The Auction

Sebastian looked among the crowd through his mask. Spanning the theater space were dozens of nobles from Farsink and those from the Empire, many of which more masks that hid their faces to preserve their identities. Like a masquerade of snobbery, Sebastian thought to himself. Though it did make his job easier if nobody could recognize him.

Sebastian listened intently, keeping his ears open to information. The slightest ill mention could be an edge.

"You're here for another slave then right?" A man's voice to his left.

"Of course! The last one didn't last very long. I hadn't gotten my money's worth!" Pig…

"Did you hear, they have elves this time. I'm in need of a new plaything." A woman hiding behind a fan to his right.

Casually sipping from a glass of champagne, he moved around to gauge the conversations. Most were about the slave auction that would be taking place here shortly. Others were of old friends and colleagues, likely all in this together. This farce.

Sebastian's kingdom, Arcadia, didn't tolerate slavery since a reformation about a century ago as one of the old kings had abolished the act with a single decree. Finishing with the practice was hard pressed at first until it became known that the economy had actually benefited from the increase in citizens and the natural distribution of wealth that came of it. Sebastian wholeheartedly agreed with the outcome.

Now here, west of Arcadia, was the Skelian Empire. A neighboring country that regularly practiced slavery and wasn't on the best of terms with Arcadia. Skirmishes broke out every now and then, but war hadn't yet been declared.

"The latest news from the capital…"

"The Thane household was it?"

Useless.

Sebastian commonly didn't accept missions requiring espionage. He was rather high profile in Arcadia and would be on the Empire's list of wanted individuals. Especially because he was a mage. Dangerous and powerful, like living forces of nature. But he had a tip from a trusted informant that there was another mage being sold at this auction.

Most likely a child. They wouldn't sell very well if they were too old to appeal to the clientele. If this was true then the child must have recently awakened, as most did around the age of fourteen.

While normally slavery in another country was obviously none of Arcadia's business, if we could separate a mage from their clutches and bring them over it would be one less threat before a possible war.

Sebastian slid a silvery lighter from a pocket in his dinner jacket, taking a cigar from a parchment package hidden in another and lit a flame to ignite it. The auction still had some twenty minutes before the opening, so he wanted to enjoy a little bit of relaxation before the main event. Shifting through the crowd over to a small window side high table, he lit the cigar and moved an ashtray from the center over to where he stood for easier access.

"An auction party in Farsink, high profile. A friend of mine helped them capture a mage, was all he could tell me, but if it's true you might be interested in securing them." The informant had said. If it was accurate information, then Sebastian would act after a visual confirmation that indeed one was being sold here.

Looking around from the table, Sebastian could see 6 guards in the room with the guests, guarding 2 doorways either side of the room and the entry stairs onstage. Dress uniforms with sabers sheathed at their hips. Not much of a threat for Sebastian and easily surmountable.

No signs of an imperial mage. Getting out wouldn't be so difficult then.

"You seem to be just as removed from the rest of this crowd as I."

Sebastian peered around to find another masked gentleman standing behind him in white evening dress, sky blue tie and vest. His mask was also white, showcasing vibrant icy blue eyes further complimented by the sheer white of his hair. If it weren't for the black buttons and laces on his outfit and shoes, the man would have only been sporting those two colors.

Sebastian turned to greet the man with an extended hand, "It's not like I'm hiding over here, just don't really care for a lot of the busy small talk."

This earned a chuckle from the man, who shook his hand before returning to his stiff posture with his right arm tucked behind him. "You must not be as used to the scene as many of these other guests." He said gesturing around him, "Believe me I understand. It takes a special kind of tool to regularly enjoy outings with such people."

"On that I can agree." Sebastian responded. It might be worthwhile to try and probe the man for some information about the auction while he had him here. "So, what kind of prize are you hoping to take away from this?"

"Let's just say something with unique potential." The man said with a hint of mystery, his tone purveying that there was easily more on the subject to be heard.

Curious, Sebastian muttered internally. "You are thinking something of more value than just a labor slave then?"

The man's hand flew up as if halting the thought, "Non, non. I have no use for such things. No good sir, I mean to say there are other oddities to be had that I may find as eccentric as I. I'm quite the collector you see, of individuals of unique traits and specialties."

