Transcript Chapter 2

—This is still a work in progress, the current transcript starts from page 25 —

Amos is still scared, but somehow determined to confront the goddess with a question, waving his right hand as he speak

AMOS: “W-what?! What do you mean you can’t kill them? You’re a goddess!”

Misery, now perched on a new tree branch she created, while she recalls a long lost story, behind her in the background a strange power is evoked in her mind. A flow of energy, an endless wave of light and life, and in the eye of this maelstrom a strong light seems to come out from this Cycle. The goddess calmly answers the question, even if She lost her cheerful smile now.

MISERY:

“…Your kind wrongly assumed gods can’t die because we live longer than you…I made sure no surviving humans would remember. You had done enough damage…

4000 years ago… we lived together. Gods didn’t have to hide like rats. we were respected by humans, and many heralds used the powers and relics we gave to humanity to help us keep this world in balance. But human greed was stronger and we were cursed by them with our gifts…we gods couldn’t hurt humans anymore.

Of course, we could still destroy this world to stop humans from using our relics and powers…so that’s what we did. Many gods did not recover from this betrayal…most of them will never wake up, forever one with the cycle’s energy. Others reincarnated like Atlas, the current god of the sea. We stopped having heralds wielding powers in our names…but you understand why now I need someone to help me”

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Misery talks on the tree branch, facing both Elena and Amos. The light has returned to a lighter color, with no red in sight.

Misery: “Blessings are a very small gift, but you’ll need some help if you hope to kill this impostor. If I see I can trust you…maybe I’ll make this blessing stronger.

This gift is also a connection between you and me, so if you call my name I can lend you all the knowledge, lives and stories that has ever existed in the world…that’s right, i’m talking about this library. the honor is yours…

if you will accept it”

Elena hesitates, for just one second. The eerie red light coming from misery’s open hand is unnatural and all still feels like a very strange dream. But She already made her decision the moment She discovered the truth.

She grabs Misery’s hands, and as they shake hands, the same red light of energy glow stronger.

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Elena clasps her hands together, the red glow is becoming less strong, but still casts a light on her chest and face. She thinks to herself

Elena: “…I made my choice. There’s no going back now”

Misery speaks to her, outside from the reader’s view

Misery: “ Good. Now part of my power belongs to you. This makes you a little sturdier than a common human but don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t forget you’re still very mortal.”

Elena shivers, and answers with a grim and disgusted face once She’s reminded of her own mortality. The thought crosses her mind more than She would like to admit, but it’s never pleasant when someone else reminds you a bitter truth

Elena:”…that’s hard to forget”

Misery laughs with passion, but with composure She moves her hand with still some hints of red glow, as to show her guests something

Misery:”I missed receiving visits. humans are so fun! but, this world doesn’t have much time left, and you two need to sail now. Let me show you the way out…”

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The tree branches grow as if they want to reach the two young lords in a dark embrace. Elena shouts, while Amos scared reaches out to her while they try to escape the vegetation growth.

Elena:” wait! how do i use the blessing’s power? what about death’s blessing?! what do I have to do?!”

Misery watches them from above, the tree elevates her and she now watches coldly the two humans.

Misery:”now you have the power to destroy the relic that stops me from finding death’s location. you already know well who will guide you in this search.

About how to use the powers of the blessings…I don’t want to ruin you the surprise”

The whole room has been eaten by the vegetation. Both misery and Elena and Amos are not in sight, there is only some red tiny lights as a sign of life in this ocean of leaves.

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Misery still stands where She was before, the room where She stands is the same as before.

The vegetation only devoured the two humans, bringing them somewhere else.

She talks to herself, with her usual smile on her lips.

Misery:” I hope to see you again one day little lady.”

Offscreen, far away from where Misery is talking, the dawn is bringing light upon the harbor of Lacuna, where a ship is docked. We see the harbor from the little island forest where Amos and Elena were before they got dragged into Misery’s domain…and that’s where they returned. Elena and Amos are lying on the forest ground, still disoriented from the magic that brought them back into the human world. Misery continues to speak to herself as we see this happening.

Misery:” Dawn it’s breaking, and you need to leave…we’re running out of time. If something happens to Death and She can’t reincarnate again… the cycle of life itself will end. And all of us with it.”

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Amos pants frantically, trying to calm himself from the scary experience. While he talks, he gets up from the grass.

Amos “W-what happened?! where are- Ah!…we’re near my ship. So She really ‘watched over’ us uh…“

Amos and Elena are back in the forest near Lacuna where they disappeared a few hours before. They have a view of one of the city’s docks, where a brig is docked near them.

