...
Griffin was searching through the minister's room with a wide grin plastered on his face when he suddenly heard the doorknob turn. He guessed it was Kai.
Turning to look at the door, he was startled as a burst of purple powder erupted before him, resembling a cosmic explosion.
In an instant, his vision transformed into a vibrant purple, and he found himself seeing through the door. As it swung open, he caught a glimpse of the figure on the other side before the door could fully open and realised, to his surprise, that it wasn't Kai.
Quickly, Griffin darted to hide behind the door as it swung open. The figure stepped inside without closing the door, allowing Griffin to remain hidden. As she ventured further into the room, he slowly crept out. However, a slight misstep caused a sound: Creak!
The young woman immediately turned towards the door but saw no one there. Griffin had swiftly pressed himself against the wall, shivering and panicking, his breath coming in heavy pants.
Oh no, am I going to get caught? Who is that? Perhaps, the youngest daughter....? Was she really home studying as supposed? Multiple questions raced through Griffin's mind. His vision had cleared instantly, and he could now see clearly.
The young woman slowly approached the door with a curious gaze, taking one cautious step after another. Her hands trembled slightly as she neared the entrance. Suddenly, she jumped outside, her eyes wide with fear as she scanned the wall.
Seeing nothing there, she muttered to herself, "Uhh, a ghost...? It can't be. Stuff like that can't possibly exist." Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she turned and went back into the room, closing the door behind her.
Meanwhile, Griffin found himself in the hallway; he had teleported there after vividly recalling a painting, appearing right in front of it. His gaze swept around the corridor in panic, searching for Kai or anyone from the team.
Suddenly, the door to the Master's suite swished open slowly, and a figure stepped out, carefully closing it behind them.
"Kai..." Griffin mused, running over to the person who had just emerged.
"Oh, biscuits! You didn't get caught? How?"
I'm confused, why did that sound like he wanted me to get caught..? Wait a minute, was he planning on trashing me out? Griffin stared at Kai as soon as he asked the "concerning" question, a look of suspicion washing over his face.
Kai shook his head abruptly. "Listen, we don't have a minute to waste lurking around here…" Without waiting for a reply, he began running down the hallway. Griffin followed closely behind. The two of them were headed towards the Minister's study to alert Aria about the extra person in the mansion.
Kai didn't know who it was, as he hadn't seen the face, nor could Griffin confirm it since he had never seen any of the Minister's family members, including the Minister himself. His only guess was that she could perhaps be the Minister's daughter, judging by the elegance he had caught a glimpse of.
...
Inside the wine cellar.
Rayden and Liam carefully studied the lock, trying to figure out a way to cut it open neatly without making a noise.
The wine cellar yielded nothing; no lock picks, crowbars, or anything remotely resembling a suitable tool for breaching a vault's lock were found. Frustration etched itself onto Rayden's brow.
Drip! Drip! Drip!
He sighed, the sound barely audible above the drip, drip, drip of condensation from a distant leaky pipe in the celling above. His gaze returned to the perfectly formed sphere of grey rock resting on the cold ground.
Liam looked at the celling with disappointment as he shook his head. "This mansion needs a thorough renovation, I mean a good renovation.."
Rayden didn't bother to reply to Liam, he studied the rock carefully.
He traced its smooth surface with a fingertip, his mind already working. The rock, still faintly warm from its creation, pulsed subtly in his hand. He focused his earth magic, the same way that he'd sculpted it from the wall, but now repurposing it. The rock began to change, not violently, but with a controlled, almost fluid grace.
The initially spherical form elongated, the dense grey matter shifting and reshaping under Rayden's will. Microscopic particles rearranged themselves, responding to the subtle manipulations of his magic. The smooth surface became subtly textured, as if grains of sand were being compressed and reformed. The once perfectly round shape stretched and compacted, solidifying into a roughly oblong form, thicker at one end. A subtle concavity formed at the thicker end, a natural grip developing where his fingers were intuitively guiding the transformation. The overall effect was of a surprisingly well-balanced, makeshift hammer, dense enough to deliver considerable force, yet still maneuverable.
