"This lantern?" Kale asked, lifting it slightly. "We found it in Malakar's castle."

Innonuk chuckled, a low, grating sound that seemed to echo endlessly. "This is no ordinary lantern, little bladeweaver. That… is a Lantern of Revelation. And the one you are holding has a particular name: The Betrayer's Light."

Kale frowned. "The Betrayer's Light? Why is it called that?"

Innonuk leaned forward slightly. "Because it does exactly what its name implies. It shows you the path you seek… but it also functions as a beacon to those who mean you harm. Activate it, and not only will it guide you where you need to go, it will do the same for your enemies."

Sadek scowled. "Perfect."

"Sounds about right," Liliana said.

Kale's brow furrowed as he studied the lantern. "But… would it show us where our friend is?"

Innonuk's grin didn't falter. "It will show you anything you want. Just ask the lantern to reveal the way, and it will point you toward whatever you desire."

"That's great!" Kale said, his face lighting up. "Exactly what we needed!"

"Now," Innonuk said. "Did you bring me Malakar's heart?"

Liliana stepped forward, holding up Malakar's heart. "We did."

Innonuk's countless eyes shifted, focusing solely on her. His grin widened, sharp teeth glinting as he leaned slightly closer. "What is your name, blood mage?"

"Liliana," she replied.

"Interesting," Innonuk said, voice dripping with amusement. "Valeria, Emeria, Liliana. Who will Sandor send me next?"

Liliana's eyes widened. "What? Valeria was here as well? You know my father?"

Innonuk let out a low, rumbling laugh. "Of course I know the Lord of the Scarlet Veil. Like you, he came here to bargain… a long time ago."

"What did he bargain for?"

Innonuk's grin turned sly, his eyes gleaming with cruel delight. "Ask him yourself. Now, the heart, if you please."

Liliana hesitated briefly, then held out Malakar's heart. Innonuk's eyes gleamed with amusement as his enormous mouth opened, revealing an endless void lined with rows upon rows of needlelike teeth. A long tongue unfurled, snatching the heart from her grasp and pulling it into the depths of his maw.

"Very good," Innonuk said. He licked his teeth slowly, savoring the moment. "I hope he did not give you too hard of a time?"

Kale crossed his arms. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Innonuk chuckled. "I guess you are stronger than you look. But then again…" His eyes turned toward Namara, a knowing glint flashing through them. "Looks can be deceiving, can't they, Lirathiel?"

Namara's expression didn't waver. She merely tilted her head, flashing an amused smile. "Our reward?"

"Of course. I am a demon of my word, after all." Innonuk's tongue emerged once more, this time retrieving a small, wooden box from the depths of his mouth. The box was dark and intricately carved, its surface glinting faintly as he handed it to Namara.

She opened the box without hesitation, flicking the latch open with a sharp nail. Inside was a single folded piece of paper. She took it and unfolded it, her expression unreadable as she scanned its contents.

She tore the paper into pieces, scattering them to the winds of Runom's Departure.

"There," she said.

Innonuk watched her with what might have been amusement. He made no move to stop her, nor did he seem surprised. "Well done," he said simply.

Kale frowned. What was on that paper? Why would she destroy the reward she wanted so badly? He decided not to ask.

Liliana's mind raced, unease settling deep in her chest. What could it have been? Was it a contract? Did we just help her do something terrible? Did we unwittingly unleash something upon the world by helping her? Did she manipulate us all along? She looked at Namara, her calm demeanor suddenly unnerving.

Did we just screw ourselves over?

"Liliana," Innonuk's voice broke through her spiraling thoughts, dragging her back to the present. All of his many eyes focused on her, his wide grin deepening. "Your reward."

His tongue slithered back into his mouth, emerging again with a small, simple vial gripped delicately between its tip. The vial seemed to be filled with some kind of pulsating red liquid. Not just any liquid. Blood.

"This," Innonuk said, "is what your sister sought."

Liliana froze. "Emeria?"

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Innonuk chuckled, a sound that seemed to reverberate within her bones. "Yes. This is Valtharion's Measure."

He extended the vial toward her, the pulsating blood catching the dim, eerie light of Runom's Departure. Liliana hesitated before reaching out, her fingers curling around the smooth glass. The vial was unnervingly light, the blood within seeming to shift in response to her touch.

"What is it?" she asked.

Innonuk leaned forward. "A gift, and a curse. This vial is filled with endless blood, a boon for someone of your particular talents. But it comes with a cost. Any blood you use or take must be replenished within a day. Fail to refill it, and it will draw its fill from you." His many eyes glittered with malice. "And should you not have enough… well, let's just say, your existence may come to a very sudden end."

Liliana stared at the vial. The endless blood could bolster her abilities beyond what she'd ever imagined, but the price… If I slip, even once… Was this what Emeria wanted? Was this what she died for?

Innonuk tilted his head, his voice mocking but smooth. "What will you do with it, Liliana? Will you surpass your sister's ambitions? Or will you suffer the same fate?"

Liliana turned sharply, her gaze locking onto Innonuk's many eyes. "You mentioned Valeria. Why did she come here? What did you give her? Did my father send her?"

"No answers for free, little blood mage," he said. "Every secret has its price. If you want to know, you must make another bargain."

Liliana hesitated. Another deal? For what? To satisfy my curiosity? She looked at the vial in her hand. No, it's not worth it. Not with him.

