Krugan's Outpost Full Treatment

In a Medieval town, Kelle Fritas enters the city of Gwashalt. She carries many blades and vials of liquid on her body, which is protected by leather armor. She is of the Yukio Clan. The city is filled with monuments and murals dedicated to the slaughter of monsters. But the city is empty of living humans. Corpses of the Capitol Guard dot the landscape. The deceased are all members of the Malagig Clan.

She comes across a corpse holding a Yukio dagger and she takes it as she comes upon the Capitol Building. Atop the building is a lighthouse, but it has been extinguished. Many dead humans surround the building, but whatever killed them isn't visible. Kelle moves around the building when she hears something moving in the shadows. She turns towards the sound and sees a Cretiaff, a small, cute, furry bear with sharp claws, razor teeth and glowing green eyes emerge. Two others quickly join it and they chase Kelle. They attack her, but she's able to decapitate the first one. From it's severed neck emerges a green smoke. The bear is revealed to be a construct made from animated wood. She kills another and then runs as many more emerge from the shadows. They chase her.

Kelle runs past the Capitol and comes to a massive graveyard. In the center is Krugan's Outpost. The graveyard is filled with graves of various dead humans, with various Clan insignia marking the graves, including Yukio and Malagig and numerous others. Guarding the graveyard is Volodymyr, the last member of the Capitol Guard. She promises to carry his name with her, both know that he must guard the graveyard and that he has no chance of survival. She heads inside Krugan's Outpost as the Cretiaffs move to take Volodymyr.

Inside the Outpost, Kelle looks through a field of blue magical energy that surrounds the Outpost. Jeanne de Malagig Gwashalt-Ek waters the Great Tree. Kelle and Jeanne greet each other, but there's clearly bad history between them. Jeanne tells Kelle that the monsters can't get inside. Kelle is skeptical. Alain de Malagig Gwashalt-Sa drinks ale in the back of the room and he's skeptical when Jeanne and Kelle say they don't know each other.

Jeanne explains that the Outpost is filled with magical items to help them, particularly items that provide food and drink. She also says that the doors on either side of the main room are magical and provide whoever uses the room with whatever they need. Kelle asks who else is present, but no one else is around. Jeanne goes back to watering the tree while Kelle checks out what is on the various shelves and bookcases in the room. Alain dismisses them as toys, that won't help them against the enemies.

Flek arrives, a servant to Krugan and the Outpost. He's something almost human, but has pointed ears. He offers Kelle food or beverage. She tells him she wants food appropriate for Yukio and he goes to prepare it. Alain asks why Jeanne is watering the Great Tree. He says it's dead and a waste of time. She says it had better not be. He goes back to drinking.

Featherlight and Yennik Riche arrive. Featherlight immediately walks into the room on the right without greeting anyone. Alain notes that Featherlight is Ogion and they are never friendly. Yennik and Alain know each other, though, and have a mutual attraction. Kelle reads from a scroll that is currently being written upon by a magical quill. Fleck brings Kelle fruit and fowl. She tells him to bring her utensils. Flek asks Yennik for anything, but she's good. Featherlight returns. He and Flek recognize each other. Flek is scared and Featherlight grins, but doesn't do anything.

Featherlight reveals that the self-writing scroll is a chronicle of the Quickening. Previous Quickenings were recorded in other scrolls that sit on a shelf. This is the fourth Quickening, but rumor is it's the last. The people arriving at the Outpost are the "saviors" that are supposed to perish during the Quickening in order to make the rebirth of humanity possible. Jeanne and Alain snipe at each other. Yennik asks questions about the Quickening and Jeanne complains that she didn't do her studies. Yennik reveals she's a replacement, but the others aren't sure that's allowed.

Kelle asks how humans from different clans can understand each other. Featherlight reveals that the Outpost is surrounded by many magics. Some make the Outpost a safe place, others allow them to communicate with each other. Yennik and Alain flirt. They go into the room on the left and have sex.

