Magic and Gold

6: Reputation

Perspective of Blade

After so many years of experience, this mission would be a piece of cake. Stealing had become an art form, which was why the boss thought it would be good for the new girl to come along. Despite its easy nature, Scrap's face looked determined, even with her black and silver mask covering most of her face. She was always so intense; she had no idea how to relax. It was exhausting.

Our trio crept along the streets, hopping between shadows. Floating orbs of light lit up the streets, bobbing slightly in the dead of night. We made sure to walk only in the darkness cast from the towering houses. All of this secrecy was rather unnecessary, seeing as we failed to see a single person on our way to the mansion.

"You sure you can use that dagger?" I asked Scrap with a smirk, twirling my sword. "I could handle it for you."

"How about I stab you with it and we'll see? I've been training with this blade longer than you have been in the Magia. I know how to fight," she seethed. She was snarky and irritating, but it was fun to poke at her. She made it too easy. Good thing I did not work with her often. My Department was known for being more brash and strong, versus her department of stealth and grace. I was just the guy with the blades on this mission.

We got to our destination, and I could not help but stop for a second, in awe. Our country was small, but a large amount of people were packed into a small space. To fix problems of space, people began to build up. With the aid of gravity defying magic, architects layered room over room until most houses reached up to the sky. The taller your house was, the richer you were. Soon it became a competition: which noble's house was the tallest. The base was always only the size of a single room, but as I looked up at this house, I recognized it as one of the tallest in the city. It seemed to scraped the sky with its precarious top floor playing in the clouds. It would not fall, though. Magic made it so. Magic was one thing you could count on.

I personally lived in the fourth room up of a stacked house near the castle. I only had a studio, but it was enough for my sister and me. I was barely ever there anyway. The Magia combined with a full time job was enough to keep anyone busy, and I had adapted to the small amount of sleep I got. My father had been the same: The Magia, a job, pouring ourselves into our work. We had connected when I followed in his footsteps. I used to live in my cramped space with my father. Back then, I yearned for a room to myself. Sometimes it's funny, how life answers your prayers in a ironic, painful ways.

I whistled, my neck tilted back so I could see the house. "Wow. How we gonna do this, Scrappy?"

"Same as ever. Just don't get in the way." She also looked slightly intimidated before putting her hand up to its fence. She closed her eyes and worked with the magic she always had. I had stopped trying to figure out the mystery that is Scrap a long time ago. Sure enough, the gate popped open with a hiss and a few wafts of smoke. We walked up to the house in a line, Scrap in front and myself in the rear. "Enchantments are down," Scrap whispered. She tried the door handle. The big brass lock was obviously locked.

"Usually we use magic for this part, too. Or we break in the window, depends on our mood. But by all means, your way might be more...conservative," I said, gesturing for the new girl to step forwards.

"Stop being snarky," Scrap hissed at me, scanning the perimeter before turning her eyes towards the door.

The girl pulled out an thin metal tool, and within three seconds, there was a click and the door swung open. "Nice," Scrap muttered.

"I officially dub you 'Key' of the Magia. Welcome," I said.

"Hey! That was my job!" Scrap whispered angrily. She looked personally offended. I just shrugged. Scrap had probably wanted to nickname her new initiate, but stealing the thunder was unintentional here. If the shoe fit, the key fit.