Episode 2: Rite of Passage
The setting sun ducked behind the control tower, turning the sky a dull gray, much like the tower itself and the surrounding buildings of the City Reservoir. The Hammerite patrolman stood on an observation deck and watched the water rush from the openings in the wall into the pool below. Luckily, his patrol route included the reservoir, but if anyone observed this meeting, he could risk excommunication, and possibly even imprisonment in the facility he occasionally guarded. A cracking noise sounded behind him, and he whirled around to see the splintered shaft of a broadhead arrow. "By the Builder's hand!" he exclaimed, "I shall find thee and crush thee!" When he turned around again, a blackjack descended on him, stopping inches from his head. His assailant stepped from the shadows, a grin on his face. "Would've had ya," he said, as the Hammerite expressed his annoyance.
"In the name of the Prophet Jeremyn, Garrett!" the Hammerite exclaimed. "I thought thou sawest me as a friend. Now thou tryest to kill me?"
"Calm down, Brother Adrian," Garrett replied. "I was just testing your reflexes. You still need some work." Despite knowing each other for many years, Garrett often greeted Brother Adrian in this manner. They first met in the catacombs beneath the great Temple of the Hammer during the Pagan invasion. Grateful for his having saved the High Priest from the Trickster's minions and foiling his Dark Project, Brother Adrian remained one of the few individuals Garrett could consider a friend. Every week, they met at the reservoir where Brother Adrian would fill Garrett in on affairs within the Hammerite Order, City administration, and the efforts of those hunting him. However, few other Hammers remembered the events of the Dark Project firsthand. For this reason, the Order of the Hammer would consider both individuals as treacherous criminals should they learn of these meetings.
"So, whatever happened to the other Mechanists?" Garrett asked.
"Most hath fled The City," Brother Adrian replied. "We believe they hath settled 'neath the earth, in that great passageway on the edge of The City." This unsettled Garrett slightly. He often passed by that marble doorway built into the rock with the Mechanist Gear above it. Rumors abounded that the remaining Mechanist clergy and order fled to an underground sanctuary, where they continue to construct their machinery and plan for the day they will once again take The City and prepare for the Builder's arrival. "We hath welcomed back some of the novitiate, but most of those we hath detained were sent to Cragscleft. Now they labor in the factories, 'neath the punishment of the heretic."
"Have any…asked about me?" Garrett inquired.
"Some speak of a master thief who hath slain their leader Karras. They do chant of the day they exact retribution on the one who refused the Builder's Paradise. They do not mention thee by name, but the tales of the sabotage at Soulforge canst only suggest thou weret responsible."
"Normally, I don't brag to Hammers," Garrett said. "But if you want to hear how…business is going…."
"Nay, speak not of thy sins," Brother Adrian admonished. "Thou knowest 'twould be an offense to mine Order and mine Builder shouldst I overlook a crack in a wall."
"Alright," said Garrett. "Listen, I have a favor to ask you. I'm looking after someone, and I'd hate myself if anything happened to him. If I told you who he was, could you keep the rest of the Hammers away from him?"
"Nay, Garrett, I canst not make such promises," Brother Adrian replied. "Though I consider thee a friend, I canst not turn my back on the Builder, lest I be torn down like a rotting shed. The Tenets of the Master Builder state that thievery is a sin, and thieves must be punished. Shouldst I catch thine apprentice or even thee in the act of thievery, I must dispense justice forthright."
"I never said he was my apprentice," said Garrett. "But I guess you'll never be able to meet him." Garrett jumped over the railing, scaled down the wall, and disappeared on the entrance as he reached the street level.
Garrett entered Angelwatch via the second-floor passageway and took the elevator down to the main concourse. He called for Harlan, but received no response. He wandered over to the pillars on the sides of the room, and looked around for his student. Just behind his head, he heard the sound of a footstep on marble, and he swiftly turned around, grabbed Harlan from the slanted pillar leading to the rafters, and threw him on the floor. "You're getting better," he remarked. "If it was anyone else, you would've had him. But remember, there's a reason people call me the world's greatest thief. Besides, I found that passageway in the rafters years ago."
