Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Keeper of the Underworld,
hear our prayer.
Though we walk in this world,
we live only
to extinguish the light.
We bow before you
and faithfully do
your bidding.
Sisters,
twice now
Nicci has failed
to kill
the Mother Confessor.
She shames us all
in the eyes of the Keeper.
But we can succeed
where she has failed.
How?
By taking her han.
She's too powerful.
Which is why we need
to increase our strength.
Some of you will have to
sacrifice your han.
How will we decide?
We've already decided.
Great Keeper
of the Underworld,
as I walk on the path
to eternal darkness,
grant me the strength
to carry your will.
Merissa,
do you really think
your han can compete with mine?
I'm not here to compete
with your han,
I'm here to take it.
There are only four
of you.
Either you overestimate
your power,
or you underestimate mine.
Each of us already killed
two Sisters.
And each
of those two Sisters
had previously killed five.
So you see, Nicci,
the odds aren't 4-to-1,
but 40-to-1.
Sister Nicci.
Lord Rahl,
have I displeased the Keeper?
The stench of your failure
passes through the veil
to sicken him even
in the Underworld.
Yet there is one way
you may regain his favor.
Tell me.
Bring me the Stone of Tears.
Lord Rahl,
the compass which points
to the Stone of Tears only works
in the hands of the Seeker.
Well, then, if you cannot
control the compass,
you must find a way
to control the Seeker.
What about
the Mother Confessor?
Prophecy says that the Keeper
is doomed to fail
as long as
her pure heart beats.
We can address
the problem
of the Mother Confessor's
beating heart
once you get the Stone
from the Seeker.
I may know a way
to control the Seeker,
find the Stone,
and kill
the Mother Confessor.
A strand of
the Mother Confessor's hair.
You have served
the Keeper well.
What's wrong?
Oh, I just didn't sleep
very well.
Cara probably won't be back
from her hunt
for a little while
if you want to get more rest.
I'm sure it will be fine.
Richard.
I was chasing a buck.
I found something better.
Where are the rest
of your Sisters?
Answer him.
Cara, stop!
What has she done to me?
She's cast
the Maternity Spell.
It replicates the connection
between the mother
and a child in the womb.
Whatever happens to the mother
happens to the child.
Kahlan's survival is now
completely dependent upon mine.
A spell of that magnitude would
require all of your han.
She can't use any other magic.
I don't need any other magic
to get what I want.
An Alkalis stone.
I'm sure you know it's deadly.
If you don't do as I say,
all I have
to do is bite down,
and the Mother Confessor
will die.
And what is it
that you want?
You're going to lead me
to the Stone of Tears.
And if any of you attempt
to follow us Kahlan will die.
And so will you.
I serve the Keeper.
I'm not afraid of death.
Neither are the four
powerful Sisters of the Dark
who are trying to kill me
and take my han.
Since I can't use my magic,
I need your protection.
If you want her to live.
Kill her.
Cara can bring me back
with the breath of life.
To revive her,
you'd have to revive me,
and we'd be right back
where we started.
I'm going to the bridge now
and if you're not with me
by the time I get there,
the Mother Confessor and I
will meet the Keeper together.
We can't let her do this.
She's using my life
as a weapon against you.
Right now
we don't have a choice.
Zedd will find
a way to undo the spell.
Whatever happens,
do not let her
get the Stone.
I won't let anything
happen to you.
Then you'd best not let
anything happen to her.
Do you know how
to break the spell?
I do, but--
But what?
The only way to break
the bond is to re-establish
the stronger bond.
The one with
Kahlan's real mother.
My mother is dead.
There may still be a way.
The Maternity Spell extends
through death.
So does the bond
with your mother.
I could summon her spirit
from the Underworld.
I'd be able to see
her again?
It wouldn't last
more than a few moments,
but it may just long enough
for me to re-establish
the bond
and break the spell.
Then do it.
Conjuring the dead
isn't that simple.
It's a complicated spell.
It requires many ingredients,
the most important being
an object that belonged
to your mother.
Something she treasured.
When Dennee and I left home,
we were lucky to get away
with the clothes
on our backs.
My father has everything
my mother owned.
Do you know where
we can find him?
Last I heard,
he was living in Gramalia.
Even if we find the Stone
and you destroy it,
even if you kill yourself
and take Kahlan with you,
you won't win.
Your fight against
the Keeper is futile.
In the end, he will win.
He always does.
Life is fleeting,
death is eternal.
They found us.
Run.
Gramalia's just over
that ridge.
My father's estate
is just west of that river.
If he's still there.
How long has it been?
Fifteen years.
