IN THE BACK ALLEY OF RADIANT CLUB, ECLIPSARA
Kristen stood a distance away from the bleeding man lying face down on the ground. Blood seeped through his clothes and pooled around him. With sympathy in her eyes but a stern expression on her face, Kristen said, "Mr. Olekh, tell me where the book is, and I will ensure you have a peaceful journey to the next world."
Mr. Olekh glanced at the two sentinels who had stepped back on her orders, allowing him a few moments to stabilize his breathing. He attempted to turn onto his back but ended up breaking some ribs in the process. He cried out in pain, and the sound was nearly unbearable for someone soft-hearted who was unaware of his crimes. He had betrayed Eidolon for the throne and aided the demons of Mosvil in stealing the Book of Mordune (Death). The book itself was not the main issue; it was the spellbinding the book and the object for which the spell was created that held significance.
In Eidolon, the Games of Betrayal and Deceit for power were commonplace, but even the nobles understood their limits. Making a deal with the demons of Mosvil was a line that, once crossed, could not be undone, and it ensured a turbulent afterlife. Mr. Olekh had crossed those lines.
Once the pain became bearable, he looked up at Kristen. He knew he would not survive, even if he were left as he was, without giving more information.
"What do I get out of it?" he asked.
After a moment of deep reflection, Kristen cleared her throat and replied, "I can't promise you will live. You have betrayed us too gravely to be forgiven. However, if you provide me with the book's location, I promise to ensure your daughter, Lady Olekh, has a life that others can only dream of. I will make sure she gets what she wants and never learns of your deeds."
Mr. Olekh sighed. If Kristen weren't a healer, she might have taken the sigh as disagreement. But knowing he was suffering immensely, she interpreted it as a sigh of resignation.
Proving her point, Mr. Olekh said, "You have yourself a deal, Your Royal Highness. I trust you to keep your word. It's with a demon passing through the trails near the Lock Woods. I don't know where he will go after that. If you are lucky, you might catch him on the trails. He is a shadow demon."
Upon finishing, Mr. Olekh resigned himself to his fate and went limp, as if all his strength had left his body. The sentinels looked at Kristen with uncertain expressions. She gave a small nod before turning on her heels and walking out of the alley.