Later, more humans arrive as Yennik and Alain return from their erotic encounter. The arrivals include Jhai Jestali, who is Ryneveld and a common soldier of Gwashalt's army; Gor is a barbarian of the Belit people; Mok wears light leather armor, but no visible insignia; Halladale wears no armor and carries no weapons, instead he carries a stringed instrument and the insignia of the Tuatha.

Alain and Gor greet each other fondly. Alain hands Gor a magically-refilling ale mug. Jhai tries to speak to Jeanne, but she ignores him. Mok insults Alain, who threatens him. Mok is playful, though, and things calm down quickly. Halladale introduces himself: he hates men, but is more open to the women present. He flirts with Yennik, to Alain's dismay. Halladale plays his instrument and ignores Alain. Halladale flirts with Kelle and she's not upset by it.

Gor tells Alain he met the rest of his party beyond the wall. Alain thinks its a strange group. Gor says he had to kill a man beyond the wall. They party reveals that they saw the signal, a blood-red scar across the sky. Jeanne and Alain couldn't see the signal. Kelle says it came early. Featherlight concurs and says it's 11 months early. Yennik asks if this means they have time to prepare, but the group's silence suggests it doesn't. Gor asks where Krugan is, and many of the assembled people recite the legends of Krugan. Gor doesn't believe in Krugan. This revives old tension between Alain and Gor. Gor threatens him and Alain tries to laugh it off. Flek says no one has seen Krugan for hundreds of years. Flek was and will remain in Krugan's service.

Jhai asks if everyone has arrived and Jeanne responds that they are missing two. Grayshadow floats down from above to let them know there is only ONE missing human left. Grayshadow carries no weapons, wears no armor and has no visible insignia. Jhai says there aren't enough people, but Jeanne confirms no one else is coming. Several of them are upset that Grayshadow was already there and hiding.

Yennik walks to the window and notes that large groups of monsters are gathering outside the graveyard. The monsters include cat people, dog people, snake people, demons and Kartesi, a cross between a goblin and an elf. Featherlight tells them that the magic isn't foolproof and the monsters MIGHT be able to break through. Gor wants to go outside and kill monsters. Grayshadow reveals that he is from the Khampa Clan, and it is their job to know about the Quickening ceremony. The others are wary of Khampa and ready for battle. Grayshadow convincingly tells them he'd kill them all if it served his purposes. But his goal is survival. Alain wants to kill him, but Kelle makes it clear that none of them could kill a Khampa. Gor disagrees.

Jeanne gets them back on track. Grayshadow says the Quickening is here and they can fight it or die. Jhai doesn't believe in the Quickening and thinks it's nothing but a scare tactic. Kelle punches Jhai in the nose and shuts him up, telling him that he's here and that means he's in, whether he wants to be or not. Jhai backs down.

Grayshadow confirms that the Quickening is real and that this is the fourth one. Krugan's Outpost is how humanity survived the previous Quickenings. The monsters want to make humanity's 11 Clans extinct. Gor wants to fight the monsters, but Grayshadow argues that no matter how good a fighter Gor and his allies are, they can't overcome the Quickening. Grayshadow reveals that the monsters have the only remaining human beings outside the building in captivity and they plan to sacrifice them.

Mok says that the monsters are calling this the Final Quickening and that if the ceremony the humans are to perform doesn't work, that'll be the end of humanity. Kelle thinks they're stalling and asks Grayshadow what they're supposed to do now. Grayshadow reveals that the magic of the Quickening is fueled by treachery, the common currency of the realm. Jeanne is offended, but Grayshadow says even she has been treacherous and she turns away from him.

Grayshadow says that they all have to tell the story of a treachery they faced and must confess a treachery they committed against another. Jhai resists and they question why he's even there if he doesn't believe. He claims that he doesn't know why he came here. Alain tells Jhai to shut up and he realizes they all hate him.

Grayshadow isn't sure how strong the magic will be without a member of the Cathbad clan. Yennik asks how they know one won't show up. Featherlight points them towards the magical scroll, which says the last living human to arrive will be Halladale. Jeanne reads the Cathbad scroll and confirms that the last Cathbad was killed by Khuilo. Halladale is scared hearing the name Khuilo.