Once again, Harlan gazed straight up to see an upside-down view of Garrett standing over him with his sword bearing down on him. This time, however, he could see a smile underneath the hood, and suddenly Garrett turned his sword around, extending the handle to his pupil. "Take this," Garrett urged. "You're ready to try real burglary, so you're going to need real tools." Jubilation and fear spread across Harlan's face. "Are you sure?" he asked as he grasped the sword and pulled himself to his feet. "Are you ready to give me this?"
"I don't need it anymore," Garrett replied. "I've always found swords bulky and heavy, and besides, I'm a thief, not a warrior. I've tried swordfighting before, and did not make out well. If I ever have to kill someone again, it's going to be with this." Garrett reached into his cloak and pulled a small dagger from his belt. "Not as useful in a straight fight, but that's not what you're looking for in this business."
"If you're going to use a dagger, shouldn't you train me to use a dagger too?" Harlan inquired.
"No, you're going to learn with a sword," Garrett answered firmly. "You have talent, but you're still an amateur. As such, you will need as much protection as you can get. At this point, you will need to fight eventually. I'd rather you have everything possible to protect yourself."
Understanding the logic behind Garrett's explanation, Harlan realized the first thing his master had said. "You say I'm ready for burglary?"
"I believe you are. You picked off Lord Bassel's crown in a very difficult environment, and were able to think on your toes. What you have shown me in the shadows here has demonstrated that you understand the concept of stealth and can master the art. Now it's time for your rite of passage. You are going to take the fight to the nobility's home turf. You are going to infiltrate a guarded mansion and steal a little trinket for me."
Harlan's eyes lit up at the prospect of finally fulfilling his dream of humiliating the wealthiest elements of The City who exploited and oppressed him and thousands like him. "I'm ready," he said definitively. "What am I going to steal, and who am I going to steal it from?"
"You're going over to Lady Waterdike's tonight," Garrett replied. "Your prize is a crystal vase, the envy of every other lady in Dayport. Supposedly, every noblewoman in The City can only talk about that vase, and how Waterdike beat them to it. I say we give them some cold comfort by assuring that nobody owns it."
Garrett reached into the bag he had brought with him and produced an array of armaments and gadgets. "You'll need more than that sword," he said. "I'll show you what other…friends a thief has." He reached into the pile and produced a blackjack. "Under the best circumstances, you won't need to use any of this, but if you absolutely must take out a guard, this should be your first line of defense. Silent, and no bloody mess or guilty conscience." When Harlan had stowed the blackjack, Garrett once again hunted through the pile, next handing him a bow. "For eliminating potential threats and enemies who can't strike back. I must say, though, try to avoid using it when there is more than one guard. You may take out one of the targets, but you'll give away your position doing it. If you absolutely have to take on a group, kill any archers first. If you stay hidden in the shadows, the swordsmen won't find you, and they'll just wander around while you pump arrows into their throats. As for the arrows themselves," Garrett continued as he produced a group of arrows with large, sharp tips, "these are broadheads. They are for killing. They can also be used to make some noise if you want to create a distraction." Garrett rummaged through the pile again, pulling out a series of arrows with clear blue tips. "Next, we have your water arrows. As the name implies, the tips are water crystals. They are best used for putting out torches to create shadows. You can also clean up blood that may give away your position." Garrett then lifted out a series of arrows with murky brownish-green tips. "These are moss arrows. If you ever find yourself walking on metal grating or tile, just shoot some of these beauties on the floor. You can traverse the room without making a sound." Garrett hunted through the pile again before handing Harlan a series of arrows with strange metallic devices at the end. "Here are some noisemaker arrows. Shoot one of these, and it will click and chirp like mad. It will get the guards worked up into a frenzy. Then you can…"
"Wait," Harlan interrupted. "You always talk about the importance of stealth, and how not to make a sound. Why in the world would I need a noisemaker arrow to deliberately attract a guard's attention?"
