Thursday, March 2, 2023

Page 3238

Wow. Hector scratched his head absently, having forgotten about the armor in the way. "Uh... I'd tell you more if I could. All I heard was a name, and it was in reference to something that took place, I think, a century ago. So... not exactly current."

'I see. That is unfortunate but not terribly surprising. And this was in Lorent, you said?'

"...That's right." Egh. Had he just made a huge mistake in sharing that detail?

'Could you direct me toward where you heard it, exactly? Or show me, perhaps?'

Oh shit. "Well, it was... um..." Agh, how to word this? "Okay, I said it was a long story, right? But I guess if we skip to the end, then, uh... I heard the name from the mouth of a... weird, inhuman, monster-thing."

Xander took a pause at that. 'Ah... the same aforementioned monstrosity?'

"Yeah..."

'It could speak, huh?'

"Yeah. Though, half or more of the things it said didn't make much sense."

'I can imagine. Was there anything else that it said regarding Lozaro, specifically?'

He had to think back. "I don't think so. Just that Lozaro summoned it into the world." There were also the horrific experiments that he'd borne personal witness to in that vision he'd seen with Pauline, but Hector wasn't sure if that whole mess was worth going into, right now. Plus, he didn't even know how to begin explaining that shit.

'Unfortunate. And this creature is now dead, I assume?' said Xander.

"Yeah."

'You slew it yourself?'

"I... did, yeah."

'That sounds like quite the heroic effort.'

Hector didn't know what to say to that.

'In any case, thank you for the information,' said Xander. 'If you ever happen upon more regarding Lozaro, I would be most keen to learn it from you as soon as possible.'

Whoa. "Uh. How would I get in contact with you again?"

There arrived another pause. 'There are various ways. Before we get into that, however, perhaps we should discuss getting you back into the real world, hmm? Or do you already know your way back?'

"I wouldn't say no to your help."

'An interestingly vague answer.'

"Heh, you would know."

'Aha, yes, I would. I suppose you have options, then. The easiest method, as far as I am able to tell, is to bring you straight to me. But frankly, I hardly know you, and that would be an enormous extension of trust on my part, which I'm not altogether comfortable with.'

"Uh, okay..."

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