- Gods be
damned, I hate this forest.
- I'm just glad the
rain's finally letting up.
- That won't last.
- Cut the chatter.
How's our rear?
- No sign.
Think they may have pulled back.
- DJ, how's home?
- Seems clear, bring it in.
- Keep an eye out for leeches.
Hob, how long until the
inside perimeter is secure?
- Keep interrupting me
and you're looking at a big, fat
never.
- How about I slit the little
toad down the middle, Top?
- How about I punch an arrow
straight
through your pretty little neck?
- Leave Hob alone, Whisper.
You know she can't help it.
She's just huffed too
many of her own potions.
- Play nice, soldiers.
- Got a stray, north grove.
Kaylee said you shoot like you
screw.
I guess she wasn't lying.
- What does that even mean?!
- It means you can never find
the target.
You know.
- Oh, come on!
That's low, look, I
didn't ask for this job!
- You got the job
because Switch isn't
here and I told you to do it.
So pipe down and kill shit.
Dammit, where the hell are our
people?
- Manoj nakoshtos!
Done.
The perimeter is secure with
shriekers.
You're welcome.
- Good job.
- Quit smacking your torc,
or you'll break the enchantment
again.
- Who's gonna secure
the outside perimeter?
- You volunteering?
Let's see you take your new
trophy shield
up to Ghostwatch new guy.
- I'm not new.
- It's covered.
- Covered, right!
Judge got back today.
Huzzah.
I hope we all survive the
reunion with that tree-hugging
psycho...
- Hobnail,
my friend, you better
quit while you're ahead.
- And while you still have a
head.
- Whisper.
I see them.
200 paces out.
They got Slab!
Seven hells, he does not look
good.
- Keep them covered until they
get inside,
then post to Ghostwatch.
- I've only got so many arrows.
- Then pick better targets.
Whisper, DJ, Marko,
secure the second floor.
- Mission
accom, accomplished, Top.
- Good job, all of you.
Where's Wymrick?
- They almost
got Kaylee, too, but we...
- We traded one life for
another.
- Wymrick the Red will be
missed,
and as soon as we get home,
we will give him a proper send
off.
Until then, there is work to do.
It's good to have you back,
Slab.
Now let's get you fixed up.
- Those mother-humping Nosck
gutterdogs...
- Cut him
open with mordine-barbs.
- I've tried every spell I know,
and every elixir in my bag,
but he won't stop bleeding!
- It's the damned venom.
- Maybe Hobnail can...
- No!
You keep that gods-forsaken
abomination away from me.
- I need you healed
up as soon as possible.
Use this.
It'll stop both the
venom and the bleeding.
- I'll die before I let you
touch me
with any of Hob's potions.
- That's not one of her's, son.
- It works.
- That stuff's not meant for our
kind.
We can't use it.
- It works until it doesn't.
- It hasn't begun to quicken
yet.
- Hey, guys.
I don't feel so good.
- Better ask that
goddess of yours for some
actual help, Kaylee.
- Top, don't make me do this.
- Use it, Kaylee.
Then clean the wound before it
quickens.
- It's okay.
I can handle it.
He goes first.
- Fix him, that's an order.
Flewellyn, move Slab to the
Chopshop.
Switch, Buttercup, to your
posts.
- See anything?
- No.
Wait, I do see something.
It's your missing spine.
- It was the Samada soldier
hiding behind that bush, not me.
I just went to finish him off.
That's called protecting your
flank.
- Really?
And did you kill him?
Because I don't remember
seeing you draw your weapon.
- He was already bleeding
to death when I got there.
There's nothing for me to do.
Thanks to all the arrows
you guys put into him.
That's called overkill, by the
way.
I mean, the Samada are tough and
all,
but you freakin' archers are
just way too enthusiastic.
- What color are the feathers?
- One blue, one orange.
- And the third?
The killing arrow?
- Wouldn't you like to know?
- This one wasn't caused by
mordine-barbs.
But, the venom's in your
body so won't stop bleeding.
What did it?
Ice blade or a Vine sword?
- What difference does it
matter?
Just get on with it!
- Well, smart guy, if I
treat an ice blade wound
with this blood sap, it'll
quicken straight away,
lighting you up from the
inside, and then lighting up
this barn and then lighting
up the entire forest.
- Bullshit!
There's not enough of it in
there.
It'll light me up, definitely.
You, maybe.
Him, hopefully.
- I forgive you, Slab,
because you're probably gonna
die.
But you should know that
arguing with a child
is a dangerous and ill-advised
endeavor.
- Call me child again,
Flewellyn,
and I'll make you eat a torch.
- Now, Kaylee, you know what Top
says
about starting a fire you can't
put out.
- Fuck!
- No, no!
Don't waste!
- I don't care if I burn up,
just get him to shut up already!
- Son, don't keep
doing stupid stuff like that.
I'm rather keen on not
visiting the Sword Halls again.
- Again?
- That's for being an idiot.
- Do you
want me to hold him down?
- No, just leave.
- She'll be as gentle as always,
but it's still gonna hurt like
hell,
so brace yourself.
- Looks like you fucked a hill
full of fire ants there, big
guy.
- You sounds like DJ.
- Don't insult me.
- God, I really hate this
kingdom.
I am not worried about
the pain, I can handle it.
I just don't want the
others to think that...
- I'll twist a cantrip
to speed the healing.
It's not much but, just
tell me when you're ready.
- That Nosck shield Marko
picked up is pretty tough.
