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The accompanying footage was split between three different screens, each showing giant columns of black or gray smoke filling the sky.

Young Mr. Yavan took notice as well. “Seems the world has nothing to offer but bad news, lately.”

And David kept watching. It soon became clear there were at least three eruptions currently accounted for, one each in the nations of Kavia, Melmoore, and Vantalay.

Somehow, Prince David doubted that was a coincidence.

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Of late, Hector had been dreaming more often. Almost every time he slept, in fact. And they were quite random, too.

But very real.

On this occasion, he saw the life of a simple farmer. Or what seemed to be one, at first. A man arrived on his land. A man of terrible power and influence. A man who’d brought an army with him. Because apparently, this was not the first visitation. The leader’s subordinates had been pressuring the farmer for a while now without ever being able to make him budge.

There was fear in the army’s ranks but not in the leader.

A long discussion was had. That comprised most of the dream, in fact.

“...To speak with such insolence, do you not know of me, farmer?”

“I do not. Nor do I care.”

“I am the new lord of your lands, farmer.”

“Congratulations. But I serve no lord other than the one who lives in my heart. If it is tribute you seek, you will have to look elsewhere.”

The lord laughed mightily. “I’ve not met a man as fearless as you in a long time! Or, perhaps, is it merely ignorance that makes you speak so?! Surely not! The army at my back must make your situation quite clear, no?! Or are you blind, as well?!”

“I see your army. Make sure they don’t trample my crops.”

Another mighty laugh. “If every man under me was as fearless as you, good sir, I’d have conquered the entire world by now.”

“Mm, but would you have conquered yourself?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“To satiate one’s hunger, only a modest meal is needed.”

“Ah... you do not know my Hunger, then. For mine never seems to end.”

“I know of that well. The Hunger you speak of. That hunger is not of this world, and therefore nothing of this world can satisfy it, other than a corrected mind. A conquered mind.”

The lord was not laughing, anymore. Instead, he was listening carefully.