The process took mere moments, and when completed, the rock-hammer sat in his palm, perfectly balanced. The hammer felt solid and reassuring in his grip, its weight was a comfortable reassurance in the face of the task ahead.
"Shall we get started?" Rayden asked with a smirk, not expecting a reply. Liam was undeniably amazed, his eyes studied the makeshift hammer.
Rayden held the rock-hammer delicately, his movements were precise. He positioned the hammer's thicker end against the shackle of the padlock. The goal wasn't brute force; a sudden, heavy blow risked a loud clang. Instead, he aimed for a series of controlled, precisely placed impacts.
His first strike was light, a gentle tap to test the metal's resilience and feel the balance of his improvised tool. The sound was barely audible, a soft thunk swallowed by the constant drip of the leaky pipe. The second strike was slightly harder, a controlled percussion that resonated more deeply through the rock-hammer and into his hand. With each subsequent blow, Rayden increased the force incrementally, carefully feeling the resistance of the metal.
He continued methodically, focusing on the same point on the shackle, gradually wearing away at the metal. The rock began to leave marks on the lock. Tiny, almost invisible scratches appeared at the point of impact, then gradually deepened into grooves. The sound remained subdued, a series of muted thuds, each strike was perfectly sent on the padlock. Rayden went on slowly..
Liam watched, mesmerized. The padlock was slowly succumbing, showing the results of Rayden's meticulous impact. After several minutes of this controlled hammering, the shackle finally gave way. A faint snap, barely louder than a sigh, was the only sound preceding the padlock falling open. The vault door was now accessible.
"Finally!" Liam subconsciously exclaimed in a loud voice. Rayden playfully directed the hammer towards his head, jokingly threatening to crack it open. Liam raised his hands to cover his head and chuckled.
"Dumbass…" Rayden whispered.
Liam was about to open the vault when Rayden halted him. "Hey, hey. You mustn't tell Aria or anyone about my ability, promise?" Liam inhaled sharply, a hand over his face.
"Mate, you know we've been keeping this for a year now. You awakened your memories earlier than most people, at 15! And yet from then till now, you've only been able to acquire one memory fragment, which is the earth absorbing and formation skill. So when I figured it out, you told me to keep my 'river' mouth shut, and so I did. You literally don't need to remind me."
All abilities weren't just awakened suddenly; they didn't start shooting fireballs out of their hands without energy or even knowing how to use that energy and convert it into magic. All abilities came as memories, just like Griffin's. However, each person has different abilities, and one can't possess another person's ability or even awaken it as a memory. Some are unfortunate enough to awaken only one memory fragment forever, while others take a long time to awaken their remaining fragments.
Rayden's type is unknown at this point; it's not confirmed if he will only awaken one forever or take a long time to awaken the others, and the same goes for Griffin. Some fully awaken all aspects of their abilities, and as for ranking in magical strength, there is none known to them, as this was never publicised, whether it exists or not. So, everyone just has an ability and must train how to further use it, even after obtaining the steps to activate it; that never meant they have obtained the full potential of what that single ability holds.
As known, all magical powers have their side effects when overused. But Griffin is a different breed from them all; he's both non-awakened and awakened at the same time. He's the rarest but also the most common to be seen. His skills are unmatched and unheard of, yet his ability is also the most defeatable. In short, he became a complex being after the awakening.
Slowly, slowly, slowly, as his father always repeated, all will be revealed, and when it shall be... the end will be known to some, and the beginning will be forgotten by all.
Rayden nodded in response to Liam's understanding and gave him the go-ahead to open the vault.
Upon opening the vault, they found 200,000 Gilas stocked up to the brim of a cavernous pit. The coins were meticulously arranged, layer upon layer, descending into a roughly cylindrical hole perhaps fifteen feet across and ten feet deep. The sheer volume of money was breathtaking – a shimmering, metallic ocean filling the pit to its very edges.
Rayden and Liam's eyes shone with an almost feverish enlightenment. They were speechless, utterly captivated. Subconsciously, their gazes remained glued to the glistening mass, while their hands, as if guided by an unseen force, moved to their bags, unzipping them. Then, just as automatically, they began to scoop armfuls of the Gilas, carefully transferring 50,000 coins each into the other's bag. They acted like automatons, their bodies moving without conscious control – this was the mesmerizing, irresistible power of money itself.
