Lukas paid little attention to the auction. He sat back and humored Mister Grey whenever he spoke, mostly commenting on the passing lots. It wasn’t just the central attractions that were up for auction, but also parts of the display between them. The essences occasionally grabbed Lukas’s attention. Many featured magic or rare elements and concepts that Lukas would’ve loved to add to his collection. He was sure that if he asked Mister Grey, the man would bid on them for him in exchange for the shard and an equivalent crown amount.

Other priorities helped Lukas resist. He had enough essences to meet his current needs. The job took priority. He focused on the sensing technique, sweeping the neighboring boxes for the witch. Lukas needed to know what they were up to. He was sure the woman wasn’t going to sit still, especially if she found out about whatever was happening in Nightingale’s Rest.

Penelope and Esther had instructed him to stay away from the witches and to leave the matter to them. However, if news of the operation got out, the one at the auction was likely to flee. Lukas guessed the woman had to rank high in the coven. He believed they wouldn’t have let her attend a prestigious event otherwise. There was likely something the coven wanted, and the witch was probably going to influence her date to buy it for her.

The auctioneer’s voice echoed around the auditorium. The stalls below were empty while temporary walls covered in wards filled the balcony where everyone sat. More exclusive hanging boxes stood above and on either side. The lighting left them all engulfed in darkness, granting everyone privacy. No one yelled their bids. Mister Grey spoke to them softly, and enchantments changed and amplified his voice for all below to hear.

It seemed the man mostly bid to drive up the prices for others and found great satisfaction in it whenever he believed someone overpaid for one of the lots. His targeted items hadn’t come up yet. However, Mister Grey had purchased a handful of trinkets that decorated the displays of powerful armor pieces and weapons. A wristband he won appealed to Lukas. He had spotted it in the ballroom. The journal followed his instructions and pulled up the description.

Halo Of Invulnerability

Activating the band’s enchantment will conjure a personal circle of invulnerability. It lasts three seconds and takes five days of passive magic absorption to recover.

Three seconds were an eternity during the heat of battle. It could potentially allow Lukas to survive an enemy’s powerful spell or shard ability, and leave them drained or struggling with mental strain. Three seconds of face-tanking a dragon or wyrm’s breath was also an incredible feat. The giant creatures always needed a few moments to recover afterward, creating the perfect opening.

It was part of the reason why Silverspine favored magic over her natural dragon abilities. Their natural weapons grew more powerful with age, but using them also became more taxing with increased recovery periods. Experience had taught Lukas how to bait them out. It was likely he’d make an enemy of her someday, face Drakan’s descendants, or other draconic foes. It was inevitable if he continued facing off against the Wyrmkin or worked with Penelope.

“Here we go,” Mister Grey said, rubbing his hands. His smile and wide eyes betrayed his excitement. He sat forward in his chair. “Three thousand!”

The bid turned high-pitched and sounded nothing like Mister Grey as it echoed through the auditorium. The mask in question sat on a velvet pillow. All the other pieces that had decorated its display sat behind the lot, waiting for their turn.

Mask of Many Faces

The ancient order of Countless Faces was known for its signature masks. It acted as a conduit for their magic, allowing them to change their appearance and blend in wherever they went. The order gained legendary status because of its achievements in assassination, espionage, and intelligence gathering. The mask has no magic of its own, but it contains the vestiges of all of its past wearers.

Lukas made a note of the name. He planned to look up the order and perhaps uncover the secrets of their face-changing magic. It seemed unlikely he’d get anything of the sort from shard abilities—unless Shade’s Mantle gained the power to change its appearance. It felt unlikely or too far away to prove useful anytime soon. Lukas hoped to find alternatives. Gaining the power to change a clone’s appearance would prove invaluable.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Three-thousand-two!”

“Do we have a three-thousand-three? The auctioneer asked.

Mister Grey didn’t raise the bid straight away. Instead, he listened to others do it for him, likely gauging the conversation. Lukas followed each bid, focusing his arcane senses on each of them, hunting for the witch’s energy signature. It didn’t take him long to find her. Her booth continued bidding on the lot aggressively.

“Four thousand-nine,” Mister Grey called, crossing his arms.

“Is it really that valuable?” Lukas whispered.

The man nodded. “Maybe not to others, but it is to me.”

Do witches also use magic connected to vestiges?

“Five-thousand!”

“Five-thousand-two.”

Only Mister Grey and the witch’s box continued to bid. All others had fallen silent. It was all too expensive for Lukas’s blood. The minimum increment of two hundred crowns was too much for him. After selling everything salvaged from the Elder Wyrmking’s camp, he was just short of fifteen hundred crowns. It was substantial money for an ordinary citizen of Iskander. Unfortunately, it was barely enough for the lesser lots. He needed to save money for his departure from Iskander and journey to wherever Penelope was heading.

Lukas hoped to invest in a portable forge and smithing set, purchase high-end tools and materials, and still have some leftovers for incidentals. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted. Even though he already had a shard picked for his Heart Pillar and all of the necessary essences to upgrade it into something powerful,

“Six thousand!” The auctioneer exclaimed. “Do we have six thousand and two hundred? No? Six thousand going once. Going twice. Sold! Congratulations on picking up such a rare piece of history.”

Journal. Will upgrading my Heart Pillar knock me out?

It usually does, but given your tier-two Body Pillar and high mass, it might just help you overcome the issue.

What do I need to do for you to assist with the process like you did with the first shard?

Agree to take on the next quest I give you without delay.

What happens if I don’t hold up my end of the deal?

I’ll have no choice but to limit journal abilities.

I suppose that’s a good trade.

“May I be excused for a moment?” Lukas asked.

“Sure. You’ve done your part of the job.” Mister Grey handed Lukas the second shard. “I have the mask. If I get the Aquila badge too, my night will be made. You’re free to leave. Although the post-auction festivities are something to behold.”

Lukas pocketed the shard, failing to suppress a grin. He ignored the Shard of Growth’s call. He intended to keep, upgrade, and eventually sell it for a profit. “I don’t know about the festivities, but I want to watch the rest of the auction. Just need to relieve myself and perhaps get another drink.”

“Sounds good to me.” The auction had Mister Grey’s attention. He paid little mind to Lukas afterward, more focused on the furious bids flying over the Shard of Arboreal Mastery. He didn’t bid on it, but it wouldn’t surprise Lukas if the man intended to try to steal it from the winner.

Guards and staff walked the corridors outside the auditorium. He followed their guidance to a free private washroom. The spice was large as expected. An incense diffuser filled it with pleasant-smelling smoke. An armchair decorated the space, and a trolley with a variety of perfumes, toiletries, and other products sat next to the sink.

Once the door was locked and he was sure the space was empty and he had his privacy, he withdrew the ritual leather from his storage space. Lukas placed the Shard of Static in the center. The essences of arcane regeneration, cumulus, and lightning populated the three points around the spell circle. He spilled blood and began the ritual, heart pounding out of his chest. The process took several minutes and gave him far more than Lukas expected.

Shard of Thunderstorms:

Thunderstorm’s Eye(Heart): Your heart becomes a powerful source of magic attuned to lightning and thunder, generating and excels at storing it. Either energy can be used in its raw form, channelled through the body, or transferred through touch, or woven into spells.

You will also gain resistance to lightning and sonic disruption. Spells, abilities, and naturally occurring energies utilizing the same magic of the same rank or lower than your Heart Pillar will not hurt you.

Lukas used the shard without hesitation.