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Only the barely-standing Lord Elroy remained. And without warning, a surge of water appeared, jetting toward the Salesman, only to break upon a faintly blue wall. The waves swished back and slammed against another nigh-invisible barricade, becoming suddenly boxed in. The crashing waves were abruptly silenced as no sound was able to escape the Salesman’s box.

“Stop,” said Gohvis.

Ivan tilted his head as he eyed his new aquarium. “Water? Ha. Look, Monster. It’s the new Water Dragon. This one’s name is Zeff Elroy, as I recall.”

Zeff was pinned to the floor now beneath a blanket of blue energy. Xuan hadn’t even seen when the Salesman managed to do that.

Gohvis took a step closer, but that was it. With reptilian eyes and no visible mouth, his expression was unreadable.

“But perhaps you already knew that,” said Ivan. “Is this why you are here? You have some affection for these rare abilities? I know the feeling. It is a bit of a shame to just snuff it out like this, but on the bright side, there will probably be another one in a few generations, right?”

“Stop,” said Gohvis again. “...Please.”

That gave Ivan pause, along with everyone else in the room. “Excuse me?” said Ivan, sounding genuinely stunned. “Did you just say please?”

Xuan saw a new expression on the Salesman’s face. Confused thinking. Gears turning.

“Wait a minute,” said Ivan. “Don’t tell me... oh, Monster, don’t tell me. Oh my, oh no. Ha. Aha. Monster, are these people your kin?”

“NO.” That one word made the room tremble, sand and dust trickling from the perforated ceiling again. Gohvis didn’t wait for a response this time, however. He melted out of sight and reappeared behind Zeff. “Take them all. I don’t care. But the girl in the mask is mine.”