SPEAKER_08 0:38

And now Thamro. A chill gripped the bones of Achilles as he stood on the steps of Widowmaker Temple. He hated having to ingratiate himself to the monks here again, but he had no choice. Cravex had sliced off his sword hand, and he needed the healing powers of the monks to restore his severed limb. Before long, one of the monks, a man called Brother Rixor, approached.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Have you brought tribute?

SPEAKER_09 1:13

Don't I always?

SPEAKER_02 1:15

Wait by the pools in the northern quarter. Someone will be with you shortly.

SPEAKER_09 1:20

I have been waiting all day. I need to see him now. My hand will not simply grow back or sew itself back on of its own accord.

SPEAKER_02 1:30

You speak to me as though you did not face this same issue long ago when you had been blinded. Or the time after that when your arm had been sliced off in a battle with your own men. Did we not accommodate you on both occasions? Ah, yes, you did. And we will do so again. Please, you and your men will be much more comfortable by the fools in the northern quarter. One thousand years will call for you when he is ready.

SPEAKER_08 2:00

Achilles looked to his left and to his right while shrugging his shoulders, indicating that he was alone.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

Are you seriously going to insult my intelligence by telling me that you are by yourself? We are always fully aware of you and your numbers. But if your men feel more comfortable hiding in our trees, by all means, suit yourselves.

SPEAKER_08 2:25

Achilles raised his hand and five Myrmidon warriors descended from the sky, landing softly, despite their weighty leather armor, weapons, and shields. Brother Ryxor smiled and watched as the group made way towards the pools in the northern quarter. After the men were gone, a balding, very old, thin gray-haired monk who wore thick black robes, appeared suddenly at Brother Ryxor's side. The monk's actual name was known only to a few. To the rest of Welkin, however, he was renowned as one thousand years, the leader of the agents of Thorn, the masters of the way of the Widowmaker.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

Patroclus returns, I see. That he does, sinse. He has learned nothing. What ails him this time? A severed hand. We should have let him die the first time he entered our door.

SPEAKER_10 3:32

Don't be so hard on him, Rixor. He wants to be accepted and loved, and he believes the means to that end is via what he achieves. He seeks love through his accomplishments, and he does not yet realize the emptiness of such pursuits as perhaps I will let Lady Quicken attend his wounds this time.

SPEAKER_08 3:55

As if on cue, a slender woman, wearing hooded dark grey robes, a bluish grey tactical tunic, with a matching blindfold and carrying a powder blue longbow that was made out of elven glass, walked into view towards a field where a bullseye target stood in anticipation.

SPEAKER_02 4:20

As usual, you have spoken of someone and they have appeared, Cinsei. We're calling her Quicken now. Do you like it? Considering how long it took her to adapt, I find it ironic. That is not what I asked you. I have no issue with it. But Sin Si, is she ready to be an agent of Thorn? What of her blindness? Is it still a hindrance to her?

SPEAKER_10 4:52

Does that answer your question? Ironic that she is blind, but it is you who do not see. You see her abilities, and yet you doubt her readiness.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

I hesitate because of whom she used to be married to. Have you not heard the songs the bards sing about Alexander? His nickname is now the ghost. You should be pleased.

SPEAKER_10 5:18

Praise for Alexandra Temujin is praise for the agents of Thorn. He is one of our own after all.

SPEAKER_02 5:25

Was one of our own. He tried to kill us all, Sinsei.

SPEAKER_10 5:31

The man was grieving Rixor. He believed his wife was dead, and that we were responsible.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Weren't we? There are those in our number that wonder if his actions were in fact retaliation. People think we orchestrated the attack on him and his family because he left our number to pursue a quiet life harvesting spices, did we?

SPEAKER_10 5:55

I have said repeatedly that any member of the agents of Thorn is free to leave of their own volition whenever it suits them. We both know that isn't true. Nevertheless, our lies must remain constant. Xander simply had a bit of bad luck right after he departed. Are we to be blamed for that which we neither orchestrated nor controlled? That was rhetorical, Rixor. The point is moot. Xander won't recall any of it anyway.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

I still don't understand why you didn't just kill him when he returned here and attacked us. Kill one of our own. He ceased to be one of us the moment he slaughtered thirteen of our finest. That does not change the fact that he is still one of our own.

SPEAKER_10 6:50

We trained him. We made him. The agents of Thorn are my children. I am their father. Bah you worry for nothing. Landa Tumujin has no idea that his wife is even here, much less that she is alive. As far as he knows, she died when Clam Thumbro attacked them. And that is the story we will adhere to.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

And what if he learns the truth? What if he has total recall, Sinsei?

SPEAKER_10 7:20

He won't. He's half the man he was when we defeated him years ago, Rick saw. He cannot cast spells without his tongue, remember? You saw to that with your own blade, and we framed Clan Thamro for all of it. So even if he remembers what happened, the fool won't tie it back to us. With any luck, he will eventually track down Thad Bannon and settle all of that business for us.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

You see, he will always be one of our own. Though I remain cautious, I cannot argue with your logic. And while I agree that Thad Bannon must pay for his actions against us with his life, I still have great concerns for your safety should the ghost learn that his wife is here. We have to keep him from ever stepping foot on these grounds again. Anything could trigger total recall. If he learns that our hand orchestrated what she has now become.

