“I have no idea what you are referring to,” Tobias said.
“Your wife is who I was referring to. Relena bears an unnatural resemblance, don’t you think?”
I sucked in my breath. That was why he held on to me back at the goblin camp. He was protecting me. I couldn’t help being flattered and saddened at the same time. My face reminded him. I couldn’t imagine how that must have been for him.
“She does bare my love’s likeness, yes. But she is not my love. You made sure of that.” There was a slight growl from Tobias on the last few words.
“Still pointing the finger…” It was more a statement than a question. “Well, I guess you won’t have to suffer for much longer. You’ll be joining them soon enough.”
I ducked back behind the tree and pressed myself against it as far as I could, and waited. The sound of metal clanked together with shuffling feet. Dirt kicked up, pelting the trees. Exchanges were made. A grunt from Tobias made silence fall.
I peeked from around the tree. Jiren had used his robe to clean off his sword and kicked Tobias’s lifeless body. He tapped the tip of his sword against the toe of his boot. “You can come out, Relena. I caught your stink from across the field.”
I stood up slowly and stepped cautiously from around the tree. With as hideously frightening as he was, it was his smile that set me on edge.
“I suppose we shall discover whose cockiness will win out today, now won’t we?” I asked.
“Tell me, how’s Marren holding up?”
“You would know better than I.”
“Would I?” There was far too much intrigue in his voice. Too much happiness. Like he thought he already won.
I held up my sword toward him. “You will pay for my suffering.”
He laughed. It sounded like static from a lightning storm. “Your facade will fade. You’re no match for me.”
“Oh, you are right, there,” I said. “Because, I will defeat you!”
I ran forward as he sidestepped. I halted, immediately swinging my sword toward him. He defrayed my attack.
“I’m going to enjoy tormenting you to death!” Jiren’s words were full of promise.
“How original,” I retorted and attacked again.
“I thought so. Imagine it, if you will.” He stepped slowly around me, deflecting each attack I sent him. “I torture you, I become you, and I defeat you by killing Marren, disposing of both of your worthless bodies, take on your essence under the guise of Marren’s orders, and keep the people here under false claims of returning home. By the time they find out the truth, it will be too late.”
“Assuming you would defeat me, how would you go about keeping up my appearance?”
He stepped forward quicker than I had time to react, grabbing me by my throat. I dropped my sword. The thud was barely heard. Jiren squeezed so hard I couldn’t breathe. I gasped for air as I stared into his eyes. He explained, “Easily. I’ve already absorbed part of your essence.”
He shifted and released me.
I fell to the ground, gasping for air. I struggled to stand and grab a hold onto my sword. By the time I could breathe enough to fight, I was staring at myself. He smiled a reflection of my own.
“You see, you failed to think things through. And now, it’s led to your ultimate demise. I’ve absorbed everything about you in mere seconds, even your terrifying fear of your own image in your poor mate’s eyes.”
I used Jiren’s gloating to think through how I could get him to drop his guard enough to defeat him. I had to make him crack somehow. It couldn’t be that hard, he did just fight Tobias. He called him friend. That had to have done something to him.
Then it came to me.
“You’re wrong,” I said.
“Am I now?” His teasing tone grated upon my nerves more than ever. I had to work to control my composure.
After taking a deep breath, I said, “Yes.”
“Well, isn’t that interesting,” he said, again in my voice.
“It wasn’t my image that terrified me.” I admit that I was reaching, but I thought this would buy me some time.
“Oh? Pray tell, what was it?”
“You wouldn’t understand. It’s an issue only someone who was once a mortal would understand,” I said.
“Ah, I see.”
“Ha! You see nothing. In fact, you are the one that is so blinded by your fears and your own image. Why else would you have to steal everyone else’s?”
A crack appeared in his image. I made headway…I thought.
“I’m the blind one?” He dramatically laid a hand over his chest.
“Everyone has been aware of it, except for you,” I said.
“You have no idea what you are talking about.” He spoke to me like I was a child that he had run out of patience for.
“I don’t, huh? If that’s so, why get defensive?” It was my turn to be sarcastic. He stood as still as me, mirroring my image except that his lips were pressed firmly together where mine were parted and relaxed. “Too close to the truth for you to handle?”