The man paused to regard Elysium’s headquarters situated in the heart of Elsecaller city.

  The towering black skyscraper had threads of purest silver that seemed to be inlaid throughout its surface like pulsing veins. The beautiful architecture seemed to replicate the concept of kintsugi that he had first chanced upon when he had visited Tokyo. He also knew the symbology that Elysium attempted to capture.

  A spider’s web.

  He paused, breaking away from his admiration of the building as he heard a flurry of Cantonese. Turning to his right, he watched as an elderly man admonished a girl he seemed to have a degree of familial familiarity with – likely his granddaughter.

  The girl blushed at her grandfather’s words before snatching up the tray on the counter and bringing it over to his table with practised ease.

  “I’m sorry for the wait, sir.”

  The girl awkwardly shifted in her spot, her head bowed as she delivered her apology, before casting a reluctant glance towards her grandfather.

  The man chuckled as he shifted in his seat, adjusting the cane by his side.

  “You know… you have to be patient with us old folk. Your gramps over there? Know why he’s so grumpy? It isn’t because you forgot about my tea.”

  The girl stared at him with wide eyes, glancing with alarm back towards her grandfather as if worried that he would overhear their conversation. The man raised the teacup to his nose and smiled as the scent of chrysanthemum washed over him.

  “W-why is he grumpy?” the girl mustered under her breath. Seeing her up close, it was clear that she hadn’t yet cleared elementary school and couldn’t have been older than thirteen.

  “Sometimes… us old men, we get upset at silly things. For one, he has an aching back.”

  The girl started in shock. She cast a glance over her shoulder and watched as her grandfather idly rubbed at his back, before glancing back at the old man, who took a sip of his tea.

  The stranger graced her with a warm smile.

  “But that isn’t the reason why he’s so grumpy with you. When us old folk chide you, we’re often actually angry at ourselves.”

  The girl furrowed her brows, struggling to grasp the man’s words.

  “We have all this love for our little ones. We get angry at ourselves when we can’t give you something better. What you deserve, despite our best efforts. Here.”

  The man made some inputs into his phone, and the girl’s eyes widened as the phone in her pocket vibrated.

  “You’ve got calluses from running around the restaurant. You’re at the age where you grow quickly and outgrow your clothes and shoes. I’ve ordered you a new pair. And some ointment for your grandfather's back. How long have you studied today?”

  The girl swallowed, taking a step backwards. He watched her glance at his eyes and realised that the girl’s parents had likely cautioned her to look out for customers with optics. Many corpos flaunted their wealth with showy implants and glowing irises.

  Smart of her parents.

  Instead, she was met with his pair of ordinary, organic brown eyes. Crinkles at their edges that revealed a life well lived, kind eyes that were generous with their warmth.

  “J-just for a while. I help out in the evening—”

  “Here’s my card. Call the number and tell them you wish to enrol in Rosewood College. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  The man rose as he finished his tea. He carefully picked up his tray, walking to the counter while the girl protested the whole way over. She had even left the card behind on the table at which he was seated in her fervour to help him.

  "Be patient with him. But don't be afraid to talk back a little if he oversteps. Us old folk need to be humbled ever now and then," the man said with a wink.

  After giving a nod to the girl’s elderly grandfather, he greeted her with a smile.

  “You would get along well with my granddaughter. She's diligent, just like you. Don’t forget the card, ok?”

  The girl nodded, her cheeks flushed as she thanked him profusely.

  With a warm smile, he left the restaurant, cupping his hat to his head as he headed for Elysium’s headquarters. The whine of Aerial Vehicles could be heard from high above him as the other megacorporations arrived for the event.

  It was one that was always highly anticipated by those selected to take part on their employers’ behalf. Unlike his peers, the man had chosen a much more discreet method of arrival, walking through the front doors of the building.

  The man removed the contact lenses from his eyes. Seeing them for what they were set people on edge. It was an ugly reminder of the horrors that existed in their world, and he wanted nothing more than to set people at ease with his presence, not to sow fear. But he knew that the people in attendance at the auction would hardly be shaken by his appearance.

  He cast a brief, admiring glance at the waterfalls of black liquid that poured down from the heights of Elysium’s lobby, flowing into elegant rivers that brought to mind the waters of the river Styx.

