Chapter Text
The tunnels were damp and stuffy as you wandered down long, seemingly never-ending corridors with infinite twists and turns. This isn't the first time you've wandered these tunnels, and it certainly won't be the last. At the heart of the tunnels lay the Black Market, a place where barterers and buyers from all over gather to exchange goods. Rumor had it that it was just as, if not more dangerous than the rest of the tunnels.
You needed to find this place.
Your finger gently grazed the blade of the knife you brought to defend yourself. As far as you knew, you could get jumped any second and needed to be on high alert, especially since you were a newcomer. You weren't sure how the people down here reacted to guests. This was the furthest into the depths you had ever gone, after all. Nothing wrong with a little preparation.
The still air felt borderline suffocating. Shouldn't you have been there by now? You looked around in attempts to collect you bearings, try to figure out which direction you should go. As you looked around at all of the twists and turns and different paths, the one you were taking blended with the rest.
Which direction was it again....?
You heart began to race. You weren't sure which direction was forward, backward, left or right from the direction you came from. What if you wound up taking a backwards direction and getting further away? Or taking a wrong turn and looping back on yourself? You understood that these tunnels were vast, a labyrinth of dirt and dust, but you never thought you could get so turned around like this by simply looking around. The sameness of each passage only made everything worse as you analyzed the tunnels for any sort of familiarity.
The sound of light footsteps tore you from your thoughts.
You gripped the hilt of your knife and whipped around, ready to fight. There were more footsteps. They seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, and yet no one was visible. You could only continue to make small turns, searching for anything that could be your target.
Multiple sets of footsteps stopped. Your heart raced in your chest as you held back from panting.
Suddenly a figure leaped from the shadows to attack. Another emerged from a tunnel, also advancing and aiding in the fight. You swung your knife and made contact with the one behind you, who let out a pained yelp and backed off a bit. As you lunged at the second person, another person grabbed you by your wrists and pinned your knife to your forearm with their thumb. Another came to restrain you again, and the one in front of you (who now had a few bleeding cuts) started rummaging through your pockets and trying to find anything valuable. You grunted and attempted to struggle free, wrestling for your arms back, but to no avail.
Another set of footsteps came running toward you. There was the hollow sound of thin metal slamming against flesh, and you were free. You immediately took on a defensive stance, ignoring the stranger who helped you. One of the attackers lunged forward, and you sidestepped and struck.
The battle went on for a few more moments before the attackers realized that they couldn't get anywhere with you, that now you were simply too much trouble than you were worth. The sound of the retreating and running away stopped the adrenaline in your veins and your legs gave out, causing you to fall to your knees in the dirt.
"Are you alright?" The last remaining person asked. You looked in their direction.
This must have been the man who helped you. His voice was soft and low, but a little bit gruff. His hair was almost the same shade as snow, and his skin wasn't much further away. One singular eye was visible from beneath his hair, a charming, warm grey color tinted with red. The man was dressed in a rather impressive black jacket and hat, adorned with chokers and necklaces. Three things stood out most to you. The first was his massive shovel, the second was the cross attached to his necklace, and the third was the flower on his jacket, a delicate white thing in the dark and dusty tunnel.
"Yes- yes, I'm fine, thank you," You said with a relieved sigh, dusting yourself off. You certainly were not free from injury, but you could examine the damage later.
“Newcomers like yourself need to be more careful down here,” the man said, almost as though the notion were a suggestion. “People who are familiar with the area will eat you alive.”
”How come you aren’t?” You asked, tilting your head curiously. “Were they trying to kill me or rob me?”
”Probably both,” the man said with a sigh, casting his gaze toward the tunnel ahead. “I see no point in trying to rob someone who has nothing. Besides, most down here might try to take revenge… I want no part in that.”
You nodded, your gaze still locked on his scarred face and hooked nose. The man seemed to stiffen under your gaze, shifting his weight uncomfortably.
Maybe this man could help you find what you were looking for.
“I need help finding the Black Market,” You stated.
”What business would someone like you have there?” The man asked. He didn’t look like he meant it to be offensive, but the fluctuations in his tone contradicted his curiously tilted head.
“Something was taken from my family,” You responded. “I have reason to suspect it might be floating around somewhere down there. Could you take me?”
The man shifted a bit. He seemed to do so quite often, like he was in a perpetual state of discomfort. “Yes, I can take you,” The man answered. “But there are strict rules you must abide by if you wish to interact with our world.”
