"Then you join Vok'thar at the bottom of this cavern," Jack said flatly. "Make no mistake, Seryth. I don't need your permission. I don't need your cooperation. But having both makes my job easier, and ensures your people survive what's coming."

He gestured at the contracts. "Sign, and you retain your position. Your people follow you, but you follow me. Refuse, and I find someone else to lead the Aurion while your body feeds the Aethrium crystals."

Seryth stared at him for a long moment, her mind clearly racing through options. Finally, her shoulders slumped slightly. She walked to the contracts, picked one up, and read through the terms written in that shifting script.

"I need to sign in blood?" she asked.

"Standard demonic contract protocols," S said helpfully. "Blood binds the magic. Makes it impossible to break without severe consequences."

Seryth drew a small knife from her belt and pricked her finger. A single drop of luminescent blood welled up, glowing with the same light that suffused her entire body.

She pressed her finger against the contract's signature line.

The moment her blood touched the paper, the runes flared bright. Magic surged through the document, and the contract vanished in a flash of light. Seryth gasped, her hand flying to her chest as she felt the binding take hold.

"What..." She breathed heavily. "What did you do to me?"

"Bound you to the Soul Warden," S said casually. "You'll find that any attempt to harm him, betray him, or refuse his direct commands will cause... significant discomfort. The contract is quite thorough."

Jack turned his red eyes to Nyx'ira, still held at blade-point by Kyren. "Your turn."

"I..." Nyx'ira's void-like eyes moved between the contracts and Jack's glowing red gaze. "I don't…"

"You have a choice," Jack interrupted. "Sign and become the leader of the Thal'Gorin. Guide your people through this transition. Or refuse and die here, leaving your clan leaderless and vulnerable to whatever I decide to do with them."

"You would slaughter an entire clan?" Nyx'ira's voice carried horror.

"I would do what's necessary," Jack said. "But I'd rather not. I'd rather have you lead them, keep them organized, and make this transition smooth. I'm not asking you to commit atrocities. I'm not asking you to murder innocents." His tone softened slightly.

"I am a reasonable man, Nyx'ira. Sign the contract, and I promise you won't be forced to do anything unspeakable. You'll retain autonomy in how you govern your people. You'll just answer to me when I need you."

Nyx'ira was silent, shadows coiling around her arms as she processed. Finally, she spoke. "And Vok'thar? He just... died for nothing?"

"He died because Dreknar willed it," Jack said. "His death serves a purpose. With him gone, the Thal'Gorin can unite with the Aurion under my leadership. The war ends. Pho loses his leverage. Your people survive." He paused. "That's not nothing."

Another long silence. Then, slowly, Nyx'ira nodded.

Kyren withdrew his blade from her throat, stepping back but remaining ready to strike if she tried anything.

Nyx'ira walked to the contracts on shaky legs, picked one up, and read through the terms. Her expression grew grimmer with each line.

But she pricked her finger with a claw, letting dark blood well up, and pressed it against the signature line.

The magic flared. The contract vanished. Nyx'ira doubled over, gasping as the binding took hold, her shadows writhing wildly before settling back around her form.

When she straightened, her void-like eyes met Jack's with something that might have been resignation or acceptance.

"What now?" she asked quietly.

Jack's red eyes swept across the assembled demons. "The war is over. Effective immediately, the Aurion and Thal'Gorin clans cease all hostilities. You will return to your cities and inform your people that peace has been achieved through the Soul Warden's intervention and Dreknar's blessing."

He gestured at S, who pulled out more documents, thousands of them, appearing from nowhere in stacks that shouldn't have been possible.

"These contracts will be delivered to both your castles," Jack continued. "Every single demon under your command will sign one. Every warrior, every civilian, every demon who calls your cities home. They will all pledge their loyalty to me."

Seryth's eyes widened. "Every demon? That's... there are thousands of us."

"Then you have a lot of work ahead of you," Jack said simply. "Make it happen."

