Lightweaver2’s Novel

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

I’ve been considering putting my novel I’m writing (or some of it) on here. Who would be interested?

[Edema Rue she/her]

I would be!!

[The Sibling she/her]

I would be interested!

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Ok…here we go. I haven’t really shared my work before and it’s not complete and I’m still going to edit it, but I think that I won’t be too embarrassed letting other people see it. I’ll try to get a chapter out every week, as long as people are still reading it.

 

Prologue 

Spoiler

“Mother, why do I have to go to bed, it’s only sundown,” Levi cried.

“It’s your bedtime, and you stayed up late last night. Anson’s parents made him go to bed over an hour ago and I didn’t hear him whining from across the street,” his mother said, exasperated.

“Fine mother,” Levi said glumly as he started up the stairs, where he watched his mother sit down, exhausted. She seemed worried about something. Levi might have only been six, but he could tell when his mother was worried. Something was very wrong. He went up to his room, hoping that if he listened to her maybe she would be less worried. A couple of minutes later, Levi heard a knock and his mother sigh in relief. 

“You’re back, I was worried, you were away for so long!” she said. 

“It’s okay, we should be safe for a short time,” Levi’s father said. “I’m not sure how long my distraction will last, but we need to go now. Knowing Isaac it won’t take him long to find us.”

“I’ll go get Levi,” his mother said, sounding urgent. What is going on? Levi thought, confused. His mother entered his room, looking even more worried than before.

“Levi, we need to go now,” she said in a hushed tone. Levi could tell that this wasn’t something to complain or argue about. He followed her out the door, stopping only to grab Scales, his stuffed lizard. He continued after her down the stairs, where he saw his father packing a small rucksack with food. And… was that a sword on his belt? Levi had seen it hanging on the wall before, but he’d never thought his father actually knew how to use it!

“Tom, I’m worried,” Levi’s mother said. “Something doesn’t feel right about all of this,” she said.

“I know, I feel it too, that’s why we’re leaving,” Levi’s father said. He tied his rucksack and slung it over his shoulder. “Let’s go.” He was taking a step towards the door when it was knocked off its hinges. A tall, thin man stood outside, flanked by a bulky man and an aged  woman.

“Isaac,” Levi’s father hissed.

“Thomas,” the man said curtly. “You know why I’m here. You and your wife can come with me and I will spare your son. Or, you can force my hand and make me kill all three you.”

What was going on? Levi’s mind raced, but he couldn’t make sense of any of it. Everything was happening so fast. Levi’s father glanced at Levi’s mother, who nodded her head in submission. “It’s alright Tom,” she said consolingly. “We have to go with him.”

“I know,” he said.

“Excellent choice, my friend. However, I must say I wish you would have fought. I would have liked to see the look on your son’s face when I killed you both. But, my word is the one thing you can trust about me. Your son will be safe.” The man smiled, a cold, bloodcurdling smile. Then he looked directly at Levi, and his smile grew wider. Levi felt as if the man was staring past Levi’s eyes and directly into his soul.

“He will be safe, but not because of your word. We already learned not to trust that. You know what power he has and want to use it for yourself. You have no right to call me friend,” Levi’s father spat, causing Levi to jump at the tone of his voice. His father had never spoken like that, even when Levi and Anson had nearly burnt down the house. Isaac turned his head to look back at Levi’s father, his smile disappearing. He motioned with his hand and the brutish man stepped forward, taking out two pairs of manacles, both studded with glass to prevent Shaping. 

Levi’s father turned and looked at Levi. “I love you my son.” He winced as the man clamped the manacles around his arms, then shuddered, seeming to shrink and become less confident. The man stepped over to Levi’s mother, thenforced the second set of manacles onto her wrists, then dragging her toward the door. She looked at Levi as she began to be pulled out of sight, Isaac taking Levi’s father after her.

“I will see you again,” Levi’s mother said. Levi knew that tone, she wasn’t lying.

Both of his parents were gone, just like that. Isaac returned a moment later, looking at Levi with that same sadistic smile.

“I will see that you are taken care of, just like your little friend from across the street. Madame Florence’s orphanage should do the trick.”

It was at that moment that Levi finally grew truly afraid. He hadn’t been able to process everything that had just happened, but he had heard rumors of Madame Florence’s orphanage. Rumors of dark magic and kids who weren’t quite the same after leaving it.

Isaac grabbed Levi, and he shuddered at the man’s icy cold grip. He escorted Levi outside, where they entered a carriage pulled by two small brown horses. Nothing conspicuous in the busy street. Levi was forced inside, and was taken to Duke Galahad’s keep, where Isaac told him he would wait until he saw his parents again. 

Levi tried not to sleep, waiting for his parents to come to him, so he could hear his father’s laugh or his mother’s loving touch. But eventually the events of the night took their tool and he fell into an uneasy sleep, where nightmares awaited him

He was woken the next day by a kindly woman who provided him with a large breakfast of extravagant foods he had never tasted before. Then she escorted him out into the courtyard, where he was finally able to see his parents. 