The love of money is the root of all evil, but money itself is the root of all convenience. [1]
Suddenly, a husky voice echoed behind them, snapping the two back to reality.
"Thieves... in the Minister's mansion? Thieves! Filthy thieves!!!"
The two of them turned around hastily, but not after closing up their bags and slinging them onto their shoulders with a frightened expression. Looking at the lousy figure, the guard's eyes, bloodshot and narrowed to slits, were like chips of flint, burning with a furious, animalistic intensity. His gaze was fierce and unforgiving. It was a look that spoke of years spent enforcing the "harsh laws", sorry, lousy noise of the Upper District, a look that chilled Liam and Rayden to the bone. He held a full loaded handvolve, aiming at them.
"You filthy things from the Lower District! Thieves!" The guard kept shouting at the top of his voice.
Liam and Rayden raised their hands in the air instantly, sweat breaking from their brows. Suddenly, Liam sighed, hiding his fears and summoning courage. He stared at the guard and began. Rayden became confused as to where Liam had suddenly found the courage.
Is this the power of being so daft? That bloke [2] is literally holding a fully loaded gun. Well, maybe, but still...
Liam said in a shifty voice, bold and outspoken, "Father!"
"What?!" Rayden blurted out in unison with the guard.
"I mean, sir, you know what we... never mind. Hey Rayden, let's make a run for it." He turned to Rayden with a serious expression.
Rayden stared at him, speechless and out of curses. He replied, while the guard also became confused; they weren't acting like thieves who had been caught but rather as if they were in a play. The courage and outspokenness were uncanny.
"How could we run past someone standing at the escape route with a heavily armed gun? We can't just dig the ground, whereas..." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I can't use my ability to escape; I have a limit, you know. And you haven't awakened any memories—maybe those of watching a girl undress four years ago, but not the skills part."
"Mate, we could just murder the bloke and tie his body to the shelves. Maybe even add the gun in his hands to our collection. Also, he's seen our faces, so that's the only option—murder!" replied Liam, his eyes dramatically turning fierce red with murderous intent.
Rayden gave a long stare, his head drawn back and his mouth agape. "Okay, your mental health and aggressive thinking are quite concerning and need attention. I knew people like you go mad in the end, but not this way, and also being daft at the same time..."
The guard yelled in frustration, tired of their antics. He clicked the gun and placed a finger on the trigger, about to shoot. "Enough of your charades! You filthy things!"
Liam and Rayden sighed deeply and rushed towards the man before he could fire. Rayden picked up the makeshift hammer, dissolved it into dust, and threw it at the man's eyes, temporarily blinding him.
The guard recoiled violently, his hands scrambling at his face. A choked yell of pain and outrage ripped from his throat, followed by the heavy thud of his body hitting the polished floor as he lost his footing. His face contorted in agony as he writhed, fingers digging into the gritty dust clinging to his eyelids.
Liam gave a hard kick to the man's hand, knocking the gun from his grasp. Rayden instantly picked it up and dashed outside with Liam as the man fell to the ground, holding his eyes. The two ran fast up the stairs, skidding across the ground, panting heavily with fear as they raced through the hallway.
"See, we have the gun in hand without having to kill the ram head!" Rayden said as they ran faster.
Thud! Thud! Thud! (Heavy and multiple approaching footsteps)
Suddenly, from the left route up ahead, they heard multiple footsteps approaching quickly, accompanied by a cacophony of noises reminiscent of the man. They instantly turned around, flailing their arms in the air as they ran back.
They dashed past the stairs, where the first guard was already regaining his composure, and into the second entrance. The house proved to be quite large, despite its outer "L" shape, with so many turns that it could easily confuse anyone unfamiliar with the layout.
Taking the second turn, they immediately thought of running to the Minister's study to meet up with Aria and Eleanor in order to alert them that they had been exposed.
....
The Minister's Study
"Oh, I've found it!" Eleanor exclaimed, excited with a smile. Aria rushed to her side, dusting her black leather gloves and wearing it back.
