01x05 - Element 5

[bunniefuu]

When I was a boy

I often would ask

my blessed mother

to tell me the histories

of the gods

of their great loves

and their burning hatreds.

And she told me stories

of paradise,

Elysium.

And of their places of judgment,

the underworld.

This, Hades.

For daring simply to stand

and claim what was mine,

the Fates took everything

from me.

But would I bend my knee

in submission? No.

I chose to rise again,

and continue to fight

with every ounce of my strength

to change destiny.

But now,

all that I have bled for

is at risk.

Do you remember, Rockwell

when I spared your life?

You swore never to fail me.

So, tell me, then,

how that poisonous,

thieving little whelp

still eludes my grasp?

She who stole my Artifact,

who unleashed a horde

upon my soldiers,

who was smuggled

into my garrison by you.

My Lord. General Nerva

And now the Beast Queen herself

has come out of hiding,

emboldened enough

to destroy one of my most

productive quarries

in an act of open rebellion.

Another failure

that can only be attributed

to your mismanagement

of our supply lines.

She is but one, My Lord.

And even with allies,

they are rabble.

Children at best,

vermin at worst,

they cannot threaten you.

Even with the most humble

of opponents,

defiance can grow into a threat!

Do you not realize

what can happen

when a man defies the gods?

Once the bonds of fate

are broken

anything is possible.

Perhaps I should not expect

strength from a weak man.

You know nothing of w*r.

My scars have taught me,

every action has a consequence.

But you?

You have no scars.

I twist your arm,

and one little bone breaks.

What happens then?

Blood rushes to the wound.

Pressure builds.

More bones twist and break

beneath the strain.

Rot creeps in.

And soon, the whole limb

must be hacked away,

down to the root.

- Please.

- My Lord Nerva!

A messenger has arrived

from the lost mining camp.

Send him in.

General,

I have encountered the escapee

you've been searching for.

She was there, My Lord,

at the attack on the mine.

Hm.

You will not be the weak link

in the chain I have placed

around the throat

of this island, Rockwell.

I will recover

the three Artifacts,

they will open the Door,

and we will pass through it,

crushing all

who stand in the way.

I will not let anything,

anything

stand between me

and returning to my

to Rome.

No, Helena. Like this.

What's on your mind, child?

Meiyin!

Can't you stop this once?

These people were just freed

from that awful place.

This isn't what they need

right now.

And you would know

what they need?

You would do for them

what is necessary?

You bandaged these too tightly.

Lawrence, you cut off the blood

from the limb.

Go see Chava

to have it done properly.

What good is an army to you

if its soldiers

can't even stand?

This is the clay

I must sculpt with.

It requires heat and firm hands.

Enough!

Look around.

What do you see?

These people owe you

their lives.

And they would follow you

into hell

which is exactly why you should

not lead them there.

You've done something great

by giving these people

their lives back.

They deserve to rest

and recover their strength.

And what do you know of this?

Of soldiers? Or warfare?

Do not presume to lecture me

when you lacked the courage

to do what needed to be done.

Courage?

To sh**t an unarmed man?

An enemy,

who would just as soon have

sheathed his blade

in your heart.

John!

Any sign of the guard

who escaped the mining camp?

No. The trail has run cold.

And with so many new refugees

now under our protection,

the council must convene

to decide the path forward.

Huh.

How dare you?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait.

Uh, I thought this was a meeting

to go over how we're going

to get Kor on our side?

Show him the fancy new weapon,

prove we can beat Nerva

this time?

I set this whole thing up.

It took, like, all day.

Look here.

If we take a small group north,

the rest of us

can protect the village

and scout out Nerva's camps.

What do you think? Maybe?

Hm, that is actually

rather a good idea, Alasie.

But it seems

Henry has other things

he would prefer to discuss.

Regardless of who we once were,

in this place, we are judged

by our actions here.

But, Meiyin,

your obsession

with destroying Nerva

is clouding your thinking

and your actions.

In the last alliance,

you led us into a slaughter.

If we attempt

an alliance again, if,

then I propose that Meiyin

no longer lead our people

in battle.

What about what she did

at the mining camp?

We would have been dead meat

without her!

Your skills as a fighter

are unequaled, Meiyin.

I'm the last person ever

to deny that.

But fighting

isn't the same as leading.

We

We cannot suffer

such a m*ssacre again.

Will I never be done

being betrayed?

There can be no removal

of a commander of our forces

without the vote of the council.