Right before the executioner’s ax fell, taking off his father’s head first, then his mother’s.

Levi was taken to Madame Florence’s orphanage that evening, where he found Anson in one of the small bedrooms, crying. His parents had been executed that day too, a few hours after Levi’s. They sat there in silence, mourning together, until they fell asleep.

The next morning, they received the news. Duke Galahad had conquered the entire world in the span of one night.

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Ookla the foolish

[Edema Rue she/her]

Ooh!! That was a very good prologue, I’m intrigued!!

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Thanks Eddie!

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 hour ago, Ookla the foolish said:

Thanks Eddie!

Yup! And now I’ll hit you over the head with a stick if you stop writing!

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

 

2 hours ago, Ookla the Believer said:

Yup! And now I’ll hit you over the head with a stick if you stop writing!

Thanks! That’s kind of what I’m looking for actually, I need people to make me consistently write.

[Edema Rue she/her]

9 minutes ago, Ookla the foolish said:

 

Thanks! That’s kind of what I’m looking for actually, I need people to make me consistently write.

*sharpens the writing stick* you and Fadracula and Wiz now live on this list. And also a couple other people I think. 

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Well thank you, both for reading it and… preparing to stab me with a stick if necessary. Very kind of you.

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Here’s another part, it’ll either be a flashback somewhere or chapter 1, I’m not sure.
 

Spoiler

Three years later, Levi’s hands trembled as he lined up with the other orphans. He stood nervously behind Anson as they waited for their turns to enter the tent. One by one the orphans went in, spent a couple minutes inside the tent, then left out the back. Finally, Anson was called into the tent. Levi waited for him to exit, but he didn’t. It’s so long now, he thought nervously. None of the others took this long to be Tested. 

Levi remembered a time when he dreamed of the Testng and being a Shaper. But it was unlikely, the chances were very low for anyone. Levi had been told that the chances of being a Shaper were the same for everyone, but he didn’t believe it. He’d heard of many more Shapers in the nobility than the peasantry. He started thinking of better times, before that dreadful night, before Madame Florence and her casket. Finally, Levi finally saw Anson exit the tent, where he grinned and flashed Levi a thumbs up, then joined the other orphans. What did that mean? Was he a Shaper? Or was he just reassuring Levi? 

Levi timidly pushed open the tent flaps and entered. The tent smelled heavily of incense that almost covered the smell of unwashed bodies. Levi wondered why it smelled like that. The Testers were vital to the community, shouldn’t their pay and therefore their living conditions reflect that?

“Come over, I need to see you,” came an old man’s voice. Levi jumped, looking over. Sitting on a ratty old chair was an aged, wrinkled man. He stood, and Levi thought he could hear the old man’s bones creak as he slowly walked over to Levi. “Are you the last one?” he asked in a tired voice. 

“Uhh… yes sir,” Levi said.

The man chuckled at Levi’s clumsy response. “Quickly, come sit. I just need to look at your palm,” he said, motioning to a pair of cushions next to a blazing fire. Levi sat, realizing that the fire was the source of the incense, which was nearly overpowering as close as they were to it. The man sat on the cushion across from Levi, then grabbed Levi’s wrist with a hand that felt it would break at the slightest pressure. He flipped l Levi’s palm face up, looking at it intently. Then he gasped.

“What is it?” Levi asked.

“I’ve never had two people with Shaping in a row,”

“So that means I have it!” said Levi excitedly. And apparently Anson did too, they might finally be able to escape the terrors of the orphanage!

“Yes, you do, and the lines are distinct, you will be powerful, but do not think that makes you a better Shaper. I’ve seen many men fall because they overestimated their own influence.”

Levi looked into the man’s eyes and saw vast wisdom and knowledge, how old was this man? It seemed as though he had lived through the rise and fall of empires! 

“It is my duty and my pleasure as a Tester to explain the basics of Shaping and Manna to you. Shaping is an ancient art of great power and importance…”

The old man droned on for a while, explaining the origins of Shaping. Levi listened with half an ear, mulling over the power Shaping could grant him, whatever those were. Shaping wasn’t explained to the common people, Levi just knew that it was powerful and dangerous to the enemies of the Shaper. When would he get to the interesting part? Levi wanted to know what he could do, not listen to the accomplishments of the flaming Pioneers! They had lived centuries ago, why did they matter?

“Now, I will explain to you the abilities Shaping grants,” the old man said, almost as if in response to Levi’s thoughts. Levi perked up, refocusing on the conversation. The man chuckled. “I see that got your attention. With this power you possess, you can do amazing things. Do you remember what I told you about the three elements of a human?”

“The whatnows of a human?” Levi said, confused.

