Page 1416 (Patreon)
Content
Yes and no, said Carver. It has been years since I have seen anothernormal person like myself--if these servants and HunKui gentlemenwill excuse the term. Yet I have not been alone. But rather thantelling you, would it not be better to show you?
The group exchanged uncertain looks as they started walking again, thistime down a long corridor with the only light being at the end of it.
Hes not lying, said Garovel privately. Im sensing a lot of... souls on the other side of this tunnel.
Hector noticed the reapers hesitation. Why the pause?
I just... well, theyre not quite souls in the traditional sense.
There are traditional souls now? said Hector. How complicated does this shit get, Garovel?
Thats not what I mean. Just... geez, I can hardly believe what Imsensing, right now. Maybe it really would be better to just to wait until he shows us.
Shows us what?
Exactly.
Hector had lost his ability to be surprised by Garovels intentional crypticity. He hadnt lost his ability to be annoyed by it, though.
They soon reached the end of the corridor, but none of them were prepared for the view that awaited them.
Carver kept walking while everyone else stopped to gawk. Then he turned and gestured widely with both hands. Welcome to Himmekel, the Paradise Vault.
The very first thing that drew Hectors eye was the sky-high lavafall. It wasnt particularly wide, but it was so tall and so intensely bright that it became the main source of light for the area.
But not the only source of light. And that was the second thing Hector noticed: how many other, smaller lights there were. And what they were.
They were people.
The lights were people.
They glowed. Red and orange and yellow. Molten beings. Not unlike the golem hed just seen.
Or, wait a minute, were these golems, too? They were the size of regular humans, but maybe that didnt matter?
He needed some answers and so reached for the only question he could think of. Garovel, what the fuck am I looking at?
The reaper was slow to answer. Hector, he said privately. Meet the HunSho. A branch of humanity that I thought went extinct a thousand years ago.
Hectors eyes widened. He had no idea what to say to that.
The group started inching forward with Zeff in the lead, and Hector just kind of mindlessly followed, still too dumbstruck to do much besides listen and observe.
Now, Im sure you all have many questions, said Carver, but first, let me assure you that, whatever youve heard about their kind, these HunSho here are very gracious, magnanimous, and welcoming. So long as you do no violence upon them, none will be done upon you. Trust me. I have been studying their ways for five years. Then he turned to the HunKui specifically and began speaking Hunese, perhaps repeating himself in order to make sure they understood.