Angor did not really have time to think over the situation because something terrible already happened.
When they heard about the “possible death” of Greya, Angor felt great sadness coming from Toby. Before he could do something to comfort the bird again, Twilight announced the price for enslaving Eyeless in a loud voice.
Toby’s sadness instantly turned into rage.
It was different from last time when Toby felt both wronged and worried that Angor might scold him, so the bird did not really do anything too harsh. Back then, he only hoped that Angor could forgive him.
This time, however, Toby did nothing to contain his emotion. Even powerless humans could lose their sanity and go against stronger beings when afflicted with uncontrollable anger, let alone an innocent bird. Without waiting for Angor’s action, Toby unleashed the power of gravity sequence and launched itself from Angor’s pocket.
The magic array protecting the inner stage inhibited spells only, while Toby’s power of natural law was not affected.
Like a meteor, Toby broke the sound barrier and slammed into the auction stand.
Angor’s heart almost stopped beating when he saw Toby going berserk like that. This place was full of mighty wizards! Toby would meet a quick death at any moment!
The booming noise of broken sound barrier quickly drew everyone’s attention, including the eyeless man inside the iron cage.
He did not have eyes. But as an apprentice, he could always sense his surroundings with spirit feelers. He had been in great despair when he learned that he was being sold as a slave. Now the ruckus aroused his curiosity again.
He sensed a familiar figure approaching. Gray feathers, red talons, an adorable but deadly-sharp beak, and beady, green eyes. More importantly, those clothes…
“Toby?… Why…”
Meanwhile, inside Chamber 35, Flora raised an eyebrow.
“Wait. That’s Toby?”
The brief second was enough for wizards to register the whole situation in their minds.
Of course, Twilight, as the host of the show, noticed the abnormality as well.
“A bird… who possesses the sequence of gravity?” She frowned.
The sequence of gravity? Brute Cavern? So, the gravity garden, Sunders… Twilight quickly sized up the situation and wondered whether she should do something about the bird which possibly came from Sunders.
The other workers on the stage already moved. They were not among the targets affected by the magic array. Soon, Angor saw mana ripples of different colors showing on their bodies. Obviously, a powerful spell was in the making.
His best choice for NOT getting involved in the trouble was to stay put and pretend he did not know Toby.
And he would totally be that way if it was not Toby who was in trouble. For Dave, Prome… Angor definitely would choose to observe first and act accordingly.
However, it was Toby, his best partner. The bird helped him and even saved his life during the months they lived together. Toby was the only one he fully trusted in this merciless world.
Despite his usual composure, Angor only thought about the days they’ve spent together. The mean and playful but adorable creature always brought a smile to his face.
Without much hesitation, Angor bolted from his seat.
Emotions and the rashness of youth completely occupied his mind. Under Dave and Prome’s startled gazes, Angor dashed to the railings and jumped down from the second floor.
“Angor!?” Dave yelled out and looked down from the railings.
On the stage, Toby was now aiming at the eyeless man’s cage. The workers beside the cage were all apprentices who did not know any Quickened Spells, so Toby had enough time to reach the cage and blast a hole through it with his raw strength.
The bird stopped in front of Eyeless.
“Toby…” Eyeless called. Despite his physical condition, people could clearly read the great excitement as well as disbelief in his tone.
“Toby!” It was Angor this time. He tried to leap onto the stage but was grabbed by the guards.
The workers were going to cast their spell now. Angor clenched his teeth and took out a golden revolver from his pocket before firing it at the casters.
Due to the magic array, his bullets became ordinary bullets which could not hurt anyone. However, the attack was enough to interrupt their spell.
It was only several seconds, and the sound of the broken sound barrier, gunshots, and someone yelling had completely turned the inner stage into chaos.
The onlooking wizards sat upright and enjoyed the show. They did not know how many decades it would take to find someone so bold to assault Twilight Auction, but at least they would not miss the chance to watch it.
While the auction stage was an utter mess, the audience seats remained quiet and still in great contrast.
Twilight knew she could wait no longer. She had to do something no matter who that bird was. But first, she had to deal with the intruder boy first since that one seemed to be the bigger problem.
Twilight simply needed to lift a hand to get rid of a Level-1 apprentice. She unleashed a beam from her hand, which went for Angor at lightning speed.
While constrained by the guards as well as the magic array which prevented him from using spells, Angor could do nothing at all. The beam hit him in the dead center.
A destructive shock wave sent him a dozen meters away, slamming his body against the wall in the hall.
As he slowly slumped to the ground, unbearable pain almost removed all of his senses. Using what was left of his consciousness, he only sensed his own blood leaving his body, the ringing around his ears, and his racing heartbeat.
“Angor! No!!” Dave called again.
Toby looked back and noticed what just happened. His young master now had his shoulder bone completely shattered, and his body bathed in blood.
“Tsk. Such a young handsome… and such a pity,” Lydia taunted just in the right time.
“Alas. He lost his mind.” It was Flora. She had no intention to help her little classmate. She was once in a similar situation when many wizards wanted her dead, and Sunders never cast an eye at her.
One could only rely on oneself in this world, and Flora believed people would agree with her.
She would remain still and watch… unless something changed her mind by “equivalent exchange”.
Inside Chamber 19, someone in gentleman attire lifted his head and closed his eyes. The man shook his head and sighed.
From the central screen, people staying in the outer hall could also see what was going on inside.
A young man in a white robe was quite happy for winning the Azure Bloodline. However, he suddenly stared at the bloody figure on the screen and trembled.
“An-An-that’s Angor!”
…
Angor felt his spirit slipping away. He managed to recover his senses, although he could not move a finger.
There was a giant bleeding puncture on his shoulder. His hand was shattered, so was his leg. Actually, he did not have many fine parts on his body now. Even his heart was getting weaker.
He silently sneered at himself. A mere apprentice trying to offend a powerful wizard… like an ant trying to challenge a lion.
With Angor dealt with, Twilight prepared to do something about the intruding bird.
When she looked back though, she only saw the eyeless man still inside the cage. The bird had moved to the injured boy.
“Just as I thought, they came together. They should go together then.” Twilight was not showing any mercy. There was only absolute authority and arrogance in her expression.
She lifted her hand again. Another light beam went for Toby’s body.
“Get… away!” Angor used all his remaining strength to speak.
Toby did not listen. He knew he was the last defense in front of Angor.
Toby was already regretting his decision now. He was too angry when he heard Greya’s fate. Now he both failed to save eyeless man and brought his young master into danger. Deadly danger.
Toby unleashed as much gravity power as he could, which did not affect the light beam at all. The beam hit Toby at full force.
“Toby!!” Eyeless and Angor both called out when they saw the beam pierced the bird and hit Angor’s arm.
Toby was hurled into the air and dropped beside Angor’s feet like a stone.
Angor’s eyes were still fine. He saw blood coming out Toby’s beak. The bird was twitching while trying to move his tiny eyes toward Angor’s direction with a guilty look as if saying his last goodbye.
Angor could no longer take it. Tears rushed from his eyes.
“It was me… it was my fault! I should have told you about Greya sooner…”
But Toby could not hear it anymore. Those small, once lively eyes were beginning to turn deadly still.
“No… no!!”