45,000 Blackstars

“...35,000, now 38,000, up to 40,000, do I see 45,000? I do! 45,000, going once, going twice, sold to number 31 for 45,000 Blackstars!”

The Curator took a deep and gracious bow, his outfit fluttering around him with every movement. Although his face was covered with a veiled mask and a calligraphed letter C, his teeth clenched grin could be felt by everyone in attendance.

Lucius, can you see who bought that? Ultra asked.

He scanned the numbers held up around the room, searching for the one individual holding up the number 31. In a back row on the left side of the hall, he saw a masked figure dressed in a black suit and porcelain mask like everyone else, and in his hand held high he gripped the winning paddle.

Wait a second, it’s hard to make out from here, but under his cuff, is that a…bandage? Lucius thought to himself.

The commotion from the stage brought his attention back to the front of the room, where staff had been summoned to escort the Gnomon to the back area, the crowd applauding with glee.

Ultra, I can’t really tell who it is. But Umbra, Caesar, get ready, the target will be on the move any second now, Lucius messaged.

The Gnomon was placed on a velvet cushion, and covered over with a silk veil. The solo staff member carrying it on the silver tray gave a shallow bow to the crowd, and exited the floor.

NOW! GO! GO! GO!

At Lucius’s call, Umbra dropped down from the beams into the hallway connected to the storage room. Her movements were silent, cat like, not a decibel of sound could be heard from her as she stuck to the shadows, half hidden inside the walls.

Caesar, after I use Threshold Breach to subdue this guy, it’s your move, Umbra messaged.

Right behind you, he replied.

The staff member had just turned into the corridor, steps away from entering the view of the two guards in front of the storage room. Umbra and Caesar had only moments to make it all work.

Umbra creeped up on her prey, following directly behind him, matching his footsteps.

“Threshold Breach,” she whispered under her breath.

She thrusted her right hand deep into the man’s chest from the center of his spinal cord, found his soul within, and clenched it tightly in her orange grasp. The staff member immediately stiffened up, like the off switch for his brain had just been flicked.

He’s subdued, Caesar, frozen in place. But hurry, I won’t be able to hold this for long.

Right on schedule, Caesar appeared next to her in the dimly lit corridor.

“Watch this,” he confidently smirked to Umbra.

In an unnecessary movement, Caesar backflipped over the frozen staff member, twirling in the air just above their heads. For any onlookers, this action would’ve taken half a second, but for Caesar, it felt like he had all the time in the world.

When his body was head first to the ground in mid air, he reached out with his right hand, index finger extended, and nudged just under the silken veil. The tip of his finger brushed ever so slightly against the surface of the cold Gnomon.

In an instant, Umbra and Caesar were right back in their previous positions, crouching high above the hallway on the cracked beams.

“What just happened? What did you do?” Umbra whispered as loud as she could, opting for vocal speak instead of telepathy.

The staff member standing down below seemed to shake off whatever had just occurred with no realization, and continued down the hallway right to the doors of the guarded storage room.

“Did you just mess this up!?”

Caesar just grinned from across the beams, shaking his head amusingly.

“Yee of so little faith, Umbra. I’m a professional, remember?”

From his pocket dimension, he reached in and retrieved a Gnomon that looked exactly like the replica, holding it up for her to see.

“You…what? That can't be the real one.”

Umbra had seen Caesar’s ability in action before, but was completely bewildered at what had just occurred.

Caesar couldn’t contain his excitement at her confusion, but pulled himself together to explain before she jumped across the ceiling and strangled him.

“I needed you to use Threshold Breach to freeze up the staff so I could touch the real Gnomon for the first time. The second I made contact, I used Ender Realm to teleport the real one into my pocket, and extracted the replica to be placed under the veil. Then I just teleported both of us back up here, all before I even touched the ground. I think a ‘good job Caesar’ is in order.”

Umbra’s frowned expression slowly turned upwards into a wide smile.

“You really are something, you know that. Good job, Caesar,” she said sarcastically, hiding how impressed she actually was.

“Thank you, thank you. I could listen to you say that all evening, but let’s continue the high praises when we’re all back in the Sanctum. I’ll notify Lucius and Ultra of the mission’s success.”

The job is completed. Umbra and I are ready to return to base.

Great job everyone. Remember, just tap the beads around your wrists and you’ll be brought back here in half a second. Lucius, are you ready to go? Ultra asked.

Back down in the grand hall, the moment the final item had been brought off stage, the Curator had begun to make his closing statements for the evening, once the cheers and applause had died down.

“Thank you, thank you everyone, tonight has been quite a show. As always, we here at the Crane House appreciate all of your continued support, to the highest degree. However, at this year’s auction, due to unforeseen circumstances, we concluded that extra security precautions must be taken to ensure the sanctity and reverence of our establishment.”

The Curator’s voice boomed around the room, a hint of excitement ricocheting from his tone.

Guys, something’s wrong here. This doesn’t feel right at all, Lucius messaged, worry and panic settling in at the base of his spine.

“From the moment the doors shut behind us all at the beginning of this event, poisonous gas has been continuously pumping into the air, filling the room! The mild dosage has been slowly building up in each of your bodies, and any moment now the toxins will begin taking effect. However, none of this should be of any concern to any of you, right? If you are all who you claim to be, you would have received our personal delivery days ago, and would all be fitted with one of these…”

In the Curator’s right hand, he held up a slim, bone white cylinder, smooth as porcelain, etched with the faint details of feathers. With a quiet twist, the device bloomed open into a sleek respirator with two curved, ivory prongs that neatly sealed over the mouth and nose.

“Our Owl’s Breath respirators would have completely filtered out all of the toxic air, leaving not a drop of residue in your systems. Only those uninvited to tonight’s charade would be the ones not cleansed!”

The Curator cackled with a deep laugh, as the crowd followed with chanting roars.

Guys…I…I feel so weak, I can’t move…my hands…

If it’s true what he’s saying, you’ve all been heavily exposed! All three of you need to get out of there! NOW! Ultra exclaimed.

Umbra and Caesar looked at each with great concern, their excitement from the mission completely washed away.

Ultra, I don’t know if Lucius is able to press the beads. We need to get to him and bring him out! Umbra cried.

From your positions you won’t be able to get to him before the toxins in your system take full effect. Besides the beads can only be activated by his own resonance. Only Lucius can save himself now. You and Caesar need to GET OUT!

With a final glance down towards the auction floor, seconds away from passing out and tumbling to the ground, Umbra and Caesar tapped their bracelets and vanished, teleported away to safety.

Lucius, Lucius, can you hear me?! You need to get out! Don’t give in! Fight it Lucius! Fight!

The animalistic sounds got louder and louder around him, the muffled tones from the respirators adding an even more demonic layer to the vibrations.

Lucius tried to inch his hand towards the bracelet on his wrist, but to no avail. He was completely paralyzed.

I’m not…gonna…make it…

Lucius’s body toppled backwards onto the hard floor, staring up at the ceiling through a blurry haze. Masked figures began to surround him, their white masks shifting and morphing in his sights, like birds of prey descending onto their meal.

The caws filled the air louder and louder, their shapes twisting into stretched hues of expanding lights.

From on stage, the Curator had noticed Lucius’s fall, and pointed in his direction, his thundering roars growing even louder.

“YES! YES! TONIGHT WE FEAST! THE CRANE HOUSE SHOWS NO MERCY!”

Lucius’s eyes began to feel heavy, his face behind the porcelain mask drooping, his features unable to move on their own any longer.

I’m…finished…accept it…accept…the…end

The darkness crept in, consumed him fully, and turned everything to black.