Hellfire consumed the sword, and it melted in Asmodeus’s hand. Brightness shone in the blackened room. Disappointing groans and sways of heads lightened the room again. He turned to the man with fury blazing in his eyes.
Jerking his head up toward the crowd, Asmodeus sneered, “You dare mock our leader, giving off false accusations! This isn’t the real sword you claimed to be because it cannot be destroyed.” He grabbed the Gala by his shirt, stepping up on the stadium, nearly dragging him behind.
The auctioneer wanted to protest, but who could go against a sub-prince of Hell?
Kate wished to do something to stop whatever Asmodeus planned, but if she aided the man, she’d give herself away. She sat motionless, preparing for the worst.
“Give a good look at this lying piece of shit,” Asmodeus growled, letting go of the hardened grip he had on the terrified Cambion.
The Gala fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
With a mockery gaze at him, Asmodeus declared, “Anyone who falsely claims to have the sword will have to reckon with me.” He kneeled to the man, pulled his face up, and grasped around his throat, “And will be severely punished.”
The sub-prince of Hell smirked, “What I am doing is nothing but respect for our master. To Lucifer!”
Many Infernals called out, “To Lucifer!”
“Please no!” the Cambion whimpered. However, his fate had been sealed when he lied. He crumpled to the arena, twitching in agony.
Asmodeus clasped his hands together in a formal manner as if he were a waiter serving an exquisite dinner, listing the course off the menu from memory: “I am dissolving his organs inside out.
The Galas remained quiet, their eyes glued to the stage. The man’s skin started to peel back and dissolve the muscles, tissues, and nerves exposed to the world. His body withered away; the last of his organs was his eye sockets rolling on the floor. The decaying mess of the body lay in a gruesome pile.
Kate wished to glance away, sickened by the ideal, but she was with the rest, astounded by the sub-prince frisson chilling the air. The scent of decay floated through her nostrils, and she wanted to gag. Asmodeus ordered a wizard to clear away the order and mess, and in a couple of seconds, the room went back to smelling expensive perfume.
Once Asmodeus sat back in his VIP seat, Brad chucked, dissatisfied that his auction had been halted. He gradually bid for the love potion, and the Infernals joyfully joined in.
***
The hours dragged by for Katerina. However, the Infernals wished the night would rage on forever, wild laughter and cheering bouncing off the walls. Loud applause boomed when each item was sold at an incredible rate with huge prices.
Finally, the moment Kate had been waiting for began. The night was still young, but she easily became tired of the Infernals flaunting their wealth and powers. Many wore fancy attire with beautiful jewels lacing their bodies to show off their status.
The Prowler moved her way closer to the stadium, her heart picking up speed. The bottom of her brown dress flowed to her ankles. She had laced-up boots and a leather coat to complete her outfit. Kate knew wearing dark colors would blend her nicely into the crowd.
A dramatic silence took over. The auctioneer stood there, his eyes glistering and a smile dashing on his face. A smug appearance appeared when attention focused on him. Brad waved his hand at something, draped in a black cloth. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is what I expect most of you to do here for this last piece of our show!”
Everyone held their breaths, waiting for what would be revealed.
“This creature, or should I say warlock, has been in possession for only a day! However, he has astounding magic that will blow your mind. He can control anyone at his will,” Brad stated, soaking up the gaze on him. “Imagine having a warlock under your control. What achievements could be made?”
The cloth fell away, showcasing a boy around Kate’s age. He stared at the hundreds of eyes, looking lost and confused.
“Guards, get him out.” The auctioneer fisted his hand up in the air and said, “Show us, great warlock, your true potential!”
Guards raised guns at the boy with red dots on his chest. Guards unlocked the cage, their cold stares never leaving him. The teenager stood there hopeless; the onlookers speculated on him as if he were just a precious item to be valued, nothing more.
Disgust churned inside Kate, hating every fiber of the Infernals, thinking they could own a Gala for their powers and enslave them to their master’s will. She kept creeping closer to the first-row seating, her pulse quickening at the Infernals observing her.
Kate relaxed her shoulders, but her breathing came out slowly from the possibility of getting caught when everything was within reach.
“Go on, boy, control anyone in the seats! Show us and your life will be forever changed,” Brad urged.
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The young warlock glanced around, his face creasing with fear. A guard had a taser ready to be used and unlocked his metal handcuffs. The boy shuddered out of his terror, and without wanting to be shocked until only his soul was clinging to life, he lifted his hands.
Emerald sparks came from his fingertips, as did a man about three rows from the stadium, wearing a tuxedo and a long bread that reached to his chest—probably a werewolf if Kate had to guess since they liked to look...hairy.
The werewolf did some funky dance moves, his face fighting against the magic restraining him. He seemed to be fighting against the young warlock’s powers but couldn’t win. He twirled around on his tiptoes like a ballerina before the teenagers decided to stop controlling him.
Exhaustion overtook the teenager’s gaze, his eyes begging for release and freedom. The guards threateningly poked their guns at him, one of them handcuffing him again and shoving him back into the cage like an untamed animal.
