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"A true aura warrior would be able to see such things even without first knowing them," said the Beast.

"Oh yeah?" said Lord Goffe. "Interesting. But even if you can 'see' the connection between reaper and servant, that doesn't change the fact that the reapers aren't actually there. But you still managed to pull them here from very far away."

"Hmph. You are not a true aura warrior, are you?"

"Well, maybe not. Maybe I'm still learning." Somehow, Lord Goffe managed a small laugh in this situation. "Have you met many 'aura warriors' before?"

"Met? No. Seen? Yes."

"How did you come to know so much about them, then?"

"Through the Great Echo, of course," said the Beast.

Agh, another term that Pauline didn't recognize. She was tempted to believe that this was something significant, but she also had to acknowledge the very real possibility that the Beast of Lorent was completely mad and just speaking utter nonsense. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more likely that seemed.

"And what is the Great Echo?" said Lord Goffe.

"The immense division between realms," said the monster. "It is where whispers of the past propagate beyond themselves, perhaps for eternity. A true aura warrior would know of it. Your predecessors would surely be ashamed."

Oh? Wait a minute. Was it talking about geographic resonance, Pauline wondered?

"What can you tell me about these aura warriors of the past?" said Lord Goffe.

"Hmph. Have I not told you more than enough already? Return my spawn to me."

"If I do that, will you attack us again?"

"Yes."

Lord Goffe laughed outright at that. "You might be a little too honest for your own good, y'know that?"

"I despise liars."

"I've noticed."

"Return my spawn."

"Give me your word you won't attack."

"No."