The auction house in Flame City was a place of opulence, with walls carved from volcanic glass and floors inlaid with glowing embers.
However, beneath the surface of professional courtesy, a dark current of greed was beginning to swirl.
The appraiser had retreated into the back rooms to "verify" the collection of one million Chaos Grade artifacts.
In reality, he was contacting the elders of the city's ruling Fire Dragon clan.
The news of a lone traveler, an outsider of unknown species, carrying a literal mountain of high-level treasures spread like wildfire through their telepathic network.
To a dragon, a treasure was not just money; it was a divine right.
The thought of an Axiom Dominion traveler walking away with ten billion Origin Coins made their blood boil with possessive lust.
They didn't care how he got the items.
They only cared that soon, those items would be theirs.
"Keep him there," the command came from the clan's hidden chamber.
