That morning hadn't gone well at all. Danica was gone, the whole party had needed medical attention, Ekath was crying her eyes out, and Dread had needed to spend a while fixing up Vy, when he saw Ekath's poor state. Dread, a bit unsure what to say, simply sat next to her.

Dread- ...You did well today.

As he approached her, he saw how much of a mess she was: slumped against the wall, her head in her knees while hugging them to her chest, silently crying.

Ekath- I-I s-screwed u-up...
Dread- We... You... did the right thing. I'm sorry it turned out like that.
Ekath- S-she's g-gone... A-and i-it's a-all m-my f-fault...
Dread- If anyone did it, it was me. I tried to stop her first, don't blame yourself.
Ekath- I-I t-tried t-to... k-kill h-her...
Dread- But what you did was stop her. In that moment, I don't know who she was, but she... wasn't the woman you befriended.

When he said that, Ekath started crying more into her knees, the reality of the situation hitting her hard.

Ekath- I-I... a-almost... b-became a... m-m-monster...
Dread- Indeed, almost. You kept control of yourself, and didn't let Danica become a monster either.
Ekath- I-I... f-forced h-her t-to... a-attack u-us...
Dread- That was her own choice, Ekath.
Ekath- I-I... I-I t-thought... I-I c-could c-change h-her m-mind...
Dread- I... I did too. We were both too optimistic, I guess.
Ekath- I-I...

At this, Ekath hugged Dread tightly, crying into his chest. Dread simply placed a hand on her back and waited for her to calm down. After a few moments, Ekath calmed down enough to speak again.
Ekath- I-I... t-thought s-she... c-cared a-about m-me...
Dread- She did. She still does. But whatever happened in the mine broke a part of her.
Ekath- S-she... s-she t-taught m-me... h-how to t-talk t-to T-Talos... L-look h-how... m-much g-good i-it d-did...
Dread- I... I think the path of Talos is a dangerous one to go down. Especially for someone with compassion as great as yours.
Ekath- I-I... j-just w-wanted t-to b-be s-strong... f-for h-her...
Dread- The path to strength does not lie in senseless destruction. Indeed, you must be strong, now more than ever. But... That is not how you become strong.
Ekath- T-then... H-how? (While raising her head to look into Dread's eyes)
Dread- I'm sure you know what you intend to do with this castle, yes? Lead this group of goblins, if you find yourself able to?
Ekath- I... I-I d-don't... T-trust m-myself...
Dread- Well Itrust you enough. You're going to do a fine job of it. Do you believe me?
Ekath- I... I d-don't k-know a-anymore... I-I d-don't... W-want to b-become l-like G-grol... O-or... H-h-him...
Dread- If you respect those you work with, you won't. You can point them in the right direction without becoming a tyrant.
Ekath- ...C-can... Y-you s-show... M-me h-how...?
Dread- ...I'll try. I still have to figure it out myself.
Ekath- ...I'm... S-scared o-of y-your b-brother...
Dread- What did he do with you?

Ekath looked at her right hand, a barely visible scar line present.

Ekath- H-he... M-made a p-pact w-with m-me... I-I h-helped h-him r-rally t-the g-goblins, h-he g-gave us f-freedom a-after h-he t-took o-over... B-but... I-I d-don't k-know i-if... H-he w-was s-saying t-the f-full t-truth...
Dread- After... he took over?
Ekath- H-he... P-plans t-to m-make an e-estate...
Dread- (Remaining in silence for a moment before speaking) Yeah, that sounds like him. I'll make sure he sticks to the spirit of that deal.
Ekath- I-I... T-thanks... W-what... I-is t-that symbol on your s-shield?
Dread- Oh, that? (While smiling) It's the symbol of the goddess I follow, Sune.
Ekath- S-sune...?
Dread- She's the goddess of love and beauty, to put it simply.
Ekath- L-love... T-that s-sounds... N-nice... (As she rests her head on Dread's chest)
Dread- It is... (Leaning back and closing his eyes) She's provided me with a great deal of wisdom.
Ekath- (barely whispering) I... L-loved... H-her... A-and I-I... N-never...

