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It worked like a charm. Soon, Morgunov was the one giving chase while Gohvis-Aeha led the way.

As a result, a new lull in the fighting arrived as the Vanguardians struggled to keep pace while also fending off Kallmakk’s attacks from the rear. Rarely did those same attacks reach all the way up to Gohvis-Aeha’s position.

The main worry was simply paying enough attention to what Morgunov and his robots were up to. Perhaps the madman was hesitant to turn on him fully and threaten their neutral attitudes toward one another for the remainder of this battle, but he doubted that hesitation would last forever. Morgunov was not renowned for his patience or self-control.

The land at his feet became a blur as he sped across the wilderness. He no longer even felt like he was making contact with the ground while he ran. He might as well have been sailing over water.

He considered slowing down, in case Morgunov needed it, but that didn’t appear to be the case. How was he doing that? Probably yet another of his hidden inventions. Koh certainly wasn’t having trouble, though Gohvis-Aeha couldn’t tell if the wolf was chasing after him now or still Morgunov.

At length, Germal’s telepathic voice arrived. ‘Master,’ he said. ‘Please, release me. You need not go to such lengths in order to protect me from the Demon. I came to this fight prepared.’

‘Hmph, if only it were that simple,’ answered Gohvis-Aeha.

‘Your interference in our battle makes little sense, Master. Why do you seek to protect him? I have never known you to have any affection for him or his cronies. I thought your disgust with Vanderberk stemmed as much from the Demon as from the Weasel himself.’

He might have sighed if he wasn’t already utilizing the full capacity of his psychically projected lungs. ‘This is what you get for making a move without first informing me. If this has been your plan of many years, then you should have consulted me. We probably could have come to some sort of agreement and avoided this whole mess.’

‘...Truly?’

‘Truly. But now my hand is forced, and I must move to protect my own interests before they are destroyed. There is much work that would be lost, if I let you kill him. Not that I believe you would have managed to do so, mind you.’