Section Four: Thief's Challenge
"Near as I can tell, the next city is another day's ride from here." Slippy said, looking at a map.
"Sounds right to me." Peppy replied. "We play our cards right, we might run across a friendly farm that will board us for a night."
"Be a welcome change." Falco remarked.
"We've only been on the road a day." Fox replied. "And if we're heading for the border, we'll easily be on the road two weeks."
"Hopefully we'll see some action before that, or I shall perish from boredom." Falco made a face. "Speaking of which, I'd like to stay in the upcoming city for the night. Unless I'm wrong, the next city is New Hope, correct?"
"Looks like it, why?"
"That's where Darien is stationed." He smiled. "And Darien is King of Thieves."
"Oh." Slippy blinked. "There's a King of Thieves?"
"Yes indeed. He's the one that started the 'Honor among Thieves' code." Falco sat up a little straighter. "I'd like to meet him, but I might not be renowned enough to."
"You meeting Darien is about on par with one of us meeting the King, isn't it?"
"Just about." He looked off toward the fields, and grinned. "Look sharp, my friends… we're being beckoned."
They looked where he was looking, and saw a pair of later-teens girls waving at them, laughing and beckoning, leaning on the scythes they had been cutting hay down with.
"Good Lord." Katt rubbed her eyes.
"No, Falco." Fox said flatly.
"Aw, you're no fun!" Falco whined. "Come on, what's the difference if we dally an hour or three?"
"No." Fox looked like he was strongly considering hitting Falco with the most powerful spell he could think of. Katt's look about matched it.
"Just because your little code forbids it doesn't mean mine does." Falco drew his horse to a stop.
"You are despicable." Katt growled.
"Proud of it, miss elf." He looked at Fox. "Come on Fox. Soldiers weary of heart don't fight as well."
"You weary of heart?" Fox rolled his eyes, then sighed, looking at the sun. "It's only a few hours until sunset. We'll find somewhere to camp. And leave us out of it."
Falco grinned and turned his horse, nudging the gelding into a run and jumping the fence.
"Why'd you let him go?" Slippy looked at Fox.
"Because I didn't want to listen to him whine for hours on end." Fox rubbed his eyes. "Let's find a place to camp."
Fox sighed, leaning on a tree in the grove his group had camped at. Peppy was already asleep, and Katt and Slippy were in a deep discussion about magic. He himself had removed his armor, back in his woodsman's outfit. A ball of light sat above one shoulder.
After a moment, he stepped farther away from the camp, drawing his Katana and going through some warm-up moves. The blade flashed and glowed, brighter as he sped up. He wasn't very tired yet, though the sun had already gone down. He drew the broadsword in his other hand and started going through two-weapon moves, not thinking, eyes closed. In his mind, he fought for his father's honor. That thought fueled his moves, and he sped up, faster and faster, battling imaginary foes.
"Ahem."
He jumped about a foot in the air, freezing in mid-motion, feet touching down, looking toward the noise. Katt, Slippy, and Peppy were all staring at him.
"You've been doing that for about half an hour." Peppy calmly informed him. "And, while I'm not protesting, could you at least tone the magic down?"
Fox looked down at his swords. Both were wrapped in lightning. "… Oh." He sheathed both weapons and shrugged. "I wasn't aware I was doing it."
"Who were you fighting? Dengar and O'Donnel?" When Fox nodded, Peppy sighed. "At least you can make your anger fuel something productive." With that, he rolled over and went back to sleep.
"You know the spell for chain lightning?" Katt finally asked.
"Yes I do." Fox sighed, ducking his head, and left the camp entirely, ashamed somehow. He had let his imagination run away from him.
After a few minute's walking, he came upon a small stream, and sat down beside it, laying back so he stared up at the stars, toning down the ball of light with a minor hand gesture. He remembered some astronomy one of his father's friends had taught him, and started going through the constellations in his head. The moon was a mere crescent, and he reached down to finger the hilt of the katana, feeling the moon phases carved in the hilt.
He sighed and stretched, letting himself relax.
He woke up a bit later, knowing he was no longer alone, hand flying down to the katana's hilt as he brightened the sphere of light. The light showed one of the two girls who had beckoned, sitting beside him, looking at him. She was a gray fox, good country stock, strong but still feminine, and quite becoming.
