"Think nothing of it," he says, and winks when Barik glances away.

And then he and the rest of his people are off again, back to Mattias.

"You made it happen. Quickly, too. I'm impressed."

"I didn't survive the Edict of Execution by being bad at wrangling Archons," he says, so calmly and matter-of-factly that you can almost forget how much of a brag it is.

"I suppose you'd have to be. I'm prepared to accept your offer as proposed. We'll have a dozen men with you at Sentinel Stand, with more ready to follow if the way stays open. If you want a half-dozen Disfavored as well, that's agreeable."

"It is. I'll bring some of their elite. It was suggested to me that Janos might have better luck convincing the - 'Regnal Unbroken', I'm calling them - to stand aside for you to pass sentence. Based on nobility of blood."

"That's plausible. I'll talk with him about it - he's suspicious of you."

"Understandably. No rush. Did you speak to Elia?"

"I did. She's on board, but the man she sent is less so. Gregos is not a calm man. If it comes to blades, please try to take him prisoner."

"Could I take Elia with me?"

He shakes his head.  "She's needed by Sentinel Stand now. No offense, but we don't trust the ceasefire overly much. If the Disfavored break it, early or when there's a break in the storm, we want to be ready."

"Regrettable, but understandable. I'll be sure to have a treaty ready afterward, for more certainty. Is Gregos lettered?"

"He is; I'll get you some written orders for him. Beyond that, Irentis's scouts thought they'd located the Dauntless further northeast along the Oldwalls. We don't have a precise location, and the scouts didn't make it back, with no enemy activity in the area noted - and who knows why Champion Obelos was up that way at all. But it's what we have."

"It is still helpful. Thank you."

So he finds his way through the Rust Canyons to the Oldwalls, and the fairly obvious breach where Gregos is based. It may be for the best that Barik has not yet rejoined them. (Verse hangs toward the back of the group as well.)

"Gregos. We should have words. And I have some from Mattias."

"He has thrown in with you like Elia, then, has he, Stormcaller?"

"He has. An independent Stalwart is a mirage, now; it will be hammered with as many Edicts as needed until it bows or becomes wasteland. But an autonomous Stalwart, sworn to neither army but to one below Kyros nonetheless: that is achievable. He needed little convincing; I think he had already seen the futility."

"And why should I trust his judgment, when it means truce with the army which has besieged us and service to the man who ravaged us."

"I did all I could to soften the blow. Try to convince Straydus that he would be a martyr if he died before it began. And now I'm here to stop the damn thing. I don't need your help. But I want you to stand aside."

He puts his hand on his hilt. "And if I'm not inclined to?"

"Then I will take down every one of you who does not surrender, and cut apart whichever ones I must."

There is now a fan of heavily armored Fatebinder, enormous black Beastwoman, and Scarlet Fury, with two obvious spellcasters behind them. Some of the other Unbroken look intimidated.

"We," loudly declares a Sage standing a dozen feet back behind Gregos, "are staying out of this."

"I expected no less from you coward," Gregos growls, "Unbroken! Charge!"

He has eight with him. Three of them obey.

The fight is quick. One of them takes a bad hit to the temple and is dead instantly, one will never walk right again, and Gregos's shield hand gets a bronze shard in it and may never bend right. But they didn't all die.

"Yield," Kohl says, "and Mattias decides your fate. Refuse, and I pass sentence."

"Motherless dog. ...Fine, I yield."

"Thank you. You three- " pointing to half those who stood back "Give the dead his rites, then escort these two back to Rust Canyons. You two will remain and keep Gregos under guard until Mattias sends a party to collect him. Understood?"