[]-x-[] RAVEN FEATHERS []-x-[] CHAPTER III []-x-[]

Instructions

-x- The first thing Theo did when he got home was tell Annie. His older cousin was in the living room, knitting something when he appeared behind her. “Boo.” He said dryly, making her yelp, scrambling to regain her composure. “OH MY GOD- oh, it’s you.” She said, her eyes narrowing. He smirked slightly, rolling his eyes. “Don’t be so disappointed to see me. I wanted to let you know I have a new job. I’ll be gone for a bit.” “Oh. Alright,” she nodded in understanding. “Be safe, okay?” “Wow, no nagging? No ‘I swear to god Theo if you come back injured or covered in someone else’s blood again I am throwing you off a roof’? It’s a miracle.” He said, leaning on his arms, which were resting on the back of their threadbare sofa. That earned him a pillow tossed at his face. “Shush,” Annie glared at him before sighing. “I’ve learned that you’re just too stubborn to listen, so I might as well stop trying to stop you.” “Good,” Theo nodded, patting her head. “I leave in a few days, not sure when just yet.” “Alright,” his cousin responded. “You’d better come back, okay?” “I will, if my partner doesn’t get me killed,” Theo muttered, causing her to raise an eyebrow. “Oh really? Who’s your partner?” “...Adria.” He muttered under his breath. Annie barked out a laugh, stifling her laughter with an arm. “Seriously? The girl you hate? That’s going to be fun.” “Yep,” Theo sighed, running a hand through his hair in a failed attempt to push his hair out of his eyes. “Good luck,” Annie called, looking thoroughly amused. “I’ll need it,” he responded with a sigh as he walked up to his room. One week later, he was waiting outside the guild building for Adria. Horus had told him everything they needed to know: the two would have to go through the forest, which even with his teleportation would take around a week. Then they would infiltrate Injiharas, specifically the palace, and steal the kingdom’s crown and its king. The last part was to deliver the crown to their informant before returning to the city. Simple enough, Theo presumed. He could only pray Adria wouldn’t mess the whole thing up. As if summoned by his thoughts—he wouldn’t put it past her, she *was* a mind reader after all— Adria dropped down from the roof besides him, her bag on her shoulder. Theo was once again grateful the guild issued all members with enchanted storage units that were essentially much bigger on the inside than the outside. It made traveling much easier. “So,” his new partner started, looking at the map in his hand. “How are we going through the forest?” “Straight through,” he answered automatically. “It’s the quickest and most effective.” Adria blinked but nodded. “...alright,” she said slowly, before looking out at the forest in the distance. “Well, emo boy, let’s get going. Are we jumping first or walking?” Theo glared at her, she smirked back. “Don’t call me ‘emo,’” he muttered, trying to keep his indifferent persona up. “And we’re jumping. Hold on.” With that, he grabbed her wrist as the shadows swirled around them, blocking all vision of the outside world. When they finally dissipated, the two were in a dark, foreboding forest, the thick canopies blocking out most of the sunlight. If he listened hard enough, Theo could hear the monsters prowling through the woods, but he shoved away his anxieties. “Let’s start walking,” he said, checking his compass and comparing it with the map. Adria wrenched her wrist from his grasp as she studied the map. “Alright, so we’re going North, huh?” “Yep,” Theo nodded, already walking. “Wha- hey!” She glared at him, catching up. “This is a *partner* mission– as in, two people. As in, you can’t just leave me behind for dead.” -x- CONTINUED IN NOTES AND CREDITS -x-