Bloodline: Sovereign's Awakening - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Freedom Confederation: City of Alunsina II
Saturday ended as swiftly as it had begun, slipping away like sand through Judio’s fingers. The break from the academy’s rigid structure was brief, but he intended to make the most of it. When the morning sun had barely risen past the rooftops, he found himself drawn to Alunsina’s talipapa—a modest marketplace nestled between two intersecting streets.

The air thrummed with life. Vendors called out their wares, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of salesmanship. The scent of fresh produce mingled with the faint, briny breeze that wafted from the coast beyond the city walls.

The ground was uneven, a patchwork of dirt and stone, with scattered puddles from the previous night’s rain reflecting the sky’s pale blue hue.

Judio walked past stalls packed with gabi and kamote, their earthy scent familiar and comforting. He counted the prices carefully—one copper coin for a bundle of kangkong, three for a handful of tomatoes, and five for a small basket of okra. Each exchange of coins felt like a test, a challenge to make the most of what little he had. He picked out vegetables he recognized, buying a modest selection: a small sack of onions and garlic (eight coppers), some eggplants (five coppers), and a bundle of string beans (four coppers).

But it wasn’t just the prices, he noted—it was the things he had never seen before.

A deep violet fruit with a waxy sheen, nestled beside green star-shaped pods. Curled leaves with red-tinged edges releasing a scent that was both sharp and sweet formed a bundle. A root that oozed a faint golden sap when cut. These were crops he could not name, their origins unknown to him.

Curiosity gnawed at him, but he had no time to ask every vendor for answers. Instead, he moved forward, making his way towards the palengke, where the air was heavier with the scent of dried fish and spice. The marketplace here was more structured—wooden stalls under woven nipa roofs, the pathways wider, but no fewer bustling.

Among the many necessities, rice was his priority. He went to a stall displaying rows of sacks filled with various grains.

“Anong hanap mo, iho?” the vendor, an elderly man with calloused hands, asked.

Judio examined the selections. The highest-quality grains shimmered like tiny pearls, but they were far beyond his means. Instead, he settled for something simpler—two packs of middle-grade rice for seven copper coins each.

His arms felt the weight of his purchases settle upon them. Having spent thirty-four copper coins left him with just over a silver coin’s worth. He could stop here. He should stop here. But something caught his eye.

At a corner stall, tucked between hanging dried herbs and woven baskets, was a peculiar item. A wooden charm, etched with faded symbols, its edges worn smooth by time. Red thread bound it, and it stirred a distant yet intimate memory in him—like a whisper from the past.

He didn’t know why, but he bought it.

Five copper coins.

With his arms full and his budget now reduced to one silver and six copper coins, Judio made his way back to the academy. The dormitory felt eerily quiet after the vibrant chaos of the market. He set his bags down, intending to sort through them, maybe prepare a simple meal—

But exhaustion crept upon him. Before he could even untie the string of his newly bought charm before hunger could remind him of the food he had yet to eat, sleep took him whole.

The night swallowed his weariness, and the world faded into dreams of forgotten symbols and unfamiliar crops.

Sunday morning arrived in soft hues of gold and blue, the dawn mist curling along the cobbled streets like a lazy spirit reluctant to leave. Despite the heavy pull of sleep from the previous night, Judio awoke with purpose. The city of Alunsina was vast, and he had only scratched the surface.

Today, his destination was the towering supermarkets—grand establishments rumored to hold goods beyond what the open-air markets could offer. Unlike the talipapa and palengke, where haggling was an art form, these places catered to those who sought order, convenience, and variety. But first, he needed to get there.

Emerging from the academy’s district, he passed through the Grand Gateway, the massive archway that marked the division between the academy grounds and the broader city. The stones of the gateway pulsed faintly with residual enchantments, ancient and unseen hands maintaining the protective wards that kept Kabunlawan and its surrounding areas shielded from untamed forces. Beyond it, the true heart of Alunsina awaited.

The streets bustled with the rhythm of a city already awake. Merchants setting up their wares, street performers drawing small crowds, scent trails of freshly fried dough and strong brewed kape weaving through the air. But Judio had little time to linger—he sought the cheapest public transport, and in Alunsina, nothing embodied that better than the jeepney.

He spotted one approaching, its form a brilliant fusion of nostalgia and magic.

Unlike the mundane metal-clad vehicles he had read about in old books, the Jeepneys of Alunsina were a marvel of woven enchantments and craftsmanship. Ornate brass and enchanted wood plated the still, long, and robust body; glyphs subtly inscribed along its length fortified its structure. A fierce-looking carabao’s head adorned the front, its curved golden horns pulsing with faint energy, a tribute to Bathalumea’s heritage.

