Look, brethers!
As the Undermether promised.
He comes bearing an unspoiled ovum!
Hush.
Kneel before the Harbinger.
Ruk
It’s not far… your quarry.
I can hear it… skittering.
I do not like it.
Whatever it is…
It’s not from this land… or this world.
Perhaps this… creature…
It came… from the heavens?
With the Blessed Mether?
You’ve come far.
The matron…
... will not be pleased.
She once protected these lands.
The eggs, too.
Until she was gravely wounded.
By some… strange, tentacled creature.
In time, she healed…
With the help of those… frog-lickers.
But she paid dearly.
You’ll see… what remains of her.
You’ll see… what remains of her.
Up ahead… you’ll face an ugly truth.
A lost child who could not be saved.
The matron’s firstborn…
We tried to save him.
The disciples snatched him in the night.
But the child killed them…
Ate them.
He is no more than a great maw.
With one purpose.
To feed… and grow… endlessly.
Prepare yourself.
The prince is near.
I heard great wings… buzzing.
That can only mean one thing….
The Scholar-Prince…
I still remember him.
He was… our first mistake.
My old master… Sariel… the alchemist...
This was his doing.
The prince's mother was very sick.
So he sought sages and wise-men.
We were chosen.
We thought we could do no wrong.
The prince was kind-hearted.
He would not let us test on his subjects…
Or his mother.
So we tested our cure on him.
And he was punished.
For our foolishness.
See for yourself….
What our hubris did…
To the kind prince.
You hear that?
Down below… the screams.
The pain.
I cannot bear it.
The agony… it sounds familiar.
I feel… guilty?
But… I don’t know why?
I must go.
You must put an end to this… misery.
Careful.
It’s quiet.
No brigands.
Not even a mouse.
Something’s wrong.
I… can’t explain it.
But I feel as if… there’s something…
That I should remember.
Something dangerous.
Something’s wrong.
Up ahead.
You see him?
A conqueror who wished to be a god.
He reigned for a century.
Until he perished.
His followers could not accept it.
They knew not what to do...
Without their tyrant.
They stitched him back together.
Made him anew.
And now this… “life”… is his reward.
Look at you.
What now, crow?
Let me help you.
All “dressed” up.
But where are you going?
Hm? Come.
Come! Look.
A lone egg… on the verge of spoiling.
Perhaps the Harbinger can cleanse it?
Hm... this is what you were hatched for.
Go on.
Hm... this is what you were hatched for.
You've come far.
Look.
You're nervous?
Don't worry. You'll get used to it.
Now go.
Go ahead, Harbinger.
Now down you go!
Off you go!
Go! Spread wings!
Look at you.
(sigh) What do you want, crow?
Let me help you.
All “dressed” up.
But where are you going?
Hm? Come.
Many perish, hunting for eggs... the Ova.
But you’re no mortal.
Off you go!
You know…
I once thought I’d find the eggs.
The Ova.
All on my own.
But few remain.
And even fewer are unguarded.
Go ahead, Harbinger.
More eggs are out there.
We must keep searching.
What? Go on then.
Go on already.
Go ahead, Harbinger.
This is your new home.
Keep at it.
Go ahead, Harbinger.
I thought I’d find the eggs myself, but…
At least I found you.
I brought you gift.
Go on. Take it.
What’s next… Harbinger?
Come. Let me help you.
You’ve done well.
Perhaps you really are this… Harbinger.
Do not mourn.
Your true disciples are waiting.
You may call me... Ruk.
If you… had a mouth.
Keep going.
We must get you to your new home.
You found him.
Ended him.
Good.
Better than he deserved
Seeing him…
I remember things.
The prince we failed.
The miner we… “remade.”
How many others did we harm?
I suppose… I deserve this.
What he did to me.
I should have stopped him.
Perhaps you can use him…
For some good.
… Rickart?
Is that… you?
I… I am Ruk.