The path that let through the dungeon didn't become easier and when they stumbled over a dead end Dragul's patience was worn too thin.
"I can't believe this nonsense! How are we to ever catch up to Sinbad if all we ever do is running into dead ends?!"
Ja'far was itching to point out to the fool that this was the first dead end they had met but he chose to keep quiet and just roll his eyes, something that didn't went unnoticed by Vittel who snickered quietly. A sound of someone moving was heard over Dragul's whining voice and Ja'far turned slowly to try and locate whatever it could be, he was on edge in case the butterflies was to return or something worse. The noise got closer and it sounded a lot like running feet, two people to be exact and from a part in the mountain came the two people they had been following this whole time, Sinbad.
So the dead end which apparently wasn't that dead to begin with revealed the two people Ja'far wanted and at the same time didn't want to see the most, but he knew it was unavoidable and maybe for the best if Dragul was to get his Djinn they couldn't have competition running around and stealing the treasure from them.
When Dragul finally saw them too he immediately became more composed and his face cracked into a sly grin, something that Ja'far couldn't decide if it suited the arrogant prat more than the pathetic whining.
"It's been a while, Sinbad"
They both looked surprised to see them there and when the bigger of the two pointed at Ja'far and asked if it wasn't him that had attacked them before he felt a kind of pride. Sure he had failed miserably and it still stung a bit that a brat like Sinbad was able to overpower him, him an assassin. But he had convinced himself that Sinbad had cheated and all was well, at least until now.
The previous dungeon-conqueror was mocking Dragul with something he couldn't care less about and before the general could lose his temper yet again Sinbad and that big oaf jumped into a pond that lay in the end of the cave, presumably leading the path on to their goal; so much for that dead end. Vittel muttered something about not wanting to be wet when it looked like their only chance of catching them was to follow, when they both came back up the surface again. Apparently Furlan had made the water into ice, a bitch move but pretty clever Ja'far mused when it finally was their turn to play the game.
Ignoring Dragul once more he and his companions threw themselves over Sinbad and his shivering friend, now was the time to get rid of them once and for all. Vittel and Mahad was good fighters and that big moron didn't have a chance before Sinbad interfered with his damn lightning, maybe it was lucky Vittel and mahad had been trained so hard or else they would had be a goner when Sinbad hit them with all his force. Not willing to fall for that trick twice Ja'far made a diversion and came up behind them, but Sinbad was quicker than he had anticipated and the moment Ja'far threw his daggers Sinbad countered them; it was a fight with no mean.
Ja'far couldn't help to be slightly impressed with Sinbad's fighting skills; the way he knew where to hit and where to avoid being hit to give and take the most damage was clever. He was a bit ruff in the edges that he admits, but the technique was there and he would one day be a really skillful fighter. One Ja'far would gladly face, sure his technique wasn't that refine either since he more often attacked in anger instead of thoughtfulness but what the hell, as long as he could beat his opponent everything would be fine. Their blades clashed once more and the force of Sinbad's lightning enforced sword threw Ja'far back a bit. Stopping briefly before making his next attack Ja'far made the mistake of locking eyes with Sinbad, just like before the other was determined and steadfast in his gaze and fighting but he also saw compassion and belief in there, something Ja'far severely missed and never had the hopes of obtaining.
It hurt, more than being hit by lightning did the feeling of missing something he never allowed himself to have and knowing that he could never gain. The moment of hesitation from Ja'far's part must have made Sinbad halt as well; the two rivals stood there for a brief moment and just stared at each other, daring the other to strike first. Ja'far heard from behind Furlan making a comment that they didn't have the leisure to do something, but the magician was the least of his problems right now.
Before none of them did anything for their next move that big oaf said something to Sinbad that was lost to Ja'far but wasn't that hard to guess when Sinbad raised his now glowing sword in the air. This was time for a new djinn attack and this time Ja'far would be ready for it.
But the moment never came, small balls of light shoot past him and made Sinbad drop his sword from the attack he had planned to do, turning around Ja'far could see Dragul still standing on the top of the rocks with his weapon pointing towards them. That brat thought he could interfere in their fight? He had even gone so far as to take Sinbad's sword but said man didn't seem too bothered by it. Vittel and Mahad attacked again but the two targets could still hold their ground against Ja'far's assassins, this was getting a tad ridiculous. Suddenly a strong wave of power ripped through the cave and Sinbad's huge friend was over Mahad in an instant.
His fighting technique had change and Ja'far suddenly realized where he had seen this kind of people before, felt this power. The people of the north tribe was really modest about their strength but there had been isolated cases in the kingdom when someone had angered one of the Northern Tribes and the Imuchakk's was not to be taken lightly in those situations.
This man was clearly a newbie but his brute force in the hits was not something Ja'far wanted to be bothered with right now, he had bigger fishes to fry. Taking advantage of the situation when the Moron was distracted he rushed up behind him, taking aim and swinging his daggers at the exposed neck that was just waiting for him, unsuspecting, inviting.
