"So what's your name?" Kai asked whilst carrying the threaded bag.
"I'm Number 5, the elite guard of Aluth. There are six of us," Five stated flatly, his eyes forward as though the words were a badge.
"Six? How old are you?"
Kai was curious, though he knew curiosity killed in this city.
"I'm fifteen. The youngest is fourteen, the oldest is seventeen. Now shut up and let's go back to Aluth."
"Okay…" Kai didn't know how to process that, but he didn't dwell on it.
They walked through streets that twisted like ribs around the heart of the district. Kai's grip tightened on the bag. The red threads twitched faintly, alive in a way that made him feel like he was carrying something breathing. Five walked ahead with the kind of confidence that only came from memorizing every crack in the stones.
At the entrance, a curtain of bones rattled as they stepped through. Inside was the same dim chamber Kai had seen before — smoky lanterns, shadows thick with whispers, and at the center, Aluth. He sat like a king in parody, limbless on his throne, his body threaded with cords that pulsed faintly like veins that belonged to the city rather than to flesh. Around him lounged children with sharp eyes and sharper knives.
Five strutted forward, proud despite his age. "We've returned."
Aluth's lips curled into a grin. "Ahh, my courier returns, and he hasn't exploded. Wonderful." His pale eyes flicked to the bag Kai carried. "Bring it here."
Kai set the bag down carefully at the base of the throne. The red threads quivered, then slithered up to rejoin the cords wound around Aluth. The fusion looked natural, like feeding roots drinking water.
"Untouched. Good," Aluth crooned. "Do you know what's inside, stray?"
Kai shook his head. "Didn't look. Didn't want to."
Aluth let out a wheeze that might've been laughter. "Smart boy. Curiosity is a knife in this city — sharper the longer you hold it, and sooner or later, it cuts the hand."
The children tittered on cue, though their eyes never left Kai.
"Now," Aluth said, rubbing the stump of one arm against his chest as though thinking, "for your reward. You risked your hide, carried my little treasure, and managed not to lose it. Remarkable. Truly remarkable. So here is your payment."
He gestured, poorly. One of the younger kids trotted over and pressed something into Kai's hand.
Kai looked down. Three battered coins — two sovereign chips and one token from an arcade long dead.
"…This is it? You said three blood coins? " he asked.
Aluth leaned forward, grinning wide enough to show the gaps in his teeth. "What, you wanted gold bars? A palace? Perhaps a pension plan? No you get what you get. "
Kai raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking something that at least buys food."
"Oh, these buy food," Aluth said solemnly. "Not good food, not warm food, not food that won't poison you eventually — but food nonetheless. That's luxury."
Five smirked. "Told you not to expect much."
Kai held up the arcade token. "This one's not even currency."
"On the contrary," Aluth said, voice sharp with mock gravity. "That token is priceless. With it, you may gain entry into the divine halls of 'Fun Zone,' where children once wasted fortunes to throw rings at plastic ducks. A relic of power."
The kids around him snickered.
Kai slipped the coins into his pocket with a sigh. "Guess I'll flip one later to decide if I'm coming back."
Aluth's grin deepened. "Oh, you'll be back. This city doesn't let go. It chews, and chews, until the bone tastes sweeter than the meat. And you, my boy—" his eyes glittered—"have the look of someone who doesn't even know he's already on the menu."
The chamber fell quiet, the children shifting in their seats. Then Aluth leaned back, wheezing out another laugh. "Go now. Spend your fortune wisely. Or lose it gambling. Either way, I'll hear the story."
Five tugged at Kai's sleeve, dragging him toward the curtain. As they left, Kai muttered, "I risked my neck for pocket change and a joke."
Five smirked. "Welcome to working for Aluth. Payment and a punchline, always the same."
Kai shook his head, the coins heavy in his pocket despite their worthlessness. Somehow, he already knew he'd end up carrying another bag before long.