SPEAKER_00 0:01

Go to the town of the Twin Swords in Upper Centurion. There you should seek out a man they call 1,000 years, as he is rumored to have lived that long. He is a monk that practices the way of the widowmaker, so be careful. Your wife has been staying with him and his fellow monks. I warn you, she will have no memory, no memory of you.

SPEAKER_04 0:27

And now the ghost arrived in Upper Centurion as Ursula had instructed him and hid himself amongst the trees. As he looked about the grounds, he noticed several monks wearing dark robes. Then, looking at his own leather armor, cape, and the symbols emblazoned on them, he could not help but notice the similarities. He did not know why, but this place felt familiar. He wasn't sure what bothered him more, the familiarity itself, or that since he couldn't actually remember ever being here before, that the familiarity didn't make any sense. Unbeknownst to him, his presence was not a secret.

SPEAKER_09 1:25

He has arrived. Yes, I know. Are you finally going to deal with this once and for all? You should watch your tone, brother Ricksaw. I meant no disrespect, of course.

SPEAKER_10 1:43

Disrespect is rarely intentional, and even if it is intentional, one rarely admits to it. However you meant it, Rixo, I do plan to deal with this utmost finality. But in my own way, not anyone else's.

SPEAKER_09 2:00

Which means you will not kill him?

SPEAKER_10 2:03

That's not what I said. I said I would deal with it in my own way. Clearly he is here because someone sent him to us. One does not randomly happen upon the sanctuary of the agents of Thorn. He was told to come here.

SPEAKER_09 2:21

By Ursula?

SPEAKER_10 2:23

Most likely, which is why we need to tread carefully. Our allegiance is to Orion. Do not forget whom we serve.

SPEAKER_04 2:31

Orion was considered the god of the fifth hell, also known as the Torso. He was a rival of Ursula's and had his own plans for the nine. Plans that regularly opposed those of the goddess of the mouth. Squabbles amongst hell's overseers was nothing new, but the rivalry between Ursula and Orion was unique. Unique in that it had actually lasted for centuries, a testament to their staying power as overseers. Ursula knew that Orion empowered the angels of Thorne, his minions and emissaries in the realm of the living, much in the same way she had empowered the Provost, among others, to do her own bidding. Sending one of Orion's own to cause problems for the angels of Thorne only served her cause. If the ghost attacked the angels of Thorne and died, well good. The ghost had already delivered Gen a kiss. If he died now, it didn't matter. Additionally, if he was able to kill a few of Orion's worshippers along the way, all the better. This is why one thousand years needed to tread lightly. He was not sure how Orion would react to the death of the ghost, or the death of any agents that Orion may or may not have had plans for. There was also the problem that the ghost simply did not care about any of this. He was arguably the greatest assassin to ever come out of their order. If the ghost wanted to kill you, there was very little you could do about it. This was a problem and one that he cannot easily solve.

SPEAKER_09 4:20

The only reason he would be here is if he had knowledge that his wife was alive.

SPEAKER_10 4:27

Impossible. I used my powers to rob him of his memories. He believed that members of Clan Thamro killed his wife. It has always been my hope that by planting that lie in his mind that Xander would kill them all to draw out Thad Bannon for us. Thad Bannon still needs to pay for his actions against us all those years ago.

SPEAKER_09 4:50

Thad Bannon has not been seen for more than twenty years. It might be time to let that go.

SPEAKER_10 4:59

What is twenty years to me, Rixo? I will find him, and I will kill him. You do have a point, however. The ghost is here to find the lady quicken. So perhaps we should give her to him.

SPEAKER_09 5:14

Are you mad? We've been training her for years now to become an agent of Thorn. You would hand her over to him at the height of her training? If need be Yes. So you would allow a deserter to live because you consider him family? But give up one of our order with no regard. That is not leadership, Sensei. That is fear. That is foolishness.

