Staring down into the basin, he rethought his plan one last time.
His plan that would no doubt result in his death.
His plan that would be exceedingly dangerous if he was wrong.
His plan that depended on a "maybe".
Staring into the basin, he looked for answers.
Answers to the doubts swirling in his head.
Answers to tell him what he was doing was right.
Answers to give him strength to do what he had to.
Staring into the basin, he took one last deep breath.
Clutching the goblet in one hand and his note in the other.
Taking one last deep breath, he plunged the goblet into the basin.
He filled the goblet with the glowing green liquid and turned to his servant.
He forced the liquid down the throat of his servant and refilled the goblet.
Twelve times his servant swallowed the liquid and screamed in pain.
Staring into the now-empty basin, he saw his goal gleaming at the bottom.
His goal that spelled certain death for him, now that he had reached it.
Refusing to think about the future, he lifted the object and held it to the light.
Putting the note into the replacement, he slipped the original into his pocket.
Grabbing his shaking servant by the arm, he dropped the replacement in the basin.
As he refilled the basin with glowing green liquid, the man sealed his own fate.