"I used to think the same way," Garrett replied. You'll know when to use this. Believe me, it's more helpful than you think." Garrett held out the last remaining batch of arrows, which glowed bright orange at the end. "Finally, we have fire arrows. These are absolutely deadly. But they are also loud; they echo throughout the entire manor. And if you misfire, you can burn yourself badly. Be careful with these. That's all I have as far as arrows. However, there are some other important tools…like these. Lock picks. There are some new teeth and patterns that were cast within the last few years. This should make lockpicking and safecracking easier than in my day." Garrett next handed Harlan a pair of gloves. "I haven't tried these out yet, but I hear they work well. Used to be, if you wanted to climb somewhere, you'd shoot a rope arrow into the ceiling and scale the rope. But those were fragile and expensive to make. Now, we use these climbing gloves. You should be able to scale a wall with these. Finally, I'll give you some flash bombs. If you know you can't kill a guard with your sword, throw this down and it will blind him. Then run like hell." Garrett reached into the pile one more time and produced three vials of a yellow fluid. "Healing potions. Use these in emergencies only. You'll know when you're wounded badly enough to need them. Just don't look for trouble, and you shouldn't have to waste them."
"Aren't there invisibility potions?" Harlan asked. "I know I heard of a potion that made you invisible. And one that you drink when you're falling to slow you down so you don't get hurt."
"They don't make those anymore," Garrett said. "Those were created by Pagan magic. Now, with the Pagans weakened after the events of the Metal Age, their smugglers haven't been able to bring any more into The City. But what I gave you is more than enough. We'll leave for Waterdike's in two hours. Relax and plan your strategies. This will prove if you can truly be a thief."
Lady Waterdike's manor was only a few rooftops and balconies away from the abandoned tower. Garrett led Harlan along the Thieves' Highway until they dropped from a ledge onto the roof of their target's house. "Waterdike's master bedroom with the vase is right below us," said Garrett. "But getting in is not going to be that easy."
"What's the best way in?" Harlan asked.
"If I told you, we can't see your true skill," Garrett responded. "You have to find your own way in."
"But what happens if I…" Harlan looked up, but the rooftop was empty. "This is it," Harlan mumbled to himself, as he dropped onto the balcony leading to Waterdike's room.
The balcony was flanked on both sides by a walkway guards used to circle the mansion to scour for intruders. Harlan knew he had to open the door quickly. He reached for the handle and heard an abrupt click. Off in the distance came the sound of approaching footsteps nearing the balcony. Harlan rummaged through his loot bag until he produced the triangle-toothed lock pick Garrett had given to him earlier. He stuck the pick in the keyhole and started to turn, but was greeted with a sharp click. He could hear the guard singing to himself and rambling about the low pay he receives for his thankless job. "What's so special about that stupid vase anyway? I almost wish someone would steal that thing so I won't have to hear about how blasted important it is anymore." He quickly switched to the square-toothed lock pick, but was met with the same stubborn sound and refusal of the door handle to budge. Harlan leaned out and could now see the guard rounding the corner and heading his way." "Hello? Show yourself," came the guard's voice, now suspicious as to his presence. His last hope was the new circular lock pick. He jammed the pick into the hole and began to turn, but, to his dismay and horror, this final pick did not do the job either. There were no shadows in the spot Harlan was standing, and he was not in a position to knock the guard out with his blackjack. His only option was to kill the guard. However, he did not have time to ready his bow, and did not want a swordfight at this stage in his career. "I'm coming over there, taffer!" the guard exclaimed. "You can't hide forever!" A quick glance showed the guard was creeping over to the balcony, his sword raised. Out of desperation, Harlan pulled out his new climbing gloves, threw himself at the wall, and scurried like a lizard over the doorway just as the guard approached his hiding spot. "Hmm, he's gotta be around here somewhere," the guard said, and started circling the balcony. After a few seconds, he produced a key from his belt and opened the door, checking the bedroom to make sure the intruder had not already found a way in. Harlan realized this was his chance. He quickly mantled up onto the roof, shot a moss arrow onto the balcony, and as the guard emerged from the room with his back turned, silently dropped to the mossy covering, dashed inside, and hid in a small crevice out of view from the balcony. "Oh well, guess it was nothing," the guard declared, locked the door, and moved on his way.
