Shadow Reborn

Chapter 2

The opulent hall boomed with a cacophony of shouts and competing bids. Grand jade pillars soared skyward, while magical crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, enchanting glow across the incense-perfumed room.

Tiered seating filled the space from end to end, occupied by men and women in extravagant attire, all encircling a central stage.

Among them, several wore wooden masks or face coverings to conceal their identities—a common practice when entering Nocturne Hall, the city's notorious illegal auction house.

"Ten thousand silver coins!"

"Fifteen thousand! Don't even dream of taking it from the Sky Tower Clan!"

A roar erupted from the crowd as the main item for the evening was unveiled: a large silver cage containing a bare-chested young man with his eyes closed, only his underwear preserving his modesty. Both his hands were bound by glowing blue spirit chains. His body was tall, sculpted to perfection as if by the hands of a deity. His skin was pale and unblemished, and his face... though marred by a few scratches—could not conceal a striking handsomeness that pierced the eyes of all beholders.

"He is the main attraction of tonight's auction, a flawless young man! Ready to be a personal servant, a guard, or even a bed warmer!"

Disgusting laughter and vulgar praises reverberated through the hall. Several noblewomen seated amidst the crowd cried out.

"I bid twenty thousand silver! His skin is as white as jade. His flesh must be sweet!"

"Look at those muscles... He's better suited to be tied to a bed than on a battlefield!"

"I want him wearing just a chain necklace, and look at those muscles, ah, I could spend months with him."

"Such a handsome slave would be wasted if he stayed quiet—I want to hear him groan."

"I'll give him an aphrodisiac and leave him unconscious all night—let him know what it feels like to be a plaything."

The repulsive voices were a mere buzzing in the ears of the man in the cage. Slowly, the shouts pulled him out of his subconscious stupor.

The man's eyelashes fluttered gently. A blinding light pierced his retina as his eyes slowly opened.

He squinted, then attempted to lift his head, but his neck felt heavy, and his entire body felt as if crushed beneath a stone.

"Arrgh..." he groaned, pain racking his body.

What is this...? Am I still alive after being shot and poisoned by Kael?

His vision was blurry, but the first thing he could discern were figures dressed in strange attire, with headpieces that resembled old-fashioned opera costumes.

What is this? Instead of being in a hospital room... I'm in an opera? Am I still caught in a nightmare? But the cold sensation of the metal floor beneath his back offered a different answer.

This was no dream.

He tried to lift his hands, but they felt locked by something incredibly strong. His eyes widened when he saw glowing magical symbols swirling like living chains around his wrists.

He slowly turned his head, then flinched as he saw metal bars surrounding him. They formed a narrow enclosure, like a giant cage.

...Me? In... a cage? Like an animal?

Riven's eyes narrowed, his face darkening perceptibly.

His gaze sharpened, frantically scanning his surroundings, his breath quickening. He found himself in a grand, antique-style hall, tiered like an imperial palace. People were adorned in shimmering dresses, peculiar jewelry, and other strange objects like jade and crystals embellished their bodies.

Yet, it wasn't the peculiar attire that sent shivers down his spine. It was the undeniable fact that he was... naked! Wearing only his underwear! And being made a spectacle!

Is this Kael's idea of a joke?! he fumed inwardly. His face hardened, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Damn it. This must be Kael's doing, and that cursed murderer's. They... sold me to a dark site?! Is this some kind of black market auction?!"

His body trembled with unbridled rage. "Kael... you bastard. I'll hunt you to the ends of hell..."

He tried to rise, but his body remained unresponsive. His head throbbed, and the magical symbols on his hands flared brightly each time he attempted to break free from his bonds.

The crowd grew increasingly boisterous. Several women rushed to the front of the stage, eager to get a closer look at the body within the cage. Riven glared at every person who stared at him as if he were prey.

"Forty thousand silver coins!"

"Fifty thousand!"

"Seventy thousand! I want him as my pet!"

Laughter erupted once more. The vulgar, demeaning words aimed at him pierced Riven's ears with agonizing clarity. He shot a piercing glare at the dozens of middle-aged women raising their bidding paddles, shouting and pointing at him. He longed to silence each and every one of them. How dared they auction him off and bid on him!