SPEAKER_10 5:44

Think, Rixo. We wouldn't be handing her over. She would deceive him and then kill him for us. She would coerce him into lowering his guard and then slay him. Remember, we took her memories as well. She won't have any idea who he is or used to be to her. All she will know is what we tell her. And we will tell her that he is her enemy.

SPEAKER_09 6:13

Suppose she turns against us. Suppose she has total recall. Suppose they align and attack us.

SPEAKER_10 6:28

Suppose I just killed you and end this useless debate. You there, Minion.

SPEAKER_04 6:35

Yes, Sensei.

SPEAKER_10 6:36

Bring the Lady Quicken here to the room of endless prayer. Make certain Zanda Tomujin sees her walk in here. Go quickly.

SPEAKER_04 6:45

Lady Quicken was rushed from her quarters to the room of endless prayer. From a distance, hidden amongst the trees, the ghost saw her and recognized her instantly. He left his perch and began making way towards the large temple he saw his wife being taken into. He eased his hands towards his daggers, expecting resistance, but the monks there gave him a wide berth, allowing him to walk unopposed into the sanctuary. As the ghost entered the room of endless prayer, he found one thousand years holding his wife by the neck, a katana perched near her jugular vein.

SPEAKER_10 7:34

Xanda, you need to sheathe your blades. You might accidentally cut me.

SPEAKER_04 7:41

The ghost gestured towards his wife and then pointed at one thousand years, making a slicing motion against his own throat. In other words, If I kill her, then you will kill me, is that it?

SPEAKER_10 7:55

I see that someone is getting his memory back. And if that is indeed the case, then you would do well to also recall that the agents of Thorn took her sight and her memories, as well as your tongue. You were once quite the spellcaster, when you could actually speak. Assassin, warrior, magic user. And your potion making abilities rival even those of that imp that lives in Ubris. But none of that matters. If you attack me, then you will die. But not before you watch her die for good this time. The ghost looked at his wife.

SPEAKER_04 8:37

She was surprisingly calm, given the circumstances. Ursula had mentioned that she would have no memory of him, and her calmness made him wonder if she was actually in any real danger. And if she wasn't, was he actually facing two opponents in this room as opposed to just one?

SPEAKER_10 8:56

You must be wondering why we did this to you. Why we betrayed one of our own. You betrayed the agents of Thorn first, Xander. We were your family. And you chose this woman over us. You came to me, stood in this room, and told me you were in love. Do you remember? This required tribute, so I sent you on a mission to satisfy our god Orion. While you were gone, we raped her, blinded her, robbed her of the memories of all of this, and left her for dead. You returned from your mission and you found her blinded, bloody and barely breathing. You also found the evidence we left behind, the evidence that placed the blame on Clan Thamro. We watched you go mad. We took her from you and brought her here, healed her, and turned her into one of us. You left us. She replaced you. We watched you try to move on with your new peaceful life thinking her to be dead. You adopted those two children. That I admit was a twist I hadn't expected. The so called most feared assassin in Welkin, a spice harvester and adoptive father? But I always suspected it might be a cover. When it became clear that you were secretly hunting Clan Thamrol for vengeance, I knew that you were still one of us. You were still my disciple, and I forgave your sins.

SPEAKER_04 10:33

The ghost's eyes went wide as the revelation hit him. That all along his enemy was the very man that had trained him, the very man that had practically raised him. The very man he once lovingly referred to as Sensei.

SPEAKER_10 10:51

Yes, let that sink in. Let your anger boil, my son. Yes, that's it. I can sense your hatred, boy. Use it. This doesn't have to end in our bloodshed. All you need to do is choose your wife or your true family. Kill her, and all will be as it was. Choose wisely.

SPEAKER_04 11:24

Quicker than a blank, the ghost hurled his daggers and sliced one thousand years' hand clean off. He swiftly moved Lady Quick into a safe distance and returned his attention to One Thousand Years. But the man had vanished. The ghost sheathed his daggers and then stared at his wife. She stood where she was, unable to see him, but sensing that he was looking at her, she dropped her bow to the ground and extended her arms. The ghost moved towards her slowly and upon reaching her, embraced her. She hugged him tightly, weeping, remembering he also sobbed and caressed her gently.

