"Master Lion's. Congratulations on your return to the black auction. You have made quite the profit. Cordially; we invite you to join our 'high' Auction." Silas waddled up to the lions; beady eyes still glued on the perception of Minami with Eren.
"I thank you for the cordial invitation. I accept." Baelor spoke, with grace he tugged Eren along. Past the main room, through a side door and then down an opulent set of stairs.
Darkness eventually set in. No longer was there any warmth of opulent gold or red; it was cold, stone brick and flickering candlelight. It was an old, long set of stairs. Down into what could have been hell and the gates of it.
A giant; face hidden behind a plain mask and a thick black cloak. Nearly on all fours and hunched over. Not a human behind that mask, something far uglier than a human could ever be. Its blocky fingers guided them to one of many rooms that bent around the corner.
A small two seat room with deep brown curtains at the front. A window to a central rotunda and stage, many other masked figures were in their own rooms. Eight windows open to the viewing area, masked figures were all sitting down, the room was quiet, a soft piano played over the speakers.
"What's the gimmick with this 'high' auction? Everything seems very shady." Eren asked, taking a seat next to the elf in their booth.
"Simply, more exotic items are up for sale. With an accompaniment of higher prices and the need for greater strategy... If our funds were not near bottomless this would require more careful consideration on bids." Spoken like a true prince of a large merchant empire. Eren knew having a disgustingly rich ally would be a boon.
"Good evening; lords and ladies. We welcome you once more to the high auction. As requested by our returning clients, our item list has expanded considerably. We look forward to your patronage." Silas spoke with a devilish grin. He looked almost excited to unveil the new items.
"Let the high auction begin..."
"Our first item up for auction; Ability shard: 'Army of the dammed.' An S-rank skill, sure to bolster any guild forces. Bidding begins at 300,000 credits."
"Jesus that's a lot of money." Eren whispered to the elf.
"Indeed, all though with your superior abilities and the ring of the god eater, it would be a redundant purchase." The elf spoke without even considering bidding on the item.
"350,000"
"400,000"
"500,000"
"Going once, twice; sold to master hawk." Silas announced.
"Next on auction..."
Once more the evening seemed to drag. Eren could barely keeping himself awake. Without Masa to torment, Baelor was now a passive bidder and rarely tried to get something.
It was at least a little entertaining to see the man play with the vice president. But about now the auction overstayed its appeal. Battle idol with Emi sure seemed a more appealing prospect than this.
"Is there anything you're going to actually buy? Or can we leave?" Eren muttered to the elf beside himself.
"If you wish my friend." Baelor began to stand as the next item was about to be auctioned.
"Our next item is: a pair of gauntlets long rumoured to belong to the Legendary, 'God Eater.'" Both Silvermane representatives turned their heads at this news.
The ring which also belonged to this God eater, began to hum with excitement, it wanted a reunion. A chance to unit once more with a missing fragment of their whole. The entity within the ring was a being of hunger. Yet, what Eren felt within himself wasn't a drive to devour. It was one of longing.
"The gauntlets of the 'God Eater' Starting price of 2,000,000 credits."
"3,000,000."
"4,000,000." Baelor finally spoke.
"5,000,000."
...
"20,000,000."
Baelor continued to up the ante. Other bidders began to drop off. The price was becoming far too high for the gauntlets.
"Going once." A pause. No one answered the elf's call. "Twice, sold to Master Lion."
As soon as the word left the goblins mouth, Eren felt an aura of satisfaction emanate from the ring. Almost as if it was pleased to find its old friend again.
"Thank you." Eren nodded to the elf. Perhaps Afterall it was worth the boredom of the night, if only for a little while.
"Now; we progress onto the recently acquired items section." Silas still spoke.
"What are the chances that there is another item that belongs to the god eater?" Eren wondered aloud.
"We would have to continue with our participation in the high auction. Can you withstand your boredom." Baelor replied.
The two returned to their seats. However, they did not have to wait long for an upsetting sight to enter the rotunda.
***
"Our next item: An elven boy, perfect for the house of any discerning collector." Silas spoke like an experienced salesman. Words filled with a honeyed tone that belayed the horror of the auction. He did not even blink at the sight of a child on an auction block.
"Biding begins at 50,000 credits."
A small child no older than 10. With roughly cut and matted dirty blonde hair. A ragged grey shirt, torn pants, and bare feet. Small and malnourished; pointed ears, sunken eyes. It was a horrific display, Eren could feel the emptiness of the child through the window. Cruelty had long become commonplace for this one.
"60,000."
