Still, I was in a stubborn frame of mind, and asked, "But if the past is
as powerful as you construe it to be, then why does the Lord of the Past
need the help of a mere mortal like myself? Or do you mean you need a
more direct agent than those you control only by influence?"

"Something like that," he answered. "You see, there was a great disaster
once, which was blamed on me, and in order to atone for it, I promised
to send a kinsman redeemer before anything so devastating happened
again, and I believe you are the perfect choice."

"What devastating event hasn't been blamed on the past in one form or
another?" I said, "But why not just go yourself?"

"It is against the rules," Onan told me.

"How typical."

"Yes, indeed, I sometimes wonder what good it is to be a god if you
can't do anything yourself," he said with a sigh.

"What do you want me to do there, then?"

"I cannot tell you, unfortunately."

"Against the rules?" I asked.

"Very much so. All that I can do is send an agent with a slight
understanding of the situation of history and physical existence to the
people, but he must make the judgments of how to proceed all on his own.
If I did tell you, it wouldn't be much different than going myself, and