Abarith
patreon
Chapter 39: Exploring the Unfamiliar
🕑 Added 2024-11-26 20:33:00 +0000 UTCThe group spilled out of the Valen estate and back onto the bustling streets of Luminaris. Jeremy felt like he’d stepped into another world—again. The city pulsed with energy, and the glowing lights bouncing off the glassy buildings made it feel alive. He stuck close to Andrew, still not entirely sure how to take it all in.
“Alright!” Marcus spun around, grinning like he’d been waiting for this moment all day. “You’ve seen the house. Now it’s time for the real deal. Welcome to Luminaris. Get ready to be amazed.”
Perci raised an eyebrow. “You mean your mansion wasn’t the main attraction? Because I’m pretty sure I saw a chandelier that floated.”
Marcus waved her off. “That’s nothing. Just wait. This city’s got stuff you can’t find anywhere else.”
Jeremy tried to relax, letting Marcus’ excitement pull him along, but the streets were overwhelming. It was a lot. Way more than Eldoria. He glanced at Andrew, who looked as uneasy as he felt.
The first stop was the Grand Market District. Jeremy’s jaw dropped as soon as they entered. This wasn’t a market like back home with wooden stalls and chatty vendors in their small park. The vendors here had floating platforms showing off their goods, and bright holograms advertised all sort of enchanted weaponry. The air smelled like spices and something metallic, and the noise—so many voices and music, all overlapping—was deafening.
“Cool, right?” Marcus asked, practically bouncing as he led them to a stall. “This is the heart of the city. Everything you could ever want is here.”
“This is insane,” Jeremy muttered to Andrew, his eyes glued to a spinning orb floating above a vendor’s stand.
“Yeah,” Andrew said under his breath. “Feels like... we don’t belong.”
Jeremy didn’t respond, but he knew exactly what Andrew meant. Everything here felt so big, so polished, so... perfect. Like they were playing tourist in a world way above their level.
Marcus didn’t seem to notice. “Come on!” he called, dragging them towards a stall that showcased a variety of weapons on its platform. Perci darted ahead, picking up a small dagger with a shimmering blade.
“How much for this?” she asked the vendor, her voice sharp.
The vendor, a tall man with metallic skin, gave a sly grin. “Five thousand Essence.”
“Five thousand?!” Perci looked like she’d been insulted. “I barely have enough to level my own Skills.”
The vendor shrugged. “Tough luck kid. I’m not running a charity here. What are you gonna do about it?”
Perci grinned like she’d been waiting for this. Jeremy watched her dive into a rapid-fire negotiation, her voice rising as she argued over every detail. The man clearly had Haggling or some other related Skill, as Perci was about to pay 600 Essence before Marcus dragged her away. It would’ve been funny if he didn’t feel so out of place. Behind her, Timothy wandered to another stall, his eyes lighting up at the display of metals.
“This is amazing,” Timothy murmured, running his hand over a sleek piece of silvery metal. “I could make so much with this.”
“You a crafter, kid?” the vendor asked, leaning forward with a knowing smile. “I’ve got tools that’d blow your mind. Want a look?”
Timothy hesitated, his face torn between curiosity and nerves. “I, uh, probably shouldn’t—”
“Oh, just look,” Mia said, nudging him. “It won’t hurt.”
Jeremy wandered to a stall selling old books and strange trinkets. As he scanned the worn surfaces of the platform, his gaze landed on a faded insignia etched into the wood. It was faint, barely visible under years of wear and scratches, but something about it caught his attention.
“Hey, look at that,” Jeremy said, nodding toward it.
Marcus turned, squinting as he leaned closer to get a better look. The insignia was a crest of intertwining lines forming a circle around a bird in mid-flight—its wings spread wide, their tips jagged, almost like flames. A curved blade was intricately woven into the design, subtle enough to miss at first glance.
“Oh, that?” Marcus said, his tone light but carrying a note of pride. “That’s my family’s crest. You see it all over the city—on older buildings, plaques, things like this. We used to be a much bigger deal back when the patriarch was still around.”