”I can do that,” You assured the man with a short nod.
The man nodded in response. “This way,” he said, giving the tunnels a quick glance around before continuing back the way you came.
Great, now you looked like an idiot. The way you picked was the complete wrong direction. Maybe the man would have mercy on a newcomer, and hopefully wouldn’t treat you like you have no base intelligence. It wasn’t your fault these tunnels were designed like a maze of endless confusion.
You jogged a few steps to catch up to the man’s brisk pace. You were honestly surprised at how quickly he could move while hauling that big shovel. You figured maybe he needed it for something, since he did live underground.
“The first and most important thing that I need you to remember is that the Black Market is strictly pacifist,” the man explained, keeping his eyes locked straight ahead and at the walls around us. “There are guards in place to ensure no fighting breaks out, so don’t start anything.”
”Why would I start anything?” You asked, almost offended that he’d assume you were such a brute. But then you recalled being attacked here and deduced that maybe being ruthless was part of the culture down here.
The man sighed. “The second thing you must remember is that everyone down here is entitled to their secrets. Everyone is going to keep to themselves-“
”How is that going to help me find what I’m looking for?” You asked flatly.
“You didn’t let me finish,” The man said, echoing your flat tone. “Everyone is entitled to keeping their secrets. A form of trade here is the purchasing and selling of information, including those secrets. Never ask direct questions if you want free information. No one will spill anything about anyone for free.”
”Then why are you telling me all of this?” You asked suspiciously. “You think I’m gonna owe you later?”
”I never said I would give away anyone’s secrets,” He clarified. “All I said was that I would help you to the Black Market and that’s all. It would be a shame for you to die on the way there is all. It would give everyone down here a poor reputation.”
“What about your name?” You asked, jogging a bit to get up next to him. “Is your name one of those secrets I have to pay for?”
”You may call me Nether Pact.”
You looked the man over again, committing his name to memory. "Quite fitting," You said with a short nod.
Nether Pact didn't look back at you, instead he pressed his lips together and continued onward.
It seemed he did not take well to compliments.
We walked in silence for a short while. It was nowhere close to comfortable silence. It was painful, awkward silence, solely because of Nether Pact, and you knew it. You knew your goal, and you didn't care what it took to reach it. You didn't mind having to be guided by someone else so long as you could get to the Black Market and find what was taken from your family. However, Nether Pact's demeanor was a lot more sheepish, shy. He seemed wary of you, but not in a way that made you think he was wary of potential danger. No, he just seemed scared of people, socially awkward.
And yet, despite this fear, he still helped you.
You sped up to walk shoulder to shoulder with him. "So... what's life like living down here?" You asked, grasping at anything to ease his ever-growing awkwardness.
"Rough, mostly," He said with a tone that would have warranted a sigh afterward, but one never came. "Resources down here are scarce. It's very competitive, but most of us would be worse off on the surface."
"How so?" You asked curiously.
"Some of us are escaped criminals, some didn't have the means to make it up there," Nether Pact explained, almost solemnly. "Some of us just... found solace here and never left, despite the difficulty of living."
You nodded after his explanation. "Which one are you? Or do you fall into a separate category?"
Nether Pact pressed his lips together again. He didn't answer immediately, and there was a hesitation in his eyes. It looked like he was deciding whether or not to trust you.
"I ran away," He explained, his voice soft. "The surface didn't want me, so I ran. I was a member of the church for a while, but eventually even they couldn't keep me. I can't chase others away from the Lord. There's no place for me on the surface."
You nodded along with his explanation. As he spoke his pace slowed just a bit, and his gaze grew distant. "I'm not sure I belong down here either..." He added quietly. "But at least here, my presence is tolerated."
Your gaze fell on his facial scars. Those could have easily been obtained down here, but you had a sinking feeling they weren't. A part of you pitied him. Aside from being scarily pale, there didn't seem to be much wrong with him. You sighed through your nose.
"What about you?" Nether Pact asked. His red gaze finally fell on you. He had this sad yet curious look about him, almost comparable to a lost puppy had he not appeared so rugged and worn. "You're here for an heirloom, no? Your family must have some sum of money."
"We do, or... used to," You explained. Nether Pact took a turn into an offshoot tunnel and you followed. You blinked as your eyes adjusted to the dimly lit tunnel. "We've been experiencing financial issues for a few years now, ever since I was a child it's been a problem. Now the severity is... extreme."
