The Broken Halo

As Simon, Akaza, Sonya, Korran, and the two officials sat in Simon’s room, a fourth presence appeared in front of Simon’s room.

Everybody looked at the door.

Then a knock followed.

"Enter," Simon said after seeing Korran nod at him.

The door opened, and another Black Horn official entered the room.

The newcomer was a grey-skinned Prime Archfiend with thin black runes tattooed around his fingers. He carried a narrow case with both hands and swept his gaze across the room before giving a nod to Korran.

He placed the case on the table and opened it.

A black tablet rested within.

It was the length of Simon’s forearm and looked like a section of a massive horn cut and polished flat. Silver metal covered its edges, while a horned beast’s head had been carved near the bottom.

The rest of its surface was completely empty.

Despite its simple appearance, the tablet gave off a cold pressure that made Sonya’s expression turn slightly serious.

"So this is the leash?" she asked sarcastically.

Korran looked at her.

"It is a blank branch of the Black Horn Oath Tablet."

The official beside the case removed the tablet carefully and placed it on a folded black cloth.

Korran decided to explain oaths to the trio.

"Oaths are similar to curses. The difference is that an oath requires acceptance. Once your blood, demonic energy, and will recognise the terms, the artifact turns those terms into a law inside your body."

Akaza’s brows furrowed.

"All oath artifacts can do that?"

"No." Korran shook his head. "Ordinary oath artifacts only expose lies, record agreements, or punish weak demons. Very few can bind demonic pathways, the Demon Heart, and the soul."

He gestured at the tablet.

"The grade of the artifact determines the strength of the oath. A weak artifact cannot hold a powerful demon. This branch tablet is connected to the main Black Horn Tablet inside the Black Horn Office. It is more than enough to bind an Archfiend."

Sonya folded her arms.

"And what if I break this one after taking the oath?"

"The record will already exist inside the main tablet," Korran replied. "Destroying this branch will change nothing."

His voice became colder.

"If you violate the terms, the oath will burn through your demonic pathways. Your demonic energy will become chaotic, and the more power you use, the worse the damage becomes."

Sonya’s faint smile disappeared.

"You will be crippled if the backlash is allowed to spread," Korran continued. "If the violation is severe enough, or you attempt to forcefully resist the oath, it may reach your Demon Heart and kill you."

He paused for a moment.

"The Black Horn mark will also appear on your body. Every city formation connected to the Darkness Kingdom will recognise you as an enemy."

Sonya clicked her tongue.

"How nice. So very friendly."

"No one is forcing you to agree," Korran said calmly. "You still have the Judgment Hall."

The coldness in Sonya’s expression deepened, but Simon raised one hand before she could speak.

"Carve the terms."

The official that brought the tablet glanced at Korran. After receiving a nod, he removed a short silver stylus from the case.

Its tip was made from a black claw.

He pressed it against the tablet and channelled his demonic energy into it.

Chiiiii

A thin crimson line appeared wherever the stylus moved.

Simon watched the first few words take shape, then his voice suddenly sounded.

"Stop."

The official’s hand froze.

One of the other Black Horn officials frowned.

"What is it now?"

Simon ignored him and looked at the words on the tablet.

"You wrote that the oath will remain active until the first foothold is established and the raid force returns."

"That is the purpose of the raid," the rune-carver said carefully.

"It also creates an opening," Simon replied. "If the foothold is never established, the oath can remain active even after we return."

Korran’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The rune-carver looked at him.

For a few seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Korran nodded.

"Remove it."

The official placed two fingers over the fresh runes. The crimson writing dissolved back into the tablet.

Simon began dictating the terms himself.

"The oath begins only when the oath-bearer passes through Velmora’s rift as a member of the first raid."

The stylus moved.

"It covers orders directly related to surviving the crossing, destroying the human preparations around the rift, protecting the first raid, securing a foothold, or retreating back to the demon realm."

More crimson runes appeared.

"It does not cover ordinary city duties, private orders, rebel hunting, personal missions, or any command unrelated to the first raid."

The official hesitated slightly before carving the words.

"The oath ends when the surviving first raid returns through the rift. For any bearer who dies before then, it ends once their death is confirmed."

Korran watched Simon silently.

"No one can extend, alter, or add a new term after the oath is accepted unless every living oath-bearer agrees."

The rune-carver stopped and looked at Korran again.

Korran’s lips twitched faintly.

"Carve it."

The official obeyed.

Simon was not done.

"In return, the Black Horn Office will recognise Sonya’s actions against the rebel cell as an emergency operation connected to the Earth campaign."

Sonya’s lips curled slightly.

"Her merit for exposing the rebels, protecting the convoy, discovering the recruitment infiltration, and preventing the combined explosion will be calculated against the deaths and property damage."

Korran folded his arms.

"The city will still investigate the exact damage."

"I did not say otherwise."

"And if the damage exceeds her merit, the remaining compensation will be discussed separately."

Simon nodded at Korran’s words.

"Carve that too."

The official added the final terms.

When he finished, the crimson runes covered most of the tablet’s surface. They did not form straight lines like normal writing. Some curved around others, while several disappeared beneath the black surface before emerging elsewhere.

The official read every term aloud. Simon listened without interrupting.

When the official was done, Simon looked at Sonya and gave a slight nod.

"It’s fine now. You can sign it."

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