SPEAKER_08 13:51

Meanwhile I gotta say, not your best teleport there, Hoss. Are you in one piece?

SPEAKER_04 14:04

Are all of your limbs and plague infested lady parts intact?

SPEAKER_08 14:08

Are yours?

SPEAKER_04 14:10

My point is that any teleport that one walks away from should be considered a success.

SPEAKER_03 14:16

I I think I might puke.

SPEAKER_08 14:19

You okay, Thad?

SPEAKER_03 14:20

I'm not used to the teleport.

SPEAKER_08 14:24

Rookie. What's next, Dolly? You're the one who talked to Ellion. What are we doing here? Wherever here is.

SPEAKER_04 14:32

We have arrived in Upper Centurion, in a town called the Twin Swords. Things are as I feared. What do you mean? Do you see the large temple there in the distance?

SPEAKER_03 14:46

I'm back. What I miss.

SPEAKER_08 14:48

Lord of the Fossils here was explaining what we're about to go in here and kill. All I see are a bunch of people wearing black robes with some sort of red sim.

SPEAKER_03 14:58

Yes, it seems you have understanding now. Yes, but I don't. I'd like to know what we're supposed to be gasping about.

SPEAKER_08 15:05

Is that the ghost?

SPEAKER_04 15:07

Magnificent, is he not? The songs the bards sing about him are absolutely absurd. And yet I do not doubt them.

SPEAKER_08 15:19

Have either of you seen him before? In person, I mean?

SPEAKER_04 15:22

If one encounters the ghost, my dear, one generally does not live long enough to tell that story. I do know of one man who fought him and survived, so he claims anyway. What about you, Thad Bannon?

SPEAKER_03 15:35

I have. I don't fear that many things, but I have a healthy fear of him.

SPEAKER_08 15:41

Yeah, he'll get no judgment from me.

SPEAKER_04 15:44

Far be it from me to deny either of you a healthy dose of fear, but this is something we will need to get over. Ursula will be a much larger challenge for us to overcome.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

Oliver is right. If we cannot take down the ghost, we may as well go home. One thousand years is no walk in the park either.

SPEAKER_08 16:01

Maybe we don't actually need to fight the ghost. I mean, why is he even here?

SPEAKER_04 16:06

As I told you before, the ghost was a part of this group, a monk within the agents of Thorn.

SPEAKER_03 16:12

Things went south after he had a disagreement with One Thousand Years. His wife was murdered as a result. So I'm told anyway.

SPEAKER_08 16:20

Sounds like you know a bit more than you're sharing, third bannon.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Another time, perhaps, my friend. But now we need to figure out how we take down one thousand years and avoid being victims of the ghost. One thousand years falls first, and then we worry about what comes after. I'm not sure which outcome I'm rooting for if those two are crossing blades. Perhaps they will do us the kindness of murdering each other?

SPEAKER_08 16:44

We can cross that bridge when we get to it. Our more immediate problem is the thirty or so monks walking the grounds. I doubt they'll just step out of our way and let us walk into that temple.

SPEAKER_04 16:56

I have a spell for such an occasion as this temporary invisibility. It will require you to hold your breath, however. Do either of you have any difficulty doing that for an extended period of time? If not, then all we will need to do is to hold it long enough to slip past the monks.

SPEAKER_03 17:14

What do you figure the distances from here to the temple door?

SPEAKER_08 17:18

Why can't we just teleport in there?

SPEAKER_04 17:19

Oh. Are you suddenly a fan of my teleportation now? I thought my skills had significantly diminished, so you implied earlier.

SPEAKER_08 17:30

Well, that was before we had a bunch of ninja monks to fight. Anything can happen between now and the door. Teleportation simplifies things.

SPEAKER_03 17:38

Not really. Oliver, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the average mage, who can actually even cast teleportation to begin with, need at least 20 minutes of rest between ports?

SPEAKER_04 17:49

I have never been an average mage, that Bannon, so I would not know.

