Godan, Marta, and Jomie stood before Serzad Chroc's house, carefully scanning their surroundings. The house appeared unusually quiet, a stark contrast to its usual liveliness.
Most of the guards and townspeople seemed preoccupied searching for them in the main streets. This unnatural silence offered them a brief sense of calm, though tension lingered in their every step.
"This is our chance," Godan whispered, his sharp eyes assessing every movement near the grand house. "We need to go in now."
Marta nodded, her gaze fixed on the towering building in front of them. "So, we're going through the back entrance as planned?"
Godan glanced at her and then at Jomie, who looked uneasy.
"Exactly. The back entrance is usually quieter, with fewer guards patrolling. We can slip in without drawing much attention."
Carefully, they made their way to the back of the house, moving through meticulously trimmed bushes and neatly arranged plants around the yard. After several minutes, they reached the back door, often used by the servants.
"This door's locked," Jomie muttered in frustration, trying to turn the knob.
"Maybe the guards locked every entrance," Marta guessed.
Godan examined the door closely, weighing their options.
"I've got tools," he said, pulling out a lockpick from his bag.
With skilled hands, he began working on the lock, the metallic clicks echoing faintly in the stillness.
The three of them stood in tense silence, the sound of their breathing and the soft scraping of metal the only noises in the air. Ten minutes passed, but the door remained firmly shut. Their hearts pounded as the clock ticked, each second adding to the pressure.
"Why isn't it working?" Jomie muttered, growing increasingly frustrated.
"Huh, maybe the locking system here is more advanced than Somara's," Godan replied grimly.
Before they could discuss further, Marta hissed, "Watch out, a guard's coming!"
They quickly ducked behind the edge of a decorative pool. After the guard passed without suspicion, they returned to the door, resuming their efforts.
Jomie peered around nervously. "Should we look for another way?"
Suddenly, Godan stopped fiddling with the lock. He looked up, his eyes fixed on an open window on the upper floor. A small balcony jutted out, likely leading to one of Serzad's rooms or his study.
"That window," Godan whispered, pointing at the balcony. "We climb up there."
Marta raised an eyebrow, startled by the suggestion. "You mean through there?"
"Yes," Godan replied firmly. "The window's slightly open. If we can get up there, we can enter without dealing with the door."
Jomie nodded hesitantly. "But how do we climb up? It's pretty high."
Godan scanned the area and spotted a large garbage bin nearby.
"We'll use that bin. If we stand on it, I can reach the drainpipe and climb to the balcony."
Marta looked at the bin skeptically for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, we don't have much choice."
Quietly, they moved the large garbage bin under the window. Fortunately, it wasn't full.
---
Godan went first, climbing onto the bin and gripping the sturdy drainpipe. With careful movements, he hoisted himself onto the balcony, followed by Marta and Jomie, who struggled to maintain balance.
Every movement was deliberate; they couldn't risk making noise that might alert patrolling guards.
Once Godan reached the balcony, he quietly slipped into the room. He opened the balcony door from the inside, allowing Marta and Jomie to enter a spacious but eerie chamber.
The air inside felt damp, as if the room had been untouched by sunlight for years.
"We're in," Godan whispered. "Now let's search this room first. Split up and check every corner. We need to find the map and the Star Key."
Jomie moved toward a large desk in the corner. "Where would they even keep those things? This place is packed with stuff."
"They have to be somewhere in this house," Godan said, stepping cautiously into the hallway.
"Marta, you and Jomie check the room on the right. I'll search the left side."
They moved with care, the oppressive silence amplifying the urgency in their minds. Time was running out.
Suddenly, Godan remembered Harlen's journal. Quickly flipping through its pages, he stopped at a section titled Star Trails and Incantations. The entry read:
(If the Star Key is near but hidden from sight, recite the summoning incantation. It will reveal the trail for you to follow.)
Without delay, Godan rushed back to Marta and Jomie, startling them.
"Read this!" he said urgently, handing them the journal.
Together, they recited the incantation three times:
"Pentara luma, light of destiny,
Hidden star, open the path to thee.
We are bound, seekers sworn,
Illuminate the way where hope is reborn!"
Suddenly, golden specks of light appeared, floating and weaving through the air, guiding them toward a room on the lower floor. However, guards patrolled the area downstairs.
---
Serzad Chroc's mansion stood as a symbol of grandeur, with its polished marble walls gleaming under opulent chandeliers. Massive pillars adorned the veranda, while the backyard housed a serene garden and a koi pond.
But inside, an atmosphere of unease consumed Godan, Marta, and Jomie as they crept through shadowy corridors, avoiding guards whose footsteps echoed faintly in the distance.
"This place is even fancier than I imagined," Jomie whispered, eyeing the gold-plated decorations and crystal chandeliers.
"Quiet," Godan snapped, his ears attuned to every sound.
They had one chance and limited time. The faint golden trail hovered before them, leading the way like stardust.
"It's heading to that room," Marta whispered, following the glowing trail with her eyes.
"Let's hope it's not a trap," Godan replied dryly.
The trail led them past a lavish dining hall with a long candlelit table, a spiral staircase leading upstairs, and narrow passageways rarely used. Distant sounds of guards' footsteps reached their ears.
They almost got caught when a guard approached the room where they were hiding. Holding their breaths, they stayed motionless behind the door. After what felt like an eternity, the guard moved on.
The golden trail stopped before a large ebony door engraved with celestial motifs—stars, a crescent moon, and the sun. It seemed to be the final threshold. Godan tested the handle but found it locked.
"The handle… it looks familiar," he muttered to Marta.
Marta pulled out her lockpicking tools. With trembling hands, she worked quickly. A soft click broke the tension, and the door opened. They slipped inside, closing it behind them.
The room was a mix of extravagance and arrogance. Shelves of ancient, gold-embossed books lined the walls, while a grand table with intricate carvings sat at the center. Atop it rested an ornate box. The golden light they had followed now spiraled above it.
"That's it," Jomie whispered.
Godan and Marta carefully opened the box. Inside lay the shimmering Star Key and a faintly glowing ancient map. Both items radiated an aura of power.
"We found it…" Marta said, her voice filled with relief as she quickly stowed the items in her bag.
But Godan's attention was drawn to something else on the table: a stack of papers scattered about, some tucked into a red folder labeled CONFIDENTIAL.
"What's this?" he murmured, picking up one of the documents.
His face paled as he scanned the contents. "It's evidence of Serzad's corruption. He's been embezzling funds for the past five years."
Marta and Jomie crowded around him, reading notes on misappropriated development funds, bribes from wealthy businessmen, and even plans to demolish parts of the city for personal gain.
"He's… he's destroying Somara for his own benefit," Marta hissed, her hands trembling with anger.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps grew closer. Their time was up.
"Take the documents," Godan ordered.
Marta stuffed several crucial papers into her bag. Godan closed the box and gestured for them to move toward the back exit.
As they slipped into the dimly lit hallway, the guards' footsteps drew nearer. Holding their breath, they sneaked through the shadows, carrying Serzad Chroc's dark secrets and the two artifacts that could bring hope back to Somara.