We're Here to Save You!

Only seven minutes remain for the underwater train to leave and head for Vendurn. The guards have already brought Chiaki and are waiting in the station with the foremost agents, Riley, Naeve, and Parth.

Chiaki's eyes were stunned after she saw the agents she met in Oxfell Arton looking more intimidating. Something about them felt different. They looked more powerful, and their weaknesses seemed hidden in their dark-deep eyes.

The three had a symbol stitched on their suits, and Riley, who once was their leader, became a professional. Chiaki's senses tickled. She could tell they weren't weaker. In other words, she could understand that their power could rival some of the greatest pirates out in the sea, if not even more powerful.

Having that thought stuck in her mind made her speechless. It created a "fear" that she didn't understand. Her mind couldn't stop processing the event before her, but it stressed her out, and think about what Timothy and the others were planning to face.

She still didn't want to live, despite the pressures. She had trouble apprehending because of her recollections of the previous war and the terrible acts her family had committed. She believed that only by accepting the unavoidable death would she, her friends, and the rest of the world be safe.

"Chiaki Yasuda," said Riley, keeping his arms stuffed in the suit, "I may be surprised. I didn't expect you to hide among some pirates. Perhaps you thought you'd be safe with them, or maybe you wanted to risk their lives too. Either way, your death is inevitable, and no matter, who intends to rival the world government, I assure you, you will not be able to escape for the second time."

Chiaki spoke not and merely looked at the floor with her arms chained behind her back. As she observed the silver-marbled floor, she saw her reflection, but all she could see on the bright floor was the collection of the past. She saw herself; a person who betrayed her friends and had no other meaning in life but to lie to her closest and nothing more than that.

"Not much of a talker, are we? Perhaps you'll change your mind at the execution site. Get on the train. It should be ready to leave in the next six minutes. But don't be too hopeful. Your pirate friends won't make it in time. They would need to break into the prison and find an entrance to the station. But that's impossible with all the guard duties waiting for them."

Chiaki didn't comment and without any hesitancy, stepped on the train. "At least you're understandable. Parth, how's the train looking?" questioned Riley and turned to look at him. "The train should be ready. It just needs three minutes to warm up, and we'll be good to go." Riley approved the good news and prepared to enter the train. "Even if they managed to find the station in time, in some way or another, it has enough cargo to keep them back."

Lucina approached Yules. "Any information about the train?" she asked. "Oh, my, aren't you a curious one? But yes, indeed. The train will be ready to leave in the next three to five minutes. That was the information given to me by the guards. But, we do have somewhat of a concerning matter. The 'white-haired' pirate, Timothy, seems to have approved an alliance with the assassin who eliminated half of our soldiers. Apparently, one of our men informed the assassin about the underwater train station's location. They're headed north and might make it in time."

Yules' explanation irritated Lucina. "You cannot be serious. We cannot afford the consequences if they find it." But Yules grinned in return. "Worry not, Lucina. I've sent in some allies that will professionally aid the foremost agents in battle. I assure you, the three lonely pirates cannot defeat all of them. Besides, our kind Snoobs delivered some painful wounds onto the 'white-haired' pirate. The plan is most likely guaranteed to succeed." Lucina felt odd talking to Yules and couldn't decipher what Yules was plotting. "Well, time's ticking. We should prepare ourselves for the upcoming execution in the next couple of hours." He left, followed by Lucina.

Timothy and his two allies arrived at their desired location. "Wait!" Timothy and Alpha stopped in front of her. "What's the matter, Phoebe? We're in a rush." Timothy watched her kneel on the ground and put her hand on it. "I can feel the vibrations coming from underneath. It must be where the station is. But it feels to be absurdly deep. We might not be able to dig deep enough."

Timothy smirked, placing his left hand on his hip. "Oh, don't be so sure. You're able to control the gravity, right, Phoebe? All you need to do is increase the floor's gravity. Alpha's swordsmanship is beyond average. She could cut it with ease. Then, when she's finished, you use your ability and intensify the surroundings. It should weaken the ground with enough force for me to break through it."

Phoebe looked at Alpha, seeing her sneak a peak in Timothy's direction. Alpha frowned, reached for her longest sword, and stepped forward. "Hmph, I guess you would overestimate my skills, but slicing the ground should be a piece of cake. Back away. You don't want to get caught in the fire."

Timothy and Phoebe backed away, far enough not to get sliced by Alpha's attacks, and then gave her the space to cut the ground.

Alpha looked at the ground and immediately enchanted her arms and sword with steel-hard armor. "Hey! What the hell? You can use the forbidden technique of armory?! How?" Timothy spoke, surprised and embarrassed. "Did ya forget? I've been here at Vast Expanse for months. I have some tricks up my sleeves."

Timothy looked away, irritated. "Of course. I'm the only one who can't use it. I feel like I'm falling behind." He called, allowing Alpha to proceed.

"Here goes nothing!" Alpha slightly bent her knees and started to charge up energy around her sword's hilt. She exposed enough pressure for the terrain to crumble and the wind to whirl at high speed.

The train was finally ready to leave. The foremost agents entered the cargo and readied to accelerate. "Three..." the train started moving, "two..." Chiaki remained silent. "One."

But then it happened.

The ceiling above the train started to shake and crumble. It wasn't invisible, but the train accelerated forward. Then, as if a bomb detonated, the ceiling collapsed at unimaginable strength.

"Here we come!!!"

Timothy's right fist smashed through the pieces as a white inferno came crashing through and spread out the hot white and burning fire. His blue eyes glowed and the pieces piled on the sides.

He descended to the ground and exchanged views with the top agents on the train. "No, you don't!" Following Timothy, Phoebe and Alpha fell, and Phoebe immediately hurled her ropes forward, wrapping them around the train's cargo. She increased the gravity around the ropes to ease the pain of holding it back. "Hurry, get on, you two!"

Alpha and Timothy nodded and sprinted forward at once. They rammed their foot through the train's back to force their way inside and demolish its wall. They rolled inside the cargo and finally boarded the train.

Chiaki's eyes opened in surprise but got grabbed by the shoulders by Naeve. She pulled her back, not to be too close to Timothy and Alpha.

But Phoebe struggled to keep holding the train and prepared to let go. Her ropes weren't suitable to hold back a weighty body. "You two! You must save Chiaki, got it?! You can't fail! She needs your help! And the only way she'll get that help is if you win! I'll meet you at the Vendurn! I can't come with it, my ropes are about to go loose, and I can't make it on time! Don't disappoint me, you two!"

Phoebe's ropes ripped apart and instantly whipped back in her direction. They wrapped around her wrists as she watched the train speed far away into the distance.

Timothy's face turned serious. "Yeah, you got it, Phoebe. We'll see you at Vendurn..."

0 minutes remain before the train's ready to leave...

To be continued...