tower
Where did that
voice come from?
oriana
Over there, he blends in.
That's a familiar face, but I
can't quite put my finger on it.
tower
I can.
That's Maurice.
oriana
Maurice? What is he doing hailing
us in the middle of these woods?
tower
I'm curious why he thinks I won't
cleave him straight down the middle.
maurice
Give me time to speak first! Is it normal
for you to cut down unarmed men?
tower
I need not hear anything
from a dead man.
maurice
Wait, wait, wait. I'm here
to offer my services!
oriana
I'm somewhat interested to see
what you are gambling your life on, given the harm you caused.
tower
That's how they get you, Oriana.
You can't let them talk.
maurice
I overheard that you were heading
towards the Buried City.
I've been hiding out in these woods
for months; I know the good routes.
All I ask of you is that you find me
a safe way to leave the Crescent.
oriana
You've survived that long in
this monster-infested death trap?
maurice
I have a knack
for slipping away.
tower
As we know very well. Your offer sounds
lovely, so here's my counteroffer.
We can allow you to leave not only
the Crescent, but the mortal world.
maurice
There's more! I still have explosives
remaining from the battle at Enan.
Family recipe, you won't see these
on any market in the Crescent.
It'll blow through the enchanted walls
of all those ancient structures.
oriana
I don't recall your explosives
doing much in that battle.
maurice
Because you didn't give me any time!
If I had one more week, you would've bee-
That's not important. What is important is
that the explosives will get you through.
oriana
What guarantee could
you give us of your word?
maurice
You may not trust me, I understand, but
you can trust my self-preservation.
Ellerie has ensured I'm wanted in every
port and I'm out of gold and favours.
Without your help, my odds of escaping
with my head intact is miniscule.
tower
That was a fair argument. Time for
you to be on your way to Elis.
maurice
Wait, wait! I will personally fight alongside
you to ensure the safety of the Crescent.
You know of my skills in combat, don't you
need all the fighting men you can get?
oriana
Tower, wait. Allow me to
consider this some more.
tower
This man is the perpetrator of
so much of our struggle.
He is a snake and a villain.
No one will mourn his passing.
maurice
.... I protest half of that. Surely, good
Quart- Captain, you see the benefits!
oriana
If you can provide us safe route to this
Buried City, as well as your tools, I promise that I will allow your safety.
On the condition we survive, of course.
maurice
You won't regret this.
I'm a man of my word, I swear this on my honour
as a servant of the King.
tower
The King's name means as
much as rat droppings here.
Give me one good excuse
and I'll turn you into chunks, Oriana's word or not.
maurice
You won't find
that excuse.
(Maurice leaves.)
tower
I knew you'd acquiesce as
soon as you let him speak.
oriana
Am I so predictable?
tower
Yes. I figured we could squeeze more out
of him if his life was at immediate risk.
oriana
He did fold quite quickly.
That was good work.
tower
I am quite
the negotiator.
(They proceed to the Buried City.)
oriana
So this is the entrance to the Buried City.
Very well-guarded, and that is...
maurice
Another one of the Blessed.
oriana
A harsh reminder of
what could've been.
maurice
And a harsh reminder of what was.
Keilu... He was no mere ally to me.
He was a good apprentice, the best.
oriana
Yet, you used his person, his family and his
faction for your machinations nonetheless.
maurice
It was a simple exchange.
A give and take.
oriana
And what could you have given that
would send the Saltsworn after Krynia?
maurice
...
oriana
Do you expect me to sympathise with you
merely because you lost someone as I did?
This does not change what harm you
caused to us, to Enan, to Irinde, to the countless folk that died
because of your selfish desires..
maurice
Selfish desires? Is my vengeance
selfish, while Ellerie's is not?
I know she fed you with a
tainted image of me, but do you know what else
she has done? Done to me?
oriana
I know that your conflict was borne
of the pettiness from both parties.
That this conflict of schemes would
culminate in the death of your beloved.
maurice
... That's surprisingly honest of her.
Yet you side with her, knowing this.
You also side with her, knowing she
schemes to take the Crescent.
oriana
Ellerie is no paragon of virtue, this is clear.
Regardless, she's supported us throughout.
I cannot ask for more from her.
maurice
Would you not move heaven and
earth to avenge your family?
I don't seek an excuse for my actions.
I merely express I should not be
treated as some common criminal.
oriana
It changes little. There is no need
to try and endear yourself to us.
The only reason you live is because
of your abilities and our dire need.
maurice
I should not have expected much else.
As long as we hold each other to our
promises, I ask for nothing more.
oriana
I'm glad we have
an understanding.
maurice
I will say, there was no lie
about my fondness for Keilu.
How did you cure your daughter,
when I could not cure him?
oriana
...
maurice
... Perhaps it is easier if I do not
know what could have been.
oriana
Enough of this talk. We don't want to be
caught because we wasted time on this.
(Oriana leaves.)
maurice
... If only I had not met you, Keilu.
Then I would not carry any guilt.
mince
(frowns) We have to unload our food so our
wagon can carry the explosives?
tower
I need not repeat myself. We are certainly
not going to be carrying them by hand.
mince
What if we get trapped out
here? What if we starve?
tower
If Maurice gets us to the right place,
it will save us weeks of searching.
Besides, you heavily overpurchased.
We won't need these extra provisions.
mince
But, the smoked pork,
the pegasus cheese!
Tower, are you so heartless
to see all this go to waste?
tower
Mince, I fully understand your pain.
But in the adventuring work, these are
the hard decisions we will have to make.
mince
Curse you, Maurice! First you come for
our lives, then you come for our food.
I can't do this, Tower. I simply can't.
tower
Then I shall spare
you of the burden.
mince
No! No food must be wasted!
I'll just have to eat all of it.
Alright, Mince. You can do this.
Harrrggghh!
tower
That's weeks worth of- ....
I really hope we won't be the first
to lose a member from overeating.