I sat in the dimly lit room, staring at the two corpsesid out before me. Their skin had the waxy sheen of death, but remarkably preserved—no decay, no rot. Just empty vessels that once housed powerful warriors.


    "What am I supposed to do with you?" I muttered, running my hand along the arm of one. "How can you help me save Isabelle?"


    My mind kept reying Bancroft''s words about the blood ritual. Isabelle, my Isabelle, being drained like some resource. The thought made my blood boil. And now Dominic had enhanced his powers using her blood. The gap between us was widening when I needed it to close.


    I mmed my fist against the wall, cracking the ster.


    "Dammit!"


    My current strength wasn''t enough. The Veridia City Martial Guild housed countless experts. Dominic was now stronger than ever. And Isabelle remained locked away somewhere in their vastplex, subjected to their twisted experiments.


    I paced the room, my frustration building with each step. Time was running out. Every day that passed was another day Isabelle suffered at their hands.


    I nced back at the corpses. I''d taken them from that ancient tomb weeks ago, sensing they were special somehow, but I hadn''t figured out how to harness whatever power they possessed. They remained inert, useless.


    "There has to be a way," I whispered. "I need more power. I need—"


    A soft chuckle interrupted my thoughts.


    "Talking to yourself? First sign of madness, they say."


    I whirled around, de in hand, only to find The Man with the Mustache lounging in the doorway, twirling his ridiculous facial hair between his fingers.


    "How did you find me?" I demanded, not lowering my weapon.


    He raised an eyebrow. "Please. You think I can''t track a desperate man carrying two ancient corpses across the city? You weren''t exactly subtle."


    "What do you want?"


    "The better question is what do you want?" He sauntered into the room, eyeing the corpses with undisguised interest. "These are quite the specimens. Guardian Corpses of the Seventh Dynasty, if I''m not mistaken. Very rare. Very valuable."


    I narrowed my eyes. "Guardian Corpses?"


    "Indeed." He circled the bodies like a merchant appraising goods. "Created by the ancient Corpse Masters to serve as eternal guardians. Nearly indestructible when activated. Each one worth a small fortune to the right buyer."


    "I don''t want to sell them. I want to use them."


    He paused, his eyes meeting mine with newfound interest. "Use them? You mean... control them?"


    "Is that possible?"


    The Man with the Mustache stroked his facial hair thoughtfully. "Perhaps. But it would require certain... items. Knowledge that few possess."


    I stepped closer to him. "I need power. Fast. The Veridia City Martial Guild has Isabelle. They''re using her blood for some twisted enhancement ritual."


    "Ah, the Blood Heir program. Nasty business." He nodded knowingly. "Been going on for generations. Take someone with a special bloodline, drain them bit by bit, use their essence to enhance others."


    "You know about this?" I asked, surprised.


    "I make it my business to know things others don''t." He tapped his nose. "Information is more valuable than gold in this city."


    I gestured to the corpses. "Can I control these? Would they be strong enough to help me against the Guild?"


    The Man with the Mustache circled the bodies again, examining them more closely. "These particr specimens? They''d be quite formidable if activated properly. Former Martial Marquises, by my estimation. But controlling them..." He sucked air through his teeth. "That''s the tricky part."


    "I''ll do whatever it takes," I said, desperation edging into my voice. "Just tell me how."


    "Well..." He hesitated, clearly enjoying dragging out the moment. "There''s a mask. Ancient thing, tied to these corpses. It belonged to their former master. With it, you could potentiallymand them."


    My heart raced. "Where is this mask?"


    "That''s the problem." He sighed dramatically. "It was stolen decades ago. Last seen in the hands of a collector who disappeared into the Northern Wastes."


    "So it''s lost," I said tly, disappointment crushing my brief surge of hope.


    "Not quite." His eyes gleamed. "I happen to know where it is now. Or rather, where it will be in three days'' time."


    I grabbed his arm. "Where?"


    He winced at my grip but smiled through it. "The Veridia City Martial Guild''s Annual Auction. Item number 394. Listed simply as ''Antique Funerary Mask.''"


