Chapter 4: Thieves

Three other people stood behind Marcus, each one hooded but exuding the power of a key.

Shen Yi gulped, she knew it was dangerous to be alone, but she didn't think she'd be attacked by other key masters in France of all places.

'What will they do to me' She couldn't help but think. She knew as heiress of a faction family that it was dangerous to simply be caught like this with no protection.

'Wait...' She thought, Marcus's words registering in her mind as he stared solely at Theriault, who watched the four with a blank expression.

"Sir Redwell!" Shen Yi exclaimed, jumping in front of Theriault as if to shield his eyes. "You show your power in front of the common folk? Are you trying to expose us!? What will you do if they catch wind of us?" Shen Yi Yelled out, a worried edge to her voice.

Marcus glanced between her and Theriault. "Quiet down, Arcadians haven't been spotted in ages... I'm just here for what's rightfully mine. The phoenix hand it over," Marcus said, holding his hand out.

Shen Yi wasn't sure what to do. It was common for normal folk to go mad after seeing things they couldn't explain, would Theriault even be able to process the idea of floating people and different powers? Or would his brain be fried like the stories she'd been told.

"Hm?" Theriault said, digging in his pocket. "You mean this?"

Marcus smiled, floating over and holding out his hand. "Yes, just hand it to me and I'll forget the disrespect, my friend over here will erase his mind as well Shen Yi, no need to expose our entire society..."

"Why would I... hand it over?" Theriault said, closing his hand around the bird.

"Ah I see..." He muttered, the corners of his mouth twitching as he pocketed the bird figurine. "Yes I think I understand, I'm a little drunk so it wasn't clicking... Are you… trying to rob me?"

Theriault locked eyes with Marcus, a smile on his face as Shen Yi tried to stand between the two.

To her, Theriault was simply a normal human with a normal life that happened to be rich and into Chinese art.

"Mr. Redwell, I will report you to the council if you continue this, the artifact can be recovered by the Shen family, so don't-"

"Shut the hell up," Marcus said, his frown deepening as he stepped toward Theriault. "Give it here, now."

Wind slammed against the thin, pale, dark-haired boy, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Redwell!" Shen Yi yelled before stopping, goosebumps appearing on her skin as she felt the temperature drop several dozen degrees.

"What are you doing... Don't touch me," Theriault said, his eyes wide as a cold aura covered everyone, causing them all to shiver.

"I said give me the phoenix!" Marcus yelled, still not feeling the cold aura as he flew straight into Theriault, this time fully kicking him in the stomach.

"That ought to knock some sense into..." Marcus stopped talking as he saw Theriault on one knee, his hand at the base of Marcus's knee, holding his leg in place while he dug in his pockets.

"I'm glad it's thievery, my father always said never to show any mercy to rapists, terrorists, and thieves," Theriault said with a cruel smile as he tightened his grip on Marcus's knee.

*Crack*

Marcus quickly pulled his leg away, feeling the force on his knee tighten. "Hah?" He said with surprise as Theriault stood up, hands in his pockets and his grey eyes glowing faintly. "Why are you running? Didn't you want the Phoenix key?" Theriault said as he stepped forward, holding the bird figurine out in front of him, the ground underneath him breaking as hands reached through the cobblestone roads.

"Come get it then... Little bitch..." Theriault said, a smile on his face as he lunged forward, kicking his leg out.

Marcus blocked it with both arms, using his wind to send Theriault sprawling into the wall to the right of them. "God, and you almost had me worried-" Marcus began to say before Theriault flipped mid-air, landing on the wall and bending his knees, jumping off it and propelling toward Marcus.

Quickly kneeing the blond in the face Theriault landed on the ground, keeping one hand in his pocket and raising the other hand. "Be at ease awoken ones, I don't need you guys, I just got a little excited haha."

Shen Yi stared on in horror as the grey-skinned hands that had broken through the ground retreated back under it, the fear she had felt subsiding with them.

"You're a key master?!" She exclaimed, but before Theriault could answer, Marcus, accompanied by his three helpers, all rushed him.

"Get the phoenix!" Marcus barked, rubbing his nose as he sent a huge gust of wind at Theriault. "I don't care what key he has we need the phoenix now!"