- Yeah.
Too bad he's about two feet too
short
to lug it around.
- I don't know.
He can block a lot of shit with
it.
- You're bucking for two
straight weeks of latrine duty.
- That girl has a mean streak in
her
that rivals Hobnail's.
- Cruelty isn't in her nature.
She just grew up too quickly.
- War does that.
- I don't understand them.
- Who, the Nosck, the Samada,
or the weirdos who hired us?
- The Nosck.
Like every day, right
now, right before dawn,
they lineup on the battlefield,
set their weapons and armor
aside,
sit down bare assed naked in the
snow,
and meditate or, I don't
know, pray, or whatever.
- You have way too much free
time
to think about stupid shit.
- That's crazy if you ask me.
- I didn't.
- Remember that recon a few days
ago?
I overheard some Samada soldiers
say
the Nosck have icefire
in their veins, huh?
I bet you that keeps them...
- Shh!
- What is it?
What?
- Look.
- Movement, northeast quad.
Nosck just beyond the perimeter
wards.
- Grimhail markings.
If that thing sets off
the wards, we're fucked.
Seven hells, down!
That's one big son of the snow
whore.
It must be a wallbreaker.
- All swords, dig in.
No torcs.
Overwatch, report.
- Top, something isn't right.
That wall breaker was hauling
full kit.
- And at least four squads
of berserkers flanked him.
- Scout
reports from Samozar's unit
say the Grimhail are out of
food.
They must be moving east away
from Stone's Fall to forage.
- The villagers don't stand a
chance.
They need our help.
- We stay.
Those are our orders.
- Top, let me go!
I can assassinate the Nosck
IceHand
and the Samada Exarch.
The villagers can escape
in the confusion...
- Contract or not,
we can't just let the
villagers be slaughtered.
Conversation over, DJ.
Update Judge on the situation.
- Yeah, like Judge
needs advanced warning.
- It's better than nothing.
I almost feel sorry for them
when they run into Judge.
- A copper for your thoughts?
- No, thanks.
- I'm your team
leader, I can order you to talk.
- I don't get it.
I should be on Overwatch.
I'm the best shot in the unit.
Reaper, she isn't all that
bad, but Whisper, DJ, come on,
it doesn't make sense.
- Use that stupid hayseed
head of yours.
Top's got his two best archers,
you and Reaper looking south.
Why?
- He's worried about the
Serrinians?
They don't even have a dog in
this fight.
We wouldn't be needed here if
they did.
Why would he care about
Serrinia?
- Who cares?
Politics are above my pay grade.
All I know is I've got
better things to think about,
like keeping you stupid
peckerwoods alive.
And don't think for a moment
you make it easy for me,
Wymrick worst of all.
There's not a single one
of you I wouldn't toss back
into the pits for another
month or two of training.
Then maybe you wouldn't
die on me so often.
- Wymrick wouldn't have
wanted to go out any other way
and you know it.
- All we do is die in the
name of other peoples' causes.
- They pay us well for it.
- But don't you think we should
have some greater purpose
than chasing the next
score and hoping some
stroke of luck, we survive?
- No.
I like the gold, and when I die,
it goes to my brothers and
sisters just like Wymrick.
If the cause is just, so much
the better.
- How many bodies do
we leave in the ground
when the captain says
the cause is out of money
and it's time to move on?
Is that just?
- I don't know.
Don't care.
- You know we're done, right?
- You sound like a Doom Herald.
You want a bell to ring in the
streets?
- That scout report
from Popper's crew said
the four Nosck units on
the western border are
preparing for a final
push against the Samada.
- Now three.
The Grimhail.
- Yeah, no shit, new guy, I
heard.
So what?
That still leaves us with the
other three.
- Well, that's good news!
It means we're slightly less
likely to die
when they come to kill us.
- Just switch posts with DJ
already.
You're annoying.
- You need to relax.
- Relax?
Relax?
It's a good thing you're so
pretty,
otherwise I'd puncture your
lungs.
We are so doomed.
- You're acting like Hobnail.
- Haven't you been listening?
Not only are the Nosck camped
west,
we have the entire Sacred March
of the Samada to our east!
That army is as big as all
four Nosck units combined!
Oh, and let's not forget the
Ardenians,
who hired us in the first place.
They can't wait to crucify
us on their Soul Weald.
- To be fair, they should be mad
at us.
The Captain reneged on his
contract.
And someone cut down one of
their sacred Soul Wealds.
- Those trees are creepy.
The woods just feel off, like
off off.
- Yeah I know, it's like a snake
humped
a tree sprite or something.
- We've been in some tight
spots before, Marko, but this?
It's crazy.
- The Captain had his
reasons for what he did.
- So says Top.
- I trust Top.
And if Top says the
Captain had his reasons,
I believe him.
- Our only way out is
through one of those armies.
- Top will get us out of this.
He always does.
- You've only been with
us for two campaigns.
What the seven hells do you
know, you dumb mud-chin?
- What's goin' on?
- Excuse me?
- You took Cobra team to
Riversmeet this morning
to me with the Captain.
You've been running Vulture
Squad ragged with recon.
And then there was the
mission that killed Wymrick.
What game are you playing?
- You're too damn nosy for
your own good, old man.
- No, my friend,
I've just been at this
longer than you have.
- Speaking of which,
why don't you accept that
promotion
to unit commander and get out of
my hair?
- I don't think my torc
could bear the weight
of another notch.
And you haven't answered my
question.
- You'll find out soon enough.
