2026-11-03 18:37:03The black cloth fell to the wooden floor, and Lucas’s world turned to ash.
Inside the iron cage, there was no auction stand. Lily was tied tight to a black stone post, her small body hanging limp above a pool of dark blood.
A thick black bone dagger was buried straight into her chest, glowing with dark, sickening light.
Silver mist flowed from the wound, splitting into five streams that poured into five golden cups floating in the air.
Lily’s skin was dead white, her small head hanging down as she shivered against the cold chains.
The heavy curtains at the back of the stage parted slowly.
Five old men stepped out into the light, dressed in long black robes. Their faces were wrinkled like dried paper, their eyes cold and dead, reeking of old tombs.
They were the Five Elders of the Dark Court, the secret masters who ruled Valoria from the shadows.
Loud, mocking laughter broke out from the high marble stairs.
Damien and Celeste walked down side by side, flanked by twelve imperial guards with drawn swords.
Celeste rested her hand on Damien’s arm, her painted face full of cruel joy as she looked down at Lucas.
"Did you really think this was an auction, Lucas?" Damien laughed, resting his hand on his sword. "Did you really think you were going to buy her back with gold?"
Lucas’s hands shook with violent fury, his voice cracking from his throat. "Damien... what have you done to my sister?!"
"We knew you survived that cellar fire," Damien chuckled, stepping toward the edge of the stage. "A stubborn dog like you does not die that easily."
Celeste took a step forward, a venomous smile spreading across her lips.
"You really thought you were being clever, sneaking into her cell yesterday," Celeste mocked, pointing at Lily’s torn sleeve. "You left your own blood on her rags, you fool! That was how we knew for sure you had taken the bait!"
Lucas’s breath caught in his throat as the realization slammed into his chest.
"You used to be the smartest general in the empire, Lucas," Celeste sneered, clapping her hands softly. "Now look at you, running around like a headless chicken, hauling bags of dirty gold straight into our trap!"
The leading Elder took a step forward, his voice sounding like dry stones grinding together in a grave.
"When you held your supreme magic core, Lucas Reed, we five remained in the dark," the old man said, his cold eyes staring down at him. "We feared your blade. We feared your power."
The Elder looked at Damien with a faint, satisfied nod.
"So we made a pact with your brother and your wife," the Elder continued coldly. "A fake demon war. A fake illness. You willingly carved out your own strength, just as we planned."
“I’m sorry, Lucas. But your sister’s blood is the Ancient Witch Blood,” Damien added with a wide, arrogant grin. “The rarest key in this world. The only thing that can grant the Five Elders immortal life. Don’t be offended, alright? We only took what we needed.”
Celeste burst into laughter and leaned against Damien’s side. “Oh, don’t worry. My generous ex-husband surely won’t mind.”
Lucas’s hand trembled with anger.
Her eyes gleamed with ugly greed as she continued, “After all, the Elders are giving my love the Grand Marshal’s seat and absolute power over the realm in exchange. Your sister’s death is buying us an empire, Lucas!”
Lucas looked past the laughing monsters, his eyes locking onto his dying sister’s face.
A bright blue prompt flashed frantically across his vision, burning with bright red warning text.
[Target: Lily Vance.]
[Status: Vital Soul Extraction in Progress.]
[Script: Complete Soul Death in 20 Seconds.]
Lucas’s mind shattered into sheer panic.
'System!' Lucas screamed in his soul. 'Take all my Fate Points! Take all two thousand points right now! Break the ritual and save Lily!'
A harsh red light flooded his vision, accompanied by a sharp warning chime.
[Error: Immortality Ritual is a High-Tier Ancient Formation.]
[Fate Points Required to Break Formation: 5,000 Points.]
[Current Balance: 2,000 Points. Insufficient Points! Action Denied!]
"No!" Lucas roared, his voice tearing from his lungs like a wounded beast. "NO!"
He pulled his daggers and threw himself forward, charging the stage with every drop of dark power left in his body.
