The Zombie Knight

Banda Toro felt like absolute shit. His stomach had never ached so badly before.

And it made no kind of sense. None whatsoever.

In the middle of pan-rozum like this, he should have been unable to feel pain. The numbing factor provided by his reaper should have been built into his very being.

Yet this pain was undeniable. It was struggle enough just to maintain pan-rozum through it, to maintain his presence of mind. If not for Grigozo's help, they would have separated by now. The Chaos form was certainly unsustainable in this state. The threat posed by the damned souls within him would prove too great.

Hell, even now, he could still feel them. Perhaps that was the true source of this pain. In fact, perhaps that was the only explanation. The pain could not be physical in nature, surely. It had to be metaphysical. Imaginary.

But how, then, to escape it?

That was what Grigozo was thinking. Somehow, the reaper's mind was able to remain largely clear, even while Banda's own mind burned with agony.

This had to be Darksteel's doing. It defied explanation, but it had to be. The pain erupted almost instantly upon devouring that bastard. That was obviously no coincidence, but then did that mean Darksteel was struggling to get out? Still fighting from within the brew?

Impossible. Utterly impossible.

He wanted to use mementori again in order to perhaps discern something new, but he didn't dare risk it in this state. The Chaos form was too volatile now. And there was a pursuer. That much, Grigozo could still sense. Someone was giving chase.

'I understand. In that case, let us discuss how you might return more quickly. Tell me more of your encounter with Banda Toro. What were his abilities like? And please be specific.'

"Alright, uh. So he could transform into one of those flying dinosaurs. Like a pteradactyl or pteranodon, maybe. Oh, and his body could shift and stretch into a more T-rex-like head, too. And he could swallow attacks whole, just gulp down huge chunks of molten metal without much difficulty. In fact, uh... with the benefit of hindsight, I'd say that a lot of his power revolved around his ability to eat things."

'Yes, that makes sense. What else?'

"Ah... well, I also fought Bloodeye not too long ago, and I saw him pull a live cruise missile out of his mouth. And it was definitely soul-strengthened."

'A live missile...'

"He used it in the fight. It was stupidly powerful. I don't recall Banda doing anything quite that crazy, but I've got a feeling that he could have, if he'd wanted to. Their abilities seemed identical, though I assume Bloodeye is stronger overall."

'Perhaps that ability requires significant preparation. You said that you thought Banda was on a scouting mission, no? That a fight was not supposed to break out?'

"Yeah."

'It could have been the case, then, that he did not fully prepare himself for said fight. Meaning he would be even more dangerous if he did.'

Not the most comforting thought in the world, to be sure. "Do you think if he swallowed something else, I'd be able to see it arrive here?" Ignoring the fact that he was currently blind, of course.

'Not likely. And if you did somehow see something, it would have been reduced to its base elements, unlike you.'

Hector didn't want get off topic again, but he just had to ask something else now. "Is this, uh, realm or whatever--is it shared between everyone? Or is this like my own personal realm where only my element resides?"

'That is something I have been trying to discover for quite a while now. Testing the material in these realms for some unique, identifiable feature has proven incredibly difficult. I still have a few ideas left for experimentation, but I've not been able to find the time, as of late. It seems there is always a more pressing matter or idea that steals my attention.'

Dang.

Hector had to think. What a fucking conundrum he was facing, all of sudden.

On the one hand, the Vanguard getting involved could prove quite problematic where the Rainlords were concerned. Warrenhold was supposed to be a safe place, away from the Vanguard's influence.

But on the other hand, if Bloodeye and his men stormed into Atreya, it wouldn't just be Hector and Warrenhold at risk. The entire populace could very easily become subject to the same horrific reality that was already happening to Sair.

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of helpless civilians being slaughtered at Abolish's whim. Hunted down in the street. Homes invaded, looted, and burned.

Ugh. When he thought about it like that, it seemed like no choice at all. Hector couldn't gamble with the lives of so many, just because he was afraid of a complicated situation once the dust settled. There was too much at stake here. Maybe if he hadn't already gotten his ass handed to him by Banda Toro, he would be thinking differently right now, but there was no way he could simply ignore this.

"If you're offering help, then I won't refuse it," said Hector. "But from the sound of it, I shouldn't hold my breath."

'Sadly, yes, that is the case,' said Xander. 'We are already being stretched beyond our limit. I do not know if anyone will be able to help you, but I will ask.' And there was a pause. 'Actually, if you would like to plead your case yourself, then I could bring you to me so that you may do so.'

Hector might've blinked if his eyes weren't already shut. "Didn't you say that you didn't want to bring me to you? That it would be too big of a risk?"

