Shadow Market

Chapter Two

The Shadow Market:

I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it. A dilapidated building that looked like it had been abandoned for decades. The windows were boarded up, and graffiti covered the crumbling walls. It was hard to believe this was our destination.

"This is it?" I asked incredulously. "This is the Shadow Market?"

Dante nodded and led me to a heavy, rusted door. He knocked three times in a specific rhythm, and after a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit corridor.

"Welcome to the Shadow Market," Dante said, stepping inside. I hesitated for a moment before following him.

As we walked through the corridor, the air grew colder, and the walls seemed to shimmer with a silvery glow. I felt a strange tingling sensation as if someone had walked over my grave. My mind screamed at me to flee, but the prospect of a new life moved me forward. Dante and I emerged into a vast underground space filled with stalls and vendors, all selling a bewildering array of magical and supernatural items. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the murmur of hushed conversations.

Creatures of all shapes and sizes moved through the market, some human, others distinctly not. I saw a figure with glowing eyes negotiating with a woman who had feathers instead of hair, a fairy. I had never seen one before she was terrifying and beautiful at the same time. Dante saw me looking at her and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Fairies drink blood." I pulled my gaze away and made a face.

 "This is incredible," I whispered, my mouth hanging open in awe. "It's also dangerous," Dante warned. "Stick close to me, and don't draw attention to yourself. He reached over and closed my mouth with a sexy smirk.

I navigated through the market, Dante leading the way. His long strides had me practical jogging to keep up. My mind raced with questions, but I knew better than to ask them here. I kept my head down and my senses alert, aware that we were in a place where one wrong move could have dire consequences.

Finally, Dante stopped in front of a stall at the far end of the market, manned by a wizened old man with piercing blue eyes. He looked up as we approached, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

"Dante," the old man said, his voice a raspy whisper. "I see you've brought a friend."

"This is Lena. Lena, meet Elias." Dante introduces us as if this was a normal thing.

The way Elias looked at me had my skin crawling like tiny spiders were under my skin. He looked human, but my instincts told me he was anything but. "Come with me." The old man gestured for us to follow him. I reached out to grab Dante's sleeve but thought better of it. Showing fear wouldn't be smart right now.

"This way," Elias said, leading us to a back room cluttered with scrolls, strange objects, and dimly lit candles. It smells of rotten food and mildew. I cover my nose with my sleeve and breathe through my mouth.

Inside the room, a man in his late twenties with tousled brown hair hunched over a table, examining a series of mystical symbols. His intense concentration was interrupted when Elias entered, followed by us.

"Ah, Elias," the man said, looking up with a curious smile. He was plainly handsome, very human. I relaxed a bit. His charming smile put me at ease. "And who are your guests?"

"This is Dante," Elias said, gesturing to my companion, "and Lena, the one we have to think for retrieving the item."

The man's eyes glinted with interest as he glanced at me. "Interesting."

I stepped forward, wary. "What's going on?"

The man extended a hand. "I'm Cassius. I specialize in the ancient and arcane. Elias has enlisted me to help."