“Really?” Perci asked, glancing between the crest and Marcus. “What happened?”
Marcus shrugged, trying to keep his expression casual, though Jeremy noticed the faint flicker of something in his eyes. “Times change. We’re still important, but not like we used to be. My parents are trying to bring back some of that old influence.” He straightened, flashing a grin. “Doesn’t mean we’re not still important though.”
Jeremy studied the crest for a moment longer, its design lingering in his mind. There was something almost defiant about it—bold and sharp, like it was meant to stand out. Yet, seeing it here, half-hidden on a random stall, made it feel... different.
“Right,” Jeremy said, giving an awkward laugh. “We should keep moving.”
“Sure,” Perci said, though she lingered near the stall a second longer. As they walked, her gaze flicked to him again, her expression thoughtful. “You’ve been kind of quiet today,” she added, her tone casual but her eyes curious. “What’s up?”
Jeremy froze for a moment, caught off guard. “Nothing. Just... taking it all in,” he said quickly.
Perci smirked. “Uh-huh. Well, let me know when you’re ready to spill,” she teased, her tone light.
Jeremy frowned, not sure what she meant by that. Before he could reply, she strolled ahead, humming to herself.
As they strolled, the streets opened up into a sprawling plaza filled with floating food stalls and musicians that played instruments shimmering with magic. Benches dotted the plaza, with throngs of people enjoying their day. The hum of the city seemed lighter here, more inviting, and the group began to slow, enjoying the view.
“This place is amazing,” Mia said, her gaze flitting between the glowing fountains and a street performer juggling flaming orbs. “It’s impossible to see everything.”
“We don’t have to do it all at once,” Marcus replied, his grin widening. “We can split up, see more of the market, and meet back here in an hour. That way, everyone gets to see what they want.”
Andrew frowned. “I thought your parents said you’re supposed to be responsible for us.”
Marcus waved a hand dismissively. “Responsible doesn’t mean babysitting. You’re not toddlers. Besides, we’re still in the market—it’s not like anyone’s going far.”
“Still,” Andrew said, his tone firm, “what if someone gets lost or something happens?”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen. Luminaris is one of the safest cities in the galaxy. Plus, you’ve got a communicator, right? If anyone gets turned around, just ping the group. Easy.”
Jeremy noticed Andrew wasn’t convinced, but Mia and Timothy were already nodding along, their excitement outweighing caution.
“I’m fine with splitting up,” Mia said. “I want to check out those floating food stalls.”
“And I need to see more of the Essence craft stalls,” Timothy added, clutching the small bag of materials he’d bought earlier. “There’s a blacksmithing demo over there.”
“See?” Marcus said, clapping his hands. “Everyone’s got their own thing. We’ll meet back here in an hour. No problem.”
Perci stepped closer to Jeremy, a casual smile on her face. “Jeremy and I can stick together. You don’t mind, right?” Her tone was light, but Jeremy caught the flicker of something more in her expression—something she wasn’t saying.
“Uh, sure,” Jeremy said, feeling a little caught off guard.
Andrew shot him a questioning look but didn’t say anything. He hesitated, then sighed. “Fine. Just don’t lose track of time.”
“Relax,” Marcus said, throwing an arm around Andrew’s shoulders. “We’ll all be back before you know it. Come on, I’ll show you the fountains up close.”
As they wandered around, Jeremy’s gaze caught on a small street performance just ahead. A man wearing a patched jacket juggled glowing spheres of fire, each orb flickering with a different color. The crowd around him gasped as he tossed the orbs higher, each one bursting into harmless sparks before reforming in midair.
“Pretty cool, huh?” she said, but her tone felt like it had an edge he couldn’t place.
“Yeah,” he muttered, but his nerves prickled as he glanced at Perci. She was acting so... normal, strolling through the market like nothing was on her mind. It didn’t fit. He tried to remind himself that not everyone had an angle, but after what happened with Mia and Timothy, he couldn’t stop wondering: why had she picked him to stick with? He tried to shake off the thought, but the unease gnawed at him.
