The Fifth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  “Inviting the Twilight lord into his city—wasn’t Lord Aditya humiliated by her?” Leo asked.

  “He was, but look where he has come. He’s no simple character,” Emmanuel said, not thinking of his words but the others all agreed.

  “We should head to our seats,” Leo said as Lady Sumi was guided into the auction house by a group of other lords. There were those who didn’t wish to annoy her, others who wanted to bring her to their side or wanted to have her. The games and power plays never stopped around the Beast Mountain Range.

  There was another commotion as a man arrived unannounced. He walked through the hall with just a single guard.

  “Is that Aditya?” Isobel hissed.

  All three of the lords hid their frowns.

  “Why do I feel like a tiger just walked into his lair?” Leo said darkly.

  “That must be Pan Kun, his head guard and leader of the Vermire Guard. I heard that he was badly disfigured. He’s fully healed, and the equipment they’re wearing is high Apprentice grade.”

  Aditya seemed to sense their gazes. He gave them a friendly smile and nodded to them, not breaking his stride as he greeted those who walked up to him.

  “This auction might be the least interesting thing going on,” Isobel said with a laugh. “Good luck on the battlefield!” Isobel headed off into the auction hall.

  The others nodded to one another and moved with their group of guards.

  “Still think that Lord Aditya is simple?” Emmanuel asked Nasreen, who was beside him, without moving his mouth.

  “What do you mean?” Nasreen asked.

  His strength is concealed from others; it must be something that only us at higher levels can sense.

  “We’ll need to work on your senses again.”

  There were different booths around the auction hall. The lords of the outposts were in the third and highest ring. On the second level, there was the different powerful merchants, nobles, and people from other kingdoms and nations who had come to buy. There were less powerful people on the first floor who had come more for the entertainment than to bid. With powers such as these looking to bid, they only had a small chance to pick up anything worthwhile.

  Emmanuel walked into his booth, finding several lords and Lord Aditya.

  The atmosphere was light and enjoyable as people chatted freely.

  Emmanuel smiled to a number of the lords and traded greetings. Most of them had done trade in the past and had a good impression of one another.

  Lord Aditya wasn’t imposing, standing at the rear of the booth as he drank from a glass, having an easy conversation with the different lords.

  With their guards outside, the lords were free and the booth wasn’t crowded.

  A few minutes later, a young man walked out onto the auction house stage.

  “Lords and ladies, valued guests, the auction is about to begin. My name is Xue Zan. Today, I have the pleasure of presenting this auction.”

  People settled into their seats, continuing their conversations in low tones.

  “The first item up for auction tonight is a blueprint!” A woman brought out a box and placed it on a presentation pedestal next to the auctioneer.

  The people in the auction hall seemed interested but only marginally so. Blueprints required crafters to work on them and crafters were expensive. Only a few of the lords were interested; they had the capital to not only get crafters but the necessary materials together to make blueprints worth their time.

  “This is a carriage design. It requires a Novice blacksmith and woodworker to create it. It requires normal wood types and metals, but with its spring designs and new wheel designs, it can take on heavier loads across rougher terrain at higher speeds. Easily twenty percent faster than a normal trading carriage.” The auctioneer spoke in an excited voice as information appeared on a stone table to the side of the auctioneer, detailing the blueprint’s capabilities.

  “There is no build restriction, so it can be made repeatedly,” Aditya said out loud to the other lords. “For those lords who are in swamp lands or bog lands, its larger wheels allow riders to get through obstacles easily and the weight distribution makes it harder to sink on one corner. Perfect for long trade routes, or moving valuables. I do hate when carriages break their wheels because the suspension is too tight.”

  The other lords’ eyes glowed and Aditya sipped from his drink. Clearly it was their good fortune to be close to him as he accidentally let slip information deeper than what was on the board.

