Pyros knew that a promise was like a death oath to a warrior. If a warrior promised something, he would obey it come what may.
The Scavenger shook his head. “No, I won’t promise. I have to redeem the losses that the Skull Warrior has caused.”
Pyros suddenly raised his hand. He looked furious now. “Listen, that’s it! You think you’re the only one thinking about the losses in the war with the Skull Warrior. Do you think no one else has faced losses? I lost my dear friend Lynx. Thousands of warriors, now dead, are being mourned by their families. Matt might die if we don’t help him. The sacrifices made by Aronicle, Insanity... I won’t let you do an emotionally reckless act at this stage.”
Pyros seemed to have struck a chord.
After a moment of silence, the Scavenger said, “Okay. That’s a promise. I will not enter the Library.”
James nodded. “Good. Best of luck.”
“Thanks.” The Scavenger wore the FLICK and disappeared in the surroundings.
The children and Pyros retreated inside the chariot.
A few hours passed. Pyros and the children started getting anxious.
As they came out of the chariot, something suddenly moved in the bushes.
The Scavenger appeared.
Everyone heaved a big sigh of relief.
The Scavenger was huffing and puffing.
They quickly clambered inside the chariot. Pyros activated the camouflage cloth around the chariot.
The group sat around a table in one of the suites.
The Scavenger took a deep breath and began, “When I reached the village, hectic marketing activities were going on. Various demons and monsters were intermingling with soldiers.
“The hustle-bustle of the market made my job easier. I reached the Library and saw a massive deployment of guards there.
“I carefully observed the six guards outside the main Library door. As their shift comes to an end, a platform rises from underground, carrying a fresh batch of six guards. The new guards take position outside the door, and the six guards from the previous shift mount the platform and go down. This cycle repeats every two hours without fail.
“After carefully scouting the area, I am convinced that the only way to enter the Library is through the platform through which the change in the guards’ shift happens. The closest point to the main door area in the vicinity is a tree protruding into the compound. It can be used to jump into the compound.” The Scavenger paused.
“Excellent information,” Pyros commented.
Archer said, “I am sorry to appear critical, but I don’t think this information is sufficient to plan an attack at the Library?”
Pyros said, “Correct, Archer. This information is grossly insufficient. But it’s a good beginning. We need to know the internal security arrangements at the Library, especially around the ‘Book of the Universe’.”
“Exactly!” The Scavenger said in excitement, “Thank God, you are getting to the point. Now, let me offer a solution. Please free me from the burden of the promise about not entering the Library. Unless I enter the Library and get information, we can’t plan.”
“No way. We will not allow you to take such a risk,” James said.
The Scavenger gave Pyros a helpless look. “Please, Pyros, make them understand. Is there any other way? For how long will we be sitting in this forest? I am just asking to scout the inside of the Library. I won’t attack anyone. I won’t try to combine the Pages of Destiny. I promise that.”
Pyros nodded. He addressed the children. “He’s right. I don’t see any other way to get information from within the Library. The Scavenger has the FLICK, which offers an invisibility cloak albeit for five minutes. However, the FLICK camouflages the person very effectively with the surroundings for as much time as one wants. Moreover, the Scavenger promises that he will not try to attack anyone or combine the Pages.”
After some moments of silence, James spoke. “Okay, first tell us how you plan to get into the Library.”
The Scavenger hugged Archer, Daniel and James as a gesture of thanking them. For a moment, they all became emotional. They quickly regained their composure and got down to business.
They started by discussing the detailed map of Cotton Village, especially the areas surrounding the Library. The Scavenger chipped in with whatever information he had gathered.
Late evening, when the discussions were finally over, everyone felt that although the mission was risky, with some luck, it could be pulled off.
The Scavenger decided to reach the Library at dawn for the dangerous mission.
15
They all woke up much before dawn. The Scavenger looked formidable in the FLICK. The armour’s ability to camouflage itself according to the surroundings was remarkable. It was dark outside and, accordingly, the FLICK was black. Only the Scavenger’s face was visible. He held a mask in his hands.
As he put on his mask, he disappeared in the surroundings. “Don’t worry. I will be safe,” the Scavenger said and started jogging towards the village.
Reaching the Library was no big deal. Thanks to his special sound-absorbing shoes, the Scavenger scaled the walls of the houses and jumped from roof to roof without making any sound. From the roof of the house adjacent to the massive tree trunk, he jumped onto the tree that protruded into the Library compound and hid in the branches.
The two Suns had risen, and the village had started to wake up.
The tree provided a direct view of the Library.
The Scavenger decided to use an advanced feature in his FLICK. The FLICK could transform as per the photo fed into its memory. He subtly pointed his hand towards a guard in the compound and the special camera clicked a photo of the guard.
Within moments, the FLICK changed its appearance similar to that of the guard.
Next, the Scavenger took out a magical trap from the goodie bag he was carrying. It was a dragnet that would expand and trap anything that touched its netted area. Not only would it
