Chapter Two Hundred Forty: 'The Lion's share...'

Asad could see the young ones looking to him for instruction, but he didn't have much for them, at the moment--other than a mounting sense of dread.

Qorvass wasn't helping with that feeling, either. 'It can't be...'

He was reluctant to ask but he had to. 'Do you know who is doing this?' said Asad.

'I can't sense him, but that power over machines... making such complex things like magic...'

'Spit it out already.'

The reaper's insectoid gaze locked onto him. 'It might just be Morgunov himself.'

Well, then.

That was the last thing he had wanted to hear, and yet he wasn't terribly surprised by it, either. There were plenty of old, dangerous madmen in Abolish, but that bastard was the one who always came to mind first.

'Then get out of here, Qorvass.'

'No,' the reaper said.

'Now isn't the time for--'

'If it's really him, then it's already too late for me to flee,' said Qorvass. 'Separating myself from you would just make things even easier for him.'

Asad wanted to argue, but he could tell from the reaper's tone that it would be pointless. He got back on the radio. "Possible encounter with the Mad Demon. I repeat. Morgunov may be on the battlefield. Do you copy?"

There was only static, however.

"Please respond," he tried again, though he was already moving to retrieve another radio, one that utilized different antijamming measures.

That one didn't work, either. Nor did the next one.

And in the meantime, a fourth sign arrived.

"STOP FIDDLING WITH YOUR TOYS AND COME GET A SNACK."

The two bunker scouts were looking at him again, not the sign. He couldn't see their faces through all their gear, but from their body language, they didn't seem scared--which was a minor miracle unto itself, professionalism not withstanding.

A fifth sign: "IF YOU DON'T, I'LL HAVE TO BRING THE SNACKS TO YOU."

Asad had to remain calm.

The defensive line was under constant surveillance. Even if the enemy had somehow neutralized every single radio in the bunker, his kin would surely notice the communications blackout soon and send reinforcements.

If they were really up against the Mad Demon, though, then those reinforcements were doomed, too. Alone, the only warrior on this battlefield who stood a chance against him was Lamont, and how long would it take to alert him of Morgunov's presence here?

If they were working in unison, the Golden Council might be able to mount a defense, but right now, they were divided.

Asad had to stall. And even more importantly, he needed to get word out about the severity of the threat. It wouldn't matter how much time he managed to buy if the ones who showed up to help were unprepared.

There was one method that might work. A very old-fashioned tactic. But Morgunov would probably block that, too, if Asad didn't wait for an opening first. No doubt, Morgunov was watching them like a hawk, right now.

As he was thinking, a sixth sign appeared: "DECIDE SOON. I'M GROWING IMPATIENT."

'Our options are limited,' said Qorvass, clinging onto Asad's shoulder. 'The smartest move might be to play along with whatever sick game he has in mind, right now.'

Asad's jaw clenched as he tried to think, tried to find some alternative. Conventional procedures went out the window when dealing with someone like Morgunov.

Hmm. So maybe... an unconventional strategy was in order?

He was suddenly reminded of the young lord from Atreya for some reason.

Asad stepped closer to the edge of the bunker and concentrated. He raised his right hand into a fist and summoned a quartz construct in the distance, near where the vending machines were located.

If it was to be a game, then Asad could play.

He used veins of molten quartz in order to embed Valgan letters into a larger case of glass. It needed to glow so as to be visible in the night, but the extreme heat meant that the case wouldn't contain the letters for long. He could already see them beginning to melt through the glass and ooze out onto the sand below.

But the message was a simple one. "WELCOME TO SAIR," was all it said.

And there arrived an intervening period of silence as they waited.

The response did arrive. "I DON'T FEEL VERY WELCOME," it read.

'Where in the black hells are you going with this?' said Qorvass privately.

'Just trying to buy time, honestly.'

'Well, hurry and say something else, then. Anything to keep him distracted.'

That advice wasn't very helpful, Asad felt. He annihilated his sign and remade it with a new message.

"IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME VISITING?"

'Wow, Asad.'

'Look, I'm open to topic suggestions.'

"NO, I HAVE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES," came the response.

And Asad actually found that a bit curious. Many times? Really? Visits from the Mad Demon would have been historically significant, and as far as Asad was aware, there were only a couple of instances where he had appeared here. Could he be lying? It would be far worse if he were telling the truth.