“I see you were not paying attention to my explanation. The three elements are the physical, mental, and spiritual pieces of a person. Any Shaper can influence any of these elements but most are naturally suited to one of the three because of their focus on it. Usually, most Shapers focus on the physical element, believing it to be the most powerful. Personally I agree, the other elements are less useful in most situations. With it, you can increase your body’s natural abilities, allowing you to run at high speeds for increased amounts of time, jump higher, punch harder, and many more things. Because we live in a physical world, Shapers can not only affect their own physical abilities but can also alter the world around them. Physical Shaping allows you to harness energy. You can conjure fire and lightning, increase or decrease temperature, and even control the air around you. 

“The mental element obviously centers around the mind. Using Shaping, you can speak in other people’s minds, mess with their memories, and, with enough practice, you can even glimpse their thoughts.

“Lastly, we have the spiritual element. This is the least understood element, and scholars debate whether it is its own element or just a subsection of the mental element. But that is beside the point. The spiritual element allows you to affect your own and other’s subconscious. You can influence their emotions, cause them to grow tired, give them adrenaline, and even more.

“When you use your Shaping to affect one element, your own capabilities in the others will be decreased. For example, if you blast a fireball, your thoughts will be muddled for a time and you will be less influenced by your emotions, or other things pertaining to the two elements you are not using. As of now, your store of Manna will be miniscule. For unknown reasons Manna stores only appear after the Testing. As you age, your store of Manna will grow. 

“That is all, you are free to go,” The old man said. 

“Okay…” Levi said hesitantly, still confused. That had been a lot of information in a short amount of time.

“You will find the rest out on your own. I have told you all I can in this short time,” the man said, ushering him toward the back of the tent. 

Levi left the tent through a small flap, and as he exited an excited Anson ran over to him.

“Do you have it too?” he asked anxiously.

“I do, you do too, right? The man said something about two people in a row having it, I thought he must have meant you,” Levi said, exhilarated.

“I thought I might because…” Anson fell silent. Levi thought he knew what Anson meant though. His dad had said something on that last night, something about wanting Levi’s powers.

“Boys! What are you doing? We need to go, now! Or are you wanting to spend the night in the casket?” Madame Florence said, a dangerous fury to her voice.

“No Madame” Levi and Anson said obediently. They hurried over to the rest of the group.

“You know what this means for us, right?” Anson asked, looking at Levi.

“A lot, what are you thinking?” Levi asked back.

“We can cause so much trouble,” Anson said mischievously.

@Ookla the Believer now you don’t have to stab me with your stick!

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 hour ago, Ookla the foolish said:

Here’s another part, it’ll either be a flashback somewhere or chapter 1, I’m not sure.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

Three years later, Levi’s hands trembled as he lined up with the other orphans. He stood nervously behind Anson as they waited for their turns to enter the tent. One by one the orphans went in, spent a couple minutes inside the tent, then left out the back. Finally, Anson was called into the tent. Levi waited for him to exit, but he didn’t. It’s so long now, he thought nervously. None of the others took this long to be Tested. 

Levi remembered a time when he dreamed of the Testng and being a Shaper. But it was unlikely, the chances were very low for anyone. Levi had been told that the chances of being a Shaper were the same for everyone, but he didn’t believe it. He’d heard of many more Shapers in the nobility than the peasantry. He started thinking of better times, before that dreadful night, before Madame Florence and her casket. Finally, Levi finally saw Anson exit the tent, where he grinned and flashed Levi a thumbs up, then joined the other orphans. What did that mean? Was he a Shaper? Or was he just reassuring Levi? 

Levi timidly pushed open the tent flaps and entered. The tent smelled heavily of incense that almost covered the smell of unwashed bodies. Levi wondered why it smelled like that. The Testers were vital to the community, shouldn’t their pay and therefore their living conditions reflect that?

“Come over, I need to see you,” came an old man’s voice. Levi jumped, looking over. Sitting on a ratty old chair was an aged, wrinkled man. He stood, and Levi thought he could hear the old man’s bones creak as he slowly walked over to Levi. “Are you the last one?” he asked in a tired voice. 

“Uhh… yes sir,” Levi said.

The man chuckled at Levi’s clumsy response. “Quickly, come sit. I just need to look at your palm,” he said, motioning to a pair of cushions next to a blazing fire. Levi sat, realizing that the fire was the source of the incense, which was nearly overpowering as close as they were to it. The man sat on the cushion across from Levi, then grabbed Levi’s wrist with a hand that felt it would break at the slightest pressure. He flipped l Levi’s palm face up, looking at it intently. Then he gasped.

“What is it?” Levi asked.

“I’ve never had two people with Shaping in a row,”

“So that means I have it!” said Levi excitedly. And apparently Anson did too, they might finally be able to escape the terrors of the orphanage!

“Yes, you do, and the lines are distinct, you will be powerful, but do not think that makes you a better Shaper. I’ve seen many men fall because they overestimated their own influence.”

