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"I will have to take your word on that," said Ettol. "To give up so much freedom for a whiff of extra power is not something I could ever abide or even condone. Truly, you have my pity, sir."

"That is one way of looking at it, I suppose. Another is that the only true freedom to be had comes from mastery of one's own circumstances and view. From an understanding that limitation makes way for imagination."

"Spoken like a pawn of the most obedient nature."

"If you think an attack on my pride will make any headway, then you will be sorely disappointed. That is the language of your kind, friend. Which I find increasingly ironic, the more I think about it."

"Ironic, is it? And how is that? You wrap yourself in chains, yet think me the slave here?"

"Always talking of freedom, but you have no qualms taking it from others, do you? If you really believed what you claim, then you would have left this realm in peace Ages ago. Left us to our own devices."

"Oh? 'Us,' you say? You count yourself among them, Oathbearer?"

"Of course I do."

"Now that is the real farce here, surely. Does that not count as a breach of your covenant?"

"If it did, we would both know so immediately."

"Heh. A fair point, I suppose."

Another period of silence arrived.

In that exchange, Ettol had learned even more than he'd wanted to about this person. Memories of so many encounters were coming to mind involuntarily now, making him relive countless fights and arguments with the most ancient enemy of his kin. Even if he'd never met this one before, they were all the same, in the end.

What an awful day it had turned out to be.

He'd been hoping against hope that, during his most recent imprisonment, they had finally all been eradicated--or at least chased away from this realm--but that was clearly not the case.

"...So is it to be a fight, then?" said Ettol. "Because to be quite frank with you, sir, I am not much in the mood."

The stranger's smile returned. "Nor am I. Even if we are of differing views, that does not mean we must make war, does it?"

"History would suggest otherwise."

"Indeed. But the future remains full of possibility."

Ettol had to suppress his own irritation. "Why did you seek me out? For the philosophical debate?"

"Would it be so terrible if I said yes?"