My back slammed against the wall as I rounded a corner, barely escaping the suffocating crowds in the central bazaar. I gasped for air for one moment and charged down the next alleyway, though my exhausted legs objected.
“Armio!! Halt!” an armored guard hollered down the alleyway. I didn’t dare look back to see how close he was, I only prayed that my bone-thin legs would be able to carry me far enough away from the commotion. The dreadful, crowded streets gave me such anxiety, and this guard chasing me down made me want to vomit. Or was it the impromptu marathon?
Wait, how did he know my name?! Sweet skies, what did I do? Why did this guard start chasing me?!
SLAM, I found myself rebounding off of a huge hairy mass, covered only in dirty trousers and a tank-top with a tapestry of veritable stains. A charitable count of three teeth greeted me as he widened his grin and stepped aside.
“Th-thank you!” was all I could mutter as the chase continued, though not for much longer. A loose bag of garbage in the alleyway caught my foot and I fell down against a puddle. Eaugh, what a foul smell… what is this?!
An iron gauntlet seized my shoulder and helped me up. That’s it, I’m doomed. I accept my fate…
“Armio!” the guard gasped in between breaths. “Slow down when a guard calls for you!”
“Heh… uh.”
The guard hefted a leather satchel in front of him with the etched label on it that read, ‘Armio’.
“You dropped this.”