I awoke as my door was thrown open, and I half expected Ashley to leap through. Instead, as I leaned up to face the person, a small envelope slapped me in the face.
“A mission for you.” said Lucan in a monotone voice. “The Lady also requests you come join her for breakfast.”
“I have to?”
“You do. Lady… No, the Bitch is providing for you. If it weren’t for the fact she believed you were going to save her life, she’d be feeding you scraps like the rest of her servants.” Lucan walked off grumbling to himself about other obscenities.
I got dressed and ran downstairs to the dining hall where I was met by Nicole, Ashley, and Elm all sitting at the table. The rest of the seats were empty, but were clearly intended for the rest of my comrades. Fish and pancakes decorated the table. I sat myself down and began eating as fast as possible, hoping to end this interaction as quickly as possible.
I had enjoyed pancakes before, but fish was a new experience. It was definitely similar to normal meat, but softer in a way I found pleasant.
“I see you are hungry after last night’s activities.” Nicole commented. I answered with a small grunt.
“You did wake both of us early. Care to give a fucking reason?” Elm asked bluntly.
“You two are the most important of this entire endeavor. North has obviously been deemed your leader, but you yourself are an Arlinian and therefore better understand our culture. Pluma and Arlin were never quite so distant, even before they were unified.” She exposited in between bites.
“Then why did you give me an envelope of lins?” Elm responded, pulling out a familiar looking envelope.
I reached into my own coat pocket and pulled out my own envelope. I had forgotten to open it, but a quick shake of its contents told me that it was the same as Elm’s.
“For the auction.”
“What?” I said, letting my half chewed pancake fall out of my mouth and onto my plate.
“North, mind your manners. And yes, the auction. I’m sending you to check out a small lead I thought I may have. There’s supposed to be a spread of magore weapons sold that might be of interest. The source isn’t connected to any of the major trade families including myself, which suggests it may be tied to our mystery usurper.”
“I remember us not being allowed to have any magore weapons with us when we came.”
“That is true.”
“Yet there is an auction selling those to people.”
“That is also true.”
My face was stuck in a look of disgust and frustration which I lacked the words to fully express. I didn’t need any more reasons to hate Duskarna, yet Nicole seemed readily giving them to me.
“I see this displeases you. The Tisch are already tepid about you, and I imagine seeing my appointed healer carrying around a burner or igniter might raise their suspicions higher than they already are.”
“So I’m not allowed to buy one?” I asked despite already knowing the answer.
“No, you are not. Regardless, it’s apparently in bulk, and I certainly don’t need a surplus of magore weapons sitting around my manor poisoning my staff. Rather, since this auction is targeted towards the wealthy of Duskarna, you are to act as representatives for us separately.
“Separately?”
“Auction houses don’t allow for groups to represent an individual buyer, which is why you will represent me, and Grayson will represent Nicole.” Ashley added after savoring a bite of a pancake, “Neither of you should purchase anything, hopefully, but I would suggest that at least one of you bid.”
I turned to look at my mentor and nodded.
“You do the bidding. I’ll go and look at the burners to see if I can get anything from them.” I held my chin in thought, trying to think what exactly I would even be searching for.
“You may want to grab one if possible. Arlin is supposed to have sole rights towards the creation of magore weaponry, but some smiths exist who make them illegally. They tend to use different parts.”
“Which would tell us whether or not the source is getting them from Arlin, or making it themselves, right?”
Elm smiled with pride. “Not bad, kid.”
But how would this get us closer to the person trying to usurp Nicole?
Elm’s pride turned to contemplation as his focus switched back to Nicole.
“This ain’t the first time it’s happened, is it?” He accused.
“Smart as always, Grayson. Scott, head of the Elbaum family, controls the trade permits and guilds of Pluma. Magore weaponry is an illegal trade, insofar that it is done without the consent of one of the Tisch families. He believed it to be under the protection of the Forden oligarchs, but it appears that isn’t the case. Getting onto the Tisch will require swaying several of its members, and that requires capital.”
I sighed and stood up from the table after clearing the last bits of food from my plate.
“Ashley has prepared your outfits, so please be prepared to leave around noon. The auction starts at six, but I believe it may be nice to see the streets on a more normal day. Lucan?” Nicole called out into the halls. Lucan came running wearing a fake smile.
“Yes, Lady Nicole?”
“Prepare to leave shortly after noon. The trip to Corealis is rather short, and there are some lovely shops I’m sure these fine gentlemen would be interested in.”
“Of course.”
“And as for you two, I’d suggest keeping violence to a minimum.”
I locked eyes with Elm, and we both went off to change into our new outfits and prepare for the day.
----------------------------------------
Most of my travel hadn’t allowed the weirdness of Duskarna to sink in. I’d visited only three cities in my life, but comparing them to Duskarna almost felt like a joke.