However, the rage and anger that Eren feed the ring. Was nothing compared to what came from Baelor. The elf radiated an aura of violence; a wrath of one who would see the world burn before all.
"70,000."
"Eren... Did you bring your mask?" Baelor's voice was dripping with an unfiltered rage. Anger that shook the room. A bile of hatred that burned hotter than the flames of hell.
"Yes. I did." Eren replied.
"80,000" "90,000."
"Leave none alive. Burn this house of filth to the ground." The elf left promptly, he had his own task to accomplish and so would Eren.
"100,000."
"With pleasure."
"Kill them all." His shadows rose up, coffers emptied it was an all-out blitz on the estate. Guren led an army of 56 shadowed souls through the halls of the estate.
"Hey! What the hell are-" *Splat*
Guren's fists went clean through of the torso of one guard. From his remains, blood orbs floated in the air. Preparing his powers for use.
*Fwip*
Arrows flew in a coordinated formation, each striking dead centre in a single guard's chest; an endless stream of guards dressed like butlers would appear, meeting the torrents of volley fired arrows, one after another they were pierced with deadly efficiency.
Bodies began to stack up within the halls of under the auction. A trail of mangled corpses, punctured bodies, severed limbs and spilled blood. Although the masked bidders of the auction were spared the carnage. Taken behind the rotunda; another fate would await them.
*Fwip* *Splat* *Crash* *Bang* *Crunch*
"Help me!" The masked hawk was dragged through a puddle of viscera by two shadows, his second dragged by a shadow wolf. Both struggling and flailing against the grip of the shadows. No amount of strength could possibly save them from their fate.
*Crunch*
The trunks of the giant that guided Eren and Baelor down to this auction, knocked the Reaper into the walls of the hallway; causing the stone to crack. The creature was a last bastion of defence, guarding the last remnants of the bidders, from a certain death. Yet even this beast proved to be no match for the reaper.
Guren used one blood orb; summoning a volley of blood shaped spikes. 'Blood arrows is what his previous life called them.' Each blood arrow, hit the giant's arm, legs, chest, neck, and head. With a large crash the behemoth hit the floor dead.
An ox, a giant and a bear; taken backstage to face the Reaper. Now, silent echoes of fear filled the rotunda. Bodies of deceased guards lay strewn across the rotunda floor. Being dragged away to the eventual pile that the Reaper will consume.
"Please... We will give you anything!" The hawk cried out. His companion, was shaking in fear. Eyes glued to the bodies that were being added to a pile.
14 in total; masked removed one by one. Underneath the facade of animals were just humans. Fear and desperation well worn.
"What do you want?" The ox, a heavy-set man, balding head, and a look of defiance. Not of a hero who wishes to face down an adversary, but of a man who has seen far too much in a lifetime to be scared.
"..."
"You think you can scare us. The Hearts of Babylon will seek justice for this!" He continued. Spoken like The Reaper should fear that guild.
"Kill him; kill them all. Let me live. I will give the names of everyone who took a slave from this auction." A middle-aged woman, skin kissed by the Mediterranean sun; spoke in a desperate plea to save her life.
"We at the House of Taurus have deep connections. Please, let us make it right." Her broken voice continued.
However, The Reaper paid no heed to their words. The pile finished the ring began its work. Consuming all those that lay within the mounds of corpses, the dark energy swirled around the bodies. Removing their flesh, their bones, their souls.
"No, No, I'm not supposed to be here." The young second of the ox cried; tears streamed down his sun kissed face. "I'm a just a secretary. I'm not meant to die." He bolted past the reaper. Only for a wolf to jump onto the poor man's back, ripping at the soft, tender meat of this poor excuse for a human.
"ARRRGHHHH! PLEASE! MAMMA! HELP! MAMMAAA!" His voice rang under the unrelenting pain of teeth and claws. Before eventually, giving way to the silence of death.
The process finished; he turned to the remaining 13 bidders. All of who were shaking with fear. Some, closed their eyes and accepted the inevitable. Others, prayed to the gods above for salvation. Whilst, the ox still looked on with defiance.
"None of you are innocent, all of you allowed this place to survive and grow." The Reaper spoke at last. Voice deep, cold, and without any sympathy or remorse for those that were to die. He raised a hand; tendrils from his ring consumed those in a matter of seconds.
Screams of agony and despair filled the air. Their mouths gagged with shadows that poured in. Not a single word would be uttered by these victims.
Then, nothing but empty silence. No screams of pain, no words of defiance, nor pleas of mercy. Only the soft hum of the ring that lay satisfied. A feast on the corrupt souls now within its hidden depths.
