I arrived at the market. It was buzzing with activity.

Some vendors were shouting to attract customers to sell their products. Others were bargaining or offering discounts. Stalls on the ground and in wood counters a common sight. Some sellers invited people to enter stores, only a few of those, though. Generally, items from stores are a little more expensive but they don't sell or buy anything of poor quality. Well, most of the time they don't.

I am ignored by everyone, as they think I don't have a single coin. They are wrong, I have coins. I earned them honestly, of course. Sometimes I find a coin on the ground and so.

Although stealing is my way of life, I mostly steal food, and sometimes a few coins to buy clothes or candies. Truth to be told, I didn't expect that the prize of today's heist would be a clock and even less for it to be real.

At first, I was gifted with a good deal of beatings, but with practice, I was able to steal without being caught. So, now is a win-win situation for everyone. If they don't know that they have been robbed then they don't get angry!

I feel like laughing ominously like the villains from tales but that would raise a few eyebrows if done in the middle of a crowd. Better if no one knows when you are plotting something.

I quickly left the market after buying something to eat. There was nothing of interest for me there; as the town is very isolated from the rest of the world, we almost don't get travelers or visitors; and although the market and bazaar have some rare weapons, magic items, or artifacts, they seldom have something new or actually useful for me. I could try selling the clock, but I think it would be better to go hide it and sell it in a couple of weeks.

I reached the central square of the town and moved closer to a big fountain until I was in front of it. A stone sculpture of a person was in the middle of the fountain. The sculpture was more clothes than man, he had an orb in one hand and was rising it in defiance above his head. The plate below read 'Lauren The Great Arch-Mage, First Great Mage of Erandel' It seemed imposing.

Great Mage is the title of the leader or ruler of Erandel. This guy died long ago but the current Great Mage is just the Second Great Mage. History is kind of my weak point.

Glancing below the sculpture in the fountain I caught sight of my pitiful reflection.

My name is Naaran. No last name or family name, my parents didn't have one. It's rare to have last names in this town, I think

If I am too dirty I should rinse myself off. I took a moment to get a mindful look at myself.

Of all my features, my shorter than average height was the first to catch my attention. I am a little short for an eight-year-old kid, but in fact, it doesn't trouble me, being small has as many advantages as disadvantages. It's just a couple of centimeters. It doesn't bother me at all.

I am skinny, more bone than meat, and with a slightly unhealthy vibe. One could say I am in shape, not even a gram of fat to be found in this tantalizing figure. Unfortunately, pale skin doesn't help to disperse that unhealthy feeling neither my dirty hands and disheveled hair does. Well, I don't like to comb my hair. I like it as it is.

I have gray eyes, like some sort of ghost but less scary. I have dark eye bags and black straight disheveled hair. Right now I am wearing blue shorts and a... white shirt. It was white when I bought it. And finally, dark blue shoes without socks, but that is not a problem, sometimes I don't use shoes at all.

After having a look at the good old myself I start washing my arms, face, and hair with the water of the fountain. I know that the system that feeds the water to the fountain isn't connected to the sewers, but I still hesitate a little. If I can lie, who said that others can't too?

Actually, I could clean myself— with a hundred times more efficiency— with a spell I learned long ago but I wash in the fountain as a reminder of all I have gone through. It reminds me of that day last year I got fed up so much from the orphanage that I ran away from it too.

Shaking my head to disperse my mind of thoughts, jokes, and conspirations against me I finished washing and left.

Today is a free day so I don't have to attend the Lessons, so I can just go to the library for the rest of the day. I would use the shortcut of always, the one that goes through the alleys. The sides of the alleys are free of junk but still doesn't have a nice smell.

Turning left in a corner of the alley I didn't see the blow coming until it was too late to parry, dodge, or even block it, and it sent me to the ground.

Except it didn't. It would have taken down any other kid, but I am not so helpless.

In reality, although I didn't manage to block the punch, even without noticing it, by sheer instinct, my reflexes kicked in and I did some little actions. Time didn't slow down and neither my mind fastened as some travelers and drunkards acclaim it happens to them when they fight. That, I have never experienced.

My fast reflexes— born from my exorbitant talent(Oh, I wish)— are all that I have to depend on. I managed to move my head slightly in diagonal to my left and back, lifting a bit my head, avoiding a hit in my right eye in exchange for one in the cheek. Not only my head but also my body moved back, and to crown it all I even jumped backward. It was a short jump.

