Lilia and Alistair approached the towering Cromwell Tower, owned by billionaire Maximilian Cromwell. Lilia knew the Phantom Thief planned to steal a priceless jade elephant statue from the billionaire's vast collection tonight. She hoped to make contact with the roguish thief, but getting access to the tower would be challenging.

As a newcomer without credentials, the security team was unlikely to grant Lilia access to patrol the floors most likely to be targeted and direct approach would draw too much suspicion. No, she would need to be creative.

"Alistair, I want you to prowl the perimeter outside and watch for any signs of the thief's arrival," Lilia instructed.

Alistair gave a dutiful nod. "Of course, Mistress. I shall keep vigilant watch for the rapscallion."

Lilia smiled, then reached into her bag and pulled out a small mobile phone attached to a strap. "Here, take this so we can communicate." This time she came prepared.

Alistair examined the device curiously before allowing Lilia to fasten it around his neck. Though impractical for his feline form, it would allow them to coordinate despite the distance.

With her companion dispatched, Lilia made her way up to the tower's roof access. She would keep watch from that vantage point and intercept the thief should he attempt to enter that way. Once in position, she pulled out her own phone.

"Alistair, what's your status? Any activity down there?" she inquired.

"All quiet thus far, my lady," came the tinny reply. "But rest assured, I shall alert you at the first sign of our elusive quarry."

Satisfied, Lilia tucked the phone away and continued her vigil, eyes and ears tuned for the slightest anomaly. She hoped the Phantom Thief would make an appearance tonight. Making contact could open up new possibilities in her ongoing quest.

Lilia examined the towering skyscraper, considering how best to gain access to the upper levels where she suspected the Phantom Thief would make his entrance. Her thoughts turned to the wings she had purchased long ago in Endless Fantasy. Perhaps here in the real world, they could grant her actual flight?

Reaching into her shadow inventory, Lilia focused on summoning the wings. To her disappointment, only a standard glider emerged instead. Of course, the wings were merely a cosmetic item in the game. Besides even if she managed to somehow pull the actual wings out of her inventory, she wasn't certain if she'd be able to graft them to her body. No, she would need another way to reach the roof undetected.

Slightly disappointed, Lilia stashed the glider back in her shadow. But another item caught her eye - the 'Arachnid Aspect' potion that allowed scaling sheer surfaces in-game. It was worth a shot. She downed the potion, feeling its odd tingle spread through her limbs.

Bracing herself, Lilia pressed her foot to the glass facade of the skyscraper. To her delight her feet adhered easily, allowing her to ascend with spider-like dexterity. Though she had to remain vigilant for patrolling guards inside the building who might spot her through the windows.

When Lilia reached the roof access door, she noticed two security guards stationed nearby. Fortunately, her stealth gear and allowed her to easily slip past undetected. Now she had an ideal vantage point to keep watch for the phantom thief.

Settling into the shadows, Lilia waited silently for any signs of activity, ready to spring into action at the first hint of the rogue's presence. Her muscles thrummed with anticipation, eager to see how the night unfolded.

As she waited, Lilia listened closely to the guards' conversations. From their chatter, she gleaned that the jade elephant statue was being kept at eightieth floor in some sort of a secure vault.

Finally, she heard Alistair's voice crackle through her earpiece. "Mistress, the thief approaches from the east. He has begun scaling the tower wall."

Peering over the edge, Lilia could just make out a faint transparent silhouette climbing up the glass facade. The thief clearly had tricks up his sleeve to evade detection.

But rather than continue to the roof, the phantom halted about eight floors from the top. Lilia watched as he produced some kind of cutting implement and neatly carved out a circle in the windowpane before slipping inside.

Minutes ticked by silently as Lilia waited for some sign of the thief's success. Suddenly, his theatrical voice echoed out into the night. "My compliments to Mr. Cromwell for this lovely trinket. I shall take exquisite care of it for him." A hint of laughter coloured his tone.

Right on cue, the form of the thief emerged from the freshly cut window, an elegant rope affixed to the frame. With a graceful bound, he slid down the line, rocketing towards the ground.

Lilia immediately scrambled down the tower, relying on her potion. But the phantom's gravity-assisted escape proved too quick. As his figure receded into the distance, Lilia contacted Alistair.

"Alistair, pursue the thief discretely and update me on his location. I will catch up as soon as I can!" With that, she continued her rapid descent, trusting her companion to track their elusive target through the nighttime streets.

As she reached the ground floor, Lilia swiftly melted into the shadows, not wanting to get caught up in the growing chaos triggered by the thief's brazen heist. She didn't want to risk getting implicated by the authorities.

