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Well.

On second thought, he knew exactly how someone could believe that. He was suddenly reminded of his youth--of that special breed of proud, malicious ignorance that seemed to possess everyone around him in those days.

‘Anti-knowledge,’ he’d called it. Not just the desire to remain ignorant. No. It went a step further and sought to destroy the knowledge of others, too. To humiliate them for even having the gall to pursue said knowledge in the first place.

There was nothing in this universe that Morgunov hated more than that.

And his confusion, his disbelief--they melted gradually away.

Replaced in their entirety with rage. The kind he hadn’t felt in countless years. The kind that threatened to overtake every cogent thought in his mind.

It was all he could do to contain himself. If the two of them were not already trapped, he would have killed Germal instantly. No games. No toying with his food. No experimenting with some untested invention. No saving his real trump cards for later. Not even any capturing for future study.

This creature in here with him--whatever it was--it needed to die.

“...You’ve fallen quiet,” said Germal.

Morgunov said nothing.

“Kehe. It seems I’ve accomplished the impossible.”

Morgunov knew he needed to steady himself. He’d allowed his emotions to rise too much.

He knew that.

And yet he didn’t entirely care. The thought occurred to him that, yes, if Germal could really read minds, then the bastard could be reading this, right now. That he--no, it--could’ve even known ahead of time exactly what to say in order to provoke this very reaction.

That it could’ve all been a lie, said for no other reason than to get under his skin.

If so, then Morgunov could admit: it had worked. And this bastard was going to regret it with every fiber of its being.

But for some reason, Morgunov felt like that wasn’t the case, either. That really was how Germal viewed the world, wasn’t it? Perhaps that was even how all the Primordials viewed it.

Which would certainly explain why the Void decided to rip them from this plane of existence.

Because they deserved it. And worse.

“Is it my turn, now?” said Germal. “Have I answered to your satisfaction?”

Still, Morgunov almost remained silent. But after a moment, he found enough poise to say, “Yes. Go ahead.”