“There you are! What took you so long? The auctions are about to begin!
“I went hunting.”
“Hunting?! What kind of hunting takes that long?”
“Hunting.”
Vio shook her head and led Liz inside. Simple wooden chairs were neatly filed in the room, filling up as people joined the auction. Vio lead Liz to the back, and told her the rules about this auction. Liz nodded and sat down with her paddle on her lap. Vio stretched her arms and laid back, the crowd gradually quiet down as the auctioneer came up stage.
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen! I am Buc, your auctioneer at this hour! Today is a great day for an auction don’t you think! Full of rare items, brought in by different adventures, in hopes that one of you! Will be able to buy it.” The auctioneer smile, “Preferably at a high price, but that’s their problem!”
Liz listened as VIo looked around. She stared at the crowd, and searched. Liz sighed and tapped Vio to grab her attention, then pointed at the balconies. Vio looked confused, Liz whispered, “If they’re a mage, they’re status probably placed them in the upper levels, not with us commoners, or well, like me, not so much you.”
Vio nodded and started to listen to the auction, periodically glancing that the balcony to see the target. Liz continued to listen, the auctioneer rapid fired words as people furiously bid against each other. Liz stood upright as the auctions continued, hoping for something interesting. Vio grabbed Liz’s shoulder and brought her closer,
“Balcony three, to the right”
Liz stretched her back and glanced, a little girl, probably the mage’s maid, where is he? Liz shook her head, Vio saw him already, she should be able to track him down.
“Now ladies and gentlemen, a quite rare item! A natural lightning rod! A purple lightning tree, located in the western continent!” The auctioneer watched as the “tree” appeared on a cart, “Well, it isn’t exactly the whole tree, just a branch. Perfectly if you’re an alchemist, or a researcher! The bid starts at 10 gold pieces.”
Whispers appeared from the crowd, who wants a branch for 10 gold? Liz raised her paddle,
“Lady in leather, anyone for 20 pieces, one, two, three, sold to the lady in leather!”
Vio suppressed her laughter, Liz tossed a bag of gold to the collector. Vio lightly punched Liz on the shoulder,
“You just got ripped off.”
Liz ignored her.
The auction went on, the third balcony remained silent. The crowds grow wilder after each item.
“At last, ladies and gentlemen! The item you were all waiting for! He bowed and brought out another cart. The crowds whistled, and cheered. The auctioneer sweating, a white cloth covered the item.
“The item you all have been waiting for!” He pulled off the covers, “A high grade mana stone!”
The crowds roared, Liz covered her ears, Vio stared intently at the stone.
Liz leaded over to Vio, “What’s a mana stone?”
Vio stared as she explained, “A stone that gives mana.”
Liz stared at her, she’s gone dumb from that stone.
“Do you need it?”
Vio shook her head, “A mana stone isn’t needed, but if you train around one, it shortens your training by at least 100 days, and best of all, it has no side effects!”
Liz sighed, “How about I bid?”
Vio broke her stare and jokingly laughed, “Good luck! You’ll need it.” She pointed at the balconies.
The bid immediately began,
“3 platinum pieces!”
“5 platinum pieces!”
“10!”
Liz leaned against her chair.
“100 platinum pieces!”
The crowd quiet down, a noble from the balcony raised his paddle, smirking as he made his bid.
The auctioneer collected his breath,
“150 platinum pieces”
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The third balcony finally made a move. The crowd gasped. Liz glanced, the maid rose the paddle, the mage must trust this maid to give her the power to bid.
The noble frowned,
“160 pieces”
“170 pieces” The maid retaliated.
The noble steamed,
“200 pieces, if you respect the Silverheart family, you better not bid again!”
The maid frowned and sat down, the nobleman smiled and clapped,
“Auctioneer, it seems like this auction is done.”
The auctioneer smiled and routinely counted down,
Liz looked at Vio,
“How much pieces do you have?”
Vio shrugged, “30 pieces, but we need at least 10 for the entire trip.”
“Give me ten.”
Vio reluctantly gave the coins and Liz raised her paddle,
“210 pieces”
Vio’s jaw dropped, the crowd stared at Liz. She stared at the noble, who seemingly looked too shocked too do anything. Vio grabbed Liz’s paddle,
“What are you doing?”
Liz snatched the paddle back and didn’t say a word.
The auctioneers counted down,
“Three, two, one, sold!”
The noble finally reacted,
“That isn’t fair! She doesn’t even have the money!”
The auctioneer looked at Liz,
“Could you show us the money?”
Liz took out a sack, poured Vio’s pieces and tossed it at the collector. He counted and verified.
“210 pieces exactly!”
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The auction ended, Liz went to the collection area and grabbed her purchased items. Vio followed close behind and barraged Liz with questions.
