Page 1393

‘Uh...’

‘Really, Garovel? Nothing?’

‘Hector, honestly, buying time might be the best we can do here. I mean, if the Rainlords can’t kill it, then...’

Not exactly the keen insight that Hector had been hoping for, but he supposed he couldn’t really blame Garovel.

‘...That is, unless those non-servants from the surface have something else up their sleeves,’ said Garovel. ‘Which it seems like they might.’

‘How can you tell?’

‘Their souls are all gathered together, right now. Seems like they’re working on something. They’re to your right. Do you see them?’

He did. And just as the reaper said, they were huddled up in a circle. ‘Ah. They’re standing over a pile of guns.’ He squinted. ‘And it looks like they’re taking them apart.’

‘Well, let’s go talk to--’

An interruption arrived in the form of yet another earthquake, and Hector found his bridge crumbling beneath him. He caught himself with an iron slide and curved it toward the group of gunmen. A few sideways tumbles and unintended front flips later, and he managed to find his balance and stick the landing right next to them.

They all turned to give him startled looks before relaxing again.

‘Ask them what they’re doing,’ said Garovel.

Before Hector got the chance, however, the quaking returned and so did the worm, thrashing its way alarmingly close.

Hector raised his hand flatly upward in front of his chest, and with it, iron appeared below the gunmen and their work, boxing them in instantly. Then Hector grew the whole box in his direction at launching speed, carrying the gunmen and himself out of the worm’s path.

The sudden motion knocked everyone over, apart from Hector, who kept his attention locked firmly on the sludge monster. Thankfully, it did not seem to have taken an interest in him for a third time. Yet.

“Thanks a bundle, Senmurai,” came a familiar voice, belonging to one of the gunmen. It was the crazy-sounding guy from earlier, Hector realized.

Senmurai? Hector wanted to ask what that meant, but there were more pressing matters. “Do you guys have a plan?” he asked instead.

“Oh, wow, you sound so young!” the man said with a laugh. “Couldn’t tell in all that crazy armor!”

“A plan,” repeated Hector. “Do you have one?”

“Son, don’t you worry. Good old-fashioned human ingenuity is here to save the day again.”

“Excuse me?” Hector could see the gunmen piecing something together from all the disassembled parts. Something quite large.

The guy gave another hearty laugh from inside his helmet. “There was never any problem so tough that it couldn’t be solved by a big enough gun!”

Hector’s eyes widened as he watched them continue working. At length, he couldn’t stop himself and just had to ask, “Who are you guys?”

“We’re with the West Intar Company. Search & Discovery Division. I’d shake your hand if mine weren’t so busy right now.”