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Wet Market Chase

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IT WAS fishing season in Therron. The alleyway of the wet market was a spectacle of busy sellers that displayed a brilliant array of fresh seafood, laid out in ice. I paved my way through the slippery floors, getting my already rugged leather boots even more dirty.

"Bili na kayo nang siyokoy diyan!" Sigaw ng isang ale that wore an ugly checkered apron as she poured another bucket of ice onto the sliced parts of the mythical creature that sat in gray, silver trays.

Tinuloy ko lang ang pag-lakad as my fingers fumbled and held onto the moon pendant that hung around my neck, trying to look as innocent as possible. Maraming tao ngayon sa paligid; I could easily swindle money from these fools. I just needed one lucky victim.

"Magandang hapon," A deep voice from somewhere in the crowd caught my ear. Sharply turning my gaze to the left, I caught eye of a man in his late 30's, in front of a stall that was selling rare mermaid meat.

He was wearing a black coat, with his hair waxed, kept and tidy. Matingkad tumayo ang lalaki at may suot na isa get malaking relo ito na kulay ginto.

I tried not to smile.

"Magkano ang isa?" He asked the butcher who was busy scathing off the teal-blue scales on one mermaid's tail. "Isang libo para sa isang sirena," Tugon ng manghihiwa. "Ilan para sa'yo?"

"Gawin mo nang tatlo," Sabi nang lalaki. I almost winced at his reply. Tatlong libo ang gagastusin para lang sa pagkain? Fuck the rich.

With a steady target at my reach, I then walked towards the stall next to him that was selling something cheaper: small oysters. Habang kunwaring namimili ng mga talaba, I glanced towards the butcher through my peripheral vision. Maingat kong pinanood ito na nag-lagay ng tatlong kilo ng hiniwang sirena sa isang malaking plastic bag.

"Maraming salamat ginoo," Sabi nito at agad na tumango ang mayamang lalaki bago kinuwha ang pinamiling sirena at nag-lakad palayo.

"Mukhang makakakain tayo ng lechon ngayong gabi." Sabi ng butcher sa kaniyang kasamahan na maingat na hinuhugasan ang mga laman-loob ng sirenang ibinebenta nila.

Ako rin. Ngiti ko sa sarili at agad na sinundan ang lalaki.

This time, farther down the alley, the rich man stopped in front of a fruit stall and was checking out pears. I sucked in a deep breath and as quickly as I could, stealthily pushed the woman standing next to him, making her fall onto the array of grapes and apples.

Nagulantang ang lahat, at agad na tinulungan ng stall owner pati nung mayamang lalaki yung babaeng tinulak ko. As everyone focused on the chaos, I skillfully reached for the wrist of the man and unclicked his watch, in which the item fell on a basket of apples that lay on the ground. I bent down, picking up an apple along with the watch before sneaking it into the pocket of my jacket.

And then I left.

Mabilis ang pag-tibok ng puso ko as I walked briskly, trying to look as innocent and naive as possible. A few more minutes and I would be out of the wet market, into the busy streets of Therron, and selling the watch for a hundred thousand or more.

As I was about to take a sudden left, I felt a tight grip grab me by the wrist.

Shit.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" An angry voice hissed. It was deep, and I need not to look into his face to know that it was the owner of the watch.

In just a second, I thrusted my hand out of his grasp and ran for my life — through the busy people that was yelling "kapre for sale!" and "200 for one manananggal!" across the market. I was in panic.

But the man was an intellect, and God knows I was in trouble when sharp daggers were suddenly being thrown at me.

"What the fuck—?!" I shouted in surprise as one dagger grazed the skin of my left arm. Bigla akong nanghina when I felt the rush of cold blood drip onto my skin.

A Luna Mage Weaver with the conjuring ability. How lucky could I get? I thought to myself as the man continued throwing his daggers right at me.

