A Reaper at the Gates

Grimarr meets with Marcus, Helene, and the others and tells them to accept defeat so their prisoners will be spared. Marcus refuses, and Grimarr vows to take the city by the Grain Moon. Marcus commands everyone to defend the western gate, telling Keris that Helene will decide her duties. Helene tells Keris to defend the eastern wall and warns her not to betray them. Keris replies that Helene doesn’t know what she wants.

Hearing panicked shouts, Helene races to the wall and sees Karkaun priests chanting around pyres while Karkaun soldiers throw women and children into the flames. With a ghastly howl, the pyres stop burning, and the victims’ ghosts rise to possess the soldiers, who move with unnatural speed, jumping over the defense pikes. Seeing the Karkauns’ inhuman strength, Helene starts an evacuation. Some Karkauns fall amid a renewed attack, but most evade the assault. The Karkauns pick up flaming missiles with their hands, throwing them at the Martial army. They destroy buildings and begin climbing the walls as Helene prepares another attack.