Cough! Cough!
"You could have just woken me up normaly. Gods, what is that smell, it tastes disgusting...?" Alexander spewed the remnants from his mouth into a bin. The taste lingered even after washing his mouth.
Alexander washed and dressed for the day feeling fresher and more energized than ever before. His overall physique teemed with vitality with a body now of an athlete seemingly over night. His abs and muscle tone developed tightly. He attributed his change to his training, diligence, and genetics.
'Nice! I can't complain about a nice body from all that pain of training.
The elder had come to take a look at the place and check in on everyone. As his student, Alexander was important to the elder, anyone making problems or threatening those under the protection of an elder of the Akamai clan was on a loosing battle.
With the elders reputation as the Blue Berserker, his temper was legendary. Those against the elder knew not to push to far.
Seeing his student successfully reach a milestone like becoming D rank alone was a feat he couldn't hold his happiness from. His smile grew bigger after seeing Alexander come down. However he was slightly disappointed to see him in worn everyday clothes for such a big day.
"I see that you have increased your Core strength, and probably just entered D rank, eh. Yes, little one, I can tell. You don't get to be an elder by just eating all day. Ha, ha! I heard what happened last night and I've made some arrangements with the lawyers over your parent's estate. For your protection, If you accept, the Akamai clan would like to adopt you all into the clan. You can stay here as long as you want but this place will need some work."
"!!!!"
"And, what's the catch?" Seraphina was skeptical as she was sharp to the world. She was always looking at the big picture when others chose to just accept their cooner piece.
"No catch. I swear it. It's the least I can do for a student of mine. Also, as an apology for allowing harm to come to you. I am a prideful old man, much more so now. Someone harming you is unthinkable to me. That it happened right under my nose and within my city angers me. To make up for it, I have planned a full day out, we should leave before the construction workes get here whatever we decide."
Seraphina eyed him for a bit, then saw the nice suit he wore, pressed and clean. An idea slithered into her head. "Shopping too, right, Grandpa?"
"Of course, little rose. All the shopping you want. What about the rest? We should be gone for most of the day, so I picked My favorite place. We're headed to the Arcanum!"
Alexander was eager to go with his Bag. He wanted to visit one place in particular more than the rest. "I'm in. Just one question, Grandpa. What's your credit limit?"
...
The Arcanum was a special district of the city. With its own docks and sky ports it was a variable hub of commerce both commercial and private. Anything you needed or wanted you could find it in the Arcanum.
Two major factions made up the bulk of business in the arcanum, the Guilds and the Hunters Association. Both buildings stood on opposite sides of the district, sharing the same street with the rest of the vendors and stores that catered to the masses.
As Elder Kelani's personal guard, Geralt, drove them to their destination, avoiding both traffic and check points with ease was only natural. Akamai plates allow you many advantages in the city.
They arrived and parked in the section of their personal parking lot the city allocated to the Akamai clan. Less than two stores away from where Alexander wanted to be but he could see the building.
"Lets go in there. There's something I need appraised and I need some new gear. I love Max's tech armor but he doesn't make enchanted gear."
'The Foundry, the only place on this island to purchase the gear i need to upgrade the nanites. I've heard this place only sells the best Artefacts to the wealthiest of society and only to them. Thanks to elder Kelani, er grampa, I'll be shoping there too.' Alexander thought with a sneaky grin that everyone thought was concerning.
"Is he always like this at home?" Kelani asked in a whisper to the others.
"Oh, don't mind him, Grandpa. He's just at that age. Hormones are ravaging his already empty head. We love him untill we have to put him down for rabbies. Do you know what that nasty he was covered in?" Seraphina questiond.
"Well it's not really known, just that sometimes when you break past certain milestones in developing your core a smelly substance can excrete itself. It's rare and only with those that break past their former potential at a young age ever has it happed in that quantity. Your brother has pushed past his F ranked potential and exceeded to D rank." Kelani explained
The Foundry was exquisitely and lavishly decorated with soft gold and marbled floors. Paintings and exuberant pieces of works were displayed to show the wealth they controlled.
A hostess learned of their arrival and immediately greeted them.
