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“The only participant?” said Zeff. “What about Morgunov?”

Graves paused, eyeing Zeff for a moment. “Word of his movements has been rather... erratic, to say the least.”

“Meaning, what?”

“He was last seen in the middle of the Luthic Ocean.”

That was also news to Zeff. “The middle of...?”

Graves’ expression turned grim, and he elected to simply wait for Zeff to finish his thought.

“He was at the heart of the storm, wasn’t he?”

“It seems so, yes.”

“Did he instigate it?”

“Not by himself, no.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Sanko and Lamont were both there, too. Along with Dozer, Gohvis, and an enraged feldeath, apparently.”

Lakefire. “You’re saying they were the cause of all this? Countless lives lost as collateral damage because they couldn’t take their fight somewhere else?”

Graves inhaled deeply. “I’m still wondering about that, myself. In my entire lifetime, I cannot recall a single battle ever causing this level of devastation to the environment. Even the entirety of the First Continental War pales in comparison.”

Zeff didn’t know what to say.

Graves looked away. “To my mind,” he said slowly, “only the nigh-mythical cataclysms of the ancient world come close. Exoltha, for example.”

Damn. Still, Zeff remained at a loss for words.

“It therefore seems unlikely to me that such a clash could have been the only cause. Strong as all of those people may be, this just seems like too much, even for them. I suspect there was something else at play there.”

Zeff finally came up with a question. “Where are Sanko and Lamont now?”

Graves had no answer for him, however. He merely returned a solemn expression, chased by a hint of uncertainty.

Zeff gaze hardened, and he blinked. “Tell me you’re just refusing to say for OPSEC. They’re not actually...?”

Graves shook his head. “Genuinely, I do not know. I’ve received no word from them or any of their men.”

Zeff recalled Raul’s newest rescues, and he almost brought them up as if to deliver the news before catching himself. “...You must be pleased, then.”

Graves just cocked an eyebrow at him.

“With Raul,” Zeff clarified. “Or do you not even know his name?”

“Ah.” Graves relinquished a nod. “He is a good lad, yes. Full of potential.”

It took all of Zeff’s effort not to scowl.

“With some of the generals recovered, we should be able to learn something soon,” said Graves.