- Dad!

- However

such a decision

should not be made in haste.

An open debate must be held.

Then let the debate begin.

And that debate should not

start on an empty stomach.

That's right. Dinner!

I definitely did not forget

about dinner

for the whole council.

Not at all.

In five days' time, then.

Prepare and consider

your positions with wisdom.

Meiyin.

They can't seriously remove

Meiyin's command.

Can they?

The council's decisions

are sovereign.

It is our way.

I have bought you a few days.

I suggest

that you choose your argument

judiciously.

Meiyin, I'm sorry.

Hey. She'll be all right.

She always is.

I wish

there was something we could do.

Some delicious food

will make everyone feel better.

What you drawing?

What? Hey!

Ah, you're fine, you big baby!

You just wanted

some of Alasie's famous chowder,

didn't you?

Dig in!

Not to brag or anything,

my cooking is so good,

all kinds of critters

line up for a taste.

Aw!

That's definitely

a health code violation.

Hm.

Me too.

I found a friend of yours.

Meiyin! I'm glad you're here.

Oh! Can you grab

that pot for me?

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Have you been to see Chava

since we returned?

Your injuries are

- I said

- Not another word.

Meiyin, it's okay,

you know, to

to ask for help.

Weakness is death.

That's a hard way

to go through life.

It is the way of the warrior.

A path that few can walk.

- Will you teach me?

- Hm?

You must not hesitate.

Hit me. If you can.

Hesitation. Easy to read.

You must be

like the flash of lightning

over the face of water.

Again.

You must breathe.

- In.

- Out.

In.

Out.

I'm here

You're

Alasie! You and I agreed that

if we took this creature in,

you would take care of it.

I have been!

Then why did I just clean

its droppings out of my bed?

Daughter

I know, I know.

I need to be more responsible

taking care of my pets. Got it.

Hm.

What? What is it?

What you said at the council.

You have a mind for strategy.

I am proud of you.

You're healing.

Thank you, Helena.

Was that gratitude?

Once is all you get.

- Oh! Put that down.

- Put what down?

Oh, this?

- Yes.

- Whoo!

We may sculpt you

into a warrior yet.

If we go to w*r with Nerva

Provided I have

not been stripped of my command.

Don't worry, we'll find a way

to persuade the council.

But if

When we face him

You want to know what it's like.

If you are capable of it.

To k*ll another

is to take away their past,

their present and their future.

You must see things as they are,

without delusion.

You must have the right intent,

only for a great

and justified cause.

When the time comes,

you must do your duty

without hesitation. And then

How did you survive that?

I

I did not.

We are under attack!

Prepare yourself.

Our scouts canvassed the area.

What the guard said about

the location of their village

proved accurate.

See to it that he is promoted.

You see, Rockwell,

competence is rewarded

after all.

For the glory

I will restore to Rome!

For her glory.

Give them fire enough

to make another hell!

We need to gather our forces!

We should fall back and regroup!

Dad!

Take cover!

Alasie!

John. The battle is upon us.

Do what you must, Meiyin.

Alasie, come with me.

Henry, organize a retreat

of those who cannot fight.

Chava.

Tell me where they are.

Uh There!

What magic is this?

There!

Concentrate all fire

on that point!

Alasie. Find Henry.

Help him lead the refugees

through the swamp,

and get to the Crystal Cave

beyond the waterfall.

But you told me

never to go near the swamp.

It must be done.

Take this with you.

You're coming with me,

Dad, right?

I have to do what I can here.

Chava?

Chava!

Chava, come on!

Henry!

Alasie!

My dad said

to head through the swamp.

Well, then, let's get going.

Mount up, we're heading out!

Meiyin! We must regroup!

Go. Find the Artifact.

I will finish

what should have ended long ago.

Beast Queen!

No!

Helena!

I have waited

for this day for an eternity.

- Face me, barbarian!

- As you wish.

- Get it off!

- Stay calm.

Get it off!

You are as fine a warrior

as I remember.

Fate made us enemies.

But in another life,

we would have made

formidable allies.

Give me a thousand lives,

and I would give you

a thousand deaths.

What did you do?

I thought

Did you find the Artifact?

Did you find anything of use,

at all?

No, there was nothing.

I apologize, My Lord.

She is more use to us alive,

then, surely

We will get her back, Helena.

Not here, not like this.

Do you hear that?

Hm.

It's okay, Scary.

They're gonna be okay.