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Impossible didn't even begin to describe it. Time had not been time. Who could have--?

He saw, finally. Damian was there. Moving when he shouldn't be able to. Seeing what he shouldn't be able to.

The man's eyes were as wide and wild as any Ettol had ever seen. And they were staring right through him.

"I see you, devil."

And the blows kept coming. Pummeling the incarnation's body.

Ettol lashed out out with the Windlight. A surge of psychic strength. Released all at once, without aim.

A great pulse pushed his attacker back and left the small fortress rumbling. But that was not all. The wind stayed. It whipped itself into a frenzy, flowing to and fro with guidance from Ettol.

Agh. A wisp had slipped through. A nuisance, but fine. Perhaps even helpful. Not time to fuss over it, though.

Damian was not pushed back for long. He was blitzing straight toward him.

Not using that strange power of his? Fortunate.

Ettol raised a hand to summon full psychic force. Freezing the man in place would be the best solution, but maybe--

Damian was barely affected. He rushed through and swung again, forcing Ettol to dodge physically.

Now he was beginning to understand.

Psychic breaks could sometimes result in these sorts of unexpected reactions. It all depended on how one coped with the advent of madness.

Judging by the smile on his face, Damian wasn't minding it terribly.

Germal certainly was. That expression on that face couldn't have looked more wrong. Was that truly Damian?

There was no opportunity to contemplate it. Germal was a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, of course, but Damian had always been on another level when it came to such things. And if psychic attacks were going to be of limited use, then he didn't favor his chances here.

Damian was a tornado of blows, now--as if the wisp that had snuck its way into the room had chosen to bless every one of his attacks. It was all Germal could do to stay on his feet. Right hook, left hook, sweep of the leg, feint, jab, knee, grab, spin, fly.

It didn't make sense. Nothing did.

"This is what you fear," Damian was saying with a laugh. "Isn't it? You fear us seeing through you all. Growing stronger than you all. Showing you that we aren't your playthings."