There is a knock at the door. Everyone tries to stop Flek from opening it, but they can't. D'Johnt walks in, another human. He puts on the airs of a king, but he wears a crown of thorns. He claims to rule all humans, but they laugh at him. He says if they pay tribute to him, their lives will be spared. D'Johnt reveals that the army of monsters has gotten MUCH bigger. They get under his skin a bit by saying that he serves Khuilo. They reject his offer and he walks out telling them they will regret it.

Alain moves to kill him, but Grayshadow stops him, saying that humans can't kill each other on this land or the magic will fail. D'Johnt is secretly Malagig. Grayshadow and Halladale tell them that the monsters will sacrifice D'Johnt, but he doesn't know it yet. Grayshadow says they will be visited by seven plagues and each starts with the sacrifice of a human.

Outside, D'Johnt greets Khuilo. The monsters have a party-like atmosphere. Khuilo is dismissive of D'Johnt. Khuilo calls for mages from each of the monster clans to come out and cast counter-spells on the magic wall surrounding the Outpost. They apply continual pressure, attempting to break down the barrier. D'Johnt is gleeful, not realizing that the monsters are laughing at him, not with him.

Grayshadow begins the ceremony. He invites Kelle to put her hand upon the Great Tree. Mok immediately begins casting doubt on Kelle's honesty, before she even says anything. She challenges him to trial by combat, but he declines. Grayshadow says that the stronger the magic gets, the more the Great Tree will grow. He says the magic was created by humans, so it is flawed like humans are.

Grayshadow invites Kelle to tell her story of treachery. Mok once again undercuts her credibility. Kelle reveals she is Yukio-Jo, a subset of the Yukio that is only women. They are different than the men of Yukio-Ot, of which Mok is. He interrupts her again, but she threatens him and he backs down. Xanth Uragiri was the leader of ALL Yukio and she rejected Mok as the Yukio-Ot representative. Xanth was killed by a poison that a Yukio-Ot couldn't have obtained without the help of a Yukio-Jo. Mok gets aggressive, but Kelle puts a knife to his throat. She says she seduced Mok's poison supplier, had the traitor please her and then she killed her for betraying the Yukio-Jo.

Jeanne asks if the magic is weakened because Mok wasn't the actually Yukio-Ot representative. Grayshadow says it doesn't matter. Kelle reveals that Mok killed her brother, Santo, using the same poison he used on Xanth. He claims that it was his birthright and that a woman shouldn't have stolen it from him. He says it wasn't his fault that they died, it was a necessity. Kelle rejects that, saying it was a choice. She says if the monsters don't kill him, she'll kill him last. Jeanne separates them, but Kelle says she won't interrupt the ceremony to kill Mok.

Grayshadow asks about Kelle betraying others. Kelle explains that when she was young, she had a friend, more than a friend. They always talked about becoming Malagig to protect the realm and save humanity. They were going to do it together. But Kelle learned that the Malagig weren't the solution, they were part of the problem. She asked her friend to run away with her. The friend said no and joined Malagig. Kelle ran away and joined Yukio-Jo. Yennik asked if she ever saw the friend again and she reveals that it was Jeanne.

Mok asked if the Great Tree actually grew from Kelle's story. Grayshadow says it's too soon to know. Alain, uncomfortable with the story about Jeanne asks them to move things along. But Grayshadow reveals that they have to wait for the Great Tree to grow. Grayshadow says they must do something to pass the time. Jhai blames the Ogion for making a spell that takes too long and looks around for Featherlight, but doesn't see the mage.

Alain says they should play a card game called Smash. Gor is down and most of the people join the game. Alain explains the game and deals cards. Gor says they should play for coins, even if it is the end of the world. Alain catches Gor cheating and they get into a fight. Grayshadow stops them by noting that the Great Tree has begun to grow.

Grayshadow invites Jeanne to the Great Tree and asks her to tell about her betrayal. She says that she and Kelle were committed to each other, regardless of the laws of men. Jeanne said she broke her commitment to Kelle and instead committed to Malagig and Alain and a child. Kelle asked her to abandon Malagig, but Jeanne said no. She said they would've been killed for their relationship. So she married Alain instead and they had a child, Francoise.

