Theo – Part 2

Theo was released and escorted down the thin stone corridor from his cell. Over the next three days, he spent his time exploring the labyrinth of sewer systems that ran beneath the city of Leeside. The ‘Webbed Children’ or ‘WC’ for short; situated its headquarters as close to the dockyards as it possibly could. Skinner informed Theo that this was done strategically and that the guild could make a pretty penny in doing so, smuggling not only stolen goods that arrived by ship but people too. Additionally, having tunnels so close and directly connected to the ocean helped fight the sewer’s stench. You got used to the smell after a day or two, but Theo couldn’t get used to the fact that much of the greywater he paddled through day to day, was in fact the organic waste from the populace above.

Apart from the obvious shortcomings of setting your guild in a rat-infested sewer system, Theo realized its infinite possibilities. As well as being beneath the city and out of sight from prying eyes; particularly the town guard. It also gave the guild access to any part of the city above and allowed easy access to those parts without being seen. The sewer system was like a back door to every street once mapped.

On the morning of the third day, Theo began to feel he wasn’t being as closely watched as he initially was, and was thankful. Technically speaking, he was not officially part of the guild yet and wouldn’t be until he completed the retrieval job. From what he was informed, the guild had need of a certain wizard that resided in the city. The boy was young-- eighteen to be exact, and gifted if his appraisal could be believed. Appraisals were a way in which people could grasp their own strengths and weaknesses. These appraisals could only be performed by persons of an exceedingly high magical standard. These people were called ‘Seers’ and prized amongst most societies. Appraisals were like magical test’s in a way. The guild needed the boy for his magical aptitude. Why exactly was kept to a ‘need to know basis’. Theo’s job, if he wanted to be accepted, was to help with this retrieval, but for now, he was told to stand by and wait.

Theo was given his equipment back after they let him freely explore the sewer system, and it wasn’t much, but Theo felt calmer with the two steel daggers at his hips. They were castle forged and plain, with no enchantments or decorated needlessly with intricate embroidery. Theo grew to like them more than anything else he owned. He would often unsheathe them just so he could play with them, tossing them up in the air and catching them, juggling them between his hands.

Theo reached the end of his tunnel and at the part where the tunnel ended, a vast pool of ocean stretched out before him. Nothing but the rusted iron bars that sealed the tunnel separated Theo from that rippling blue carpet called an ocean. Theo leaned against the curved sewer wall and looked out between the iron bars at the ocean before him. He could hear the excitement of dockworkers but seldom saw them. He was in a part of the sewer system that faced north, while the dock situated itself on the west of Leeside. The rhythmic waves of the ocean that spilled in through the bars to slap against his feet felt cold to the touch.

Theo stood here for a while, listening to the dockworker's labor and the piercing screams of seagulls above. He looked over his shoulder and into the tunnel behind him, focusing his ears to detect the slightest sound, and rejoiced at the deathly silence that emanated from it; he was certainly alone. Without pause, he reached up to the ceiling of the tunnel, right next to the iron bars, and plucked free a small grey rock with his dagger. This rock had been stuck here using some adhesive and when Theo brought the rock to his lips, it began to hum and glow a lightning blue.

“This is Theo Wood, reporting in,” he said into the rock. “I’ve infiltrated the guild and beginning phase two, standby.”

There was no response, and none needed. Theo stuck the rock back to the roof of the tunnel and then watched as the magical blue light began to wither and die once more; returning the rock back to the cobble-grey appearance that camouflaged it amongst the ceiling. Suddenly Theo heard movement behind him in the tunnel. Someone, or something, was moving towards him.