After the great feat of taking the Sword of Kiri, Arkane had become one of Pio's favorite.
"You're saying you will get what I want kid?" Pio sneered.
"You heard me." Arkane answered shortly.
"What makes you think that you can do it? Two dirtbags wasn't even able to accomplish it." He slowly moved towards her, smirking.
"Just let them go when I return here with that thing that you wanted." She stared at Pio, blankly. Pio's thoughts lingered for a moment then realized that there won't be anything he'll be losing.
"Deal." Pio stopped shortly to raise his index finger. "But.. .if you fail, you all die." He grinned.
--
Arkane had successfully broken the security of the manor of Duke Toren. Unlike other thieves, Arkane was swift and was one with the night with her dark aura. The times of being a ragged child among the streets of Swert made her the most capable of the task. And living as a bannan trained her precision and sharp mind. The only thing she can't be is a fighter. One wrong move and she's as good as dead. The mission was a success.
Pio had granted her wish of letting the guys go but in exchange for her services. Within the little span of one full moon, she became the infamous dark cloaked thief.
****
"Guard!" Toren shouted. His fists were curled out of anger. A guard rushed toward him and bowed. "What is it this time?"
"Si-sir, the dark night penetrated the mansion of Duchess Tera." The guard gulped as Duke Torren tightened his jaws.
"What have they taken ?"
The guard slowly raised his head and met the duke's eyes. His lips trembled. "The box."
Toren's eyes flew towards the guard with sudden mix of nervousness and anger. "What do they need that box for?" He asked mostly to himself with a deep thought. There must be something going on. Something huge. And that thief of him should be eliminated.
"Sir!" The guard bowed his head and spoke. " I think the one responsible of the dark night was the gang of skulls."
The duke stood up, surprised. "What does Pio's plan this time? That damn bastard !"
"The guards weren't able to predict the thief sire. Rumours had it that he was like a flash of dark smoke. Indeed, wielding the title of "dark night".
" Put a price money for that thief and also with the gang. Hunt them and bring them to me!"
****
Arkane was walking along the path towards the center city wearing only her ragged cloak. She is to meet the two boys Kon and Roya, who she remembered the gang leader had called them. They were thrown out of the gang after their failed mission. Though she was working under Pio, still she was just a little girl and new to the city. She needed to rely on someone to roam the city.
"Did you hear the news ? A thief was roaming about the city and was infiltrating one manor to another." She heard a woman about the age of thirty gossiping with another woman of the same age.
"So it was true then ? The guards won't say much about the issue." The other woman answered. Arkane slowed and pretended to buy an apple on a stall.
"Of course it is. You know the gangs of those brute ? It was said that he was working for them." Just as the woman said this, guards on horses took the attention of the crowd. "Listen!" The leader of the group shouted, raising a parchment which was drawn with a dark cloaked figure. "This was a thief whom savagely intruded manors of the dukes and duchesses of the city consecutively. If anyone have any information about him, inform to any of the soldiers you see. You will be rewarded for the information." The crowd started murmuring and whispering until one of the men not far from her pointed towards her. She bowed her head and started to panic. The guards moved towards her and harshly pulled back her hood. She looked at a man that was two and a half feet taller than her. His muscles were firm and bulging. The guard studied her and she met his eyes. After a second, she heard the man say, "This was just a little girl. She can't be the one."
Arkane rushed away from them and entered an alley towards an abandoned house. The door banged furiously while she knocked on it, full force. Her breathing seemed to stop as she tried to catch her breathe.
"Open the door!" Arkane whispered shouted. After a few more banging, Kon came at the door. "Hey!" He smiled but Arkane pushed through the door without even letting him finish talking. Kon quickly walked over to her.
"What's going on ?"
"The guards, they'd put a price on my head." Arkane bubbled as she walks to and from about the space.
"Oh. That? I thought it was ridiculous. Really!" Roya stepped out from a door, munching some bread.
"You know it ?" Arkane blankly stared at him.
