A long black sword with an identical dark glossy shine to my newest dagger floats around the woman as she brings it to center stage before resting it on the red velvet display table.

I immediately recognize it as having a Demonic Origin.

The announcer speaks over the whispers of the crowd.

"This is an item confirmed to have come from within the Abyss."

At these words, all chatter ceases.

"Found near the border of Sector 3 and Sector 4 by a group of mercenaries, it was covered in a pile of gear from a party that set out to explore the day before. The seller, who is a leader of the mercenary group in Sector 3, is unaware of how exactly this item came to be. Only one thing is clear, the monster that used to wield it came from the darkness that constantly approaches our cities. Everyone knows the Abyss is only a recent phenomenon. It could disappear tomorrow, or it could consume us all. Hardly any information is known about its nature. This treasure could be the key to unlocking countless more lost to its dark depths, and on top of that, it's a once-in-a-lifetime piece to add to your collection."

He pauses, inwardly smiling about the pitch he's so intricately announced.

"The seller of this item will take no less than 500 gold for the item presented. It is, after all, the first artifact to hit the open market in Sector 4 confirmed by our appraisal team to be a genuine piece from the Abyss."

Silence follows again.

"Now, do we have any takers?"

No one says a word. Everyone in the premium booths takes steps back away from the balcony, and the floor seats below seem to be in shock.

The looming Abyss that many fled from over the past few months is a taboo to bring up out of the blue. The tension in the air is eerie; mention of the unknown threat is a topic that everyone delicately tiptoes around in their usual day-to-day lives as if navigating a minefield.

However, one man relieves the crowd of its silence.

"I'll gladly take it. I bid 500 gold."

The man who withdrew from my 250 gold bid for a priceless set of gems moments ago now bids double on the ominous black sword. He did so knowing not a single other buyer would dare to bid against him.

This brings up the question of: why? Why did he actually withdraw from purchasing those stones if he has this much spare cash on hand? Is the dagger in my inventory made of the same material worth just as much? Did he know what the final item was going to be and wanted to save his gold to purchase it? Does he have other motives for letting me win those gems?

Or am I just overthinking things...

All these questions twist through my mind as countless others at the event ponder questions of their own.

Meanwhile, the announcer counts to three and the sword is sold. Not a single other bidder tries to step in. On this odd ending note, the woman in the sparkling red dress brings the black sword backstage, and the announcer closes out the show.

Everyone is left speechless.

It's a very awkward ending for tonight's auction, but once the sight of that sword leaves the room, many begin to lighten up again and the normal chatter starts to come back. As the doors in every booth open, and many exits in the auditorium below click to follow, the announcer speaks.

"Thank you all for coming out tonight. It's been one of our most competitive auctions in years. I hope you all got what you came for and enjoyed the show. Please exit in a timely manner and meet your identification guide to purchase your won items. Again, I thank you all. Have a wonderful night."

The curtains on the stage close as the lights all turn back up to their full luminosity. People begin to leave the large room at once.

I sit back and wait for the rushing crowds to calm down. I'm in no rush to leave and would rather not have over 100 people's prying eyes looking at me as I go to claim my winnings. As anonymous as I may be in a mask and with my conceal skill activated, it never hurts to be too careful.

More than 5 minutes pass, and hardly a peep can be heard from the main room. At this, Chester and I make our way down the narrow corridor back to the entrance hall.

Waiting just outside is the tall guide with his distinctive thin mustache that brought us in. He's having a hard time containing his smile. My guess is he'll be getting quite the perks from handling this transaction. Still, the man speaks up in a smooth and professional tone.

"I'm happy to see you found an item you liked at the auction tonight. Please, right this way and we'll make the transaction final."

We're led through the entrance hall where a handful of identically dressed guides are leading other buyers to small tables that line the walls, as well as a few side trading rooms where the purchased items were saved and sorted during the show.

It seems a lot of the common items sold during the first half of the auctions are here outside, while the more valuable gear and materials are traded in private.

Chester and I are brought into a small room consisting of only a table, a notepad, and a large black briefcase with a silver handle.

We're enveloped in a barrier of sound and sight-blocking magic as the man activates his skill and the door closes behind us. He opens the case with two clicks.

The low hum of a containment field sounds out, and the 7 beautiful crimson gems come into view.

At the same moment, I reach under my cloak and pull out the three bags of money. I take 13 coins back from the pile to make it an even 250.

"That should be everything."

He nods, diligently counting as I closely examine the gems.

Even through the white glow of the containment artifact lining the inside of this case, I can feel their power emanating out, and a red aura seeps from the magical seal. They're yearning to be absorbed and used, and I'm eager to see the power they're capable of granting.

The guide looks up from the piles of gold and smiles.

"Looks like you're spot on; this is everything we need from you. The gems are now yours to keep, and please take the containment case as a token of our appreciation. We look forward to seeing you again in future auctions, Mr. Darkwood."

I smile, taking 3 of the 13 remaining coins from the leftovers and placing them on the table away from the stash.

"Thank you, I appreciate the help tonight. I've got exactly what I came for."

He gladly accepts, bringing down the privacy shield while placing the piles of gold into an item box with a Solaran logo printed on the side of it and placing the 3 gold I tipped him in a separate pocket of his suit.

I stare down at the gems for a few more moments, then close the case and place it in my item storage beneath my robe.

As the door to our private trading room opens, the person who greets me on the way out takes me by surprise.

The friendly gesture of an outstretched hand raises toward me.

It belongs to the man in the silver mask.

"Nice to meet you, buyer number 12. I don't often find such interesting bidding competition out here in Sector 4."