Vol very much disliked Pandora's efforts to personify a demonic bit of metal, but he heeded the advice nonetheless. "Belt," he said to the hammer, feeling rather stupid or doing so. He tapped the lip of his belt, where his axe was sheathed.
The hammer wriggled, acknowledging the camp, and then that mouth began to grow even larger. At first, Vol thought it had gotten it wrong. It seemed like it was making efforts to get bigger, after all. But then that mouth twisted itself, and began to swallow the shaft, bit by bit. With every bit it swallowed, the hammerhead got smaller, and smaller. By the time it reached near the end of the shaft, it was the same size as a single-handed workman's hammer. It seemed the sort of thing a man would use to drive in nails.
