Chapter Five: Black Market

Chapter Five: Black Market

Black Alley, Winter Street

Walter walked through the alley, his eyes peering at every nook and cranny with hastiness. He knew he was doing something illegal and would be punished if caught. So, he was trying as much as possible to avoid any Arcane Guard patrolling the street.

Black Alley was an alley which led to the street sewer. In this sewer was the Black Market where magical items were traded illegally.

Walter had discovered the place from a friend who had advised him to get powerful magical items here since the Arcane Safety Department didn't provide them for low Array Arcane Guards. It was only when they got to the Mind Spinning Array that they'd be allowed to keep magical items or when they're going on a very dangerous mission. As for the latter case, the magical item was only temporary in the hands of the Arcane Guard.

Dressed in a black T-shirt and a pair of blue jean trousers, Walter looked more like a rascal than an Arcane Guard. The baseball cap which he wore was pressed down to his face, concealing everything but his mouth.

He had to pass out this way so as not to garner any attention from people who may know him in the Black Market. It was a necessary disguise for him in case someone would someday recognize him as the Arcane Guard who had come to the Black Market to purchase illegal magical items.

I mean, who does that? Walter shrugged as he got to the entrance of the sewer. He hadn't heard of any Arcane Guard who patronized the Black Market and so felt very guilty about it. But then, he was doing it for the necessary good. Castor was still in the country and could be also causing havoc wherever he was. He had to do anything to kill the evil sorcerer before it was too late.

Even though he hadn't interacted with Black Form magic sorcerers before, taking an example from Castor, he felt all of them were evil and dangerous—corrupt sorcerers.

Evil Eye. Northern Continent. Black Form magic.

All these raced through his mind. Ever since he got the information, he had been restless. It was such a big information for any of them to handle.

The Goddess having an Evil Persona, hehe! Walter scoffed. He found it awry why the Goddess had an Evil Persona known as Evil Eye who was almost as powerful as Her. Why hadn't She eliminated Her?

Slush!

Walter got into the sewer, his legs sinking into a liquid he didn't dare expect.

Awww...He twitched his nose, trying hard not to perceive the putrid smell that came from the sewer. But he couldn't stop the stench from penetrating his nose. He could even smell the stench entering into his throat from his nostrils!

He couldn't bear it anymore and had to cover his nose. He almost vomited after that. He'd never smelt anything so putrid.

Then he walked through the sewage, looking around him. The sewer walls were covered with green moss which were sticky and slippery, dripping with wetness that Walter didn't dare inspect.

Walter suspected that these walls might already be antediluvians, staying for centuries even.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Green sticky liquids ran down the walls and dropped into the sewage. Two drops landed on Walter's hair, making him to shiver with disgust.

He didn't dare wipe his hair with his hands lest he came in contact with the sticky liquid. He just kept walking, pretending to ignore the situation.

He walked through the sewer and then entered another sewer through another passageway. There were several sewers in MythVille City! One could even use these underground tunnels for travelling to different parts of the city and even country.

He then got to another sewer which was unlike the rest. It had stairs which descended downwards. Looking down, all Walter could see was darkness. This was where the Black Market was supposed to be. But then, all he was seeing now was a great mist of darkness. He even doubted this was the Black Market.

"Don't turn," he heard a cold voice say behind him. It was filled with tremendous power and shook Walter's soul. It was unknown when the person had appeared behind Walter.

"..."

Walter was shocked. He didn't even dare turn back, obeying the person's words. He could tell from the person's aura that he was at least an Array four sorcerer.

There were many sorcerers in MythVille who were not working in the Arcane Safety Department or Hands Of Arcane. They were sorcerers who had advanced on their own and had ventured into illegal businesses. They only became sorcerers to protect their fortune and fight off those who would want to pose threats to them.

Sigh...Walter sighed inwardly, still not turning. He had no fear that the person was going to kill him. If the person actually wanted to do so, he would have done it a long time ago without telling Walter. Someone who had mysteriously appeared behind him could calmly finish him before he knew how he died.

"What are you doing here?" the person asked in an emotionless voice.

"I'm looking for the Black Market," Walter tried to suppress the trembling in his voice. What if the person changed his mind and attacked him? How was he supposed to counterattack or escape? He wasn't even sure he could react.

"I see," the person continued. "How am I sure you're not an Arcane Guard?"

"No, I'm not," Walter replied. "But then, I'm an Array two."

"It's very obvious," the person said in a sarcastic voice. Walter even began doubting if the person was even a man. It was very possible for one to use magic to cloak one's voice.

"What about the Black Market?" Walter asked. "I was told to find it here."

"It's not there," the person said. "The Black Market is not there."

"Huh?" Walter couldn't hide his surprise. If the Black Market wasn't there, where was it then?

