Marcus's glare darkened as he locked eyes with the man standing before him, the one who had just whistled at Sophia like she was some cheap entertainment. His patience, already stretched thin from the long journey and the city's suffocating atmosphere, was reaching its breaking point. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he repeated, his voice sharper this time, "Scram."
The man, a scruffy-looking thug with yellowed teeth and the stench of cheap alcohol clinging to his breath, simply chuckled. He brought the roll of whatever foul-smelling substance he was smoking to his lips, inhaling deeply before exhaling a thick cloud of smoke—straight into Marcus's face.
Marcus recoiled slightly, his nose wrinkling in disgust. His fingers twitched by his side, his body rigid with restrained fury. This guy was really asking for it.
Then, without warning, the thug grabbed the empty bottle of liquor by his side and lifted it, aiming to smash it over Marcus's head.
But Marcus was faster.
His reflexes kicked in instantly, his arm snapping up to intercept the attack. His fingers clamped around the man's wrist with a vice-like grip, halting the downward motion before the bottle could make contact. The thug's smirk faltered, confusion flickering in his bloodshot eyes as he realized he had made a mistake.
And then—crack.
The sickening sound of bones snapping echoed through the narrow alleyway, cutting through the muffled noise of the city beyond.
The thug's mouth twisted in agony, his scream tearing through the air as he crumpled to his knees, his arm now hanging at an unnatural angle. His face contorted with pain, veins bulging along his neck as he let out another wretched cry.
Marcus watched him with cold indifference, his fingers still gripping the man's wrist before finally releasing him. The thug clutched at his broken arm, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he rocked back and forth, the shock of his injury setting in.
Marcus exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "I told you to scram," he muttered, his voice eerily calm.
Then, in one swift motion, he lifted his foot and kicked—a brutal, precise strike to the side of the thug's head. The man's body went limp instantly, slumping to the ground in a heap, his breathing shallow and uneven.
The rest of the thugs—who had just moments ago been laughing, drinking, and eyeing Sophia like hungry wolves—stared in horror. Their expressions morphed from amusement to terror in mere seconds. One of them stumbled backward, his hands trembling as he pointed at Marcus.
"He's insane!" the man shouted, his voice cracking.
"He's the devil!" another shrieked before turning on his heel and bolting down the alleyway.
The others didn't hesitate to follow, tripping over each other in their desperate scramble to escape. Their panicked yells faded as they disappeared into the streets, leaving only the unconscious man at Marcus's feet.
Silence settled over the group.
Sophia raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "A bit excessive, don't you think?"
Marcus rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers. "He had it coming."
Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the alley. Eleanor emerged, her sharp eyes scanning the scene before settling on the crumpled body on the ground.
She didn't even flinch.
Instead, she crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. "Do I even want to know?"
"Nope," Jason replied immediately, shaking his head.
Eleanor exhaled through her nose, clearly deciding it wasn't worth pursuing further. Instead, she reached into the small pouch tied to her waist and pulled out a handful of bronze coins, letting them jingle as they fell into her palm. "I managed to sell the crystals," she announced. "But don't get too excited. The exchange rate here is garbage."
Liam's gaze sharpened. "How bad?"
Eleanor sighed. "Back where we came from, each crystal was worth fifty bronze. Here? The highest offer I got was twenty. Apparently, low-grade crystals are pretty common in this city, so they don't go for much."
Sophia frowned. "That's a huge drop."
Jason let out a low whistle. "Well, that sucks."
Liam, however, didn't seem particularly surprised. He glanced around at their surroundings—the crumbling walls, the filth-stained cobblestone streets, the distant sounds of shouting and laughter from other alleyways. It was obvious that they were in the slums, the poorest section of the city.
"That explains it," Liam muttered. "We're in the worst part of Arthalon. The market here deals in cheap goods. We need to get out of here and into a wealthier district if we want a better price."
Eleanor shrugged. "Maybe. But unless we find a merchant who actually needs what we're selling, we'll still be stuck with the same low rates."
Liam nodded in understanding before shifting his focus to something more important. "We'll figure that out later. First, we need a place to stay."
Jason blinked. "An inn?"
"No," Liam said firmly. "A house."
That earned him a collective stare from the group.
Marcus scoffed. "A house? Are you kidding? We just got here."
Sophia tilted her head. "Why a house? Wouldn't an inn be more convenient?"
Liam crossed his arms. "No. We don't know how long we'll be in this city, and constantly paying for an inn is going to drain our money fast. A house is a long-term solution. Plus, it gives us privacy, security, and a place to store our things."
Jason looked thoughtful. "I mean… that actually makes sense."
Eleanor still seemed skeptical. "And where exactly do you plan on buying a house? Because, in case you haven't noticed, we don't have enough money."
Liam gestured to the alleyway around them. "We're in the slums. That means real estate here is cheap. I doubt the houses in this area cost much at all."
Sophia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "So, what's the plan? Walk around until we find someone selling a house?"
Liam nodded. "Pretty much."
Jason groaned. "Great. Just what I wanted—a real estate side quest."
Marcus smirked. "Look on the bright side. Maybe we'll get a house with a nice view of the sewage system."
Sophia rolled her eyes, but despite the group's complaints, they knew Liam had a point. Finding a stable place to stay would be beneficial, and if the slums really were as cheap as Liam suspected, then maybe—just maybe—it wouldn't be such a bad idea.
With that decision made, Liam glanced around one last time before motioning for the group to move. "Let's go. We're buying a house."