Auction (1)

Annalisa and I walked in silence. Merely an hour past dusk as we passed shops and stalls, the city was becoming livelier. But the change was so drastic that Annalisa eventually had to ask.

"Your city is a bit peculiar, is it not?" she asked.

"No." I replied, my smile, nostalgic, and full display.

"Do tell." she said.

I could feel her focus on me. Her steps slowed and began to drag. I couldn't help but join her and time followed closely behind us. 

"Do you see that man?" I began, "That is Old Gu. He's a tier two alchemist. He's here every day faithfully. He sells to those escort agents and warriors coming back. Those men escort the very goods that Hellfiend city specializes in." 

"Old Gu represents the soul of Hellfiend. Very few people here exceed the Martial realm."

"Body Refinement…" Annalisa corrected me.

I paused and her small smile grew. It wasn't taunting, but soft and warm. 

"Thank you. But you made my point. We call it the martial realm in the secular world. There is no hope of going further. Old Gu is lucky enough to have reached the stage he has. Many people will be born and die here. This little earldom, even in terms of the secular world, is small."

"My mother created a system with this in mind. My father pioneered as a merchant. The merchant Thorne produces and sells ink and paper. The city has merchants that trade in rice, potatoes, oils, glue, and fabric. Of course, its low quantities but enough to keep the city thriving with a delicate balance of taxes and benefits. Stalls and shops close at sunset. Red light comes on and the bars and restaurants open for our returning warriors. They eat and sleep for free."

"Benefits." said Annalisa

"Exactly. The bars and restaurants get a tax cut. And as long as the day shops follow the rules, a portion of their inventory is purchased by the Noble Thorne family to stockpile for the city. This is dispersed during winter seasons, natural disasters, plague, and to maintain the city and peace. A system built on honesty."

"My attendants tell me that you spend your days frolicking." Annalisa spoke to the side, then looked back at me with intrigue.

At that moment I began to wonder who she would have been if she had died early in my previous life. 

"Of course I do. Doesn't mean I'm a waste." I say, "Here."

Leading her to a small tavern, I find the rice merchant's son, Sir Lair and the fog in my memories begin to clear. 

"Thorne!" he shouted, rushing over, "Oh, who is this beautiful lady?"

"My fiancé, Annalisa Ubar." 

I could sense Shelly's bewilderment. Afterall, I had been fighting it for months since I found out about the possible arrangement. Annalisa merrily smiled. She gave a simple greeting and Sir Lair dragged us to his table. 

After drinks and dishes were ordered. We spoke of the recent events in the city and how we were finally of age to move freely. Sir Lair planned to leave the city and form a trade of agriculture seeds. His father had recently chanced upon a foreigner with a business opportunity in a time where the martial art schools were low on material to concoct their body supplements. 

This golden haired, gray eyed man would only return three years later in success and achievements as a martial artist himself. One of the only true friends I had the pleasure of meeting in my lifetime. so, as he spoke, I genuinely felt happy and hopeful for him.

The night carried on when a group of envoys entered the bar. It wasn't an odd sight as this time over, they traveled to deliver yearly quotes to the Blue Sky Academies' forts and fields. It was then that I could recall the year's events. But it was their conversation that triggered me.

"Lair…Isn't it the raiding season in the east? What does the Blue Sky Academy plan to do?" I asked, Lair always seems to have the information of the great world on his hip.

"Very perceptive." Lair chuckled, "I never knew you were the type."

I was caught. But it was nothing to be ashamed of.

"Well, then again, they speak loud enough for the city to hear. Naturally, the Blue Sky Academy plans to re-enforce their hold in conjunction with Blue Sky kingdom. Which is odd." he stopped. 

"Why is that odd?" asked Annalisa.

"Because the only thing they can do is place a Child of the Soil over the abandoned Qiulian Fields. But holding those fields has been a pipe dream for the past fifty years. Not to mention the fort on the eastern border has been losing its grip recently." Lair explained.

"Everyone knows that the Blue Sky Kingdom is a mortal adjunct of the Blue Sky Academy. But we aren't a cultivation state like the Daqian Dynasty or the Faedom Empire. And the reason we're able to sit firmly between the two is that the Blue Sky Academy is a branch of the Blue Sky Pavilion in the Central Region."

"I think…I'm following," said Annalisa.

I said nothing as I silently put the pieces together. All the while, the young Lair sighed and moved his mug aside as he leaned to explain further.

"There's an agreement. The Blue Sky Pavilion, The Great Qian Clan, and the Shee Palace. Three powers of 32 in the Central Region. The only three with claim to the western shores. As long as we remain a mortal kingdom. Blue Sky Academy stands. There are already too few resources for two cultivation powers. It couldn't sustain a third."