Close family.
Cara.
It's all right.
When my father was
confessed to my mother,
of course he was completely
devoted to us.
But when she died,
we found out who he really was.
I was 5.
Dennee was only 3.
He forced us to confess people
so he could build
his own fortune.
Men with wives,
families,
turned into slaves.
They gave him
everything they had.
There was one man, Devon.
When we confessed him,
his wife was devastated.
She begged us to give her
husband back to her.
I remember thinking
that next to my mother
she was the most
beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
My father thought so too.
He made us confess her
and order her to his bed.
You had a power, he didn't.
You could have confessed him.
I know that now,
but he was this huge,
terrifying man, and--
You shouldn't talk
about this, Kahlan.
It's upsetting you.
It's not that.
What is it?
It's Nicci.
Wait, wait.
I've seen this before.
This whole field is loaded
with dragon's breath mines
left over from the war.
If we cross it, the Sisters
won't be able to follow us.
They won't need to.
We'll be dead.
I can get us through.
Follow my footsteps exactly.
Hurry, they're getting closer.
We can't go through.
It's too dangerous.
Nicci's been hurt.
Which means Richard's
in danger.
Don't move.
Dragon's breath
doesn't explode
when somebody steps on it,
but when somebody steps off it.
Stay low and don't move.
Now
I'm gonna put down the rock,
you shift your hand.
Do you understand?
Yeah.
Now.
Okay.
Come on.
They're too far.
Don't waste your dacra.
I have another idea.
I've tried every spell I know.
The wound won't heal
until Nicci heals hers
and she can't use any magic.
Then we'll just have to
keep it clean then.
Your father isn't
at the manor.
He moved?
Something like that.
Well, well.
Hello, Father.
If you've come
to pass judgment on me,
you're too late.
I don't need to judge you.
I'm sure you're guilty
of whatever it is
you've been
locked up for and more.
I'm sure you didn't come all
this way just to insult me.
I've come
for my mother's things.
Where are they?
I burned them.
I doubt that.
My mother's jewels
were very valuable.
And as much as you hated
my mother,
we both know you love
wealth more.
Don't you have
a palace filled
with jewels in Aydindril?
What do you want with mine?
They aren't yours.
Unfortunately,
that's true.
They belong to a warlord
named Aramis now.
When Rahl fell, Aramis
seized control of Gramalia
and threw everyone
who opposed him into jail.
My estate was the most
admired in the province,
so Aramis took it,
and everything in it.
Then we'll get
the jewels from him.
Aramis doesn't even know
that he has the jewels.
What do you mean
he doesn't know?
Oh, my dear daughter,
I'm not a fool.
Life has taught me that
in a single moment,
you can lose everything.
I buried the jewels,
your mother's
and all the rest,
on the grounds
for safekeeping.
Where?
Tell me.
Or what?
You'll confess me?
Would you make a love slave
of your own father?
A sorceress put
a dark spell on Kahlan.
Whatever happens to
the sorceress happens to her.
If you don't help us,
your daughter could die.
Hm.
One word
from the Mother Confessor
could get me out
of this hellhole.
and I could
take you there myself.
I can arrange
a short furlough.
That's
That's not good enough.
I lost six years of my life
when I was confessed,
I have wasted months
behind these bars.
I will not lose
any more time.
Do we have a deal?
It's gotten worse.
There's a farm up ahead.
We'll stop there and treat it.
My hand is fine.
You're only
worried about Kahlan.
If you don't
treat this properly,
it's going to fester.
And that'll slow us down,
is that what you want?
How does that feel, dear?
Better.
Thank you.
Why is your husband
destroying his crop?
Our fields have been
overtaken by snakevine.
It feeds on whatever we grow.
A few weeks ago the vines
overran our neighbors' garden,
crept in at the window,
strangled their little boy
while he was playing
in front of the hearth.
Poor child.
You know, the Sword of Truth can
cut through just about anything.
I could help your husband
kill the snakevine.
Bless you, Seeker.
He's been in that
field for days.
Edwin.
Edwin?
Tell them you don't have time.
Edwin, this is the Seeker.
He's going to help us.
I'm so sorry, but I don't have
time to help you after all.
I'll come back as soon as I can.
I could've killed
the snakevine.
It wouldn't have taken long.
Do you always stop along
your quest to help people?
No wonder you haven't found
the Stone of Tears.
Even if you had solved
their problem,
what about the people
at the next farm?
And the next?
You know, just because
I can't help everyone
doesn't mean I shouldn't
help anyone.
That's exactly
where you're wrong.
What would you do with a horse
whose leg was broken?
