Chapter 1 – The Black Market Deal
The air inside the Black Market was thick with smoke and whispers. Merchants haggled in shadows, gold glinted from hidden hands, and eyes darted like daggers. In the corner of this forbidden bazaar sat a small shop — plain, unremarkable — run by an old man and his young apprentice.
At just 15 years old, Ashura already looked out of place. Sharp eyes, restless energy, and a constant awareness of his surroundings. He wasn't here to window-shop. He was here to survive. Beside him, the shop's owner and his mentor, Master Iroh, sat with the calm patience of a man who had seen far too much.
The quiet didn't last.
Five men in suits pushed through the crowd and into the shop. Their shoes clicked against the stone floor, polished too clean for a place so dirty. The first one — tall, broad, with a scar down his jaw — dropped a heavy package on the counter.
Man in Black 1: "Old man. We need this delivered. Fast. No questions."
Iroh raised a brow, inspecting the package but not touching it.
Iroh: "Hmmm… dangerous, I presume?"
The man leaned in, his smile sharp.
Man in Black 1: "Let's just say… you don't want to peek inside."
Ashura's eyes flickered between them, curiosity gnawing at him. But he knew better. Curiosity got you killed in this place.
Iroh sighed and nodded slowly.
Iroh: "Fine. It'll be done. But my fee—"
Man in Black 2: [interrupting] "—will be paid in full. Don't test our patience."
The men left as quickly as they came, their presence leaving a chill in the room. Ashura finally broke the silence.
Ashura: "What's in the box?"
Iroh's eyes narrowed, his tone carrying more weight than usual.
Iroh: "That, boy… is none of our concern. Some doors, once opened, can never be closed again."
Ashura leaned back, smirking slightly.
Ashura: "And if the money's good, who cares what's inside?"
Iroh stared at him for a long moment. Something in Ashura's words unsettled him, though he didn't show it.
Outside, the Black Market buzzed on as if nothing had happened. But deep down, both master and apprentice knew — this job was different. This package
would not just pay gold.
It would cost blood.