The assistant had on a busty red and white day dress she filled out comfortably. Long black hair fell to her waist and brown doe eyes greeted them, "Aloha, great Elder! How can I be of help to you today. We have a large selection of those wines you ordered last time. We even have that deluxe.."
"Mahalo, young one. Oh, eh, not this time. Today, we're here for my grandson Alexander. Please show him anything he may require for a young hunter." Kelani instructed.
The assistants attention went straight towards Alexander. Eyeing his clothes and shoes meticulously. Geeting a good fix on who her new clients was.
"Well, he is slightly ruff around the edges, but it's nothing I haven't delt with before. Follow me and we'll get you dressed for the show room. We do have a dress code as not to discomfort the other guests. That means black tie and a mask. The mask is to prevent your identity from being revealed to others easily and the suit always look good. Though information is always up for sell."
Alexander went with the assistant and was fitted for a stylish black-tie three piece suit. It fit him perfectly and the tailor was adamant about him wearing the Akamai logo on his lapel. Two black daggers crossed over a red moon.
His mask was fitted in the style of a raven.
The Assistant named Naomi informed Alexander of how the auction worked. Multiple Artefacts were displayed on a list presented on a screen with prices and rarity displayed underneath a screen in his private room. A beautiful sky box suite with velvet curtains and lether couches.
Alexander looked out the window were he could clearly see the bidding stage. Hundreds of other bidders all conversing and laughing their time away.
"Initial bids have already started but from this device you can bid on whatever you like when it is brought up. Do not worry about the price, as your grand father has nearly endless credit her at the Foundry, within reason of course. So, please practice due diligence and bid on whatever you like."
'The auction has a great deal of rare Artefacts in the B and A rank levels. But those are way to expensive for me to be comfortable bidding on. These are the ones I want most.' Alexander thought as the assistant left and he scrolled on the display. "Ha! No ones even bidding on these! I must have hit the jackpot. This one, and this one, and that one too. Man I love this!"
Bidding was closed after the last high end Artefact was sold, and Alexander received the bids he won.
Alexander opened the door to a plethora of Artefacts that were all delivered to his room. The Artefacts were all of D rank and C rank. So no one bat an eye at his spending on such trivial gear for a Hunter.
The items were too many for one person to handle, normally. The assistant offered to have them delivered to his home free of charge. A simple gesture for someone who spent close to one-hundred thousand on gear.
Alexander thought about it but ultimately refused her. Pulling out his dimension crystal, aka Bag, the items dissapated in front of her very eyes.
Noami was in shock at the magic and tech, but her long years at the Foundry, seeing magnificent things had taught her to not ask too many questions about the origins.
"Will there be anything else?" She asked in a small little daze, eyes still wide in wonderment
Alexander began to thank her but noticed something off about the area as he began to speak.
The luxurious colors around him had greyscaled and paused. His vision was remarkable, his eyes had improved down to a molecular scale and could see far like an eagle, but now he was having trouble focusing on anything but the door he entered. His eyes tranfixed on the knob.
Dread weighed and anxiety set in making his knees buckle and kneel. Breathing became impossible for him. Eve the nanites seem to freeze and go unresponsive.
Alexander tried to get Naomis' attention by gasping. He wondered if he looked strange to her while doing a choking motion but she stood still as stone unfazed by his theatrical performance.
The door handle turned and Alexander felt his stomach roil and churn like grain to a flower mills grinder wheel. He felt a cold shiver and he fell to his knees.
The door opened to a woman half veiled but still beautiful as Dusk. Her dark-skinned glowed in warm hues paired greatly with the majesty of royal purple and gold. Wherever she stepped she chimed from the many trinkets she wore.
She smiled when she stood over Alexanders struggling body. He looked up at the person exuding this aura but all he could see were her perfectly manicured feet.
"Did you believe that I would not come to see you personally, my dear, Alexander Mortem. When Death requires an audience, there is no escape from the stage."
A different type of message than his holographic display, popped up in front of him, making his face contort in horror and fear.
[God of Death and Darkness A'rathèl has come for you!]
'What is this? Is that The dark mother? Oh, I'm completly boned!'