The irony had not been lost upon Aegir as his legs slithered over the dew strained grass. Beauty surrounded him in the harmony of nature. Tall trees that reached upwards towards the heavens like numerous fingers stretched to grasp at the wispy clouds somewhere over head though it was only here and there that Aegir could glimpse the sky. He quite enjoyed this place, the serenity that it had instilled must have been drawn upon one of his human memories. He may not have truly understood such thoughts but Aegir had been cagey enough to at least pay them heed. Getting into the minds of his subjects allowed him to hunt more efficiently. In nature most predators realized that they were only successful half the time. Expending energy was a bane even if he had no shortage of it himself Aegir preferred to remain at rest whenever possible. Conserving himself so that when he did decide to strike it was quick, sudden and efficient.

A predator knew that it could be wounded while hunting and a wounded animal was certainly easy prey for other predators. Aegir had not been here long, in fact he was relatively knew to this place. He was unsure if the other monstrosities would chose to focus upon their prey to the exclusion of a wounded rival and thus until he had an answer to such a question he erred on the side of caution.

But Aegir had been no beast. His mind was advanced to a level that superceeded the evolutionary achievements of the simple prey he took an interest in. So far his nodes had been quite useful. Their small size allowed the creatures to range closer to the college than Aegir could get during the light of day. Being able to see through their eyes allowed him to selectively search over the canidates available to him, using them as conduits to stretch his impressive telepathic abilities even further than they would reach. Already he had found half a dozen or so students that had gathered his interest to varying extents though he had not been able to isolate any just yet Aegir had unmeasureable patience. Months were meaningless, so were years, and Aegir had been confident that his patience would pay off.

What would have been worse would to be an impromptu strike, one in which his prey was able to escape his clutches. Aegir knew that he was not fast even if he were capable of a burst of speed while submerged such a burst was short lived. His quarry though were breathers and as such he had no computations in approaching them in their natural environment being at home on both land and sea.

Compressing his mauve body, Aegir easily squeezed himself between two trees that had been growing close together rather than skirting around them. His white eyes drew in the dirt path up ahead that had carved its way through the forest. Ah, this was the place. Twice now his nodes had picked up a subject passing by these parts. There appeared to be something interesting here, a draw, a lure of some sort? Aegir searched for it now noting that the spot was somewhat isolated. He supposed that it could be deemed naturally beautiful given the rare flowers that had sprouted in a sea of colors either side of the path. A small pool had been here as well teeming with small fish. From his understanding such a sight was a delicacy upon the island given the lack of animal life present. Perhaps that was what drew this student here?

Aegir tried to view the scene through an alien mindset. How would a human perceive this place? Was this merely a nice jogging path? Was it a place to escape to? Even with the knowledge that he had consumed Aegir found himself stumped at times. It hardly seemed to matter though. What mattered was that today he would have a chance to strike. Today he would finally get his grasp on Christine.

He had delved into her subconscious and conscious mind gleaning what he could from her in short bursts. He sank into her defenseless mind as easily as his own rubbery flesh would sink into her body if only he could get ahold of her. Today was the time for that. He knew because he had seen it, glimpsing into the near future with his scrying ability Aegir had perceived enough to know that she would be here just as the sun began to sink to the west. He had not delved into the future long enough to see events unfold, however, for he wanted his own anticipation to grow.

Just the knowledge that his hard work could pay off had been enough to illicit a burbling pop from his mouth. The pop and crackle would be incomprehensible to all, even his own kind though the musky aroma released by his pheremones would not have been mistaken. Excitement at the prospect of snaring his prey filled him though Aegir had been aware that such an olfactory warning would need to be surpressed. He needed to take a step back, to calm himself, to blend in as fully as he could so as to have the element of surprise.

Taking a moment to settle himself Aegir found that his pigment was shifting color. Now a dull brown he took on the hue of tree bark before he extended his numerous tentacles skyward. Branch after branch had been ensnared in his strong grip allowing him to pull his body skyward. Climbing higher and higher Aegir found a sturdy perch that hung near the pool allowing his tentacles to relax against the length of the branches while others still secured him in his elevated position. Most beings didn't look to the skies while walking and it was thus his hopes in literally getting the drop upon the young woman when she happened by. It was here that he waited though he preferred not to resemble a spider in a web Aegir had no qualms about setting snares. It was necessary at times given his lack of mobility. Besides, what did it matter if such deeds harnessed results?