"How is it, good sir, that you sit alone when a maid awaits your attention?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow.
He sat up, brushing his fingers through his fur. "Because unlike my comrade, I do not believe in such acts before marriage."
"Ah. So you are a knight." She eyed his swords.
"No. I am a paladin in training. My father was a knight."
"And apparently you know magic." She looked at the ball of light.
"That is a quite simple spell, but I do know some more complicated ones. I take it you decided you didn't care for Falco?"
"My tastes run along my own species, unlike Heather. I'm Gwyneth. Who exactly are you?"
"Fox. Fox McCloud."
"McCloud? That name is familiar."
"My father was well known." He stared off into the distance.
There was a moment of silence, then she pouted. "And I do not interest you at all?"
"My code prevents such acts, fair lady. I do apologize." He stood. "I should return to camp."
"If you must." She also stood. "Good luck in your travels, kind sir."
"Thank you. Good night, fair lady." And with that, he started walking.
"I still think you're despicable." Katt muttered at Falco as they rode out.
"Go ahead and think that." Falco grinned, waving at the girls and urging his horse into a trot. "I hear you stuck to your little code, Fox."
"Don't scorn me, Falco." Was the simple reply.
"And why not? I think it'd be interesting to see you angry. I've yet to."
Fox gave him a look. "Dishonor me and pay the consequences. My honor is something I take very seriously. I will not break my code." He shook off. "We should reach New Hope by early evening."
"How large of a city is New Hope?" Slippy asked.
"About on par with the capitol, I believe." Peppy replied. "Are you still going to meet Darien, Falco?"
"Of course. What's the point of this journey without taking advantage of it? He'll probably give me a few challenges to prove just how expert I am at my trade, but I think I'll be able to meet them." Falco smiled. "Keep a sharp eye on that sword of yours, Fox."
Fox stopped his horse, disconnected the katana from his belt, and held it toward Falco so the hilt faced him. "Try and draw it."
Falco did, getting a firm grip on the hilt, and yelped as fire seared through his hand. He let go, cursing, shaking his hand. "You did that on purpose."
"Of course. I told you this sword is protected by magic. I didn't lie." He settled the katana back at his side, continuing on.
"And your father's knights' sword?"
Fox gave him a look. "What thief would be stupid enough to steal one of those? It would look like he killed a knight to get it!"
"Good point." Peppy laughed. "It's not unheard of… happened once or twice in the crusades, but mostly when the knight wasn't at full strength and we were in a hostile town."
"Hmm." Falco said. "Fox, in the event we do catch up with Pigma, could…"
"Yes, you can have his sword, I don't care… Speak of the devil." Fox halted his horse again.
"What?"
"Looks like the king's task force did catch up to O'Donnel, and someone lost, badly."
The whole group stopped and looked at him. He was staring toward the horizon.
He pointed. "See the birds circling? Carrion eaters. They appear after battles."
"My God." Peppy breathed, crossing himself.
"I knew it. I knew this was coming." Fox said darkly, dismounting and crouching on the ground.
The king's task force had been massacred. The ground was splattered with blood, warhorses lay on their sides peppered with arrows, and the bodies of foot soldiers and knights lay desecrated.
"All here are from the King's own. Looks like it was a very bad loss." Slippy stammered, dismounting and touching the ground. "Dark magic was used here. They must have a powerful black wizard."
"I agree." Fox said. "I feel it too. Spread out, see if there's any survivors."
The next half an hour was a quiet one, broken only by mumbled prayers. Falco took full advantage of the situation, thinking that dead men didn't need weapons. Fox didn't protest. He was too angry to. Even as he was calm and cold on the surface, deep down an immense hatred was starting to boil for Wolf O'Donnel and Pigma Dengar. He was beginning to associate them with a lot of pain that was in his life, and now they were ruining other people's lives too, slaughtering soldiers mercilessly, and not one of their own was lost in the process. How? Fox shook his head in frustration. He had seen this coming from a mile away. O'Donnel was just too good, too prepared. All the King had done was endanger his daughter…
"We got a live one!"
Fox stopped his musings, carefully crossing the battle zone to where Peppy kneeled. One of the younger foot soldiers was by some miracle still breathing faintly, though crossbow bolts stuck out of his side and leg. Fox and Katt knelt beside the body.
