Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

9.6

"It's the spell of likeness," Khattal chimed in, as Ithildin expected him to. It's easy to avoid a direct question, but much more difficult to refrain from speaking when you can show off how clever you are. "All you need is a normal, flesh and blood person. The more he is alike, in appearance and in character, the better root the illusion will take. He behaves exactly like his likeness. Doesn't remember anything afterwards."

"How does he know how to behave?"

"He doesn't. He just does what is expected of him. Like reading minds."

"Why then the three of them behave differently?"

"It's likeness, not sameness. Some take this character trait, and some the other."

"And could a man under the spell of likeness keep his own personality and memories?" Ithildin asked in a flash of inspiration.

"Why, he could. Of course if the one who had cast the spell would let him. But the man in question would still be bound to play his role."

The elf locked himself with the nomad in their room and screwed his brains out passionately and vigorously on the fluffy rug before the fireplace, in a heated monologue.

"Khattal gave us the clue!" Ithildin went on and on, his eyes sparkling. "I thought before that every one of the three represents different parts of Alva's personality. There are so many different desires and urges coexisting inside him. Some part of him wants to leave with us, another − to stay with Dame Tallian, and so on. I thought we can choose any one or all three at once. But that's not true, I realise it now. I started to suspect the truth when I heard you speaking with Khattal, there by the window, when you said you loved Alva. You see, Taro, those fakes are constrained by our minds, they can't get outside the limits of our expectations, of our idea of Alva! We have a certain picture of him in our minds. But someone's personality is much more than a set of facial features and character traits. Everyone changes, even someone of the Ancient Race, and you humans do it in a flash compared to the elves. We have to find someone who had changed during the past year, who had ceased to be the Alva we knew. Only the real Alva can surprise us, be different, unusual, unexpected. Not at all like he was before."

"Then it's the first one or the second. The third is so much like Alva, it gives me the chills," Kintaro summed up. "But the problem is that I don't particularly like those two. They are too... strange."

"Maybe the right answer is that we should let Alva choose? He most likely knew beforehand what Dame Tallian was going to do. He would have found a way to get our attention."

"If he wanted to," Kintaro finished cheerlessly. "Maybe Khattal is right, and he doubts us and wants to make sure... Damn, talk of the devil!"

"Still racking your brains? Aren't you afraid they gonna explode?" Khattal said merrily, popping his head from behind the door. "Flip a coin and call it a day."

"A coin with three sides hasn't been invented yet." Ithildin looked at the Arislani from under his long lashes, thinking of a way to work him out for another clue.

"Two is enough. Heads − forget it, tails − to hell with it."

"Don't you have chores to do?" Kintaro asked good-naturedly. "Why are you always hanging with us?"

"As if you mind." Not waiting for an invitation, Khattal went inside and sat cross-legged on the rug beside them. "I have an agreement with Dame Tallian, and it concerns you two."

"What kind of agreement?"

The young man looked at Kintaro mischievously. "Kiss me, and I'll tell you."