Epilogue
The Sleeper in the Hollow Sea
Bonaventure-Nylos Border
They say that good fences make good neighbors. If this is in fact true, the Dominion of Nylos was the best neighbor a person could ask for. Border controls varied among the Twelve Kingdoms, but Nylos stood apart in its absolute defenses against unwelcome intruders. Not even the so-called hermit kingdom of Jangsu could claim to be so utterly impenetrable.
The walls around Nylos were over thirty meters high and thirty meters thick. There were only four points of entry into the country: two for the Northern Corridor and two for the Southern Corridor. Train stations were built into these four points of entry, but with only the rarest of exceptions, outsiders could not enter and Nylians could not leave. If it were not for the Nylian delegation at the League Parliament, there would probably be no end to the speculation about what sort of fanciful inhumans lived within the walls. In truth, the delegation did little to stop the stories. People would just say the delegates were not Nylians at all but simple actors hired to play the role to preserve their terrible secret.
In light of all this, standing near the border wall dividing Bonaventure from Nylos was far from the first place Giger would have liked to be.
"Are you sure about this?" Giger asked.
"I want to see it for myself," Gally replied.
Giger was not entirely sure what this would accomplish, but his curiosity outweighed his good sense. Many speculated that Nylos preserved Lost Technology and going beyond the wall could provide the breakthrough Giger needed for his research. Still, if even a fraction of the stories about Nylos were true, things could get very ugly for them.
"Now you do realize that Nylos isn't exactly the friendliest place in the world, right?"
"But you said the Cataclysm started at this place called the Hollow Sea," Gally said.
"That's the theory," Giger replied. "One theory."
"You obviously think there's something to it or you wouldn't be here."
Sometimes it was annoying how perceptive she was.
"Well, I can't exactly let you go on your own, now can I?"
"You could," she said.
It would be far too out of character to express any concern for her well-being, so instead Giger told her, "I'm responsible for you, life debt or something like that."
"I thought you owed a life debt when somebody saved your life, not the other way around."
Giger grinned slyly.
"In that case, I shouldn't have to pay you for your work."
Before Gally could make a retort, a new voice injected itself into the conversation.
"How is it that you two haven't either killed each other or fallen madly in love by now?"
"Mordekai!"
"Mr. Grummond!"
Gally was flushed in embarrassment, but Giger was more annoyed than anything. Or at least that was what he wanted to think. He could hardly forgive himself otherwise.
"It's 'Master Grummond', Galatea," Mordekai corrected her. "Or should I call you Narumi?"
"I'm impressed you pronounce it correctly, Master Grummond," Gally said appreciatively. "Giger always says it 'Naroomi'."
"Giger has always had poor enunciation," Mordekai replied. "The way he would botch his incantations... One time, when he was eleven—"
"We don't need to go into that," Giger interrupted hastily. "Why are you even here?"
"Come now, Giger," Mordekai said. "You're not the only one whose research can benefit from this expedition. Besides, you're bound to need me if you and Galatea want to get back to Bonaventure in one piece."
Giger furrowed his brow and said, "You better not disappoint."
"Have I ever?"
Gally brought herself back into the conversation and asked, "How exactly are we going to get over this wall?"
"It's quite simple," Mordekai replied. "Take my hand, Galatea." And when she accepted his proffered hand, he then said, "Giger, take her other hand."
Giger held her other hand and a fine trio they made. It would have been nice to have Kamellia with them, but somebody had to watch over the house and the familiars.
"So what now?" Gally asked.
Mordekai gave her a mischievous grin.
"We fly."
The two wizards sprang into the air, pulling a screaming Gally along with them. It was all rather theatrical, but Giger played along, even if an entrance this showy was likely to get them detected. Their venture beyond the wall might very well be a short one. It might have been a more merciful fate than whatever awaited them in the Hollow Sea.