《Chronographer Records》 Transcript 01: Lemurian Courtship [The following is an audio transcript between Lucidia of House Berendin and Mezil Winston.] MEZIL Do we NEED to do this? LUCIDIA Of course. Recording our conversations will give you the leisure of reviewing them whenever you so wish. Remember, it is my duty to prepare you for the competition. My suitors are many and they will not surrender without testing your abilities. MEZIL It just seems so¡­ archaic. I thought we¡¯re done with this nonsense in the 1800s. Expected Lemuria to be at least a little more modern in their courtship rituals. LUCIDIA Well, it¡¯s less about the norms of society and more about my special status. Perhaps the circumstances behind my birth may help put things in perspective. MEZIL Do tell. LUCIDIA Many years ago, Lemuria was at the risk of a massive invasion. Uncle James and Grandpa managed to prevent that calamity from coming to pass. As a result, my mother pledged her firstborn as a gift of gratitude. The value of a pledged gift matches the deeds it wishes to honour. MEZIL Is that even legal? I seriously question the validity of treating your own child as a Christmas present. LUCIDIA She¡¯s going to be your mother-in-law, you know. MEZIL Not looking forward to it. Sorry. I refuse to accept the fact that my wife is some kind of a trophy. You¡¯re worth more than that. LUCIDIA That¡¯s sweet of you, Mezzy. But please do try to at least respect her. Anyways¡­ Since then, my biological father and another Chronographer began receiving strange recurring dreams. Visions. Twilight hovered over the horizon, painting the sky in all the shades of time¡¯s passing between night and day. They saw a beautiful teardrop fall from the celestial heavens. It left behind a sparkling trail of gemmed flakes. Sapphire. Emerald. Amethyst. Down and down it went¡­ until it hit the waters of the deep blue ocean. My father thought it¡¯s the most beautiful of dreams. He tried so hard since to paint a recreation. Even then, never matched up to what he witnessed. MEZIL Was that¡­ you? LUCIDIA Yes. Not long after that, my mother became pregnant. The scanning revealed that she had a girl with the very same Aspect colours as that trail of gems. MEZIL I can imagine this becoming the talk of the town. LUCIDIA The nation, to be exact! A direct descendant of Sage Corsivus, pledged to the Grandmaster, conceived in exact likeness of a dream¡­ It had all the markings of a legend. Though, I wished the circumstances could be more mundane. Expectations stretched far too high. MEZIL You can say that again. LUCIDIA Families bothered my parents long before I even entered the world. Genuinity and falsehoods became difficult to distinguish. It¡¯s a disturbing trend. What would they do when they conceived children of their own? Especially if they had sons. MEZIL Hmph. Hence our current complication. LUCIDIA That is correct. MEZIL What are the courtship rituals like? Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. LUCIDIA It starts with mingling, both as a group and one-to-one at the tables. We¡¯re grouped together by approximate age. Those under twenty will have a separate session compared to those above, and so on. MEZIL Hang on. Under twenty?! LUCIDIA Courtship begins as early as fourteen years of age. MEZIL That¡¯s too young! LUCIDIA What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you humans have similar social situations in your ¡®high school¡¯ setting? MEZIL Exactly why I think it¡¯s too young. Those years are full of wild hormones and poor decisions. Most of them break up after a year or three. Even if they did carry on into adulthood, their immaturity often leads to dysfunctional relationships. LUCIDIA The same can be said for those above twenty. Maturity is not about physical age, after all. MEZIL ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Pardon the interruption. Please continue. LUCIDIA You''re excused. Regardless, for those under twenty, the parents and guardians will watch their children from the sidelines. My nanny entered me into a session at the earliest opportunity. She thought that even though I may not have a successful courtship, I would at least make some friends. In truth, I found it extremely distressing. Some tried too hard. Others, I didn¡¯t know what to talk about with. More retreated due to my controversial interests. MEZIL Controversial? Such as? LUCIDIA I find pre-modern weaponry to be extremely fascinating. Why are they designed so and so? For example, the kris dagger from the jungle islands. It owes a mythical reputation to its delicate craft and wavy blade, steeped in spiritualism. However, I can assure you, it''s fully practical in function. As you know first hand, a clean edge heals faster, whereas a tattered wound increases the chances of exsanguination and infection. Similar designs exist in the Occident as well. They¡¯re called flamberge, ¡®flame-edged¡¯. ...Ah! Apologies for my rambling. MEZIL That¡¯s fine. I find it interesting. But, I can see why some would consider it rather morbid. Few monsters have extensive knowledge about human violence. Besides, it¡¯s less about your interests, and more on the level of detail. It¡¯s not something most fourteen-year-olds are acquainted with. LUCIDIA Hehe. You are right. Though, my teenaged self certainly didn¡¯t think so. At the very least, I find the concept of torture completely repulsive. But I must acknowledge it to cross-check any criminal evidence. MEZIL That''s good to know. Hmm¡­ LUCIDIA Do you wish to enquire more about the Lemurian rituals of courtship? MEZIL Yes, actually. Let¡¯s say that if the participants found their respective partners of interest. What would they do? LUCIDIA The two parties would exchange contact details and meet with the family. They may even initiate a test of character. From then onwards, it will depend on the couple. Some marry within a few months. Others prefer to take their time. Those who¡¯re under the age of twenty must wait until they¡¯re legally adults. They¡¯ll remained engaged in the meantime. MEZIL What if either party changes their mind? LUCIDIA The engagement may be broken off at any point before the wedding. MEZIL What if they¡¯re challenged by a rival? LUCIDIA If there¡¯s a rival suitor¡­ they may choose to win the hand through a duel. Such duels come in two categories. Strength for magic combat, and wits for games of the mind. The real purpose behind this, however, is to reveal the hearts of the contestants. Many speak in lips of honey without the substance to back their words. A non-lethal competition may shake off the facade. MEZIL Would the betrothed be obliged to marry the victor? LUCIDIA No. It¡¯s entirely possible to win both the duel of wits and strength, yet lose the heart. I¡¯ve read many case files where the betrothed favoured the loser. Sincerity shines the most. MEZIL I see. In other words, my real victory is the approval of your people. Lucidia, I don¡¯t like this. Are you some sort of a chess-piece? LUCIDIA Regretfully, I must admit that I am so. Many will try to become an official in-law to the Grandmaster. After all, those who wed the legendary daughter of House Berendin will gain massive influence over The Magus Association. MEZIL In other words, I¡¯ve pissed off a lot of people by appearing out of nowhere. LUCIDIA Straight to the point as always. Yes, you did indeed crush the goals of many. And I mean ¡®many¡¯. But, you are still the current bearer of the Keys of Fate. That power does not discriminate. Only the narrow-minded would expect it to come from predictable backgrounds alone. But Mezil, you''re wrong about one thing. You weren¡¯t ¡®out of nowhere¡¯. Not for me. After my spectacular failure in the art of social gatherings, Grandpa consulted several Chronographers about my future. They told me that I will not marry anyone from Lemuria. Hence, it was pointless to continue the charade. I didn¡¯t participate in any more courtship events since. MEZIL ¡­I also have some sort of a dream-like prophecy? LUCIDIA I¡¯m sure they had a vision. But having this foreknowledge might damage our relationship, either by skewed romanticism or fear. MEZIL I agree. It may very well have been something along the lines of: ¡®A vampire clawing his way out of Hell, nourished by the blood of his foes¡¯... Not positive imagery for a future husband. [Lucidia giggles for a while] LUCIDIA Your straight face makes it all the funnier. I think it¡¯s time to go over your possible opponents. MEZIL Very well. Let¡¯s see¡­ this is ¡®Strength¡¯. And this other one is ¡®Wits¡¯. Tsk. So many names. Who is this ¡®Sir Latinoros¡¯? He¡¯s apparently a fencer. LUCIDIA Him? Entering the duel in both categories? Oh, that silly man. He¡¯s actually a domestic-issues lawyer. Family related, to be exact. Nowhere trained for combat. As for wits¡­ he¡¯s sharp of mind, yes. But, a mere mouse compared to you. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s joining the duel just to evaluate you in person. Unless... ¡­Hmm¡­ No, he¡¯s not in the list¡­ I suppose he wouldn¡¯t have the means to register anyway. MEZIL Are you expecting someone? LUCIDIA Sort of. He¡­ he¡¯s a dear friend. I guess you could say he¡¯s like a younger brother to me. Though, it¡¯s been over a year since I last met him. I just hope that his deep isolation will keep the news from reaching his ears, and thus prevent him from causing any trouble. MEZIL What are the chances that your friend will turn up uninvited? LUCIDIA ¡­I¡¯d be more astonished if he didn¡¯t. MEZIL Good. LUCIDIA Are you certain? We¡¯re talking about a person who could wreck not just the event, but also the duelling grounds. It''ll be sheer chaos. MEZIL Even better. If that happens, I won¡¯t need to go through the rest of that farce. LUCIDIA Oh you. Always such a cheating cheater. MEZIL Wouldn¡¯t be here today if I¡¯m not. LUCIDIA Try not to make it too obvious. Were they to catch wind of your little opportunistic ploy, there will be repercussions. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 02: Strange Friends [The following is an audio transcript of one of Mezil Winston¡¯s strategizing sessions, taking place on the night before the duels.] MEZIL Hmm¡­ should I use my Mark and force them to submit? Perhaps use the Keys to teach them a lesson in futility? Or rely more on my non-Red magic? Even with Determination, I cannot take another¡¯s life in this battle; the War is over. Decisions. Decisions. ¡­Tsk, I still carry the wounds. This body isn¡¯t trained for melee combat either. That predicament may put me at a disadvanta-- [A ceramic plate is heard crashing against the ground. The distinct click of a loaded gun then follows alongside Mezil Winston¡¯s hurried footsteps downstairs. More tumbling and crashing happened right after.] MEZIL Lucidia, are you alright? LUCIDIA I-I¡¯m fine. I. Just. Dropped a plate. MEZIL ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Sorry, but that was a terrible attempt at lying. You¡¯re anything but clumsy. Besides, you would have used your Blue to catch the plate before it hit the ground. Hmm¡­ Fridge half open, emptied cupboards¡­ Did someone break into your kitchen? [Mezil closes the fridge door.] LUCIDIA ¡­Yes. But, you didn¡¯t need to worry about my safety at all. I know the person who broke in. And, of his intentions. It has nothing to do with money. Neither was it malicious. MEZIL It¡¯s that possible gate-crasher for the courtship duels, isn''t it? LUCIDIA Mhmm. He left this behind too. [There were faint clatters of nut-shells and bone.] MEZIL A necklace? Looks like something straight out of an archeological dig. Primitive. But charming. I would be happy for you if it didn¡¯t involve a competing suitor. Or a kitchen raid. [Lucidia chuckled a bit. After a few awkward silent moments¡­] MEZIL What¡¯s his name? This strange friend, I mean. LUCIDIA ¡­Gaelic. MEZIL And does this ¡®Gaelic¡¯ have a reason for his quaint behaviour? LUCIDIA Yes. My people consider him an outcast due to his troubled history. Vice. Violence. Mentally troubled and questionable. By theory, not someone that I should befriend. But they don¡¯t know him. I do. You and I had stared in the face of true evil before: DEMONs who hide their hideousness behind civil guises, grandiose philosophy, and honeyed lips. Now those are the people I wish to never associate with. A thousand times over I prefer Gaelic¡¯s company, however few our meetings are. Eccentric he may be, he''s a sweet soul. Never once does he seek harm. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I first met him as an eager, mischievous boy driven by curiosity. He treated me as an interesting big sister. So normal and mundane, yet so warm. I felt happy. Relaxed. I could be myself without driving others away. That relationship hasn¡¯t changed. At least, I hope so. MEZIL ¡­Sweet souls don¡¯t break into kitchens. LUCIDIA He¡¯s not doing that for kicks, mind you. He¡¯s feeding himself for the coming battle. If Gaelic had approached me in person, I would have given him the meals he desires. ¡­But he didn¡¯t do such to protect my standing. He rather be condemned as a thief than to drag me down to his perceived level. You know, Sir Latinoros entered twice. For multiple reasons. Perhaps he wanted to examine you thoroughly. Perhaps he anticipated the return of his personal nemesis. MEZIL Do tell. LUCIDIA Him and Gaelic had a bone to pick with each other since their childhood days. A tragedy happened in the schoolyard. Since then, the two are at odds. Latinoros is a staunch adherent of civic order. He believes that a nation''s health rests on the integrity of its most basic building blocks: family. A healthy, harmonious unit will have their effects multiplied hundred folds in the network of society. I agree to his philosophy in full. However, kindness is not part of his traits. He is prejudicial to anyone who goes against his standards of life. Which brings us to Gaelic. He is wild and untamed like the wilderness itself. He goes where he pleases, does what he wants. Cares not about the consequences of his whims. We¡¯re talking about someone who won¡¯t think twice about climbing a tree naked. In public. Happened a number of times before. MEZIL What was this ¡®tragedy¡¯? LUCIDIA Children being childish, bullying inevitably happens one way or another. Especially among the Lichborn. Gaelic was targeted for his seemingly unexplained Seer¡¯s Eye. His father belonged to the Blanc Clan, a collective known for their lack of Lich ancestry, while his mother¡¯s family didn¡¯t have any genealogical records. As such, they were unaware of any recessive Aspect genes. One day, the bullies thought it was a good idea to slander Gaelic¡¯s mother for marital unfaithfulness. He¡­ snapped. It wasn¡¯t a punch or a kick as one would expect. No. ¡­It devolved so quickly¡­ The then-prefect, Sir Latinoros, testified that the scene was full of dust. Bite marks. Missing chunks of magical matter. Multiple fingers and an ear, gone. MEZIL ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ LUCIDIA You heard that right. Gaelic had mauled one of his mockers in public. The victim now lives with prosthetics. ¡­That¡¯s just the beginning of many more tragedies that I¡¯d rather not elaborate on at the moment. Safe to say, his reputation lay in shambles. MEZIL Let me get this straight. A bunch of idiotic children thought it¡¯s fun to prod a schoolmate who clearly exhibited signs of instability? Then they¡¯re up in arms when consequences bite them in the face? Hmph. Serves them right. LUCIDIA That¡­ that¡¯s quite a cold, ¡®logical¡¯ approach. MEZIL What¡¯s with the astonishment? Is my reaction really that unusual? I¡¯ll tell you straight: I¡¯m more appalled by the victims than the mauler. Who the hell thought it¡¯s a good idea to insult the fidelity of another person¡¯s parent? I had repeatedly observed this behaviour in my childhood. Feral cats and dogs. Standard targets. Kids with too much time on their hands would throw rocks at these animals. Then the dog snaps. Charges straight at the idiots without mercy. They get bitten, the ambulance sirens blare, and the media spends the next week or two babbling about population control while the kids get all the pity points. LUCIDIA In this story, do you value the dog more than the children? MEZIL I value both on their own merits. Children shouldn¡¯t be hurting anyone. As for the dog, it doesn¡¯t deserve that kind of abuse. LUCIDIA If¡­ someone like you stood up for Gaelic back then, maybe his life would have been different. Better. The hearts of Monsters are easy to win compared to humans, but they also shy quicker from danger. It certainly doesn¡¯t help that Gaelic¡¯s behaviour reinforces a negative feedback loop. Those who do not blame, they fear. MEZIL I suppose that¡¯s why most monsters are considered ¡®weak¡¯. To be honest, the same deal happens in human society. Please don¡¯t feel guilty for your species. LUCIDIA It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m more than aware of the shortcomings of both societies. MEZIL This Gaelic, did he come from a dysfunctional background? LUCIDIA Oh no, not at all. He¡¯s born to loving parents, albeit advanced in age. They had stable lives running a bookstore. Did their best to give Gaelic some much needed structure. Though there were emotional moments, Gaelic returned that love. His filial piety to his parents surprised everyone. But when the couple turned to dust¡­ he strayed. The other members of the Blanc Clan were never close enough to form that bond of trust necessary to keep him in check. MEZIL I understand their fears. If he exhibits violent behaviour, it¡¯s only natural that the number of possible caretakers would decrease. Anyone can adopt a nice puppy. Takes a skilled keeper to handle an aggressive one. LUCIDIA You seem to know quite a bit about animals. Perchance, do you keep pets? MEZIL ¡­No. Just general observation. Internet included. No practical experience. That¡¯s why I was besieged by murders of crows during the War of the Red Victory. LUCIDIA Hehehe, oh you. Don¡¯t worry, I will formally introduce you to the flock once we¡¯re wedded. [Silence.] LUCIDIA If Gaelic shows up¡­ he will become the primary target for rival suitors to prove their worth. I refuse to let my friend become the object of a twisted sport. ¡­But, I¡¯m powerless to stop that. MEZIL I won¡¯t let him become a mere trophy. LUCIDIA Oh? MEZIL He''s a dear friend to you. I shall treat him as a rightful suitor in front of your nation. Not as a gladiatorial beast to be chased away. That should make my character as clear as day. LUCIDIA Thank you, Mezzy. This means much to me. [END TRANSCRIPT] Request 01: Grillbz Grillenn and the Yellow Child [The following audio transcript is available for access with the permission of Sir Grillbz Grillenn of the Dreemurr Nation of Ebott. It¡¯s dated to the the first day after harvesting the Seventh Fallen Child.] GASTER Are you here to inspect the fruit of your efforts, friend? GRILLBZ ¡­I can¡¯t sleep¡­ ¡­How do you keep yourself sane?¡­ GASTER Well. Sanity is relative, I¡¯m afraid. Nobody thought I was sane when I started constructing The Core. But that sense of curious allure was what motivated the citizens to cooperate with me. ¡­In your case, I suggest distancing yourself from the subject. Young they may be, a human is still a human. They¡¯re the enemy. GRILLBZ ¡­Did the previous Captain of the Royal Guard do this¡­ direct harvesting?¡­ GASTER No. The Green Child was already dead upon discovery. Heat stroke complications, perhaps. GRILLBZ ¡­What about the others?¡­ GASTER Hmph. I remember the terror of the Blue Child. I ended its onslaught with my very own hands. Since that day, the Royal Guard no longer doubted the order to capture every human that fell down. GRILLBZ ¡­Was she afraid?¡­ GASTER No. Heartless, I tell you. Crushing the tinier citizens of Waterfall underfoot simply because of their size. Giggling with glee too! GRILLBZ ¡­The one I encountered¡­ the Yellow Child¡­ couldn¡¯t even hold his weapon straight¡­ ¡­Maybe they¡¯re not as uniform as we thought¡­ GASTER Sir Grillenn. Please, I implore you not to get attached. [Two months later] GRILLBZ ¡­Hello, Yellow¡­ ¡­I brought extra fries¡­ I thought maybe¡­ you¡¯d like something a little more fulfilling¡­ [Bubbling and zaps could be heard in the background. The Psychia consumed its meal.] GRILLBZ ¡­It works?¡­ I¡¯m glad¡­ It¡¯s my first time making them from homegrown potatoes¡­ ¡­How can we communicate?¡­ Us monsters are made of magic¡­ You¡¯re the only one who responded¡­ The rest¡­ not quite¡­ ¡­They¡¯re sleeping?¡­ That explains it¡­ ¡­I¡¯ll come back tomorrow¡­ [The next day. More bubbles could be heard in the background] GRILLBZ ¡­Who¡¯s the scary goopy scientist?¡­ That¡¯s Doctor W.D. Gaster¡­ He¡¯s always a little strange¡­ ¡­You¡¯re a strange one too¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be happy about my visits¡­ After all¡­ ¡­I¡¯m the one who killed you¡­ [The next week] GRILLBZ ¡­Uh¡­ Doctor Gaster discovered our secret¡­ But¡­ instead of banning me from the lab¡­ he wants to experiment¡­ ¡­He gave me this daily menu¡­ A good diet might affect a SOUL¡¯s potency¡­ or so he speculates¡­ ¡­Salad¡­ soup¡­ rice pilaf?¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m cut out for this¡­ I¡¯m not a chef¡­ I can make fries and burgers¡­ That¡¯s about it¡­ ¡­You don¡¯t mind?¡­ I see¡­ I¡¯ll try my best¡­ [Week 1 Day 5] [Location: Doctor Gaster¡¯s kitchen.] GASTER See? You¡¯re not as hopeless as you claim. You had all the practice from making my prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s snacks anyway. As long you follow my guidance, everything will be alright. GRILLBZ ¡­Where did you acquire these skills?¡­ GASTER Do you know who¡¯s the hottest hot dog vendor in all of Hotland? GRILLBZ ¡­No¡­? GASTER Ah¡­ I suppose you¡¯re too young remember him. GRILLBZ ¡­Who is he?¡­ GASTER He is a dearly departed friend. But don¡¯t fret; the culinary mastery of Roman and his wife Helvetica live on inside of me! Such joy and blessing! GRILLBZ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.¡­I see¡­ GASTER Now go and feed that human SOUL. Please remember, Sir Grillenn¡­ do NOT get attached. [Week 2, Day 6] [Location: SOUL holding chamber] GRILLBZ ¡­Say, Yellow¡­ Do you have family?¡­ ¡­No?¡­Who took care of you then?¡­ ¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to upset you¡­ ¡­It¡¯s just¡­ you remind me of one of my students¡­ Gaster¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦¡­ You two are equally gluttonous¡­ Haha¡­ Glad you could laugh¡­ ¡­He doesn¡¯t have any other family either¡­ Only his younger brother¡­ Whom he¡¯s raising alone¡­ He doesn¡¯t trust anyone to help¡­ ¡­Me?¡­ No siblings¡­ Four cousins¡­ I still visit my parents from time to time¡­ ¡­See you tomorrow¡­ [Week 3, Day 1] [Location: Training grounds] GASTER I have some bad news, Sir Grillenn. GRILLBZ ¡­What is it about?¡­ GASTER Allow me to demonstrate. [A series of gunshots rang in the air] GRILLBZ ¡­W-what¡¯s that?!¡­ GASTER Research suggests that this is called a ¡®gun¡¯. A pistol, to be exact. Long gone are the days of bows and arrows. This is humanity¡¯s new staple projectile weapon. There were two of those ¡®bullets¡¯ inside. Sans and I studied their technology to recreate this specific ammunition. Something so small with so much firepower¡­ the simplicity of its application means that even the most unskilled idiot could do extraordinary damage. Friend, had you hesitated on that day¡­ you would have been shot dead. GRILLBZ ¡­I don''t understand¡­ GASTER Hm? GRILLBZ ¡­Why would a young child own such a weapon?¡­ [Week 4, Day 1] [Location: SOUL holding chamber] GRILLBZ ¡­I found something that might belong to you¡­ A toy gun¡­ Quite fancy¡­ ¡­You traded it for the real gun didn¡¯t you?¡­ Found it used as an an elaborate paperweight?¡­ With bullets left inside?¡­ ¡­That¡¯s dangerous¡­ Doctor Gaster noticed that it¡¯s somewhat defective¡­ Knock it a bit too hard¡­ and it¡¯ll misfire¡­ ¡­The Snowdin resident?¡­They didn¡¯t trigger it¡­ Luckily so¡­ ¡­I have a question to ask¡­ you have to be honest¡­ ¡­Did you think of killing anyone?¡­ ¡­Self-defense?¡­ ¡­You thought that we were out to hurt you?¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­You may be right¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ [Week 5, Day 3] [Location: SOUL holding chamber] GRILLBZ ¡­My niece was born this afternoon¡­ I¡¯ll visit after work¡­ ¡­The baby''s doing fine¡­ Thank you¡­ She doesn¡¯t have a name yet¡­ ¡­Oh?¡­ You have something to tell me?¡­ ¡­You¡¯re a tourist?¡­ Where did you come from?¡­ ¡­¡®The Land of the Free?¡¯¡­ Never heard of that¡­ It¡¯s nickname?¡­ Fancy¡­ ¡­To us monsters¡­ The Surface is ¡®the Land of the Free¡¯¡­ ¡­What about your parents?¡­ ¡­¡®Socialites¡¯?¡­ ¡­I see¡­ It must be hard¡­ No¡­ mine weren¡¯t like that¡­ ¡­The scary doctor?¡­ ¡­His parents were advisors for the Royal Family¡­ Doctor Gaster¡¯s mother passed from illness¡­ His father committed suicide¡­ Went insane from grief¡­ ¡­Out of all of us¡­ Gaster has the deepest grudge against humanity¡­ I apologize if he acts cold to you¡­ ¡­You¡¯re used to it?¡­ ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­Please don¡¯t say that¡­ [Week 5, Day 6] [Location: SOUL holding chamber] GRILLBZ ¡­Am I happy?¡­ ¡­Am I lonely?¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­You have a tendency to ask striking questions¡­ Must be that Justice speaking¡­ ¡­But¡­ it¡¯s not because I don¡¯t have a partner¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡­ ¡­Have you ever felt like no one listens to your words?¡­ ¡­Yes?¡­ Is that why you climbed the mountain?¡­ No?¡­ ¡­You wanted to be a treasure hunter?!¡­ Are you serious???¡­ ¡­No¡­ I¡¯m not laughing at you¡­ ¡­I just wonder why¡­ ¡­To live a carefree and exciting life?¡­ Are you sure that¡¯s not fiction?¡­ Real jobs have their boring parts¡­ like paperwork¡­ I should know¡­ ¡­Hmm?¡­ Why did I become Captain of the Royal Guard?¡­ Well¡­ Family tradition¡­ No¡­ I didn¡¯t choose it¡­ I was born and raised as a knight of the prestigious Grillenn family¡­ ¡­But¡­ ¡­In the end¡­ It¡¯s just a name¡­ If not for what happened back then¡­ I might have had a very different life¡­ ¡­Would you like to hear more of our stories?¡­ [Week 6, Day 1] GRILLBZ ¡­And that¡¯s how our Prince died¡­ Tragic isn¡¯t it?¡­ ¡­Thank you for listening¡­ Heh¡­ It does sound like a ¡®treasure hunter¡¯ thing to do¡­ Uncovering the stories of the past¡­ ¡­Do I want to go to the Surface?¡­ I don¡¯t mind either way¡­ ¡­What is it like up there anyway?¡­ ¡­Lots of fighting and injustice?¡­ Really?¡­ That sounds scary¡­ ¡­I¡¯m not afraid for myself¡­ It¡¯s my cousins and their children¡­ I don¡¯t want my niece and nephews to live in fear of what the future holds¡­ ¡­What would I do if I could choose my own life?¡­ ¡­I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I like cooking¡­ and mixing drinks¡­ ¡­There¡¯s an actual job like that on the Surface? ¡­A ¡®bartender¡¯?¡­ ¡­Heh, the atmosphere does sound nice¡­ ¡­What if I open one after I retire?¡­ A bar¡­ ¡­Huh, what''s that?¡­ ¡­Haha¡­ No¡­ I¡¯m not that old¡­ Consider it early retirement¡­ ¡­I already have a successor in mind¡­ Once she¡¯s ready¡­ I¡¯ll pass the torch¡­ [Week 6, Day 6] [Location: Gaster¡¯s residence] GASTER Sir Grillenn, thank you for coming by. GRILLBZ ¡­No problem¡­ [Grillbz can be heard pulling a chair to sit down] GASTER The information you gathered from the Yellow SOUL is immensely helpful. At the very least, we now have a clue about the social dynamics of modern humanity. [There was an abrupt scratch of wood against the floor. Grillbz had pushed the chair out of the way.] GASTER W-wait! Where are you going?! GRILLBZ ¡­If you¡¯re going to treat me as your spy¡­ I will have none of it¡­ GASTER No! Egads. You have grown really attached to that human SOUL. Friend¡­ I know your kind heart. From the very beginning I realised that my advice would fall on deaf ears. I''m just¡­ thankful for your efforts. And I¡¯d like for you to know it hasn¡¯t been for nothing. There¡¯s something I must discuss with you, Sir Grillenn. It¡¯s vital. Please, hear me out. GRILLBZ ¡­Fine¡­ [More chair sounds.] GASTER I have a question to ask first: do you think a human SOUL can last forever outside of their bodies? GRILLBZ ¡­No¡­ GASTER That¡¯s correct. Not even a human SOUL can last forever. Our history states that they can last for a while, and only a ¡®while¡¯. That¡¯s because it¡¯s alive. Any form of life requires energy to maintain its existence. A disembodied human SOUL is no different. Upon disembodiment, its inner reserves will start to deplete. Once it has exhausted all its power¡­ the human SOUL will vanish just like a monster¡¯s. GRILLBZ ¡­Huh?¡­But they are all still here today¡­ GASTER I had foreseen this issue and thus created an entire system designed for preservation. By permeating the human SOULS with magical energy, I ensure that they don¡¯t expire in the near future. At the same time, the SOULS must spend as little energy as possible. The bare minimum. That¡¯s why I had all the other SOULS put into deep, inactive sleep. Suspended animation. This¡­ is why I called you here. The report. GRILLBZ ¡­I don¡¯t understand¡­ GASTER The external feedings have failed to raise any potency. As a matter of fact, we lost five percent of its estimated lifespan. GRILLBZ ¡­Can¡¯t we increase the number of meals?¡­ Or the calories?