'Yes. But if you wish it, I am willing to take that gamble for the sake of saving your country. Either way, an enormous risk is being taken. If given a choice, I would rather choose the one that banks on you being the honorable friend that you currently appear to be.'

Wow. Hector had to admit that he was flattered. Xander didn't seem like the kind of the guy to say a thing like that without genuinely meaning it. But he still couldn't say yes here. "Thank you, but I can't spend that kind of time away from home, right now. I need to get back as soon as possible. I feel like I've already wasted too much time in this place, as it is."

"Maybe I'm just pessimistic by nature. I hope you're right, though." And before he missed the conversational opening, Hector wanted to make sure he pounced on the next subject. "You mentioned Vantalay, too. You really think Steccat will step in over there?"

'I think it's quite possible, yes. But then again, Vantalay is dealing with a lot, right now. I believe that corner of the war is the most volatile, at the moment. Anything could happen.'

Hmm. Hector wished he could ask something more specific, but this was also extremely sensitive territory for him. There was absolutely no way that he could allow his ties to the Rainlords to be revealed. No matter how much the Magician was growing on him, that would be a bridge too far.

So he left it at that.

And Xander was the one to pose the next question. 'How is it that you ended up fighting Banda Toro, by the way?'

Ah. Hector had been wondering if that was going to come up. While his connection to the Rainlords couldn't be revealed, perhaps it would be okay to reveal his one to the Sandlords. Even Atreyan royalty had ties to them, so it wasn't like there was no precedent for it, either.

But Hector was still hesitant. This wasn't just his secret to share, he felt. If only he could've consulted Abbas, right now.

"At this point, it's hard to know exactly what they were thinking," said Hector. "They are Abolish, after all. But as far as I was able to tell, they were on some sort of scouting mission, and a fight probably wasn't supposed to break out. But it did, anyway."

'I see. Why would they be scouting Atreya, of all places?'

Hector had a pretty strong guess, obviously, so he didn't want to lie and say that he had no idea. He decided to just keep his mouth shut.

'Strange. Do you think you can handle Bloodeye's men once you get back there?'

That was the million troa question, now wasn't it? Hector honestly didn't know. A part of him wanted to feign confidence, but he just couldn't bring that out of himself at the moment, especially after everything he'd already admitted earlier. "I'm not sure..."

'Do you want the Vanguard's assistance?'

Oh shit. Uhhh. "Er... can you even spare the men?"

'No, quite frankly. Nor can I make any promises. But if your need is dire, then I can at least attempt to send someone to your aid.'

"You think that extremism is a necessary evil in the world?" said Hector.

'Necessary? Maybe not. But I think on the grand scale, its influence isn't always a bad thing.'

Hmm. Hector hadn't thought about it like that before. But it at least made sense that a leading member of the Vanguard would view it that way, he thought. Xander probably had lots of comrades-in-arms who were much more extreme in their views than he. If he couldn't tolerate their opinions, then he likely would've left the Vanguard a long time ago.

He wondered what Harper Norez might say on this particular subject.

They'd gotten quite sidetracked, though. "Alright, well... why do you want me to tell Abolish that the war is going terribly for you?"

'Because by all appearances, it is. If that can make them overconfident, then we would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunity.'

"So you've got a plan, then."

'Everyone has plans, don't they?'

He supposed that was true. But this guy was being evasive again. In the end, Hector didn't really expect Xander to share anything of real substance with him regarding the war. He decided to keep trying a little more, though. "Do you think Intar will join the fighting?"

'As a matter of fact, I do.'

Whoa. That was surprisingly candid--and also a totally contrary opinion to what he'd heard previously. "Really? Why?"

'Unless the war ends abruptly and soon, then Intar's entry is inevitable, I think. In all likelihood, the pressure in Sair will grow too great to ignore.'

"But Intar is politically deadlocked and very anti-war culturally, at the moment."

'Every modern country is anti-war culturally,' said Xander. 'Aside, perhaps, from those led by Abolish, but even in those places, a strong argument could be made that they--the civilians, at least--are more anti-war than anywhere else in the world. They just can't say so publicly. Living under military dictatorships can have that effect on you.

'No, Intar's hand will be forced, sooner or later. Steccat, too, if the Vantalayan warfront doesn't improve. I am not saying that things will be smooth sailing or that they won't get significantly worse before they begin to get better, but in the long run, this is a losing war for Abolish. It is plain to see even from the most uninformed perspective that the actions taken by the aggressing nations are unjust.'

Wow. That was definitely one way of looking at things. "...You're very optimistic."

Xander laughed mildly again. 'That is what polite people say when they do not wish to call me naive.'

"Are you saying that you'd like the practice of ransoming to make a comeback?" said Hector.