Grayshadow shuts Alain up, telling him he'll have his turn. He asks Jeanne what happened to Francoise, but she sobs and stares out the window. Featherlight tries to hurry her up, but Jeanne goes into a rant about the rest of them failing to live up to their duty and honor. The others come up with excuses, but Jeanne dismisses them by showing them that she has demon-metal, which kills monsters. Yennik thought it was a myth, but Halladale says it was used on the wall beyond Redab Sing, a city to the South.

Yennik asks too many questions and Mok starts to question whether she's an imposter or not. Halladale shuts Mok down and Grayshadow tells them more details about demon-metal and how legend says it can kill any monsters. Jeanne asks who all is carrying demon-metal: Alain wears demon-metal armor; Gor's hammer, Featherlight's throwing stars. Jeanne asks if there is any more. Flek says yes and grabs three short-swords made of demon-metal.

Those with demon-metal are practicing when Grayshadow announces the Great Tree has grown and shows them. He calls Alain to participate in the ceremony. He starts by saying he did NOT betray Jeanne, his wife. He says he never left her side, but she abandoned him. She doesn't dispute it and cries instead. Alain says he didn't take her leaving well. He gave up on his faith and duty. He rips the Malagig insignia from his neck and throws it to the floor. He says he didn't betray a human, he betrayed the gods and is being punished for it.

Mok asks if they are going to just sit around and wait. Jeanne suggests they need a distraction or they will turn on each other. Featherlight suggests they play a game called "Flight of the Stars" where they hurl throwing stars at the map on the wall. Players must throw the stars and eliminate their opponents by hitting their opponents' home region on the map. Alain goes first and eliminates Gor. Gor ridicules the game and walks away. Jhai brags about having won the Ryneveld Cup twice. He throws his star and takes out Cathbad. Others make fun of him because no Cathbad are present and he didn't actually take out any opponents. Jeanne steps up and takes out Jhai. Kelle asks if she can throw multiple stars at once. Grayshadow says she can do what she wants as long as she only uses one hand. She throws four stars. One takes out Jeanne. The other three all land in Yukio, meaning Kelle not only takes out Mok, she removes herself from the game. Mok asks why she focused on him. She says it was take him out in the game or in real life.

Jeanne leaves the main room, going into one of the magical side rooms. Kelle joins her. They kiss and then make love.

Halladale belittles other people's strategies for the game. He takes out the Ogion space, eliminating Featherlight, who hasn't gone yet. Yennik throws two stars. One misses, but the other hits Gwashalt, taking out Alain, who ridicules Jhai. Halladale hits the Benjen region and takes out Yennik. Halladale wins.

Yennik is struggling to be inside the Outpost inside the city, she needs to be in touch with nature. Grayshadow calls her to participate in the ceremony. Yennik says that she wasn't the original chosen Benjen, but she stood and watched the original man be killed. She was betrayed when members of Malagig murdered her family. She points out that Alain knew the men who killed her family, but he shrugs it off by saying that those men are all dead now. Yennik says she knows, as she killed many herself. Alain says good for her, if they killed her people, they deserved to die.

From outside, a supernaturally loud horn blows. Grayshadow says the First Plague has begun. They rush to the window to see what is happening outside. Featherlight sneaks into the magical room on the side and lures Gor to his death.

Outside, Khuilo stands in the gate and introduces himself. Halladale says Khuilo is a story told to scare children. Khuilo announces the Final Quickening. Halladale is scared. Khuilo offers the humans a deal. If they surrender easily, their deaths will be quick and merciful. If not, they will suffer in many, many ways. For eternity. Jeanne tells him no and Monster Javelin Throwers step forward and throw their weapons towards her. The magical energy barrier around the Outpost knocks the javelins down or they bounce off.

Jeanne goes back inside complaining, but Grayshadow points out that the magic held. The monsters bring forth Volodymyr, who is still alive. Kelle says she thought he was already dead. Halladale says he is. Volodymyr is in chains and stripped down, Khuilo announces he is the first sacrifice and Monster Javelin Throwers stab him to death.

