Long story short, the team was divided into three groups, one who would go inside and do the stealing, the second support, and the third information. As obvious as it can be only Aricen and Casey were fit to be on the first team. Merl didn't bother changing his form and slyly went into the support group and of course, the Mistress people having connections better than people on LinkedIn, were in group three.
Casey and Aricen didn't have much time to curse their luck. They found themselves cornered in a deserted hallway, with the sound of footsteps approaching fast.
With a loud scream, Casey threw herself down on top of his mop and bucket, deliberately sprawling in the inevitable puddle of dirty water. She also managed to crack her shin on the side of the bucket, which brought genuine tears to her eyes.
"What are you doing?" Aricen shouted in a whisper.
Seconds later, two senior boys appeared around the corner in nightshirts and slippers. Far too awake to have only just risen from sleep, they had probably been busy with some illicit hobby or other.
"Where's the thief?" the dark-haired one shouted.
"There they are!" the blonde one declared, pointing a finger at Casey and Aricen.
"Don't be stupid, they are one of the servants," the dark one said, demonstrating the advantage of stealing books while dressed as a servant.
"You! The dirty one, where's the thief?"
Casey pointed a shaking hand in the direction of the open window. It chose that moment to swing conveniently in the rising wind. "He- he knocked me down-"
"What's this?" One of the masters had arrived on the scene. Fully dressed and trailing a drift of tobacco smoke, he cleared a path through the gathering mob of junior kids with a few snaps of his fingers. "Has one of you set off the alarm?"
"No sir!" the blonde senior said quickly. "I suspect these servants even though they are saying the thief went out through the window!"
The master's gaze shifted to them. "You, siblings!"
Casey hastily dragged herself to her feet, leaning artistically on the mop, and pushing back a struggle of hair strands on her forehead. She was looking forward to being out of this place so she could have a hot shower. "Yes, sir?" they said in unison. The book in her hidden pocket was pressed against his legs.
The master said nothing, moving towards them slowly his eyes scrunched.
Aricen spoke up worriedly. "Sir, we were just doing our job. We were cleaning the hallway when those senior boys came running in, shouting about a thief." His face screamed 'nervous'.
Casey grumbled as he bit his lip. "Now, I know why you always roam around alone."
The master scrutinized them skeptically, but before he could utter a word, Casey stepped forward, tapping into her dark energy reserves. Shadows swirled around her fingertips as she set her sights on a nearby bookcase within the room. With a deft, controlled motion, she sent it hurtling toward the master, who narrowly evaded the unexpected projectile.
The diversion served as a golden opportunity for Aricen to flawlessly employ his arcane magic. He intertwined his hands and initiated an incantation, the arcane symbols manifesting as a shimmering aura around him.
Swiftly and unexpectedly, he redirected his magical energy towards the floor, generating dark lightning that coursed through his fingertips. In a hushed tone, he uttered, "Dark Tempest."
In an instant, the room erupted into a whirlwind of shadowy tempests and crackling lightning. The master and his underlings found themselves ensnared in the maelstrom's disarray, battling to keep their balance as they floundered amid the chaotic storm.
The fusion of illusion and arcane magic birthed a dazzling spectacle of pandemonium and befuddlement, leaving the master and his accomplices in a state of bewilderment and susceptibility.
"Shit" the boys cursed echoing through the hallway.
"STOP.RIGHT.THERE!" The master roared as he struggled to keep his balance.
Casey and Aricen didn't miss their opportunity to bolt down the stairs.
"Stop them!" the master bellowed, his voice echoing even in their ears.
Casey wasn't one to be deterred. They reached the ground floor and burst out into the hallway. Casey and Aricen's footsteps echoed off the polished marble floors as they tore through the darkened hallway. The master's goons were hot on their heels. They could see the whole gang of students trying to stop them from all directions.
The dim glow of the moon filtered in through tall, arched windows that lined the walls, casting eerie shadows across their faces. The air was thick with the musty scent of old books, mingled with the acrid tang of fear. A row of grandiose oak doors marked the entrances to various classrooms, their brass handles gleaming dully in the dim light.