Theriault dodged the first grab, swiftly kicking the first hooded man before spinning around him on his heels and punching the next, grabbing the third and sending him sprawling to the ground with a small shove, smiling as Marcus as he lunged at him and kicked him full in the stomach with both legs, pushing off of him and flipping back toward Shen Yi.

Shen Yi stared on in awe, four key masters were on the floor groaning, and Theriault stood unscathed with a hand in his pocket.

Theriault however, didn't see it that way. 'I used too much at one time, I haven't had enough practice yet,' He thought as he felt his vision blur. His body ached, and he hadn't even gone all out. The side affects of his key were starting to take their toll on his body.

"Shen Yi, this key is very important, I can't allow anyone to have it…" Theriault hesitated as he held the key out toward Shen Yi.

'Is this smart?' He thought, seeing her eyes change for a second. She looked at the key almost greedily.

"Don't trust her, it's life and death!" A voice yelled in his mind.

Ultimately though, he dropped the key in her hand, facing Marcus once again. "It's a matter of life and death so I hope I've judged you correctly," Theriault murmured as Shen Yi looked at the figurine in awe.

"Go now!" Theriault yelled, causing her to nod and run back in the direction they'd come from the hotel.

"Ah..." Marcus stood up, his green eyes glowing brightly as he ripped his key off his necklace and pointed it at Theriault. A teal astral door floated in front of him as he inserted the key in the lock.

"I call on the winds of the north, freeze my enemy!" He yelled, a strong gust of wind flew out of the door, destroying the astral projecting and flying swiftly toward Shen Yi.

Theriault stepped in front of the girl, raising his arm to protect himself from the wind just as it hit him, kicking up dust everywhere from the ground.

"It's gonna take more than that," Theriault said as the dust cleared, his hands out of his pockets and instead around his neck as he clasped a necklace.

"Yeah? Alright miscreant, let's go," Marcus said, throwing off his cloak and holding his key in his left hand, his eyes glowing brightly as Theriault stood in a neutral stance.

Both men stood still, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Meanwhile, Shen Yi was being chased by Marcus's three goons.

"Get her!" One yelled, raising a hand and sending a small lightning bolt at Shen Yi.

She quickly dodged however, tripping over her feet and slamming down into the concrete hard.

"Ms. Yi, this is nothing against your family, but we are on official business," One of the men said as he landed next to the fallen Shen Yi.

Shen Yi gritted her teeth, feeling the sting on her knees. They weren't hurt much, just scraped.

Quickly slipping the bird figurine into her jacket pocket, Shen Yi kicked her leg up at the man.

The hooded man easily caught her leg, shaking his head as he reached down.

"Oh, I understand... I'm doing the same, my family will treasure this key more than whoever hired you..." Shen Yi said, a small smile on her face as her eyes glinted pink, the man catching sight of her underwear, which was revealed while he held onto her leg.

"Stop," She said, a wave of energy passing over her as the hooded man stopped reaching, his eyes glazed over.

"Knock out your friends," She whispered, pulling her leg from his hand and getting close to his ear, another wave of energy passing over her.

"As you wish," The man said, standing up and turning to the other hooded individuals.

"Jinnouchi?" One of them questioned.

Jinnouchi, the hooded man who Shen Yi had used her key's power on, rushed his two partners, holding a small silver key out in front of him.

"Woah!" The other hooded man yelled, dodging Jinnouchi's first attack, his hood falling, revealing the face of a young man.

Jinnouchi, turning on his heel, punched the man square in the jaw, his key lighting up a bit as the hit connected and sent his victim flying into a nearby wall with a sickening crack.

Shen Yi looked on in shock... Secretly though, seeing the man listen to her commands made her happy.

Jinnouchi turned toward the other hooded man, narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning. "The hell are you doing!" The still-hooded man yelled as he sent another bolt of lightning toward Jinnouchi.

Jinnouchi's key lit up, instantly he covered 20 feet in a second, slamming his knee into his friend's stomach and catching him as he crumpled to his knees, turning and slamming him face first into the concrete.

"Done, My Love," Jinnouchi said, bowing toward Shen Yi.

Shen Yi didn't know what to say, she knew this was the effect of her key, but wasn't this kind of... Wrong?

"Uhh... Then," Shen Yi stuttered, trying to think of words to say. "What does your key do?" She asked.

