Previously on The Mighty Nein...
Who gave you your powers, Fjord?
I don't know.
I have a memory of a rift like this.
It doesn't feel like mine.
Nein, not the necklace.
I-I need it.
It blocks them. Their vision.
Spill it. You working with her?
You may not trust me, Beauregard. But we cannot do this here.
Cool. We're doing it here.
Master Ikithon called us Volstrucker.
Now that I understood.
Essek, why didn't you tell me?
She has Typhros.
The Bright Queen has ordered a response to the Beacon theft.
I deploy to the Empire in 48 hours.
Unless you had any success locating the Beacon?
This is the key to everything.
Tell me where they took the Beacon.
Put your backs into it, damn it.
It's up to us to protect the empire.
We sure as shit ain't gonna fail on my watch.
Vultures.
The Orphanmaker!
She's here.
- The vultures. - Impossible.
Vultures follow in her wake.
We're all dead.
The Orphanmaker's a myth.
Get back to work.
It's just a woman.
And I'll prove it.
All right then, you big bitch.
You missed.
It is her.
Charge. Charge!
Fuck this!
Out of the way!
No, no, no, no, no. Wait.
Wait, wait. I beg you.
Please, spare my life.
I thought you wanted to forget these feelings, Yasha.
Be done with her
and find my prize.
Mages.
The Assembly.
Which way?
Uh, past that range.
West. Zadash.
Ah, at last. Our destination.
Your contact lives here?
When Gustav-- may he rest in pleasure--
needed an item of questionable legality for the carnival,
the Gentleman could get him anything.
With the right gift.
Gift? I thought you said a gentleman would sell us Caleb's necklace.
The Gentleman.
And it is a protection amulet.
A replacement.
So no more magic a-holes can find Caleb again.
Or us.
I should do that.
No more talking to me unless you have a gift.
A gift and a passcode.
- Don't mind if I d-- - Ah, ah, ah.
Never steal from happy people.
Good to see you, Julie.
- How are you? - Well, what kind of gift are we talking?
Something refined.
He's apparently quite the sophisticate.
Ooh.
How about this?
"The steamy love story of Oskar and Guinevere."
We may define "sophisticate" differently.
Caleb.
Where do you think six-pack's going?
Did you bring it?
Now, what the hell is it?
Axiom.
Wh-- That's it?
It's a code. For a member of the Cerberus Assembly.
Trent Ikithon.
That name mean something to you?
He fucked up someone I know.
Let me get this straight.
Trent Ikithon,
the traitor behind the attack on Rockguard Garrison,
who started this war with the dynasty--
you two have a mutual friend?
Not a friend.
Just a guy I've been traveling with.
A Volstrucker.
Former, actually.
There is no "former" with them.
It's not something you just stop being.
If he finds out you're Cobalt Soul,
he'll kill you.
He knows.
And he won't.
I think.
Look, he hates this Trent douchebag even more than you do.
Or at least that's what he wants you to believe.
When I tell King Dwendal
that his head of propaganda is a traitor,
I don't know what's going to happen.
The Assembly might try some shit.
A w... a wizard war?
Be careful with this guy, Beau.
If he really is ex-Volstrucker,
he'd be the first I ever heard of to get out.
They take an oath to die for the empire and kill for it.
Watch your back.
I'll send word when it's safe to come in from the cold.
Oh, I'll probably curl up with my dogs.
Bren.
Caleb. You coming?
Where are you?
The Academy.
So...
you've come home.
Gravity.
But I feel so much more.
Space.
Reality.
How far can it go?
Herr Ikithon, careful.
You could hurt yourself.
No. I can hold it.
Sethio-Disstradas.
Thank you, Essek.
- That was, uh... - Dangerous.
Yes, Dunamancy can control gravity. Space.
But do not lose sight of our ultimate objective.
Of course.
The soul.
To overcome death.
To cure your mother.
Well, despite what you may think of me, Essek,
I am a man of my word.