What was time to a creature that was essentially ageless? For that matter what was death but a veil that could not quite be comprehended? Aegir had existed for a great many millenia, so long in fact that most matters could have been deemed to have been dull and boring. But time had held no meaning to him. He went beyond its flow, unaffected by its touch and while he could not travel forwards or backwards through its flow he could gaze through its veil, look ahead and see events as they were to unfold. Knowing how history was to unfold he could even rewrite it by changing key facts there had been no need for him to do such. Being unaffected by time made him quite patient though there had been the influence of those minds that he had consumed to take into consideration. Human minds, his kind had warned him away from such prey stating that such creatures were unstable. That they would rub off on him in a negative way. Clearly he had not heeded such warnings but nevertheless he had not envy the fact that their sanity had remained intact. Nay, they failed to live, failed to experience such new wonders. These emotions, these sensations that flowed through the blue blood in his veins were as succulant as any gourmet meal. Such responses provided him with a new perspective, a new depth, and while they were somewhat bothersome at times Aegir found that the mystery of these emotions, thoughts and memories he had captured were intriguing.

Reflecting back upon his life was no easy task. It was a distraction that he could have done without to be honest for his memory was long spanning back beyond the life of stars themselves. To retain that much knowledge, well it was somewhat frightening. He did not pity himself even if he had no one to share that knowledge with. The vast secrets he knew! The dreams and ambitions of so many souls danced within his head and while he once could share such things with his long lived kin they were no longer available to him. And his toys, the humans? They were far too short lived to even take in the merest fraction of the knowledge he possessed.

With his thoughts dwelling upon humans Aegir snapped himself free of his revelry. Such revelries could span days, sometimes weeks where he would do nothing but meditate, reflect and remember past events. His meditations reinforced his own memories for being so long lived it was a necessary component in remembering details both small and great that had encompassed the whole of his life.

Unaccustomed to being perched up in a tree Aegir had been more at home with terra firma beneath his feet or amongst the currents of the ocean. He dared not shift though, not knowing the precise moment when Christine would arrive only that she would be here. Approaching from affar Aegir did not wish to give away his position as the slightest of moments could attract a keen eye in his direction. Besides, a little discomfort now would certainly pay off greatly later.

Another breeze rolled through the tree tops causing the branches to bend and sway. The rustle of the leaves echoed against his eardrums as nature's music played out for him. A tentacle tightened against the branch he had been perched upon not wishing to slip and fall to the earth below. Such a fall would have been survivable. He had no bones to brake nor an exoskeleton to shatter though it would be inconvient and downright painful both effects that he had desired to avoid if at all possible.

An undercurrent of impatience did exist in him. Just a tiny impulse brought on by the minds of those that he had consumed and while his nature surpressed such irrational behavior Aegir could not help but feel the budding sensations of desire and anticipation that was brought on by the subliminal emotions stirred by eagerness. Doing his best to keep in control of these emotions had always been a challenge for he had not truly understood the forces that he dealt with. Over the years he had learned the fine manipulations of some of the baser emotions but others still continued to elude his alien mind.

Ah, but she approaches! Aegir could hear the soft crunch of grass being flattened under foot along with the crackle and rustle of foliage that was pushed through or brushed against. If to confirm this his mind drank in her thoughts as she neared, thoughts that threatened to drown him in their abundance. Being no stranger to sifting through thoughts the telepath found nourishment in them. Drawing them in as if they were the enriching scent of a flower in full bloom he dined on the knowledge that was freely available to him. Surface thoughts were always easiest to consume as they required no real exertion upon Aegir's part. Even so he could not help but wetting his appetite further pushing out with a small mental probe as he followed the stream of thoughts that blossomed within her young mind.