Elena regain her senses while standing up, one of Death’s dragonflies rest on the back of her hand. Elena hears a voice in her mind.

Misery:” If you need help, They will guide you to the two heralds”

Elena now thinks to herself while standing up

Elena:” That was the goddess’ voice! But She’s not here anymore… I can feel it, now…”

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Amos tries to recollect himself, while he cleans his clothes He speaks to Elena

Amos:”…let’s go. we’ll try to understand what the hell happened once we’re on board my ship. I imagine you want to leave Lacuna…I got the impression the talk with your uncle didn’t go well”

Elena faces the dock, showing the back to Amos. Her hair moves in the gentle breeze, giving a more dramatic interpretation of Elena’s silence. After a few seconds of meditation, She answers her friend’s question.

Elena:”…yes. It didn’t go well. Better sleep on it”

Amos seems shocked from the calm reaction of Elena so He questions her again

Amos:” You would be able to sleep after…all of what happened?!”

A quiet frustration starts to build up in Elena’s face, She tried her best that day to keep going even after the series of shocking events, but She can’t ignore all her feelings anymore, and pressured by Amos’ question, She gets ready to rant about how She felt in the last 14 years.

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Elena spins and starts to rant at Amos, looking at him while waving her finger around as to emphasize her point.

Elena:” I just discovered that not only I’m not crazy as I’ve been called by everyone for more than a decade…but also the bastard that took me away everything can be killed now! For the first time in 14 years, I’m not afraid to die without even being able to defend myself.

She stops looking at her friend and turns her gaze to the horizon, as the dawn breaks and a new day starts, the wind gently moving her hair in a gentle breeze.

Elena:“ I’ll have my life back, Amos. I won’t let that monster kill the people I love again! …I’m just sorry that I dragged you into this. But it’s too late now.”

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Amos after letting Elena speak, joins the conversation

Amos:” Of course, it’s too late”

Elena stops, taken aback by Amos’ confirmation of her fears. She stays quiet for a moment, just enough time to make Amos reach her. He puts an arm around her neck, and embraces her in a half embrace, while He tells her:

Amos:” I’ve known you all my life, if this guy hasn’t killed me yet it means I’m not one of his targets! Things can still change, maybe in your favor this time.”

Elena’s a little bit comforted by this and by his friend’s support and optimism. They share a smile, while Amos’ ship in the background starts to be closer. They are heading to the docks after all.

Elena tries to hide the moment of weakness pushing away from her shoulder her friend’s arm.

Elena:” I hope so. But just because He can die, it doesn’t mean it will be an easy task.“

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Amos looks lost in his thoughts and less cheerful than usual.

Amos:” The embassy is more defended than it looks. Also, you know my mother would never abandon her best friend’s daughter in her hour of need… And I too wouldn’t. You won’t get rid of me so easily!”

Amos and Elena share a mischievous look, one that hints at the many adventures they have spent together, and another just began. He keeps speaking.

Amos:” …but after tonight, I will pray more often”

Elena:” I’m not sure if the gods can hear us, or…if they care enough to answer”

Amos:” It doesn’t matter, You just need to be on their good side. And looks like you are liked by two gods. It can be useful in these times”

Elena sees one of Death’s dragonflies while Amos, who can’t see them, is talking to her.

Elena:”…I hope you’re right”

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As Elena and Amos get on the ship, while the young lord talks in the background with the captain, probably asking him to leave for Lionne, Elena looks back at her city…with a silent goodbye, as She is certain She won’t see this city again. One of Death’s dragonflies circles around Elena.

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At the same time, in the opposite part of Lacuna, something else is happening. We look at the city from above, looking at the now tiny ship where Elena and Amos are, and we follow the dragonfly flying across the city. The creature lands on the boot of someone sleeping in a little ship (a dory) secured at the docks.

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The man sleeping in the dory is dressed in dark simple clothes, but He doesn’t look like a fisherman. The man is grumpy, with a little beard and short mustaches. He opens the only eye not covered by the medium-long dark hair, and the dark eye glows with the same purple color the dragonfly has. Annoyed, He talks to the person walking on the docks towards him.

?: “ You took your time. Where’s the relic, River?”

A girl is approaching him…it’s the same person who attempted to steal the relic from the Ocean’s temple. She changed her clothes and dried herself, the gills and fins of a mermaid She used to have in the water, are now gone. Her eyes are also darker like when She was in the temple. Somehow it’s the same person. River looks down at the man, equally annoyed. She tries explaining herself, even if she doesn’t want to spend too much energy on it.

River: “…It’s still in the hands of the witch”

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