Before we had left, Ruby had been sketching out a map of Duskarna, taking on points which she thought were of interest. Next to her was one of Nicole’s servants explaining specific landmarks, holding a map that still sat within a picture frame, likely taken off the wall at Ruby’s request.
Duskarna had six large islands off of the coast, and a few smaller ones farther out into the sea. The shape of the five islands looked like a vague outline of a left hand, with a largest central island as the palm and the five smaller islands stretching out on the sides, all connected by bridges. Where Nicole lived, and where the Tisch met were on the center island named Vanor.
Looking at the map, Corealis was Duskarna’s thumb, and seemed to be the closest island to where Ruby’s map had located Nicole’s manor.
I was once again put into servant’s wear, although it felt a lot more fitting than before and seemed brand new. A nice white buttoned shirt and a suave black suit jacket to cover it. Elm matched me, although his peppered hair made him look far more refined.
“Looking good, sir.”
“Not bad yourself.”
We chuckled as we made our way into the carriage and through the streets to Corealis and the auction house.
As we began to cross the bridge, I saw Lucan scratching at his pants leg.
“What did you do to end up in Nicole’s debt?” I asked suddenly. Lucan’s frustrated gaze met mine.
“I’d run out of luck, despite not having much to begin with. It was life or death, and if there is a single person on Sol you do not want to owe your life to, it is Nicole.”
“Then why with her?”
“Because she delivers. The reason she’s got so many damn favors stocked up is because people trust in her services. As long as you have something she thinks she can use, she’ll solve your problem. But if you come to her with nothing… Well, you end up like me. A pet.”
“Is this some sort of warning?”
“No. Just stating a fact.”
The rest of the carriage ride remained silent as we drew closer to the auction house. We stepped out and went out onto the streets. Lucan took us to a small cafe to rest up before heading inside where Elm and I planned out how we were going to perform.
After a few hours of planning, food and tea, it was time. I checked my time keeper and nodded to Elm. The two of us began walking towards the Auction house Lucan had directed us to. He had stayed behind to watch over the carriage and await our return.
The building was tall, but the location he’d given us directed towards some stairs leading down below. A man waited patiently at the door. His clothes were baggy and dense, but I could make out the faint outline of a burner at his hip. I clicked my tongue in frustration and moved forward.
“Invite?” The man asked us.
Elm pulled out a small piece of paper from his envelope he’d hidden within his coat pocket. The man took it and inspected it. I followed suit, and both of us were able to head inside.
The main room reminded me of the theaters where plays were performed in Marlisle, except far more grand. Lit by soft lamplight, the room felt warm and inviting. A musical accompaniment acted as the backdrop for the conversing between guests.
We were stopped before we could enter farther in by another attendant placing his hand out in front of us. In it, he held two paddles with numbers on them.
“Please, take these.”
I took the stick in my hand and flipped it around, not knowing what it was for. I was pushed forward by Elm as we moved into the auction house. Elm looked grumpy.
“Sir?”
“Kid, try to look less confused. They’re looking at you.”
I nodded and we continued forward. Elm led us to seats which shared the same number as our paddles. A brochure was already laid out which listed all of the items and the presumed times at which they would be auctioned off.
There were people socializing, as it seemed some of the nobles or their attendants knew each other. Elm leaned over to whisper to me.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“That confirms it. Too much attention for us to go before. They’re probably keeping tight watch on the merchandise backstage.”
There were guards all along the walls watching us intently. I could go invisible, but suddenly disappearing from my seat would catch their attention. Taking another quick glance, all of them were wearing a small pin with their names on it, as well as the symbol of the auction house.
Elm clicked his tongue in frustration.
“You said you had something in mind if that was the case?”
“Yeah, but you’re not going to like it.”
Elm turned to me and pointed into his own mouth. It didn’t take long for me to understand, nor for the memories of my fight with Keagan to bubble up to the surface. My face contorted into one of disgust.
“I said you weren’t going to like it.”
I shook my head. “No, it makes sense. It will give me the space to go invisible so I can check the burners.”
“That might not be the best idea.”
“Huh? Why?”
“For fucks sake kid. Which do you think will draw more suspicion; a person looking inside of the box, or a bunch of burners floating around in the air mysteriously? Just steal one of the pins so you look like you work for the auction house.” Elm groaned.
I merely nodded and accepted the reality that my mentor would forever be far smarter than me.
“Just wait until the auction starts. I’ll do a few bids, and then tell you when to perform the act.”
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The items on auction left an odd feeling in my stomach that wasn’t my reluctance to puke. A slave was the first item, an albino girl who looked the same age as Karla. Then was a piece of art that looked like someone had drunkenly thrown paint all over the canvas. Elm gave a cheap bid for that one that was quickly outpaced by an overweight noblewoman.
