Fantasy Kind Of Story

Chapter 11: The Key

Lara, Roland, Ms. Lehrerin, and Edlyn hastily followed Marcus to a room filled with various artifacts and relics obtained over the years, resting within display cases.

"Well here's your first problem, this place is pretty obvious, honestly you should've been expecting this", Lara said, mocking the lack of any defenses or protection, only a long hallway to a double door with two guards placed to the left and right.

"Quiet", Edlyn snapped back with quiet frustration, not even bothering to look at her daughter, she continued to march over to the end of the room where a large hammer hung on the wall.

"Marcus, It doesnt look like anythings missing?", Lara asked Marcus, but he did not reply, he stood silently and watched Edlyn, who gripped the hammers handle, took a deep breath, and began to slowly twist the hammer to the right about ninety-degrees until it clicked, she pulled it outwards and the wall swung open revealing a secret passage leading into a spiral staircase leading underground. Edlyn stormed down the staircase, the others followed suit.

"Secret passageway, awesome!", Lara jumped with joy as she chased after the rest, Marcus closed the door behind them and resealed it, standing guard infront of it.

The group descended the spiral staircase until they arrived at the bottom, where they were met with a long corridor.

"You guys really love your hallways", Lara said, trying to lighten the mood, but the tension was so thick you could slice it into pieces and serve it for dinner.

Edlyn pushed open two doors, opening into a massive storage room filled with tons of expensive looking objects, it seamed to go on for miles.

"So this is where all the good stuff is stored, but wait, what are all the artifacts up stairs?", Lara said as she spun around to gaze at the expansive area around her.

"Those are replicas of a very small portion of our actual artifacts, designed to trick any sneaky thieves, it was my idea", Lehrerin explained, more than happy to explain her ingenious ideas.

"And had it been any generic thief, they would have taken one of the replicas, which we could have easily shrugged off and assigned a small team to investigate and find them, but whoever broke in knew about the vault, and only a select few people know about it, so whoever they are, they must've been told by someone on the inside or ARE someone on the inside", Roland explained.

"Which means we have a mole", Edlyn said as she approached a shattered glass display with a plaque that read 'The Universal Key'.

"The hell is the 'Universal Key?'", Lara asked as she approached it to take a better look, Edlyn shoved Lara away with one hand and turned at her with the rage of a thousand suns in her eyes.

"The 'Universal Key' is an ancient and very powerful tool made by Jorn that can open or close any door!", Edlyn exclaimed.

"Thats it? Oh no, not a key!", Lara said sarcastically, which only sent Edlyn spiralling further into frustration.

"Did you not hear me Lara? It can open and close any door!", Edlyn exclaimed again.

"I heard you, it just doesnt sound very 'powerful' to me", Lara said as she shrugged, distracted by the various objects and tools around her. Edlyn grabbed Lara by the shoulder and spun her around to look at her.

"Listen, this thief was clearly a professional, a very good thief with a key that can open ANYTHING is very bad news", Edlyn said slowly, trying to get Lara to understand.

"The key doesnt just open or close anything, the key can even make doors on anything, this thief could create their own entrances and exits and will, the key can even make anything they open or close unable to opened or closed by anything else except the key", Lehrerin stepped in to explain.

"You could atleast pretend to care, this is your fault after all!", Edlyn said as she threw her hands in the air and shook her head in anger.

"My fault?! How is this my fault?", Lara asked

"If you hadn't chased after them and caused all the ruckus I wouldn't have had to send so many guards after you all!", Edlyn explained.

"The thief must have used your chase as a distraction", Roland said as he examined the case.

"Wait, 'distraction'?, hold on I think I know someone that might know something, the orc guy was saying something about a-", Lara thought back to her encounter with Kiburi and Marya, but before she could explain she was stopped.

"-Enough Lara, you've done enough already, once again I have to clean up YOUR mess, honestly, when are you going to grow up!", Edlyn ranted on.

"Mom, im serious, just give me a chance and I can fix this!", Lara pleaded.

"Give you a chance?! I have given you more than enough chances and every time, without fail, you have thrown them away in increasingly spectacular fashion, Ive had enough, your done Lara, its over!", Edlyn ranted further with increasing frustration.

"Now hold on Edlyn, I have an idea", Roland stopped Edlyn as a grin formed on his face.