Unless he and Qorvass were wrong, and he actually wasn't conversing with Morgunov, right now. Wouldn't that be nice.

Before Asad could craft a reply, another mechanical sign appeared.

"I'M LOOKING FOR A FRIEND OF MINE," it read.

Asad had a rather strong feeling that he knew who that friend was, but he didn't see any harm in playing dumb with his response. "PERHAPS YOU COULD DESCRIBE THIS FRIEND."

The answer arrived swiftly. "LIKES TO WEAR ONE COLOR AT A TIME. GREAT PERSONALITY. KNOWS HOW TO LAUGH. VERY SOCIABLE. GOOD DANCER. SURPRISINGLY SKILLED MIME. A TOTAL GEMINI."

Qorvass shifted on Asad's shoulder. 'He's screwing with us.'

That seemed pretty clear to Asad, as well. But messing with them was better than killing them. He went to work on his response.

"THIS FRIEND WOULDN'T ALSO HAPPEN TO BE A MASS MURDERER, WOULD HE?"

"OH, SO YOU'VE MET HIM!"

"HE DIDN'T MAKE A VERY FAVORABLE IMPRESSION ON US."

"COME NOW, THAT CAN'T BE TRUE! I'M SURE IT WAS JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING!"

Qorvass sighed. 'How long do you think you can keep this up for?'

Asad had no idea, quite frankly. And for all he knew, it might be an hour or more before Lamont finally got word and came to see what was happening for himself--assuming he would even show up at all, that was. Asad doubted that anyone, even Iceheart, would be very eager to face this particular monster.

And of course, Morgunov probably knew all of that and more. If he was willing to waste time toying with them like this, then he must have been supremely confident.

Or just totally insane. How strange that Asad might actually be hoping for that to be the case.

"WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO CONVINCE YOU TO LEAVE SAIR ALONE?" read Asad's next sign.

"OOOH! ARE YOU ASKING FOR A LIST OF DEMANDS?!"

"YES."

"OKAY, OKAY! LET ME THINK FOR A MINUTE! I HAVEN'T MADE ONE IN A WHILE!"

And they found themselves waiting again. Asad tried to focus on his breathing and keeping his mind clear. His hand went to the Shards in his pocket unconsciously.

'Do you think there's any chance he would actually leave if we acquiesce to whatever ridiculous demands he is about to make?' said Asad.

'No,' said Qorvass. 'I've been following his career for hundreds of years now. Morgunov is the type to make us burn down our own home and then still rob the ashes afterwards.'

When the next sign arrived, it was the largest yet, displaying an enormous wall of text.

"OKAY, SO HEAR ME OUT: I WANT AN ARASABA. Y'KNOW, ONE OF YOUR SUPER COOL LION-FAIRY-BEASTS? THAT WOULD MAKE ME SO HAPPY. AND ALSO, TEN BUCKETS OF YOUR BEST ICE CREAM. COOKIES 'N CREAM FLAVORED. I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS HAVE STARTED MAKING AMAZING ICE CREAM IN RECENT YEARS, BUT I'VE YET TO TRY IT. THIRDLY, I WANT TO PLAY WITH THE SUNSMITH'S FANCY NEW ARMOR. JUST FOR A BIT. I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO HIM, PROMISE. OH, AND BRING ME THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST RUBBER BAND. FOR KEEPING, I MEAN. I WON'T BE GIVING THAT BACK. ALSO, BUILD ME A SAND CASTLE HERE IN THE DESERT. A REALLY BIG AND ELABORATE ONE. IT'S OKAY IF IT BLOWS AWAY IN THE WIND, THOUGH. I JUST WANT TO TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH IT FOR MY SCRAPBOOK."

About halfway through, Asad began to wonder if he really needed to read it all. He kept his response short and sweet, not wanting to discourage further rambling. "ANYTHING ELSE?"

"YES, BUT TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THOSE, FIRST."

Well, damn.

'He doesn't actually believe that arasaba are real, does he?' said Qorvass.

'Who knows?' said Asad. 'Maybe that's the point. To make impossible demands.'

'Challenge him on it,' said the reaper. 'Keep him talking.'

It was as good a plan as any other, Asad felt. "ARASABA DO NOT EXIST," read his next sign.

"THAT'S WHAT SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO HIDE THEM FROM ME WOULD SAY."