"Do you know healing magic?" Katt asked Fox.
"Some. We have to get the arrows out…" He looked at Peppy.
Peppy shook his head. "Iron heads, serrated. Backing the arrows out will kill him for sure."
Fox took a closer look at the soldier, and recognized him. "Grey! Bill Grey!"
"Fox, you know him?" Katt said.
"Acquaintance. Rather a long story as to how. Let's try and heal him; perhaps he can fill us in on what happened."
Fox spread his hands above Bill's skin. Katt put her hands over Fox's, and a glow slowly started in their hands, then filtered down to Bill. Slowly but surely the arrows were pushed out as the wounds healed, sword cuts sealing up.
Task complete, Fox sat back, shivering a little. He wouldn't be able to pull off much other magic today; he wasn't a strong wizard. Fighting was his strong point, not magic. But he had helped, Bill had a fighting chance now.
"He's lost a lot of blood." Katt sat back on her heels, brushing a tendril of hair behind her ear.
"How long ago did this happen, you think?" Falco asked.
"A few hours. Not long." Peppy sighed. "There isn't much we can do but press on to New Hope and send the King a message from there. Once Grey wakes up, we can move on. In the mean time, let's move him away from this battlefield."
"What do you remember?"
Bill accepted the water skin from Katt gladly, propping himself up on one elbow. He was shaking, but he was alive. "Well, I remember that the knight commanding us had rode on ahead, then came back, saying that we were right behind O'Donnel's party." He slowly stood, accepting a hand up from Fox and setting a hand on Fox's shoulder to steady himself. Fox didn't protest. "You might notice we're currently in a small valley… The knight had us fan out and swoop down on O'Donnel's party, which was moving slowly enough we were able to come upon them fast. But they were ready for us. We lost half our number to magic and arrows before we got there…" He wavered, eyes closed. "I remember I somehow dodged the arrows and plowed into their group. I had heard the princess' voice… they had a few carriages with them… Then my horse fell as I got hit by their arrows. That's all I remember."
"Good Lord." Slippy murmured, crossing himself.
"And this group is traveling to New Hope?" He opened his eyes, looking around at the ragtag band. He had been introduced to them before being asked to explain, and found it to be an interesting group in the least.
"That's where we're next stopping." Fox replied. "Falco has business there, and I would like to collect information on the progress of the war and O'Donnel's party."
"Would you mind if I traveled with you? I could send a message from there, and get transportation of my own."
"Fine with us. You should stop in with a professional healer as well, and make certain that your wounds are completely healed."
"Fine, then." He glanced around, looking at the horses. "Leaving how exactly I'm going to ride with you…"
"Simple." Falco appeared from nowhere, leading a black horse of some draft decent. It was in armor, and looked more then a bit nervous. "I think during battle one of your knights lost his horse. He won't be needing it now."
"True I suppose." Bill swung into the saddle as the others mounted their horses. "Shall we?"
"Bustling town. Looks like more people then the capitol." Fox remarked, looking around.
"Never been here?" Bill glanced at him.
"Not in a long time, no." He sighed. "Shall we find an inn?"
Falco leaned back in the chair he sat in, surveying the tavern carefully. He had been keeping an eye on a few people since he had walked in.
"Anyone in particular you looking for?" Katt inquired, sitting down next to him and handing him a mug.
"Thieves' Guild members." He replied in a low voice. "I'm not a member, so I'm not sure where Darien's lair is."
"Lair?"
"For lack of a better word. He's got a personal tavern somewhere. I've got to find it."
"What's so important that you have to talk to him?"
"I'd like to join the Guild." He knocked back most of the mug she had given him. "Only problem is, those that want to join have to complete a task."
"What kind of task?"
"A task a lesser thief wouldn't survive."
Fox sighed, leaning on the bar, looking at the glass he held. He had bought wine, but hadn't drunk any of it yet, though he had paid for the highest quality this tavern had. He was ignoring the noisy crowd, busy wrapped up in his own thoughts.
O'Donnel had already passed through this city, on his way to the border. At the rate he was traveling, it wouldn't be very long before he reached Andross' forces. According to what Fox had heard, the King's forces had been pushed back, but now there was a bloody stalemate.
