On second thought, approaching the ship was too dangerous. The odds these people would be as nice and helpful as Xander were low. For all he knew, they were more evil and more dangerous than even Abolish. He could always change his mind later and seek them out if necessary.

Hector flew in a different direction, continuing to scan the horizon for anything other than tropical islands. This continued for a good half-an-hour or so before, by chance, Hector noticed signs of activity directly below him. Some items were stacked up on the edge of the beach. From this altitude, he couldn’t make out what they were.

He began his descent while backing off a bit to maintain his distance. Searching the area while still hovering well above the sea, he noticed something unnatural within the tree line. He approached cautiously.

As he moved to get a better angle on whatever the object was, he realized it was a hammock. Creeping closer, he could now see that a man was resting in the hammock, hands behind his head.

Hector wondered if he should avoid this man, just as he avoided the crew of that ship a little earlier. Somehow, seeing the man lie there peacefully, he got the sense that this man meant him no harm. He approached cautiously, stopping while still a comfortable 20 meters away. He could sense some power emanating off the guy but decided to proceed.

“Hello!” Hector called out to the snoozing man.

The man craned his neck to look in Hector’s direction and then sat up on the hammock. “Hey there!” he shouted back. He was of average appearance, with brown hair and no distinguishable features. Well, he was shirtless, but even then he just seemed like a normal guy. Nothing weird about chilling in the shade adjacent to a hot beach shirtless, Hector figured.

Having received a friendly response, Hector decided to respond in kind. He continued speaking while drifting closer through the air. He noticed the man was not at all surprised by Hector’s flying ability. “My name’s Hector. What’s yours?”

“Sermung.”

Hector’s eyes bulged from behind his armor. He knew this guy was special, but not that special. “The High Commander?”

“In the flesh. Which as you can see is unusually exposed…” Sermung looked around and then leaned down to grab his overcoat, which he draped over his shoulders. It was an impressive garment of white, gold, and black, but somehow it clashed with Sermung’s still-exposed chest and moderately-developed abs. “On the other hand, you seem a bit… overdressed… for this heat, huh?”

Well, Hector was wearing a full set of armor on a tropical beach. That was indeed a bit weird.

This guy most likely really was Sermung, so no amount of armor would help if Sermung became hostile for whatever reason. Hector instantly dematerialized his armor from head to toe.

Sermung smirked. “Not a style I see too often, that armor.”

“Sir, uh, what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Hector.”

“Oh, I, uh, got eaten by a dinosaur. Then I ran from a feldeath. Then there was a ship but I ran from that too.”

Sermung titled his head slightly. “There were some strange words in there, but the feldeath is probably my fault.”

“Your fault?”

“Do you know where we are, Hector?”

“No, I don’t know what type of realm this is, but it’s definitely not Eleg.”

“Indeed. I don’t know where we are either.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m sure Xander will find me and fish me out soon, though.”

“Does…” Hector turned his face away from Sermung while staring at him side-eyed. “Does this happen often?”

“Not really, no. You?”

“No. Oh, I was in a lower realm of iron before this. I spoke to Xander there.”

“You did? Great, that means he’s already looking!”

“Xander didn’t seem to be in a rush.”

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“Did Xander ask you all about the dinosaur that ate you? That seems like something he would do.”

“Yeah… We discussed that.”

“Hector, why don’t you have a seat? Let’s talk for a while. Unless Xander finds us, of course.”

Hector materialized the same iron throne he had used when he first met Leo. Well, maybe that wasn’t the best idea, but Sermung didn’t seem to mind. He just sat back down on the hammock.

“How is the feldeath your fault?” said Hector.

“I was actually fighting it back on Eleg. I’m still not totally sure what happened, but we both got transported to this realm. I’ve been here for several days now, but I’m not sure how much time has passed back home. You?”

“Why did you stop fighting it? I saw it over there.” Hector pointed in the direction he had flown over from.

“Hector, I see your reaper’s not here. Mine isn’t either. We were separated and only I was transported.”

“Mine’s back in Eloa.”

“Indeed? So were you really asking me why I wasn’t fighting a feldeath without my reaper? I mean, I’m honored, but it’s a good thing Tenebrach didn’t hear you say that. He’d somehow make this misunderstanding into my fault, you know.”

Hector was starting to get a sense as to what type of relationship Sermung and his reaper had.

“So, how about yourself?” said Sermung.

“I was trying to get from the lower realm back to Eloa, but I ended up here instead.”

“Ah.”

Hector had been wondering for weeks why Sermung was so quiet, even throughout the ongoing war back home, so he thought of a question that might be able to explain the cause. “What was the time and date on Eleg when you were transported here?”

