Ignatius-Valdis: Book 0# [Reignited]

Chapter 1

It was Gothalia Ignatius-Valdis who invariably found herself unintentionally instilling fear and anger within a crowd yet again. Regrettably, she was frequently perceived as a threat by some if not most. Among them the Peacekeepers, Guardians, and the Veiled, observed her tactfully with wariness and uncertainty. When had they not watched her?

She frowned at the thought.

Their covert perception always hovered in the distance, casting malignant shadows of contempt and maliciousness towards her with every breath she took and every uncharted track she made.

Without hesitation, Gothalia averted her gaze from those Peacekeepers, Guardians and the Veiled, concealing her true emotions beneath a facade of indifference. As much as she practiced, she could never truly hide her emotions. Fear and anger always welled.

For what seemed like eons, it was only seconds until she knew what would happen next. It had become routine and her feet never failed to keep her moving.

As expected, the Peacekeepers advanced towards her, narrowing the gap between her and them. A surge of urgency climbed within her. They were closer.

Gothalia quickened her pace, skilfully manoeuvring through the bustling market, searching for a safe spot to hide until the others arrived. Finally, she spotted a familiar stall and swiftly dropped her bag behind it, hoping it would go unnoticed. It didn’t.

The stall owner watched her intently and looked for all signs of ill intentions. Gothalia’s casual attention shifted to her bag as an offering, which she dropped near his feet, then to the Peacekeepers and the others who stalked her. Their eyes locked once again, a silent understanding passing between them before he wordlessly grabbed her bag. And just like that, she disappeared into the crowd.

Further from the stall, she passed a Peacekeeper she hadn’t seen and paused. He watched her carefully, and stepped aside. A sudden fear crept over her as she strode away, with confusion etched on her face as she vanished once again.

The Peacekeeper who momentarily impeded her march looked at the others behind him, then the owner of the stall further at the head of the market, the direction in which the woman walked then vanished.

Gothalia understood why the stall owner was hesitant and cautious. It wasn’t her, he feared, but rather them.

With a watchful eye, Gothalia moved stealthily among the labyrinth of market stalls. A gentle woman extended an apple towards her and in seconds Gothalia’s gaze was captured by the approaching Peacekeepers, silently cautioning the woman who turned her heel and fled, taking the apple with her. Gothalia’s gaze swept anxiously over the teeming crowd, her eyes searching desperately for a familiar face. Determined and undeterred, she forged ahead through the market, striding with a swifter pace.

Gothalia dwelt by an old statue and paused. Casually, her gaze drifted over the crowd and the Peacekeepers behind her. Again, she was unable to find Anton and Maximus. Fear and worry climbed within her. Gothalia hastened her pace, as covertly as possible, even if she knew they spotted her.

Frantically, she assessed her surroundings. Her mind raced with the need to find a way to elude her pursuers. With agility and determination, she skilfully manoeuvred through the throngs of people, evading them as best she could. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw they were still hot on her trail. Their presence was a constant reminder of the never ending danger she was in.

She continued to navigate through the crowded marketplace, weaving in and out of stalls, desperately searching for an opportunity to escape. Finally, she came to a halt before a towering wall that marked the boundary of the marketplace. It was both the edge of her current location and the beginning of her potential escape route.