The Heist
He didn't tell his sister or his friends about the Underground. There was too much at stake and in the end he didn't feel it was his secret to share. Instead he went out telling them he was practicing. And for the most part that was exactly what he did. He spent most of his time in the pit trying to connect with the wind. He wasn't very good at moving the wind, but he had made a very specific sort of progress. Something he couldn't help grinning smugly about, despite Maurs mumbling about him being a cocky idiot that happened to be a little lucky. He was probably right, but that didn't stop Jelanii from feeling a tad proud. It also helped him figure out his plan. A plan he was about to set into motion.
"Are you sure I can't help more?" Gammet asked.
Jelanii shook his head. "You're doing plenty."
Gammet frowned, opened his mouth and then closed it. Jelanii pretended he didn't see.
"Fine," the boy said, though it was clear he wasn't fine at all.
Jelanii sighed. "Just stick to the plan and do your part."
The boy nodded and then Ellie approached them. "How are my boys? Ready to get me my book?"
Jelanii nodded. "If everything goes according to plan they won't even know we were there."
Ellie snorted. "Yeah, if everything goes according to plan." She turned to Gammet. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Gammet took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes."
Ellie nodded. "Good." She turned back to Jelanii and reached out, grabbing his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "We're counting on you."
"I don't plan to disappoint."
"I hope not," she said. "Well, then see you tonight."
All around them people wished them good luck and then they were heading off. Gammet took the lead. But before he could leave, Ellie grabbed his arm. "You've heard the story of the man who married a rock?"
Jelanii frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"The folktale."
Slowly, Jelanii nodded.
"Remember it. Keep your eyes and your mind open," She nodded at Gammet when she said that. "What makes a person Matori is more than just the blood running through their veins."
Jelanii chewed on his bottom lip and nodded.
Ellie met his eyes, holding them, and as she did Jelanii realized she was much older than the young girl he had took her for. At that moment he felt like the cocky kid everyone constantly called him, but even so, he could tell she saw more than just some cocky kid, but what, he wasn't sure.
She let him go and he hurried after Gammet. Gammet led them through the streets and to south of Sulburi. Just getting near the place made his skin crawl. There was where the King's palace laid. Jelanii was just glad they weren't trying to break into there. For them was a noble's house, on the edge of the south side of Sulburi. The noble in question wasn't a very rich noble or distinguished, but was a strong Oban mage. A mage that was supposed to be visiting a lady friend of his. The perfect time to get the book.
Gammet managed to get some inside information that would get them inside. They went against a wall that held a small wall hidden behind what looked like debris and a half-finished building.
"This way," Gammet said. He led them through the wall that led to a tunnel.
Jelanii watched it all in fascination. "There is so many secret corners in Oba."
Gammet nodded. "What many people forget is that even if Sulburi is an Oban city, it was their Matorian slaves that built it. Some of those slaves were smart enough to put in secret routes for them and future generations to use."
Jelanii's eyes widened and he stopped, reaching out to touch the walls forged by hands not so different from his own. He felt humbled by the knowledge and softly he whispered his thanks to them before moving forward. He and Gammet didn't talk much, instead both too focused on the task ahead, but finally they reached the passage that would lead them into the mage's home. Gammet hesitated.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
Jelanii shook his head. "I can handle it. Besides, I need you as my lookout."
Gammet look hesitant, but nodded. "Okay."
Jelanii turned to him. "Thank you for this. I couldn't have gotten in without your help."
Gammet's entire face brightened and suddenly Jelanii felt guilty with how he had been treating him. How many others have treated the boy differently because of his mixed blood. Jelanii wanted to apologize, to say something, but all his words were caught in his throat, so instead he simply waved and moved out into the hall.