"What ? It was all over the town. Maybe even the central city." He looked at Arkane like it was just saying the obvious. "You don't have to worry arkane. They're searching for a 'he'. Are you a 'he'?" Roya enjoyed watching Arkane mad.
Arkane looked at him like he had grown another head, lips apart, eyes wide. Suddenly, the image of Idra flashed before her like an air whistling against her face. She gasped and the pain of loss came back. Just like that, her stature changed.
Roya noticed Arkane's eyes grew darker and larger and fiercer. It almost made him take a step back. He faked a laugh. An empty laugh, nervous.
"The council mustn't find me." Her voice was low and slow. For a girl her age and stature, she's way more terrifying. It was like her body was emanating dark aura that can consume them if only she willed for it. It was like the first time they met her at the Flynn Forest. Dangerous.
Then just like that, she stormed out of the house and tried to clear up her mind. At times like this, the two of them keep forgetting that she was still a girl.
****
The town people resumed to their usual activities as soon as the guards left. Still, the whispers and talks of the town bears the identity of no other than the dark cloaked thief.
Pio wanted to manipulate her to do whatever he desire. He keeps Kon and Roya in his grasp to tie Arkane with him. It's been weeks since Pio started collecting royal treasuries that Arkane started to have suspicions on what he desired.
Young as she was, still, her intellect is as sharp as the blades of the royal sword. She knew something's coming. And it's not good.
That was one thing, but the constant pain in her back was becoming more and more of a threat. Dreams about the dark archer seemed to be more aggressive than the previous months. It scared her. It is always her running on a steep at a cold winter and between life and death that she appears to hunt her. Like an animal, she hunted her every night and every time she has nowhere to go, the figure would try to shoot her with her arrows. And every time the arrows most likely pierce her skin, they disappear like her own skin dissolves them or it is easier to assume that her skin absorbs them.
At the time she woke up, she would be out of breath and panting, drenched with sweat yet she felt so cold. That's when the burning on her back begins and stays within few minutes. Arkane was scared. She was terrified. Then remembering the parchment that was pasted all over the city's walls in every nook and corner, which had a figure of the dark night on it, she realized something. The similarities were palpable. Definitely, on the eyes of other beings, if they had the chances of seeing the archer, those beings would conclude they were one and the same. That thought made her ebony figure to shiver
Her thoughts were snapped out of her mind as soon as she saw a man whom she realized was one of Pio's underlings. Time to steal the night again.
Darkness seemed to calm her nerves as she found her footing, leveling her feet against the walls of yet another manor. This one was quite the largest out of the previous manors she had entered so far. And it was rather more risky and dangerous for her. One, it was the nearest to the castle. Two, the guards were almost three times as many as the ones she'd encountered before. And three, these guards were more than average fighters. She could almost tell that they were Royal Guards if not for the emblem they had on their shoulders. A little proof that they were mere soldiers on duty guarding the highest official of the council which was obviously the advisor of the king himself. That was obviously why the defense of this manor was three times as large and/or strong. Arkane hadn't the slightest thought of hesitance since the life of yet again two people lies on her shoulders. She only had the information of whom she would steal from and what to steal. The locations and planning, as well as the time was all due to her own skills with the help of those two. She can't believe that a 13 years old turning 14 teenage girl like herself resort to such doings to save a rather old enough individuals to protect themselves. Yet again, she was stupid. Well, that was her thoughts.
She moved stealthily as possible. The lack of food and nourishment sure helped her a lot since she doesn't have to worry about making a sound such as a creak on the wooden floor perhaps to reveal her presence. This will be nothing but easy unlike the rest of the council. This manor was her last feat before earning the total freedom of the three of them. Then, she will no longer have to linger with the two fools that she pr It was possible that she will have to travel and explore the world until she finds a place where she truly belong. For all she knew she wasn't a Bannan, and neither a Swertian. Then what blood does run on her veins ? That was what she's going to find out.
