When Aegwynn appeared again, Deren was sitting by the table, both hands resting on its surface, his fingers tapping slowly.
When he noticed the former Guardian's renewed appearance, he also saw droplets of water still clinging to the tips of her hair.
"Deren, tell me the truth!" Aegwynn sat across from him, her eyes full of pleading.
Deren was briefly stunned by her youthful face. But he quickly recovered, gritted his teeth, and said, "Do you remember what I said when I was speaking with Ysera? I compared the world to a picture book. The moment you opened its first page, the outcome of the story had already been decided on its final page. And I was someone who had read that picture book, then accidentally crossed into it."
Aegwynn had an exceptional memory, so naturally she remembered how that explanation had left Ysera dumbfounded. "Of course I remember. Wasn't that just something you said to deceive that Evil God?"
Deren shook his head. "This is my greatest secret. The claim that I was a reader of the picture book who crossed into it... that is my secret. I am a soul from beyond Azeroth, and the power of the Star Soul brought me here."
Though Aegwynn was shocked, she still understood what he meant. "According to you, you saw every story of Azeroth in your original world?"
Deren nodded. "Yes. Your story, Oni's story, Jaina's story, and the stories of others were all tales from some kind of picture book in my world."
"This... this..." Hearing that her world was merely a picture book from Deren's world, Aegwynn abruptly rose to her feet. She paced around the room, racking her brain over the possibility.
Rationally, she believed Deren was telling the truth. He had no reason to deceive her.