"The Cauldron Auction would begin right now! Ladies and gentlemen we present to you the King of Merchants! Intruder the Jester of Retromalus!" yelled the announcer.
Third Person's POV
[Prestigious Academy of Arcacia]
Students of Arcacia Academy are completely unaware that the Chronicle Play Event has a high possibility of being cancelled. Only Masters Shin and Shein have the knowledge that the book has been stolen, including the Enchanted Elites that remained inside the academy in order to control the situation.
The broadcasting club of the school had already announced that the play would be moved at midnight, and provided the students information that it was due to some backstage problems from the theatrical club.
"I guess, it can't be helped then."
"That boring play was moved? Nice. We can spend more time gaming."
There was a variety of responses among the crowd, but sure enough, the majority did not think much of it.
"Where is she? Are they really that busy?" pouted Ruby Xercedes as she felt like she had already searched every nook and cranny of the academy in order to find Virdjana.
"Give it up Ru. You know that girl hates the crowd." said Laylah Schnider. "At the moment, why don't we smash Fanna's face at the basketball shoot outs?" the Light Enchant suggested with a grin on her lips.
"And what if we end up starting a brawl with her gangmates?"" Ruby questioned with a brow raised,
Laylah chuckled first before nodding, "much better right?"
Ruby could only roll her eyes, as she balls her fists then smashing it together, "I'm freaking in. Call the other Trouble Makers."
[Broadcasting Office]
Instead of the usual broadcasting crew, the individuals that operated the announcement were none other than the members of the Student Council, notably President Rizz Merdenia and Secretary Ian Navalle. Lizbeth Torres who was a hidden member of the Enchanted Elites and Ertune Merdenia - a temporary substitute Enchanted Elite for Genesis Marlo, and cousin of Rizz can also be found in the same room.
"Thank you for the assistance, President Rizz." said Lizbeth.
"No worries, it's a pleasure lending the strongest students of the academy in their mission a hand, but I have to admit I'm curious about the reason of the schedule change." stated Rizz.
"Hah! Ganito kasi iyan, pinsan- aray!" magpapaliwanag na sana si Ertune nang sikuhin ito ni Lizbeth sa tagiliran.
"It's confidential." Lizbeth told Rizz with a smile, "as for you, nature blockhead, we are ordered not to share any information about the mission, so shut your trap before I crush you with gravity."
Ertune gulped, and nodded. "Got it. So...mean."
Three knocks was heard after a few seconds of silence. The individual was polite enough to wait for Ian Navalle to let them in, before striding into the room carrying a brown box filled with scrolls. "Can I get some help here?" beamed the woman.
"Senior Fibia?!" gasped Rizz.
"Who now?" asked the confused Ertune.
'What a blockhead.' thought Lizbeth as she massages her forehead from the stress caused by the Nature Enchant. 'I need to retouch my make-up.'
"I'll take that, ma'am." Ian politely volunteers as he takes the box from the blue-haired woman and places it on the table of the office. "What brings you here Senior?" Ian later asked.
"I'm curious, miss. It must have taken a few hours of drive to visit from the Research Laboratory to the Main Campus." remarked President Rizz.
Lizbeth and Ertune decided to withdraw from the conversation as they proceed to sit on the vacant chairs to watch the students of the academy from the glass window. "I wonder what the others are doing now?" asked Lizbeth to Ertune.
"No idea. Gusto ko na lang talagang matapos na ito. Malay ko bang ganito kastressful ang trabaho ninyo. Paano ito kinakaya ni Genesis?" pagmumukmok ni Ertune.
"Do you have a project you're working on miss?" asked Ian.
Fibia tucked a few strands of her hair behind her neck, and replies while taking out the scrolls out of the box, "Something like that. It's confidential, only graduate students of the academy and certain authorities are allowed to learn of my research." smiled Fibia.
President Rizz could only laugh, "understandable. I guess there's just know way in knowing."
"President, no need to be so curious about it. Don't forget that the Student Council does have their own mysteries too." said Ian in attempt to console the upset president.
"Rizz, I have a question. I remember that you told me that little Arcedes studies in this academy too. At least, that's what I remember from his stories. How is he doing?" smiled Fibia.
Fibia and Rizz have an apprentice-mentor relationship because this Faramis researcher used to be a professor specializing in Noraxian Runes at the Prestigious Academy of Arcacia, before choosing to transfer from the education to the researching sector,
"Ah, you mean Drago Arcedes? I have a few stories about him, but the most controversial of them all was when he was cursed with the fruit of the Black Pearl." spoked President Rizz while rocking back and forth from the office chair of the Broadcasting office.
"Black Pearls of the Burial Forest? What kind of - forgive my wording - sicko would send a young boy to the Forest of Giant Serpents?" exclaimed Fibia out of surprise.
"Oh, you'd be surprised!" Ertune butts in with a grin on his face.
"Ertune, don't be rude. Please, don't mind him." said Lizbeth as he glares at the Nature Enchant.