'I do not know. Maybe. The problem is that so many of our enemies desire genocide. On a moral level, I feel it is difficult to justify a ransom when the captive in question might very well go on to kill thousands more civilians in the future. But that type of thinking, too, leads down a dangerous path of escalation and extremism.'

"You seem surprisingly moderate," said Hector. "For such a high-ranking member of the Vanguard, I would've expected you to be... firmer in your convictions."

'Is that disappointment I hear in your tone?'

"Not in the least. If anything, it's a relief to know that you're thinking deeply about these things instead of just assuming you're always justified in everything that you do."

'I feel as though you may be alluding to one or more of my peers.'

Was he? Well, maybe he was. That hadn't been his intention, but now that he was thinking about it, he'd heard quite a bit about the extremist side of the Vanguard from Garovel and many of the reapers within the Rainlords. Hell, some of those reapers probably could've been considered fairly extremist themselves, still.

He didn't dare bring up the Rainlords, though. "I worry about extremism within the Vanguard. You're supposed to be paragons of virtue that the whole world can look to and admire. I understand that's a big responsibility for you--and a tough balance to maintain--but when you stop trying to live up to that ideal, we all suffer for it. Everyone."

Okay, this didn't feel quite right. And yet, it also did. It felt exactly right, somehow. Half of these words seemed like they shouldn't have even been coming out of his mouth, but in his heart, they didn't feel wrong at all.

It was confusing--but also not.

'I agree with you in principle,' said Xander, 'but if I may take the counter position for the sake of argument, then I feel that even extremism has its place. At times, extremism is the only thing that can move the cultural needle in any direction. The passion that it summons out of people, the calls to action--these are things that moderates like us struggle to achieve. For better or for worse, it is not moderates who enact change in the world. But we are the ones who end up trying to find a new equilibrium once the extremists have finally settled down or been dealt with.'

Damn. Hector had been hoping for more than that. But then again, perhaps this was informative in itself. If Ravi really was a decent guy, then his deeds probably wouldn't be recorded, would they? Especially by the Vanguard, who weren't looking to write down praise for good behavior on Abolish's side.

'Ah, here's something,' said Xander. 'It would appear that Zaman has a history of collecting ransoms.'

Or maybe not. "Say what?"

'After a battle at Demarkis, he ransomed five Vanguardian reapers that had been captured. After another at Ninoway, he ransomed three. At Carmino, he ransomed six. At Larudo, he ransomed ten. And a few more, elsewhere.'

Huh. Ransoms, eh? Of enemy reapers? Hector couldn't really see that as such a terrible thing to do when it came to war, especially when the alternative was to just kill them. Obviously, it would be different if he'd been kidnapping and ransoming random civilians.

It did make him curious, though. He needed to be careful how he phrased his next question, lest it come across as something that only someone very young and inexperienced would ask. "How often has Abolish been ransoming your reapers in recent years?"

'Not often at all, as it so happens.'

"The practice goes through periods of flux, doesn't it?" That was more of an educated guess than a knowledgeable comment, but Hector tried to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

'Indeed. It is generally a good metric by which to measure the overall ruthlessness of the current regime.'

Which was to say that Morgunov and Dozer--or at least their subordinates--were currently quite ruthless, by historical standards. Not that Hector was terribly surprised by that, but it did put things into a slightly different perspective.

"I suppose that speaks well of Ravi's character, then. If only a little."

'Yes. Only a little, as you say. Because perhaps his greed simply outweighs his bloodlust.'

"In the old days, that wouldn't be considered greedy at all," said Hector. "That was just how warriors made their wealth." Where had that come from?

'Hmph. I'm not sure if that change in sentiment has been for the better or worse. On the one hand, it can prolong conflicts by letting the enemy rebuild their strength, but on the other, a good ransom will help you rebuild your own depleted forces more quickly. And despite how rare the practice has become, the conflict between the Vanguard and Abolish doesn't seem to be having any trouble prolonging itself.'

'Care to comment on that?' said Xander. 'Or rebuke these claims?'

Hector didn't see much point in lying, especially because a different strategy came to mind. "Actually, I'd like to ask you about Ravi Zaman. Do you have a file on him, too?"

'Mm, perhaps.'

"As far as I've been able to tell, Ravi seems like a pretty decent guy, but because of his ties to Abolish, I've been reluctant to place much trust in him. If you could tell me about his past or... anything, really, then that would be a huge help."

'I am at least aware that this Freeman Fellowship is supposedly more peaceful than the rest of Abolish,' said Xander.

"So I've heard," said Hector. "I'm not sure whether I buy that or not, though. It could just be a tactic to gain favor and then ultimately backstab people."

