The Medallion of Asgar

2.

Rui

Though the sun had only been laid to rest but a few hours ago, the night was already vibrant with eerie energy in Asgar. As the villagers rested in their homes, it seemed the castle in the near distance was aglow with light unnatural to the dark. The torches outside were ablaze with strong flames, daring to swallow whatever ground its light touched. Men were gathered in droves, traversing in and out of the fortress-like walls at hastened pace. The sight was unusual for the ever-calm castle of the kingdom, whose power went unrivaled anywhere else. Asgar was a force few dared to revolt against; only a fool with a death wish and a desire for shame attempted to upset the kingdom's seat of power.

And yet, that was exactly what occurred.

However, 'twas not a fool's errand, nor a death wish that the culprit sought. The purpose was far deeper than that. But who had the incredible wit to sneak past dozens of armed guards-royal guards even!-as the castle halls were lit plain as day, sneak into the King's treasury, and manage to take spoils without being caught on-site? A woman. One lone woman. Perhaps the King's court wasn't as unstoppable as greatly rumored. However, her opinion of the knights and their competence had not changed in the slightest. She was not there to prove her stealth, nor to challenge Asgar by any means. This task was simply out of necessity.

Hiding in the shadows of the forest thick not far from the castle walls, the thief assessed her situation as the echo of clinking armor rushed by. From the look of things, it did not take long for word to spread within the walls. Although she predicted such a reaction, the woman was also amazed by how swift they were to notice. For that, she praised Asgar's men. Nevertheless, the item she possessed had to remain in her grasp, and in order for that to happen, she could not dwell near the castle for long. The first task of her mission was complete; it was time to return the sacred object to its rightful place.

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The days leading up to the heist had been quite dodgy, and at first, Rui opposed to doing such a crime. She was but a simple girl, peaceful and pacifist. It had been her lineage, though, that ended up deciding her fate. The struggle had started long before her time, and it all began with magic. Many generations in the past, the Jycel family bore blood that was gifted beyond belief. At the time, those who learned of it either feared or revered it. All the same, her ancestors had been born with the gift of magic, same as others of the period. This gift quickly became a curse though; people considered magic 'blasphemy', and a multitude of magical individuals were killed. The Jycel family set themselves apart though by using their strength in magic to protect their special blood. As history would recall, it was because of the Jycel family's efforts that magic continued to exist. They stopped all those who tried to slay the magic beings, and used their knowledge to teach them to protect their power as well. The crest of the Jycel family became a symbol of magic strength, and those who bore it were to be feared as skilled magicians. It was a hefty surname to bear with such fame-or perhaps, infamy.

It fell unto Rui's shoulders to take responsibility as a Jycel and protect the family name. As the youngest of two siblings of the newest generation, it shouldn't have been her duty. However, her older sister, at the moment, was gone on missionary work far off in the land. Thus, it became Rui's problem instead. Of course she complained why it couldn't wait until her sister returned-but her elders had their reasons. Years beforehand, the Jycel family crest disappeared, supposedly gone forever. At first, it was a grieved loss, for it was invaluable to their family. ...But also, they were relieved to never hear of its presence reappearing. The stories, as they were passed down to each generation, spoke of the Jycel crest and how it contained the original power of the ancestors. It was a great and terrible power, only to be used by those of true magic descent. It was their symbol of strength, and it was also an amplifier to the gifts the family already possessed. Indeed, in the wrong hands, it could give immense power to the wrong person.

So when word reached the family that the King of Asgar now possessed an object of great power only in name, the family began to fret and had to investigate on their own terms.

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Rui kept to the shadows and hurried away from the castle. The sooner she could return the crest to their family, the sooner she could forget of this ordeal. As long crimson-kissed hair flowed in the breeze, she made her way through the small thicket of trees. Once the looming lights of the castle felt far beyond her reach, the natural dark of the night settling in, Rui found herself at a small breaking meadow within the trees, not far from view of the village nearby. Releasing her tense grip on the object she so dearly stole, her gloved hand stung quietly. It was but a small round amulet, no bigger than the size of a pocket watch. Panting tiredly, her heart continued to race. Looking at the silver medallion, she wondered just why this little piece of metal was so important that even the King would spend manpower to seek its return. Even as a Jycel, gifted like the rest of her lineage, she couldn't feel any of that fabled power in her palm. Had it disappeared over the years? Maybe it never even had magic in it at all.

She sighed, forcing her tired hand to continue holding onto it. Either way, her elders wanted it returned. "I wish I wasn't stuck doing this," the grown woman groaned aloud. "It's such a pain. Good thing there was no rule against using magic to get to it, or there was no way I was even getting inside that place." Rui knew plenty of magic like her parents and her sister, things like the very basic of elemental magic. Unlike her sister though, Rui specialized herself in unorthodox magical skills, all of which came oddly in handy for this grand heist. Just the little things made all the difference: a slight breeze to knock out a flame, an illusion to lure the guards, things like that. Hopefully it was enough to save her skin.