Asad honestly didn't know what to say to that. And as he was deliberating, another sign arrived.

"IF ALL OF THAT IS TOO UNREASONABLE, HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE OTHER THING THAT WILL SUFFICE."

Ah. Was this where Morgunov steered the conversation back to Ivan? "AND WHAT WOULD THAT BE?"

"YOU, ASAD NAJIR."

Asad froze up, eyes stuck wide after seeing those words. Was he seeing that right? Him? Morgunov was after him? What sense did--?

"So are we doin' this or what?" came an unfamiliar voice in Asad's ear.

He didn't even think. He just reacted. Asad dove forward and spun around, launching a bladed disc of soul-strengthened quartz right where he had just been standing.

And indeed, the man was there. The Mad Demon. He caught the disc between gloved fingers as if it were no more dangerous than a frisbee.

The two scouts were scrambling back, trying to create distance while freeing and raising their weapons.

Morgunov just looked at them expectantly as their guns refused to fire, both seemingly jammed simultaneously.

There was no time to process it. Asad had to protect them, or they were dead. With all his concentration, he summoned a great prism of glass, blasting through the roof of the bunker with its explosive growth and carrying everyone with it.

He made the prism force the scouts away from him, propelling them both outward in the direction of Kuros. He couldn't be too forceful, of course, or else he would kill them before Morgunov could, but he could at least give them a head start on their journey back to headquarters.

Morgunov, in the meantime, disappeared. Asad was left searching frantically for where he had gone. Was this invisibility? It couldn't be with all the sensors around, could it?

"Peekaboo," came Morgunov's voice, again in Asad's ear.

Asad reacted the same way again, but this time, Morgunov caught him by the wrist and pulled him back toward him like he barely weighed anything.

He writhed within the Mad Demon's clutches, trying to summon his materialization again and failing almost entirely. Where should have appeared a flurry of glass spikes, only a miserable sputter of dust arrived instead.

Morgunov was chuckling. "Now, let's just calm down for a hot sec, shall we? Is it too much to ask for a nice little conversation before you try to kill me? That's quite rude, you know."

'Hmph,' said Qorvass. 'Are you really going to pretend like you didn't want Asad to attack you? After popping up behind him like that?'

"Ah, Qorvass!" said Morgunov with widening eyes and smile. "How long has it been?! Decades?! Centuries?!"

What? Asad stopped struggling to listen.

'I wouldn't have minded if it were a bit longer,' said Qorvass.

"Oh, my feelings," said Morgunov.

And it was only now that Asad realized the Mad Demon was speaking with two voices.

"So what do you think?" said Morgunov, not waiting for a response. "Is it time for our plan to finally come to fruition? You've been undercover so long! You must be tired of pretending by now, right?! Come and join me again! We've missed your company!"

Asad's expression hardened as he tried not to react, but he still couldn't keep his gaze from trembling. He wanted to look at Qorvass, but the reaper was attached to his upper back.

For a time, no one said anything.

"I'm just messin' with ya," said Morgunov with a laugh. "Qorvass didn't betray you. Scary thought, though, right? Never can be too sure of what the ol' reapers are really up to, can ya? Could just be a matter of time 'til he sells you out. Or everyone you've ever cared about. D'you think that'd be worse? I think it might be. Tough to say, really. Depends on how selfish you are, I suppose. Deep down, y'know? So deep that you're afraid to even admit it to yourself, perhaps, hmm?"

'Are you done?' said Qorvass.

"Just a little food for thought," said Morgunov. "As the senior servant here, it's my duty to impart the wisdom I've gained over the years to my juniors."

'You're so full of shit.'

And the Mad Demon just cackled.

'What is your interest in Asad?' said Qorvass.

"Eeheheh. Well, I did mention that I wanted an arasaba, didn't I?" The emperor's silver gaze locked onto Asad with manic interest. "The Lion of the Desert is pretty much the same thing, I'd say."

'You want him as your pet? To what end?'

Rather than answering, however, the Mad Demon just kept staring.

Asad had never met Dozer or Morgunov before, but after all that he had been through in his life, all that he had seen and done, he had come to think that he was prepared for an encounter like this. Not in terms of power, of course, but in terms of mental fortitude. Psychologically.

