Chapter 134: The Entrance to the Black Market
The carriage came to a slow stop by the side of the road. The sound of wheels over dirt faded, replaced by the whisper of wind through the trees. The forest rose on both sides, dense.
Don narrowed his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, scanning the surroundings.
Left. Right.
Nothing. No movement. No strange sounds. No presence at all.
He waited a few more seconds.
And then he said—
"You can get off now."
The carriage door opened calmly.
Dorian was the first to step out, descending with his usual ease, as if he were just taking a casual stroll.
But Neros...
Neros came out almost immediately. Fast. Before anyone else. He stepped onto solid ground and, without wasting time, turned around. He extended his hand, straight toward Seraphine.
"..."
She looked at him. And smiled. Without a word, she took his hand and stepped down gracefully, her body floating for just a second before touching the ground.
Neros looked away instantly. Far away.
The tips of his ears... red.
Max stepped down behind them. His expression had changed. More serious. More focused.
He looked at Dorian.
"Alright..." he said. "So where to now?"
Even though... deep down, he already knew several ways to get into the black market.
Dorian didn’t even turn around.
"Max and the lovebirds, follow me," he replied, already starting to walk. "I’ll lead the way."
Max narrowed his eyes.
"...lovebirds?"
But there was no answer.
Don adjusted the reins.
"I’ll continue on my way," he said. "Take care."
He smiled.
"And you better come back alive."
Max nodded.
"Thanks for the ride."
Seraphine inclined her head with a soft smile.
"Don’t worry. We’ll be fine."
Neros gave a thumbs-up. Without saying a word.
Don smirked, snapped the reins...
And the carriage rolled away, disappearing down the road.
Silence.
The group didn’t waste time.
Dorian was already vanishing into the trees, moving along a barely visible path between the bushes.
"Hey, wait!" Max muttered, quickening his pace.
The three followed him.
The forest swallowed them. Light filtered through the leaves, casting uneven shadows on the ground.
Dorian walked ahead. Relaxed. Smiling, breathing deeply.
"Ah..." he exhaled. "I missed this."
Max glanced at him for a second... then looked away. He brought a hand to his wrist. Activated the bracelet. A faint glow, and his appearance changed.
Sharper features. Different skin. Subtle details... but enough.
Now he looked like a devil. Just another one. Perfect for blending in.
Seraphine moved beside him. Or rather...
Floated.
The magic circle beneath her feet spun slowly, emitting a faint glow as she glided through the air effortlessly. As if walking were optional.
And Neros...
Neros walked stiffly. Looking straight ahead. Following Dorian. Too focused. As if losing sight of the elf was his greatest concern. As if ignoring the woman at his side wasn’t a constant battle.
His hands tensed slightly. But he said nothing. Didn’t look. Didn’t react.
And the group kept moving.
Each step...
Closer to the black market.
Closer to Chloe.
Closer to whatever was waiting for them.
***
Dorian stopped abruptly.
"This way."
In front of them... there was nothing special.
Just a section of the massive wall of the Grand City, partially covered by gigantic trees whose roots stretched like veins across the stone.
Tall. Too close together.
Max stepped out from the bushes behind him, shaking off his cloak.
"Ugh..."
He brushed bits of grass off his shoulder... and off his new horns.
"I hate when everything sticks to me..."
Seraphine appeared next, floating as calmly as ever. But as she reached the clearing, the magic circle beneath her feet slowly faded. Her boots touched the ground.
"Well..." she said, observing the place. "This clearly looks like the entrance to a supposed black market."
She brought a hand to her mouth, laughing softly.
"I can’t believe the guards can’t find something like this."
Neros stepped out behind her. He didn’t respond. Didn’t look at her. But his expression... hardened. Clearly, his ex-wife’s comment hadn’t pleased him.
Max crossed his arms.
"The problem isn’t finding the entrances," he said. "The hard part is opening them."
Dorian smiled faintly.
"Well said."
He turned slightly toward him.
"You’re right."
He smiled.
"And luckily... I know how to open it."
His eyes lifted toward the giant trees. He closed them. Took a deep breath for several long seconds. As if the forest air carried memories with it. As if he were stepping back in time.
Max watched him and waited.
"..."
"Hey..." he said finally. "Do you actually remember how to open it?"
A pause.
"Because if not, I can do it."
’With fire,’ he thought.
’It’s pretty obvious...’
Dorian opened his eyes. A small smile appeared on his face.
"Don’t worry," he said. "I’ve got it."
He stretched slightly.
"I was just... taking a moment."
He walked up to the largest tree. Sat down calmly. Planted his staff in front of him.
And then, he pulled out a small vial. Dark glass. Black contents.
Neros frowned.
"What is that?" he asked. "Something magical?"
Seraphine laughed.
"Please..." she said. "That’s clearly gunpowder."
Dorian raised the vial.
"Simple gunpowder," he confirmed.
Without hesitation, he threw it against the tree trunk. The powder spread across the bark.
Then, he picked up two small stones from the ground. Held them between his fingers. A faint glow wrapped around them. Magic.
He brought them together.
Clack.
A spark. Small. The powder ignited.
Fsssh—
And then, the roots began to move. Slow at first. Then faster.
They pulled apart. Creaked. Opened. And the trunk split in two, revealing a hollow within. Dark. Deep.
And inside... descending stairs.
Vanishing into nothing.
Neros blinked.
"...That was simpler than I expected."
Seraphine smiled, amused.
"I had a feeling."
Dorian stood up, brushing off his clothes slightly.
"Don’t tell anyone," he said. "It’s an important secret."
Max was already moving forward.
"We don’t have time to waste."
He turned to the group.
"Get in before it closes."
The roots were already beginning to move again.
Slowly. But steadily.
The four of them nodded. Without hesitation.
And one by one...
They stepped into the darkness. Descending the hidden stairs inside the giant tree.
Toward the black market.
Toward Chloe.
Toward the unknown.