"And you think someone worthy of your… taste, is on bid tonight?"

"You could say that, yes."

He knows then. About the mage.

A pause passed between them before the ice white man continued, "And what of you good sir, are you to be my competition in this? Am I to have to outbid you?" Those cold eyes searched Sebastian's almost for weakness. Like a coldness that wanted to creep and consume all that stood before it like a glacier.

To say the man was giving Sebastian a nervous feeling was putting it mildly. Something was off.

"You see, many of the guests here tonight are probing the others, forming their social groups and discussing the auction using the information they may or not possess to gauge their competition and the prizes to be offered tonight. But you," he gestured with a wave of his white gloved hand, "haven't made any moves of the sort. You know exactly what you want. I merely came over here to get a read on my competition for the mage child."

His is a dangerous mind.

The icy man took ahold of the glass of unfinished champagne still resting on the table that Sebastian had brought over here, swirling the liquid once over before downing the rest of the substance in quick measure.

"The best of luck to you sir." The man turned and walked back into the crowd of guests, lost after a few moments.

…

"SOLD! To number 46!"

Sebastian didn't allow his face to grimace as a small blonde Sylvan girl was taken away left of stage, her long ears twitching with her shoulders as she cried. Her price was bid just over a hundred thousand imperial Serpents, the standard gold coin of the Empire as was their sigil. A lofty sum indeed, but filth like this were usually rolling in it and afforded often quite lofty indulgences.

Sebastian could barely hold his face now as a terrible truth was evident. He only had his horse with him and getting out with all of these slaves was a hopeless wish. He could only take the one. Sorry child.

It was now that Sebastian noted the gentleman clad in white from before, standing off to one side with another glass in his hand. But instead of watching the auction, his eyes were solely on him. A satisfied smirk curved across his face as he lifted his glass in a small toast in Sebastian's direction, then nodding towards the stage.

So, this is it.

The presenter spun with a flourish and addressed the guests with a proud face the feather fastened to his hat bounced with the movement, "My esteemed guests! Tonight, I am proud! No! ENLIGHTENED to present to you this evening. Because for the first time in a decade, the Cadus group has with us a prime treasure for you all. Hershal, if you will." He said, moving towards the edge of the stage.

Sebastian watched from his seat as a burly man pushed an object covered in a black silky sheet to center stage. The object, or the cage that was definitely under the sheet, was small with ridges protruding out of the corners, suggesting there was more to the cage than you could see from the sheet.

"Once again, ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on tonight's top bid. Starting off at five hundred thousand Imperial gold Serpents!" The sheet was yanked from the cage, and the prize was there for all to see. "A young boy not even in his teens.

That's impossible, mages don't awaken that soon!

Sebastian could make out runegems decorating the exterior of the cage, indicating that whatever inside had mana, the source of all magic and it was being contained. So, this indeed is a mage.

The boy inside the cage was curled into himself with his knees brought up to his chest, his head lay in his arms, hiding his face from the clients.

"Hershal, if you wouldn't mind…" ordered the presenter. The employee from before brought out a metal rod of no real significance, then struck the side of the cage hard, causing the child to lurch from the cover of his limbs.

From what Sebastian could see five rows back from the stage, the boy had black hair that looked like it hadn't been cut in months, his bangs hung over his face and framed stark violet eyes that widened in fear of the guests. A chain hung around his neck, concealed by the plain white tunic that he wore. No other noticeable traits than the marks around his hands and ankles. He'd been shackled.

"That's better." The presenter smiled with a sickly sneer. "As you can see, he's not yet trained for obedience and is quite a handful I'm afraid. But make no mistake he's a prize unlike any you've been shown this decade within the Cadus Auction House. If you'll pay attention to the cage itself," he slid a hand over the purple gems protruding from the metal, "The cage is made to absorb and contain mana. You know as well as I do my esteemed guests what that means."

"He's a mage? That boy?"

"Is that possible he's so young!"

"The gems are glowing! He's telling the truth!"

"We're starting this bid now folks, five hundred thousand Serpents."