"Now, I'm going to take you to the Black Market," the person said. "Are you still willing to go?"

Walter chose to trust this person and agreed, "Yeah."

Immediately, a cloud of mist crept in slowly. The mist surrounded him, blocking his sight. On closer observation, Walter discovered that all his senses had being blocked, locked away by the mist. This was sure mysterious.

On a normal day, when faced with situations like this, he would have used some spells to enhance his senses. He would have also used the spells to spread his senses to the surrounding, making everything his eyes, nose and ears. It was a spell developed by sorcerers from the School Of Wizardry and it was known as Eye Of Nature—a perfect spell for situations like this—awry situations.

"Just follow my instructions," the person said. "You okay with that?"

How would someone be okay with walking in a thick mist? Walter resisted the urge to complain and nodded, "Very okay."

"Now walk," the person instructed.

Walter frowned. How would he walk when he was not seeing? But then he obeyed the person anyway and began walking.

"So, you don't want me to know your location?" Walter asked, feeling that all this was so that he wouldn't know the direction to the Black Market. Even if the Arcane Guards ordered him to lead them there, he'd be a useless guide.

"Yeah," the person said. "We're afraid of spies from the Arcane Safety Department..."

"Huh?" Walter feigned ignorance.

"We don't want you to lead a bunch of Arcane Guards here when the time comes. How am I even sure you're not an Arcane Guard?" the person said.

Judging the person's words, Walter felt relieved. The person was definitely not from the School Of Astrology. Only sorcerers from the School Of Astrology were adept at divination. They were precognitive and could not be caught unaware. If the person was a sorcerer from the School Of Astrology, he'd have known that Walter was lying—that he was actually an Arcane Guard.

Sigh...Walter heaved a sigh of relief and said, "How would you know the Arcane Guards have not discovered your location already?"

"They haven't," the person said. Walter was sure he was very confident or he wouldn't have made that statement.

"Why do you say so?" Walter asked, arching his eyebrows. He was amused at the person's answer. He was an Arcane Guard himself and was already close to knowing the hideout of the Black Market. He was sure the Arcane Safety Department knew about the location of the Black Market but was just allowing it to be. It followed an adage: Allow the sleeping dog to lie. The Arcane Safety Department wasn't taking any actions because the Black Market was not posing any threat for now. They were only selling illegal magical items which were only beneficial to the people.

"You know the Arcane Safety Department head, right?" the person asked. "Damien Hastle?"

Tsk...Walter did not say anything. In essence he was telling the person that everybody knew Damien Hastle. It was all over the news.

Damien Hastle was the head of the Arcane Safety Department and a very powerful one as that. He was an Arcane Guard of the School Of Wizardry—an Array seven, Pure Mage.

Walter had seen him before. He was a man in his middle 30s and always had this air of power around him. Walter had even interacted with his son, Cassio one day. He was a promising young lad who was still in the School Of Wizardry, studying. Cassio was not even an Array one yet.

Sometimes, Walter was puzzled about why the man was not afraid to publish everything about his Array on the news. Wasn't he afraid that his enemies would seize the chance to attack his vulnerable family?

"What about him?" Walter asked. "What's up with him?"

He felt a little guilty. It was the Arcane Safety Department head he was talking about like this—the Boss!

"He's only an Array seven, Pure Mage," the person said.

"So?" Walter asked. He resisted the urge to frown. Array seven was the peak array of the Mind Spinning, the middle Array of magic. Array sevens could destroy the whole world with their magic and do more. But here this person was, taking everything with levity.

"In the Black Market, there are Array sevens as well!" the person said. "About five or so."

Huh? Walter was momentarily at loss. Why was that? How did the unofficial sorcerers advance so quickly?

"Tsk...You're still new," the person said. "You'd soon know the secrets to advancement."

Walter wanted to reply when the mist cleared. He was awed at what he saw. Although it was a bit dim, he could still see the several shops everywhere. Crowds of people were trooping in and out of the shops, talking. The place was like a miniature suburb with several shops. This was the Black Market and it didn't seem like a market which was in the sewer!

"You're awed?" the person said from behind, startling Walter. "You can now turn."

Walter turned and saw the person. Donned in a black robe with hood, the person looked mysterious. Walter still could not tell if the person was a man, woman, boy or girl.

"I have a question," Walter said. "Are you male or female?"

"Inasmuch as I don't want to embarrass a man like you, I'm a lady," the person said.

Walter almost vomited blood. All this intimidation had come from a lady! What would Jane say if she saw this?

"Wondering why the Black Market is not actually in the sewer and why it can't be found by the Arcane Safety Department?" the lady asked.

"Why?" Walter asked. He had been puzzled about that.

"That's because the Black Market is in a pocket dimension," the lady said with a very calm voice.