World Of Worlds (Arula: One)

Chapter 5

Karma came down the next morning with her things packed and ready to go. She went downstairs where she saw Omar in the spot that she told him to meet her at. He sat there scratching Shari under the chin. His hood was up over his head covering his elven ears. Upon seeing Karma approaching, he smiled and held up his room key. Karma snatched the key from his hand, Shari hissed as she did so. Ignoring the ferret, she said her good morning and went to take the keys back to the bartender.

The sound of the keys slamming on the counter caught the bartender's attention. He let his yellow teeth show as he smiled. Walking over to Karma, he took the keys. "Well good morning, little lady. I'm guessing your stay here is done?" He said, his hot morning breath invading Karma's space.

"Yes, our business is taking us somewhere different," Karma said, trying hard not scrunch up her nose. The bartender glanced over at Omar then back at Karma.

"So, you and your companion are on some secret mission, eh?" He laughed. Karma didn't need to answer as she spun on her heels and walked away.

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The market was crawling with people as Karma and Omar made their way to shop to shop gathering what they needed for their long journey. Omar let Karma do most of the shopping. Not just because it's a girl thing, but because he couldn't afford to get caught in such a big crowd such as this one. Omar closed his eyes tightly as the memory resurfaced. Shaking his head, Omar kept walking.

A sudden uprising of noise reached his elven ears. Curious, he walked over to where the noise was coming from. And what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. His eyes widened. There was a wooden stage in the center of the marketplace. A tall lanky man stood on this stage walking up and down its length. For such a small person, his voice boasted over the crowd, drawing their attention. But this loud man isn't what caught Omar by surprise, it was what was behind him that did.

Bound by their wrist and ankles were an elf, a dwarf, and a sprite, whose wings were also bound. Omar had heard rumors of slave trades such as this one, but never would he thought he would have to witness such thing before his very eyes. He felt a sudden rage come over him as he stared at what was happening.

"Omar!" He heard Karma come up behind him. "Don't just walk away and not tell me where you're..." Karma stopped short as she stared at the stage. "What the...?"

The man on the stage voice boomed over the crowd. "Now folks!" He shouted. "We have a special offer here, only here for a limited time only, a sprite. Yes, folks you heard me right. A sprite. Shall we start the bidding?" The crowd immediately started to shout out prices.

"Five silver coins!" Someone yelled.

"Ten!" Said another one. The prices went up and up until someone shouted,

"Fifty silver coins!" Everyone was quiet, and a few mummers went through the crowd. Karma watched in horror, her eyes and ears not believing what it was seeing and hearing. She looked to Omar who only stared. Termis, I swear to the gods, I will kill you for this! She thought angrily.

"Fifty silver coins going once.... Twice.... Sold! For fifty silvers to the man in purple!" A brute of a man came walking up the stage with a pouch full of money. He paid the lanky man on stage and took the sprite with him. Omar went to go after him, but Karma grabbed him by the forearm.

"Don't," she said with much regret. Omar looked at her with fire burning in his eyes. Even Shari hissed and growled toward the man on the stage. The small ferret climbed down Omar and disappeared into the crowd. "You know as well as I do that's not a good idea. You can't be caught. I want to go after him too, but what good would it do?" Omar took a deep breath and nodded. She was right, he knew that. Even if they did something about it, it would only bring more trouble than they wanted, or needed. "Come on, let's get out of here and we can figure this out later. I promise you they will not get away with this." Just as they turned to leave, a scream echoed through the crowd.