Doing everything that would diminish the force of the hit.

I could do this even before I started to read the science and manuals about fighting from books that just collect dust in the library. I often did those moves before starting to read those topics by sheer instinct but I have improved a lot since I know the works and whys behind every one of these instinctive movements.

Without stopping for more than a breath I counted six other brats apart of my assailant. For an instant, I think of drawing my knife or launching a spell but quickly discard these options. Better to not escalate things more than necessary, this is not the first time I fight with those brats.

The best would be to either run or stay and kick their asses. They just can't accept that when no magic is involved they are not my match. Unfortunately for them, I am feeling a little ruthless at this time so I will go ahead and grant their wish by giving them a beating.

Berers, I think that was the name of the brat in front of me, who had barely retracted his outstretched arm while the others moved to try to surround me.

You don't have to be a genius to know that letting them do that would be bad. According to the bits of advice I have received and stories from drunk travelers in the tavern; when fighting multiple opponents you need to keep moving every moment, thus you can avoid giving them your back or flanks longer than strictly necessary. Trying to flank them yourself instead would be best.

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I snort and stop wasting time. Lunging forward to the closer of them, good little Berers, with a ferocious punch to the face that he received as if a kiss from his mother.

They aren't good fighters at all. Every one of them doing better than me in the lessons all these years but they have never put up a good physical fight against me.

But they keep insisting. Their reasons for hating me are unclear. But I think is better this way, I would never be friends with some brainless shit like them. I don't know if I am the cause of the problem or if it's them. I don't really care, it's the way of the world and I'm fine with it.

Darting past the now fallen Berers I turn back, now standing from where they came. I turned around because the glare of the Sun was annoying, but now that is their problem and my advantage.

For me, there are still two options I could take at this point. To run at the place that I am going to or to stay and fight a little more. They have very bad luck.

The six brats whose names I have never cared to remember were coming at me from the front. I advanced while sidestepping to my right twice, before doing it again faster but in the opposite direction. Then I took one of them by surprise with a kick to the crotch.

"Ouchh!" He fell to the ground, rolling and grabbing his thingy as he hissed in pain.

I didn't hold back at all. Why would I?

I smiled. When that kid fell, they all stopped their charge. I can see hesitation clearly written across their faces. I don't blame them for that, I am very vicious in fights. It's fun.

From the start of the fight until now, barely nine or ten seconds have passed. Slow for experienced warriors but insanely fast to a bunch of kids like us.

The realization that they completely failed to do whatever they wanted to accomplish dawning on them just now.

Harry and Ars weren't the only ones who participate in the fights at the tavern. I have won a fair amount and, naturally, I have lost a lot more. I know that I can hold my ground with drunkards, they stopped going easy on me when they realized how much of a bastard I can be, after all.

The children turned around and started running with all their might while shouting a varied sort of things as if they were running from the end of the world. They shouted very different things, expressing their girly inner emotions, I even made out an 'Amazing, you saw it?' and an 'I saw nothing, he's fast!'

"I will spare your lives this once," I said casually.

I will let them escape this time. I am feeling magnanimous today. Bet that they don't know that word. I know uncommon words, but they? they know nothing!

Ha, they will see, if I catch them alone I will give them such a beating that their brains will start working.

"Hmm." I rub my cheek. It hurts a lot less than it should have been if I didn’t jump back.

I kept walking across the alleys for a while more before I stepped again into the main street.

A little bit after and almost at my destination a sudden shout startled me out of my thoughts. "Naaran!" A cheerful voice called my name.

I turned to the owner of the voice and saw a familiar face.

"What's up?" I replied, avoiding saying her name because I don't recall it, and it would be awkward to ask for it yet another time.

Funny. I remember asking her what was her name a week ago but don’t remember her name itself. It's not to be annoying, it's merely that I am bad at remembering names.

This girl is my age. She has blonde hair and green eyes. She is wearing a very colorful and pretty green and blue dress. You can tell with one glance that it's very expensive. She isn't unaccompanied. A taller girl followed after her, who I think is her sister. Her age must be between thirteen or fifteen years old and her appearance is similar to her sister.

I wonder why is she shouting to draw my attention. I rarely talk to her.

Upon reaching me she took a moment to catch her breath. Such pitiful stamina, there wasn't even a need to run because I stopped walking when I heard her.