Curiousity happened to be one of those things that was difficult to sate. Answer one question and you found that another sprang up in its place. While he traced her thoughts quite easily Aegir had learned of her reasons for coming out to this place. It had been a matter that he had contemplated earlier wondering what the lure to this spot had been when he delved into this moment. Here she was attempting to discern if a nightmare were true or not. Facing a horror required a degree of strength especially doing so alone upon knowing the nature of this place. Such strength intrigued Aegir, stilling him even as every nuance in his body screamed at him to react or was that a primitive response to what his eyes witnessed with the peeling away of her sweater? Human emotions must have played upon his mind as he observed Christine's shapely body. Taking all the restraint he could muster somehow he managed to keep his tentacles from writhing about, somehow he had contained the release of his pheremones as he felt the thrill of adreniline coursing through his body as anticipation grew. The moment to strike was closing in like the fingers of a hand clenching tightly into a fist. Not truly understanding all of the emotional turmoil that humans were capable of Aegir began to entertain further answers to his internalized questions. Perhaps she came her seeking out some sort of fulfillment. Could it be that she came to this spot hoping to live out past experiences? Entertaining these notions seemed pointless for did it matter why she returned here? All that really mattered was that she was here, she was isolated and he was present to take advantage of that vulnerability and he would take advantage of that fact for such opportunities should not be passed up.

His eyes followed her as she drew closer to his position so far unaware of the danger that lurked a scant few feet above her. Intoxicated with the process of her thoughts Aegir continued to drink in her memories while exerting enough mental force to press into her mind. His keen vision had allowed him to see the slight irridescent glow that came from her as she peeked down her top. Had it not been for his mental connection with her he may have failed to notice anything amiss though following her prevalent thoughts he read into what she was observing. A symbol of some kind ... could it be that she harnessed some magical ability? Aegir had not worried about the matter for the suppression fields intwined throughout the island would deal with such matters. However, this did entice him further. Not knowing the answer to such a question Aegir delved further into her mind seeking out what he did not readily know. Soon he would have his answer, so very soon.

Waiting until she relaxed Aegir slowly unwound several tentacles from the branches. Lowering as slowly as a spider descending upon a silken thread Aegir kept his appendages out of sight at least for the moment. They pooled downward towards the earth keeping behind her body least she spy their movement. So close now that they could have reached out to touch her Aegir began to loose a bit of self control. The tentacles surrounding his mouth began to move in a frantic pattern indicating his excitement while the pheremones he had been so careful in holding back released their musky scent into the air.

Fearful that he had spoiled his own element of surprise Aegir reacted. Several tentacles lurching forward in that moment streaking out through the minute space between their bodies. His objective was simple, snare her arms and hoist her straight up to the trees. How he had thought those imparted memories of fishing were dull! He could never understand the rush of excitement brought on by snaring a fish upon one's line until this very moment. Experience being a more profound teacher than knowledge in many ways, Aegir, despite his vast age, was still capable of learning. This place was Christine's lure, his own tentacles the line and reel by which he would draw her in. How thrilling it would be letting her fight and struggle like a captured fish flailing in an effort to escape until at last weariness fully set in upon them. He could already see such fantastic notions of Christine's struggles, of her body giving out against his grip and then, oh, then the fun would begin in ernest!

I am so glad that you could find time in your busy schedule to join me, Christine, Aegir relayed through a telepathically rich voice. I am quite looking forward to getting to know you better.

Doubt was one of those hurdles that few could vault over. It took a certain degree of confidence as well as self-awareness to endure once the mind began nagging at those little things that chewed up one's very will and determination. Entertained by her thoughts thus far Aegir found himself being drawn into her own mental anguish as Christine struggled to conjure up the details of the past. Dreams and phatasms or reality? The creatures that prowled upon this island were in fact the things of nightmares. Her isolation in that she could not viably reach out to others without her own sanity being questioned only proved to be another anchor that was shackled to her very spirit. Her thoughts were riff with confusion, with uncertainty and full of so much doubt that they threatened to overwhelm her. But yet she fought through all that proving that he had made the right choice in laying out this snare for her as her resolve displayed that she was capable of overcoming these obstacles that weighed upon both her conscious and subconscious mind.

Certainly it was delicious knowing that he had chosen well. His anticipation steadily grew with that realization. Gleefully he watched her from his perch as she brought her head up sharply, the wet moisture of tears glistening against the last rays of sunlight captured her in a vulnerable light. He was certain that she was aware of him then for she cast her gaze about her surroundings as if something had been amiss. How right she was, though having failed to cast her gaze skyward he had managed to get a firm grip upon her.

Like a marionette she danced against the strings of his tentacles as he reeled her in. Those legs of hers kicking vacantly at the empty air before her as she struggled in vain to free herself from his grip. It was useless of course, Aegir knew this, though he marveled in the fight that she displayed nevertheless. White eyes observing her while he had taken enough care to keep her distant enough from his body to protect himself from personal injury. It was all too easy for him and while that should have been disappointing Aegir didn't mind in the least. Less work meant more time to have fun.