She creep down silently as she opened a window where she found herself levered on a ledge. The night, as usual, was on her advantage seeming like it favored her. Glancing at the guards patrolling the area below hitched her breathe away from her. This wasn't good but it needs to be done nonetheless. A simple mistake could steal the lives of three people. Whether the plans of Pio affects the lives of the council or the king, himself, it doesn't matter to her. She doubted it would give her the slightest guilt considering she never had a nice experience with the royals and such. Nobles were no less. She had been hating them since the death of her family and the death of her village after.
Without a second thought, she slipped through the window the night casting a shield around her. This manor speaks grandiose with the staircase and the chandeliers. Portraits of different settings reigned over the walls, screaming elegance. Her heart was thumping loudly on her ears, yet her moves were certain and calculated. Anyone would assume that she was more than a simple thief or a simple child at that with intelligence and caution. All she had to do now is to search for Lancea's Keystone, whatever that is, and leave the manor to meet Pio's gang on a certain place.
Honestly, as she thought about it, the mere fact that the nobles houses such ridiculous treasure such as a box, which seemed ordinary and rusty, a stick with an incredulously large vines rotting with old age and would snap at a slight tap, a hammer with a broken handle, a necklace with a missing pendant, and now this, a keystone, was really laughable. The only thing she considered a real treasure was the sword, which had stones of green gems depicting the shape of a dragon on its hilt. She was basically putting her life and two others just to steal sticks and broken hammers and such.
But thinking twice, she doesn't believe they were deemed worthless if the fact that the council put the likely most capable guard to stand outside a room which basically contains ONLY just sticks was to be considered. Her instinct thinks otherwise. Furthermore, she wasn't considered as the infamous thief for nothing on such a young age.
Staring at the portraits with the familiar knowledge of the myths and legends, she knew she was seeing one in particular. It was war, and blood and betrayal. A picture of a dark lord holding the head of a man whom was unknown to her, yet felt a form of familiarity tugging at her skin. She shook her head to clear her mind with daze. Then cautiously lingered along walls, inspecting for a posible place to hide something valuable.
She almost hissed how the nobles had the luxury of having a manor that was likely to be compared to a palace when the streets had had children, women, and sick alike, left homeless and starving to death.
Midnight had passed, and dawn was crawling slowly. She had to move faster.
**
Another hour had passed. Twice, she had had a run in with a guard while doing the search. But then, while recovering for nearly getting caught, she noticed something odd with the door furthest from the hall she was in. There was light creeping down the space beneath the door itself. The light wasn't the simplest, for the colors changes within a few seconds. This was a first. The other treasures hadn't been illuminating when she found it. And with that, there was no one, not a single soul guarding this room. Which should be, if her calculations were right, the most valuable of all she had stolen. Basically, you save the best for the last. It was a silent rule. But then, who cares anyway. The important thing was to get the thing and be done with it. The faster, the better.
She opened the door and was surprised and awed at the same time. It was a key, a rather large and beautiful key which had five stones, or supposedly. There was one missing stone at the head of the key. "Keystone huh? Well, it's worth the effort this time." She told herself and took the keystone. But life seems more stranger than it was when she decides to care less. The keystone, as she touched it, called for her soul. It seemed happy, ecstatic even. Now that was weird. Thinking that a mere keystone is able to express emotions, was really weird if not scary. Out of the blue, the 'thing' seemingly read her thoughts, expels a light that felt like disappointed, sad, or... was that hurt ? Her brow creased with confusion. A slight hurt ran through her veins. She was lost on the radiance reflecting from the keystone.
And then, the worst came.
The guards are on a ruckus. She heard footsteps below her. Panic overwhelmed her, making her heart jump full speed. Her instinct took over, telling her to run. But the flight was delayed when her eyes settled on a shiny, brilliant and sharp object. Then she thought about the children of the streets. It would do. She concluded.
***
The key was still as bright as the sun. She was sure it was just a soft glow a few minutes ago. But her mind was focused on leaving the manor. Whatever commotion took up, it was giving her the chance of freedom. And she embraced it. She rounded corners and jumped ledges after ledges, one roof to another. Soon, she will be too far away when they will figure out the lost item.
