Calytrix's Journey

Chapter XXI: Little thieves II

I imagined the orphan's hideout to be far off, yet it was only a short walk through the winding forest paths from the village ruins. The forest we passed through was unremarkable. Actually, it's not really what I'd call a forest. Overgrown bushes and weeds formed it. Its main color wasn't green, but a faded gray with brown spots. Since the old man called it a forest, I did the same. Niall made me believe it was something big and faraway. Older legs may find even short distances quite challenging.

There was no proper path, but the old man led through small foot paved places. The forest lacked beauty. Many branches were bare, lacking both leaves and flowers. The kids' frequent passing likely contributed to the flower and leaf situation.

The sunlight reflecting off Niall's white hair nearly blinded me. Although his guidance was impossible to miss, a different pure white detail caught my eye. Before us lay a magnificent white marble structure, shattered into large fragments. Its shape was undefined, as most of it was already gone. It must have been magnificent to see it in its heyday.

"What's this?" I asked, perplexed.

"Ruins of an ancient temple," Niall answered.

"But is in the middle of nowhere," I said as I looked around.

"It is a long forgotten temple... there is nothing in it except some walls, lots of debris and the little thieves," he explained.

His answer seemed genuine until Niall's unsettling, toothy grin sent a shiver down my spine. My feelings went unnoticed, and he turned his back on me.

Niall's eyes fell upon the temple ruins' underground entrance. The inside was rather dark. The sunlight couldn't light the underground complex. My intuition said that it was very deep. 

There was something odd about the fire spirit's avoidance of the underground entrance.

"What's wrong? Is something dangerous in there?" I asked it because I felt nothing out of the ordinary.

The spirit negated that there was anything dangerous in there, but it didn't want to get close. It didn't stop me from getting closer. That was odd.

"Perhaps the children are still outside stealing, but a few may be asleep, so they probably put out the candlelight." 

Niall turned around to face me. 

"What should we do now? Perhaps we should wait for them here," he said. 

Lost in thought, I tapped my chin, considering my options. Though waiting was an option, I had no idea when the children would return. I'd rather not stay here until it gets dark.

"Calytrix," the old man said and paused.

He expected me to give a suggestion. I didn't have to think long because I immediately used my magic. Tracking magic was easy to use because it required little effort. I felt a few presences deep underground. Some kids are probably protecting their lair while others go outside to steal.

"I'd like to talk to them," I said without hesitation.

"It's incredibly dark inside. Besides, if they see a stranger inside of their hideout, they could feel endangered and attack you," Niall said with worry in his eyes.

"I'll approach them openly, using flames to guide my path." 

The solution to problems was quite simple this time.

"Magic really can make life easier." Niall said as his eyes shined.

"I don't think that magic life made my way easier or harder. One's life is always filled with happiness and pain, no matter who or what they are. Witches are humans too."