“Four fifty,” came the next voice.

  “Five hundred!” another bidder shot back.

  “Six!”

  “Seven hundred!

  Aston watched it unfold with unease. No one truly knew what they were bidding for, yet greed, or perhaps instinct, compelled them forward. The tension in the room thickened with every new bid.

  “Eight hundred!” someone shouted. Audible gasps rippled through the hall.

  But then silence returned. The bidders hesitated, unsure if this mysterious item was worth the risk. Then, a single voice broke through the quietness of the hall.

  “One thousand.”

  Calm, smooth, and absolute.

  The masked man had finally spoken, his paddle raised with a fluid motion. It was not a challenge, nor a flex of wealth, but a declaration.

  The entire hall froze.

  Mistress Candy’s eyes narrowed faintly, but her smile remained trained and perfect. “We have one thousand dragon gold. Do we hear more?”

  No one moved.

  Aston scanned the crowd. Some bidders had already lowered their paddles while others exchanged doubtful glances. No one wanted to compete with someone so calm and so… certain.

  “Going once…”

  The masked man didn’t even flinch.

  “Going twice…” Mistress Candy said softly.

  Then the chime echoed through the air like the ring of finality.

  “Sold to paddle number 208!”

  The screen confirmed the winning bidder. The masked man lowered his hand and leaned back in his seat. He said nothing, gave no sign of celebration. And yet, his presence weighed heavier now.

  Aston exhaled slowly, tension he hadn’t realized building in his chest finally easing.

  Mistress Candy curtsied. “That concludes our Gold Star segment. On behalf of the Azure Veil Auction House, I thank you all for your passion and patronage for tonight. For our winners, your items will be delivered to your appointed lounges. Should you require further discretion, please consult the silver-masked attendants upon exit.”

  With a final graceful turn, she exited the stage.

  The hall burst into murmurs as nobles, spirit professionals, guild representatives, and government officials rose from their seats.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Aston didn’t rise immediately. On his lap, Gray yawned and stretched with a feline grace.. The grayish-black kitten, with blue eyes and chubby demeanor attracted a couple of passing glances. The furball hopped onto Aston’s shoulder and perched there like a natural extension of him.

  “Sleep well?” Aston muttered under his breath, with Gray responding to a lazy meow with its tail flicking lightly.

  Aston then stood, heart steady from the silent storm he had weathered. He moved calmly through the departing crowd and toward the lounge marked for the winners. He was able to see other winners showing their paddles to an attendant waiting in the lounge. Upon showing his paddle, the attendant guided Aston to a small room.

  Inside, a female attendant with long, curly hair wearing an azure vest and a silver mask was waiting for him. Beside her, a velvet-lined box with an orange seal stood atop a platform. On the other side, an azure cloth was draped over a bell-shaped structure, with grooves seeping through the cloth. These were the two items Aston won in the auction - the Glasswing Owl and the Crimson Genesis Elixir.

  The attendant bowed to Aston. “Welcome, sir. The total cost of the goods was tallied to be 48 dragon gold. Upon payment, we will be unlocking the seals on both items.”

  She handed a device to Aston. He tapped his card onto the device and 48 dragon gold were deducted from his balance.

  As soon as the payment was pushed through, the seals on both the box and the cage door glowed and automatically peeled off and, with a clink, fell onto the ground. The attendant picked up the two seals - to be used in the next auction. Then, with a curt bow, she left Aston with his winnings and left the lounge.

  Aston opened the box first. Inside, the Crimson Genesis Elixir rested, nestled in a bed of enchanted padding. Alongside it sat the certificate of sale - a transaction log bearing his name and paddle number.

  Exactly what I needed. This will be my insurance and my alibi. If anyone questions why someone with clear potential broke past to red, I’ll point to this certificate.

  He channeled a thread of spiritual energy into his pendant. The box, the elixir, and the certificate shimmered slightly before vanishing into the pendant’s internal storage space.

  Next, he turned to the clothed cage and unfurled it. Perched inside, the Glasswing Owl blinked at him. Its feathers gleamed like translucent crystal, catching the room’s light and refracting it in pale, shimmering hues. Its large eyes reflect intelligence as Aston looked at it.

  It tilted its head, almost inquisitively.

  It’s young, but already sharp. And it’s watching me just as much as I’m watching it.

  He knelt by the cage and slowly extended his hand, not to touch it but to let the owl sense his energy.

  Aston sat cross-legged before the cage, closed his eyes, and began the contract ritual. Spiritual energy flowed through his body, gathering around his right palm, before condensing into a thread-like tether.

  He opened the cage.

  The owl didn’t flee. It hopped forward, almost unnaturally silent, and stared into his eyes. It was unnerving how little fear it had.

  He reached out, the spiritual thread extending toward the owl’s forehead. The moment the tether made contact, a surge of resistance pushed back. Not from the beast, but from within him. His mind trembled, his vision blurred, and his heartbeat raced, as pain lanced through his temples. His first contract with Gray, dormant as it was, stirred faintly, reacting to the strain.

  Aston gritted his teeth and pushed through. Gray was startled and let out an uneasy chirp while it looked at Aston and the bird.

  “Submit, and I’ll show you where you actually belong - the skies,” Aston promised to the bird.

  The resistance thinned.

  With a flick of silver-blue light, the thread sank into the owl’s forehead. A soft glyph formed above its head before vanishing.

  The owl gave a soft, eerie hoot, then fluttered up, perching on his shoulder. Its body was warm, unlike its cool appearance, and its weight lighter than it looked.

  Aston heaved. A feeling of comfort washed through his body as the second contract was formed.