He'd heard the tales. Of people meeting a hostile emperor. Of the overwhelming presence, full of palpable malice. He'd heard that many who experience it were forever changed, that weaker servants could just... break. Spiritually. They would simply give up. On trying. On growing. Or even on living. And their reapers would have little choice left but to release them.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He'd thought that, by now, he couldn't possibly be susceptible to a thing like that. Or that the tales were exaggerated, perhaps. There was no way that someone's presence alone could do such a thing, surely.

And yet now, with the Mad Demon holding him in place like a helpless child and staring straight into his soul, Asad Najir was made to doubt.

Those eyes. And that wild hair. Black speckled with gray, bobbing and swaying with the slightest movement of the madman's head, as if it were a living creature unto itself.

Asad's vision blurred and darkened around the edges. It felt like the entire world was shrinking around him. Like Morgunov was making it shrink.

And maybe he was.

In that moment, Asad felt as if no feat could possibly be out of this being's reach. Because this wasn't a man. This was a god taking the appearance of one.

Dread crept through his mind like a spider. Breathing was becoming more difficult. And he could swear that the Mad Demon's face was beginning to take on the appearance of an actual demon. Twisting, distorting, silver eyes beginning to emit a harsh light.

It was too much. Far too much. He had to constantly remind himself that it couldn't be real. That it was an illusion. That Qorvass had warned him of something like this happening years ago.

It felt like that thin rope was his only tether to reality, the only connection between his waking mind and what was actually happening. Shivers coursed through his whole body as the temperature seemed to drop.

Where was he? Everything had gone dark, apart from Morgunov's giant form. He wondered if--

And then he was back. In the bunker.

It was still somewhat dark, but only due to the night, as it had been before. He could see again. And Morgunov looked human.

"Eheheh. Resilient. How fun." The Mad Demon's smile hadn't changed, though. It seemed as if that might just be a constant of the universe.

"What was that?" said Asad, out of breath. "What did you do?"

"Hmmmmmmmmm..." Morgunov touched his bare hand to Asad's face, as if inspecting him, then traced the shape of his bald head. "These tattoos are interesting. They're adding to your resilience, aren't they? Where'd you get 'em?"

Asad didn't want to answer that.

'Stop this.' The reaper's voice sounded noticeably more shaken now. Before, he'd spoken to the emperor with surprising calmness. Familiarity, even. That was still there, to an extent, but Asad could sense a hint of desperation in his tone. 'Please.'

Morgunov chuckled. "Don't worry, Qorvass. I'm just testing his limits. I won't break this one. I've gained so much more control since the last time."

Qorvass fell silent, but Asad had heard enough to know there was a horrible tale there that the reaper had never shared with him.

And perhaps Morgunov could tell what he was thinking. "Eheh. Ol' Qorvy never told you about that, eh? Hmm, I can see why. Not the most comforting story in the world." His nose twitched and he rubbed it. "I almost feel like spilling the beans myself, but y'know what? That would be downright disrespectful of me, don't you think? So if anyone ever tells you that Morgunov is a disrespectful jerk, you go ahead and tell 'em that they're wrong. Got it?" And he winked.

The crystal prism that Asad had previously summoned was still largely intact, and they were now suspended a dozen meters above the busted bunker below. Asad's thoughts went to the two scouts who'd escaped. It seemed like the warning about Morgunov's presence might not have made it through the radio, but if those two could get back to base, then that was something, at least.

"Hey." Morgunov turned Asad's head back toward him. "Watcha thinkin' about, hmm? You never answered my question about your tattoos, you know. That's quite rude. You're not distracted by something, are you?"

Asad just remained silent.

"Like, maybe, those two dudes you were with earlier? You're not worried about them, right? If so, then let me dispel all your concerns. They're just fine." He released Asad's face and raised his hand. "See?"

The great prism shook and bent as two figures came shooting up through the bottom of it and stopped right in front of Asad, suspended on squirming tendrils of clanking machinery.

And Asad's heart sank.

The two scouts were struggling, but it was obviously in vain. One of them was trying to say something through his faceguard, but a mechanical mask covered his face and muffled his words to the point of near silence.

"Hush now," said Morgunov, frowning suddenly. Somehow, that expression was even more unsettling than his ever present smile. "You haven't yet earned the right to speak, little ones. Behave yourself and you may yet live." He paused. "I mean, okay, you probably won't, honestly, but hey, it becomes a non-zero possibility, at least."

The muted screaming ceased.