SPEAKER_08 17:55

Ugh, please. Then just cast us in there already.

SPEAKER_04 17:59

Said the warrior who could not cast her own shadow, much less a spell. You are talking about a blind mass teleportation. Blind? Blind how? I have never been inside of that temple. Teleportation is risky as it is. Trying to move all of us to a place I have never seen is no small matter. Further complicating matters is the fact that I am now reduced to using magic dust to achieve the necessary power to even execute that spell. When I wielded the essence Ursula provided, this would have been child's play. But not now, I'm afraid. We could end up rematerializing inside of a wall, or worse, as one being. He has a point.

SPEAKER_08 18:47

What if you cast the invisibility spell on yourself, snuck in there, and then teleported me and Thad in after you?

SPEAKER_04 18:56

To do that, I would still need to perform a blind port first. Not to mention the fact that casting it again would require breathing, which would render me visible to either one thousand years, who is, oh, I don't know, the oldest living blood mage, or the ghost, the most feared bounty hunter in all of Welkin. And did you miss the whole part where I mentioned that my powers were limited to the dust in this pouch?

SPEAKER_08 19:23

You know, if you cough, they'll drop.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

What will drop?

SPEAKER_08 19:28

The balls you seem to have lost.

SPEAKER_04 19:33

The debate around how to move most quietly towards Whidowmaker Temple was suddenly interrupted by the unsheathing of cold steel. Thad Bannon eased his hand towards his own weapon as he, Angelica, and the Provost found themselves surrounded by no less than twelve agents of Thorne. Our heroes steadied themselves and made eye contact with each other, no words being spoken. The Provost and Angelica, for all their constant bickering, were like a hand and glove when fighting against a common foe. A lesson the agents of Thorne were about to discover.

SPEAKER_08 21:18

That can't be all of them, Ollie, can it? Not that that was easy, but I honestly expected more of them to attack us.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

Agreed. There is no way that the others did not hear the skirmish.

SPEAKER_04 21:29

They appear to be fixated on whatever's going on inside of Witameka Temple. The provost gestured towards the main entrance to the temple where at least fifty monks were inexplicably gathering together, fascinated by whatever had just taken place inside. The provost wasted no time. Quickly, while the distracted joined hands for teleportation.

SPEAKER_08 21:53

What about all of the risks and fears and what ifs and all that we might end up in a wall stuff?

SPEAKER_04 21:58

Angelica, do you Did you not hear me cough? To say Angelica Thad Bannon and the Provost vanished from view and reappeared inside of Widowmaker Temple. Uh guys. The Provost and Angelica turned to see the ghost staring at them with his daggers drawn, as well as 1,000 years lying dead on the ground. Well, that is certainly most convenient.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

We know who you are, Provost. And we have no interest in anything you have to say. Your evil is well known amongst the agents of Thorn.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

Not one word. I didn't even say anything. You were thinking it.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Perhaps you would allow me to speak for us. Warrior, dragon blood, large golden weapon. By reputation, these traits are synonymous with the Order of the Dragon. By nature of the fact that you stand amongst a known opportunist and servant of Ursula, I can only consider you my enemy as well.

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Well, I'm neither of those things. I am Thad Bannon, servant of Ilion. The last time I was here, that dead man on the ground asked me to perform a duty for him that I considered the epitome of evil. So, truth be told, I can make the same assumption about you that you are making about us, given your proximity to him.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

You should arrive at your point before we lose the remainder of our patience, Thad Bannon.

SPEAKER_03 23:29

My point is that we've all done wrong at some point. And our reason for being here well, let's just say you beat us to it. If you'll allow us to, we'll be on our way.

SPEAKER_04 23:42

Peacefully. Lady Quicken was about to respond, but the ghost touched her hand and she held her tongue. He never said a word, but she knew in his touch that the words he would have said would have been not today, but soon. Several hundred members of the Angels of Thorn were standing outside of the temple when Angelica the Provost and Thad Bannon stepped outside. They stared at the three of them, but more so through them actually than at them. Angelica asked the obvious. One thousand years held sway over these monks and their ancestors for centuries. Power has now shifted to the ghost and his lady friend.

