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Asad rubbed his chin with his free hand. “This is probably even more difficult to explain to a non-materialization user.”

‘Mm. Okay. Well, let’s just say you’ve convinced me of that part, then. They aren’t moving. Why is that so incompatible with the idea that the end result is some kind super-enhanced velocity state?’

“Because that would mean that materialization’s own rules hardly even matter--that it’s all ultimately just a trick of the mind.”

‘Well. Is it not?’

Asad’s expression soured. “No. These sorts of tricks should only work to a certain extent. This is far beyond that, I feel.”

‘Hence why you think our understanding of materialization might be flawed.’

“Yes… there is something fundamentally off with this.”

‘Hmm.’

“It would almost make more sense if only Hector could utilize this technique,” said Asad.

‘How do you mean?’

“If neither Zeff nor I could perform it, then perhaps this could all just be chalked up to the young lord’s encounter with Rasalased. A gift from the Dry God.”

‘Agh, don’t even bring that up, please.’

Asad couldn’t help smiling a little. “Are you still upset that they were able to meet him before us?”

‘Intensely, yes. That entire scenario was just absurd.’

“At least we have confirmation that Rasalased is still there after all this time.” His eyes went to the travel bag by his bed. Hector Goffe and Emiliana Elroy were currently in possession of two of the Shards of the Dry God, and the remaining two were in that bag there.

Asad and Qorvass had never made a big issue out of it in front of anyone else, but it had not been a trivial decision to allow Hector to keep one of the Shards. With Emiliana, the poor girl had been whisked away by the Monster of the East, so she had obviously never been given an opportunity to return her Shard--and likely wouldn’t for a very long time. And given Hector’s--and ONLY Hector’s--ability to converse with her through them, it would have been quite cruel to insist Hector return his.