Yet it was too late since the researcher's attention was now on Ertune Merdenia, "it's alright. Tell me young man, who ordered that mission?" Fibia asked in a sweet tone.
"Oh no..." mumbled Rizz under her breath.
[Cauldron Auction Dome: Upper Level]
Amongst the crowd was Albus Feles and Albus Canis wearing their disguises - a change of outfit that differently identifies them with the help of Virdjana's ability to steal, it was hilarious really - that the guards were unable to figure out that they sneaked in. They were blending in just fine. Meanwhile, Reggie was with Drago Arcedes and the sleeping Ryoline Nanami to act as a medium to communicate with the Wind Enchant.
"They're in position." informed Reggie while floating on his back, arms behind his head.
"Good. We can do this." whispered Drago to himself.
Reggie squints his eyes as he finds the perfect angle to study the features of the young Arcedes. 'Very familiar.' he thought before moving to the right to better analyze the face of the Enchanted Elite. 'Somehow, his face bugs me more compared to the face of Kadaski Nueva.'
"Reggie, can you tell Virdjana and Aski if they could describe Intruder's face?" requested Drago with a smile.
"What the- hmm, it couldn't be..." murmured Reggie.
"Oh no Virdjana's in trouble!" exclaimed Drago.
"What? What are you waiting for! Let's g-... the hell? Vi is alright." glared Reggie.
Drago was satisfied to pop the bubble world Reggie was drifting into, "I'm sorry for that, but you didn't hear what I said." Drago remarks as he scratches the back of his nape.
"We, Guardians, are always alert kid." argued Reggie before thinking back as to what Drago asked him to do, "you were asking about Intruder's descriptions? I saw his face backstage, here."
Reggie shows the face of Intruder by using psionic image projection, the ability to project a memory, thoughts, or emotions into reality.
"It's... blurry." sighed Drago, "I didn't know it was possible to get a blurry image."
"That's a first. All my projections are always clear as a crystal." uttered Reggie as he cups his chin, "no worries. Even if you can't identify him, Vi's Aura Sensos would do the trick."
"You're that confident of her abilities?" asked Drago, however he immediately felt a threatening aura from the spirit of the Guardian Relic, "I.. I didn't mean in a bad way. I'm just surprised that you can believe on someone's capability without a grain of doubt."
"I'm a Guardian connected to my Master by soul and compatibility. If I don't entrust her my soul and power, not only would the relic become unstable, it means I would also disappear." Reggie stated.
Drago was quick to understand the concept of the Guardian Relic, including its advantages and disadvantages. "I see." he chuckles.
"What? You find that thought funny? Just wait 'til Vi hears about this." sneered Reggie to the Blue Flame of the Madoka Dragon.
"I don't find it funny, I promise. Your relationship with Virdjana just reminded me of a particular dork in my family." smiled Drago before returning his attention to the stage of the auction.
[Cauldron Auction Dome: Lower Level]
She pulled her feathered coat closer to her body to warm herself up and to pretend that she's some fashionable guest in the dome. So many unfamiliar faces, and for a second or two, she thought she saw an SGN, another living shadow. Of course, that was only until the crowd got thicker and now they were now gone from her vision.
Virdjana heard about the fact that there was going to be an interesting grand auction other than the Chronicle Book. She could not say that she was looking forward to steal that item, but being the woman she is, Virdjana knew she got to check it out.
Hours of waiting and pretentious interest by betting on items deemed useless for the Eumythymn, the final curtain soon lifted and a legendary dragon from a far away continent was revealed. If she would be honest, its size was surely a scare, it was a good thing her orange-tinted glasses hid the astonishment in her black orbs.
"No signs of the book being auctioned." Virdjana whispers to Kadaski.
"Holy sh*t, is that a real freaking dragon? Holy...Holy..." exclaimed Kadaski as the boy was obviously controlling his urges to scream out of excitement.
"Remember that you're Albus Canis, my right-hand man. Be more formal." scolded Virdjana.
"Don't tell me how to feel, this is literally the first time I saw a dragon, aside from Doka you know. Look how cool it is." whispered Kadaski as he covers half of his face with his palm.
"For this legendary Krapika Jade Dragon! The bet starts at 1,200,000 Psyver Bills!" shouts the announcer. "According to the tales, the continent of the far west treats this beast as its God! The Dragon that controls treasures and gems alike! With this at your service, vast fortune will surely come. Oho, that means that it won't be cheap given its great history!"
Kadaski and Drago's jaw almost dropped after hearing the base price of the dragon. While Virdjana and Reggie was unfazed by the revelation, after all, they've been here before. 'That's cheaper compared to ...' thought the duo.
"1,300,000 Psyver Bills from number 30!"
"1,350,500 Psyver Bills from number 5!."
"Any more bets? Going once? Going Twice?" asked the host.
"2,000,000 Psyver from number 91!"