Sebastian watched almost in slow motion as a white glove raised itself holding the number zero. The frozen gaze of the man from before was now on his new prize. "Seven hundred and fifty thousand serpents."

Sebastian noted his card, number zero. Clearly this client of the auction house was incredibly important. Even more so evident as the presenter was bowing in his direction, as was the other man. Hushed murmurs were passing through the guests, and even more unsettling was that no one was putting forth a new bid on the boy. They knew something that I did not.

Cold eyes returned and fettered to Sebastian's gaze almost daring him to bid against him. But he would not. Sebastian didn't have the money to bid fairly for any of these slaves. At least, not on him. No, he would break the boy out himself before he was transferred to his new owner.

The presenter moved on without suggesting a new bid, he knew better. "I believe that settles that. Seven hundred and fifty Serpents and sold to Mr. Silver. Congratulations good sir.

"Quite." The man "Silver" agreed, moving already to leave the auditorium with one last smiling glance to Sebastian as the boy's cage was moved off stage left.

…

This was it, I thought. Sold to the highest bidder.

Hershal and several guards had already prepared a carriage, loading me and the cage onto it. My new owner, the cold man from before wasn't here. On that stage, his eyes bore into me and terrified me. I could still feel the shivers running through my body. I clutched at the silver pendant hung around my neck. The only thing they let me keep, as I gave them hell over trying to take it. Depicting a falling star.

Hershal grunted as he pushed the cage back onto the carriage, the wood creaking from the weight. But before he could latch the guard closed, someone cleared his throat behind the man.

The burly Hershal whirled around but was quickly immobilized by a flash of light that burned my eyes. When I could see again through the bars of my cage, the man was a bubbling mess on the ground, as were the multiple guards surrounding the carriage.

I could only gape at the scene.

Standing before the cage was an older man with deep crimson hair and beard, a scar over his eye, dark dress clothes, and a single glove on his left hand that sported a glowing scarlet gem. Several leather bands decorated his arm with the sleeve pulled up. Was that gem where the flash of light came from? Was he going to hurt me too?

"Relax kid," The man said, as I was scuttling to the back of the cage. "I'm busting you out."

With a click the cage flung open on its hinges, the key suspended inside the lock. With open arms the man offered to help me down from the carriage. It took me some moments to find the courage to trust him.

"W-who are you?" I asked, trembling as I did so. I didn't mean for the words to come out as shaky as they did. Once I was pulled down from the cage, I felt my body strengthen as if the cage itself was draining me. Now away from its influence I felt the cold night air refresh me.

"Not important right now, all you gotta know is that I'm getting you out of here." The man ushered me along the grounds of the estate, looking every which way for any dangers. He was really going to get me out of here? I struggled to keep up with is pace even being pulled along with his hand gripping my arm.

We were moments away from the stables before the man pushed me down hard into the dirt, I turned to him in disbelief when flames burst in the air all around him. A surging wall of ice slammed into them before steam erupted from the clash, coating the estate grounds in the haze.

"You know, you should really do a little better to hide that scar of yours." Said a chilling voice from the direction the ice had come from.

Not him…

As my fears caught up to me, the cold man that was my new owner stood across the way still in his white and sky suit from before. A glimmer brought my attention to his hand, where rings decorated every finger, clad in shining blue crystals. My eyes still on that hand, I watched as he reached up to remove the mask from his face, then let it fall to the snow-covered ground.

"I knew it was you from the beginning. I would remember that scar better than anyone as I can recall. Sebastian."

The crimson haired man, Sebastian, stood rigidly with his body between me and the cold one. "Honestly it was my fault for not figuring it out. That getup of yours is a dead giveaway, still flaunting your powers Valerian?"

Valerian smiled. "That child belongs to House Borealis now, Sebastian. Hand him over," he extended his ringed hand out as if to be handed his prize, "Before I give you another scar just like the last time."

"Not likely. He doesn't belong to you anymore than anyone else does. Your country's use of slavery is fiendish and wrong." Sebastian retorted angrily. He was placing himself between the cold man and I, ready to defend or attack at a moments notice.

Valerian's smile never left his face, not even for a moment. He seemed to believe he had perfect control over the situation, that no matter what, Sebastian and I would never get out of this alive.

