Folgana reveals his past, and in turn Nikola's as well. Shortly after the destruction of Faulkline which he personally had a hand in, Folgana travels back to find a nearly dead Nikola imprisoned in a cold cell. She reminds him of his lost sister, and something stirs within him to nurture and protect this girl. They spend many winters together, and one day she becomes strong enough to do the things Folgana wishes she would never have to do...

Hero Stones x3 (1 after each part)

Transcript

Sometimes I ask myself whether my life has any value at all.

It's been a dozen years since I got into this line of work, and I've pondered it time and time again. But I never get around to finding an answer.

Karon, the nation of knights. It sounds so noble, doesn't it? The power struggle raging within its borders is anything but.

Both sides have taken to abducting orphans and training them as spies and assassins to use against the other.

I wonder how long it's been going on? The bastards have certainly mastered the art of turning us into their playthings.

To ensure our loyalty, they exploit our emotions, taking whatever hostages they can.

In my case, it was my sister, Soara. She was seriously ill, and they knew I'd do anything to get her medicine.

They put me to work when I was still a small child.

I did whatever they told me to, submerging myself in a world of darkness, lead, and blood.

But it wasn't enough. And by the time Soara passed, I had fouled myself so deeply that I had nowhere else to go.

I had no reason to keep working for them, but it was all that I knew.

I'd gone too far to turn back, and it was far too late to make a different life for myself. They'd made me into exactly what they wanted me to be.

There was nothing I could do.

And since I have no other choice...

Today I'll pull the trigger again.

Folgana (This place sure has changed...)

I'm in Faulkline, a small country nestled in a snowy valley.

My work had first brought me here two months earlier.

Folgana (At this point, I'm not sure that it's even a country at all.)

The biggest scumbags in my country had apparently teamed up with the biggest scumbags in this country.

My orders were to control the flow of information in order to ensure the country's destruction. I did it without question, as I always do.

I spread misinformation to instill fear and panic among the masses.

That set the stage for the invasion. The country collapsed like a house of cards. It was an easy job.

I could sense there were other wheels turning behind the scenes, but the plan was a success, so I had no cause to care about that.

Now I've returned to clean up any messes that may have been left behind.

Are there any loose ends that could cause trouble for my employers? If so, it's my job to find them and take care of them. It's dirty work.

I'm taking my time, carefully examining the area.

The war-ravaged town surrounding the castle is buried in snow and debris. There's no sign of human activity.

Next, I explore the castle.

Faulkline was a small country, but it had a long history. They say its treasure vault held countless relics from the era of ancient magic.

But the vault is empty now. Either the relics were stolen in the chaos, or they were the target all along.

I'm as much to blame for it as anyone.

There was nothing I could do.

I know how worthless that sounds. Exactly as worthless as I feel.

Next, I head below ground.

Folgana (These must be the dungeons...)

Sensing a faint presence, I peer into a nearby cell.

Girl Nnnnnnnggghh...

A lone girl sits in a dark and frozen cell.

She's in rough shape, but... Somehow there's a flicker of life inside her.

Folgana (They must have gotten bored with her, and left her here to die...)

But just dumping her in a cell like this is as sloppy as it gets. They didn't even tie her up.

The cell looks to be as old as Faulkline itself. It shouldn't take much force to break the lock...

[The brittle metal shatters.]

The metal bars sound a shrill note as the lock gives way.

If that girl had been a little bit stronger, she could have easily done that herself.

Of course, in the state she's in now, she'd freeze to death first. She looks to be nearly dead already.

They must have known that would happen. I guess that's one way to tie up a loose end.

Girl Nnnggghhh...

Folgana (I'm as much to blame for this as anyone.)

I stare at the girl, collapsed at my feet.

Even in my line of work, I've never killed a kid before.

Not by my own hand, at least. Indirectly, who knows how many I've killed?

Folgana (It's too late for me...)

Anyone could have broken that lock.

Who's to say this girl didn't summon her last reserves of strength to bust out of the cell and escape?

But... what would be in it for me?

Girl ...