Mad God – Reborn

"My Liege!" Nuray exclaimed as she walked into Keina's room and presented a sealed letter to her, bearing the crest of Ren's Spire. "We just received this message, delivered by the woman named Kitten."

"It has to be the invitation to the upcoming auction." Keina nodded calmly as she took it, opened it, scanned it briefly, folded it, and handed it back with a smile. "Get ready with the rest of the Valkyries for the next weekend."

"My Liege?" She asked, her eyes full of question marks. She wasn't surprised, because trouble was expected, but she couldn't guess who their enemy would be.

"Tell them they should be courteous towards people from the Spire of Ren and the Spire of Rabout, but keep an eye on the people from the other two. If they show up..."

"I will." She nodded, daring not question her Master, especially if she was unwilling to share her thoughts.

…

….

…..

At the Spire of Ren, she and Rabout sat at the dinner table, finishing their meal as Rabout sipped fine wine with a satisfied smile plastered across his face. It wasn't just the two of them; the rest of the family was there, with Balbeer, Daryan, and Seya seated at the same table as Rabout and Ren. Previously, this would have been unacceptable, as even prominent family members weren't permitted to sit at the same table as Rudrick, the Lord of the Spire, the King of the Naulins.

"You really sent an invitation to the Brightseed family?" Rabout opened his eyes after emptying his cup, which was quickly refilled by Milly, who also looked at Ren, questioning her with her gaze.

"Of course!" She chuckled. "Are they not a prominent family in the city? I sent out invitation letters to every noble family with any name or fame in Rozex and to every Spire, of course."

"What about mine?" Rabout raised his eyebrows while Ren just rolled her eyes.

"Why should I waste any materials when you usually spend your days here, and I can tell you personally? Huh? Anyway! I am curious who's really going to come. The more, the merrier!"

"Well, if Corvux comes, they are going to let the Brightseeds loose; that is for sure," Rabout said, smacking his lips. "They were always their hound dogs, and when the owner is there, personally holding the leash, that is when they bark the loudest."

"I hope they do," Ariana said, arriving with a tray and placing a freshly brewed cup of coffee before her Master. "I have unfinished business with that pervert."

"You may get your wish!" Milly answered, standing behind Rabout with a casual look, as she held up a large wine bottle and refilled her Master's cup. "I heard that he was transferred to the Spire of Corvux after his… injury." She explained carefully, watching the young women's faces turn red. Seeing as their bodies flinched, especially the boys', she almost laughed out loud. "So he must have been… treated."

"What is it about him anyway?" Kitten tilted her head. "He is not right in the head, I get that, but still… Was he always like this?"

"No, not really." Rabout sighed as everyone looked at him, as he was the walking-talking library inside Rozex. "I don't know much about him personally when he was born, but my few records show that he was a quiet boy. He had around a dozen brothers and another dozen sisters."

"How many people are there in the Brightseeds?" Seya asked, completely shocked by what she was hearing.

"A lot." Milly answered, instead of Rabout, "They are not a family but a human factory for the Spire of Corvux." She explained in a cold tone that carried almost tangible sharpness hidden inside, "Veponia is genetically modified; she churns out children like a cat."

"Hey!" Kitten protested immediately.

"Sorry…" Milly flinched as she cleared her throat, but Rabout just patted her hand with a gentle smile and picked up the tale where she left off.

"Don't be angry at her. She is from the Brightseed family."

"Oh?" exclaimed not just Ren, but the rest, too, as they looked at Milly, who simply looked down at the floor and didn't answer.

"I bought her off of Corvux a few decades ago. I liked the light in her eyes, so they didn't experiment on her. Anyway, what she said is true. When Veponia is pregnant, she only carries the children for a few months and never gives birth to fewer than triplets."

"Damn…" Daryan clicked his tongue, forgetting his nervousness. "How can they keep it up? Their courtyard is bigger than my grandfather's, but still! That many people would flood the whole city!"

"Because most of them are offered to the Spire," Rabout said, then stopped speaking, especially after seeing the look on Ariana's face, ready to explode at the thought. "About Elinus…" He changed the topic back onto what started it. "There are always a bunch of healthy ones who are kept and raised to see if they have potential. The rest are… used up. Some stay with the family, running their businesses and whatnot, while others, when ready, are sent to the Spire. He was sent off while still young."

"None of his looks matched his previous description when he came out years later." Milly continued once she had calmed down. "He was reintroduced to the Brightseed family immediately."

"He is built to replace Veponia," Rabout answered the unasked question everyone had in mind. "She is getting... old. She has led the family since Corvux took over his Spire, and he is probably looking for a specimen to replace her. This is why Elinus is as you saw him. He was built to produce… results," he said, looking at Ariana, trying to soften his words. "He was made to make resources for Corvux. Nothing more."

"Resources…" Ariana murmured, looking down, visibly shaking and boiling with anger.

"It is what Corvux is seeing them as." he shook his head, letting out a long sigh.

"What about the Malevicks?" Ren asked suddenly, not letting the rest think about the stomach-turning reality Rabout had just revealed: how the Spire of Corvux operates behind the scenes.

"They won't come." Rabout shook his head immediately. "Your invitation was thrown out as soon as your men delivered it. They only listen to Zelig. Nobody else. Not even Rudrick could order them to do anything. But…”

"But?" Ren leaned forward and smiled as the others looked at him.

"They are going to come out if you initiate a fight and go after the Brightseed family. A battle between Spires is something that is going to spur them into action."

"Why did they not come when Ren fought with Keina?" Sentios furrowed his brows while asking.

"It was inside here, hidden behind a forcefield. They knew nothing about what had happened that day. Keina left without issue, and nobody advertised that you two had fought. If you go after them at the auction… there are going to be differences."