D'Johnt is angry and he confronts Khuilo. Khuilo slaps him across the face, drawing blood. Khuilo has the other monsters put D'Johnt in chains and take him away. Khuilo orders a group of Monster Mages to start the first plague. They summon a river of cockroaches and bugs and rats. The magical barrier burns up the bugs and most of the rats. A few rats make it through, though, and Khuilo grins.

Halladale says he's got this and goes outside. He makes sure that the bugs and rats don't get through. A few rats do. Halladale picks up the first one and throws it through the barrier. It doesn't slow down on exit and hits one of the monsters in the face. Halladale throws another and hits D'Johnt. He throws a last one and hits Khuilo. The monster snarls, but it turns into a grin as the Cretiaffs arrive.

Inside, the humans congratulate Halladale, but worry that he's angered Khuilo. Halladale says that if Khuilo gets revenge on him, they'll all be dead anyway. Yennik says that the first plague wasn't that bad, but Grayshadow says that the bugs and rats were NOT the plague, but simply a test of the defenses. Yennik tells them something's coming and it's a group of Cretiaffs. Kelle tells them that the Cretiaffs aren't alive and they'll be able to go through the barrier. They'll have to fight.

They head outside, but Halladale notices Featherlight staying back. The mage tells Halladale that he has to stay behind and bolster the magical defenses of the Outpost. He casts his blue magic upon the Outpost and Halladale is suspicious, but gives him the benefit of the doubt. Once Halladale leaves, Featherlight stops casting his magic and grabs a drink.

Outside, the Cretiaffs proceed through the barrier without slowing. The other monsters try to attack with arrows and spears, but they get knocked down as they hit the barrier. The monsters try to pick up weapons from inside the barrier, but the barrier repels them, first with force, then with flames. The humans easily take out the Cretiaffs. Jhai trips over one and falls, coming face-to-face with a Cretiaff. It lunges at him, but Alain destroys it. They kill the last of the Cretiaffs and go back inside.

Inside, Featherlight looks for Flek, but can't find him. He goes into the room with Gor's body. Flek watches through the back door. Featherlight comes back out, but he has morphed into Gor. Flek finds Gor's real body.

Inside, Flek tends to Jhai's wound while the others rest. Grayshadow tells them that they have no idea how long it will be until the next plague. Grayshadow notes the Great Tree has grown again and calls Jhai to participate in the ceremony. Jhai says no, but Alain puts a knife to Jhai's throat and orders him to do it or die. Jhai gives in. He tells them he killed his brother for sleeping with his wife. Kelle says it sounds more like Jhai was the betrayer twice and everyone laughs at him.

Later, Grayshadow examines the Great Tree and frowns that it hasn't grown more. He calls Gor to participate in the ceremony. Gor (who is secretly Featherlight) starts making jokes instead of taking it seriously, which makes Grayshadow suspicious. Grayshadow questions him about his betrayal and Gor only offers a vague answer that isn't sufficient. Gor gives up on the questioning and walks away.

Grayshadow grabs "The Great Book of Questions and Answers" and suggests they play an easy trivia game, "One and Done." If a player correctly answers a question, they are out of the game. If they get a question wrong, they have to keep answering until they get one right. Alain goes first and he knows that Redab Snig is the largest city in the realm. Jhai goes second and he correctly knows that both Yukio clans wear the same insignia. Next, Grayshadow questions Gor.

Gor says he doesn't like games, which Alain knows isn't true. Grayshadow asks a super easy question Gor can't answer. Others make fun of him for it and he quits the game. Alain joins Grayshadow in being suspicious of Gor.

Grayshadow invites Mok to participate in the ceremony. Mok argues people already know of his betrayal. Alain threatens him and he gives in. He says he killed Kelle's brother. Kelle spits at him. Mok tells of his betrayal, saying he once had the Black Dragon, some unspecified but impressive treasure. As he goes into the story, Gor (Featherlight) slips into the magical room.

