It wasn't always a gloomy morning such as this- correction, most days weren't as grey and lifeless as the day in which Jaxay was to be taken to his first auction. The noble family of Siverovs were to attend the Auction for Lives. Their reputation introduced them as a cold family of gorgeous individuals, which wasn't at error. What it didn't mention was their pristine and perfectly organized household. Not a single jewel out of place of neither the floor tiles nor the chandeliers. It was never fun and games for Jaxay.
However, that didn't give him freedom of speech- or even the freedom of his own facial expressions. A proper smile was to adorn the young elf's face as surely and as often as a mercenary was to travel.
Smiling too brightly would be seen as foolishness- but setting his lips in a straight emotionless line would irritate his family into suspecting something went astray. A cold and emotionless smile was what the noble family deemed acceptable. And so, Jaxay lived on in a dreary and quite frankly, sensitive household, as hollow as a shell devoid of an owner.
To be honest, the young elf didn't feel a particular emotion on his way to the auction house. The only clear thought his mind induced was of the annoyance that the desperate calls of the bidders would arouse in himself.
Only being at the age of fifteen, the matter of bidding for lives did not appeal to him as it did his parents- nor did it horrify him as it did the civilians of the city.
As his carriage was dragged through the town square, the young elf saw a look of mock and disgust in his parents' eyes. As he tracked their line of sight, he saw their gaze fly through the crowds of people wandering by, occasionally resting on those in ragged clothing. In pure honesty, their obvious glare made Jaxay ashamed. How did they remain in such high and regal posture whilst obviously looking down on people merely lower in class?
His ears red from second hand embarrassment, the young elf looked away from the two older Siverov nobles. The door of the carriage slid open, their driver wearing a forced smile as he gestured to the auction house before them. 'The people of the auction will come to your guidance at the entrance, Sir Siverov,' the human stated as he helped down the noble family.
Not offering the slightest thanks, the three elves made their way to the entrance of the vast stage that awaited them.
'Put on your mask, son,' Jaxay's father, Sir Viktor, soon-to-be head of the Siverov house, shoved a white mask at the young elf, his gaze fixed up ahead. After the three had put on their masks, they walked confidently to the highest seats in the auction house, showing their class and just how important their presence was. The fact that a family of such ranking- only second to the royals of the entire kingdom- was present made the other respective houses tremble. No amount of masks could cover the shining silver-blonde hair. However, what truly made their appearance remarkable was their amber eyes- the shades of the sunset glowing from their irises.
Much to the Siverovs' expectations, heads and eyes turned- mostly to the youngest of the three present. Whispers filled the space and gasps sounded occasionally as more and more of the people present recognized the nobles' attendance at the Auction for Lives.
The tense atmosphere made Jaxay jump all the more higher in his seat as the lights turned off abruptly in a loud bang.
'My fine fellows.'
A small, excited cheer sounded from the seats below them and the nobles looked at the podium as a figure emerged from the shadows.
The famous owner of the Auction for Lives wore his classic attire- an obsidian black suit along with shining black shoes- polished to the very ends. No matter how far he leaned, Jaxay couldn't see more of the announcer despite their mask only covering half of their face.
'It is of my greatest pleasure to showcase such a beautiful specimen as of today- though I must say, it was a pain to get a hold of such a rare creature.'
The cage dragged in was no normal cell. The bars were made of enchanted diamonds, a material commonly used to capture beasts of the dark. An angry aura emitted from the prison, as the devil within opened its blood red eyes in a burning glare. A shudder went through most of the patrons- but not the Siverovs. The two older members of the house studied the beast in refined curiosity, while their son plainly raised a bored eyebrow.
'This beast was captured in the forests of the dark forest- one of the few devils remaining in the world,' the shadowed figure mused, 'a true beauty, if I do say so myself.'
Sensing the eager mood of the audience for a chance to acquire such a rarity, the shadowed figure's face broke out in an eerie smile, one sending chills down Jaxay's spine. 'The bid shall start at an octillion vresken.'
The crowd went undeniably silent, frozen in place as their hopes were shattered. Even septillion vresken was a fortune- enough to keep a large countryside town going for at least a decade.
To the Siverovs, however, it was barely a dent in their fortune. In a manner one could even call lazy, Madame Janice, the wife of Viktor Siverov, raised her hand. While her husband relaxed and lay back, she called out, 'Octillion.'
The space remained silent and the owner of the Auction for Lives shrugged, 'What an uneventful day. This beautiful specimen shall be yours to take, madame of number one. Please send down one of you for the contract.'
'Go, Jaxay,' his mother gestured, 'get the beast and let us get out of this boring little event.'
'Yes mother,' the teenage elf stood up from his chair and made his way down to the stage where the person stood.
As he signed the contract with the Siverov name, Jaxay's eyes met the devil's. 'That devil will now be staying at the same house as me,' the young elven noble thought, not a single shred of fear in his mind. Both stared at the other, gaze unwavering and intense until the contract was done, and the crystal cage was dragged behind the curtains.