Age: 9 Years
Magic was divided into two realms—the sanctioned and the forbidden.
The sanctioned magic belonged to noble circles, scholars of House Nyx, and royal-appointed mages who dictated how arcane power was distributed across the kingdom.
The forbidden magic, however, lurked in the shadows—hidden texts, lost artifacts, and spells that were deemed too dangerous, too uncontrollable, too tempting for the common noble.
And Lucien Silver Star was never one to follow limitations.
Tonight, he was stepping into the forbidden market, where magic was traded not through noble decrees, but through whispered deals in candlelit rooms.
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### The Gateway to Hidden Power
Valerian's conversation with Malek Varyn, the ambitious merchant, had opened doors he had only glimpsed before.
The man had promised access—not to the standard arcane trade routes, but to a private auction held beyond noble oversight.
Artifacts that had been deemed too volatile for general circulation. Spell tomes that could reshape perception, alter minds, manipulate fate itself.
And Lucien had no intention of letting these opportunities pass him by.
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### The Secret Auction
Held in an underground chamber beneath an abandoned section of House Nyx's estate, the auction was unlike anything Lucien had seen before.
Nobles wore masks to conceal their identities. Transactions were made in sealed letters, exchanged between hooded merchants.
And the items displayed?
They radiated power, untouched by kingdom laws, unrestricted by royal regulations.
Valerian's All-Seeing Eyes activated, scanning the artifacts, identifying which held true potential and which were merely overpriced relics sold for deception.
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### [Artifact Appraisal – Active]
1. Mindwoven Grimoire – An ancient text containing spells for mind control and forced memory alteration.
- Strengths: High-level manipulation techniques; unknown effects on subconscious thoughts.
- Weaknesses: Incomplete—certain pages missing; unpredictable results.
2. Veilstone Amulet – A magical item allowing temporary illusion cloaking.
- Strengths: Enables invisibility; suppresses magical signatures for stealth.
- Weaknesses: Requires constant mana upkeep; fragile under direct magical attacks.
3. Sovereign's Mark – A lost relic rumored to unlock deeper perception abilities.
- Strengths: Unknown effects; could enhance spell awareness.
- Weaknesses: Sealed magic—requires decoding before use.
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Valerian's gaze settled on the Mindwoven Grimoire.
Mind control? Memory alteration?
This was exactly the kind of magic that could change the course of noble politics entirely.
But acquiring such a thing would not be easy.
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### The Silent Bid for Power
As the auction progressed, nobles placed bids in discreet exchanges, passing letters to masked attendants who processed transactions in secrecy.
Valerian's approach was different.
He did not bid outright.
He waited—watching, calculating, determining who else sought the grimoire and how deeply their resources ran.
Then, just as the bidding was about to close, he made his move.
A letter, sealed with the insignia of House Silver Star , was placed among the bidders.
But unlike the others, it contained not just gold, but an offer of future trade influence—an alliance proposal too valuable for the merchants to refuse.
And so, as the final decision was made, the grimoire was passed not to the highest bidder, but to the one who had already begun shaping the future of the arcane market itself.
Lucien had won.
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### A Future of Unlimited Possibilities
With the Mindwoven Grimoire in his possession, Lucien had unlocked a new level of magical manipulation—one that would make noble minds even easier to control.
But magic always came with a cost.
And as he prepared to decode the grimoire's secrets, he knew that tonight was only the beginning of his journey into forbidden power.