Their eyes are searching for an escape route.
The distant sounds of their pursuers' heavy footsteps and laboured breathing mingled with the frenetic pounding of their own hearts, creating a cacophonous symphony that reverberated through the silent space.
Aricen tapped into his expertise in illusion magic and arcane manipulation, conjuring up a vivid illusion of a menacing elemental entity. With a deft flick of his fingers, he sent the illusion charging toward the boys attempting to block their path.
"Look out!" Casey's warning rang through the air as she gracefully sidestepped into her reserves of dark energy and summoned crackling bolts of lightning. With precise control, she intercepted the incoming magical assaults, channelling them into the ground and dispersing them harmlessly.
The boys, momentarily disoriented by the unexpected turn of events, stumbled backwards, creating an opening for Casey and Aricen to rush past them and toward the grand staircase.
Descending the stairs was now out of the question. The echoing thuds of heavy footsteps drew nearer and nearer, a clear indication that palace guards were closing in on them from below.
"We need to turn back," Aricen exclaimed.
"Too late!" Casey pointed out, nodding towards the hallway.
In the heart of the tense standoff, the students and their master closed in, a formidable force bearing down on Aricen and Casey. Aricen's eyes blazed with determination, his brow furrowed in concentration. With a lightning-quick motion, he delved deep into his magical prowess.
Suddenly, the air around them crackled and wavered. Aricen's fingers danced with energy as illusions erupted forth, weaving an enthralling web of deception. Their approaching adversaries were instantly ensnared in a mesmerizing realm of illusion, a twisting maze filled with bewildering apparitions that played tricks on their senses. The master and his followers stumbled and flailed, lost in a nightmarish labyrinth that defied all reason.
Casey, her dark energy surging like a raging tempest, "come out dark flame", seized the moment to amplify her power. She beckoned the shadows to her command, cloaking herself in an eerie, light-absorbing darkness. With a flick of her fingers, bolts of electric-blue lightning arced toward the disoriented foes, charging the air with an electric frenzy.
Aricen maintained his focus on the illusion, making it more vivid and perplexing with each passing moment. As the master attempted to break free, his fingers cracked with arcane energy. He unleashed a powerful spell, attempting to dispel the illusion with a burst of pure arcane force. But the illusions held firm and the master's spell fizzled into nothingness, leaving him frustrated and vulnerable.
Casey, her laughter suppressed by the intensity of the battle, taunted the master from the shadows. "Maybe you should stick to fortune-telling," she quipped, her dark energy swirling around her like a tempest, as she nimbly dodged a bolt of arcane magic that narrowly missed her head.
"Give up, you both! It's your best option!" Master shouted, raising his hand as a signal for his students to halt.
Casey cracked her knuckles, preparing for a fight, but deep down, she knew their chances were slim.
"Casey, NO!" Aricen cried out, grabbing her arm, desperate to prevent her from charging ahead.
"I'm not the one who tried to weave a web of deception in front of an old man who breathes fire," she teased, a smirk playing on her lips. "Time to switch to Plan B!"
"What's that about?"
Casey firmly grasped Aricen's hand and, without hesitation, dashed towards the window, pulling him along with her. "Sometimes you've got to make bold moves," she muttered, smashing through the glass and leaping into the open air.
Aricen's terrified scream was carried away by the rushing wind as they plummeted towards the ground. "I'll get you back in the next lifetime, CAAASSEEEYYYYYYY!" he bellowed, his voice filled with a mix of panic and exasperation.
The sound of spells whizzing past them served as a stark reminder of the danger they were in. Casey swiftly tapped into her dark energy, lifting the shattered glass shards, and sending them hurtling towards the master and his group of students.
"Here's a taste of your own medicine, you bunch of wannabe sorcerers!" Casey exclaimed. Her face lit up with a mischievous grin, as the glass shards streaked towards their adversaries, carrying with them the power of illusions and arcane energy.