Levi looked into the man’s eyes and saw vast wisdom and knowledge, how old was this man? It seemed as though he had lived through the rise and fall of empires! 

“It is my duty and my pleasure as a Tester to explain the basics of Shaping and Manna to you. Shaping is an ancient art of great power and importance…”

The old man droned on for a while, explaining the origins of Shaping. Levi listened with half an ear, mulling over the power Shaping could grant him, whatever those were. Shaping wasn’t explained to the common people, Levi just knew that it was powerful and dangerous to the enemies of the Shaper. When would he get to the interesting part? Levi wanted to know what he could do, not listen to the accomplishments of the flaming Pioneers! They had lived centuries ago, why did they matter?

“Now, I will explain to you the abilities Shaping grants,” the old man said, almost as if in response to Levi’s thoughts. Levi perked up, refocusing on the conversation. The man chuckled. “I see that got your attention. With this power you possess, you can do amazing things. Do you remember what I told you about the three elements of a human?”

“The whatnows of a human?” Levi said, confused.

“I see you were not paying attention to my explanation. The three elements are the physical, mental, and spiritual pieces of a person. Any Shaper can influence any of these elements but most are naturally suited to one of the three because of their focus on it. Usually, most Shapers focus on the physical element, believing it to be the most powerful. Personally I agree, the other elements are less useful in most situations. With it, you can increase your body’s natural abilities, allowing you to run at high speeds for increased amounts of time, jump higher, punch harder, and many more things. Because we live in a physical world, Shapers can not only affect their own physical abilities but can also alter the world around them. Physical Shaping allows you to harness energy. You can conjure fire and lightning, increase or decrease temperature, and even control the air around you. 

“The mental element obviously centers around the mind. Using Shaping, you can speak in other people’s minds, mess with their memories, and, with enough practice, you can even glimpse their thoughts.

“Lastly, we have the spiritual element. This is the least understood element, and scholars debate whether it is its own element or just a subsection of the mental element. But that is beside the point. The spiritual element allows you to affect your own and other’s subconscious. You can influence their emotions, cause them to grow tired, give them adrenaline, and even more.

“When you use your Shaping to affect one element, your own capabilities in the others will be decreased. For example, if you blast a fireball, your thoughts will be muddled for a time and you will be less influenced by your emotions, or other things pertaining to the two elements you are not using. As of now, your store of Manna will be miniscule. For unknown reasons Manna stores only appear after the Testing. As you age, your store of Manna will grow. 

“That is all, you are free to go,” The old man said. 

“Okay…” Levi said hesitantly, still confused. That had been a lot of information in a short amount of time.

“You will find the rest out on your own. I have told you all I can in this short time,” the man said, ushering him toward the back of the tent. 

Levi left the tent through a small flap, and as he exited an excited Anson ran over to him.

“Do you have it too?” he asked anxiously.

“I do, you do too, right? The man said something about two people in a row having it, I thought he must have meant you,” Levi said, exhilarated.

“I thought I might because…” Anson fell silent. Levi thought he knew what Anson meant though. His dad had said something on that last night, something about wanting Levi’s powers.

“Boys! What are you doing? We need to go, now! Or are you wanting to spend the night in the casket?” Madame Florence said, a dangerous fury to her voice.

“No Madame” Levi and Anson said obediently. They hurried over to the rest of the group.

“You know what this means for us, right?” Anson asked, looking at Levi.

“A lot, what are you thinking?” Levi asked back.

“We can cause so much trouble,” Anson said mischievously.

@Ookla the Believer now you don’t have to stab me with your stick!

Yay!! That was good, nice intro to the magic system!

Fiiiiine I won't stab you with the writing stick.

Yet.

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Believer said:

Yay!! That was good, nice intro to the magic system!

Fiiiiine I won't stab you with the writing stick.

Yet.

Thank you (for both the comment and for not stabbing me).

[Ψιτιsτηε Βεsτ]

On 11/27/2023 at 12:32 PM, Ookla the foolish said:

I’ve been considering putting my novel I’m writing (or some of it) on here. Who would be interested?

I am!

This is really good!

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Just now, OokIa the Believer said:

I am!

This is really good!

Thank you!

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

Not another part of the book, just me attempting poetry.

Spoiler

I am broken

 And these cracks cannot heal 

they grow wider each day

 as I find my Truths.

 Aren’t Truths supposed

 to heal the cracks,

 to fix the broken?

 Maybe these just aren’t the Truths

 but they’re still true.

 They sit within me,

 inside the  cracks,

 wrenching them further apart

 chipping at the stone

 of my mind,

 of my heart.

I used to think I was strong,

 my mind like steel.

 Now I’ve realized it’s more like obsidian

 Easy to break,

 sharp when broken,

 every shard is another thing

 that I use to hurt someone else.

 

 I’m either really good at hiding it 

Or just no one cares

 maybe they can’t see

 the mountains of expectations

 I climb each day.