He felt the sword on his hip move, followed by a yelp of pain, and turned. A young man was grimacing in pain, clutching one of his hands. Fox could tell he had been badly burned, and sighed. Why did people keep attempting to steal his katana? He knew it was worth money, but it seemed a rather foolhardy thing to try to steal.
"Bloody hell." The young man said, shaking his hand. "Bloody black magic!"
"No, actually." Fox swirled the wine in the glass, then drank some of it, resigned to the fact that this was going to be a long night. "That particular sword is bound to my family line. No one else can handle it."
"You brought an enchanted weapon HERE?" The thief set his fisted hands on his hips, speaking like it was a beheading offence.
"Yes, why does it matter?" He turned back to the bar.
A hand landed heavily on his shoulder. "I don't take kindly to you speaking to my apprentice like that."
He looked over his shoulder into angry, bloodshot eyes. A jaguar. He blinked once, shrugging off the hand. "I apologize sir. I just didn't take kindly to my weaponry being stolen." He finished the glass of wine and set it on the bar.
"You a knight?"
"I'm a paladin. My father was a knight."
The jaguar laughed harshly. "So you're a holy soldier. Are you a friend of that wolf that came through here? I heard that you were asking about him."
"Yes I was, and no, I'm not his friend. We have… issues that need settled."
The jaguar shoved Fox, making him stagger back into a table. "That's what I think of people who associate with that wolf!"
"That wasn't necessary. I don't associate with him." Fox apologized to those at the table, steadying himself and brushing himself off. "Actually, I'm planning on killing him."
Utter silence in the area of the tavern that had heard him. Everyone was looking at him.
He sighed and rubbed his eyes, unable to believe he had said that, true as it was.
"Well. A mercenary. Working for the king, I suppose? An assassin?"
"No. Not hardly. I told you. I'm a paladin." He turned and started to walk away, tail swinging.
He saw someone coming to hit him, and sidestepped, making that person careen into someone else. That was all it took to start a brawl. Fox ducked out of it, taking two strides and leaping, catching the railing of the second level of the tavern and hauling himself up, swinging over it and sitting down by Falco.
"Do you ever manage to stay out of trouble?" Falco asked, grinning.
"Usually." Fox shook his head. "I'm not sure what that was about."
"Obviously someone's decided killing you or beating you might dissuade you from completing whatever your task may be." Said another voice. A well-dressed man about Fox's age appeared. "I'm to escort you from this premises. Someone wishes to speak to you."
"I owe you." Falco muttered to Fox, looking around. "I was looking for members of the Thieves' Guild to follow, and you get us in."
"No thanks necessary." Fox muttered back, also looking around. The tavern had the look of an establishment where a lot of money flowed throw it, and at one wall sat a very well dressed middle-aged man, who was having a drink and talking to the various girls who perched around him. "That Darien?"
"Yes indeed." Falco drew himself up to full height.
The middle-aged man wove them forward, and the trio obediently walked forward. Katt had come with them, and she looked around warily. They had been disarmed, but the thieves who had done it had quickly figured out that taking her staff or Fox's katana was a bad idea, so they remained armed.
"Well, then. So, you're the son of well-known knight James McCloud." Darien said by way of openers, looking at Fox. "And you're planning on killing Wolf O'Donnel."
"Perhaps. If he's difficult."
"Uh-huh. And just what do you know about O'Donnel's party?"
Fox filled Darien in, explaining what he thought had happened. The master thief seemed to agree, though he didn't say anything.
"Now, about that sword…" Darien eyed the katana. "I'm told no one but you can handle it."
"That's true."
"Draw it."
Fox did, and the supernatural light filled the room.
"That would be quite a prize. Smart that such an enchantment is on it." Darien wove a hand. "Sheath it. Now, who might this be?" He turned to look at Katt. "A sorceress? Hmm, and quite a pretty one."
Falco bristled silently, then stepped forward. "With your permission, Lord Darien."
"Lord? Ah. You're a thief. And you take offence when I compliment this young lady? Why is that?"
"I find that to be none of your business, Lord Darien. I was planning on coming here tonight, with or without the help of my traveling companion. I wish to join the Thieves' Guild."
Fox looked at Falco, then to Katt, and decided he didn't need to know, crossing his arms and listening silently.
"Well if you're a thief at all you know that I make those who wish to be members face a challenge."
