PS: This chapter is 5,500 Chinese characters long, written in one sitting. Feeling pretty good about it ().
Annomyn's journey home went far more smoothly than his painful, arduous journey out.
Aaron was truly grateful for the young man's help. In fact, if a series of coincidences had not allowed him to steal part of Be'lakor's True Name and tell Aaron, Aaron really would not have known how to defeat Be'lakor.
Even the weakest Quasi-Deity was still a Quasi-Deity. Be'lakor's might was beyond mortal doubt; the many heads hanging from the Original Daemon Prince's wings were proof enough.
Aaron possessed the authority of the Chaos Gods, and only he could easily master, read, and remember a daemon's True Name. Their combined efforts had dealt Be'lakor a crushing defeat.
Unfortunately, Annomyn had little noteworthy talent in either martial prowess or strategy. The only admirable things about him were his heart of gold, bent on saving his mother, and his will of iron.
So when Annomyn declined to serve Aaron, Aaron did not force him. He took a large handful of loose elven gold and silver coins from a captured Fey'ri treasure chest, pressed them into his hands, and wished him a safe journey.
Annomyn clutched the spirit stone Buer had given him against his chest and did his utmost to memorize Aaron's and Buer's faces. Amid the golden light of Oberon's Teleport, he bowed to them one last time in thanks.
Then Annomyn found himself back in Karinport, the capital of Calimshan.
When he arrived, Annomyn almost burst into tears. He had been through far too much on his journey to Cormanthor Forest.
I'm home!
Mother, I'm coming to save you!
With the spirit stone tucked against his chest, Annomyn strode toward the city gates.
Karinport was an enormous city of