Chereads / Combat Mage. / Chapter 4 - Chapter Four : Ticking Deadline

Chapter 4 - Chapter Four : Ticking Deadline

Jin , Shiha and Akio are seen in a small fishing boat rowing in unison towards the new frontier

Shiha: One! Two! One! Two!

Jin: How much longer Do we have to keep rowing?

Shiha: if you woke up a little sooner maybe we could have still made the ship!

Shiha exclaimed, Akio trying to ease the tension asks

Akio: So what's your business gonna be at the new frontier?

Shiha: well i'm actually going there to find my junior disciple and then were leaving

Jin: You know of a way back!

Shiha: not right now but, I'll find a way can't abandon Mount Hwa after all

Jin: well you could have fun with that but I'm gonna make a new start here

Shiha: fine by me

Whiling the tro continue there rowing Akio spots one of the Vindi ships motionless 

Akio: isn't that the ship khan took 

Akio points notifying the two

Jin: good I'm sick of this rowing let's get on while there still

Shiha: wait

Jin: Hmm?

Shiha: Think for once ,why would khan suddenly stop out of nowhere? I'm smelling a trap and we're moving past it

Jin: alright 

As the trio continue rowing Fu spots then and shouts in desperation 

Fu: HEY!

Jin: huh?

Fu: please come back!

Shiha: just ignore them and keep rowing

Jin: I think we should stop and see what they have to say 

Shiha: didn't you hear me this is most likely to be a trap

Han: Hey! That Monster is still out there! Come back!

Jin: Monster?

Shiha: just ignore them

Jin: if this was a trap isn't Monster to unbelievable we should at least listen to what they have to say

Shiha: Do you think the Vindi household became as big as they are because of martial arts?

Jin: Well I don't see why not?

Shiha: No! They got so high up through assassinations, thievery and strong-arming there way up

Shiha: we're leaving

Han: Please help, he even took Khan!

Jin rows in the opposite direction putting the boat to a stop

Jin: this really don't seem like a trap

Shiha: then your a naive fool 

Shiha rises from his seat to kick Jin out of the boat

Shiha: don't say I didn't warn you but I'm not letting you stop me 

Akio walks past Shiha and jumps in the water next to Jin shocking Shiha 

Shiha: Really?

Akio: trap or not I got his back

Shiha: …

Shiha: Cheng

Akio: Hmm?

Shiha: Cheng is the name of my Junior disciple come find me if you meet him before me

Akio: Sure

With a wave Shiha starts rowing away to the frontier to start his search leaving Jin and Akio to board Khan's ship

Han: thanks for believing us

Jin: Yeah, you said there was a monster that took Khan?

Fu: So basically…

Fu explains the events of Khan's kidnapping

Akio: if it was so one sided we should warn Shiha

Fu: no need to warn that stuck up prick, you saw the way he ignored us!

Akio: well if Jack was able to kidnap khan what makes you think we have a chance?

Fu: What makes you think Shiha has a chance

Akio points at Fu and smirks

Akio: Jack dodged Khan's sword Ki right? Isn't Mount Hwa internal arts more sharper and faster then Vindi's

Han: What makes you think he'd join us

Akio: Well he took Khan right? What's to say he won't also take his junior disciple?

Han keying in on what Akio is saying chimes in

Han: What's to say they haven't already got him!

Akio: we could catch him at the coast if we go now

Han: Great idea

As the group makes it shore they look around seeing a huge tower behind a dense Forest and the other way

they see Shiha finishing off a scout. 

As they approach Shiha he turns around on guard at first, but lowers his sword once he sees Jin and Akio

Shiha: Hmm, figured he'd be dead by now

Jin: don't be so quick to kill me off!

Han: excuse me, Shiha

Shiha: yes?

Han: that man on the ground 

Shiha: oh yes, him 

Shiha kicks the scout and flips him on his back

Shiha: attacked me as soon as I stepped foot here

Han: this doesn't seem to be Jack, his face looked much fiercer

Shiha: Jack?

Akio: yeah he's the guy that kidnapped khan

Shiha: kidnapped! Start from the beginning

Fu: Well…

After existing the details to Shiha he asks

Shiha: So after he took Khan he just left you two?

Fu: Well that explosion must have been pretty important 

Shiha: Yeah, pretty important.

Han: so Shiha, we were-

There conversation cut short by a magic missile hitting Shiha

Scout: A: Ha got em, you owe me a 15 silver

Scout B: whatever you got lucky

Scout C: uhh guys is that our captain on the ground

Scout A: …

Scout B : it was him

Scout A call reinforcements! 

Scout C : right!

one of the scouts fires a huge light towards the sky acting as a flare. As Shiha gets up blood boiling and clothes still smoldering from the attack, picks up his sword

Jin: let's leave while we still can

Shiha: not without payback

Jin: didn't you say you were here for Cheng, getting into a fight won't help

Shiha glares at Jin only for Jin to stare right back but not of one with angry but assurance.

Shiha takes a breath and sheaths his sword

Shiha: your right it doesn't seem like they'll follow us

Fu: let's lose them through the Forest 

As the group make their leave and sprint towards the Forest, Jin turns around to see the scouts not giving chase and arguing amongst themselves.

Scout C: shouldn't we chase them?

Scout B: don't bother well just track their mana

Scout A: someone should sent a report to HQ

Scout B: bet your scared to send it yourself

Scout A: How much are we taking?

Scout C: not again.

As Jin and the others enter the Forest Jin strikes up a conversation while they Venture deeper in

Jin: Hey Shiha what's your junior disciple like?

Shiha: Cheng? he's clever, bit boastful but the most talented amongst the junior disciples

Han: seems like your fond of him

Shiha: you could say that

Akio: Well you may not care about khan getting taken, but wasn't Cheng one of the first to leave?

Shiha: don't think I see what your trying to pull here

Shiha says with an angry look on his face only for Akio to lean in and whisper

Akio: don't you think Fu is hiding something

Shiha: You think Han is in on it as well?

Akio: from what I've seen not likely but I think Fu made some sort of deal with Jack

Shiha: can you confirm this

Akio: not right now but I need your help in case things go south

Shiha: alright but you owe me a favour after this

Akio: deal

As Shiha and Akio choose up on an agreement some rustling of a nearby bush alerts Shiha and the group

Frederick: Ah! Who are you!?

Jin: Who are you!

Frederick: don't tell me this is another trick from the the Princes

Jin: don't know what your talking about

Frederick keeps an eye on the group while he walks away but stops and contemplates before turning around

Frederick: you guys mind if I tag

along just until we leave the Forest 

Jin: well we're heading to the Grand tower if your going that direction

Frederick: That's perfect! My name's Frederick

Jin: name's Jin