Chapter 27 - The Times

War broke out in Etto city and the Grand Kaiser's forces were now subduing the huge territory. With the hope of bringing the city under control, the Republic Soldiers laid a siege towards every police and military organizations present in the city. Gunshots, sirens and screams could be heard in every part of the city as many citizens of Etto fell dead in the hands of the Republic Army. Disciple members were also fighting in the war inside the city. Nero had his hands full in rooting out the Resistance headquarters based in the city while Feiryon was fighting some left overs of the Resistance.

Feiryon was deep in the cities bowels and he was fighting Resistance members. He was surrounded by ten of them. He heard one of the members say.

"We can take him! He's just one person!"

The members of the Resistance charged at Feiryon altogether to not give him a chance to attack but to their dismay, the powerful psychic had already stopped them in mid air with his telekinesis. 

"W-w-w-what the hell is this???!!" One of the resistance members spoke as he fell in Feiryon's psychic grip

The masked figure now choked all ten men with his powerful telekinetic grip and all of them fell to the ground dead. 

Feiryon looked around to see if there are more enemies in the area. He saw one resistance member hiding behind a wall of an abandoned house. The resistance member had taken notice that he was already noticed by the long haired psychic so he dared not to move. He stood still for a few minutes in order to avoid being killed. After a few minutes, he looked around and saw the coast is clear. The soldier then went outside and gave a huge sigh of relief. Just as he began to walk, he was pushed to the wall with an unknown force and felt a hand on his neck. Feiryon had appeared in front of him and he was being choked by the psychic.

"What the?!!!" The man struggled to speak

Feiryon did not react and just broke the man's neck with coldness in his heart. He then dropped the body to the ground and started to move along. The psychic was now walking towards city hall to report to King, that is until he felt a fast projectile going towards him. He had caught the projectile in his hand and took a look at it. It was a Jack of Hearts Card which meant one thing. 

He looked behind him and saw a person wearing a long black coat. The man had short, dark blue hair that was as cold as night. He wore a multiple dog-tags on his neck and had the expression of a veteran killer on his face. The man had  He was holding another card in his hand and he went near Feiryon.

"Icarus." Feiryon said.

"You seem colder." Icarus had replied. "Heard you kill Creed already."

"From whom?" He asked the man with blue hair.

"Our leader had said it to me. He had some doubts though." Icarus said.

Feiryon did not react to what Icarus had said for he knew that he had already destroyed Creed.

"I have killed him. Do not worry." Feiryon said as he turned his back on Icarus.

"I personally don't believe it either." Icarus replied. "And trust me, I've known Creed for long to know that he a'int going down that easily." he added

"I have put him in a more powerful Fear Grip. Would you like to see for yourself?" Feiryon had said as his eyes began to light up in a blood red color.

But before he could even look at Icarus, he was gone. Then he felt a person appear behind him while holding a sharp card at his neck. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Icarus had said threatening Feiryon. "If you value your life that is." he added.

Feiryon had disappeared from his clutches and reappeared in a safe distance. He knew that Icarus was an experienced killer so he did not mess with him. Icarus had calmed down as well and he put his cards away.

"You have faster reflexes than Creed now." Feiryon had said to him.

"I doubt it." Icarus replied. 

"I should know, I fought the guy and he wasn't the same as our old leader." Feiryon replied.

"He has sworn not to kill. That reduces his skill by a big percentage so he seems weak." Icarus had said. "But I know you have felt the old Creed coming back as you fought him that night." he had added.

Feiryon remembered how Creed looked that night. His eye was focused, emotionless and he was intended to kill him.

"Gradually he comes back to his old self when he fights members of the Disciples. He cannot escape his past, for once a killer, always a killer." Icarus had said.

Icarus paused for a while to think about the times when Creed was in the 12 Disciples. He knew that he was the most powerful of all of them combined and all of them could never hold a candle up to his skill when it comes to fighting.

"I remember the time, when we all still shared the same goals." Icarus had blurted out.

Feiryon had looked at him and he knew what he was talking about.

"Make the world one. It's still the same goal, but Creed has interpreted it differently now." Feiryon had replied.

"He started to change after he killed Slade. King pushed him over the edge." Icarus said.

"I could care less about his life." Feiryon had said. "He's a traitor now and wanted by the Republic. By turning his back on the Disciples, he has turn his back on his mentor." he added.

"I guess. Nero's a pretty decent leader too." Icarus replied

"He was chosen by Creed himself to be his successor so there is no doubt in that." Feiryon replied. He felt his phone ring and answered it, it was Nero on the other end.

"How's the eastern sector?" Nero asked.

"It's clear of Resistance members and local militia. Heading back there now as planned." Feiryon replied.

"Roger that." Nero said a  he hung up.

"I'm heading back to the central sector, you coming or what?" Feiryon had asked Icarus.

"I'll keep a look out here, you go on ahead." Icarus replied as Feiryon had disappeared.

Suddenly, flashbacks of Creed telling him about his successor had occurred in his mind. He knew no doubt that he was going to choose Nero because his skill was at par with his own. 

...

In the main headquarters of Republic, there stood Creed, Nero and Icarus in the soldier training hall. The training hall was clear at that time because it was already late at night. Creed, Nero and Icarus had stood guard for the night along with other Disciple members. They were divided in the main sectors of the building to ensure that intruders cannot make break in.

Creed wore now an eye-patch over his eye due to his scuffle with Slade a month ago. He wore his signature maroon long coat and had his Adamantine .45 pistol strapped to his waist. Icarus was wearing his long black coat and he had his cards at ready in case any necessary combat begins to occur. Nero was wearing his balaclava with the blindfold and had his katana at ready. He was also wearing a dark long coat with the insignia of the Republic. 

"She took your eye?" Icarus had asked.

"I was careless, but I was able to kill her still." Creed had replied.

"Still hurt?" Nero asked Creed

"No." Creed said coldly.

There was a moment of silence between the three of them. Icarus knew that something inside Creed had changed but what was it that changed? 

"I'm choosing a successor in a few days." Creed had blurted out to break the silence.

Icarus was surprised when he had heard this from him. Was he leaving the Disciples? He wouldn't be that stupid, for he of all people should know the penalties of leaving the Republic.

"Why?" Icarus asked.

"I have my reasons." Creed replied.

Icarus dared not to ask anymore for he did not want Creed to be angry at him. Creed looked at Nero and said.

"Nero, you'll be my choice in succeeding me in the leadership of the Disciples. You start the trials in a week. Be prepared for you'll be facing the disciple members excluding myself." 

Nero was surprised with the honor that Creed had given him. 

"Yes, i'll prepare. I'll start now." Nero said as he left the two to start his preparation for the trials. The trials for being the leader of the Disciples are to defeat all the members of the disciples with the exception of the former leader. The former leader now makes it up to the rank of second in command of The Grand Kaiser's forces and his power is second to the Grand Kaiser alone. Since Slade had defected, the position had no one in office so King had instructed Creed to choose a successor to lead the disciples in order for King to promote Creed to the status of second in command. 

...

"Your own reasons huh?" Icarus had said as he sighed. "You're just a traitor like she was Creed." he added.

Icarus was still looking at the sky. He saw the moon, it was as pale as death and he knew he had a bad feeling inside of him. The blue haired man shook the feeling off for he knew that the republic will triumph in making the world one again.

"Feiryon's right Creed. Our interpretation is the right one not yours."  Icarus had thought has he now went back to the central sector of the city.