Elm eventually gave me a tap, which was the sign to throw up. I leaned down beneath my seat and placed my fingers in my mouth, pushing deep inside.
I rapidly spewed out my lunch onto the floor and heard a few gasps. The auctioneer stopped in place and the room went silent.
One of the guards made their way over to me and extended out a small handkerchief.
“If you require it, there’s a restroom in the back.”
I thanked the guard and walked off to where he had pointed. Soft whispers followed me as I walked and opened the door, closing it behind me. A toilet and small wash basin were all that was inside, lit by a lamp. I took the moment to go invisible and head outside, making my way carefully behind the stage.
Cages and portraits surrounded me on all sides as I looked for the burners. The backstage was massive, far larger than I had expected.
I spotted a guard who had fallen asleep at a table in the far back. I could see the pin on his shirt and smiled.
I carefully made my way across, making sure not to bump into anyone or make too much noise. Reaching down, I carefully plucked the pin off of his shirt and placed it onto my own.
Now to find the burners.
The items all had small tags on them, listing what they were, and when they were to be auctioned off. A big enclosed metal immediately caught my attention. Tiptoeing over to it, I saw the small tag confirming my suspicions.
I opened the metal box and looked inside at the wide variety of burners. Despite having far less experience than Elm, I could immediately tell that something about their designs were off.
Arlin was uniform with their crafts to make it easier for technicians, meaning every single burner was almost exactly the same. There were parts that looked off to me, some metal sheets where they weren’t normally and additional bolts or extensions.
No, wait. It’s more than that.
I grabbed two burners out of the pile and held them in my hands. They were different from each other. I scanned over the others and could see a variety of different makes, all with their own little differences. Some of them had even used wood for their handles instead of metal.
On one of the wooden handles, a small shape caught my eye. I lifted it up and saw a symbol, a bird holding a severed finger.
These aren’t just different designs, these are all different smiths.
It didn’t make sense.
I moved the one with the wooden handles around far too much and could hear a discordant click. The cap fell off, and out of the barrel slid a piece of refined magore. I caught it before it fell into the rest of the pile for fear it could cause a reaction. The magore technician part of my mind cringed at the shoddy craftsmanship.
I shoved the burner into my jacket pocket for Elm and I to study later just as a deep voice called out behind me.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
I twisted and saw a towering bald man behind me. He held up a lamp he’d carried with him and focused it on my face.
“I… I’m checking the burners.” I stumbled over my words, trying to cover the bulge in my jacket pocket.
“Auction house should have checked them already. In fact, I’ve never seen you here before.”
I struggled to think of a way to respond to that until I realized that I was still fidgeting with the magore which had fallen out of the burner.
“I- umm… There was some magore that fell out of one of the burners. I didn’t want it to just sit in there and potentially cause a reaction.”
The man nodded for a moment and then paused. His eyes slowly wavered over to my closed hand where I was holding the magore. By the time I’d realized my mistake, it was already too late.
“How the fuck are you holding that?”
Shit.
I extended out my other hand towards the man’s lamp and connected to the flame inside. I couldn’t control the fire, but I could control how bright it was. The orange flame turned pure white that bleached the corner of the backstage in searing light, overpowering the man’s vision. He dropped the lamp onto the ground and blinked over and over to try and regain his vision.
“Get back here!” The man shrieked as he flailed.
I turned and ran into the maze of merchandise and ducked behind some boxes and cages, wondering what my next steps would be. The guards would be coming soon, and I had no clue where another exit to the auction house was.
A loud snarl came from behind me, and I turned to see three shade wolves trapped in a cage. There were other beasts nearby all from different parts of Sol, all looking at me with a mix of hate and fear.
That will work.
I took the piece of magore in my hand and encircled my grip around it. I’d done this once before, but back then I had only started to figure out how to control pure mana. My proficiency has changed significantly since then.
Mana listened to me. Even the mana inside of magore.
I pointed it at the lock of a cage holding a massive bird that looked far too fat for its wings and let off a small controlled blast. The lock melted and fell to the ground with a thud. The bird immediately slammed open the cage door and ran out of its cage.
I looked back at the shade wolves and saw they no longer were interested in me, but in that fat bird. Grinning, I did the same to the shade wolves’ cage. They stared at me for a second before blasting through their doors and running out.
That should catch their attention.
A few other cages were around me, containing birds, reptiles, and even what looked like a white baby strig.
With a devilish grin, I blasted the locks off of all of them and watched as they darted out of their cages. I could hear screams coming from the crowd and knew that my plan had maybe worked a little too well.
I should go.