She was five roofs away from the manor when she saw what the ruckus was about.
The guards were all over the manor, including outside its walls and the surrounding area. Five guards were dragging along two figures. Her eyes widen with the recognition. Her pulse stopped. She swore she was dead for a second. Then she gasped, losing her footing up against one roof. Then she was spotted.
"There was someone else among the roofs." A guard closest to her pointed.Cursing, she snapped out of it and run. "What was they doing!"
She silently screamed, gritting her teeth. She can't do anything now but to flee. Surely, she will come for them at later time. Killing was not a thing she would ever consider, but even if she resorted to such, it was far beyond her ability.
Dawn was coming and it's been hours but the pursuit was still as fast as before. Why hadn't she lost them yet. She was sure she tried all the alleys of the town, they keep coming. Also, she was becoming weary and tired. If she won't lose them for another hour, she swore they would catch her. And then it snapped. The keystone. It was as bright as ever. Again, she cursed. No wonder they kept her tracks. She better had to have a good idea.
"Would you just shut out your light? Please! Sleep if you must!" Even to her, it sounded ridiculous. Her irritation wear her patience out after she tried several tricks to hide the light but obviously unsuccessful. Her, talking to a keystone? What a laugh! But she was surprised when the light faded. She shouldn't be surprised anymore. But she did as the keystone seemed to understand her predicament.
It made her more curious.
***
Pio paced back and forth from where he stood. It was taking her longer than usual. The wrath of that bastard of a sorcerer, he had no plans to experience was coming closer and closer as time passed. He swore to kill her painfully if she ever failed.
"That witch better be here within an hour if she wished to live! I swore she would be begging for death to come if she happens to fail. Launcea be damned!" He keeps ranting for hours making his underlings rub on thier ears and growing creases between their brows. "Why on heavens is she out longer than usual? I will kill her myself!"
"Uhm.. well, you should kinda have to relax there!" One of the guys nervously chuckled humorless.
"You are practically repeating your words over and over that it simply made your underling's ears bleed. Their death would be rather laughable." His head perched up, searching for the source of voice.
"Show yourself, wench!" His patience was running out. His fist clenched.
"I'm here." Arkane showed out of nowhere, seeming like the shadow of the night just spit her out. Dangling on her fingers was the keystone, which was rather dormant at the moment.
Pio moved towards her but the fingers enclosed around the keystone. "I need your assurance that you'll give us freedom."
"Fine. Just hand the damn thing."
She was about to hand over the keystone when a thought crossed her mind. "Can I ask another thing?"
Pio contemplated for a moment before giving a nod."Help me get those two fools out of the dungeons." She said blankly. Her childish voice resembled age which surprised Pio at a certain point. She sounded resolute and determined.
"I can only offer information, nothing more."
"Fair enough." She dropped the keystone on his disgustingly rough hands.
She turned her back to plan for a rescue when another yet strange thing happened. A bright blue flame erupted from the keystone and the holder screamed. She was shocked to see the keystone burning as hell with blue flames. Not only that. It was afloat. For the love of Axíne, it was hanging on the air.
Her eyes traveleved to the man who was still screaming with pain. Shock filled her bones. Fear traveled through her skin. She staring at the horror his hands were. They were ashen. Eaten by flames. There was no blood but a burnt flesh. The stench made her gag. The fire were larger than before and it keeps growing. It was crying, calling for her. She pictured young Arkane begging for her mother not to leave. Not to die.
Her eyes softened at the realization. "Go back to sleep. I would come for you." She made her voice convincing and soft. Soothing the wild fire in front of her. She didn't miss the confusion on the faces of the people who are smart enough to back off from the key stone. Not only confusion but fear, and hesitance and awe alike. After a moment of silence, the keystone seemed to accept the deal and fell asleep.
Everybody froze as the keystone dropped on the ground.