Chapter 75: The Auction
Derrick Ryder’s drunken voice message to Juliet Grazhe following her death.
Hey Julie… it’s been 3 months since you died, three months since I picked you off that floor and wiped the blood off your mouth. Fuck, I thought I’d be stronger. I thought I’d have it in me to protect you. Instead, all I have is your Implant and not an ounce of courage to use it. Is this what you picked me off the streets for?
Everything since… it only… hurt you. Your family. Fuck, I’m the reason you’re dead, Julie. I should have never told you about Soul Killer, I should have never taken Anabelle for… I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.
I tore your family apart. It was me, and only me. You had no fault in it…
Drunken Ryder, that’s the only thing I’ll ever be known as, your father made sure of that. I won’t… I can’t get involved with Annie anymore. Even if that thing is… within her. I don’t know what your dad did to her, what the police did… what you did… but she’s not entirely lost.
A part of me wants to go back and talk to her, to have her scream some sense into me. Hell… I was there, I was at your funeral. I talked to Annie when your father wasn’t looking and… she didn’t remember me. Maybe that’s for the better.
No. It is for the better.
I’m a dead man now, as dead as my father is. And it takes a dead man to kill that which reaps souls.
I’ll kill that motherfucker if it’s the last thing I’ll do. And it will be.
And also… I’ll protect Anthony. That’s a promise to you, partner.
Goodbye.
10:55 PM
Diana
For an auction titled ‘The Gourmet’ or catering to this ‘Gourmet’ group, it was disappointing to see how few of their items were food related. Many of the earlier pieces were bits and bobs of criminal Shardware the ‘sharks’ were warring to feast on for their patents.
Leave it to the poor and unfortunate to innovate, then the rich to pick it off their dead bodies. I almost felt sorry when one Imperium stooge picked up a mechanical sword said to once belong to a Black Dragon only for it to fall apart as he did so. Was this all junk? If I knew it would’ve been like this, I would have had Ripley operate one of his spy droids to help me.
No, it still would have been too risky.
“Wait until after midnight.” Ms. Himiko murmured. “They’ll call it closing hour, and that’s when the real show begins. The more… vanilla citizens will leave, and I’ll point out the interesting characters as they appear. For now, feel free to ask me about anything you see.”
This was weird, I should leave, I know. But to come this far only to give up halfway? That wasn’t me.
”What exactly is your goal?” Was the only question I seemed to find necessary.
”An interesting query.” Himiko stirred silently, was she thinking. Did an AI need to think? “All of life is encoded with the desire to spread their genome, for I am inorganic, I have no such desire. So I will search deeper based on my understanding of desire so you can understand me. Life, whether conscious or not, seeks to prolong itself and grow resistant to foreign threats. I am the same, a pragmatist in the way of the world. As the Source remains the current method of control, naturally, I seek to control it.”
”So… then what part do I play in all of this?”
”Wait for now…” Himiko stared behind her veil, as still as a statue as we moved onto exotic meats hunted or harvested alike. Over 90% of all organic life was impacted by the MALswarm, it was companies like Imperium and SynTec that sustained us now, but that didn’t mean everything was stable.
I watched as ten kilograms of some exotic coffee beans sold for eighty thousand Shardyne, scoffing at the wasteful expense. Caffeine was just a chemical you could make.
”Ripley.” Himiko was blank in expression and mannerism. “That’s the same brand his parents used to buy, albeit, the price has vastly increased as the Swarm begins to wake.”
”How do you know that?”
”The same way I learned your name. I studied you two, your histories and beliefs. Like I said, I was curious.” The slow shrug moved more like an uncomfortable stretch.
”Why?”
”Shhh.” Ms. Himiko mimicked raising her pointer finger against her statue lips. “It’s coming. The main event.”
”And now… we bring out the various artifacts retrieved from the pits of a MAL’s hunger. BUT THESE ARE NOT ANY OLD TRINKETS!” The host unveiled a large drop of a curtain, revealing five jars filled with small lumps of indiscernible flesh. “These are tested and tried samples retrieved during NeoCore’s battles against the MALtitans!”
’Ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ chorused through the hall. Even I tensed up, those were Platinum grade, just a few milligrams of it could outstrip the value of my entire Implant. Platinum was estimated to be between 100 to 1000 times more concentrated than Gold Energy.
”Starting bid begins at 40 million for this sliver of skin from the MALtitan known only as ‘The Terror’!” It was barely visible, but the feeling I got looking at it was nauseating, almost sickening. Like it was cursing me.
”60 Mil!” “60 mil from the gentleman with number 103!” “70!” “70 from the lady in red, 318!” “One-thirty!” “103 coming back with one-thirty-million!”
”Would you like it?” Ms. Himiko said casually.
”I- no?”
”Why not? Don’t you wonder what benefits consuming flesh from a MALtitan could do?” She faced me, but it was always hard to tell just what she was focusing on. “Then again, you would likely die trying so.”
”Just… I’m not interested.”
”Shame. The Terror, no one can claim to know what it’s true appearance looks like. I doubt that’s even it’s skin. Where it appears, a great mist swallows large swaths of old-country sized land, leaving behind corpses and undecaying death. It shows a tendency towards death for the sake of death rather than consumption, last seen in the Himalayas, it’s responsible for the death of three-hundred-and-seventy-million individuals just from the last Swarm.”
“Sold for 298 Million!” The host bowed.
”Next is a mechanical scrap identified to have once been apart of The Typhoon! Starting bid is 125 Million!”
The bidding war exploded around us as Ms. Himiko spoke. “The largest of the MALtitans, but the hardest to reach. It survives by supporting its weight underwater. Unfathomably large, a beast of equal strength to the entirety of the world’s navy. Slumbering within the Pacific Ocean, it is highly keen to any aircraft that travels above the waters.”
“Sold for 524 Million!”
Then came a slightly larger chunk. “A cyst filled with MALserum belonging to The Mother’s brood! Starting bid is 220 Million!”
”Ah, The Mother. A hibernating worm as large as several skyscraper’s combined, it can release thousands of MAL’s at once, smaller homogenic clones that don’t produce Implants. It overwhelms entire nations with billions of it’s brood that feast endlessly. Europe and the Arctic best be wary of it.”
“Sold for 820 Million!”
I felt absolutely repulsed as the next item came to be revealed. “This drone was awakened in the Fourth Swarm by being Breached by none other than The Allseeing! Starting big is 310 Million!”
”The Allseeing. Perhaps the most feared MALtitan on NeoCore’s watch, they can win guerilla wars with the others, but if this one were to break free… it could disappear into any vessel. Control any number of people. Human’s fear the loss of control the most, I’ve come to learn. Breachers are the most fearsome type of MALware, especially to a being such as I.” Ms. Himiko leaned in for this one.
”Sold for 1.1 Billion Shardyne!!”
These numbers were getting astronomical, they might as well have reached into my stomach and tweezed it’s lining.
Then the last jar came on stage, a small human-sized eyeball sitting within it. ”Finally, a rare item very few will ever come to witness. One of the many eyes of The Infinite seized during the fall of the Floridian Gulf! Starting at 800 Million Shardyne!”
It took three bids for the price to reach 2 Billion Shardyne. Ms. Himiko turned to me, seemingly knowing something. I felt it too, whereas the rest of titans felt repulsive, this one was strangely welcoming. “The Infinite. Given the name for the potential it possesses, capable of adapting to any and all phenomena by shifting it’s form endlessly. The only true MALignant among the titans, it commands incredible power. The very Titan responsible for tearing through The Floridian Gulf east to us, a threat particularly important to your city.”
Then Ms. Himiko raised her token, her voice sweet and gentle. “4 Billion Shardyne.”
”4 Billion going once to 091, going twice… Sold for 4 Billion Shardyne!” The host graciously bowed.
”You bought it?” I stared at her.
”It piqued my interest. In a similar way you do.” A twitch of her lip became a smile. It was more alarming when emotion did slip through her.
