Wind of Death wore robes that completely covered her body, as preferred by the residents of the Heart of the Sand, and a veil that hid most of her face. When she also pulled up the hood of her cloak, it was very hard to tell she was an orc, just like the leader of the Elite Ten she brought with her.
Advancing through the streets that resembled a maze and constantly twisted, making it impossible to see the exit, they reached the place they wanted, and a wall three times the height of Wind of Death appeared before them.
"To the right!"
While Soul Stealer kept an eye out, Wind of Death took the lead and started advancing through a crack she could only pass through by turning sideways. Since the Leader of the Elite Ten wasn't as burly as her, she was more comfortable, and turning her back to the other orc, she walked backward and continued to follow her.
Their advance through the strange passage at the end of the dead-end street took about a minute; when Wind of Death stepped into the void, her weapon was right in front of her, but a few seconds later, the expression on her face completely changed.
"What kind of a thing is this?"
It was as if they had changed dimensions and stepped into that reward world mentioned in legends. Soul Stealer was thinking these things as she crushed the vine shoots catching on her foot. Looking around with the help of her eyes shining through the only exposed part of her clothes, she was at least as astonished as Wind of Death.
"Ma'am, is this really the place we wanted to come to?"
The orc warrior, getting completely lost in the shadow of her Commander-in-Chief who hadn't taken a single step forward, whispered into her ear after getting very close, but it was obvious she wouldn't get the answer she wanted immediately. Wind of Death had raised her head, examining the structure that had thousands of small holes on it and consisted of the union of dozens of domes.
If the inside was as bright as day, it was thanks to this design; even though the ceiling height only reached five paces, the dome-shaped structure provided a spacious atmosphere inside. When the burly female orc lowered her gaze from the heights to the ground, she focused on the people sitting at small tables arranged around the fountain inside the ornamental pool filled with water.
While some drank the colorful beverages in oval glasses in a single gulp, those sitting at the tables next to them slowly sipped the steaming brown liquids in porcelain cups. The limping man arriving with a round tray in his hand was refilling the emptied goblets, while at the same time signaling to others calling him that he would be there in a moment.
"Are you going to buy something? Otherwise, stop blocking the front of the shop!"
When the duo, focused on what was happening around them, turned toward the direction the voice came from, the axe in Wind of Death's hand hit the metal armor on the wooden counter, and the resulting sound echoed along the twisting corridor. Those at the doors of the shops lined up like a long caterpillar glued to each other and those chatting at the small tables turned to them for a second, and then continued their business as if nothing had happened.
"I'm talking to you, hey, are you deaf?"
The shop owner called out once again to the burly orc in front of his counter where he displayed all kinds of armor, but this time he would get his answer.
"There's nothing of interest to me among the crappy armors you sell. Just tell me how I can get to the place where the auction will be held."
The stocky man, breathing heavily by flaring the nostrils of his hook-like, forward-bending nose wide open, seemed about to say something but gave up after his eye caught a spot in the distance.
"I'm sure you wouldn't be able to find it even if I gave you directions. For a reasonable fee, I can take you there!"
Soul Stealer flipped a gold coin, and the shop owner moved his counter inside within seconds and took his place in front of them. Even though his body looked fatty from not moving for a long time, his steps were quick, and he navigated the identical streets like a fish in water.
After turning one corner, another followed, and after making eye contact with Soul Stealer coming behind her, Wind of Death found herself inside a dark street.
"You idiot, we've been waiting for you for half an hour!"
The merchant acting as a guide left their side with an agility he hadn't shown along the way and moved next to another man slowly emerging from the shadows.
"I brought them the long way around so they wouldn't get suspicious. Now, can I get my money?"
When the shop owner finished his words, others also came out of the dark corners and surrounded the two orcs. The entrance and exit were blocked, and nearly ten people were present here as well, just in case they wanted to jump onto the roofs of the shops and escape.
"What's the rush, rabbit? Let's take care of our business first, then I'll give you your money. Don't worry, you are the goose that lays my golden eggs; as long as you don't crow out of turn, your head will always stay with you!"
When a dagger coming from nowhere appeared at the shop owner's throat, the stocky man could only blink to show he understood, but the pale gleam of the metal still illuminated his face.
"As for you, curse your luck now. It's clear you're new around here and it's your first time coming to the Grand Bazaar, but going and trusting the first guy you see is your own stupidity.
Leave whatever you have on you, then I will spare your lives, I would like to say, but we Vultures are famous for leaving no one behind us!"
When the slim-built man with long hair, carrying small throwing knives numbering up to twenty on his black leather clothes, finished his words, laughter was heard from the team surrounding the two orcs. Judging by their relaxed demeanor, this place was under their dominion; they were sure no one could interfere with their business.
"What a coincidence, usually I act like this too, but making an exception today, I will leave one of you alive. Like you said, I am new here and I need someone to show me the way!"
The atmosphere they created was enough for a normal person to start begging for their life. The words of the person referring to themselves as Vultures said they had witnessed such scenes many times before, but it was impossible for them to have heard the answer Wind of Death gave.
"Look at this one? You've either lost your mind out of fear, or you're putting on the best act I've ever seen!"
When the man dressed head-to-toe in black leather pulled the dagger in his hand from the shop owner's throat and took a step forward, the others also got into an attack position.
"Soul Stealer, is there anyone among them who would be of use to you?"
The battle was about to begin, but Wind of Death was relaxed enough to turn her back and talk to the Leader of the Elite Ten. Seeing this behavior of hers, four people leaped from the roofs of the facing shops and dropped themselves down to thrust their short swords into her body.
"Maybe this one holding the dagger could be a bit skilled, but the rest won't be any different from the souls of wild beasts!"
"Good, we'll see what he's made of in a bit!"
Just as the four people were about to reach her body, Wind of Death finished her words; her cloak fluttered out of nowhere, and a breath later, it started raining blood on the two orcs. The four people who jumped from the roofs of the shops stretching along the two sides of the dead-end street were in at least twenty pieces when they landed.
Soul Stealer knew what was one step ahead of her; perhaps the man, who took his other dagger into his hand along with his dilating pupils, might have seen something too, but the rest had absolutely no idea what had happened.
"Attack, attack all together!"
There was no doubt, the person speaking on behalf of the Vultures sensed the danger, and the best idea that came to his mind was to crush the enemy using numerical superiority. He hadn't made a mistake, he chose a method that almost always worked, but today he was unlucky enough to encounter an exception to the rule.
If each of them ran in different directions, perhaps a few could escape Wind of Death's grasp, but now they were running toward their Grim Reaper. Her double-headed axe appeared in her hand, and first those coming from above, then those holding the exit of the street, and finally whoever was blocking her path until she reached the man trying to escape by throwing the daggers in his hands, were torn to pieces.
"Soul Stealer, we have two people left, which one do you think we should choose?"