- Sla...
- The unit's orders
are between myself and
the Captain for now.
- Very well.
- If you don't like it, feel
free to take that promotion.
- May I?
- Your magic is weak, girl,
and it stinks of seaweed and
sunlight.
- You're lucky I swore an oath
to Top
or I would smite you dead,
you wretched homunculus.
- Someday, princess,
you're going to need me;
and when that day comes, I'm
going to look the other way.
- If you're all that
stands between me and death,
I'll take death.
- Knock it off, both of you.
- You should feel the
healing cantrip start
to kick in soon.
If more blood appears on
the bandages, send for me.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Don't worry.
If he starts to bleed out,
I'll take care of him.
- What now?
- Do you smell that?
Something foul here.
Something familiar.
- Kaylee?
- No!
That horrible bitch didn't twist
this.
She doesn't know the first thing
about...
This is like...
- Missed me!
- Stick your head in, let's see!
- You smell
anything strange up there?
- Just archer farts.
- You got any last words for
him?
Usually you say something
poignant.
- No, not this time.
- Why not?
- I couldn't protect you.
- It wasn't your fault.
You were nowhere near him and
Slab when...
- Fitting.
- What does it mean?
- It means Wymrick the Red is
not going
to the Sword Halls, child.
- How can that be?
- His sins were far greater than
any of us
could have ever imagined.
You tell no one about this.
- Uninvited pest.
Should I kill it?
- What do you want?
- Something's wrong.
It smells all wrong in
here, in the whole barn.
- Try taking a bath once in a
while.
Is that a new hutch?
I don't recognize the god's
mark.
- Yeah.
The Captain gave it to me a few
weeks ago.
He said it once belonged to a
priest
of the Rage Thane.
Apparently he pissed off the
wrong guy, got himself killed.
- This isn't like the other
campaigns, is it, Flewellyn?
- No.
- Listen to me!
There is vile magic here
that we haven't seen
in a very long time!
It's here!
I smell it!
- Are you talking about what
I think you're talking about?
- It or one of its minions.
- That was nine years ago.
When you broke the binding
spell on Cerak's phylactery,
the backlash destroyed
everything except us.
- Carried the lich-mark of
Alden.
He could have survived it
or some of his creations
could have survived it
or one of those infernal
artifacts!
- Do you really believe
your spell-breaking
was so half-assed?
- I don't know.
That was the best I ever
twisted, though.
- Whatever you think you smell
is nothing more than a loosened
memory.
Because if anything survived
your magic,
it means you didn't do your job,
soldier,
and I refuse to believe that.
- Let's walk away from
this damn stupid war
and this damn stupid
country while we still can.
Just us.
Vulture and Cobra.
- I swear to all the
Warlords in the Sword Halls,
that mage is more trouble
than she's worth at times.
- Go easy on her.
She can't help who she is, or
her calling.
- All swords to the Abbey.
DJ, Switch, keep an open eye
for more Grimhail foragers.
You two are it right now.
- Finally!
- Got it!
- Gods!
Why the hell is he always
putting me on arrow duty?
- My guess is he's
trying to get you killed
because you annoy the
shit out of everybody.
- Enough with the damn war drums
already!
- Better than Samada trumpets.
- Stay frosty, farm boy.
- What do you think it is?
- Maybe Top tellin'
us we can go home at last.
- Gods willing.
- Yesterday morning the
other unit commanders
and I went to Rivers meet
to talk to the Captain
about his new orders.
This Ardenian contract was
bullshit from the start,
we all know that.
But a job is a job.
When the Captain backed out
on the deal, I didn't ask why.
He had his reasons.
The last two weeks,
though, have been rough.
We've been on our own,
we've received no pay,
and our quartermasters are
missing and likely dead.
In the opinions of the
commanders,
his new orders crossed
the line and threatened
to needlessly endanger us.
- We've already lost too many.
- Whatever I said to the
Captain is my business.
Suffice to say, he came
this close to dismissing me
for insubordination.
- The regulations say the
penalty
for insubordination is death...
- He's being
circumspect, young lady.
- So here it is: Pack your
bags, mend your armor,
sharpen your blades and get some
rest.
We're breaking camp at dawn
to leave Ardenmor for good.
- What changed the Captain's
mind?
- Doesn't matter.
Just tell us the bad news.
There's always bad news
when we get new orders.
- Our most recent spy
reports say a contingent
of Serrinian Knights moved
into southern Ardenmor
and brought a Nu'uman Sorceress
with them.
She twisted a spell-ward
across the southern border
so nothing can cross it.
They don't want this war
spilling over into their
kingdom.
- And what's the bad news?
- We're going west to Stone's
Fall.
At dawn we're gonna take it
from the Nosck troops there,
and then we're gonna
hold it until the rest
of the Broken Swords
arrive from Riversmeet.
- That doesn't sound...
- Stone's Fall is indefensible.
It's a barren hill with
an old mining camp on it
that did its job too well.
For a mile in every
direction there's nothing
but rocky plains.
A small unit of Nosck Gladiators
can easily take us out at
distance.
- I really hate this plan so
far.
- We got lucky tonight when
the Grimhail cleared out.
Now we just need to deal
with the auxiliary units.
Those units don't measure a full
company,
but they still outnumber
us roughly 20 to one.
- It's not too late to come
up with a better plan, is it?
- Someone shoot me.
- Additionally, Judge told
me the Ardenian Rangers
are planning a nasty surprise
for us,
as payback for the Captain's
treachery.
