Silas and the fiery-haired kid hustled down the hallway, their footsteps echoing on the polished, waxed wooden floor. They soon reached the door of one of the dorm rooms, the number "207" etched into a brass plate affixed to it. The door, however, stood firmly locked, its surface bearing intricate steampunk designs that hinted at the technology safeguarding the room.
The kid, looking both anxious and determined, glanced at Silas, panting from their hurried journey. "This is the place, but it's locked," he explained, his fiery and golden eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and desperation. The surrounding corridor remained empty, giving them a moment to contemplate their next move.
"There's a dorm mom, right? What happens if she catches us?" Silas quickly asked.
"Man, don't be a pussy. If she comes, just run. She's slow as fuck anyway."
'What a mouth on this kid… anyways, I'll just jump out the window again if we get caught. If he really can give me anything then beating up a few other kids isn't so bad in exchange.'
BANG BANG BANG
The fiery-haired boy wasted no time and began to bang on the door of room 207 with an urgency that matched his fiery hair. The rhythmic pounding echoed through the hallway, resounding like a plea for attention. He shouted, "Hey, open up! It's an emergency!"
However, there was no immediate response from within the dorm room. The corridor remained silent, save for the distant echoes of their hurried arrival. The door remained locked and unyielding, leaving them standing in anxious anticipation, wondering what they should do next.
"Like they're gonna fall for that…" Silas clicked his tongue before covering the peephole with his finger and then grabbing the door knob. "Hey, you have magic, right? Burn this knob and we can unlock it from the inside."
"How'd you know…"
Silas glanced at the boy's hair and unique eyes before saying, "Intuition."
The boy eyed him back, sussing him for only a split second before touching the knob with a single finger. "Alright, whatever."
The boy's finger extended to touch the doorknob, but as he made contact, something extraordinary happened. His finger opened up like a complex piece of steampunk machinery, revealing a network of intricate gears, cogs, and pistons hidden beneath his skin. The mechanical components within his finger came to life with a soft, rhythmic hum, and they began to move with precision.
As the boy's transformed finger interacted with the doorknob, the gears and pistons engaged with the metal surface. Heat radiated from the mechanics as they started to melt the knob. The transformation was a mesmerizing blend of both magic and mechanical ingenuity, and it unfolded with an almost hypnotic quality.
Silas watched in awe as the doorknob began to warp and drip, slowly turning into a molten puddle. The combination of magic and steampunk mechanics made quick work of the stubborn lock, essentially opening up the inner mechanism for Silas to easily access.
So, with the molten doorknob now soft and pliable, Silas took advantage of the situation. He slipped his hand into the open hole in the door where the knob used to be, feeling around until he found a lever concealed within the mechanism. With a quick flick, he activated the lever, and there was an instant, satisfying click.
The door was now unlocked, and Silas pushed it open, allowing them access to the room beyond. His quick thinking and dexterity, combined with the boy's unique abilities, had provided them with a successful entry, and they were ready to crack open some skulls.
"What the fuck!"
He's through"!"
"Get him!" A boy at the back shouted who Silas assumed was the ringleader of this circus act. Seeing how the room wasn't so different compared to his, he easily maneuvered the space and slipped past a few weak and powerless attacks at the mercy of his Steelon Eyes.
As the enraged group of students closed in, their fists flying in an attempt to subdue Silas, he remained calm and agile. With a swift and calculated movement, he pivoted and delivered a powerful knee strike to the temple of the boy at the back, causing him to crumple to the ground, unconscious.
But when Silas glanced back to assess the situation, he was met with a surprising sight. The fiery-haired kid had swiftly taken care of the others. Although he appeared a bit bruised up, he had singlehandedly taken care of the other four students who now lay unconscious around the room.
Silas couldn't help but be impressed by the fiery kid's display of power. The two of them had effectively thwarted the attack, and it seemed that they now had a shared understanding of each other's abilities and strengths… but as planned, Silas knew much more about the boy than the boy knew about him.
"Alright, search them for a shard with black spirals."
Silas and the fiery-haired kid quickly began to search each of the unconscious students, meticulously rummaging through their steampunk attire. The goal was clear: to find a glass shard with distinctive black spirals etched onto it.
After a thorough search, they finally found what they were looking for. Tucked away in one of the assailant's pockets, they discovered a glass shard that indeed had the black spirals etched into its surface. It seemed that this mysterious shard was the source of the conflict, and now they had it in their possession.
Silas held the shard up, examining it closely, while the fiery kid's eyes lingered on it with a mix of curiosity and caution. It was evident that this small piece of glass held some significance to him.
"Alright, give it to me," The boy demanded.
Silas's eyes roamed towards the boy, a small smile lingering on his face. "Give me what I want, and then I'll give it to you."
"I'm a man of my-"
"Don't tell me you're a man of your word. You're a kid and I don't trust sly little brats like you. So first of all, tell me what this is, and second of all, get me an Air Glyphstone."
"You bastard!" The boy screamed before making a charge until he saw Silas stick the glass shard and his hand out the window, hovering over the endless void. "You won't drop it."
"What? You think I'm bluffing?"