The City of Sins pulsed with life, a chaotic symphony of sound and movement, a living testament to lawlessness. The streets stretched endlessly, twisting into a maze of filth and decadence, where ambition ruled and power was the only currency that mattered.
Every race imaginable walked these streets—elves, orcs, dwarves, beastfolk, and others whose origins I couldn't even begin to guess. Merchants lined the roads, their stalls overflowing with goods both rare and illicit. Their voices overlapped in a constant barrage, hawking enchanted weapons, stolen artifacts, and dark magic trinkets. The air was thick with the mingling scents of sizzling meat, exotic spices, sweat, and something acrid that burned in my throat.
Above, looming buildings cast deep shadows over the roads, their balconies filled with onlookers waiting for the next inevitable act of violence. Rogues, assassins, and slavers prowled through the crowds, their sharp eyes scanning for easy prey.
This was not a place for the weak.
Not a single human walked these streets.
The City of Sins had long since devoured any foolish enough to enter, grinding them into nothing—tools, slaves, corpses, or something far worse. If there were any left, they were either suffering in chains or already dead.
And yet—
I saw her.
A girl. A human girl.
She stood frozen in the middle of the chaos, her wide emerald-green eyes darting around in fear and confusion. The tide of bodies moved around her like a flood around an unsteady rock, jostling her without care. She was dressed in a simple cloak over a modest dress—plain, unarmored, vulnerable.
And she had no idea what kind of place she had walked into.
I wasn't the only one who noticed.
The noise of the market shifted as they moved in.
Three elves pushed through the crowd, their approach slow, deliberate. The leader—a silver-haired elf with piercing blue eyes—walked with the cruel confidence of someone who had never been denied anything. His polished armor bore faint traces of magic, his belt heavy with pouches filled with unknown enchantments.
He was a predator.
And he had found his prey.
"Well, well," the elf murmured, his voice smooth, mocking. "A human. Here, of all places?"
The girl blinked up at him, her head tilting slightly. "Oh, hi!" she said, her voice far too light, far too trusting. "I think I'm lost. Could you tell me where I am?"
For a moment, the elf simply stared at her.
Then, he laughed. A sharp, cutting sound.
"You don't know where you are?" he repeated, amusement laced with something darker. His gaze flicked over her, taking in every detail. "This is the City of Sins, girl. Humans don't belong here."
"Oh… I didn't know," she admitted softly. "I was just trying to find my way—"
A second elf stepped forward—taller, broader, more menacing. His black hair was pulled into a tight braid, his green eyes filled with open contempt.
"Humans don't just wander in here by accident," he sneered. His voice carried an edge of cruelty, of hunger. "Do you know what we do to little things like you?"
A flicker of fear passed over her face.
She took a step back.
"I… I didn't mean to—"
"Enough," the silver-haired elf interrupted sharply. He leaned in, his smirk curling like a blade.
"You made a mistake coming here, girl. And mistakes…" He reached out, brushing the edge of her cloak between his fingers.
"…have consequences."
I exhaled slowly.
I had seen enough.
I had been watching from the shadows, weighing my options.
Stepping in would mean making enemies—not just of these elves but of half the city.
But leaving her?
Not an option.
I stepped forward. My voice cut through the thick air like steel.
"Let her go."
The silver-haired elf turned toward me, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine. Annoyance flickered across his face before amusement took its place.
"And who," he drawled, "are you supposed to be? Trying to play hero?"
"Just someone who doesn't like bullies," I replied evenly, my hood still low. "Let her go, and no one gets hurt."
The taller elf chuckled darkly. "Oh? And what if we don't?" His hand dropped to the hilt of his weapon, fingers curling over the handle of a curved blade.
Magic flared across its edge, crackling with elemental power.
He thought he was fast.
I was faster.
In one swift motion, I closed the distance between us and struck.
A sharp cry tore through the air as my blade sliced through his arm at the elbow.
His severed limb hit the cobblestones with a wet thud. Blood sprayed across the ground as he stumbled back, clutching the stump, his scream raw and ragged.
The marketplace froze.
The silver-haired elf tensed, his smirk gone. His remaining companion hesitated, his hand twitching near his weapon.
Around us, the crowd murmured.
They had just witnessed something interesting.
"You… you'll pay for that," the silver-haired elf hissed.
"Maybe," I said coolly, lowering my blade slightly. "But not today."
Before they could react, I grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her into the nearest alley.
She stumbled.
"W-Wait—!"
"No time," I muttered, weaving through the twisting passageways. The City of Sins was a labyrinth, but I knew how to disappear. And right now, that was our best chance.
The noise of the market faded behind us as we slipped deeper into the backstreets, where the air was damp, the shadows deeper. I didn't stop until we reached a secluded area, where the filth of the city was less suffocating.
Only then did I release her wrist.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, though her hands trembled. "I… I think so. Thank you. I didn't realize how dangerous this place was."
"You shouldn't be here," I said bluntly. "This city will eat you alive."
"I didn't have a choice," she murmured. "I just… happened to enter the city and got lost."
I frowned.
That wasn't an answer.
"You don't just end up in the City of Sins," I said slowly. "Why did you enter this city?"
She hesitated.
"…I just wanted to see this place."
A lie.
I exhaled sharply. Whatever her real reason for being here, I'd figure it out later.
Then—
A familiar voice echoed in my mind.
Mira.
"Ethan." Her tone was calm, but urgent.
I tensed. "What is it?"
"The elves are already looking for you."
I clenched my jaw. "And?"
"They're not alone."
A cold weight settled in my stomach. "Who else?"
"Bounty hunters. Word's spreading fast. You just made yourself a target."
Of course.
The girl—Aria, she had called herself—shifted uneasily.
"Ethan… what's wrong?"
I looked at her. Then at the alley's entrance.
We needed to run.
Now.
End of Chapter.