Immediately Jinnouchi presented his key, bowing. "I have the upgrade key, for a price I am able to spontaneously upgrade something about myself, but the effect doesn't last long so I need to time it right each use," He said quickly, leaving Shen Yi standing there awkwardly as he finished.

"What's the price?" She asked, now curious.

"My lifespan, I get the upgrade of however much time I sacrifice."

Shen Yi gulped. She hadn't meant to make him use something so risky. "Oh Um..." Shen Yi felt in her pocket, her hand closing around the bird figurine.

"Well let's go, if anyone tries to come after me, get them away."

With this she turned, going in the opposite direction as she texted her grandmother.

She had no intention of saving such a precious artifact for a boy she'd just met. No matter how much fun she'd had while controlling him.

Though, as she walked hastily back to the hotel she started thinking about her power. 'Why didn't it feel this exhilarating with him?' She wondered, Theriault's serious expression flashing in her mind.

Shen Yi closed her eyes, shaking her head as she walked faster. 'Sorry,' She thought, his words repeating over in her head.

"I hope I've judged you correctly," He had said.

...

Marcus and Theriault watched each other, both of them looking relaxed as they waited for the other to make a move.

Theriault breathed in deeply, causing Marcus to flinch as he smirked. "If we're done here, can I go?" Theriault said, his mocking tone causing Marcus to clench his teeth.

"Trying to make a fool of me? How childish... but that's expected of your kind!" Marcus yelled, taking flight and sending a heavy gust of wind toward the younger boy, who quickly jumped out of the way, rolling and jumping up as he watched Marcus.

"Scared to fight me with your own hands?" Theriault taunted, his eyes glowing faintly.

"Do I look like a movie villain? I'm fine attacking you where I'm at," Marcus said, smirking as he saw Theriault's expression.

"What now kid? Didn't think this far ahead?" Marcus said, waving his hand and sending another huge gust of wind toward Theriault.

Theriault looked worried before smirking a little, stepping back into the building walls right behind him.

Marcus widened his eyes as he saw Theriault smirk, seeing him disappear suddenly.

"Maybe not, but Father always said to adapt to situations quickly," Theriault said, falling from the building behind Marcus and slamming both knees into the blond's back, sending him sprawling toward the concrete as he twisted mid-air and landed on the ground safely, rushing Marcus.

Marcus sent out a gust of wind right before he hit the ground, causing him to float right before and twist in the air, kicking out toward Theriault.

The black-haired boy dodged the kick, his left hand hitting the blond's face as he sent a kick toward his groin.

Marcus ignored the face hit, flicking his finger and stopping the kick with a small burst of wind and turning on the ball of his foot, using wind to spin him faster as he sent the outstretched leg into Theriault's face, knocking the pale boy back and regaining his footing.

"I'll admit that was good," Marcus said, propelling himself forward with the wind and kneeing Theriault in the chin, grabbing him by his shirt to stop him from flying back and instead throwing him in the air, sending three blades of wind toward him.

Theriault turned in the air, sighing as he braced himself.

Theriault felt the wind hit him hard, a burning pain erupting in his right arm as he fell on top of a neighboring building, coughing as he tried to regain his senses.

"I suppose this is enough messing around," Marcus said as he landed next to Theriault, his key in hand as he looked down at the younger boy.

"Your ignorance in the hierarchy of the world is what will kill you today, not me..." Marcus raised his key, wind whipping around them at incredible speeds, spinning around his hand over and over again before a mini tornado began forming around it.

"Die miscreant," Marcus said, bringing his key down toward Theriault.

"Hah..." Theriault breathed out as he forced himself out of the way, narrowly avoiding the mini tornado and putting a hand on Marcus's face.

"Decay..." He muttered, his eyes glowing faintly as Marcus's tornado instantly disappeared.

"Ahhh!" Marcus screamed, plopping on the ground and dropping his key as he held his face, flakes of flesh falling off and dying instantly.

"The hierarchy of this world?" Theriault repeated, slipping his necklace back into his pocket as he turned away from the suffering man.

"I couldn't care less about you fuckers, there's something much more important out there, and I'm going to find it... The Master Key, it will be mine," Theriault said as he left Marcus screaming on the roof, the sun rising in the east...

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