'Indeed. Abolish has been known to do precisely that on many occasions throughout history. I would be exceptionally cautious around such a man, were I you.'

"I mean, he's also an important diplomatic figure in Lorent. Being mean to him for no reason would only cause problems, in my opinion. Which is something that Carl Rondel, your Vanguardian liaison in Lorent, doesn't seem to agree on. That guy's a real piece of work, by the way."

Xander was quiet again, perhaps looking for the requested file.

Hmm. Maybe this was the real reason the Magician had been so intermittently quiet during this conversation. Instead of thinking super carefully about his responses, maybe he'd just been hunting down reports or whatever.

Hector had to wonder where the hell this guy actually was. If he had access to physical reports, then did that mean Xander was still in the real world? But what sense would that make? Didn't he say that there was some kind of massive time differential?

Hector wanted to ask about that, but he wanted answers about Ravi more, if he could get them. That man had been an enigma for long enough in Hector's mind.

At length, Xander spoke up again. 'Ravi Zaman of Palei. Let's see here... It seems he has been active within Abolish for at least twenty years. He participated in the Korgum-Dozer war, the Vaelish Civil War, and minor skirmishes in Ardora and Qenghis.'

"A bit vague," said Hector. "Has he done any specifically terrible things? Any crimes against humanity?"

'If he has, they are not listed here.'

As Hector mulled over his next words, he realized that he didn't actually want to hold this information back from Xander. In the off chance that the Vanguard didn't already know it, then they would certainly need to. It would've been a real dick move on his part to keep this to himself.

"Morgunov is using nanoscopic machines that can sabotage a servant's ability to regenerate," said Hector. "And probably more."

Still, Xander persisted in silence.

Hector decided to just keep waiting, though. He'd said what was needed. There was no point in psyching himself out now.

Eventually, the Magician did speak up again. '...Where did you come by this information?'

"I can't tell you that."

'You sure? I already have a pretty solid guess, I think.'

Hector didn't want to read too much into that. "Guessing is fine. But just as you said before, I can make no comment on that."

'I see,' was all Xander said.

Hector still didn't know if Xander had known about the nanobots already, and Xander probably intended to keep it that way. But considering how privileged the information might be, there was a chance that Xander was still impressed that Hector even had access to it in the first place. Which could bode well for this conversation going forward.

Hopefully. Hector was trying to be optimistic, for a change.

Eh, maybe it didn't suit him.

"So?" said Hector. "What's your opinion on the war?"

The Magician again took his time before answering. '...It is a disaster on nearly all fronts,' he said. 'And if you happen to speak with any members of Abolish on the matter, I would have you tell them precisely that, as well.'

Hector's head reared back a little as he processed that. "Excuse me?"

'Hector Goffe of Atreya,' said Xander. 'I have found your file. It's a bit light, considering the means by which I've come to meet you.'

Aw, shit. This was all about to bite him on the ass, wasn't it?

'You've encountered hostile Abolish forces multiple times, it would seem. I believe you are not lying when you say that you are fighting them now.'

Well, that was good, at least.

'But you are also on friendly terms with the Abolisher known as Ravi Zaman of the Freeman Fellowship.'

Uh-oh. Hector could hazard a guess as to how that intel had ended up in his file. Goddammit, Carl.

Xander gave him a mild laugh at that. 'The war is a difficult subject, as I'm sure you know. To speak details of it with you would be... an entirely different level of risk, I think.'

"Operational security," said Hector. "I get it. But I also think we're on the same side here. And... well. There might be a thing or two that I could tell you about, if you're willing to do the same for me."

'An exchange of intel, hmm? What is it that you think I do not already know about?'

A number of things, probably. Considering all the information that he'd been gathering from the deployed teams of Rainlords around the world, there was a decent chance that Hector had a fair few bargaining chips at his disposal, right now. The trick was figuring out which ones they were.

"Well, I can't just reveal my cards straight away. Is there anything in particular that you'd like to know about?"

'No, no. That is not how this works. I'm afraid I must insist that you go first. I will provide no hints.'

Dang.

There were certain things that Hector was determined not to talk about, no matter what. Sparrows, the Rainlords, the Candle, the Shards, Rasalased, and probably also the Sandlords.

The only reason he was at all considering that last one was because they were still technically allied with the Vanguard. But he very much doubted that Abbas would want him revealing anything of his kin to Xander here, considering everything Hector had heard Abbas say about them.

He supposed he'd already given the barest hint that he knew about the existence of Sparrows, but he also hadn't actually confirmed anything yet, either. And they didn't seem relevant to the war, anyway. And hell, Xander almost certainly knew more about them than he did, so there was no bargaining power there to begin with.