The Infernals clapped in delight, with Brad shouting out, “Do I have fifteen million?”
Once the cage rolled away after the warlock was sold for millions, another one with a Nephilim that had more than five powers emerged. She was purchased for a little less than the warlock. She had the temperament of a ferocious beast, baring her pointy teeth.
The Nephilim had a warrior-shaped body and muscular eyes that already pierced more than the blade. Chains wrapped around her arms. She gave a heartbreaking cry after being sold, her tone just pleading to be free.
When she was taken back into the backroom, the auctioneer began with a hearty laugh, “Finally, our last display for tonight!” Brad bowed. “I hope this fine evening offered more than what you expected!”
Applause echoed around the stadium, and he blushed, motioning for them to stop.
The last cage appeared, and a designed black cloth covered it. Infernals leaned in to get a better look at what the creature might be.
Brad detailed in his charming tone, “Our final piece tonight is another Nephilim. Eight hundred years old and has a grudging history against the Archangel. He burned down the Seers’ palace and destroyed his hometown.”
“The reason he’s here tonight and not among us is that he thinks differently now, becoming less than he is. He wants to be good and live among the Harmonies, hoping for forgiveness from the Archangel. Can you believe that?” laughed Brad. “Before we sell this wonderful creature and change his thoughts, the bidding will start at no less than fifty million dollars.”
Some Infernals were shaking their heads, distraught about the price. Others had nonchalant gazes. Most of them wondered who had the kind of money to pay for the Gala.
Kate managed to sit in the premium seating, getting glares because who dares conceal their face among the richest of the Infernals? Luckily for her, they were too engrossed in who this Nephilim looked like.
The designed cloth dramatically fell away, and Kate grinned.
Stunned gasps echoed. Either the auctioneer got the gender wrong, or something was fallacious.
“Um,” Brad said, glancing at the guard. They shrugged with the same perplexed looks, “Who the hell are you?”
A girl with a cloak covering her whole body and a hood hiding her face replied with a hidden smirk, “Honestly, I’ve been wondering that question for a while.”
Brad demanded in a provoked snap, “Where is the Nephilim?”
“Oh, him, right…” the Prowler shrugged in her cloak. “I killed him. Orders from the Archangel.”
The auctioneer’s face burst bright red and looked like any minute he would explode into rage. Brad was speechless, including everyone else. An Infernal shouted, “Kill the wrench!”
Mummers of agreement spread among the people. Infernals directed their barrel at her, and there were red spots on her chest.
The fourteen-year-old girl ignored the guns and slammed her hands against the bars of the cage, making everyone jump in their seats. Red eyes glowed back at the Galas. “But don’t you want to know who I am? Sell me to the highest bidder.” Sara mocked.
“Who are you, then?” rasped Brad, grasping his scepter so tightly that his knuckles whitened.
Sara cocked her head to one side, her hood shadowing her features. “I guess I categorize it as your worst nightmare. What do you think, Katerina?”
This time, Galas leaped to their feet, madly looking around to spot Katerina.
Kate hopped on the stage and pulled her hood down. “I think I agree. I bid...” She narrowed her hazel eyes and replied, “Freedom.” Sparks ignited in her hands, and she blasted a fireball at the crowd. Their mission was to save the poor prisoners being sold and take the items along with them from the UFO.
She let a burst of radiant fire from her hands; the fire covering the walls and blocking the exits. The Infernals tossed a blast of their magic to destroy the walls, but a fire shield crackled alive along the walls, absorbing their powers and preventing their desperate escapes.
They turned to Kate, whom she had been expecting, and lifted her hands in defense. Infernals attempted to knock her out of her feet with their abilities; witches, wizards, and warlocks hoped to blast curses, spells, and magic to stop whatever she planned to do.
Werewolves changed into their beastly shapes and saliva drooled to feast on her, ready to attack. Vampires hissed, their fangs prepared to rip flesh and go their stealthy speed to distract her. The rest of the Galas used their powers for a kill blow.
Heat and smoke wisped in the air from Kate’s fires.
“Welp, have fun,” Sara stated, blinking boredom at the supernatural about to slaughter her friend.
Lights flickered off, the Infernals freezing for the briefest second, not wanting to collide with one another. The werewolves had the advantage of seeing in the dark, and so did the vampires, but to a lesser degree.
However, the hesitation gave Kate the time to build a protective wall around her to block magic from barring at her. When the lights returned on, five things happened: the Infernals raced to attack the Prowler, the items that were on the sides of the arena disappeared, and so did the prisoners in the backroom. Sara had vanished, and Kate prepared to unleash hell.
Even before the Infernals had time to reach Kate and slaughter her like a pig, fire surrounded her, spread out in a blaze, and burned the Galas inside the auditorium. The flames consumed the walls and the whole building.
A glowing portal made of heavenly flames appeared behind her. Kate turned to the blazing room, and the Infernals’ ashes floated in the smoky air. The light bulbs shattered above her, and beams from the ceiling crashed. Kate smiled at her creatively and stepped into the portal, her heart drumming with happiness and adrenaline coursing through her.