    "The Guild has it?" I released him, mind racing with implications.


    "Ironic, isn''t it? The very people you want to fight against hold the key to your potential victory." He smoothed his ruffled sleeve. "But there''s a catch."


    "There always is with you." <cite ss="in-imprint-a">My Virtual Library Empire (*) thanks you for reading at the source.</cite>


    "The mask is estimated to fetch around three billion at auction. And I want something being sold there too. The Midnight Fang Sword. It''s expected to go for at least ten billion."


    I scoffed. "Ten billion? I don''t have that kind of money. And even if I did, I can''t exactly walk into the Guild''s auction. I''m supposed to be dead, remember?"


    "Details, details." He waved dismissively. "I''m sure a resourceful fellow like yourself could find a solution."


    "What''s your interest in all this anyway?" I asked suspiciously. "Why tell me about the mask? What''s in it for you?"


    The Man with the Mustache grinned. "I told you—I want the Midnight Fang Sword. You get me that, and I''ll tell you exactly how to control those corpses with the mask."


    "Even if I somehow got the money, I can''t ess my ounts. The moment I try, the Guild would know I''m alive."


    "That sounds like your problem, not mine." He shrugged. "No sword, no information. It''s as simple as that."


    I stared at him, my mind churning. The auction was in three days. There was no legitimate way I could get ten billion in that time, let alone attend the event. But if what he said was true, that mask could give me the power to finally rescue Isabelle.


    "If I get you this sword," I said slowly, "you swear you''ll tell me everything about controlling these corpses?"


    "Cross my heart." He made an exaggerated gesture across his chest. "Though I do wonder how you n to acquire such funds on short notice."


    A dangerous idea formed in my mind. The kind of idea that would either save Isabelle or get me killed. Probably both.


    "I don''t need funds," I said, my voice hardening. "I''m going to steal it."


    The Man with the Mustache''s eyes widened, his trademark smirk faltering for the first time. "Steal? From the Veridia City Martial Guild''s auction? Are you insane? That''s suicide!"


    "You have a better idea?" I challenged.


    "Actually, yes! Several! All of which don''t involve certain death!" He threw his hands up. "The auction will be crawling with Martial Lords and Marquises. Their security is legendary. No one has ever sessfully robbed them. Ever."


    "Then I''ll be the first."


    He stared at me as if I''d grown a second head. "You can''t be serious."


    "Dead serious." The irony of the phrase wasn''t lost on me. "The stuff of the Veridia City Martial Guild is worth stealing."


    "Listen, I know you''re desperate to save your girlfriend, but this is—"


    "This isn''t just about Isabelle anymore," I interrupted. "The Guild is using innocent people for their twisted experiments. They''ve positioned themselves as the protectors of this city while preying on those they im to protect. Someone needs to send them a message."


    The Man with the Mustache ran his hand through his hair, looking genuinely concerned. "And that someone has to be you? What happened to the cautious man I met months ago?"


    "He watched the woman he loves get abducted. He discovered a conspiracy that goes deeper than he ever imagined. And he realized that ying it safe won''t save anyone."


    We stood in silence for a moment, the weight of my decision hanging between us.


    "You''re really going to do this?" he finally asked.


    "Yes."


    He sighed deeply. "Then you''re going to need help. A lot of help."


    "Are you offering?"


    "Gods, no!" He looked horrified at the suggestion. "I value my life too much to directly challenge the Guild. But I can provide information. Floor ns, security rotations, details about the auction items."


    I nodded slowly. "That would be useful."


    "And if—and this is a monumentallyrge if—you somehow seed and get both the mask and the sword, I expect my payment. The Midnight Fang Sword."


    "Agreed."


    He shook his head in disbelief. "I''ve met a lot of crazy people in my time, but you might just top the list."


    "I''ll take that as apliment."


    "It wasn''t meant as one." He moved toward the door. "I''ll gather what information I can about the auction. You... try not to get yourself killed before then."


