Veil of Time: The Relic Hunter's Gambit

Chapter 4: Beneath the Eyes of the Empire

Ethan and Isabella moved cautiously through the bustling streets of the ancient city. The market was alive with the sounds of traders shouting out prices, the scents of exotic spices, and the sight of colorful fabrics draped over wooden stalls. Their modern attire and foreign features drew wary glances from the locals, who whispered behind their hands and shot them suspicious looks.

"Keep your head down," Ethan whispered, tugging his makeshift hood over his face. "We stick out enough as it is."

Isabella nodded, adjusting the shawl she had found earlier to cover her hair. "I'm trying, but we need to find shelter soon. The longer we're out here, the more likely we are to get noticed."

Blending into the city was harder than they had anticipated. The Aztec Empire was a place of strict customs, and outsiders were rare and often unwelcome. Despite their best efforts to adopt local clothing and avoid drawing attention, Ethan's overprotective nature quickly became a problem. He bristled every time an Aztec man so much as glanced at Isabella, his stance becoming tense, his eyes darkening with warning.

"Ethan, relax," Isabella hissed under her breath as they navigated the crowded marketplace. "You're going to get us into trouble."

He shot her a look, his jaw set in a hard line. "I don't like the way they're looking at you."

"I can handle myself," she replied sharply. "This isn't the time to start picking fights."

But his words and demeanor were hard to mask. It wasn't long before a few of the local men began to bristle in response to his protective posturing. A group of Aztec warriors, their chests painted with symbols of war, approached them, suspicion etched on their faces.

"You do not belong here," one of the warriors growled in their native tongue, his eyes narrowing as they took in Ethan's stance and Isabella's attempts to blend in. "State your purpose, foreigners."

Ethan's hand tightened around the small pouch where the Chrono Sphere rested. "We're travelers," he replied, his voice steady though his heart was pounding. "We mean no harm."

"Travelers?" The warrior sneered, his gaze shifting to Isabella. "You hide your faces and move through our city like thieves."

Isabella opened her mouth to respond, but Ethan stepped in front of her, his eyes blazing. "Back off," he snarled, his muscles tensing. "We're not here to cause trouble."

The warrior's eyes glinted dangerously, and for a moment, it seemed like the tension might break into a fight right there in the market. But before Ethan or Isabella could react, more guards swarmed around them, the glint of their obsidian weapons catching the sun.

"Seize them!" the leader barked, and chaos erupted.

The guards descended on them, grabbing Ethan and forcing him to the ground. Isabella was pulled away, her cries drowned out by the shouts of the crowd. Ethan struggled, lashing out against his captors, but there were too many of them. A fist connected with his jaw, sending stars bursting across his vision as he hit the dirt.

When his vision cleared, he was staring up at the warrior's triumphant smirk. "You will face judgment," the warrior growled. "And we shall see how strong your spirit is."

The next thing Ethan knew, he was dragged through the narrow streets of the city, his arms bound tightly behind his back. The guards hauled him into a massive stone structure—the city's cuauhxicalli, or sacrificial arena. His heart sank as he took in the sight of the open-air arena, its stands filled with spectators who chanted and cheered at the prospect of a fight.

In the center of the arena, the stone floor was stained dark from previous battles. To one side, he caught a glimpse of a large cage, within which the shadowy forms of massive jungle cats prowled restlessly. Jaguars, their eyes glowing with a hunger that made Ethan's blood run cold. The other side housed a rack of primitive but deadly weapons—spears, clubs, and obsidian blades.