The creature seemed to laugh, a sound simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. It was a twisted rainbow washing over the clearing. It was then that it became clear that, despite the words filling the clearing, the knight had not once opened his mouth. It was the being around him, the imp on his shoulder, that spoke. It was the voice of a God. "Foolish mortal creature. I own it because you wish for it. It is yours because I offer it to you. This power I will grant you, for now and forevermore, to wield as you see fit." The stone seemed to float there, radiating energy, but there was another thing. For Firebrand could feel that the offer was not that of a moment. To accept this stone now would grant him it's power, but he would not be able to give it up as easily as he had before. It was strength beyond measure, the power to become a living god, but it had also caused a loss within him. But as the Paladin held out the stone he offered more than just it's power, whispered a thousand times into his ears. He offered pleasure and pain, he offered love, grief and anguish. He offered eternal youth and perfection, he offered the pinnacle of life to be enjoyed and despaired over for all eternity. He could feel the God engulfing him, filling his ears with promises, and each of them struck true. No lie could be spoken by those divinely innocent lips, even as sadistic eyes stared him down. Love, lust, agony, grief, happiness, glee, despair, fear, anger, hate, suffering, vanity, pride.... all fell within Slaanesh's domain, the domain of the greatest of the Chaos Gods. And he would grant all of these gifts to Firebrand free of charge, because even as he was gifted the ocean he would drown in it, lost in the power.

To the others, there was no sign, no movement. But a moment passed for a minute felt by the devil. And his decision here would change the destiny of the entire world, if not the universe. With one word he could become the Ultimate Gargoyle, greatest of the Ghoul Realm, and with that power he might repel the threat upon Arcadia. Or he might simply become the next great threat. By refusing the stone he might plunge the world into an era of darkness, or he might save it from a tyrant that had yet to exist. Either way much would hang in the balance, and it was not a decision that could be postponed. In this moment, the fate of the world was decided, one way or another.