Wednesday, 9th August, 2006 – the Zeta Squad had teleported out of Spain. They appeared in Death Valley, eastern California, USA. It was around four in the afternoon. The scorching sun greeted them, accompanied by brief hot gusts of dry air – the kind which pulled moisture straight out of your lungs.
The squad stood on a rocky ridge with scattered boulders stretching out where the ground sloped away into a pale emptiness. The rocks radiated heat, and the distant salt flats shimmered like water.
Gina quickly brought out scarves for everyone from her umro bag.
"Put on your robes, guys," the captain said. "And cover your faces and heads with the scarves. The heat here can kill you."
It was 42 degrees Celsius – a warmer welcome than the squad had hoped for.
Camille looked around. "Why are we even here?" She wrapped the scarf around her head and added, "There's nothing out there for miles."
"Corrupted arcanists are contaminating the land." Hugo patted his sister on the shoulder. "We are simply looking for answers. And what better place to start than this?"
"This?" said Marcus. "The nothingness?"
"The biggest market of magical charms and artifacts is currently at Badwater, about two kilometres from here."
"You want us to walk two kilometres in this heat?"
"No, Marcus." The senior Zaatsu smirked. "We'll use what we learn for a living. Ki-propulsions and a bit of running should get us there in minutes."
The Zeta Squad moved quickly thereafter. They used cloaking spells to mask their presence and moved in streaks of motion that barely disturbed the silence. Heat and Ki bent the air around them as they crossed the parched valley floor. Even the Ki currents felt off in the valley. It felt sluggish, as though the place swallowed every ounce of vitality and gave nothing back.
In minutes, they arrived at the Badwater Basin – an endorheic basin in Death Valley.
"We're here," said Hugo.
The others looked around, confused. No vegetation. No animals. No sounds. There was nothing there – just an eerie stillness. The only movement was of their own shadows cut sharp on the salt and the faint ripple of hot air. The earth there was not earth at all. It was just a crust of salt, sharp-edged and dry as bone. And beneath it lay the lowest point of the continent – 86 metres below sea level, quiet and merciless.
"Where?" Camille asked.
Hugo smiled. "This is exactly what our Regal Palace looks like to those who don't know where it is."
He crouched and placed his right palm flat on the ground. The heat bit into his skin, and he reflexively flinched, lifting his hand a fraction. A thin veil of Ki shimmered around his palm as he steadied himself and pressed down again, this time through the invisible barrier. He took a deep breath and whispered, "TEXEMES-TEXER. AXAROS-TEXON. VIVAXUM-EXIMUS. LAXUM-POL…"
A faint aura engulfed him. As he looked up, it rushed ahead. Dust rose from the ground as a pathway carved itself open in front of them.
The group looked on in astonishment. "Looks like a tunnel," said Camille.
Hugo pushed himself back to his feet. He glanced briefly at his palm, half-checking for burns that were not there, then brushed the dust from his hands.
"That's the entrance to the Moving Bazaar," he said. "Gina, Marc, you guys are gonna have to stay here to keep an eye on who enters and leaves… if anyone does at all. The rest of us will go in and see if we can't find anything useful."
They nodded. He added, "It might take us a while to get back. Keep yourselves hydrated and remain out of sight. Ok?"
The duo nodded once again. "Understood," said Marcus.
Hugo looked at Camille and Neil. "Camouflage spells, guys."
"What for?" asked Neil.
"Your cloaks, and even the faces just to be sure. No one inside should know that you're from the Eye."
"Are we hiding from something?"
"No. But we don't want to draw attention just yet."
The duo used a camouflaging spell to alter the appearance of their cloaks. Instead of the usual beige, they appeared black now and the Eye insignia vanished completely. Moreover, a masking spell rendered their faces unrecognizable.
"Good," said Hugo as he nodded. He too masked himself and camouflaged his cloak, and off they went.
Gina and Marcus watched as the trio walked into the tunnel. As soon as they stepped inside, the entrance vanished.
"Master Baylis said to stay out of sight," Gina said. "There's nothing here to hide behind."
"True that." Marcus nodded. "Let's head up to the rocks again. We'll be able to hide there while keeping an eye on this area."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go."
The duo quickly went up to the rocky area once more and hid themselves behind some boulders.
Hugo, Camille, and Neil had crossed through.
"It's an actual bazaar," Camille whispered, observing around, as they walked out of the tunnel on the other side.
"And it's huge," Neil added with a gasp. "It feels like it's stretched out for miles."