    After he left, I turned back to the corpses. In three days, I''d either have the means to control them and save Isabelle, or I''d be joining them in death. Either way, the waiting was almost over.


    I ced my hand on the cold chest of one of the Guardian Corpses.


    "Soon," I promised. "Soon we''ll all have purpose again."


    ---


    The next morning, I found myself standing atop a building across from the Guild''s mainpound, watching their preparations for the uing auction. Supply wagons rolled through the gates, carrying expensive delicacies and decorations. Security teams patrolled the perimeter, their movements precise and coordinated.


    "Quite the spectacle, isn''t it?"


    I didn''t turn at the sound of The Man with the Mustache''s voice behind me. "Did you get the information?"


    "Some of it." He handed me a rolled parchment. "Guard rotations, entry points, basic floor n of the auction hall."


    I unrolled it, scanning the detailed drawings. "This is good."


    "Don''t get too excited. I couldn''t get the vault locations or the exact security measures for the items. They keep those details close."


    "It''s a start."


    He hesitated, then said, "There''s something else you should know. The rumors say Dominic Ashworth will be acting as security for the event."


    My jaw tightened. "After his blood enhancement ritual."


    "Yes. The Guild wants to show him off—their newest sess story. He''s already boasting about how he''ll catch the ck-Robed Reaper if you show your face."


    "Let him boast," I muttered, rolling the parchment back up. "It''ll make it more satisfying when I take what I want right under his nose."


    "You''re really going through with this madness?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Even knowing he''ll be there?"


    "Especially knowing he''ll be there." I turned to face him. "I want him to know it was me. I want him to feel powerless when I walk away with both prizes."


    The Man with the Mustache studied my face. "You''ve changed."


    "Had to. The old me couldn''t save Isabelle."


    "And you think the new you can?"


    I looked back at the Guildpound. "I have to try. Every second I waste, she suffers."


    He sighed heavily. "Well, if you''re determined tomit suicide, you might as well do it thoroughly. The auction begins at sundown three days from now. Most items won''t be presented untilter in the evening."


    "Including the mask and sword?"


    "Yes. The most valuable items are always saved forst to build anticipation." He tapped the parchment in my hand. "The security will be lightest during the opening speeches when everyone''s attention is focused on the stage."


    I nodded, already formting a n. "And the items? Where will they be kept before being brought out?"


    "In secured chambers behind the main auction hall. Each guarded by at least two Martial Lords."


    "Challenging, but not impossible."


    The Man with the Mustache let out a bark ofughter. "Not impossible? Do you hear yourself? This is the most heavily guarded event in Veridia City! Every powerful person will be there, surrounded by their own security. And you think you can just waltz in and take two of the most valuable items?"


    "No," I said calmly. "I think I''m going to cause so much chaos that no one will notice what I''m really after until it''s toote."


    His eyes narrowed. "What are you nning?"


    "The less you know, the better. For your safety."


    "My safety?" He scoffed. "If they connect me to this in any way, I''m dead regardless of what I know."


    I turned to him fully. "Then why help me at all? Why take the risk?"


    Something shed across his face—an emotion I couldn''t quite identify. "Let''s just say I have my own reasons for wanting to see the Guild taken down a peg."


    I studied him for a moment, sensing there was more to his story than he let on. But now wasn''t the time to press.


    "Three days," I said instead. "Get me whatever additional information you can by then."


    "And if I can''t?"


    "Then I''ll work with what I have."


    He shook his head again. "You know, most people would see these obstacles and choose another path."


    "I''m not most people."


    "Clearly." He started to leave, then paused. "One more thing. The auction guest list is extremely exclusive. Even if you somehow disguise yourself, you''ll need credentials to get in."


    "I''ll figure something out."


    As he walked away, I returned my attention to the Guildpound. Three days to n the impossible. Three days to prepare for a heist that could change everything.


    But as daunting as the task seemed, a strange calm had settled over me. For weeks, I''d been reacting to the Guild''s moves, always one step behind. Now, finally, I was taking action. Making them react to me.


    "Hold on, Isabelle," I whispered. "I''ming for you. No matter what it takes."