This was always our arrangement.
Knowledge of Dunamancy
in exchange for saving your mother's life.
Well, I'm...
I'm glad to hear it.
Now, I believe I found a way to stabilize the body
to extract the soul without--
The king, Master.
Asking for your presence at the council.
Carry on, Essek.
I'll only be a minute.
Watch him.
He doesn't touch it unless I'm here.
Yes, Master.
Yes, yes.
This just might work.
The Evening Nip.
Um,
I thought you said this gentleman was sophisticated.
This the place?
Only one way to find out.
And where have you been?
Shopping.
Molly said this dude likes fancy, right?
Eeh.
Yeah, it's a vibe.
We brought presents.
Oh. Um...
we bring bounteous offerings?
You have coin for drinks or you don't.
We don't barter, purple man.
Apologies.
The man who told me the passphrase is dead and my memory can be funny.
Hilarious, even.
Uh, Molly?
Maybe we should have brought more gifts.
Ah, yes, that's it.
"While I have no coin,
I'd be willing to offer many gifts."
Welcome to the Nip.
Lovely.
A hidden staircase is always a nice touch.
Sire, you sent for me?
Hmm.
Good evening.
Vess. Why are you h...
Ah. There is no meeting with the king.
Your own hubris did this, Trent.
There was nothing I could do.
Curator Tasha.
Trent Ikithon,
the Cobalt Soul has found evidence
of your involvement in the attack on Rockguard Garrison.
This is absurd.
Shratten g...
You see? Hubris.
Stepping right onto a binding spell.
By order of the king,
you are hereby under arrest for treason.
The Assembly cannot spare you from the king's decree.
I am sorry, old friend.
I can't believe we cracked their secret password.
We're fucking geniuses.
We are, aren't we? We should start a band.
Or a detective agency.
Lucien?
Lucien!
How? How is this possible?
Oh. It's... you.
It has been...
Well, it's been far too long.
Two years since that night.
Your hair is different.
These tattoos.
Oh.
And a new crew.
Ah. It's a long story.
I'll tell you later, if you catch my drift?
Oh. Oh, of course, Nonagon.
Uh, does this mean it worked?
The ritual.
Uh, Lucien,
- who is your friend here? - Uh...
Mm. Apologies.
I am Cree.
Yes. Cree.
My old friend Cree.
How much do they know?
Oh, everything. All the rituals.
Um, but, uh, which one was this, again?
Hmm. The mage you hired
said something went wrong.
After the burial, she absconded with your book.
That's terrible.
I loved that... book?
I can call the Tombtakers back at your command.
- I can-- - No, no. No need for that.
We actually have business with the Gentleman.
Quiet business.
You understand?
Oh. Oh! Of course.
Of course, Nonagon. Now, come.
Come this way.
Molly, what the fuck?
I have no idea.
Just go with it.
Company.
Well, what strangers have graced us
with their majestic presence?
Come. Come, come.
A fine evening to you.
We are the Mighty Nein.
Uh-huh.
Uh, do you need a wipe?
- And you must be the Gentleman. - Oh.
Guilty. As always.
Now, what brings you to my pocket of the world, Mighty Nein?
We're here to barter for a favor.
Hmm.
Is that...
Tusk Love?
- The tantalizing tale of hidden romance - Tale of hidden romance
- and forbidden lust! - and forbidden lust!
Well, at least one of you has fine taste.
But I do not barter so simply.
I presume you've come, after all,
for something special.
A protection amulet.
To guard against unwanted eyes.
We hear you are a master smuggler.
Hmm.
Well, you must have powerful enemies
to want such a generous favor.
Very well.
Uh, there is a job.
It seems some pre-Calamity ruins
have been uncovered at the Egelin Quarry.
Not uncommon but for the fact
that the Cerberus Assembly has taken an interest in them.
Rumor has it they may be
the legendary tunnels of Nydas Okiro.
Nydas? Okiro?
