Release that Witch Episode 7: Episode 7

As the sun dips low over Border Town, Brian and Greyhound watch the patrol team. Greyhound, ever the optimist, urges Brian to join, believing their skills would make them exemplary knights. He paints a vivid picture of them serving Prince Roland together, a dream that moves Brian despite his initial reluctance. They walk off, ready to embrace a new future.

Under a dark sky, Brian and Greyhound are led by Sears, the patrol leader, to an isolated hut in the forest. Inside, other shadowy figures wait, illuminated by a flickering fire. Sears introduces them to his 'uncles,' but an unspoken tension hangs heavy in the air. Brian and Greyhound sense the unease, a prelude to something deeply wrong.

Sears drops his façade, revealing his true allegiance to Duke Ryan of Longsong Stronghold. He outlines a plan to burn Prince Roland's granary, starving the town and forcing the Prince to retreat. In return, Sears promises knighthood and land, baiting his recruits with false glory. Brian trembles, the horror of this betrayal washing over him.

Greyhound, his voice firm, condemns Sears's plan, declaring that true knights protect, not betray. His words are met not with reason, but with a swift, brutal strike. Sears plunges a blade into Greyhound's chest, silencing his brave protest. Brian watches, frozen, as his friend collapses, a pool of blood spreading around him, before Sears’s men turn their blades towards him.

Under duress, Brian leads the traitors through a dark, vine-choked underground tunnel. His face is pale with grief, the memory of Greyhound's dream a constant torment. The group moves in silence, the only sound their footsteps and the crackle of a torch. Brian is trapped, forced into a betrayal that tears at his soul.

They emerge inside the castle grounds, the conspirators wary of Prince Roland’s unfamiliar steam engine. Sears pushes them towards the granary, the primary target. Brian guides them down a spiral staircase, a torch in hand, his shadow stretching long. He knows this is his moment to honor Greyhound, to refuse this monstrous act.

In the storage room, Brian turns on his captors, shouting, 'I won't let you bastards win! For Greyhound!' He fights with a desperate fury, fueled by anger and grief, holding off several men. Though he wounds some, Sears eventually overpowers him, pinning him to the wall, poised for the killing blow. Brian’s stand is valiant, if seemingly futile.

Just as Sears prepares to strike, a formidable figure, Viper, Duke Ryan’s knight, arrives, mocking the traitors' incompetence. He pins Brian, intending a slow death, but a mysterious hooded figure, Nightingale, descends with unnatural speed. She disarms and incapacitates Viper's men with a series of blindingly fast strikes, a whirlwind of precise violence.

Viper attempts to fight back, but Nightingale moves with impossible grace, severing his arm in a flash of steel. He screams, collapsing in agony, as Nightingale stands over him, her glowing eyes visible beneath her hood. Brian watches, horrified and stunned by this display of otherworldly power, before succumbing to exhaustion.

Brian awakens in a luxurious castle bed, his wounds treated. Prince Roland stands over him, expressing profound gratitude for saving the granary. Overwhelmed, Brian sobs, insisting that Greyhound is the true hero. Roland comforts him, promising Greyhound a knight's funeral and care for his family, recognizing the boy's sacrifice.

Roland discusses the captured traitors with his advisors, Barov and Carter Lannis. Barov warns of potential war if Viper, a knight of Duke Ryan, is executed. Roland remains firm, asserting his need to uphold the law and protect his people. He believes his authority must be absolute to secure order and prevent further manipulation.

In the throne room, Duke Ryan's portly representative attempts to negotiate Viper's release, downplaying the attack as a mere error. He offers a chest of gold, a blatant bribe, claiming Duke Ryan knew nothing of the plot. Roland, with a mocking smile, sees through the transparent lies. He makes it clear that the old ways of political manipulation will not work on him.

Roland publicly declares the full extent of the traitors' crimes: attempted assassination and sabotage. He reveals that Sears and Viper have confessed, explicitly implicating Duke Ryan. The Prince sentences them to immediate execution by hanging, shocking the representative. Roland's decisive action signals a powerful shift, ending Duke Ryan's influence over Border Town.

On the castle balcony, Roland thanks Nightingale for her crucial aid. He offers her a formal position as his personal bodyguard, complete with a steady salary and unheard-of benefits like paid holidays. Nightingale is perplexed by his modern terms but clearly touched by his genuine respect. She accepts, forming an unlikely partnership with the progressive Prince.

The episode closes with Brian visiting Greyhound's grave, marked by a stone tablet beneath their favorite tree. He places a bouquet of white lilies, a quiet tribute. Brian vows to carry their shared dream forward, to protect the town in his friend's stead. Standing tall, bathed in sunlight, he embraces his new purpose, a living testament to Greyhound's legacy.