CHAPTER 148: THE VEST OF THE MYTHERIAL MOON

The invitation clearly stated that all guests must remain in their human forms during the auction unless absolutely necessary. This was a standard rule in gatherings of the supernatural community, as every supernatural being on Earth had two forms... human and true. In their true forms, some beings were enormous, like dragons, while others, like Nagas, were long and serpentine. Their varied shapes made seating arrangements difficult. For the sake of uniformity and convenience, the human form was preferred at all official events.

As Erevan entered the auction house, his sharp eyes quickly spotted Fiona Elizabeth Raynor. She was just about to enter VIP Box 4, but paused when she also noticed him. With graceful poise, she walked over, bowed slightly, and greeted, "Greetings, My Lord. I wasn’t expecting to see you here."

Erevan returned the nod. "I came to see if anything interesting is up for auction. What about you? Do you have your eye on something specific today?"

Fiona smiled lightly. "I attend their monthly auctions several times a year. I’m a VIP member here. The auction house sent me a message yesterday stating that some rare and valuable items would be up today. I just arrived in Kvernheim and came straight here."

At that moment, a familiar, playful voice came from behind Erevan. "It seems today’s auction will be quite the spectacle."

They turned to see Vasuki Prabhas Nagavanshi, the King of the Nagas, arriving on the second floor through the stairs where the VIP boxes were located. He gave a courteous nod and greeted them both. "Greetings, King of Werewolves and Lady Raynor. It’s a pleasure to see you here."

Erevan smiled. "Good to see you too. I heard one of your clans has relocated to the Philippines. That region is under our Cordillera Clan’s jurisdiction. Please make sure they don’t create conflict. I’d rather not have to intervene."

Prabhas chuckled. "No need to worry, Werewolf King. My people prefer the seas, your people live in the mountains... they won’t cross paths. I’ve already instructed them to respect territorial boundaries."

Erevan nodded approvingly. "Thank you. That’s reassuring."

Then Prabhas turned to Fiona. "I recently signed a business contract with your clan. I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t go through you."

Fiona waved it off. "I heard something about it from Eleanor when she visited India. But it’s her business. I don’t interfere unless she asks for advice. Whatever she does has my full support... even if it brings war."

Prabhas laughed. "You must really spoil your granddaughter."

"She’ll lead the Raynor Clan one day," Fiona replied with pride. "Better she learn while I’m still around to fix her messes."

Erevan’s interest was piqued when Eleanor came up in their conversation. But they soon moved on to other topics, and with the auction about to begin, the three retreated to their respective VIP boxes.

Almost thirty minutes later, Erevan was seated in VIP Box 2 when the event officially started. A tall, well-dressed auctioneer from the Dragon race walked onto the stage in his human form and welcomed the attendees.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this month’s Elysium Auction. I know many of you are here for specific treasures, so let’s begin without delay."

He gestured toward the side of the stage as a stunning young woman with slightly blue skin entered, carrying a silver tray. Her figure was flawless, elegant in every way. Clearly, she was a merfolk in human form.

"Our first item," the auctioneer announced, "is an Earth-grade defensive talisman. Crafted by a renowned Molgrath wizard, this talisman provides strong resistance against ghosts, wraiths, and other vengeful spirits."

The merfolk assistant gently placed the tray on the table and pulled away a red cloth to reveal a golden talisman etched with glowing runes.

"This item has been thoroughly inspected by our in-house experts and deemed authentic. For those attending for the first time, know this: at Elysium, authenticity is guaranteed. If we cannot confirm an item’s origin, we do not place it up for auction."

He took a short pause before announcing, "The starting bid is 1 million dollars. Minimum increment is 100,000 dollars."

Within moments, the first bid flashed on the screen: $1.2 million.

In each seat, a small digital panel allowed attendees to enter their bid. No shouting, no raised signs... everything was discreet and efficient. The screen updated rapidly as the bids climbed higher. Within minutes, the talisman sold for $5.2 million.

"Sold!" the auctioneer declared.

