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“I tire of this idiocy,” said Dozer. “Our men are dying. If you know the wolf’s true motive, then speak it now. Be clear.”

Morgunov snickered. “Our men? You’re suddenly worried about them, are you? How touching. But fine! Let me make it so simple that even a stone-headed moron like you will understand!” He pointed toward Germal, who was still just an upper body in Gohvis’ hand, not regenerating at all despite the fact that Gohvis himself was fully recovered from Koh’s attacks. “Your little mindflayer over there is not only a traitor to Abolish but also an enemy to all of us! All of humankind! He is a vessel for a Primordial, who all want nothing more than to subjugate mankind! To make us live under their thumb, in rot and filth, as they suppress the technology we work so hard to create!”

A brief silence arrived, filled only by the muffled sounds of battle from the other side of their bubble.

Sai-hee spoke first. “That is quite a tale.”

“It’s the truth,” said Morgunov.

And Koh, for his part, was surprised. It had an obvious bias, but the Mad Demon’s version wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Perhaps this situation may yet resolve itself without further needless bloodshed.

“A Primordial,” said Dozer, eyeing Germal. “You mentioned that before. But you claim they are all alike and yet the tales of them could not be more different. Even assuming they are real, lumping them together would be akin to lumping you and I together, which is obviously a mistake.”

“Hmph! Whatever! He told me his plans himself!”

“A shame he can’t do so for us now,” said Sai-hee. “I would hear how he might advocate for himself.”

“You’d only hear lies,” said Morgunov. “I’m telling you: the dog is on the right side here. We shouldn’t get in his way.”

“None of what you said explains the wolf’s motive,” said Dozer. “It only explains your own. Why should the Man-Eater care about the suppression of technology?”

“Oh, he probably doesn’t,” said Morgunov. “But that big fella right there is the Beast of Ardora. The Eternal Hunter of Primordials. Older than all of us combined, I’m pretty sure. By his very nature, he knows that eliminating Germal is the right thing to do. Moreover, I bet he’s the main reason why the Primordials don’t usually make themselves more widely known. They’re afraid of him.”