So, assuming we survive all
this,
and once the Broken Swords
regroup,
we'll run north along the border
until we can grab passage
and reach safety in Wayanmar.
- You really pissed off the
Captain this time, didn't you?
- Whatever differences I may
have with him are irrelevant.
This is our only way out.
Three armies are seeing to that.
- This is a suicide mission at
best.
- No, we've got this.
How many close scrapes
have we gotten into before?
Too many to count.
We're golden!
- You stupid cow!
Just tie your torc to your hutch
and pray
that the scavengers that
find it in the battlefield
give you a proper send-off
to the Sword Halls.
Not like you deserve it.
- You're such an asshole.
Down the middle.
- All right, dismissed.
We've got a long day ahead of
us.
- What's the word?
Bad?
- You know that fiefdom in
Serrinia you've always wanted?
You're gonna have to settle
for an unmarked grave in
Ardenmor.
- Great.
- Judge's perimeter ward.
- Contact!
North and south perimeters!
- They're lining up fire arrows.
- Samada sharpeye, southeast
squad!
- Sharpeye, northwest quad!
One support unit.
All Samada.
- Give me a target.
- You know Mama Kindeep's whore
house
across from our inn in Solyn?
- Yes, I do.
- Daisy Cutter's window.
Go.
Close, you would have killed
Hatty Brineshaw with that shot.
- Oh no, I liked her.
- Fredrick Jack-in-the-Hole, go!
- Are you kill-stealing from
Reaper?
- I can't help it, she's so
slow.
Don't think I don't see you,
you pieces of Samada shit!
- Thumper!
- Hob, flame ward!
Not yet.
- But.
- It won't last long.
- Old man, protect Kaylee.
Give me ranges!
- Thumper!
50 strides!
- 30 strides!
- We need blades out there!
These assholes are enchanted!
- If anything comes through that
door,
you have to stay behind me!
I can't protect you otherwise.
- Son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
- Enough of this.
Stop them.
- It'll weaken me.
I need my strength for Stone's
Fall.
- This could go all night.
Do it.
- We have a problem.
- What now?
- Reaper fell out of the window.
- Judge, northwest quad in...
- This is gonna hurt.
- Five!
Go!
- Fuck you, Hob!
A little warning next time!
- Oh, shit, that hurt.
Did she...
- Bitch amplified
her shriekers.
- Reaper?
- Report.
- Ghostwatch clear.
I think the sharp eye got away,
though.
- What the hell, Hob?!
- Dogwatch clear.
- We only got the backlash.
The Samada should have
been torn inside out.
- Looks like they were.
Gave Slab and Judge enough time
to murder
the shit out of 'em.
- No!
No, no, no, no, no.
No!
Fuck you!
Cocksucking whoremongers!
I will kill you!
I will kill all of you!
Fuck you, lord of light!
I'll kill them, brother.
I will kill all of them.
I swear on both our god's marks.
- Here you go.
Easy, girl.
- Tell Marko that sharp
eye didn't get away.
- What did I miss?
- I think we lost Switch.
- Was it me?
- Not this time.
Your spell worked as intended.
- Switch is dead.
- Yeah.
- You're next if you knock
me out of the window again.
- Yeah.
Ah!
- Switch is dead.
- Come on.
- Let him go, Buttercup.
- He was a good man.
- He wasn't good.
None of us is good.
He was only in it for the money.
It doesn't matter.
He'll always be my brother,
and I will see him avenged.
- All right.
Let's do this.
Kaylee.
- Switch's Testament entrusts
his soul-hutch to DJ,
and splits his back pay
between both Buttercup and DJ
excluding the seven gold he
owes Hobnail from stones night.
Who witnesses this?
- On my honor, I witness this.
- Moreover, his Testament
designates that both the hutch
and DJ's portion of his
back pay are death ransom,
to be taken in good faith
to his family in Talinor.
- What?!
- Who witnesses this?
- On my honor, I witness this.
- That son of a bitch!
There's a huge bounty
on my head in Talinor!
I knew he hated me.
- All swords, Chopshop, two
minutes.
- O' Mighty Lords and
Champions of the Sword Halls.
Our brother, Switch, stands
before your gates at last.
By our blood, his ransom shall
be paid.
We beseech you now, let him
enter,
for he is the worthiest of
warriors!
His aim was ever keen.
His courage was ever resolute.
Let him sit an honored man at
your table!
Reunite him with fallen
comrades and lost loves!
Bring forth vanquished
foes to kneel at his feet!
He has earned it!
- He died with honor.
- His honor is our honor.
- That'll do.
- You're posted to the
B.F.R. with Buttercup
until we decamp.
Keep a close eye on her.
- Stop it.
- Stop what?
- Stop thinking that it's yours.
- I'll cut you.
- You're no throat slitter, DJ.
- And you're no thief.
Give it back.
Fuck!
- Let's see what we've got.
- That's his share of the
treasure from Black Ridge
Canyon.
Hand it over, Whisper, it's
mine.
- It's Switch's,
and you're going to honor his
Testament.
- He knew what I was
when he gave it to me!
I think he wanted me to steal
it,
because if he didn't he would
have given it to someone
with more willpower!
- Do you think that anyone's
gonna carry your death ransom
after you steal Switch's?
- That's somewhat different.
- He chose you!
Only the gods know why,
but it must have been
something worthwhile.
Do not prove him wrong.
You will honor his death
by carrying his ransom
to those whom it's owed.
