Sacred Ties(Soul Land 2)

Chp. 4

Chapter 4: An Unexpected Encounter

Xiao Shivay was panting heavily as he moved from stall to stall, trying his best to gather everything on his Aunt's list. The marketplace had always been a bustling environment, but today it seemed more crowded than ever.

Vendors shouted to attract customers, the smells of various foods mingled in the air, and the sheer number of people rolling out in waves made navigation a daunting task.

The marketplace, with its maze of narrow aisles and stalls, was a sensory overload. Brightly colored fabrics fluttered in the breeze, the sounds of bartering and laughter filled the air, and the scent of spices and fresh produce was almost overwhelming.

Xiao Shivay pushed passed people, nearly falling over a few times as the sea of bodies jostled him from side to side.

Madam Zhuk had instructed him rigidly not to make any mistakes and only the gods knew what she would do to him if he were to return with the wrong items or worse, damaged goods.

The young boy clutched the list tightly in his hand, eyes darting from one place to the other as he tried to locate each item needed. His small frame was burdened with a large sack bag already filled with goods, and the weight of it made his back ache, his legs feeling like jelly but he could not complain. Complaining would not solve anything.

Xiao Shivay paused for a moment to catch his breath, leaning against a wooden post. His chest heaved and he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The sun rays  beating down mercilessly only added to his exhaustion. He noticed that his body was growing weaker with each passing day but who was he going to make his concerns known to. His aunt and cousin hated him while his uncle was.......

Xiao Shivay sighed, pushing his thoughts back as he still had several items to find and fast because the thought of returning late filled him with dread.

As he hurriedly moved through the throngs of people, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings. The marketplace was a haven for pickpockets, and he couldn't afford to lose any of Madam Zhuk's money. He clutched the small pouch of coins. his fingers wrapped around it protectively. He was not going to make the same mistake again.

Making his way to a stall selling fresh vegetables, the vendor, a chubby man with a thick beard, eyed him suspiciously as he approached. "What do you want, boy?" he grunted.

"Five carrots, 1 kilo of ginger and two onions, please." Xiao Shivay said, his voice barely audible above the excessive noise of the marketplace.

The vendor grumbled as he gathered the vegetables, his rough hands moving quickly. "That'll be three copper soul coins." he said, holding out his hand.

Xiao Shivay counted out the coins carefully, handing them over with a polite nod. He added the vegetables to his sack, which was now almost too heavy for him to carry. He continued his rounds, stopping at various stalls to collect the remaining items on his list.

The crowd seemed to grow more in volume with each passing minute, and Xiao Shivay found it increasingly difficult to move.

Just as he reached the final stall on his list, a sudden commotion erupted nearby. The crowd was surging and Xiao Shivay was caught in the middle of it. He struggled to keep his footing as the sack on his back shifted dangerously, threatening to spill its contents.

The chaos only grew and eventually he could do nothing more as he lost his balance and fell to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and for a moment, he lay there, gasping for breath. The crowd moved around him like a relentless tide, and he scrambled to gather the scattered items from his sack.