At every charity gala, there was always a high-stakes auction. Each guest was required to bring an item to donate—antique heirlooms, rare jewels, or some other treasure—to be bid upon by the assembled crowd. The proceeds would be given to support children in remote regions or other charitable causes.
Once the dinner began in earnest, the host took the stage and announced the time had come for guests to present their auction pieces.
The auction was always the highlight of the evening.
Backstage attendants wheeled out each item in turn. The host whipped the cloth off the first piece, projecting his voice across the ballroom. “Our first auction item of the evening comes from Mamie: the Dewflask!”
The bottle was a vision—crystal clear, its slender neck almost transparent, delicate and perfect in every curve.
Those who collected fine spirits or prized rare decanters shifted to the edges of their seats, excitement rippling through the room.
Mamie had acquired the Dewflask years ago, snapping it up abroad for a mere few million—an absolute steal, since the foreign sellers hadn’t realized what they had. Now, its value had skyrocketed to five hundred million.
Everyone knew Mamie adored this Dewflask; bringing it to auction tonight was a real sacrifice.
The host raised his gavel. “Bidding for the Dewflask begins at five hundred million.”
The crowd erupted in rapid-fire offers.
“Five fifty!”
“Six hundred!”
“Seven hundred!”
“Eight hundred million!”
“Eight hundred million going once, going twice, sold!” The host brought the gavel down with a decisive thud.
The next lot, compared to the Dewflask, was utterly unremarkable.
Interest in the room fizzled out immediately.
But as he peeled back the cover on the next item, his face changed dramatically. He blinked, staring wide-eyed at the glass display case, as if he’d just seen something incredible.
“Are these…the NecroBlitz Tablets?” His voice trembled, disbelief and awe making him stumble over the words.
But professionalism kicked in, and he quickly regained his composure, voice suddenly sharp and clear.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this next item has been donated by Miss Kali—the NecroBlitz Tablets. The starting bid is five billion.”
The words had barely left his mouth before the guests shot to their feet, the room erupting in a chorus of shock.
“The NecroBlitz Tablets? Impossible!”
“Didn’t the Glenwood family announce last year that the research was a failure? How are they up for auction now?”
“Is this really the NecroBlitz Tablets?”
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