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Torveis looked at Hector. “Jests aside, is that true? Do you believe me?”

Hector tried not to look like a deer in the headlights. “Uh, I... I don’t know yet. But, ah... I’m trying to keep an open mind, I guess.”

“And you would be convinced if you heard what Avar said to me?”

Hector bobbed his head to the side. “Depends on what he said. I shouldn’t promise to be convinced before I even hear it, should I?”

“Aha, I suppose not. Very well, I shall tell you.”

Truthfully, Hector was still mainly hung up on the whole “core of life that spins with the planet” thing, but it didn’t seem like Torveis was the one who would be able to explain that to him--at least, not in a way that he understood. Maybe it was something he would ask Emiliana about later. Assuming she ever intended to speak to him again.

“Avar’s message was one of great hope,” Torveis went on. “He said unto me that my people should take heart, for though we have struggled and been hurt for many long years now, He will return for us when the time is right.”

Not the most persuasive, Hector felt, especially that bit at the end. He could only imagine how Garovel’s doubt was growing.

Torveis had more. “He also said that the time is near, as He has already reawakened into this world.”

‘Mm,’ said Garovel. ‘How long ago did he tell you this?’

Torveis’ molten lips pressed together briefly. “...About three hundred years ago, I suppose.”

Garovel was at least considerate enough to keep his roaring laughter private.

“If I am to be completely honest,” said Torveis, “it has been almost as many years since Avar last spoke to me. Which, I admit, is somewhat disheartening, but I believe it may be caused by his reawakening. Perhaps the reason he no longer appears in my dreams is because he is himself no longer slumbering.”

That... kind of made sense, if Hector wanted to be generous. And maybe it was just the result of Garovel’s sustained and echoing guffaw, but Hector was starting to feel bad for Torveis. “Ah... d-do you know what Avar looks like? Or maybe what he will look like when he returns for you?”

“I do not know if He will retain the same form when he arrives, but in my dreams, he appeared before me as a great and majestic bird.”

Garovel’s laughter abruptly cut off. ‘You know what birds look like?’ he said publicly.

“...Ah, yes, one of the surface-dwellers described them to me. I am afraid I cannot recall which, but I remember them speaking of many of your animals from the surface.”

And Hector noticed Garovel’s brief silence.

‘But Carver only arrived here five years ago,’ the reaper said, ‘and you said the last time Avar spoke to you was around three hundred years ago.’

“Yes. I was only able to recognize His form in retrospect.”