8th of Glade, 4623
Jared had refrained from his thieving activities for a few days now. He knew how important it was to give his body and mind a break, especially after utilizing his divine spark to improve his skills. Despite being aware of his inferiority compared to other Draedans, Jared was determined to enhance himself as much as possible.
The stakes were high for him, and he could not afford to remain idle for too long. He was wary of arousing any suspicion among others. Being vulnerable was not an option for him, and he had to remain vigilant at all times.
“It is now time for me to embark on my journey. There is still a multitude of unexplored destinations waiting to be discovered, and my focus must remain on my training. In my current state, I cannot afford to rely on anyone else. The ability to defend myself against my opponents is crucial if I navigate my surroundings carefully and avoid any unnecessary risks.”
Currently having his back against a brick wall which was obscured in gloom; only the silver light of the moon illuminated the streets while the various shades of oranges, reds and yellow blazes of various lamps moved in a cycling pattern as patrol groups would moved in a predictable way that the thief had to keep in check. The thief kept track of various guard stations, patrol groups and routes for the past few days.
At some point, the thief was also testing their level of perception by stalking various groups for a limited time, keeping himself in the shadows or blending into crowds of faceless people during the day. All of this information was required to know the general level required to pull off a heist or, in his current case, to practice his Draedan abilities.
As the radius of light started to fade away, as the heavy footsteps of leather boots became lighter and ethereal as each stepped away. It was a cue that it was time to begin his operation from the shadows, quickly tightening his charcoal black face cloth and ensuring that his tattered hood was secured to obfuscate his features other than his amber-hued eyes.
The thief begins to make his rounds, darting from cover to cover, which ranges from barrels, walls and even wooden crates, each providing some sort of disruption to one’s line of sight, but these were necessary things when it came to learning from hiding; using any kind of distraction or cover to erase one’s tracks was important. This a lesson that Jared keeps to his heart and soul since his earlier years were not so kind when starting as a novice street urchin.
Jared had his sights set on a workshop situated in the merchant district of Genteven. This bustling city was divided into different sections, such as markets, industries, and residential areas. However, in this society, a person's financial status, connections, and magical abilities were the most significant factors that determined their social standing. Having been a mage himself, Jared was aware that a considerable portion of the population possessed magical abilities, but their proficiency level varied greatly. In the end, magic was merely a tool that could be harnessed for a multitude of purposes.
The security was a little bit tough based on his initial investigation of the casing the joint; there were high-grade locks that were made of durable steel, making the resistance for destructive entry harder to do.
“It is common for beginners to resort to destructive methods when faced with such a task. Therefore, learning to pick locks is essential, as this skill can be helpful in many situations. Without it, one may struggle to open the lock.
Let us put our skills to the test and try to pick the lock without causing any damage. We should take a moment to survey our surroundings before proceeding. Once we have accomplished what we must do, we should ensure the lock is securely locked back up. After all, it is best to leave very little evidence behind, and you do not know who is currently on your trail….”
Taking a moment to look around for any potential investigators or hunters who could also be using the shroud of darkness to their advantage, just like any scoundrel would. For a moment, the thief couldn’t help but ponder if the thieves he had met a season or two ago were watching his every move as well or did they possibly lose interest after disappearing for a while. These brief moments of ideal thoughts were intriguing, but now was not the time to pander to unnecessary details. What mattered more was the present. There was a lock testing Jared’s capacity to break it with raw skill alone.
Jared, an experienced and proficient thief, possessed a diverse set of tools at his disposal to unlock various types of locks. He was well aware that every locksmith had a unique way of designing locks, but he firmly believed that every lock could be opened with persistence and expertise.
As he approached a door adorned with a simple yet elegant pattern of intricately carved flowers and vines on a sturdy mahogany frame, Jared crouched down and skillfully inserted his preferred 'L' shaped torsion wrench. With precision and confidence, he then chose a 'w' shaped rake, a tool he trusted to open the lock efficiently and smoothly.
Not wanting to leave any potential traces of tampering on the lock, Jared would infuse his divinity into his tools as a thin layer of nightshade purple would coat every inch of the tools, which also bleeds into the lock itself. The thought of wanting to stifle the sounds of a lock being tampered and preventing any noticeable scratch marks from within the pin-tumbler was all that Jared desired from his divinity.
It was at this point, it was time to work his magic. Jiggling and sawing the rake back and forward, the aim of raking was to rapidly set the pins while at the same time turning the torsion wretch to secure the pins in place. While it is true that if there were security pins which most high-grade locks would have, than the raking method would not work, but in Jared’s case, Bypass would correct the security pins by nudging them in place once the process started, the slightly tangible essence would weasel and push the pins to their desired locations and before long; with some additional tension; the once secured lock was no more. The contents within the building were his for the taking, and a brief smile would linger underneath the thief’s tattered face cloth.
“Seems like you can pick a high-quality lock, With some help, of course, but that doesn’t mean that effort was made.”
It was only a few minutes since the door was unlocked, and the thief was quickly inside, scouring the place for anything of interest. It would be another 10 minutes until the thief came out with a satchel filled with miscellaneous items; however, as the thief stepped out of the building, his keen eyes quickly picked up some light around the corner. Quickly heading back inside the building, the thief would crouch down and make his frame smaller to avoid being caught.
Judging from the sounds of footsteps, a pair of guards would be making their rounds, causally talking about matters that did not interest the thief, yet something the thief wanted to try out was attempting to influence someone with his divinity. While the thief had never tried against someone before, something within him whispers the possibility of doing so.
Briefly closing his eyes for a moment, the Draedan would peek out from the door once the guards passed by. His amber-hued eyes would turn into a deep violet as his gaze would direct his divinity over to the two guards; the intention was to sicken them, just enough to create some distraction so that he could slip by and move along for the night.
In a matter of seconds, the two guards would hold their stomachs as they reel from the sudden waves of nausea settling in, both men cursing as they rush off, leaving the thief to go to the premise with relative ease. Then, closing the door behind him, a soft click echoes momentarily as he touches the lock and uses his divinity to relock the door, leaving no trace behind other than some stolen goods that he could sell off to a fence.
“Seems like I have another tool to work with…. But I need to refine it; just using that sickening gaze does knock the wind out of you, but the uses are endless…. Time to retire for the night, but a well-deserved slumber is called for.”
With that matter settled, the thief would quickly dart his way through the streets of Genteven, just like the street rat he is. Keeping things subtle and quiet until he reached home to rest for the night.