Hugo nodded and said, "Indeed. Stay sharp though. Keep your faces hidden and pockets and bags protected. The lift artists here are unusually skilled and can steal from more than just your bags."
The elder brother led, and the younger siblings followed, weaving through the maze that was the Moving Bazaar. Famed for its stalls of magical artifacts, charms, potions, and weapons, the Bazaar was a one-stop haven for Cultists and rogues alike. But behind its shimmering stalls and courteous vendors, an entire ring of black-marketeers thrived. Illegal relics, banned tomes, and cursed objects were traded in whispers and sealed deals.
"We should have taken off the cloaks," Neil said. "It's hardly 30 degrees in here."
"Well below 30," Hugo responded. "And it stays consistent throughout the year."
Camille looked at him. "Woah. Really?"
"Yup. The weather here never changes."
Neil looked up saying, "You said the place is like the Palace. Hardly seems like it. Its atmosphere is nothing like the outside."
"Indeed." Hugo nodded. "The Palace and Ayn are merely hidden. This place doesn't even exist on the same plane as the rest of the world."
The Bazaar was indeed hidden like the Regal Palace – invisible, translucent, and untethered. Yet, the enchantment concealing it was far more complicated than any used by the Eye or known by its masters. Within its boundaries, the climate never shifted: temperatures remained mild, air pressure steady, humidity constant. The Bazaar itself never lingered in one place for more than a month, had no single entry point, and could not be found by anyone who had not already set foot within its bounds.
"It felt like you used quite a bit of Ki to reveal the entrance back there," said Camille. "The spell seemed complicated too."
Hugo took a deep breath and then chuckled. "Yup… getting in is complicated. The spell to reveal the entrance is not just complex, it changes with every location as well."
They walked in deeper. The further they went, the busier it got. The Bazaar buzzed with restless energy. Merchants were calling from every doorway and edge of every tent with voices laced with enchantments to draw attention. Camille and Neil stared at the stalls overflowing with talismans, potions, and weapons that shimmered with faint Ki, and worked hard to avoid the swift-tongued hustlers weaving through the crowd, eager to bargain, flatter, or swindle before their next mark vanished into the maze. Every turn was a riot of colour, sound, and promise – part market, part illusion.
Neil rushed ahead and caught up with Hugo. "Hey, bro," he said. "How much of this is black?"
"The stuff visible on the outside is hardly ever illegal... you've got to dig inside." The elder Zaatsu leaned closer. "But to be honest, illegal items far outweigh the legal, visible ones."
Camille cut in between the duo. "Then why doesn't the Eye or Order shut it down?" she asked.
Hugo smiled as he looked at her and said, "Don't tell me you've never heard the stories of the Haymati…"
If anyone ever attempted to attack the Moving Bazaar and shut its operations down, they would face the Haymati: phantoms – hundreds strong – who rose from the shadows and fell from the sky to defend it. And not one person had ever survived a bout with the Haymati.
"Haymati live here?" she asked wide-eyed. "Everyone knows the stories!"
Some believed they were remnants of the ancient Order of Assassins, cursed by the Mystics of the Sanctums of Prostasia to guard the Bazaar for an eternity. Others claimed they were the spirits of fallen Sanctum masters themselves. Yet both tales were disputed, for even the earliest records of the Sanctums spoke of the Bazaar's existence – an establishment said to predate their rise. And even then, it was guarded by the Haymati.
Hugo nodded. "Yup, they do."
Neil stared wide-eyed. "I thought they were a myth."
The captain eventually stopped at a stall. Leaning forward, he began observing the artifacts set up for sale while his siblings stood either side of him.
Camille leaned closer and whispered, "What are we looking for?"
"Him," he whispered back as a salesman approached.
"How may I be of service, good folks?" the man asked.
The Sokidu looked up and saw the salesman wearing a weathered leather vest over a pale shirt, the kind of thing cowboys used to wear. But he had topped it off with a faded baseball cap, like a man who had traded horses for hustles.
"We are looking for a levitation charm," Hugo said. "Do you have one?"
The younger siblings were surprised. They took another look at the two tables in front of them, laden with handmade jewellery and decoration items, and the many display panels behind the man with similar objects. They were charmed alright, but to enhance their beauty and appeal. Nothing strong enough to physically assist in flying.
The salesman placed his hands on the table between them and slowly leaned ahead. "Why don't you step inside, sir?" he said in a low, hushed voice. "I believe you'll like what I've got behind the curtains…"