The chandeliers in the Auction House were suspended mid-air, twisting in delicate coils of light that pulsed in sync with the rhythm of the auction.
The entire auction hall was massive, at least five stories tall with layered balconies that wrapped around the colossal chamber like a spiraling opera house. Holograms shimmered across the walls, reflecting the names of bidders, items and currencies in use.
Only the wealthiest, most elite, or most dangerous people in all of Spheraphase could set foot here and even they had to wear masquerade masks. This was the unspoken rule of Moonwake Auctions held only in the continent of Anqerise: anonymity preserved power and power preserved peace.
At the far-left balcony level, in a private booth rimmed with lowlight enchantments, sat Eldrigan Hanabas and Peroncerea Ceres. Both of them were dressed for the occasion. Eldrigan wore a deep obsidian suit lined with gold piping, his dark masquerade mask trimmed in emerald leaf filigree. His posture was relaxed but not informal, one leg crossed over the other.
Next to him, Peroncerea... didn't wear a dress.
Instead, she wore a perfectly tailored white ceremonial suit. Her mask was gold, stylized with subtle floral patterns that bloomed out toward her temples. And yet, even in a suit, she still radiated that ethereal nobility. She leaned forward as the current item on display floated into view within a gravity-suspended crystal orb at the center of the room.
"Item 84, The Vessel of Aecrion." The auctioneer's voice boomed across the chamber, amplified by a Sound Enhancement Rune. "An anti-reversal core capable of anchoring a flying city in anti-gravitational zones without collapsing. Starting bid is at 80,000,000 Enousi."
Peroncerea glanced at the orb lazily. "Useful. Would have helped when Wisterix almost lost a floating city during an energy shift two years ago."
"Probably why a Wisterian noble is about to bid. Look."
He nodded toward a figure two booths away. Sure enough, the glyph flared with the family sigil of a House in Wisterix. He leaned back, exhaling through his nose.
"Let them take it."
"You're in a generous mood."
"I'm not here for that. I'm here for the ship being auctioned later on."
Her eyes lit up with amusement. "Still planning your secret war fleet?"
"I'm planning transport to the Islands of Inexpelcae. But it doesn't hurt to buy something over-prepared."
A few more items passed. Rare herbs from an elven forest, a strand of preserved divine hair said to belong to the First Generation God of Silence, a data relic that could supposedly hold a million years of history in a single memory, there were a lot of stuff.
Then came the big one.
"Item 93," the announcer said with a grin, "A dimensional vessel-class cruiser made by engineers of ancient times. Powered by four engines, capable of intercontinental travel in under a day, reinforced with Divine and Demonic Metals. Starting bid: 1,750,000,000 Enousi."
Eldrigan's eyes glinted behind his mask. This was what he came for. Peroncerea whispered to him.
"You know, you could have just asked Vastarael for this. The Dynasty has literal cities built into their treasury. Just one whisper from him and you'd have a dozen of these for free."
Eldrigan didn't even hesitate.
"I don't like relying on someone when I have my own money."
She stared at him for a second before a small smile cracked through.
"You're so stubborn."
"Says the woman wearing a suit to one of the most luxurious auctions in the world," he said flatly, already raising his glyph sigil.
"Bid placed. Two billion Enousi."
The auction house shimmered. A hush fell. Whoever was thinking of competing would need to think twice.
Eldrigan crossed his arms. "Let's see who's really serious."
"And what if someone offers more?"
He glanced at her sidelong. "Then I go higher."
They both watched as the bid held for thirty seconds. No challenge. The glyph on the orb turned green.
"Item 93 sold. Two billion Enousi to Bidder 09. Booth Alp-V."
There were quiet murmurs of respect in the higher circles. Peroncerea raised her gloved hand and mock-saluted.
"Well, Dynasty Monarch Hanabas... you just bought us our ride to the most dangerous islands in the world."
Eldrigan stood up slowly, turning toward the exit of the booth.
"Let's just hope it was worth it."
