"So you are the special one," Chase said, his gem glowing in relaying his words as soon as Cecil had left the way he had come and the sky had returned to the way it had earlier been.
The gem continued.
"I guess that's why the Panthers invited you to their territory."
"How much do you know about the special one?" Max was suddenly curious about Chase's knowledge of his title.
"The special one is the possessor of an extraordinary system that no other player has," The gem replied. "That's all I know about the special one."
Max slightly nodded.
"Who was he?" Cheryl asked Max, referring to Cecil.
"Someone I know not of," Max shrugged.
"He had this strange aura around him. Besides, how possible is it for anyone to enter into this space?" Roy was full of questions.
"I don't think he is someone to be trusted," The gem said.
"I don't think so either," Max turned to face Chase.
.
.
.
They had returned to the passenger room after a few more hours of training. After doing a little investigation, the group found out that not even the drivers were aware of someone's presence on the ship. How Cecil had gotten on board was still unknown.
*. *. *.
"Uh... I'm supposed to sit here and do what exactly?" Hillary looked at the botanical beasts after she was untied and was now seated on the bare floor.
"Communicate with the soil and plants in the distance we will reveal to you," The leader said. "Miranda."
A tree woman appeared beside the leader. She had the same feature as every other botanical beast present in the room except for her hair which was built differently. Instead of shrubs on her head, she had tiny trees arranged in rows on her head.
Miranda moved behind Hillary and placed both greenish palms on her head.
"Close your eyes," She ordered.
Hillary reluctantly closed her eyes. As if falling into a trance for a moment, she could see several areas flashing before her eyes. She continued seeing different places until the view stopped in a certain area abundant in trees and soil, much to the advantage of the botanical beasts who wanted to use her for their business. And this area was right underneath something fast-moving in the air. Though the view was not so clear at that point, she could tell the special they were looking for was definitely in there.
Just as Miranda took her hands off the girl's head and returned to the leader's side, disappearing just as she had appeared, Hillary's eyes flew open.
"Bring him now," The leader said.
"As you wish," Hillary smirked. The beasts were dazed by her reaction. They didn't know what else to expect from a girl like her. She acted so bold as if she wasn't scared of her friend dying.
"I'm not a hero but I believe this special one isn't aware of whatever event you need him for," She said.
"As I said you are not to interrupt the event, be it by your words or actions," The leader snapped.
"Pfft, Savage-looking vegetables like yourselves could only possibly call a sacrifice an event," Hillary smiled in mockery.
Vines, plants, and even trees around rose in a flash grabbing any botanical beast they came in contact with. In no less than a second, the beasts were pinned to the walls like artifacts by the tree branches.
"You shouldn't have untied me," Hillary scoffed.
"You brat. What do you think you're doing?!" The leader shouted. She was held by branches that twisted themselves around her, from her chest down to her feet.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Hillary stared daggers at her.
"I hate it when I'm being forced to do something," She added. On saying the last sentence, the grasp of the branches around the leader tightened, forcing her to yell out in pain.
Hillary ignored her screams and walked towards the pit of carnivorous plants. Stretching her hands in the direction of the plants, they suddenly stopped charging at the unconscious boy hanging upside down. Their bodies grew longer till they were able to reach Nicole. This time instead of ripping his parts into shares for their consumption, one of the plants untied the boy and held him towards the ground in front of Hillary before shrinking back to its former size and retracting into the pit in silence.
"Sigh, Now I have to carry this load," Hillary sighed as she shook her head.
*. *. *.
The ship had come far yet again and the sun was already rising in the sky. The ship landed on the grounds of the busy city in the form of a 14-wheeled vehicle. The group got out of the vehicle and began heading to a trade centre.
The hustle and bustle of the place increased the level of excitement coursing through Max's veins.
[ Destination: Bazaar Ville ]
[ One of the biggest cities in Harbingers Of Death is known as a centre for trade and businesses, making it also one of the richest communities ]
"We're gonna make a fortune if we sell those beast cores here," Cheryl looked excited.
The group walked further into the city. There were no turns their heads would make that their eyesight wouldn't meet at least a store. On every side of the road were stores and stalls. Amid this busy city were majorly big and tall houses whose sophisticated designs spoke of wealth and class.
"It seems only rich people live here," Max said from his notice.
"Well, there are a few poor people here but they work for the rich to earn a living," Roy said.
"I see," Max nodded and his eyes continued exploring the surroundings he found himself in.
After a long walk, they finally came to the store right for them to sell the Wehyn beast cores.
"Good day," Chase's gem was the first to speak. He knew this place well than anyone of the others.
"Good day, how may I help you?" The owner of his store asked. He was a man who looked like he was in his early thirties.
Chase took out a dozen beast cores from his pouch and placed them before the store owner. The cores included the ones he had earlier given to the others.
The store owner picked a core, after wearing his glasses that could detect the quality of a material, and examined it. After taking a look at the core to his satisfaction, he nodded as if pleased by what he was seeing.
"A Wehyn beast core. It's really hard to get these cores, you know," The man said. "You kids must be talented to have retrieved these."
"Anybody wishes to buy them here?" The gem asked.
The store owner replied. "It's a jewel in the eyes of the habitants here."
"Good," The gem said. "My price bid begins from 1000 gems."
"I'll arrange the auction in a bit," The store owner said and hurriedly disappeared out through the back of the store.
"I guess it's a jewel," Max remarked as he watched the store owner scurry off with the gems in a piece of cloth.
"Yes, it can be made into expensive jewelry that only rich lords can obtain and expensive weapons too. Not many people outside this city use weapons made from the core of Wehyns as it costs a fortune," The gem explained.
Soon, the man returned and the group was taken into the store that appeared larger on the inside than the outside.
Important-looking personalities were already seated, patiently waiting for the auction to begin. The number of persons participating in the event told of how much a Wehyn beast core was valued in this community.
The store owner mounted the podium before the seated buyers.
"The bid begins from 1000 gems," He said, and beside him were the cores being displayed in a glass container.
A man seated in front, dressed in silk which already defined his wealth even before any other thing commenced the bidding.
"1200 gems," He said.
Another man countered his price by increasing the amount he was ready to pay just to get the cores for himself.
"1500 gems."
A lady lifted her slender hand.
"2000 gems."
Max was shocked to the bones. These people were ready to throw so much money away just so they could obtain a small amount of cores. Just how precious were these beast cores?
The prices kept on increasing. It seemed like none of the buyers were ready to let go of having the cores in their possession.
"2500 gems."
"3000 gems."
"3100 gems."
"3300 gems."
"3800 gems."
"4000 gems."
.....
"6000 gems."
After a while, the bid had finally come to a stop. A man with gold teeth and piercings all over his ears and a single piercing on his nose, dressed in fur had earned it. He was a rich merchant who owned a sect in the city. He was called Lord Dean.
"The Wehyn cores finally have a buyer. Lord Dean of the sect, Hollow Rangers."
Lord Dean claimed the cores and the auction ended with the gems automatically transferred to Chase, which handed 1000 gems each to the others.
As the people were about to leave the store, a voice none of them had expected to hear rang throughout the hall.
"When did auctions start to hold without my notice?"