Catalyst of Enigma

Ha.

Ha.

Sigh, I've finally escaped.

[I thought they weren't going to chase me since I didn't hear any footsteps coming from behind after I took this bag. But I never thought that he would actually sneak up on me from behind.]

"Ha! Unfortunately for you, I know this place like the back of my hand. The only reason you managed to sneak up on me before was merely because of your luck."

[Ah, what am I saying? I need to hurry and get back. Hmm, I wonder what Maddie was able to get while I was gone,] the man thought as he made his way home through the narrow alleyway.

Doing the right hand movements and tilting the handle up and down, he then went to the door and knocked three times.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

With a puzzled look, he knocked again.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

[Huh? Why isn't the door opening? I did the combination the correct way, right?]

Checking once more, he confirmed that he had, but the door still wasn't opening.

[Damn it. This is probably Gave's doing. He's the one who suggested this weird procedure for opening the door, and now that I'm using it, he's not even opening the door.]

After waiting for a few seconds, the man started to get annoyed, shouting, "Open the door, you bastard," as he tried to open the door.

A few seconds later, he heard the door click as a person walked out.

*Click*

"Calm down, calm down. I was just doing something. There's no need to be so loud. What if someone hears you?" Gave asked with an annoyed expression.

"Then maybe next time you should be quicker," he said as he walked in.

Looking around the shabby place he called home, he asked, "Are the others back yet?"

"Yeah, we're just waiting for Maddie now," Gave replied as he closed the door.

Hearing this, the man began to smile.

[You kept bragging about how you were the better thief. Let's see what you say today,] the man thought as he lightly patted the bag.

"Oh, hey, Sam, you're finally back," Jack said.

"Yeah."

"Oh, you brought something again this time?"

"Yup."

"How many times do I have to tell you? You know you should really be careful. Although you keep saying it's nothing, what if you steal from the wrong person, and they end up coming back to get revenge?"

"Relax, it's fine. All these people ever do is report it to the church and law enforcement, and it's not like they actually do anything. We're commoners, remember? Do you think they're going to waste their time on us?"

"I know, but I'm just worried. What if someone follows you and we get involved in something that you started?"

"Ugh, relax. Nothing's going to happen. Plus, you're going to be surprised when you find out what I managed to get this time."

"Hmm, what is it?"

"Can't say yet. I want Maddie to be here." [I want to see that smug face of hers completely crumble. That way she'll know who the better thief is.]

"Damn it, Gave, open this door!"

Saying this, Sam soon heard a voice coming from the door.

[Speak of the devil.]

Walking through the door, Maddie saw the two boys, Sam and Jack, sitting in the room waiting for her.

"Oh, hey, guys," she said. "Dinner's on me tonight. Look, I managed to snag some silver coins and a watch of this unsuspecting noble who fell over today," she said proudly, showing off the things in her bag.

"Ha! Oh, Maddie, Maddie, you show off these trinkets and boast about your skills? You're just a mere simpleton," Sam said as he picked up a glass of water, casually sipping it.

"Simpleton? Why are you talking like that?" she asked, her eyebrows slightly furrowing.

"Let me ask you this: have you ever managed to steal a spatial bag?"

"What are y—"

"Just answer the question."

"Ugh, no, okay? Happy now? Do you even know how much those things cost? We could never make enough money to buy those," she said, dropping the baggage on the table.

"Well, what do you think I'm wearing?" Sam said as he twirled.

"Tch, yeah, right. You expect me to believe that? If you actually managed to get one, then I'll do you any one favour," Maddie retorted, immediately dismissing Sam's claims.

"Oh, then look at this," Sam said as he opened the bag before grabbing the six-foot stick that was leaning against the wall and stuffing it completely in the bag.

Silence. The room had gone dead silent. Even Jack, who seemed to have not been paying attention, was in disbelief.

"Y-you actually managed to get one," Maddie spoke, disbelief evident on her face.

"Of course," Sam said as he grabbed another tall stick before repeating the same gesture.

"H-how? W-where did you get this?"

"Oh, I just got it from some random girl," Sam said, scratching his head. "There was a guy there too who tried chasing me, but I threw him off. Haha! Dumbass thought he could catch me in my own neighbourhood."

"You said this cost a lot, right, Maddie? How much do you think we could get if we sold it?"

Maddie, still amazed that Sam had managed to get a spatial bag, blurted out unknowingly, "300 gold!"

[Hm?]

"More than 300 gold we can get if we sell this. W-we no longer have to live in the slums. We can get a nice house and find a job. We can completely change our lives around," Maddie said, teardrops nearly forming in her eyes.

"S-Sam, can I try it?"

"Sure," [Man, I didn't think she'd get so emotional,] Sam thought as he took off the bag. But just as he was about to hand it over to Maddie, he heard a loud noise.

*Bang*

The next thing he knew, he felt pain. Looking down, he saw that his top, which was dirty a moment ago, was now dyed red, the blood in his body seeping out through his shirt.

Seemingly not understanding what was going on, in that same second, another shot was heard, this time piercing his collarbone.

The moment the second shot was fired, everyone seemed to come back to their senses.

Maddie, now shocked, quickly rushed over, screaming at Sam, who was currently bleeding from his chest and collar. Unfortunately, before she could stop him from falling, another shot was heard.

*Bang*

This shot, instead of piercing Sam, went directly through Maddie's forehead, the blood splattering across the walls, painting everything it touched red as the brain matter went flying, hitting Jack on the face.

"AHHHHH!"

Jack screamed at the sight in front of him, hastily shuffling back.

Maddie was dead on the ground, continuously leaking blood through the hole in her forehead. Sam, on the other hand, was slowly lifting himself off the floor, slightly fumbling with unstable breathing.

*Bang*

Another shot was heard. This time it was Jack's turn to scream. Both his legs and body were shaking uncontrollably. He had just been shot in the shin, causing his whole body to tense up.

Scared and afraid, Jack slowly turned his head to figure out where the shot had come from, and what he saw in the dimly lit room was a boy holding a revolver.

The boy appeared to be in his late teens, with smooth, dark ebony skin and a tall, strikingly handsome figure. His white-coloured eyes, which matched his eyelashes and eyebrows, seemed to glow against his dark skin, giving him a uniquely captivating appearance. He also had a large afro that seemed to demand attention whenever he was looked at by other people.

The boy was Aizer.

Aizer smiled as he looked at Sam before saying in a humour-filled voice, "Found you."