You'd put it out
of its misery.
This world
is like a lame horse.
Helping people only prolongs
their suffering.
The treasure's in a clearing
past those trees.
If you can catch one
of the guards by surprise
and confess him, you could
order him to kill the rest.
No.
We'll wait until nightfall
and slip in unseen
and get the jewels without
killing or confessing anyone.
Isn't that what you do,
confess people?
You don't know anything
about me.
Frederick, why don't you
and I circle the grounds,
see what we're
up against?
He may be a ***,
but his strategy was sound.
It was brutal and cowardly.
Just like he is.
I believed the worst
about my father,
but I was wrong.
It isn't the same.
You were tortured
into thinking
your father
had betrayed you.
I know what my father did.
I lived through it.
You survived.
It made you stronger.
Cara, I don't want
to talk about it.
I'm sorry,
I didn't mean to snap at you.
I'm just
very tired.
You're exhausted.
We need to stop and rest.
You're only trying to stall
our journey to give
your friends time to
break the spell.
If we keep going without rest,
we won't be able to fight
the Sisters
when they attack again.
It's going to rain soon.
If we spend the night
at the tavern we passed,
by the time we set out
in the morning,
the rain will have
washed away our tracks.
Are you warm enough?
I'm sure Kahlan's very cozy.
But if I get a chill,
I'll let you know.
I'm going to see
if somebody in the tavern
will sell us some horses.
They're changing shifts.
Now's our chance.
You all right?
I'm fine.
Just a little dizzy.
Barkeep.
Get the lady
another glass of wine.
This is the spot.
Can you hold this?
It's heavy.
Just hurry.
Hit me.
You heard me.
If that's what you want.
Kahlan?
Kahlan, are you all right?
Over here!
You're bleeding.
Again.
I can't move.
Get off her!
I was only doing
what the lady asked.
You spoiled all my fun.
Why?
You went back
to help those farmers
even though I told you
not to, didn't you?
Now you know the consequences
of disobeying me.
If you do it again,
Kahlan will pay the price.
You have Kahlan's blood
on your hands, Richard.
But perhaps you'd like
to make it up to her.
Hm?
We can make her feel better.
What kind of monster are you?
Kahlan,
are you all right?
I think it's over.
Do you need to rest?
No.
I feel a little better now.
That should help
the swelling.
I used to take care
of people too.
It's true.
When I was a young novice,
all I wanted to do
was serve the Creator
and become a Sister
of the Light.
To prove I was worthy,
I volunteered to go
on a service mission
and give aid and comfort
to men in prison.
There was one prisoner,
he liked
to hear me sing hymns.
He asked to pray
with me, alone,
and I told the guard
it would be all right.
As soon as he left,
the man
forced himself on me.
I went back to the Prelate
and told her what had happened.
I admitted
I wanted to kill the man.
But the Prelate said
the Creator had given me
a great opportunity
to grant the sacred gift
of forgiveness.
What did you do?
I went back
and tried to forgive him.
I prayed to the Creator to
let the light shine through me,
but the man forced himself
on me again.
I was so ashamed.
I didn't want to tell
the Prelate that I had failed.
But that night,
when I went to sleep,
I dreamed of slicing
his throat with my dacra.
And I knew that was a message
from the Keeper.
A promise that if I served him,
he would protect me.
So the next day,
I went back,
and I slit
the prisoner's throat.
That was the last
rotten breath he ever took.
I didn't feel a shred of guilt
or horror at what I'd done.
All I felt was powerful.
And that's when I knew
I had truly become a Sister.
A Sister of the Dark.
What happened to you
was wrong.
The whole world
is wrong.
That's why the Keeper
wants to end it.
And I thank him every day
for giving me
the strength to help him.
Nicci, you are strong.
But I don't believe
a person's strength
comes from the Keeper
or the Creator.
Your strength is yours
and yours alone.
And what you do with it
is up to you.
I was sure
once I saw her things
that I'd remember,
but I don't even know
which are hers,
let alone which ones meant
anything to her.
When I was under confession,
I bought this for your mother
in celebration of your birth.
And I got her
these earrings to match
when your sister was born.
Your mother wore them
every day.
I can't believe
I forgot.
Maybe there are other things
you don't remember.
I remember enough.
Like when we used to
have lunch together?
And you liked it
when I would cut your apples
in the shapes of stars.
And then I would lift you up
to feed the cores to the horses.
You only did that
because you were confessed.
You're right.
I didn't choose
to be with your mother
or to have children.
I was forced.
You've spent three days subject
to the whims of your sorceress.
I spent six years
confessed to your mother.