Then the auctioneer said again, "Now, we move on to our second item. This is a sword with an ice attribute. For those with ice-based abilities, this weapon offers a ten percent bonus to attack power while wielded. The starting bid is 500,000 dollars and bidding increments are set at 50,000 dollars."

Another young woman from the merfolk clan stepped onto the stage, carrying the sword delicately on a velvet-lined tray. Her posture was graceful, and her attire shimmered faintly under the lights, adding a ceremonial flair to her appearance. She placed the tray on the central pedestal and stepped back, allowing the spotlight to shine fully on the gleaming blade.

The sword itself looked beautifully forged... its silver-blue blade radiated a faint chill in the air, as if it carried winter with it.

Bidding commenced immediately. The audience seemed eager, and within minutes, the price had jumped to over a million dollars. Erevan, however, showed no interest in this particular weapon. He had something else in mind.

As the auction continued, Erevan placed a few discreet bids. He successfully acquired a rare moonstone tea set known for its soothing spiritual aura, a selection of pills tailored to various elemental enhancements, and a rare dimensional storage ring... one that could automatically adjust to the wearer’s finger size, making it a perfect gift for a future clan champion.

More than an hour passed before the atmosphere in the room shifted noticeably.

Two strikingly beautiful young women from the Naga clan entered the stage, each carrying one side of a large, square-shaped object draped in a heavy black cloth. Their movement was deliberate, and their regal posture drew the attention of everyone in the hall. After setting the object carefully on the display table, they stepped to the sides and stood in silent reverence.

The auctioneer’s voice took on a more dramatic tone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived. I present to you the final item of today’s auction... an item so rare, so exceptional, it has never before appeared on Earth."

He paused, allowing suspense to thicken in the room.

"This... is a piece of history."

He paced slowly in front of the covered item, continuing his story. "Centuries ago, a member of the Dragon race rescued a young Elven princess of Molgrath from a troll ambush. In gratitude, the Elven king bestowed upon the dragon a priceless treasure... an armour that became part of her legacy. Since then, it has passed down through generations, guarded with reverence by her descendants."

There was a slight murmur in the audience.

"But due to recent and unforeseen circumstances," he continued, "the lineage has chosen to part with this treasure. And today, for the first time, they offer it not for coin... but through barter."

The crowd grew quiet. Whispers rippled like wind through the hall.

The auctioneer explained, "Unlike traditional bidding, this auction will operate via proposal. The owner is seeking an item with healing properties... something rare and powerful, worthy of this armour’s legacy. If your item interests the current owner, you will win the armour in exchange. The value of the item is subjective. Grade matters less than purpose."

He glanced across the room before continuing. "We understand that many of you may not have brought your treasures here today. That’s not a problem. Simply submit a written proposal describing the healing properties of the item you wish to offer. You are not required to reveal its exact name, form, or clan origin... just describe what it does."

Several auction staff members moved through the hall, distributing pens and sealed parchment slips to those who raised their hands. Some of them wouldn’t have dared to bid if it were a monetary auction, but now they happily raised their hands to place their bids, hoping they might have a chance.

A vampire seated In the gallery stood up and asked, "Mr. Auctioneer, how will we know if our items are of equal value to the armour?"

The auctioneer replied, "You don’t... and that is the point. This isn’t about grading or pricing. The exchange depends entirely on the owner’s judgment. If your proposal interests her, regardless of rank or rarity, she will accept. And you will walk away with a Heaven-grade armour."

He let that sink In before proceeding. "But before you make your offer, let me tell you a bit about this armour."

He turned and placed one hand on the draped object. "This armour was made by a collaboration between the Elves and the Dwarves... a rare event in itself. It is said to be the only one of its kind ever created. Not because of technical limitations or inter-racial strife, but because the materials used are born only once every thousand years... when the three moons of Molgrath align perfectly in the night sky."

"It is said," the auctioneer went on, "that wearing this armour is not just to be protected... but to walk in the favour of the stars themselves. Even the dragons, in all their might have tried to claw through it. And they failed."

He uncovered the item in one go and gestured grandly with both arms. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me have the honour of presenting to you... the strongest armor currently known to exist on Earth... The Vest of the Mytherial Moon."