บท 250: 247: Fooling Gruul

"You don't mind if I take them, do you?" Val asked.

"I don't mind at all, Master," Gruul replied, his voice tinged with a respect that went beyond mere formality.

Val smiled appreciatively.

"You know, I'm not one to simply take things from my subordinates without offering something in return. I'd feel bad if I did. So, I'll give you these in return."

As he spoke, he took out a handful of Soul Crystal Shards along with a fully intact soul crystal from the Void Orb with a thought and held them out to Gruul. 

"I hope you find these useful," he added.

Initially, Gruul thought Val's kind gesture would be just that—a nice, yet ultimately useless, offering. He had seen many trinkets in his time and few had caught his interest. But as he laid eyes on the items Val extended, his gaze sharpened, and a rare expression of joy flickered across his inhumane features. 

The Soul Crystal Shards and the soul crystal were overflowing with life force!