- But I could finally
buy myself an estate,
a fiefdom.
- Gold makes you stupid, my
friend.
That's why Top put me with you.
Be better than this.
- What's his name?
- What makes you think it's a
he?
- I just know.
- You never asked before.
Why now?
- I was afraid before.
- What's changed?
- I'm no longer afraid.
- Your goddess, won't she
be jealous if you flirt
with the affections of another
god?
- She's fickle, but, no.
She favors the warrior-born.
And while she may not
always mend our wounds,
it's her river that carries
us toward the Sword Halls.
All she cares for is
the appropriate respect.
- I'm tired, Kaylee.
I've watched so many of you die.
I don't think I can do this
anymore.
- Don't worry, old man, I'll
protect you.
And when you're tired,
I'll be your strength.
- Indeed.
- What are you doing?
- Here take it.
It's yours.
If we get out of this
mess, I intend to retire.
Congratulations, my dear.
You drew the short straw.
- Wait a minute, I don't...
- I hope
someday you can find it in
your heart to forgive me.
- I need to attend to Switch.
Tell Slab to bring the Samada
head in.
- What?
- Top sent you to babysit me.
- So what?
He wants to make sure you're
okay.
- I'm not okay.
I just lost my best friend.
But that's what we do, isn't it?
We wage war.
We all knew the risks when we
signed on.
That doesn't mean I won't mourn
him.
But if you think for one moment
my grief will slow my sword,
try me, slave boy.
- I'll ignore what you just said
because we're in the same unit
and because you're mourning.
But friend or not,
if you call me that again,
I'll rip your gods damned throat
out.
- I'm sorry.
- You're my new roommate or
somethin'?
- I don't wanna
be anywhere near Kaylee
when she does that thing to that
body.
- Why do you always smell so
foosty?
- I don't understand you.
- You've known me for years.
What's not to understand?
- Why do you always stick up for
me?
What did I ever do to you?
- Maybe I like an underdog.
- A warmage is never an
underdog.
Besides, you're not my type.
- No, dumb shit.
This isn't about sex.
- Well, I am the only person in
the unit.
- Don't be a petulant ass.
You know I don't bed teammates.
- I...
apologize.
- We're in this shitpot
together.
We stand up for each other
whether we like it or not.
Whether we like you or not.
Haven't you figured that
out after all this time?
- Well, you smell like Autumn!
- Here.
- Ooh, Shiny.
Now I don't have to desecrate
Switch.
- Can't you ask your goddess
to just bring him back?
- That's not how it works.
- Yeah, I know.
- Talk to me, Slab.
You're troubled.
- What we're doing is wrong.
It's not our way!
Stone's Fall is a Coward's
Gauntlet
and nobody wants to run it just
to go die!
There's no honor in it!
- Well, speaking as your healer,
one death, same as the next.
Messy, often slow, always
agonizing.
But speaking as your squadmate,
how you die matters more than
why you die.
Anyways, when you go, it'll
likely be as a fat old man
surrounded by a gaggle of
grandchildren.
They'll have to roll you into
your grave.
- You really think so?
- No.
You're gonna die at Stone's
Fall with the rest of us.
- You're probably right.
- You might wanna leave the
room before you get wet.
- May I make a suggestion?
- Can I stop you?
- Encourage the others to treat
Kaylee
like the soldier she is and not
the child they think she is.
- What's goin' on?
- Nothing, my friend.
The years weigh heavily on me.
It may be time to inspire them.
Kaylee has much wisdom in her.
- And I suspect one day far in
the future,
whatever you're on about is
gonna hit me
and I'm gonna hate you.
- What's your problem?
You know we can't leave his body
here.
- Feeding our dead to
that thing is unnatural.
- That thing carried his
soul to the Sword Halls
on her mistress's River,
why not his body too?
- At least my magic is
honest in its foulness.
What's her excuse?
- Check on Kaylee.
She does not do well after
communing with whats-her-face,
and you are the only one who
doesn't get creeped out by it.
- Oh, I get creeped out by it.
I'm just too old to care.
- I wasn't always like this.
- Your kind always says that.
- What does that mean?
- Nobles.
We all know you're one.
I wouldn't be surprised
if you had a line of
titles behind your name.
Lord Spungdington?
Baron Mourningwood?
Lady Rosepurse?
- My full name is Dhuveth
Jarinis.
My father is a fief holder
sworn to the lord of Serrinia.
- Dhuveth is a whore's name.
- He's also an arrogant son of a
bitch
who never wasted an opportunity
to tell me how worthless I was.
- Maybe save all this deep
emotional crap for a confessor.
- On the day he banished me,
he gave me an old heirloom
dagger.
Same one I stole from his trophy
case
the night before I made
a decision to murder him.
- You're a seriously messed up
individual.
You know that, right?
- It's the only thing of
value he's ever given me.
He suggested I cut my own throat
with it.
- Tell me you slit his throat
instead,
then maybe I'll have a
little respect for you.
- I couldn't.
He's still my father.
- Switch was one of us, DJ.
Why?
- Because after all these
years in the Swords,
I still don't have it.
I still don't have enough
gold to buy my own lands.
How else am I gonna show my
father who's the better man?
- You would deny Switch his
place in the Sword Halls?
Don't show him who the better
man is, DJ.
Be the better man.
I should cut your heart out.
- I once visited a temple
dedicated to your watery goddess
on the Corsican Isles.
On a beach perfectly situated to
capture
the setting sun each day.
