The early sun rays broke over the gray streets of Charville as Liam strode through the streets. His hands were in his pockets, fidgeting with a screw he had found somewhere, while his thoughts kept turning over last night.

It wasn’t the nightmare he was thinking about, he had learned long ago to ignore them. No, it was the situation with the carriage driver. He just wasn’t sure what had come over him last night.

It was the same feeling that had twirled through him when he had seen the nobleman take the girl. He still shivered at her resemblance. But last night still felt a little different.

He had been in exactly those situations himself, either as victim, robber even, or most often as non participating spectator. But yesterday something inside of him had wailed against injustice, and had raged at the chains tying himself to inaction. Without even thinking clearly, he had simply acted.

It wasn’t even like he had done it for the money, that he could’ve explained to himself. No he had simply done it because it was the right thing. A notion that wasn’t really foreign to Liam, but it had faded so much into the background over the years, pressed away by the cold pragmatism that was needed to survive on the streets.

Once he had been different. She had tried to show him the right ways.

It was stupid in a way. Liam had seen those things go wrong in more ways than he could count during his years on the streets. People who overestimate themselves and meddle where they should not meddle didn't make it long in Charville.

But then again, that wasn’t him anymore was it? He might have only been gifted with his powers for a few days, but already he was capable of doing some things he could’ve only dreamed of before. Sure he wasn’t able to throw fireballs or punch through brick walls like some of the real blessed ones among the nobles, but still things felt different. For the first time the playing field might become even.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. This wasn’t the time to think about these things, Liam reminded himself. He had more pressing concerns on his hands.

His stomach growled in agreement.

A few quick turns later, Liam found himself at his destination.The Litwam Market of Charville.

Hundreds of small stalls had been built in the square, covered in different foods, clothes and pretty much everything that one could look for.

Liam watched as people around him were busy with their hectic morning activities. A man to his left balanced a precariously built tower of crates filled to the brim with cabbages while pacing down the street. Multiple people were finishing setting up their shop, intent on making their wares look as good as possible, all the while dozens of people were already streaming past them on the streets. There was yelling, there was shouting, there was bustling activity.

It was like the market was beating to its own little rhythm.

Even the smaller markets like this in the middle of the poorer districts of Charville were filled to the brim with people if one came at the right time. Most people usually tried to avoid the peak times, but Liam wanted them, he thrived in them.

Stealing his food from the markets was risky business. There were always not just guards around, but also stall owners with a particularly sharp eye. Chances of getting caught were not too slim.

Of course it was always worth it in the end. The quality and freshness far surpassed the scraps that urchins on the streets of Charville usually ate by digging through leftovers and begging. That’s what offset the risk for Liam and so many others.

Still Liam knew more than one person who hadn’t come back from the questioning at the guard houses after they had been caught. Some of the few that had come back were like Bird, not really whole anymore..

Liam followed his nose, which in turn was being led by enticing aromas wavering around the food parts of the market. The smell of oriental spices, sweet sauces and freshly roasted meats combined into one mouth watering scent.

He didn’t haste though. He knew better than that. He strolled with all the time in the world through the market, until he found a suitable candidate.

As he strolled through the sea of stalls and people, Liam was surprised with how many guards he saw. It was no secret that guard activity always was highest at the markets, since stall owners were glad to pay out a little extra for some feeling of security, but today it was really over the top.

Liam counted almost six patrols before he had finished his first round of the market. He understood the increased activity around Old Town, where he had killed the noble only a few days ago, but even here? Were people that worried?

His stomach ripped him out of his musings. It didn’t matter in the end. Liam knew his way around the markets, and a handful of extra guard patrols couldn’t really stop him. It just meant he had to be a little more careful than usual.

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Finally he pulled up to a stall selling freshly baked breads in woven little wooden baskets. They were freshly cracked open in the oven, dusted with flour and browned nicely. The smell of warm bread made Liams fingers twitch.

He controlled himself though as he laid back and waited for his chance, watching the two stall owners from his hidden vantage point in between the crowds. There were two people running the stall. One who sold the wares to the long lines of customers waiting for their turn, and one who restocked their bread and made sure that everything ran smoothly.

Usually he liked to observe for a while. To get a feel for the merchants, their ticks, and the general mood on that day. But he wasn't planning on doing it the usual way today.

At first he had thought about just trying to lift them off the table with his new found skills, but he was still lacking the fine control. He was able to levitate objects and simply move them straight in directions, but to lift them and make them change directions was a little much. Besides, it would be very suspicious.

