History TearJerker / FlowersOfEtrea

-->"Ascention!" I can barely remember my culture, but that word echoes in my mind. When a Scalekin performs a great deed, they join our God, Majukan...and become a dragon. As a slave's child, I would pray for a chance to be free. I wanted to eat. I wanted my enemies dead. Majukan did not answer my pleas...[[StartOfDarkness but someone did.]]

* In

* Sislo thinking Tetheril got fatally shot by Ondiox thanks to Chela's illusion magic. It causes him to regress into a raged-fuelled monster as he rips his enemies apart. Chela forces Tetheril to smile and watch as he man fails to uphold the promise he made through no fault of his own. At least, until Tetheril stops it herself.

* Greiri confessing to Ovar that even if she's able to kill the one who gave the order to destroy her village, [[AndThenWhat she has no idea what comes next, nor does she feel like she deserves to know.]]

* Once the flashback's over, it's pretty obvious that Sislo has absolutely no hope that Tetheril will forgive him for lying about being part of the reason the world's gone to Hell for so long. He outright states that he doesn't deserve her [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments before she proves him dead wrong.]]

** After so many years of killing hundreds alongside the Iron Industry, Sislo was tasked with killing dryads...and seeing an innocent civilian stand in his way [[HeelRealization made him realize that there was NOTHING righteous about what he was doing.]] And what's his reward for defying orders? Getting mauled by Zama (and getting that x-shaped chest scar too) and being left for dead.

** Immediately afterwards, we see more of Sislo's backstory, and it isn't pretty. His beginning monologue says it all:

-->"Ascention!" I can barely remember my culture, but that word echoes in my mind. When a Scalekin performs a great deed, they join our God, Majukan...and become a dragon. As a slave's child, I would pray for a chance to be free. I wanted to eat. I wanted my enemies dead. Majukan did not answer my pleas...[[StartOfDarkness but someone did.]]

** If you think about it, [[MetaphoricallyTrue Sislo WASN'T lying about being Ondiox's slave.]] The Druden took him in, and basically exploited his desire for freedom and food to get what he wanted. And when Sislo abandoned that, he abandoned him. The Cherufe's life is certefiably screwed up.

** The AwfulTruth. The reveal of what exactly happened during Sislo's time in the Iron Industry. Unlike what he told Tetheril, in that he was a slave forced to commit atrocities in Ondiox's name, it's SO much worse than that. Turns out, he wasn't just a part of the industry, HE HELPED FORM IT.

--->'''Sislo:''' [[IWillDoAnything You can do whatever you want with me, Ondiox]]...just don't hurt my wife!

--->'''Sislo:''' [[PleaseIllDoAnything You can do whatever you want with me, Ondiox]]...just don't hurt my wife!

--->'''Sislo:''' [[IllDoAnything You can do whatever you want with me, Ondiox]]...just don't hurt my wife!

** That day, Ondiox has Sislo beaten down and ForcedToWatch as he unveils the truth to Tetheril, a woman he could snap like a twig. All Sislo can do is scream for him to stop.

** The AwfulTruth. The reveal of what exactly happened during Sislo's time in the Iron Industry. Unlike what he told Tetheril, in that he was a slave forced to commit atrocities in Ondiox's name, it's SO much worse than that.

* After Sislo learns that Ondiox is waiting for him, he finds himself unable to resist his offer. He also realizes that he won't be able to keep any secrets from Tetheril any longer. It is this that leads to perhaps the saddest moment in the story...

* While at a bar, Terethil talks to Greiri, and tries to urge her to not pursue vengeance, and instead fight for justice and help others. Greiri immediately pulls her in and mocks her naivete, telling her that if her kind really cared about harmony, they would have tried and destroyed their oppressors. She does apologize for the outburst, but even Ovar can tell that the human's grief has consumed her.

** When she heals her father at that point after some BloodFromTheMouth is seen on him. It's clear that her old man has been sick for a long time, making her current quest all the more personally important.

** The cover art for this chapter. Sislo looking forlorn at what he's witnessed, Tetheril sitting in sorrow in the empty child's room, and Greiri with her arms around a tombstone no doubt belonging to one of her fallen family members.

** The fact that Sislo doesn't fight back at all as Greiri continues to pummel him, all while shrieking at him to do so. While it's certainly him picking the moral high ground, it eventually fades into her just collapsing and bemoaning how much it hurts to live. [[NotSoDifferentRemark Sislo tells her he knows the feeling]], and encourages her to live so that her family's death doesn't amount to nothing.

** While that's happening, Terethil stumbles upon a room with a small bed, a photo of Greiri and a child (no doubt her child)...and a cup that smells like deadly nightshade right next to it. [[MercyKill Little doubt what occured here.]] Greiri has truly lost everything in the worst ways.

* Greiri. The last resident of Frostbridge. She watched as everyone she knew and loved, her husband included, was slaughtered by the Druden. When Sislo and Tetheril find her, she amicably lets them stay...then, when Terethil's out of sight, [[DeathSeeker demands that Sislo kill her]]. When he refuses, she attacks him, screaming at him to do the job as their fight escalates.

* When the two get to Frostbridge, they find the human village...or rather, [[GhostTown what's left of it.]] Ravaged buildings and corpses are everywhere, and [[EmpathyDollShot there's even a ripped stuffed bunny in the snow.]] Terethil's driven to tears at the sight, and Sislo immediately recognizes it as the work of the Iron Industry.

* When the two get to Frostbridge, they find the human village...or rather, [[GhostTown what's left of it.]] Ravaged buildings and corpses are everywhere, and [[EmpatheticDollShot there's even a ripped stuffed bunny in the snow.]] Terethil's driven to tears at the sight, and Sislo immediately recognizes it as the work of the Iron Industry.

* During and after the fight with Zama, Sislo makes a point that not only is the zealot unfit to ascend and become a dragon, but [[HeroicSelfDeprecation so is he.]] As far as he's concerned, there is no salvation for slaves, let alone anyone like him. It almost causes him to break down before the sight of Tetheril snaps him out of it.

* When you think about it, the way everything is DeliberatelyMonochrome. FridgeSadness kicks in when you consider that this is more or less a symbol of how much of a vice grip the Iron Industry has on the world, depleting it of its resources, its land, and its happiness. The beginning with the Druden harassing the citizen in the shack (which the Iron Industry built for the people to saddle them with debt in the first place) only scratches the surface of how tyrannical this empire is.