Chapter: 3 The Thief’s Test

Loki had once heard the name, in the tales of an adventurer who came in the inn late one night last summer. The tall strong-build warrior said he’d never want to mess with them. He had described them as a group of skinny weaklings who go lucky. Maybe so, but Loki thought he was trying to find an excuse for the black eyes and large bandage on his head.

Harven lead Loki down the street to a large and rather old looking building. He always wondered about this eerie building that people seemed to instinctively stay away from. They walked up to the rustic heavy door and Harven said in a clear, almost magical voice, “Grękừ Témil”. The door swung open instantly with nothing on either side applying force. Wow! He’s a mage, thought Loki. He had never met a mage before and the fact that the man standing next to him had the power to bend the elements to his will almost frightened Loki. But there was no room for fear because excitement and anxiousness quickly overcame him. The door seemed to lead into pure darkness, but when he stepped in suddenly the room was brightly lit by the rows of wickless flames that hung from the ceiling.

“Welcome to the guild house of Fronlan village,” Harven began. “Here thieves of every degree of the guild are welcome to stay. Most people who come are gone by morning, but most of the time, it’s the best for you Here, you will be stationed until you are needed else where.” He paused and waited for Loki to speak, “Why is it that you want me here, I’m nothing more than a lucky pick pocket,” asked the confused Loki.

“If you call getting twenty four gold pieces in one move lucky, you might be right. But you knew the man most likely would be carrying more than he should have, you knew he was a prime target and that’s why you acted. What I saw you do today was amazing for a kid with no training. I spend most of my time in “guild business,” but I like to go out in my free time in hope of finding a good candidate to enter the guild. For what purpose, you will find out later. That is if you chose to accept.” Harven pulled out a long curved dagger and presented it to Loki. Loki ran his eyes over the magnificently crafted blade with a crest engraved in the blade near the hilt. The crest engraved was the same as that of the golden symbol on the black flag that hung in the middle of the north wall.

“This is a dagger of acceptance; a dagger given to a apprentice thief before he goes thought the Test of Trial: a test of cunning, wits, and mainly an analysis of your ability as a thief. If you chose to join the ranks and be accepted, then you agree to stand and fight any foe of the guild with out a second’s thought.”

Loki thought about how he had earned this “honor”. The idea seemed great, he would continue to do what he was good at, but most of all what he loved to do. The large sum of money he held in his satchel made him think. If in one simple purse cut I can get twenty four gold pieces, how much could I get in this guild? Plus it’s better than going back to living in the allies, he thought. Loki’s hand crept slowly towards the dagger, grasped it by the hilt and lifted it out of Harven’s hand. He bowed to the master.

“Thank you, master, for this honor.” Loki said trying to show as much respect to Harven as possible.

“So let it begin,” shouted Haven. A few men raced down the stairs, others stood up from their seats. All seemed as though they were anxious to see the new rookie attempt to survive the test. They all followed Harven and Loki as they walked down the dimly lit corridor. What Loki noticed about the hall way was that no doors were built in to the wall and nothing hung from them. The only thing present was a large door at the end of the hall.

As they got there Harven spoke. “In the past, winters few have successfully completed the task waiting behind this door--but Loki, in you I have trust; for what I saw you do not but and hours ago was unsurpassable of those of your age. Have faith in yourself and remember whose name you bear as you walk in.”

Loki walked through the door and it was closed quickly behind him. The room he stepped into was just a normal square room with nothing in it but a chest. The floor was nothing but dirt and filth. Loki thought of what challenge could possibly come from this.

A voice resounded in the large room, a voice he identified as Harven’s, “Before you think that this will be easy, think that it would not be much of a test to just waltz over to that chest and open it. It will be a challenge! To get to the chest will be difficult, but not as difficult as opening it. Oh, and one thing--remember that just because your eyes don’t see something doesn’t mean that nothing’s there.”

Loki stepped forward and was engulfed in a cloud of filth, realizing that the floor was dustier than he thought. He took a few more steps forward and walked strait in to a wall that did not seem to exist. He caught his breath and stepped back as he realized that he was in a maze. He pondered for a few minutes trying to think of a way to show the true wall. If only I could do magic it would solve everything, he thought. Then it dawned on him, the dust! He picked up a hand full and threw it at the area where he had walked into the barrier. As the dust hit the solid air, a dirty patch revealed the true place of the wall. With his hands, he followed the wall in both directions, finally coming to a turn on the wall. He threw more dirt down the invisible hallway and found a barrier that went in a different direction than the one followed. He walked down throwing dirt every few steps in an attempt to find the next turn. When it was finally found, it lead strait towards the chest. He walked forward cautiously, hoping no trap awaited him. As he moved, once again throwing dust to see what lay ahead, he inched closer to the chest and wall appeared. He felt the wall searching for which direction it when in. To his right his hand collided with the wall of the hall he just came down and to his left the same. This puzzled him, as he had searched all around for another possible hallway. His hands moved up and down the wall, when suddenly his hand hit a protruding knob. He picked up some dirt and threw it where his hand hit, and a door handle appeared. He tried turning it but it did not budge. He searched desperately near the handle for something to aid him. After a minute he threw more dirt that uncovered a keyhole. Loki had never picked a lock before. He tried to use his new knife that Harven gave him but it was to big. Then he thought of the knife he had stolen from Tryne. He unfolded the knife and if fit in to the keyhole. After a few minutes of moving it around trying to unlock the door, it few open and the wall and door suddenly materialized.

The speaker again announced, “Well done Loki, it seem you have gotten past the first part of the test, now comes the final part. But again search around for things you can use.”

As Harven’s voice faded away, Loki was already searching for something that could aid him. He threw dust at the chest and reviled a netting of metal bars creating a cage around the box. He tried to pick it up but it was far too heavy for him to lift. He looked around hoping for something. He noticed a rope nearby and picked it up. A rope won’t help me much. What can I do with it? He looked up in desperation and saw what looked like a metal bar in the ceiling. He then anchored the end of the rope with his dagger and threw it over, looping the rope around it. He then tied the other end to the metal cage, creating a pulley system. He pulled hard on the rope and the cage lifted, but only slightly. He jump up, putting the weight on the rope and the cage lifted. The problem was there was nowhere to tie the rope. Thinking, he tied the rope’s end that he was holding to the cage, and it was suspended in the air. He moved to the chest and started picking it with the small knife. Again it took a lot longer than it should have, but he had no true experience picking locks. It finally clicked and inside was a saber and a cloak of the same shade and darkness as the one Harven had. The saber had a long elegant sweeping blade that started at a finely crafted point and curved down to the hilt. The hilt was black with a gold crest, similar to the one on his knife, engraved in the side, the handle was wire wrapped and ended at a golden pommel with a black gem in the center. The scabbard that lay next to it was the same darkness the cloak possessed. As Loki touched the sword, a world of darkness enveloped the room with a blackness never seen before.