“Who knows?”

Hector figured Sermung knew and was just refusing to answer, but he couldn’t blame him. Any information about Sermung was likely extremely sensitive.

“Well, I’ve revealed my affiliation. Why don’t you do the same, Hector?”

When you were the High Commander of the Vanguard, revealing your affiliation and revealing your name were one and the same, but that was neither here nor there.

Hector sensed a heaviness to the air. He wasn’t sure if Sermung was trying to pressure him, or if this is just what it felt like when Sermung asked you if you were an enemy or not. Hector saw no reason at this point to withhold anything he’d already told Xander.

“I’m Hector Goffe, Lord of Warrenhold in Atreya. We aren’t affiliated with the Vanguard or Abolish, although some of us are friendly with Harper Norez.”

“Ah, Harper. And you are on good terms with Xander, yes?”

Hector nodded.

“I’m surprised I haven’t heard of you before. Well, maybe I have, but Tenebrach does such a great job of remembering everything for me…”

“And he holds it over your head every chance he gets?”

“You get it!”

“Garovel’s not actually that bad about it…” Wait, crap, things had suddenly gotten so jovial Hector inadvertently revealed Garovel’s name.

“Garovel, you say?” Sermung brought a hand to his chin. “Pretty sure it hasn’t been that long since I heard that name. Hmmm…”

Well, no point in trying to hide anything now. “Garovel speaks highly of you.”

“Does he? I’m glad. Heck, I’d consider trading reapers with you if we could.”

“I’ll…” Hector paused. “I’ll keep that one to myself.”

“Smart man. With age comes experience, after all, despite what a certain reaper likes to say. Speaking of that, I’m a bit confused.”

Hector tensed up. He wasn’t sure what Sermung was getting at, but it couldn’t be good.

“Well, you’re not in the Vanguard, so I won’t ask you how old you are.”

Hector maintained a poker face but he sighed internally, in relief.

“So did you and Garovel get forcefully separated when you were eaten by that dinosaur?”

“Oh, uh, no, Garovel was away.”

“Hector, if you were fighting a dinosaur I assume you mean some Abolish transfigurer using those weird new pan-rozum powers I’ve heard about recently. What were you doing fighting against that without Garovel?”

Hector didn’t immediately respond so Sermung followed up.

“If you’re field marshal level I’ll overlook it, but since I haven’t heard of you before today, that seems rather unlikely. Also, you got eaten, and it wasn’t even by Sanko, which would be minimally excusable.”

“Yeah…”

“Doesn’t Atreya need you? I doubt there are very many servants to go around there. Even less capable of hyperstates. Are you being too careless?”

While Hector struggled for how to respond, Sermung backtracked.

“Sorry, it’s really not my place to say. Please just accept this as free advice from someone with a fair amount of experience fighting Abolish in the past.”

Hector nodded.

“So, getting eaten by someone using that nasty new power sent you to the lower realm? And you tried to escape but ended up here?”

“Yeah. Xander offered to bring me to where he was but I wanted to hurry back to Atreya.”

“I guess you’ll need to settle for coming back with me. Who was it you were fighting, anyway?”

“Banda Toro.”

“Ah. So he’s probably running amuck at, uh, Warrenhold right now?”

“Yeah, but depending on the time dilation…”

“Tell you what, Hector. If Xander finds us in time, I’ll join you for a quick trip to Warrenhold.”

Hector gulped. “Sir, don’t you have bigger problems with the continental war?”

“Oh, it’ll be all right. Like I said, it’ll be a quick trip. My staff will have barely enough time to figure out how to deploy me after I return from Atreya.”

Hector wasn’t sure whether or not he should accept Sermung’s generosity. Surely, Sermung would make quick work of Bloodeye or anyone else attacking Warrenhold, if it was still standing. However, even if Sermung himself was a reasonable guy, revealing the current occupants of Warrenhold to some of Sermung’s subordinates could become a very big problem. Well, Hector couldn’t think of a convincing way to decline.

“I’ll take you up on that then.”

‘You’ll take him up on what?’

“Ah, Xander!” Sermung called out. “I’m going to Warrenhold to pitch in.”

‘First you pioneer a method to drag a feldeath to another realm, then you help me make good on my offer to send Hector here some Vanguard reinforcements. How do you do it, my old friend?’

“That’s why I’m the High Commander, of course.”

‘I thought it was because the last High Commander got eaten by a worm and you’re the oldest.’

“Have you been hanging out with Tenebrach again?”

>The end. To try for the other (inferior?) endings, go to Page 1.