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‘Also, you accidentally brought up an interesting point, just now.’

‘I did?’

‘About worms being hellish abominations, that is.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, ARE they?’

‘Well. Uh...’ He realized what the reaper was getting at. After the ensuing fight, he’d nearly forgotten, but now he remembered. ‘Hmm.’

‘The worm you killed was born from a Hun’Sho core.’

‘Right...’

‘That was certainly new information to me. I did not know that Hun’Sho could transform into monsters like that.’

‘Do you think... do you think all worms used to be Hun’Sho?’

‘No. Remember the eggs we found in Babbadelo?’

‘Oh, yeah. But, uh, we never actually saw those eggs, did we? They were in those vacuum-sealed boxes the whole time.’

‘Okay, that’s true, but I’VE seen worm eggs before. I know they exist.’

‘Have you seen worms actually being born from them, though? Or, uh, what if there’s a Hun’Sho core inside of every worm egg or something?’

‘Alright, well, that... would be horrifying. But I still don’t believe all worms come from Hun’Sho. Just, historically, it wouldn’t make much sense. There’ve been SO many worms. I don’t think the Hun’Sho ever had those kind of numbers, even at the peak of their civilization.’

‘Hmm.’

‘It seems clear to me that worms have some means of reproduction on their own. However, I’m now tempted to believe that worms as we know them today might have ORIGINATED from the Hun’Sho. And that’s a pretty horrifying thought, too.’

‘How old are the Hun’Sho?’

‘Oh, they’re old as fuck. Older than me, even.’

‘Older than all reapers?’

‘That, I don’t know. I don’t think so, though. It’s a subject I’ve looked into several times before, but recordkeeping in those days was far from ideal, to put it mildly.’

‘I wonder if Axiolis would know. He’s older than you, right?’

‘Alright, I’ll ask him. Hang on a second.’

Hector waited. The empty corridor just kept going. At this rate, he was beginning to hope that he would be the one to find Capaporo just so that he wouldn’t have to make the trek all the way back to everyone.

‘Hmm,’ said Garovel. ‘Axiolis says reapers came first.’

‘Oh, well, there you go.’

‘I don’t know if I believe him, though.’

‘What? Why?’

‘Because I don’t like that he knows more stuff than me. And if it’s bullshit, then that means he DOESN’T know more than me.’

Hector might’ve chuckled if he wasn’t regulating his breath so much as he ran. ‘You’re an inspiration for education everywhere, Garovel.’

‘Thanks, buddy.’

‘But, uh... since we’re talking about the Hun’Sho, um... I’m worried about Himmekel. What do you think’ll happen to them?’

Garovel was silent a moment. ‘Difficult to say. But we can’t do anything for them now. We’re way too far away. And even if we weren’t, we’re probably too late.’

Hector frowned to himself.