Slowly, an elderly man approached the side of the cage. It was Pabio, the auctioneer, who smiled greedily at Riven.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Behold tonight's gem!" he boomed. "He is a rare male slave! His body is strong, his skin unblemished, and... still fresh! You would be at a loss if you didn't take him home! He's the perfect slave to serve your every whim!"

"SLAVE?!" Riven's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. His mind raced chaotically. He wanted to curse and pummel anyone who dared to humiliate him like this. But his body remained immobile. His tongue felt thick and useless. Only a sharp snort escaped his nostrils.

"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND SILVER COINS!"

That cry instantly silenced the hall. All eyes turned towards the source of the voice. A corpulent woman with heavy makeup stood on the upper balcony, draped in a strikingly opulent golden robe.

The old man on the stage chuckled with delight. "Ah! The highest bid tonight! Magnificent!"

"One hundred thousand, once! One hundred thousand, twice... Three times!" the auctioneer bellowed, his eyes gleaming. "Sold! This man belongs to you, Lady Moira of the Black Dragon Family!"

Riven's heart froze for a moment. His body almost collapsed upon hearing the utterly absurd declaration.

He was sold? He had been sold!

Riven's face darkened even further, his eyes emanating a flash of hatred that nearly burst forth. "I will burn this place to ashes...." Kael... he growled, barely audible. "...you will regret putting me in this situation!!!"

The resounding thud of the auctioneer's gavel echoed sharply, signifying the item's official sale. A collective sigh of disappointment swept through the grand hall.

"Good heavens, I was just about to raise my bid!"

"First come, first served! Damn it, that old woman is cunning!"

"A rare man like that... with such a perfect body! Won't appear twice!"

Complaints, curses, and murmurs of regret echoed among the nobles who had gathered from across the empire. All eyes turned with a mixture of envy and curiosity towards the upper balcony, where the woman in golden attire stood in triumph.

Lady Moira of the Black Dragon Family.

With graceful steps and an air of haughty arrogance, the plump, round-faced woman descended the stairs, accompanied by four hulking executioners behind her.

She approached the iron cage standing in the center of the stage. Her jewel-laden hand slowly caressed the metal bars of the cage.

"Hm..." she hummed softly, a smirk playing on her lips. "You're even more handsome than I imagined. Your body is perfect... and your eyes... so wild..."

Riven held his breath. His sharp gaze was like daggers piercing towards Moira.

"Get ready, darling. Tonight my bed needs warming, and your body is the prize I've waited for my entire life."

A wave of disgust and a primal roar of protest churned within Riven's chest. What is she saying?! Me... her bed? No... impossible!

Moira's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with raw desire as she gazed at Riven's body. Her hand began to reach into the cage to touch him. Riven's eyes widened when the woman's fingers brushed his neck.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he roared, his voice cracking as it echoed throughout the hall. His hands slammed against the cage bars with all his might. "I AM NOT YOUR TOY, YOU CRAZY WOMAN!"

Lady Moira did not flinch. Instead, she laughed. "Oh... you're feisty. I like feisty."

She waved a hand towards the executioners. "Take him to my carriage. Now!"

The muscular men immediately opened the cage. Riven kicked and swung his body left and right, trying to fight. But his body had not fully recovered from the paralyzing magic of the auction.

"I'm not going! Let me go! I SAID LET ME GO!"

Lady Moira raised one hand, and a streak of purple light ignited at her fingertip. "Be quiet. You're only allowed to be noisy when we're in bed."

Instantly, Riven felt a sudden stiffness in his lips. He couldn't speak. His mouth was open, but no sound would emerge. His tongue felt paralyzed.

What is this?! Why can't I speak?! What did she do to me?! What kind of insane place is this?!

Riven's head spun. In his mind, Kael's face flashed briefly. This is your fault! You put me in this hell! I will get my revenge... I will get my revenge for everything!

"Take him," Lady Moira instructed, gently fanning herself. "And treat him well. No injuries. I like his body smooth like that."

The carriage lurched violently with every impact of its wheels against the rough, stony road.

