AN: Will say there's roughly ten more chapters before the reveal of our MC's dragon form. This comes with a few surprises here and there, a few chapters explaining how that world was conquered, followed up by several more with him and his monster army within the Necropolis. So yeah, we're slowly coming to the end of this one, folks, and afterwards comes WAR!

As always folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.

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If one were expecting the auction house to be a grand structure with gold letterings and pristine architecture, then you will forever be disappointed. For you see, this house of auction was nothing more than the largest warehouse within the city. It's location was on the southern side, nearest to the slums where the slave pits resided, and was heavily guarded by its own force of mercenaries and merchants.

What is more, you needed to be invited into such a place or have enough coin in order to sway the owner. I, on the other hand, merely needed to hand over a medium size chest full of gold bars, and we were allowed to enter. Yes. It was astonishing what a little gold could do upon the lands which tend to use it quite heavily.

In any case, the exterior of the building was nothing remarkable, beyond its size, whereas the interior was quite interesting. The entirety of the place seemed to have been scrubbed until the wood and stone shone brilliantly in the torch and mage light, and seemed to have been painted with white and gold lacquer.

Ah, but before moving inwards, I and my servants were bade to wear a mask about our features. There was a shelf full of such things, but I being who I was simply gathered my Undying and dwarves, pressed my clawed hands to each of their faces, and willed a mask into existence. For the twins, their faces were covered in a white mask with the depictions of the day-star and a moon upon the right and left half of their faces. The dwarves were given plain masks of gold with a depiction of the hammer and anvil.

Whereas mine was a monstrous mask which covered the top of my head and upper muzzle in shadows and fire. This mask of mine was in the shape of a dragon's, and even had a pair of long whiskers flowing backwards from below the snout. It was rather entertaining, as the beings within the building parted much like seafoam when one is upon a boat of some sort when they noted my person.

However, it did not stop their tongues from wagging as we passed each by. For you see, I desired to view the slaves before they were to be auctioned off, as I had plans which required their assistances for an upcoming event. As to what these plans were, well, we shall speak of them momentarily.

For now, I had one of the owner's more trusted employees take us into the back, and away from the curious eyes of the others. Although I do not mind the attention, it can become quite stifling after being in the shadows for far too long. Yes. Even I can become overwhelmed by such a thing, even to this day.

"Right this way, Mr. Dei," a small Mouse-kin spoke quickly, as we were ushered into the back. It had tried many times to separate my being from my servants, but once such a thing failed the first time, I made sure they surrounded my person. As to why they desired my being alone, who is to say? Perhaps they wish to slap a slave collar about my neck, or upon the others.

In any case, once we were away from the prying eyes of others, and into a room which connected between the main floor and the back, I reached down and lifted the small creature by its neck. "Why do you persist in separating my person from my servants? You've tempted the dwarves with food and drink, of which would not have bothered us, if our dear Flint did not note the poison placed within. What is it that you hope to gain?"

Gone from my eyes were the constellations, and in their place were my baleful, crimson eyes. These pair seemed to cause the creature to leak its fluids from betwixt its legs, as it struggled violently in my grasp. When it did not try to voice a word, I snarled, "I will have the <>."

The moment I spoke this small spell, my eyes changed from crimson orbs to a soft ocean blue, then back again. This action caused the other to grow limp, as I set it upon the ground whilst it stared above my head. "Well?"

"My master covets your fur, and those of your companions," it spoke in a monotone, as the spell continued to course through its entire being. For you see, once a Truth spell has found purchase in its intended target, then it becomes unable to speak even the smallest of lies. Such a thing was necessary upon the dwarves' home world, as they are far too greedy, and tend to lie about everything in order for them to retain their ill gotten goods.

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"The master desires you and yours to become his. Therefore, he has gathered a small army beyond these doors. It is his desire to have you placed within shackles so that all of your gold and merchandise will become his to do as he pleases."

"Oh?" I hummed softly, whilst my servants extracted their weapons from their backsides. Whereas Flint simply set down his keg in order to pour out enough for himself. All eyes, including the spell struck Mouse-kin turned towards his person. To which he simply gave a sheepish grin, and drank deep from the golden liquid in his tankard.

"How many lie beyond that door?" I growled, refocusing my eyes upon the Kin.

"Enough to subjugate you and yours," it grinned, calling my attention to the fact that the spell was ending."

"I see," my voice was only a murmur, as the whole of my form was wrapped by the shadows about our person. From without, the twins had grabbed hold of the small Kin, lifting it high whilst plying their long knives upon its neck. They simply desired silence, and forced it to watch as my body within twisted and turned. Bones popped and cracked, flesh tore itself free as great wings erupted from my back. This, coupled with a long tail jutting from my lower back, was enough to cause the small creature to become distressed from the noise alone.

It seemed the one they held was also of the same mind as its master, as it also desired my furred body and these tearing noises was enough to grant its imagination with the horrors of its mind. Yes. It desired my fur, but my transformation was to my draconic self. Of which did away with my fur by tearing through it.

Once completed with the transformation, the shadows receded enough to wrap themselves around my person to form the endarkened leathers I had been seen wearing once before. This, coupled with the staff of bone which materialised before my person was enough to cause a panic in the small creature before my eyes. To which I simply sneered upon and opened a portal behind its body. This portal revealed a cavern with a multitude of tortured Mouse-kin and beastfolk within, as well as Rojaahn, whose body perked up to see his Lord and Master beyond with the twins holding another of the Kin.

This led to it being tossed through, and landing upon its back. Of which then sprang to its feet, and tried, in vain, to reach for the portal as it closed slowly. This action was to give it a sliver of hope, however it became a vain attempt, as my Undying on the other side leapt onto the creature's back. This pinned it to the ground, as it let out an ear piercing wail of, "NO!"

Of course, such a wail did not go unnoticed. As such, the door opposite to ourselves opened to reveal a curious and bewildered bear beastman in full plate armour staring with a comical expression towards our position. "Wha-?" It began, as a cloud of my venomous acid flowed over its body. The beastman screamed as it engulfed its entirety, of which called the others to attention as it fell from a railing behind it.

"To arms!" Cried out one of its companions, as my Undying and the dwarves were ushered through.

"Oi!" Growled Flint, as an arrow ripped through his keg. Of which was being carried out so that he would be able to watch the brawl. Instead, he seemed to have grown thrice his size along with his clothing. "Which uhn o' you id'ots sho' a' me?" Several individuals pointed their fingers at one of their number, of which seemed not at all amused by the betrayal. It was about to voice an opinion about the situation, when it noticed a shadow over its body growing ever larger. This was so, as Flint had hurled himself over the railing in order to squash the one who destroyed his drink.

"Only caring about your drink?" My voice boomed with a mocking laughter, as he swung the half torn body of the archer as though it were a club, "Have you no shame?"

"Shaddap!"