Morgunov's smile returned, and he eyed Asad again. "That's better. Are you able to concentrate on what matters, now? I sure hope so. Wouldn't want you to miss out. You're the key, you know. I'm going to let you see all sorts of amazing things before our time together is concluded."

Mechanical tendrils reached for Asad now, and he didn't even have the heart to fight them. With two hostages, no materialization, an emperor staring him in the face, he didn't really see much point in struggling. And indeed, when he consulted Qorvass privately, the reaper affirmed as much.

The only positive was that Morgunov released the monstrous grip of his hand in order to let the machines take over.

"So tell me," the Mad Demon went on, "where'd you get those tattoos?"

"...My mother gave them to me when I was young," he said.

"Ah, is that so? Neat! Those must've been quite the boon, eh? Kept you nice 'n safe, I bet. Is your ol' mama still around?"

"No."

"Hmm, really? You're not lying to me now, are you? Lying is the tool of cowards, jerks, and swindlers, you know. You don't want to be one of those three, do you?"

"It's the truth," he said tiredly.

Morgunov eyed him intently for a long moment, bobbing his head from one side to another. "Welp. Alrighty, then. Guess I believe you. So have you managed to speak to your Dry God yet?"

Asad thought he couldn't be surprised anymore, but that did it, and his eyes bulged.

Morgunov just waited quizzically for his response, though.

Again, Asad did not wish to answer.

Morgunov pursed his lips like a duck. "You're just gonna leave me hanging like that, huh? It's not that complicated. Simple yes or no answer. Either you've talked to him or you haven't. Oh! Or are you thinking that you shouldn't tell me because it's privileged information?! Yeah, that must be it, right? Well, not to worry, lad. There's nothing you could let slip about Rasalased that I don't already know. If anything, I could probably teach you a few things! But only if you're nice!" And he was laughing again, because of course he was.

Qorvass answered for him. 'We have not met Rasalased yet, no.'

"Aha! I thought not! Somethin' aboutcha just gave off that sort of vibe, y'know? An aura of doubt and frustration and disappointment. Very pitiable, honestly." He clapped a hand down on Asad's entangled shoulder. "I feel for ya, homie. It's tough, trying to measure up to everyone's expectations, isn't it? But the thing you've gotta understand is, no one actually cares that much."

Asad just returned a look of mild exasperation as the mechanical tentacles raised him up in midair, suspending him face-first in front of the Mad Demon.

"Mm, I can tell by your expression that you don't understand yet," said Morgunov. "You're still caught up in all the little traps that people lay out for one another. The quiet tyrannies of 'expectation.' Of social responsibility and morality. You can't see how meaningless all that stuff actually is."

Asad gave a muted sigh.

Morgunov snapped his fingers and began circling around Asad as he talked. "But that's okay. I won't lecture you. Too much, eheheh. Youngins should be allowed to learn at their own pace. I'm sure you'll figure it all out on your own, eventually. If you survive your encounter with little ol' me, I mean. Eheheh, admittedly, that IS still a problem for you, right now. I'll be rootin' for you, though.

"But in any case, down to business. I think I know what your problem is. You're frustrated 'cause you can't talk to Rasalased, right? And that's understandable, because you've got a few years under your belt now, hmm? Still a child as far as I'm concerned, but you're not a baby anymore, at least. So you should probably know how to talk by now, right? Kids are s'posed to be able to talk. Only makes sense.

"And you think it's your fault, am I right? Like you're just too dumb to figure it out. Can't quite put your finger on what's wrong, can ya? Hence the frustration! Boy, do I know that feeling! How many experiments have I had like that?! Oh, it's just the worst!" He spun around to face Asad again. "Good news, though, lad! It's actually NOT your fault! Or at least, I'm eighty percent sure that it's not! Which is pretty good, right? Quite favorable odds! Just don't blame me if it turns out I'm wrong. Twenty percent is still twenty percent, okay?"

Asad's mouth wasn't covered like the other two, and after listening to all this rambling, he was feeling bold enough to speak up. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Morgunov poked him in the forehead. "The tattoos, dear boy. If they were able to protect you from me crushing your spirit, then I'd say there's a fair chance that they are also 'protecting' you from Rasalased. By preventing you from even being able to communicate with him."

Asad blinked. That... couldn't be true, could it?

Morgunov snapped his fingers again. "And if that's the case, then the solution to your problem is obvious! Just remove the tattoos!"