¡­ GASTER Dear friend, a lifeform can only process so much a day. Furthermore, we do not know when we¡¯ll get the final SOUL. It could be tomorrow. It could be the next year. It could also be well beyond our lifetimes. Sir Grillenn¡­one more week is all I can give. We¡¯re at the end of the menu program anyway. After that, the Yellow SOUL shall join its brethren. I will inform the human about the reality of our situation. In the meantime, please spend your last moments with it fruitfully. GRILLBZ ¡­He¡¯s a boy¡­ Ten years old¡­ GASTER I see. GRILLBZ ¡­Please give us one more day after the program ends¡­ For his last meal¡­ GASTER I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. I hesitate to risk further losses. But, we can replace the last menu with whatever the human wishes. The experiment was a failure anyway; all that¡¯s left is for you to utter a proper goodbye. [Week 7, Day 6. The final day.] [Location: SOUL holding chamber] GRILLBZ ¡­Large fries¡­ double cheeseburger¡­ and a bottle of apple juice¡­ All orders covered?¡­ Good¡­ ¡­You want to talk with me?¡­ I suppose¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­Should we escape?¡­ It takes only one human and one monster to cross the Barrier¡­ We can flee together¡­ ¡­Haha¡­ You¡¯re right¡­ That would make me the worst traitor¡­ Is that your Justice trait speaking?¡­ ¡­What is ¡®justice¡¯ anyway?¡­ I thought it means being a good citizen¡­ but I still feel¡­ ¡­Guilty¡­ ¡­You don¡¯t know either?¡­ ¡­Well¡­ I guess neither of us have enough years of experience¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­That¡¯s correct¡­ We only need one more for everyone to be free¡­ Why do you ask? ¡­?!¡­ ¡­We¡¯re planning for a war¡­ The extermination of your kind¡­ Why would you want to help us achieve our goal?¡­ ¡­Do you hate the Surface?¡­ ¡­Otherwise your death will be in vain?¡­ Hah¡­ That¡¯s quite selfish of you¡­ ¡­I hope the next child will change our minds too¡­ ¡­There¡¯s something I must ask¡­ You¡¯ve not answered it yet¡­ Why are you willing to talk to me, your killer?¡­ ¡­Really?¡­ That¡¯s¡­ I wish your parents didn¡¯t take you for granted¡­ Our meeting was short lived¡­ But I¡¯m glad to befriend you¡­ ¡­If only we weren¡¯t racial enemies¡­ [A door opens] GASTER Sir Grillenn, it¡¯s time. GRILLBZ ¡­This is goodbye¡­ ¡­Sleep tight¡­ and¡­ I am truly sorry¡­ [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 03: Past Lives [The following transcript takes place after Mezil Thyme¡¯s first day of Lemurian courtship proceedings for Lucidia of House Berendin.] MEZIL That went better than expected. Half of the contestants surrendered long before the beginning of the battle. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Can the same be said for you? [The click of Mezil¡¯s gun could be heard.] MEZIL If you don¡¯t show yourself, you only have your own cowardice to blame. [What followed after was a faint hum of magic and a series of footsteps.] GARAMOND How vigilant. It¡¯s as the reports indicate. MEZIL Invisibility? Hmm. Are you a suitor. Or their spy? GARAMOND ¡­I¡¯m too old to court Miss Berendin. MEZIL Old? GARAMOND I¡¯m almost two centuries her senior. Enough to be her father four times over. MEZIL That didn¡¯t stop some from trying to join this frivolous duel. GARAMOND Stoicism is not the same as being shameless. I believe you know this best. ¡­Will you not lower your gun first? [Mezil sighs.] MEZIL Fine. Just know that it would serve you well to avoid sneaking up on me like that again. With or without magic. GARAMOND Noted. Name¡¯s Garamond. Observers, Investigator branch. This is my badge. MEZIL Investigators¡­? GARAMOND Are you not familiar with the Magus Associations¡¯ special forces? MEZIL I apologize. I¡¯ve yet to complete my studies. But, as your title says, I take it you¡¯re similar to the Interpol of human society? GARAMOND Correct. I¡¯m here to report to you that Gaelic Blanc is making his move. MEZIL Hmm, I see. Please tell me more. GARAMOND Access to the rest of this intel is restricted under authorization of the Supreme Judge. MEZIL ¡­I understand. I¡¯ve not earned your trust yet, is that right? GARAMOND Unfortunately. I have served numerous Supreme Judges in my life. Their successors train for years before taking the helm. You on the other hand¡­ it¡¯s sink or swim. I question your ability to handle the more delicate matters. Therefore, I will not divulge any more details about Gaelic Blanc until you are ready. MEZIL What can I do ease your concerns? GARAMOND A private interview, if possible. Though we require a suitably secluded venue for our purposes. MEZIL Very well. Please lead the way. [Garamond leads Mezil to a seaside bench. Waves crash against the high tide. There¡¯s no one else in the vicinity.] GARAMOND Do you visit the sea often, Sir Winston? MEZIL This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.No. I lived near the Spire. Quite far away from the coast. Born and raised there, actually. GARAMOND So I had heard. As for myself, I hailed from these very Lemurian shores. But I first began my duties as an Investigator at a lakeside city in the human world. The council had chosen me specifically for my behaviour. Very human. No monster impulses. Blended in just fine under the cover of night and regional attire. Life was different. More so when compared to this era. Men considered tobacco to be healthy, and alcoholic beverages were still the safest drink. The strangest thing¡­ was seeing a large body of water that neither rocked nor churned. That unknown stillness reminds me most of your visage. MEZIL Hm. I get that often. GARAMOND Why would someone like you seek to marry Miss Berendin? Is it for status? Power? Perhaps money? MEZIL By turning myself into a walking target? Deathmatches around every corner? If I had my sights set on a comfortable life, I would have kept to accounting. I love her! And I¡¯m determined to keep loving her, forever. Why would I be here otherwise? GARAMOND True. Although¡­ even with the Keys of Fate, I doubt a year had passed in the battle royale. I¡¯ll be honest: you know nothing about Miss Berendin. This world. Or your destiny. MEZIL Shall I take those words as friendly warning, or a threat of disrespect? GARAMOND Just being frank. MEZIL I sure hope so. I can accept bluntness. On the other hand, veiled insults will be subjected to a different treatment. GARAMOND Noted. Who loved who first? You, or Miss Berendin? MEZIL It was her. In the first round, I focused solely on the battle. Romance was the furthest from my mind. My strengths as a normal civilian came from choosing and defending the right allies. She confessed that she¡¯s drawn to my ¡®sense of justice¡¯, and the kindness that results from it. ¡­I don¡¯t quite understand her thought processes. But there¡¯s something beautiful to them. Just like her face. GARAMOND So, you fell for her because she¡¯s ¡®beautiful¡¯? MEZIL True beauty is the complete package of a good heart. GARAMOND I was talking about her external appearance. MEZIL Hmph. That¡¯s why I skipped that useless presumption and jumped to the important point. [Garamond chuckled softly.] GARAMOND I can see what she means. If only Sir Latinoros steered his Yellow that way¡­ Has Miss Berendin ever disclosed why she had closeted herself inside The Spire? MEZIL She doesn¡¯t like talking about the subject. From whatever she confessed, she¡¯s suspicious of the intentions of others. Some may call it paranoia. I think it¡¯s prudence. Her status begets far too many who¡¯re¡­ eager beyond reasoning. GARAMOND I¡¯m impressed you know that much. Words are to be guarded. They¡¯re the most formidable of weapons. You must be quite the man if she trusts you with such. Still, I¡¯m concerned that you¡¯re marrying someone without fully knowing their deepest, darkest secrets. MEZIL The Red Victory War¡­ it almost ruined her once. It¡¯s fortunate that her active consciousness no longer remembers that lapse of judgement. Let that moment remain data, lost in the void. GARAMOND Oh? Interesting. Sir Winston, I was once a proxy. That means I know full well the experiences of fluid time. MEZIL Hold on. I think we¡¯re discovered. LUCIDIA There you are, Mezzy! You didn¡¯t return to your quarters and I got so worried I-- Oh. Sir Garamond. That¡­ that explains everything. GARAMOND I apologize for raising an alarm. I had a few questions to ask Sir Winston. LUCIDIA Judge Thyme. He IS your superior. MEZIL It¡¯s only a casual conversation, dear. We need not get specific on the titles. Please calm down. LUCIDIA How can I remain calm after how they treated you at the proceedings?! Such¡­ disrespect!! Even my own mother looked down upon you! GARAMOND Miss Berendin. I¡¯m not pitting myself against Judge Thyme. Heaven forbid. [Awkward moments passed. But, eventually Lucidia settled down.] LUCIDIA A-apologies, Sir Garamond. That was unbecoming of me. I shouldn¡¯t have jumped to conclusions. Mezzy, I¡¯m going to visit my biological father ASAP. This uncouth aggravation against you must stop! I can only hope his Green will make him easier to deal with than my mother. ¡­I wish Uncle James was still alive¡­ Sir Garamond, please exercise brevity. The Supreme Judge is not known to get enough quality sleep. He has a long day ahead of him, and with insufficient rest, even a ceremonial fencer like Sir Latinoros might cause him trouble. That man¡¯s Pure Eye should NOT be underestimated! GARAMOND Certainly. LUCIDIA Thank you. Now, if you¡¯d excuse me! [The two men said nothing. Not until she¡¯s out of hearing range.] MEZIL Investigator Garamond¡­ You say I don¡¯t know anything. You¡¯re right. But you damn well better teach me! There¡¯s no point poking at my ignorance without giving me a chance to rectify the circumstance. Tell me more about this Gaelic Blanc. This instant! GARAMOND That Red Aspect of yours. It does add extra fire to an otherwise calm mix. Sir Winston, have you ever been accused of a crime that you didn¡¯t commit? MEZIL I had the misfortune of having¡­ slippery siblings. Nothing serious enough to involve the police, however. GARAMOND I see. You¡¯re blessed. The same can¡¯t be said about your future adversary. As you must have heard by now, Gaelic has a primal sense of logic. Wild, dangerous, yet strangely pure. Loneliness clouds his judgement. Seeking the surest road to love, he began to offer others the cup of temptation with his name on it. Many drank it, entrenched in the romance of his unusual persona. The ¡®smarter¡¯ ones discarded him as soon as they could. Those who stayed were fools addicted to a fantasy. Some dared to call it ¡®love¡¯. MEZIL ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ GARAMOND One day, the most foolish of the fools dabbled in drugs. Potulices. Mild poisons. Mind-altering substances to bring the high. Had a severe reaction. Ended up in hospital. Her family questioned their daughter. She pointed a finger at her ¡®beloved¡¯ and accused him¡­ A predator. A beast. Guided by selfish impulses. He¡¯s the perpetrator and she¡¯s the victim. The people believed her. After all, she was an upright citizen with a reasonable standing. And he? A wildling who mauled his classmate over a petty insult. MEZIL Wait, what happened to that case? GARAMOND There was no case. The ¡®victim¡¯ sailed away from Lemuria before law enforcers could launch their investigation. But, does it matter? Who would believe the beast who broke out of lockup and rushed to the docks, begging her to clear his name? She continued to play the part of victim to the very end. As far as I know, only Miss Berendin and myself believe in Gaelic¡¯s innocence. MEZIL What about the Chronographers? What about Lucidia? Can¡¯t they replicate the truth? GARAMOND Justice or no justice, the damage was already done. The senior Chronographers were not convinced that the effort would be worth it. His lifestyle and mannerisms had incriminated him from the very beginning. Should our fair maiden try in their stead, she would be called naive for believing in a childhood friend. Gullible. Sheltered. MEZIL ¡­Is that the root of her mistrust and paranoia? GARAMOND Indeed. I do not blame the naysayers. Their concerns were valid. People can change for the worse. Furthermore, Miss Berendin lacked in investigative experience at the time. Not even I would have put her reputation on the line. She knows this all too well. MEZIL What about you? Why didn¡¯t you look into it? GARAMOND That¡¯s because¡­ I¡¯m his relative. MEZIL ?!?! GARAMOND Gaelic and I are direct paternal cousins. In clanship terms, we¡¯re brothers. Close families are banned from an investigation to prevent the possibility of compromise. Since I have disclosed this connection, do take my statements with a pinch of salt. Use your own discernment. I won¡¯t hold a grudge should you choose to mistrust me. I¡¯ll let you be the final ¡®judge¡¯. MEZIL No wonder she¡¯s so afraid¡­ Poor thing. That¡¯s a dead end situation. Thank you for the intel. GARAMOND You¡¯re welcome. Goodnight to you, Judge Thyme. I wish you the best for tomorrow¡¯s event. I¡¯ll be watching from the spectator¡¯s seats. MEZIL Goodnight to you too¡­ Investigator Garamond Blanc. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 04: Investigators Remorse [The following are voice recordings by Investigator Garamond Blanc.] * * * Day 1. Upon Lady Lucidia¡¯s request, I am tasked with the observation of Gaelic Blanc. Medical reports confirmed that he¡¯s powerful enough to be registered in the list of active Seers. However, he has no interest in joining the force proper. My cousin¡¯s mental condition is delicate to say the least. He refuses to cooperate, and our hospitals have no resources for his long-term care. She thus proposed an uninhabited island for relocation. Placing him under supervision on known monster territory will ease the hearts of many. I understand her reasoning, but I do not approve. Alas, there¡¯s little I can do to stop this ¡®experiment¡¯ now that it¡¯s begun. ¡­To think fate would bring us back to that accursed place. * * * Day 2. When I walked by the beachside, nostalgia accompanied me every step of the way. The sailors of yore call that place ¡®Wyrmbrood Island¡¯. A secret lush haven with plenty of food and water. But this richness hides many dangers. Countless ships have met their end there. Survivors tell of wyrms swimming underneath the waves, intelligent enough to smash their boats. There were never such beasts, but the claims of peril were true for different reasons. Shallow cold-coral reefs weaved around the island, forming mazes of serpentine peaks. They look like dragons from above. More so to those delirious from thirst and hunger. Shipwrecked sailors had wandered into the southern fishing settlements before. Lives were lost on either side. The Magi had to silence the human survivors: either by sword or by pen. Many would pay mounds of gold for Lemuria¡¯s location. Deterrents have since been installed around the borders. A mix of illusions and current shifters ensured that no human could wash up on Wyrmbrood Island ever again. As such, this remote wilderness remains untouched in the 21st century; it became a nature reserve of sorts, valued mainly by local ecologists. Upon Awakening at five years old, Gaelic ended up on this very same Wyrmbrood Island via a series of portal hops. It wasn¡¯t intentional. He was a confused, panicked child in pain. It''s likely that he ran until he hit a dead end. What happened after that was the true mystery. Instead of accepting rescue, he fled deeper into the wild. We tried bringing his parents to shore to call him back. He doesn¡¯t recognize them. It¡¯s possible that the ferocity of his premature Awakening tampered with his memory. Days became weeks. Weeks dragged to months. No one thought the child would survive¡­ except for Sir Scott Wiley, one of the best Trackers in recent history. He prepped to camp there for at least a season. If not two. His plan was to search for Gaelic. Then, earn his trust the slow way. He succeeded. At the eve of winter as well. I was relieved, since it was right before the harshest season. My uncle and his wife were delighted beyond words. They had their son back after so long. But, their celebrations were dampened by Sir Wiley¡¯s warning. Young Gaelic had lost all his social skills. He couldn¡¯t talk. It''s doubtful that he understood speech. Furthermore, his first reaction to food was to plant face-first into it. His behaviors had more in common with a wild animal than a person. It will take conscious, deliberate effort to rehabilitate Gaelic. Even then, Sir Wiley had his doubts. ¡®A tamed wolf is not a dog,¡¯ he said. We had hoped that his young age was an advantage toward his eventual recovery. Now, thinking back¡­ I wonder if we had been too arrogant. * * * Day 15. Gaelic still refuses to see me. I go to the beach, he climbs up the mountain. Up the mountain I go, he scurries down to the lowlands. It appears he has enough presence of mind to consciously avoid me. However, none of the tools I left for him were taken. Going minimal again. From personal experience, that¡¯s never a good sign¡­ I returned the rest of the equipment to Scott Wiley. That man still has his edge, but he¡¯s laying his days to rest. Age, injury, and obligations had caught up with him in recent years. He has a daughter of his own; she needs him. Lady Lucidia accepted my report without much questioning. I could tell she¡¯s burdened by a thought. But, she refuses to disclose it, apologizing for the lost time instead. * * * Day 31. Nowadays whenever I check on Gaelic, I¡¯d bring food and water. Perhaps he had a good breakfast. Perhaps he had not eaten for three days. It didn¡¯t matter. Offering nourishment was what enabled Scott to win his trust, so that¡¯s what I¡¯ll try. My best bet would be to replicate the positive association. I would place the bowl on a rock and distance myself. If needed, I will also render myself invisible. Then I will watch him eat in private. A friendly bond won¡¯t form so soon. That¡¯s fine. I am patient. I am determined. * * * Day 70. From my office I often stare out toward the ocean, pondering. Out of habit, I light a cigar to calm my nerves. Nicotine affects monsters the same way as humans do¡­ along with all its toxic drawbacks. To think this was a necessary tool of health back in the olden days. Humans said that it protected them from dementia, when in reality it killed countless before the onset of the disease. I don¡¯t know how many years I have lost to this outdated practice. Not enough, perhaps. ¡®Old habits die hard¡¯ as the saying goes. That said, I wonder if there¡¯s anything so different between Gaelic and I? He was a good boy. That¡¯s what my uncle would say. It¡¯s hard to deny it either. He was obedient: did his chores, stocked the bookshop, and stayed indoors whenever his parents told him to. Perhaps the biggest mistake was to assume that there was nothing wrong behind his compliance. And when they passed away¡­ that¡¯s when I saw the return of the beast Scott had plucked from Wyrmbrood Island. His parents had tried hard to teach him the skills to live on after their passing. Gaelic instead misunderstood those teachings as the means by which to earn their approval. After they were gone, he saw no reason to retain the knowledge anymore. He had missed the point of their love. By the time we realised this, it was far too late. Too many times I was forced to leave Lemuria for work. As a result, my influence on Gaelic was nowhere near what my uncle had hoped for. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s too late. But, I have to try to set things right. * * * Day 71. My origins had their own tragedy. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I was born out of wedlock. Through fate and fortune, the head of the Blanc Clan adopted me as his own son. I grew up in an environment full of love. Everyone thought of me as the chief¡¯s golden boy and treated me as one of their own, even though I''m not. I wouldn''t know the truth until I had my Eyes awaken. The Blancs are known for their lack of Lich ancestry. For me to bear two¡­ I realised couldn¡¯t ever be of their lineage. It became my goal to reconnect with my biological parents. If they were not prepared for me at birth, maybe they would accept me ten years later? So, I launched my investigation in secret. Asked around. Saved money. Bribed for intel. Read what records I could get a hold of. After a year, I found my parents. But my presence was rejected still. My mother had married someone else. And my father¡­ he¡¯d rather jump into the ocean than to talk to me. It¡¯s difficult to realize that I was a subject of shame. The Blancs comforted me. Reassured that I am family no matter what my origins were. Since then, I stopped chasing after that childish dream. However, my sleuthing had caught the attention of the Seers. They were impressed that I had the talents to track down my parents, more so for my youth. They offered me a recommendation to train as an Investigator, one of The Magus Association''s Observer specialists. With the support of the entire clan, I accepted. In time, generations changed, and I remained the only one left alive from that era. To think that Gaelic, a true Blanc, got shunned instead of me¡­ ¡­I wish it was reversed. * * * Day 109. Latinoros called me to the cafe. Knowing him it¡¯s to air his woes. One might expect this to take place in a pub, but he¡¯s not fond of anything more bitter than tea. I first encountered him as a child over Gaelic¡¯s school incident. A year his senior, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Later in life, we met again as members of the field of Law. Somehow, we became friends. It happened gradually over time. First, we worked together as colleagues. Then, he started asking me for advice. We exchanged contacts. Perhaps I¡¯m one of the few with the patience and understanding to make sense of his ranting. It¡¯s usually about the latest family custody cases: messy affairs. When I arrived there, I found Latinoros in a rather strange state. Less of his usual frustration. More¡­ conflicted. We had our drink in silence for a while. On any other day, he would start talking the very moment we sat down. Something¡¯s up. I asked if anything happened at the children¡¯s home. He shook his head. Nothing that his family couldn¡¯t handle. It¡¯s a relief. But then in return, he questioned if I had seen Gaelic. I told him that I didn¡¯t. ¡®Do you recall the 19th century?¡¯ he later enquired, starting an unusual query. ¡®How was society¡¯s outlook on life back then? What did it mean to be a ¡®person¡¯? Did the world change for the better or for worse?¡¯ I answered to the best of my ability. It¡¯s been a long time, to the point where I can¡¯t trust my own memories. They could be tainted by nostalgia. One thing was sure: it was different compared to the 21st century. Better in some ways. Not quite in others. Latinoros told me that some of his kin had been theorizing Gaelic¡¯s unusual mentality. Skeletonkind, both Lichborn and Blanks, descended from humans. Therefore, anthropology and human psychology were considered relevant subjects. Is he a mere mental patient? Is he a symptom of genetic degradation? Or should he be considered living proof of this age¡¯s evolutionary theory? I can see why it troubled Latinoros. If it¡¯s true that Gaelic¡¯s condition is a sign of gradual corruption, all those with the Eye could be at risk. It had already been noted that those further away from their roots tend to be less human in their proportions. On the flipside, if Gaelic is proof that humans evolved from the beasts of the wild¡­ where then do we Seers stand in monster society? * * * Day 110. It took some persuasion, but I managed to ask Lady Lucidia for her thoughts. We agreed that she would only answer what she wants to answer. Even though it goes against my Investigator¡¯s tendencies, I respect her wishes. Is there a purpose for her experiment? I wanted to know. She replied: ¡®Do you consider Gaelic as a person or an animal?¡¯ I had to choose my answer carefully. Lady Lucidia may not have Justice as her trait, but her mind is sharp. I want to be as honest to her as possible. I told her that I consider him family, no matter what others say. She was glad. But, the joy didn¡¯t last. Her expression soon darkened. The following clip is her recording. She insisted on including these statements into whatever archives I chose to keep. To her, it¡¯s an interview. Thus it must maintain integrity. ¡°Sir Garamond, others don¡¯t think like you do. Objectification and dehumanization runs deep.¡± ¡°For better or for worse, Gaelic is a living curiosity. His extreme condition and unusual beginnings are a wealth of valuable information. What happened to him was an accident. Therefore, there are no legal restraints.¡± ¡°If I hand him over to others, his treatment will be at the mercy of the head of the experiment. Perhaps it would be holistic. Kind. Perhaps it would be unethical. Cruel.¡± ¡°Do you remember one of Sir Latinoros¡¯ cases? Where a pair of children underwent unspeakable horrors under the misguided quest for science? If a parent could do such thing to their own offspring¡­ perhaps it¡¯s better that I say no more.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a thin line between torture and research. Anything could be reasoned away with the right mindset. I imagined that there are many willing to take the risk.¡± ¡°This is why¡­ I made Gaelic my personal study. I¡¯m the only one who can control my own actions. The experiment I had set up is the best balance between security and freedom.¡± ¡°Sir Garamond, please pardon this childish selfishness.¡± End recording. ¡­Her logic is sound. Sad as it is, we can¡¯t trust others with Gaelic¡¯s wellbeing. I¡¯m reminded of that blasted den. Of how they manipulated him into modifying his face, and selling everything to pay a surgeon of questionable integrity. That wretched hive of scum¡­ they saw Gaelic¡¯s flaws as scrumptious honey. They sought control, imagining that they had overpowered a creature of the wild. They craved submission, played by romanticised ideas limited to fiction. They offered ¡®love¡¯, only to seize the opportunity to groom for the fulfillment of their fantasies. He became their toy. Their pet. Their object of desire. His exotic allure was too irresistible. After all, he had the body and was eager to learn: a wild, untamed bubbling broth of passion. ¡­Disgusting. They cared not for who he truly is. They cared not for the person curled up in a hole of his own making, drowning in agony. I was so outraged, I would have gotten an assault charge on my name if it weren¡¯t for the discretion of my colleagues. I told Lady Lucidia that perhaps one day Gaelic would get tired of the island and come back to his real home. That would be the best outcome, wouldn¡¯t it? Lady Lucidia just nodded. I could see the lack of hope in her downcast shadow. * * * Day 150. In the 21st century, the influence of human society has become omnipresent. Media, from books to movies to the internet, enticed monsterkind with ideas of excitement. Why settle for the dull, quiet modicum when more could be had? The results were mixed. On one hand, art and knowledge blossomed. People told more stories now than ever before. Art revitalized our settlements. The choices of music increased. There was more colour. More beauty. Both the young and old watched videos of lands that only once existed in paintings. They saw creatures that were more fascinating than myths, plants that defy expectations, and the wonders of why a sky changes colour. They too learned how the determined live their lives, and how they shaped the human world. As a collective, this prosperous generation learned more than their foreparents ever did. But as with all knowledge, there¡¯s a dark side. Mixed within the wholesome are the corrupted. There will always be some who chose poorly. I spent the centuries wading through the dregs of blood, conspiracies, and decadence, fishing out criminals from the mud in which they hide. I had seen much, and wished that it would all remain outside of my homeland. That¡¯s unfortunately not the case anymore. Before I knew it, vice trade reached the shores of monster society, taking the peripheral islands by storm. Those with excessive boredom were enticed by the darkness. They got involved. Hooked. And with enough demand, businesses thrived. Madam Oya (pseudonym) called me at five in the morning. There and then I knew Gaelic had escaped from Wyrmbrood Island and returned to her hive of villainy. I don¡¯t understand why he keeps coming back there. Their depravity knows no bounds. All they had done was to hurt him in the guise of pleasure. Could it be the food? Madam Oya fed Gaelic for free. She pitied him, I suppose. I¡¯m thankful that she tried to care for him in her own way. Though, I still can¡¯t condone her establishment. As for others, they will gladly buy Gaelic¡¯s body. After all, a transaction of lust in mutual agreement is cheap compared to what they would pay for a similar professional service. By the time I reached there, Madam Oya had closed shop for the morning. She didn¡¯t want her customers to bother me. I was not welcomed by some, while others were overly ambitious in their courtings. I appreciated her thoughtfulness. Again, I wish she didn¡¯t choose this field of work. It¡¯s a waste of her character. She led me along the shore. Said that there¡¯s a storm drain nearby. Gaelic''s favourite resting place after the ¡®happenings of the night¡¯. It¡¯s in the middle of a shifting tide. Waves crashed against the barnacle-encrusted rock hills. It''s dangerous for those unfamiliar with terrain traversal. No wonder it became his personal safe refuge. Kept the ¡®unsatisfied¡¯ away. Madam Oya told me that she¡¯ll wait nearby for my return, handing a small basket of boiled eggs, a bottle of water, and a glowstick. Understandable, since she lacked the physique to enter. Despite their rough texture, they¡¯re wet and treacherous steps. I had to resort to bone magic, turning them into makeshift pickaxes for extra hold. I spotted Gaelic further down at the first intersection, curled up on the ground. I called from the mouth of the tunnel. It¡¯s important to maintain distance just in case he fails to recognize me. He scrambled on his limbs, back against the wall. Growling. My heart sank. His mental state had deteriorated further over the night. He¡¯s not recognizing his own name anymore. I rolled in an egg to further test his reactions. Gaelic sniffed it with cautious suspicion. His forked tongue poked it for further confirmation. Once he recognized it as an edible object, he gobbled it whole: shell and all. I thus placed down the basket of food at the mouth of the entrance. How would he react to my presence? Does he consider me a friend, or a stranger? At first, it went well. He¡¯s hungry enough to take the risk of possible ¡®imagined¡¯ danger. But when he got closer, a glint of recognition flashed through. ¡­Gaelic retreated in great distress. ¡®Go way.