The infamous pirate mercenary of the Golden Scythe. Did...
did none of you go to school?
I was homeschooled.
Yeah, I read the story.
Nydas stole a bunch of stuff, squirreled it away.
Uh, did you say "pirate"?
Nydas is said to have hoarded
his most valuable treasures in his flagship,
which he buried in a series of caves
that he called the Inverted Vault.
To prevent his enemies from finding it,
he set magical traps that
only he knew how to disarm.
You want us to go in and bring back something shiny.
Not just "something."
Nydas' own Arcane Compass.
It will undoubtedly be in his personal quarters.
And what makes you think the empire hasn't already picked the place clean?
I'm told the soldiers have had issues accessing the hoard.
What kind of issues?
They all end up dead.
Fucking fantastic.
Uh, wait. We said we'd help Caleb buy a necklace,
not risk certain death for some sketchy tomb raider.
No offense.
But without the amulet, it's certain death for Caleb.
Look how pathetic and squishy he is.
- No offense. - I don't know, Jess.
Going up against the empire, ancient magic traps--
this is way beyond us.
Are you ignoring the fact that he said "treasure hoard"?
I don't know about you all,
but it takes coin to pay for drinks, sex--
Food.
I'm talking about essentials.
Come on, Fjord.
A secret city, buttloads of money,
and we get to keep Caleb alive.
Learn.
Um... yeah.
Yeah, okay. You're right.
You are all very... odd.
We know, honey.
We're in.
That's it.
You,
- leave us. - But I figured it out.
Your master will want me to--
Get out, Crick!
Astrid,
- what is it? - Master Ikithon.
He's been arrested.
By the Cobalt Soul.
Fucking academics.
Is there something else?
Voilà.
Supplies and a map for your journey.
However, before you embark,
there is one thing I need.
A face towel?
Trust is an important part of what I do.
I need assurance you won't make off with my item.
Or, hell, even turn me in to the city guard.
So I will require...
samples of your blood.
Um, what for?
So they can track us.
Only if you betray me, of course.
Do me next.
Um, Caleb, are we doing this?
Ja.
Still? He will not speak?
Hours of the same.
He said he'll only talk to the king.
The old buzzard's tougher than I thought.
Crownsguard searched his tower, even his sanatorium.
Found nothing.
We need to know where that beacon is.
Maybe we give him what he wants.
These rocks aren't gonna pick themselves.
How the hell are we supposed to get past all those guys?
There are at least a dozen at the main entrance, but,
luckily, the Gentleman's map indicates another option.
- This waterfall. - Um...
are we sure about that?
Based on prior experience,
the back door is always a good time.
Wow.
Learn.
Come on, Fjord.
Come on. Keep moving.
Uh, guys?
Get down.
Hurry it up.
Great.
- Yaa! - Now we all look like Caleb.
Oh, Caleb.
What are you doing?
In case we are followed,
we will be notified.
Ooh.
I got to say, it was a breeze getting this far.
Anything this easy makes me nervous.
- Oh. Much better. - Nott,
perhaps you can sneak in,
disarm whatever did all that?
Uh, sure, sure. Just, um...
give me a sec to get in character.
You don't have to do this.
She is clever at these things.
And she is smaller and quicker than all of us.
He's right. He's always right.
Uh, first off, he's not.
Second, she's obviously feeling scared.
Of course I am. But in about 90 seconds,
I won't feel anything.
You are fairly agile, Beau.
If you would like to help, be my guest.
Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?
What are you trying to do, pick us off one by one?
What is this about, Beauregard?
Why don't you stay on task, Widogast?
Children, should we use our inside voices, please?
It's fine, okay?
If protecting Caleb means getting through this hallway of death,
then I got this.
Uh...
I-I think I see a way to shut everything off.
You're so brave, Nott. We believe in you.
She's gonna die. I can't look.
Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck,
fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck--
Oh!
- Oh, shit. - Shit!
Hurry.
