"Who goes there?," said a sentry, spear and shield raised.

"Kohl, Master of the Mountain Spire and Fatebinder of Tunon. I spoke to Janos near the heart of the storm, and he told me I would find Captain Mattias here."

"And why should I direct you to him, dog of Kyros?"

"Because the longer the Regent stays alive, the longer the people of Stalwart suffer. And I think we can make a deal."

"I'll tell my commander," the sentry said, disappearing into the dust.

Kohl wasn't waiting long.

"I am Mattias, leader of the Unbroken. Fatebinder Kohl is a name I recognize. Why are you here, Stormcaller?"

"To clean up my mess. Should I have let someone else do it?"

"To end the Edict you proclaimed?"

"For the same reason that I gave you a day's warning. Because I have no grievance with the people of Stalwart, and want to protect as many of them as I can from the inevitable march of Kyros. Also, because Straydus Herodin is a fool and a coward and I would very much like to see him executed for the damage he allowed to come to his people to salve his pride."

"You're at fault as much as that fool is."

"I gave him as much time to concede as I could. I didn't think Stalwart, or any of the Tiers, could beat Kyros; I tried to limit the damage."

"Cold comfort."

"Well, I have a better plan now."

"Do you?"

"Kyros will never accept an independent Stalwart. But his Archons can act quite freely. I'm not one. Yet. But I am a 'representative of Kyros', and I might arrange a cut-out. Dictator Mattias, sworn to an agent of Kyros but with leeway to run Stalwart and the Unbroken much as before."

"...It's a better deal than the Chorus or Disfavored have offered us. Would your Archon of War agree to it?"

"He'll want concessions. Return of all prisoners, including those in Sentinel Stand. Return of armor and weapons looted from Disfavored bodies. But his junior officers will be much more problematic than the General."

"...I don't buy it. I don't see the trick, but I can see there is one. You have an angle."

"Know much about Archons? Ashe before he was Graven? I have a legacy to establish. But if you want proof of good faith... Ask."

"...Eliminate the Scarlet Chorus in Trapper's Junction. Then we'll talk."

"Verse, who leads them?"

"Jagged Remedy. A mad dog crossed with a Sage. No regrets here."

"Then we shall be back soon."

Jagged Remedy knows a great deal about anatomy and healing, almost all learned while 'treating' painful wounds that turned deadly in his care. He is also quite willing to teach others to fight more effectively, with no fear of a coup, because the fear of his experimentation is strong enough to keep his gang in line.

He was trying to recruit the local Unbroken. Partly through capturing prisoners and torturing them, to demonstrate the price of refusing to be recruited.

He and his gang are tough, but not tough enough.

"Done," Kohl says simply when he returns about an hour later. "His sword," and he underhands it in a slide across the stone. "If you want it. Some prisoners on the way."

"I don't think we do," one says after touching it, "I can feel his madness in it already. We'll have our medic ready for them."

Mattias returns. "Come sit down, if you'll give me your word not to start a fight in my camp. There are some things we can discuss."