The rearmost compartment, bearing the proud banner of the Black Dragon noble family, was stifling with the pungent odor of metal and sweat. There were no cushioned seats here—just a cold, unyielding wooden floor that bruised his back with each jarring rattle of the carriage.

Riven leaned against the compartment wall, his wrists crudely bound by thick, unyielding rope. His head was bowed, tangled strands of hair obscuring part of his face. The air around him was damp and chilling—an alien sensation, as if he had been abruptly transported to another realm entirely.

On either side of him sat two hulking men, their faces grim and devoid of expression. They wore garments that struck Riven as peculiar: long, dark robes paired with chest plates and headbands, reminiscent of ancient warriors. Engraved longswords hung ominously from their belts.

"Who are these absurd people? Who still carries swords like this, and who travels by carriage in this day and age...?"

Riven's eyes darted around the compartment. There was not a single trace of modern technology. No LED lights, no CCTV, no wiretaps, no pistols. Everything felt... primitive. He shifted his gaze to the window, observing the misty fields and towering hills stretching into the distance. From the moment he'd first opened his eyes... it had been undeniably clear that this place was profoundly wrong.

Kael... damn him. What kind of hell have you thrown me into?

A simmering rage tightened his chest. Given the choice, he would have preferred being dropped into a bomb-riddled battlefield. He would have embraced that over being confined in a cage, then auctioned off while exposed and helpless!

His gaze, sharp and burning, intensified beneath the strands of hair partially veiling his face. In his current weakened state, he lacked the strength to truly fight. He didn't know the identity of the woman who had purchased him, but the carriage was escorted by at least fifteen formidable guards, a force he simply could not overcome in this condition.

Riven slowly closed his eyes. He subtly shifted a few times, just enough to catch the attention of one of the guards facing him.

"Hey!" snapped the executioner on his right. "Stop squirming like a hot worm. Or I'll break your left leg."

Riven offered no reply. He was meticulously regulating his breathing, slowly and deliberately loosening the joints in his wrists—a precise technique he had mastered during his time in the organization.

"My stomach hurts..." Riven feigned, contorting his face in a grimace of pain.

The other executioner glanced over. "Could he be poisoned?"

"If he dies, we're the ones who get tortured," the first one grumbled. "Tell him to vomit in the corner, but don't untie him."

Riven hunched forward, mimicking the act of retching. But behind his back, his fingers worked ceaselessly. A faint, almost imperceptible click indicated the final knot of his bonds had come undone.

As the executioner drew nearer, Riven sprung into action. His freed hand snaked out, seizing the guard's sword from his hip and drawing it out in one fluid motion.

The cold steel felt natural in his grasp. With a swift, downward thrust, he struck a nerve between the guard's neck and shoulder—a precise paralyzing point that caused the man to crumple unconscious within seconds.

The second executioner's eyes widened in disbelief as his comrade collapsed, his mouth agape in confusion. No blood, just a single, clean strike that had rendered his partner inert.

"What in the... what kind of technique was that?!" His face was etched with incredulity as he stared at Riven.

Without delay, the executioner launched a crisscross attack. Riven evaded by subtly tilting his shoulder, then retaliated with a swift kick to a vulnerable point that instantly buckled the man. He then plunged the sword beneath the opponent's armpit, striking a vital vessel rarely protected by armor.

The second executioner reeled, gasping for breath, his body slowly succumbing to paralysis after the precise strike. But before losing consciousness, he managed to pull a small metal ring from his belt and blow into it sharply, sending a piercing whistle echoing through the air.

The carriage began to decelerate. The jolting subsided, and the grinding of the iron wheels grew fainter. Riven's acutely honed hearing immediately detected heavy footsteps approaching from outside the compartment. Not just one. Two, three... perhaps four figures now paused directly in front of the carriage door.

His eyes swiftly scanned the window. Outside, the profound darkness of night enveloped the forest. Trees swayed gently in the wind, providing just enough cover for his escape.

Without a moment's hesitation, he carefully opened the window. The night wind swept across his face just before he leaped.

Thud!

His body slammed onto the hard ground. From above the carriage, a burst of shouts shattered the nocturnal silence.

"He jumped!"

"Quickly! After him! Don't let him get away!"

"That's the young mistress's man! Capture him alive!"