AllFreeNovel
Share Us
KAIROS
Pulling the hood of my cloak up, I step into the fringes of what I heard another merchant call the Dark Market, my senses immediately assaulted by a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells. The air here is thick with magic, a palpable force that makes my skin prickle and the runes on my body pulse with increased intensity.
The market sprawls before me, a labyrinth of narrow alleys and crooked buildings. Flickering torches cast long shadows, creating a dance of light and darkness that seems to mirror the very nature of this place. Cloaked figures hurry past, their faces hidden beneath heavy hoods. The secrecy is almost tangible, a silent agreement among the patrons to mind their own business.
As I move deeper into the market, the magical pull I've been following grows stronger. But there's something else now – a disturbance in the energy field, like ripples in a once-calm pond. It's subtle at first, barely noticeable beneath the overwhelming magical aura of the market itself.
I pause, focusing my senses. The disturbance is growing, becoming more erratic. It's not just a fluctuation in the ambientmagic – this feels... alive. Desperate. My silver eyes narrow as I try to pinpoint the source.
"Outta my way," a gruff voice snarls. A burly orc shoulder-checks me as he passes, but I barely notice. My attention is fixed on the growing magical anomaly.
I weave through the crowd, following the turbulent energy. It leads me down a particularly dark alley, away from the main thoroughfare. The sounds of the market fade, replaced by an eerie silence broken only by my own footsteps.
The disturbance peaks suddenly, a spike of magical energy so intense it makes my runes flare bright blue. Something's wrong. Very wrong.
I round the corner, and the scene unfolds before me like a twisted tapestry. A young woman, her curly black hair wild and unkempt, sprints down the alley. Her green eyes are wide with terror, darting frantically as she searches for an escape. She's small, lithe, her movements graceful despite the panic evident in every step.
Behind her, three hulking figures give chase. Market guards, I assume, their faces contorted with rage and exertion. They're gaining on her, their heavy boots thundering against the cobblestones.
"Get back here, you little bitch!" one of them roars, his voice echoing off the narrow walls.
The woman doesn't look back, doesn't slow down. She's running on pure adrenaline, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I can feel the desperation rolling off her in waves, a primal fear that resonates with the magical disturbance I've been tracking.
She's almost to me now, her eyes locked on the path ahead. For a moment, I think she might run right past, but at the last second, she veers sharply to the left. It's a dead end.
The realization hits her at the same moment it hits me. She skids to a stop, her hands flying out to brace against the wall.Her head whips around, searching for another way out, but there's nothing. Just smooth, unforgiving stone on three sides.
The guards slow their approach, cruel smiles spreading across their faces. They know they have her cornered. There's nowhere left for her to run. I can't hear them from here, but I can tell they are taunting her.
The woman presses her back against the wall, her chest heaving. Despite the fear in her eyes, there's a defiance there too. She's not going down without a fight.
The guards laugh, a harsh, grating sound that sets my teeth on edge at something she says. They start to close in, their intentions clear in every predatory step.
The magical disturbance I've been tracking reaches a fever pitch. It's almost like it is forcing me forward.
I stand frozen, caught between the instinct to intervene and the knowledge that I shouldn't get involved. But as I watch the terror and determination warring on the woman's face, I feel something stir within me.
The lead guard reaches for her, his meaty hand stretching out to grab her arm. The woman tenses, ready to fight or flee, though there's nowhere left to go.
I clench my fists, decision made. With a fluid motion, I step out of the shadows, my cloak billowing behind me. The runes on my skin pulse with barely contained energy as I draw upon my soz'garoth magic.
"Gentlemen," I call out, my voice low and dangerous. "I suggest you reconsider your actions."
The guards whirl around, startled by my sudden appearance. The woman's eyes widen, a flicker of hope crossing her face.
I don't give them time to react. With a twist of my wrist, I weave an intricate pattern in the air. The alley shimmers, reality bending to my will. Suddenly, the dead end isn't so deadanymore. Where once there was a solid wall, now stands a yawning chasm, flames licking at its edges.
The guards stumble back, confusion and fear etched on their faces. "What the fuck?" one of them snarls, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.
I smirk, channeling more power into the illusion. The flames grow higher, more intense. The heat feels real, sweat beading on the guards' foreheads. The woman presses herself against the wall, her eyes darting between me and the illusory inferno.
"You might want to step back," I warn, my voice dripping with mock concern. "Wouldn't want anyone to get burned."
As if on cue, a tendril of flame snakes out, licking at the closest guard's boot. He yelps, jumping back and colliding with his companions. The illusion is perfect – he even smells singed leather.
I take a step forward, and the ground beneath our feet begins to tremble. Cracks appear in the cobblestones, spreading like a web. The guards struggle to keep their balance as the earth seems to shift beneath them.
"What sorcery is this?" the lead guard demands, his earlier bravado crumbling in the face of my magic. It's clear he only knows the basics.
