Ava held his gaze for a moment, her expression was a mixture of admiration and amusement. "Ambitious and determined," she purred. "I like that in a mortal."

She glanced down at the locket in her hand, her fingers brushing over it lightly, and for a brief second, her expression softened—just a flicker of something that resembled understanding.

But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced once more by her cold, calculating smile.

Adrian couldn't help but feel the loss of the locket as though a piece of himself had been taken away.

But he knew this was the price for what he desired, and he was willing to pay it.

Ava's golden eyes glowed with power as she stepped back, her gaze now focused on Adrian with newfound intensity. "The means to your vengeance will come, but understand this," she said, her voice growing cold, "once you accept this gift, there will be no turning back."

Adrian nodded, his jaw clenched. "I understand. And if I fail?"

Ava's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, hard stare. "Failure will strip you of everything. Wealth, influence, power—it will all crumble to dust. And you'll be left with nothing but your broken ambition."

A heavy silence fell over the chamber as Adrian absorbed the gravity of her words. He had already lost everything once before.

The idea of losing even more, of being consumed by failure and ruin, terrified him.

But he wouldn't let that fear control him. He was too close now.

"I won't fail," Adrian said firmly.

Ava's lips curved into a sly smile. "We'll see." With a graceful wave of her hand, the contract reappeared before them, hovering in the air. "It's time, Adrian. Sign the contract, and your path to power will begin."

Adrian glanced at the golden quill that materialised beside the contract, suspended in midair. He reached for it, his fingers trembling ever so slightly.

The weight of this decision pressed heavily on him, but he knew there was no other way forward. This was what he had come for.

Adrian hesitated for only a moment before taking the quill. He pressed the tip to the golden parchment, his hand steady as he scrawled his name across the line.

The moment his signature was complete, the scroll glowed with an intense light, and the contract vanished into the air, leaving behind tiny gold particles.

Ava sighed contentedly, her form seeming to glow even brighter now that the deal had been made. "Well done, Adrian," she purred in approval. "Now, let's make sure you're equipped for what comes next."

A golden aura enveloped Adrian, and he felt a surge of energy unlike anything he had ever experienced. His senses sharpened, his mind became clearer, and a flood of knowledge poured into him—strategies, manipulation tactics, ways to influence others to his advantage.

It was overwhelming, intoxicating.

But beneath that, he felt something else—a gnawing hunger. A desire to take, to acquire, to control. It was subtle, but it was there, waiting to grow.

"You feel it, don't you?" Ava whispered, her voice seductive. "The power, the hunger. It will drive you, push you to achieve things you never thought possible."

Adrian clenched his fists, feeling the strength coursing through him. "I won't let it consume me."

Ava chuckled softly, her golden hair shimmering like molten gold in the light. "We'll see, mortal. Greed has a way of slipping into even the most disciplined hearts. But for now, enjoy the power I've given you. You'll need it."

Adrian nodded, his mind already focused on his next steps. "I will."

Adrian felt the weight of the power Ava had granted him, settling over his mind like a second skin. The hunger for influence, for control, gnawed at the edges of his consciousness, but he forced it down.

For now.

He took a breath, steadying himself, and glanced back at Ava. "We should get out of here."

Ava, who had been naked throughout their exchange, gave a slight nod.

With a subtle gesture, she closed her eyes, and a golden light began to shimmer around her form. The glow intensified, wrapping her in a warm, radiant aura until it enveloped her entirely.

Adrian shielded his eyes against the brightness.

When the light finally dissipated, Ava stood before him, now dressed in an elegant, flowing gown made of fine, brown fabric that seemed to catch the light.

Her golden hair flowed down her back in soft waves, and her eyes sparkled with renewed vitality. She looked every bit the goddess she claimed to be, radiating power and beauty in equal measure.

Around her waist was a brown bag also.

Ava smiled, clearly satisfied with her transformation, and then turned to face the chamber's exit. "Let's go," she said, her voice calm but commanding.

As they made their way toward the grand entrance, the three goblins that had earlier led Adrian through the temple appeared from the shadows.

Their wiry bodies trembled as they came face-to-face with their goddess. The mischievous gleam that had once danced in their eyes was gone, replaced by fear and uncertainty.

Ava's golden gaze swept over them, cold and calculating. "Who stole my coins?" she asked, her voice soft but carrying the unmistakable weight of authority.

There was no anger in her tone, but the threat behind the question was clear.

The goblins froze, their faces twisting with panic. None of them spoke, but their guilty expressions betrayed them.

Ava stepped closer, her gown whispering against the stone floor as she moved. "I asked you a question," she said again in a smooth and dangerous tone. "Who stole from me?"

The three goblins exchanged nervous glances, their long fingers twitching as though they were considering making a run for it.

But they knew there was nowhere to hide, not from Ava.

One of the goblins, the ringleader who had been the boldest earlier, cleared his throat nervously. "W-We didn't mean to, Goddess," he stammered, his voice high-pitched and trembling. "We were just... keeping it safe for you!"

The other two goblins nodded furiously, their heads bobbing up and down in agreement. "Yes, yes! Safe!" they echoed, though their voices wavered with fear.

Ava tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Safe?" she repeated, her voice dripping with amusement.

She extended a hand, and with a flick of her fingers, a small pile of coins and trinkets clattered to the ground in front of the goblins—coins that had been pilfered from her treasure hoard.

The goblins flinched, their beady eyes darting to the spilled coins and back to Ava.

"We were going to return them, we swear!" the ringleader blurted out desperately. "Just... just a misunderstanding!"

Ava's smile didn't reach her eyes. "A misunderstanding," she echoed softly. "Do you think you can steal from me without consequence?"

The goblins recoiled, shaking their heads vigorously. "No, no, Goddess! We didn't mean any harm!"

Adrian watched the exchange, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.

He could feel the tension in the air, and the goblins' fear also. He felt a pang of sympathy for them, but he knew better than to interfere with a goddess's judgment.

Ava took a step back, her eyes sweeping over the trembling goblins. "You're lucky I'm in a generous mood," she said lightly. "But steal from me again, and I won't be so forgiving."

The goblins nodded frantically, bowing so low their noses nearly touched the ground. "Thank you, Goddess! We will never—never—do it again!"

"Good," Ava said, her smile returning, though it was sharp as a blade. She turned away from them, her attention now on Adrian. "Let's go. I've had enough of this place."

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