Regardless of weather or season,
it always made it through to her
altar
to kiss her on the brow.
There's something else about
that isle.
Unlike all the others,
it was blessedly free of seagull
crap.
- She doesn't have any more
temples.
The sea reclaimed them all.
- As you say.
This was well before your time.
- Yeah, by at least a hundred
years.
- Give us the room.
- You shouldn't get drunk
before battle, you ass.
Are you trying to get us all
killed?
- We're dead anyway.
- That's Flewellyn's.
- Whisper called me out.
I wanted to steal Switch's gold.
- She
should have cut your heart out.
- That was her opinion too.
- At least you're honest.
- And you're wet.
- Got it.
And, Samozar, stop worrying.
If the,
all the units do their part.
The plan will work.
- Care to tell me what you're
doing
with the Captain's Torc?
- You and I both know
the Captain suffered most.
I believe it all started at
Cerak's tomb.
- That was years ago.
- The unit commanders,
we all noticed him changing
recently.
It's like another person was
looking out of those eyes.
Um, we just thought it
was the stress of the war,
but it just kept getting worse,
Flewellyn.
- I'm listening.
- The orders he gave us
yesterday would have had us
march directly into the
Samada camp to surrender.
And they don't take prisoners.
So, we confronted him.
Called him out on both the
orders
and his increasingly strange
behavior.
He accused us of breaking our
oaths
to the Sword's, to him, and lost
control.
Before we knew it, he had pulled
his blade
and slashed Boxwise's throat.
At that point, we had no choice.
- Hey, are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Really, I'm fine.
- Do you think the dark magic
that Hob has been ranting about
all night
is tied to Cerak's madness?
- I don't know.
- You took his torc.
What about his hutch?
- He wasn't wearing one.
- This batch is bitter, I like
it.
- Is that supposed to be a
compliment
or you want seaweed and
sunlight?
- Overwatch, report.
Ghostwatch, all quiet.
Dogwatch, clear.
Someone keep an eye on DJ,
though.
He's drunk off his ass.
- BFR, you good up there?
- All clear, boss.
- Everyone get some rest
and conserve your strength.
Come dawn, you're gonna need it.
- I can never sleep before
battle.
- Top.
Take your hand and place
it on your god's mark
and speak truth.
Are we getting out of this?
Because by my hand on my mark,
I believe we are all doomed
and we only have you to blame
for it.
- Hobnail, you cross...
- No, Flewellyn, she's right.
- Is DJ with you?
- I haven't seen him.
He's probably with the water
witch.
- Ugh, Kaylee creeps me out.
- Hey, can I ask you somethin'?
- No.
- Are you worried?
- No.
- Stone's Fall is gonna be bad.
- Stone's Fall is going to be
glorious.
I'm gonna kill everything.
- We've never been this
outnumbered.
- It is what it is.
- On my god's mark, I will
do everything in my power
to get you all out of this alive
even if I have to sacrifice my
life.
- With all the Swords
combined, it's 120 of us
and 12 warmages against
four units of half giants
and an army of templars.
That's...
- 3,000 enemy soldiers.
Our destiny was set the moment
we set foot in Ardenmor.
Top is not to blame.
- Strategically and
tactically, nothing's changed.
We came into this country to
harass the Nosck and Samada,
and that's what we're
going to do on our way out.
- That was a skirmish war.
All we had to do is discourage
them from hurting the locals
and now you got us going
headlong right into their lines.
Strategically, that's terrible.
- Leave the strategy to people
like me who understands...
- The locals are after our
blood.
18 Ardenian Rangers are
nothing to take lightly.
Each one fights like five men.
- Five men?
Have you seen Judge?
Try 15 insane berserkers!
- You know Judge led those
Rangers once long ago, Hob,
but is a broken sword above all.
We can't do this without you.
You need to stay strong.
Do you understand?
- My turn now.
You were a Black Arrow
with the Royal Guard of Talinor,
right?
Why'd you break your sword with
them
and swear our oaths instead?
- What difference does it make?
- It doesn't.
I just wanna win the bet
the others have going.
I said murder.
Did you murder someone?
- In Talinor, a woman
may only carry a weapon
if she serves in the Royal Guard
or as a widow with no man to
protect her.
As a soldier, I was strictly
ornamental.
Even though I was well-trained
and better
than the king's myrmidons.
I was never sent into battle,
I wasn't expected to do
anything.
No one could get within
a league of the king.
Not with his pet mage around.
I broke my sword because I
needed to fight in battle.
- When the sun rises today,
you'll fight until your arms go
limp
and you will stand atop
a mountain of dead foes.
And when the rest of the
bastards
finally come to kill you,
you will enter the Sword Halls a
legend.
- You better pray those
bastards don't kill me
'cause you're the one who
gets to carry my death ransom.
- I hate you.
- I need to piss.
- Go ahead.
I'll tell Buttercup and Marko
to keep an eye on the southeast
approach.
- Someone needs to tell DJ
to get back to his post.
We're just trying to decide who.
- Why are you telling me this?
- Because he's still with
Kaylee.
- Damn it.
- Since you're standing up.
- I need a drink first.
- Oh my god.
Oh yeah.
Please don't stop.
Oh, don't stop.
Just like that.
- Top wants you back on watch.
- Don't worry, I'll
kill her when we decamp.
I'll slit her throat.
- Don't.
I've got next meal duty.
Been saving a Nosckian
mushroom just for her.
I can slip it into her rice.
- How bad was it?