Perci nudged Jeremy’s arm, pulling him away from the juggler’s performance. “Come on, let’s check out that side street,” she said, her tone casual but firm. “Unless you want to keep staring at the fire guy.”
Jeremy hesitated for a split second before following. Her tone sounded normal—too normal. Like she’d planned this. His hands clenched inside his pockets as he tried to shake the thought. Not everyone was hiding something, he told himself, even if it felt like it lately.
Perci glanced back at him, her eyebrow quirking. “You’re being weird again.”
“What? No, I’m not,” Jeremy said quickly, forcing a grin.
“Right,” she said, dragging out the word. “Relax, Jeremy. It’s just a stroll, not some secret mission.”
Jeremy gave a weak laugh, trying to push down the lump in his throat.
They turned a corner into a quieter section of the market. Worn wooden signs hung crookedly over the vendors, their goods less polished but somehow more intriguing.
Jeremy’s gaze snagged on a stall selling intricate clockwork figurines. Each one was a tiny masterpiece, with moving gears and delicate, whirring parts. One figure—a silver knight holding a flaming sword—caught his eye as it raised its weapon in a slow, deliberate arc. He stepped closer, momentarily forgetting his unease.
“Whoa,” he said under his breath, picking up the knight. The weight of it felt solid, the craftsmanship flawless. “This is... amazing.”
The vendor, an old man with a magnifying lens strapped over one eye, looked up and smiled. “That one’s my favorite. Took me three years to get the mechanics right.”
Jeremy traced a finger over the intricate detailing, fascinated. “How much is it?”
The vendor chuckled. “More than what kids can afford, I’ll tell you that. But feel free to look.”
Jeremy reached once more for the silver knight figurine, his fingers brushing its intricate gears. “This is amazing,” he murmured, the weight of the tiny figure grounding him.
Perci leaned against the stall, watching him carefully. “You really like stuff like that, huh?” she asked casually.
Jeremy glanced at her, sensing something beneath her tone, but he shrugged it off. “Yeah. It’s just... cool, you know?”
Perci tilted her head, her gaze lingering on him. “Hmm.” She smiled faintly, as if she’d just figured something out. “You’ve got good taste.”
Jeremy frowned, her comment catching him off guard. Was she teasing, or was it something else? He forced himself to focus back on the figurine, but her words stuck in his mind as they moved on.
They stopped at another stall a few minutes later, this one selling trinkets and old books. Jeremy’s eyes wandered over the cluttered platform until they landed on a faded insignia etched into the wood. It was faint, barely visible under years of wear and scratches, but the design was unmistakable—the same crest he’d seen earlier on the worn stall: Marcus’ family symbol.
“Hey, look at that,” Jeremy said, nodding toward it.
Perci leaned in, her brow furrowing. “Isn’t that Marcus’ family crest?”
“Yeah,” Jeremy said. “He said it’s all over the city, but this one looks... different.”
Before Perci could reply, the vendor, a wiry woman with piercing eyes, noticed them staring. She stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her. “Admiring the Valen crest, are we?” Her voice was soft but carried a note of pride.
“Uh, yeah,” Jeremy said, shifting uncomfortably. “It just stands out.”
The woman’s lips curved into a faint smile. “It should. The Valens are woven into every corner of Luminaris. Their mark is more than just a crest—it’s history.” Her eyes flicked between Jeremy and Perci, lingering a moment longer than felt comfortable. “A family like that doesn’t fade. No matter how the galaxy changes.”
“Right,” Jeremy said, giving an awkward laugh. He nudged Perci. “We should keep moving.”
Perci nodded, her gaze lingering on the crest as they walked away. “That was... intense,” she muttered under her breath.
Jeremy couldn’t disagree. As they left the stall behind, he caught himself glancing at Perci out of the corner of his eye. She was quiet now, her usual humor muted. Was she thinking about the vendor? Or was this all still leading up to whatever she wanted to talk about?
He pushed the thought aside, forcing himself to focus on the streets ahead. Whatever was coming, he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.
