The Mighty Nein

Previously on The Mighty Nein...

You have a mission.

My contact has a name.

The head of the Volstrucker.

Molly, we need a packed house tonight,

or the carnival is done.

Toya the Vivid Voice!

So long as I have these,

he is within my complete control.

The beetles.

He's out of my control.

- My pearl! - Gustav.

Hands where we can see them!

Where's your mother been?

When am I? Which life?

You know the queen will execute you if she discovers you have Typhros.

Presumably, whoever stole the Beacon

plans to use it.

And only a Dunamancer can show them how.

All I see is a mechanism.

We will work nicely together.

Six carnival-goers, dead.

A monster on the loose.

You telling us you had nothing to do with it?

That's right, I make a point of killing my closest friends at least once a week.

A joke? You making a joke?

Nein.

What did you say to me?

Nein.

We don't speak Zemnian, scumbag.

What were you doing in that tent?

I told you, Officer, we were just passing through.

We paused for some entertainment.

And leaving trails of bodies is entertainment for you, sicko?

You got nothing on me.

I didn't even have a weapon.

Unless you count these pythons.

You guys, this is just like a true crime novel.

Two hot-headed dicks cranking up the pressure on the perp until she breaks.

Ooh, which one of you is the bad cop?

I'd take this seriously, miss.

B-T-Dubs, your handcuffs are super janky.

The ones Mama uses are so much harder to get out of.

And fluffier.

This is profiling, you racist assholes!

Well, maybe not you, big boy.

The goblin and the hobo? No fucking way. I work alone.

I swear, their bodies changed.

I know nothing.

Why would I turn the audience into reptiles?

They pay my salary.

Technically, you should give us a reward.

Maybe a parade.

Wanna give me a cavity search?

Make sure I'm not hiding anything?

Shut up! We didn't find any reptile corpses.

And a dozen witnesses saw you blow open a hole

so the creature escaped.

You're clearly some kind of

criminal gang. Now give me a name for the booking sheet.

Uh, our name?

Fuck off.

None of us are in a gang.

Oh yeah, we are called...

The Sensual Seven.

There's only six of you.

Don't forget the Traveler.

There's water next to the piss bucket.

Get cozy.

Nein, not the necklace.

I-I need it.

Why? What's it do?

More of your vile sorcery?

Ha. Thought so.

- Hmm. - Please.

Please spare a little goblin girl. I'm so hungover.

Yeah? You want your booze, sweetie?

Oh, yes. Thank you, kind sir.

Ahh. Too bad, goblin scum.

Don't worry. You'll get it back.

- Or not. - No... no, please.

Just a sip. Just a...

sip.

- Nice. - I'll rip your fuckin' lungs out,

you pig! Hear me, shit-bird?

When I get out, I'm gonna wear your face as a diaper!

Whoa, can you take it down a notch, green?

Ah, you little fuck.

It was an accident.

Oh, an accident?

Like you two swiping my horse? And my pearl?

Yeah, you dumbass fucking thieves, you belong in here.

And you...

shitheads are interfering with an important mission!

Oh, what mission?

Finding more halter tops to show off your abs?

Sorry, my friend makes jokes when she is nervous.

She means no offense.

Huh.

Yeah, real funny.

We will need to keep our wits about us to get out of here, ja?

I just need a drink, is all.

Traveler, this place

is unbelievable. Rusty bars,

the persistent smell of urine, ruffians.

It's the coolest!

Uh, who is she talking to?

Her god.

The Traveler would

love it here. It's just like this book we read,

Escape of the Chained Harlots.

Ooh! Fjord, do you want to be my bitch?

What? Jester, how are you so happy right now?

Lord Sharpe is still looking for us,

and we can't get to Zadash if we're locked up.

Not with that attitude, sailor.

Oh, also,

Fjord is a mighty ship captain, so you should probably salute him.

That guy?

Nah. Look at those hands.

Yeah,

I got more callouses on my cooch.

Watch your mouth, you little--

Oh, what are you gonna do, whip me with your noodle arms?

Just 'cause you're a kid don't mean I won't--

Can you control your... friend, daughter, whatever?

Would you all politely go fuck yourselves?

This may be a joke to you people,

but I lost everything tonight. You swore

you wouldn't make trouble, and now my carnival, my friends,

and the only ones that ever gave a shit about me are gone.

And that's your fault.

And yours. And yours.

And yours.

So sure, have a laugh over your imaginary friend,

and your liquor and your insults.

Just keep it the fuck down, please.

Listen, nobody wants to be here.

I got a job to do.

You two need to hit the road.

The hobo's cranky about his weird necklace.

You wanna get shit-faced.

Sing it, sister.

And you have a friend to bury.

Which, sure,

we all take some blame for, right?

But none of that shit's gonna happen

if we sit in this cell sniping at each other.

What exactly are you proposing?

Simple. We bust out.

A jailbreak?

Oh, my God. This is the best day of my life.

If we can bring back that Devil Toad's head on a platter,

they'll know we weren't part of this.

And you'll get your stuff back, and I'll get my pearl.

Huh, that seems like a lot of work.

It also took that girl, the handler.

Toya.

The creature took her when it left.

I know your other friends are gone,

but maybe we can still save her.

How? And with what?

The guards have our weapons.

Not all of 'em.

Eee! Ooh!

A consecuted soul has been marked,

ritually, for resurrection.

Upon death, the body is discarded.

But the soul is preserved

within the Luxon Beacon, held in stasis.

Until a child is born,

and that soul transfers into the new body,

and begins its life again.

Later, in adolescence,

memories of their past lives return

like a flood unleashed in their mind.

And the cycle continues

for eternity.

Hmm.

Eloquent presentation, Essek. But how does it function?

My Volstrucker's soul, it was consumed by the Beacon.

How?

Was he struck by it? The dunamantic explosion?

He was. A casualty of war.

Then it claimed his soul with no ritual.

- Excellent. - Explain.

That proves it can be bypassed with science.

It will take time,

but if we can come up with a theoretical framework

to analyze the energy profile, perhaps--

Hmm. I thought we could just start.

Surely, you didn't think we would just study together?

Go on. Activate it.

It is open,

but I cannot hold it for long.

There, his soul.

I see it.

Now, as I showed you.

Conduct it toward the Beacon.

Ayeth tou-reen. Ouubas.