Chapter 29: And Where My Final Footsteps Fall

Image Description: A broken statue lies in water, plants creeping up around its throat. The caption reads, ‘Once you become useful, it’s remarkable how much people are willing to forgive.’ - Mason.

## Credits

### Featured Voices

* JV Hampton Van-Sant as Gage
* Sarah Griffin as Adjudicator Shrue
* Méabh de Brún as Carpenter
* Mark Anzalone as Brother Fade
* B. Narr as Faulkner
* Daphne Nitsuga as Mercer
* Sarah Golding as Acantha
* Jimmie Yamaguchi as Hayward
* Lucille Valentine as Paige
* William A. Wellman as Chuck Harm
* Cait Gallagher as Thurrocks
* Jamie Stewart as Mason

### Featured Music

Outro: Return to the River by Skip Kent-Davy

## Meta Data

### Content Warnings

This episode contains scenes of very intense bloody violence.

## Description

### End Of The Siege

Gunshots, heavy breathing and the peeling of the bell. They’ve taken the Gulch, and the renegades have fled into the water. Gage states that they’ve taken heavy casualties. They’re resupplying and plan to pursue them. Shrue, over the radio, tells Gage to stop. They are urgent.

Carpenter leads the evacuees. Faulkner took up the rear with a few other disciples. He has yet to join them. Brother Fade asks if he should hang back and Carpenter tells him to keep moving. She will hang back for him. Faulkner uses the walkie-talkie to tell Thurrocks they’re clear. He doesn’t get a response from her. The bells stop. Mercer launches herself at Faulkner, attacking him ruthlessly. She’s injured. She unslings her rifle and hits him with it. Faulkner pleads with her not to do this. There’s a rustle in the long grass. Mercer pauses, wondering if it's the Beast. It’s Carpenter. She barrels into her and they roll down the hill. Carpenter gets the upper hand when they land in the water. She punches her and Mercer draws her knife. Faulkner runs towards them, he has the rifle. He warns Mercer against taking another step. Gage tells them to stop. Mercer tells Gage to shoot them both, but Gage tells them the hunt is over. Mercer is furious and distraught. Gage begs her to stop. Mercer accuses Gage of being just like them. She’s angry and full of hatred. Gage raises their rifle and shoots Mercer. Carpenter and Faulkner are stunned into silence. Gage leaves. Carpenter gets up, with Faulkner’s help. She stares after Gage wondering what just happened.

### Shrue's Office

Shrue flips through their speech, occasionally pausing mid sentence. They take a long drink of whiskey. It appears they are going to back the war after all. Mason has succeeded. Air raid sirens begin to sound outside.

### Carpenter Buries The Homesick Corpse

Carpenter is digging, the Homesick Corpse moans. Carpenter apologises to the Corpse. She asks what it was, and it responds that it was human. She asks what it did while it was alive. She asks what the Corpse regrets. The Corpse says it regrets not expressing their love for others. Carpenter shares that sentiment. She asks if the Corpse is ready to go home, and it tells her it is. She lays the corpse in the grave and begins to pray. It is more emotional than last time.

Carpenter dials Acantha at the phone booth. She tells her that she doesn’t feel better, despite her task being complete. Acantha asks her who told her she would feel better. Acantha tells her she hasn’t learnt patience, few good things come quickly. Fewer things last. She asks Carpenter what she wants to do next. Carpenter knows she can’t stay with the Parish, they’re not her people anymore. She’s not fit for the Cairn Maiden either. Carpenter doesn’t know where she’s meant to be. Acantha says she can come home and they can discuss things. Carpenter accepts that, and thanks her. She tells her she’ll set off shortly. She wants to speak to Faulkner before she leaves. As she speaks to her air raid sirens sound.

### In The Linger Straits

Paige and Hayward wash ashore. Hayward jumps into the water and pushes the boat onto the sand. Hayward begs Paige to respond to him. She does, and he asks her if she’s still her. Paige is confused. Hayward laughs in relief, and gives her water. Paige lies that she doesn’t remember anything. She asks where they are, and Hayward says they’re home. Air raid sirens in the distance. Hayward says they need to get off the beach. They begin to walk up the beach.

The radio: Chuck Harm states that CLS troops are gathering at the border. The country is united. The Many Below has attacked Old Black Crow Incorporated. They report on Dennis Duplass’ death. The radio cuts out.

### Mason's Death

In the Gulch, Faulkner is stopped by disciples thanking him. He sees Brother Fade, and offers condolences to him for his twin brother. Fade asks why they retreated. Faulkner states that the authorities’ priorities have probably changed since war was declared. Fade wonders what that will mean for them. Faulkner has no response, he assumes the Gulch isn’t safe anymore. Faulkner needs sleep. He asks if Fade has seen Thurrocks. He hasn’t. Faulkner leaves. When he reaches his room, Mason waits inside. Thurrocks is with him. Mason tells Faulkner that he has been told Faulkner behaved well during the Siege of the Gulch. Faulkner asks Mason how he stopped it. Faulkner calls him a miracle-worker, it’s not a compliment. Mason says he’s heard Carpenter is alive. Mason tells him he’s making a mess of the contemporary canon. There’s a hint of affection in Mason’s voice when he speaks of Carpenter. Mason tells Faulkner that none of this would have been possible without him, and his Wither Mark. The Adjudicator’s will have the Wither Mark. Mason happily announces that the Parish is legalised. Faulkner is shocked. Thurrocks’ betrayal is revealed. Faulkner is in shock. He wonders what they’ll tell the Parish. Mason says they will tell them different things. Faulkner is silent for a moment before stating that Mason has killed the Parish. Mason tells him he has done the opposite. He tells him that he still has use for Faulkner. Mason tells him he’s kept his promise, the arrangements for Faulkner to become a Katabasian is underway. Faulkner rejects this. He stops Mason from leaving. Faulkner launches himself at Mason. Thurrocks begs Faulkner to stop. Faulkner kills Mason. Thurrocks sounds the alarm. Faulkner looks up at her, asking if he gave her permission to do so. Faulkner kills her too. He returns to himself, and realises what he’s done. Carpenter enters. They stare at each other. Carpenter is horrified, and in the face of it Faulkner is ashamed. Carpenter accepts the situation, she wants to help him. She asks for Faulkner to help. Faulkner doesn’t move. He apologises to her, and it suddenly dawns on Carpenter what’s about to happen. She begs him not to do this. Faulkner yells for help, claiming that Carpenter killed Mason. The alarm blares. The episode ends.

## References

1. ↑ Episode Release Announcement on Tumblr
2. ↑ Official episode synopsis at https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/5fec690f8211cf453a1b89e2