Well, here's the next lot... 1500 words, but I wanted to get it to a natural end point
This is just becuase you were complaining, btw, asian
I hope you're happy - you made me work lots
~~
The sounds of the angry mob were lessening, almost becoming quiet. Commanding voices rose above the noise. Faintly the pair could hear someone shout “I still own this land, whether you like it or not. I’ll do what I wish!”
Tim turned around, still perched on the edge of the wall. Jake, seeing his look, nodded and started climbing up the wall. The handholds were actually deep enough to grip, but Jake’s face still showed worry at his friend’s handiwork.
Above him, Tim was trying to gently force a window open. The wood frame creaked, but finally the window opened without any problems. Tim, grinning down at his friend, swung the window open and climbed into the room beyond. Jake followed quickly, closing the window behind him, which earned an amused look from his friend.
In the room, a middle-aged man sat up in bed, looking blearily at the intruders. The room was plain and small, but the man had a sense of self-importance about him. In a second he was out of bed, looking indignant.
“How dare you try and break into my room?” His voice was dull, but he tried to put as much feeling into it as he could. “Thieves on this property can be arrested and hanged!”
Tim looked uncertainly at the man, and then took a step backwards. Keeping his movements to a minimum, Tim vanished. The man stared at the space he had been, eyes wide. “Stay back, ghost! I warn you, I am proficient with spirit spells!”
Jake shook his head, and moved closer. “I’m sorry to say that it won’t work. Y’see, we’re not ghosts, but we are here to rob you people. And I’m also very sorry to say that you’re about to be hit on the head. I’m sorry.”
The man reeled back, looking shocked. Then, suddenly, his body jarred and he fell backwards onto the bed.
Tim reappeared, right besides where the man had been. “Why’d you tell him? You’re not fun. I wanted to make him think I was a ghost…”
Jake, ignoring the protest, walked to the door and opened it very slowly. A crack of light seeped in, brighter than the moonlight through the window. Shrugging, Tim pulled the door open fully and walked out. A yelp from Jake sounded behind him, but he kept walking down the corridor, just looking briefly at various expensive-looking decorations.
Jake ran softly across the thick carpeting to catch up, a frown obvious on his face.
Before they had gone a dozen metres, the pair came across a narrow staircase near the end of a corridor. Jake walked over to the wall and stood near it, tracing the symbols onto the paint. His eyes glazed and he looked slowly around. Tim stood, hopping from foot to foot while staring up the staircase.
Finally, when Jake came out of his trance-like state, he led the way up the staircase and through one of the doors at the top. Tim followed close behind, peering over his friend’s shoulder.
The floor above was much more richly furnished, but Jake pulled Tim onwards before he stopped to look at the hangings and vases and paintings. After rounding a few more corners, the pair reached a set of large double doors surrounded in a fancy frame of gold. A guard stood either side of the doors, holding large spears. Neither looked fully awake or presentable, but they seemed to have done their best. As they spotted the intruders, the guards simply watched. Tim, nodding slightly to Jake, kept walking, trusting his friend to follow.
When they reached the doors, one of the guards took a step towards them. His eyes had bags under them, and he stifled a slight yawn. “Are you part of the townsfolk delegation?” he said, studying their faces.
Tim blinked a few times, then turned to Jake. Jake, stepping in front of him, nodded to the guard. “Yes. We’re very interested in hearing what will be decided. Please let up in so we can wait for his lordship to arrive.”
The guard frowned “Wasn’t he sending people to lead you here?”
“We told him that we knew our way. We have been here before to discuss such matters. However, this time it is important enough for me to need to arrange thoughts in my head for when we meet him.”
The guard, still frowning, turned to his friend. There was some hurried muttering, but eventually the guards went back to their places. “His lordship will be with you shortly. Please enter and make yourself comfortable.”
Nodding to each guard as he passed, Jake pushed open the large doors, and walked in. Tim followed, and Jake walked calmly back to close the doors after him.
The room was a large conference room, with a polished wooden table dominating the centre. Chairs stood around the table, though one was more like a throne. Around the outside of the room were various ornamental swords and banners.
Jake dashed over to his friend, leaned close and whispered “Keep voices low. They’ll be listening, possibly with magic.”
Tim looked puzzled, but nodded. “Why did they let us in?”
Grinning, Jake muttered “I think that this lord is meeting with the leaders of the riot. He’s going to talk them into submission. They think we’re some of those leaders, which is fine but me. This is the room we need, after all.”
Tim nodded as he looked around, and his eyes were drawn to where a large blue crystal sat on a stand in the centre of the table. The stand was gold, but the crystal outshone everything else in the room, while only being as big as a cooking apple.
Jake was rummaging through draws, looking at pieces of paper critically. Eventually he sighed and replaced them, turning instead to displays of wealth such as figurines and gems.
Tim was still looking at the crystal when Jake walked up behind him, holding out a few smaller jewels. Tim, shrugging, pointed to the crystal.
“OK, but wait. It might be protected.” whispered Jake, putting the other gems in his pockets. Making the symbol in midair, he looked at the crystal and frowned.
“There’s an alarm on it. I’m not sure how to get rid of it.” His eyes were back to normal almost instantly, and he shook he head “And I’m getting too tired to keep doing this.”
Tim looked downcast. “But it’s that ultra-worthwhile treasure the townspeople were telling me about!”
“They told you about this?”
“Yeah, they said it’s so important. So it must be worth loads. I want it…”
Jake shook his head again. “Look, we can’t get it. Give up. There’s loads of other stuff we can take.”
With a faint susurration, the doors swung open, and footsteps sounded. Tim and Jake both turned to look at the newcomers – the real delegation, the guards, and the lord. All had anger in their faces except for the townsfolk, who looked panicked.
Jake smiled uncertainly, looking around. There were no other doors or windows in the room, and the people left almost no space even in the double doorway.
Tim was still focused on the crystal, but said “Can we help you?”
The guards moved forwards, spears at the ready and already tracing symbols for magic.
In an instant, Tim went invisible, avoiding the shots of chains and fire that aimed at him. The crystal appeared to float away from its stand and the alarm sounded, making a sharp wailing siren.
The crystal and its invisible carrier darted forwards, ploughing into the townsfolk who were too slow to get away before running off down the corridor.
Throwing a quick fire spell at a tapestry in the conference room, Jake followed while the people and guards were still too dazed to do anything.
Behind them sounded screams of rage from the lord, louder than even the siren as they ran further down the hallways and turned a corner. Dashing straight down the stairs and into a larger corridor, the pair ran wildly, Jake following the slight sparkling of the large crystal.
Finally, they managed to break out through the large front doors, past yet more startled guards, and into the gardens. Now in full sprint, it was only a matter of time before they escaped. The main gates to the gardens stood open, with a crowd of people held back by guards.
As the pair approached, being chased by guards and with the lord stood fuming on the steps, blasts of magic shot from the crowd, blocking of tripping the guards. Every so often a fireball would set a hedge or tree alight, and water would form to ice under a pursuer’s feet.
Through this the pair raced, the crowd of townsfolk flowing apart to let them through, though many people were too shocked by the slight of the floating crystal to move.
Eventually the two thieves managed to escape out into the mass of dark, narrow streets, with the sounds of pursuit being almost lost behind them with each turn.
When they were sure none of the guards would manage to find them, the pair stopped, wheezing heavily. Tim reappeared, and Jake turned to glare at him.
“What’s going on? Why did those people help us? What aren’t you telling me, Tim?”