The road back to Border Town was long, but uneventful—at least compared to the chaos they'd left behind.
Kain walked with them now, staff in hand, quieter than usual. The others didn't say much either. There was too much to think about—and too much they couldn't afford to say.
When the town came into view, they didn't cheer.
They just kept walking.
At Mayor Joff's battered office, the group stood silently as Kain stepped forward and placed the Arcane Eye on the desk.
Joff looked about ten years older and five seconds from retiring. When he saw the glowing Arcane Eye, he sighed like his soul had been returned to him in a jar.
"I stole it," Kain admitted plainly.
Joff blinked, staring at the artifact.
"I thought I could learn about ancient history with it. And I did," Kain said, "but not without risk. And I'm here now to make it right."
The mayor stared at him for a moment, then let out a long, exhausted sigh. "As long as you're giving it back, I don't care why you took it."
No one mentioned the Seven Sins.
And thankfully—Joff didn't ask.
Days later, negotiations with the Holy Empire of Athenea came to a tense but peaceful conclusion.
The Empire had the Eye back.
Border Town kept breathing.
Neither side wanted a war over a glorified magical marble, not when it risked disrupting trade routes and drawing the kingdom's ire.
Then Volgas arrived.
He came without an army this time, only his presence and his massive battle axe on his back.
"I've come for the Eye," he said, curt and direct.
Derek handed it over.
Volgas looked at him long and hard. "If the chance ever comes again… I would like a proper duel."
Derek nodded. "If I have time, I'll visit."
Volgas smirked ever so slightly. "Then I'll wait."
And with that, he turned and left—his job done, but his interest in Derek clearly unfinished.
Back at the mansion, things were almost calm.
Anna sat in her usual library chair, sipping tea. Across from her, sitting on a book stack like a grumpy mascot, was the doll—alive, sentient, and clearly unimpressed with everything.
"You haven't asked me anything," the doll said.
"I prefer to observe," Anna replied.
The doll raised a brow. "You think I'm lying?"
"No," Anna said. "I think you're holding back."
A pause. Then a wry smile from the doll.
"Smart."
"I'm curious," she added, "why you put your soul into such an ugly object."
"I wasn't trying to impress interior decorators while dying," the doll snapped.
Anna sipped her tea. "Still. A better font choice wouldn't have hurt."
They sat in mutual silence, the kind only two deeply dangerous beings could share comfortably.
Then Anna asked, softly, "Do you think we can stop them?"
The doll didn't answer right away.
Eventually, he said, "I don't know. But I know we have to try."
Anna nodded.
And outside, dark winds were already shifting.