"Hey! are you okay?" She asked me.

"I am fine."

"I just heard from the boys that they fought with you."

I raised an eyebrow but nodded.

"They said... that you were a pitiful sight."

I shrugged. "Being a miserable sight is like my job."

The girl giggled. "Well, you aren't hurt, right?"

I smiled and said with mock contempt. "As if these flies could do more than annoy me a little."

The big sister stepped forward.

"Mph! You are always talking big words, you little runt." Her big sister interrupts to share her unwelcome opinion. "Aren't you just a thief? Didn't you run away from the only orphanage in the town and have to live in the streets? Something is wrong with your head." 'Didn't he kill someone too?' She muttered so quietly that it was a miracle that I heard it over the street noise.

I decided to kept silent. Arguing about that would gain me naught.

"Leave him alone!" My classmate said angrily at her big sister.

As if incested by my lack of reaction the big sister continued. "Won't you ever behave like a normal kid? Do you even care about what others think of you?"

"Well, yes, but also no," I replied snarkily. "It's only natural for me to boast like that, how could a brute like you ever fathom to comprehend my awesomeness." I shook my head, staring sadly at a random spot in the street ahead.

Big sister glared at me but the younger one nodded her head in agreement with a big smile on her face. "You are so funny, I think you are the awesomest!"

Although I am almost sure that such a word doesn't exist, I like her way of thinking. She gets it.

"Of cou-"

"We don't have time for this Dalia." Big sister interrupted my reply while grabbing her sisters' hand.

Oh, that is it! Diala. That was her name.

The sisters raised an eyebrow as if guessing what I just thought by reading my expression.

She took Dalia by the hand and started to move away. "Let me go!" Although Dalia tried to resist, her attempt was useless as she was easily dragged away. Sill, her sister stopped leaving. "Naaran!" Dalia shouted and her expression turned sad immediately after. "We are leaving with Papa today." Her eyes watering. "And he don't listen!" She wept a little. "I don't wanna leave my friends."

Huh, so she considers me her friend?

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Not everybody needs to know, Dalia, let's go." She started walking again. Delia waved at me goodbye. I waved back awkwardly.

"Take care, then!" I babbled as a farewell.

They soon left my sight.

I can count the times that I remember talking to her with the fingers of my hand. I would say that much isn't enough to make us friends but whatever.

I have friends. Not the kind that I would trust with a secret, though. Not even a little one. Well, okay. I don't have real friends. I wouldn't even give these friends my back for a second but that is different. We are used to pranks and teasing, standing in the other's back without his awareness and suddenly covering his head and face with a cloth to give him a beating between everyone. Boys' normal stuff.

Yet again I resumed my walk. This one has been a longer walk than usual.

What should I read next once I get to the library? Yesterday I just finished reading a book that talked about some enchanted places that exist around the world. They have many names, called The Laberynths by the people around here, Dungeons in others, and even Sanctuaries in another continent.

In these places are high concentrations of mana and creatures are created and born in there. Although people think that these places are the fruits of divine intervention, the book's author thought otherwise. He theorized that these places are living creatures, maybe even sentient. There are a lot of different labyrinths, some don't even resemble caves but completely different ecosystems. The forms that they are organized and the treasures found in there seem especially made to lure people inside, and if that is not scary enough there have been records of labyrinths suddenly trapping people inside.

Why would someone go underground to such a place to kill monsters? According to the book, the treasures are difficult to find but danger is guaranteed in every one of them. If you want to sell the corpse or something wouldn't be better to go kill monsters in a normal mountain or forest?

We have the Great Wild just a few kilometers away. It has never been really explored, and there are lots of unknown creatures roaming inside. Its size is enormous though but at least it's not underground. Entrances to labyrinths aren't necessarily on the side of mountains. They just are found there more frequently. Now that I think about it I have never heard of a Laberynth being found inside the Great Wild by the few lucky survivors that have escaped it.

The Great Wild is a mythical forest. In there, monsters don't spawn and treasures are just natural resources. Its size when compared with a labyrinth is like a moon and an ant.

So, it's possible for there to be undiscovered laberynths inside the Great Wild. Even after thousands of years. But what if the Great Wild is a Labyrinth by itself? I pause my stride for a second but continue as if nothing happened.

That line of thought I will leave for another time, for now, I have arrived at the library.