Through it all though Aegir had built upon false perceptions. Her tears, invoked from past memories only served to relay a vulnerability in this moment coupled with her feeble struggles. This contrasted his earlier thoughts about her strength becoming an immediate contradiction in what he had absorbed from the inner workings of her mind to what he had perceived with his senses. Lulled into dropping his guard Aegir was bolstered with renewed confidence. How could he not have felt a thrill of excitement rushing through him as he prematurely savioured his victory.

And yet in his moment of truimph she would seek to ruin his mood. Retorting sharply as if she were in a position of power over him rather than having power stripped out of her hands. Why she could not even defend herself so her words were quite amusing. His mouth tentacles swayed about his opened mouth as he took his sweet time in undressing her with his eyes. Oh, such a fine specimen he had at hand! He was going to thoroughly enjoy this and at the same time force her to enjoy their upcoming coupling.

He had it all worked out, didn't he? Yes, in his mind he had already ravished her. It was a foregone conclusion to this little preliminary for all this was merely foreplay. Letting her struggle, letting her feel weak and insignificant, letting her realize just how powerless she was before he would consume her. To him there were only a few choices that had to be made from the slow undressing of her body or the hurried taring of her clothing; to whether or not to fill each one of her orafices with appendages and cocks or take each in time one after the other until he was fully sated.

Strong words but it would seem that I have the upper - Aegir began to gloat. He never had a chance to finish that statement for those white orbs had flashed with something that he had not experienced in centuries ... fear. Wide-eyed he captured her thoughts just a fraction of a second before she channeled power unto herself. His precognitive abilities usually warned him of danger well in advance though he had found that he had been so entrenched in the moment, so over confident that he had failed to pay attention to that ping which was screaming at the back of his mind.

So much happened in the course of that single second. Longevity had been a quality of his species so what was a single second to him? What more than a single expelled breath, the blink of an eye or the beat of a heart? But in this single second time had stretched out to an eternity. Images flashed through his mind, images of a time and place so far removed from here yet were as fresh as if they had just occurred. With a life spanning millenia he had nearly been snuffed out, nearly eradicated once upon a time. Perhaps the universe would have been a better place had he given up the will to survive, if he had simply chosen to die but he endured it. The pain of electrical currents flashing through every cell in his body, the fluke stroke of lightning smashing into the ocean as its energy discharged rapidly through the sea. What foul luck that he would have been close to the water's surface on such a wretched night. What horrid luck indeed that his body would be so incinerated to the point of near death.

Electricity he had found was the only form of energy that his body could not regenerate from. Months had passed before he had made a recovery with each of those days spend in such agony that he wanted to kill himself. The impulse to alleviate the pain he felt coupled with his own survival instincts the two clashing against one another until survival ultimately won out. Forced to heal like any other being Aegir's recovery had been an incredibly harrowing ordeal for not only did he need to rest and recooperate but he also had to avoid predators that were seeking to finish him off.

These memories stormed back into his mind in this single second. In this single second he cursed this island, cursed his kind and cursed his indiscression in dropping his guard. About all the warning he had was that tell tale blue glow, Christine's very thoughts, and the way her hair frizzed out as she generated her charge. Inhibitors or not Aegir was not about to entrust his life to such devices. He had not been expecting his victim to turn the tables upon him, to spring a response so sudden that he had narry a defense against it.

The pulse that rippled against those gripping tentacles sent seismic shockwaves coursing down their lengths. An internal fire ignited inside those gripping appendages setting pools of oil aflame, flames that licked through the entire length of his tentacles in one solid explosion after another as he could literally feel one cell after another being immolated. The slick smooth skin faired even worst burning in places, smoldering in others as that rubbery flesh gave off a smell not far off from that of an old burning tire.

