The announcer's voice reverberated through the auction room, declaring the starting price for the Ether crystal pendant. "Ether crystal pendant. Starting price is twenty-five Etherium."

I instinctively checked my pocket, fingers grazing the worn fabric of my coin pouch. Relief washed over me as I confirmed its presence—I had at least seventy-five Etherium coins, providing me with ample room to bid if the need arose.

As the auctioneer's gaze swept across the room, my hand rose, signaling my willingness to pay the starting price. However, before my bid could be acknowledged, another participant interjected, their voice cutting through the ambient murmurs.

"We have a bid for thirty-five Etherium."

A ripple of anticipation coursed through the room, and the pendant, suspended in the air, seemed to hold the collective breath of the bidders. The clandestine dance of numbers and offers unfolded, each bid a step in the intricate choreography of Rusthaven's faction auction.

The auction room held its collective breath as my voice cut through the silence, declaring a bid that surpassed the ongoing exchange. "Forty-five Etherium!"

As the auctioneer scanned the room for further bids, a sense of relief washed over me. The price held steady, and the pendant, with its uncanny resemblance to the one I cherished, became a focal point in the clandestine proceedings. The atmosphere, once taut with anticipation, now crackled with a different energy—an energy of resolution and triumph.

As the auction eventually came to an end, the culmination of clandestine transactions and concealed desires, I found myself in possession not only of my weekly profit—around 150 Etherium—but also the pendant.

Hastening back home, a sense of anticipation tinged with curiosity coursed through me. I couldn't wait to examine the pendant more closely.

Arriving at my humble shack, I immediately sat down and placed both my earnings and the newly acquired pendant on the table.

Taking off the pendant that had hung around my neck since childhood, I delicately placed it on the table beside the newly acquired one. As I examined them side by side, it became evident that the pendants were identical in shape, their intricate patterns echoing each other with a haunting precision. The only notable difference lay in the shade of the stones—the one I had worn since childhood possessed a soothing blue hue, while the newly acquired pendant radiated a mysterious red shade.

Allowing the stones to rest side by side, I anticipated the usual pulse of energy that had become a familiar occurrence with the pendant from my past. For around five minutes, I watched, waiting for that subtle vibration, that ethereal glow that had accompanied my every interaction with the pendant since childhood. However, to my surprise, nothing happened.

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A sense of unease settled in the room as the silence deepened. The absence of the familiar pulse raised questions, stirring a mix of curiosity and trepidation within me. Was I just getting ahead of myself?

Releasing a sigh, I sank into my chair, the weight of disappointment settling in. "Well, that was a waste of forty-five Etherium."

The pendants, side by side on the table, seemed to mock my impulsive bid. The room, once filled with anticipation, now held a lingering atmosphere of uncertainty. Doubts gnawed at the edges of my thoughts—had I invested too much hope in this acquisition?

As I sat there, surrounded by the artifacts of my existence, the shadows in the room seemed to deepen, echoing the mysteries concealed within the stones.

Getting up, I grabbed the stones and headed outside to catch a breather in the night. My shack sat atop a hill, offering a breathtaking view of New Arcadia. The neon lights of the city's skyscrapers glowed, and the distant hum of the city's nightlife reached my ears. This panoramic view always seemed to infuse me with a sense of determination, a surge of drive that whispered promises of change.

Things will change. They have to.

In the stillness of the night, with the glow of the city in my peripherals, I clutched the stones tighter, a silent vow etched in the quiet air.

In that moment, as I stood on the hillside with the stones in my hand, a peculiar sensation washed over me. Looking down, I witnessed the stones pulsing in sync, their ethereal glow resonating in harmony. A subtle yet powerful connection unfolded between the two crystals, creating a brief but intense moment of unity.

The air around me seemed to shimmer with unseen energy, and I could feel a faint but distinct pulse coursing through the stones. It was as if they had come alive, responding to some unseen force that linked them together.

Overwhelmed by the mystical occurrence, I clutched the stones tightly and sprinted back inside my humble shack. The energy of the pulsing crystals resonated within me, urging me to capture this extraordinary event in the pages of my journal.

Seating myself at the worn table, I hastily opened the journal and began to document the details of the pulsing stones. The ink flowed as I described the ethereal glow, the harmonious dance of the crystals, and the sense of wonder that pervaded the night. Each stroke of the quill echoed the pulse of the stones, creating a written testament to a moment that transcended the ordinary and ventured into the realm of the extraordinary.

Closing the journal, I sat back, the stones still clutched in my hand, their pulsing glow now etched not only in the ethereal currents of the night but also in the pages that chronicled my progress.

A triumphant grin spread across my face as I contemplated the prospect of change. The realization that my current lifestyle, marked by the struggles of Rusthaven, would soon be over-fueled a sense of anticipation.

The admission fee to become a New Arcadia citizen was 5,000 Etherium. Over the years, I had diligently saved up my coins, and now, with just a little under that required amount, I knew my escape from Rusthaven was imminent. The next week's auction would be my ticket to a new life, and once in New Arcadia, joining the military became my pathway to elevate my status.

The stones in my hand seemed to pulse with approval, as if echoing the promise of transformation that awaited me.