- No worse than usual.
- Hold her down!
- What happened?
- It's here.
It's here.
- What in the Seven Hells is
happening?
Is she possessed?
- I don't know.
- Shoggotha!
I must stop it!
- Shoggotha!
Shoggo...
- Hob?
Hob?
- Get off me, you fat meatball!
- Is it gone?
- I don't know and I
don't sense it anymore.
- Talk to us.
Hob?
- It felt like Cerak, but it was
weak.
So unfocused like...
- Like an echo?
- Maybe it was the Nosck.
They worship such dark things.
- If the Nosck have
necromancers...
- Then our chances of getting
out of this
just became nonexistent.
- Nosckles.
What now?
My balls are still killing me
from the last what now moment.
- Do you feel that?
- Do you feel that?
Do you smell that?
Does this deer testicle
taste funny to you?
You really need to have
Kaylee check your head out.
- Do you see me laughing?
- Fuck!
All swords, high alert.
- Report!
- The Nosck can't have
learned the kind of magic
that affected Hob.
This must be...
Ghostwatch is clear.
Feels like an earthquake is
coming though.
- Marko, I,
I think I...
- Tell him that we're all clear.
- I think I might...
- Tell him!
- Dogwatch clear.
I need to kill something.
- They killed the Captain,
Marko.
- What in the seven hells
are you talking about?
Who killed the Captain?
- Top and the other commanders.
- BFR, report!
- Tell him we're all clear.
- He mutinied us.
Why?
Why would he do that?
Mutiny is punishable by death.
Even worse, it's dishonorable.
He got Wymrick and Switch killed
for...
Buttercup, Marko, come in.
- Tell him.
- BFR clear.
- Think about what
you're saying, Buttercup.
This is Top you're talking
about.
I don't know what you
think you heard but...
- I heard Top confess to
Flewellyn
that he and the other
commanders killed the Captain.
They thought he was crazy and
trying to get us all killed,
so they killed him first.
This bullshit plan to escape
to Stone's Fall, that's theirs.
They are the ones who are
trying to get us killed.
- We'll talk about this later.
- Overwatch, talk to me.
- Got nothing here.
Trees are shaking like crazy.
- Whisper?
- I don't see anything,
but every bird in the northern
reach
silhouetted against the moon.
- Night sight.
- I'm already on it.
Double time, soldier.
Tell DJ to get his ass
back up here.
- On my way.
- Shit!
- Top, it's the Samada.
- How many horses?
- Too many to count.
- Anything else?
- Two dozen archers and
cavaliers
just separated from the main
force coming right at us.
- Fuck, who's shaking the bed?
- I've got movement.
- What do you see?
- 25 archers.
They're Nosck.
I thought you said they
were Samada, Whisper?
- On my side of the barn, they
are.
- Cover!
- Seven hells.
- Shit.
- That was close.
- Shit.
- Too close.
- Kaylee, we need you!
It's DJ.
- She's coming.
- Slab, you and Flewellyn
secure the Chopshop.
- Don't hold back, old man.
When it comes to it, you unleash
hell.
- Have you got anything left?
- Not much, and this is gonna
hurt.
- No, no, no, no, no.
- Kaylee!
- Where is it?
Slab, you stupid bastard,
I'm gonna kill you for wasting
it.
- How do you like that,
you ugly pieces of shit?
- I need backup.
- You're so beautiful.
- You can't die on me, DJ.
I won't let you.
You're mine.
- Summon the Water Queen,
Kaylee.
- Don't do it or I swear
on my god's mark, I'll follow
you.
- Summon her.
- No.
No.
- One, two, three!
- Buttercup, you're with
Whisper.
- Stay with me, dammit!
This isn't optional.
Get on your feet.
You can't take the easy way out
this time.
Do you hear me?
- I'll do it, Switch.
- What the hell was that?
- Hell unleashed.
- Hurry up, Hob!
- I'm out of arrows.
Make sure the Warlords of the
Sword Halls
know I fought well.
- Pull them out.
I'm not done killing these
bastards.
- Come on, motherfuckers.
Come after me, you piece of
shit.
- Was that,
was that us or them?
- It was me.
- It's okay.
It's okay.
- I need to meditate.
- Top, are you okay?
- I'm okay.
Okay.
Hob?
- She'll be fine
with some rest.
- Something we
don't have the luxury of.
All swords, report.
- Buttercup left, Top.
What did you do to her?
Top?
- All swords, regroup in Abbey.
- Yeah, about that.
- Kaylee.
I know about the Captain.
- Ghostwatch is alive.
- Get up.
How far away did you send them?
- One, maybe two leagues.
- Not far enough, especially
for the ones on horseback.
- I jumped them as far as
I could.
We're still gonna die.
- Kaylee, can you...
- Wymrick died.
Switch died.
DJ is dead.
- I know...
- No one else.
Not now, not again.
Hob can wait until I'm done with
Whisper.
- Let's go kill something.
- Top?
Buttercup overheard you and
Flewellyn.
She heard everything.
- Not now, Marko.
- Those troops are
probably on their way back.
We need to go.
- I don't
know what you heard, son,
but it's not what you think...
- No, no, no, no.
Not after all the hell
we went through tonight,
don't you dare disrespect us,
especially Wymrick, Switch,
and DJ with bullshit.
- Careful, Marko.
I'll put you out of your
misery like you asked.
- What did Buttercup tell you?
- You're the one Top confided
in.
You tell us.
- Stand down, all of you.