Harlan waited until the footsteps had died down before creeping out into the room. Lady Waterdike was fast asleep, snoring in a manner he did not think possible for a lady, much less one belonging to the upper class. To her right was a small button on the wall, no doubt an alarm to send the guards clamoring, bringing about the worst possible scenario for him. Suddenly, Harlan realized that he was projecting a large shadow directly over Waterdike and onto the wall. He turned around to see the roaring fire in the fireplace casting an orange glow onto his cloak. He heard the noblewoman mumbling in her sleep, reverting to a semi-conscious state. He quickly pulled a water arrow from his quiver, and sent it into the flames, plunging the room into darkness. With the fire completely out, Harlan could see his prize on the mantelpiece. The vase glimmered in the smoldering remnants of the fire, appearing almost to be made of liquid. Gazing at this masterpiece, Harlan could understand the squabbling of the ladies who unsuccessfully sought the vase. He crept over to the mantle and swiftly plucked the treasure from its resting place. At that exact moment, Lady Waterdike sat bolt upright in bed. "Hello? Who's there?" she inquired. Harlan immediately froze in his tracks, his extended arm holding the vase above the mantle. Noticing her treasure mysteriously hovering above its proper place, Waterdike stood on the edge of her bed to examine the situation, and slowly began walking toward Harlan. Realizing he had to react quickly, Harlan thrust the vase into his bag, prompting Waterdike to approach the figure she by now had determined was an intruder. Harlan quickly spun around and found himself face to face with a noble for the second time in as many outings. "Help! Guards!" Waterdike shouted and immediately turned to sound the alarm. Harlan, in anticipation of such an event, grabbed his blackjack, lunged towards the noblewoman, and delivered a forceful blow upon her head. Waterdike gave a pained grunt and collapsed beneath the alarm button. Harlan was lucky to have scored the knockout when he did; had he waited another second, she would have activated the alarm, sending every guard in the manor to her room for Harlan to fight off. He quickly slung the unconscious lady over his shoulder, and deposited her inside a closet beside the fireplace. As he shut the door, he noticed a blue chest leaned up against the wall. He opened it to find a rather large diamond that he stashed in his loot bag along with the chief prize. He crept back into the room to scour for any other valuables he might have missed his first time around. Sure enough, he recovered several stacks of coins on the table beside the bed, two jewel-encrusted chalices from similar chests, and two golden candlesticks from the mantelpiece. Satisfied with his haul, Harlan turned to leave. Unfortunately, he realized that only the appropriate key would open the balcony door. The only person to hold the key was the guard he had encountered upon entering the room, and he had no hope to snatch it from his belt, as the guard patrolled from the outside. Harlan realized that he would have to trek through the manner to find an alternate means of escape.
Harlan silently snuck over to the door leading into the main hallway. As he sprung the lock with his picks, the door produced a sharp creaking sound. Almost instantly the voice of a guard issued forth. "Hello? Anyone there?" Fortunately, Harlan was able to duck into a shadow inside the room. "No one there now," the guard mumbled, and turned to patrol the hall the other way. Harlan reached for his blackjack, glided up to the guard, and delivered a forceful blow, instantly rendering him unconscious. At that very moment, a second guard rounded the corner and headed their way. Harlan produced his bow and found the water arrows in his quiver. With incredible dexterity, he fired off three arrows in rapid succession, dousing the torches along the hallway. As the guard approached, Harlan lifted up the unconscious body of the first guard and dragged him into Waterdike's bedroom, out of sight. He emerged back into the shadowy hallway, where the second guard stopped just before reaching his hiding place and turned back down the corridor. Harlan once again snuck up to his unsuspecting victim, raised his blackjack, and brought it down forcefully on the guard's head. He dragged the second unconscious guard into the bedroom, and deposited both bodies alongside Waterdike's in the closet. He closed the door, and continued his search for an exit.