"Of course. I'm ready to face whatever challenge you set before me."
"Indeed." Darien stood and walked forward, still looking Katt over. "Would you be interested in joining my… staff, young lady? A magic user would be a quite useful addition."
"No, thank you."
"What if I told you that you didn't have a choice?"
Falco stepped in between Darien and Katt. "Leave her alone, Lord Darien. I came here to join the Guild. Are you going to set me a challenge?"
"You can't tell me what to do, young thief. I'd like this young lady to work for me, and you can't deny me that."
"Watch me."
Darien laughed and clapped his hands. "Well then. The maze. You complete the maze…alive…and you may join the Guild. You fail to complete the maze, I'll release your friend and take this young lady for my staff."
"Agreed."
Those sitting around the tavern listening cheered and clapped, and money very quickly started changing hands as bets were made.
"What exactly is this maze?" Katt asked, watching Falco. He had been returned all his possessions, and was gearing up.
"Most famous and deadly of all challenges. Lord Darien designed it. I think two people to date have lived through it." Falco replied, pulling gloves on and flexing his fingers absently.
"But… Why go through it just to defend me?"
He looked at me. "Call me despicable all you want, Sorceress Monroe, but I respect women. I do. And I take offense if someone speaks to a lady so. So I'm more then glad to defend your honor. Besides," He added, following Darien through the building and down a few flights of stairs. "It's a chance to get in the guild as well."
She sighed and rubbed her eyes.
She, Fox, and Lord Darien ended up standing at a barred window that overlooked the first leg of the maze. It didn't look too complicated and dangerous, but there was a liberal amount of bloodstains on the stone floor.
Money was still exchanging hands. Katt glanced around, and muttered. "I don't believe this, they're betting on how long it'll take him."
"Actually, love, they're betting on how long he'll live." Darien replied, and gestured. With that, one of his men let Falco into the maze and locked the door behind him.
Falco crouched on his heels thoughtfully, looking out over the corridor. The maze wasn't actually a maze. It was one path that had one or two turns, and a lot of obstacles. A gauntlet, really, not a maze. Two people had survived it so far.
He planned to make himself the third.
The corridor ahead of him seemed to be straight for a good thirty feet—thirty-three, upon closer inspection—and had set back portions alternating sides every three feet or so, where lit torches were. These torches threw patterns of light across the floor. The whole setup was stone, fairly solidly set, but upon closer inspection he had a feeling all surfaces in the corridor were rigged as traps.
He stood, ignoring the mutters and calls of "get a move on already!" from the barred window, and removed a black pouch from one of his pocket, pouring blue gleaming powder into one hand from it and judging the corridor again.
"What's that?" Katt frowned, not able to see very well as she was jostled out of the way by the gambling thieves.
Fox made those shoving her back down with a look. "I'm not sure if it has a real name, but I've heard of it. Falco is a complete magical null—he can't feel magic at all. So, someone along the line came up for something for thieves with his problem. Watch."
Falco blew the powder off his hand, and it flew through the air, actively moving itself along, clinging to the walls, floor, and ceiling. After several moments, patches of these surfaces began to dimly glow.
"Get a magician to help you, Darien?" Falco looked over his shoulder.
"Only the best." Darien smiled grimly. "Well, go on. Let's see just how much of a thief you really are."
Falco marked the glowing spots in his mind as the dust faded out, then cautiously started forward. He felt the rumble, and took a step back as a huge blade came from nowhere, slicing the air then retracting. "Hmm." He wove a hand through the air, got nothing, and crouched to study the floor again. "How many people died right there?" He looked back over his shoulder.
"Many more then you'd care to know."
"Consider me past this point." Falco shoved his hands into the floor, and was rewarded with two razor disks slicing through the air. He picked two torches off the wall and jammed the butt ends into the path of the blades, making them grind to a halt. Then he stood and slipped past them, now standing right before where the light pattern started. Here the stones in the wall changed pattern slightly as well, and he recalled that the powder had lit up a grid pattern.
Studying along the floor, he saw what looked like broken slivers of stone along the edges of the floor. He reached over and picked one up, and saw that they had been carved.
So, that meant… He reached a hand out and flared it in the light.
