[ though the significance of some of these terminologies and their places in her world might be beyond him, he is doing his best to follow along-- thinks he gets the gist of the bigger picture here. but above all else... there is something that she says that stands out to him in particular, one particular thread among those she's provided for him to tug at that he holds onto. ]

There's something I definitely understand in all this-- though, admittedly... some of the finer points might go over my head. [ 'shatranj board,' the 'wager,' the 'Age of Wonders,' the 'Warden?' all things he doesn't quite grasp. ] That 'Villains' are people-- and people so very rarely fall so neatly into definitions like that one, right? People are complicated creatures... you are a complicated creature, aren't you, Miss Akua?

[ not so black and white, and not someone Abel would qualify as a 'villain' by his own definition - though it's possible she might not feel the same. ]

Proof of where your heart stands is here.

[ he places his hand over his own breastbone in mimicry of where she had demonstrated her Shard to be. though he cannot see it.. it is not tainted by the Kenoma, he's willing to bet. if anything-- maybe it has already begun faintly shimmering with the light of the Pleroma. ]

Whatever you did before-- whatever you were before... this is a new world. I'd like to think that heart of yours has brought you to the right place in it.