Chapter 4 Mysterious Man

I woke up not knowing how much the time passed, everything around me turned into ash except for the place I was lying, mom was no where to be found, not even her body, nothing was left, as if taking her from me wasn't enough, I didn't even get the chance to see her for one last time.

I got up from my place and looked around me, I found the sword lying beside me so I raised it up and left, I walked into the tunnel that mom intially left me at, I walked through that tunnel and even though it was very dark, I had a feeling that mom left me here to walk this path, I kept walking for a long time that I couldn't calculate untill I saw light, once I stepped out of the tunnel everything was bright, I walked through the forest outside not knowing where I'm headed and after walking and sitting for hours and when it was around dusk I saw a big mansion, it was a white mansion, the gates, the windows, the flowers and the uniform of the guards, I stood in front of the gates looking at the mansion, I heard the guards talking to me but I didn't care to answer and just kept looking, tears poured from my eyes and I started crying, I cried as a three years old child, I stood in my ground and just cried loudly the mansion was so pretty, clean and bright, everything that didn't fit with me, the exact opposite of me and that made me sadder, I could feel a warm hand touching my shoulders then it held me up and hugged me, I couldn't see through my tears but I hugged that person back, I could feel a hand Patting my hair and hugging me tight, I could hear whispers that I didn't hear well because of my crying, I hugged the person back tightly and that was the last thing I remember.

[In another room in the palace]

"Master, what are you going to do with the child" said a man while bowing his head.

A man sitting in a chair made of the finest wood and leather looked at the figure of the man bowing infront of him, he himself didn't know what to do.....

A few hours ago

In an auction house that was famous for it's selling of human slaves, where people always wore masks, there was no difference between aristocrats and commoners since the language of this auction is money, a figure of a man who wore an elegant white mask that fit perfectly with his ice blue eyes he stood in front of a gaurd and took something out of his pocket, it was a black badge that was made for the very special guests, the guard bowed down and led the man to his room in silence.

After the man sat down a maid came into the room with food and drinks, she laid everything on the table and went out in silence, when everyone left, the man finally took off his mask to reveal a very beautiful and elegant face, had has white hair and beautiful and fair skin, he looked as if he came out of a fantasy book, he was beautiful to an unimaginable extent.

Soon the curtain were opened and the stage revealed, in the middle of the stage stood a man wearing clothes all made from black, he wore a hate that hid half his face and nothing was revealed except for his smile, he held the microphone and said "ladies and gentlemen, finally the auction that everyone was waiting for, where we sell only the finest, strongest and most beautiful, let's the auction roll" once he finished a big applause followed then the curtains closed again and everyone went silent once more then soon after, it opened once again with a cage that has young women "the starter of our auction, females from the Iden empire the bid starts with a million dallas " the announcer said, "two million dallas" a man raised his hand with a smirk as if he was a winner, "three million dallas" another man said then it was followed by many other bidder and soon sold, the auction went on for about three hours then the curtains closed once again, everyone sat silent in anticipation waiting for the pinnacle of the auction, the best of the best.

After five minutes the curtains opened once again revealing the announcer who was smiling brighter than ever "and now, the thing that you all have been waiting for the Tears Of Light, the bid starts with hundred milliod dallas" the announcer finished and soon after was followed with bidders each one of them is trying to win the last item as if their life depends on it.

[Tears Of Light is a necklace that holds divine power within it, originally belonged to the guardians of the spirit]

"Two hundred million dallas" a woman raised her hand, "three hundred million dallas" another woman said, "five hundred million dallas" said the first woman again "ten hundred million dallas" said the second woman with a smirk on her face, the first woman got angry and raised her hand "fifty hunderd million dallas" said the first woman with a smile of victory drawn on her face, the second woman looked defeated and sat back in her seat angrily "fifty million dallas, goes once, goes twice, goe.." before the announcer finished his word another number was said that made everyone speechless "hundred billion dallas" said the man with the white mask, murmurs went around the hall, all trying to know the identity of the man in the white mask, "hundred billion dallas, goes once, goes twice, sold to number 111" said the announcer.

Five minutes later a knock was heard on the door of room number 111 and a man entered and bowed his head "good evening sir, the owner would love to talk with you and finish everything about paying" said the man bowing his head, "lead the way" said the man in the white mask, the mand stood straight and led the way to a room at the very top of the building, the man then knocked on the door and said "guest number 111 is here my lord" silence followed but didn't last, soon steps were heard and a fat man in lavish clothing appeared from the door, he was an old man with hair dyed black and he wore four ring, one on his little finger, one on the middle finger, one on the index finger and the last one on his thump, he had a tooth made of gold that he liked to flash whenever he smiled and he was holdind a cane just for show impeded with jewels of all kinds.

"I welcome you to my humble auction house and would love to thank you for your great donation" said the owner

"No need to thank me, I only paid what I saw fit" the man in the white mask answered back.

The answer made the owner agitated, he wanted to know the identity of the man behind the mask but it was as if there was an iron wall that couldn't be passed through but he wasn't ready to give up yet "if I may invite you to a cup of tea while we discuss payment procedures" said the owner while making way for the guest, the man in the white mask didn't move, he stood in his place as if waiting for something but soon entered the room followed by the owner.

For thirty minutes the owner tried to find out the identity of the man in the mask by every mean possible but they all failed so he just decided to give up and bring the item for the man, a minute later the man who escorted the duke to the owner's office came into the room holding a red velvet box, he politely handed the box over to the guest, bowed and excused himself from the room.

Once the man took the box he opened and checked the inside, he held the necklace in his hand and his eyes gleamed with a strange glow but then the lights went out all of a sudden and a loud commotion was heard outside, there was voices as if people were fighting outside and things crashing but suddenly and as fast as it all started silence fell and soon after lights came back on, the owner and the guest both looked as confused and looked at each other, the owner tried to ease the atmosphere "hehehe, it must have been a fight between two drunk men, happens all the time never mi..." The owner couldn't complete his words and his gaze along side the guest's both fell to the empty hand that used to hold the necklace and the owner's expression became rigid.

The owner raised his eyes but soon regretted it, the guest was looking down at him with a gaze so cold that he trembled in his place "I , I..." The owner was scared of the guest's gaze and fell silent

Before the owner could say anything loud crash was heard outside and approaching footsteps was heard right outside the door, before the owner could say anything the door was crashed down and soldiers came rushing in, the guest got up naturally as if he expected all this and walked to the soldiers, once he stood in front of them they all bowed their head in respect and once they finished their greetings one of them who seemed to be their leader walked over to the guest "my duke, your order has been carried out just as you ordered the slaves are all safe and the participants are all being escorted with soldiers to jail" said their leader. "I see" said the duke and turned around to the man who was trembling and had tears in his eyes, he took out his sword and pointed it to the man's neck and asked "how did you get the necklace" he said with eyes looking down at it's prey "I,I....d...don't know, it was an order and I just carried it out, please spare my life, I beg you" Said the owner while stuttering and bowing his head to the ground, the duke kept looking him in the eye as if trying to know if he was saying the truth or lying "fine then" said the duke and turned around "make sure that he and everyone related to the trafficking to die without an intact body" said the duke and left through the door, the owner kept begging for mercy and crying but the duke couldn't care less about the man and left the place.

End of chapter 4