Harlan crept along the corridor until he came to another door. He stepped inside, and found himself in a dark spare bedroom. He scoured the room for trinkets, and his eyes came to rest on two strongboxes on the floor. The first opened easily, yielding a small golden chalice. The second required Harlan to use his lock picks, and he pulled out another large diamond. As he opened the door, he noticed another room on the opposite side of the wall. He entered to find himself in a room stocked with fine silverware and kitchen supplies. He pilfered several golden dishes, bejeweled chalices, and bottles of rare, valuable wine. When he was sure he had taken the last of the valuable items, he once again started down the corridor.
As Harlan turned the corner, he pushed a door open to find himself in a large, Spartan room. The lack of frills and rows of beds lined up led Harlan to realize that he had entered the servant's quarters. Two manservants lay in their beds fast asleep. While servants generally carried little money, it could not hurt to look for whatever trinkets they could have. As he crept across the room, his footsteps produced hollow echoes on the floor. After his encounter with Waterdike, Harlan decided he would not risk any further confrontations. He covered the ground in moss arrows leading to the servants' beds, and delivered powerful blows upon their heads. The servants quickly jolted up before falling back into deep unconsciousness. As expected, the loot available was scarce. Harlan managed to obtain only a few small handfuls of coins before he emerged back into the hallway, closed the door so as not to reveal the servants' unconscious bodies to the guards, and continued on his way.
Harlan peered out into the corridor and cautiously continued down the hall. He traveled several feet before reaching another door. He entered another large, barren room, this one lined with bunk beds. Harlan surmised that this room was the guards' quarters. At the foot of each bed lay a strongbox. Once again, Harlan did not expect these boxes would yield much treasure, but at least hoped for one valuable trinket. Sure enough, he procured a small stack of bronze coins among a collection of junk, including worthless vases, stale bread, and overripe fruit. The only other item of value Harlan was able to take was a set of ten additional broadhead arrows. He quickly checked for patrolling guards before continuing down the corridor.
Harlan scoured ahead to see three more doors lining the hall. He was sure one of these rooms contained a key to the balcony. Between the vase and the various treasures, Harlan felt satisfied with his haul. He did not want to spend more time in the mansion than necessary with the low level of experience he had with this type of thievery. He tried the first door on his right, and entered into another spare bedroom. He recovered a golden vase from above a fireplace before spying a door off to the side of the mantle. He opened the door to step into a washroom, where he lifted a pair of golden candlesticks and a small bejeweled goblet. He stepped back into the main room and opened the door once again. At that moment, he heard the now-common sound of off-key humming and loud footsteps. He readied a water arrow and doused the torch illuminating the bedroom just as the guard passed by. When the guard passed, Harlan silently snuck out into the corridor and rendered him unconscious with the blackjack. He dragged the guard into the bedroom, extinguished the fire with another water arrow, and opened the door for the next room. He had barely taken a step inside, when he heard gruff voices exchanging banter.
"I hear Mosley's not in charge of the City Watch anymore," came one voice.
"Really, why not?" asked a second. "She was the best Sheriff this city has ever seen."
"It's because of what happened on Nobility Day. A drunken riot was bad enough, but a thief was able to get right up to the nobility's tables and rob them of nearly everything. After that night, Lord Bassel went right to the Baron and demanded her head. Something about a customized crown of his getting taken."
"It's a shame. Under Mosley, the Watch was actually useful. She was able to undo the damage from that corrupt skunk Truart, and made the Watch effective at fighting real crimes. I've seen several Commissioners stay in after far worse incidents, and not just one of them, either."
"It wasn't just this one incident. There were also complaints that she was too soft on the Pagans. The Hammers have been calling for her removal for years."