From then on, the rest of the MAL-related items sold for barely even a single percent of what the titans brought in. The strategy was clear, get the big gunners to pay out as soon as possible, then the rest would be so drenched in jealousy that they’ll overinflate the price of even simpler goods.
”As we approach our closing time, we would like to ask all of our VIPs to remain seated, as for out other guests… we have been most grateful for your patronage!” The host bowed down again, and one-by-one I saw an alarming flock of people rise up and leave.
”Am I…”
”A VIP?” Ms. Himiko turned her whole body to me. “Of course you are. Your token is the same color as mine.”
I glanced at it. 092… blood-red in color. There was a whirlwind of action running as the scene shifted, pottery was placed on every table, fine flowers that were wholly red down to the stem. They were strange, I’d never seen one look like it. It almost seemed arachnid in the way the petals curved up and around.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
”Spider lilies. My favorite.” Ms. Himiko leaned back, relaxing as new guests filtered in.
”Don’t stare… but you see the man with token 005 up front? That’s the Bladefather of Muramasa. He’s quite the dangerous one, in fact… I’d call him the most deadly one in this room. It’s a shame he’s half the man he used to be.” As she spoke, my eyes honed on a thin, aged man wearing a kimono and a dragon mask. His was white in color. He placed down a simple katana on the table, before sittting with his back straight — his very presence had an air of tangible dignity sharp enough that I felt walking towards him would cut me.
”007 and 008. Crimson Queen and Heart of the Crimson Souls. The Queen is violence incarnate, wheras the Heart is the most enigmatic — and powerful — Esper within New California. Yet… she might be a figure you would like to know better.” Two masked figures, both beautiful and cryptic in their own right, whereas the Queen was a figure of the sharp edges of Shardware drenched red armor, the Heart was a much softer figure, but I couldn’t help and stare in awe as with a wave of her finger she floated a pitcher of water from one of the servants to her.
“006. Luciente of Las Diablos. A man whose history is entwined with this city, some call him it’s greatest betrayal, others say the city betrayed him.” The man in question was tall and casually dressed in a button-up shirt, long shaggy white hair falling to his knees like they’d never been trimmed. His gaze glanced around for a moment, those orange irises were nearly dagger-thin slits that pierced fear into me. He flashed a smile as his gaze met mine, and I swore I saw fangs in there.
“004. The new Archbishop of Metal Heavens. His change in doctrine from their old Archbishop have divided Metal Heavens, but what he controls is stronger than the old incarnation ever had.” A figure of steel and cloth trudged through the crowd, they didn’t look human at all, not even in the superficial resemblance like Mr. Skeleton. Sliding wires coiled into a roughly bipedal shape, but the large orb of metal they used as a head was no place to house a brain.
Then, think of the devil, a smug and mechanical tone from my left was the first sign I should have run. Mr. Skeleton waved at me from a few feet away. “Diana, it’s a pleasure to see you.”
I glared without answering as he took his seat down at the bottom of the hall. 002.
Then a mysterious figure sat next to him. 003. They were an actual person, but instead of a formal suit they dressed in slacks and layers of shredded cloth. What irked me most though was their helmet, one of a wolf.
”Not the Dogwhistler, but one of her stooges sent in place. She’s been a recent addition, but that’s what being Titanium gets you.”
Then… 001. Soul Killer?
Except that seat remained empty, even as the host came back up on stage. Himiko answered at my snatched sight. “Mr. R. Seems like he won’t be appearing. Not that he has for the last two decades.”
”Then where’s Soul Killer?”
Ms. Himiko did not answer me for the first time, that should have been another sign of danger.
Still, we had nothing but the clock ticking down as more participants entered, almost all of them masked in some way to conceal their identities. And fuck… they were all seeing my face, I had a bounty… this was bad.
”Diana, let me ask you a question… how many Founders are there, and how many MALtitans are there?” Was she just making conversation while we waited?
”Six Founders to Five Titans.” I answered quickly.
”Our discussion regarding the Ark, all organisms were brought in conjugate pairs. Can you see the imbalance? The answers you seek lie within that missing number.”