¡¯ ¡®Leave me¡¯. He¡¯d say between his whimpers. Again, and again. I tried to approach. Get closer. Remind him that he¡¯s not completely alone. It just made things worse. He screeched. Hissed. He then screamed above the crashing waves. Questioned if I¡¯m here to laugh. To lecture. To humiliate. I was the one who had his life together. I am a standard he can never reach. My mere presence is a fire that burns too hot: a painful reminder of his failures to be a sentient being. Thus I bode farewell and went away. In retrospect, perhaps my past rejection continued to haunt me even after so long. I¡¯m left wondering what would have happened if I chose to stay. I will never know. * * * Day 260. When the outer nations bloodied their land with destructive war, we build. When they discard their young, we preserve ours. When chaos became their ways, we kept balance. We did everything we could to ensure that what little territory we have can sustain life. And yet, here we are: standing on the same fragile pillars as the outer nations. Judge Pashowar revealed to me that he had discovered a disturbing lead: the tendrils of corruption have jeopardized the integrity of Mu¡¯s infrastructure. Funds aren¡¯t tallying. Materials, mismatched. False security systems. Missing itenary. Suspicious offshore workers. The full level of compromise, unknown. All we know was that it involves the outside world. The Observers established an emergency taskforce to depart for Atlantis. Immediate, upon nightfall. Since all Atlantean and Lemurian technology derives from Mu, straight or adapted, there will only be trouble for us if key defensive systems fail. We don¡¯t know what the enemy is preparing for. It could be another invasion. Or, worse. They seek one more member. I was one of the top recommendations due to my extensive knowledge on human affairs. Few other monsters could understand this paper trail. I wonder if Gaelic might think that I¡¯ve given up on him. Should I expect him to understand that this is also for his own sake? No. Probably never. * * * Day 261. Uncle. Your brother had adopted an unknown like me. There are two hundred other members of the clan who are better for the job. And you chose me to protect your only child. Yet, I¡¯m leaving him behind. ¡­I¡¯m sorry. Request 02: Gerson and the Purple Child [The following audio transcript is available for access with the permission of Gerson, The Hammer of Justice.] GERSON Woah there! I¡¯ve got some neat junk for sale. Wanna have a looksee? Kid? You¡¯re lookin¡¯ rather pale. Huh. What¡¯s with the notebook? [A page flipped in the background.] GERSON Hmm? ¡®Toilet roll¡¯? Sorry. Never seen it. Well, aside from your drawing. Why¡¯d ya need that for? [More scribbling.] GERSON ¡­Ooookay I get your point. Maybe some of these leaves would work. Money? Nah. Consider it on the house. Go hurry to your own ¡®business¡¯, wa ha! [Some time passed. The Purple Child returned to the shop.] GERSON Welcome back¡­? Oh dear. You¡¯re lookin¡¯ paler than before. Hmm¡­ how about this? Stay here for a while. It¡¯s no good if you limp along in your current condition. About the money? Heh. Maybe later you can repay me by helpin¡¯ out. But don¡¯t sweat. I¡¯m not a miser. Wa ha ha! * * * GERSON Mornin¡¯ kid. Feeling better? Got some boiled Crab Apples for breakfast. Heard they¡¯re good for the runs. ¡­Yep. Shoulda told ya sooner, but I have met humans before. So I know a bit about them. [The Purple Child gasped.] GERSON Hope I¡¯m not prying, but¡­ why are you communicating through a notebook? Born mute? No? You just don¡¯t wanna talk? That¡¯s fine. I ain¡¯t picky, wahaha. Draw away! You really like purple, huh? Oh. You only have one of those ¡®pen¡¯ thingamajiggies. That explain lots. [After breakfast, The Purple Child started drawing pictures of the monsters she had met.] GERSON W-what¡¯s this¡­? Queen Toriel? You saw her?! In ¡®The Ruins¡¯, huh? Well, that makes sense. That¡¯s Old Home, where we first settled after we got banished to the Underground. What¡¯s that on the wall? The Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom. Oh, hey, careful there. [The sound of footsteps indicate that the human walked up close to the engraving.] GERSON Never seen it before? Bah! What have they been teaching you in school? This emblem predates written history. Lost the original meaning a long time ago. All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above¡­ is something else. Most folks think it¡¯s some angel from the prophecy. Oh boy, look at that. Proper note taking! You¡¯re really into history, huh? That¡¯s good. Not enough kiddos take that subject nowadays. Uh¡­ Kid? You¡¯re looking rather weird. Oh no. * * * [The phone rung. Gerson picked it up.] GERSON Hello? GASTER Hammer of Justice, I must warn you that a human is afoot. They were last spotted within your vicinity. GERSON I already know that. Thanks anyhoo. Say, do you have anything for¡­ involuntary purges? GASTER Involuntary? You mean vomiting? GERSON Yup! I got a sick kid under my care. Might have eaten something she shouldn¡¯t. Poor kiddo can¡¯t even keep her breakfast down. I¡¯m getting mighty worried. GASTER If it¡¯s poisoning related, the purging helps eject unwanted toxins. But I suppose it¡¯s a problem if it¡¯s uncontrolled¡­ Please give me a moment to check my medical cabinet. [Some rummaging could be heard across the line.] GASTER There we go. Antiemetics and painkillers. Sir Gerson, may I know their body type and age? For dosage reasons. GERSON Uuuuh¡­ What do ya call them upright-animal folks anyway? Medium-sized? And she¡¯s about ten to twelve. GASTER I see. I think I understand what you mean. One of the Royal Guards will deliver a package to you posthaste. Please follow the recommended dosage. Never increase it without my permission. Also please bring her to my lab if she doesn¡¯t get better. I know sickness is rare among monsters, but an occurrence can quickly become fatal. GERSON Right, right. Thanks a bunch. [Gerson put down the phone] GERSON Sigh¡­ if only ¡®that¡¯ incident never happened. * * * GERSON How¡¯s the Sea Tea? Good? There ya go! That¡¯s a nice smile, wa ha! Guess the doc¡¯s medicine is working as intended. Better even! Hey. You know you¡¯re a wanted kid, right? Humans aren¡¯t welcome down here. The Royal Guard is combing the place for ya as we speak. Me? I do whatever I want. Wa ha ha! I know not all of humans are bad. [Pictures were drawn, and pages flipped.] GERSON That¡¯s your mom? Nope. Haven¡¯t seen her. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. [The child started to sob.] GERSON H-hey, hey. Calm down, kiddo. Why do you think she might be in the Underground? [The child continued to draw their story.] GERSON ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Gosh darn. I¡¯m so sorry for your loss. Looks like the Surface has gone to heck. A wizard war, of all things! Well, if ya look on the bright side I¡¯d reckon your momma is still up there. All the more why you need to get healthy quick. Say. Maybe you could tell me more about this magic school? To pass the time y¡¯know. * * * GERSON Oho! That¡¯s the beefiest headmaster I¡¯ve ever seen! Though I bet Ol¡¯ King Fluffybuns will give him a run for his money. Wahaha! Hmm? How¡¯s the King like? A total pushover! Strong in muscle, but soft in heart. It¡¯s his advisor that you need to watch out for. Doctor W. D. Gaster¡¯s the name. Ahuh. The same doc who gave you the medicine. I kept it vague so he doesn¡¯t come storming. He¡¯s got a thing against your kind. A big one. Eh, don¡¯t worry. Nobody can fight in my shop. It¡¯s the perfect safe zone. Why? My secret. Wa ha! Oops. I got another customer. Be right back. As long you stay in this convenient corner, nobody will notice ya. * * * GERSON Kid? Oh no¡­ that¡¯s a burning fever. You were just fine yesterday! I can¡¯t take you to Gaster¡­ That doc would only help you hasten your demise! This is bad. Maybe you¡¯d have better chance had you stayed with Toriel. Let me take you there. Hang on tight! * * * GERSON Woah there! I¡¯ve got some neat junk for sale. Wanna have a looksee? Kid? You¡¯re lookin¡¯ rather pale. Huh. What¡¯s with the notebook? [A page flipped in the background.] GERSON You want leaves¡­? Sure. Have some. Nah, I¡¯m not gonna charge. They¡¯re part of the house deco anyway. [The Purple Child left. Then came back to the shop again.] GERSON Got your ¡®business¡¯ done? So, what else what do ya want? [She pointed at the engraving on the wall.] GERSON The Delta Rune? You wanna know about the prophecy? Ya sure? It''s an old story. Heh. That twinkle in your eyes¡­ tells me you ain¡¯t gonna let it go. You¡¯re the studious type, aren''t cha? Ah, well, not like I got anything better to do. So, legend has it, an ¡®angel¡¯ who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom. That¡¯s what the Delta Rune is all about. Looks like an angel, right? What do I think? Well. When I see that circle, I was just thinkin¡¯ it looks neat! That¡¯s it. Wa ha ha! Some folks take it way too seriously, though. I knew a couple who named their son after some human myths. I don¡¯t like it. Leaves a bad taste in me mouth. See, there IS such as thing as false hope. Uhh. Kid? Why are you crying? * * * GERSON Woah there! I¡¯ve got some neat junk for sale. Wanna have a looksee? Oh my! You wanna place an order for medicine? From W. D. Gaster himself?! Wow. If that¡¯s not crazy bold, I dunno what else to say. If you¡¯re sick, that explains your pallidness. That¡¯s no condition for a kid to run around! Sit right there. Maybe have some tea with this old turtle? Wahaha! ¡®Pharmacies¡¯? Like, a medicine store? Well¡­ we monsters don¡¯t really get sick often. There¡¯s not been any need for a shop dedicated to selling such cures. Your best bet is the Hotland Lab, really. * * * GERSON Woah there! I¡¯ve got some neat junk for sale. Wanna have a looksee? Kid? You¡¯re lookin¡¯ rather pale. [The child put down some money.] A Sea Tea comin¡¯ right up. Leaving already? Okay. If you need any help, let this ol¡¯ shopkeeper know. I might have what ya need. Be careful out there, kid! * * * GERSON Woah there! I¡¯ve got some neat junk for sale. Wanna have a looksee? Kid? You¡¯re lookin¡¯ rather pale. Huh. What¡¯s with the notebook? [A page flipped in the background.] GERSON ¡®Help me¡¯? Guess my status as the big ol¡¯ Hammer still goes around. What do ya need help with? Is that W. D. Gaster? Yup. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him. Kid, I suggest ya drop the idea. That man won¡¯t show you any mercy. He¡¯s a good doc only to us monsters. Why? A bunch of years ago, a human dropped down here. About your age. Killed many innocent citizens. Before I could put a stop to their menace, young Gaster got there first. Let¡¯s just say his rage sends a shiver up my shell. [Disappointed, the child began to leave.] GERSON H-hey! You can barely walk! Why not just rest here for a while? Have some Crab Apples and Sea Tea. Even a little bit is better than nothing. [Gerson gasped at the sketches.] GERSON You¡¯re trying to tell me that¡¯s what will happen if ya stay here for too long? How bad is your illness anyway? ¡­That bad?¡­ Darn. I made up my mind! I¡¯m goin¡¯ with ya. The Lab¡¯s the only place with the right tools. Don¡¯t worry about that mean skeleton. With me around, he ain¡¯t gonna able land a single scratch. Wahahahaha! * * * [At W. D. Gaster¡¯s Hotland Lab.] GASTER Hammer of Justice! Did that human bewitch you?! They¡¯re our enemy! GERSON You¡¯re a doctor, for goodness sake! If you¡¯re worth your salt, you¡¯re gonna give this little girl a proper exam. Otherwise¡­ how about a taste of this ol¡¯ friend of mine? GASTER Pardon the disrespect, but what¡¯s stopping me from killing her where she stands? [Gerson pounded the hammer on the ground. The Law¡¯s anti-violence spell came into full effect.] [Gaster groaned.] GASTER You just had to use your speciality. GERSON Darn straight. Now will you do as I ask? GASTER ¡­Eherm. I suppose an infected human is a valid specimen. We never had proper records about their bodily functions after all. Not since Chara. This way, please. And rest your arms. I won¡¯t strike down a valuable study. * * * ASGORE Howdy, Gerson. I got here as fast as I could. I heard a human fell into the Underground. And¡­ she¡¯s very sick. GERSON That Gaster. Getting you involved? Worst decision today, I¡¯d reckon. ASGORE Please don¡¯t be angry. If anything happens, I want to be here with you. I know what it¡¯s like to lose a child under one¡¯s watch. GERSON ¡­Thanks, Fluffybuns. [The lab door slid open.] ASGORE Gaster with a clipboard¡­ And a grim face. GERSON Yup. Just like that day. ASGORE An ill omen indeed¡­ GASTER Gentlemen, may I have your time? The human¡¯s notebook had recorded a list of relevant symptoms. Bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, high fever: these are all signs of a ¡®severe gastrointestinal infection¡¯. ASGORE Is it like Chara? GASTER Similar, Your Majesty. Perhaps worse. My Eyes have discovered the presence of rod-shaped organisms in their samples. It matches the newspaper scrap Sans discovered in The Dump last week. Please look at the screen here. [The machine beeped.] ASGORE ¡®Deadly E.coli Outbreak Detected in the Ebott Region¡¯? GASTER Indeed. It¡¯s a bacterial infection that primarily spreads through the consumption of contaminated sources. According to the article, it generally takes three to four days for the effects to show. Though some can get it as soon as a day. Humans may be stronger than us, but they¡¯re vulnerable to invasion from other biological lifeforms. The Council has records of plagues wiping out whole families in the pre-Sealing days. GERSON What¡¯s the cure? GASTER She needs not one cure, but multiple different ones. The key to this concoction involves ¡®Antibiotics¡¯. Unfortunately¡­ we don¡¯t have those. GERSON Why not?! GASTER Antibiotics will work only on organic lifeforms, not magical ones. Therefore none of us have the knowhow to produce them. We could depend on her immune system, but if the strain is as deadly as the news warns¡­ Well. I¡¯m amazed she¡¯s clung onto life for so long. A human¡¯s determination is truly a sight to behold¡­ P-pardon my rambling. Hammer of Justice, I think it¡¯s beyond cruel to prolong her suffering. We should harvest her SOUL before the disease worsens. Consider it an act of mercy. GERSON Sorry young¡¯un. I think that¡¯s too soon. Maybe she can ride it out with proper treatment. GASTER But-- GERSON You¡¯re the one who wanted a live study subject or whatnot. GASTER True. Hmm. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll do whatever I can. * * * GASTER Any improvements, sir? GERSON Kid¡¯s been crying for her momma all night. She wouldn''t sleep until King Fluffybuns coddled her. GASTER I see. His Majesty is indeed warm and fuzzy, ideal for any child. Has he retired to his chambers? GERSON Yup. GASTER That¡¯s for the best. Please let me examine her. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Her organs are failing. Keeping her alive from this point onwards is futile. Judging from her pleas I believe she realises this as well. At least she¡¯s unconscious. That will save her from much unnecessary torment. GERSON How are ya gonna end her life? GASTER By stopping her heart. The exact methods are not of any concern. GERSON Will your ¡®procedure¡¯ hurt? GASTER No. Not at all. It''s painless, that¡¯s for certain. Sir Gerson. I don¡¯t mean to be rude but¡­ Are you aware that even if she survives, she cannot leave the Barrier without a monster¡¯s SOUL? King Asgore is the only one she could claim. And we cannot lose him. Ever. Perhaps you¡¯re hoping that she could live a little longer? Or¡­ you just don¡¯t want her to die in such a pitiful manner? [Gerson remained quiet] GASTER Apologies. It¡¯s a moot point anyway. Sir, I believe it¡¯s best that you go home. Let¡¯s consider her demise official. * * * [A day after the Purple Child¡¯s death.] GERSON Sigh¡­ that poor child. If we didn¡¯t have that darn Barrier, maybe we could have gotten help. Or at least dropped her off at some human doctor. [Doctor Gaster barged into the shop unannounced.] GERSON W-what in the?!? GASTER Magic! GERSON Pardon me? GASTER Every scribble on her notebook vanished overnight! Clearly the work of magic. That sick human girl was a little wizard! Did you know anything about this??? GERSON Nope. She came in here one day with a big ¡®Help me¡¯ and some odd pictures. Then I took her straight to ya. GASTER I see, I see. I¡¯m sure she used a writing implement to make her notes. I couldn¡¯t find it on her possession. Did she drop anything? From what I remember, the smoothness of the lines indicated that she used a pen. Think of it as a pencil, with an ink tube instead of graphite. GERSON You mean this little knickknack here? Didn¡¯t find anything else that fits the description. GASTER Yes! That is indeed a pen. Could it be enchanted ink? Let¡¯s give this a try. I suppose I can scribble it on my fingerbone¡­ It¡¯s black? This is a perfectly ordinary black gel ink! Yet all of her notes were as purple as her¡­ SOUL?¡­ Egads. Thank you very much, Hammer of Justice! I think we¡¯re on the verge of an incredible breakthrough! I apologize for the abrupt interruption. My condolences for her death. And, please have a good rest. [Gaster ran off as quickly as he had arrived.] * * * ROYAL GUARD Hello Mister Gerson? GERSON Hello there! ROYAL GUARD Doctor Gaster asked me to deliver this to you. GERSON Did he? Since when did you folks become glorified mailmen? ROYAL GUARD Since¡­ forever? It¡¯s part of our position to make personal deliveries for the Royal Scientist. GERSON Wahaha! Just kidding. I know things get slow in times of peace. Gotta keep yourself occupied. There. Signed and received. Send him my regards. ROYAL GUARD Will do! Have a good day. GERSON You too. And watch your step! [Not long after the Royal Guard left, there was a loud clang of metal. It appeared that the person had tripped.] GERSON Seriously. I thought they¡¯d have better eyes than me. Now let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside¡­ [Gerson opened the packaging.] GERSON Ooh! It¡¯s the girl¡¯s notebook! Hmm, an envelope from the man himself. ¡®To Sir Hammer. I believe you¡¯d like to keep the notebook as a memento. Or you might not. It¡¯s up to you. Please don¡¯t be alarmed by the torn pages. They were salvaged for my upcoming research. Signed, Doctor W. D. Gaster.¡¯ ¡®P.S. Please console the King posthaste. You two need each other.¡¯ GERSON Sigh. I never could get into that man¡¯s head. Both thoughtful and terrible at the same time. Wish he didn¡¯t go down such a dusty path¡­ Kid, I hope your parents are alive and well somewhere. Though that ain¡¯t much of a comfort, is it? Well¡­ all I can do now is to keep on keeping on. [END TRANSCRIPT] Request 03: Vanquisher Hijinks [The following audio transcript is available for access with the¡­ insistence of Cenna Wanderstar and Anise Orwyn] ANISE Yehoooo picnic picnic picnic! CENNA Haaaar??? We¡¯re not going on a picnic. ANISE Yes! We! Are! CENNA Gal, we gotta submit the survey reports to Lucy. You know she doesn¡¯t like inaccurate data caused by silly loitering. ANISE That¡¯s why we¡¯re going there a day early! CENNA ¡­Anise, I know you¡¯re trying to cheer me up. But wouldn¡¯t it be better to do the happy-happy things after? Y¡¯know. Get the sad part done first. ANISE Of course! We¡¯ll head to the crash site first thing in the morning, put our lily flowers down, light some candles¡­ and then we¡¯ll have a picnic. Because by then it would be lunch time and we¡¯ll be starving. CENNA Hah! We¡¯ll only be starving if we get lost. I know exactly where to go! Besides, I don¡¯t feel comfortable having a picnic near THOSE rocks. How about this? I¡¯ll take you to this really cool clearing. If you¡¯re lucky, you get to sit in a fairy ring. ANISE LE GASP! You mean a REAL fairy ring? With real mushrooms?!? CENNA Yeah! So, do it my way, m¡¯kay? ANISE Anything to observe a real fairy ring in the wild! * * * [At the old rockfall remains at the South side of Mount Ebott.] CENNA Hi Mama. Hi Papa. ¡­Okay, I know you¡¯re not here anymore. The Vanquishers would have sent ya off a long time ago¡­ But I guess this is the only place I feel safe enough to talk. Have you heard? I officially graduated a few months ago. I say ¡®officially¡¯ because¡­ you know Ol¡¯ Mez. That guy has a tendency to take the ¡®sink-or-swim¡¯ approach. ANISE Hello dear friend¡¯s parents! I¡¯m Anise Anise, Cenna Caraway¡¯s human Alchemist! I have a lot of things to complain about your kid, but it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take care of her the best I can. CENNA What the heck is with that introduction, Anise? And what do you mean ¡®complain¡¯?! ANISE Ribbing on each other is what friends are for. My brothers and sisters tease one another aaaaalll the time. CENNA ¡­I don¡¯t get your logic. ANISE I¡¯m trying to tell them that we¡¯re so close, there¡¯s no pretending between us. Sisterhood, yeah! CENNA Heh. You¡¯re sweet. Thanks. ANISE You¡¯re welcome~ Fairy ring now, please? * * * [Late morning, at the meadow fields.] ANISE Oh mi gosh it¡¯s REAL. There¡¯s soooo many of them everywhere~~ I¡¯m gonna dig up a soil sample to let the bio guys test. CENNA Okay, I wasn¡¯t expecting an entire field of fairy rings. Last time I visited here, I only found one. ANISE You must have come during a rest year. Or maybe the weather conditions weren¡¯t right. CENNA Why are you so interested in them anyway? They¡¯re just mushrooms. ANISE You know your way around the woods, but you have no clue about this land¡¯s natural history? Tsk tsk tsk. CENNA Er¡­ I ain¡¯t the science gal here. One of my weakest subjects. So, what¡¯s up with this oddity? ANISE Before the Great Ebott Razing, there were ZERO fairy rings in the whole region. They simply didn¡¯t exist! CENNA Huh? Interesting. So they¡¯re an invasive species? ANISE Yup. And you know what else is cool about fairy rings? They rely heavily on bunnies to sustain themselves. You know how much of a poop machine those fluffy critters are? Well, that means lots of nitrogen food for grasses and mushrooms alike. But the bunnies only eat their greens and not the fungi, giving the fairy rings ample opportunity to grow. Then, when the circle exceeds 6 meter in diameter, a second ring might even grow inside the first one! CENNA Oooooooh. ANISE Anyway, the moment grasses returned to the scorched earth, bunnies from neighbouring fields started moving in. The bun count exploded, and with them the shrooms! I speculate that the emergence of fairy rings prevented the old flora from re-establishing itself. I checked out the photos from 75 years ago. It¡¯s golden flowers as far as the eyes can see. They bloom like crazy from Spring to early Autumn. Then, they go to sleep for Winter. Now? It¡¯s mushrooms. Mushrooms everywhere! CENNA The grass here is a lot shorter too. Weird. ANISE That¡¯s because the mushrooms out-compete the grass for nutrients. But! Some species release an enzyme that encourages growth. That¡¯s why you see rings of darker, richer grass at the active fungus zones. CENNA So¡­ why do they form rings? ANISE The mycelium depletes the center first. As the exhausted ground dies, the spawn radiates outwards into fresh soil. They grow bigger every season until they can¡¯t maintain their shape anymore. Some old spots have gigantic rings! Those are super fascinating. CENNA Gosh. I actually think that¡¯s quite disturbing myself. Weren¡¯t there lots of old legends about spirits and mushrooms? I wonder how many of them are actually DEMON infested. ANISE Please don¡¯t ruin my wonderful picnic with your negativity! Understand that objects themselves don¡¯t attract demons. Yes, both ¡®DEMON¡¯ and and other devils. It¡¯s human activity that contaminates lovely nature. CENNA I dunno man. Talk to any native anywhere in the world and they¡¯ll warn you about ¡®spirits¡¯ in the wild. Jungles are super prone to hauntings. ANISE Superstition enforces the strength of the supernatural. As long you don¡¯t believe that fairy rings are haunted, they will lose their power. CENNA It doesn¡¯t work that way¡­ Heck, I sure didn¡¯t put any faith in that DEMON who almost shot us down from a helicopter. Wow. I still can¡¯t get over Mez¡¯s stunt. To think he doesn¡¯t have a military background at all. ANISE I hear that he¡¯s the biggest adventure magnet in the Magus Association. Not surprising since he¡¯s the Supreme Judge. Must be super tough being his go-to Vanquisher, hehe. CENNA Hey, YOU are under his direct command too! Is the pay really worth it? ANISE This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.For most days, absolutely~~~ CENNA ¡®Most days¡¯, huh? * * * [The next day, after Cenna and Anise made their rounds. They did their report in a motel, working over a laptop.] CENNA ¡®No DEMON presence detected in the area. All traces of corrupt Determination have disappeared after the Great Ebott Razing¡¯. Sheesh. Making reports has to be the most boring part of any job. ANISE Of course it¡¯s ¡®boring¡¯. Because nothing happened. Unless you¡¯re an adventure magnet like Judge Thyme. You wanna be an adventure magnet? CENNA NO!!! That old man has WAY too much adventure! ANISE Hehe. See? Boring is good. It means nobody got hurt. CENNA I suppose that¡¯s one way to see it. ANISE Well, I am your senior for a reason~~ CENNA ¡­I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re four whole years older than me. ANISE Thank you very much. My heart and face are still young. I wanna be those ladies who radiate youth all the way to their greying days. CENNA Good lord, already thinking that far ahead? ANISE Of course! What about you? Eighteen this year, right? That means you went to a bunch of REAL missions before you¡¯re even legally an adult! As expected of a super prodigy. CENNA My big plan? Don¡¯t die. Gotta hit 21 years old first y¡¯know. ANISE Because of Frisk, isn¡¯t it? CENNA Yeah. ANISE Not-dying is good then. CENNA Okay. I finished my side. Anything new about the Barrier? ANISE Still as strong as it was a thousand years ago. Here are the numbers. CENNA Thanks. A thousand years? Seriously, what¡¯s powering this thing? People¡¯s hopes and dreams? ANISE Shrug. Only the Big G knows. [The typing continued for a while. Then¡­] ANISE ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Are you crying? CENNA ¡­Is it stupid of me to wish something had indeed changed? Anything? Stronger or weaker or whatever. Just. Something! Right now, it feels as though my parents died for nothing. ANISE Cenny. They didn¡¯t die in vain. ¡®No news is good news¡¯ as they say. Changes in the Barrier could affect the residents below. Ecology is complex and sensitive. One weird factor is all that¡¯s needed to set off an entire chain reaction of NOPE. Just like a mountain-sized Rube Goldberg machine. Remember, it¡¯s our duty to protect the mountain residents from¡­ well¡­ human society, I guess. It¡¯s a pretty crazy world out there. If it makes you feel any better, my equipment did detect some life signs inside. Pretty robust ones at that. I think they¡¯re doing well. CENNA Thanks. Uh. Could you finish the rest of the report for me? ANISE Sure thing. Let¡¯s go grab some grub after this. * * * [The two went to the local diner.] ANISE Nothing beats a greasy dinner after a tough hike in nature. CENNA Gotta agree with you there. ANISE You must have a pretty tight diet, right? You¡¯re sorta the top athlete. CENNA Weeeelll¡­ it only gets super tight if I stay in the Berendin Manor. You know, Lucy and her optimal nutritional calculations. Don¡¯t get me wrong: it¡¯s still delicious stuff. But, at times it feels like you have no agency. ANISE Makes me wonder what Judge Thyme¡¯s diet is like. I bet he¡¯s super disciplined! [Cenna burst into complete laughter.] ANISE Oh my god. Food is his biggest weakness? CENNA Hooo boy. Take it from me, Anise. Never give ol¡¯ Mez Jungle Curry. He will eat it. And he will suffer on the ceramic throne. FOREVER. ANISE Sounds like a great way to get free holidays! [The girls laughed between each other. But then, Cenna stopped.] ANISE What¡¯s the matter? CENNA Shh. Act natural. Talk about your usual subjects. ANISE Uh¡­ D-did you know that a tomato is a fruit? And you know what else is made up of tomatoes? Ketchup! I know a gal who once made BLUEBERRY KETCHUP! It¡¯s like, spiced savoury jam. How wild is that??? CENNA Pretty nuts! What else did she make? [Anise continued to spout a mix of botanical and cooking trivia. Footsteps passed by, and the diner entrance bell rang.] CENNA You can relax now. ANISE W-w-w-what was that? I-I felt my hair stand. CENNA Congrats. You just sensed your first DEMON. ANISE Whaaaaaaa?! T-t-that guy in the hiking clothes? I thought Mount Ebott is devoid of DEMONs. CENNA Something¡¯s up. C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s follow him. You¡¯re coming along too. ANISE Whine. Can¡¯t I just stay at the motel? CENNA I rather not. You¡¯d be alone. If he doubles back, I can¡¯t protect you. * * * [Nightfall, Mount Ebott.] CENNA Dammit. I lost track of him. ANISE Cennnnnny! I don''t like this!!! It¡¯s already dark. Could we just pretend nothing ever happened and go back to town. Please? CENNA Ack, keep your voice down! [A gust of wind rustled the grass.] CENNA Watch out! [Cenna could be heard pulling her friend close. Many small, glassy bullets bounced off her magical shield.] ANISE !!! Cenna, t-the bullets are made out of m-magic! CENNA Tsk, a DEMON got their hands on a Magus, huh? [More bullets struck against the shield. It had started to crack from repeated impact.] CENNA Gah, I can¡¯t pinpoint their location. ANISE I told you that you needed more skill points in your shields! Stop pumping all of them into attack power! [Then, a loud scream interrupted the shootout. For some reason, it faded further and further away.] ANISE W-w-w-what was that?! CENNA Eh? Our attacker got attacked? ANISE Ce-n-n-n-na i-is that a will o¡¯ wisp? T-t-the conditions are not right for methane gasses. I¡¯m scared. CENNA Where? ANISE There! Over there! CENNA Let¡¯s give chase. ANISE You gotta be kidding me! You¡¯re almost as bad as Judge Thyme!!! CENNA Sorry, Anise. I guess I¡¯m an adventure magnet too. [The Vanquishers investigated. They followed the sights and sounds to a single, large fairy ring.] ANISE KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I-I-Is that a DEAD BODY???! Oh my god you¡¯re right Cenna fairy rings are haunted I¡¯m so sorry I doubted youuuuuuu! CENNA Don¡¯t be silly. The mushrooms are innocent. Also, the dude¡¯s alive. I saw him breathing. Probably sedated. I trust the guy who brought him here. He¡¯ll be knocked out for a good couple of hours. At least! ANISE Oh, what a relief. Wait. ¡®Guy¡¯? CENNA What you saw ain¡¯t no wisp. It¡¯s Lichborn fire. And, I know the bearer pretty well. Let¡¯s just say Ol¡¯ Mez has our backs. Question: what species of mushrooms do we have here? ANISE Gotta shine a torch first, then I¡¯ll tell you. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Oh my, these are poisonous. CENNA Perfect for the next step, right? ANISE You serious? CENNA Totally. All we need to do now is plant the extermination scrolls and use our free reagents to our heart¡¯s content. ANISE Let¡¯s see¡­ poisonous mushrooms for Corruption, sodium chloride for Neutralizer¡­ [At the cost of the fairy ring, The Vanquishers drew out the DEMON. It¡¯s a loud and restless one. Futilely, it tried to escape its chains.] DEMON ¡­Curse you¡­! You¡¯d dare challenge a deity?! CENNA Totally wish I have your True Name right now. Would save me a ton of trouble. But eh, whatever, I¡¯ll just brute force my way through. DEMON That shine¡­ Ha. Ha ha ha! I see! Pitiful witch. A candle that burns both ends never lives long. Join us Ancient Ones. Abandon your mortal flesh before it¡¯s too late. Is it not better to die whole than to rot alive? Ignorance won¡¯t save you! CENNA Y¡¯know, that kind of smacktalk won¡¯t work on me. You just worry about your judgement in the Spirit Realm. Sayonara, DEMON. [As Cenna dealt the finishing blow, silence returned to the grassy field.] ANISE Wasn¡¯t that psychological warfare? CENNA Yeah, totally. They¡¯ll say all sorts of nonsensical shit to get you off guard. Never listen to them. Anyway, let¡¯s get our victim to the nearest hospital. * * * [The day after, at the hospital, Cenna and Anise interviewed the victim: Oliver Stuart.] OLIVER Thanks for saving my bacon, Vanqs. I heard I got possessed pretty bad. Sorry if I caused you any trouble. ANISE Mmgh, you could have killed us. Oliver What? At my magic level? N-no way! CENNA Cut him some slack, Anise. He¡¯s the victim here. Oliver, right? How do you feel? OLIVER Like I got hit by ten trucks. My muscles are sore everywhere. My chest feels super heavy too¡­ CENNA Both your Psychia and your body got pushed way past their usual limits. Blame the parasitic DEMON. Do you remember anything from last night? OLIVER I¡­ I don¡¯t. Anything since last week is a blank. CENNA Okay. That¡¯s real bad. Were you on duty? OLIVER No. I¡¯m on vacation. Or rather, was. I like hiking, you see. I used to marvel at my late great-grandparent¡¯s photos and wished to follow in their footsteps. Witness those places with my very own eyes. Mount Ebott included. CENNA The Gungnir let them into their territory? Odd, I thought they were super protective? OLIVER My old folks weren¡¯t Magi, so they had the opportunity to hire a local guide. The guide would always take them along the ¡®safe¡¯ routes, far away from the village and their secrets. When I heard that the Vanquishers declared the region as a safe zone, I didn¡¯t think twice to go and see what all the fuss is about. ANISE Aww¡­ I understand how you feel. But, the flora and fauna in the lowlands changed a lot. Only the higher altitudes escaped the blaze. OLIVER Um. Well. About that. CENNA ¡­Don¡¯t tell me you climbed the mountain alone. Without informing anyone to boot! Buddy. That was a terrible idea! Even if there were no DEMON infestations, you could have gotten lost. Trapped. Fallen to your doom somewhere. Or worse, eaten alive by some wandering bear. ANISE Erm, Cenna. It¡¯s lynx territory. Not bears. Bears have been gone for a couple of centuries as is. OLIVER It¡¯s fine, Miss Anise. I get the point. My decision was plain stupid. I¡¯m just glad that I didn¡¯t get eaten by a¡­ a¡­ actually I¡¯m not sure what attacked me. Looked like something straight out of some sort of gothic horror video game. CENNA Er. Uh. A wild dog, maybe? OLIVER These bite marks don¡¯t look like they belong to any dog¡­ CENNA Well, I can only guess. It was pitch black out there. The beast scooted off when we arrived. OLIVER Boy, am I grateful for that. ANISE Hey Oliver, did you bring along any references for your hike? Like photos? Or are you a secret genius who memorizes everything? [Oliver chuckled.] OLIVER Wow, you think too highly of me. I brought as many references I could carry. In fact, I have one of the best pieces right here in my bag. Could you get it for me? Thanks. [After some rummaging¡­] ANISE Le. Gasp. Of. All. Gaspness! It¡¯s an Ebott Goldenflower. A REAL Goldenflower! Preserved in resin! CENNA ¡­I have serious questions how your foreparents managed to smuggle THAT out of Gungnir territory. OLIVER They didn¡¯t smuggle anything. In fact, this was a farewell gift from their Gungnir guide. ANISE There¡¯s some text inside. CENNA ¡®Friends Forever¡¯, huh? Strange world we live in. So. was your expedition successful? OLIVER I¡­ can¡¯t remember. One moment I was up in mountains. The next, I¡¯m right here in hospital. CENNA What about the hours before you got possesed? That could help. OLIVER Hmmmmm¡­ Well, unable to find anything that matched the photos, I challenged Mount Ebott. I know. I¡¯m an idiot. After all, the legends do say: ¡®those who climb the mountain will never return¡¯. I distinctly remember regretting not bringing a machete. I avoided The East side. That¡¯s where they rounded up the monsters for The Sealing, right? Didn¡¯t wanna enter the wrong cave and get shredded by The Barrier, y¡¯know. Then¡­ I detoured into the bush and¡­ Oh. OH! THAT¡¯S RIGHT!!! I found a cave that didn¡¯t exist in my photo collection! CENNA How did it look like? Is it small? Big? Oval or round? Maybe den-shaped? OLIVER There was a split in the rock wall. Remember that weird quake from a few years ago? I think it made that crack and opened up a path. CENNA ¡­I remember. So, what¡¯s beyond the crack? OLIVER It led to a hidden airwell about the size of this ward. There, I found them. Beautiful golden flowers! A whole carpet of them! They pretty much took over every sunny spot, and more. I got way overexcited trying to harvest their seeds. And that¡¯s¡­ the last bit I remember. ANISE Cenna, t-this could be a rock-shattering discovery. Oliver might have walked into an undiscovered DEMON haunt! CENNA Survivors of the Great Ebott Razing¡­ Sorry for being the bearer of bad news, Oliver, but we might have to destroy them¡­ the Goldenflowers. [Both Anise and Oliver were horrified.] ANISE EEEEH!?!?!? No way! If we do that, we¡¯ll cause a true extinction! CENNA I realize that! But, the Great Ebott Razing happened for a reason. There¡¯s a definite connection between the flowers and the Gungnir¡¯s demonic rituals. If the Vanquishers can¡¯t exterminate the grounds by normal means¡­ a complete purge may be necessary. ANISE You gotta see it from a scientist¡¯s perspective, Cen! This could be the last patch of Ebott Goldenflowers on the planet. If you destroy them, we¡¯ll lose precious research data. FOREVER! OLIVER Um. Miss Anise? While I appreciate your ¡®scienceness¡¯, your colleague is right. It may be too dangerous to keep them around. I mean. I barely passed my magic classes, yet you said I almost killed you. What would have happened had those DEMONS possessed someone stronger? I don¡¯t want anyone else to go through what I did. Once I¡¯m better, I can show you the way myself. I¡¯ll be happy to help. Anything for the duo who saved my life. CENNA Appreciate the thought, but you better concentrate on recovering. That DEMON dragged you to the ground. All you need to do is give us the approximate location. We¡¯ll take care of the rest. [Cenna and Anise gathered the required information from Oliver Stuart. Once done, they exited the ward.] CENNA ¡­Damn. I really gotta be careful for what I wish for. ANISE Hmm? What do you mean? CENNA Mez always complains that whatever I say has a knack of coming true, no matter how crazy it sounds. He calls them ¡®premonitions¡¯. My big mouth wished that Mama and Papa didn¡¯t die for nothing. Well. Something did happen alright. Guess it¡¯s time for us to strike that ¡®no DEMONS presence detected¡¯ line from the report. ANISE If that¡¯s the case¡­ Cenny! Tell me when I¡¯ll win the national lottery, first prize~~~~ CENNA Hah! Fat chance, Anise! This witch only casts jinxes. ANISE You. Are such a party pooper. Request 04: Queen Toriel and the Blue Child [The following audio transcript is available for access with the permission of Queen Toriel Dreemurr.] TORIEL Greetings. Do not be afraid, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first human to come here in a long while. Say, what are you wearing? A ¡®tutu¡¯? This is the first time I have heard of such clothing. Oh, forgive me. I should be guiding you through these catacombs. This way. [From the balcony.] TORIEL This is the Old Town, our first settlement under the mountain. We call it ¡®Home¡¯. Yes. That is it. ¡®Home¡¯. Nothing more, nothing less. By now, many of the citizens have moved beyond. There is ¡®Snowdin¡¯, ¡®Waterfall¡¯, ¡®Hotland¡¯, and the Capital: ¡®New Home¡¯. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Come to think of it, the person who named these places was¡­ not very creative. You want to visit town? I suggest against that. It is not safe for you. [Queen Toriel¡¯s home.] TORIEL Ah, I see. There are spare clothes in your bag. To be honest, I was worried when I first met you. Your ¡®tutu¡¯ looks rather¡­ drafty. It is not practical for travelling. Is this what you call ¡®fashion¡¯? No, I am afraid I have not seen a ¡®ballet¡¯ before. If you do not mind showing me, I would be delighted to watch. After you take a much needed rest, that is. [One night later.] TORIEL Good morning, my child. Did you have a nice dream? ¡­May I ask you a question? It has been on my mind. Did you¡­ intentionally jump down here? [Toriel gasps.] TORIEL Such recklessness! Your parents must be worried sick about you! Huh? They would be proud? I do not understand, my child. I see nothing good coming from this adventure. Why are you giggling like that? Oh well. We can talk about this over breakfast. Do you like snails? They are not popular with children, but that is all I have for now. I have yet to restock my pantry at the market. If that is not to your liking, we can always have toasted bread instead. What? You enjoy them with butter, garlic, parsley, and a baguette¡­? My, my, you have quite the mature palate for your age. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Do you like chocolate or marshmallows? No? Neither? Nothing wrong, my child. I am just a curious old goat. [Two hours later. Blue dances a routine for Toriel to witness.] TORIEL I must say, that was quite the elegant performance! It never crossed my mind that a person could spin like that. So swift with grace. And that sense of balance. Impeccable! A ¡®pirouette¡¯, you say? How interesting. I will keep that in mind. What if I try? Don¡¯t? A-are you saying that I am too heavy??? ¡­Ooh. No wonder they train you from such a young age. It does make sense. Your bones are still forming, and I am set harder than stone. Indeed, a broken toe would not be in my best interest. [Time passes.] TORIEL Were there others before you? Well. Yes. There was a pair of siblings. A brother and sister. The boy was quite an energetic one! I still remember how he zoomed around the Ruins, punching imaginary foes with his glove. The locals were quite intimidated. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. As for his sister. She was a little¡­ strange. The quiet type. I caught her trying to draw pentagrams with chalk to ¡®summon spirits¡¯. I had to remind her that only certain monsters could make that magic function. Hm? Wizards? No. They are Seers, a special type of skeleton. Ah¡­ they used to live in the Ruins along with the rest of us. Not anymore though. You seem relieved, my child. Do you think they are spooky? No? Trying to act tough, little lady? Hehe. [Time passes.] TORIEL My child, why did you leave the house without permission? I was worried sick! What if you got hurt? Is that bouquet of flowers for me? ¡­Alright. At least you meant well. But do that again, and you are grounded! How did the golden flowers get here? ¡­They¡­ They fell from above. Like you. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ I am not lying, my dear. Where else would they have come from? [Time passes.] TORIEL I wonder if that pair of siblings ever left the Underground. I have not heard anything about them. But, I suppose it would be impossible to send letters back here. As a mother, I would not want my child to climb up a dangerous mountain just to deliver mail to this old goat. Do you think it is a good idea to invest in more phones? I have only two¡­ No, you cannot leave the Ruins. It is too dangerous. I could accompany you to the flower garden, though. What about the Old Town? No. That is also too dangerous. I do not want ¡®him¡¯ to find you. Who is ¡®he¡¯? You are better off not knowing. [Time passes.] TORIEL My child, you do not understand. Us monsters made a declaration of war against your kind! You cannot cross The Barrier without entering ¡®his¡¯ domain. W-what? Warn your people? No, my child. Please. It is not worth the danger! Young miss! Temper, temper! [Time passes.] TORIEL Are you packing your bag again? Why are you so stubborn? I already told you, it is dangerous outside The Ruins! You promised that you will return victorious? ¡­¡­¡­¡­ I suppose that you do have family and friends waiting for you back home¡­ Alright. I will teach you about ¡®him¡¯. Who is ¡®he¡¯? He is Asgore. The King of Monsters. If you meet him, he will take your SOUL. The Royal Guard protects and assists him in his quest for war. I can tell you about the Kingdom¡¯s general structure. Things might have changed over the years. But, the core should remain similar. Oh, sweet child. There is no need to report back to me about the siblings. In the off-chance that they are still in the Underground, they would have been adults by now. The three of you should escape together. [At the Ruins door.] TORIEL Here we are. Beyond this door lies the rest of the Kingdom, starting with Snowdin. This is a little something for your journey. Yes. It is butter garlic snails with a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Made into a sandwich. A nice twist to your favourite, if I do say so myself. You want a hug? Of course I will give you one. I am more than happy to do so. [Toriel hugs the Blue Child for a long while.] TORIEL Although I am still reluctant to let you go, it is time for you to leave. Be strong, my child. [One day later.] TORIEL Hmm¡­ Have I not done this before? How strange. I am sure I wrote down this very same pun earlier¡­ Come to think of it, did I also not fill this fireplace yesterday? Or was it today? I wonder if the solitude is playing tricks on my mind? ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Was I a good mother? Have I done enough? I tried to teach her everything she needed to know before she left, but I cannot help but worry. Maybe I am overthinking this. The little girl was such a precious, precocious sweetheart. I cannot imagine anyone wishing to do her harm. [She hears muffled barking from the basement and decides to investigate.] TORIEL Huh? Dogs? At the Ruin¡¯s exit? Such a commotion¡­ could it be the human has returned? [The barking fades. Queen Toriel begins to open the door, but then shuts it tight again.] TORIEL Gaster! Why is he here? And why is he covered in¡­ blood? [Toriel continues to listen.] ROYAL GUARD 1 Woof! Suspicious smell end here. ROYAL GUARD 2 Suspicious door is suspicious too. Woof! GASTER Is that so? Smash it down. [The Royal Guards attempt to break down the door together, but Toriel braces from the inside.] GASTER ¡­Huh. As solid as ever. Perhaps the human tried to get inside instead? Could there be a second drop site? Did they fall straight into Snowdin? Maybe through a cave that we have yet to discover? Impossible¡­ [The Royal Guards whine and whimper.] GASTER Ugh, fine. If the smell bothers you so much, then leave. Yes. Go into the forest and make yourself useful! Shoo! ROYAL GUARD 1 & 2 Yip yip yip yip¡­ whine¡­ whimper¡­ [The Royal Guards leave. Gaster continues to mutter inane theories in front of the door. Toriel struggles not to breathe too loudly.] ??? Arf! Doctor Gaster! There you are! What the heck was that? You can¡¯t go around barking orders at my troops! I¡¯m the Captain, not you! Ruff-ruff! Ugh, I¡¯m smelling the smell complaints alright. Can¡¯t you at least wash yourself first? GASTER Hmph. Later, Captain Doggon. Now that you¡¯re here, The King¡¯s decree comes first. About your gripe¡­ need I remind you? You were not there! None of your Royal Guards were there! If your forces weren¡¯t so lax in your old age, that accursed human wouldn¡¯t have rampaged free in Waterfall! DOGGON You will NOT blame the Royal Guard for this! GASTER Oh no, no, no. I¡¯m not blaming the Royal Guard. I¡¯m blaming YOU, Captain! Your roster is unbalanced to the point where Waterfall has zero coverage. And why? Because the majority of your troops are hydrophobic?! DOGGON Woof! That doesn''t give you the excuse to take matters into your own hands! Whatever you did sickens me to my SOUL! Even The Hammer of Justice shuddered at the sheer violence you inflicted. [Gaster responds with a bitter laugh.] GASTER Captain, bloodshed was unavoidable. The factor of ¡®Life¡¯ strengthens the outcome of The Code. There¡¯s no better catalyst than what courses through their veins. The more, the merrier, the deadlier. DOGGON W. D. Gaster. You didn¡¯t just dispatch the kid: you relished in it! GASTER It was indeed¡­ cathartic. DOGGON ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ For star¡¯s sake, Doc, you¡¯re insane. I don¡¯t understand why the King hasn¡¯t fired you yet! GASTER Because I, for one, am competent in my profession. Do not forget that I made those containers. We now have a total of three human SOULS at our disposal. DOGGON Hey, don¡¯t steal the credit, arf! It¡¯s the Royal Guard who found the first two. GASTER Which would have long since expired without my invention. Anyways, have the Dog Clan search Snowdin through and through. There may be more humans lurking about. DOGGON GrrrrRRR! One day, you¡¯re gonna get into some serious trouble. One! Day! [Toriel waited and waited, until she couldn¡¯t hear the outside footsteps anymore. She then began to cry.] TORIEL Three¡­ human¡­ SOULS? Asgore¡­ he¡­ he really did it¡­ I am sorry, my dear children. I truly am. I-I should have never allowed you to leave. [END TRANSCRIPT] ERROR LOG [UNKNOWN ERROR!] [ATTEMPTING TO ABORT SESSION] [WARNING! UNABLE TO ABORT!] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [SYSTEM FAILURE DETECTED! ERROR CODE 666: INITIATING EMERGENCY PROTOCOL] [WARNING! UNABLE TO RESOLVE] [FOREIGN DETERMINATION INPUT DETECTED] [OVERRIDING CURRENT SESSION] [CORRUPTION LEVEL 80%] LUCIDIA Where¡­ am I? [Lucidia of Berendin finds herself amidst a field of worn down mannequins. They come in all shapes and sizes: human, non-human, animals, short and tall, thin and wide.] [Among them stood one exception: a female mannequin, whole and untarnished, wearing a 17th century tailored dress. It¡¯s blue and white, much like her own.] LUCIDIA A doll? Is that supposed to be¡­ me? LUCIDIA These people¡­ Did ¡®she¡¯ do this? [Lucidia approaches the mannequin] LUCIDIA Preliminary material observation indicates that this fabric is the same as my attire¡­ [She circled around the figurine to examine its make.] LUCIDIA However, the age is too young. The laces are of the wrong pattern. The shape is different too. Fine material wasted on a poor imitation. A copy. [REDACTED] BUT- IT- IS- YOURS- [The female puppet¡¯s head twists to reveal a smiling face. It has buttons for eyes and thread for a mouth.] [REDACTED] IT IS YOURS, BECAUSE I AM YOU! LUCIDIA !!! I refuse to believe that. [REDACTED] MAYBE IT IS BETTER TO SAY THAT I AM WHO YOU WANT TO BE. WHO YOU TRULY ARE. FOREVER ALONE, HIGH ATOP YOUR SPIRE, RIGHT IN THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY¡­ [The puppet woman points to a distant mannequin and levitated it neckfirst into her hand. It appears to be the body of a human adult male.] [REDACTED] ONCE UPON A TIME, YOURS TRULY WAS A HUMAN. A NORMAL HUMAN. A NORMAL ACCOUNTANT. HE MIGHT HAVE MARRIED ANOTHER HUMAN. HE MIGHT HAVE HAD CHILDREN. HE MIGHT GROWN A PAUNCH AND LIVED A MUNDANE LIFE ONLY TO PASS ON IN HIS SLEEP, OLD AND GREY. THAT NORMALITY CEASED TO EXIST BECAUSE HE MET YOU. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. LUCIDIA What are you talking about? Why bring this up? I¡­ [The puppet woman throw the human mannequin back into the broken pile. She then pulled in another: a large lizard-like creature with black markings on its face.] [REDACTED] WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE THEN? IT IS YOUR LOYAL PET. THE ONE WHO ATTENDS YOU AT YOUR BECK AND CALL. A KNIGHT, YOU SAY? HMPH. A SLAVE IS MORE LIKE IT. A HOPELESS, HELPLESS, WRETCHED SLAVE. SHACKLED IN CHAINS OF LOVE. LOVE OFFERED, YET NEVER GIVEN IN RETURN. OH, HOW PITIFUL HE IS. YOUR PET GROWS SICKER AND SICKER UNDER YOUR CARE. YOU KNEW A MONSTER WHO TASTED HUMAN BLOOD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. I KNOW YOU KNEW, YET THAT DID NOT STOP YOU! [The lady gestured towards the pile. Assorted female mannequins rise upon her command. They have a red bolt of lightning seared unto their featureless faces and begin to dance around Lucidia, chanting incomprehensible words of mockery.] [REDACTED] REMEMBER THESE HUMANS? THEY¡¯RE A HUSBAND¡¯S MANY WIVES. UNLIKE YOU, THEY KNEW ALL ABOUT LOVE. HOW TO GIVE AND TAKE IT IN ABUNDANCE. [The dolls continue to chant their mockery in a sing-song manner. Lucidia covers her ears in distress.] LUCIDIA Please, stop! You don¡¯t have to remind me! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! [REDACTED] OH NO, THEY WON¡¯T STOP. WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW LITTLE LUCY? KILL THEM? THAT¡¯S WHAT YOU WOULD DO, ISN¡¯T IT? IT¡¯S WHAT YOU DID. ALL BECAUSE YOU COULDN¡¯T SHARE. [The puppet woman then tosses the reptilian mannequin at the mocking dolls. It roars and tears through the marked ones, destroying them one by one.] [REDACTED] THEY WERE ALIVE. ALIVE AND FULL OF LOVE. BUT NOW THEY ARE DEAD, KILLED BY YOU AND YOUR JEALOUSY. NOT EVEN HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS DID YOU SPARE. AND SO BEGAN YOUR GRUESOME RECORD. LUCIDIA I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. They were the worst of criminals! [REDACTED] ARE YOU NOT A CRIMINAL TOO? YOU WAIVER THOSE LIVES UNDER LAW, BUT IS THAT REALLY THE TRUTH? DO YOU NOT FEEL GUILTY? OF COURSE YOU DO. YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER. THE GRANDMASTER RAISED YOU. ¡®BE MERCIFUL, AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS MERCIFUL¡¯. BUT YOU REFUSED. REFUSED AND WAGED WAR! [At the end of the battle, two mannequins are left standing: the beast and the human male.] [REDACTED] CONGRATULATIONS. YOUR ENEMIES ARE DEAD. BUT THE BATTLE FOR YOUR LOVE IS NOT YET OVER. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE. [The two mannequins face each other in combat, destroying themselves in the process. Their remains scatter in the wind.] [REDACTED] YOU ARE STUPID, SKY WITCH. SO VERY STUPID. STUPID ENOUGH TO MARRY A RED HUMAN. STUPID ENOUGH TO KEEP A LOVESICK FOOL. STUPID ENOUGH TO TAKE ONE HUSBAND AND NOT TWO. LUCIDIA Why should I have two husbands?! You¡¯re not making any sense! Why does this hurt so much??? [HIGH DISTRESS LEVEL DETECTED] [ATTEMPTING TO ABORT SESSION] [WARNING! UNABLE TO ABORT! OVERBURN IN PROGRESS] [ESCALATING PRIORITY OF ERROR CODE 666] [CALIBRATING ASPECTS TO REDUCE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE] [INCREASING PRIORITY OF PURPLE/BLUE] [DECREASING PRIORITY OF PURPLE/GREEN] [PURGING CONTAMINANTS] [ATTEMPTING TO MATCH OBJECT TO DATABASE] [Lucidia stops reeling from the onslaught of emotion. She becomes calm, mechanical.] LUCIDIA ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Match found. Identity confirmed. I now know who you are. You deceive no more. [Lucidia uses her telekinesis to expose the puppet¡¯s other hand. It is covered in monster dust.] LUCIDIA Conclusion: you are the one who murdered her own daughter. [The puppet lady yanks back her arm.] [REDACTED] NONSENSE! I WANTED THAT CHILD, BUT HER FATHER CHOSE YOU INSTEAD OF ME! I CAN PROVIDE MORE THAN YOU EVER WILL! SHELTER! SUSTENANCE! PEACE! LOVE! AND YET HE STILL CHOSE YOU AND YOU ALONE! LUCIDIA Notion rejected. What you lack is irrelevant. You are a bane. A blight. A festering rot. There¡¯s no need to speak to you. There¡¯s no need to listen to you. There¡¯s no need to see you. You are an object of extermination. [Lucidia reaches out for the doll and proceeds to strangle it. Instead of choking, the object of her wrath laughs instead. Laughing and laughing.] [REDACTED] AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! IF YOU WANT TO BURN THIS WORLD SO MUCH, YOU SHOULD HAVE MARRIED YOUR LOVESICK SLAVE. BE OUTCASTS TOGETHER. MAYBE THEN YOU COULD HAVE SPAWNED A CHILD TO CALL YOUR OWN. IN THE END YOU STILL RESORT TO VIOLENCE! DO YOUR WORST, SKY WITCH!!! LUCIDIA Calculating force required for total elimination. Severing head in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ [Lucidia prepares to break her neck, but a swarm of crimson butterflies sweep through the scene. The winged insects carry the puppet out of bounds.] [INCOMING VOICE TRANSMISSION] UNKNOWN Lucidia. Don¡¯t kill your heart. I told you this before. Everyone has a responsibility for their own actions, and only their own. I have my free will. Nothing you did or didn¡¯t do forced me to make my decisions. You should not let others shift their blame on you. LUCIDIA Who are you? Requesting identification. UNKNOWN I am Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme. As long I walk on this Earth, I shall preserve peace. No schemer nor manipulator shall tarnish the hearts of the pure for their sick and twisted amusement. My loved ones must be protected, no matter what. Please, let me protect you. LUCIDIA ¡­Mezzy? MEZIL Good. That¡¯s better. Gaelic is waiting for you too. Wake up, my dear wife. [DECREASING PRIORITY OF PURPLE/BLUE] [INCREASING PRIORITY PURPLE/GREEN] [CORRUPTION LEVEL 53%] [CORRUPTION LEVEL 16%] [CORRUPTION LEVEL 4%] [CORRUPTION LEVEL 0%] [CORRUPTION RESOLVED] [VITALS STABILIZED] [RESOLVING ERROR CODE 666] [DISCONNECTING USER] [BLUE: OFFLINE] [GREEN: OFFLINE] [PURPLE: OFFLINE] [USER SAFELY DISENGAGED. SHUTTING DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE] [GOOD DAY, SEER LUCIDIA] Chapter 10: Transcript 05: Dreaming Students [University of Mu, 2038] LECTURER Miss Berendin, have you found someone for a group project yet? LUCIDIA Negative, Teacher. LECTURER How peculiar. I thought you had gathered a considerable crowd around you? LUCIDIA They were unfit for my proposed time schedule. Teacher, I do not understand. I can easily complete this assignment alone. Why the need to make a team? LECTURER Oh dear¡­ Miss Berendin. Lady Finnai and The Grandmaster have expressed major concerns about your inability to work with others. Team experience is vital in any situation. LUCIDIA Many good minds are more effective than a single brilliant one. I know as much. However, the majority of those who approached me cannot be considered ¡®good minds¡¯. They¡¯re complete amateurs. Far below my level. I daresay some are looking to mooch off my hard work. Such will only drag down the project. LECTURER Well¡­ if that''s the case. I think I can recommend you someone. Wait here for a moment. [The lecturer opens a door and brings in a student.] LECTURER Meet Noelle Holiday. NOELLE Hello! Nice to meet you, um, Lucidia of House Berendin. I heard¡­ you need help? LUCIDIA Accessing profile¡­ Noelle Holiday, ranked among the Top 30 of her year. Also my fellow classmate for this course. LECTURER That¡¯s correct! But it¡¯s what¡¯s not recorded in her profile that makes her an especially good fit. I received a letter of recommendation for her wonderful track record in cooperation. She has plenty of experience in group projects, with stronger and weaker students alike. She¡¯s mature, hardworking, and clearheaded: I believe you¡¯ll find her to be a good starting point for your future endeavours in cooperation. LUCIDIA Those traits would make her a choice candidate. I¡¯m surprised that no one selected her yet. NOELLE Hahaha¡­ Um¡­ Thanks for the praise? I had many offers, but I wanted to see who would benefit the most from my assistance. LUCIDIA I see. Your actions do match your reputation. LECTURER See? Why don¡¯t you two work together then? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make a wonderful team. * * * [University of Mu, 2038.] NOELLE Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to have this much free time left over. I thought the first year would be suffocating. LUCIDIA It¡¯s because we remained on schedule. Thank you for your cooperation, Noelle. NOELLE It¡¯s no problem at all! I¡¯m happy to be your partner. LUCIDIA Please, have some tea. NOELLE Thank you. [The girls share tea and biscuits.] NOELLE I have some, um, questions¡­ if you don¡¯t mind. LUCIDIA Sure. You may ask. NOELLE Do you really need THREE whole screens? LUCIDIA I prefer it so. It¡¯s much easier to cross reference research without having to switch tabs. NOELLE It looks confusing to me. Hahaha. I might end up getting distracted. Um, your manner of speech¡­ was it always this mechanical? I found it particularly noticeable on our first meeting. You remind me of a motherbrain. LUCIDIA ¡­It tends to happen when I¡¯m under stress. I know it causes unease, so I try to speak normally whenever I can. NOELLE So that day¡­ you were nervous? LUCIDIA Yes. Although the professors paint a cheery picture of teamwork, the statistics indicate otherwise. Too many people lamented about bearing the workload of slacking teammates. I cannot afford to fail any of these courses. It would put my future plans in jeopardy. Hence, I was prepared to solo everything. NOELLE Future plans? I thought you¡¯re going to become a Chronographer. LUCIDIA Chronographers typically retire after several decades of service. And some retire after only a couple of years due to complications. Seers like me are expected to live for centuries. I will need to build skills for a different profession in the long-term. NOELLE I see. But, don¡¯t you live right at The Spire? I heard they have the best magical education in the world there. LUCIDIA The Association¡¯s curriculum is tailored for humans, not monsters. I have also mastered everything they have to offer. Furthermore¡­ this is the only place where no one would bother House Berendin. No excuses can be made if the treasured daughter is studying. NOELLE I¡­ understand what you mean. My mom is the mayor of our district. There¡¯s a¡­ certain expectation when you have successful parents. LUCIDIA Isn¡¯t your father a househusband? NOELLE That¡¯s¡­ technically the truth. But he prefers to call himself a free-spirited artist! He had always been a wood carver and a toymaker. Pull-carts are his number one best-sellers. LUCIDIA That sounds adorable. Did you help him out in his workshop before? NOELLE Yup! It¡¯s so fun to have my own toy-painting project. Oh, he likes video games too. We¡¯ll play stuff together. Like¡­ Dragon Blazers III! Come to think of it, Dragon Blazers V should be out soon. We still haven¡¯t finished the fourth one yet¡­ LUCIDIA It appears that you¡¯re much closer to your father than with your mother. [Noelle laughs awkwardly.] NOELLE I guess it¡¯s obvious. I¡­ really don¡¯t see my mother much. What about you, Lucidia? Did you have servants? Nannies? I hear that the upper class have all sorts of hired hands. LUCIDIA I had a nanny, yes. It was Aunt Janette, Judge Pashowar¡¯s wife. But she was not alone. Grandpa had a direct hand in raising me as soon as I joined the household. NOELLE ¡®Grandpa¡¯? I thought he¡¯s your adoptive father. LUCIDIA It¡¯s my way to respect my biological father. Though he¡¯s still alive, I don¡¯t see him much. Since The Grandmaster is my father¡¯s senior in age¡­ I thought it¡¯s more appropriate to address him as my grandfather. Anyway, Grandpa enjoys cooking in particular, so he¡¯d always be the one who makes my meals. He also does most of the household chores. Improved robotics and mechanization have automated much of the workload, so even an old man like him could manage a vast mansion. NOELLE I see, I see. Wow. I never thought that Lord Berendin would do his own housework. He¡¯s pretty ancient, isn¡¯t he? I thought he would be used to having servants. LUCIDIA He says that he enjoys the privacy. However, I believe the reason why we no longer keep full-time domestic staff has something to do with me. Monsters are supposed to be extinct in the human realm. It¡¯s difficult enough to keep his identity a secret, let alone a Lichborn child. NOELLE Hahaha. Looks like we¡¯re both in the ¡®Raised by Dads¡¯ club! Welcome aboard, Lady Lucidia. LUCIDIA ¡­You may call me Lucy. If you prefer so¡­ NOELLE Oh? Sure! Club members don¡¯t need to be so formal together, right Lucy? Here¡¯s a toast to our dads! * * * [University of Mu, 2040] LUCIDIA Noelle? You didn¡¯t show up for class or answer my calls. Is everything alright? NOELLE Oh. Um. I¡­ LUCIDIA ¡­Preliminary observation indicates that you¡¯ve been crying for at least an hour. Please tell me what happened. NOELLE I-it¡¯s my dad. He collapsed in his workshop! A customer called the ambulance, but I haven¡¯t heard anything since. LUCIDIA Confirmation: your father is Rudolph Holiday. Correct? NOELLE Y-yes. Why do you ask? LUCIDIA I believe I came across his name before. He has a chronic illness, does he not? NOELLE ¡­Yes. It started when I was in high school. One day, he complained about dizziness and fell. It was just like today. Doctors said that his Psychia could no longer maintain stable magical output. They put him on medication and magitherapy, but I¡¯m scared that one day the treatment will stop working. LUCIDIA ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been working on something that may regulate his magical output at the Psychia level. However, this could be a mere cold comfort. I¡¯m still officially a student and my idea has yet to leave the theoretical phase. I can¡¯t say with confidence that it¡¯s applicable for a clinical trial. If anything happens to your father right now, doctors will only have access to the current conventional treatments. On the plus side, medicine has improved in leaps and bounds over these last two decades. It¡¯s probable that he¡¯ll be fine. [Noelle¡¯s phone started to ring.] NOELLE O-oh! Excuse me. I¡¯m going to take the call¡­ Hello? ¡­¡­¡­ Dad? Dad! Is that REALLY you?¡­ I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re okay! I¡¯m with Lucy right now. C¡¯mon, I¡¯m a BIG GIRL already! ¡­Actually. I cried. A LOT. I thought you weren¡¯t going to make it. Take it easy, okay? I-I¡¯m going to sail back to Lemuria first thing tomorrow. What about classes? I can write in an emergency leave to the University. But I won¡¯t be able to redo the lessons¡­ This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. LUCIDIA Please leave all the logistics to me. NOELLE Huh? LUCIDIA You do not need a ship either. As a Seer, I can escort you straight into Lemuria. If you need to stay behind to care for your father, I will recount to you everything that you might have missed. You will have shared access to all my notes as well. Please allow me to extend my royal privileges to you in these times of need. NOELLE ¡­You¡¯d do that? I¡¯m so GRATEFUL! Dad, Lucy is gonna help me out! I-I¡¯ll be there soon. So DON¡¯T die on me yet! Ok! I¡¯m gonna go now. Bye bye! * * * [University of Mu, 2042] [Sounds of shuffling clothes and packing luggage alarms Noelle.] NOELLE Lucy, stop! Our final exam is next week! LUCIDIA I do not care. I must return to the Chronograph right now. House Berendin can discuss with the dean for a new exam date. He¡¯ll understand that this is an emergency. NOELLE A-aren¡¯t there others? You¡¯re not the only Chronographer in the world¡­ LUCIDIA Noelle. Gaelic is my dear childhood friend. The least I can do is to believe in him. NOELLE But you''ve not seen him for YEARS. He could have changed! E-everyone changes when they grow up. I¡­ I used to be afraid of everything. But now, I travelled all the way from Lemuria to Mu to attend university! See? LUCIDIA All the more reason why I must go. I must confirm the changes with my own eyes. [The suitcase closed. But, Noelle threw herself on it.] LUCIDIA Get off. NOELLE No!!! I-I don¡¯t want you to get violated by that weird half-beast from the pervert den! LUCIDIA Are you serious? You don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything fishy about this? The accuser sailed off to Atlantis at the first opportunity! A real victim wouldn¡¯t have fled! NOELLE Maybe they¡¯re afraid of the backlash? I mean¡­ my mom might treat me differently if she discovered that. LUCIDIA The only backlash I see here is the exposure of many cowardly malicious liars. I refuse to let them turn Gaelic into an underaged scapegoat. NOELLE I just¡­ I just¡­ don¡¯t want to see my friend throw her hard-earned future away. LUCIDIA Fine. If you¡¯re so insistent on riding my luggage, I¡¯ll bring you along. We¡¯ll arrange for your new exam date too. NOELLE W-what?! Wait! [Chatter and whispers of other university peers fill the background as Lucidia drags Noelle along on her suitcase. Midway, Lucidia met with The Grandmaster.] LUCIDIA Grandpa? Have you come to take me home? You must have heard about the matter. GRANDMASTER My daughter, I¡¯m afraid you are too late. The boy has left monster territory. [The shock of the news caused her to Blue to fade. The floating luggage dropped on the floor with a loud thud. Her unfortunate university mate yelped from the impact.] LUCIDIA Have you checked Wyrmbrood? What about the surrounding islands? GRANDMASTER We¡¯ve found nothing. Judge Pashowar has requested for Scott Wiley to handle this case. LUCIDIA Let me help too. GRANDMASTER You can¡¯t. Judge Pashowar wants you to focus on your studies. Please trust him. LUCIDIA Negative. I won¡¯t trust Uncle James. He¡¯ll delegate it to others who have no means of confirming the truth. Chronographer Finnai is not invincible, Grandpa. She can only focus on official Magus Association affairs. Gaelic¡¯s case will soon sink to the bottom of the priority list. GRANDMASTER Lucidia dear, you¡¯re still officially a student. Though you had helped Judge Pashowar in the past, it was under the guidance of a mentor. You do not have certification to be an independent Chronographer. Besides, there¡¯s no guarantee that your findings will be accepted. The court cannot take every Chronographer¡¯s visions as absolute truth. LUCIDIA Are you telling me that I can¡¯t change anything? Are you telling me that I can¡¯t help someone who¡¯s dear to me? [Magic hums in the air. Frightened students jostle into each other as they try to avoid the imminent ground zero.] LUCIDIA What¡¯s the point of studying then?! Why should I even bother anymore?! GRANDMASTER ¡­I understand it¡¯s frustrating. LUCIDIA No, you don¡¯t! None of you do! GRANDMASTER My daughter, you cannot help anyone without knowledge. Finish your exams first. Then, you may return home to assist Sir Wiley. Is that acceptable? LUCIDIA ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Yes, Grandpa. I will return to my room now. NOELLE U-um, Lucy? I¡¯ll help you carry back the suitcase. You take care of yourself first, okay? LUCIDIA Thank you. [Noelle stayed behind.] NOELLE Grandmaster? I want to apologize in Lucidia¡¯s stead. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean to say what she said. Please don¡¯t be angry with her. GRANDMASTER Ah, young lady, thank you for the thought. It¡¯s expected, however. A thousand years I have lived and every youngster had exclaimed such at least once. Rude as it may seem, their words are not without a point: I am not them. I won¡¯t feel exactly the same. It would be presumptuous of me to claim otherwise. Despite everything, I¡¯m happy to see Lucidia having a kind friend like you. NOELLE Hahaha¡­ Y-you¡¯re welcome! I¡­ I¡¯m glad I could help. Oh, I better check up on Lucy! Good day, Lord Berendin. * * * [The Berendin Manor, 2044] LUCIDIA Welcome to the Berendin Manor, Rudolph Holiday. RUDY Aww shucks, no need to be so formal. You''re no Nerdly. You¡¯re my sweetheart¡¯s university friend! Just call me Rudy, ¡®kay? LUCIDIA Preference acknowledged. RUDY Man. I never thought that I¡¯d ever enter human territory in my life. Yup. Bucket list fulfilled. I can die a happy man now. NOELLE Dad, didn¡¯t we discuss this already? We¡¯re not stressing Lucy out with morbid jokes right before your surgery. RUDY But you¡¯re grinning! NOELLE This grin is enchanted with Awkward +9 and YOU KNOW IT. LUCIDIA It is heartwarming to see the two of you so close. Today is only a scan with the Chronograph. Surgery will happen at a later date, depending on the data retrieved. In the meantime, please make yourselves at home. You are guests of House Berendin. RUDY If home is what you¡¯re offering¡­ then let¡¯s turn on the telly! I wanna know what humans watch for entertainment. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s stupid. In fact, the stupider the better! LUCIDIA Request accepted. Would you like some snacks to go with your viewing experience? RUDY Sure thing! I¡¯m starting to feel peckish too. LUCIDIA A healthy appetite is a good sign. Please, come this way. [After providing for Rudolph Holiday¡¯s requests, Lucidia prepares to leave for the Chronograph. However, she notices Noelle lingering around.] LUCIDIA Noelle. I¡¯ve known you long enough. You have something on your mind, but you¡¯re too afraid to say it. NOELLE Har har har¡­ you got me. Um. I heard the Trackers found Gaelic. LUCIDIA Accurate. His first sighting was in 2043 on Halloween, but he wasn¡¯t caught until Spring 2044. NOELLE How¡­ is he?¡­ LUCIDIA He has consigned himself to the wild. I¡¯m still gathering data about his condition as Patient No.1. Perhaps my presence will encourage him to receive proper treatment. I¡¯m doing this for my own sake too. The Seer¡¯s Curse is not studied enough. It doesn¡¯t even have a proper medical term. NOELLE You know¡­ we¡¯ve been friends for almost six years, but I still know next to nothing about your magic. What I DO know comes only from publicly released information. LUCIDIA Query, what have you found? NOELLE Skeleton monsters are of human ancestry. They specialize in the materialization of bones. Those with special Eyes are called Seers, and burn Determination to fuel their visions. That¡¯s why this power is also nicknamed ¡®The Fire of Humanity¡¯. There¡¯s an extra medical caution for children that develop Seer¡¯s Eyes. If their parents are ill-prepared to educate one, they can request for a Seer¡¯s Seal. This can be removed once the child reaches adulthood¡­ but it must be done under the watch of a medical professional. Did I get that right? LUCIDIA You have researched well. The ancient wisdom states the following: ¡®Those Who See Beyond Time have received both a ¡®Blessing¡¯ and a ¡®Curse¡¯.¡¯ Without the Seal, a child inevitably undergoes Awakening, the final transformation to use their Eye to its fullest. This process may permanently alter their mental and physical capacities. NOELLE That kind of adaptation is normal, isn¡¯t it? Other monsters grow to match their magic too. LUCIDIA Under common conventions, that would be the case. However, as I¡¯ve discovered, The Fire of Humanity is indeed a fire: indiscriminate and all-consuming. A fire kept stable keeps a hearth warm. A fire unleashed will destroy an entire home. When the Fire of Humanity burns brighter than the bearer can handle, it devours their ¡®humanity¡¯. The weakest Aspects are lost to the flame, rendering a Seer ¡®Cursed¡¯ with a permanent mental unbalance. How ironic the name is¡­ ¡­I am just as much of a victim as Gaelic. If only there¡¯s a way to regain what we¡¯ve lost, perhaps the Curse can be lifted. NOELLE Huh?! What? Y-you¡¯re a victim too?! LUCIDIA I was fortunate in two ways. First, I was eight years old and therefore my brain had already formed most of its core functions. Second, I received proper treatment on time. That doesn¡¯t mean I came out unscathed. My mechanical tendencies prove otherwise. Seers on active duty in the Magus Association -- such as myself -- are expected to experience stress and injury, which exacerbates the effects of this ¡®curse¡¯. Chronographers face the highest risk. NOELLE So¡­ that¡¯s why they retire early in comparison to their lifespan. LUCIDIA Accurate. There is a reason why Garamond is a legend in his own right. Despite being an active Observer, he¡¯s still fit for duty after two whole centuries. Excuse me. I shouldn¡¯t tarry. If the scans turn out as I suspect, I need to take care of some urgent business first. * * * [The Berendin Manor, 2044] NOELLE Isn¡¯t the skyline amazing? Too bad it¡¯s going to rain soon. RUDY Yup. It is a sight, alright! There¡¯s city lights as far as the eyes can see. Humans sure have taken over the world. NOELLE Dad? I never dared to ask this but¡­ have you ever hated humans? RUDY Pfah, no way! I¡¯m not the kind of guy to hold pointless grudges. There are good humans, and there are bad humans. It¡¯s case-by-case. What¡¯s wrong? Are you still afraid of them? I thought you¡¯d shed that fear from hanging out with Lady Lucy. NOELLE Har har har! Dad. Very FUNNY. Lucy is a MONSTER, not a HUMAN. Why would I be afraid of HER? RUDY Aha, can¡¯t admit that you used to be TERRIFIED of skeletons? NOELLE D-don¡¯t tell her THAT! [The distinct click-clack of women¡¯s shoes announces Lucidia¡¯s arrival.] RUDY Speak of the devil, it¡¯s the star of the show! All done with your science stuff, Lady Lucy? LUCIDIA Affirmative. My apologies for having made you wait for as long as you did. Analysis indicates that your diagnosis is suitable for this experimental procedure. However, I require you to sign a second document before we could proceed. Please have a seat. [With a pen and some documents in hand, she beckons them to sit down across the table from her.] NOELLE U-uh¡­ I thought we already signed the papers to take part in the clinical trial? LUCIDIA There¡¯s one more paper to sign. As per protocol, I cannot install something without your fullest informed consent. The crux of the matter is: Rudy¡¯s illness stems from a failure to generate his own ¡®Determination¡¯. NOELLE Huh? T-that¡¯s not what the doctor told us. RUDY Isn¡¯t this Determination stuff a human-specific magic? Reds like the Supreme Judge are FULL of those! LUCIDIA That is a false assumption. Monsters too have Determination. Every Psychia, monster or not, contains all seven Aspects. The main difference lies in their exact balance. A human¡¯s Psychia takes the colour of their Major. That is, the Aspect they produce the most. On the other hand, Monsters have all seven traits held in a tight equilibrium. This is what makes our Psychia white. Since Monster physiology depends on all seven Aspects to function, inability to produce any one side of the spectrum will lead to severe complications. RUDY Uh, Lady? I¡­ I don¡¯t think I understood a word ya said. LUCIDIA Are you familiar with a human¡¯s vital organs, Rudy? RUDY Uh, enough? Like, I know the heart keeps blood a pumpin¡¯. LUCIDIA The heart is a fine example. Imagine what would happen if a heart fails to pump properly. One would feel faint. Weak. And if it continues to deteriorate, it would cease to function, resulting in eventual death. Your Psychia¡¯s inability to regulate and produce sufficient Determination runs on a similar principal. RUDY Well then, that ain¡¯t good. I¡¯m in one hot pickle! LUCIDIA Accurate. Hence our current predicament. Initially, I thought that installing a Determination Pulse Regulator -- DTPR -- would be sufficient to alleviate the problem. However, your Psychia has shown advanced decay. Pure mechanical assistance is no longer applicable. Therefore, I propose to install a more complex system. It will be a combination of the aforementioned DTPR and an implant from a donor Psychia. NOELLE In that case. P-p-please use my Psychia, Lucy! I¡¯ll give as much as you need. LUCIDIA Negative. For Rudy¡¯s case, it would require replacement of more than half of your respective Psychia to achieve the desired result. In the off-chance that you¡¯d survive the procedure, your and your father¡¯s characters will completely change. In other words, you will cease to be the individuals you once were. The only truly suitable monster donor is an exact clone of himself. That clone then needs to be euthanized humanely. As you can imagine, it is statistically impossible and ethically compromised. Alternative: use a human donor. Supreme Judge James Pashowar makes for an ideal match with Rudolph Holliday. NOELLE W-what??? No way! A human?!? RUDY I know you¡¯re revolutionary, but this is something else. Isn¡¯t that the same as a Merger or whatnot?! LUCIDIA Similar in principle, different in execution. Please allow me to explain. Rudy suffers from Determination deficiency and only Determination. Therefore, his donor must be of the purest Red. This is to prevent the donor¡¯s other Aspects from overloading the healthy sections of his Psychia. An impure donor will just shift him from one imbalance to another. In order to keep the Determination output at monster-safe levels, I will have to make a graft from only the tiniest sliver of our human donor¡¯s Psychia. This will not harm Judge Pashowar in any way. All Magi rely on fragmentation to increase casting efficiency and to protect themselves from DEMONS. Now, I understand that you may be worried that the human donor will also cause a change in Rudy¡¯s behaviour. It is indeed a possible side-effect. However, Judge Pashowar shares a similar spectrum with Rudy. They¡¯re both big-hearted men with an outgoing personality. Even if there ever was a leak, it wouldn¡¯t be noticeable. NOELLE I see¡­ LUCIDIA The procedure will be done in two parts. First, the installation of the DTPR. This will prevent the graft from ever overloading Rudy¡¯s Psychia with excessive Determination. Once the DTPR is proven stable, I will move on to the second part: the implementation of Judge Pashowar¡¯s Psychia graft. From then onwards, it will be a week of close monitoring under the Chronograph. NOELLE What if¡­ what if we don¡¯t want to go through with this? How much time does Dad have left? LUCIDIA I¡¯m afraid to inform you that your father is in the last stage of his disease. He has one year at most. And I cannot give any guarantees that he won¡¯t fall down before that. Once the Psychia fails, his condition will deteriorate at a rapid pace. Due to the risks involved, I cannot proceed unless both Noelle and Rudolph Holiday consents to the surgery. I will not proceed if either one party declines. NOELLE What about Mom? As Dad¡¯s wife, doesn¡¯t she have a say? LUCIDIA Mayor Holiday has already consented. This is her signature. [Lucidia presents the Mayor¡¯s copy to the Holidays.] NOELLE ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I¡­ I will consent too. [Noelle tries to sign the documents while holding back her tears.] RUDY Whoa-- sweetheart, we don¡¯t need to be hasty. We still got tomorrow to think. Next week too! NOELLE Dad. You may not have next week. You may not even have tomorrow. You could literally DIE anytime! L-Lucy. Please. Save my Dad. He is everything to me. [Noelle signs the paper to the best of her ability.] LUCIDIA Rudolph Holiday, it¡¯s up to you now. RUDY I¡¯m jumping in without any hesitations. I ain¡¯t a buck for nothin¡¯ Lady! Look at my girl. Never seen her step up to the plate like that before! I can¡¯t back down now. Gotta be a good role model for my sweetheart. I want her to know that even if we gotta do the scary thing, we gotta do it! LUCIDIA Your spirit is inspirational. [Rudy also signs the document.] LUCIDIA Thank you. Noelle. Rudy. I will do my absolute best. * * * [The Berendin Manor, 2044] RUDY This is Halloween, this is Halloween, dadada~ dadada~ GRANDMASTER My, oh my. Mister Holiday, I¡¯m glad to see you in such a jovial cheer. You sure live up to your family¡¯s name. RUDY A holiday is a holiday for me! Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s Christmas or Halloween. Besides, I can¡¯t wait to actually walk in a human city. My pals back home are gonna be sooooo jealous. Are you going to join us tonight? GRANDMASTER I plan to, though I would not be wearing my uniform. It stands out too much even among the costumed merrymakers. RUDY To be honest, I thought you¡¯re gonna eschew this pagan spooky season. You¡¯re quite the holy bone after all. I bet it¡¯s because your little girl doesn¡¯t leave the house much. Looking for excuses to spend more time with her? GRANDMASTER Assumptions, assumptions everywhere. The answers are mine to keep. But you are right on one guess. The fatherly one. RUDY Hah! I knew it! Holy bone or not, you¡¯re still part of the Dad Club. You¡¯ve raised a fine lady there. I owe her my life. GRANDMASTER Thank you for the kind words, Mister Holiday. RUDY Where¡¯s Judge Pashypash? I haven¡¯t even seen his shadow today. GRANDMASTER He has already left to attend to official Magus Association matters. RUDY Already? Awww that¡¯s a shame. I wanted to treat him to a nice cup of mulled wine. Y¡¯know, maybe this Christmas I¡¯m gonna dress up as Santa. I¡¯m DONE with being Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! I¡¯ve been playing that role since I was a wee kiddo, man. GRANDMASTER What prompted this change? Will you satisfy this old bone¡¯s curiosity? RUDY Easy! It¡¯s because I¡¯m a NEW MAN! Surviving a terminal illness changes one¡¯s outlook on life. GRANDMASTER Indeed, indeed. I understand that all too well. RUDY Now, if I got an actual hint of Judge Pashypash¡¯s jolly spirit, I bet I can really put the ¡®Ho Ho Ho¡¯ in ¡®Holiday¡¯! [The fathers leave to a different section of the mansion. The girls giggle together, having overheard the conversation.] LUCIDIA Grandpa is a polite cryptic as usual. NOELLE And my Dad is as cheeky as ever. Some things don¡¯t change, huh? I¡¯m so happy to see him being his healthy old self again. Not worrying about him suddenly dying has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. LUCIDIA Will you start looking for a Magitek-related job now? Perhaps resume your studies? You¡¯ve stayed in the workshop for quite a while now¡­ NOELLE A-are you worried that I¡¯ll forget everything? I¡¯m fine, Lucy. I still read the textbooks from time to time. I would rather get a job in Lemuria itself. Mu has more prospects for my field, but I think it''s better if I stayed closer to home. Someone has to watch out for Dad while he recovers. LUCIDIA Hmm¡­ in the future, I might need some assistance in building a specialized medical facility. Lemuria has the highest population of Seers, but their healthcare is lacking. Asylums do not have the means for consistent rehabilitation. [Lucidia then breathed out a long, tired sigh.] NOELLE What¡¯s wrong? LUCIDIA Oh, apologies. I don¡¯t mean to be dour. Gaelic¡¯s case just happens to me on my mind a lot. Today especially. NOELLE Because of Halloween, right? LUCIDIA Yes. A whole year has come and gone. Yet, I am no nearer in solving the problem of the Seer¡¯s Curse. Furthermore, I¡¯m having trouble convincing monster society to accept my theories of Determination. So far, your father is the only one fortunate enough to benefit from the experimental treatment. ¡­¡®You cannot help anyone without knowledge¡¯¡­ is quite the truth after all. NOELLE Lucy. It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve helped this family at least. That¡¯s a big step forward. Even if the others don¡¯t listen, my Dad and I will vouch for you. Okay? LUCIDIA Thank you. NOELLE By the way, I think calling the whole disease a ¡®Curse¡¯ is like¡­ super depressing! It reminds me of those overdramatic RPGs. Why don¡¯t we try giving it less doomsday-sounding name? LUCIDIA Hmmm¡­ What do you think of ¡®Overburn¡¯? I thought it¡¯s a little on the nose. NOELLE That¡¯s not bad. It sounds more accurate. Better than telling someone they¡¯re CURSED FOREEEEEEEEVER. Wooooooo~~~~ LUCIDIA Well¡­ I can¡¯t argue with that. NOELLE C¡¯mon, Lucy. Let¡¯s get ready for HALLOWEEN! Forget about SERIOUS BUSINESS for a while. Aren''t ya looking forward to bagging LOTS OF CANDY? I sure am! LUCIDIA I¡¯ll try to enjoy the festivities. Noelle, thank you. For being such a good friend. NOELLE What do you mean, Lucy? You¡¯re a GOOD FRIEND too. LUCIDIA I¡­ I¡¯m just being melodramatic. You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s not keep our fathers waiting. Request 05: Times Roman and the Green Child [The following audio transcript was made available for access with the cooperation of Times Roman, Helvetica, and W. D. Gaster.] [In Roman and Helvetica¡¯s house in New Home. His wife Helvetica had just put the young ten-year-old Sans Serif to sleep.] ROMAN Oh, Helvi? Do you have a moment? HELVETICA Yes? ROMAN Um, first I need to know if Sans is asleep. I mean, really, really asleep. Not pretend-sleep like last time. HELVETICA Nyeh hee hee, are you still wary from the vintage ketchup incident? ROMAN Stars, Helvi! Please don¡¯t remind me about that! I kept that ketchup in the most complicated puzzle box I could find! And I hid that puzzle box inside a puzzle box that¡¯s inside another puzzle box, with seven puzzle locks, placed in the most secret part of the house. Yet Sans got his hands on it because he overheard me telling you about its existence! That cheeky cheekiest of cheeksters¡­ What am I to do with him? HELVETICA He¡¯s going to need all that cheek when we get to the Surface one day. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Anyhow, what did you want to talk about? ROMAN Um. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s about the hotdog stand. I¡¯m thinking of selling it off to Quentin. HELVETICA What?! But that hotdog stand is one of your most prized possessions! ROMAN Yes. It is. But Helvi, since we took up the school cafeteria job, I just haven''t had the time or energy to keep it running. It¡¯s been gathering cobwebs for a while. Quite literally so. A village of spiders took up residence, and I just received a telegram from them that they had migrated to a better home, which was what prompted my thoughts. Besides¡­ we¡¯ll need the money for our incoming baby boy. Being a powerful future Seer, I¡¯m sure The Great Papyrus will need all the milk he could drink. HELVETICA I see. If you¡¯re ready to let it go, then I¡¯ll support you. ROMAN Thank you. Maybe one day we can take the kids to Quentin¡¯s instead. HELVETICA What did he want to sell anyway? ROMAN I hear it¡¯s these things called ¡®pizzas¡¯. Think of a flat bread baked with any toppings you can think of. Usually it¡¯s tomato sauce and cheese. HELVETICA Oh boy, Sans would love that! Tomatoes are just his favourite of favourites! * * * [The next weekend, when Roman had time to visit Hotland.] ROMAN Huh? There¡¯s some weird commotion going on. That''s¡­ quite a long queue of monsters. And¡­ do I smell¡­ hotdogs? TURRI Oh Roman, it¡¯s you! ROMAN Hello Turri. W-what¡¯s going on? TURRI I think the whole ¡®apprentice¡¯ idea is going great. Why didn¡¯t you do this sooner? ROMAN A-a-a-apprentice?!? Who told you that? TURRI Quentin. You know, the purple bunny with a big appetite and even bigger dreams! He said that this young chap is going to be the up-and-coming apprentice of the Great Times Roman! ROMAN What in tarnation??? Excuse me, I need to hurry! [Roman rushed to the front of the line. There are sounds of cooking and sizzling. People who recognize Roman called out to him, and he quickly greeted back.] Quentin Hellooooo there Roman! ROMAN Quentin? What''s going on-- QUENTIN Your apprentice is doing a mighty fine job whipping up them hotdogs! Look at him. In a few days, he¡¯s going to be our new head chef for the franchise. I can imagine it now: Quentin¡¯s Diner: the best place to get your fix! Hmm I think I need to work on the slogan. And a better name... ROMAN Is¡­ isn¡¯t that a child? You know we don¡¯t condone child labour. QUENTIN A child? Absolutely not! He¡¯s not wearing a striped shirt at all, you see. ROMAN ¡­I was about that height when I was a child. And Gaster said that-- [Quentin whisks Roman to the side and whispers.] QUENTIN Um, Roman, can we talk about this later? I can¡¯t have a misunderstanding mark the beginning of my career. And please don¡¯t mention the doctor''s name at all. That man is insufferable to a T. I promise I¡¯ll explain everything. But first, we need to feed the customers. Now is not the right time to talk. ROMAN ¡­If you insist. You must let me help you, though. This line is quite a long stretch and it¡¯s unfair for the newbie to do all the work. [Time passes until items sell out. Roman closes shop, leaving them alone in the middle of Hotland.] ROMAN I think we¡¯re in the clear. Alright Quentin, please explain. QUENTIN Okay, okay. It all started a few days ago. I was doing some ¡®test pizzas¡¯ based on the recipes that survived The Dump. I handed out samples for people to try, and that¡¯s when I met this fellow. I asked for his opinion and¡­ well¡­ I think he¡¯s mute. He tried to do some hand signs but I couldn¡¯t understand. That¡¯s when he showed me his personal frying pan. A person who walks around with a cooking utensil must be some kind of a chef. So I thought: maybe he has an idea on how to make a pizza? And you know what? He did! He took over my test kitchen like he owned the place, man. We¡¯ve made a whole bunch of different pizzas. Each one a million times better than I ever could. They¡¯re great I tell you! Love love looove ¡®em! But¡­ we soon ran out of money to buy more ingredients. And our friend here doesn¡¯t have a single coin on him either. That¡¯s why I thought to, uh, ¡®borrow¡¯ your hotdog stand. Please, Roman! It¡¯s all good intentions! ROMAN ¡­Helvi will slap you flat if she finds out that you¡¯ve used my name without permission. QUENTIN I¡¯m sorry... ROMAN Also have you tried asking our friend if he¡¯s an adult or a child? Like I said, striped shirts are not enough to tell the difference. QUENTIN Really? I mean, striped clothes for children have been tradition since the kingdom¡¯s founding. I¡¯d say waaaay before that. ROMAN Remember Sans? QUENTIN Your genius punster son? ROMAN Yes. That Sans. Did you know that he had managed to fool every adult into selling him not-so-child-friendly items by wearing non-striped shirts? One day I came home from work to find a bag full of booze, cigs, and scandalous socks. A ¡®proof of concept¡¯ he called it. QUENTIN ¡­Oh my god. ROMAN That¡¯s why we can¡¯t make assumptions based on fashion sense alone. You said he tried speaking in hands, right? Maybe I can understand him. [Roman approaches the newcomer.] ROMAN Can you understand my signs? Oh! You can? That¡¯s great! Now, I¡¯m going to ask a question and you must be honest. Are you an adult or a child? ¡­¡­¡­ I see. That¡¯s a more complicated situation than I thought. Don¡¯t worry, the secret is safe with us. QUENTIN Uh¡­ Roman? You alright? You look so serious. ROMAN Quentin. Listen closely. First, he¡¯s a male child. Not an adult! Second¡­ He''s far from home, alone, and in dire need of food and shelter. I think you should take them in. A child like this won''t last long on their own. Third¡­ he wants to further his culinary studies. As you know, running a successful food business takes more than just learning how to cook. Sounds like you could both benefit from each other. QUENTIN W-wha¡­ really?! My very first student before I even opened a business??? I-I mean, this is a huge responsibility. But at the same time I¡¯m so stoked. Think of all the stuff we can learn from each other! ROMAN Yes. He teaches you recipes, and in turn you provide for all their basic needs. Teach him how to budget while you''re at it. I know you¡¯re more aware of money matters than I am. Since he¡¯s a child, you¡¯re not allowed to make him do the real kitchen work, okay? Child labour is illegal. Which means you, as an adult, must train hard! Train until you get it right! QUENTIN Y-yes captain! Gosh, I¡¯m getting some school cafeteria flashbacks. You and your wife run a tight ship. Especially the missus. ROMAN That experience is going to help speed you up. Oh, and one more thing. You should also try to survey other places for potential markets. Try Hotland today. Try Snowdin next week. QUENTIN Snowdin? You serious? Caroline lives there. That place is like the boonies of the boonies. I¡¯m trying to get my fianc¨¦e out of that boring ol¡¯ snowmound, not the other way round! ROMAN Um, well. You¡¯ll never know if they¡¯ll appreciate the extra toastiness. Anyway, I¡¯ll give you my hotdog stand. I originally wanted to sell it to you as we had agreed¡­ but I think now it¡¯s better to loan it to you first. You can always pay me back after you¡¯ve made your profits. QUENTIN WOW!!! You¡¯re the best, Roman. I won¡¯t waste this opportunity. Thank you so much for your wisdom! I knew I could count on you. Okay kid, what¡¯s your name? Wait, I keep forgetting I can¡¯t understand hand signs... How about Green? Just like your shirt! Ah, I see you like that very much. Let¡¯s go and do some shopping. First clothes, then food! You can never have enough food! Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! [Quentin and Green left to pick up the necessary goods. Roman sighs sadly.] ROMAN I hope I''ve done enough¡­ * * * [Back in Roman¡¯s residence. Sans Serif and Helvetica spend some time together with the unborn baby.] SANS I can hear Papyrus. This is soooooo cool! HELVETICA He¡¯s also a super active boy. Did you know he kept bouncing around this morning? It was a complete bonetrousle! SANS Heh heh heh. That sounds like an Orange alright. Do you think he¡¯ll accidentally crack a hole in his skeleshell? HELVETICA Saaaaaaaaaaans¡­! Did you forget what Mommy told you about jinxes? SANS No, Mom. Heh. Sorry about that. Alright, Papyrus. ¡®Bee¡¯-good, okay? HELVETICA Oof! THAT was a real kick! SANS Hey, maybe he likes my pun. HELVETICA Too soon, son. We¡¯ll only know once he comes out. ROMAN Hahaha! Having fun without me, my sweetlings? SANS ¡®Sup, Dad? Did you rake in the ¡®dough¡¯? Maybe ¡®knead¡¯ some help to make it rise? All you need to say is ¡®yeast¡¯. ROMAN No, actually. Quentin had found an apprentice. I wanted to help them get a leg-up in the business so I loaned the stand instead. Nice chain of puns there, by the way. High-five! [Father and son high-five. Helvetica groans.] HELVETICA Papy dear, you agree with Mommy, right? Those puns are too silly. Maybe one day you¡¯ll give up on reacting to them too. Hm? Is something wrong, dear? You don¡¯t look happy at all. Were you forced into that deal? ROMAN Oh, no. Not at all. It¡¯s... complicated. You see, his apprentice is a kid from The Ruins. Most likely a runaway. HELVETICA Oh dear! I had heard that the living conditions in the old capital degraded over the years, but was it that bad? Enough to make a child run all the way here? By themselves? ROMAN I don¡¯t know. For whatever reason, he also insists on wearing non-striped clothing to make himself look more grownup than he is. SANS Heh. Relatable. I like this kid already. ROMAN I think he comes from a cooking background. Quentin said the kid knew his way around the kitchen like a pro. And I confirmed it with my own eyes! That kid was cooking up a storm with his personal frying pan! As a fellow career kitchen-skel, I know experience when I see it. SANS You gonna ask for Gaster¡¯s help? ROMAN No. Not yet. You know how extreme he can get. I''d rather quietly reconcile the child with his family without alerting the Royal Guard. SANS Good idea, Dad. HELVETICA Now Sans, you don¡¯t go looking for that kid behind your father¡¯s back, alright? SANS Nah, I won¡¯t. Especially if Dad doesn¡¯t want to get Gaster involved. I know how ¡®he¡¯ uses his Eyes to keep tabs on me. The further I stay away, the better. It means I shouldn¡¯t be here either. Welp. Time to do my physics homework. See y''all at dinnertime. [Sans leaves. His slippers audibly shuffle their way out.] HELVETICA ¡­I wish Sans could have gone to a normal school. Whenever I see the other children of his age eating in the canteen, I¡¯m reminded of how much he¡¯s missing out. ROMAN Wouldn¡¯t he end up being bored out of his mind? He¡¯s already tackling stuff that I didn¡¯t even know existed. HELVETICA Being bored might be better than facing Gaster¡¯s cruelty day in and day out. As the years go by, I¡¯m having deeper and deeper doubts about this grand plan of his. I hate what he¡¯s doing to Sans. Yet, I can¡¯t deny the need for someone to lead the final charge onto The Surface. ¡­I¡¯m a terrible mother, aren¡¯t I? ROMAN Helvi¡­ No, that¡¯s not true. We¡­ I¡­¡­¡­ [Roman could not find any words to comfort his wife.] ROMAN Honey... Let¡¯s forget about it for now. I¡¯ll cook dinner today, so you and the baby can take it easy. How about that? HELVETICA At least let me help wash the vegetables. If I stay idle, I¡¯ll spiral downwards into despair. ROMAN Alright, alright. You can do that. ¡­Hey, why don¡¯t we visit Quentin tomorrow? The two of us, together. I¡¯m sure you want to see the kid too, right? * * * [The next day, when Roman and Helvetica visit Quentin at his apartment.] HELVETICA So, you''re Green? Why, you¡¯re quite a handsome chap. It¡¯s not often that I meet someone who speaks in hands, you know. I thought only us skeletons could converse that way. Oh? You want to say hello to my baby boy? His name is Papyrus. He¡¯ll be out of his little shell in a couple of months. [Green pats the woman¡¯s belly.] HELVETICA That¡¯s a nice Green Magic you have there. I can feel your Kindness very much. ROMAN What kind of monster is he anyway? I don¡¯t remember ever seeing anyone who looks like that. QUENTIN Your guess is as good as mine! I thought you¡¯ll know more, serving hotdogs to all kinds of folk. ROMAN I can¡¯t help but to think he¡¯s very similar to us skeletons. QUENTIN Long lost cousins, perhaps? Like the Mimics and Ghosts. ROMAN Hmm¡­ maybe. [A timer chimes.] QUENTIN Whoops! That¡¯s the pizza calling. Let¡¯s have lunch, everyone! [The pizza is served at the table for consumption.] HELVETICA This ¡®pizza¡¯ dish¡­ why didn¡¯t we think of it sooner? It¡¯s a wonderful way to flavour the bread! QUENTIN Isn¡¯t that right? Green told me that it¡¯s one of the most popular dishes on the Surface. HELVETICA Can we bring some home for Sans? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll love it. QUENTIN Sure! Give it a toast and it¡¯s as good as new. Almost. Cold pizzas are a shadow of their former glory. HELVETICA Wait. Did you just say that¡­ Pizzas are popular on The Surface? QUENTIN Yep! What¡¯s wrong? HELVETICA How does Green know that? QUENTIN From all the advertisements that flowed down the river, I guess¡­? [An awkward silence hung over the room.] QUENTIN Ha¡­ hahahaha! There¡¯s no way that Green came from the Surface! If he did, he would be a human. And we know humans are the number one enemy of the nation! Yeah. He definitely is not a human. I mean, look. Green is using magic. Humans can¡¯t use magic. Absolutely impossible by any statistic. Oh my, the pizza is getting cold. C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be shy. There¡¯s plenty to go around. * * * [A few days pass. In the evening on a weekday, while Sans is out training, Roman prepares to leave his house.] HELVETICA Roman, where are you going? ROMAN I¡­ need to talk to Green and Quentin. HELVETICA Is it about the fact that the child is human? ROMAN W-when did you-- HELVETICA Dear, I DO read my son¡¯s homework. The old Council stated that humans are like us skeletonkind, except with flesh and skin. That child¡¯s skull-shape is exactly the same as ours. ¡­You¡¯ve long suspected the truth, didn¡¯t you? Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have been so worried to hear that the boy came from the Ruins. ROMAN Yes. I¡­ I still remember The Waterfall Incident. HELVETICA Will you demand Quentin to hand Green over to Gaster? ROMAN I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I want to talk to them. HELVETICA Do hurry, Roman. Before our son returns. ROMAN I will. [Later, Roman arrives at Quentin¡¯s apartment. However there was no one at home. He waits until Quentin and Green finally arrive.] QUENTIN I can imagine it now: a humongous harvest, only a few months down the line! Why are you looking so embarrassed? It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of, y¡¯know. If anyone asks, I¡¯ll just say it¡¯s store-bought fertilizer for my next gardening project. ROMAN Are those¡­ digging tools? QUENTIN WHOA! You scared me there! Y-yes, they are. Gotta put the smelly stuff nice and deep to avoid fertilizer burn. You neeeeever want to apply it too close to the plant. I mean, I learned that from my gran, who learned it from my great-great gran, who learned it from my great-great-great-gran, who learned it from King Asgore himself! Yeah. That¡¯s right. ROMAN Let¡¯s talk inside. [The three enter Quentin¡¯s apartment. Doors locked, and curtains drawn.] ROMAN Green. I¡­ I need you to be honest with me. Are you a human? ¡­So you are. Well. That explains where Quentin got his ¡®fertilizer¡¯ from. QUENTIN Hey, hey, hey, no dissing biology! Green can¡¯t help it, okay? And so what if Green is human? He¡¯s a good kid. I promise that I¡¯ll raise him as my own son! ROMAN I do agree he¡¯s a good kid. But what about his family? Adoption without consent is the same as kidnapping. We have to send him beyond the Barrier. As a human, he has a strong SOUL. He should have no problem getting him home. QUENTIN Ha. Hahahaha. Very funny. Did you think it¡¯s that easy to sneak past Gaster and his merry men? If it¡¯s not the Royal Guard, there¡¯s always King Asgore! KING ASGORE! The Boss Monster who survived the Sealing War! It¡¯s impossible! ROMAN Then what? Are you planning to hide him in plain sight forever? Only to give his SOUL to the kingdom in Green¡¯s old age? QUENTIN ¡­Roman. I¡¯m going to level with you because we¡¯re pals. So don¡¯t get too shocked, alright? Here¡¯s the kicker: I think the whole Surface dream is stupid. ROMAN W-wha?! QUENTIN Yep. You heard me. Stupid. S-T-U-P-I-D! I¡¯m never gonna see The Surface in my lifetime, so why should I care??? Why obsess over an impossible dream? Why should I stare at the ceiling until I fall down? Why? Because of freedom? Because of sunlight? Bah! Overrated nonsense. I started this diner idea because I want something achievable. Why should I be sad like other people when I can make them happy with a tasty meal and a full belly? The Underground would be in a ton better condition if us monsters stop wishing for the impossible. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better that we put all our energy into improving our current lives? That¡¯s what our ancestors did! Why does that have to change because a human once fell into the Underground? It¡¯s been decades, Roman. DECADES! And it¡¯s going to take decades more! All Green wants is to make everyone happy with good food. Just like me. ROMAN I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s how you felt. QUENTIN Now you do. Please, Roman. I¡¯m begging you. Let me have my dream. Green will never hurt anyone. I promise! ROMAN I do trust you. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t know how long you could keep this a secret. Green would be the fifth, you know. Gaster will hunt him to the ends of the Underground! The Royal Lab is in Hotland itself, while his house is at the edges of New Home. You¡¯re lucky that he didn¡¯t run to my store from the smell of those hotdogs. QUENTIN Well, that¡¯s for me and Green to figure out. I just need you to turn a blind eye. ROMAN ¡­Alright then. There¡¯s just one more thing I need to ask from Green. Young boy, why did you leave The Ruins? That is the safest place you can hide. The entrance was sealed from the inside long ago. ¡­You weren¡¯t allowed to use the kitchen? Nor leave the house to search for ingredients? You were being held back by an overprotective mother? She didn¡¯t even have knives?!?!?!?! Heh¡­ You prefer to be treated as a grownup, huh? Well, you are very much like my older son. I wish you two could meet. Quentin, I think you must leave by tonight. You should get to packing. QUENTIN Hang on. Won¡¯t Gaster, uh, interrogate you? ROMAN What do I know? I¡¯m just a cook for a school cafeteria. I¡¯m no expert. I can guess that Green is a human, and Green can claim to be one, but I don¡¯t have the knowledge to confirm or deny the truth. [Quentin gasps.] QUENTIN Maaaan¡­ I didn¡¯t know you had it in you. ROMAN Just a few tricks I learned from my son. Goodbye and good luck. * * * [Ten days pass. At midnight, a sudden siren rings across New Home.] ROMAN Is that the megaphones? HELVETICA Sigh¡­ it must be another false alarm. Let¡¯s just go back to sleep. MEGAPHONE Attention, squak! A human has been spotted at the Hotland docks. Squak! I repeat, a human has been spotted at the Hotland docks! Squak! All citizens must stay indoors, squak! I repeat, all citizens must stay indoors! Squak!!! ROMAN Quentin¡­! I-I have to find him! HELVETICA Honey, don¡¯t! If you go now, Gaster will find out you¡¯re involved in this! ROMAN I can¡¯t leave my friend alone! HELVETICA You can¡¯t leave your family behind either! ROMAN I¡¯m not! I-I just need to distract the guards somehow. Pots and pans? Maybe some bone magic? Don¡¯t worry honey, I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy-- [A loud, bony slap across the cheek stops Roman in his tracks. Helvetica then starts to cry.] ROMAN ¡­Helvi? HELVETICA WAKE UP!!! Those are the ROYAL GUARDS! The nation¡¯s best warriors, the cream of the crop, the strongest of the strong, the mightiest of the mighty! Our! Champions! And you want to go up against THEM?!?! Us normal monsters don¡¯t stand a chance!!! ROMAN Helvi¡­ I¡­ I¡­ HELVETICA Roman, I need you. Sans needs you. Our baby needs you too. You¡¯ve already done so much, dear. Enough is enough. There¡¯s nothing more you can do. So please¡­ don¡¯t go. * * * [Next morning, Doctor Gaster summons Roman to the Royal Guard¡¯s headquarters at King Asgore¡¯s castle.] GASTER Roman! Thank goodness you¡¯re alright! ROMAN What¡¯s going on, Gaster? GASTER Quentin, that annoying purple rabbit, testified that he had ¡®borrowed¡¯ your hotdog stand. That¡¯s why I called you here for verification. ROMAN Yes, he did. Actually¡­ I wanted to sell it to him. Um, we should have a scribe record the testimony, no? GASTER Oh, yes indeed. Good call. Ah, I was so worried about you, I had completely forgotten the official procedures. [Roman testifies what was requested, but he did not reveal Green was human. Doctor Gaster didn¡¯t push his questioning.] GASTER That¡¯s all? ROMAN Yes¡­ GASTER Well, that makes Quentin an accomplice of our human enemy. Ugh, what was he thinking? Was he trying to hoard the SOUL for a solo escape to the Surface? Such selfishness. ROMAN Can I see him? GASTER He may be your friend, but he has proven himself to be quite dangerous. You should see how that criminal attacked the Royal Guard! His magic wasn¡¯t great, but he was a crafty bugger. Fast on his feet too! It took a whole hour before we finally managed to corner him. Ugh, how could someone so plump be so nimble? It defies all logic! ROMAN He¡¯s behind bars now. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right? GASTER I suppose the guards can take care of any issues. Nonetheless, I will join you for safety¡¯s sake. [On the way to the prison cell, the two have a chat.] GASTER Say, Roman. How did you become friends with such rabble? ROMAN We used to be co-workers. And, he was also a fan of my hotdogs. GASTER Aha! I see, I see. Shame things turned out this way. ROMAN What will happen to him now? GASTER According to the law, absconding a SOUL is grounds for treason¡­ but we don¡¯t really have the means to enforce the proper punishment. We can¡¯t exile him from the kingdom while we¡¯re trapped Underground, and I doubt the kind King Asgore will want to issue an execution. The most likely outcome will be a banishment to a different part of the Underground. In addition to that, his current property will be confiscated. I¡¯m betting that King Asgore will let Quentin choose his new location. ROMAN That¡¯s¡­ harsh. GASTER It could have been worse. Hold on, we¡¯re reaching the prison. [Gaster tells the guard to let them in. Quentin is the only resident in lockup.] GASTER Prisoner, your friend has come to visit you. Be grateful that you still have friends. QUENTIN Where¡¯s Green? GASTER Hmph. Why should I bother telling you? QUENTIN Heh. That means the kid escaped, right? He¡¯s fast like me. And smart too. GASTER Now that¡¯s just asking to have your bubble to be popped. We found the human dead in one of the Hotland caves. He had accidentally baked himself to death while trying to hide from us. His SOUL is now in our possession. Survivors of The Waterfall Incident are still alive, mind you. Did you two really think you could hide forever? QUENTIN You¡­ YOU!!!! [Clashes of magic slam against the iron bars. Defensive systems activate to prevent the attacks from escaping through the gaps.] QUENTIN Give me back my dreams! All I wanted was to build a diner. And you won¡¯t even let me have THAT??? I don¡¯t give a DAMN about your masterplan, Gaster! NOT A DAMN BIT! ROMAN Quentin! Stop! You¡¯re going to hurt yourself! QUENTIN UWAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!! I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU!!! [More magic smashes against the prison bars. The rest of Quentin¡¯s words became incomprehensible gibberish.] GASTER I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s beyond reason, Roman. We should leave him be. [Gaster signals the Royal Guards to put Quentin to sleep. He then escorts Roman outside to a more quiet spot.] GASTER This is what happens to traitors, Roman. Remember that. ROMAN ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I feel so sad. GASTER You would be sadder if you¡¯re the one who¡¯s behind bars. ROMAN Huh? W-wait. You¡­ GASTER I know you, Roman. You¡¯re softhearted. Yet an excellent, observant friend. I know¡­ I know you wouldn¡¯t have the heart to expose the human. Just as monsters are weak to violence, we¡¯re also easily swayed by kindness. It¡¯s a double edged sword that has kept our society functioning. However, war demands us to separate the person from personhood. We can¡¯t surrender simply because we pity the enemy. That¡¯s why a person like Sans is required. Regarding our bunny chap¡­ Quentin¡¯s true crime is emotionally manipulating your good heart to further his selfish dream. Hence, he shall be the one to bear the full penalty for his actions. ROMAN I-- GASTER Hush, friend. Speak no more. Remember: your children are destined for a greater future. Please don¡¯t destroy that for the sake of sentimentality. ¡­You should return home. Good day to you. ROMAN Alright¡­ See you around, Gaster. * * * [Several days later, at Hotland¡¯s river dock. Quentin boards the boat to Snowdin with what little he could carry. The Royal Guard keeps the curious and concerned crowd at a distance.] TURRI I can¡¯t believe Quentin would be a traitor! I guess there¡¯s always a problem with dreams too big. ROMAN All he wanted was to learn how to cook¡­ HELVETICA He could have just asked us. But no, he just had to go and commit high treason with a human. TURRI Is¡­ the missus alright? She sounds a bit cranky. ROMAN Oh, uh. I apologize. It¡¯s hard to sleep with the baby bonetrousling in the middle of the night. Kid¡¯s waaaaay too active! TURRI Dear me! That is indeed quite a pickle. Looks like you¡¯re going to have an energetic one on your hands. Poor Quentin. Those in Waterfall won¡¯t welcome him. He can¡¯t stay in Hotland, or New Home either. And The Ruins are definitely out of the question. ¡­Won¡¯t this make Snowdin this thing called an ¡®exile colony¡¯? Hey Sansy boy, you¡¯re Doctor Gaster¡¯s student, right? SANS Huh? Me? Ayup. TURRI What does the law say? I¡¯m sure he taught you something. SANS Hmm. Keeping one banished dude doesn¡¯t turn an existing town into a prison. Then again, Snowdin was never a popular place to settle to begin with. It¡¯s cold. Icy cold. Unless you fill the thick-fur niche, or were born with the right element, it¡¯s kinda miserable. TURRI Oh, this is so heartbreaking! I don¡¯t want to rub salt into Quentin¡¯s wound any longer. Sans, be a good boy alright? You have to set an example for your future little brother. SANS Welp. Sure. [The boat sails. With the object of their curiosity gone, the crowd disperses until only Roman¡¯s direct family remains.] SANS Still not going home yet, Dad? The guard is giving us funny looks. ROMAN Just a bit longer, son. Sorry. SANS It¡¯s cool. You two were friends after all. HELVETICA Come to think of it, did you manage to say goodbye? ROMAN No. Quentin refused to see anyone after that day. I just hope that his fianc¨¦e will accept him. It would be far too cruel to dump him at his lowest point. ...Do you think we¡¯ve failed him, dear? If only I made a different decision¡­ or gave different advice¡­ HELVETICA Who knows, dear? Who knows. If it¡¯s any consolation, I hear Snowdin¡¯s cozy hospitality makes up for their dour weather. SANS Dad, you can always visit him y¡¯know. He can¡¯t leave Snowdin, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t go there. ROMAN Well. You¡¯re right, son. But we¡®ll have to wait and see if he¡¯s ready first. I just hope he¡¯ll find his peace someday¡­ The same goes for us. [TRANSCRIPT END] Transcript 06: The Day [The following transcript takes place on the second day of Mezil Thyme¡¯s Lemurian Courtship.] [Mezil stands in the middle of the arena, waiting for his next opponent. A ceremonial fencer named Latinoros enters with his Armament: the hilt of a fencing blade.] LATINOROS Are you the brazen human who threatens to rob Lemuria of its future? MEZIL Hmph. If my efforts are enough to destroy a nation¡¯s future, then it is doomed to begin with. LATINOROS Tsk! The typical rhetoric of the ignorant. You should know that a union between a human and a monster is nothing but a dead end: a barren branch of perpetual winter. Face the facts. You will never be able to sire progeny with the fair lady. You will single-handedly bring an end to an unbroken lineage of distinguished Purple Seers. Sage Corsivus would be rolling in his grave! MEZIL I know. