"Seems like the next round of auction will begin now." Zyver said, practically bouncing in his seat with restless excitement.
Zaiveil gaze gaze drifted once more toward the stage, where the auctioneer's assistants were already carrying out a plain, unassuming wooden crate sealed with heavy iron clasps, entirely unremarkable in appearance.
And yet, the moment her eyes settled on it, that same familiar warmth stirred faintly beneath her ribs, quieter than before, but unmistakably present all the same.
'Interesting'
Zaiveil thought, watching the mysterious crate settle onto the auction stage. Let's see what secrets you're hiding.
The mysterious crate sat at the center of the stage, unassuming in its plainness, yet the entire hall had gone noticeably quieter compared to the earlier bidding rounds.
Whispers rippled through the crowd, curiosity thick in the air as the auctioneer stepped forward, one hand resting proudly on the wooden lid.
"This next item, was recovered from an unmarked excavation site deep within the ruins bordering Easthemeia's outer edge. Our appraisers have been unable to identify its contents, sealed as it is behind layers of protective runes, older than any script we can currently translate." he announced, his voice carrying a theatrical hush that seemed to draw every eye in the whole auction house.
"That's either fascinating or bidding for it will just be a terrible idea," Herox muttered, arms crossed as he studied the crate with visible suspicion.
"It's definitely too fascinating, Little sis, this is exactly the kind of mystery that was worth chasing for." Zyver countered immediately, practically leaning over the private box's edge for a better look.
Zaiveil said nothing, her attention still fixed on the crate itself. The warmth she'd felt earlier hadn't faded, if anything, it pulsed slightly stronger now, an odd, magnetic pull settling low in her chest.
"Given the item's unknown nature," the auctioneer continued, "bidding will start from one gold, though I suspect interest will climb quickly given its rarity."
"Two thousand gold," someone called from across the hall almost immediately.
"Two thousand five hundred," another voice added.
Zyver glanced sideways at Zaiveil, eyebrows raised in silent question. She hesitated only a moment before giving a small nod.
"Three thousand," Zyver called out, raising their paddle.
The bidding climbed steadily from there, though notably slower than the frenzy surrounding the Starlit Ward Bracelet earlier. Whatever curiosity the crate inspired, its uncertain nature clearly made several bidders wary of committing too heavily.
"Twenty-five thousand." a merchant near the front called.
"Thirty thousand," Zyver countered without hesitation.
Herox leaned toward Zaiveil, his voice lowered. "You're certain about this? We genuinely have no idea what's inside."
"I know, Big brother. But i'm kinda curious about what's inside and I want to find it out."
Something in her tone must have convinced him, because Herox simply nodded, sitting back in his seat without further protest.
"Thirty-five thousand," the merchant tried again, though his voice carried noticeably less conviction than before.
"Forty thousand.," Zyver said, and this time, the merchant didn't counter, lowering his paddle with a resigned shake of his head.
The auctioneer scanned the room once more, waiting several long seconds before finally raising his gavel.
"Going once, going twice, sold! To the Hyeleux family, for forty thousand gold coins!"
A ripple of polite applause spread through the hall as the crate was carefully carried down from the stage toward their private booth, the auctioneer's assistants handling it with visible caution.
"Well, shall we find out what exactly is inside that mysterious crate?" Heriot said, eyeing the crate as it settled onto the table before them.
"Wait," Zyrcus said, holding up a hand.
"Given the mysterious crate, runes protection that has been said earlier, perhaps we should open it somewhere more private. If has something dangerous and it reacted unpredictably, I'd rather not cause a scene here in the middle of a crowded auction hall."
"Zyrcus has a point, let's all wait until we're back at the palace." Herox agreed
Zyver groaned dramatically, slumping back into his seat.
The auction ended after some time and the siblings brought quiet a lot of items towards their home.
By the time they returned to the palace, the sun had begun its slow descent toward the horizon, casting long golden shadows across the courtyard as servants carefully carried their day's acquisitions inside.
The mysterious crate was brought directly to Zaiveil's private study, set carefully atop a sturdy table while her brothers gathered around, unable to contain their curiosity any longer.
"Alright, open it up, little sis, let's see this moment of truth." Zyver said full of anticipation.
Zaiveil approached the crate slowly, running her fingers over the iron clasps sealing it shut.
The moment her skin made contact, the same warmth from earlier flared brighter, spreading up through her fingers and settling comfortably beneath her ribs, as though something inside recognized her.
"Zai?" Zyrcus asked, watching her carefully.
"I'm fine," she said softly, though her focus remained entirely on the crate before her.
"It feels the same as before. It has a familiar feeling." Zaiveil said
She unlatched the clasps one by one, the ancient rune protection humming faintly as they recognized her touch and allowed the seal to break apart harmlessly. The lid lifted with a soft creak, revealing a bed of dark velvet cushioning, and resting at its center, a single small object.
A small, weathered locket, its surface tarnished with age, etched with constellations nearly worn away by centuries of time.
"That's it? We paid so much gold for a locket?" Heriot asked, clearly unimpressed.
But Zaiveil barely heard him, her attention entirely consumed by the object before her.
The moment her eyes settled on the locket, a wave of dizziness swept through her, the room tilting sharply as fragmented images flashed like a rapid-fire behind her eyes. Stars scattering across an endless void, a woman's voice singing something achingly familiar, and a warmth that's making her feel like remembering.
"Zai!" Zyrcus's worried voice cut sharply through the haze, his hands catching her shoulders as she swayed unsteadily on her feet.
"I'm, I'm fine, Fourth Brother." she managed, blinking rapidly as the room slowly steadied itself around her. "I just, I think, this locket is something important to me that's why it recognize me the moment i open the crate."
"Recognize you? In what way and how?" Herox asked, his earlier skepticism giving way entirely to concern.
Zaiveil reached out carefully, lifting the locket from its velvet cushion. The moment her fingers closed around it, the tarnished surface flickered faintly, revealing constellations that she instinctively understood, despite never having seen it before.
"I don't actually know," she admitted quietly, turning the locket over in her palm. "But I think this belongs to me. not just because I bought it but the runes protection never harmed ne even the slightest, there's also a feeling that part of my soul has been looking for it."
Her brothers exchanged uneasy glances, the earlier lighthearted excitement of the day settling into something more serious.
"Zai, I think we should show this to Elder Cryzton. If it's connected to whatever's happening with your charm, or your memories from before, he'd know better than any of us." Herox said seriously
Zaiveil nodded slowly, closing her fingers protectively around the locket, its faint warmth pulsing steadily against her palm and patiently waiting for her to understood it's function.
"Alright Big Borther but can we do it tomorrow? Cause tonight, I'd just like to check this out for a while longer."
Her brothers didn't argue, though their lingering concern remained evident as they leave quietly from her study.
Leaving her alone with the mysterious locket and the strange, unshakable feeling that whatever secrets it held, they were about to change everything she thought she understood about herself.