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From the moment they’d sensed the two big souls, Ibai hadn’t stopped blabbering--mostly to himself and with such speed that Hector couldn’t even follow what he was saying. It sounded like Ibai was trying to formulate a plan or something, and kept looking at Hector as if looking for approval, only to continue talking anyway.

And now, Hector found himself here, in another decimated room, staring at the back of some giant, black dragon-man-thing. He looked around and saw a host of downed servants that he recognized. Zeff, Dimas, Melchor, Xuan, Asad.

“Why, hello there,” Ibai was already saying. “You gentlemen are from Abolish, am I right? Wait don’t tell me! The Black Scourge and the Salesman of Death! Yeah? My name is Ibai. I’m an aberration, if you couldn’t already tell. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Well, aren’t you friendly?” said the yellow man. “How did you get in here?”

“Oh, are you asking because you sealed this room off?” Ibai asked. “How did you do that, by the way? A force field? Are you a force field guy? I’ve never met a force field guy! How does your power work? Or is that a rude thing to ask? If so, I apologize. I’m just naturally curious. Always have been. You know how it is.”

Ivan was stepping closer. “It’s been a while since I met someone who likes to talk as much as I do. I’d rather you answer my questions first, though.” He raised a hand to encase Ibai in a blue field, but the aberration was already gone by then, ported to the other side of the room and leaving Hector standing next to Gohvis.

Ibai and the Salesman kept talking, and Hector was a bit too concerned with those glowing red eyes to look anywhere else. And so he and the Monster of the East just kind of stared at each other as they listened.

Hector was surprised at how calm he felt--at how he wasn’t immediately shitting his pants, anyway. He couldn’t seem to change the massive frown on his face, though. Or his wide-eyed stare. Or the way that his whole body was leaning backward, as if preparing to be stepped on.