Grayshadow calls Halladale to the tree and he puts his hands upon it. Featherlight sneaks back into the room as himself. Halladale says he was the bodyguard of the real Tuatha representative but that he wasn't ready to die yet, so here he is. He starts to explain how he was betrayed when the supernatural horn blows outside.

The monsters bring out the second sacrifice, a bruised and bloody capitol guard. The monsters kill him and then Khuilo tells the Monster Mages to summon the Vredki. The Vredki emerge from the ground, genderless white-skinned humanoids. They are able to push the barrier forwards without getting rejected, but can't fully push through.

Kelle looks out the window and asks what she's seeing. Grayshadow says they are the Vredki, corrupted humans somewhere between dead and undead. Jeanne is scared. The Vredki burrow under the barrier and the graveyard. Jeanne rushes outside, but Alain warns her that the touch of the Vredki burns. She runs outside and the others follow.

The Vredki are able to push the barrier and move forward without getting expelled. They are heavily slowed, though, and the humans easily take them out. One of the burrowing Vredki reaches through the ground and grab's Halladale, burning him. Kelle kills it and the humans take out the burrowing Vredki. Grayshadow says the plagues are growing in strength and they worry that the barrier won't hold. Khuilo watches them closely.

Grayshadow takes his own turn in the ceremony. He is the last of the Khampa and his betrayals both related to Krugan. Krugan failed to save Darkshadow, who Grayshadow cared about. And Grayshadow killed Krugan in return. Grayshadow says he has killed many and would kill anyone to save humanity. The supernatural horn blows outside.

The monsters bring out Sen. Sliga, the next sacrifice. Jeanne knows her, she's a Cathbad. Khuilo orders the monsters to kill the Senator. Jeanne tells them they should go outside for the next plague and they all go.

They rush outside and nothing happens at first. Jeanne says that the unliving are here and the spirits fly through the graveyard. They were members of the Capitol Guard in life. The humans attack, but they can't hurt the spirits, so they go inside. The spirits start to take control of the humans. They almost succeed with Yennik, but Jeanne and Kelle save her just in time.

Yennik stumbles into the room and several of the humans have lost their memories. Halladale asks if the Spirits can get inside. They can and a spirit goes after each of the humans. They make the humans mistrust each other. Halladale runs into the kitchen to look for something. The spirits influence the humans to fight each other. Grayshadow attacks Mok, but Mok dodges. Halladale finds what he's looking for, a dried reddish weed. Jeanne stabs Grayshadow in the neck. Alain and Mok stab him in each of his sides and he dies. Halladale throws the red weed on each of the humans, including himself, and the spirits fly away.

Alain tells Jhai to help him carry Jeanne into one of the magic rooms. In the main room, the other humans want to finish the ceremony. They figure out that the only ones left to do are Cathbad, and there isn't one, and Gor of the Belit. They wonder where Gor is.

In the magical room, Alain yells for Jhai to get out and he goes. Alain undresses her to treat the wound, but the plate mail mostly held. It's not that bad. Alain continues to undress her. Then he kisses her and she's into it. He takes the rest of her clothes off and starts to go down on her. The loud supernatural horn blows outside and both Alain and Jeanne are upset. They get up and start putting their armor on.

The monsters bring out the fourth sacrifice, Mayor Ferrin. Flek hates the mayor. Jeanne says that duty calls, as they are soldiers in the army the mayor controls. Khuilo orders the monsters to kill the mayor. Then he brings forth the Monster Archers. They push their bows through the barrier and inside, they are able to attack. They use flaming arrows.

Kelle worries the flaming arrows will burn the Outpost down and she rushes out. The others follow. They rush towards the Monster Archers as they let fly with the first wave. They don't hit anything of value. Kelle takes out one of the Monster Archers with her own arrows. A different monster reaches through the barrier and grabs the dead archer's bow. It nocks a flaming arrow and lets fly. It hits the door and Yennik has to extinguish it. Kelle tells them to get the bows when the monsters drop them.