SPEAKER_08 24:38

I don't understand. Because they killed one thousand years?

SPEAKER_03 24:43

The way of the widowmaker is an ancient religious practice. They adhere to the old ways. One keeps what one kills. I can only wonder if the death of a thousand years actually makes anything better. Or if matters just got considerably worse?

SPEAKER_04 25:01

We should discuss these and other fascinations at a safer distance.

SPEAKER_03 25:06

For the first time, we are aligned, Oliver.

SPEAKER_04 25:08

Let's move. As the trio began moving, the angels of Thorn provided them a narrow berth. The ghost and Lady Quicken stepped out to observe them as they walked away.

SPEAKER_01 25:19

Myrmidons, I think this might just be our lucky day.

SPEAKER_08 25:23

Holly, who is this loss?

SPEAKER_03 25:25

Patroclus, it's good to see you again. What brings you here to Upper Centurion?

SPEAKER_01 25:30

You know that isn't my name, Thad. My name is Achilles, and I could ask you the same thing. I must say though, it's good to see you. How long has it been, anyway, since you blinded me for no reason?

SPEAKER_03 25:42

As I recall, you took your cousin's armor off of his warm corpse and proclaimed yourself the leader of the Myrmidons. When we dared to suggest having a vote, you attacked me and I defended myself. Shortly thereafter, I came to this god forsaken place and committed an act so heinous that I exiled myself for two decades, all so that you could see me today. To more easily threaten me, it seems. And these two? What are they doing with you?

SPEAKER_08 26:15

We don't have to tell you anything, Patroclus.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

My name is Achilles, and the thirty swords you see surrounding you, they say that you'll tell me whatever I want you to.

SPEAKER_04 26:26

Do you know who I am, Myrmidon? Oh, we all know you, Provost. Then you know that I can kill all of you with less than a gesture.

SPEAKER_01 26:35

I know that if you could have, you already would have. I know that your knees are banging together under that grey robe of yours. I know that's not a bag of powder on your rope belt. That's magic dust. Any archmage carrying around magic dust is probably having a pretty bad week. So let's cut the crap and level with each other.

SPEAKER_08 26:54

Ollie, this guy is starting to piss me off. And I was doing so good, you know, being peaceful and everything.

SPEAKER_03 27:03

Patroclus, what is it that you want? My life, do you want an apology for me defending myself when you attacked me unprovoked? For going into hiding and denying you your vengeance?

SPEAKER_01 27:18

I want you to be blind like I was. I want your sight. I want your humiliation.

SPEAKER_04 27:23

I want blinding him will not bring you the satisfaction you crave. Trust me, revenge is always empty. What you want is love. Plain and simple. And what do you know about love? We all know the only thing you love is power. You are not wrong about the old me. This is not who I am anymore.

SPEAKER_03 27:43

What I believe Oliver is trying to say is that doing these things to me will not fill your soul. Forgiveness, letting go of your anger. Perhaps that will perhaps running this sword across your eyes will fill my soul. Then do it. I would rather enter Elysium completely blind than to live another day as your enemy. I will not defend myself this time. Do as you please to me.

SPEAKER_08 28:12

We don't have time for this.

SPEAKER_04 28:14

Thad ignored Angelica, knelt down and closed his eyes, raising his hands toward Elysium. He began whispering to himself, What are you doing? He is praying, young one. And believe me when I tell you, if the one to whom he prays appears, you would want to be elsewhere.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

You're talking about Elion. I'd heard rumors that Thad had become religious, didn't realize just how much. Won't matter in a few seconds. You want to cozy up to God, deserter? Well, let me help send you on your way.

SPEAKER_04 28:46

Achilles raised his sword, but he could not bring himself to strike Thad Bannon down. He looked at him, and inexplicably, he felt his heart begin softening. He didn't know why, but the fact that Thad was willing to let him kill him, that Thad was willing to die just to prove he was never his enemy, it broke him.

