Chapter 50: Chapter 50 – The Golden Emperors

“Master Rumaisa,” Astrid nodded. “I’m looking for a new design for my expeditions.”

“Certainly.” Rumaisa took a glance at Leena. “Something like that?”

“That’s right. I’m getting sick of the extra fabric, especially with it being so hot. Tradition or not.”

“I was wondering how long it would take you. It's a good thing I took the initiative,” Rumaisa said. “Follow me through the back. You can try it on.”

Astrid’s eyes lit up and followed her in. Hanging on the wall was a heroic uniform that exuded a ferocity that made Astrid’s mouth water. There was no frilly fabric, and nothing that stuck out. It was all form fitting, from the armoured cuirass to the plated scales that climbed down the biceps and covered the forearm. It resembled a long piece of metal, like a shield. The lower half was a pair of tight leggings. Rumaisa had attached thin armoured plates to the thighs. Finally, it was finished with a set of full silver greaves that matched all the other armour pieces.

Astrid brought it forward with her mind and nodded. “I’ll take it. How much?”

“Nothing,” Rumaisa continued, “just make sure you bring some Seamstress Class equipment and materials whenever you find any. I’ll give you a good deal for it.”

“Deal!” Astrid smiled, then it drooped. "But I can't. Father wouldn't allow it."

"Those archaic Sinwen traditions," Rumaisa said. "Scared of a little punishment?"

"Nope." Astrid said.

She ran into the changing room. Once she left, she looked like a new person altogether. The outfit took the previous hint of nobility away and replaced it with a fierce aura of battle. She dashed in front of the enormous mirror looming within the room and gazed at her reflection.

She tightened the braids in her hair and moved it to one side. Astrid swept her middle parting and spun around. It was free, not feeling any fabric move. Her hands brushed up against the form-fitting metal cuirass attached to her chest and rapped her knuckles against the solid metal. The metal was cold to the touch, and it clearly wasn’t low grade from the dull shine it exuded.

Level 50 - Rare - Magic Enhanced Battle-Suit: A master seamstress has designed this battle-suit with ease of movement and protection of vital areas in mind. Imbued with a powerful magic enchantment.
| 35 added Intelligence.
| 20 added wisdom.
| 25 added constitution.
| 10 added dexterity.
| 15% extra magic damage.
| 5% extra mana recovery.

Astrid looked at the stats with a smile on her face. She doubted she could ever not love the feeling of a shiny new piece of equipment, or maybe it was the extra stats influencing her body.

Astrid spun around and slung her arms around Master Rumaisa.

“Ah–you–” The sudden affection startled Rumaisa. She quickly pried her way out of Astrid’s arms.

“Thanks, I love it!” Astrid took another glance in the mirror.

“Don’t mention it.” Rumaisa said as she rubbed out the creases in her royal dress.

“We better go, Astrid.” Freya reminded her.

Astrid said goodbye and another thank you before leaving the seamstress shop. She gazed back at the cashier as her face was still beaming in a bright smile. Noticing Astrid behind the shop's window, she waved, and her entire body moved from side-to-side.

Before Astrid could place her hand up, an impatient Freya tugged her through the street.

“What’s the rush?” Astrid said as she was being pulled. “I’m always late for these things. Besides, all the best items are last.”

“Have you learned nothing from the last time I brought you?” Freya’s high heels struck at the pavement. Her pace was higher than usual. “The biggest profit is to be had at the beginning, the bulk sales!”

“They call me the bulk princess!” Freya raised her shoulders.

“That sounds like an insult.” Astrid joked.

“It’s better than the little devil.” Freya added.

“No, it’s not.” Astrid said as a matter of fact. “Devil has a nice ring to it.”

Freya sneered. “Don’t forget to add the little part; it’s the most important.”

“I’m not little!” Astrid fumed.

“You are little, my lady,” Leena said.

“Seriously, whose side are you on?”

“Yours, of course, my lady.” Leena said.

Using all the public transport, it took them around thirty minutes to arrive at the other end of the ship. They named the auction house after a System user that was at the pinnacle of metal control. Or more accurately, gold control. They passed his name down for years as the emperor of commerce; Hudson Kaur. His influence spanned over the entire world and most of the survivor colonies relied on his great reach. If there was coin to be had, he knew about it.

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He also had a brother named Jia Kaur and unlike Hudson, Jia's strength was more personal. He could summon lightning from the skies. Alongside the highly conductive gold control, when they worked together, their power was unrivaled. Well, apart from the Sinwen's anyway.

Although Astrid had only heard the stories, it had been a long while since they had disappeared from the face of Ruitera. No one knows where they went or why. But one thing was obvious. They were dead. Over one-hundred and fifty years had passed since then but their will's remained, they glued their life work into the very bricks of the auction house.