SPEAKER_10 8:20

If he does, then we will do what we did before.

SPEAKER_08 8:24

Allow him to live? One thousand Years gave Ricksaw a look that suggested that he was done explaining himself. Ricksaw cast a glance towards Quicken as she loaded her bow with another arrow. Meanwhile, Lysa and Cravex landed hard in the middle of the forest, rolling end over end until they finally stopped. That hurt.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

I'm sorry, honey. I haven't perfected that spell. Not to mention it isn't exactly designed for transportation. Are you okay?

SPEAKER_06 9:13

I'll live. How did you free your hands to even cast that spell to begin with?

SPEAKER_00 9:18

She had on golden armor with T's on her belt and gauntlets. She freed me when she threw her weapon and shattered my bonds.

SPEAKER_06 9:27

Did she have a red cape and long black hair?

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Yes, she did. Did you see her?

SPEAKER_06 9:32

Not in the camp. But I did see her now riding a gray horse with a white nose, and she has two additional horses with her.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

Leslie, she mouthed the word Thamro to me right before she freed me from my chains. Maybe what Achilles was saying was true. Maybe there actually is a clan Thamro after all.

SPEAKER_06 9:52

Kid takes on one dragon and he already has a fan club.

SPEAKER_05 9:56

Not quite. More like we are all fans of someone else and carry the mantle. Seth is a part of our group.

SPEAKER_08 10:02

Lysa and Kravix stared at the warrior woman known as Kumara Thamro. She had freed Lysa, yes, and here she was with fresh horses for them. But it all seemed a bit too convenient. Kravex gathered his axe from a tree, where it had stuck when they landed as casually as he could, though he had every intention of using it if he needed to.

SPEAKER_05 10:26

You won't need your axe, big man. I am not your enemy.

SPEAKER_06 10:31

I think I'll hold on to it just the same, just in case you change your mind about that.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

What Leslie means is we are very grateful for your assistance back at the Myrmidon camp. May I ask your name?

SPEAKER_05 10:44

Kumara. Kumara Thamro.

SPEAKER_06 10:47

This is a lot for Lys and I to take in, Kumara. Up until recently, we only knew of Seth Thamro. There was no clan, angry myrmidons, or any of the sort. There was only a blonde kid with amnesia and a penchant for getting evil when he got hit on the head. You're telling us there's a whole gang of evil kids.

SPEAKER_00 11:07

Leslie, Seth is not evil.

SPEAKER_06 11:10

Not anymore. He didn't throw you through a solid metal cage door. I still have scars from that knight.

SPEAKER_05 11:16

What do you mean he is evil?

SPEAKER_06 11:18

Before we answer that, let me ask you a question.

SPEAKER_05 11:21

Ask as many as you wish, but bear in mind that Achilles is likely pursuing us.

SPEAKER_06 11:26

Let him come. If he wants to lose his other hand, I'm more than happy to accommodate him.

SPEAKER_05 11:31

Be that as it may, you should tell your story walking. My clan has provided these horses for the two of you. We should be on our way to find Seth.

SPEAKER_06 11:40

I don't think you get it, lady. We're not going anywhere with you. We don't know you and we don't trust you. You drop a few names and you just expect us to take you to the kit. What is he to you anyway?

SPEAKER_08 11:52

Kumara cast a nervous glance in Lysa's direction before returning her gaze to Kravex.

SPEAKER_05 12:00

What I have to tell you will not be easy for either of you to hear. It is not a coincidence that we found each other. It must have been the will of the gods. Please take these horses. I will explain everything as we ride.

SPEAKER_08 12:22

While this was going on, Jenakis arrived in the royal city of Finn, inside of the bedchamber where Seth Thamra was lying comatose. Exactly as she had left him, she spied Thamro's sword Convergence propped up against the wall in the corner, precisely where he had left her. It was well known that Convergence only obeyed the commands of Seth, her master. Jenna couldn't so much as touch the blade without Seth's permission, much less kill him with it. As Elyon had instructed her, she began walking slowly towards the weapon, reaching out her hand to touch the blade's handle, terrified that the sword would destroy her quicker than a blink. She nearly soiled herself when the blade sprang to life as she touched the hilt.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Jenna, what are you doing? I don't have time to explain it to you, Convergence. You have to trust me.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

I'm afraid you're going to need to make time. My master seems to enjoy having you around, so I won't cut your eyeballs out one by one and feed them to you. Yet. Are you going to give me a reason not to? Or are you going to take your hand off of me?

SPEAKER_04 13:37

Okay, I'll level with you. I can't explain how or why, but I was dead a few seconds ago and now I'm alive again. I saw Elion. The Elion. He told me to take Therm with me to the Nine Hells to destroy Ursula, but that only you could send him there. I know that would mean killing your master Convergence, but it would also mean that we'd get to kill Ursula and save a lot of innocent lives in the process. Please, can I pick you up and use you to, um, kill Seth?

