Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 6 - An Impossible Marketplace - III

  The Market was empty. Given that it had just opened, Alden wasn't too surprised. Still, even the sight of the place empty was remarkable.

  As they'd stepped through the door, a cobblestone path stretched out in front of them in three directions, floating on absolute darkness. It stretched around the outer edges of the entire Market, forming a fair-sized octagon. From their vantage point, Alden could see a few simple stalls or tents set up at various points around the path. They were all clustered close to three separate wooden doors at points on the octagon. Each door also had a pathway leading out to the center of the Market, where a small structure sat, with a gothic design echoing the burned down library Alden had seen earlier. The building was surrounded by a spiked fence, with a single gate that stood open over a path leading up to the front porch. Above the door hung a lantern, which was currently lit bright red.

  As Alden watched, one of the other doors opened and a few people filtered in. Beyond the door he could see what looked like a janitor's closet. Actually, he was sure it was the same closet he'd seen Hector in earlier. He surmised that must be one of the other entrances.

  Beyond the cobblestone paths and the few shops and stalls, he saw black. Pure, deep black, like he was looking into a void. Even the spaces between the stalls, or between the roads and the house in the center were completely, utterly black. He looked up and saw empty space, not even a source of light—though the entire Market was lit evenly as if lights shone from every possible angle. He reached out his hand—marvelling at the lack of a shadow beneath it—and found it stopped at the edge of the path. Not that he felt anything stopping it; in fact, he would have sworn it was empty space in front of him, yet he could not move his hand further.

  The vendors had finished setting up. Alden watched as a man in a thick jacket with a hood drawn over his head handed over a fistful of cash to an eager merchant. In return, a pile of tiny gemstones were slid across the table. In the perfectly even light, they didn't seem quite as shiny as usual, since there was no light source for them to refract. The buyer nodded and turned to quickly depart through one of the far doors, through which Alden could see what looked like the college library.

  All around them, the same scene was playing out several times over. One was buying gemstones, others more exotic materials. One tent had people entering for minutes at a time, with brief flashes of light emitting forth. A sign made from a few taped sheets of printer paper was stuck above the entrance, labeled in rough marker "Basic Elemental Training. Cash or cryptocoin only. NO REFUNDS."

  He felt the ground quiver. It was the barest hint of an earthquake, and yet it was more than enough to send his mind spinning. Alden looked worriedly at his feet, but the cobblestone seemed stable enough. He glanced at Rika, who had also winced slightly. The nearest tent canvas to them had started to wave, as if a light gust of wind had just rolled through. A moment later, Alden saw it happen again on the far side of the circular market.

  A moderately sized portion of the market shimmered, as if it were a mirage in the desert. The tents seemed far less substantial, the cobblestone rocky and uneven. A moment later, it was perfectly ordinary, with only the gentle flapping of the canvas indicating anything had just occurred.

  "Are we safe here?" Alden asked nervously.

  "She's keeping it open herself, you're just seeing her get slightly distracted. It's a pocket dimension. Nothing exists outside what she's set up," Rika explained.

  "Kendra, you mean?"

  "Apparently, yeah."

  "How can we be breathing then?"

  "Magic."

  "Yes," Alden started impatiently, "but what kind of magic? How does she get air in here? Oxygen?"

  "Look, Zack, if I knew how I could do it myself. No one knows, that's why this is the only Market around. Only place we can be absolutely sure we're safe from prying eyes. Come on." Rika started down the path toward the house in the center, as the people who'd entered from the college campus started setting up shop. Alden wanted to stop and watch, but Rika seemed in a hurry, so he did his best to keep up. Once they reached the gate, however, Rika held out her arm to stop him.

  She turned to face him, her expression quite serious. "Okay, Zack. I haven't asked why you're here, and you haven't asked me. Mine's not private, so I don't mind if you want to come in with me. If you want to keep your business a secret though, now's when we split up."

  Alden hesitated. He wasn't sure if travelling with Rika was the right choice, given the heated relationships she seemed to form everywhere she went. Then again, she was the closest he'd gotten to making a friend here, and that had to count for something, right? She certainly was the most exciting thing he'd seen in the town so far.

  Rika's face softened a little seeing his hesitation. "I understand. I'll see you arou—"

  "Lead the way," Alden interrupted. He thought he saw a flicker of joy cross her face before she turned, strolled up the walkway to the door, pulled it open, and walked confidently inside.

  Despite the eagerness he might have shown Rika, he was still more than a little apprehensive about this whole adventure. Alden didn't seem to have a great track record making friends, given the dearth of people waiting for him back home. With Rika he'd just gotten lucky, or maybe she'd forced her way in. Willingly entering a not-exactly-welcoming house inside a 'pocket dimension' was way outside normal for him, but at the same time it was exhilarating to explore this new world.

  He'd never progress unless he made it happen. Alden stuck his hand into the inside pocket of his coat once again. The envelope was still there, still undamaged. With renewed determination, he took the steps up the porch two at a time.