Over her earpiece, Alistair guided her discretely through back alleys as he pursued the thieves' escape vehicle. "They have entered a large blue car thing, my lady," the imp reported. "I believe it may be their means of getaway."

"See if you can sneak aboard the car and keep me updated on their location," Lilia instructed him. She found an isolated corner and triggered her human guise, not wanting to draw undue attention on the streets.

Several tense minutes passed before Alistair's voice crackled over the earpiece again. "Success, Mistress! I have covertly boarded the back of this peculiar transportation contraption."

"Excellent work," Lilia praised. "Remain hidden and alert me when they reach their destination." With her companion keeping watch from inside, she could trail the thieves' route much easier.

Nearly an hour ticked by as Lilia anxiously awaited updates from Alistair. Finally, he reported "They have arrived at some sort of warehouse district on the south side of town, my lady."

Lilia quickly flagged down a taxi to convey her to the area Alistair had described. As the taxi pulled away from the curb, the middle-aged driver glanced at Lilia in the rearview mirror.

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"So where to, miss?"

"The warehouse district on the south side, please," Lilia instructed politely.

"Ah, heading down to the factories and shipping yards huh? Not often I get requests for that area, especially this late." The driver paused, then added conversationally, "You work a night shift around there or something?"

Lilia smiled and shook her head. "No, just meeting a friend who lives in that area." She tried to sound casual, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

"I see, I see," the driver nodded. "Well, you be careful down there at night. Some of these places can be a bit dodgy, especially for a pretty young lady like yourself."

"I'll be sure to keep my wits about me, thank you for the concern," Lilia replied.

The driver went on to chat amiably about his years driving a cab in the city, pointing out notable landmarks as they drove by. Lilia made polite murmurs, feigning interest while keeping an ear tuned for any updates from Alistair over the earpiece.

As they turned down a main boulevard, the driver remarked, "You know, some nights I pick up real characters in this job. Just last week, had a fella dressed head to toe in some crazy costume. Said he was coming from a party, but you ask me, looked more like some cult nonsense."

Lilia's eyes widened slightly. "How very odd," she remarked, hoping the driver didn't notice her sudden interest.

The taxi driver nodded knowingly. "I've seen it all driving nights in this city - weirdos, drunks, folks up to no good. But I keep to myself, you know. Not my place to judge."

"A wise perspective," Lilia agreed. She glanced out the window as buildings began to thin out, replaced by warehouses and industrial complexes. "I believe this is my stop up ahead."

After paying the driver, Lilia stepped cautiously out into the quiet industrial district. She rendezvoused with Alistair, who eagerly led her toward the Thieves' hideout—an unassuming warehouse indistinguishable from its neighbours.

Lilia crept silently through the dimly lit warehouse, her senses finely tuned to evade the cameras and security systems. Alistair followed almost invisibly at her heels, guiding her unerringly to the room where the thieves' group had convened.

Pressing herself against the wall beside the door, Lilia listened closely to the conversation taking place within.

"I must admit, I'm a tad disappointed our mysterious lady friend didn't make an appearance tonight," came the familiar theatrical voice of the Phantom Thief, though lacking its usual exaggerated flair.

"You gotta stop mooning over that creepy demon chick," an exasperated female voice retorted. Lilia recognized it as the young girl, Tina, from their previous encounter. "She's dangerous and probably just using you."

"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions," the thief chided mildly. "I merely hoped to have a cordial chat with the lady, nothing more."

Another female voice chimed in, this one unfamiliar to Lilia. "Well, your cordial chat will have to wait. We have more pressing issues to discuss. What are we going to do about the Blade of War she took?"

"On that matter, I'm afraid the relic is out of our hands now, my dear Aria," the Phantom Thief replied solemnly. "When I first claimed it from Lilia, I felt as if it were a ravenous beast that might devour my very soul should I keep it from its owner."

"You can't be serious," a deep male voice rumbled sceptically. "Are you saying a piece of metal frightened you into giving it back?"

"Zymir, I know it sounds absurd, but I trust my instincts on such matters," the thief responded firmly. "That blade is bonded to her in some manner beyond my comprehension. I dared not come between them.".

Lilia listened silently as the group of thieves continued conversing, eventually moving on to discussing plans for their next heist.

"I still think we should focus our efforts on locating more of those dangerous relics instead of these frivolous trinkets," said the woman named Aria in an insistent tone.