He could, however, think of one thing that might be worthy. There was a good chance that Xander already knew about it, though. "I assume you've heard about Morgunov's robotic nightmares by now, yeah?"

'Indeed. That is far from a secret.'

"I've heard that Jackson was severely wounded at Uego."

'I can make no comment on that.'

"Didn't think you would," said Hector. "But has the cause of his wounds been determined yet?"

'That is a leading question, and I still cannot comment.'

Oh shit. "Ah, sorry. What I mean to say is, if he is wounded and having trouble regenerating, then I know the cause."

Xander made no response. Perhaps he was waiting for more.

'Still, you stay silent,' said Xander. 'Perhaps that is wise. I ask to be told a secret that may not be yours to tell, after all. I ask because I have a feeling that it may be a point of commonality and building trust between us.'

"...You say they need secrecy, and yet you're the one bringing them up."

'Yes. I am taking a bit of a risk on you, Hector. Know that I would not do this if we were meeting elsewhere and if I did not have very strong reason to believe you when you claim to be anti-Abolish. Those two factors together create a compelling case for allyship between us, in my opinion.'

Hmm. Maybe this guy knew more about him than he'd thus far let on. Again, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he'd heard about that mess in Lorent, already.

The Magician of Light did seem like an incredibly good friend to have, at least in theory. Plus, there was the fact that the guy had knowledge of and experience with Fusion Forges.

But Hector didn't want to be too eager here, either. "Didn't you ask me if I was a member of Abolish? And then say that it would be okay if I was? Now you're saying my anti-Abolish stance is super important."

'I did say that. And it would indeed have been okay. I would not have attacked you, just as I promised. But I would also not have considered you a potential ally, either. Any bridge made between the Vanguard and Abolish can only be so wide, if you take my meaning.'

Hector supposed he could understand that. "Alright, then let me ask you something else."

'Go ahead.'

If the two of them were to be taking risks now, then this next question would certainly qualify. "How is the war going, from your perspective?"

And again, Xander fell silent.

Hector didn't balk, though. He just let it linger, wanting to give the man ample time to think about his answer.

'...You ask much of me with that question.'

"Maybe so," said Hector. "But you seem like an honest guy with a good view of things. I want your opinion."

'A "good view," you say. How am I to interpret that, I wonder? A morally agreeable view? Or merely a view from an elevated position?'

"Mm, maybe a little bit of both?"

Xander ignored him. 'There are also your own abilities to take into consideration. When you were initially eaten, for example, your body should have been broken down into its base elements, but that clearly did not happen, as you are still a whole, sentient being. Could you explain to me why that is the case?'

He almost just shrugged and said no. But he actually had a guess. And he supposed he couldn't put off asking about this, anymore. "...Do you know anything about aura?"

Xander took his time responding. '...I do, indeed. And that would explain some things.'

It would? Hector would've liked to hear that, but he felt like he was already treading on sensitive ground with this subject. If he made it obvious that he was still quite ignorant about aura, then maybe Xander would be less inclined to speak about it. For operational security or whatever. The Vanguard was like that, wasn't it? Especially because Sparrows and auras were closely related topics.

Maybe he should just come right out and say that he knows about Sparrows, too. Hector was virtually certain that the Magician of Light would know about them. Whether the man would actually share anything was another matter.

He decided against bringing them up. He didn't want to start fielding questions about why he knew about them. That would begin to feel like a betrayal of Pauline and Hanton's expectations.

'Are you familiar with wrobels?'

Welp.

Hector had to take a moment to process that question. It threw a rather large wrench into the turning gears of his mind.

It seemed like Xander didn't even need him to admit it, however. 'The fact that you are not immediately asking me what I am talking about is answer enough, I think.'

Fuck. Hector thought about trying to just outright lie his way through this, but considering how straightforward Xander had been with him thus far, that seemed wrong. And there was the fact that he couldn't think of a lie that sounded in any way believable.

So he elected to say nothing.

'Your silence is both understandable and admirable. They are magnificent creatures in need of protection and secrecy. I have been entirely truthful with you, so I hope you will believe me when I say that I am a friend to all wrobels. Even the surly, unlikable ones.'

Hmm. The guy said earlier that he wasn't good at being persuasive, but here and now, Hector was quite tempted to take him at his word.

'Another method, though more tedious and difficult, would be for you to locate a point of geographic resonance within your current realm and open a portal yourself. Do you know how to do that?'

Say what? "Uh... no, I don't. But I have heard that term before. A point of geographic resonance?"

'That's right.' But Xander did not elaborate. Perhaps he was trying not to share too much sensitive information again.

Whatever the case, it was not very helpful.