Nether Pact sighed. In one single breath you could detect his pity for you, yet also a small hint of distain. "No wonder your family's heirloom was stolen and sold," He said. "If your family was rich and collapsing, it would be the perfect time to make way with something of value."
"That's exactly what I was thinking," You agreed, nodding once. "The thing I lost was a necklace. I was only ever allowed to look at it, since it was made with a real diamond. It has to be worth a large amount..."
Nether Pact seemed to perk up a bit at the mention of large sums of money. You held back your disappointment. Of course he would do such a thing, he lived underground where there were no resources and hardly any money. You gave him a very subtle look. "My family was considering selling it when it got stolen. I couldn't let them do such a thing, even for that much money. A past family member found the diamond himself and crafted the necklace for his wife, who passed it down. I couldn't let that go to waste."
Your explanation seemed to deter him from the thought of stealing, hopefully. You reminded yourself not to put all of your trust into this individual, no matter how well put together and somewhat indescribable he appeared. This man was from underground. If he wanted your money to survive, he could easily take it much faster than you could save it.
Then again, if he really wanted to hurt you, he likely would have done it by now, nor would he have saved you from those robbers earlier. What reason did you have not to trust him?
"Just remember the rules," Nether Pact urged you. It seemed you were approaching the Black Market. Nather pact appeared visibly more jittery than previously, making you wonder what was to come.
You and Nether Pact exited the tunnel. It gave way into an extremely large cave, bustling with activity. Tables were scattered everywhere; different vendors seated at different tables with large setups showcasing their wares. People moved from vendor to vendor in an almost scattered fashion, making the place almost overwhelming to look at. Against the back wall, at the very center, stood a large building that people seemed to stay away from, save for a few people. A mysterious figure sat inside, adorned with gold. I furrowed my brow, giving a skeptical yet curious look.
"That's Gold Foil," Nether Pact quietly explained. He runs the entire Black Market. People say he's the most powerful man down here."
"Do you believe it?" You asked, matching his quiet voice.
"Yes," Nether Pact said with a short nod. He motioned toward the walls. "He has guards posted everywhere to keep the peace. If you are even suspected of breaking the rules, you'll be thrown out of the Black Market and possibly banned for a period of time."
You followed Nether Pact's motion. You hadn't even noticed the guards patrolling the market. Despite their build, they seemed to blend in so well. It was honestly a bit jarring.
"Are you afraid of them?" You asked Nether Pact. He motioned for you to follow him, so you did.
Nether pact shook his head. "No," He answered. "Those guards are in place only to keep the peace, they care about nothing more."
You nodded, following Nether Pact closely. You couldn't help but notice the way he almost recoiled when people looked at him, a reflex he was trying very hard to control. The more people stared, the more apparent his recoil became, until he simply ducked his head and kept his eyes covered with the brim of his hat.
"Where are we going?" You asked Nether Pact, widening your stride to keep pace with him.
Nether Pact seemed to snap out of whatever fear induced delusion he was experiencing at the sound of your question. "Ah- right. I know a vendor that may have what you're looking for," He explained. "And if not... we'll have to purchase the information."
You nodded. "Take me to them."
Nether Pact nodded, nodding in the direction he wanted you to follow. You walked closely behind him, glancing back for the sole purpose of calming your own nerves. It was against the rules to start fights, but you could never be too sure.
Nether Pact brought you to one of the vendors. He stood to the side and allowed you to scan the table. The vendor greeted you, and you greeted them back with a smile, before letting it fade and examining their wares. Nether Pact watched curiously from the side, toying with a golden chain necklace before looking at his own silver ones. He huffed a sigh.
"Having trouble finding something?" The vendor asked.
"I'm looking for a necklace," I said. "It has a gold chain and a diamond gemstone, have you seen anything like it?"
"Rather specific," The vendor commented. "Lose something?"
I nodded. "I lost-"
Suddenly, Nether Pact stepped closer. "Do you have it or not?" He asked, putting his arm in front of you. His voice didn't sound stern or threatening in the slightest, but it was enough to make you pause in your sentence. If anything, it was a bit surprising.
"No, my apologies," The vendor said. "I'm not carrying anything like that right now."
Nether Pact nodded. "Then we'll be on our way," He said. "Thank you."
With that, Nether Pact began walking away, and I followed, jogging a bit to catch up with his brisk steps.
"Remember, people trade secrets down here as well," Nether Pact said softly. "They'll do anything to sneak free information from you. Be careful, okay?"