She shook her head. "I'll find my answers elsewhere."

Innonuk tilted his head. "Very well," he said as he turned to Kale. "Your name, bladeweaver?"

"Kale."

Reaching back inside his mouth, Innonuk produced a small, unassuming ring and extended it to Kale. Its dull silver band was engraved with strange symbols, clean and untouched by time.

Kale frowned, taking the ring. "I thought we got to choose what artifacts we got?"

"You can refuse it," Innonuk said. "But I believe this is what you want. What you will need, even if you don't realize it yet."

"What is it?" Kale asked.

"This is Eternity's Price. A ring that amplifies all your powers—physical, mental, magical, everything. It can make you strong enough to kill a god."

Kale looked at the ring in his hand. "What's the catch?"

"The cost," Innonuk said, "is a memory. The stronger the effect, the greater the memory you must give. You choose the memory, but once it is gone… it is gone forever. You may forget the faces of those you love, the moments that shaped you, or even why you fight."

Kale turned the ring over in his hand, inspecting the faint inscription etched into the inside of the band. "What does it say?"

"'What is given is never reclaimed.'"

Kale stared at the ring, Innonuk's words pressing down on him. The power to kill a god? Xeroth, the name surged into his mind. This could be what he needed to stop him, to end the chaos. Even Carrion Voss, as terrible as he was, couldn't stand against something like this. But the cost… A memory? He thought of the faces of his parents, the warmth of their smiles. Of Aeloria.

Sacrifice.

The word echoed through him. A bladeweaver's life is sacrifice. If it means saving the people I care about, if it means saving Liliana, wouldn't I give up anything?

He clenched his fist around the ring and looked up, his expression resolute. "I'll take it."

Innonuk chuckled darkly. "I knew you would."

"And that leaves the Stormbrand… Sadek, isn't it?"

Sadek's expression was a mixture of anger and confusion. "How do you—"

Innonuk did not respond to his question. Instead, he produced a helmet and a chestplate. Both were battered, clearly used in countless battles. Deep scratches marred their surface, dents pockmarked the metal, and the edges were worn smooth with age. But despite their state, they exuded a quiet, undeniable power.

Sadek froze, his eyes locking onto the emblem etched on both pieces. His breath quickened, his hands trembling at his sides.

"How is this possible?" he whispered.

Innonuk chuckled, the sound low and predatory. "These come as a set," he said, his tone mocking, already savoring the way Sadek's realization would strike. "While they are not divine items like the ones given to your companions, they might as well be… to you."

Sadek's knees nearly buckled as his lips formed a name. "Arion…"

"Yes," Innonuk drawled, his grin widening. "The helm and chestplate of Arion, the legendary stormbrand known as the Endless Storm."

"My father." Sadek's voice cracked, his body trembling harder. He took a step forward, then stopped, overwhelmed by disbelief. "How did you get this? How is this possible?"

Innonuk's laughter echoed around the space, a sound filled with malice and cruel satisfaction. He didn't answer. He didn't need to.

Sadek held the helm in his trembling hands, his fingers tracing the worn edges as if they could bridge the years. Memories of his father came to him, vivid and sharp—his father standing tall, a force of nature, his presence commanding even in silence. Strong. Proud. The man who had once been his world, a figure of unshakable resolve and endless strength.

He could still hear his father's voice, steady and unwavering, guiding him through storms both literal and within himself. Sadek had idolized him, not just as a warrior but as the kind of man he longed to become. A protector. A leader. Someone who carried the burdens of others without faltering.

Now, the helm felt impossibly heavy in his hands, not because of its steel but because of the legacy it carried, a legacy Sadek had never thought he'd touch again.

He had almost forgotten what it felt like—his father's presence, his expectations, and the quiet encouragement that had always followed. Sadek stared at the battered helmet, his reflection barely visible in the worn metal. He knew, deep down, he wasn't worthy. Would his father be proud of who he had become?

Maybe. His father had always expressed his pride, always stood by him, unwavering in his support. Yet the doubts remained, creeping into the spaces between memory and certainty. He could be more. He should be more.

Now, holding his father's battered helmet, the memories felt like a spark reigniting a long-dormant flame. Resolve surged through him. He would be better. He would be stronger. He would carry the burdens placed upon him without complaint, just as his father had.

He raised his eyes to Innonuk. "Thank you," he said, his voice steady now.

"You've earned it," Innonuk said. "The bargain is complete."

The demon lord's eyes swept over the group. "Would you like to strike another bargain?"

They hesitated.

"Same as before. Kill another demon lord, and you get what you desire."

"No," Liliana said firmly. "I think we've done enough."

"Are you sure?" Innonuk's grin widened, his sharp teeth gleaming as he slowly pulled a spear tip from the shadows, holding it out before Sadek. "The tip of Arion's spear. What was its name again?"

"Cloudsplitter…" Sadek murmured, the name leaving his lips like a prayer.

"Right," Innonuk replied. He twisted the spear tip slightly, letting it glint in the light.

Sadek turned to the group. "Please," he said softly. "This was my father's. We do this, and then we're done."

The group exchanged uncertain glances.

Kale exhaled, rolling his shoulders. We dealt with Malakar without too much trouble. Maybe the next one will be the same. Another divine artifact wouldn't hurt. And Sadek getting his father's stuff back? That was as good a reason as any.

He nodded. "Alright. One last bargain."

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