“How did you get the money?”
“Hunting”
“You can’t make that make from hunting, seriously.” Vio stared at her.
“Hunting” She stared back, “Seriously.”
Vio closed her eyes, and breathed in. Liz grabbed her items and tossed the mana stone to Vio, who stumbled to catch it.
“A gift?”
“A gift.”
Vio smiled, and knocked Liz in the arm,
“You’re not that bad of a person.”
Liz mockingly laughed, “The faster you get stronger, the faster I get out this mess.”
Vio laughed and pouched the stone.
“Wait commoner.”
The noble blocked their path, “How about I strike you an offer?”
Liz and Vio stared. The noble smiled, “How about 100 pieces and your lives? Sounds like a great deal to me!”
Vio laughed, the noble stepped back, and two knights stepped forward. The right had his sword slung over his shoulder, and the other stood straight.
The right knight sighed and spoke, “Look here missy, we don’t want to hurt you. Just give us the stone, and you get a 50% refund!”
Liz shook her head, Vio snarled.
“Fine, if you want to do it that way.”
The knights unsheathed their blades. Liz narrowed her eyes.
“Ahem”
The knights looked over, the manager stood by the doorway and pointed at the door.
“If you guys want to fight, take it outside!”
Liz stared at the manager, Vio spoke out,
“Where is the security?”
The manager blushed, “You protect what you buy, that’s the policy.”
Vio frowned and went outside, Liz closely following.
Soon after, a crowd of people formed outside. The nobleman stood in the side smiling. The knights stood still. Vio armed herself in a flash, revealing her knighthood. People gasped, the knights silently praising her. Liz silently brought out a few bows.
“This is your finally chance miss, please reconsider the offer.” The knight said.
Vio refused, and laughed.
The knights looked at each other and shrugged,
“Mark, level 3 knight”
“Int, level 3 knight”
Vio frowned, and retreated to Liz.
“Even though their only knights, I can only hold off one of them, stall the other.”
Liz grabbed a bow and shoved the others to Vio.
“No.”
“What? If we don’t fight we die!”
“I know”
“Like hell you know! What are you gonna do against a level 3 knight?”
Vio grabbed tried to grab Liz, only to catch air.
“Please watch.”
The knights warily looked at them, “Are you ready? Please reconsider the offer!”
Liz spat at the ground,
“No.”
The knights instantly charged, the crowds cheered, bets were already being made.
Liz pulled back her bow, and closed her eyes, Vio watched closely.
“First Scripture: The calm before the storm.”
She released the first arrow. Vio watched the arrow, it disappeared! She quickly looked over at the knight, his head was pinned to the ground, he died instantly! Vio watched in amazement, what was that?
Liz watched her bow disintegrated, her hands trembled as she stared at them, not good enough. She looked at the other knight, quickly retreating in fear. She grabbed another bow.
“Wait, wait ,wait, wait mis-“ An arrow drilled though the knights head, leaving a headless knight.
The crowds turned silent, the nobleman stood in fear. Liz dropped her other broken bow and stared at him, he quickly fled out of the scene.
Liz grabbed the rest of the bows and walked back into the city. Vio caught up,
“What was that?”
“In the inn”
Vio smiled, “Follow me. You better tell me what that was.”
Liz nodded.
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They went to their room, Liz fell on the floor, exhausted from the fighting. Vio also sat on the floor, cleaning her sword waiting for Liz to explain to new found power.
Liz got up and explained her scriptures to Vio, who nodded as she explained. Vio laid back and pondered, Liz clenched her hands.
“Maybe its blood talent…”
“What?”
“Talent passed on by blood. A technique that a clan can only use, it may be that.”
“Maybe…”
“Who are your parents?”
“No idea.”
Vio sat next to Liz, “Have you even bothered to find out?”
“Nope”
Vio shook her head, “If you want, I can help you.”
Liz stubbornly shook her head, “No, that’s a truth I don’t want to know.”
Vio shook her head and stood up. She searched her pouch and brought out the mana stone.
“We can’t have you be stronger than me can we. Don’t bother me for a few hours.” She smiled and placed the stone. She sat near it and closed her eyes. Liz stared and left the door, Vio was training, its best that she leaves.
Liz left the room and went to the dining area. She ordered and waited, fastening her guards as they prepared the food. Soon after, the food came and Liz ate. She looked out the window, an hour past since the fight, the front of the auction was now clean, disposed of the knight’s corpse. She wondered if the noble will come back and threaten her again, how cares. She’ll fight what he brings. She silently ate her food.
The chair in front of her moving, she looked over, nothing, she must have miss heard.
“Don’t ignore me.”
Liz looked again confused, still nothing, she’s going crazy again.
“Down here!”
Liz looked down, the little maid sat in front of her. The maid smiled.