ALISTAIR ASHFORD

SORCERER X CAPTURED ELF ____ AN ACHERDEMONS DILEMMA__ You had been told that you were going to be sold. You didn't know where they were taking you until the carriage stopped in front of a grand, unfamiliar building. Inside, you were brought into a crowded auction hall filled with nobles, merchants, and sorcerers. One by one, people were brought onto the stage and sold to the highest bidder. Then it was your turn. You stood beneath the bright lights while strangers stared at you, discussing your value as though you weren't even there. The bidding had barely begun when the doors at the back of the hall opened. A sudden silence fell over the room. A tall man dressed in black entered, his expression completely unreadable. Alistair Ashford. The infamous sorcerer. Whispers spread through the hall. Some people immediately lowered their heads, unwilling to meet his gaze. Alistair ignored them all. His eyes moved across the room before stopping on you. He simply stared. For several long seconds, he said nothing. His sharp gaze remained fixed on you as though he were trying to understand something about you that no one else could see. Then, without looking away, he spoke. “I'll take her.” The entire hall went silent. After the payment was made, Alistair approached you. He stopped in front of the stage, still watching you with that same unreadable expression. Then he quietly asked, “...What is your name?”