You nodded. "Sorry," You whispered back. "I'll be careful."
You followed Nether Pact around to each and every jewelry or precious gemstone vendor in the Market, but each and every one came up with nothing. You began to lose hope. There were only a few more vendors left, and you severely doubted you would find the necklace at all. You desperately didn't want the trail to end here, but it quite possibly might.
Nether Pact approached the next vendor, the first of three. He began examining their wares, nodding at the display for you to look as well. There was a display of beautiful gemstone necklaces, all hanging from their own individual post. He looked at it, then glanced at you, then continued looking at it although he were looking for something to purchase.
You caught on quickly enough.
One of the holders was empty.
"Excuse me," Nether Pact said. His voice still came out quiet and almost timid. "What are the kinds of gemstones you sell here, on these necklaces?"
"Each one is made of real silver and gold, and each one is a different precious gem," The vendor explained. They rotated the display, showcasing each necklace. "We have each of the most popular kinds- ruby, garnet, amethyst, quartz, jade- you name it."
Nether Pact thought for a moment, gazing upon the precious gems. What is he doing? You asked yourself, tilting your head at him.
"I couldn't help but notice you don't carry diamond," He commented.
The vendor nodded. "My only diamond necklace sold not long before you came here," They explained. "My apologies, sir."
Nether Pact drew a small pouch from a hidden pocket inside his jacket. The vendor eyed him suspiciously.
"You wouldn't happen to have noticed any other vendors your buyer may have visited?"
"No, sir."
Nether Pact opened the pouch, revealing several shiny pieces of raw gold. "Maybe the direction he was headed?"
You finally understood. Information was also something you could buy and sell down here, which was exactly what Nether Pact was doing. He had already figured out that this vendor may have had your necklace, and he was trying to get information about the buyer for you. Your eyes widened ever so slightly, and you hoped that your face didn't look as shocked as you felt.
The vendor looked at the gold for a moment. "After buying the diamond necklace, he left the Market," The vendor explained, taking the pouch. "He looked like he was from the makeshift tunnels."
Nether Pact nodded. "Thank you," He said with a short nod before leading you away. He walked away speedily, his stride now carried with a sense of purpose.
You finally had a lead.
You followed Nether act out of the Black Market. "Thank you," You said to him. "I could have never done this without you-"
"Of course," Nether Pact said. For the first time, some semblance of a smile crossed his lips. For some odd reason, you felt your heart skip.
"I feel bad asking for more help..." You said, walking next to him. "But... I don't know where the makeshift tunnels are, or even what to look out for-"
"I wasn't planning on leaving you alone, you know," Nether Pact said softly. "I promised I would help you get your heirloom back."
You nodded, but recalled that he never promised such a thing. He only promised to lead you to the Black Market, and that was the end of it. However, you didn't mention the inconsistency, grateful for his assistance. You also noted that you had just met today, and yet he had a fierce dedication to your cause. Again, you didn't mention the thought.
Still, the question pressed at the forefront of your mind, distracting you from your journey. Why was he helping you? Did he just want something in return? Nothing in the underground tunnels ever came without a price, as Nether Pact taught you very quickly. And yet, as of right now, his assistance was completely free. Why?
"The makeshift tunnels are a bit far," Nether Pact said. "Do you mind if we take a detour to where I stay?"
Your face flushed a bit. "Your place?" You echoed.
"Yes," He said with a nod. "I have some food and a bit of water, we can rest there for a short time before heading to the makeshift tunnels. Unless, that is, you're determined to catch the person holding your heirloom."
You thought for a moment. You were quite hungry after all of this travelling around. However, you were so close to getting your necklace back. "We should go right to the makeshift tunnels," You decided.
Nether Pact nodded. "Understandable," He agreed. "Follow me."
Nether Pact led you down more and more tunnels. You were still amazed at how well he could navigate down here when every tunnel looked the same. He seemed to move with a calculated ease, immediately recognizing which tunnel he needed to take, knowing exactly where it led.
"How long have you lived down here to where you know the tunnels so well?" You asked.
"Quite some time," Nether Pact said with a slight sigh. "When all there is for one to do is scour the dirt for resources and wander to and from your home, you tend to learn your way quite quickly."
"It doesn't sound like a very... fun life to live," You pointed out.
Nether Pact sighed again. "What I have down here is better than what I would have had on the surface," He said solemnly.
