Prologue
"Be careful!"
"Shh! Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Just... Watch out, okay Duo?" The older boy looked at his twelve-year-old companion, then glanced down the hall again. "Wizards're dangerous marks."
"I know, just lemme concentrate." Duo muttered, then grinned as the lock to the door finally gave up and the two young boys slipped inside, Duo sticking the lock picks back in his braid. Both of them stared for a moment at the room before them, then grinning triumphantly at each other.
The things in the room were enough to keep them and the gang of street children they supported fed and warm for months--years maybe. Of course, they couldn't possibly steal it all, but if they got the right items the money they got could last them a while.
"You take that part of the room, I'll take this one." Solo whispered, walking silently to a table covered in expensive-looking statuettes. "If it looks like magic... Leave it alone. Don't get hurt."
Duo gave his older friend a "who, me?" look, dodged the swat Solo aimed at him, and ran to the part of the room he'd been assigned to. He poked around the items a bit, stuffing a few promising things into his bag before spotting a rack of weapons in the corner. His eyes immediately found a wicked-looking dagger and he grinned, picking it up and turning it in his hands for balance. It was too fine a quality knife for a wizard, he finally decided, sticking it in his belt.
He examined the rest of the weapons, touching a large, ebon-handled scythe and even lifting it awkwardly off the rack. It was a beautiful weapon; far too big for him to carry out, or handle, but it was nice. "Oi, Solo!" he called softly, "How to I look?" he giggled and struck a pose, the scythe towering over him.
From across the room Solo looked up, eyed Duo with a raised eyebrow, and slipped a golden letter opener into his own pack. "Ridiculous. Put it away." He couldn't hide a smile at his friend's antics though.
"Nyah. I think I look great." Duo stuck his tongue out at Solo, turning to put the scythe back, when a blue lidded-chest caught his eye. Crouching to examine the box, Duo set the scythe across his knees, frowning a moment as he attempted to figure the lock out from looking at it. He drew out his lock picks again, selecting three, and started to fiddle with the lock. It was tricky, but he was certain he'd get it to cooperate with a little persuasion and the right application of force on the tumblers.
"I'm glad this wizard's never in town." Solo commented from across the room, examining a strange painting on the wall and wrinkling his nose at it. "Wonder why the guy just leaves all this treasure in a place he never visits. It's like he's begging for someone to come in and snitch it."
Duo gave a small grunt of effort and smiled as his efforts were rewarded with the satisfying click of a lock opening. "Well, then we're just obliging his wishes, aren't we, Sol?" The twelve-year-old put his lock picks away and opened the trunk. Duo's eyes widened in alarm as pure darkness ran up along his arms from where his hands touched the open chest; he had time to open his mouth, but not enough time to shout before the darkness covered him completely.
"Right!" Solo said cheerfully. "Hey Duo, check this out! S'ugly as sin." Solo squinted at a strange mask, waiting to hear his friend's reply. The fifteen-year-old turned around to stare across the room after a few seconds of silence. "Duo?" There was no one else in the room. "Duo?! Duo!"
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Duo woke up slowly, a pounding ache behind his eyes and a rather wooly feeling in his head disorienting him. Stared at darkness for a while, then opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, then sat up abruptly, hands searching his face, feeling all over his forehead and skull. Only after he'd assured himself that there was no bump or cut on his head did the boy let his hands drop to his lap. He stared straight ahead for a while, eyes wide, not looking at anything.
There was nothing to look at. All he could see was darkness: black, complete absence of light. It frightened him, but he was sure he wasn't blind. He was sure... He hoped his eyes were fine. There just... Wasn't any light to see anything by.
He felt around him, fingers encountering the scythe's handle, and he clutched it, staggering to his feet. He still had his bag over one shoulder, and the lock picks in his braid and the knife at his belt...
Closing his eyes against the darkness Duo began to walk. Stumbling, directionless, and blind, he used the scythe as a cane, keeping him upright; he fumbled his way forward into darkness.