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And the more Hector mulled it over, the more upsetting this whole thing looked. Inside his helmet, Hector’s brow slowly lowered, and he squinted. “...Caster. Have you enslaved this guy?”

Caster’s head reared back. “What? No. Of course not.”

A protracted silence arrived.

Rather than pressing with more questions, Hector just waited for elaboration.

Soon enough, Caster seemed to realize that such elaboration was indeed necessary. “He is my right-hand man. My most trusted confidant.”

“So he can leave your service whenever he wants?” said Hector.

Caster exhaled half a laugh. “Well. He. Aha! You make it sound overly simple. But! Yes! Of course he can!”

Another silence intervened.

Until Caster spoke up again. “But why would he want to leave? I treat him well.”

“Do you?” said Hector flatly.

“Yes.”

“Because it kinda looks like he’s nothing more than a tool to you. Or a toy, maybe.”

“He and his reaper joined me of their own free wills.”

“That doesn’t address my point, Caster.”

“I fail to see what your point even is.”

“My point is that if you’re a slaver, then we might have a problem here.”

“He is not my slave!”

Hector took a couple steps closer and looked at Loren directly. “Is what he said true? Did you join him of your own free will?”

And it took him a moment, but Loren gave an unsteady nod.

“There. See?”

Hmm. “And now?” said Hector. “Are you glad you joined him?”

“...Y-yes,” said Loren with wide eyes. “I... I am.”

Caster was watching the guy like a hawk, Hector noticed.

“So you don’t feel like he’s turned you into his slave with all his crazy powers, then?”

Loren was a deer in the headlights, looking from Hector to Caster, then back again.

They gave him a while to answer, but the man seemed to be genuinely lost for words.

Caster jumped back in. “Darksteel, are you trying to poach my man? Because I must say, that is extremely poor form as an ally, and I do not appreciate it. He’s the only subordinate I have, at the moment. I need him.”

“You know what I don’t appreciate? Treating human beings like property.”

Caster sighed and rubbed his brow. “How has this conversation gone so far off the rails? Again, he is not my slave. And we are well and truly sidetracked. Let us stay on topic, please. Will you be taking him to Intar with you or not?”

“Oh, I’ll take him along alright.”

At that, Caster blinked, then frowned. “Suddenly, I’m no longer certain I wish to send him...”