------
Eldrigan and Peroncerea had left the auction house and were walking side by side beneath the glamour of the early morning. They already got the ship and it was sitting in Eldrigan's inventory. Peroncerea adjusted the cuff of her suit, still smirking from Eldrigan's ruthless overbid.
"So, this ship of yours, how exactly are we going to get it to the islands? The waters between here and Inexpelcae aren't exactly friendly picnic routes."
Eldrigan nodded once, then looked out toward the distant skyline where, far past the polished buildings and luminous towers, the black shimmer of the ocean glistened.
"They are practically suicidal. The oceans we're dealing with are the Asmaphaeri Oceans. And you know how Spheraphase has four continents?"
Peroncerea nodded.
"Well, each continent has its own ocean named after the Asmaphaeri, a forgotten pantheon of marine Elementals whose remnants still affect the water today. These oceans aren't just geographical divisions. They're alive and they remember everything that walks or flies above them."
"Whoa..."
"The Asmaphaeri Oceans are the reason naval combat isn't a thing anymore. They're the reason kingdoms stopped colonizing by sea. And most of all, they're the reason anything that flies don't cross oceans. The skies above them are cursed by nature."
"Cursed?"
"More like enforced. The oceans obey a fundamental law. Only those who travel the water's way shall pass. Fly above them and you're dragged down. Doesn't matter if you're at cloud level. Creatures will leap out from the surface and rip you down. And if you try to fly too high to escape? The air density shifts violently. Tethers won't work. Mystic skills destabilizes. You crash into the sea."
"And swimming?" Peroncerea asked, folding her arms.
"Not an option."
He turned to her and sighed.
"The waters of the Asmaphaeri Oceans aren't ordinary. They're denser. It's a mix of arcane saturation and ancient elemental energy. The water pressure is seven times denser than regular water. That means if you fall in—"
"You sink instantly," she finished with a frown. "No buoyancy."
"None. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how much Divine Energy you channel, or even if you use any Pinnacle Tether. The moment your body breaks the surface tension, it's like plunging into very heavy gravity. You drop like a stone and even the strongest swimmers find that every movement feels like dragging your limbs through thick glass."
"And yet ships can travel across them?"
"Yes, because of the Blessing of the Waters. All sea-faring vessels in Spheraphase are either made from Lessia Bark, trees blessed by the Hydroborn, or enchanted with mysticism that ties their essence to the oceans themselves. It's not just a technology thing. It's a contract. The ships are recognized by the oceans as permitted. That's why they float, even on water that could collapse a mountain."
Peroncerea glanced at the distant sea again, the weight of that knowledge settling over her.
"So if one of us falls overboard..."
"They're gone," Eldrigan said flatly. "Doesn't matter if they're Divine. Doesn't matter if they can fly. The moment they fall in, the ocean pulls them. The current has a will. It remembers your essence and doesn't let go."
"And here I thought Wisterix's death rivers were bad."
"Nothing compares to it," Eldrigan murmured.
She frowned. "And yet the Hydroborn survive in it."
"They do more than survive. They're the only race in the world that can swim through it. Their bodies are blessed by the Asmaphaeri Pantheon. They don't sink, they aren't pulled and the creatures of the oceans don't attack them."
"They're so beautiful," Peroncerea whispered. "But now it makes sense why everyone calls them the most beautiful immortals of the World."
"They're sacred and respected. But even they avoid going too deep. There are things down there that predate even the gods. There are creatures older than memory still dreaming beneath the surface."
Peroncerea's voice dropped to a near-whisper.
"No wonder no one uses the oceans for war."
"Exactly. Even Dynasty Richinaria, with all its technology, doesn't risk flying over Asmaphaeri. And you know how cocky they are with their aerial transports. This is why I needed that ship. It's built with four engines and Divine and Demonic Metals. We'll be traveling through cursed water that wants to kill everything but the ship."
He tapped the side of his mask. "And even then, we better pray the storms don't decide to wake up."
Peroncerea exhaled. "So, basically, we're heading to hell."
Eldrigan finally smiled, a slow, crooked thing. "We always are."