He turned to address both leaders equally. "I vow that before I leave this floor, Pho's head will be mounted on a spike for all to see. The demon who manipulated your war, who profited from your dead, will answer for his crimes. You have my word."

Nyx'ira and Seryth exchanged glances, an entire conversation happening in that brief look. Then, together, they nodded.

"We will do as you command," Seryth said quietly.

"Good." Jack gestured toward the tunnel leading back to the surface. "Leave. Inform your people. Begin distributing the contracts. I'll contact you when it's time to deal with Pho."

The demons didn't need to be told twice. Seryth and her guards moved toward the exit, followed by Nyx'ira, who cast one last look at the ledge where Vok'thar's body lay before disappearing into the tunnel.

S watched them go with an amused smile, then turned to Jack. "Well handled. Though I have to say, the Dreknar card was inspired. Using their own god against them."

Jack said nothing, his red eyes still glowing through his helmet.

Kyren approached silently, carrying a demon heart he'd harvested from one of the slain guards. The organ pulsed with residual life force, dark blood dripping between Kyren's fingers.

He offered it to Jack without a word.

[DING!]

[Demonic Frenzy: DEACTIVATED]

[Total Enemies Slain: 30]

[+15,000 Death Tokens]

[+75,000 EXP]

[+30 Dread Cores]

[Level Up!]

[Lightning Apostle: Level 9 → Level 10]

[Current Progress: MAX]

[DING!]

[Congratulations! You have MAXED a class!]

[Lightning Apostle (MAX)]

[Reward: +20 Stat Points]

[Reward: +100 Skill Points]

Jack stared at the notifications.

Jack removed his helmet, revealing his face covered in sweat. His yellow eyes had returned to their normal color now that the frenzy had ended. He took the demon heart from Kyren and, without hesitation, bit into it.

The taste was familiar now. Slightly sweet. The texture of raw muscle and demonic essence flooding his system.

He consumed the entire heart in four bites, swallowing quickly, feeling the power flow through him.

His armor pulsed, the skull embedded in his chest piece glowing brighter as it absorbed some of the blood he'd spilled during the fight.

[Consuming Demon Heart]

[+8 Demonic Essence]

[Current Demonic Essence: 74]

Jack felt the change immediately. The demonic essence had grown stronger, more concentrated. He was getting closer to the threshold, where who knows what would happen.

S pulled out another tangerine from somewhere and began peeling it. "So. You've just taken control of two demon clans through a combination of murder, divine authority, and magical contracts. I have to say, Jack, you're adapting to this world remarkably well."

Jack looked down at his bloodstained gauntlets, at the crimson-black armor that made him look like something from a nightmare. "I'm doing what's necessary."

"Indeed." S popped a segment of tangerine into his mouth. "And what's next? Pho won't wait forever. Once word spreads about Vok'thar's death, he'll either attack or disappear."

"Then we find him first," Jack said, putting his helmet back on. Through the T-shaped opening, his yellow eyes gleamed with cold purpose. "We end this before he has a chance to respond."

Kyren stood silently nearby, his light blade dismissed, his hollow eyes watching his master with something that might have been approval.

Jack looked down at the cavern floor below, where Vok'thar's broken body lay beside the dying titan.

The War Chief's death would echo through the Thal'Gorin for generations. They would remember the Soul Warden who'd killed their leader and forced them into servitude.

Fear was a tool, just like everything else in this tower. And Jack was learning to use every tool at his disposal.

"Come on," Jack said, turning toward the tunnel exit. "We have work to do."

S followed, still eating his tangerine, a smile playing across his perfect features. Kyren fell into step beside Jack, silent as death itself.

Jack had pulled out the frenzy crystal to stare at it.

He clasped it in his hands as they began to walk out of the tunnel.

S looked down and noticed a faint crack in the crystal. He smiled and ignored it as he continued to eat his tangerine.

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