I have to be perfect

 perfect grades

 perfect motivation

 perfect work ethic,

 but at the same time,

 I’m told I’ll never live up to my brothers

 they’ll always be stronger 

or smarter

 or more handsome

 or funnier

 or more popular

 or wiser

 or better people

 and I know

 I’m nothing compared to them.

And so no one sees this

 they don’t see me struggle

 they don’t see me lie in bed

 just wishing

 there was someone I could talk to.

 Sometimes my mask cracks

people ask if I’m ok

 I lie, say I’m fine

 they leave it at that,

 they don’t know me,

 they don’t need me.

 No one does.

I decided I need to stop putting these in SUs.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Ookla the foolish

[Edema Rue she/her]

29 minutes ago, Ookla the foolish said:

Not another part of the book, just me attempting poetry.

  Reveal hidden contents

I am broken

 And these cracks cannot heal 

they grow wider each day

 as I find my Truths.

 Aren’t Truths supposed

 to heal the cracks,

 to fix the broken?

 Maybe these just aren’t the Truths

 but they’re still true.

 They sit within me,

 inside the  cracks,

 wrenching them further apart

 chipping at the stone

 of my mind,

 of my heart.

I used to think I was strong,

 my mind like steel.

 Now I’ve realized it’s more like obsidian

 Easy to break,

 sharp when broken,

 every shard is another thing

 that I use to hurt someone else.

I decided I need to stop putting these in SUs.

*hugs*

It’s a beautiful, sharp poem. If I had the words to say to make it better, I would. I don’t, because such words may not exist. I can, though, promise that there is someone who will love you no matter how sharp your edges, whether you believe in Him or not.

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Believer said:

*hugs*

It’s a beautiful, sharp poem. If I had the words to say to make it better, I would. I don’t, because such words may not exist. I can, though, promise that there is someone who will love you no matter how sharp your edges, whether you believe in Him or not.

I do believe in God, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And so that’s comforting to me at least, to know He is there.

[Edema Rue she/her]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the foolish said:

I do believe in God, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And so that’s comforting to me at least, to know He is there.

I am too. That is, I think, one of the most comforting things (at least to me) when everything else is falling apart.

…anyway sorry didn’t mean to barge in and take over your thread, it was a wonderful poem.

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Believer said:

I am too. That is, I think, one of the most comforting things (at least to me) when everything else is falling apart.

…anyway sorry didn’t mean to barge in and take over your thread, it was a wonderful poem.

Yeah, He is always there, waiting for us to accept his help. And you aren’t barging in, I wrote that to be seen and commented on.

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

1 hour ago, Ookla the foolish said:

Not another part of the book, just me attempting poetry.

  Hide contents

I am broken

 And these cracks cannot heal 

they grow wider each day

 as I find my Truths.

 Aren’t Truths supposed

 to heal the cracks,

 to fix the broken?

 Maybe these just aren’t the Truths

 but they’re still true.

 They sit within me,

 inside the  cracks,

 wrenching them further apart

 chipping at the stone

 of my mind,

 of my heart.

I used to think I was strong,

 my mind like steel.

 Now I’ve realized it’s more like obsidian

 Easy to break,

 sharp when broken,

 every shard is another thing

 that I use to hurt someone else.

 

 I’m either really good at hiding it 

Or just no one cares

 maybe they can’t see

 the mountains of expectations

 I climb each day.

I have to be perfect

 perfect grades

 perfect motivation

 perfect work ethic,

 but at the same time,

 I’m told I’ll never live up to my brothers

 they’ll always be stronger 

or smarter

 or more handsome

 or funnier

 or more popular

 or wiser

 or better people

 and I know

 I’m nothing compared to them.

And so no one sees this

 sometimes my mask cracks

people ask if I’m ok

 I lie, say I’m fine

 they leave it at that,

 they don’t know me,

 they don’t need me.

 No one does.

I decided I need to stop putting these in SUs.

*hugs massively*

I too have no words just wishes I wish most dearly. That I could be someone in person who could see you. And that my blindness would not keep me from truly seeing you.

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

18 minutes ago, Ookla the Raveness said:

*hugs massively*

I too have no words just wishes I wish most dearly. That I could be someone in person who could see you. And that my blindness would not keep me from truly seeing you.

*hugs back*
Thank you! I wish I could talk to anyone on here that has cared enough to learn that I’m struggling, so talking to you would be amazing.

[Throw TheLiving Silverware he/him/il/lui]

Just wanted to say that your novel looks really interesting so far, and I would love to read the rest of it.

I've also read your poem, and all I have to say is... *big hug*

[Weaver of Shadows he/him]

7 hours ago, Ookla the Dreamer said:

Just wanted to say that your novel looks really interesting so far, and I would love to read the rest of it.

I've also read your poem, and all I have to say is... *big hug*

Thank you and thank you again!