Eleanor pulled a three-drawer unit away from the wall, revealing a small, flat iron vault flush with the masonry. The vault was dark grey, scratched, and rusty, its plates held together by numerous brass rivets.
Securing it was a steam-powered padlock: a complex, miniature mechanism made of brass and copper. Steam fed through hidden pipes within the wall, building up pressure inside the lock. This pressure forced a series of internal plungers and levers into place, creating an extremely strong, almost unyielding fastening.
To open it, the pressure would need to be carefully released via a precisely manipulated valve – likely requiring a key or specific combination; otherwise, forcing it risked damaging the delicate internal workings or even causing a potentially dangerous pressure release.
Minister Thorne's study was lit by gas lamps, casting long shadows across the room. A large mahogany desk, cluttered with papers and half-finished contraptions, dominated the space. Books lined the walls, their spines were worn and faded.
A window overlooking a street was partially obscured by heavy velvet curtains. A worn leather armchair sat beside a cold, empty fireplace. Copper pipes, some visible and others were discreetly concealed within the woodwork, snaked along the ceiling and walls, feeding steam to various devices – including a self-inking pen and a small automaton polishing a brass inkwell.
The air was thick with the scents of old paper and leather.
Aria's breath hitched. A swirling, cobalt blue smoke coalesced around her arm, snaking upwards to pool in her hands. It intensified, growing denser and brighter, forming a sphere of concentrated energy, like a miniature cannonball. Her gaze was fixed intently on the vault.
Eleanor stepped back, her eyes wide, witnessing the pressure building in Aria's hands. "She's pushing it to the absolute limit," she muttered, a knot of fear tightening in her stomach. "A serious side effect could occur if she continues..."
She opened her mouth to intervene, to stop Aria, but the words caught in her throat. With a fierce exhalation, Aria unleashed the blue, ferocious smoke at the vault. The concentrated energy slammed into the lock with a deafening CRACK!
The impact resonated through the room, shaking the very foundations. The steam-powered mechanism shrieked in protest as the blue smoke began to eat away at the vault's iron plates. Astonishingly, the escaping steam wasn't dissipating; it was being drawn back into Aria's palm, absorbed, seemingly fueling the assault on the vault. A heavy, guttural groan emanated from the vault as it began to tear apart.
"What? She obtained a new memory?" Eleanor gasped, her voice strained. "Did she… did she just absorb the steam? And enhance her power? Won't that… won't that have a terrible side effect if she pushes it further?" Fear laced her voice. Eleanor remained rooted to the spot, watching in horrified fascination.
I shouldn't have let her do this, Eleanor thought, panic seizing her. The blue light intensified, illuminating the entire room, spilling out through the window and seeping under the study door.
Aria gasped again, her breathing becoming shallow, ragged, as if she were drowning.
"I can't stop!" she choked out, her voice was audible above the booming sound. "No! No! We need those gears. Master told me… three years ago… 'they're gears and admirable tools hidden amongst this corrupted officials. You can obtain them if you work hard.' He said I should do that… I want them, right....?" The last words trailed off as the memory of her vanished mentor faded.
Eleanor's heart hammered against her ribs. A wave of desperate protectiveness washed over her, eclipsing her fear. This wasn't just about a vault anymore; it was about Aria's life. Terror and anguish warred within her. She had to act. "Aria! Stop!" she screamed, her voice became raw with panic. "You'll hurt yourself! You might die! Are you crazy? Stop! Now!"
Aria's reply was a hoarse whisper. "That… that can't be possible… can it? This is my goal… I must achieve it… so I… I should…" Her voice faded into a pained sigh. The blue light pulsed erratically, threatening to consume her entirely.
Griffin and Kai, now very close to the study, noticed the blue light seeping from beneath the door.
Aria's magic? She's overusing it; that's dangerous! Kai thought as he rushed towards the study in a panic, leaving Griffin bewildered. He followed closely as Kai barged through the door with raw strength.
Eleanor turned her anxious gaze towards him, panic evident in her eyes. Kai stared at her for a moment before shifting his focus back to Aria, his legs resisting the urge to move forward. His eyes dropped below him, filled with fear and devoid of words, even the simplest command like "Stop."
Griffin stepped in, surprisingly finding that he was not as frightened as he had expected. He assessed Aria.