Phoom! Sharp slivers of stones shot out the wall, on the far edge of light alcoves. They broke on the opposing wall, but Falco had no doubt that they would do damage to a living body.
He wasn't wearing armor, had no shield, had access to nothing that could be used as a shield--he didn't even want to try to use the razor disks. He repeated the hand motion, and this time saw the slight delay between his hand motion and stone nails firing.
He crouched, readying, and began to sprint all out. He felt the stone nails fly just behind him, felt a couple break and go through his tail…and brought himself to a screeching halt as double-bladed axes fell and rose in a mincing pattern down the second half of the corridor. Using his momentum, he flipped and leapt, walking along the center when their shafts crossed, one after the other. Moments later, he was through that section of the maze.
"Not bad." Darien said blandly.
"What is this supposed to test?" Katt wanted to know as the group moved to another barred window.
"Love, wizards and royals have some unusual ways of protecting their valuables. I'm just seeing what exactly he can get past."
"There's treasure at the end of this maze, isn't there?" Fox suddenly said, arms folded across his chest.
"Perhaps. What was the rumor you heard, young fighter?"
"I've heard a few, most from Elven thieves. Dragon tear diamonds, enchanted armor and swords…" He shrugged.
"Why would I keep dragon tear diamonds in a thieves' challenge?"
"Perhaps because no one lives through this one?"
Falco was at a T intersection. He looked either way, frowning, then studied the floor. He was guessing that either one was a dead end and the other was the real way, or they were two paths to the same goal, one harder then the other. Looking at the two ways, he saw no difference superficially, and after much debating, went left. The corridor went that way for ten or so feet, then turned so he was heading in the same direction as he had started. As he progressed, the corridor got darker, light magically suppressed to a dull glow that barely lit the floor. He kept an eye out for pitfalls as he slowly continued.
He came to a dead end, but when he picked a torch off the wall and studied the wall closer, he saw it was exquisitely carved, a lady sphinx sunning herself. He could pick out every hair and feather; whoever had carved this had been a master. A picture of a scroll had been carved under her, and one of her paws rested on the top of it. He moaned out loud when he saw words carved on the scroll. He couldn't read, at least not words, well enough to tell what it said.
"If you wish to proceed any further, you must tell me the answers to my riddles." Said a woman's voice.
He went still, and saw the carving had come to life, looking at him. Given Darien's tricks so far, he wasn't entirely surprised. Sphinxes and riddles were practically synonymous. "I cannot read." He quietly admitted.
"Then I shall read it to you." She stretched a stone wing that he was careful to duck, and started to speak.
"Born
Motherless and Fatherless,
Into this world
without a sin
Made a load roar as
I entered
And never spoke
again."
Falco frowned, crouching on his heels. "Repeat that." The stone sphinx smiled and did. "The last two lines again?" When she had, he tapped his fingers together thoughtfully, then looked up. "Thunder."
She smiled, and a golden spot of light appeared on the corridor wall to the left. "One you have, two more you need. Ready for the next?"
"Yes indeed."
"There
is a thing that nothing is,
and yet it has a
name.
It's sometimes tall
and sometimes short,
joins our talks and
joins our sports,
and plays at every
game?"
"A shadow."
A second golden spot of light appeared, and the sphinx smiled again. "Two you have, one more you need. Do you know what would happen if you missed any of these?"
"You'd kill me on the spot." Falco replied somewhat sourly.
"Indeed. It is our way." She sat back, grooming a paw. "Ready for the last?"
"Go ahead. I've made it this far. No turning back now."
"I
never was, am always to be,
No one ever saw me, nor ever will
And yet I am the confidence of all
To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball."
"Repeat that." When she did, he lapsed deep into thought for several minutes, wracking his brain, then said, "The last two lines?" She smiled, preening quite-sharp stone claws, and did so. "I'm not completely sure, but my best guess is tomorrow."
She smiled, and the third spot of light appeared on the wall, and it opened, letting him into the last section of the maze.
The wall closed behind him, and he was stunned to find a room full of winged keys. On the other side of the room was as a door.
Falco stared up at the keys that flapped through the air, a little dumbfounded. Large and small, they flapped through the air, and now he noticed the door had a lock.
Click.
He snapped his head around, and saw an hourglass had turned, and saw the sand running out.
