Worlds Apart

Chapter Two

It was a rainy night, and the auction house was bustling with people and artifacts. One of those artifacts being a very special item. In which everyone wanted. None of them more than a certain elven woman. Aili took no joy in these things, she saw nothing fun in coming to auctions or receiving items that she deemed worthless. But this... this was special. She could feel it.

Underground, beneath a storm drain. A certain elven Prince dwelled beneath the auction house. Awaiting the perfect time to strike. He had just bought highly dangerous creatures in which would carry out his bidding willingly. Having starved them an entire day. He slashed the air with his spear, the elven weapon making beautiful sounds as he twisted along with it. Slicing a raindrop in half before pausing. His long platinum blonde hair matching his sharp features and pale skin nicely. His toned abdomen glistening with water in the moonlight as his spear slowly retracted.

"How long have you been there, my friend?" Prince Nuada asked his orc companion, Mr. Wink. The creature simply grunting in response.

Nuada motioned over to two crates, the royal seal of Bethmoora decorating the front of them. "They are over there... I bought them today. I have not fed them... at all." He stated with a smirk. Pleased with himself as his companion simply listened. 

"I will go up first, you will follow. And remember, Mr. Wink. Don't be shy." He said, with a tone of finality. The beast roaring, but unheard by the human world over the car engines and horns honking.

Aili had a horrible feeling about this auction. Feeling as though she would find some sort of awful thing that she would have to worry about. Finely dressed in her long, black dress with her hair curled and pinned into place. She looked like she blended into the crowd with her disguise on. The only thing being her eyes that gave away her abnormalities.

"This next lot, number 776. Is an important votive figure. A fertility goddess, dating approximately 15,000-10,000 B.C. this was found in a deposit less than 30 meters from the Shannon River. And we open the bidding at $300,000." The Auctioneer said, the gavel hitting the table as everyone started bidding. 

Aili didn't dare bid on this useless piece of stone. Her prize was being prepared for auction, lot 777. The fabeled Crown piece that had kept her up at night all those years ago. Little did she know, that a certain elven Prince had his eye on it as well. And was currently infiltrating the Auction house unaware of what he would find.

"Going once, going twice... and Sold." The Auctioneer said, still proud as ever. Aili hated the way humans just passed things on from one place to the next as a way to make a profit. Those were memories, moments spent wasting away. "And now, onto our next item. A piece of the Royal Crown of Bethmoora. Origin speaks of the sons of the Earth, and holds the fate of the Golden Army." The Auctioneer stated. As it was wheeled down the center aisle, Aili watching it carefully. "And here it is, our next item..." 

The power had suddenly gone out. People around Aili had begun to panic, and the Auctioneer assured everyone that everything was fine. "Please, keep your seats. The auction will restart shortly." He stated. Continuing with the auction. But Aili had a different feeling. This was not even close to temporary, this wasn't even an accident. Someone had caused this. And while others were seated, she had slowly risen. "Madam, I assure you that this is just a minor complication. Please. Take your seat." The man said to Aili. Resulting in a glare. How dare such a man tell her to sit down at a time like this. "Now, for the first time in Auction. A piece of the Royal Crown of Bethmoora. Coming to us from a long lost culture." Aili scowled at the man's words before her head snapped in the direction of a new voice.

"Lost? Not at all. Forgotten by you perhaps. But we are very, very much alive." A man said, entering the room carrying a box. "You just spoke to one of my people as though she were nothing but a human." The man said. Aili recognized him, how could she not. It was Prince Nuada. She had met him twice before. He was her betrothed.

Dressed finely in his black Bethmooran robes, a red strip of fabric around his waist. The seal of his clan on his abdomen was hard to miss.. and a beacon of war. She didn't think he would recognize her, or even know she was one of his people. Clearly, she had been wrong about him.

"Who are you, sir? Sir, please, Identify yourself." The Auctioneer demanded.

"He is Prince Nuada, Silverlance, son of King Balor." Aili stated. Receiving a soft look from the elven Prince.

 He had always had a soft spot for her. Even during the war. Before they had found out about their betrothal. But they had never displayed it, nor had they acknowledged it. She was stunning, the dark clothing complimenting her skin and eyes perfectly. A distraction. The Prince deemed it, he had no time to think of how she had matured over such a long time.

Or how her eyes burned into his very soul... But she was on the opposing side, and he could see that in her eyes. She was a traitor to her own kind. Sneering at the thought, and then avoiding further eye contact with her.

"And I am here, sir." The Prince started to say, his gaze moving from Aili to the human rather quickly. Then gesturing to the crown piece behind him. "To reclaim what is rightfully mine." He added.

It hurt Aili when he had scowled at her. And she would have backed down in a split second had it not been for the fact that currently, she needed to redeem her younger brother. He had recently gotten on Manning's last nerve with his antics. And she needed to make sure the man didn't get fired. She put on a brave face as the man yelled for Security. Only to have a metal fist come crashing through the doors, she knew who it was, she had met Nuada's friend before. And the roar that accompanied it was more proof that it was indeed Mr. Wink. Aili turned around to look, it had been quite some time since she had seen the both of them. And it saddened her to meet them on such horrible terms. She turned to look at Nuada once again.

"I am afraid that cannot happen, Nuada." Aili said sternly. Her tone matching her level of confidence as she simply stepped over the dead bodies on the ground in the aisle. Everyone was now on edge and afraid, but still unsure as to what was happening. Couldn't they see she was trying to buy them time to flee? Of course not. Humans were not so observant to know such things. Nuada and Wink sat their crates down as the human Auctioneer began to plead for his life even with protection. A creature latching itself onto the man's face as he collapsed and people began to panic.

"Sit. Down. Like the proud. Empty. Hollow, things that you are!" Nuada shouted as he grabbed the crown piece. "Aili... you know I cannot kill you." The Prince said to her as the people all sat down in a panic. "But I also know.. that you cannot save them." He said as he disappeared and she was knocked unconscious. 

Somewhere during Nuada's short tangent. Wink had approached Aili, knocking her unconscious. And taking her with them as small blue winged creatures devoured the human crowd that remained...