The Broker of the Between hovered inches above the floating black rock of the Umbral Plane.
The entity was completely terrified. It had tried to extort a toll from a mortal, only to realize the mortal was flanked by a Fallen Valkyrie who spoke the Old Tongue of the Abyss.
"The Restricted Stock, Lord of Obsidian," the Broker whispered. "It is... highly irregular. It requires massive, concentrated death energy to purchase. Standard human gold or raw mana crystals hold no value here in the dark."
"I am aware of your currency," Lucifer stated coldly.
In his past life, the Umbral Plane was governed by a brutal, secondary economy. The system did not use gold coins here.
It used Soul Tithes. It was the condensed, ambient death magic harvested directly from slain enemies. It was the very same energy Lucifer's Carnage Core gorged on to trigger its True Damage state.
"I have accumulated a significant balance," Lucifer said smoothly.