Kadaski was internally fearful of the number he has been hearing, even as an Enchanted Elite the best number he could ever get his hands on were only 3000 Psyver Bills. There may be a couple of things they could buy with it, heck they can even buy their own cars, but there are miscellaneous expenses that are not covered by the benefits of being an Enchanted Elite - for example, advanced books of spells, their personal clothes, and even transportation around campus.
"Auctions have limits right?" He asked Virdjana.
"Of course, that is if no one bets anymore higher than current bet." Virdjana calmly explains.
"You mean, as long as they have the wealth, they can bid as much as they want?" Kadaski was experiencing the culture shock in the Town of Hazbins, and surely it was not good for him.
"And the bet is closed! Thank you for everyone who came for this magnificent evening!" said the announcer, followed by a closing remarks from the man named Intruder.
"I am grateful for everyone who are here, your money especially." Intruder began, earning a sea of laughter from the crowd, "the collections I presented to you are the best of the best, the cream of the crop. I can't wait to see you all again in the next auction! It's a break." said the Jester in which cued the audience to applaud him.
One by one, the major heads and representatives that joined the auction started leaving their seats. Some who remained only talked for a few minutes, followed by formal greetings, but still left the place.
"That's it? No C.B?" complained Kadaski, "a waste of time."
"Compose yourself Albus Canis. The real show is just beginning." said Virdjana as she orders Kadaski to follow her to the front seats of the dome.
"Are we leaving?" asked Kadaski.
If Reggie was not hanging with Drago Arcedes, the red-haired Fire Enchant would also be confused, thankfully that was not the case. The lights of the Auction Dome started dying like flickering lamps, and the people who purposely stayed inside are those who knew about the real deal of the dome.
"You're right. The first phase of the auction was only a strategy to filter out the people whose knowledge of the auction are only of the surface level." said Drago as he crosses his arm in front of his chest.
"Virdjana learned about the true colors of this auction a couple of years ago. Tough times." said Reggie as he turns completely invisible to everyone as he and Drago began moving to the front seats to avoid suspicion from other buyers within the dome.
"Oh, how about you? How did you meet Virdjana? You two seems really close." Drago could not help himself but to ask.
"I'm glad you asked, not everyone knows about this, but I've known her since she was about... seven. She's cute, I'd tell you that." Reggie looked delighted as he reminisces the old times.
"Has she always been like this?" Drago asked referring to Virdjana's personality.
Reggie's eyes sharpened as if wanting a clarification of what Drago was talking about.
"Uh, I meant, brave, strong, mysterious, free?" The red-haired enlisted with both hands waving in front of his body.
"Iyan pala ibigsabihin mo, akala ko iniinsulto mo siya. Hah, mabuti at kung hindi ay makatitikim ka ng bala sa ulo." nakangiting pahayag ng Guardian.
"Of course, what else could I mean, but answer the question... please." Drago insisted with a nod.
"Well, yes. Makes me wonder how her mother raised her." shrugged Reggie.
His last words made Drago Arcedes more curious, but their conversation was cut off when Virdjana calls for Reggie telephatically for the second time.
"We're on our way." Reggie replied.
As they were heading downstairs from the upper level, Drago accidentally bumps into a young boy wearing an aviary bird mask.
"Pasensiya na. Ayos ka lang ba? Masyado kasing madilim." paghinging-paumanhin ni Drago sa batang lalake.
"Then watch where you're going next time! Tch." remarked the boy before sticking his tongue out,
"Son? Where are you?" a voiced called to their left.
"I'm here Papa! Just accidentally bumped into a stupid chair!" replied the boy before running along.
'That kid, calm down Drago. you've seen worst. Kadaski's worst.' he compares in his head.
"Achoo." sneezed Kadaski.
"You're sick?" asked Virdjana.
"No. Maybe someone's been talking or thinking of me." grumbled Kadaski.
Five minutes later, the group finally reunites with Ryoline still being carried like a princess by Drago Arcedes. Virdjana glances at Reggie and nods at him, the guardian acknowledges this and finally returns to the Guardian Relic.
"Is your girlfriend still asleep?" teased Kadaski.
"We're going to duel to death the moment we return to Arcacia, my friend. Remember that we are four years older than Ryoline." responds Drago Arcedes as he smiles behind his mask.
"Tch, just an ice breaker." mumbled Kadaski as he sits between Drago and Virdjana.
Three men walk passed behind the trio, and all were giving off an intimidating amount of aura. They were especially directed towards Intruder, who had just reappeared in the center of the auction stage with a large object covered by a black clothing.
"Thank you for your patience!" laughed the King of Merchants. "The Great Cauldron will begin right now! I would be your host and my friends would be the ones overseeing this event from the upper level."
'The upper level?' almost everyone looked up to see what was Intruder's announcement was about.
At the upper level, there are guards carrying different kind of bows with different elemental attributes. They are all aimed at each one of the guests down below, meaning that they are as many as the heads of the people at the lower level.
"Don't be threatened. They are only countermeasures in case any of you decides to not remain until the very end." grinned Intruder.