Seeing Ethan dodge his bow, Voss did not rise. Instead, he pivoted on his knees, keeping his head lowered in a posture that was half stubborn, half reverent, as though he had already committed himself to this course and refused to reconsider.
"We're both Soul-Wielders," he said, his voice tight with urgency rather than humility. "I've been trying to figure this out alone, stumbling around in the dark. But I can feel it. The so-called omen people whisper about. It's coming. I'm certain of it. So the one who understands more should teach the one who understands less. Please, accept me as your disciple."
There was no hesitation in him, no doubt. He sounded utterly convinced of his own logic.
Ethan understood immediately. He knew exactly which omen Voss was talking about, because he had already crossed that threshold himself and survived.
The Heart-Devil Tribulation.