"But... they can't BE removed..."

"Oh? Is that a challenge I hear?"

"N-no, it's not," said Asad.

Qorvass spoke up again. 'He just meant that they grow back during regeneration. That's all.'

"Ah. Well, that shouldn't be a problem," said Morgunov.

Asad shut his eyes, trying not to imagine where this was leading. And failing. It already seemed quite obvious what torment awaited him. Was there anything he could do? Was there anything anyone could do?

Regret filled his mind. He hadn't felt this helpless in many years. If he'd realized sooner that things were going to end up this way, then he would have attacked the Mad Demon a lot more instead of giving up so quickly. Even with his materialization suppressed, there had to have been some way that he could have put up more of a fight.

The quartz prism shook and shifted again, and this time, it kept doing so, until Asad could feel the whole thing beginning to sink. He could see the horizon rise slowly in the distance.

"In any event, this is hardly the proper place to start flaying you alive," said Morgunov. "Battlefields are for battle, not science and/or torture. Not to worry, though! I've got plenty of suitable locations in mind! Collecting laboratories and workshops has become something of a hobby of mine, you know. I haven't yet found one in Calthos that I like, though. Ooh, hey, do you know of one in Sair?"

Asad made no response.

"Now, now, there's no need to give me that look. No one likes a sore loser."

Asad just hung his head and sighed.

"C'mon! You should be happy! I'm helping you out, after all! If I'm right, then you'll soon be able to contact your Dry God, you know! Isn't that cause for excitement?! I'm a swell guy, aren't I?!"

'Why are you so interested in Rasalased?' said Qorvass.

"Hmm? Well, why wouldn't I be? He's a fascinating dude, isn't he?" said Morgunov.

'You lie. You have some design for him. I know it.'

"Eheheh."

'Hmph. You know something? I would quite like for you to meet him as well.'

The prism reached the ground again. The bunker was gone, too, leaving only empty sand behind. A nightly wind arrived, strong and bitingly cold, as was normal during the winter months in Uego.

Even that wind couldn't prevent the Mad Demon's piercing laughter from reaching Asad's ears, however. "You think I wouldn't be able to handle him, huh?! To be honest, I'm kinda hoping that's the case, myself!"

Qorvass made no other response, nor did Asad.

Morgunov didn't move, though. His loud amusement settled, and he simply remained standing there before Asad, Qorvass, and the two others. He looked around, fiddled with something in his pocket, sniffed absently, and scratched his cheek.

Asad wanted to ask what he was doing, why he wasn't taking them back to the Abolish encampment, but he held his tongue. If Morgunov wanted to waste time, then so be it.

"...Ever get a feeling like you're a little too good at what you do?" said Morgunov. "Like you gotta slow down to let the rest of the world catch up, or else you just won't have as much fun playing with everyone?"

Asad just returned a flat expression.

Morgunov made a few popping noises with his mouth and swung his arms to and fro in front of him. "Well. Maybe just a few more minutes. If none of 'em were able to figure me out, then I guess they only have themselves to blame, eh?"

What was the madman rambling about now, Asad wondered?

"Mm. I wonder if it's inattention or stupidity or just fear. Could be any or all of 'em, really. Maybe I should've left some hints. Bah, but I feel like that's just cheating, y'know? If someone wants to challenge me, then they shouldn't need me to give them a hand, right? Why should I have to be a worse version of myself just so they can stand a chance? It's unfair, I tell you! But I guess waiting like this is also kinda helping them out, so... Hmmmmmm. Ooh, maybe I should build an obstacle course for them! Or would that be too patronizing, you think?"

And the man just kept going, looking back and forth between Asad and the horizon, acting as if he was asking for Asad's opinion but never waiting to hear it before continuing.

At length, Asad began to wonder if the torture had already begun.

Then the Mad Demon fell suddenly silent, and his head snapped to the southeast. His already wide eyes seemed to grow even wider, and the delight on his face was obvious. "Finally! A contestant!"

Asad turned to look as well, but he couldn't see or sense anything yet. The wind seemed to be picking up considerably, though.

"Ah, is that who I think it is?! What a brazen boy he's become! I hope he knows what he's doing! Eheheheh!"

The wind kept rising. And rising. And rising still more, until it began lifting up the sand and swirling it around them, blocking most of Asad's view of the sky.

