Unprecedented Thief

Todd rested in the attic of the library, feeling foolish. "I'm talking, to a book." he said, referring to the Tome, the Book, the text that showed him the secret of world walking. But the Book was acting strange, telling him information a little too convienent information, such as about the Fauna of the Mirror and also the Assimilating aliens.

"So, let's try this... what are you from?" Todd tore open the book. Unlike the other questions he asked, the book didn't instantly bring up the information, it was some page on alchemy. "Damn!" He slammed it shut and groaned with irritation.

The book itself rested, a wind blew in the room, as if the book itself were summoning something from another realm. Winds blew and the attic's dust became more prevalent as it came through the air. Everything calmed down moments after, as if nothing happened at all.

Todd sneezed a few times, the dust getting in his nose, before creating a tissue and blowing his nose, then disintigrated the tissue using fire. But then he felt something, a presence. Something mystical in nature. 'And knowing me,' he thought, 'Probably up to no good.' He looked over at the book, picked it up and went to the attic door, grabbing the handle.

"I think I'm taking the book out today." he said to himself.

The presence itself was prevalent in the room, the strength of whatever mystical force growing every second with power, as if moving itself over from another plane of existence to merely see what was going on in Todd's realm. Dark energies seemed to build up, the feeling of such growing.

Todd created a bag and shoved the book inside, and proceeded to creep down the steps, avoiding librarians or other figures to not get in trouble for going to a restricted area of the building. When he realized he was safe he quickly walked down from the upper level of the library to the lower floor and politely nodded to the 20 year old librarian and left the building.

The minute Todd left the building, a hand began to reach out behind him. Whatever it was, was reaching for Todd specifically, their hand about to grip his shoulder.

Todd vanished and reappeared a good distance behind the spot he was standing in, spying two hands floating in midair. "Well, I've seen many things in my time, demons with no limbs, gods with 9001 heads, but floating disembodied hands, never seen that."

Slowly, but surely, a black cloaked being faded into existence, a mask adorned the face, and inscripted upon the mask was a question mark. There were two holes for eyes, so that this person could see. This being was ghostly, you could clearly see through his body. He spoke no words and only stood there, staring at Todd.

Todd then joked, "Oh my god! The Riddler and Tobi from Naruto had a baby! AHHH!" Todd then proceeded to shoot several ice bullets in nonleathal areas, mainly the legs, to try and incapacitate the figure to interrogate.

The ice bullets went straight through the figure, colliding into the walls of the library and creating cracks. The figure merely stood there, the the heterochromic eyes of green and purple focusing only on Todd.

Todd was slightly unnerved by the fact the specter just stood there, like some creepy stalker in a thriller movie. "Well," Todd said, thinking about Johanna's house, "See ya!"

In a second he was in Johanna's room.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"AH!"

"AH!"

Johanna just got out of a shower, only in a robe. "When did you get here?!" Todd turned his head and said, "Teleported, er... I'll be downstairs."

So he sat in the living room and waited for Johanna to finish getting dressed. She went downstairs in a pair of jeans and green tee-shirt. "So what was so important that you had to teleport into my room?"

In the center of the living room, spatial, clear distortions occurred in a swirl formation, and from it, the ghostly being appeared, turning its gaze straight to Todd.

Todd pointed at the being and said, "That." Johanna looked at the figure and was instantly uneasy, so she fired some bolts of darkness at it.

The bolts of darkness went through, blasting the wall down revealing the outdoors. Todd said to Johanna, "Tried that, doesn't work." She then snapped, "Why didn't you tell me before I blasted a hole in the wall!" The figure stood there, before finally outstretching and arm. It's voice was calm and collected, the mere words sounding like the most profound of statements ever voiced. "The Book, if you please."

Todd touched the bag and questioned, "Why would you want the Book? Who are you anyway...or what are you would be a better question..."

"I... Am no one... The Book, if you please." Was the simple response. Todd was suspicious with the figure, obviously enough. Johanna creeped behind the figure, secretly making a knife out of darkness, ready to attack when needed.

Todd asked, "Why do you want the Book?"

The figure was silent, not even answering. Instead, a small orb form in his hand, it floated to the center of the room. A bright light began to come off, shining in all directions, the orb being the epicenter.

Todd looked at Johanna, "Johanna," he said, "Run!" The duo sprinted out the gaping hole in the wall, which Todd repaired with a snap of his fingers. "Todd?" Johanna questioned, "What was that, what is he doing?"

The whole house exploded moments after, the roof blasted to bits, there was hardly a house anymore, just bits of rubbled and a cloud of smoke. Appearing from a swirling vortex of clear energy, the figure appeared before Todd and Johanna, "The Book, if you please." He said, outstretching his translucent hand.

Todd snapped, "No! You just blew up a house!" Johanna, also added, "That's a freaking act of terrorism for God's sake!" So the duo decided something, that'll probably bite them in the butt, they tried to literally run through their intangable opponent.

Before they could make it close enough, the masked man revealed some chains in his cloak. Floating up, he whipped them out at the duo, slashing and attempting to damage them badly. Johanna begun trying to countering with her own chains, while Todd used a shield, hoping it'll last against the onslaught.

He floated down after slashing one of Johanna's chains away, "There's no point in fighting back." Floating forth quickly, going through Johanna, a chain of explosions occured, about to explode on Johanna. Todd appeared in front of Johanna and created a shield large enough to protect them both, hoping the shield can hold up.

The explosions occured, all in a row, one appearing between Todd and Johanna, knocking them back from each other.

Johanna groaned, "Hey Todd, couldn't you've teleported us somewhere else?" Todd snapped his head up and moaned, "Shit..." He struggled to stand back up and eventually managed to stumble to and help up, Johanna. They both turned towards the specter to see what he'll do next.

His hand was outstretched in ungodly patience as the same statement came from his breath, "The Book, if you please."

Todd shouted, "You're freaking kidding me! You just blew me and friend up! Seriously what is the matter with you!" Johanna stretched her arms, despite the pain from the explosion. Todd felt a mass slipping from his bag. The book zipped into Johanna's hand, the pages flipping on it's own until it stopped on a page: