Wings of Punishment
Chapter 3: One Man's Treasure?
Waiting... Kyo hated waiting. But waiting was all he could do at the moment. What was he doing at that moment you ask? Why, he was waiting for a chance to steal something. A something that held great significance to the Emporer. A something so powerful and mysterious that it just had to be stolen. A something that would change his life so completely it would nearly tear him apart.
Kyo began getting impatient. His vein visibly started bulging until he couldn't take it and took out the guard in front of him... along with all the other guards in the room. He threw off his mask and let his hair fall down to his face. Now seventeen, he had made a promise on the night Jonas died that he would steal anything he could to overthrow the Empire and avenge his father's death. Unfortunately, Kenichi also made a promise that night, to be in the service of the Imperial Guard until death.
He made his way through the corridors, making sure not to come into contact with any guards. He slid the skeleton key from a guard back in the outer rooms. Quickly scouting the near infinite hallway of doors he located the one with what he was looking for, The Cat's Eye, the jewel his father died to get. Sliding inside he found the room totally unguarded. He stepped forward and the hair stood on his neck. He looked at his prize and watched the yellow jewel in amazement. Inside of its amber core seemed to be pulsing life and energy, warding off all of its enemies and giving its friends amazing power. He reached out to take it, mesmerized by its intricate beauty. His hands hit a barrier and began to bend back toward him like they were putty. He jerked bakc in surprise. His eyes still wide, he searched around the base. He wrenched open a panel and retrieved a green, oval gem. A low hum echoed from the pedestal as Kyo grabbed the gem and rushed out of the room, taking out as many guards as he could along the way.
Making his escape out to the roof, he pulled out his grapple rope only to find someone waiting for him.
His eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"
The other person glared back, "Stopping you from stealing from the Empire again."
"Heh. I always knew you'd end up like this. Hiding behind someone else and cowering under your big suit of armor."
"And I always knew you'd follow in Jonas' footsteps, degrading yourself to becoming a common thief."
"The Emporer hasn't given these people a chance to live lives where they could make a decent wage and put food on the table! You saw it yourself, dammit!"
"You shouldn't be so vulgar."
"Psht. I can think of plenty of worse things to call you."
"Now that's just mean."
"...Just tell me what you're doing here!"
"I told you. The Emporer wants his treasures back. And my being the highest ranking soldier in the Empire might have something to do with it..."
"Fine. You want this?" he held up the Cat's Eye "You come get it!"
He threw the grapple hook past his aggresor's and used it to fly off into the night. Smirking as he flew onto a roof and disappeared, Kyo placed his prize back into his bag.
He jumped across the buildings of the City, humming to himself at his luck, trying to cover up his anxiety about who he just escaped from. He stopped near the older section of town... and then the tiles gave out.
He woke up in pain, his whole body felt like it was on fire. He threw himself into sitting position and fell back in pain.
"Awake, are you?" someone said.
He turned his head and glimpsed a girl about his age working in a pot over a fire. Her long brown hair was tied into one long ponytail that slid its way down her back. Everything about her seemed plain on the outside, but Kyo knew there was something strange about this girl...
She turned to him and looked down at his hair. "...Where did you get hair like that?"
He shrugged and then winced from the pain of movement. "Ow, ow, ow... What happened to me?"
She pointed up to the hole in her roof. "You owe me."
He smirked and again grimaced from pain.
She lifted up a glass to his mouth. "Drink. It'll take away the pain," she simply stated and went back to her pot.
He sipped on it and sat up. "Uh... where are my clothes?"
She pointed at the pile on the floor where she had obviously went through his belongings. He picked up the pile and pulled on some pants and his tunic. He stuffed the rest in his bag and stood up. "Well... um... Thanks, miss, but I need to go now."
"Don't you think you'll need this?" she said, not turning around and holding up the Cat's Eye as he turned to walk out.
He tried to grab it but she quickly pulled it from his reach. "Hey! That's mine!"
"You're lying," she said calmly and turned to face him. "Who are you?"
"Hey, lady! I think you should be telling me who you are!"
"And why is that?"
"Because... because... Um... Okay, fine. What do you want to know?"
"Are you the Phantom Thief I keep hearing about?"
"...The what?"
Her eyes narrowed, gleaming orbs of jade piercing into his very soul. "Are you or are you not the thief who steals the treasures of the Empire and leaves no trace of your presence behind?"
He took a step back, visibly unnerved. "Okay, lady, I don't know what you're talking about," he gulped, "but I need to get out of here!"
She held out the Cat's Eye and an unearthly glow surrounded it. Her voice seemed to echo from everywhere. "You have stolen a relic of unimaginable power and you will be punished for it!"
He tried to turn and run but his body wouldn't move. He couldn't even blink as blinding light engulfed him, feathers obstructing his vision completely.