I took a steadying breath, wiping away the last of my tears. With renewed resolve, I stepped forward, my gaze sharp and alert. I was searching for one person—the key to unlocking the black market, a shadowy world where goods were exchanged at a fraction of their true worth.
It didn’t take long to find him. He sat on a weathered bench, his posture taut, as if always ready for something. My eyes lingered on the odd contraption clipped to his belt: a bubble-blowing device. Out of place, yet undeniably important.
This device was the key.
Even the most seasoned traders struggled to locate the black market. Entry required an iridescent bubble—delicate, fleeting, and impossible to replicate without the right device. No spell, force, or bribe could uncover the market's hidden doors; only the shimmer of these enchanted bubbles could reveal the way. Few possessed such devices.
My heart pounded as I approached. He glanced up, eyes scanning me with practiced caution, as if expecting trouble.
“Hello,” I said, the word feeling foreign on my tongue.
How long had it been since I’d spoken face-to-face with someone? Months? Years? My world had shrunk to emails and texts. I hadn’t realized how much I missed real human interaction until now.
His gaze flicked downward—toward my chest. His entire body tensed.
My badge.
I cursed inwardly. I’d forgotten to hide it—an amateur mistake.
His fingers twitched toward the device at his side. Panic flashed across his face.
I raised my hands in a placating gesture. “Don’t—I’m not with the Astral Concord,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
He didn’t look convinced. His eyes darted from my badge to my face, calculating.
Not surprising. The Astral Concord—the government—along with the Five Great Academies, constantly sent agents to track any leads on the black market. But that wasn’t my purpose.
Before I could explain, he bolted.
“Goddammit,” I muttered, frustration spiking.
Instinct took over. I surged forward, feet pounding against the pavement, chasing after him.
The city blurred around me as I focused on the figure ahead, his coat a rippling shadow in the fading daylight. He was fast—much faster than I had anticipated. Every movement was calculated, precise. The distance between us widened with each stride, but I couldn’t let him escape.
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My breath came in ragged bursts. My muscles burned, but I pushed harder.
This body—borrowed and unfamiliar—felt like it belonged to someone else. It was strong, but every step was off, like wearing ill-fitting clothes. The tethering magic binding me to it resisted my every move, making me nauseous, dizzy with the wrongness of it all.
But I couldn’t stop now.
I kept pushing, my shoes slapping against the pavement as I closed the gap.
He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening in disbelief. He hadn’t expected me to keep up.
Then, in one fluid motion, he shed his coat mid-stride and let it fall—a distraction.
I grabbed it instinctively, half-expecting a weapon or trick hidden inside. But there was nothing—just the weight of the fabric in my hands and the cold sting of frustration gnawing at me as he surged ahead.
Damn it.
I dug deep, forcing my legs to carry me faster, every step an effort against the discomfort of the borrowed body.
Then, the air shimmered.
The iridescent bubbles floating through the park pulsed with light. The atmosphere warped and folded, revealing something hidden—a passageway.
A shortcut.
I dove straight through it.
The world blurred. Time stretched. The sensation twisted my stomach. A heartbeat later, I landed several feet ahead of him, stumbling but upright.
His eyes went wide, his pace faltering. He skidded to a halt, hand flying to his belt—reaching for the bubble-blowing device.
I moved first.
In one swift motion, I yanked his discarded coat from my arm and flung it over his face. It wasn’t elegant, but it worked. He cursed, momentarily blinded.
I seized his wrist before he could react.
“Have you forgotten why this park is famous?” I murmured.
His breath hitched. His gaze flicked nervously to the shimmering bubbles floating around us—desire-granting orbs. He hadn’t expected anyone to stay calm enough to use the surroundings to their advantage.
Defeat settled in his posture. With a reluctant exhale, he lifted the device, releasing a massive bubble that expanded, shimmering in iridescent hues—large enough for both of us.
“Should’ve done this sooner,” I muttered, shaking my head.
As the bubble expanded, light bent around us, colors refracting like oil on water. A strange pressure built behind my eyes. Then—
A snap. A lurch.
And the ground vanished beneath me.
We landed with a soft thud on smooth, black stone. The air was thick with the scent of incense and something metallic—raw, unrefined magic. The space stretched unnaturally, lined with glowing runes, shadowy stalls, and cloaked figures murmuring in hushed tones.
A hooded figure approached, extending a pair of sunglasses toward me.
I hesitated but took them.
The moment I put them on, I felt the shift.
It was subtle, like a ripple in my identity—a sense of displacement. I watched as my reflection smeared, then reformed into a stranger’s face.
I slipped my badge into my chest pocket. It was my only way to bring items beyond the walls of the Astramirum. Then my features blurred, my identity dissolving into anonymity.
The weight of transformation settled over me.
I blinked and looked at my hands—different now, as though I were wearing someone else’s skin.
But I didn’t feel fear.
I felt free.
Without the burden of my identity, I moved through this world unafraid.
But time was running out.
I needed to find the teleportation scrolls—before someone else did.
I strolled through the black market, scanning the glowing holographic interfaces displaying goods.
I headed toward the black market’s library—the one place certain to have what I needed.
