Chapter 39: Thief

Chapter 39: Thief

Tom blinked twice in rapid succession in the hopes that reality would transfigure itself into a different iteration any iteration except the one that lay before him. He wasnt quite shocked, no and neither was he scared or intimidated; the emotion he felt in the moment was closer to befuddlement.

On the other side of the gate lay a rough, uneven dirt road that led to the main drag of a squalid town. The sheer juxtaposition between the pristine cleanliness of the Noble District and the unkempt dirtiness of the crowded street before him packed chockfull of people dressed in worn out, occasionally tattered clothing left Tom shocked. The stench of unwashed bodies wafted towards the gateways entrance, carried forth by a light breeze that would have otherwise been a welcoming one. The loud, strident noise created by dozens, if not hundreds of voices overlapping each other made for a disquieting cacophony- Tom had never been much for crowds and that hadnt been a problem back in his hometown or for that matter, even the Noble District.

Gone were the elegant marble and refined brick houses complete with their picturesque verandas and well-maintained, colourful small gardens. Ramshackle huts and repurposed cloth tents lined the wide dirt road the gateway opened into, though, thankfully the Nameless District didnt seem completely devoid of brick and mortar civilization as Tom spotted a few larger, more robust buildings deeper into the Nameless District.

Well lad, off you go, Nveins voice boomed behind him, snapping him back to reality.

Wiping the unfamiliarity from his eyes, Tom tried to conceal his dismay as he nodded, first to Nvein and then to Serawin, before he took his first step onto the Nameless Districts soil.

Work your way up to this side and buy me some Aurora Ale one day, eh? Serawin called out to him as the heavy gates began to creak shut.

That day might come sooner than you think, Tom cheekily yelled out a response back as the door was inches away from being completely shut.

A slam echoed behind him as the entryway to the Noble District was sealed shut.

Now then. Tom groaned, followed by a long, weary sigh. How did things reach this point again?

It wasnt like Tom had a complete aversion to living the Nameless District due to its less-than-stellar landscape, but the idea of there being such a shoddy, beaten down in a world that had access to something as convenient as magic just rankled at his sensibilities.

Though I suppose magic costs money. Or resources. And the Nobles clearly dont care about the Nameless District.

Same story, different world, Tom muttered under his breath, eyeing the chaotic district that stretched on for miles. Oh well, not like I have a choice.

Before that though.., Tom snapped his index finger and thumb together for dramatic flair, if for no other reason than to liven his mood a little.

Well, it wasnt like Tom had much say in the whole process but there were a few points where, with a little bit of luck and the element of surprise he might have gotten away.

Nonetheless, the chaotic Nameless District bode well for him; the only remaining question being if the district had an inclination to maintain a record of each of its residents.

Well, theres only one way to find that out.

Hood obscuring his facial features, Tom stepped into the dense crowd, allowing himself to be swept away with the majority. The pungent odour that had wafted past him returned in full force, a mix of sweat, grime and a distinct, rancid smell that reminded him of his time in the Zelez Dungeon blending together to assail his nostrils. There were people on either side of him, above him and behind him, a few even trying to push past him but giving up after they realised that he wasnt easily budged.

The sights there was so much to see, yet at the same time, so little. With the crowd blocking most of his view Tom couldnt really get a good look at the wares the shopkeepers were pedalling, but with every step he took he got a little more breathing room as the crowd began to thin out. In the midst of all the hubbub, Tom himself was surprised that he noticed a hand reaching out towards him, more specifically, reaching for his robes inner pocket.

Instinct guided his actions as Tom sidestepped to the right, pressing against a man dressed in a raggedly tunic. His survival instinct, honed across life and death experiences he had never signed up for, interpreted the grabbing motion as a lunge. There was little hesitation as Tom clawed his two hands onto the mans extended arms, before yanking him forward full force.

A startled yelp was cried out as Tom felt the mans momentum shift in his direction, the sudden burst of force that hed applied too overwhelming for him to resist. Before the two parties could crash, Toms knee shot out towards the burnished-copper haired mans abdomen, causing him to crumple to the ground.

The passerby that hed bumped into earlier wore a stunned expression on his face, clearly shocked by how fast Tom had dispatched another person for seemingly no reason.

Tom himself finally felt the adrenaline surge recede as he mentally deemed the threat neutralised. Almost immediately after, a pang of guilt washed over him as he realised what he had done he wasnt fighting monsters and Nether creatures anymore, but people. That said, he didnt feel any guilt for defending himself, no he only hoped to ingrain this experience in the hopes that he would be able to exercise mercy if such a situation were to repeat itself.

The real question though was. why was he of all the people in this damned town the one to get attacked by a random man?

Thief! The shrill cry of a woman rang out behind him.