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They didn't have access to regeneration, either, because neither of them had wanted to tell their reapers where they were going, much less bring them along. If they both ended up dead, then well, their reapers would realize eventually.

Kalikos occasionally checked in on him, and Caster had to act like everything was fine, like he wasn't staring death in the face and trying not to blink first.

They'd told the reapers that they were going on a training retreat deep into the Otoron Mountains in Calthos. The reapers didn't come with them because, technically, their respective sects were still on duty. The extra respite that they had been granted after the victory over Sair was conditional. They could still be called back to fight at any time, so the reapers needed to stay behind in order to alert them if such orders arrived.

All things considered, the timing was rather convenient--which was perhaps how Paulie had managed to convince him. After all, if they didn't go now, then who could say when another opportunity would present itself? This war seemed like it could go on for a long while. Even if the lingering fighting in Sair died down completely, they would doubtless be sent to a new front within a week; and if they got separated, then it would become that much more difficult to coordinate a little excursion like this.

What utter madness.

He just had to keep reminding himself that he was undead. He didn't actually have to worry about being killed here.

Probably.

He did recall a few old rumors that some feldeaths could, in fact, kill you permanently even if your reaper wasn't present, but those were just rumors, he was fairly sure. They'd never been confirmed. Which they would've been, if they were true.

...Right?

Yes, of course they would've. The eggheads in Research loved that kind of stuff. They wouldn've looked into it and told everyone all about it. Or maybe Morgunov himself would've.

Definitely.

An even-larger-than-usual explosion in the distance made him turn and stare.