The stall owner, a greasy man with too many rings and a soul that resembled a tangled fishing net, noticed my interest. "Ah, an eye for the unique? Damaged goods. Severed string. But still kicking! A bargain, if you're into that."

I ignored him, my gaze locked on the figure with the broken soul. They stared back, unflinching. There was something familiar about them, a flicker of recognition that sent a shiver down my spine.

"What's wrong with them?" I asked, my voice sounding rougher than usual. The stall owner shrugged."No memories, no past. Just.. existing. I just want them gone. Taking up space."

My mind was racing. This shouldn't be possible. Everything I knew, everything I understood about the nature of souls, screamed that this person shouldn't exist. Yet, here they were, staring at me with those unsettling eyes.

I should walk away. I should continue my search for my target and forget I ever saw this, but I couldn't. Something inside me, a gut feeling I hadn't felt in years, told me that turning my back on this could be the biggest mistake of my life.

"How much?" I asked, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. The stall owner’s eyes widened, surprised by my unexpected offer. "For you, friend, a special price. Five hundred crowns."

Five hundred crowns for a broken soul. It was highway robbery. But I didn't haggle. I pulled out my pouch and counted out the coins, the clinking sound echoing in the sudden silence that had fallen around us.

The stall owner snatched the coins, his grin widening. "Pleasure doing business with you! They're all yours."

I turned back to the figure with the broken soul. They hadn't moved, hadn't said a word. I reached out and gently took the end of the frayed string in my hand, my fingers brushed against their skin. A jolt of energy shot through me, a wave of pain, confusion, and something else, something I couldn't quite define.

This was going to be complicated.

"Come on," I said, my voice rough but firm. "Let's get out of here."