Before she could finish that sentence, Ekath started crying once more.

Dread- ...I thought I did too.

Ekath stopped crying so strongly, as she rised her head to look at Dread's eyes.
Dread- She knocked me back onto this path, actually. I was happily continuing to exist just surviving, ignoring my obligations... then she came along and reminded me, in very strong terms, who I was supposed to be.
Ekath- H-how d-did s-she...?
Dread- Well, it's a bit of a long story.
Ekath- W-we... G-got t-time...
Dread- Ha, calling my bluff, huh? It's not actually that long. We got drunk, had a nice long talk about religion, and she dragged me up to her bedroom. ...Then I read too much into it.
Ekath- I-I... H-He h-had... C-captured h-her a-and had m-me be her h-healer. Then d-during t-the ride to t-the m-mine I-I... K-kissed h-her a-after... H-he t-took h-her a-arm... I-it w-was f-for g-giving h-her w-water... B-but...
Dread- Right. She didn't say much about it once she came back. So I never really knew what happened there.
Ekath- A-after w-we got to t-the mine, I-I j-just... D-did a-anything she wanted m-me t-to... T-thought t-that... W-would m-make h-her h-happy... T-Then w-we... F-found the f-forge a-and t-the... E-eyes...
Dread- There's nothing ignoble about attempting to care for the... Wait, what? Forge? Eyes?
Ekath- T-the... Spellforge. I-it's g-guarded b-by... A-an e-eye m-monster... I-it... G-gave u-us food...
Dread- I'm confused, was the eye monster friendly to you, or whoever was in charge?

Finally realizing Ekath's continued trembling, Dread quieted down and silently attempted to comfort her.

Ekath- H-he... D-did n-nothing t-to h-harm u-us... D-danica c-claimed i-it t-talked t-to h-her...
Dread- Did she ever say what she heard?
Ekath- S-she t-talked b-back to it l-loudly, s-so I could g-guess m-most of the c-conversation.
Dread- What was she saying?
Ekath- S-she w-was t-trying to convince it t-that t-the e-employees o-of t-the mine were d-dead, t-that he d-didn't h-have to k-keep f-following its orders. B-but it k-kept r-refusing, I t-think...
Dread- Following orders? Eye monster? I... Think I remember a being like this. But I can't remember what it's called.
Ekath- I-I t-think... It h-had to w-wait for someone, s-some k-kind of... Manager? To see w-what he d-did with us...
Dread- But there's no indication of who the manager is, or was?
Ekath- O-one of the m-mine's employees... B-back w-when they were alive... I-it gave us food, and a bed, and c-clothes, while we waited...
Dread- Well it seems... Not that bad.
Ekath- I-it... Was h-how Danica discovered... The forge was magical... She... Tried to b-burn our old clothes in it...
Dread- What happened?
Ekath- H-he... m-made us dress i-in... Skimpy c-clothing. I h-had... Only this robe and D-danica h-had... S-some l-leather s-straps t-that... D-didn't h-hide anything...

Dread's face darkened a bit as he looked down at Ekath with concern.

Ekath- W-when we g-got o-other c-clothes... s-she t-tried t-to b-burn t-the o-old ones... B-but they... d-didn't b-burn... T-they're... m-magical n-now... somehow... I-I... k-kept... t-the s-straps f-for myself... S-she y-yelled a-at m-me... w-when s-she f-found o-out...
Dread- (Fighting his urges to shake his head in disappointment) So... The robe is magical now? How so?
Ekath- I-it... C-can r-resize i-itself... T-to fit the w-wearer, a-and i-it h-helps m-me dodge b-better... T-the... S-straps... D-do t-the s-same...
Dread- They help with dodging too?
Ekath- ...Y-yes...