Hector thought of an important question, though. "Would that allow me to get back to my home quickly? Or would it just poop me out at some other random point of geographic resonance in the normal world?"

'It would not be random. Well. Maybe a little. Or a lot, depending on how good your control is, I suppose.'

His control of what, exactly? Aura? It kinda felt like Xander was dancing around that word now, and Hector didn't know if he should say it first. "I'd rather not risk that, if possible. I need to get back home and protect it from Bloodeye's men."

'Are you sure that rushing back into the fight is wise?'

"Maybe not, but I can't just back down now. There are a lot of civilians there."

'You said that Banda Toro was the one who ate you, yes? What's to stop him from simply doing it again?'

Hector had to bob his head a little. "Good question. Hopefully, I nail down an answer before it comes to that." He had a rather strong feeling that this new armor would help, but he didn't see much point in bringing that up now.

'I admire your resolve, at least.'

"I was thinking that, y'know, since Banda was my ticket here, then he might also be my ticket back?" It wasn't exactly a question, but he asked it like one.

'Ticket back, you say? In what manner?'

"I mean, er... you might think this sounds stupid, but I was wondering if I could, like... make Banda puke me back out. Since he ate me, right?"

Xander fell silent.

Hector got the hint. "...You do think that sounds stupid, don't you?"

'Stupidity and unconventional thinking are often mistaken for one another. Without knowing more about how the abilities of these so-called "dinosaur men" function, I can only speculate about the possibilities.'

Hector smacked his lips. "You're not actually saying no, I'm noticing..."

Wow. Hector scratched his head absently, having forgotten about the armor in the way. "Uh... I'd tell you more if I could. All I heard was a name, and it was in reference to something that took place, I think, a century ago. So... not exactly current."

'I see. That is unfortunate but not terribly surprising. And this was in Lorent, you said?'

"...That's right." Egh. Had he just made a huge mistake in sharing that detail?

'Could you direct me toward where you heard it, exactly? Or show me, perhaps?'

Oh shit. "Well, it was... um..." Agh, how to word this? "Okay, I said it was a long story, right? But I guess if we skip to the end, then, uh... I heard the name from the mouth of a... weird, inhuman, monster-thing."

Xander took a pause at that. 'Ah... the same aforementioned monstrosity?'

"Yeah..."

'It could speak, huh?'

"Yeah. Though, half or more of the things it said didn't make much sense."

'I can imagine. Was there anything else that it said regarding Lozaro, specifically?'

He had to think back. "I don't think so. Just that Lozaro summoned it into the world." There were also the horrific experiments that he'd borne personal witness to in that vision he'd seen with Pauline, but Hector wasn't sure if that whole mess was worth going into, right now. Plus, he didn't even know how to begin explaining that shit.

'Unfortunate. And this creature is now dead, I assume?' said Xander.

"Yeah."

'You slew it yourself?'

"I... did, yeah."

'That sounds like quite the heroic effort.'

Hector didn't know what to say to that.

'In any case, thank you for the information,' said Xander. 'If you ever happen upon more regarding Lozaro, I would be most keen to learn it from you as soon as possible.'

Whoa. "Uh. How would I get in contact with you again?"

There arrived another pause. 'There are various ways. Before we get into that, however, perhaps we should discuss getting you back into the real world, hmm? Or do you already know your way back?'

"I wouldn't say no to your help."

'An interestingly vague answer.'

"Heh, you would know."

'Aha, yes, I would. I suppose you have options, then. The easiest method, as far as I am able to tell, is to bring you straight to me. But frankly, I hardly know you, and that would be an enormous extension of trust on my part, which I'm not altogether comfortable with.'

"Uh, okay..."

'Oh, come now. You don't know that for sure. Maybe I'm a different Xander. It's a common enough name, I should think.'

"That was one of the least convincing things I've ever heard," said Hector.

Xander gave a mild laugh. 'Yes, well, I suppose I have never been known for my ability to persuade or deceive. Hence why I prefer to either be quite direct or simply say nothing at all.'

Hector could certainly respect that mentality.

'You are not a Vanguardian yourself, are you?' said Xander.

"No."

'And yet you recently fought one of Abolish's deadliest warriors.'

"Banda Toro." Hector felt like he could be a bit more forthcoming, now. "You know of him? He's one of Bloodeye's men."

'Ah, indeed. Then this is confirmation of the rumors I have been hearing. Lozaro has made a significant breakthrough in his research. That is most unwelcome news.'

Hector had to pause at that bit of intel. "Lozaro? I've heard that name before, too."

'Oh? That is surprising. He's typically quite the stealthy operator. I presume you did not hear that name in the most pleasant of contexts, no?'