"Good!" Ren laughed, making the youngsters flinch with the sudden giggle. "Just hearing about Corvux makes me mad. Probably my great-grandfather is lonely in the afterlife, so let me send him a familiar face he can talk with!"

…

….

…..

"How interesting!" Corvux threw the invitation letter onto his table and wiped his bloody hand on a towel, clearly in a good mood.

"Are we going to attend, Your Majesty?" Yavik asked, looking at his back.

"Of course we are. It is going to be the perfect opportunity to introduce the new head of the Brightseed family!" He laughed while the door to the side room opened, and Elinus walked in. He was fixed up from before, looking even more 'perfect.' There were no visible scars on his naked body, as all previously missing parts were replaced, and with a normal-looking one at that.

"Feels good to be whole again!" He laughed, stretching as he had just napped for hours, but Yavik could swear bone-shaking screams had been echoing between the Spire's walls for the past few days, even until a few hours ago.

"Dress him up, Yavik," Corvux ordered, ignoring Elinus completely. "We are going to bring him with us to the auction. It is time to step up our presence inside Rozex. The throne needs to be back with our family line, as ours is the only pure bloodline left. Rudrick's was at least a so-so specimen, but since he died, there are no other options left. Keina? That side branch? Her ancestors can't even trace their family line to Zelig himself! Malevick's side? Don't make me laugh. They are brainwashed suicide soldiers. Zelig was hiding inside their Spire for more than a thousand years... Do any of you think they still have any of their own thoughts?" He laughed sarcastically, then turned a bit more serious. "Rabout… I can respect him a little, but he is not fit for a leadership position; he is too soft. That mutt who came and took over Rudrick's position? Disgrace. Make preparations. I'll ensure that after everything is settled and only our pure family line remains."

…

….

…..

When the day of the auction came, many people were interested, even if they couldn't get inside the main, domed part of Wonder Emporium. It was a strictly invitational event, but that still didn't deter Rozex citizens from lining up along the road leading to the building. Balbeer and his guards were already in place, and by lining up, they kept the main street clear as carriage after carriage arrived. As for Ren, she was standing at the main entrance, flanked by Ariana and Seya, welcoming the arrivals, the first being Keina herself. Ren's new idea of an auction on this scale was to make it the realm's first red-carpet event.

The event was scheduled for early evening, giving everyone enough time to arrive. Naturally, her Valkyries flanked her carriage, wearing shiny, beautifully crafted armor sets that sparkled in the setting sun. When Keina stepped down from the carriage, she wore a white, one-piece dress and walked up the stairs until she stood before Ren, who smiled at her.

"Your booth has already been prepared. Seya is going to show you to it." Ren explained to her with a friendly nod.

"Thank you," Keina replied in a calm but much friendlier tone than before, meeting Ren's eyes. "I thought about what we talked through previously."

"Did you come to a decision?" she asked with a soft smile, stepping aside so Seya could lead her and her people inside.

"I did. I'll show my choice to you today." Keina answered, walking past her, and after she left, Ariana sent over a voice transmission to her Master.

"What was that about, Master?"

"You'll see," Ren answered, but not at the same time, leaving Ariana with further questions. However, she asked no more as another carriage arrived, being Rabout's. He came with Milly, but no guards or followers trod after the two.

"Geez, I told you previously too! I'm not an old man who needs help to get off a carriage…" Rabout murmured, but Milly insisted on helping him off and even walked him up to Ren.

"You reap what you sow." Ren poked fun at him. "So don't grumble like an old man if you are not one!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it..." He rolled his eyes and walked inside as more and more people arrived. They weren't just Ooda, but many other nobles who now served as suppliers for the Wonder Emporium behind the scenes. It was an open secret: most of these families were seen as new subordinates of the Spire of Ren and the Spire of Rabout, depending on who you asked.

"Oh? Here they come!" Ren sent her voice transmission to Ariana, spotting a familiar crest on a luxurious golden carriage. When it stopped, flanked by four heavily armored guards, an elegant, middle-aged woman stepped out, wearing a dark, black, open dress that barely hid her motherly curves. Her long, black hair fell loose behind her, reaching the ground, and she wore a calm expression. As she stepped out of the carriage, her gaze quickly found Ren and Ariana, measuring them up and down.

"She must be Veponia," Ariana said, and her Master nodded.

"Yes… and look at her blue eyes…"

"They are… empty…?" Ariana whispered, shocked, and as she tried to read her feelings, she found barely any within her. "It feels like… As if I'm looking at a puppet… and not a human," she said with a pained voice, turning her anger toward the Brightseed family into pity.

"They are just tools." Ren agreed with her, "Sick and twisted tools. Whatever they might once have been, are already washed away by Corvux's hands." She explained in a sympathetic voice as Veponia walked up the stairs and greeted them.

"It is an honor to meet with a Spire Lord." Veponia bowed, her voice soft, young, yet somewhat monotone… soulless. "I heard what my descendant did, and I am here to ask for your forgiveness. I hope you can see past what a problem child does and not blame the whole family for it."

"I left him alive, no?" Ren chuckled, stepping aside to let them in, and Daryan was already there to lead them inside.

"You did." She nodded, walking past them, followed by her guards, and disappearing inside the building.

"Poor thing…" Ariana whispered, watching her go.

"Mmmh… She was dealt a bad hand at the start… and here comes the dealer."

Ariana turned her head toward the street at the sound of her Master's voice. There, she saw a large white carriage approaching them, flanked by six guards, all bearing the distinct features of the Naulin bloodline. They walked proudly and in perfect sync. Realizing it was Corvux, the people whispered, stifling their voices as they secretly wondered whether Malevik's Lord would show up too. This would be the first time the five Spire Lords had entered the same building at the same time… and that had happened only once, at Rozex's founding.