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7
The leading Elder did not even raise his hands. The old man simply flicked his black sleeve.An invisible mountain of crushing force crashed down from the ceiling, slamming into Lucas’s shoulders like a falling sky.The heavy wooden stage shattered beneath his knees as his ribs snapped with a sickening crunch.The crushing pressure drove the breath from Lucas's lungs, flattening him face-first into the bloody floorboards."Insolent ant," the Elder spoke softly, looking down at him with pure disgust. "Without your supreme core, you are nothing."Lucas clawed at the wood with bleeding fingernails, coughing mouthfuls of blood as he fought to lift his head."Lily..." Lucas wept, his voice breaking into raw agony. "Lily!"Tied to the black post, the small girl heard his ragged cry.Using the voice Lucas had restored to her in the dark cell, Lily weakly forced her chin up.Tears of blood leaked from her ruined, milky eyes, dripping down her pale cheeks."Brother..." Lily cried out, her smal
6
The black cloth fell to the wooden floor, and Lucas’s world turned to ash.Inside the iron cage, there was no auction stand. Lily was tied tight to a black stone post, her small body hanging limp above a pool of dark blood.A thick black bone dagger was buried straight into her chest, glowing with dark, sickening light.Silver mist flowed from the wound, splitting into five streams that poured into five golden cups floating in the air.Lily’s skin was dead white, her small head hanging down as she shivered against the cold chains.The heavy curtains at the back of the stage parted slowly.Five old men stepped out into the light, dressed in long black robes. Their faces were wrinkled like dried paper, their eyes cold and dead, reeking of old tombs.They were the Five Elders of the Dark Court, the secret masters who ruled Valoria from the shadows.Loud, mocking laughter broke out from the high marble stairs.Damien and Celeste walked down side by side, flanked by twelve imperial guards
5
The Grand Auction Hall was packed with hundreds of rich lords, merchants, and clan elders sipping wine under bright glass lamps.High above the floor, on the golden balcony, sat Damien Blackwood and Celeste.Damien leaned back in clean white armor trimmed with gold, while Celeste rested against his chest in a green dress, feeding him sweet fruit with soft giggles.Down in the back row, Lucas stood openly in the crowd, not caring to hide his face.He was not going to sneak around like a rat; he was here to take his little sister back in front of the whole world.Beside his boots rested five heavy bags packed full of the gold coins he had taken from Malakai’s vault.Looking up toward the balcony, Lucas saw Damien and Celeste staring straight down at him.There was no fear on Damien’s handsome face, and no shock at seeing Lucas alive after the cellar fire.Instead, Damien pointed down at Lucas with his wine cup, whispering into Celeste’s ear.Celeste burst into loud, mocking laughter, lo
4
Lucas moved through the dark backstreets of the capital, pulling his hood low against the freezing wind.Every second was ticking down in his head. He had less than forty-eight hours before the Grand Velvet Auction opened its doors.Attacking the auction house by force was suicide. Ancient barrier shields locked the entire pavilion down, and thirty elite guards watched every door.The moment an alarm sounded, the slave wardens would put a knife through Lily's throat before Lucas could even cross the hall.He had to play their twisted game. He needed five hundred thousand gold coins to buy her freedom in front of the whole world.Standing on the roof of an empty warehouse, Lucas looked down at the glowing lights of the gambling district.'System,' Lucas called out in his thoughts. 'Find me someone rich, corrupt, and tied to House Blackwood.'[Eyes of Destiny Activated.]A beam of red light cut through the rain, pointing straight toward a three-story casino glowing with red lanterns.Th
3
Across the street from the outer slave bazaar, thirty elite Blackwood guards stood watch before the iron gates.Between the stone pillars, massive red barrier stones hummed with deadly alarm magic.A direct attack would alert Damien before Lucas took ten steps, and the dark energy inside his body still needed to be hidden.System, Lucas called out in his mind. Hide this aura.[Phantom Shroud Activated. Cost: 200 Fate Points.][Remaining Balance: 900 Fate Points.]A faint grey mist sank deep into Lucas’s skin, completely burying the violent energy until he felt like an ordinary mortal.Yet looking at the glowing red stones in the dark, Lucas knew a mortal disguise could never slip past imperial barrier runes.I need a way past these guards without setting off the alarm, Lucas commanded.A pale blue prompt flashed before his eyes.[Infiltration Options Available:][Option 1: Time Freeze. Cost: 400 Fate Points. Duration: 10 Minutes.][Option 2: Future Self Summoning. Cost: 50,000 Fate Po
2
The heavy iron blade came down with a wet, sickening thud.The steel bit deep into Lucas’s shoulder, cutting through flesh and grating hard against his bone.Boss Kael twisted the blade with a cruel grin, leaning close until Lucas could smell the sour liquor on his breath."Look at that stubborn jaw," Kael sneered, spitting right onto Lucas’s bloody chest. "You think biting your tongue makes you a hero? Let’s see how quiet you stay when I start peeling your skin."Lucas clenched his teeth so hard blood trickled from his gums, staring back with cold, steady eyes. He refused to give the butcher the satisfaction of a single cry.A tall thug stepped up from behind Kael, laughing as he drove a jagged hunting knife straight into Lucas’s thigh."Look at him, boss," the thug mocked, twisting the knife in his leg. "He still glares like he owns the city."Pain rushed over Lucas in hot, blinding waves, tearing through every nerve in his ruined body.Yet the tearing agony of the steel was nothing
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