I bit my lip in frustration. I should've known. It was my fault for risking to steal from a man as rich as he. Luna knows what death awaits me if I get caught.

Wala akong choice kundi gumanti. I'd be making a scene, but at least may chance pa 'kong makatakas papuntang region ng Kirospea pag lumaban ako. And so with a heavy grunt, I quickly halted and raised my hands; eyes tightly shut.

I heard a few onlookers gasp, and I slowly turned around to see what I've done, opening my eyes as well.

Using my telekinetic ability, I was able to stop the man's daggers mid-air. Hinayaan kong mahulog ang mga matutulis na bagay sa lupa at napatingin sa lalaki. Nakangisi ito.

"Telekinesis, huh?" He snickered in disgust. "Impressive nene, but not that quite."

He quickly swung his hands in motion and conjured playing cards that sharply struck my skin. In impulse, I controlled the nearest thing that I could see — which was none other than a metal bucket, and swung it right into his direction.

Agad na natumba ang lalaki, losing his control over the cards. Agad kong kinontrol muli ang timba at saka paulit-ulit na inihahagis ito sa kaniyang katawan, bago ako tuluyang tumakbo ulit.

But the man was strong, and even in pain, he managed to conjure another card and threw it towards my ankle, making me trip onto the ground. Napasigaw ako sa sakit nang dumaplis ang magaspang na sahig sa balat ko.

I was crying out in pain when the man slowly limped towards me.

May pasa-pasa ang mukha nito. He grabbed me by the collar and sneered at my face, blood trickling down from a cut on his left cheek.

"Pwede kitang ipamigay sa mga Lethals." He said threateningly, as I felt my body shake in fear. Lethals were the disciplinarians in Therron. Trabaho nilang putulan ng ulo ang kung sino mang lumalabag sa batas.

"Hinding-hindi mo na makikita ang sikat ng araw kung ganoon," he gritted. But then the man dropped me back on the ground, making me wince once more with pain.

"But before that, I have an offer for you." He spat, wiping the blood on his cheek using the back of his hand.

"Pumili ka nene: your death sentence... or isasali kita sa Ethearia Crown Match."

I looked back at him in disgust as he spoke.

"Tanga ka ba?" I laughed sarcastically, thinking about the gruelsome Ethearia Crown Match he was talking about. "Why the fuck would you make me join a useless battle? Besides, I'd die either way. Tutal ganun lang rin naman, bakit hindi mo nalang ako patayin ngayon rin?"

Tinignan niya ako ng mariin. Matagal at malalim ang kaniyang titig, na para bang pilit na kinikilala ang isang katulad ko na madungis, hampas-lupa, at walang pinag-aralan. He then leaned forward and conjured up a single knife.

Agad siyang lumuhod at itinutok ang matulis na dulo ng dahas sa dibdib ko, dahilan para mas lalong napalakas ang hiyaw ng mga nanonood.

This is it. I'm ready to die.

Marahan kong pinikit ang mga mata ko as I felt the sharpness pierce through my skin. A tear slipped from my eye and I felt the pain grow stronger.

And then I remembered Lola Rosalina.

The memory was clear, it was snowfall on a December eve. The night was even colder than usual and Lola Rosalina's body was turning silver — like the snow.

I knew she was on the brink of death.

The only person in my life was being taken away from me that night. "Live your life, Eloise." She whispered, as I held her freezing, frail fingers. "Live your life."

With a gasp, napasigaw ako ng wala sa oras. "WAIT!" I spat, disgusted at the thought of begging for my life as the pressure from the knife's edge slowly lifted off my chest.

The man looked at me expectantly, as if he knew what I was going to say.

"Fine," I whispered, out of breath. "I'll join you."

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note: hello everyone! thank you for reading chapter 1 of Mage Weavers! 😭✨🧙‍♂️ i know you have a lot of questions about the world of Mages and their abilities, but don't fret because everything will soon be explained in the next few chapters. 🧚