A shrill scream rushed out of his mouth, an intense cry that mimicked a lobster being boiled alive. Aegir would have immediately loosened his grasp upon her but the electrical current overloaded his mind forcing him to hold onto her for a few moments longer before he was able to switch off those portions of his mind allowing his grip to slacken. Dropping her to the ground Aegir brought another tentacle up as a defensive reaction catching the backlash she produced upon it rather than having the current engulf his torso. The shock powerful, more intense than what he had felt rushing through those gripping tentacles, Aegir felt the energy exploding through his appendage. Pain, horrible pain lanced through him though rather than letting the marred tentacle's injury overwhelmed him he did something quite unexpected ... he detached the appendage as he would have done in times long since passed. It was an ability that he did not think that he would ever need for it had seemed like eons since his kind had been preyed upon. The detaching of a tentacle often served as a distraction to predators, a free morsel that would allow them to escape. A tentacle could always be regenerated ...

The blackish appendage fell to the ground below only a second or two behind Christine's falling body. Aegir had reeled from the attack nearly having been driven off of the tree branch that he was perched upon. Come to Shokushu, you'll be able to have a little fun, conduct your research, conquer the galaxy ... he sneered to himself in his thoughts only then managing to take stock of the situation. His compound mind was a blessing most of the time seeing that he could concentrate on numerous matters at once as much as multitask thinking over a wide range of topics while his body and mind reacted. This situation was no different. A portion of his mind was sneering at his own stupidity, another gauged his injuries ... third-degree burns on the two tentacles that had grasped her, one tentacle lost, five good ones remaining ... another portion reminded himself that Christine had expended alot of her power to do so, that she would not be able to replicate such a manuever again.

A portion of him wanted to cut his losses and retreat, hide somewhere, regenerate his detached limb and allow himself to heal from these wretched burns, a part of him was seeking revenge for the distress she caused, another part was enthralled to the point that he was nearly salivating over her accomplishment. Over confident or not, she had managed to take him by storm. Such a shocking experience might have been even life-threatening without the inhibitors. Of all things she could have thrown at him she attacked him with his greatest vulnerability. Yet her attack reinforced to him that she was worthy, very worthy indeed. He would not fall prey to the same mistakes, this thought as he lowered his body down from the tree branch then dropped to the earth below.

While his two burnt appendages were in agony Aegir pressed his own pain aside dulling the sensation through sheer willpower. Alright, Plan B ... came his telepathic words though he had lost track of her momentarily not knowing if she had injured herself in the fall or managed to set off from this place Aegir hurriedly scanned the terrain in an efforts to locate her and rectify this set back.

Tendrils of pain worked through the nervous system of his body as the after effects of her attack lingered upon him. These were more manageable to deal with for his accelerated healing took hold upon him. While his burns could not be tended Aegir could at least find some sembelance of relief flooding through him. His search for his target had not been in vain for his eyes came upon her own. Unblinking, there was a long moment that had passed between them were both she and he had been rooted into the very spots which they stood. All three of his hearts boomed loudly within his ears as for a measured moment he hesitated. Fear flickered in him, fear of another retalitory attack, fear of experiencing such dreadful pain again. But like all things the moment slipped past, pain becoming little more than an unpleasant memory when enough time eroded the experience. It was that fail safe that had been designed in protecting the mind, that same fail safe that allowed the beings in nature to reproduce multiple times for who would willingly endure tremendous pain time and time again if they remembered the full effects that it had brought?

Staring out at her Aegir had a newfound appreciation for the student before him. Yes, she did hurt him though in time he too would recover from the experience. His detached tentacle would regenerate, his charred appendages would heal, all would be as good as new. Anger he had found was a human emotion one that had instantly arisen within him from the minds he had absorbed throughout the ages. Though honestly he could not hold onto the emotion for long. Already it had been slipping away like water through one's fingers or the grains of sand. Each second more of that base human emotion trickled away. In part it had been in the fact that he quickly realized that she had been resigned to her fate, that he would not have to chase her because she seemed incapable of that feat. It would also mean that he would not have to induce illusions or employ the application of his telekinetic gifting to hinder and slow her down.

Despite the appearances though he was a bit cautious and understandably so. For a moment he had considered what power she would have possessed if not for the inhibitors of this island. Was it that he had been that vulnerable to electrical attacks that even weakened forms would be so effective? Later ... he could consider all that later. Feeding upon her thoughts, Aegir began to slither across the space that separated them. Where appropriate his appendages would grasp rocks, tree trunks and other conviently placed terrain features in order to pull himself along at a quicker rate though quicker was a relative term. He moved much like a slug, slow and methodical, though there was a sense of urgency that cast over him seen in the way his mouth tentacles flailed eagerly about. Oh, yes, he was going to enjoy this. Aegir resigned himself to that thought as he continued. The halo of colors that splashed over the evening sky gave his mauve skin the appearance of being darker, so purple that he almost could pass off as black. Red, orange and indigo swirled in the heavens making a rich blend of colors as the sun continued its descent. So much like earth, at least on the surface. But had not that been part of the deception? To make the students believe that they were still upon their native planet?