"But the Hammers haven't been influential for quite some time now. Most people regard them as a fringe religion with almost no real influence anymore."
"If the history of The City has shown us anything, it's that we're better off with the Hammers on our side than against us. The Hammers have had their ups and downs, but the Baron knows it's best not to antagonize them."
"Yeah, maybe. So, who's Mosley's replacement?"
"The way I hears it, as soon as the nobility got wind of the change, Bafford barged right into the Baron's castle, blustering about Garrett and the scepter incident, as usual. He demanded to oversee the appointment committee. It sounds like he wants an older man who will bring back the old Commissioner system. He wants someone who has seen Garrett, can recognize him, and is willing to dedicate practically all of the Watch's time and money to capturing or killing him."
"Great. From efficient crime control to chasing shadows. Looks like we won't be getting much help from the Watch in protecting that vase."
"Don't worry, we won't need any help. Ain't nobody sneaking past us to take it."
Harlan chuckled to himself as he shut the door and leaned into the shadows. When it became clear that the guards were not going to leave the room, Harlan quickly skipped past, believing it would be best to leave them undisturbed and unaware, rather than risk unnecessary attention attempting to nick whatever small amount may be in the room.
Harlan opened the third door to find a large staircase. Harlan began his descent to the first floor, and hopefully, a way out of the manor. When Harlan reached the bottom of the stairs, he entered a massive room filled with banners displaying the Waterdike family crest and a large fountain at the center. As he approached the fountain in search of valuable, loosely-secured pieces, his footsteps emitted sharp echoes that carried up to the ceiling. Harlan looked down to see the solid marble floor, the worst surface to traverse aside from metal. He looked back up to see a guard on the far end of the room with a puzzled look on his face. "Hello? Who's there?" the guard asked. Harlan reached for his water arrows, only to notice that the lights in this room were generated by an external power source impervious to the water tips. He quickly backpedaled to the foot of the staircase, which not only produced more loud echoes, but did not even afford him a shadow to slip into. At this point, the guard broke into a run, drew his sword, and charged at Harlan full-bore. Harlan drew his sword and prepared to strike, but the guard easily parried the blow and returned the attack. The guard's sword barely managed to scratch Harlan before he managed to jump out of the way, pull a flash bomb from his cloak, and hurl it towards the ground. Unfortunately, he forgot to shield or avert his eyes while doing so, and was greeted with a white flash and sharp pain in his own eyes. As the white wall began to dissipate, he could make out the outline of the room, and the blinded guard still staggering around. He scrambled towards what he believed was a corridor, and found himself in a dark patch of hallway just as his vision fully returned. Over the cursing of the angry guard, Harlan heard a second booming voice from the far end of the main room.
"What's going on out here?"
"There's an intruder! I saw him! Keep your eyes open and your sword ready!"
Harlan fired a moss arrow onto the marble floor and quickly leapt into the nearby room, which turned out to be a type of study. He snuck over to the desk on the far end of the room, where he noticed six stacks of gold coins, which he quickly shoveled into his loot bag. At that moment, a horrid, shrill sound came to life, piercing Harlan's ears-that of the house alarm. He crept over to the doorway, and momentarily stood to the side, his sword raised in anticipation of a guard. He creaked the door open ever so slightly, and when he was certain no guards were waiting on the other end, he snuck back out into the hallway and continued towards the next door.
Harlan's first attempt to open the door was unsuccessful, as the lock sharply held in place. However, Harlan quickly produced his lockpicks, and sprung the door open in a matter of seconds. As he closed the door behind him, he noticed that the small room contained a chest at the foot of a desk. The lock on the chest also required picking, but he soon sprang it as well, and fished around inside before lifting out a large silver nugget. Once again, Harlan crouched up to the wall, opened the door slightly, and drew his sword above his head, ready to strike whoever entered looking for him. When he was satisfactorily convinced that he was once again safe, he swung the door open fully and emerged into the hallway.