  He greeted the attendants at the entrance with a warm smile, waving them off as they bowed to him, their cybernetics registering his identity. He turned when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

  He greeted the other man with a smile. He was balding and hunched, the passage of time having left its mark on him. Yet when the man met his gaze, he saw a vitality and excitement that he recognised during their time working together all those years ago.

  “You’ve fallen out of touch with me. Busy with your new projects?”

  The old man laughed as they walked forwards towards the lifts in the distance.

  “Speak for yourself, old man. I know that you have your hands in some fascinating pies,” his friend paused, giving him a devious grin. “Fancy yourself a gardener, do you?”

  “We all need our hobbies .”

  They shared another gruff laugh before they paused before the lift. The attendant shot them a brief glance before falling back into a familiar refrain.

  “Thank you for attending Elsecaller’s grand auction which we at Elysium have the pleasure of hosting this year. If you would please provide me with your invit—”

  The man paused, frowning as something appeared on the monitor in front of him. His eyes widened, and he barely caught himself as he took a single step back, almost toppling over as his eyes locked onto the man’s friend. The hunched, diminutive and unassuming elderly man who had accompanied him to the lifts.

  “Lord Hades, my sincerest apologies.”

  The man snorted as he heard his friend’s moniker, before nudging him roughly in the side.

  “Hades? Your delusions of grandeur have truly taken over. Fancy yourself the god of the underworld? Get your rocks off seeing your poor employees shit themselves at the sight of you?”

  The old bastard gave him a familiar shit-eating grin that had him feeling decades younger. Hades erupted in raucous laughter that echoed through the lounge. He gave his employee a reassuring pat on the shoulder before turning towards the lifts.

  “Like you said, we all need our hobbies. The look on people’s faces when they figure out that I’m the vaunted and terrifying ‘Lord Hades’ instead of old Ralph, that silver fox. Can’t get enough of it.”

  Lord Hades, the owner and CEO of Elysium gave him a grin before stepping into the lift with him. Before long, they emerged into the hallway leading to the auction room. It was filled with middle managers who were socialising over cocktails.

  Their manner of dress varied depending on the Megacorporation they originated from. Some of the larger megacorporations reverted to their cultural roots – similarly to the nature of their corporate headquarters.

  Representatives from Tsukuyomi were dressed in kimonos that seemed to capture the endlessness of the night sky, with silver pinpricks of light scattered throughout their black, flowing robes.

  Those from Nezha were dressed in qipaos and chang shans emblazoned with glowing beasts from Chinese mythology – sprawling flood dragons and blazing phoenixes. They were also adorned with artistic renditions of legendary and fearsome yaoguai that their ghostslayers had encountered and felled.

  Representatives from Hephaestus were dressed in suits styled in fashion reminiscent of chiton garments of ancient greece. Robes that were similar to Demeteria's own stylistic sensibilities, with one marked difference. Each representative sported high-quality cybernetic implants. Unlike the discreet implants that resembles organic flesh, theirs was rendered from burnished metal. An open testament to their expertise in cybernetics and robotics.

  The two unassuming old men walked through the crowd unnoticed until the man’s friend paused, gesturing towards a luxurious booth. It was a discrete room positioned high above the auction stage, and entirely closed off with one-way panels which allowed its inhabitants to peer down at the immaculately illuminated stage below. The other representatives would be housed in booths just like this, if perhaps a touch less luxurious.

  “Oh? Giving me special treatment?”

  “Anything for an old friend.”

  There was a note of sincerity in Hades' voice that gave him reason to pause. He gestured towards the chair beside his own.

  “Then, would an old friend care to join me? Or are you needed up in your fancy booth, Lord Hades?”

  Hades gave him a wide grin before settling into the chair with a contented sigh. It wasn’t long before the auction commenced and the lights in the booths dimmed to black.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  A single spotlight blinked into existence on the stage below.

  “Honoured guests, welcome to the Elsecaller City’s annual grand auction, hosted this year courtesy of Elysium. We have an immaculate selection of items for your perusal today, and we wish you a fruitful and enjoyable evening. Without further ado, I present our first item.”