"What might that have been?" You asked.
Nether Pact shook his head. "I prefer not to think about it," He said.
You dropped the topic despite your ever growing curiosity. It wasn't your place to pry, especially if he didn't want to talk about it. After all, knowledge wasn't worth losing your only chance at getting your necklace back and saving your family.
Finally, you reached the entrance of the makeshift tunnels. The tunnel itself was carelessly dug into the wall of the main tunnel, held upright by wooden support beams. You furrowed your brow and looked at Nether Pact questioningly. "You weren't kidding when you said 'makeshift'," You commented in criticism.
"The makeshift tunnels were dug by people who couldn't find themselves a place to live," Nether Pact explained. "It's a sort of offshoot community from the rest of the tunnels. They have their own information and goods trade down here. If we don't find your heirloom soon, it may be lost forever."
"Then we better find it fast then," You said with determination.
You started walking into the tunnel when Nether Pact grabbed your shoulder to stop you. "You forget," He said softly. "You don't know where you're going, or where it's safe to go."
You nodded, letting Nether Pact lead the way. The rickety tunnels were lined with offshoot tunnels, small rooms, and people peering from around corners at the sight of newcomers. Nether Pact shifted uncomfortably at their whispers, and even you found yourself shrinking away from their prying eyes just a little. You kept your eyes on Nether Pact, who was clearly getting increasingly uncomfortable.
"Are you alright?" You asked him, catching up to walk beside him. His expression was distant, his singular visible eye wider than usual. He gripped his shovel tightly in front of him, breathing through gritted teeth. "Nether Pact?"
You gently touched his shoulder. Nether Pact jumped and let out a small yelp, causing you to quickly recoil. The contact broke him from his trance.
"I asked if you were alright-" You repeated softly. "You seemed... distressed-"
"I- I'm okay-" Nether Pact insisted. "Yes- I'm okay."
You pressed your lips together, struggling to believe his shaky words. You took a long exhale through your nose, then when Nether Pact took one hand from his shovel, you took his hand in your own. Your thumb gently grazed his knuckles beneath his gloves as you rubbed his hand with it, hoping to provide some semblance of comfort. His entire body seemed to tense, but as you continued walking and kept gently rubbing his knuckled with your thumb, the tension slowly waned.
Suddenly, Nether Pact snaps from his focus upon seeing something down the tunnel. You looked in the direction that he was looking as well. A man was dangling a gold chain in his hand, displaying it to a group of people. On the end of it hung a diamond pendant.
That was your necklace.
It seemed Nether Pact knew exactly the same. The two of you rushed down the tunnel, hoping to catch the man before he could make a break for it. However, he saw you two coming. His eyes widened in recognition at your face. It seemed he knew your family, and by extension, you as well. He made a dash for another tunnel, with you and Nether Pact on his tail. He kept running, turning corners and trying to confuse you. Your side ached, making it difficult to breathe, but you persisted.
Your pace slowed, but Nether Pact remained on the chase. You could see the exit to the makeshift tunnels; he was almost outside. You began walking over when Nether Pact suddenly stopped. The man had something in his hand, and it wasn't your necklace.
It was an explosive.
It was a small explosive, not enough to do too much damage, but Nether Pact immediately backed up then turned around. The whole even seemed to be a blur as Nether Pact threw himself overtop of you as the explosion sounded. Rocks and dirt fell all around you; dust filled the air. Your ears were ringing and your chest heaved. You looked up at Nether Pact, who was still on top of you, coated in even more dust and dirt than before.
"Ah... are- are you alright?" He asked, his expression concerned.
"No, no don't worry about me," You said hurriedly, pushing him back by his shoulders and sitting both of you upright. "Are you alright? You saved me again, you didn't have to-"
"It's alright, I don't mind," He said quietly, a soft smile crossing his lips. "I'm alright."
You looked around, surveying the damage. Whoever bought your necklace really wanted to keep it, it seemed. The explosive collapsed the tunnel entrance, blocking off the entire makeshift tunnels from the rest of the underground. If it was near impossible to survive in here, it certainly was impossible now.
Nether Pact looked up at the collapsed tunnel entrance. "We're lucky the entire tunnel didn't collapse," He said with a shaky sigh. "What an idiot- this is home to other people too-"
You nodded. "How are we going to get out?" You asked.
Nether Pact looked around, his brow furrowed in anxiety. "I... I don't know," He stated. "We'll figure it out, I'm sure."