Startled, his eyes shot open to the view of Maya running out of a patch of Starvines, with Fionna in tow. Her crimson eyes were wide open as she rushed towards where Professor Maple was.
“Professor!” She shouted at the top of her lungs.
Alarmed, Ash hurried after the two girls, catching up to them just as they reached Professor Maple. The old man was also sitting in a meditative state, but Maya didn’t hesitate to shake him out of it. “I did it!” She squealed, her eyes glimmering with excitement. “I’m ready!”
Professor Maple looked at her blankly for a few moments before his eyebrows raised. “Are you certain?”
Maya nodded vigorously, causing some ash to fall off her hair. “I’m ready to get my mana heart!” She stated with a voice full of certainty.
Professor Maple pushed himself up on his feet with a few grunts, then shook the dirt off his robes. “Fionna, Ash, what about you two?”
Fionna’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I think I need a few more days, Professor.” Professor Maple nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at Ash. “Well?”
Ash shrugged. “I don’t feel much different.” He could still feel that gaping hole where his mana heart would be in the future. The Professor’s lips curled down. “I see…” He muttered with a look of disappointment in his eyes. Ash averted his gaze, not wanting to see that expression. He was doing his best; he didn’t need to be judged.
“In that case,” Professor Maple straightened his back and looked west. “We should cut today’s class short. Maya, does your father have a mana heart prepared for you?”
The crimson haired girl shook her head. “No, father said it would be best for you to decide. Will we go out to hunt for one?” The excitement in her voice was tangible.
Professor Maple shook his head. “Your family has the proper funds, so we should first check the auction house. Ash, go and find Leon and Damien, let them know to meet us at the High Tower entrance in one hour.” He then looked at Maya. “You too, hurry and clean that filth off yourself. We’re going to the auction.”
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“Professor!” Leon shouted as soon as he spotted the professor by the High Tower entrance, leaning against one of the elegant, white columns. “I made it too!” He shouted, ignoring the annoyed glances the few people around them shot. “I’m ready for a mana heart too!” His eyes were gleaming with happiness.
Professor Maple raised his eyebrows in clear surprise. “Already?” he asked with a hint of disbelief. “That’s… quite a success. Very well then, we shall look for a mana heart for you as well. I believe your family does have the funds.”
Leon chuckled and nodded. “That shouldn’t be an issue. I’ll speak with dad, make sure we get one of the private balconies.”
Damien and Ash were right behind Leon, though as soon as Leon finished his words, Damien also stepped forward. “I’m ready as well, professor.” He stated with a flat tone. “My family had already prepared a suitable mana heart for me, which I brought along when I joined the Academy. I will absorb it tonight, in my room.”
Ash’s heart sank as he listened to them. Was he the only one who’d made no progress at all? He didn’t feel any different than before, the void above his abdomen felt just as empty as before, and his mana remained the same. He felt no different at all! Had he chosen the wrong place to meditate? Was that millennia-old tree’s mana not good enough?
As he pondered, worried that he made a mistake already, Fionna and Maya arrived. Chattering excitedly, they only paused their conversation to greet the professor and everyone else.
“Very well then,” Professor Maple stepped away from the pillar he was leaning against. “The auction will start when the Spire’s light is out. We have less than an hour, let us not waste any more time.”
They walked the marble street passing through the gardens of flowers, then passed through the gate, leaving the High Tower grounds. While walking along the city streets, Ash’s lips curled down further. Houses built in rows, all drowning in the shadow of the Tower… There were few plants in the city as they couldn’t possibly grow in the Tower’s shadow, and without mana to nurture them they would simply wither and die.
They soon arrived at a large plaza, then turned to another street, only to find themselves staring at a massive building. Made of white marble blocks like the remainder of the city of Bhaile-Morn. The building was the largest Ash had seen so far, aside from the High Tower of course.
“The Fang Auction House…” Fionna chuckled and shot Leon a quick glance. “As imposing as ever.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The main building of the Fang Auction House was large and circular, with a dome roof and no windows whatsoever. There were, however, two large connecting buildings on either side of it, with pointy roofs and a few small windows high above street level. The entrance was through the main building in the middle – a pair of brass doors were wide open, and a red carpet led the visitors from the entrance towards the auction hall.
The group walked through the open doors. “Welcome sirs and madams,” An elderly butler spoke up, startling Ash. He was standing right next to the door, dressed in a white suit that blended with the white walls. “Young master as well,” he said with a faint smile on his lips.
“Alf,” Leon smirked. “Good to see you! Would dad mind if we took a private balcony? Or are all of them taken already?”
The butler named Alf nodded with that same faint smile. “Not at all, young master. You may take the fifth private room; it is on the western side.” He pointed towards their left, at a wide, lavishly decorated hallway leading to a set of stairs. “Shall I lead you there?”
Leon shook his head. “I remember the way, Alf. Thanks, and say hi to dad!” He quickly went left, only to pause and wait for everyone else to follow him.
