Fiametta's firey outburst caught Brendan off guard and he stood rigid, with eyes wide and unblinking. And it wasn't until she went silent and let off some steam that he dared to address her statement. "Actually.." he said meekly, slowly raising the book up between him and Fiametta. While clutching it close to his face, he peered just over the top of it at her, as if warily using it as a shield. "I just learned something very important from this book." he finished.<br/><br/>"You see... occording to this book, no one can be summoned against their will. When an entity is summoned, on some level, it chooses to answer that call - even if it's not conciously aware of its choice. It's not like it's being dragged here..." He lowered the book and looked Fiametta in the eyes. His voice, though still a bit shakey, bosted a little more confidence. "So you see... just so we're clear... I want you to understand that I'm not some tyrant who put some sort of magical collar and chain on you and the others and dragged you here, kicking and screaming. If you came, it was because at least some part of you wanted to. And, well...." He paused briefly, rubbing the back of his neck where it met the base of his head. "I wanted to ask you.... Do you remember anything about when you were summoned? The things you were thinking? Or what you were feeling? I know I might be asking a lot. But, please... It would really help me understand why things have turned out the way they have."<br/><br/>Brendan looked down and to the side, his left hand conciously clutching his right arm, as if hugging himself for security. His voice became a mumble as he trailed off...<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">"Why I haven't found... the one I'm meant to be with..."</span>