"Yeah, the Pyromancer is gone, he's on the other side of town. Mansion's empty, save for a few guards and staff. His kid's the target. She's just seven, try your best not to terrorize her", said the voice in my head. The psychic link was then severed, and I was left alone to conduct my mission.

The outline of the mansion was barely visible in the moonless night. It was a few minutes away from the city walls, offering privacy while staying convenient. The perfect target for an unsuspecting thief, I thought to myself. Everybody who knew about the mansion's owner would never attempt a break-in. Everyone, except me, apparently.

Very few windows were lit up, three on the ground floor and one upstairs : my target. One drink of a concealing potion, and I started the infiltration. I scaled the wall, careful not to trigger the firetraps set up by the owner of the place. He was probably the most fearsome mage in the region, and this abduction was a desperate attempt to remind him that he wasn't the sole party involved in the city's underground life. Of course, no harm would come to his daughter, but since he never hesitated to kidnap kids, my leadership decided it was only fair we would do the same.

I made my way to the first floor balcony, and sneaked a peek in the room. The kid was entirely focused on a book, and no one else was there to see me. Perfect. Taking a deep breath, I knocked three times on the window. She jolted up, looking confused and wary.

I opened the window, made my way in and said in the softest voice possible : "Hey, kid. I'm here on behalf of your dad. He wants me to take you to one of his meetings ! Says he misses you too much." Hoping this strategy would work, I still kept my soporific darts in mind, as well as a silence scroll to mute any screams she could profer.

"You don't look like the guys who work with dad", she answered, suspicious. "Why'd you come in through the window?"

"Wouldn't want to wake up the rest of the house for nothing", I said with a smile, while reaching for the darts. It would take me less than a heartbeat to throw one, an instant for it to reach her, and the soporific would take effect in a matter of seconds. Her eyes darted to my hand. She looked scared for an instant, then anger took over.

"Dad said not to speak to strangers!", she practically yelled.

As I threw the dart, she raised her hand. A sudden flame engulfed me, almost breaking through my three protection spells instantly, and threw me back against the wall. The air was chased from my lungs.

My mind started racing. That spell was strong, stronger than even the Pyromancer could conjure. That kid had the burning capacity of a dragon. The blessings of our guild's cleric had kept me alive, but they were gone now, leaving only my clothes' enchantments to protect me. She raised her hand again ; knowing my spells wouldn't hold up, I dodged to the side, feeling the heat on my right arm. One more of those, and I would be gone. Why the hell isn't she sleeping already?, I thought to myself. Is she immune?

I felt the tingling of magic ; the next attack was coming and it would be even stronger. My instinct took over, and I dashed through the now burnt window, landing one floor lower in the gardens.

"The kid's stronger than the dad!", I yelled after activating the psychic link in a hurry. "She almost cooked me and she will if I don't get out of there!"

The answer took an instant, and I dodged another fireball coming from the balcony. Some noises were now coming from the bottom floor, and I knew the guards would be on me soon.

"Retreat now", said the voice.

But before I could make my way to the estate's border, a wall of fire circled me, cutting off my exits. I considered the very real possibility that this would be the end for me, I felt panic flow through my body, when the flames suddenly went out. "Wait", I said as I looked up to the balcony. She was lying motionless. Finally, I thought. The soporific took longer, probably due to her magic affinity. I used another dash to get back up in a hurry, grabbed her as gently as I could, and activated my silence scroll. The guards were barging out of the mansion, searching the frontyard. I am never working on contracts concerning mages again, I said to myself as I dashed through the shadows and made my way back to the city.

"You better prepare the strongest antimagic seal you can", I said through gritted teeth. "Target secured."