You are good soldiers,
but if you are gonna turn
on anyone, you turn on me
and me alone.
- Did you kill the Captain?
- No.
No, no, no, no.
No!
- Yes.
- What?
- Oh, Top.
- Why?
- I can,
I will explain, but we need
to get to safety first.
We can do a reckoning then...
- You broke us.
You broke the Swords!
- He was unstable at the end.
If we had followed
orders, we would be dead.
- Whisper!
- DJ was my friend.
If he died in vain, I will
spend whatever time I have left
killing you slowly.
Do you understand me?
- I understand.
On my god's mark, Whisper,
he did not die in vain.
- I trust him.
- And that's supposed to be good
enough?
- He's right, Whisper, it's not.
The Swords are my family.
If he killed the Captain...
- If he killed the Captain,
he had a good reason.
- And what reason would that be?
- You need to focus on duty.
Listen to orders, think later.
- Shut up, old man.
Marko, Top has never done bad by
us, ever.
We owe him the benefit of the
doubt.
- Do we?
- New guy's gonna die.
- I am not fucking new!
Every master I had promised me
my freedom.
Promised that if I
listened, I could walk free.
And we all know how well that
went, huh?
- When we joined the swords,
that was all forgotten and put
behind us.
We should listen to Top.
- Oh, shit.
- I need food.
- Judge?
- Slake.
Three Samada scouts
captured your shield-maiden.
I couldn't get to her in time,
I'm sorry.
It was their final act.
Do you have the Captain's hutch?
- He wasn't wearing one.
- Buttercup had it.
The Captain gave her his
last will and testament.
She meant to fulfill it,
whatever it was.
- We don't have time for this.
If you're here to kill me, kill
me.
- No!
- You've changed.
A caul of mortality
clouds your vision now.
Be certain, Reaper.
There will be no second chance.
Isn't it about time you
stepped out of his shadow?
It's not surprising any of this.
This land, it's dark.
A dark place.
Soldiers turn,
words and bonds get broken.
Feels like the Pit again
and that black-damned
soul-wizard Cerak.
- I knew it.
- Hob remembers.
Slake should, even though
he was a new recruit.
The first soldiers taken,
we found nailed to trees.
The wounds on the bodies were
odd.
Straight lines down each limb.
A clean cut down the torso.
Their flesh hung from the
nails like used clothes.
Their bones were gone.
- Gods.
- No, it wasn't the gods.
It was much worse.
I heard it first.
A clicking that made my ears
itch.
What came over that ridge-line,
the clicking was the sound
of bones, hundreds of bones
that were fused together in
some sort of sick twisted
thing that looked like a,
their bones were used by
that godsdamned wizard
for this monstrosity.
We ran as fast and as far as we
could,
then we waited.
Waited for daylight.
Three days.
Our supplies were gone.
Anyone who was slightly injured
died
of the blight that infected the
forest.
Three days and the healers
finally figured out
that chewing Arvanda root
would seal our wounds
and keep the infection from
getting in.
The Captain had us focus on a
simple task.
Dig in.
Dig in and hold.
He and Deegan left us there.
Only later did we realize
what he did when he went back.
We never saw Deegan again.
Those last few hours were the
worst part.
That waiting and the not knowing
I'll never eat Arvanda root
again.
But we killed that bastard
Cerak.
Tore out his soul
and sent it to oblivion.
- I don't know if it was
one of the lich's minions
or the Captain unwittingly
brought a piece of the tomb
out with him or maybe
intentionally, but I...
- The Captain would have killed
the entire company today.
You were right,
but you need to be reminded.
You need to remember the price
he paid
so that we could all
escape that black hell.
- Valara, I...
- Did he die swiftly?
- He died with honor.
The unit commanders were
witnesses.
- And if I were here to kill
any of you, you'd be dead.
- I remembered now.
- So, how the hell are we gonna
get out
of this fuckin' shit heap?
- Slab, they're all yours.
- Top, are you sure it's a good
idea...
- My responsibility is all
the remaining Swords now.
He's ready.
- All right, assholes
and elbows everybody.
Pack it up.
Let's get ready to move.
SitRep.
- Two minutes, coming in hot.
They're lighting up their
skybows.
- Hobnail, Kaylee,
you're in the middle.
Whisper...
- Fuck you, I can help myself.
- Reaper, new guy?
- No.
New guy no more.
His name is Scar.
- Well isn't that just fucking
great?
- Top, you and Flewellyn are...
- Not me.
- Old man.
- I've decided to take
that promotion after all.
- We're all getting out
of this, or none of us.
- One minute.
- I'm tired, Slake.
I need to go home.
I can buy you all time.
You'll need a distraction.
- But DJ's body...
- Is no longer your domain,
Kaylee.
Just see his hutch delivered.
I can certainly take
care of his body for you.
- This might help a little, you
old goat.
- Take care, old friend.
- Godspeed, brother.
- You're the best troops I've
ever led.
You have never failed me.
You will not fail now, do you
understand?
We will get to Stone's Fall
and we will kill every asshole
in our way
and every single one of
us will raise a toast
to our fallen with mugs
of ale in Wayanmar!
- Let's go!
- We don't speak often, Father,
but thank you for this life.
My honor is your honor.
And if you deem me worthy,
grant one last gift
to face whatever is on the
other side of those doors.
Oh, and apologize
to the Madzi Witch for me.
We all know Kaylee was
never destined to be hers.
Now, assholes,
how about we unleash hell one
last time?