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“Yes and no,” said Carver. “It has been years since I have seen another ‘normal’ person like myself--if these servants and Hun’Kui gentlemen will excuse the term. Yet I have not been alone. But rather than telling you, would it not be better to show you?”

The group exchanged uncertain looks as they started walking again, this time down a long corridor with the only light being at the end of it.

‘He’s not lying,’ said Garovel privately. ‘I’m sensing a lot of... souls on the other side of this tunnel.’

Hector noticed the reaper’s hesitation. ‘Why the pause?’

‘I just... well, they’re not quite “souls” in the traditional sense.’

‘There are traditional souls now?’ said Hector. ‘How complicated does this shit get, Garovel?’

‘That’s not what I mean. Just... geez, I can hardly believe what I’m sensing, right now. Maybe it really would be better to just to wait until he shows us.

‘Shows us what?’

‘Exactly.’

Hector had lost his ability to be surprised by Garovel’s intentional crypticity. He hadn’t lost his ability to be annoyed by it, though.

They soon reached the end of the corridor, but none of them were prepared for the view that awaited them.

Carver kept walking while everyone else stopped to gawk. Then he turned and gestured widely with both hands. “Welcome to Himmekel, the Paradise Vault.”

The very first thing that drew Hector’s eye was the sky-high lavafall. It wasn’t particularly wide, but it was so tall and so intensely bright that it became the main source of light for the area.

But not the only source of light. And that was the second thing Hector noticed: how many other, smaller lights there were. And what they were.

They were people.

The lights were people.

They glowed. Red and orange and yellow. Molten beings. Not unlike the golem he’d just seen.

Or, wait a minute, were these golems, too? They were the size of regular humans, but maybe that didn’t matter?

He needed some answers and so reached for the only question he could think of. ‘Garovel, what the fuck am I looking at?’

The reaper was slow to answer. ‘Hector,’ he said privately. ‘Meet the Hun’Sho. A branch of humanity that I thought went extinct a thousand years ago.’

Hector’s eyes widened. He had no idea what to say to that.

The group started inching forward with Zeff in the lead, and Hector just kind of mindlessly followed, still too dumbstruck to do much besides listen and observe.

“Now, I’m sure you all have many questions,” said Carver, “but first, let me assure you that, whatever you’ve heard about their kind, these Hun’Sho here are very gracious, magnanimous, and welcoming. So long as you do no violence upon them, none will be done upon you. Trust me. I have been studying their ways for five years.” Then he turned to the Hun’Kui specifically and began speaking Hunese, perhaps repeating himself in order to make sure they understood.