The sound of footsteps treading on shattered glass and concrete fragments gradually approached, finally halting beside the left ear. After a rustle of leather fabric, an indifferent male voice spoke.
"...You've been repaired thoroughly, haven't you?"
"Thoroughly and utterly ruined, beyond rescue."
Jelas chuckled self-deprecatingly, his remaining left eye shifting towards Orgulous who crouched beside him.
"Didn't say 'Come rescue me quickly', 'Don't just stand there'. Did that disappoint you?"
"Honestly, I did think I'd hear and see you desperately calling for my help, and then I'd stand by, smoking a fine cigar, watching you slowly turn to ash."
Orgulous pulled out two aluminum cigar tubes, unscrewing one of them.
"I don't have the brand you smoke, can you settle for this?"
"As long as there's something to smoke, it doesn't matter. Why fuss over the last cigar?"
Biting the cigar, Jelas took a deep drag and shook his head.
