Page 4028

"Who are you?" said Ettol, knowing it would almost certainly go unanswered.

The stranger stepped closer. "You're not feeling well, are you?"

Ettol grabbed his forehead. "No. I know you are, don't I? But your name--it's being--agh..."

There was no pain, but that was not a good thing, he knew. Because there should have been. Something important was missing. He could sense it. Something very important was missing from his memory.

Jonah. No. Not just Jonah. Others, as well. Someone had helped him.

The parasites? They knew about Jonah? Had made contact with him? When?

The stranger's hand was on Ettol's shoulder now.

Ettol wanted to rip it from the other man's arm. To attack and then flee as fast as he possibly could.

But his body wouldn't even move. And a foreign calm had come over him. Pressing down on his mind. His thoughts. Settling his concerns. His questions.

His impulses.

Telling him that everything was fine. There was nothing to worry about. Just like the man in front of him was doing.

"It's okay," said the stranger. "Relax. You're perfectly safe with me."

Every fiber of his being was rejecting those words.

No one did this to Ettol. Ettol did this to others. This was not allowable. Not proper or acceptable.

So why couldn't he break free, then?

Because he was still too young, of course. This incarnation, too weak.

And because of Jonah.

Always Jonah.

Undermining his every effort. Constantly.

He'd been too soft, hadn't he? Too sympathetic. Granted Jonah too much influence.

Jonah had grown stronger than he realized. Enough to conceal things from him. To manipulate his memories in return.

Kehe.

Didn't feel good, did it? Having a taste of your own medicine? There'd been a time when Jonah had thought that maybe Ettol could still change for the better--that perhaps seeing what it was like to be manipulated would alter his perspective of doing such things to others.

But no. Jonah knew better by now.

Ettol would not learn from this experience. He would only grow angry and spiteful. Which was obviously going to be a problem, of course.

But there was nothing for it, unfortunately. Jonah intended to make Ettol show his true colors, no matter what. This fight could never be won, otherwise.

Ah.

That was better. Back in control again. That was right. Just relax, Ettol. This meeting wasn't for you.

"Sermung," said Jonah.

And the other man blinked at him. "Aha... there you are, Jonah. You had me worried."

Next page on the 22nd

Thanks for your patience, everybody.

Page 4027

"Hah. No. But as I mentioned, I am rather busy, at the moment. Perhaps we could pick this up another time."

"Oh, I'm sure we will. But I am curious about who you are meeting."

"I am surprised you do not already know. I was getting the impression that you had already been observing me for some time."

"Not at all. I merely found a door and gave it a knock. You are the one who decided to answer."

Ettol wondered how much he should trust those words. His instinct told him not to be, but then, these Oathbearers were quite simple-minded, weren't they? Lacking guile in the extreme. Often outright incapable of lying, due to their chosen covenant.

And this one... well, he did seem a little different, truth be told, but not overly so.

Which was beginning to render Ettol bored. While, yes, Oathbearers were indeed his favorite opponents, that was only when there was an actual fight to be had; and this did not appear to be that--nor had he lied when he'd said that he was not in the mood for one.

Just another overly simplistic distraction when he had more important matters to be worrying about. If this man wanted--

Wait a minute.

Something wasn't right here.

If this was a mere Oathbearer, then how had he rejected the psychic marker at the beginning of their conversation?

He'd nearly forgotten about that. How? Psychic manipulation?

That would be the traditional explanation, but no... it couldn't be that. If there was one thing Ettol had confidence in, it was matters of mental manipulation and psychic influence. Just by being in the same room, he would be able to tell if this person in front of him harbored such abilities.

And yet still, he sensed nothing. Sure, Oathbearers could be otherwise completely normal human beings, but then how did he reject the marker?

...Moreover, when had it even been confirmed that he was an Oathbearer?

Hadn't Ettol just been worried that the man might have been faking? Where had that concern disappeared to? Jonah? Agh, maybe. But even if so, might that also mean Jonah knew something of this man that he did not?

Impossible...

Unconsciously, Ettol took a step back.

There was more than just something wrong here, he realized. All of a sudden, nothing seemed right.

"Easy now," said the stranger in a voice that was admittedly quite soothing. "Don't get skittish on me. I'm not going to hurt you."