I had gotten to my feet now, with Sebastian's arm keeping me back from the two of them. Maybe if I could make a break for it…

But Valerian knew my intentions before I even placed a foot back.

"If you run boy, I'll make it even worse than you could imagine. I bought you, you're mine." His soft but threatening voice skimmed the air. A chill climbed up my spine with each word.

My rescuer, now that I took a moment to read his expression, looked pale. His face was grim, and his forehead was covered with sweat dripping down past his brows. His breathing wasn't even.

Valerian chuckled to himself now before speaking, "You know as well as I do I can't let an Arcadian general escape. You've stepped too deep into our affairs this time to let you go with only a scar, Sebastian. This wont be like before. You're alone with nobody to help you, all the way out in enemy territory." He raised his arms outward gesturing around him.

Sebastian glanced at me briefly, making sure not to lose sight of the other man for a second more. "Everything's going to be okay, when I give the signal, I want you to run." He said. I simply nodded, not daring to speak as the tension in the air was stifling. He reached over to his arm, running his fingers over the leather bands around it. "I don't think I'll be able to hold him off for very long."

"Valerian!" He called out. The icy man merely cocked his head slightly to the left and raised his brow. The chilling smile never leaving his face. "That skirmish at Jorran, I lost an entire platoon to your ice. I intend to return the favor this time."

"Do please resist all you like." Valerian said with a sinister grin, "It makes no difference. I'll have the boy, and your corpse." He raised his hand with the five rings up, they shined and shimmered on his fingers. A threat.

Enough to terrify me into motion.

I turned to run as a sheer noise cut through the air. When I turned to look, a shimmering cascade of icicles stormed toward me before another blast of flame cut them off. I kept running as explosions of fire and ice sounded behind me. Shockwaves sang as Sebastian sent volley after volley of fire into the oncoming assault of ice magic.

The shockwaves rocked the ground hard, and before I knew it I had tripped and fell.

"Gahh!" I screamed as my knees scrapped against the stone pathway. My hands faring not much better as I had used them to brace my fall. The explosions had lessened, and the air became colder around me. Was Sebastian still alive? They only just started firing magic, he couldn't have lost the fight yet could he?

I scrambled to my feet but not before a hand caught my arm, cold as ice. NO! I my mind screamed.

I pulled and tugged at the icy hold with not a single inch of purpose as my captor was strong and unyielding. I looked up at face.

The vicious sneer of the man named Valerian reached up to his eyes, those cold and arresting glass mirrors that froze me in place despite myself. "Worry not, I'm going to add you to my collection! My frozen garden will be your new home and you'll be mine forever!" he jeered. The ice creeped from his fingers, icing over my arm and causing pain where my skin froze.

"LET ME GO!" I wrestled with his grip to no avail, he was much stronger than me. Not like this, I told myself. I screamed at myself to do something, to break his hold. I won't belong to you! NOT EVER!

With an enraged yell I pushed at him, feeling all of my rage go into the motion. Then his smile fell from his face.

Wind roared from my body, colliding and tearing into him. The grip on my arm was broken as the cold man was thrown back, his scream echoing with the howling of the wind.

I cast my eyes down to my hands, disbelief plain on my face. The ice on my arm had broken as if shattered with the force of the blast, swollen red marks looking back up at me from where the ice touched me. I looked back up in the distance, where the body of Valerian lay. He was still alive, tossing and turning as blood seeped into the grass below him.

"I did that?" I asked myself, still not sure what had happened.

"We have to go!" Sebastian called to my left. He didn't look to be in the best condition, as blood covered his clothes where ice shards were embedded in his left thigh and his shoulder. But he paid them no mind as he limped over to push me back towards the stables. "He won't stay down for long, you did good kid. Really good. I'd like to finish him off but I bet he can still cast magic from that position."

"Will he come after us?" I worried.

The crimson haired man just chuckled as he and I came upon what had to be his horse. "Not likely, you did more damage to him than anyone ever has, the damned demon. Must've caught him off guard big time. I admit I didn't think you had it in you to cast a lethal Flash-Spell." He hoisted me up and onto the horse's saddle, which huffed at the shift in weight. Sebastian saddling up behind me right after.

