Alex was in a whirlwind of learning and strange coincidences. Kaela's appearance had been brief but intriguing, and although Selene was somewhat leery, Alex couldn't help but think that the young woman had made an impression.
On the other hand, the training continued. Selene was not a lenient teacher; she expected quick results and made sure that every mistake was corrected on the spot. But Alex was learning.
"Focus," Selene ordered for the third time that afternoon, as Alex tried to project a magic shield in front of him.
Alex gritted his teeth, muttering the words he had learned and focusing his energy. A faint blue barrier appeared in front of him, although it was blinking as if it could vanish at any moment.
"Better," Selene said, though her tone was more critical than complimentary. "But he's still weak. How much have you practiced on your own?"
"Last night, after returning to the inn," Alex replied, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "It wasn't much, though. I was exhausted."
"That's no excuse. If you can't master the basics, you won't survive a day outside these walls."
Before Alex could respond, they heard a soft round of applause.
"Well, well. What an entertaining show," a familiar voice said.
Alex turned and saw Kaela, leaning nonchalantly against a nearby wall.
"You again? Selene asked, frowning.
Kaela smiled broadly. "I couldn't resist. It's fascinating to see how beginners struggle to shape their magic."
Alex sighed. "Did you come just to make fun or do you have a reason?"
"A little bit of both," Kaela replied with a laugh. "But seriously, I was wondering if you'd be interested in a little job."
Kaela came closer, her movements fluid and confident. "There is a warehouse in the southern district that is kept by some not very friendly guys. It is said that they store illegal goods. If only someone could... inspect it, you might find interesting things. Maybe even something of value."
Alex blinked. "Are you asking me to steal?"
"Not exactly. I'm asking you to explore. If you find something, great. If not, at least you get some experience in infiltration."
Selene crossed her arms. "This sounds like a terrible idea. You have no experience and you could get into serious trouble."
"That's why he won't go alone!"Kaela exclaimed, smiling. "I'll be there to guide him."
Alex looked at both women, feeling the weight of the decision. On the one hand, I knew Selene was right. But on the other hand, Kaela's offer seemed like an opportunity to put what he was learning into practice and, perhaps, gain some self-confidence.
"It's okay," he finally said. "I will."
"What?"Selene looked at him incredulously.
"Don't worry," Alex assured. "I'm going to be careful. Also, I need to learn how to handle real situations."
Selene sighed. "Fine, but if something goes wrong, don't expect me to rescue you."
Kaela smiled. "Perfect. I'll pick you up at the inn tonight. Get ready for a little adventure."
That night, Kaela appeared as promised, dressed in dark clothes that helped her blend into the shadows.
"Are you ready for this?"he asked as Alex adjusted his belt with his dagger.
"No, but here I am," he replied with a nervous smile.
"Good spirit," Kaela commented before leading them towards the southern district.
The warehouse was a large, poorly lit building, with guards patrolling the surroundings. Kaela pointed to an open window on the second floor.
"That's the way we'll go in. Follow me and keep the noise to a minimum."
With surprising agility, Kaela climbed over a pile of boxes to the window. Alex followed her, although much more awkwardly, and came close to slipping on a couple of occasions.
Inside, the warehouse was full of boxes and barrels, many of them marked with strange symbols.
"Look for something interesting," Kaela whispered. "But don't touch anything you don't understand."
Alex nodded and started exploring. He activated his Property Panel ability to analyze the contents of nearby boxes.
Analyzed Box:
Content: Pieces of reinforced armor.
Origin: Smuggling from the Kingdom of Fjarnholm.
Value: High.
"This is illegal, definitely," Alex muttered.
"What did you find?"Kaela asked, approaching him.
"Reinforced armor. Probably stolen or smuggled in."
Kaela frowned. "Interesting, but it's not what we're looking for."
While they were still searching, Alex heard footsteps approaching. "Kaela, someone is coming!"
Kaela took him by the arm and guided him towards a dark corner. A couple of guards walked by, chatting quietly.
"We should get out of here," Alex whispered, his heart pounding.
"Not so fast," Kaela replied, pointing to a box on the other side of the room. "There's our prize."
Alex sighed, but he followed her. Together, they managed to open the box, revealing a set of magic scrolls.
Object Discovered:
Minor Invocation Scrolls
Use: Allows to summon elemental creatures for 5 minutes.
"This is indeed interesting," Kaela said, taking one of the scrolls. "Come on, we've had enough."
As they were trying to get out, one of the guards saw them. "Intruders!"he shouted, alerting the others.
"Run!"exclaimed Kaela, taking the lead.
Alex followed her, but a guard blocked her path. Without thinking too much, he raised his hand and projected a small magic shield, which deflected the guard's attack. He then used his dagger to strike him in the side, enough to knock him down without killing him.
"Not bad at all!"Kaela shouted from the window.
Alex got out just in time, panting as they raced away through the dark streets.
Back at the inn, Kaela smiled as she took the scroll out of her bag.
"Good job there, rookie. You've got guts."
"And luck," Alex replied, dropping into a chair. "Do you always do such dangerous things?"
"Only when they're worth it," Kaela said, winking at him.
Alex couldn't help but laugh. "Well, it was interesting, at least."
"Maybe we should team up more often," she suggested.
Alex felt that there was something more in his words, but decided not to go deeper. "Perhaps."
Kaela smiled at him and got up. "See you later, Alex. Keep those scrolls safe. You never know when you'll need them."
When he left, Alex kept thinking about how his life kept getting complicated. He now had Kaela in his orbit, and with Selene and Elia also involved, things were turning around... interesting.