Kelle takes out another Monster Archer and then two more. Jhai and a monster reach for the same bow and tug on it for a few seconds before Jhai pulls it away. Kelle takes out another archer. Jhai gets hit in the arm with an arrow. Alain snatches away the other bows laying on the ground. Jeanne stabs an archer and Halladale grabs its bow. He breaks that bow and the others. Alain kills another archer. The last archer gets an arrow off that hits Yennik in the thigh. It is stabbed to death by Jeanne and Alain. Halladale breaks the last bow and they rush back inside.

The humans are dirty, bloody and breathe heavily as they rest. The supernatural horn blows again and they wearily move towards the windows. The monsters bring forth the fifth sacrifice, but no one recognizes the human except Jhai. It's his brother Traith, who is still alive. For now. Jhai tries to ignore it, assuming it's an imposter. Halladale points out that Jhai's confession didn't grow the tree, meaning it wasn't true. That's his real brother outside.

Khuilo orders the fifth sacrifice and the monsters kill Traith. Jhai rushes outside in tears. Khuilo calls forth the Greeth, bulky creatures made of some clear crystal that flows as they move. They have a center of bubbling lava. The humans rush outside to see four of the Greeth walk through the barrier with no problem. Halladale recognizes the Greeth and runs back inside.

The first of the Greeth reaches Jhai, who ignores it in his grief. It grabs ahold of him and squeezes him with fingerless hands until bones crunch. Then it opens its mouth and vomits so much lava onto Jhai, his screams stop almost instantly. Kelle fires an arrow at one of the Greeth, but it bounces off. Alain tells them to try the demon-metal, but it doesn't work. The Greeth vomits in Alain's direction, but he dives out of the way.

The humans stay a safe distance from the Greeth and notice that Gor is missing. Halladale returns carrying wine bottles. He tells them to hit the Greeth with the bottles. He shows them and the wine destroys the crystal that makes up the Greeth's body, killing it. They follow suit and take out the monsters. During the battle, Halladale gets burned a bit by lava from one of the Greeth.

The humans rush back inside, helping the wounded. Flek gives them a salve to help with burns. They ask about Featherlight, but Flek only snarls at the name. The supernatural horn blows outside and Mok starts to get nihilistic. Khuilo summons the sixth sacrifice, an undead child, Francoise. She calls out to her mother, Jeanne. Alain freaks out, but Jeanne has it much worse. Francoise walks through the barrier and towards the Outpost.

Alain grabs Jeanne and tells her not to listen, it's not Francoise, it's a demon. Jeanne attacks him with a dagger, but his armor protects him. He doesn't fight back. She screams she can't lose Francoise twice, but he says she already has. The undead Francoise asks Jeanne why she didn't save her. Jeanne walks outside and the others follow.

Khuilo calls forth the Revivra, which are zombies and Francoise is one of them. Several dozen Revivra walk through the barrier, but none come from the graveyard inside the barrier. Demon-metal actually works on them and the humans attack. Jeanne comes face-to-face with the undead Francoise and she can't take it. Fracoise tries to bite her, but Kelle kills the undead child. Kelle drops to hug Jeanne while the others kill off the Revivra.

At the same time inside, Featherlight is casting his magic on the magical barrier, but his magic is red, thus is trying to tear down the barrier. Flek sees him, grabs a knife and attacks. Featherlight tries to disengage his spell, but Flek stabs him in the shoulder. Featherlight almost reveals his true form. He pushes Flek away and checks his wound, staring at the blue-colored blood on his hand. Flek smashes into Featherlight, knocking him to the ground. Featherlight hits his head on the stone floor hard. Flek grabs he knife and stabs Featherlight in the chest a dozen times. A green mist leaves Featherlight's body and his form changes from human to a lizard-human hybrid. He's definitely dead, but Flek stabs him a few more times to make sure.

The humans come back inside and Mok sees Featherlight's true form, dead on the floor. Jeanne is the first to realize it is Featherlight. They start looking for Gor and Flek. Halladale finds Gor's body, which has been stabbed a lot of times. Alain goes to look for Flek and sees Jeanne and Kelle kissing. He's stunned, but he plays it off.

