Erik sat on a rock among the mists, the sound of water around him. Not the waves of the ocean he was used to, just a little trickle and the occasional drip, punctuated by the occasional drop of a fishing hook into the water. "How's the fishing?"

"Not very good," the Seer said from behind him. "I suppose that's to be expected, since this is a dream."

Erik nodded, looking out at the mists. "I thought you vanished."

"It seems a small portion of my power has attached itself to you." Another plop as the Seer tried recasting the line. "I don't expect it will do much, but perhaps we can have a nice conversation."

Erik didn't speak right away. "Why me?"

"Well, your fate was the one I interfered the most with. It makes sense that my power should be most closely tied to you."

Erik shook his head. "I mean... why me? I'm not a knight or royalty or descended from a sage, anything like that."

"Hm..." The Seer considered. "Perhaps because you reminded me of myself."

"Hey, don't compare me with you," Erik said, half-turning to look at the Seer over his shoulder. "I will never betray my friends."

"Yes. I believe that." The Seer kept his back to Erik, the pole twitching slightly. "But you also understand what it is like to feel as though you have committed a great sin. To want to do anything to make up for that."

Erik sighed. Not wrong. "How am I supposed to stay mad at you when you say something like that?" He turned back to the mists.

Things fell silent again, punctuated only by a plip of water. "Are you aware of the stars under which you born?"

He did. The stars that he'd always thought were some sort of cosmic irony. "Triple trust."

"Yes. I needed someone who was in the right place and the right time, and someone... who would not betray their friends, even if tempted with power. I decided to put my faith in those guiding stars of yours."

"Can you actually see the future?"

"Not in the sense you are thinking, I suspect. Time is not the fixed, immutable thing many believe it to be. But Mordegon is myself, after all. I understood what he would do and thus, could take steps to counteract that. I needed someone who could help him when all seemed dark. A person that could understand loss, and be a reliable support. A friend. And then I found you, when and where I needed you."

"You had a lot of faith in someone that didn't even have a lot of faith in himself."

"Sometimes what is apparent to others is not so apparent to ourselves. And sometimes we do not grow into those better versions of ourselves until we are with those that will bring it out. You may not think much of me, which I understand, but truly, I was worthless before I met Erdwin."

He understood that feeling all too well. "Morcant... What is Calasmos? What are we up against, really? All the monsters have gotten so much more violent since he awoke, even ones that are normally peaceful. Why is he doing that?"

"I don't believe he's doing much of anything, in all honesty," Morcant replied. "His power is such that those with untapped darkness, monster or human, can think of nothing more than destruction. Of returning everything to the void, just like his own desire. But if you're asking if he is controlling them... truly, I believe he does not even notice them. Nor does he care that they are there. It is a mere side effect."

"So... what is he?"

"The simplest explanation, perhaps, is that he is an ego. An existence. But he is one that does not tolerate the existence of other creations. Erdrea enrages him simply by being. The grass and trees, the animals, the people... he tolerates none of it."

"Why?"

"That is a question I think no person can answer." Morcant cast the line again. "We who at the least tolerate other existences out of necessity, if nothing else, cannot hope to fathom an ego which does not."

"Can we... really do this?"

"It is as much a mystery as the rest of the future. No one can know the full scope of what is to come." Another long pause. "But I believe in that Luminary. He reminds me of my Erdwin a bit, you know. But just as important are the ones around him. If you do not falter, you will win."

Erik stared out at the mists again. There wasn't anything in particular to look at, which made it easy to just focus on his thoughts. "Hey, Morcant. I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but... I forgive you. You've beaten yourself up long enough. You've made up for it."

Morcant was silent for so long, Erik thought he might've left. "You really are a kind person, aren't you?"

"Not really. But I guess I believe you when you said we had some things in common. So... thanks for putting me with people that make me a better version of myself."

"No, Erik. Thank you."

Erik paused, then turned. "Morcant-" But he was alone on the rock.