The lights across the ten-mile amphitheater dimmed, shifting to a deep, reverent violet.
On the central stage, four armored honor guards wheeled out an obsidian pedestal lined with white velvet. Resting upon the pedestal was a glowing sphere the size of a bowling ball, floating inside a containment field of pure starlight.
It was Lot Number Eighteen: the Nine-Colored Nirvana Lotus Nebula-Pearl.
Nine distinct colors of ethereal mist swirled within the translucent pearl. As the containment field opened slightly, waves of gentle, soul-soothing energy rippled through the rotunda. The air grew cool and sweet, smelling of fresh river lotuses and morning rain. Ancient emperors had fought multi-generational wars across three galaxies just to claim a single fragment of this stone.
Lord Varn stepped up to the jade podium, his voice hushed with theatrical awe.
“Esteemed patrons! We present the crown jewel of the ancient astral dynasties! The Nine-Colored Nirvana Lotus Nebula-Pearl! Forged inside the heart of a dying cosmic lotus star ten million years ago, this supreme artifact forms an impenetrable soul-shielding sanctuary. It wards off all mental demons, purges spiritual poisons, and grants eternal tranquility to anyone who rests within its radiance!”
A collective gasp swept through the private balconies.