"Patience, my dear," the Phantom Thief replied smoothly. "Our theatrics serve a purpose. We cannot be too overt in our mission."

The thieves continued debating the merits of targeting various occult artifacts versus maintaining their cover as flashy thieves out for riches and fame. So, Tristan told her the truth. They really seemed to be intent on keeping powerful relics out of the wrong hands, even if their methods were unorthodox.

As the conversation lulled, Lilia decided it was time to reveal herself. She knocked sharply on the door, prompting the voices within to fall silent.

"Were we expecting company?" Tina asked warily.

"No, not that I'm aware of," Tristan replied. "Go see who it is but be ready for anything."

Lilia heard light footsteps approach before the door cracked open slightly. Tina's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the unfamiliar woman standing there. "Um, can I help you?" she asked uncertainly.

"I wish to speak with all of you," Lilia said politely but firmly. "May I enter?"

Hesitantly, Tina stepped back and waved Lilia inside. The thieves had subtly readied various weapons and gadgets, prepared to defend themselves if needed. But they relaxed slightly seeing the unassuming young woman, clearly not recognizing her human guise.

Tristan looked at her curiously. "Pardon me miss, but how did you get in here?" His eyes narrowed. "Forgive me, but your figure seems familiar. Have we met before?"

Lilia suppressed a sigh, realizing they had never seen her mundane human appearance, only her true demonic form. With a flick of her wrist, she dismissed the illusion veiling her features.

The thieves instantly tensed again at her sudden monstrous visage. Tristan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Lilia! What an unexpected delight." His tone turned suspicious. "But how did you find us? And bypass all the security no less?"

Lilia waved a hand airily. "I have my methods. Let's just say you're not the only one who can be stealthy." She crossed her arms. "I originally came to learn your motivations. And after learning the truth I think we could help each other."

The thieves shared uneasy glances. "And why should we ally with you?" the one called Zymir rumbled warily.

Lilia smirked. "Weren't your leader the one who invited me to join your little band of 'collectors' last time?" She gestured around the room. "I'm simply taking you up on the offer."

Tristan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, you raise a fair point." He exchanged silent looks with his companions before turning back to Lilia. "Very well, we'll hear you out. What exactly do you propose?"

"It's simple. You wish to find dangerous relics before others misuse them," Lilia replied evenly. "As it happens, I seek the Blades of Apocalypse for...safekeeping. If we cooperate, I can provide assistance on your heists, while you aid me in recovering the blades when opportunities arise."

Aria looked sceptical. "And what guarantees do we have you won't just use the blades for nefarious purposes once we gather them?"

Lilia met the woman's gaze steadily. "You have no guarantee, but I believe our goals align more than you realize." She smiled wryly. "Of course, you're free to refuse my offer. I merely propose cooperation for our mutual benefit."

The thieves conversed in hushed tones amongst themselves. Finally, Tristan turned back to Lilia. "Well, you certainly drive an intriguing offer," he mused. "Very well, we are amenable to an... understanding."

He extended a hand, which Lilia shook firmly. "Excellent. Then we have a deal."

Tristan smiled roguishly. "I must say, I admire your boldness in seeking us out, my dear. Something tells me this could be the start of an exciting new partnership." His handshake lingered a moment too long before he released Lilia's hand.

She suppressed an eye roll at the predictable flirtation. Clearly, maintaining this alliance as strictly business would require firm boundaries with the incorrigible thief.

After they finalized the terms of their partnership, Lilia realized it was already quite late, and since she had school the next day, lingering here any longer would be unwise.

"While I'm pleased we could come to an agreement, I'm afraid I cannot linger here much longer," she informed the thieves. "I have other matters requiring my attention tonight."

Tristan nodded understandingly. "Of course, a woman of your calibre has many demands on her time, I'm sure."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Although, it would be prudent to establish a means of contacting one another to coordinate our efforts. I'd hate to trouble you to attend each operation just so we can get in touch."

"An excellent point," Lilia agreed.

Tina chimed in with enthusiasm. "Oh, we could set up encrypted channels on smartphones. I can modify them to make the signals untraceable!"

Agreeing with the suggestion and promising to provide them with a proper smartphone, Lilia said her goodbyes and exited the hideout before disappearing into the night. She was content with having established this line of communication. The thieves appeared genuine in their intentions, albeit somewhat guarded. Building trust would be a gradual process, but the foundation had been laid.

Back in the warehouse, Tristan stretched and let out a yawn, his posture relaxing into a more laid-back stance now that the meeting was over. "Well, team, I'd say that went rather well. Here's to the start of intriguing new alliances!"