Morgunov chopped the air horizontally with one hand, and the sandy whirlwind dispersed in an instant, torn apart by a fleet of tiny machines that had leapt out of the dunes below.

And they weren't alone, either. Morgunov motioned eastward with his hand, and a giant, snake-like machine launched out of the sand and sailed toward a distant figure in the sky there.

The wind picked up suddenly again, and the mechanical snake veered off course. Instead of hitting the figure, it circled around it and then came sailing straight back toward Morgunov.

Morgunov barked a laugh, and the snake disassembled itself into a thousand tiny pieces. The parts scattered and rained down around the Mad Demon and his captives.

Asad could see some of the machine parts disintegrating into dust, too, before being swallowed by the desert.

"Parson Miles!" shouted Morgunov. "Get your butt down here and say hi! It's been too long! Let me get a look at ya!"

Asad blinked and strained to see. Captain General Parson Miles? The one behind the plot against the Rainlords? He couldn't truly be here, could he? He'd been removed from Sair on the Vanguard's own orders.

But as the figure slowly descended from they sky and as Morgunov raised a giant light bulb out of the sand to help illuminate the area, Asad saw that it really was him.

Asad had only met him a couple times, many years ago, but recent events had made him refresh his memory with all the pictures and documentation that the Sandlords had of the man.

Morgunov was cackling again. "Wow! Still keeping yourself nice 'n young lookin', I see! How've you been?!"

Miles' long coat flapped wildly around his missing legs as he hovered there, apparently deciding that it was better to remain in the air. He was using pan-rozum, no doubt, and likely didn't plan on releasing it for as long as he was in Morgunov's presence. "Oh, we've been better," he said quite calmly in two voices. "This war of yours has been keeping us busy."

"Of mine?" said Morgunov. "You're misinformed! I'm just lending Calthos a hand against the big, bad Vanguard! They wouldn't stand a chance against you jackbooted thugs otherwise, eheh! I mean, just look what you did to poor Sair!"

"Yes, we're sure you have only the noblest of intentions," said Miles. "We don't suppose there is anything we could say to convince you to leave this place, is there?"

"Lemme think! Hmm! Well, I suppose I do already have what I came for! There's no real reason I have to stick around!"

"It's a trap," said Asad. "He was waiting for--" A mechanical mask wrapped itself tightly around Asad's face.

Morgunov frowned, and the air grew abruptly heavier--so heavy in fact that it felt like gravity had increased, too. "Tsk, tsk. I haven't been this disappointed in someone in many years, Mr. Lion. That was quite uncool of you, I must say."

Miles just tilted his head, though. "You don't honestly think that you were tricking us, do you?"

Morgunov's smile returned immediately. "Well, I was hoping not, but you were a little slow getting here, so I didn't want to expect too much of you, either! And I just don't like it when people butt in on conversations that they aren't ready for. Really muddies the waters, y'know? And I hate muddy waters."

"Unless you're the one doing the muddying."

"Ooh, what could you possibly be referring to, I wonder? Probably some other thing you're misinformed about, I bet!"

Miles ignored that comment and threw a look around the area. "You're very bold, coming out here without any backup."

Rather than responding, however, Morgunov merely returned a wide, toothy grin. Then he changed the subject. "What're you doing back in Sair, by the way? Last I checked, you were over in Jesbol. Shouldn't you be handling the conflict in Melmoore, right now? Would've been a much shorter trip for you."

"You've been tracking our movements? We're honored that we warrant that much consideration."

"Don't get too happy. It's only because you're usually joined at the hip with one of the marshals. Now answer my question. Did you happen to get a little 'tip' that I might be showing up here? From an old pal, perhaps?"

Miles frowned deeply. "Unfortunately, we cut ties with the old pal that you're thinking of a long time ago."

"Yes, I heard something to that effect," said Morgunov. "But then I thought, maybe that's just what you wily kiddies WANT me to believe! To help keep Papa Morgunov off the scent, hmm?! While you're getting up to all sorts of sneaky business!"

"We would never presume that we could slip anything past you, of all people," said Miles.

"Flattery or sarcasm? Perhaps a bit of both? You're a walking contradiction, y'know that? Or a floating contradiction, in this case."

"Coming from you, we will take that as a compliment."

"Eheheh. So what're you hoping to achieve by showing up here all of a sudden and challenging me, hmm? Just the boring tactic of trying to buy time for your big, scary friends? Or do you actually think you can take me down all by your lonesome?"

