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((Triple Monday -- Page 3 of 3))
It worked as Hector had hoped it would. The sludge went flying. And so did he, over the edge of the chamber’s third floor.

The Scarf of Amordiin was helpful here. He caught himself with a tall spiral of iron and slid all the way down to the bottom. It was a technique he’d used before--one that he was beginning to think he should give a name to.

The cacophonous splash of more sludge erased that thought from his head, however, and he had to launch himself away again.

‘In fairness,’ said Garovel, ‘I really doubt they’re in more trouble than we are, right now. I’m not sure ANYONE is, quite frankly.’

‘Still doesn’t mean they’re going to show up and save us,’ said Hector, remaking his missing chunk of armor. ‘We need a better plan than that.’

‘Hector, there may not BE one. Not to be negative, but we’re pretty fucked.’

Hector might’ve sighed, if he could’ve spared the breath for it.

‘Really, though, you’re doin’ a great job, buddy. I’m plenty impressed, already. You just focus on keeping us alive for as long as you possibly can, alright?’

And Hector wanted to argue, but he stopped himself, because he noticed something different in Garovel’s soundless voice. Something off. A slight tremble. And a bit too much of a lilt, maybe, almost as if...

As if Garovel were trying not to sound frightened.

The worm arrived again with a boom and interrupted his train of thought, but Hector never lost track of it. After he managed to create some more distance, he found his mind lingering on that notion.

Garovel was scared.

That wasn’t so surprising, really. They were in a terrifying situation with no escape. But it WAS surprising that Garovel was apparently scared enough to be having trouble concealing it.

That was what Hector found concerning.

And though it hardly seemed possible at this point, Hector was beginning to get the impression that these circumstances were somehow even more dire than he had realized.

Wonderful. Just what he wanted. Even more pressure to not fuck up horribly.

He knew he had to keep his calm, though. His focus.

‘Just think of this as a new form of training,’ Garovel was saying, sounding more self-assured again.

‘How the hell would this qualify as training?’

‘You’re honing your agility. With the help of a pet.’

‘A pet,’ he echoed dubiously.

‘A very large, slimy, man-eating pet, yes.’

Well, at least the reaper wasn’t too scared to distract his servant with stupid bullshit.

A genuine distraction did arrive, however, in the form of a new presence in the chamber. Thanks to the Scarf of Amordiin, Hector sensed the person there immediately, standing at the bottom of the chamber and looking around in probable confusion. Unfortunately for whoever it was, Hector and worm were above them.

Hector knew his task at once. He had to get there before the worm did.