Chapter 2

Spoiler

Six years later, Levi ran through the city of Strathe. Instead of moving through the busy streets like most people would, he had found his own way to get around the city. He ran across the tops of buildings parallel to the streets, allowing him to avoid the traffic of the busy markets scattered throughout the city. He drew stares, but most people would ignore a Shaper even if they were doing something strange. Even the city guards ignored him, though what he was doing was technically illegal.
As he ran he used small amounts of Manna to strengthen his legs and propel himself upward, reaching a set of taller buildings. His mind grew a little blurrier as a result, but it was barely noticeable. He glanced down at the street below, realizing he had entered the noble section of town, the prime place to make easy money. That wasn’t what Levi was looking for today though. 
As Levi neared his target, the sun finally dipped below the eastern ocean. The diminishing light made it easier to pick out the duke’s manson, although it was hard to miss anyway. Standing three stories high, adorned with battlements and surrounded by a large wall, it was more of a castle than a mansion. It was lit by large bonfires on each of the four guard towers at the corners of the wall.
As he neared the mansion he got a better look at the walls, studded with glass as a precaution against Shapers. He would have to avoid those, if the glass pierced his skin it would stop his powers from functioning for a couple minutes and he would surely be caught, despite the usual lack of many guards. Levi crossed the closest building to the wall and jumped, using his Manna to strengthen his legs. The wall was over twenty feet away, much too far for an ordinary man to jump. Luckily for Levi, he wasn’t ordinary, he was a Shaper. He crossed the wall, barely passing over the glass spikes and landed hard on the mansion grounds. If he hadn’t been strengthening his legs, he probably would have broken something. Every time he made that jump he worried that someone might actually be in the guard towers and try to shoot him out of the air, but no one ever was. It was probably due to the assumption that it was ludicrous to try to rob the duke. 
When the duke was still rising to power, a few people had snuck into his mansion and tried to kill him. They had never been seen again, not even for an execution. Some speculated that they had been fed to Galahad’s demons, although Levi didn’t believe it. Afteeall, demons were beings of myth and lore, not real life. So he didn’t let those stories stop him and Anson from stealing from the duke, going unnoticed each time.
Crouching on the soft green grass of the mansion grounds, he heard footsteps approaching and ducked behind one of the decorative shrubs in the garden. He sighed in relief as he saw Anson strut towards him, walking in plain sight. Anson was handsome, tall and muscular, and the confident way he walked made it very easy to believe that he was employed by the duke as opposed to stealing from him. Somehow he had even managed to find an old guardsman’s uniform.
    “Levi, you finally showed up,” he said, moving towards Levi’s hiding place. “You know, it’s really easy to see you, that bush isn’t that thick.”
    “Says the one walking where everyone can see him,” Levi retorted jokingly. “Anyway, the only reason you saw me was because you knew where to look.”
    “If you say so,” Anson said sarcastically. “Let's go, we’ll have to sneak in again, I still haven’t figured out how to get us through those doors without drawing unwanted attention.”
    “I think I might have found another way in, they’ve started guarding the entrance to the servant’s quarters, so that way will be inaccessible,” Levi said. “That window on the second floor that we used to escape last time wasn’t locked, I bet we could go through it.”
    “The second floor? Are you sure you can jump that high? Remember, if you hit the wall you’ll get spiked with glass. You’ll fall and not be able to strengthen yourself. We don’t want a repeat of our first time here.”
 Levi shuddered at the memory. He had tried to climb up the wall and actually managed to make it pretty far, ignoring the cuts the glass made. Then, about twenty five feet up he had fallen and snapped something in his foot. Anson had dragged him out, somehow getting past the guards. 
“I think I can make it,” Levi said with confidence he didn’t feel. They had to make this theft. Sure there were other, easier people to steal from, but this was Levi’s way of revenge. It was laughable, but it was what it was.
    Levi and Anson moved over to the wall, staying hidden in the cover of giant shrubs and trees. It was a good thing that Galahad had large grounds, it made it much easier to stay out of the sight of the few guards that were watching over the area. Before today, entering the mansion hadn’t been hard, but the act of stealing stuff and getting out unseen was the truly difficult part. Galahad didn’t have many guards watching the grounds but he had several patrolling his mansion at once, and more waiting for an alarm to be raised. Now, the difficulty had just doubled.
    Levi stood next to the wall and looked over at Anson. “I’m going to see if I can jump high enough before I try to get on the window.”     
He took a deep breath, sent his manna to empower his legs, then lept, shooting up about twenty feet.  In that one moment, he used up nearly a fourth of his entire Manna supply. He fell, hitting the ground with a muffled thump. Then, he immediately felt the effects of his Manna usage, he couldn’t focus his mind on anything without a great deal of struggle. And was tired, very tired. He shook his head, trying to clear it, then looked towards Anson. 
“I can’t get high enough,” he said, his speech slightly slurred. Levi thought for a moment, though even just that was hard. They could try to find another entrance or he could find a way to boost his jump height. Anson also appeared to be thinking about something, his thumbs rubbing the pommels of his twin daggers. That gave Levi an idea…
He pulled his pair of daggers from his waist and shot a glance at Anson. Then he jumped, and as he reached the peak of his jump, he strengthened his arms and slammed the daggers into the wall, right in the mortar between two bricks. They stuck, and Levi hung there, his clothes brushing the glass. He threw his weight up and down a couple of times to see if the daggers would stay, then heaved himself up, standing on the daggers and using Manna to increase his dexterity. He jumped again, easily reaching the window. It was getting really hard to think though, and all he really wanted was to sleep. He ignored that urge, and reached for the latch of the window. Luckily, it was indeed unlocked. He opened it and climbed inside, looking warily for patrolling guards. Seeing no one, he grabbed a rope he had carried with him and dropped one end outside, holding steadily to his end. 
Seconds later, Anson climbed through the window, standing next to Levi. He handed Levi’s daggers over, which were chipped at the tips. They quietly moved through the mansion, heading for the kitchens. There, in the cupboards, they found a large golden goblet that seemed to be tempting them to steal it. So they did..
    Anson grabbed the goblet, wrapping a black cloth around it and putting it in a small sack. Anson looked towards Levi and nodded, heading back to the window. Right as they were opening it, Levi noticed a shadow moving in the hallway.
    “Guard!” he hissed, ducking down behind a large cabinet. He peeked around it, and saw the guard, a badge marked in Galahad’s colors and wearing tight fitting leather armor, dyed the same colors, purple and black. Levi stood motionless, hoping that she hadn’t seen them. She continued marching past without even a glance in their direction. Levi breathed a prayer to the god of luck, pushed open the window and jumped out. Anson followed, his feet making a loud thump as they hit the.. 
    They left the mansion through a small secret exit they had found about a year ago. It was a trapdoor located at the base of a small, prickly shrub. Always locked from the outside, but easily accesible from inside the grounds, it opened to a small underground tunnel. The tunnel ended just outside of the walls, inside an old abandoned house. For some reason, the whole time they were leaving Levi felt like something was watching him. He blamed it on his use of Manna, losing some of your mental and spiritual capabilities did weird things to a person.
 

