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