Uh, shut it off, shut it off, shut it off!
Woo! I just saved your--
Aah!
Don't worry. Your little butt will be just fine.
You did not trust her.
Seems you do not trust any of us.
Geez-laweez, this Nydas guy
really had a thing for dragons.
Looks like the only way out is 30 feet high.
Huh.
Fire man, can you, uh...
Do the other ones.
The hell is all this?
Don't think too hard,
you might crap your pants.
What is your problem with me?
Let go of her.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Fjord's helping you and you're gonna light him up?
I'm-I'm sure he wasn't going to, really.
Right, Caleb?
Well, were you, Caleb?
Nerves are rattled.
We're hungry, tired.
Let's not turn on our friends, shall we?
Friends?
The lone wolf here does not have friends.
She only thinks of herself.
The fuck you just say to me?
You heard me.
You know, I've decided
I don't like mines.
I'd rather be anywhere else.
Under the stars, drowning in quicksand.
Seek.
Stars.
Uh, hey, look.
This Nydas was a pirate, right?
Yar.
Well, he navigated by the stars.
Constellations.
They rotate.
Oh, I love puzzles.
Maybe... maybe they match the stars on the ceiling.
But there's hundreds of them.
Lesser Draconia.
I-It's a dragon constellation.
Draconia Major.
Okay, this is pretty neat.
The Serpent Mistress.
Greetings! If you've made it this far, I'm officially impressed.
If you remain impressive,
perhaps there is a prize waiting for you.
Must be that Nydas fellow.
Quite the parlor trick.
Good luck, stay hydrated, and have fun.
Also, don't die.
Mm, very good work, Captain.
I've done it, Mother.
A cure.
I'm taking you with me to--
Who was here?
Verrat stopped by to say farewell.
What do you mean, "farewell"?
The Bright Queen has sent him to the front.
They are to seize the border tonight.
But without the beacon,
he'll die.
Sorry. I did not expect that statue's wang to be trapped.
All right. What fresh hell awaits us in this room?
Holy balls of poop.
These guys look... nice.
Well, that is no parlor trick.
Nydas' flagship.
So, this fancy-ass compass is in that ship?
How are we supposed to get up there?
Visda-Revelo.
I see a way.
Consume.
I should have you disemboweled
just for making me come down to this forsaken hellhole.
Remove his gag.
- Sire, wizard-speak can-- - I know what he can do.
Remove it and get out.
Long live the king.
You stole the beacon,
then lied to my face about it.
Yes.
What other lies have you told, master wizard?
You hired me to lie, sire.
To your people.
To your bureaucrats and politicians.
My life's service has been to lie to anyone
who would weaken the empire.
- Even you. - I am the empire.
Which is why I could not risk
you knowing of the operation,
until I could discover what boons or banes the beacon possessed.
You mages.
Always "researching."
Life is more than knowledge.
However clever you lot think you are,
you know nothing of reality.
Your "operation" has started a war
that would tear this continent apart.
That is real.
Who cares?
Excuse me?
Who cares who starts the war?
So long as our side wins.
Und I can guarantee victory.
How?
Research.
Very well. Show me.
Well, now I just feel stupid.
We should have known.
Not even this place could hold him.
Bro, there's nothing there.
How am I supposed to jump to something I can't see?
I will guide you.
Oh, and if you're full of shit, I'm a bloodstain on the floor.
Why would I kill you, Beauregard? You are still useful to me.
For now.
I am not allowed to joke?
Wizard humor is very dry.
Fine. Let's just do this.
Consume.
Okay.
Uh, where's the first one?
Two meters forward, half a meter right.
All right.
- Holy shite. - Holy shit.
The next platform is a bit higher.
Fjord!
Where did he go--
Oh, no. They are coming.
Caleb's spell. Uh, the alarm.
This way! Hurry!
Move. Move!
What?
Learn.
Breathe.
Fjord!
We're about to make new friends.
How's it going up there?
