolf Eisenhaur looked out of the window in delight. "So, it has begun." he said. "Let's see what you're capable of.."
~Grrrrrrrrr!
"Huh!" the entirety of the Waterways shook vigorously that made Julia jolt.
"What's goin' on?!" Petra panicked.
"Earthquake?" Eugene asked.
"No, I heard an explosion!" Julia gazed upwards. "Something is happening up there."
"It's our leaders. The ship must have striken." Captain Olin said. "Let us make haste."
Eugene, Petra, and Julia followed Olin onward. Their way led them to an area wider than the linear path they came from. But as soon as they sat foot there, wolf-sized rats ambushed them.
"CHEEEEEEEK!" they growled.
"—Watch out!" Petra countered with her Light Knives.
Eugene fended off two Landers with Julia in tow.
"Landers?! How come?!" Olin exclaimed. "The campsite supposed to stay clear!"
"Eugene!" Petra signaled.
"I'm on it!" he replied.
~Slash!
Eugene and Petra joined forces, and took down one monster. But there were yet four more to go. One Lander beared his claws to try jump on Eugene, but Julia intervened in the last second.
"..STOP!.." she put her palms out, and a forcefield of waves pushed the large gray rat backwards until it fell down the water, and got dragged by the stream.
"CHEEKEKEGRRR..!" the Lander drowned eventually, and disappeared.
"Thanks, Safi!" Eugene said. "That was amazing!"
Julia only responded with a nod.
"Flinch • Smash • Burst: LION FIST!" Captain Olin threw a punch that emitted a flashing golden light that resembled a lion's head.
~BLAST!
"CHEEEEYAK!" the remaining monsters got caught in the blast, and mortally vanished.
"Yay! We got them!" Eugene bounced in excitement.
"Yeah.." Petra was catching her breath.
"Uhh! Mr. Olin..!" Julia noticed Olin taking off; so, she went after him.
"Eh?" Eugene gazed back at Petra in confusion.
"C'mon!" she told him, and together, they followed the ginger haired girl.
When she had finally caught up to Olin, Julia arrived at a much narrowed area. She saw Olin frozen in place; looking obviously pale. "What happened—?!"
As she was intending to ask, her eyes glimpsed several bodies dropped down on the floor. They were heavily injured young men in light armor.
Oh God, are those his people?!, Julia thought. They don't look like they'll survive—But who did this to them? Could be Landers?!
"Huh?!" Eugene and Petra gasped. They're faces lost all colors once they saw the horrifying scene.
Olin, on the other hand, regained his composer in a jiff. He pushed his legs warily through the bodies until he found one that was still breathing faintly.
"Hey, what happened here?" he knelt down and asked.
The person he sought barely regained a brief glimmer of consciousness. With his blood drenched shaking body, he managed to open his mouth.
"Th...Thir..We were ambushhhh—" he managed to voice out.
"Who ambushed you? Who did this to you?!" Olin asked.
"Aaaa—Affaalllaaannn.." the dying man replied.
"Where're the others leaders?" Olin spoke fast. "Where's she?!"
"Weee—wee hellpeddd them fleee—ee.." the bleeding man pointed toward the a pathway ahead on top of a higher ground.
Julia, Petra, and Eugene gazed at the stairs that led to the path. But once they looked back at him, the heavily beaten man was fragmenting into tiny neon green clusters that disappeared in the air.
The trio witnessed Olin tightened his fists in anger, and stood. "That's the only ways to the second floor if we want to reach in time. We have to head up there." he said, turning to face them. "Brace yourselves.."