  The spotlights switched with a loud clank, centring on the middle of the stage where two attendants pulled out what looked like a mannequin clad in—

  “The Wild Hunt. From one of their warriors,” he whispered to Hades, who gave him a reassuring nod in the affirmative.

  The armour was immaculate plate armour. Something that should have been worn by a medieval knight in ancient times. Yet here it was, resplendent – a mockery of humanity’s limitations in its artistry. Every line flowed like pouring water, and if the armour was truly obtained from the Wild Hunt, it would likely serve a high-ranked ghostslayer exceedingly well.

  The man glanced at the booth at the very opposite end of the ceiling inclined down towards the stage like his own.

  “With Caliburn’s small setback in Wisptown, I’m sure Arthur is eager to jump into the fray once more.”

  Hades chuckled, responding with a nod in the affirmative.

  The man had encountered Arthur Hallewell once before – a hulking beast of a man with twin irises of gold that could just about match Uriel’s own, if a touch less deadly.

  He had been accompanied by his ghostslayer guard – the Knights of the Round. They were known to be highly skilled ghostslayers, some of whom occupied the ranks of [archdemon] and [seraphim] – the ranks immediately preceding the ghostranks. Caliburn were notorious for “nurturing” their ghostslayers from a young age. Many of them were orphans quickly recruited into Caliburn’s training program when tested for their tolerance for cybernetics and combat aptitude.

  Loyalty cultivated from birth.

  A popular strategy that megacorporations were increasingly adopting.

  “Word on the wind is that he’s been dispossessed of a crucial artefact. One that we’re intimately familiar with, thought to have been tragically lost in the explosion of the Spirit of Nimue,” Hades said.

  The pair of old men chuckled together as they watched Caliburn claim the set of armour – an unsurprising outcome. They didn’t seek to fill the air with pointless words. Instead, they sat in collegiate silence, enjoying each other’s presence and savouring what they had taken for granted all those years ago. It wasn’t long before the next item was wheeled out for the perusal of the bidders.

  “Our next item, straight from the dark depths of the bloody halls of Shang-ri La, is sure to pique your interest, ladies and gentlemen…”

  The man paused to review the item that wheeled into centre stage.

  “You’ve outdone yourself with this one, Lord Hades. Very tempting.”

  A simple, worn book with a bloodstained leather cover.

  “Following a significant push into the ruined province of Guang Zhou, the ghostslayer who retrieved it paid for this tantalising prize with their sanity and life,” the host continued before pausing for dramatic effect, relishing in the attention of the megacorporations above him.

  “They just so happened to stumble into a Mythic Veilsurge leading to Shang-ri La, the land of bloodspawn, yaoguai and most notoriously…”

  The host tapered off, and Antoine cracked a smile.

  “Rituals. This book contains sketches of rituals found in the deepest recesses of the halls. Starting price of 5 million ectocreds.”

  The man’s optics flashed as he placed his bid, only for it to be buried in a mountain of others.

  “Oh, how Genie would have loved this,” Antoine stroked the necklace adorning his neck. Much like how he stood out against his contemporaries dressed in sharp suits and sleek cybernetics, the necklace was hardly meant to impress.

  The work of a child.

  “Indeed,” Hades replied softly, with a smile.

  “Sold to Nezha Conglomerate. Congratulations on your fascinating acquisition.”

  The man let out a soft sigh of regret as the sharp strike of a gavel reached his ears. He had only approved the dispensation of funds for one of the items on offer today, and there was little chance of him outbidding Nezha when they had their sights set on an artefact originating from Shang-ri La.

  It was regrettable, but on the other hand, if the book did contain anything of significant interest, the man was certain that it would have already been sold through a private sale.

  Countless other curiosities were presented before the megacorporations’ representatives. Innovative breakthroughs, designs, cybernetics, artefacts and more. All items which fascinated and terrified. Wonders which were increasingly arising as the mystery of the Veil was studied and extrapolated on with every passing day.

  All items which weren’t of interest to either man.

  “The Veil thins, Antoinne.”

  Doctor Antoinne Venn paused in this thumbing of his necklace, turning to regard his old friend.

  The quiet contentment that had previously been visible on Hades’ face was nowhere to be found. In its place, lines of worry creased his expression and betrayed his tension.