"The former, I'm afraid."

"Aww! Booooo! Have some stones, man! Tell me I've seen my last sunset or something cool like that!"

"Heh, we don't see much point posturing in front of someone who can see right through us."

"Ooh, flattery again? Say, you're not tryin' to join Abolish, are you?"

"Afraid not."

"Pity. All in all, I thought you performed well during our clash at Bellvine. Struck the killing blow on me. Pretty impressive."

"You weren't exactly yourself, though, were you?"

"Eheh, what does it even mean to be oneself? Who knows? Maybe I was closer to my true self then than at any other point in my life!"

Miles' eyes narrowed a little, and he glanced at Asad before addressing Morgunov again. "You said... you already have what you came for?"

"I did say that, yes. Good listener."

"Your objective was to capture Asad Najir, then?"

"Hmm? Oh, is that who this is? Honestly, I just nabbed him 'cause I thought his tattoos looked cool!"

Miles bobbed his head. "Considering who I'm talking to, that's actually somewhat believable..."

"Of course it's believable," said Morgunov. "You think I would ever be so morally bankrupt as to lie? If so, then I must say, I'm insulted."

Miles made no response.

Morgunov just kept talking. "Hey, where's your Titan at? If you knew I was going to be here, then you must've told him, right? Or do you really think that Iceheart will be enough to stop me?"

"Maybe you should wait around a bit longer and find out," said Miles.

And Morgunov paused, wide eyes stuck open--perhaps with contemplation, perhaps anticipation. Then he smiled broadly, of course. "Eheh! If you think I came here unprepared to fight anyone less than Sermung himself, then I'm afraid you're going to be in for a rude awakening, my boy!"

It was Miles' turn to pause. He looked much more uncertain than Morgunov had, however.

"Feel lucky, Parson Miles," laughed the Mad Demon. "I don't give out warnings like that very often. Usually, I just do stuff and sort out the consequences later. Eheh, or leave that part to other people!"

"People like us, you mean," said Miles.

"Mm, maybe."

"Well, unfortunately, as much as I might like to turn around and leave you be, I don't think that would be a very wise move, right now."

"Oho! And why not? I mean, I wasn't going to let you get away without playing with me a lot more first, but I'm still curious to know what kind of reasoning goes on in that sneaky little head of yours!"

Miles' expression tensed.

It seemed clear to Asad that Morgunov was still just screwing around in anticipation of others showing up. He could attack Miles at any moment, and Miles probably knew that--which was why the Vanguardian captain general didn't seem to mind letting this conversation drag on for however long the Mad Demon wanted it to.

"If you must know," said Miles, "I have a number of reasons."

"Do tell!"

"Well, the first reason is simply because Sair is the gateway to Intar," said Miles. "If the Vanguard allows you to take it, then you may well be able to drag another of the continental superpowers into the war."

"Mmhmm, mmhmm," said Morgunov while bobbing his head. "Bold of you to assume that I couldn't do that without conquering Sair first, but go on."

That earned a pause from Miles before he continued. "Secondly, you clearly have some plan for Asad Najir."

"Oh, that's clear, is it? Why is that clear? You said it was believable when I said I just grabbed him for his tattoos, didn't you?" Morgunov held a hand in front his mouth and gasped. "Unless?! Don't tell me! You were lying when you told me that?!"

"We thought that much was obvious."

"Eheh. Well, maybe. But you know what's REALLY obvious? This act of yours, pretending like you don't already know what I'm after. You're not concerned about Intar. You're concerned what I'll do with the power of a god at my fingertips."

"What in the world are you talking about? The power of a god?"

"Ah, yes! Don't let the facade of ignorance slip! Maybe I'll believe you if you keep it up for long enough!"

"You really are a madman..."

"You're still in contact with the Liar of Lyste, aren't you? That's how you knew to come here. And why you're here alone. When you found out how urgent it was, you knew you didn't have time to wait for backup, hmm? Organizing a proper response to me would take quite a while, now wouldn't it?"

Miles was just frowning.

"I've got an idea!" said Morgunov. "I think I'll go pay the Liar a visit next! I wonder what interesting things I'll be able to learn from him!"

Still, Miles remained silent.

"And y'know! I bet it would be an even better meeting if you came along, too, Parson Miles!"

And the sand dunes all around them began to tremble.