Burden of Straws

Burden of Straws is the second chapter (in this case, Episode) of Bloody Sword: The Lost World, and the second chapter of the Precipice saga. It is preceded by The Creeping Tide, and succeeded by New Frontiers.

Synopsis
Murkis awakens in a bed, having been nursed back to health by a young woman, Jell Jenfer, and her family. After showing off his EXO technology, Murkis leaves the village to rejoin his unit. As soon as he arrives, Murkis is deployed again to investigate the death of a Ranadian soldier, suspected to have been killed by the villagers who had just helped him.

Murkis hesitantly participates in the raid, and is assigned to guard Jell's house. After one soldier threatens Jell, her parents retaliate and are killed before her eyes. Murkis, unable to stand by anymore, snaps and kills his former ally and another soldier who witnessed it. Murkis moves around the village, freeing the other villagers, enabling them to force the Ranadians to retreat.

Jell, wrought with absolute rage, has to be held back by the other villagers as she screams death threats at Murkis. The other villagers allow Murkis to leave, vowing his death if he dares to return.