I bolted in the direction the kid had disappeared, pushing through the bustling marketplace crowd. My heart pounded in my chest as I weaved between stalls and dodged the frantic shoppers. The kid was nowhere in sight, but I couldn't stop now. Eldran would kill me if he found out I lost the coins.

I ran until the noise of the marketplace faded, and I found myself in a labyrinth of narrow, winding alleys. The slums of Mehmoura stretched out before me, a place that seemed to suck the life out of everything. The air was thick and suffocating, carrying the stench of rot and decay. The buildings, little more than crumbling shanties, leaned precariously against each other, their walls covered in layers of grime. Makeshift homes were patched together with scraps of stone and wood, their roofs sagging and barely keeping out the elements. The ground beneath my feet was uneven and littered with debris, making each step treacherous.

People huddled in doorways and against the walls, their faces gaunt and eyes hollow. Their clothes hung off their emaciated frames in dirty rags, and their skin had a sickly pallor. Children, with ribs visible beneath their thin shirts, played in the dirt with broken toys. The few adults who moved did so with a slow, defeated shuffle, their bodies worn down by hunger and despair. The entire area felt devoid of hope, a stark contrast to the bustling marketplace just a short distance away. The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on me, filling me with a sense of dread and urgency as I realized how desperate this place truly was.

"Where in the world am i?" I muttered to myself, feeling a pang of guilt for even thinking of my situation when others had it so much worse.

I kept moving, my steps echoing through the desolate alleys. A faint noise caught my attention—a scuffle, followed by muffled voices. I followed the sound, my instincts on high alert. As I turned a corner, I saw a group of men surrounding a kid. My stomach churned when I recognized the kid who had stolen my coins.

"Think about it, kid. It's for your own good," one of the men sneered. "We won't bother you anymore. Just take us to that place."

The kid’s voice trembled with fear. "I know you'll kill me once I take you there!"

"Well, we'll just make it faster then," the man said, swinging a knife toward the boy.

Without thinking, I lunged forward and deflected the blade with a swift motion. The men turned to face me, their eyes narrowing with anger.

"Why are you ganging up on a kid?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.

"None of your business," one of them snarled. "Get lost before we slash you too."

"Go ahead and try," I replied, setting my stance.

The first guy charged at me with a knife, aiming straight for my chest. I sidestepped his attack, using the footwork Eldran had drilled into me. Another man tried to hit me from behind with a wooden club, but I ducked and delivered a swift kick to his groin. He collapsed with a groan, clutching his stomach.

Two more guys moved in to ambush me, but I knew I couldn’t take them all on. I grabbed the kid’s hand and bolted. "Damn it, they’re catching up. Sorry kid, we have to move faster."

"Move faster? How?" the kid panted.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I scooped him up and started running, using the footwork technique. The kid clung to me, wide-eyed with surprise. "You’re so fast! We’re losing them!"

"We’re not safe until we get out of the slums. Do you know the way?" I asked between breaths.

"Yes, follow me!" the kid directed, pointing ahead.

We zigzagged through the alleys, narrowly avoiding the pursuing men. My muscles burned, and my lungs felt like they were on fire, but I pushed on. Finally, we burst out of the slums and back into the bustling center of the city. I set the kid down, both of us gasping for air.

"Huff, huff... We finally lost them," I said, my chest heaving. "Now, give me back what you stole."

The kid looked up at me, a mix of fear and gratitude in his eyes. "I... I'm sorry," he stammered, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the coins.

I waited, my heart still racing, as he handed them over. But just as I felt a moment of relief, the kid's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

"Hey! Are you okay? Wake up!" I shouted, shaking him gently.

His body felt burning hot to the touch, and my worry intensified. Suddenly, veins began to bulge and darken, and a strange green mark appeared on the nape of his neck, pulsating ominously.

"What the hell..." I muttered, my mind racing. "What’s happening to you?"

I looked around frantically, but the bustling city center seemed oblivious to our plight. Desperation clawed at me. I couldn't just leave him here, not like this. I had to find help, and fast.

I knew a city full of sinners might not be the best place to trust someone to help, so I decided to bring the kid to the inn. As night fell, I carefully carried him back to our room.

Eldran looked up as I entered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Who is this?"

"Eldran, please, you need to help. He collapsed suddenly and..." Before I could finish my sentence, Eldran's expression changed. He seemed to sense something.

"Move aside," he commanded. He knelt beside the kid, examining him closely. "This is..."

Eldran's voice trailed off as he carefully inspected the green mark on the kid's neck. "Su, bring something for him to bite on, quickly."

I scrambled to find something, eventually handing Eldran a strip of leather. Eldran placed it between the kid's teeth and then focused, his hands glowing faintly as he began to extract the corruption. Bit by bit, the green mark started to fade, but as it did, Eldran's own hand began to darken, the same green mark spreading onto his skin.

"Eldran! Your hand!" I exclaimed, panic rising in my chest.

"It's normal," Eldran replied through gritted teeth. "I've taken the mana corruption into myself. The kid should be safe now."

Eldran summoned ancient runes using Sutra, the glowing symbols wrapping around his hand and arm, blocking the corruption from spreading further. "This should be enough."

"What was that? I've never seen anything like it! Are you even okay after taking that on?" I asked, my voice a mix of awe and concern.

Eldran looked at me, his face etched with a mix of pain and determination. "It's called mana corruption. You're lucky you have no mana core; otherwise, you would have suffered realms of pain. But that mark, that color... it means he is here. Kala is in Mehmoura."

"Who is Kala?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

Eldran's eyes darkened. "Kala is... an old acquaintance of mine.."

"But what does he want with this kid?" I pressed, the urgency of the situation making me desperate for answers.

"Those are questions for another time," Eldran said, his tone firm. "For now, get some rest. I have some matters to attend to tonight."

Reluctantly, I nodded and watched as Eldran left the room. My mind buzzed with questions, but exhaustion soon took over. I lay down, the day's events swirling in my head. The kid's fate, Eldran's mysterious past, and the looming threat of this Kala figure weighed heavily on me. As sleep finally claimed me, I couldn't shake the feeling that our trials in Mehmoura were only just beginning.