The roof shimmered with shifting murals, depicting landscapes of the country, sometimes changing to reflect the mood of its passengers—an innovation of emotion-bound enchantments. The side panels bore intricate etchings of mythical creatures—tikbalangs galloping alongside diwatas, each image painted in vibrant, unyielding colors.

Instead of belching out black smoke, the engine hummed with arcane resonance, running on refined mana cores instead of crude fuel. This allowed the Jeepney to glide smoothly across the stone roads, leaving behind trails of faint golden dust—lingering just long enough before vanishing into the air.

Judio waved his hand, signaling for it to stop.

Intention and motion: Not only did the vehicle respond to the motion, but it also responded to the intent. The runes along its side flared briefly as the Jeepney slowed, the door sliding open with an effortless glide rather than a creaking pull. The driver, a broad-shouldered man wearing mirrored sunglasses that reflected swirling constellations, gave a nod.

“Sakay na, iho!” he called, his voice deep yet welcoming.

Judio stepped in, greeted by a vibrant mix of passengers—a mix of workers, students, and travelers, some engaged in quiet conversations, others lost in their thoughts. Above them, small floating orbs of light provided a warm glow, adjusting their brightness based on the natural light filtering through the open-air windows.

He slid a few copper coins into the enchanted payment box near the driver’s seat; the runes glowing momentarily to confirm the fare.

As the Jeepney rumbled forward, the cityscape outside blurred, the towering supermarkets still a distance away. Judio leaned against the worn yet sturdy seat, feeling the faint vibrations of the vehicle’s mana-infused core beneath him.

He had seen much of the past—the ruins, the struggles, the remnants of Saliksik. But here, within the heart of Alunsina, he glimpsed the future—a world where the old and the new, the mystical and the mundane, intertwined like woven threads in a vast, living tapestry.

The ride was just beginning.

After ten minutes, the towering supermarkets of Alunsina loomed into view—colossal structures of glass, steel, and enchanted stone that stretched high into the sky. Unlike the clustered palengke with its earthy scent of fresh produce and the sing-song voices of vendors, these establishments stood with an air of modernity and arcane innovation.

Judio, seeing his stop approaching, tapped the ceiling of the jeepney twice—a universal signal for disembarking.

The enchanted runes along the Jeepney walls pulsed softly, acknowledging his request. The vehicle slowed with an effortless grace, coming to a smooth halt along the roadside.

“Para po,” Judio said, out of habit more than necessity.

The door slid open as if by unseen hands, and he stepped onto the polished stone pavement. Behind him, the Jeepney’s enchanted wheels whirred as it seamlessly rejoined the flow of city traffic, the golden dust in its wake dissolving into the morning air.

Before him, the grand marketplace stood, its facade lined with illuminated sigils denoting the shops within. Unlike the open-air talipapa stalls, where merchants shouted prices and haggling were expected, this marketplace promised a structured, almost ritualistic shopping experience.

With a deep breath, Judio adjusted his satchel and stepped forward. The city was vast, and his journey, his adventure for the day, just started.

Judio’s gaze swept across the grand district, his senses immediately overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the place. The air was thick with the scent of roasted chestnuts, freshly brewed potions, and a faint metallic tinge from enchanted artifacts being sold in the distance. Magic-infused billboards shimmered above the streets, displaying looping images of new products, academy announcements, and even theatrical performances in the city.

This district was far busier than the lower markets he had visited the day before. The roads, paved with an enchanted stone that absorbed the clatter of footsteps, bustled with people donning finer garments, traders advertising their wares, and scholars discussing theories of magic and combat as they walked. Unlike the humble palengke, where people lingered to chat with their suki vendors, here, transactions were swift, efficient, and almost mechanical.

Towering buildings stretched toward the sky, glass-like surfaces reflecting the golden morning light while intricate glowing runes crawled along their exteriors like veins of energy. The tallest among them stood in the center of the district—a behemoth of a structure, wide as a fortress and crowned with a grand sigil pulsing like a heartbeat.

It was the largest marketplace in Alunsina, its name inscribed in a radiant, shifting script that adjusted itself depending on the reader’s language:

“Maharlikang Pamilihan—The Grand Royal Market.”

Judio didn’t hesitate. He strode forward, merging into the tide of people. The grand entrance loomed ahead—arched and lined with enchanted lanterns that flickered between warm hues, welcoming each customer as if recognizing them personally. The moment he stepped past the threshold, a cool gust of air greeted him, infused with a faint floral scent, as if nature itself had been tamed within these walls.

Inside, the vastness of the marketplace stretched beyond what should have been possible. Rows upon rows of stalls, shops, and magical kiosks spiraled into the distance. The ceiling, impossibly high, mimicked a twilight sky, enchanted to shift through different hues of the day, giving the illusion of an open-air space despite being enclosed.

Judio took a deep breath. This was a world far removed from the humble talipapa of yesterday.

And he was ready to explore every corner of it.