Confessors don't choose
honorable men as mates.
So you're saying I deserved it?
Hm.
Look at this.
Her name was Leah.
I made this for her.
Her father was
a stone carver.
And when I asked
for her hand in marriage,
he offered to teach me
everything he knew.
I took to stone carving
right away.
I'd found my calling.
What happened?
My father.
No son of his was
going to be a stone carver.
Or married to
the daughter of one.
Oh, he had more
ambitious plans for me.
He got me a commission
in the Dragon Corps.
I couldn't wait until
my service was finished,
so that I could get back
to what I loved.
But before I could,
your mother confessed me
in battle.
Whatever happened to you,
it doesn't justify
what you did to us.
For years
I was terrified
of what you were going
to force us to do next.
Dennee cried every night,
and I couldn't even comfort her
because you had bound our hands.
There's no excuse
for what I did.
But you should know that
as afraid as you were of me,
I was even more afraid
of both of you.
Knowing that with one touch,
my own children had
the power to destroy me again.
You found something?
Her necklace.
Now all we need is sunlight.
The spell won't work without it.
It'll just be
a few more hours now.
I'll get more wood
for the fire.
That was no ordinary spider.
It was sent by the Sisters
of the Dark.
I only have a few hours left,
at most.
We need to get you
to a healer.
Now.
There's only one thing that
can save me from this poison.
The nectar
of the Midnight Blossom.
It only grows
in complete darkness
in the Caves of Arborea.
We passed those caves yesterday.
It can't be coincidence
that the one thing we need
to save your life
is so close.
It's a trap.
The Sisters will be waiting
for us.
If they wanted you dead,
why not just use
a stronger poison?
They want me to go to the caves
so they can kill me
with their dacras
and steal my han.
We don't have
a choice.
If you don't get that flower,
you'll die.
And so will Kahlan.
You'll be fine once
the spell is removed.
It's Richard
I'm worried about.
Once the spell is broken,
Nicci will be able
to use her magic.
Richard can handle Nicci.
This should help
with the swelling.
Can you speed it up,
Wizard?
If I die,
make sure Richard knows
it wasn't his fault.
You're not going to die.
No! Kahlan.
Hold on, Nicci.
Damn it, Nicci, fight!
Come on, stay with me.
Come on.
Don't do this, don't give up!
Kahlan, I'm right here.
I love you so much.
I love you so much.
Can you hear me, Kahlan?
I love you.
Can you feel this?
And this?
And this?
I love you.
You're alive.
Kahlan?
Can you stand?
I think so.
They're here.
They're trying to smoke us out.
We need your magic
to fight them.
Break the Maternity Spell.
Even if I wanted to,
I don't have time
or the ingredients.
Mama?
My beautiful Kahlan.
There's so much
that I want to tell you,
that I want to ask you.
Kahlan, this won't last
much longer,
you need to touch hands.
From the day you were born,
I knew your destiny
would be extraordinary.
Mother, I'm not strong enough.
I need you.
Even when you were
a little girl,
I'm so proud of you,
Kahlan.
Please don't go.
My magic, it's back.
It worked.
Then Richard's life
is in Nicci's hands now.
I could still force you
to lead me to the Stone.
I will fight you
until my last breath.
Prophecy says
you'll find the Stone
and give it to
the Enemy of the Light.
You're more use to
the Keeper alive than dead.
Thank you for getting me
out of prison.
I know you
had your reasons.
But thank you.
At the manor,
you saved my life.
We're even.
Father.
Despite where these came from,
I suppose they're yours.
I don't have any use for them.
Hm.
Maybe you can start a new life.
An honest one.
You know, it's not too late
to become a stone carver.
Kahlan.
These belong
to you and your sister.
I want you to have them.
I'll keep this,
and I'll do as you said.
But not because
the Mother Confessor told me to.
Because my daughter
asked me to.
How did you find me?
I spelled your shoes.
That old trick?
Do you think
I'd let you walk off
with that witch without knowing
how we'd get you back?
I'm so sorry for everything
that happened to you.
I'm fine.
Now that I know you're safe.
You seem to be all
in one piece.
Good to see you too, Cara.
What happened to Nicci?
She's still out there.
The Keeper is not pleased.
Actually, I've been thinking
about the Keeper.
And since it appears
you still run his errands,
perhaps you could deliver
a message for me.
Tell your master
I no longer serve him.
Don't tell me the Seeker
has gotten to you.
My loyalties aren't
with the Seeker.
Nor are they with
the Creator or the Keeper.
My strength is mine
and mine alone.
And from now on,
I serve only myself.