  “Though, if someone has pests around them, there are a number of useful items later, though their gains will be less in the long run.” Aditya’s eyes moved imperceptibly to Lord Caius Sidonius from Sea Breeze. To his east was Dryfall’s Outpost, owned by Raphail Levas. For years, Raphail had been using the mercenaries within his walls to attack Sea Breeze. They had greater profits and being along a river and a small valley, they were able to cultivate a number of powerful medicinal herbs that attracted more beasts. With more beasts and more herbs came more money. While focusing on their front, their rear was being attacked to the point that traders were only willing to go to the outpost if Caius sent guards with them.

  It stopped them for some time, but now even the guarded traders were being attacked by bolder and larger groups of mercenaries.

  “The starting bid is ten silver, with a minimum of one silver each bid,” Xue Zan said, drawing attention back to the stage. “Who is willing to open the bid?”

  “Ten silver.” One of the trader leaders on the second floor spoke up. Clearly they saw the use of the cart already.

  “Twelve!” an outpost lord called out.

  “Fourteen,” a man from one of the kingdoms said.

  Bidding heated up as the price increased drastically, clearing out those who had the spare funds and those who didn’t.

  “Eighty-seven silver.”

  “Eighty-eight!”

  “Ninety!” a merchant called out.

  The lords looked at one another.

  We can take out fifteen gold freely without issue; more than fifty gold and we will need to shorten expenses within our own cities. Most leading traders only have twenty or thirty gold on hand.

  The merchant took the carriage blueprint, with the praise of those around him.

  “Congratulations on winning the first item of the auction!” Xue Zan hit his hammer on the table. The blueprint was removed and a new box was brought to the front and opened. There were three bottles inside of relatively clear glass.

  “Three bottles of Rapid Clotting Powder, a true mid-Apprentice-level healing concoction that can heal and seal flesh wounds before your eyes, or can be mixed with water to heal internal wounds.” Xue Zan’s words fell on the ears of all those present.

  Fayad looked at the concoctions, his hands tightening in agitation. These bottles are a second life to many!

  “It’s sad that the glass is of low quality and their efficacy will decrease with time unless one has a better way to store them or uses them rapidly,” Aditya said.

  His words were quiet and didn’t leave the booth, but the lords there all understood what he meant.

  “The bidding will start at fifty silver, with no less than ten silver per bid,” Xue Zan said.

  “One and a half gold.” A woman’s voice covered the room with an invisible pressure that came with excessive funds. Everyone looked over to the lord of Twilight Outpost, Lady Sumi. Her blood-red lips pulled apart into a flattering smile filled with challenge as her eyes searched them for an opponent.

  “Two gold,” another lord called out.

  They are bidding with gold instead of silver. For something that could save one’s life, is there really a price one can place on it?

  The room chilled some as her smile became more rigid.

  “Three gold,” Lady Sumi said, as if tasting the words.

  The lord competing with her stared at her before he pursed his lips and sat back in his chair, pulling out a fan and fanning himse
lf in irritation.

  “The healing concoction goes to Lady Sumi.” Xue Zan bowed to her.

  “Ah, I do like it when the defeated know their place. Some people just keep on trying to appear after they’ve lost. The most annoying are those without familial ties.” Lady Sumi’s eyes fell on Lord Aditya, a mocking smile on her lips. “Don’t you think, Lord Phillip Aditya?”

  Aditya smiled simply and swirled his glass. “Ah, but a good challenge can make them rise stronger than ever. Isn’t that the truth of cultivation, no? Seems some have a talent for it and others...remain the same?” His words hung in the air as Emmanuel and the other lords got his meaning.

  Is he saying his cultivation has increased but hers hasn’t? Only someone with a good eye of discernment or who is a higher level than the other person can see through them.

  Lady Sumi’s eyes narrowed slightly as Aditya drank from his glass and she looked away.

  “Next we have a set of armor. It is called the Kuoni set. Apart, each piece increases one’s Stamina Regeneration slightly. Together, one’s Stamina Regeneration has a much higher speed and one’s overall Agility increases as well. It has been evaluated as a half-step Journeyman set of armor.”

