Heru's declaration was met with swift action as magic and weapons alike were directed towards the thief while others aided the wounded. The satyr clearly had combat experience, but against such a skilled crowd he was eventually backed into a corner. The many persuers pushed him to his absolute limit, but he was still managing to hold his own for a time.

Even so, his prowess in battle is not enough to keep him from avoiding a particularly nasty blow to his midsection. Staggering backwards he sheaths both of his weapons, one hand grasping his body as the other grabs onto the satchel on his waist that  has been storing the Astraevum.

He shows a clear hint of pain, and as he realizes the odds were tipping from his favor due to the injury his stance changes. Quickly, he traces a symbol in the air causing the shadows at his feet to leap forth and surround him. Rather than continuing to make the climb upwards, he instead suddenly makes a dash down one of the various underground tunnels as the sounds of his pursuers echo behind him as they follow the trail of blood. Between the deep wound and the people pursuing him he realizes that even with a shroud of shadows, he cannot stay hidden for long.

Unshaken in his resolve he stops and turns halfway through the tunnel to face those who followed. His glowing eyes piercing through the darkness and one of his hands raises towards the stone ceiling, fingers spread apart. A rumble ripples over the hall as cracks begin to appear in the already unstable walls of the ancient catacombs surrounding him. Knowing what the sound means, many of those chasing him hesitate to move forward. 

In an instant the Thief clutches his hand into a fist, swiftly swinging it down and simultaneously causing the halls around him to cave inwards with an intense force. Dust and rubble fills the air, consuming the last view of the painted satyr’s stare before he is seemingly buried alive under the destruction of his own desperate doing.

...

A single hand bursts out of the ground on a level of the underground chambers a few stories higher, but still deep within the earth. It grasps onto nearby rocks, slowly pulling the rest of its body out of a hole of collapsed rubble. Once free, the Thief slowly begins to stagger to his feet. He looks battered, injured and exhausted - but he has managed to escape.

Or so he believes.

Standing before him in the dim light of the cavern is none other than Mosaic, a smug smile creeping onto his face as he peers down at the Thief with one hand on his hip.

Mosaic

???

The browbird steps closer to the satyr. The Thief lifts his head slowly, his body tenses as if he was about to move but instead he is met with a swift kick to the face that sends him reeling backwards. In that moment Mosaic notices the satchel on his hip, which seems to glow with a faint and alluring aura. The Astraevum.

Mosaic

The restrained shake in his voice contrasted the usual sly look he wears. His tail visibly thrashing in irritation for a moment before he regains his composure.

Mosaic

???

Though he was silent, there was a small hint of anger that slipped past his stoic gaze.

Mosaic

Mosaic bends over and grips the satchel. The Thief, refusing to lose what he had worked so hard for, holds on with all the strength he can muster. Mosaic pries it free of the severely weakened satyr's grasp with a single rough tug. 

Mosaic

Mosaic

Mosaic

With no energy left to fight or protest resulting from the blood loss, the Thief watches in silence as Mosaic turns and strides down the dark cavern, leaving the satyr alone.

The following day, Heru resumes the conclusion of his grand events with a new location to speak to the crowd once more. This time, far more fortified with guards and an additional set of ward runes to protect the area. If there has been any stress from the previous day’s events there is no hint of it on Heru. As always his smile is wide and his arms spread in a familiar gesture for the Pharaoh.

Heru

	“It is the moment you all have waited for! It is time to declare the winner of my games!”

 

A dramatic drum roll follows before Heru steps aside, motioning to several victors now stepping up onto a raised platform on the stage. At the center, much to everyone's surprise, an astrean stands as the grand victor of all the games. They slowly raise their head to the sounds of the cheers from down below and give a small wave.

The crowd gives an appropriate applause and the astrean, along with the other winners, seem to be enjoying their moment in the limelight. They are given various prizes, treasures, and medals, but there is a noticeable hint of murmurs in at the very obviously missing prize that had originally been promised. Heru lets the excitement and chatter of the crowd last for a little while before motioning for everyone to settle down again so that he may speak.

Heru

	“While I would love to continue to bask in the joys of our celebration, I have much to attend to regarding the unfortunate events of the previous day. But fear not! Thanks to the efforts of those attending yesterday's celebration no one was badly injured and repairs of the Harara Brouhaha are already underway."

 

Heru

	"While the grand prize may not have been retrieved, your bravery and dedication to showing your love of the games and Harara has been the biggest prize of all!”

 

His very loud, very dramatic laugh rings out, though the crowd does not seem as receptive of it this time. It's hard to ignore the disappointment brought on by the incident.

Heru

	“However, to make up for the unfortunate mishap, we will be hosting a massive party in the main square in front of the palace that is open for all to attend starting now! Thank you again for the wonderful participation in the Harara games!”

 

Thus, the festivities continued without another hitch. Everyone was able to party for an entire day and enjoy food, drink, music, and more provided by Harara for citizens and guests alike!

The damaged wing of the Harara Brouhaha was quickly repaired thanks to the capabilities of skilled magical architects. For some reason, the strange tunnels beneath the city were not mentioned very often.

Anyone who sustained light injuries after the collapse and battle with the thief was treated and made it through alright.

Mosaic mysteriously vanished after all the chaos, and no one saw where he went. However it was discovered he was alright when his spacebook account began updating like normal again with no indication that anything happened.

The thief was not found, and after some time the active search was stopped but wanted posters looking for him still remain scattered around the city and posted online. Many are left wondering if he escaped the city or if he ultimately perished in the tunnels.