Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 41: The Highest Bidder, Part Sixteen

Gaining entry was just the first step. Now that she was inside, Lianna needed to get to the source of those screams as soon as possible.

Then, she’d...

She’d...

[What the fuck am I going to do, actually?]

Lianna had been given a task to accomplish today, but she knew damn well she likely lacked the power necessary to destroy whatever it was that was currently producing all those shrieks.

She could not simply turn around and walk away, though, as not doing anything would, apparently, result in the world’s damnation.

[Okay, I have an idea!] Lianna soon thought. [The cops!]

She promptly dialed 277, the local emergency line.

"277, what is your emergency?"

"We need help at the Watchful’s guild hall! Something’s terribly wrong!" Then, she hung up, hoping the apparent urgency would prompt a quicker response.

Again, unfortunately, she could not simply turn and walk away now.

This barrier likely wouldn’t be gone before the cops arrived. That meant that whatever was inside, wreaking all this havoc would be allowed to finish its mission well before the police could do anything unless something came in and distracted it.

[I...] Lianna thought, breathing in. [I have to stall.]

On that note, she ran in.

Lianna soon entered the main building. The screams became so much louder. As she stared ahead, Lianna’s jaw hit the ground.

Up on the second floor was Jack Caldwell. The boy was calmly walking through the guild hall’s main left building, currently making his way through the dorms. On the opposite side, Lianna could see various people all either scurrying from one place to another or trying desperately to hide and go unnoticed.

Something came to Lianna’s mind, then.

Or, rather, someone.

[... Mel,] Lianna thought. [Where are you?]

The obvious answer was that Mel was in her room. But, Lianna could not just run up and check, as the instant Jack saw her, she’d pretty much be doomed.

[He’s gonna reach me soon... What do I do?]

At that moment, as she asked herself that question, her quest popped back up.

{Quest: Prevent the ascension of the Storm Fiend}

Knowing that this was The Lover trying to communicate the answer, Lianna considered what that could mean for this current situation. She analyzed each of the following factors: Jack who was making his way through the hall, Mel who was on the third floor, probably, and the people around Lianna right now, hiding.

The "Birth of Darkness" had been the event in which Instructor Vara had been absorbed by Jack. If Lianna understood this well, there were two possibilities as to what The Lover meant by the "Storm Fiend".

Either:

1. Jack would become the Storm Fiend upon absorbing a certain number of people, or a few particular individuals.

2. Someone else here was going to become the Storm Fiend, perhaps during a fight with Jack.

If it was the first, then all Lianna needed to do was throw Jack off their trail. If it was the second, then Lianna would have to do her best to ensure the strongest people here won their fight against Jack.

That latter option would be impossible, though, so Lianna placed her hopes on the answer being the first one and ran up to the railing.

"Hey!" She cried out, instantly gaining the attention of everyone around her.

The people hiding in the nearby rooms all turned to look at her, and even Jack himself stopped where he was.

That older woman’s voice from back when he absorbed Vara spoke once more.

"You..."

[Yeah, me.]

Lianna pulled her bow off her back, nocking an arrow.

She had no real hopes of inflicting meaningful damage, but she wanted to capture Jack’s attention fully.

Just as she was aiming her arrow, however, she noticed someone.

On the third floor, a grey-skinned girl with purple eyes stood over the railing, gazing down at her with great surprise.

Mel was there, clearly both shocked and terrified.

At that moment, as their eyes met, the same message that Lianna had been getting spammed with showed up a final time.

{Quest: Prevent the ascension of the Storm Fiend}

[Oh,] Lianna blinked, putting two and two together. [I have to keep Jack from absorbing her?]

---

{Enverna}

The auction had been underway for a little while now, but Enverna had barely looked at any of the items being put up.

Mostly, her cold eyes had been roaming the audience around her. There were so many imposing-looking figures, players who’d clearly spent a lot of time fighting Fiends outside of Telvan, but no one who looked like they had bad intentions. At least, not to Enverna.

She tried to scan them all, one by one, trying to make sure that she didn’t miss Jack’s presence, in particular.

[I can’t find him... Could he really be somewhere else at a time like this? Maybe... Maybe he believes the people here are just too strong for him to deal with, even though he absorbed Vara.]

"Welcome," a voice spoke up from a microphone up ahead. Enverna’s attention quickly snapped to them. "Welcome. I take it none of you tripped over any of the items we’ll be selling on your way here, did you?"

Giggles bounced from the walls of the theatre, though Enverna was too tense to share the humor.

The man holding the microphone, wearing a white mask with a grin carved onto it and a black suit with white gloves, began to pace around some odd stool with a blanket thrown over it, likely waiting for the items meant to be sold.

"Hm... Didn’t expect to see him here." Haiko muttered to herself, prompting Enverna to turn toward her.

"What do you mean?"

"That guy’s... Eh, never mind. It’s not important."

[It very much sounds like it is, but fine.]

"In just a moment," the man continued, "we’ll be beginning the night’s main event. I know, I know, legendary mana cores, legendary weapons, and armor, that’s what you’re all here for! But, but, but, settle down, how about we warm up first with a few, basic items? Here," he said, as a couple of helpers brought a blue flask out and placed it on the stool. "A lesser mana potion!"

Everyone giggled at that. Even Haiko gave a chuckle.

[Uh, is this some awful item? I’m missing the joke.]

"So, what will it be? Do I hear... 25 royals? 25 royals, anyone? 25...?"

Enverna raised her paddle.

There was some surprise as people looked her way.

The man with the microphone grinned.

"Ah, it would appear that Enverna Alteri, hot new recruit from the Watchful, wishes to start us off. How generous of her."

Haiko tapped Enverna’s arm.

"Yes?"

"You’re not supposed to bid on the first item," Haiko told her. "It’s considered bad luck."

"Oh," Enverna replied. "I... I see."

"Anyway, sit back," Haiko suggested. "It’s gonna... Huh?"

Her phone began to buzz.

"Hold on," Haiko said. "Let me take this."

Standing up, Haiko walked out of the theatre.

Enverna sighed.

[Why do I have such a bad feeling in my gut? I hope Lianna’s doing well.]