“I’ll get straight to the point. I wish to make you an offer you can’t refuse. But, let’s get more comfortable before we negotiate.”

Urist heard a snap and his floating body abruptly materialized, causing him to fall into a fairly soft bean bag chair. The previously blank walls transformed into a warm light wood as the oxygen crystals appeared hanging from the ceiling, lighting up the room, and several exotic rugs materialized upon the darker shade of wood that made up the floor.

A grand mahogany table appeared in front of Urist with a wine pitcher and crystal glasses upon it.

Finally, Lin Tassian revealed himself. Unlike his undead lich father and his fellow Norkin’s appearances, Lin Tassian had healthy bronze skin, deep brown eyes, and brown hair with locks of green waves traveling through it. He wore a loose fitting gray robe with swirls of toxic green that flowed along with it like waves. One of the robe’s sleeves had slipped to the side, exploding the massive firm muscles beneath.

Yet Lin gave off a relaxed air as he moved over to the table and poured wine into the two glasses.

Urist, feeling no killing intent despite having killed the man claimed as Lin‘s father, took the weird turn of events in stride, “Oh? What is this offer I can’t refuse?”

Lin waved his hand in the air, “In this place, I can give you all the information I know about the ‘game’ without the gods knowing. I can answer any questions you have about why you were given a ‘second chance.’ Why people forget their memories, yet remember them later on. Why you are the focus of attention, and why people look to you for guidance and push you up on a pedestal, worshiping your every action. Information you would never have, at your fingertips. I have the answers to all that has been plaguing you.

“I can even save your Magic Swordsman Volt from dying, for even with the SSS clear you might achieve in this event you wouldn’t be able to bring him back with the number of points you’ve earned. You’re still very early into the ‘game,’ aren’t you. Let me guess, you’ve only just got your second civilization stone.

“With his power level, it’ll cost you most of your points, if not all of them, to bring him back. So you’ll have to decide, to choose between reviving the weaker many or the sole, powerful one. If you don’t take my deal, that is.”

Urist grabbed a wine glass and stared at the swirling red wine inside.

“You know my name and my fellow dwarf, Volt’s name. Although your deal is intriguing, how do you know about me and most importantly, what do you want?”

Lin took a drink from his cup before he replied.

“I’ve watched you and your army since you joined this world. I’ve listened to your words and saw how you acted. What do I want, you ask? I want an eternal pact that is as follows: The Dwarf King Urist will endeavor to acquire a body for Lin Tassian that he finds acceptable. Urist will also provide Lin Tassian with a civilization stone and allow him to run the city spawned from said stone as he pleases.

“Lin Tassian, in return, will provide all information he knows about the ‘game,’ and will come under the command of the dwarf king Urist and pledge his eternal loyalty. Lin Tassian will make sure that Volt stays alive until the current event in which the Norkin and fox-kin reside has ended. If one party attempts to renege on this deal they shall be destroyed in both body and spirit, never to recover for all time.

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How does that sound?”

Urist mulled over Lin’s words. Things appeared simple and mostly to his benefit, still he had some nagging questions.

“It sounds alright, but I have a few concerns.”

“Ask away.”

“What is an eternal pact? Is it an oath?”

“The two are very different. You see, an oath is something that seeks power or cuts off potential while an eternal pact is an agreement between two parties that can never be broken— not even with god level magic or items. The reason why I want an eternal pact is because a regular pact could be destroyed.” Lin replied smoothly.

“Alright. The next question. Why me?”

“I’ve been waiting for the right person to arrive. For a long, long time.”

Everything seems to be in my favor, but something nags me.

“Aren’t you mad that I killed your father?”

Lin paused in the middle of refilling his glass and simply stared at the bottle, silently watching the liquid within move. His once shining smile turned melodramatic as he placed the wine bottle onto the table.

“My father died a long time ago. This would be… The hundredth cycle I’ve been through? Tell me Urist, do you think you can die and be brought back without a cost, without losing a single thing?”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

Urist stilled as Lin glanced at the wine bottle longingly before continuing.

“I’ll tell you this for free just so you’ll understand where I’m coming from. Each time someone dies and is brought back by a resurrection not assisted by a god they lose a piece of themselves. Think of it like wounds they acquired from the trauma of death. But you see the gods are cruel and unless they like the mortal they will not stop the decay of death.

“I’m a soulmancer so I know this field quite well. You see, in the cycle of reincarnation, these souls are washed and healed to be reused to become the souls of a new life. The problem with reincarnation without souls being cleansed or godly intervention is that each death the soul goes through cracks and breaks it. Each death amplifies the damage, and I’m sure you can understand what I’m saying. One hundred ‘games,’ fifty-one deaths, what would you think would happen to a soul that suffered through that?”

The realization hit Urist like a hammer, “My God. I’m—”

Lin raised his hand and cut him off.

“My father, my people aren’t even fragments of their former selves. Only their base personalities survived after the thirteenth death. The one who still had some semblance of sanity was killed by Valkus, and thus she can be considered fully dead as well now. She wasn’t much of a fighter, and only managed to survive all these cycles by luck.”

Lin grabbed the bottle and stared straight at Urist.

“Just remember this. You didn’t kill my father or my people. They have already been dead for a long time. I hold no grudge against you or your people.”

Lin chugged the remaining wine in the bottle in one go, leaving Urist to his thoughts. Around the time Lin finished off the bottle, Urist asked one more question.

“What do you want to accomplish Lin?”

Lin’s smile returned as a golden light shone from his eyes.

“Revenge against a traitorous elven bitch.”

Urist held out his hand, and Lin grasped it firmly.

“I accept your proposed eternal pact, Lin. No. Brother.”

“Thank you Uris— no, Brother. I knew you were the one I was waiting for.”

The moment their pact was completed two pearl white spears descended from the heavens and impaled them through their hearts and souls.

Urist rubbed his chest, feeling no different than before. There was just a new,barely noticeable sense in the back of his head. when he focused on the feeling, it brought to the forefront the entire eternal bond he had just sworn.

His attention back to Lin, “So, Brother. Tell me your story and all that I must know.”

Lin nodded and grew serious once more.

“It all began when my father awoke on the mother sand...”