"Definitely not. I mean, uh... I guess I could be mistaken, but... I'm pretty sure he brought a... monstrosity into the world that terrorized Lorent and devoured dozens of innocent people."

'Yes, that sounds like him, alright. Never one to let the risk of enormous collateral damage or devastation to the general populace get in the way of his sick curiosity.'

A part of Hector expected Xander to glean more from what he'd just referenced. The Beast of Lorent had been an infamous enough problem that it wouldn't be surprising if some of the top Vanguardians had heard of it.

If he knew anything, however, he was deciding to keep it to himself, for now. 'How, exactly, did you hear the name Lozaro? That man has been a menace upon the world for more years than I care to remember, but very few have ever managed to learn of him.'

"Ah... that's a long story. And I'm not sure how to explain it, quite frankly."

'That is fine, but please, I would be grateful for any clues you could share with me regarding Lozaro's current whereabouts.'

The apparent earnestness of the man's request caught Hector a little off guard. "Are you hunting him down yourself?"

'I would leave this very moment, if I knew where to go.'

Hector paused. Truthfully, he'd been about to ask the same thing. Either that, or the Vanguard. He wasn't sure which one he would've asked after first. "...No, I'm not. Are you?"

'No. But are you being truthful? It is okay if you are a member. It will not prompt me to attack you, if that is what you are thinking. I promise.'

"Yes, I'm being truthful. Are you?"

'Heh. Yes. In fact, I am quite the opposite of Abolish.'

Hector had a feeling. "So you're with the Vanguard, then?"

'I am. Is that a problem for you?'

That was a loaded question with many ways of being answered. Hector decided to keep things simple, though. Much like this guy here, he wasn't trying to make enemies for no reason. "Not at all. Do you know Harper Norez?"

'As a matter of fact, I do. Charming fellow. With a good heart.'

"I can only agree. I consider him a friend."

'That is heartening to hear. Might you be willing to tell me your name, now?'

Agh. That was a tough one. All things considered, it would probably be fine to say that much. It was only his name. But still, Hector was hesitant. He knew only too well that the Vanguard was not wholly good and trustworthy.

He decided to risk it. "I'll tell you my name first, if you promise to tell me yours after."

'A fair exchange. Very well.'

Hector didn't mind going first, because this way, if the guy reneged on his promise, then he would still learn something about the man's character. Namely, that he couldn't be trusted to keep his word. And that would be a much more valuable piece of information to have. "My name is Hector."

'Mine is Xander. Nice to meet you.'

"Same." The gears in Hector's brain started turning as soon as he heard that. Xander? Xander... A Vanguardian named Xander.

It was familiar, though he wasn't sure where he'd heard it from. He recalled Garovel telling him about some of the Vanguard higher-ups. The most famous among them. Maybe it had been then. Because now he was recalling.

"...You're the Magician of Light," said Hector. "The keeper of the Golden Hour."

The Golden Hour was a Fusion Forge, one of the most coveted objects on the planet, just like Cocora's Candle. On second thought, maybe it was Abbas who'd told him about the Magician.

Or... maybe this was knowledge that the Candle itself had imparted to him. Somehow, his uncertainty made Hector feel like that might actually be the most likely explanation. Which was a little worrying, in its own way.

'I speak, by the way, in terms relative to the normal world. If you were to visit a Higher Realm, you would not suddenly age fifty years in a day. I mean to say that after having spent a day in a Higher Realm, many months or even years might pass by the time you return home.'

"How do you know that if you've never visited one yourself?" said Hector.

'Because I've known some who have. And also, as I said before, I have my tricks.'

Right. Sounded like this guy wasn't going to give him any more details, but it was at least nice to know that he wasn't losing tons of time while stuck in this place. He supposed in the back of his mind, he'd had a feeling that was the case. His first encounter with Rasalased had worked the same way, so it made sense.

'Now allow me to ask another question of you.'

"It's only fair, I guess. Go ahead. But since you're being a little cagey, then I reserve the right to be the same way."

'Fair, indeed. I want to know if you have met a man with a big scar over his right eye.'

Hector had to think about that. He'd met a lot of different people, especially recently. Ravi Zaman came to mind, though he didn't quite fit the description. "I've only met a man with a scar on the right side of his face. It's not over the eye."

'I see.'

"Who is he? What's his name?" Hector fully expected for these questions not to get answered, but the voice surprised him.

'Some call him the Godslayer.'

"Wow," said Hector. "Now that's a nickname. I've never heard it before, though. Sorry."

'That's alright. It was a shot in the dark. I would've been shocked if you knew him.'

"This Godslayer guy is an important friend of yours, I take it?"

'Yes.'

"With a name like that, he sounds pretty strong."

