When you think about it, the way everything is Deliberately Monochrome. Fridge Sadness 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.
Another example later is how Tetheril describes the city of Syndstadt. Once, it was beautiful place full of nature and happiness. Now, it's a Vice City and the capital 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 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 the two get to Frostbridge, they find the human village...or rather, what's left of it. Ravaged buildings and corpses are everywhere, and 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.
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, demands that Sislo kill her. When he refuses, she attacks him, screaming at him to do the job as their fight escalates.
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. Little doubt what occurred here. Greiri has truly lost everything in the worst ways.
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. Sislo tells her he knows the feeling, and encourages her to live so that her family's death doesn't amount to nothing.
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 flashback to Tetheril's youth features her mastering her healing powers, followed by an elder dryad (possibly her grandfather) smiling and then promptly burning into ash, fading away in the younger dryad's arms. It can be presumed he either died of old age or just out of tradition, but it's still harrowing to Tetheril.
When she heals her father at that point after some Blood from the Mouth 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.
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.
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...
The night before, the only letters lit up on the neon sign of the hotel spell out "SINFUL". Sislo's guilt runs deep.
Ondiox: I am not going to hurt her, Sislo...you will.
The Awful Truth. 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. More specifically, he was a slave to the former Druden empire, but Ondiox freed him. And Sislo, desperate never to be hungry again, joined him to create a new empire, and killed every last enemy they had.
If you think about it, 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.
And even after all of that, ALL OF THAT...Tetheril forgives him. She asks if her husband remembers their vows (the ones on the main page), and hugs him. Happy tears were shed.
Immediately after the truth is revealed, we see more of Sislo's backstory, and it isn't pretty. His beginning monologue says it all:
"Ascension!" 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...but someone did.
Seeing little Sislo chained up like an animal, followed by Ondiox freeing him. It would be sweet if it weren't the start of a very bloody crusade.
For that matter, think about Ondiox for a second. This man was probably not having a very good life either under the empire's regime back then. He had the strength and charisma to lead a rebellion, topple it...and then installed a reign that was no better. And not once does he recognize the irony of it all.
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 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.
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 before she proves him dead wrong.
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's reaction is no better. She declares it all done, and collapses, clearly in sorrow at having nothing else to live for. All Ovar can do is be there by her side.
