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Despite the ups and downs of their relationship, life has been going well for Tranns and Lucien. So well, in fact,
that they've begun to talk about picking a date to have some kind of wedding ceremony. Upon returning from a trip to
Hyrule, however, Lucien meets a strange, old man in the Risan camp named Genoff. At first, he doesn't recognize the
stranger, although Genoff seems to recognize him. Genoff explains that he is a shaman and that, many years ago, Lucien
sold him his soul, in exchange for learning the identity of his parents' killer. Genoff has learned that Lucien plans
to give his soul away to someone else and has come to collect.
Lucien is horrified and tries to find a way to get out of the debt. Genoff, however, is desperate to collect.
His rapid aging is due to the fact that he's been using souls to maintain his youth for the last few years. He needs
another soul in order to survive and he tells Lucien that if he doesn't surrender his soul, he'll take one from someone near
Lucien, like Tranns, Insa, or the children. As a show of good faith, however, he grants Lucien one final day.
Immediately, Lucien goes to Aden for advice. He swears Aden to secrecy. Aden is distressed to learn what
Lucien's done. Lucien asks what Aden would do. Aden answers that he would fight, would try to find a way out of the
situation, and if he could not, he would want to show his loved ones one final, perfect day. Seeing no way out, Lucien
finds Tranns again, and does his best to give her a terrific day.
After romance and cookies and all other kinds of delights, the next day, Tranns and Lucien are exhausted.
Tranns begins to sense something wrong with Lucien's mood, but he denies it. When she presses him for answers, he gets
angry and breaks up with her, storming out of the Phoenix House and leaving her very confused. Meanwhile, Aden has begun
consulting books, looking for a way out of the situation for Lucien. He's joined by Philip. When Tranns goes to
Philip for comfort, she finds the two of them hard at work. Philip explains the situation to her, just as Aden realizes
that a shaman can exchange a promised soul for the soul of someone who's been close to Lucien; either physically or emotionally.
Philip decides to wager his soul for Lucien's, as the two of them have fought battles together. Aden strongly objects
to this, fearing a return of Philip's Dragmire persona. Tranns, however, asks for the Hind's Blood dagger. She
and Philip leave for the Risan camp and catch Genoff, just as he is about to take Lucien's soul. Philip offers a wager,
over a coin toss. Eager for such a powerful soul, Genoff accepts. He wins the coin toss, but Tranns promptly stabs
Genoff in the heart with the Hind's Blood dagger. He dies, leaving Lucien alone with a very, very angry Tranns.
Philip, however, sees the immense devotion between the two of them and tells them to reconcile, so they don't end up alone
like him. It will be slow going, and will probably mean a delay in any kind of marriage, and Tranns and Lucien come
back together.
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