Where's the next one?
Two meters ahead.
15 degrees left.
Aah!
The fuck?
Oh. Perhaps it was 2.5 meters.
Tell me, where did you sneak off to before?
Screw this. I'm coming back.
You could try.
But do you really remember, precisely?
She told me not to trust you.
Who did, Beauregard?
My handler at the Soul, Caleb.
That's who I saw.
We've been gathering evidence to nail your buddy Trent Ikithon
- for treason. - You what?
He stole a weapon from the Dynasty.
He's starting a war that's gonna kill a lot of innocent people.
Yeah. So, my partner's gonna take him down,
along with your Volstrucker buddies.
So if you got a fucking problem with that or me, then drop me.
Kill me. Do whatever you got to fucking do.
Three meters ahead.
20 degrees right.
I am sorry,
but the only way to deal with Trent Ikithon is to kill him.
Your partner is probably already dead.
Why do I want to swim in it?
Start grabbing handfuls. I will find the compass.
Congratulations!
You‘ve made it farther than anyone before.
You must be quite ingenious.
But are you ingenious enough to survive--
dun, dun, dun!--
the final trap?
- You have got to be kidding me. - You have got to be kidding me.
He's been under there a long time, you guys.
Fjord!
Can you hear me?!
- Fjord! - Can you hear us?
Fjord!
Uh...
I think they heard us.
Right. We probably deserve this.
- By order of the empire, halt! - Down on the ground!
- Drop your weapons! - On your knees, now!
- Don't let them get away! - No one move!
- I said get down! - Watch out!
What the flaming--
Caleb, we got to move.
- Good luck! - Caleb!
Consume.
What the fuck?
Get down.
The bloody things respond to sound.
Stay the fuck back!
Run.
- Get back! - We give, just be quiet.
They'll stop if we do.
Everyone, shut up.
On your knees, now.
No funny business, all right?
We're taking this nice and slow.
On the floor.
You idiots!
Of course you go and get yourselves caught!
How could I be a part of a team that is so goddamn stupid,
- Shh, shh! - reckless,
- selfish, - You! Quiet!
and fucking weird!
And Nott, you little runt.
You can't even disarm a trap without killing half the team!
Who you calling runt, noodle arms?!
Caleb smells like poop!
And he's a piece of shit for thinking someone
who's sticking her neck out for him would stab him in the back.
And I am not the only one
with trust issues!
No.
- Where is it? Where-- - Sorry. Too late.
Where is the beacon? Where did Ikithon take it?
To the front.
To practice what you taught him.
He can't.
He's insane.
You're all insane.
No. No.
Please don't--
The Dynasty prevails!
We have taken Ashguard!
For the Bright Queen!
For justice!
General Verrat, look.
This is far enough, Trent.
Don't worry, sire. They cannot harm us.
Though you may wish to step back.
Archers, make ready.
Essek? What are you doing here?
You are in danger. We must go.
Trust me.
Is that...
Fire!
Attack!
How did you know?
How did you know, Essek?!
You.
You stole the beacon.
Little pile of gold for you, little pile of gold for you.
Phew.
Jester, you can have this
- gaudy-ass necklace. - Ooh!
This isn't a bad life.
A little action to earn us some stiff drinks and questionable bedmates.
It's a shame you couldn't have grabbed more loot from that lake, Fjord.
Probably couldn't carr--
Carry it?
Heh!
Are you all right?
Molly, turn a little.
I'm trying to get your cheekbones just right.
Ooh! Draw me next.
You are right.
I do not trust easily.
But I am willing to try.
Was that an apology?
What, no good?
I mean, the word "sorry"
normally makes an appearance.
Well, I am--
I'm fucking with you.
Accepted.
I'm not a lone wolf, by the way.
I just...
never had friends.
Uh, me neither.
They're usually a fucking pain in the ass.
- ... - Ja.
We did it!
Yeah.
I got a feeling the worst is finally behind us.
Chirp.