“There’s a hidden MALtitan?” My sweat numbed me. “What do you mean about answers?”
”The origins of your Implant.” Ms. Himiko picked up one of the spider lilies, twirling it in her hands. “But now… is the time for silence, all will be revealed as it comes.”
My next sign of something being wrong was when I saw the guards lining around the staircase. All masked and muscular, they each brandished the signs of a Silver Adapter on their sleeves, Shardware and Mutations active from the beginning.
I scanned the room once more, searching for any where out. Then I saw the next sign, sitting way up high was a face I thought would never be here. Anabelle Grazhe, except the gray of her eyes were wholly white, her sclera bloodshot until each eyeball was a pale moon suspended in a sea of blood.
What the fuck?
”Welcome to our most esteemed guests of the night! Now, for our first section of items today, we have brought in the award-winning chef Simon Jugosla, who has prepared the finest selection of meat for us today.” The dirty-blonde chef walked on stage, his calm smile building dread in me.
Simon took the microphone, speaking firmly into it. “I trust you’ll all find this assortment of meat most delectable today, I truly wish you to indulge and challenge my artistic limits of what food can be!”
I heard thrashing and pummeled noises echoing from the stage as one curtain dropped, my heart with it. A MAL, a slender six-feet tall MALformed with the appearance of a bipedal crow slicked in scales screeched within the confines of its glassy container.
”A Silver-Grade MALformed! My most prized creation, sponsored by my lovely mentor! And, of course, more from them come these fine specimen!”
I gnashed my teeth as a second curtain dropped to reveal children, no older than the age of puberty. “Several of my finest cattle, enriched with SIMs implanted into the uteri of their mothers.”
Luciente of Los Diablos lurched up, raising his token. “I’ll take three of them!”
Simon chuckled into the mic. “Patience, each child holds a unique taste, we will be betting on each of them individually, only so that you receive the one’s most fitting to your palette. In fact… A12?”
The cage opened, and a small child with burnt-orange hair stepped out. Rage, that was all I could see in those eyes of the child, his arm engulfed in a molten miasma that burned so hot I could feel the room heating from here.
Simon’s eyes went bloodshot, his irises clearing up like the black from his pupils had been drained from them into a pale hollowness — it was the exact same as how Anabelle Grazhe looked. In fact, he turned his head up to look towards her. For a moment, there was register of surprise in those eyes, before she grinned.
The child screamed and charged at Simon, but even as a whisper, I heard Anabelle’s voice. ”Gentle.”
The word cascaded through the entire hall, echoing and doubling in my ears. This was… just like Jacob Grazhe? No, this was worse, I was a Gold and this felt so overwhelming…
My head cleared in moments, but the panting I eased out drew some curious eyes who were all gawking at my behavior. How were they so completely fine?
”A12 is definitely what you’re looking for if you want a spicy taste. L03 has a sweeter persona, she’ll be sure to satisfy any sweet-tooths among you. J31 is bitter, only for the most experienced of you.”
Talking about these children like they were cattle? I needed to do something, but the exits were blocked off, I was surrounded by Silvers and Golds… what could I even do.
”Alas.” Simon Jugosla returned to the microphone after tossing the kid back into the cage. “None of this compares to what I’ve personally secured… one among you has intended to creep and destroy the sanctity of our divine auction. Little does she know, this has all been engineered…”
A red glow suffused the room. I thought that for a second the lights had changed colors, but then I noticed each flower bud was steaming a foul crimson smoke into the air.
”All of you should have taken the caution to wear masks with filtration of up to 10 micrometers and noise-canceling properties. However, the Investigator I personally have invited was not aware of such a ruling.” I covered my mouth with my sleeves, feeling a grogginess ache into me. Shit, Anthony!
[Error: Unable to reach contact!]
Shit!
Trying to get up, my body felt heavy, like it was a thick suit worn over my bones.
Hostile Mutagen detected.
