THE Primordial Paradox took another sip.
"And even now, they remain desperate to do so. Erwin was never the first to attempt taking my Claim from me."
His smile returned as it was thin and knowing.
"He was only the one who managed to succeed. Even though he is nowhere near the most powerful among those who tried."
He set his glass down on the crystalline table.
"And that glimmer of Paradox within him, that capacity to achieve the impossible through methodology rather than raw power... that is at least what made him worthy of attempting this."
His gaze turned over to Noah, shifting from the approaching threats to more immediate concerns.
"Oh, by the way."
His tone became businesslike.
"As big a fan as I am of continuum paradoxes, what I am attempting would have to be very covert. Others cannot really know about the one who helped me."
He studied Noah with eyes that saw more than surface appearances.