  “Ghosts entering our world and others, unsupported by rituals,” Hades said softly, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the lights adorning the room of their dark booth.

  Antoinne let out a soft sigh before turning to face his friend.

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “These trinkets—” Hades gestured to the auction floor.

  “—are insufficient. We were too arrogant.”

  His friend turned to him with worry plain on his face. For as long as Antoinne had known him, he had been refreshingly open with his emotions, an anomaly, practically a rarity amongst high-level corpos.

  “Have you made any advances with Project Maniae? I hear Gaia is coming along nicely.”

  Antoinne’s jaw bunched as he gritted his teeth, the only sign of his frustration.

  “I’m afraid not. You would have been the first to know if I had. As for Gaia... you are certainly well informed, aren’t you?”

  Hades returned a smile, and they returned their attention to the stage.

  The auction was drawing to its end, and just like every one of its predecessors, new advances and discoveries coming and going.

  They still weren't enough.

  Hades sighed.

  “The yokai. An entire ‘race’ of Veilcreatures fallen to spectres, turning them into horrors far beyond their original nature. Perhaps it is the fate that awaits all of the Veilcreatures. Perhaps it is the fate that awaits us. The natural conclusion of the coexistence of ghosts and the living. An eventuality now hastened with the thinning of the Veil.”

  Hades continued, his gaze far away.

  “Something that I thought we could have halted on our own initiative. With the discoveries that the Veil presented us. With the creativity and initiative of mankind. I admit that I was wrong.”

  Antoinne raised an eyebrow expressing his surprise, lips curling with a hint of mirth.

  “You? Admitting you were wrong? Humanity’s end is closer than I thought.”

  Hades didn’t react. His friend’s eyes were fixed on the stage as the attendants prepared it for the final offering of the night.

  “There was never a time that they were needed as much as they are now.”

  Antoinne's eyes lingered on Hades. Then, he gradually settled into his seat with a sigh, his mind returning to a laboratory in the UK in his youth.

  A century ago, when he felt like he had been on the very edge of discovery. Noble pioneers delving into the unknown with the grand goal of saving humanity from its end at the hands of the Veil.

  When humanity’s noblest guardians wielded reality-defying abilities in service of mankind.

  When magical girls and guardians still walked the Earth, with humanity standing safe in their shadow.

  “Now, for our final offering of the night.”

  The lights on the stage dimmed. A pair of Ghostslayers emerged from stage left together with a small, translucent glass box. To the uninformed, it appeared to house a rusty drone – one of Nezha’s ancient creations.

  A mundane relic of little interest to the crowd in attendance in most circumstances.

  The idle chatter in the gallery above immediately ceased, and he could feel a tension permeate the air.

  “A class 2 poltergeist on the brink of ascension to class 1. A ghost with initiative. Drive. Having diligently concealed itself in a megabuilding in the town of Bastion, it gradually amassed the souls of Veilcreatures to surpass its limits.”

  The announcer paused, gesturing grandly towards the glass box before stepping off the stage.

  Antoine made out the elaborate engravings that covered the glass in a form intimately familiar to him.

  A ritual.

  The only thing standing between the ghost and the greatest meal of its existence.

  “Bidding begins at thirty million ectocredits.”

  The dark, silent gallery booths erupted into chaos. He watched as his contemporaries from different megacorporations rose from their seats in excitement, their optics flashing as they rapidly drove the starting bid upwards. He turned his head towards the motionless Santa Muerte executive, one of the few representatives who hadn’t immediately leapt at the opportunity to bid for the poltergeist.

  Santa Muerte's executive was dressed in a long, black trench coat and flanked by two colleagues similarly dressed. Twin red irises glowed in the darkness of Santa Muerte's booth, and he watched the representative's lips part in a slight smile directed towards Antoinne, before returning to the current 'curiosity' on display.

  For that was precisely what the ghost was reduced to in his present company.

  "Scary bastards, Santa Muerte. Impeccable style, I have to admit. 'Death walks with us'. You have to admire the sheer arrogance of it all. Warrented, though."

  "Coming from you, Lord Hades?"

  The old men shared a chuckle.