With all the excess guards Liam had seen around the market, he didn’t want to risk causing even the slightest commotion. So he had a different plan.

In thieving and pickpocketing it was all about the angles. It didn’t matter how fast you were, in fact it could be quite detrimental at times. Quick motion drew attention. No, it was about figuring out a dead angle, of coming from a point of view where you either weren’t seen, or seemed as inconspicuous as a lamb.

So he waited until another man approached the stall from behind, carrying a huge load of fresh baked goods. One of the men turned around, and began refilling one of their little handwoven baskets with the newly arrived goods.

While the man's back was turned to the crowd, a customer was buying a loaf from the other stall owner. As he was fishing for a few coins in his pocket, Liam knew his moment had come.

He activated his inner energy, and was greeted readily. The world around him snapped a little more into focus. He could see a little clearer, the sounds were a little less overwhelming, and he felt more alert.

Liam activated his Gravity Manipulation Skill fractal. Warm energy rushed through him, and familiar purple lines started taking root in the world.

Liam turned his attention back to the merchant. He stood a little away, but with his increased perception he was able to make out the few copper coins in the man's hand, and especially the thin lines pulling it down. With one heavy heave he pushed as much energy into one of the connections as possible, just as the man was about to press it into the merchant's hands.

Like a stone it dropped down, slipping out of the man's hand. With a clink, barely audible over the noise of the crowds around them, it landed on the counter, tinkered a little, and then rolled to the floor.

"Ups my bad," the customer said.

The stall gave him his warmest customer smile and put his hand up. "Dont worry about it."

As soon as his head was under the table line Liam dashed forwards.

At the end of the day, speed didn’t matter much. But just because it didn’t matter much, didn’t mean it couldn’t make your whole life a damn lot easier.

When Liam dashed forwards he moved quickly as a striking snake. He snapped his arm outwards with precision, and like a whirlwind grabbed a loaf of bread, two small pastries, and vanished back back into the crowds.

He waited for two heartbeats, but nobody seemed to have noticed him. The burly man's head resurfaced from beneath the table, and he continued his conversation with the customers. His colleague still had his back turned while sorting the bread.

Another quick scan of the crowds revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Liam breathed out in relief, and walked away.

His surprise wasn’t about how easy it was, mainly he was pleasantly surprised with how quickly he had managed it all.

Usually he had to bring a lot more patience when he planned to get his food at the markets. Sometimes stalking a single stall for more than an hour until finally an opportunity presented itself. This had been mere minutes.

A message popped up and only increased Liam’s good mood.

“Congratulations you’ve raised your Gravity Manipulation to Level 4.”

Liam smiled. The day was turning out to be better and better.

A few hours later, Liam ran as hard as he could. A guard heavy on his heels. After repeating his success twice over, once for a few apples and once for a bag of sweetened nuts, Liam had been getting a little overconfident. So now he was running away with a big chicken drumlet in one hand, and a big smile on his face.

“Stop it!” The guard screamed after him.

In reply Liam only laughed loudly and hurried along. He surely could’ve lost the man in some of the more twisted alleys, that was always a plan that worked. But that would be boring, so it was also only plan B.

He had been lucky in that the man had only caught him at some of the outer stalls of the market while he was probably on his break. Had he been caught by a real guard patrol in the middle of the market, it would’ve been game over for Liam. But right now, having only one slightly overweight guard on his heels, with the wide open streets in front of him, he was having more fun than in a long time.

He bellowed out another deep laughter, as he rounded a corner.

Some people on the streets around them looked at them curiously, but most of them didn’t even spare them more than a glance, and simply went on with their activities. In Charville people had learned its best to stick to their own business.

They passed another guard, and after a second of confusion and consideration from his part, he joined his colleague in the chase. Now both people were behind Liam, who was profoundly enjoying the thrill of adrenaline.

He turned into another corner, and they found themselves in a dead end valley. Liam could almost hear the smirk on the guards faces, could almost feel their disbelief as he continued his mad dash towards the wall cutting the alley short.

Liam flared his inner energy and activated his skill. In one smooth motion Liam leaped atop the wall, and now stood a few meters above the ground looking down at the guards.

The situation felt oddly familiar, only this time the guards were too perplexed to even think about drawing their crossbows. Nor did Liam give them a chance.

He stuck out his tongue at them, and leapt down the wall on the other side, leaving two shocked and confused guards staring after him.

“Congratulations, you have raised your Gravity Jump Skill to Level 4.”