Alistair did not understand. None of it - literally none of it - made any sense. Jonathan asked him to think, and listen, and seek understanding... but the more he did that, the more holes appeared. In fact, he was convinced that not thinking was the solution here. If he simply ignored Hob's words in the beginning, and did not take from them their implications, he and Jon would have gotten off swimmingly. But he had to think... because he wasn't mindless. He wasn't only Jon's lover, but indeed, his mentor. And that meant knowing when he was wrong. Utterly, epically, wholly wrong.
This... was one such situation. The more Jon rationalized it, the more he understood how wrong he was. If he knew that Harvesters held the lowest possible standards, and that they thrived outside of the confines of peace, then why would he accept Hob? If to be with Jonathan he needed to simply let a Nightmare threaten him with the worse violence imaginable, and watch his partner defend that same Nightmare afterwards... he knew that he was not wrong. Alistair did understand. And that was why he lectured, and yelled. He had tried to live with this, but it had bitten him.
Now? He could only frown, and shake his head, and sigh. What was there to say?
Again, Jonathan tried to leave. Again, Alistair would stop him, though not immediately, as the spirit continued to mock his own voice with... foolishness. He didn't want to kill Alistair? He did not have the choice. Alistair was the Archmage for a reason - he stood above all others, all of his kind. No Harvester could simply flay him - the punishment of death would be swift, total and severe. Of course, he continued to be a fool... all of his arguments fake, and plastic. Alistair ignored all that he said. All of it was hollow.
"You are of the worst species in existence. You are a liar, a murderer, whose only purpose is to accrue power at the expense of living souls and their promise of eternity. Jonathan made his choice - between Aberration and I, he chose me. Why do you think I gave him that ultimatum? So that I would have to make no pact with a monster such as you." He shook his head, turning to the creature. He was... such a joke. So weak and insignificant. His only strength was his transient form. Alistair would simply find a way to destroy him regardless.
"I will deal with the consequences. But as a benefit of those consequences, I no longer have to deal with you. Jonathan will remain by my side, night and day. He will have no chance to speak to you. You will have no chance to manifest. When he hungers for ether, rather than indulging in your "bond", I will simply provide him medicine. You will fade out, and disappear, and grow bored. There will never be peace between us, demon. I will never compromise my ethics in such a way. How many of my people have you flayed? How many more would you, if you could?" he shook his head.
Hob had one chance to change his impression, and he failed it. Alistair's beliefs were now set - no Harvester had showed him otherwise, and he was certain this conniving insect would not, either.
"He needs my guidance. Unlike you, I will not feed into his dark indulgences and call it compassion. You say I have compromised his trust? No. I have proven that regardless of how he may recoil, I will always put him first, and do the right thing. Aberration is pure evil, and you are its manifestation. You are anathema to me. And... if I can impart upon him my small wisdoms, you will be to him, too. Now, be gone."
The mage blinked through the forest, ripping through space in small, thunderous motions before finding the other magister, and tackling him to the floor, pinning him. This was the end of this madness - it was time for him to lay down his feet.
"Jon," he called to him, forcing their gazes to meet. "We are not going home to Kaelserad. For the rest of Ashan... you and I will remain together, building Acadia. I won't neglect you. I won't leave your side. But you have to give me a chance. Stop it with Hob. Listen yourself. If you trust me, you will give me a chance: to be enough so that you will never need to turn to Aberration again. Give me that chance. Please."