I focused on myself and went invisible again and ran off the stage and back into the restroom. I let it go and ran back out, following the rest of the panicking crowd. As soon as I stepped outside onto the street, I could feel Elm’s arm grab my shoulder and pull me to the side.
“What the fuck was that?”
“A distraction.” I answered smugly, “I got what we needed.”
Elm groaned and dragged me behind him towards where Lucan was sitting on a nearby bench.
“Get the carriage. We’re done here.” Elm said with such a deep chill in his voice that it startled Lucan.
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Elm flipped the burner around in his hands and groaned. I could tell he was feeling the same pain I was. We were sitting in his bedroom, which looked to be slightly larger than my own.
“Shoddy craftsmanship… this would have broken apart after the first few shots at best.” Elm let it fall onto the table.
“I didn’t get to go through all of them, but none of them looked like the military version.”
In a nearby metal box sat the pieces of magore from the weapon, including the one that had fallen out.
I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my chin. There was definitely something off about the entire thing, outside of the fact that the burners were all made by separate smiths.
“Have you seen weapons like these before?”
“Never seen one this shitty, but I have seen a few custom made burners. Arlin works pretty hard to keep their stuff proprietary, so people don’t exactly go around showing them off.”
“Proprietary?”
He sighed at my lack of vocabulary.
“Just means that Arlin would like it so that they’re the only ones who can make burners. Whoever was selling these at the auction had the right idea getting from so many different smiths. Arlin works pretty hard to crack down on any illegal magore tech, even though it's uncommon.” Elm said, seeming to reminisce on some old memories.
“So in case one of them gets caught, they can still keep purchasing from the others?”
Elm nodded before leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
“Nicole’s more desperate than I thought if she thinks this is how she’ll figure out who is trying to remove her.”
“I feel like we knew she was desperate the second she called in her favor.” I joked.
He frowned and ignored my comment. It seemed he was still displeased with the fact I’d committed to helping Nicole.
“We’ll figure out the next step, with or without her help. Trust me.”
Elm shook his head.
“Kid, Nicole chose you because you’re her last gambit. If everything goes to shit, she can just offer you to the Tisch as a sacrifice to save her hide.”
I wanted to protest until the painful realization slammed into me. Nicole sacrificing those who came with her to Duskarna should have prepared me for this fact, yet I had remained painfully naive.
“It was a fools errand from the fucking start, and I’m going to make sure Nicole knows that tomorrow when she comes asking.”
I wanted to share in his anger, but I couldn’t. There was a hole somewhere in the day’s findings that I couldn’t discern.
Maybe it’s something to do with the burners?
“Sir, why are illegal burners uncommon?” I asked the first question to come to mind.
Elm sighed and pointed at the box containing the magore.
“That is why. Arlin has near complete control over all magore. You can’t have a burner without refined magore, and the technology to refine is something only Arlin knows how to build. It’s why most of the illegal burner trade is stolen from the military.”
I nodded as another far more pertinent question presented itself.
“Then how did the auction house get so many illegal burners?”
Elm rubbed his chin and began to think. A grin made its way across his lips.
“That’s it.”
“What?”
“Nicole said they needed wealth to be on the Tisch. If there’s any industry that hasn’t been taken by the Tisch and would provide significant wealth, it would be magore.”
Elm gave me a hard slap on the back. “Good job kid. You fell ass backwards into it, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Thanks?”
“Get some rest. We can deal with the bitch in the morning.”
I got up and grabbed the box of magore and headed back to my room. I shut the door and flopped onto the bed, exhausted. Even in the box, which Nicole had provided to us, I could still feel the flow of mana emanating out of it.
I got it to listen to me earlier. Maybe I can learn something from it?
I placed a blanket under the door frame as a half hearted attempt to mitigate the radiation and opened up the box. I opened the box and pulled out the main piece of magore that had slid out of the burner.
My gaze darted between the hand holding the magore and my open palm.
I’d been struggling to give the magore I created any concrete form, only creating small chunks that were basically useless.
I knew that I could create larger pieces of it, yet I wasn’t able to replicate the moment of desperation I experienced during the fight with Keagan.
Maybe I just need a model?
I had been going off of mental images with the creation because I had initially done it without one, but if I had something I could see, maybe it would be easier to replicate.
I put my focus on the piece of magore and connected it to the mana in the air.
Mana, please copy this shape.
The mana grew dense as it passed through me and out of my palm, coalescing together into a solid form. I continued to split my focus between the magore in my hand and what I was creating in the other.
After a minute of focusing, I stopped channeling my mana and looked upon the results.
Holy shit.
The two pieces of magore were in the same exact shape, although the one I created had small imperfections.
I flipped the piece around in my hand and marveled at my own work, giving thanks to the mana before dissolving the magore back into the air.
Time to give Elm a headache.