The thing Ja'far hadn't counted on was for Sinbad's fist to hit him hard in the face before his knives was able to grace the skin. Just like when they had been sleeping Sinbad looked like he reacted out of reflexes and had no trouble to avoid every other charge Ja'far tried to hit the future king with. The man was slippery like an eel and Ja'far couldn't help to get more and more frustrated with the situation.
"The Hell!? How can you read my movements? Answer me Sinbad!"
His whole body was shaking in anger and frustration, why couldn't this brat be easy to kill just like every other moron he had had the pleasure to target. This was infuriating and things didn't become better when the answer Sinbad gave his was 'I just know'. Who did this brat think he was? Would Sinbad simply have the power to read the future or was he just lucky with his movements, Ja'far charged forward again but to no vain, Sinbad easily dodge it and this time with a smile on his ever annoying face.
'Trustworthy as an ally, troublesome as an enemy' Never would he admit it but this time Dragul was right, this man was certainly no one to mess with; but it was all part of the game, wasn't it.
The fight went on and soon Ja'fars patience was running thin, things would never resolve like this; time to reveal his ace in the sleeve. He signaled to Vittel and Mahad that it was no use holding back and he could feel his two companions growing behind him. This was it, this was the time to show those stuck ups that they were not to mess with.
"Crush them"
Said and done all Ja'far needed to do was stand to the side and watch his 'friends' smash Sinbad and the Fatso to pieces, a much satisfying task indeed. If the bandages wasn't covering most of his face the smile he would have shown was sure to put some people of, it was not usual to Ja'far to show that kind of emotion except when it came to anger, so for him to be smiling right now felt weird. Ja'far couldn't really pinpoint if seeing his friends making mashed potatoes of the people in front of him or if it was something completely else that put forward his smile; but one thing was clear and that was he would keep smiling when those two idiots were dead and gone. Just for the disturbance of it, not because it was certain emotion he wanted, needed badly to cover up.
Things from there on was kind of a blur, Sinbad manage to escape using his djinn in the sword and knocking Dragul off guard, Furlan was out of that ice-magic and couldn't stop them like last time so they had to chase them the old fashion way, on foot. The tablet no one but Dragul could read, stuck up imperial ass; stated that it had to be cast in shadow to reveal the way. Said and done they were on their way and Ja'far had the floating suspicion they were ahead of Sinbad and that made Dragul hurry his steps even more. This cave was something on its own and Ja'far regretted it more and more with every new room they encountered, what was they doing here in the first place, wasn't their mission to kill Sinbad? Why couldn't they do it when he exited the cave instead of following him inside and risk dying in the meantime. Sure it would be harder and if Sinbad was as good in fighting as he had already shown it would not be an easy task, but manageable if necessary.
The next room was more opulent than any of the others and if Ja'far had any interest in fame and fortune this was the room to look for. A pendant lay innocently on a pedestal in the middle of the room and the moment Dragul touched it, smoke whirled from its core and filled the room with sparkles and colors.
A shape took form in front of their eyes and even Ja'far knew that this was it, this was the Djinn they had come all this way for, to conquer its power. The wolf took one look at them and decided that they were not worthy competition. Sinking back to a smaller, much cuddlier form made Dragul furious, he was there to obtain the King's power and since Valefor didn't want to take him serious, he would show him.
Apparently Furlan had not been who she said she was and Valefor didn't like puppet masters, slicing through the body and leaving a heap of cloth behind shocked even Dragul who hesitantly picked up the now lifeless doll. Ja'far knew she wasn't to be trusted from the beginning.
Slicing sorceress wasn't Valefor's only talents it seems, crushing Dragul's hopes and dreams was also one of them and telling the General that he wasn't King material did the trick just fine, maybe Ja'far could use that one in the future if he was forced to work with the brat again to put him down a notch.
During the time it took for Dragul to get his confident crushed by a floating dog Sinbad and that giant to a man came rushing into the room, panting but seemingly happy to have gotten there before it was too late.
When Valefor announced that it would be a challenge everyone could perform in, Ja'far got curious. Maybe this was his chance to a better life? Maybe he wouldn't have to scrape the bottom at Parthevia's feet to survive day by day, what things he could do with that kind of power… He threw a glance over his shoulder at his two companions, would they help him? They had no real reason other than the contract and that never stated that in the case of obtaining power they had to aid each other.
Just like he suspected Vittel asked, he dared to ask! That they would take the challenge by themselves, at first Ja'far felt a stab of betrayal, they dared to go up against him? Well well, clearly he had underestimated them, they were braver than they looked and he had to give them some credit for believing they could overthrow the organization. Fine then, he would have to kill them if it came to that, more victims was not that big of a loss and they had been pretty annoying for a time so no harm done.
It would be their loss right, he certainly felt nothing by having to kill them if it meant he could get out of there with the power of a King, nothing at all… No, it would be all fine.