The Death Market *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Join The Club

Song: Join the Club- Bring Me The Horizon

I let out a long dramatic sigh as I hear the never-ending onslaught of complaints still trailing along behind me. Master had sent me out with Mitsuhide two weeks ago in search of an item that had been stolen from one of the forts and so far we haven't had much luck. Normally that wouldn't bother me, and that fact doesn't bother me. It's Mitsuhide's complaints that we aren't able to go back to the castle yet and we have no leads that's the problem. I stop walking and turn around on the path to face him.

"Mitsuhide for the love of God please shut up. I can't help it that we can't go back yet but you whining isn't helping!"

"I'm sorry Obi but I can't help it. I'm so bored. We have no leads and I'm going to die of boredom. It's not like there's a market or something that's just for things that get stolen, right?"

I pause mid-step and swivel back to face him again with a broad grin on my face.

"Mitsuhide you're brilliant!"

I grab his face and shake him before changing our direction.

"What are you talking about?" He asks as he hopelessly follows behind.

Mitsuhide's help only kept him occupied for three days. We've been traveling that long heading south from Northern Clarines in search of the place I remembered at the southern coast. Now that the excitement has worn off, he is back to complaining. I'm not sure if Mitsuhide will survive the remainder of our traveling at this point. We still have two days to go. I finally let us stop for the night just after the midnight so he'll stop complaining long enough to eat and sleep.

"So where exactly are we going?" He asks as he starts a small fire in the center of the clearing.

I sprawl out in the grass near the flame and start to carve an apple with a dagger as I stare up at the full moon hanging overhead.

"We, my dear friend, are going to The Market."

"The market? Are you kidding me? We've been to dozens of markets all over Clarines for the past two weeks and found nothing! Seriously why are we going to a market way down here anyway? We already searched every town to the south except the island."

"Which is exactly why we aren't going to any of the towns. You have to have a little faith Mitsuhide. Besides it's 'The' Market, not the market."

"Okay, so what is 'The' Market?"

"It's a wonderful place that people from your side of life would never know about. At least... If you knew about it you wouldn't live long enough to tell anyone else of it's existence."

"So, it's like a criminal's market?"

I nod and toss the apple core into the fire. "You can find literally anything at The Market. You just have to find the market first."

"Does it change locations often?"

"No, no. It never leaves but the way in always changes. You have to have the eyes of a criminal, able to tell even the slightest discrepancies and movements within the outer market to find the way in."

Mitsuhide and I break camp just before sunrise and I stretch as I walk, hearing my spine popping and cracking in several places and I sigh in relief. I spent many years sleeping in trees and on the ground but it's still hard on my back. I lead Mitsuhide through the trees with a yawn and skirt the nearest village as we pass. We still have a long, long way to go.

"Obi, I'm hungry. Why can't we stop in the village and get some food?" I hear him whine behind me and I reach into a pouch strapped to my leg and toss an apple at his head.

"Eat up."

"Ow! Don't be rude."

"I'm not being rude. I gave you food after all, didn't I?" I smirk as I duck a tree limb, then laugh as I hear him hit it. "You really are a castle lackey, aren't you?"

"I can't help it I wasn't born in the forest and raised by squirrels like you!"

"Squirrels? Really? Well... Wait, I could see that. You get a B for that one."

"You're grading me now?"

"Why not?" I shrug. "It passes the time."

"I feel like you hate me."

Time passes quicker than I anticipated and I find myself standing beside Mitsuhide on the outskirts of a very large outdoor marketplace nestled on the coastline on the southeastern most point of Clarines. There's no true village around for miles but the place is bustling year round due to the sea ports. Trade ships come and go all the time. This whole area thrives on commerce. Many of the stall owners live right in the market and barter what they need with the other sellers.

"Is this 'The' Market?" Mitsuhide whispers as he stares at the miles of stalls stretching out beyond our eyesight.

"No. This is just the market. Now that we're here, I have to find our way into The Market."

"What are we looking for?"

"You won't be able to see it Mitsuhide. Just going to tell you that now." I sigh.

"But I have skills." He whines.

"You couldn't even dodge a stationary eye-level tree branch." I point out and I feel him shove me.

I look over at him with a glare and notice a cloaked figure weaving through the crowd behind him. Not too unusual for this area. The person they're trailing however, has a mark on the back of their arm just above their elbow. The mark is small black circle with a thin line running from top to bottom. That's unusual. I shrug it off and walk further into the market with Mitsuhide trailing behind. My eyes scan everything, but pass over the wares and faces. I start to notice the mark on more people, in different places yes, but all the same size and precisely the same pattern. That's not a coincidence.

"Mitsuhide, I think I found our way in." I mumble as I pull him over to a blacksmith's stall.