‘Shit! How are there so many of them here,’ Rick regretted not getting the Golem Mask. He counted the Celestial Devotees around him. There were seven of them around, ‘How the hell did so many of you end up here?’

As the seven gathered before him, he immediately recognized two faces amongst the crowd, Eira and Azer.

Two groups were forming up with the Celestial Devotees on one side and Rick, Samira, Dale and Jay on the other. The other two dozen people in the hall slowly backed away and kept to themselves, avoiding the impending fight.

“You seem to have made a name for yourself,” Samira spoke walking up to him.

“Not the good kind,” Rick chuckled.

“Good job soldier,” Dale said, walking up to Rick.

“Dale, I am so sorry to get you into all that trouble,” Rick said. “Did Mr. Kir get you out?”

“Yes don’t worry, I got out fine thanks to Kir,” Dale replied.

“Hey Rick, guys,” Jay replied. “Nice to see you, but it seems like a long story. We need to deal with those guys first. What’s the deal with them?”

“Oh them” Rick replied, “Ya they want to kill me.”

“What did you do?” Samira chided. “Why don’t you try talking it out with-”

“Rick,” Eira’s voice echoed from across the hall. He roared “I will peel the skin off you for what you did.”

Swoop

Before anyone could react, Samira tossed her javelin off aimed towards the Celestial Devotee.

“You will be dead before that,” Samira bellowed.

The javelin flew across the camp in unbelievable speed, aimed straight at Eira.

“Fuck!” Eira panicked, quickly casting layers of ice before him.

Even then, the javelin did not stop easily. It pierced halfway through the ice-sheet before finally coming to a stop.

“Devotees, wipe them off,” an icy voice rang through the ranks of the Devotees making them stir into action.

The Devotees broke into a stride rushing towards them.

“Samira not again,” Jay shook his head walking up, his swords drawn. Dale too drew his gun off from his shoulder. Everyone prepared for the sudden fight.

The two sides rushed at each other, preparing their attacks.

“Agh!” Rick felt a strong force push him back forcing him off his feet. He landed more than two feet back.

He looked around and noticed that it wasn’t just him, even Samira and the other Devotees had been knocked back.

Slowly everyone slowly stood back up, looking around, not understanding what was happening around him.

“Sorry, but I can’t let God’s best Hero’s kill each other here,” a voice spoke from above.

Rick looked up and noticed an about eighteen-year-old girl wearing a black jumpsuit with short blue hair floating nearly nine feet in the sky.

“Oh sorry,” the girl spoke in an excited voice. “I am Maya, the manager of this Blessed Exchange.”

“And there will be no fighting in here,” Maya spoke in a chirpy voice.

She had everyone’s full attention with the thought of fighting put on the back burner for now.

“God has created some special items which will be auctioned by yours truly,” she continued, tipping her head with an imaginary hat. “And of course the currency is the Blessed Stones.”

“Do we get to check the items first,” someone asked.

“Oh we have a curious one here,” Maya said turning around. “Of course you will get the chance”

She clapped her hands and everyone simultaneously received a notification.

Rick touched his temple.

[Auction List]

[World Map (Starting Price: Two Blessed Stones)]

[Divine Enchantment Stone (Starting Price: Three Blessed Stones)]

[Random Teleportation Portal (Starting Price: Seven Blessed Stones)]

[Fixed Entrance Portal (Starting Price: Five Blessed Stones)]

[…]

Rick looked at the list of things auctioned. There were dozens of things being auctioned. He took the time and went through each item one by one.

“Rick, it is nice to see you,” Jay walked up and tapped his shoulder.

“Hey, nice to see you too,” he replied politely.

Rick and Jay talked for a few minutes about their journey since separating.

“So, what do you want to buy?” Jay asked.

“Frankly, I would get everything if it was up to me,” Rick replied with a smile.

“We should all plan out a strategy,” Jay said.

“That’s a good plan. Oh wait, first let me introduce you to someone,” Rick said. He walked Jay and Samira up towards Dale to make introductions.

“Ahem!” Maya cleared her throat. “Time for the auction has started. Please take your seats.”

Everyone looked around shocked. Nobody noticed when the teenager had prepared a stage and seats for the auction. Maya prepared a complete auction house and stood behind a podium.

“This is my first auction, so there may be more features in the Blessed Exchange,” Maya said as the seats filled in.

Soon after everyone settled into their seats and the auction began.

“The first item is the World Map,” Maya started. “Let’s start the bid.”

Nobody said anything.

“Come on! It is a good product,” Maya urged. When no one said anything, she urged “Two Blessed Stones, it’s a good price.”

“Two Blessed Stones,” Rick finally raised his hand to bid.

“Rick, don’t waste your Stones?” Samira, sitting beside prodded

Everyone looked at him with smiles on their faces, but Rick paid no attention.

“Okay finally,” Maya broke into a wide grin and after a moment brought down the paddle. “Sold!”

Maya raised her hand and a map appeared in his hand. The map floated over to Rick before dropping in Rick’s lap.

“It’s worth it,” Rick assured his sister.

He needed the World Map for one purpose, he needed to find the Forest Salvus and recover the final volume of the Lemegeton!