Despite their disappearance, the brothers' incredible influence remained. Astrid stopped right in front of the evidence of that fact.

Just like Hudson Kaur’s ability to control gold, they made the enormous auction house from solid gold bricks. At the entrance, instead of continuing with the golden bricks, many pillars of white marble held up up the roof, it struck a feeling of grandeur into whoever approached, like they were holding up the world.

There were no windows in the building. The only source of light came from the vast hole that was crafted into the dome of the action house. They adorned the hole's edge in gold, and it provided an expansive view of the endless night sky. Some say that the Emperors of the past had died and taken their spot in the vast cosmos as a wandering star. If one looked closely on a night with a clear sky, two dominant stars twinkled at the centre of the dome.

Walking forward, they passed by the sprinkling water features and the grass gardens that were expertly cared for and trimmed to a standard of nobility. Bushes, trees, and flowers that were impossible to see anywhere on the ship proudly displayed their vibrant colours. Red, yellow, green, purple, white, orange. It was as if they were being guided by nature as they soon approached the auction house entrance.

They had carved intricate details of clouds, gold, and lighting into the tall pillars. They walked up the steps of the entrance and onto a wide floor. The pillars surrounded them on all sides.

Astrid, Freya, and Leena stood behind the crowd in front of them as the workers took them to their seats. Soon, it was Astrid’s turn to enter the auction. She looked at Freya as she rubbed her hands together in excitement.

“Freya, I need your help today.” Astrid said. Her eyes were serious. “There’s an item I must get my hands on.”

Freya smiled. “Just point it out, and I’ll get it for you.”

Astrid nodded as they disappeared into the crowd.

---

The lift lowered into the Lower District. As the doors opened, Lisa gazed around at her home. The smell of broken sewage pipes and fried food being cooked on the streets were the smells she had grown up with. The street corners had people congregated around metal barrels that were emptied and used as fire pits. Loud booms of laughter would be heard from them now and then as they relieved their boredom with idle gossip.

Lisa hurriedly walked through the streets. She had to be quick as the auction was going to start soon. Her thoughts shifted back to the dungeon that they had just narrowly avoided death.

If we are to follow Daniel’s dreams, we need everything we can get our hands on to increase our chances of survival. Lisa gnawed on her lips. She needed that Epic item from the Eternal Jailer. They had agreed that the skill it had given Rob was incredible. It could remove the strongest foe from the battlefield. All the damage Rob took would be directed back to the enemy that he faced.

If they wanted to travel into the depths of a City, it was a required item. Lisa wasn’t sure if she could scrape the money needed for it, but she needed to at least try. Unlike the others who wasted their money on everything and anything that provided any semblance of entertainment, she had saved up all of her money from the very first day they had become Wayfarers.

“Ah, Lisa!” Owen shouted from inside the candle shop.

He was an elderly man that relied on a walking stick to get around. Deep wrinkles were etched underneath his eyes and displayed proudly on his forehead. Lisa had known him since she was naught but a child begging on the streets for money to provide her next meal. She wasn’t the only one. Daniel and all the others took turns to beg on different street corners until they learnt that the money to be had was within the Middle District. But with opportunity came danger. The Humanity Corps had zero tolerance to stealing, they found out the extent of that when Rob took the blame for himself. Often, it was Owen's food that saved their lives. He was often a beacon of hope for the baby Wayfarers.

“I heard you were on a week-long mission, back already?” Owen hobbled out of the shop and rested his hands on her lithe shoulders.

“Something came up.” Lisa smiled and wrapped her arms around the old-man. “You taking care of yourself?”

“I’m doing the best I can with these old bones of mine.” Owen chuckled, then quickly let go of the hug and spluttered into his hand. “Some folks around here have been talking about a noble of Sinwen joining your group?” I hope she isn’t bringing any trouble. You know what nobles can be like.”

“And I also know that the common-folk can be much worse,” Lisa said.

Owen grumbled, but nodded his head in agreement.

“Besides, she’s part of the family now.” Lisa said. “None of us could imagine our party without her.”

“If she has your approval, then it’s fine.” Owen tapped his stick on the floor. “Are you here to say your greetings to Paulina?”

“I am, although we’ve not been gone long.”

“Yeah, I know, but you know what she’s like.” Owen sighed. “She gets lonely. All of us do with your rabble gone most of the time.”

“We’ll be here for a few more days, anyway.” Lisa patted Owen on the shoulder.

“You better get to it then.” Owen’s lips twitched.

The auction! Lisa’s eyes widened.

“You’re right, I’ll bring the others to say hello.” Lisa ran off but shouted back to him. “And I’ll introduce Astrid to you!”

Lisa meandered through the streets as she said a fleeting hello to the elderly that lived throughout the streets. Soon, she approached a large building. It was one of the few that had multiple floors, two to be exact. She chapped on the door and waited for it to be opened.