Achieving Complete and Total Arcane Power *Possible spoiler*

[MReav]

While that's all well and good, wouldn't doing so, kind of make V a bit of a Deus Ex Machina? I'm thinking while V will achieve it, and likely fairly soon, I don't think V will keep it. Because V will become too monstrous and horrific for V's family, that V will set it aside, despite the cost. Otherwise, we'd have to remove V from the storyline, or have to watch V God Mode through the series.

We've seen Oracle predictions that were true, but didn't last (like Belkar's killing of the Oracle)

[Ozymandias9]

While that's all well and good, wouldn't doing so, kind of make V a bit of a Deus Ex Machina? I'm thinking while V will achieve it, and likely fairly soon, I don't think V will keep it. Because V will become too monstrous and horrific for V's family, that V will set it aside, despite the cost. Otherwise, we'd have to remove V from the storyline, or have to watch V God Mode through the series.

We've seen Oracle predictions that were true, but didn't last (like Belkar's killing of the Oracle)

My guess would be that, if it comes up as a form of diabolic pact, the cost to V would somehow limit its use. Perhaps she gives up some measure of free will, perhaps she is bound to use in only in a way the furthers the goals of the being she made the deal with (we're dealing with devils, not demons, right? It's so hard to keep track). Perhaps she even thinks she's found a loophole for the preservation of her soul.

[Morgan Wick]

While that's all well and good, wouldn't doing so, kind of make V a bit of a Deus Ex Machina? I'm thinking while V will achieve it, and likely fairly soon, I don't think V will keep it. Because V will become too monstrous and horrific for V's family, that V will set it aside, despite the cost. Otherwise, we'd have to remove V from the storyline, or have to watch V God Mode through the series.

We've seen Oracle predictions that were true, but didn't last (like Belkar's killing of the Oracle)

There is an escape clause, though: suppose Rich interprets "selling your soul" to mean "you have to do what the devils say". That could provide an excuse for V to conveniently skip away when the Order has to deal with something tough. It could even provide an excuse for V not to reunite with the Order by the end of the book (given the circumstances of how s/he left Durkon and Elan, I don't think the remaining members will care too much in the short term) and possibly provide a subplot for the next one. Certainly if the devils have their own interests in the gates it'll make for compelling reading at the next gate, wherever it is.

V might not lose Ultimate Arcane Power until the book after next, or even the book after that, or ever.