Harlan continued down the corridor until he saw another door to his right. He could see the end of the hallway ahead of him, but this sight included a guard strutting down the corridor, heading right for him. He pulled out his lockpicks and quickly sprang the lock, dove inside, and slammed the door behind him. Upon catching his breath and gathering his bearings, Harlan noticed that he had entered the kitchen. A golden dish and goblet and a bottle of rare wine sat on the small table in the middle of the room. Harlan lifted these trinkets into his bag, and hid in a shadow in a corner, waiting for the guard to pass by. Unfortunately, he heard voices stop just outside the doorway.
"Stay alert! There's an intruder somewhere about!"
"I haven't seen him. Maybe we could try in here."
To his shock and horror, Harlan saw the handle on the door turn, and the door move into the room. At that moment, Harlan saw two buttons just by his head. He pushed the bottom button, hoping it was what he thought it was. To his relief, he saw a platform lower into the small compartment for the dumbwaiter. Harlan crouched inside just as the guards burst into the room. He quickly hit the top button, sending the dumbwaiter back to the first level. The guards, hearing the machine activating, snapped their heads in its direction, only to see their black-hooded pursuer's ascent. "Over there!" one shouted, pointing his sword at the machine. However, it was too late. Harlan could see the guards disappear from view, replaced with the sight of a solid brick column. He thought about giving a smug wave, but his adrenaline, and the pounding of the alarm in his ears, only kept him glued to the platform, fixated upon escaping the manor.
The bricks eventually gave way once again to light and open air, and Harlan found himself looking out into a dining room, the room he skipped over on his first trip through this level. He crouched down and emerged from the dumbwaiter into the room. Directly opposite him was an open door leading out into the hallway. He did not bother scouring the room for treasures; the room was fully lit, contained nothing to hide him, and he was sure the guards would return any minute. Sure enough, as soon as he set foot in the hallway, he could see a swordsman and an archer staring off in different directions, scouring the hall. Harlan broke into a raging sprint, deciding to pass the archer first. The route was longer, and he knew he risked an arrow in the back, but guessed that on the initial pass, he was safer, as the archer was not equipped for close combat. Sure enough, by the time the guard readied the arrow, his sword-carrying compatriot had begun heavy pursuit, chasing Harlan down, but standing directly in the archer's path. With the two guards close on his heels, Harlan led the chase back to Waterdike's main bedroom. As he opened the door, he noticed the door leading out to the walkway wide open, and the guard who patrolled the outside standing in his path, his sword raised. The two pursuing guards entered behind Harlan, sandwiching their prey in between themselves and the third guard, who held out his sword, ready to skewer the thief. Harlan, however, loosened a flash bomb, pulled his hood over his eyes, and threw the device down at the third guard's feet. Harlan could make out a white flash and the sharp, pained cry of the blinded guard. The flash bomb had no effect on the other two guards, but they were unable to catch Harlan as he ran directly out the window, launched himself off the balcony, and into the moat below. After a few moments of silence underwater, Harlan emerged triumphant. He began to swim towards the main gates, but as he swam, he heard the unmistakable sound of a bowstring being drawn. He kicked his leisurely float into a full stroke, but could only hear a whistling sound before feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder. He sank below the surface, rounded a corner, and sprang up as he believed he was out of the archer's range. He found that he had reached the main gate, at which two guards were stationed at the manor's entrance, as well as by the doors leading up to the mansion. Fortunately, he spied a drainage system leading away from the manor. He allowed himself to be sucked into the current, which whisked him away from Waterdike Manor, and down the streets of Dayport.