  “Word on the grapevine is that Demeteria put a dunce in charge of the poltergeist. Keeping it caged in one of the old megabuildings in Bastion, and neglecting to monitor it, allowing it to burgeon into the monster that it is now,” Hades remarked offhandedly, having regained some of his mirth.

  His friend’s eyes flicked to him and Hades spoke with a cunning smile.

  “Any executive with more than two functional braincells would have easily been able to assess its growth potential given its proximity to the greenhouses and risk to the city. But the idiot saw fit to leave the ghost where it was, thinking the precautions sufficient.”

  In a matter of seconds, the bid had eclipsed what his employer had been prepared to pay to retrieve their property.

  “Sold, to Leviathan for 100 million ectocredits. Congratulations on your purchase!”

  The attendant inclined their head in the direction of the Leviathan’s booth. Like some of the others, the panels were opaque, obstructing Leviathan’s representatives from view.

  “Who would have thought that the ghost would eventually find itself in an auction being sold off to Leviathan just when they needed it the most,” Hades greeted him with another devious smile, causing Antoinne to erupt in laughter. “The very corporation engaging in that exploratory expedition that is oh, so fascinating to you—”

  “Killjoy. Allow an old man his schemes.”

  Hades chuckled and shook his head.

  “So much time and so little has changed. A small loss for Demeteria and a big win for you. Monitor it too closely, and you become complicit. You had to keep just the right amount of distance. Excellent play."

  "Planning on ratting me out to my employer, Hades?"

  As Hades grinned at him, the years seemed to melt from his old friend, and he was once more transported into a time from their youth. When two ambitious, naive young men working side by side to create miracles out of nothing.

  "You haven’t lost your touch, Antoinne. You were always a gambler. I look forward to the schemes to come,” Hades said, lifting the glass by the table at his side before taking a sip.

  "I would have to disagree, old friend," Antoinne said softly.

  Hades paused, waiting patiently as Antoinne let out a breath, his brows creasing as he frowned.

  "Children were endangered. They were extracted safely, of course. But..."

  Antoinne Venn sighed as he caught a mischievous glint in his friend’s eyes, knowing just what was to come.

  "With such a warm heart, it's a wonder that you were single for so long. Remember that golden compass back in the lab? You'd try to get it to point towards a single woman willing to date you. Refused to move an inch, and it no doubt saved our colleagues plenty of heartache."

  Hades' smile turned wistful as he reminisced. But as the seconds drew on, Antoinne noticed that it wasn't wavering, his friend continuing to eye him.

  Antoinne raised an eyebrow.

  Hades simply smiled back innocently.

  Antoinne let out a sigh, leaning back into his chair.

  "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You always did know how to weasel your way into secrets. Are you going to rat me out to Arthur Hallewell? Tell him that I have his compass?"

  Antoinne plucked the glass from his side table, taking a leisurely sip from it as Hades waited on with a grin. He smacked his lips with a satisfied sigh before returning it to its place.

  "While you're at it, you should take him for a little tour around Avalon. Dare I say, he'd be appalled with what you've done with the place. You never had a sense for aesthetics."

  The old men stared at each other for a moment before erupting into congenial laughter.

  "I've missed our spars dearly," Hades said with a grin. "Ralph is hardly as fun."

  How quickly life had changed, the world around them shifting. No matter how much you wanted to freeze those rare and fleeting moments of hope and happiness, time marched on inexorably. Sometimes a mercy, sometimes a cruelty. But no amount of power they had painstakingly accumulated over the many years would change that fact.

  Eventually, the mirth faded from their expressions and they returned their attention to the auction floor. For a moment, they sat in silence watching as the attendants cleared the stage and exhibits after the thrilling conclusion to the auction.

  “Fate is cruel with its games, isn’t it, Antoinne?”

  Antoinne Venn smiled silently in reply.

  He could hear the whine of Demeteria’s Aerial Vehicle approach the landing pad adjacent to his booth now that the auction was drawing to a close. Together, they walked outside as the wind from the gathering ectostorm buffeted them on the exposed platform.

  Antoinne stepped into the Demeteria AV, settling into his seat and turning to his friend.

  “Fate is cruel with its games.” Antoinne Venn’s lips twisted into a wry smile as he settled into the AV, its doors closing with a gradual hiss.

  “But what can I say? We love to play, don’t we, old friend?”

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