"First: We need to get out of here! And Aria, snap out of it! I can't afford to be caught, you idiotic airhead. Being overambitious will destroy you!"
Griffin moved towards Aria, her eyes already clouded in blue. Her hair, a bright blue, swayed like a river. He found it increasingly difficult to advance, as if a force repelled him, but he pressed on, determined to avoid capture.
"Let me tell you something," he said, his voice strained. "I can't go down now, not when I've just begun to build my life, escaping the shadows. Your crazy master has warped your mind, setting impossible goals, brainwashing you, and now you're about to be destroyed. Honestly, I don't care about you... I only care about me – not getting caught. My life, my future, matters. Complete your goal later, not now, while we're exposed." He pushed himself forward, surprising Kai and Eleanor.
Eleanor's voice trembled. "If you go any closer, you might be caught up and obliterated!"
"I don't give a dang!" he retorted. "My life won't end for someone's idiotic pursuit of a goal. You think I don't have goals? I do let the world burn if I couldn't achieve mine! But If you die trying to achieve your goal, leaving it incomplete, what's the point? Nothing! Abandon it, plan better, and then come back. If it's still not worth it, then leave it!"
Kai and Eleanor were stunned into silence, their faces falling in self-reproach.
Griffin reached Aria, extending a hand and slapping her hard across the back. Aria turned, emotionless.
"Hey, it's gender equality, so yes, I can hit you. Whatever, that's not the point; the point is, we're exposed. Abandon your goal."
Instantly, Rayden and Liam rushed into the room, panting like dogs that went on a marathon. They creeped their heads out of the room, not paying attention to the current occurrence inside, as they checked for the guards. Unfortunately, they were already approaching. The two of them rapidly shot the door close with their backs turned on it as panic washed over their face.
"So, here's the deal.... wait, what's happening? Whatever, we've been exposed, and now surrounded by fully armed guards..." Before Rayden could finish the report...
BOOGGGG!
A monstrous bell tolled, a deep, resonant sound that shook the very foundations of the building. The sound, a raw, urgent alarm, clawed at their eardrums, announcing impending chaos. This gave Griffin his chance. He scooped up the collapsing Aria, her slight weight surprising in his arms. Exhaustion had drained the color from her face. He snapped his fingers three times before her eyes.
"No time for weakness, princess," he growled, his voice low and urgent. "You got us into this; you get us out."
A defiant smirk curved her lips. "Weak? Who says I'm weak?" She pushed off him, landing with surprising agility, her posture instantly sharp and alert. "Your encouragement helped. And yes, we're doomed, but not now. I'm still breaking that vault—"
Griffin's eyes widened as she paused, the unfinished sentence hanging heavy in the air. He raised a hand, ready to protest, but she pressed on, glancing at the vault's significantly dented steel.
"But not now, later." Three more minutes, and the vault would have been breached. She abandoned the immediate plan, her mind already strategizing. All their escape routes were blocked; only one desperate option remained.
The guards hammered on the door, their rhythmic pounding escalating into a frantic assault. The click-click of their gun hammers punctuated the attack, their weapons trained and ready to unleash a deadly barrage. Rayden and Liam pressed themselves against the flimsy, non-bulletproof door, silently praying the guards wouldn't fire.
Eleanor and Kai, regaining their composure, looked towards the window overlooking the bustling Upper District street. Citizens hurried past; some heading to market, others closing shops early for the upcoming worship day, while a few made their way to the nearby bars.
Aria, her leadership reasserted, barked orders. "We jump, we separate! Find your own way, and we meet up back in the Lower District!"
[1] The phrase "The love of money is the root of all evil" is a well-known biblical quotation from the New Testament, specifically from 1 Timothy 6:10. The verse states:
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."
As for "money itself is the root of all convenience," this specific phrasing does not have a widely recognized attribution and is a modern paraphrase rather than a direct quote from a notable figure.
[2] The term "bloke" is a colloquial British and Australian term that refers to a man or guy. It's often used in informal contexts.
•Usage: Commonly used in casual conversation.
•Synonyms: Guy, fellow, dude.
•Example: "He's a nice bloke."