  The set of armor was revealed to everyone. It was a thin set of armor, covering a person’s vital areas. Blades could be seen on the arms and legs that could double as weapons.

  “Bidding will start at twenty silver, with a five silver increase each bid,” Xue Zan said.

  The room fell into heated bidding. A set of armor could directly increase one’s ability, or the ability of their people.

  The set of armor went to one of the minor nobles on the second floor.

  Next was not only a set, but multiple sets of armor: ten sets of identical armor with two innate effects when assembled as a set. The first group went for eight gold, then there were two more sets, going for nine gold and eleven gold.

  Beast mounts were brought out, in singles and in packs.

  Then there were formations to create barriers. They went for sky-high prices, reaching twenty or thirty gold. This was something that the kingdom leaders of the second floor could afford based on their backing and only a few of the outpost lords could.

  To finish it off, there were three Mortal mana stones up for sale. For those who had just bought the formations, these were invaluable treasures. There was a high demand for these mana stones but there was no supply. Some of the older outpost lords who had only been interested in concoctions now started to bid.

  Each sold for no less than two thousand gold. Although they might cost fifteen hundred gold from the Silaz family, one needs a connection to be able to speak to them within the city. They only have five of them up for sale, one every weekday, and they have already sold the next four months’ worth of mana stones.

  “With that, I must thank you for attending our humble Vermire auction house.” Xue Zan bowed deeply to the patrons and the lighting in the room increased in brightness.

  The auction house broke out into excited chatter.

  It is more humble than the Blue Lotus, but all of these items were aimed not at the people of the area, but those who are coming in from the other outposts, nations, and kingdoms. Those who missed the auction will quickly regret it.

  Emmanuel had been able to get a few sets of armor and weapons. They all had innate effects that would work well with his fighters to increase their overall strength. With it, he could clear more of the Beast Mountain Range.

  I wonder if there are more crafting tools that Aditya will be willing to sell. I should ask Fang Ju about what he saw in the crafting sector. With high-level crafters, one can truly prosper in the future.

  Emmanuel’s mind started to turn as the other lords congratulated and talked to Aditya, looking to become closer to him.

  Emmanuel saw it and he glanced over to Lady Sumi. There was a sneer on her face, like a blemish. She turned around and stormed out of the auction booth.

  She’ll still have to head downstairs to collect her items. Makes one’s anger seem weaker if they’re just throwing a fit this way.

  Emmanuel looked to Aditya, seeing a cold edge to his eyes as he looked away from Sumi’s booth.

  “As a thank-you for coming all this way, I’ll be hosting a grand feast tonight. Please remember to attend. We are all traders here—of course everything has a price. Though, as friends, we should be able to drink and eat together freely.” Aditya smiled.

  The others laughed and agreed. Aditya handled a few talks with different people, making himself seem approachable.

  This new lord has the makings of one who will do great things.

  ***

  “My lord.” Miss Evernight bowed as she opened the door to the carriage.

  Aditya stepped up and into the carriage. She followed him up and Pan Kun sat up front. She closed the door behind him and activated the formation that would stop noise from being let out.

  Aditya deflated in his seat. “Damn. All these negotiations, positioning and things is annoying. The items really did light a fire underneath the outpost leaders’ asses, though. Should hopefully pull a few more of them to our side,” Aditya said.

  “Now we need you to work on the older lords, the pillars around the Beast Mountain Range. If we can get a few of them to our side, then we could bring in other middle lords and the newer ones,” Evernight said.

  “Who are we targeting?” Aditya leaned forward, alert.

  Evernight smiled slightly and pulled out a list. “Lords Valk, Laas, Quan, and Hu.” She looked up. “Do you need a refresher?”

