2 MASTER OF TRICKS (1/2)
With clear blue skies, the sun smiled at the peaceful Kingdom of Soden. Ruled by the Egberts for centuries, it occupied most of the fertile southern lands of the Sunsimoon Region.
However, just like any place on the continent, the glorious Kingdom of Soden was far from perfect. Although in the past, legends said that it used to be a sanctuary of dragons where men and majestic beasts lived in harmony.
...
In a five-hectare mansion loftily standing on the central district of Soden, the household of Misfeet Family was in complete disarray. The veins in Mister Piorquee Misfeet's forehead—the patriarch—were about to pop. ”You useless pieces of aargh! Find it at all costs! Now!” he said. Despite the supposedly tight security, the king's entrusted treasure in his room's vault was missing.
The guards scrambled at the behest of Mister Misfeet while the other five stationed at his room were still snoring. They slept in peace, not knowing that they'd wake up jobless and in prison.
Meanwhile, in the narrow alleys of Soden's slums known as Bunya, knights were in a frenzy. The shut, shabby stone houses linked to each other like tombs made their grand chase tricky. They're after an infamous thief. The notorious man that has challenged the Kingdom's peace ever since he learned to run—Vance Valfern!
”Aha! I finally found you, Valfern! Stop or I'll shoot!” a knight with a bow and round belly said.
The black-hooded man with a leather sack bag on his shoulder paused. With a hand raised, he slowly turned around to face the familiar knight. ”Come on, Rigert. I'll give you two silver coins this time.”
”No! I won't compromise my honor!” Rigert said with his chin raised high, ”I'll earn more if your arse is in prison!” With an arrow notched to his bow, he inched his way towards Valfern.
”Five silver coins then! That's my limit. Take it or...” Valfern's ears picked up the marching of feet—at least five pairs. He then darted away from where he stood.
”You're courting death!” Unwilling to let his target escape, Rigert haphazardly released the string.
The arrow swooshed to the side, far from the intended target. ”Damn! Old age is getting into my nerves!” Rigert said.
A door suddenly opened, and a yawning child rubbing her eyes came out of it. Innocent of the scene in the alley, Rigert's arrow pierced her on the left shoulder, barely missing her neck.
The girl wailed, and it echoed like the cry of poverty that even Valfern paused.
”Stupid Bunya brat! You're not supposed to come out if we're around!” Rigert said. His eyes darted between the distant figure of Valfern and the bleeding child in the doorway.
”I hate this part,” Valfern said. He turned around and dashed back to the child.
Rigert grinned. ”Aha! You're a blessing in disguise, child! Now, the mighty Rigert will capture this thief, thanks to you!”
”Reinforcements!” One of the five knights fully geared from helmet to sabaton said. They've finally arrived at the entrance of the alley behind Rigert.
Meanwhile, Rigert's confidence swelled, and he continued to fire arrows on the charging Valfern, ignoring the paling child.
Valfern zigzagged his way back to evade Rigert's attacks, but the number of arrows suddenly increased. From the rear, two of the reinforcements sniped with their crossbows while the three with swords and bucklers charged.
From his cloak's inner pockets, Valfern took out three small, brown balls and locked each between his fingers. He then used his leather sack as a shield from inevitable arrows fired by the knights.
He smashed the first ball on the floor, and it poofed with a cloud of brown smoke. It swallowed the charging three knights.