They walked up the carpeted stairs, then along a wide hallway before eventually stopping in front of a door to their right. “Here we are!” Leon exclaimed as he opened the door and walked inside. “Come on in,” He smirked.
The professor and the nobles stepped inside, then immediately made themselves comfortable on the sofas and couches. Ash followed them, closing the door behind him, and then looked around the lavishly decorated room.
Just like the hallways they walked through, the hardwood floors were covered in red carpet, and tapestry decorated the walls. Albeit this place lacked the same awe-inducing beauty and wealth as the rooms and hallways of the High Tower, it was still flaunting jaw-dropping wealth and status. There was a red curtain partially drawn on the other side of the room, that led to a half-circle shaped balcony. Ash went up to the arch covered by the curtain and peeked outside.
The auction hall was more or less how he pictured – a large, rectangular hall with a raised platform on one end. On the platform was a pedestal with a velvet cushion on top. That was probably where they were going to place the items they were auctioning. The remainder of the auction hall was covered in rows of seats. While they did seem perfectly comfortable, they lacked the privacy this room provided.
He spotted about two dozen more balconies on either side of the auction hall, and a much larger one at the farthest end of it.
“That’s for important people.” Leon’s voice startled him. He hadn’t heard him approach at all because the red carpet muffled his footsteps. “Like the emperor, or Oracle.” He chuckled. “So, it’s pretty much never been used.”
“Ash, Leon. Come here.” Professor Maple called out to them. They hurried back into the room and sat on one of the empty sofas when prompted.
“I didn’t think any of you would already fill your mana pools. I expected a few months more of practice to be required before any of you were able to absorb a mana heart. I was proven wrong, which is a rare occasion.” The Professor spoke with a low voice, pausing between every few dozen words as if he was trying to think of what to say next.
“Because of this, I didn’t think it would be necessary to tell you more about mana hearts. Now that we’re here though, I feel I should. We still have some time before the auction starts, so listen closely.”
His golden mana spread from his body, and a crystal appeared in front of them. It was a crudely cut crystal, not much larger than a closed fist. “This is a mana heart,” The professor explained with a bitter voice. “My mana heart, the first one I received when I filled my mana pool.”
Maya scowled. “I see it.” She stated.
“Yes, even those without mana sight can see mana hearts. This a physical object, not ethereal like mana.” The Professor clarified. “Choosing a suitable mana heart is important – each mana heart is different from one another. We classify them in five, though those are nothing more than simple classification.”
“Yours is a rare heart, if I’m not mistaken.” Fionna piped up. Professor Maple nodded. “Indeed, the cut of the mana heart indicates the classification. While Divine mana hearts are shaped like perfect smooth orbs, lower quality ones have cruder shapes like mine. However, that is nothing more than a classification. It’s not always better to have a divine mana heart – the highest quality – than an arcane one.”
Maya, Fionna, and Damien shot odd glances at the Professor, prompting him to scowl. “A higher quality mana heart does make things easier, of course. But don’t believe those who would claim a crude mana heart would prevent you from ever advancing.”
The nobles still seemed rather suspicious of him.
“Anyways, Mana hearts’ sizes also matter, and so does their element. Which…” he glanced at Ash. “Usually, their element is told during the auction to aid those with weaker mana sight, but I’ll ask you confirm for us, since you can surely see.”
Ash narrowed his eyes. There was a golden hue around the Professor’s mana heart. “It’s… golden?” he asked. “A bit pale though.” He added hesitantly. It certainly wasn’t as bright as the royal siblings’ golden mana. Even Fionna’s mana was much brighter and more vibrant than the glow around the professor’s mana heart.
Professor Maple scowled. “Pale huh…” he huffed. “Anyways, Maya, we need to get you a mana heart with a fire attribute, so crimson or red. A rare or better quality mana heart would be good, but if that’s not an option, you may need to settle for a crude one-“
Maya shook her head. “No, I won’t settle.” She stated with a fire in her eyes. “I want an arcane, or perhaps a celestial mana heart.”
Fionna’s jaw dropped. “Celestial?” She exclaimed, only for Maya to nod as if she was asking something simple. “Crude mana hearts are the worst quality – you know my situation; I don’t want to settle for something that will ultimately make it more difficult for me to advance!” She snapped. “Rare mana hearts are only named that way because that’s what they are – rare. Not powerful. Anything below Arcane will simply serve to slow me down further. I understand that celestial mana hearts are very difficult to find, and that we have no chance of seeing a divine one here, let alone one of the right elemental attributes. But Arcane mana hearts are sold here every day, one of them will surely be suitable for me. And even if it’s not, father can help us hunt for one.”
Professor Maple’s shoulders dropped as he avoided meeting her defiant gaze. “Very well then.” He stated as he pushed himself up on his feet and walked up to the balcony. “It’s beginning, I hope luck is on your side tonight, Miss Hawken.”