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Let me get this straight. You want to use me to kill my own master so that he can then kill a goddess of the nine hills.

SPEAKER_04 14:13

Um, yes. That's pretty much the size of it.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

You had me at kill. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_08 14:19

Convergence leapt from her position near Thamro and landed gently in Jenna's hands. Her necromancer blood surged as she sensed the enormous power that lived within the weapon. As she held the blade in her hands, barely able to lift it, she began to understand why Ursula feared the weapon's destructive prowess. While this was going on, Cravax, Lysa, and Kumara continued riding towards Finn.

SPEAKER_06 14:50

Alright, Kumara. Level with us. Who are you? And what do you want with the kid?

SPEAKER_08 14:55

Kumara sighed and looked over at Lysa.

SPEAKER_06 14:58

Don't look at Lysa. She can't help you.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Leslie, honey, please let her finish. Kumara, you could have let us rot in that prison camp, but you didn't. I assume Achilles mentioned Seth to you, and while we don't know everything about him, we know he has a colorful past. What is your relationship with him?

SPEAKER_05 15:17

I raised him. I trained him. Seth is like a son to me. I've known him since he was a child. You're his mother? More or less? Yes, I raised him. But I did not give birth to him. That was that was actually you, Lysa. Seth is your son.

SPEAKER_08 15:41

Lysa's eyes began to fill with tears, as did those of Kravax. They looked at each other but could not find the words they needed to say. Before long, Lysa looked at Kamara, her face filled with questions.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

I owe a debt to your father, the provost. When Seth was only a few days old, he brought the child to me and told me to raise him and train him in the ways of the Myrmidons.

SPEAKER_06 16:09

That would explain why the kid knew how to fight in the arena when we faced that Yivok.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

But it doesn't address the most glaring and inexplicable detail, Leslie. How could my father have brought our son to this woman to raise? Our son was stillborn.

SPEAKER_06 16:25

Babe, your father dabbles in blood magic. As much as you may not want to accept that, it fits the situation.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

No. No, Leslie. I refuse to believe my father would do such a thing. And even if he did, he would have he would have brought my baby to me.

SPEAKER_05 16:44

Lysa, I know this is hard to accept, but it is true. Your father told me that he raised your stillborn son from the dead when he brought him to me. His instructions were for me to train him and raise him as my own, and when he was older he would return for him.

SPEAKER_06 17:01

And did he?

SPEAKER_05 17:02

Not for several years. Then one day when my son When Seth was about sixteen years old, he just disappeared. It wasn't until I heard these rumors of a warrior wearing our clan's colours and doing these amazing things that I dared to hope that he was alive.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

I'm not saying my father did not bring you a child to raise, but he would not bring you my child. If my son were alive, my father would have brought him to me.

SPEAKER_06 17:31

Even I have a hard time swallowing that one, Kumara. Ali is a jerk, without a doubt. But this is a bit much, even for him. Are you sure he didn't just tell you all this to get you to take the kid in?

SPEAKER_05 17:43

As I said, I owed your father a debt. I had no say on the conditions of how I satisfied it. He disclosed of his own accord that his child was his only grandson, how he despised the boy's father and how he wanted the boy to be his personal warrior. Like it or not, Lysa, your father took the body of your son, raised him with blood magic, then brought him to me to turn into a warrior. Four or so years ago that child vanished. When I received Achilles' raven, claiming to have prisoners with knowledge of a mission member of our clan, I risked my life and came immediately. I would do anything to find my son.

SPEAKER_00 18:22

No, no, I won't accept this.

SPEAKER_05 18:25

Lysa, I know this is difficult, but it is true. Seth was raised in my clan. He was among the finest of our warriors. I can only surmise that your father made good on his promise to return and take him when he felt Seth was ready. Given what I know of his ambitions, it is the only thing that makes sense.

SPEAKER_06 18:46

What are you doing? I need to go after her.

SPEAKER_05 18:49

No, you need to let her process this pain alone for a time. She just learned that her child, the child she thought she had failed to bring to life, is not only alive, but that her own father had another woman raise him. She may never forgive the Provost for this.

SPEAKER_06 19:07

I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about her. She may never forgive herself. I need to go to her.

SPEAKER_05 19:14

Do not belong, Cravex. Achilles will come for us, so we need to be far from here. I realize that until this moment you both thought Seth was just your friend and not your son. I respect that this is a lot to process, but please understand that Seth is also my son and has been all of his life. I lost him four years ago, and I need to see him. Please take me to my boy.

SPEAKER_08 19:42

Gravex looked in the direction Lysa had ridden off to and saw that she had stopped her horse. He looked at Kamara, seeing the tears in her eyes. He also felt tears welling up in his own. All of this time he had thought Lysa had aborted their son. And now he learns that not only did she have his son, but his son was Seth Thamro, a young man he could not be happier to call his own. He looked at Kumara and nodded.

SPEAKER_05 20:21

I assumed as much when I saw you both in the camp. Do you think she could find it in her heart to forgive her father for this?

SPEAKER_06 20:28

No, Kumara. I don't think she will be able to do it.