Runes, Part 1 Chapter 11: Hints

[danlo]

[Zarathustra]

"He opposes me. Here, like this, he's stronger than I am. Poor Anele can't hold me. I'm already fading."

I'm pretty sure now that "he" is Foul.

I disagree. On page 280 we get the first description of Esmer:

Her nerves were sure of him: she perceived clearly that he was a figure of power who had twice intervened to frustrate Anele's insights, Anele's madness. He had reft her of Covenant's voice--

But he was distinctly not the being of fire that had possessed the old man. She could be confident of that as well. Rather he had merely blocked Covenant's spirit, impelling Anele out onto open ground. There an altogether different being had taken hold of the old man; a power that blazed with malice and hunger, as Esmer did not."

Even without this quote, it makes sense that Esmer would be stronger than Covenant "here, like this." Lord Foul is stronger than Covenant, period. The circumstances don't matter. On the other hand, we could imagine that TC would be stronger than Esmer given different circumstances.

[wayfriend]

I was aware of that ... but I believe so anyway. (In other words, I believe Covenant was talking about Foul. And that then Esmer kicked him out. And that the fiery possessor then got in.)

Mostly because I cannot imagine Covenant calling Esmer 'he'. The only 'he' I think he would refer to, without referent, would be the big He, Lord Foul. Probably a lame-ass reason, but that's my instincts.