You first bind the siblings from Cistercia to the hitching post. The brother and sister exchange silent, mournful looks with one another as the cold iron chain seals their fates. The third and final sacrifice, the witch from Thrace, is still under the effects of the Aether and requires little effort to secure. She is placid now but you had to give her your last dose of Aether back in the forbidden city. You can only hope it holds her under long enough.

As the pyre continues to take shape, the reality of the moment strikes you. Until now, The Keening had only been a distant task waiting at the end of a long line of other events. The terrible choice pushed back as you had always hoped another way would be found. That somehow it would not come to this. However, staring at the pyre before you, you realize you are out of time. The myriad choices are collapsing to a single question. Could you sacrifice one to save many? You will need to decide soon.