It was Zuri’s turn to look worried. Though Amon pitied her position at the moment, he sensed that she had knowledge that he needed – maybe even the missing piece that troubled him.

“What’s Fandaniel?” Amon asked again.

“I only just overheard… I don’t have all the information,” the girl swallowed, knowing she was the object of the Allagan’s full attention. “I listened because I heard your name – Amon – but it took me a moment to realize they were talking about the Amon from Allagan times. I was a little confused at first but…”

“Zuri, I need the truth.”

“You’re not going to like it.”

Exactly what Tad had told him. Maybe this was the thing that Tad refused to talk about.

“I won’t be mad, I promise,” Amon told her, then repeated with a longing voice. “I just need… to know the truth.”

She took in a long breath before speaking again, eyes shaped in deep concern.

“Fandaniel is an Ascian, one of the special ones. I heard them mention a Convocation,” Zuri told him. “He’s the one that’s allied with Garlemald and is helping to make those Towers. He’s trying to bring the End of Days.”

Amon grumbled, “’Tis no surprise that this whole End of Days thing is a playground for the Ascians.”

Zuri was sucking on her bottom lip. There was still more to tell, but she was hesitating.

The Elezen tilted his head and asked, trying to sound gentle, “But why should I remember Fandaniel? Was he someone in Allag that I should know?”

“What I heard… reports from the Scions… say that the Warrior of Light has confirmed that this Ascian, Fandaniel, lived his last life as Amon of Allag,” her voice cracked a little.

Amon’s body curled back and away from her as he grappled with the weight of what this meant.

How can that be? I am no Ascian!

He knew from what Scylla shared with him that Ascians sometimes took the likeness of other people, or took over bodies entirely. Maybe his maker was taken over by this Fandaniel, and he was left to act as a clone in the real Amon’s place so that no one knew about it.

That could be…

Still, that wasn’t what Zuri heard. She had said that it was confirmed that Fandaniel lived his last life as Amon. That meant something very different, and much more terrible, if it were true.

But how could an Ascian – an important one from the sound of it – live life as a regular person and never know he was an Ascian? Granted, Amon was hardly an average individual, even by Allagan standards. But he’d been born into the world like anyone else – the child of forest Elezen – and only a chance had seen him brought to the Tower where he gained his glory.

Was it really by chance?

If he had been an unaware Ascian, then maybe all of it – his whole life - had been at someone else’s design.

His hands were starting to shake as he mulled over a million questions through his mind. He didn’t know what his face reflected, but Zuri looked almost afraid.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Maybe I shouldn’t have…”

“No,” Amon said, just breathing his words. “I asked for the truth.”

I just don’t know what it means. Not yet.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I’m not sure,” he answered her honestly, trying to keep his emotions in check. “I need more information.”

“Can I help?” She was clearly in just as much distress as he was, no matter how hard he tried to cling to his calm outer mask.

“You already have,” Amon said gently. Then he gave a hollow chuckle. “You’re still here despite everything we just discussed.”

“You’re my friend,” Zuri informed him, as if he didn’t know. “I’m not just going to run away because things are hard to understand.”

He tried to smile for her, truly he did, but he didn’t know if he had a smile to give at the moment.

Dealing with the fact that he was a clone was tough. Dealing with the fact that he might be the clone of someone who was unknowingly an Ascian… that was a whole different animal. Depending on how the story shook out, he had a lot to work through.

Given Scylla’s rage towards Ascians, he knew he couldn’t come to her for help. In fact, she didn’t need to learn about this at all if he could prevent it. He was only just starting to earn her trust. For her to discover this would likely destroy any chance he’d have at…

At what? Why was he thinking about Scylla, even now?

No, he needed to focus. He needed information and clarity on the situation.

These were things that Tad might possibly have to offer. His cousin couldn’t deny him further knowledge of the situation now that this revelation had come to light, right?

Amon was already getting to his feet, his mind fixed on the next objective.

Zuri also scrambled to her feet, looking more and more worried. She was speaking to him, but he couldn’t make sense of her words. He was too focused on what he needed to find.

“I apologize. I have to do something,” he tried to explain.

A ripple of guilt washed over him, knowing that once again, even after all they’d just shared and the trust she’d placed in him, he was going to go his own way. Zuri reached out to Amon, but he was already walking away.