Heart of Tyre: Episode 22

### Reddit Thread

***Heart of Tyre* Episode 22** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on January 4, 2021, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on April 21, 2021.

## Summary

Summary by av5hadow, copied from Verum Weekly:

Koga appears and severs the Violet hand that’s been controlling the Neverend. He places his servant in a safe place and restores the Tops to their full strength. He then introduces himself to the party. Derok worries that a Herald of any Color could end up becoming like the Violet Herald. Koga summons a circle of shadow and tells Ives: “If you are truly worthy, then you know what you can do.” Ives hesitates, echoing Derok's doubts, but Koga says: “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” Koga beckons Ives to place his hand into the shadow if he is willing to become his Herald. Ives says that it will be up to himself to break the cycle but places his trust in his allies to stop him if he doesn’t. After getting support from the Tops, he reaches in and pulls out a bandana. He dons it, and a soft glow of Indigo surrounds the would-be Herald. Indigo light envelops the scar, and all but Ives disappear. He faces the final trial alone.

Hasagi Okotai steps out from the crystal and speaks. He invites Ives for some tea and sets up a ceremonial tea set. As the two drink the tea, they talk about their homelands. Okotai is from the land of Okai from the world of Rampart, and he was a skilled warrior who was travelling with a thief, Jubei. The two eventually settled in Tousei where the local lord promoted Okotai to a samurai. However, Jubei had stolen a drink from the lord’s son, and when he was arrested, he vomited on the young lord. Therefore the lord ordered Okotai to kill Jubei. Sometime later, Okotai couldn’t bear the guilt and ran out during a snowy night. He came upon a beautiful lake where he saw Jubei’s face. Okotai talked to his old friend until he succumbed to the cold. Ives and Okotai exchange more words before they stand up. The two of them walk several feet back. Okotai brandishes his spears, each one connected to a chain. The tea set vanishes, and the duel begins.

(A duel is a series of clashes. Each one is dependent on abilities, circumstances, and outlanding factors. As both combatants are martially inclined, this duel is based on attack rolls.)

Okotai attempts to close the distance, but an arrow pushes the samurai back. He leaps into the air and throws his spears. One catches Ives’ coat, pinning him down. Ives immediately rolls free of the coat. Okotai dodges the arrows launched at him and jumps at Ives, locking his spears with Ives’ bow. After compliments are exchanged, Okotai jumps away. Distracted by an arrow that flies by, another arrow bounces off the ground and pierces his shoulder. He then pulls the arrow with his teeth and goes in for another melee. However, Ives parries all of the blows with his bow and delivers a headbutt to the face, knocking the samurai away. Ives takes this time to fire another arrow and slices Okotai’s cheek. Okotai laughs, and his eyes glow with amber light. Spectral rose petals spin around his spears as he activates Falling Flowers, jumping over Ives. Spectral spears rain down as Ives drops his bow and pulls out his Flaming Longsword. A wind of flame and fire wilts away the petals, negating the attack. Okotai then rushes down Ives, piercing his leg before knocking him back. The honorable samurai throws Ives’ bow back to its owner. Ives catches his bow and reaches towards his quiver. It’s empty, but he still has ammo. In the next moment, Okotai finds himself impaled with the Flaming Longsword.

Hasagi Okotai thanks Ives, and the sword falls to the ground. Ives walks up to where the samurai was and returns the thanks. As Ives stands up from reaching for his weapon, the badana turns into a spectral crown, and he dons the Regalia of the Indigo Herald. The Tops and Koga return and the party gains a level, reaching Level 12.

The Tops ask Koga about his origins and learn that he is from outside the iterations. Koga also reveals that the broken Covenant is Mercy but doesn’t inform them on how it was broken, only that the Prism was broken. Koga replaces Neve’s Shadow Blade spell with the Umbral Blades spell. Derok asks Koga to remove the demonic presence in him. Koga pulls the mask from Derok, and the demon returns to his Vega self. Derok thanks Koga for releasing him from the vengeance, terror, guilt, and pain of the memories. The thing that hasn’t been removed is the visage of the Cardinal that rests on Derok's chest. Derok renounces his position in Abbadon and even expresses his disgust with the Abbadon donuts.

Morc asks Koga if the Violet eye would kill him. Koga looks into the eye, recognizing it belongs to someone he knows. Something then speaks through Morc. “One of Seven. Seek thee truth in twain. Deep beneath the waves. Into it came. But none remains. A Seven found again.” After a brief discussion on what happened, the Violet emerges at the Scar’s edges. A terrifying and distorted voice speaks, but only Koga can understand it. Koga picks up the Neverend and opens a portal back to camp. As everyone goes through, he sees the Scar cracking and turning to dust.

## Featured Characters

### Main Characters

* Lord Antonius Volnaris
* Ives
* Neve
* Madd Morc
* Seren

### Returning

* The Neverend
* Koga the Thief