"Could I have saved him?" I ask, "where did I go wrong?"

Edgar shakes his head. "How do you know he's gone?" Edgar sighs.

"What?" I ask, confused but also hopeful.

Edgar seems annoyed, but after hitting his thumb and index finger to his forehead in an agitated fashion mumbles to himself, "ugh. This is amateur hour. Look Fando, Innocence was probably some sort of manifestation, like Hatred or Misery. He died at ten, yes?"

I nod.

"Here's my guess," Edgar explains, "at age nine, as he neared ten, The Technician and... I'm gonna assume Smokey, who I don't think you've met, started abusing him as he turned ten. That's when he lost his Innocence, but Innocence wouldn't cease. As a manifestation, he may have changed into something."

"Like what?" I ask.

"I dunno," Edgar sighs, now sounding upset with himself, "I just want to write. I need it."

"Edgar are you OK?" I ask.

"No," he admits, "look Fando, you represent very very important people.   I can't say who, but you do. I represent obsession, but now I'm alone. I'm not a mask. I'm nothing! I need the Author! What value do I hold alone?"

"Hey hey," I reassure him, "you're a writer yourself. You're strong Edgar. You don't need to replace The Author. You live in your own world with characters who love you. Abby, your brother, Sour, even me, I consider you a freind. Don't forget that. Don't forget about your own world."

"You're right," Edgar smiles, "sorry. I've had a rough few years of late."

"You gonna be OK?" I ask.

"Yeah," Edgar smiles, "besides, this is advancing my character arc. Just... I don't wanna lose anyone, OK? Stay behind me."

"I'm as strong as you," I remind.

"And your soul is damaged," Edgar retorts, "I die, fine. You die, you're gone."

"Alright," I shrug, "you got me there."

Edgar smiles and leads the way, with a new appreciation for his life. That's not to say he doesn't still struggle with his obsession, or his over protective nature, but he values himself more now, and with that...

We continue towards the truth....