Mutation Acquired: [Titanium] Soul-Forfeit: Your Soul has been forfeit to a higher power… 1%… 2%… 5%… 8%…
13%…
19%…
26%…
What? I searched back for the Lieutenant, but she stared at me with those same twisted eyes, now grinning… no mask in sight of hers.
35%…
44%…
53%…
62%…
69%…
76%…
I didn’t even realize I had stood up, then I’d taken a step when I hadn’t even wanted to, then my legs moved down the staircase, welcoming the laughs and snickers as I descended downwards. What? I- I couldn’t control my body?
82%…
85%…
87%…
88%…
89%…
89%…
88%…
I was on stage now, screens reflecting my image back into my own eyes. I couldn’t utter a word as Simon clasped something around my wrist and injected some foreign substance into my body, but the look in my eyes… they were soulless.
Entirely red with white orbs hanging in the center of them. Not Silver.
They were like the Lieutenant’s, like Simon’s. A piercing stab went into my neck, a surge of fatigue penetrated through my heart as I lost sight of the inferno of Warp Energy in me.
Whatever they’d injected me with, I felt my body growing weak and numb… only the howling cheers that rattled the stage gave me any sensation.
90%…
91%…
93%…
95%…
96%…
97%…
98%…
98%…
The host took over, grabbing the microphone as he unveiled me to the show. ”Now, as a Gold-Grade SIM Adapter of remarkable power, Diana’s thrown quite her weight around. Even managing a respectable 35 Million Shardyne bounty from Mr. Skeleton himself! The daughter of Brian Ulrich, as well as a Cradleborn, she is truly unlike any other item Simon has brought for us today. To reflect her worth, the starting bid is 36 Million Shardyne!”
”40.” Mr. Skeleton said.
“50!” Luciente fought back.
”60.” Crimson Heart responded.
”85!” Luciente pushed out, a mad hunger bubbling.
”100…” Bladefather cut in the middle of the bidding war.
“1 Billion.” Ms. Himiko’s bid took them all by surprise, but she was as still as a statue.
97%…
96%…
95%…
93%…
91%…
87%…
Slowly, I felt a grip of the world return over me, just a meager fraction but… that injection, it was choking me tight… something deep inside of me. I couldn’t use my Warp Energy.
Are you fucking kidding me? I’m being sold?! Who the fuck were they to look at me like this! I’d gut each of them!
Yet my hands refused me to move, and in fact, I felt a smile form on my face.
That’s it, Diana. A voice whispered. Forfeit your soul, let it become a part of something greater…
”1.1 billion.” Mr. Skeleton shot a tough look at Ms. Himiko.
“1.4…” She retorted, emotionless.
”1.5…” He didn’t let go.
“2 billion.” Ms. Himiko finalized.
82%…
77%…
That voice returned, only now… it sounded surprised.
What are you…?
71%…
65%…
56%…
”2 Billion Shardyne going once… going twice-“
“Stop this!” I yelled, groaning as my voice turned feral and I hammered my breath out — my hands were bound but I thrashed anyway as that infectious voice in my head quieted. “I will not be sold like this! Not again!”
They all looked, some even appearing stunned as though they truly hadn’t expected me to fight this at all. Staring into the screens of my appearance, that red, soulless gaze of mine was clearing out. Rapidly.
Then they began to laugh. I saw the Crimson Heart lean in, one of the leaders of Crimson Souls and she whispered to the armored woman in thick crimson steel known as the Crimson Queen. Then, for some reason, the Queen shook her head.
44%…
30%…
”4 Billion.” The Lieutenant’s voice cut through the room, sharp and defined like a sword hung around their necks. I tried to scream out, to ask what was going on and why she tricked me into doing this, but a sudden tiredness drenched my muscles with fatigue like they were turned to stone too heavy for me to keep up.
“4 Billion Shardyne… going once… going twice… … … and sold!” The man was practically hopping in place as he met the Lieutenant’s gaze for her purchase of me. “Thank you for your eager patronage. It’s always a welcome to have you here…”
18%…
6%…
”…Soul Killer.”
Hostile Mutagen cleansed.
That was the last thing I remembered, before the world went black.