You think my goal tonight is to collect the power to revert Charis to Good? I have read the philosophies; I know that it would be a fool's errand. The threat to the Way between Worlds is why She fell from Righteousness, and to redeem Her would only cause us to witness Her fall once more. Unless you accuse me of having the power to change the mind of a Goddess. You see plots and mal-intent because that is what you already thought of me. It is this suspicion that I would hope you can look past, just as I look past where you have acted on your own self interest. The hope is to keep them delayed due to uncertainty, and to draw the allies of the lich out of hiding in the open. It serves to foil one of their key advantages, and to delay the attempt at the ritual. To delay them is important because we know that the lich intends to use the energy column that curiously exists in Natalia's new temple to Valacles. The longer we force the lich to delay, the better defended the site is. So yes, delay serves us very well.

Theo listens to Niall's counter offer and responds. To that I cannot submit. The artifact has already been decided, she will be receiving the Lens of the Mind's Eye. The other artifacts belong to other Temples, to which they will be faithfully returned once they are recovered, and the Sword of Tariel belongs with the Champion. Or have you forgotten that I hold that title, along with that of High Priest? Asoryala will be able to make good use of the Lens, I assure you, and the only artifact that will remain in my possession is the Sword.

Theo gets up and prepares to leave, signalling that he is done negotiating. You can be a part of this, or you can continue to stay out of the fight as you did against our raid on the Temple of Maltur. That is your choice. I hope to see you tonight when we prepare spells, preferably earlier so that I can inform Ilyen that you will be in the field to properly coordinate. And I hope you return to the Temple so that the two strongest warriors in Charis's army can fight alongside eachother instead of splitting Her forces in the darkest days. He walks to the door, but hesitates, turns around, and says one last thing. You claim to adhere to the demands of Charis, that we be neutral. You should know that days ago, when I cast Detect Evil, you resonated with an Evil aura. I do not say so to call you a hypocrite, but as a lesson. Charis blesses us both because She sees past Good and Evil, for Her great sacrifice was needed so that both could be on the same side lest all is lost to the whims of chaos. Theo leaves to allow Niall to ruminate on all that Theo told him. Perhaps he would change his mind, see Theo for the commander and leader that Charis asks him to be instead of the interloper who stole Niall's legacy from him.