Ekath just rested her head on Dread's chest, silently crying. Holding her as she cried, Dread waited for her to calm down a bit more.

Dread- We may want to find you a bit more to cover up with before going back to the castle...
Ekath- N-no... I-I... D-deserve t-this... I-I... S-screwed... U-up...
Dread- (Lifting her chin to make her look into his eyes) Ekath. You can't punish yourself over all this. We have important things to do.
Ekath- ... B-but...
Dread- (A hint of a reassuring smile crossing his face) Look forward, not back.
Ekath- I-I... D-don't w-want to be a m-monster...
Dread- Why would you think you will be?
Ekath- I-I... W-was s-so a-angry... I-I... W-wanted to... C-cut Grol's head... M-myself... S-slowly...
Dread- (Looking down at Grol's head before looking back at Ekath) We all have thoughts, and desires, that we can be ashamed of. But should those rule you, or should your actions?
Ekath- ...I... D-don't k-know h-how... I-I k-know h-how t-to o-obey... D-danica t-taught m-me... h-how t-to g-give i-in t-to m-my d-dark d-desires...
Dread- Oh my... what did she try to teach you?
Ekath- ...U-use m-my... S-strength t-to... B-be m-my o-own m-master... T-to... T-take r-revenge... I-I... H-hurted m-my f-friends... F-for t-trying t-to... D-do t-that... I'm only g-good as a s-slave... (As she starts to cry once more)
Dread- It'll be ok. You'll be ok. Danica... hurt you when she tried to teach you this. But she was right, you're not meant to be a slave. There's a different way.
Ekath- (weakly speaking) H-how...
Dread- You just need to learn to... lead without force. Draw others behind you without using fear, but with respect. The residents of this castle? Once their oppressors are gone, you won't need to hurt them, but simply show them the light. You might even consider, perhaps, a religion more suited to winning over hearts and minds?
Ekath- ...S-sune?
Dread- You guessed it.
Ekath- ...T-teach m-me... M-master...
Dread- First... You don't need to call me master. Now, take my hand, reach out with your heart, and let's pray.
Ekath- (Grabbing Dread's hand) O-okay...

Dread then did his best to guide Ekath through a prayer to Sune.

Dread- (after finishing the prayer) How was that?
Ekath- (sounding a bit better than before) I-it... W-was n-nice...
Sune- (echoing inside both their heads) Yes it was, indeed.

Ekath freezed in shock at the new voice.

Dread- (Nearly beaming) Far more pleasant than Talos, eh?
Ekath- (completely terrified) W-who...?
Sune- I am Sune, my child. You have nothing to fear from me.
Dread- Don't worry, she came to express her approval.
Ekath- ...I...

Ekath burieD her head in Dread's chest, trying to hide herself.
Ekath- I'm n-not w-worthy...
Dread- You're going to question the judgement of my goddess? She realizes you are worthy.
Sune- You've proven you're willing to change, my child. That's all you need to be worthy.
Dread- ...That is exactly what I had been trying to say.
Ekath- I... W-what... D-do you n-need m-me... T-to do...?
Sune- Lead your people to a better life, rule over them with compassion, spread love and light everywhere you go. But most importantly... Be happy with yourself.
Dread- (Smiling contentedly) Sune isn't simply asking these things of you. She also provides a great deal of... Divine assistance.

Dread then made the hand that is laying on Ekath's back start to glow.

Sune- You of all people would know about that, wouldn't you, Dread? (With an almost audible smirk in her tone)
Dread- (Blushing a little bit) ...
Ekath- ...Hehe. I... Will... Do as you ask... My lady...
Dread- I can see your heart has opened somewhat, Ekath.
Ekath- ...Yes... Talos... Never... Talked to me...
Dread- Sune is a caring patron, She has guided me through some of my most trying hours.
Ekath- ...Thanks.