  “No, it’s all in here.” Aditya tapped his head and leaned back. “Quan will be harder. He has built up a mercenary company that works outside of the Beast Mountain Range. If we draw him in, then it might stop his contracts outside that give him a large revenue. He won’t like that.”

  “He might not, but remind him about how people going through the Beast Mountain Range will need protection from the beasts.”

  “Yes, and we have a supply of Gire sorrel. He has pain in his joints. With its help, his joints should feel better and he can venture out to increase his level, hunting beasts in the depths of the Beast Mountain Range,” Aditya murmured to himself.

  Evernight smiled to herself. He’s grown a lot in just a few years. His strength lies in planning and maneuvering. His greed was an issue, but when he can see a higher goal, it focuses his mind.

  “Seems that this dinner will be an interesting one,” Evernight said.

  “You want to go in my place?” Aditya asked in an almost pleading tone.

  “I’ll leave that all to you.” Evernight put the list away into her storage ring.

  ***

  Emmanuel shared what he had seen in the booth with Aditya with Leo, Fang Ju, and Isobel. They had each been surprised by the items up for sale.

  “Why do I feel like I’m balancing on a knife edge?” Isobel complained as they met up in the large open banquet hall inside Aditya’s residence. Many of the lords had come exactly on time and found Aditya as soon as possible, heading off to some of the private rooms to discuss trades and future agreements.

  “Well, on one side, we got powerful items to increase our strength. On the other hand, our rivals did as well,” Leo said as he picked at some food on his plate.

  “Just enjoy the wine,” Fang Ju said.

  Emmanuel saw Lord Quan and some of the other fighting-oriented lords coming out of a room with Lord Aditya. He laughed with Lord Quan, the two of them appearing to have a close relationship.

  “What did I inhale, or is Old Lord Quan playing nice with someone? Ow!” Leo turned to Isobel.

  “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t seeing things.”

  “How can a pinch hurt that much?” Leo complained.

  Isobel raised her fingers and pinched them together. “Years of training.”

  After some time, a waiter came over with food and drink. As they were passing them drinks, he passed them a piece of paper. />
  “Have a good night.” The waiter disappeared into the crowd.

  Emmanuel looked at his glass, reading the note. “Looks like Lord Aditya wishes to see us.”

  “We should go and talk to others,” Fang Ju said.

  Emmanuel nodded. The group slowly started to unravel as they saw different lords and did their rounds.

  ***

  Emmanuel saw a waiter grabbing more drinks from a side room. He caught Emmanuel’s eyes and indicated a door. Emmanuel would have missed it if not pointed out. It was just beyond the bathroom in what looked like an enclave.

  He checked his surroundings and walked into the room. He found a number of lords inside the room.

  Lord Aditya a circle of them around him.

  “So what do you envision in the future?” Lord Caius Sidonius asked after a few more people had filed into the room. His question seemed flippant but Emmanuel could feel the eyes and ears in the room turn to Aditya, who chuckled.

  “That is a good question.” Aditya took a drink while looking thoughtful.

  “I think in the future, to have a shared auction right between all of our outposts would even draw kings and emperors. I’m sure that my few trinkets are nothing compared to your own goods!” Aditya laughed. “It would be the king of auctions.”

  The other lords covered their shock with a laugh. Some seemed to have already received a few hints and didn’t seem overly shocked.

  Emmanuel wasn’t stunned, just impressed. This was only used as a cover for the outpost leaders to meet, to talk about Lord Aditya’s plans to unite the outposts and create this King Outpost. Clearly his goals don’t end there. This could lead to a much bigger stage. What is an outpost compared to an empire that controls Beast Mountain Range?

  Emmanuel’s eyes flicked to the other lords. They were all evaluating one another.

  “It would need to be a joint effort between us all, and should be split up in that way. There is too much bog land around Vermire, so maybe another outpost could lead the way, with our support.” Aditya looked at Emmanuel as the others in the room seemed to be assessing the deeper ramifications of Aditya’s words and separating thinly veiled truths from flowery words.