From Survivor to Vanisher

The auction house was in disarray. Fragments of shattered tables, torn tapestries, and the lingering acrid scent of smoke filled the grand hall. The guards were busy restraining the few surviving members of the Crimson Shroud, while healers tended to the injured.

Aditya leaned against a pillar, catching his breath. His fists still tingled from the furious exchange, and his mind raced with thoughts of the mysterious black box that had caused all the chaos. Dhruva, ever the composed observer, approached him with a casual air.

"Well, errand boy," Dhruva began, "you've managed to turn an auction into a battleground. Any thoughts on what you've learned?"

Aditya smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah. People really, really like their boxes."

Dhruva sighed, rubbing his temples. "I meant about restraint, strategy, or perhaps the concept of avoiding unnecessary attention."

Aditya tilted his head, feigning confusion. "I thought you wanted me to make an impression?"

"Not an explosive one," Dhruva muttered.

As the dust settled, the auctioneer, visibly shaken, stepped forward. His voice trembled but held a note of authority. "Ladies and gentlemen, despite the… unexpected events, the auction will proceed. The Shadow Veil Box remains the property of this house until sold."

Whispers rippled through the crowd, a mix of fear and intrigue surrounding the artifact. Many participants had already left, unwilling to risk further danger, but a few determined bidders remained.

"Are you going to bid?" Aditya asked Dhruva, nudging him with his elbow.

Dhruva glanced at him. "Do I look like someone who wastes celestial gold on mysteries?"

Aditya shrugged. "You look like someone who hides a lot of secrets. Thought this might be your kind of thing."

Before Dhruva could respond, a new voice interrupted. "If you're not interested, perhaps I could have the box."

Aditya turned to see a slender man in an extravagant robe adorned with golden embroidery. His oily smile and piercing eyes gave Aditya an immediate sense of distrust.

"And you are?" Aditya asked, crossing his arms.

"Just a humble collector," the man replied smoothly. "I find such artifacts… fascinating. Don't you?"

Aditya raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating enough to send the Crimson Shroud after it?"

The man's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before returning. "You wound me with your accusations, young man. I'm merely an enthusiast."

Dhruva stepped between them, his expression unreadable. "Move along. The boy's sharper than he looks."

The man inclined his head slightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Of course. Enjoy the rest of the auction."

The bidding for the Shadow Veil Box resumed, and to Aditya's surprise, Dhruva finally raised his hand.

"Twenty-one thousand celestial gold coins," Dhruva announced, his voice calm yet commanding.

Aditya's jaw dropped. "You said you don't waste money on mysteries!"

"I lied," Dhruva said simply.

The auctioneer looked thrilled. "We have twenty-one thousand! Do I hear twenty-two?"

The bidding war reignited, with Dhruva's rival—the oily man—raising the stakes. Aditya watched in awe as the numbers climbed higher and higher, until finally, Dhruva's bid of thirty thousand celestial gold coins silenced the room.

"Sold!" the auctioneer declared. "To Master Dhruva."

Aditya gaped at Dhruva. "You just spent thirty thousand celestial coins on a box! What's in it that's worth that much?"

Dhruva's lips curved into a faint smile. "That, my dear errand boy, is the question."

Back in their rented quarters, Dhruva and Aditya sat across from the Shadow Veil Box, the room's atmosphere heavy with anticipation. Aditya couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Well? Aren't you going to open it?"

"In due time," Dhruva said, producing a small array of tools from his pouch. "A box like this isn't merely locked. It's sealed with layers of protection—runes, arrays, perhaps even curses."

Aditya groaned. "So we're just going to stare at it while you figure out how to open it?"

Dhruva ignored him, his fingers moving deftly over the box's surface. He muttered incantations under his breath, the faint glow of alchemical energy sparking from his fingertips. Aditya watched, torn between fascination and impatience.

"Why do I feel like this is going to explode in our faces?" Aditya muttered.

"Because you lack faith," Dhruva replied, not looking up. "And because you've seen me blow things up before."

Aditya snorted. "That's fair."

After what felt like an eternity, there was a soft click, and the box's runes faded. Dhruva leaned back, exhaling slowly.

"It's done," he said.

Aditya leaned forward eagerly. "What's inside?"

Dhruva lifted the lid, revealing a single scroll wrapped in black silk. The air around it seemed to hum with power, an almost tangible aura of danger and mystery.

"A scroll?" Aditya said, disappointed. "You spent thirty thousand coins on a piece of paper?"

Dhruva chuckled. "Not just any piece of paper. This is a treasure worth far more than its weight in celestial gold."

Aditya frowned. "What is it?"

Dhruva's expression turned serious. "It's a map. Or rather, a fragment of one. To what, I'm not entirely sure. But if the Crimson Shroud wanted it badly enough to risk their lives, it must be something extraordinary."

Aditya leaned closer, his curiosity rekindled. "What do we do with it?"

Dhruva folded the scroll carefully and placed it back in the box. "We keep it safe. And we prepare."

"For what?" Aditya asked.

Dhruva's gaze was distant, his tone uncharacteristically grave. "For whatever comes next."

Aditya sat back, his mind racing with possibilities. The auction, the Crimson Shroud, the mysterious collector—everything pointed to something far bigger than he'd anticipated. And though he wouldn't admit it, the thought excited him.

"Well," Aditya said, breaking the silence, "at least it wasn't just another box of weird herbs."

Dhruva gave him a rare smile. "Not this time, errand boy. Not this time."