Page 3310

Along the way, Haqq Najir accompanied him once again. Hector materialized the helmet piece for him to examine, which the man proceeded to do so in silence.

Hector couldn't help growing curious what Haqq thought of it. No doubt, it was too soon to get a proper assessment, and given how quiet Haqq was being, Hector supposed he'd just have to wait.

Garovel, however, had apparently not been thinking the same thing. 'So?' he asked. 'What do you make of it?'

Haqq didn't bother looking up. "Too early to tell," he said, which made Hector feel somewhat vindicated. Haqq held the helmet up to his ear and rapped a knuckle against the side.

Hector recalled him doing that before with iron. He'd thought it a bit odd back then, but here and now, it was making a lot more sense to him. At this point, Hector knew the sound that iron made quite well, and that was clearly not it. Too thick. Dulled. Barely ringing, despite its relative bell-shape.

Whatever that metal was, it was dense. Haqq knocked it again, and the result was of course the same. The sound didn't really carry. Like hitting a wall rather than a bell.

'C'mon, you must have SOME thoughts,' said Garovel.

Haqq ignored him and looked to Hector, instead. "Make a copy of this out of iron for me," he said.

Hector did so. It appeared in his open palm, and he handed it off to the man.

Haqq put the other one under his arm like a football and then rapped his knuckle against the iron, listening closely again.

'Oh, so NOW you're interested in Hector's iron, eh? Why the change of heart?'

Hector gave the reaper a look. 'Garovel...'

'What?' said the reaper privately.

'Leave him alone.'

'Hmph. You forgive and forget things too easily, y'know that?'

Haqq banged the two helmets together, then held one up to each ear.

'There's no way that's actually giving him useful information,' said Garovel, thankfully still privately. 'He's just doing stuff to look busy.'

The trip over to the Star Tower was another long one. It was the tower that was technically the farthest away from the Entry Tower, but it at least helped that he didn't have to go all the way down into the courtyard first. In fact, the bridging walkways were the only way to enter the Star Tower, because the bottom half of it was still missing, so unlike all the others, it bore no entrance from the courtyard.