When the flow lost its force and Harlan floated into a secluded area, he pulled himself out of the canal and flopped onto the stone streets, panting and exhausted. He reached back and extracted the bloody arrow from his shoulder. While not life-threatening, the wound was certainly painful. He reached into his pouch and procured a bottle of healing potion. As he gulped the medicine down, the pain turned into a warm, relaxing relief at the point of the wound, as well as allowing the ringing in his ears from the alarm bell to subside. Harlan felt his strength return, allowing him to smash the empty vial in his hand. He set his loot bag down and rummaged through until he extracted the chief prize. Once more, he marveled at its beauty, and for the first time, realized that he was responsible for taking a wonderful antiquity from the upper class. Harlan sat in tired but joyful wonder, admiring his trophy, and all he had done to obtain it.
"Put it back," a sharp voice behind him instructed. Harlan turned around to see Garrett standing over him, a stern look on his face. "Now," he insisted. Harlan quickly threw the vase back into the loot bag with his other prizes. "What do you think you're doing?" Garrett pressed. "You're leaving a valuable item you just stole out in the open for the whole world to see." Garrett's voice, however, took on a softer, proud tone. "Well, aside from displaying your prize where the City Watch could see it any time, you pulled off a nice little job tonight. Although, some of your decisions were not well thought-out."
"Stealing the vase was easy enough," Harlan admitted. "It was getting out once I had it that was the tough part."
"Sometimes, acquiring the prize isn't the hard part," Garrett answered. "I chose this job for you specifically to show you that all parts of a job have to be thought through beginning to end. Remember, acquiring the loot is only half the battle."
"I had it under control," Harlan insisted, "Until I got downstairs. I walked right down the stairs into the full view of all the guards in the main room. I was lucky to have my flash bombs on me, and that I found the dumbwaiter in the kitchen when I did." At this point, Harlan noticed Garrett staring down at him intently, waiting for him to make the connection. "That's it! I should've used the dumbwaiter first, instead of…"
"…the main stairs, which always lead to the most heavily-guarded part of the manor," Garrett finished. "It took a nasty confrontation, but that's the only way you can learn to become a master thief."
"But, Garrett," Harlan protested, "When I first tried to get into the dining room with the dumbwaiter, it was filled with guards, and they weren't leaving. How was I supposed to get past them?"
"There are ways," Garrett answered, "as long as you have the right tools." Harlan reached behind himself into his quiver. Suddenly, he understood his mentor's point as he pulled out a noisemaker arrow. "Didn't you say you would never need to use those? That you couldn't understand why you would want a guard to hear anything?" Garrett inquired.
Harlan's eyes lit up, as he finally understood the value of all his equipment. "I didn't get to use all of this," he stated. "Maybe if I had, the job would have gone perfectly."
"It's not about unloading all your equipment on the guards," Garrett remarked. "It's about being prepared for what you could face, and using the right weapons and tools when you do need them." Garrett turned and walked down the street. "Let's get back to the tower," he instructed. "Waterdike's guards may be looking for us, or at least alerted the Watch about the break-in."
Garrett and Harlan arrived back at the Mechanist Tower and made their way to the fifth floor, where Harlan had chosen to stay. Harlan emptied his loot bag, displaying the vase, and all the other various coins, jewels, and valuables he had taken. "You hold onto the goods tonight," Garrett told his student. "Tomorrow I'll take you to my fence and get you your payoff. Just to let you know, right now, I'm taking inventory. If I find that anything's missing tomorrow…" Garrett leaned in to Harlan, holding his dagger to the boy's throat. Harlan gave a breathless nod of understanding. As Garrett emerged from the tower onto the second-floor ledge, two hooded figures immediately greeted him.
"We have urgent news from the Keeper Council," the first man announced.
"First Keeper Curran has passed away," the second man said. "The Council is soon to appoint a new leader."
"While the balance of our own Order is in limbo," the first Keeper continued, "clues continue to pour in regarding the upcoming Dark Age. We still don't know its engineer or the events that will precede or follow, but your time is coming. Very soon."
"We will keep you informed," the second Keeper concluded, before the two men jumped off the ledge, secured the side of the wall with their climbing gloves, and disappeared into the smoky haze at the bottom. Garrett could only shake his head and ponder the Keepers' words as he left Angelwatch and headed towards his home base in South Quarter.