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((Triple Wednesday -- Page 2 of 3))
‘I see,’ said Engomat. ‘You were right to seek me out, old friend. It would be my pleasure to help your--’

As the old man and the lizard man approached, Germal expected them to come to a stop behind Engomat and listen to the two reapers conversing, but that was not what happened. Instead, only the old man stopped, while the lizard walked right up to Germal and crouched down to look the young man in the eye.

‘Gohvis?’ said Engomat. ‘What are you doing?’

The lizard man ignored him. His eyes were those of a reptile, as well, with slitted pupils and bright yellow-green irises. He grabbed Germal’s chin and turned the boy’s head for him.

“E-excuse me--” tried Germal.

Gohvis pulled the boy’s hood back and removed his leather cap to inspect the horn on his forehead. “One horn?” he said in two voices, though they sounded a bit odd to Germal’s ears. “How long have you been a servant, boy?”

“Ah, oh, uh, fifty-nine--”

‘It’s been six years,’ said Nero.

Germal gave the reaper an annoyed look, but he didn’t get a chance to complain beyond that.

Gohvis lifted him off his feet as if he weighed no more than a carton of milk. The lizard man lifted up the boy’s tunic and pressed his ear hole up against Germal’s bare stomach.

Germal just kind of waggled his limbs uncomfortably and helplessly in midair, afraid to say anything--and also not even sure what he would say if he did have the courage. His whole body tensed up, and he looked around awkwardly with wide eyes.

“Gohvis,” said the old man, who Germal could only assume to be the infamous Dozer now. Under normal circumstances, that person would undoubtedly be the one Germal feared most, but right now, that prize went to the lizard man treating him like some kind of seashell. “Gohvis, answer Engomat’s question.”

After another moment, Gohvis let Germal down. “I was checking to see if it was already too late for the boy,” he said.

‘Ah,’ said Engomat. ‘And what was your conclusion?’

“...I will take the boy into my care,” said Gohvis. “He will be safest with me.”

‘That is not your decision to make,’ said Engomat. ‘And you did not quite answer my question, either.’

Gohvis looked to Dozer. “...Do you have a problem with it?”

For a time, the old man didn’t answer him. The wrinkles of his face seemed to intensify his stare, somehow, and all the rain falling and lightning crashing in the distance seemed almost in accordance with the man’s will. Germal could certainly feel the abrupt change in air pressure.

“...I suppose not,” Dozer finally said. “You are our only authority on mutation now, after all.”

‘Hmph,’ said Engomat. ‘Try not to kill this one.’

Gohvis merely returned a flat stare, and the reaper hovered more closely to Dozer.