"But what is odd?" she asked.

"What's odd is that Blue Sky Academy will obviously lose its grip soon. The Barbarian clans from the east are pushing hard. It's becoming harder to maintain their fields and many merchants and nobles have already grown large enough to shortchange the Academy. Not to mention the rise of tens of academies in the past two decades. So why put on a show and waste the little resources that you have?"

"Distraction…" I finally spoke.

"That's what my father thinks too." said Lair, "That's why he's sending me out to expand the business. More money, faster. Then we'll sail west to hit the shores of the Far East Region."

Lair picked up his cup and emptied it in his maw in one go. I was lucky to have such a knowledgeable friend. In just one sitting, I recognized my biggest flaw in my previous life. I failed to grasp that although we are a mortal kingdom, we live in the palm of the Cultivation world. Money bought me many things, but it was nothing before absolute power.

The Western Shores are a cluster of four territories bordering the Palmdahlia Sea. The Daqian Dynasty held the north, the eastern barren as referred to as the Free States, southern rim which belonged to Faedom Empire, and finally, the Blue Sky Kingdom sat firmly in the middle with Palmdahlia Sea on its western border. Together these four territories held the west.

The Blue Sky Kingdom, governed by the Blue Sky Academy for over three hundred years. What made the special was that the territory was composed of many Fields and Cities. The only settlements or townships allowed aside from them were Forts and small Groove's established as way points throughout the territory. 

Cities are naturally governed by nobility and the fields are managed by the children of the soil, handpicked spirit farmers from the Blue Sky Academy. But it would seem that this was all ending soon.

While Lair had a solid escape plan, I looked to the Free States. It was obvious what was coming and the time it would come is ten years from now. Before then, I have two options, Blue Sky Academy or the Free States.

I sighed to myself and emptied my cup. This required more deliberation. 

"Enough of this doom and gloom. With knowledge comes power. Now that you know, discuss with your parents and plan accordingly. But tonight, we celebrate. And I'll treat you to the evening auction." said Sir Lair

I chuckled nostalgically; this was that night after all.

______________________

"Young lord, we should be getting back," said Shelly.

"Us as well miss." the silver haired man spoke.

"Worry not. Tonight's auction should be interesting. Send word to our parents to join us." I instructed. 

I may not have remembered Sir Lair all too well, but all of Hellfiend city will remember the auction on this night. It would go down in history as the Bloody Auction. From this auction, my greatest enemy would emerge. Thus, I'll have to strip him of his wings.

Entering the auction, Sir Lair and I were quickly recognized and ushered in. It wasn't the first time we had attended an auction. 

"Sir Lair, forgive me, but my lady and I will be sitting in her family's booth." I spoke.

Sir Lair chuckled and waved me off. "So be it. Married men soon forget their friends. It's good to see you're adapting so well. Until next time, Thorne."

"Until next time, Lair."

Bidding him a farewell, Annalisa playfully asked about her family's booth. I simply shrugged and found the nearest attended. With the family's money, I upgraded our stay, and we were ushered to the sky booth that overlooked the auction hall. 

"That…" Annalisa was shocked as she looked down to the auction stage.

I smiled and took her arm, stopping her from speaking. Shelly and the silver haired man also shared a look of surprise. 

Meanwhile, our parents were receiving their summons along with the news of the special host of the night's auction.

"I am Lord Antioch of the Diamond House. The best auction house of the western shores. Tonight, the diamond house has chosen Hellfiend City as our yearly upset."

The auction house burst into chatter. Could Hellfiend city shoulder such a burdensome blessing? I knew the answer and it was no. Looking back at it now, all of this seems too coincidental. From this auction, treasure that will bring death would emerge. And though it only lasted for a night in Hellfiend City, the ripples will continue to the eastern border in five years that will destroy the Border Fort and begin the Barbarian Invasion that would last for three years until a mysterious warrior emerged and annihilated the horde.

The Diamond House destabilized the kingdom and Daqian would come to clean us up.

"The yearly upset as you know is meant to change fates and invigorate the kingdom of Blue Sky. This auction will consist of twenty slots and each bid will be in increments of 1000." said Lord Antioch.

"Darius, what's happening?" Annalisa asked in disbelief. 

"Exactly as you see."

"But Hell fiend."

"I know…. It's a good thing Lord Ubar is here." I smiled.

"You…" Annalisa looked at me with deep shock.

I gave her a nod and nestled into my chair before calling for refreshments. I could feel her gaze on me through the night.