With the help of Ellie and Gammet, Jelanii had memorized a route towards the room with the book. Outside would be guards, but as long as he timed it right, there would only be half as the other half changed shift in order to grab food. Jelanii moved cautiously through the house, the silence almost eerie. His skin crawled and his heart was slamming in his chest with a mixture of fear and excitement. One hand gripped the borrowed staff from the pit and the other touched the small bag of pellets that Ellie gave him when he told her of his plan. Now that the moment was upon him he wondered if he had been foolish to think this might work. Could it really be as simple as he planned? He swallowed. There was only one way to know and that was to do it.
Around the corner he heard he sound of the guards talking and laughing. Jelanii quickly peeked around the corner there were four of them. He took a deep breath. Now it was time to connect with the elements.
His heart spiked at the thought of closing his eyes in the midst of an Oban mage's home, but he hadn't managed to successfully call the elements with his eyes open. And it was finally time to prove he could be useful. He closed his eyes and let himself feel the air; thick and stilted pressed again his skin. He felt it and let it mixed through him, swirling around. He called it, all the air and took in all the murkiness and doubt inside him, the anger, the guilt, the disgust, he let it coil into the air and then he pushed it out.
He opened his eyes and as he did he watched a fog build spreading around the room. It spread, rolling over the guards. This was the lucky trick Jelanii had found during his training with Maurs. It wasn't quite what Maurs had in mind, but it would work well for the next part. The guards were shouting and turning around in surprising, fumbling in their clouded vision.
Jelanii grabbed the pouch on his hip and pulled out the sleeping pellets and a handkerchief. He dumped half into his hands, and put the handkerchief to his face. Then he shot forward, throwing the pulled forward into the air. The guards didn't even know what was happening. Jelanii moved back and waited. He heard the guards' voices and then the slump as bodies hit the ground. A bit later the fog cleared and Jelanii took a step forward to look at his handiwork. The guards were out.
Proud of himself, Jelanii took a step forward and went to each guard, checking their pockets until he finally found what he needed - the key.
He moved to the door. He pushed in the key and turned. Slowly, he pushed open the door and stopped as he heard a shout. He twisted around. There was no one there. He hadn't been caught. He thought of ignoring it, but something told him to look. He headed back down to where he had been before and looked around the corner. His eyes widened at what he saw. It was Gammet and he was struggling with an older Matori guard.
The guard let out a shout. "Intruder! There's an intruder!"
Gammet's eyes widened in shock and he yanked himself away from the Matori only to freeze in place as he heard the sound of feet coming down the hall. Jelanii watched it all. He glanced back at the door then to Gammet. He could still get the book, with the added distraction he could get out of the house even without Gammet's help, but then Gammet would likely be capture or he could help Gammet and forget about the book.
"Idiot," he hissed and he wasn't sure if he was directing it to himself or to Gammet. He rushed forward. The Matori guard turned as Jelanii came forward, but it was too late, Jelanii was already swinging his staff and slammed it against the guard's head. The Matori slumped to the ground.
"Open eyes and open mind, huh?" He turned to Gammet who looked shaken up. "Hey, can you lead us out of here?"
Gammet gave a shaky nod.
"Good, because it'd going to get foggy."
The guards appeared, their hands on their weapons. Jelanii closed his eyes and concentrated. His breath caught in his throat as he let everything rolled through him, the feeling of disgust at his own ignorance, the guilt at how he treated Gammet, everything and when he opened his eyes everything was in a gray cloud.
"This way," Gammet said and grabbed his arm then they were moving. Jelanii wasn't sure where, but they were moving fast, weaving through the house until suddenly they stopped and then Gammet was pulling them through a tunnel.
"We should be safe now."
"Yeah safe," they both looked at each other and grinned.
"Wow," Gammet said
"Agreed," Jelanii said and shook his head. "It was pretty amazing up until the point where we failed."
"Sorry," Gammet said and his shoulders sagged.
Jelanii patted his shoulder. "Don't be. We're a team, aren't we?"
Gammet looked at him in surprise. "But I thought you hated me."
Jelanii shrugged. "I changed my mind."
"Thanks?"
Jelanii laughed. Despite his utter failure he felt good. He was sure he wouldn't get into the Underground now, but at least he had tried and to him, that meant something.
"Let's head back."