Chapter 10 - Arrival and Catch

The trio were still riding on their way towards the city. Jephtah was driving as usual, Jade was looking outside the jeep and Creed was asleep. It was a long drive and all she saw was a long line of sandy plains and rock formations. She then looked at Creed and looked at his left arm and eyepatch. She then started a conversation with Jephtah.

"Creed's lost a lot huh?" She asked.

Jephtah heard her talking to him and said. 

"Yeah, he has." 

"A left arm and an eye? That must've hurt a lot." She said.

"He's an experienced combatant so there's no worry in him pulling his weight." Jephtah replied.

"I wonder how it happened though, he must've been through a lot." Jade said. 

"Yeah, he must have." Jephtah replied. "He did" He thought to himself.

Jephtah now focused on his driving and he noticed that they were getting closer to their destination. He saw infrastructures from a mile away and he began driving faster. Creed woke up due to the wind produced by Jephtah's speedy driving.

"Ughhh... We must be getting closer." Creed said 

"Good you're awake." Jade said.

"I just needed some rest." Creed replied to her.

After a few minutes they have arrived in the city of El Roka. The city was filled with infrastructures such as skyscrapers and buildings. It had a central plaza that had the statue of the Grand Kaiser of the republic. Though it looked like an ordinary city, there was something odd due to few people being in the city.

The trio now went to their designated place to stay, which was the RFI annex station. It was a small office compared to Etto headquarters. He parked their jeep in the parking lot and the trio got off the vehicle and went to explore the city to look for clues.

"Finally! We are here." Jade said

"We are not here for sightseeing we have a job to do." Jephtah said.

While the two were conversing, Creed was now looking around the city, he noticed that Tanri was right and there was a mass disappearance. The question now is how did the mass disappearance happen?

"I don't remember El Roka being so, boring." Creed said to Jephtah

"Yeah, usually its a busy city but that's not the case now is it?" Jephtah replied.

The trio now reached the central plaza. They saw the statue of the Grand Kaiser of the republic. It was a big statue honoring him.

"I didn't know that the republic was in charge here." Jade replied.

"It isn't, this is just a sector of their decentralized government." Creed replied.

"Then why is there a statue of the Grand Kaiser here?" Jade asked.

"I have no idea." Creed said.

Jephtah was looking around the statue and he noticed something posted on the pedestal where the statue. He saw a flyer which stated "A NEW AGE OF FREEDOM" and a picture of the Grand Kaiser.

"Hey check this out." Jephtah said to Creed and Jade.

"A new age of freedom?" Jade said. "Must be a movement or something"

"Or it could be our ticket to figuring out the mass disappearance" Creed said.

"The only thing we know is a person called Shadowblade is leading the mass disappearance." Jade replied.

"Yeah but with this we could.." Jephtah said

Before Jephtah could finish his statement, the trio were attempted to be ambushed by soldiers with unknown origin. 

The soldiers wore all black and had a red scarf around their faces with the insignia of the republic. They were agile, fast and flexible. Like they were programmed to fight in a way to be unbeatable. They were now attacking the trio. Creed drew his .45 caliber pistol and began shooting them in their limbs to immobilize them but they were evading his shots. Creed began to move as agile as the soldiers to immobilize them. Jephtah was also agile and he attempted to strike down the soldiers with his knuckles. He threw fast punches at them but they weren't connecting as much. Jade drew out her bow and began shooting arrows at the soldiers at high precision but the soldiers were too fast for her as well.

"Damn! They're too fast.." Jade said as she was fending them off.

Jephtah was having some success with knocking out the soldiers but he only took out a few soldiers. Creed was agile and swift in taking them out. He wasn't killing them but he broke their bones to render them useless. 

"Jeph behind you!" Creed said as he shot the soldier in the shoulder and he fell down.

"Thanks man." Jephtah said

"Anytime." Creed replied 

The Trio were still fighting but a midst their fighting, a man with a shadow cloak began to go near them. The man got near them and with lightning fast speed he took Jade and held her hostage. Creed was still preoccupied with fighting the soldiers when he heard someone call him out.

"BROTHER!!!!" the cloaked man said.

Creed immobilized the last of the soldiers and he then he looked behind him and saw a familiar face. The man had a knife pointed on Jade's throat to ensure that Creed won't attack him. 

"I knew it..it was you" Creed looked at him fiercely. Jephtah was just at a ready position to attack the man when Creed stopped him.

"No don't. He won't hesitate to kill her." Creed said.

"You know this man?" Jephtah asked.

"Help me please!!" Jade said as she was attempting to get out of the man's grip.

"I'ts useless I tell you." The man said.

"Let her go." Creed said.

"I assume that you haven't told them huh Creed?!" The man said.

Creed was speechless when he heard him say that.

"You Shadowblade?" Jephtah asked.

"Well I suppose an alias covers my name, but Creed knows me more." Shadowblade said as he started laughing in a very sinister matter.

"Tell them my real name, Comrade" Shadowblade said to Creed

Jade was shocked when she heard Shadowblade call Creed comrade. He still had a grip on her so she couldn't move.

"Falrich... One of King's 12 disciples" Creed said as he disappeared in front of Falrich's sight. Falrich was baffled about this and he held Jade closely so that she is still her hostage. Creed reappeared behind Falrich and pointed his gun at the back of Falrich's head.

"Still got the moves I see, but I picked up some stuff too." Falrich said as he let her go for a little while and attempted to grapple Creed. Creed saw through it and he stopped Falrich but then he disappeared and reappeared again far from Creed while holding Jade hostage. 

"So you had more courage to attack me? I'm not impressed" Creed replied.

"Heh, I got cocky but I'll get you next time." Falrich replied. 

"Oh and to add a twist, I'll tell your little girlfriend here a secret. Everything she needs to know about you comrade. She is after all HER sister." Falrich said as he called two soldiers out of thin air to keep her hostage. 

Creed felt frightened that Falrich would tell Jade everything.

Jade was resisting but she was powerless and gave up. She passed out and has been taken away by Falrich's men.

"Motivated yet? Good maybe you'll kill me the next time we fight. See you around Creed and don't worry, everyone misses you." Falrich said as he disappeared.

Jephtah now went near Creed and asked him.

"How does he know you well?" 

"We used to work together. I was the head of the 12 disciples before I left." Creed replied. "We have to find her, he won't hesitate to kill her." Creed said as he began to go back to the annex station.