Outside, the monsters now stand more than a dozen deep before the gate, eager to go inside. Alain stares out at them and questions whether or not the barrier will hold. When Jeanne is less sure than before, Alain gets angry and throws his mug. He's angry at everyone for not being active enough in trying to fight the monsters. He asks Yennik to rush the monsters with him. She turns him down, saying it's suicide. He turns to go outside, but Kelle and Halladale stop him. Then the supernatural horn blows outside. They all crowd the window see that giant beasts have arrived and they really start to put pressure on the barrier.

Inside the Outpost, even Alain is scared. Krugan walks into the room. Mok is shocked that Krugan is a woman. Krugan and Alain shut Mok up and he gets angry. She tells them they're wasting time and that the world helps those who help themselves. Yennik doesn't know what that means and Krugan tells them the answers to everything are in the room, including a way to save humanity. They ask her to point them in the right direction and she says no. She's telling them that they have to do the work on their own when Mok stabs her with demon-metal. Krugan is shocked, she didn't think she was mortal. The humans turn on Mok, demanding he explain himself when the supernatural horn blows outside.

Khuilo calls for the final sacrifice. It's D'Johnt and he is killed. The humans inside the Outpost begin to panic and they notice that Krugan is gone. Halladale says they have to finish the spell. He goes to get Gor's blood. Alain tells Mok to go out and get the Cathbad senator's severed head, which lies inside the barrier. Mok refuses and Alain smacks him in the head with Featherlight's staff. He picks up a demon-metal sword and prepares to kill Mok if he doesn't go.

Kelle offers to help Mok get the head. Once outside, Kelle sends Mok to get it by himself. She threatens him with a demon-metal sword and kicks him towards the barrier. He reluctantly goes and the monsters jeer him. The head is very close to the barrier and as he reaches to get it, the monsters grab at him through the barrier. They can't get to him, though, and he grabs the head and runs back towards Kelle, joy on his face. When he reaches her, she stabs him in the gut, killing him.

Kelle brings the head in and tosses it next to the tree. Jeanne asks where Mok is, but Kelle asks if she really cares. Jeanne doesn't. Kelle asks if Halladale killed Gor and he rejects the very idea, revealing it was Featherlight. Halladale adds the final blood to the tree when massive crashing sounds shake the Outpost.

Outside, the magical barrier cracks, then breaks. It starts to crumble like a brick wall and the monsters burst through. Khuilo walks to the front door and knocks.

Khuilo doesn't wait for anyone to answer and walks inside. Kelle attacks with demon-metal and Khuilo slaps her to the ground. Jeanne rushes to help Kelle, who is okay. Jeanne lunges at Khuilo, who pulls a flaming blade from his belt and stabs her in the shoulder. Alain rushes him and Khuilo stabs him as well. Alain drives his demon-metal sword at Khuilo's chest. Khuilo laughs it off and the sword breaks. Khuilo kills Alain.

Yennik considers rushing him, but he turns the sword on her and she stops. Khuilo says he didn't come to fight, he came to give them one last offer: Surrender and die quickly or be crushed when the monsters destroy the Outpost. He goes outside.

Khuilo doesn't wait, he orders the monsters to crush the Outpost. They do. Inside, as the Outpost is crumbling, Halladale tells them to take cover under a beam. They do and the building collapses on top of them.

Later, Khuilo tells the monsters that the Quickening is done. They turn to leave when Krugan appears from behind the ruins. Khuilo greets her almost as a colleague or friend and asks if Khuilo is going to try again. She says yes and he says he'll kill them, too. Khuilo asks if Krugan is going to try humans again and she said she wasn't a fan of them, that was Flek's idea. She's going to try something new. Everyone departs.

As the morning sun rises, Flek comes in through the back of the graveyard to the ruins of the Outpost. He makes sure he's alone and goes to the ruins. He starts to dig into the rubble and is able to find the survivors: Halladale, Jeanne, Kelle and Yennik. He helps them out of the rubble and Yennik thanks Halladale for saving them. Flek leads them away from the Outpost as Jeanne asks if they are the last humans. Flek tells them there are always more.