A while later, Ray and Ashclaw sat facing one another in a wide hall.
Ashclaw noticed nothing unusual, unable to tell that the man across from him wasn't his son. It was his enemy in disguise. The disguise provided by the Mimic skill was too perfect, even a ruthless and cunning old man who had long traded away his humanity for ambition couldn't see through it, apnd that, Ray believed, was going to be the reason for his downfall.
"What made you miss home? You rarely visit," Ashclaw said.
"There's something important I want to discuss with you," Ray replied.
"What a coincidence. I also have a matter to discuss with you."
Ray remembered the saying, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
He was clear about where he stood.