'Quite.'

Hmm. Hector still had other questions he wanted to ask, but his curiosity about the current topic had been piqued. "Is this guy lost or something?"

'That is debatable.'

Seemed like the voice was being stingy with the details again. Hector decided to push a bit more. "How would it be debatable? Either he's lost or he's not."

'It doesn't matter. Allow me to ask a different question.'

"Okay...?"

'Are you a member of Abolish?'

"Anything you could tell me about them would be appreciated," said Hector. "I have a feeling that I'll be encountering them again, relatively soon." Assuming he ever made it out of this place, that was. But he could ask about that next, he figured.

The voice took a moment to answer him, perhaps debating how much he wanted to say. 'I have heard talk of a recent... breakthrough among a certain group of transfigurers. Supposedly, they have been able to achieve some truly monstrous forms, akin to, as you mentioned, dinosaurs.'

He'd heard talk, huh? Hector doubted that the guy would tell him where from, but decided to ask, anyway. "Where'd you hear that?"

'I'm afraid that might be revealing too much about myself.'

Well, at least he was straightforward about his refusal to answer. "Do you know if they have any weaknesses?"

'I do not. If I did, you can be assured that I would tell you.'

Oh? "So you're not on their side, then?"

And the voice paused again, probably thinking. '...No, I am not. Nor would it seem are you. We might have more in common than we realized.'

"Maybe so." Hector was still wary of growing too trustful, though. And before he started asking riskier questions, he wanted to get some fundamental stuff out of the way. "But first, can you tell me what this place actually is? You called it a Lower Realm?"

'Yes. Or a Foundational World, as some call it. A place where only a single element resides. A building block of the world of the living. The world that, I suspect, you and I both come from.'

Hmm. "Does that mean there are Higher Realms, too?"

'I believe so, though I have yet to visit any of them personally. And I pray I never do, as should you.'

"Why?"

'Hyper time dilation,' said the voice. 'In the Lower Realms, time passes more slowly. MUCH more slowly. This factor alone can be of great benefit, though as I expect you've already realized, merely existing in these places puts a great strain on you. I would advise you to leave as soon as you are able.'

"Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that next, but go on. Are you about to tell me that the Higher Realms are the opposite?"

'Indeed. Time passes far more quickly. So if you are ever unlucky enough to find yourself there, it may well be the end of everything you currently know and love by the time you return. Hence why I have never had a strong desire to visit, though I admit they do intrigue me greatly.'

Holy shit.

'You are welcome. But you did not answer my first question. This atmosphere is helpful to you, no?'

What a strange thing to ask. "Why are you so curious about that? Are you not human?"

'Yes, I'm human, but I wasn't sure that YOU were. And I didn't want to assume. Some traversers of these realms actually quite dislike atmosphere. And if that were the case, I wanted you to know that it was not an act of hostility on my part but an attempt to provide aid.'

What the hell? He was gaining new questions to ask by the second. "How did you make this atmosphere, by the way?"

'Oh, I have my tricks. I'm afraid that's all I'm comfortable saying on that particular subject.'

Uh-huh. "Okay, then who's the last person or... entity that you've met here?"

'You're being quite pushy, now. I have questions of my own that I would have you answer, first.'

Maybe that was a fair point. Hector felt like he should relax a little. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be mean. I'm just... kinda confused about what's happening, right now."

'So it really IS your first time here, then.'

He supposed he could admit that much, at least. "Yeah." He paused, rethinking. "Well, actually. Maybe not. But probably."

'Now I am the confused one.'

"I guess what I'm saying is... I've had similar experiences to this before. But not the same, I think."

'Interesting. Might I ask how you came to find yourself here?'

Hector had to think about that for a moment. The answer that came to mind was going to sound stupid, but. Eh. Whatever. "...I got eaten by a dinosaur."

'P-pardon me?'

"Well, technically, I guess it was only half-dinosaur."

'That doesn't make your explanation any more sensible to me.'

Hector bobbed his head. "I'm just telling you what happened. If I had a more sensible explanation, I would've given it."

'Are dinosaurs... or half-dinosaurs common where you come from?'

"Not at all," said Hector. "They're supposed to be extinct."

'Ah. A shame. I would've liked to learn of a new realm in which dinosaurs still existed.'

"Well, the one I met was a real asshole. But like I said, he was only half-dinosaur."

'And so, after being eaten by this creature, you found yourself here?'

"That's right."

'...Now that I am thinking about it, I find that quite believable. And very worrying.'

"Oh? You know something about the dinosaur men?"

'Perhaps. I've not heard them described with such... curt terminology before, nor have I encountered them myself yet, but yes, I think I might know something of them.'

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