Right now he cared not for these answers. They were such triffling questions anyway and his focus was fixated upon the young beauty before him. Such a delicate looking flower, an exquisite beauty that stood out amongst its peers. Though she was akin to a rose as he had discovered, beautiful as she was she had thorns that could very well injure. But what of these thorns in comparison to the marvels that could be obtained? Appreciatively his gaze feasted upon her already considering what she would look like when he divested her of her clothing. Would he strp them away peeling them aside with utmost care as if peeling away the skin of a banana or would he just rip into her like a famished individual seeking immediate gratification? After the pain she had caused him Aegir had been determined to draw this out, to enjoy himself. As a sort of warped pay back he intended on making her enjoy the experience as well even if it had been thrust upon her.

What abaited his anger further had been her own thoughts. She seemed beside herself at using too much power, at loosing control which oddly pointed to the fact that she had not meant to harm him as badly as she had. Enough to escape, that he could not fault her with for if their situations had been reversed he would have used every power and trick in his arsenal to escape from the clutches of an attacker. Why had she not sought to harm him? That question lingered upon his complex mind for a long moment, his brain multitasking as usual as he drew himself closer. With the shadow of his body stretching out to encompass her he found other thoughts filling her mind. The acceptance of failure, of having lost again.

Vingt Mille Lieues Sous Les Mers... but I don't suppose you would know it by its name in french. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ... Jules Vern ... an interesting ploy my dear, his telepathic voice pushed into her mind. What he had refered to of course was how Nemo's crew dealt with the giant squid that had attacked the Nautallis though he had not digressed enough to explain that reference. His gaze drew itself to the burnt emblem upon her blouse though he reached out to her with one of his good tentacles. He had not attempted to snare her up or entangle her in a mass of limbs as he had done so often to his victims in the past. Rather he lightly brushed the apppendage against the side of her face which could have been interpreted as a tender caress.

It nearly worked too. Had you not expended too much of yourself in the attack you would have had the energy to flee. I am not fleet of foot, though having no feet you could see why that is the case. Was that a bit of dry humor there? Aegir drew his tentacle down her cheek bringing that caress down the side of her neck, his gaze dipping from her amber eyes as they traced the path that single tentacle made as it flowed against her skin. Though of course you still would have had to content with a few tricks you just may have managed to elude me. But your loss is certainly my gain my dear. I did not think that my weakness would have been so exploitable with the inhibitors in place, a mistake I certainly won't make in our next encouter for certain. Though that is getting ahead of myself, wouldn't you agree? Why, I have not yet had the pleasure of getting to know you further and I sooo look forward to getting to know you my dear.

That musty scent hung around him in greater volume now as he considered all the things that he would do to her. Mapping out her body, exploring it, feeling it, the prospects were utterly enticing. Bringing another tentacle to bare against her, Aegir coiled it around her leg in much the same fashion that a constrictor snake would move as it brought coil after coil about its prey crushing the life from it. He did not bare down upon the appendage, however, though his grip was firm. Each loop allowing the tentacle to slither higher and higher up her leg curling and twisting about it with a certain lethargic nature. Despite his injuries Aegir had been in no hurry, the very prospect that she had not managed to travel far only elevated his excitement serving to dispel the anger that had risen through him. He had to keep that in check, these absorbed minds were playing havoic on his decisions. Too many human qualities had tainted him in the eyes of his own kind and for once Aegir was wondering if there was any merit to this. Perhaps, though that too was another concern that he did not need to worry about at present. Before him was a rather exquisite young lady, one that displayed that she could fight back when she had her back pressed to a wall. He would not allow wayward thoughts to interupt the carnal delights that he was looking forward to. Making her cry out in pleasure would be a particular delight. Though unlike a ravenous man devouring whatever food was set before them Aegir savioured this morsel as if it were the last that he would ever taste. And why not? He had earned this through the sacrifice of pain, through the use of trickery and deception, through the loss of an appendage and so in his mind he was justified in taken enjoying the reward for those efforts.