"YAH!" Sebastian shouted as he checked the horse with his heels, the beast lurching forward in a run as fast as it could carry us. I turned back to where the cold man lay, hoping to still see him lying there and not chasing after us. Instead, what I saw chilled me to the bone even more. He was lying there, his arm draped over his eyes and the blood pooling under his body turning to ice, and he was laughing. Just laughing. An eerie sound coming from him.

…

Further into the night, after we had escaped the Empire's territories, Sebastian and I sat around a campfire. He had dressed his wounds properly after seeing to the flame. Now, so far out of reach of my captors, and that monster, I didn't feel as afraid anymore. Again, I looked down at my hands, remembering the feeling I had when I cast Valerian from me with that… Flash-Spell as Sebastian had called it, the one that pushed and shredded him.

I smiled.

"You know, for your first spell that was surprising." He crowed.

"I've never done magic before."

"You're an unnatural talent kid, there's no doubt about that. You singlehandedly wounded The Crystal Warden. Still, caught him off guard but that's a feat nobody has accomplished in actual combat. He's the most powerful ice mage of the Skelian Empire, a devastatingly powerful enemy. He's avoided capture and death countless times." Sebastian waved a hand, and the flames reached out from the campfire to clasp around another log to drag it into it's maw, fueling the fire. He continued after a small breathe left him. "His ice has devoured countless of Arcadia's soldiers, and a fair share of our mages. Even our strongest Infernal mage, hasn't been able to kill Valerian. He heals himself somehow, even during combat. You're the only person that has been able to debilitate him for longer than a second."

"Why is he called the Crystal Warden?" I asked.

Sebastian adopted a darker look this time, looking off into the distance. "Valerian Borealis, The Crystal Warden, is known for his collecting. He keeps people he finds interesting in his frozen garden, encased eternally, like statues in ice. That was why he wanted you."

The thought made me shudder, and I gripped my arms as if it was the weather that had made me cold, even though it was still late summer. He wanted to keep me in ice, frozen like that. But you hurt him for it. You made that trash bleed.

I shook the random thoughts from my head even as they brought a sadistic smile to my face. I shook that as well.

"If that's true..." I muttered, just loud enough to hear over the crackling of the fire. "I guess I really am different."

Sebastian brought his fist to his chin, "Definitely tore into him a lot. With training I haven't a doubt that you'll be one of the greats. A true prodigy, haha!"

Sebastian laughed to himself for a moment before an idea ghosted across his eyes. "That's it." He said.

"Hey kid, why don't I take you on as my own apprentice. You did save my hide after all."

I gazed across the fire at the man, who was watching me expectantly. "Your apprentice?"

"That's right. I want to teach you how to control your magic. As it is now you have no control, and you expend a lot of needless mana. But from what I saw back there you have enough latent talent to challenge most average mages." He rubbed his hand through the scruffy beard on his chin. "Maybe if I get you to kickstart your mana control first…" Sebastian was mulling the thought over. "You can live at my estate during training. Just let me help mold you into the mage you're meant to be kid."

"What would I be doing?" I asked him. The fire cracked loudly as the logs gave way in the flames.

"Mana tempering, training mind and body, honing your control over your magic. For the record, I'll have you learn spells on your own, I won't teach you anything. I make a point that a mage has to develop spells on his own to truly become a master. Create your own unique arsenal. So? How does it sound?"

He's offering for me to live with him and train me in magic. I absently fiddled with the pendant around my neck, and Sebastian's eyes were drawn to it, though he didn't say anything. I thought of my parents, at least my adoptive ones. Would they tell me to take this chance? I lost Hescha when the slavers discovered that I was a mage. I never wanted that to happen again.

I didn't want others to protect me. I remembered those cold heartless mirrors staring at me before. The obsession that grew there.

No. I wanted to protect myself and protect others.

I stood up and faced my savior once more.

"I accept. Take me on as your apprentice. I want to be stronger." I said with determination.

Sebastian laughed and came to a stand as well, offering his hand to shake. "That'll do kid, I promise ill help with that. I'm Sebastian. Sebastian Claret."

I took his hand and shook it in kind with a smile to introduce myself to my new mentor.

"I'm Drace."