The ring spoke. It was the only thing left, the last item to claim in this place.
"Master Baelor... please, this has all been a misunderstanding. I assure you..." The goblin was trying to plead, to bargain, to do anything to survive. He was on the floor, crawling backwards to no avail. Bleeding from all orifices; Beady right eye sealed shut under a thick crust of purple flesh. His clothes, torn and bloodied, the face, once filled with cunning, was now twisted in pain. Yet the elf showed no mercy.
"Where did they come from?" The Prince of Prosperity stood over the goblin; a fury not often associated with the grace of the elves. But when it came to the lives and dignity of his kin - Baelor had no qualms about getting blood on the hands.
"Second Lion... Please..." The goblin's pleading fell on deaf ears; like Baelor, The Reaper took great issue with slavery. It was a stain on the human world and to see it elsewhere; it was nothing short of infuriating. A reminder to the reaper that the world's beyond even his own are a cruel and dark place.
"I ask you again, this time speak plainly. Where did these slaves come from? How many are there? Who bought them?" Baelor spoke in a manner far removed from the grace and poise of an elven prince.
"In truth I don't know master Baelor. However, in my office... a ledger... it has the names and details of all buyers and items sold at auction."
"Do you have any more to give?" Baelor asked.
"No, that's everything. You have all the information that I can give. Please let me go. I swear as a merchant, I will not utter a word to anyone. Just don't-"
Baelor leaned in close; silver mask at the hook of the nose of the goblin. A long, drawn-out stare. The elf was deciding what the Goblin would not like.
"...Never again. Your time in this world is over. You answer for the lives of my kin. This place, will no longer stand. Not today, nor tomorrow." An illusion was cast from an open palm. A centipede crawled out, slithering from the elf's hand. Its glistening ghostly carapace, the segmented body of many legs and its sharp pincers, writhed in the air. It fell onto the goblin's chest; crawling up the neck, towards its ultimate goal.
The goblin was too afraid to scream. Eyes wide, jaw clenched shut. The centipede moved to the right; crawling within the ear of Silas. The goblin began to seize, the body began to twitch and spasm. The lump moved through the head, wriggling around.
A convulsion finally brought the goblin's last breath, the body lay on the ground, motionless. In death, its face looked almost relieved to leave the pain behind.
Now all that remained was clean up.
***
"You are safe now." Baelor's voice, soft, a gentle breeze on a warm summer day. Returned to the grace and poise that the elf is known for.
A group of elves stood huddled in a cell. Each had the same dirty blond hair and pointed ears, their clothes were ragged and their bodies were malnourished.
Baelor had unshackled them, whilst The Reaper searched for his prize. The gauntlets; seated amongst the winnings from the Silvermane were the pair. The Reaper picked up the gauntlet, feeling a surge of power emanating from the item. A long-lost friend, finally returned to its former master.
The ring hummed with delight. Tendrils taking it in, fusing the item into its being. The gauntlets were now a part of Eren's soul just as the ring had become.
─ Ability: Devourer the Soul. Level 1.
Tendrils will now manifest in greater numbers and at a faster rate. They are also more powerful, and can be used to restrain enemies or attack them directly. Passively steal the essence of victims to power oneself.
─ Ability: Empower the Soul. Level 1
You can empower the souls of your army. Spend souls to give powers to any member of your army.
─ Ability: Aura of the Soul. Level 1
Death walks with you were ever you go. You have an aura that makes people around you more on edge and fearful. Should you choose it, those who would do you harm may feel the weight of this aura. The more power you have the greater this effect is. This is a passive ability.
'About time this thing gave me something to do.' In truth Eren had been an aimless wanderer thus far; doing the things that were he thought were expected of a Reaper. Yet, with a quest from the ring of the God Eater, Eren had some direction.
"Let's go." Baelor spoke, the elves were gathered up, huddled into a small group of malnourished and traumatized younglings. Their sunken eyes and weak limbs made an already painful sight to look upon.
The Reaper took out their items on a dolly.
"How will we destroy this place?" The reaper asked, looking around the estate. "It's already done."
Outside; the party took their leave.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
The mansions' supports began to give way, the walls caved in and the entire estate was reduced to rubble in mere moments.
Eren didn't want to questions about how he did it. The wrath of a elf scorned is enough to make mountains fall to their feet. Instead, Eren and Baelor took the dolly and the elves to back home. Past onlookers who paid little mind to the pair of masked figures. Or rubble behind them.
As if destruction of this magnitude was common place.