Tora Steals Things

He pointed it out to FPS who nodded sagely.
“Looks like he hasn’t managed to crack into it yet,” FPS whispered.
A relief if true, and it certainly looked to be: they watched as Rakak tried another

password, failed, and shrieked in rage. Evidently Bolli used better passwords. The old boy was red in the face, scratching at his balding head with increased

irritation. There were deep bags under his eyes—from the look of things, he’d been trying to crack the amulet’s secrets for days with no real success. They’d worried over nothing. If they wanted to stop him now, all they’d have to do is swipe the amulet like they’d originally planned. Tora readied a stealth spell.

The password screen punished Rakak with another loud beep of failure. “I know that’s not the right password! Stop telling me—RRRGH!” “Have you tried 1-2-3-4?”
“Of course I tried 1-2-3-4! I—wait, who? Who’s there?”

The ‘who’ had been FPS, before Tora hastily yanked him back from the entranceway. As far as Rakak was concerned, it was as if he’d gotten advice from a ghost.

“Is-Is someone there?”
“What are you doin’?” Tora whispered harshly to FPS.
“I don’t know, I just felt so bad for him,” he whispered back.
“I know someone is there!” Rakak tried with some persistence. “One of you Inquest

brats staying back to pull pranks, is it? I know it wasn’t the golems that set Hall E on fire! …Probably.”

They could hear the old boy pattering over the electric floor, tiny sparks setting off as he neared the hall.

“Oh you’ve done it now,” Tora growled. He’d wasted too much energy trying to ready a stealth spell twice. Now he only had enough energy to stealth himself. Their cover was about to get blown wide open.

“Sorry,” FPS whimpered.

“Too late fer that.” They could hear Rakak closing in. “No goin’ back now. Make yerself useful, ya? Distract him—I’m gettin’ that amulet.”

Before FPS could protest, Tora shoved him out into the open and disappeared. For his part, the tree man recovered swiftly, only briefly looking as shocked as Rakak was.

“H-Hello there!” FPS said as he stumbled into view.
“Wha—Who are you?!”
The thief, now invisible, slipped past FPS and Rakak with ease, slowly and soundlessly making his way to the amulet.