SPEAKER_01 29:16

Get up, Thad. Take your stupid friends and get out of my sight. Anybody you come across, you tell them that Achilles let you live when he could have killed you.

SPEAKER_03 29:26

Understood? I understand, but since I have you here and since we do have a larger problem, I was wondering You're not seriously about to ask me for help, are you? Actually, yes, I am. We have a problem.

SPEAKER_01 29:43

No, you have a problem. But seeing as how we're all buddies now and everything, I'll give you two more minutes of my time. What do you want?

SPEAKER_03 29:50

I want to reform the Myrmidons. The true Myrmidons. Five bewitched armies are marching to lay siege to an innocent city in Welkin, the royal city of Finn. Finn's defenses were completely depleted recently, so they are helpless and cannot protect themselves. Once those armies attack and destroy the city, Oliver here tells me that the spell that they are under will cause them to then turn on each other. It will be a bloodbath, the likes of which the realm has never seen.

SPEAKER_04 30:25

Achilles, this is the work of Ursula. Angelica and I plan to travel to the Nine Hells to face her in combat. We believe that by defeating her, we can end the bewitching of these armies and stop a senseless war from ever starting. Unfortunately, however, the army of Gath is already at the gates of the city preparing to lay siege. Without defenses, the entire city will fall and innocent people will die.

SPEAKER_08 30:54

But if the Myrmidons were reformed, you could serve as the defenders of the city while Oliver and I deal with that bit.

SPEAKER_04 31:02

Language, Angelica, we are civilized.

SPEAKER_08 31:07

Well, Oliver and I deal with that less than pleasant woman. Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

Get the team back together, save some innocent people, kick some butt. I like it. One condition though, Thad. The Myrmidons follow me. I lead us, or there's no deal.

SPEAKER_03 31:23

Listen to me, Patroclus. True leadership is not about being in charge. True leadership is not about your title. True leadership is about your sacrifice. It's about giving up your own chance to be affirmed so that others can shine brightly. You want to lead? Fine. Then lead. If you become a leader that people actually want to follow, then we will run through a wall for you. If you want to wear your cousin's armor and take on the mantle of his name, then be the type of leader that he was. Rule me well, or I might find myself back here asking that new maniac in the temple to heal some other part of your body. Is that clear? Crystal. Good.

SPEAKER_01 32:13

Then lead on, Achilles. Myrmidons, mount up. We're going to save a city.

SPEAKER_08 32:22

Aw the Vestis again. So cute.

SPEAKER_04 32:26

Leave it to you to completely ruin that moment.

SPEAKER_08 32:29

It's a gift.

SPEAKER_04 32:30

Now then you and I need to travel to one of the places where I can open a portal to the nine. I'm not certain I can enter since I am still alive, but we will figure that out in due time. Sadly, these events will deplete my supply of magic dust. I will be no good to you in the nine without my powers, and Illyon has not revealed any new gifts to me.

SPEAKER_08 32:53

You trust Elon, right?

SPEAKER_04 32:56

He loved me and forgave me. He changed my life. He could have killed me without much effort, and yet here I stand. So yes, I would say that I do.

SPEAKER_08 33:07

Then trust that he chose you for a reason. He will empower you when he's ready. Until then, I've got your back. Okay? I won't let anything happen to you.

SPEAKER_04 33:19

You are a good friend, Angelica. Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 33:24

Are we having a moment? It feels like we're having a moment. Aw? I love you too, Ollie.

SPEAKER_04 33:33

Be silent. Don't touch me.

SPEAKER_08 33:36

Sorry. Is the moment over now?

SPEAKER_04 33:38

Yes, that is quite enough of that. Let us go. The provost and Angelica vanished from view. While this was going on, Thamro, Jenna, and their new friend Bilsby were still prisoners in a caravan of the collectors, Sindel and Baal Khan. And who was that mysterious figure that was watching them? Fear not, gentle listener, the answers are coming in the next episode of Thamroat.