"Bloody hell." He cursed, shoving his way through the keys. He had let himself become distracted, and he was being timed. God only knew what was going to happen to him when time ran out—for all he knew, the sphinx would come in and gore him. He knelt by the lock, not bothering to snatch after the flying keys, and pulled his lock picks out of his pocket, setting to work. It was a complex lock, but Falco had done the sort before, and soon the door swung open, and he entered a treasure room.
He stood there and gaped as the door closed behind him, staring around at the immense riches that were piled around him. His hands itched, but he regained control of himself, focusing on finding what his task was. The treasure room was sealed. There was something here he was supposed to find.
He walked up the main corridor, looking around, hands still itching at the sight of the immense wealth. After many moments, he stood before three pedestals, each with a different valuable item on them. Two words he did understand were carved on the wall behind them: choose wisely.
"Choose wisely… right…" He looked at the three items, and his eyes fell on a sword not unlike Fox's Katana, but the hilt was carved in a fire design, as was the sheath. He reached out and picked it up, loosely clasping the hilt, ready to drop it if it burned him. Studying it closer, he knew exactly what it was—a Dragon's Fire sword, one of the most sought-after things to steal because of their worth. What exactly they did, Falco wasn't entirely sure, but he knew he could live out most of his life a rich man if he sold it to the right person.
A hatch on the ceiling opened, and a rope ladder descended. Still holding the sword, he climbed the ladder, feeling very smug indeed.
"Well done, young thief." Darien said by way of congratulations. Falco stood in the center of the room he, Fox, and Katt had started out in, and many of the other thieves looked disappointed—they had apparently lost a lot of money on their bets. "Very well done. I stand by my word, your lady friend is safe, and you're now a member of the Guild."
Falco couldn't help but grin. He knew that was proof he was a top-notch thief. He was going to stun his fellows when he returned to the capitol.
"That said, would you be so kind as to return my property?" Darien stood and held out a hand.
Falco looked at the sword he still held. He had become rather attached to it somehow. "Lord Darien, I went through the maze for this, and I've been told that if a thief lives through the maze, they can keep the prize."
"That's the rumor I let circulate, because it keeps people trying. Now if you please?" Darien stepped off the dais, still holding out his hand.
"You let a LIE circulate? What about Thieves' Honor?" Falco demanded, taking steps back.
"My dear Guild member, do you really think I would have amassed all of this if I had been honorable?"
Falco felt fury boil in his veins. So it had been a lie all along, and the man who had invented Thieves' Honor didn't even practice it himself, just used to take advantage of his fellows. The Guild didn't look so high and glorious anymore, and Falco focused on one thing: keeping what he had retrieved. "I don't know what to think anymore, but I went through all your tests, and I am KEEPING this sword."
"Well, the rest of the guild disagrees with you. Besides, I'm telling you now young man, it's in your best interest to give up that sword. Funny things, Dragon Fire swords are… completely dangerous. Most of the time, the wielder ends up dead because the sword goes out of control."
"Out of control?"
"Why do you think they're called Dragon Fire swords? The spirit of a dragon is bound to that blade!" Darien took a few steps closer. "Now I'm saying it only once more. Give me that sword."
Falco stared down at the sword he held, and felt a righteous power rise in his veins, an indignant fury at being ordered around. "No!"
"For God's sake Falco just…" Katt started, but it was too late.
Several members of the Guild lunged at Falco, and thunder cracked through the air. Those who hadn't thrown arms or hands up to shield their eyes saw Falco arc his back, then suddenly pull the sword, bringing it around in a vicious circle, warning those lunging at him to stay back. A massive aura-shadow surrounded him, and for a second bright golden-yellow eyes glowed above his head.
Then silence descended, and he fell to a crouch, propping himself on one hand, holding the sword so it was behind him, propped along the small of his back. He stood after several moments with difficulty, lacing the scabbard onto his belt and sheathing the sword, a very final act, clearly saying no one was taking it from him.
"I tried to warn you." Darien said tiredly. "But in a way, I guess that would be a good thing. You're going to be visiting Andross' territory, you're going to need all the help you can get."
"Thank you sir." Falco grinned.
"You're welcome." Darien tossed him a guild cape. "Now if you would please leave, I'd like to have some peace and quiet."
"Gladly."
Fox and Katt's missing equipment was returned, and they left the tavern.