Tyra peeped at the guards before the document sect again.
"We have to distract them".
Isadore sighed. "How? And if we don't succeed, we could end up in the dungeons".
Tyra looked at her unblinking, folding her arms. " I would have gotten inside alone, without you a long time ago". Then she smirked as a thought popped up in her head. "I haven't really practiced what we learnt during training ".
Isadore shook her head. "You can't be serious Tyra ".
"Oh I am. Just follow my lead, QUIETLY ".
There were fire torches that lit the pathway at every corner. Taking a fire torch, Tyra set her shawl on fire throwing it towards the entrance of the sect. The two guards looked at each other, puzzled by what was thrown at them.
One of them walked towards the shawl but paused when he was snapped, he fell to the floor. The other was also snapped. Tyra and Isadore had sneaked up behind them.
After opening the large doors, they pulled their unconscious bodies to a corner. Isadore grunted while pulling one of the guards. "I really hope this is worth it".
"Well it depends on how fast and quiet we are". Tyra said dusting her hands.
They entered the sect but started coughing almost immediately. It was a large room with high shelves and few rusty ladders. It was stuffy and stacked with dusty books and papers.
"Why does it feel like I'll soon get kicked out of the group?".
They both turned to see a familiar figure behind them. She folded her arms with squinted eyes. Isadore quickly walked up to Rachel covering her mouth.
"No one knows we are here". She slightly pushed Isadore aside. "What are you up to Tyra? Whatever you are trying to do wouldn't end well".
Tyra sighed...
"The door is widely opened. You are free to walk out, I didn't drag you here by the way".
She continued searching the shelves ignoring their presence. Rachel pulled Isadore aside.
"You know I would always support Tyra. Whenever, wherever. But what she is about to do is...". She whispered but Isadore cut her off.
"I understand. But I have never seen Tyra this curious about anyone, I believe she has a good reason ".
Rachel hesitated but then nodded before walking towards Tyra."So what exactly are we looking for".
"Anything related to the mystery disciple in the registers, or any document ". Tyra said searching through papers.
"But we do not even know his name sooo..."
Tyra cut Isadore off, pausing her search.
"I noticed a bracelet he wore. It had the seal of Havans and I just confirmed it today ". She walked towards them. "So, we could search for disciples who are natives of Havans ".
They both nodded and started searching. They lit candles to brighten their paths since the sect was dark.
As Tyra searched through the shelves, she remembered the first day she saw the mystery disciple. It was at the dining hall few months ago. There was a rumour circulating round Andoths that he had survived an attack and got injured, one of the reasons they had never seen his face.
He sat on a stool by a corner alone. The surrounding tables were empty because he was feared amongst the disciples. She noticed the way he ate, he rushed his food like he had starved for weeks. She kept staring at him till he noticed her gaze. He quickly stood up and walked out of the hall.
She had never seen anyone so cold and lonely that even if she couldn't see his face, it was visible from his back. She was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard books falling to the floor.
Isadore rolled her eyes. "This girl will get us in trouble".
Rachel stood still with her hands by the sides, she smiled faintly. "It was a spider".
They both got back to work. But soon again heard the same sound.
"RACHEL!".
They both called out her name but faintly. Rachel raised her hands in surrender. "I promise it wasn't me this time".
They all heard a thud from the second division of the sect, but louder this time. The trio drew closer to themselves, each of them slightly trembling. It was the worst thing that could happen now- getting caught. Tyra grew weary, she tried thinking of an explanation but came up with nothing. They had even knocked out the guards at the entrance of the sect.
"Wait".
Rachel said when she spotted a shadow two shelves a way from them. She placed her finger on her lips, gesturing the others to be quiet. She walked quietly opposite the other intruder. Counting her steps, her breath was steady, her eyes completely fixed on the shadow. Increasing her pace, the figure began running.
She ran after the figure till she caught up, pinning him to the wall. And for a moment, the dim candlelight revealed his face.
He was tall, lanky. But with the type of build that moved like the wind: quiet and unpredictable. His face was sharply defined, with full lips and piercing eyes that held more silence than words.
His hair was a thick crown of dark curls, slightly tousled from the chase, falling over his forehead. There was something rugged about him but yet defined.
He struggled out of her grip but even with his height, she was stronger. There was a stretched silence between them, both staring deep into each other's eyes, panting from running.
The silence was broken when Isadore and Tyra came running.
"What are you doing here?". Rachel asked releasing him.
"I could ask you the same". He growled.
When he noticed their gazes on him, he adjusted the rumples on his clothes fidgeting, he raised his hands in surrender.
"Look, I didn't come here to cause any trouble. I just came here to do some research of which you interrupted ".
Rachel scoffed. "Likewise".
Their eyes met, not with warmth but with a quiet clash of cold steel. Then, they looked away.
Tyra sighed in frustration with her hands on her waist. "I guess we have more company". She muttered.
"Do you know anything about the mystery disciple?". That was the nickname the other disciples had given him. Isadore asked when the room went silent for a while. They stared at themselves not saying a word.
"Tamire?".
The trio stood upright, their eyes widened, a glimpse of hope in their eyes.
"Do you know...".
Tyra was cut through when the doors were pushed open. They all turned towards the door, each one of them shook in fear. Like their breath seized, anticipating the figure to walk into room. Rachel swallowed hard, her hands trembling, she held Isadore tightly.
There were two other shadows behind the figure.
"Not again!". Tyra grunted.