P.S.,

Names are in the works, most are just placer names for now.

[Edema Rue she/her]

47 minutes ago, Ookla the foolish said:

Thank you and thank you again!

Chapter 2

  Reveal hidden contents

Six years later, Levi ran through the city of Strathe. Instead of moving through the busy streets like most people would, he had found his own way to get around the city. He ran across the tops of buildings parallel to the streets, allowing him to avoid the traffic of the busy markets scattered throughout the city. He drew stares, but most people would ignore a Shaper even if they were doing something strange. Even the city guards ignored him, though what he was doing was technically illegal.
As he ran he used small amounts of Manna to strengthen his legs and propel himself upward, reaching a set of taller buildings. His mind grew a little blurrier as a result, but it was barely noticeable. He glanced down at the street below, realizing he had entered the noble section of town, the prime place to make easy money. That wasn’t what Levi was looking for today though. 
As Levi neared his target, the sun finally dipped below the eastern ocean. The diminishing light made it easier to pick out the duke’s manson, although it was hard to miss anyway. Standing three stories high, adorned with battlements and surrounded by a large wall, it was more of a castle than a mansion. It was lit by large bonfires on each of the four guard towers at the corners of the wall.
As he neared the mansion he got a better look at the walls, studded with glass as a precaution against Shapers. He would have to avoid those, if the glass pierced his skin it would stop his powers from functioning for a couple minutes and he would surely be caught, despite the usual lack of many guards. Levi crossed the closest building to the wall and jumped, using his Manna to strengthen his legs. The wall was over twenty feet away, much too far for an ordinary man to jump. Luckily for Levi, he wasn’t ordinary, he was a Shaper. He crossed the wall, barely passing over the glass spikes and landed hard on the mansion grounds. If he hadn’t been strengthening his legs, he probably would have broken something. Every time he made that jump he worried that someone might actually be in the guard towers and try to shoot him out of the air, but no one ever was. It was probably due to the assumption that it was ludicrous to try to rob the duke. 
When the duke was still rising to power, a few people had snuck into his mansion and tried to kill him. They had never been seen again, not even for an execution. Some speculated that they had been fed to Galahad’s demons, although Levi didn’t believe it. Afteeall, demons were beings of myth and lore, not real life. So he didn’t let those stories stop him and Anson from stealing from the duke, going unnoticed each time.
Crouching on the soft green grass of the mansion grounds, he heard footsteps approaching and ducked behind one of the decorative shrubs in the garden. He sighed in relief as he saw Anson strut towards him, walking in plain sight. Anson was handsome, tall and muscular, and the confident way he walked made it very easy to believe that he was employed by the duke as opposed to stealing from him. Somehow he had even managed to find an old guardsman’s uniform.
    “Levi, you finally showed up,” he said, moving towards Levi’s hiding place. “You know, it’s really easy to see you, that bush isn’t that thick.”
    “Says the one walking where everyone can see him,” Levi retorted jokingly. “Anyway, the only reason you saw me was because you knew where to look.”
    “If you say so,” Anson said sarcastically. “Let's go, we’ll have to sneak in again, I still haven’t figured out how to get us through those doors without drawing unwanted attention.”
    “I think I might have found another way in, they’ve started guarding the entrance to the servant’s quarters, so that way will be inaccessible,” Levi said. “That window on the second floor that we used to escape last time wasn’t locked, I bet we could go through it.”
    “The second floor? Are you sure you can jump that high? Remember, if you hit the wall you’ll get spiked with glass. You’ll fall and not be able to strengthen yourself. We don’t want a repeat of our first time here.”
 Levi shuddered at the memory. He had tried to climb up the wall and actually managed to make it pretty far, ignoring the cuts the glass made. Then, about twenty five feet up he had fallen and snapped something in his foot. Anson had dragged him out, somehow getting past the guards. 
“I think I can make it,” Levi said with confidence he didn’t feel. They had to make this theft. Sure there were other, easier people to steal from, but this was Levi’s way of revenge. It was laughable, but it was what it was.
    Levi and Anson moved over to the wall, staying hidden in the cover of giant shrubs and trees. It was a good thing that Galahad had large grounds, it made it much easier to stay out of the sight of the few guards that were watching over the area. Before today, entering the mansion hadn’t been hard, but the act of stealing stuff and getting out unseen was the truly difficult part. Galahad didn’t have many guards watching the grounds but he had several patrolling his mansion at once, and more waiting for an alarm to be raised. Now, the difficulty had just doubled.
    Levi stood next to the wall and looked over at Anson. “I’m going to see if I can jump high enough before I try to get on the window.”     
He took a deep breath, sent his manna to empower his legs, then lept, shooting up about twenty feet.  In that one moment, he used up nearly a fourth of his entire Manna supply. He fell, hitting the ground with a muffled thump. Then, he immediately felt the effects of his Manna usage, he couldn’t focus his mind on anything without a great deal of struggle. And was tired, very tired. He shook his head, trying to clear it, then looked towards Anson. 
“I can’t get high enough,” he said, his speech slightly slurred. Levi thought for a moment, though even just that was hard. They could try to find another entrance or he could find a way to boost his jump height. Anson also appeared to be thinking about something, his thumbs rubbing the pommels of his twin daggers. That gave Levi an idea…
He pulled his pair of daggers from his waist and shot a glance at Anson. Then he jumped, and as he reached the peak of his jump, he strengthened his arms and slammed the daggers into the wall, right in the mortar between two bricks. They stuck, and Levi hung there, his clothes brushing the glass. He threw his weight up and down a couple of times to see if the daggers would stay, then heaved himself up, standing on the daggers and using Manna to increase his dexterity. He jumped again, easily reaching the window. It was getting really hard to think though, and all he really wanted was to sleep. He ignored that urge, and reached for the latch of the window. Luckily, it was indeed unlocked. He opened it and climbed inside, looking warily for patrolling guards. Seeing no one, he grabbed a rope he had carried with him and dropped one end outside, holding steadily to his end. 
Seconds later, Anson climbed through the window, standing next to Levi. He handed Levi’s daggers over, which were chipped at the tips. They quietly moved through the mansion, heading for the kitchens. There, in the cupboards, they found a large golden goblet that seemed to be tempting them to steal it. So they did..
    Anson grabbed the goblet, wrapping a black cloth around it and putting it in a small sack. Anson looked towards Levi and nodded, heading back to the window. Right as they were opening it, Levi noticed a shadow moving in the hallway.
    “Guard!” he hissed, ducking down behind a large cabinet. He peeked around it, and saw the guard, a badge marked in Galahad’s colors and wearing tight fitting leather armor, dyed the same colors, purple and black. Levi stood motionless, hoping that she hadn’t seen them. She continued marching past without even a glance in their direction. Levi breathed a prayer to the god of luck, pushed open the window and jumped out. Anson followed, his feet making a loud thump as they hit the.. 
    They left the mansion through a small secret exit they had found about a year ago. It was a trapdoor located at the base of a small, prickly shrub. Always locked from the outside, but easily accesible from inside the grounds, it opened to a small underground tunnel. The tunnel ended just outside of the walls, inside an old abandoned house. For some reason, the whole time they were leaving Levi felt like something was watching him. He blamed it on his use of Manna, losing some of your mental and spiritual capabilities did weird things to a person.
 

P.S.,

Names are in the works, most are just placer names for now.

Ooh, I enjoyed that a lot!! Thieves are such fun characters to write, I really like the way you explain your magic too