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s more accurate to say that ¡®we¡¯ know. Both Lucidia and I. Despite that, we¡¯re committed to this relationship. LATINOROS Then, if you truly love her, you should have dissuaded her from pursuing you. MEZIL ¡­And abandon her to a crowd of strangers that refuses to understand her? Denied! Allow me to prove my conviction through action instead of words. LATINOROS You, an untrained human? You¡¯d dare to brandish your blade against me? Your incompetent confidence must be cut down! En Garde! [A swordfight commences. Despite Latinoros being a ceremonial fencer, Mezil¡¯s existing injuries placed him in a disadvantage. Soon their blades lock.] LATINOROS I heard that those in human lands no longer value their offspring. You¡¯re propped up by all sorts of fancy nets of independence, and thus the next generation has become a burden instead of a blessing. In your tainted eyes, selfishness is nothing but another norm. Yet, such is not the case for Lady Lucidia of House Berendin! MEZIL Look at it from another angle, Seer. There¡¯s more to the next generation than the children she personally bears. Have you not considered teachers and students? Mentors and mentees? The Grandmaster may not have an heir of his own, but he has raised thousands upon thousands of capable souls. LATINOROS What better teacher in a child¡¯s life than their own parents? The Grandmaster simply doesn¡¯t have a choice. He lacks the fortune to bear an heir in flesh and bone. You¡¯re robbing Lady Lucidia not only of the joy of motherhood, but also of her opportunity to raise her finest students! MEZIL All this talk about the future¡­ Have you ever thought about the present happiness of this hypothetical mother? Can an unhappy mother raise happy children? Can an unhappy teacher wisen students? You claim to care about her, yet I hear not a single word about her person!!! [Mezil breaks the lock and initiates a counter attack.] LATINOROS W-what? You¡¯ve managed to cut my attire?! MEZIL Sir Latinoros, that was for mocking humanity¡¯s sweat and blood. We¡¯ve built those nets of independence for a reason. Freedom for our sisters. Freedom for our nieces. And freedom for daughters! So that they may choose to pursue paths beyond motherhood if that is their life¡¯s calling! Can you say the same for monsterkind? LATINOROS We¡¯re not that backwards! It¡¯s just-- [Before Latinoros can continue, an intruder jumps onto the arena grounds.] LATINOROS ¡­YOU! My god not only are you stark naked, you have those ghastly bone spikes poking out of your back! Shoo! G-go away! You¡¯re not welcomed here!!! [The moment Latinoris strikes, Gaelic grabs him and throws him out of the ring. Safety netting saves the skeleton from being smashed to pieces against the reinforced walls.] LATINOROS Guards! Where are the guards??? Is there no one to throw this invader out??? MEZIL He¡¯s not an invader. Anyone who stands on this ring is Lucidia¡¯s suitor, and that includes this man. I¡¯ll handle him from here on onwards. LATINOROS F-fine! If you humans are as strong as the legends claim, then you¡¯ll surely have no issues. I formally yield to you, Thyme! [Latinoros hurries out of the ring and onto the spectator seat.] MEZIL Gaelic Blanc! I -- Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme -- shall be your challenger for our fair lady¡¯s hand! [Gaelic responds with a sharp hiss. Then, he rushes into battle.] MEZIL If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.!!! He¡¯s fast-- Ngh! [The speed and ferocity of the blows push Mezil to the defensive. Old wounds open, and new ones are inflicted. The crowd is abuzz with both fear and excitement.] LUCIDIA Mezzy!!! [A protracted battle plays out. Stirred by the scent of blood and frustrated from his inability to kill Mezil, Gaelic¡¯s instincts eventually push him into a deeper frenzy. Sounds of building bone are accompanied by a great howling. The arena quakes and rumbles.] LATINOROS W-w-w-w-what in the blue blazes-- [The man transforms into a massive bone wyrm, too large for the facility to contain. The magic safety netting breaks. The subsequent arena collapse kills Latinoros and every monster at his side of the stadium.] [Rewind counter: 1] [The next round, Mezil takes out his gun and starts firing. Using a mixture of Red and Cyan-Yellow magic, he maintains distance as much as he can.] MEZIL That skeletal frame of his is zipping around too much. It¡¯s messing with my sight. What if I turn the tables against him? I impose my will to blind you! [The light of Determination shines. Mezil manages to plant a Mark with a glance of his bullet, but he still gets injured in the process. Unbeknownst to him, venom seeps into his bloodstream.] MEZIL Argh! He¡¯s working on more than sight alone¡­ I¡¯ll have to close all of his senses off, somehow. [Mezil falls to the ground.] MEZIL ¡­I¡¯m¡­ going numb¡­ ¡­This timeline¡­ can¡¯t be kept¡­ [Rewind counter: 15] [At the start of the next renewed battle, Mezil hears the spectators grow concerned.] LATINOROS Someone get medical aid! Our lady is suffering from a strange headache! MEZIL A strange headache¡­? [When he looks up to the stands, Mezil finds Lucidia curling up in her seat. She clutches her head in pain.] MEZIL Gaelic, cease the fight! Lucidia is ill! [Somehow understanding those words, Gaelic¡¯s attention shifts towards her. He jumps toward the spectator stands, trying to reach Lucidia, except the safety netting repels him.] MEZIL At this rate, he¡¯s going to hurt himself¡­ I impose my will for you to lie still! [A bullet flies. With Gaelic disabled, Mezil can safely reach Lucidia.] MEZIL Lucidia, are you alright? LUCIDIA I¡­ I think so¡­ The pain is fading. MEZIL Thank goodness. [Mezil aims his gun at the helpless Gaelic to finish him off, but he hesitates to pull the trigger.] LUCIDIA What are you doing?! MEZIL He may be disabled now, but the threat of transformation remains. Once that happens, none of us may make it out alive. But¡­ I don¡¯t want to break my promise to you either. LUCIDIA Use the headaches! MEZIL Excuse me? LUCIDIA There¡­ there is a hypothesis that I¡¯m still testing. It¡¯s specifically about Purple Seers. I noticed it due to my own low reset threshold¡­ Suggestion: rapidly use the Keys of Fate in the span of a minute. Do it as many times as you need to. MEZIL Will this inflict any long-term injury? LUCIDIA I have not found anything beyond a temporary crippling of the Seer''s Eye. MEZIL Will a proxy Mark help you avoid being affected? LUCIDIA Yes. Whenever Uncle James made me his proxy, I no longer felt the effects of Perseverance. MEZIL I see. Then¡­ [Mezil plants a Mark on Lucidia. Regrettably, he couldn¡¯t protect the rest of the attending Purple Seers with his unaugmented Determination levels.] [Rewind counter: 16. Mezil¡¯s eyes glows crimson.] MEZIL Gaelic Blanc! Gaze into the glare of my conviction! [WARNING: Audio corruption detected. Possible error from excessive number of rewinds.] [Resuming recording from latest clear data.] [Rewind counter: 431] [The afflicted Gaelic drops to the floor and rolls around from the pain.] GAELIC Pa-a-a-i-n-n-n¡­ so much¡­ pain¡­ LATINOROS By the heavens. You¡­ you actually did it! Your strange tricks toppled over every Purple Seer within the vicinity, but you have felled the beast! Now finish him off. Dust him, capture him, I don¡¯t care. Just do what you must do. MEZIL ¡­Address him as a man. A person. LATINOROS What do you mean? A man behaves like a man. This¡­ creature does not. He¡¯s long abandoned his personhood. MEZIL Wrong. The Fire of Humanity burns in his right eye, does it not? As long as that flame persists, Gaelic Blanc deserves the dignity bestowed upon a sentient being. Yes. That also makes him a child of your society. Alas, he was forsaken merely because he was different. LATINOROS High sounding words. But remember, vipers bite the hand that feeds them. They do not know the concept of gratitude. MEZIL We shall see. [A few days later, Lucidia and Mezil had to stop their preparations for the wedding due to an unexpected interruption.] MEZIL ¡­¡®Vipers bite the hand that feeds them¡¯, huh? I truly hope that Latinoros¡¯ saying doesn¡¯t come true. LUCIDIA Odd. He shouldn¡¯t be stalking me anymore. I thought¡­ Grandpa already had a chat with him. MEZIL Father did? LUCIDIA Yes. Grandpa warned Gaelic that if he continued the habit, I would grow to detest him. My future husband, whoever it may be, would consider him an enemy as well. Since that day, he stopped following me. MEZIL So, I became his new target? LUCIDIA Well, you are quite the surprise. By the way, that proverb is born from nothing but ignorance. Snakes just happen to have very poor eyesight. That¡¯s why it¡¯s always advisable to feed them with tools instead of your fingers. MEZIL Does that also apply to our venomous stalker? The eyesight thing, I mean. LUCIDIA No. His association with snakes is superficial at best. [The Grandmaster appears with Gaelic beside him. The younger skeleton was given a bathrobe to cover himself.] GRANDMASTER Look who I found wandering the halls. MEZIL ¡­Father? Is it wise to bring him to us? GRANDMASTER Worry not, Winston. This situation was born from misunderstanding. In truth, Gaelic wanted to thank you in person. MEZIL Me¡­? GRANDMASTER Yes. Go on, young one. Speak your heart. GAELIC Mmm¡­ It¡­ It be true. Ah wanted to thank ye, fer everything. MEZIL ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Wait, have you always been this eloquent? And what happened to your back spines? GAELIC Um, aye. When me mind be clear, words flow better. LUCIDIA This is how he should be speaking, dear. As for the spines¡­ they¡¯re not part of his actual physical makeup. Think of them as makeshift armour, created from his magic. The back is a very vulnerable part of the body, after all. MEZIL I see. Forgive me for the blunt questions. I hope they¡¯re not too offensive. GAELIC ¡®Tis fine, Sir Mezil. Nothing be held against ye. Um¡­ ¡®Twas true? Yer speech? About me Eye, and me humanity? That I¡­ I not be a mindless beast? A person? Despite me actions? MEZIL I meant every word I¡¯ve said. GAELIC But¡­ why? Have ye not heard the rumours? The accusations? Truth be told, ah not even be sure what happened that day. MEZIL I¡¯ve had a friend in similar circumstances, so it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve dealt with that absurd circus of hearsay. The world is full of deceptions and misconceptions. If word of mouth is your only reference to go by, then countless innocents would be falsely accused all the time. I¡¯m appalled by the sheer lack of willpower behind the investigation. Once I¡¯m done with the wedding, I promise that I will look into your case. GAELIC Ya dinnae need to do so. Ah mean¡­ the damage be already done. To meself, especially. Hope for resolution that may ne¡¯er come¡­ it stings more than the blame. LUCIDIA Mezil wants to do it for my sake too. I¡¯ve always been troubled by that incident. Even¡­ even if his efforts end in failure, it suffices to try. GAELIC ¡­Ah, what gleam and glow! Ye two truly be a match made in heaven. Sir Mezil, me unquenching passion fer Lady Lucidia ne¡¯er waned. The ferocity o¡¯ our duel, the battle fer her hand, aye, it still rings true. But now¡­ ah be madly in love with ye too. Beautiful in face and sublime in soul. MEZIL B-beautiful¡­? GAELIC Why the surprise? Had ye never had a man¡¯s adoration and praise? MEZIL No. Quite the opposite. In my former line of work, I would sometimes get unsolicited attention from both men and women. I just didn¡¯t expect you to call me beautiful. GAELIC Hahaha! But it be the truth! Me heart flutters when ya roasted that haughty lawyer! Ye dress darkly, yet ye shine the harsh light o¡¯ justice. It exposes what others wish to hide. ¡­Lord and Lady, ah want nothing more than be in both thy presence. But ah know we not walk on the same path. Me stalkings be fret with want and worry, not knowing what to do. MEZIL As long as you don¡¯t try to kidnap either of us, we can be friends. GAELIC Truly? MEZIL Yes. Truly. GAELIC Me heart gladdens with joy! Worry not. Yer marriage be holy matrimony, and yer happiness be me greatest wish. Me blessing ah bestow upon ye. MEZIL Thank you. LUCIDIA Thank you too, Gaelic. GAELIC Ah best be going now. Good day to ye. I be watching the ceremony from afar. LUCIDIA I¡¯ll be sure to leave some food out for you. GRANDMASTER All¡¯s well that ends well. I¡¯m delighted to see that the three of you have come to an understanding. Follow me, young Gaelic. Let us get you a place to stay and rest. [Gaelic leaves with the Grandmaster¡¯s guidance. Once alone, the couple talks again.] MEZIL Hmm. I can see why you call him ¡®sweet¡¯. When he¡¯s not trying to rip anyone apart, that is. LUCIDIA Isn¡¯t that right, Mezzy? ¡­I¡¯m glad that side of him hasn¡¯t changed since we were children. Oh, I was so worried. MEZIL If I didn¡¯t come into your life¡­ would you have eloped with Gaelic instead? LUCIDIA ¡­Knowing myself, I might have. Despite the Overburn, I know that he sincerely loves me. The same can¡¯t be said for any of my other suitors. MEZIL Perhaps it¡¯s a little strange coming from me, but I believe that the other suitors could have learned to love you. A chance may be all they need. I have done so, haven¡¯t I? We were worlds apart just a mere month ago. LUCIDIA Well, I wouldn¡¯t call our origins to be an ideal starting point. MEZIL Undeniably so. But it¡¯s the end result that counts. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 07: Under The Weather Part 1 [4th of May 2064] [This recording is a personal reference made by Lucidia of Berendin. It recalls the night Lucas Moriarty was intended to undergo the Trial of the Crimson Hall, which had to be rescheduled due to an unexpected illness befalling The Supreme Judge.] [Note: The appropriate dress-code for Seers meeting unauthorised human contacts is implemented at all times (mask, full-body attire, gloves, ect).] LUCIDIA ¡­Dearest, you¡¯re in no condition to hold a trial right now. EDMUND I concur. You look like you can barely stand up straight. MEZIL All will be fine after some medication. Besides won¡¯t my health be bolstered when I enter The Crimson Hall? I see no reason why I should stay ill in a digital recreation¡­ LUCIDIA You know The Jury won¡¯t accept the results once they notice you¡¯re not at your best. Please rest. MEZIL What about the boy? How is he holding out? LUCIDIA From what I can tell, his mental state leaves much to be desired. ¡®Traumatised¡¯ is an apt description. EDMUND Yeah, it¡¯s quite disheartening to see him hit upon this low-point. It was ¡®I¡¯m a bomb waiting to go off¡¯ on the car ride over here. And ¡®Judge Thyme would shoot me dead for what I did¡¯ after he learned where we¡¯re heading. [Mezil winces from a sudden jolt of pain. It¡¯s as if the words physically hurt him.] MEZIL ¡­What do people take me for? The circumstances warrant nothing of the sort. The more I hear about Lucas¡¯ case, the more this Trial sounds like a doctor¡¯s appointment than the usual boss fight. ¡­For the both of us. EDMUND Ah, well, you know how my son Art is. The boy¡¯s father always did paint the Magi as a cult of demon worshippers. I think he never quite accepted that the cousin he grew up with just up and left for the world of magic. MEZIL Why am I not surprised? ¡­Though it is true that I had left him behind. I took his advice to become an accountant -- to have a ¡®real job¡¯ -- only to betray his exceptions a few months later by becoming The Supreme Judge overnight. Either way, Art definitely left Lucas with some rather unfortunate impressions of us. EDMUND As you can imagine, he has had trouble relaxing ever since that whole mess happened. An extended preparation period would at least convince him that no one here is out to do him undue harm. He¡¯s always been a little¡­ imaginative with his anxieties, as much as he keeps them to himself. LUCIDIA Suggestion: give me time to research your candidate¡¯s history and character. This would allow the trial to be fine-tuned to exact specifications, raising the likelihood of you two reaching an understanding in the near future. EDMUND Exactly. Better to have you both well-rested and on the ball for this one. I can¡¯t see any pressing reasons to rush into things given your current state. MEZIL I suppose you have a point¡­ EDMUND You¡¯d do well to be less stubborn sometimes. If not for Lady Lucidia, you would¡¯ve tried replacing sleep with caffeine and determination when you first took this job nineteen years ago¡­ MEZIL I-I¡¯m not that careless! [Another jolt of pain strikes Mezil Thyme, worse than the last.] MEZIL Ugh, excuse me. I need to go again. EDMUND Go ahead. I¡¯ll be there shortly. LUCIDIA Uncle Edmund, in my husband¡¯s absence, I will show Lucas to his room for the night. EDMUND Thank you kindly. I¡¯m gonna go make sure Mez is alright. Unless anything else needs my immediate attention? LUCIDIA Please don¡¯t trouble yourself. You¡¯re a guest of the household, and so House Berendin shall handle all matters of hospitality. EDMUND Very well. All the best to you¡­ And I hope my nephew and grandson can both pull themselves together by tomorrow. Don¡¯t think either of them are enjoying the forced wait. LUCIDIA Agreed. I shall go attend to your grandson now. [Lucidia picks up Lucas Moriarty at the foyer and leads him to his guest room.] LUCIDIA ¡­Amenities are indicated with signboards. Here is the manor map should you require it. Do you have any specific food allergies? LUCAS Ahh¡­ If I do, I haven¡¯t run into any of them yet¡­ LUCIDIA Data, recorded. Should we expect you for breakfast or for lunch? I lack information on your sleep cycle to make an accurate assessment. [Lucas runs a hand through his hair, his gaze wandering all over.] LUCAS Guess that depends on whether my appetite comes back by then. Lately, I started feeling really¡­ queasy. LUCIDIA In that case, a light meal is preferred for both breakfast or lunch. Data, recorded. Last but not least, do you need assistance falling or staying asleep? It is common for guests to not rest well in a foreign bed. Yourself permitting, I can cast a spell that relaxes The Psychia and triggers relevant hormones within your body. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. LUCAS ¡­Uh¡­ I think if I said no, I¡¯d be up the whole night. LUCIDIA Hmm¡­ Acknowledged. Please prepare yourself for bed. I will fetch some first-aid equipment in the meantime. LUCAS Alright, uh, thank you, Ma¡¯am. [Lucidia leaves Lucas alone to retrieve medical supplies. The Chronograph¡¯s focus is maintained on subject Lucas Moriarty. Lost in thought, he stands around in a daze.] LUCAS ¡­The bloody fuck were you thinking, genius? [He shakes his head and drags a hand across his forehead. After that, he let out a loud, frustrated grunt.] LUCAS Oh wait, that¡¯s right, you didn¡¯t think. You let your emotions get the better of you. Outdid your worst screw-ups in the heat of the moment. Care to dig your grave any deeper? Ugh, guess I gotta get ready for bedtime. [Shuffling to the closet, he continues to mutter to himself even after he kicks off his shoes and removes his jacket. His hands tremble as he takes a clothes hanger from the closet. After slipping his jacket on it, he accidentally slams the hook against the bar. A red symbol flashes in the shape of a spiral, followed by the rest of the clothes hangers beginning to float out of the closet.] LUCAS Oh no. No no no no no no no! We¡¯re not doing this again. Get back in there, dammit! [The once floating hangers rush back into the compartment. The door then slams shut in his face. Frightened by the sudden change in movement, Lucas carefully steps away from the closet.] LUCAS What¡­ what the fuck?! What even am I? Maybe if would''ve been better for everyone if I had just let myself get taken away-- [Lucas cuts off his own words. Huddling himself, he paces around in circles, afraid of touching anything. Without anything else to occupy him, he eventually drifts to the nearest window. The view of the city catches his eye for a moment, but soon he becomes more interested in the mansion itself. He cranes his neck out to get a better look.] LUCAS ¡­The place looks like a clever mash-up of past and present architectural styles. Don¡¯t know how it didn¡¯t become a mess in the process, like how half of every other renovated building looks. Wonder if they got a picture of the looks on the crew¡¯s faces when they were told they had to lift this whole mansion onto a skyscraper without breaking anything¡­ Unless¡­ [Gazing at the palm of his own hand, Lucas ponders.] LUCAS ¡­They flew the whole thing up here instead? Is that even possible? No way. I don¡¯t believe it for a second. This place is massive. According to the laws of physics, weight is exponential relative to scale. Damn. What a day. One moment I¡¯m minding my own business at the mall, the next I¡¯m in this posh sky mansion belonging to a bigwig mage uncle I barely know¡­ [Lucidia returns with the first-aid kit soon after.] LUCIDIA I believe it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve had a change of dressings. I would like to clean and bind your wounds now. Oh? You have not prepared for bed yet. Is there something wrong? Were you unable to find the necessary tools? LUCAS Ah, Aunt Lucidia, you¡¯re back. It¡¯s nothing. I¡­ I was just distracted by the crazy view outside. Nevermind me. How¡¯s, uh¡­ Is Uncle Mezil feeling any better? LUCIDIA At this stage of symptoms, I don¡¯t expect him to feel better until tomorrow. And even then, he would be exhausted from the ordeal. I¡¯ve tentatively arranged your appointment for the day after. I apologise for the unexpected delay. Though, Judge Thyme does remain interested in speaking to you in person as soon as possible. As your uncle and not as The Supreme Judge. LUCAS I don¡¯t mind the extra day or two. It¡¯s¡­ Well¡­ I figured Grandpa Ed already told you all about it. He tends to know some people better than they know themselves. [Lucidia blinks in slight confusion.] LUCIDIA Pardon, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say. Requesting clarification, if possible? LUCAS Um¡­ Nevermind. Forget I said anything. Is the police going to question me tomorrow? LUCIDIA Regarding the incident, The Magus Association is discussing matters with the police as we speak. I would ask you to leave the case to us. LUCAS ¡­Right. I, uh, I think your people can handle it better than any legal counsel my family could¡¯ve hired, let alone me. LUCIDIA I thank you for your cooperation. Excuse me, your change of dressings is getting more and more overdue. LUCAS Oh sure. Uhm¡­ G-go ahead. I guess¡­ LUCIDIA Hmm¡­ Perhaps this is the best course of action. [Aware of his continued skittishness, Lucidia chooses to perform the whole task strictly with telekinesis, starting with the removal of obstructive clothing. She then discards the old dressings, cleans the wounds, and wraps them up with fresh bandages.] LUCIDIA And it¡¯s done. LUCAS Thanks. Wow. You made everything seem so clean and effortless. ¡­Are you a nurse? A mage nurse??? LUCIDIA Hehe, not originally. Let¡¯s say my husband¡¯s misadventures made it compulsory for me to learn certain essential skills. LUCAS I¡­ A-heh, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have dared changing these myself, unless I wanted even more injuries to take home with me. If you, uh, get what I mean¡­ [Through his own reminder, Lucas¡¯ attempt to act mirthful falls flat on its face.] LUCAS ¡­Sorry, I¡¯m really not making myself clear, am I? LUCIDIA I do not recommend replicating what I just did without adequate training. Please know that I understand what you¡¯re going through. Truly. My own magic escalated at an abrupt rate when I was eight years old. Since Blue is my strongest Aspect, everything around me would float, fly, and collide into each other. It¡¯s very much like what you went through today. After that, I was afraid of everything. Any objects. The walls. The floor. My loved ones. Myself. I so desperately wanted someone to hug me, yet I feared that they would be crushed upon a single touch. It was my birth father who taught me not to fear my magic. Instead, he taught me to control it, like how you would use any other limb on your body. Eventually telekinesis became a part of my daily life. Every day in day out, professionals perform tasks that other adults would struggle with. That is because they¡¯ve mastered them through repeated practice and application. LUCAS I¡­ I see. Sounds like I need a teacher, huh? LUCIDIA I could give you some magic lessons tomorrow. LUCAS That means you¡¯re sure of it then? Well¡­ If you think we can train safely. I don¡¯t want to have a repeat of¡­ whatever¡¯s left of that store, you know? LUCIDIA I am certain, as the lessons will be compulsory for your own safety. We can start after breakfast. But first¡­ [Lucidia lifts Lucas with the power of telekinesis, hovering him slightly above ground. Unbeknownst to the lad, she activates her Eyes to scan him.] LUCIDIA As I have suspected, you have not yet brushed your teeth. I cannot send you to bed without completing your dental regiment. LUCAS Wha?! It¡¯s just one night, I¡¯ll be fine! LUCIDIA Request denied. The care of your irreplaceable and impeccable adult teeth is of critical importance. Since you are afraid of doing anything while your magic remains unstable, I insist on providing direct assistance. [Lucidia gets her way to clean up Lucas. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, and changing him into a pair of guest pyjamas, he is tucked into bed. She then uses magic to put Lucas to a sound sleep. After he dozes off, she scans him one last time to make sure his vitals were not deregulated in the process. She then leaves the room as quietly as she could, taking the wastebasket along with her.] [After properly disposing of Lucas¡¯ old dressings and returning her medical supplies to storage, Lucidia approaches the restroom where Mezil is at. Edmund waits outside while Mezil continues to toil behind closed doors.] LUCIDIA Uncle Edmund, Lucas has fallen fast asleep. He should be able to rest for the night. EDMUND That¡¯s good. Lord Almighty knows the boy needs it. LUCIDIA Mezzy, are you alright? MEZIL ¡­Nothing out of the ordinary. Anyways, any updates? Hnnng! EDMUND You know, why don¡¯t you concentrate on the toilet business first? MEZIL I¡¯m fine enough to listen, thank you very much. LUCIDIA I have confirmed his Aspects. Major: Red. Minor 1: Blue. Minor 2: Cyan. In addition, Lucas has agreed to let me teach him the basics of telekinesis starting tomorrow. A mix of practical and theoretical courses should serve him well, preventing accidental activations going forward. MEZIL I¡­ Hnngh¡­ think that¡¯s an excellent idea. Thoughts, Uncle Edmund? EDMUND It¡¯s a sound plan. After all, he¡¯s been taking his newfound abilities seriously enough. Best to have him get a feel for his abilities in a controlled environment. Also, I do say it¡¯s quite intriguing how he¡¯s expressed more of an interest in honing his skills, rather than wanting them locked away. LUCIDIA Query: How did Lucas¡¯ parents manage to hide a Red right under our noses? A fully-grown adult in the line of Winston, I should add. The Magus Association cooperates with public and private schooling to scout for potential candidates, especially those with a Red Psychia, therefore he should have shown up on our radar years ago. Unless¡­ he¡¯s been homeschooled his entire life? I hypothesise this has to be a conscious and deliberate attempt to conceal his existence. Do you agree? MEZIL What were their jobs again? I remember Art was pursuing a career in information technology. Did he stay in that field? EDMUND Stayed? Went deep, more like it. His company probably made the security features on your phone. Bet his wife coded them too. [Mezil groans even harder from beyond the toilet door.] LUCIDIA I see. Then, their professions and expertise match my hypothesis. They have protected the identities of their children exceptionally well. MEZIL And it worked until the proverbial bomb went off. Lucidia, could you arrange a Psychia testing appointment for Lucas¡¯ siblings? As you know, this power is often hereditary. If their brother is a Red Major, there¡¯s a high chance they¡¯re Red Minors at the very least. EDMUND If I may interject? I¡¯m wondering if you should push for Lucas¡¯ cousins to have earlier testing appointments as well. Just to make sure that they didn¡¯t all inherit that from me. MEZIL Good point. ¡­I sincerely hope they¡¯re not all Reds. It¡¯s a power too great to bear, especially in this day and age. EDMUND It¡¯s certainly a far cry from when I first stepped into that Crimson Hall¡­ LUCIDIA Acknowledged. I shall make the necessary arrangements. What will be the next course of action should the parents refuse to cooperate? MEZIL Then I will drag Art in by the ears. Personally. EDMUND No. You¡¯ll get one ear, and I¡¯ll take the other. MEZIL A fine deal. Nnnargh--! [Mezil¡¯s suffering on the ceramic throne intensifies.] LUCIDIA ¡­Dearest, you¡¯re in no condition to pull anyone¡¯s ears. EDMUND I concur. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 08: Under The Weather Part 2 [5th of May 2064, Monday, 7 AM] [Lucas wakes up after a full night¡¯s rest. Still in his loaned pyjamas, he stumbles his way through the mansion hallways. He pauses in front of the manor¡¯s wall-mounted map to get his bearings.] LUCAS According to this, I should make a turn over there¡­ Oh! The smell of breakfast is getting stronger. Seems savoury. [At the kitchen, he finds Mezil Thyme working on accounting papers while reviewing photos of the aftermath. He is fully dressed and had already finished his own meal.] MEZIL An electronics store in the middle of a shopping mall, completely trashed. Insurance alone won¡¯t cover all the costs. Tsk. He¡¯s not a Magus and neither is he my student, so I can¡¯t draw it from the Association¡¯s coffers. If I could arrange with the bank for a loan, maybe we can pay for the damages over the course of nine months¡­ Hmm¡­ I would prefer to cut down on interest. The longer it takes to pay the debt, the more expensive it¡¯ll become. Can we afford six? Three? What should I sell, if I need to? What if I don¡¯t take a loan at all? Do I have enough straight out of my pocket? There¡¯s a supercar that I don¡¯t use anymore. Hmm, though, those tend to depreciate in value over time. My name may keep it from reaching junkyard prices, but would still sell well below market average. What about land? Absolutely not. Farmland is the family¡¯s main source of private income. I won¡¯t be able to tell how much we¡¯ll earn from the harvest at this time next year. That leaves our casks of aged liquor¡­ [He continues working. Without making eye contact, he addresses the nearby Lucas.] MEZIL ¡­Young man. How much longer will you stand at the entrance, feeling sorry for yourself? Be glad that it¡¯s not your parents shouldering the cost. Come and have your meal. You¡¯ll need all that energy for Aunt Lucidia¡¯s lessons. LUCAS I wasn¡¯t- yes sir. [The younger man enters the room, stiff-legged and cradling a sore spot on his shoulder. That spot received more extensive stitching compared to the others.] MEZIL Would you like something to eat? Please sit down. I¡¯ll get a bowl for you. You¡¯ll think clearer with some energy. LUCAS A-are you sure? You¡¯re kinda the big boss around here, right? MEZIL Worry not. As the master of the house, I can choose to serve as well. [Per Mezil¡¯s request, today¡¯s breakfast is a light meal of The Grandmaster¡¯s panada. A panada consists of bread boiled in broth, with a little grating of hard cheese for flavour. Mezil gets up, takes the cutlery, and scoops some into a bowl. He places it down before Lucas. However, Lucas remains reluctant to touch the bowl.] LUCAS I-I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea. Especially when¡­ yesterday¡­ um¡­ [Mezil forces Lucas to touch the side of the warm bowl. Nothing happened. Nothing broke.] MEZIL See? A good night¡¯s rest has calmed your powers. You may continue living as a normal adult. LUCAS Wow. Sleep really does wonders, I guess? Can¡¯t say if my stomach is feeling up to it, though. MEZIL Give it a try. [After a taste test, Lucas digs in with ease and enthusiasm.] LUCAS This is more delicious than I thought! MEZIL Is the panada to your liking? LUCAS I think it¡¯s the first thing I¡¯ve eaten these past few days that hasn¡¯t made my stomach hurt. Tastes really good for being so inoffensive on the belly, too. MEZIL Perchance, do you happen to have IBS? LUCAS Yeah, I get it especially when it¡¯s too much dairy or too much spice. MEZIL Then my father-in-law was wise to omit milk or cream today. I have IBS as well. It¡¯s as though there¡¯s a bane that runs in our family to balance out our power. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Though, I personally would never let that stop my quest for spice. LUCAS Heh, funny that, I never let it stop me from enjoying ice cream either. MEZIL Have you seen a doctor about it yet? LUCAS Well, there¡¯s only the bi-annual checkups with my general care doctor. It¡¯s not like I eat food that makes my stomach upset on a daily basis. MEZIL Hmmm¡­ then you have no medical records beyond that one doctor either. Your Aunt Lucidia won¡¯t let you go without a proper checkup with a specialist. I¡¯m certain she will arrange for an immediate appointment. LUCAS I-I¡¯ll be sure to thank her later. MEZIL I¡¯ll let you enjoy the rest of your meal uninterrupted now. Please take it easy. [Mezil waits for Lucas while he carries on with his accounting work. Once Lucas finishes his meal, he wipes his mouth clean with the provided napkin.] LUCAS That was a real nice breakfast. Thanks. MEZIL You¡¯re welcome. LUCAS How are you feeling, by the way? If that¡¯s okay to ask. MEZIL I too had a long nap after that ordeal. As you¡¯ve said, sleep does wonders. Although¡­ I must say that it desynced my routine. With all the upcoming legal and financial matters, perhaps it¡¯s best that I remain diurnal for the next few days. LUCAS D-diurnal¡­? Uh¡­ the rumours¡­ they say you¡¯re¡­ a¡­ I mean¡­ A-are you really?¡­ MEZIL A vampire? I¡¯m aware of my reputation. Rest assured, I¡¯m not the blood-sucking mythological sort. Besides, I will not consume raw blood due to the risk of infectious diseases. Only cooked variations such as black pudding are accepted. It¡¯s not often, as my father-in-law and wife abstain from blood for religious reasons. LUCAS Okay¡­ If you insist. MEZIL Whenever you¡¯re ready, we can begin talking business. LUCAS Alright. Business. Uh¡­ [Lucas squirms in his chair for a moment.] LUCAS ¡­Do I want to know how much the repair costs are? MEZIL Preferably not. At least not for the next few years. I¡¯d sooner show them to your father as a consequence of his poor decisions. This incident was entirely preventable¡­ LUCAS Y-you can say that again. MEZIL Now, as the victim of this heinous crime, I believe you deserve an explanation about the circumstances surrounding it. An unknown individual hired a gang of thugs to kidnap you. We did obtain a description and a name through interrogation, but the kidnappers also admitted that they did not verify this person¡¯s identity. It¡¯s likely that the arrangement was done under a disguise. As such, I suspect that their client has experience in espionage or black ops, combined with a baseline knowledge of Aspect Magic. LUCAS I guess the attempt happening in broad daylight says something about the extent of their confidence? MEZIL At best, it¡¯s poor planning from the thugs. At worst, it¡¯s a deliberate attempt to cause a public commotion against The Magus Association. I have to assume the latter. With that kind of expertise, they could have scouted you long before you yourself were aware of your potential. LUCAS But¡­ why? I¡¯m just a regular kid. Or rather¡­ I ¡®was¡¯ a regular kid until yesterday. What makes me special? MEZIL Knowing your value, I can think of four possible motives. First: to extort money, either from myself or from your father. Second: a prisoner exchange. You for one of their comrades. Third: to indoctrinate you into their organisation. Fourth: to use you as an ingredient in a heretical experiment. LUCAS I¡­ I see¡­ All of those are their own brand of unsettling. Especially that last one. MEZIL Do you know what The Association defines as heresy? LUCAS I¡¯m guessing¡­ criminal usage of magic? MEZIL Such is only the natural consequence of their intent. The Magus Association defines any magic that sacrifices the life of a person as ¡®heresy¡¯. Many of their dark arts call for the sacrifice of humans with strong Psychia. Those born of the Red Aspect, such as yourself and I, carry the greatest potential of them all. [Mezil shows his Mark, a shining red butterfly.] MEZIL Determination. The lifeblood of every living being. It is the will to live and act. Yet only those with Red Psychia can generate the sheer quantities required to materialise a symbol of authority from within their heart. Cast your Mark before me. [Lucas tenses up in his seat.] LUCAS A¡­ A Mark? That symbol thing? H-here? Right now? A-are you serious? MEZIL Yes. LUCAS Am I being put on trial? S-something about a Crimson Hall? MEZIL No. Consider this a demonstration. Throw all your hesitation to the wind. The fallout shall be mine to deal with. [The young man looks around, nervous.] LUCAS If you say so¡­ [Putting his hand forward, he focuses his heart and mind. Red light begins to coalesce into a spiral. Kitchen cabinets and drawers fly open, their contents spilling out and picking up speed. The empty bowl of breakfast joins as well.] LUCAS Argh! No! Stop stop stop stop!!! [A red flash occurs next to Lucas. Mezil has teleported to that spot. With a swift strike, the top of his cane smashes the spiral to smithereens. Upon that instant, an Arcanagram activates from inside the ceiling, preventing the floating objects from crashing into the ground.] LUCAS Wha¡­ What just happened? What is t-that THING above my head?! MEZIL That is an old safeguarding Arcanagram from your Aunt¡¯s childhood. When it detects an excessive number of moving objects, the magic programming within activates to suspend those items in midair. Though it¡¯s not been triggered ever since Lucidia mastered her ability. LUCAS And the teleport? You did just teleport, right?!? MEZIL I did. But were I to explain it to you now, you wouldn¡¯t understand. Not yet at least. All you need to know ¨C for the time being ¨C is that no matter what happens¡­ Lucidia and I can handle the fallout. So do not fear. Train with all your heart and might. ¡­That is, should you wish to continue this pursuit. Your family should be here soon. Together with them comes the option to forfeit this path. However, doing so will require me to seal you and your Determination. LUCAS Seal¡­? You just mentioned that Determination is the will to live and act. Something that¡¯s in my heart. If you seal that, isn¡¯t that the same as sealing away a part of me? MEZIL Correct. Just as there are Reds in the world who would fight to keep their power at all cost, there are also those who would willfully choose to seal this side of themselves behind a lock. Determination is a necessity to get through life. Yet, being excessively determined can lead a person to ruin. Think: constant violence, broken households, estranged relationships, and so on. Your grandfather was one of those who opted for a voluntary surrender. After his powers activated, his levels of aggression rose beyond his comfort zone. His own persevering kindness refused to allow his conscience to continue down a dark path. Therefore, he accepted the sealing and returned to a normal, productive civilian life. I won¡¯t hold anything against you should you choose that same path. LUCAS ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ As much as everything went crazy when my magic just clicked, I don¡¯t think I could just get rid of it so readily like Grandpa did. It¡¯d be a short-term comfort for a long-term amputation. There¡¯s this¡­ feeling in me, stirring. Growing. Ready to burst out like a whirling storm. Does that make any sense? ¡­When I was younger, I always wanted to be a Magus. But dad always told me it¡¯s a pigeon-holed dead end. Maybe¡­ I still feel stifled from that? MEZIL Hmm. Your father has always been persuasive. There was a time where he even held sway on my decisions. I quit my old job to become an accountant based on his recommendation. However, life decided to plunge me on a different course. LUCAS Who are you, exactly? I mean, I¡¯ve heard bits and pieces from Grandpa and from Dad, but I want to hear it from your own mouth, in your own words. MEZIL I am Mezil Thyme, The Supreme Judge of The Magus Association. My primary duty is to protect the peace of this world. To that end, I also examine the worthiness of those who are born of Red. LUCAS That¡­ doesn¡¯t tell me very much, I think. MEZIL It will, in due time. [Mezil¡¯s phone rings. He answers the call. After a quick acknowledgement, he ends it and turns towards Lucas.] MEZIL Your family has arrived earlier than expected. They¡¯re waiting in the lobby as we speak. Let¡¯s get you ready to meet with them. Then we shall settle what needs to be settled. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 09: Under The Weather Part 3 [5th of May 2064, Monday, 9:30 AM] [Surprisingly, Art Moriarty agrees to have the Psychia of Lucas¡¯ younger siblings tested on site. Afterwards, the Moriartys are invited to The Berendin Manor. The children play on the four-seater swing in the garden, under the watchful eye of their mother, Elizabeth. Meanwhile, at a nearby table, Mezil Thyme hosts his meeting with Art, his son Lucas, and his father Edmund. Tea, cream, sugar, and butter cookies are served to the guests.] MEZIL ¡­It¡¯s been a while, Art. ART A while, alright. Long enough to turn your hair completely grey. Guess the fantasy life is not so fantastical after all? [Mezil sighs then takes a sip of his piping hot tea.] MEZIL The one living in a fantasy is you, I say. EDMUND Boys. Boys. You¡¯ve not seen each other for years and this is how you greet each other? ART You know my opinions of the Magi, Ed. If it weren¡¯t for Luc, I wouldn¡¯t be caught dead in this palace of make-believe. LUCAS Sorry, Dad¡­ I, uh, um, didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­ really. I swear. MEZIL Plenty of fiction has hypothesised about life without magic. However, we are not living in such a fictional world. In our reality, magic was proven to be a force coexisting with established physics. Burying your head in the sand will not make the truth vanish like a fairytale fairy. Yesterday¡¯s fallout is proof positive. ART Fine. I guess my son turned out to be a magical powerhouse. What do you suggest we do about it? You plan to train him or something? MEZIL That¡¯s right. ART What a waste of time. You¡¯ve disbanded the Crimson Keepers long ago. Why not seal away his powers and let him return to a normal life? Don¡¯t ruin the boy¡¯s future like you ruined yours. He still has a promising future ahead of him. MEZIL ¡­Have you ever listened to your son, Art? ART We talk every day. Of course I listen to him. MEZIL Are you listening for the truth? Or only the truths you want to hear? ART What are you talking about, Mez? MEZIL Yesterday, I had offered Lucas the option of a seal, yet he himself wished otherwise. ¡®It¡¯d be a short-term comfort for a long-term amputation¡¯, the boy said. ART W-what?! Son, you can¡¯t be serious. LUCAS ¡­He¡¯s speaking the truth. He even told me about Grandpa¡¯s choice. ART Why would you want to get involved in all that dangerous fantasy nonsense? I told you, being a Magus is a dead end! MEZIL Worse than being a clerk at a grocery store? ART About the same, if you ask me. Your secluded Magus society is like a children¡¯s playground, devoid of any connection to the real world. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. MEZIL Tsk, that shows how outdated your perceptions are. Since the beginning of the millennium, The Magus Association had extended their collaboration to non-Magi networks. Healers with doctors, Artificers with scientists, Coordinators and Vanquishers with law enforcement¡­ the list goes on. Our networking is robust enough. ART And yet, every single one of your collaborators owns a phone using my security system. You¡¯re like fish in a lake. Meanwhile, I got the whole ocean under my belt! Look. Not everyone gets to marry into a prestigious historical noble house like you. The Magus Association¡¯s pay is about as good as a civil servant. On the other hand, my son is set to inherit a global business. His starting pay will be way beyond the majority of employees. I¡¯m not gonna have my son live the wage slave life. MEZIL If that¡¯s how you think about your own workforce, then they should quit en masse and posthaste. ART They get a fair salary. The same can¡¯t be said for your organisation. LUCAS Dad? He paid the damages for us¡­ ART I¡¯ve read the bill, and it¡¯s an amount we could have easily managed. Your uncle here jumped in because he wanted to LARP as the noble chivalrous hero. But I see what he¡¯s doing; he¡¯s trying to sweep everything that happened under the rug. Which brings us to the next point: his reputation is at rock bottom. Do you have any idea how many enemies The Supreme Judge has? We¡¯re talking about a mile long queue. [Mezil remains silent, savouring his tea. He stares down into the cup for a moment. Then, he flicks a stern glare at his cousin.] MEZIL ¡­Art. As is, you¡¯ve already failed to protect your son. Not once, but twice. LUCAS Twice? ART W-what are you talking about? The stupid kidnapping happened only once. MEZIL Information is your area of expertise. Yet, someone with malicious intent discovered your son¡¯s value before I did. You were so focused on keeping secrets from The Magi, you never stopped to consider who else might find out. They hired kidnappers, for goodness sake. Do you still want to gamble your son¡¯s life on your pride? This incident could repeat itself tomorrow, next year, or whenever. Allow us to train his magical potential to its fullest. That way he can protect himself. [Art slams the side of his fist on the table. Tea cups clatter from the impact. Alerted by the loud noise, Elizabeth snaps her gaze towards the table. His siblings also stop playing, following their mother¡¯s example.] ART You¡­! Your cutthroat Association is the LEAST qualified to talk about protecting anyone! Your two most prominent Crimson Keepers are dead! James Pashowar was murdered in cold blood! Countless Magi die in the line of duty every year! And you! You¡¯re one foot in the grave! MY SON does NOT need to follow YOUR footsteps for HIS protection! What are you gonna tell him next? Completely cut off his family like YOU did??? LUCAS Dad, please. Stop. Everyone is watching. EDMUND Uh¡­ Luc? Your hair¡­ it¡¯s floating! LUCAS Oh no, fuck no! It¡¯s happening again how do I stop this??? MEZIL Open your palms. Focus. Breathe slowly. [When Lucas opens his palms, a red spiral glows bright in his left hand. His Mark spins and shudders at first, but then it slows down as his focused breathing calms his heart.] MEZIL ¡­Does the shape remind you of anything, Art? ART It¡¯s¡­ a spiral? MEZIL Correct. Know that a spiral represents several concepts, all quite deadly. A storm. A tornado. A black hole. Magic reflects a person¡¯s character. Your son is the kind of person who has a tendency to channel his emotions inwards, especially negative ones. The most common manifestation of such habits is self-blame. That¡¯s exactly what he did ever since he arrived at my mansion: blaming himself for matters that are of no fault of his own. What do you think will happen when all that pressure hits a critical point? It will explode, violently. By then, Lucas not only becomes a danger to everyone around him¡­ but also to himself. I ask again, Art Moriarty. Are you listening for the truth? Or only the truths you want to hear? [Art remains silent in the face of that question. The pressure emanating from the spiral Mark begins to increase again, slowly yet surely. Noticing this, Art addresses Lucas instead.] ART Son. LUCAS Yes? ART What do you want to do? LUCAS ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Actually, I was thinking¡­ that, um, maybe¡­. Maybe I should stay with Uncle Mezil a little bit more. Until I get my act together. I want to learn more about myself¡­ about this power growing inside of me. ART ¡­For exactly how long do you plan to try this Magus thing? LUCAS Um. Over the Summer? Before the new semester starts, I guess. ART Can¡¯t you do that at home? I could hire a private tutor. I know an independent competitor from the Far West. Their track record is much better than your uncle¡¯s Association. [Art¡¯s insistence aggravates The Mark. The whole tea set began to drag across the table, drawn in by the pull. Edmund does his best to secure them, making sure nothing tilts over and spills.] LUCAS Dad¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m scared about what I could do¡­ ART Exactly why you should come home where I can keep an eye on you. [The garden swing¡¯s iron hinges start to creak and bend. Elizabeth swipes her two younger children off their seats and rushes them into the safety of the mansion.] LUCAS ¡­Aren¡¯t YOU afraid of me? ART Why would I ever be afraid of you? I¡¯m your father! LUCAS Well! You SHOULD be afraid of ME!!! [At the height of his emotions, the garden swing twists and breaks into an unrecognisable scrap of metal. The pieces float overhead in their spiral orbit. Inside the mansion, the children begin crying, frightened instead of amused by what transpired.] ART Oh god¡­ Mez, you¡¯re a Magus! Aren¡¯t you?! Stop this right now! MEZIL The only person who can stop this is you, Art. For the last time, I ask you¡­ Are you listening for the truth? Or only the truths you want to hear? Decide. Now. ART Alright! Alright! I¡¯m listening! Lucas, go do whatever you plan to do! Have it your way! [Art¡¯s approval releases the tension. The power calms down. What¡¯s left of the garden swing drops onto the grass and flower bushes.] LUCAS T-Thanks, Dad. I¡­ um¡­ I¡¯m sorry?... ART It¡¯s okay, Lucas. Let your mom know which clothes you want to bring over. Don¡¯t forget the toiletries too. Should you decide to quit at any time, you will be welcomed back home with no strings attached. Okay? LUCAS Okay¡­ okay. Yeah. That¡¯s good. ART Mez. Teach him well! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m not gonna let you get away with it. MEZIL A fine proposal. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 10: Under The Weather Part 4 [5th of May 2064, Monday, 11:30 AM] [After his family leaves the mansion, Lucas¡¯ magic training begins in earnest. Lucidia takes Lucas to a reinforced, windowless exercise room, originally designed for her private use.] LUCIDIA Lucas. Before we begin, I would like to query about your emotional stability. After what transpired in the garden, I¡¯m not without concern. Distracted thoughts might hamper your training. LUCAS I¡­ I, uh , Don¡¯t worry about me. I think. Um. It might actually be best to use the training to distract me from the distractions¡­ LUCIDIA Very well then. Today, I will teach you the core principles of Psychia magic, followed up with some basic practice. The Psychia, sitting at the emotional centre within your chest, is also sometimes called ¡®the soul¡¯. In truth, it is the foundation of a person: the culmination of mind, body, and heart. With a small magic signal, I can temporarily push your Psychia out from within. Allow me to demonstrate. [Lucidia sends out a charge of magic, revealing Lucas¡¯ Psychia. It beats vividly yet nervously.] LUCAS Wow. I¡¯ve read about this phenomenon before, but to see it with my own eyes? It feels different. ¡­Can I touch it? LUCIDIA Go ahead. As an integral part of yourself, you may touch and observe it however you wish. With due diligence, of course. [Lucas holds his Psychia in his hands. He rotates it around, observing, feeling.] LUCAS It''s somewhat warm.. And¡­ it¡¯s glowing brighter than I imagined. LUCIDIA When we last spoke, you expressed an interest in learning magic. You also just mentioned having read about The Psychia before. Query: how much do you already know? LUCAS Um, not much to be honest. I was just a kid back then, and Dad never approved of my curiosity. LUCIDIA Acknowledged. Then, I shall start from the beginning. Psychia magic, as we know it, is first and foremost a projection of conscious and unconscious thought, powered from within. In Magus theory, every Psychia consists of one Major Aspect ¨C which colours the Psychia ¨C and one or two Minor Aspects. Aspects are traits associated with a person¡¯s personality that combine to determine one¡¯s magical inclination. There are seven Aspects in all: Cyan, the Aspect of Patience. Orange, the Aspect of Bravery. Blue, the Aspect of Integrity. Purple, the Aspect of Perseverance. Green, the Aspect of Kindness. Yellow, the Aspect of Justice. Red, the Aspect of Determination. That said, this doesn¡¯t mean that two people with the same Aspects will exhibit the same behaviour or talent. A mixture of life experiences, individual decisions, and maturity changes how a person carries themselves. All sorts of factors determine the condition and potential of The Psychia. Think of the Psychia as a mirror of the self, and the self as a mirror of the Psychia. A person¡¯s overall health translates into lifeforce, and that lifeforce then translates into durability. A strong shine is often indicative of good health, though it may also imply overexertion. Still, in general, a physically fit adult will have a stronger Psychia than a sickly child. [Upon hearing that, Lucas notices his Psychia flickering and pulsating between a brilliant light and a gentle glow.] LUCAS Is it me, or is the shine a bit¡­ unstable? Is there something wrong with my health? LUCIDIA Negative. From observation and analysis, I didn¡¯t find any alarming health concerns. I believe this phenomenon is reflecting your emotional state instead. LUCAS I guess it¡¯s telling me that I¡¯m a big mess inside¡­ LUCIDIA After a family confrontation, some internal instability is to be expected. Give yourself time to regain balance. LUCAS: Duly noted¡­ By the way, about the colour¡­ you said that Red is the Aspect of Determination. Is that why I can cast that Mark thingy? LUCIDIA Affirmative. Are you familiar with a ¡®skill tree¡¯? LUCAS Do you mean those branching diagrams used to customise characters in video games? LUCIDIA Correct. To put in visual terms, your skill tree for the Red Aspect is vast and wide. By comparison, the skill trees of your Minors are limited to only their first levels. Lucas Moriarty, the test on your Psychia returned the following results: Major: Red, Determination. Minor 1: Blue, Integrity. Minor 2: Cyan, Patience. In those terms, you would be considered a Red Major. And out of your two Minors, your Integrity is stronger than your Patience. LUCAS I¡­ I see. So, should I focus on improving my Red Aspect? LUCIDIA No, not yet. The materialisation of Determination is Judge Thyme¡¯s area of expertise. I shall instead focus on fostering your Minor Aspects. Although most Psychia magic practitioners begin training with their Major, the reverse is preferred for Reds. Amplification and magnification is unique to the Red Aspect, for better or for worse. If you lack a stable grasp on your Minors, your Red will amplify them beyond safe operational limits and cause much collateral damage. LUCAS Ah. That explains the destruction I¡¯ve been leaving in my wake¡­ ¡­Did Uncle Mez go through the same training? LUCIDIA Yes, he did. And I facilitated his development as well. He wouldn¡¯t have his current proficiency had he neglected his Minor Aspects. LUCAS How was it for him? His first activation? [Lucidia clutches her hands with a pained expression on her face.] LUCIDIA ¡­It would be better for Judge Thyme to disclose that information himself, should he choose to. LUCAS Sure thing. I guess it must be personal for you both. LUCIDIA Anyway, I believe the most efficient exercise would be to focus on this. [She presents a simple and small octahedron resin prism, with a pointed top and bottom. She lets the young man take and examine it.] LUCAS Looks like something out of a tabletop game. LUCIDA Your task is to levitate the object and keep it as straight as possible. We¡¯ll do both vertical and horizontal positions. This will require you to synergize both Blue and Cyan. Imagine yourself as a device, and you have three separate channels to cast magic. You have the choice to use all at once, or adjust by shutting off a specific colour. LUCAS Sounds simple enough, I guess? Let¡¯s give it a try. [Lucas stares intensely at the prism, but nothing happens.] LUCAS ¡­How do I even start? Do I just um, concentrate? I¡¯ve always done this subconsciously. LUCIDIA Oh, I thought you already had a grasp for magic by the casting of your Mark. Let me help you. The process is hard to describe in words, as it¡¯s more about sensing instead of observing. [She touches Lucas¡¯ Psychia and sends out a magical signal. The prism starts to glow white in response.] LUCAS Whoa¡­ what is this feeling? It¡¯s different from before. It¡¯s¡­ calming. Soothing. LUCIDIA This is how it feels like to cast Cyan. Right now, I am issuing a command that isolates the Cyan Aspect. Remember this sensation for future reference. LUCAS But, uh, why is this prism not glowing cyan then? LUCIDIA All Minor magic will appear white, so please do not be alarmed by the lack of colour. LUCAS Ah. Got it. Is it me, or it doesn¡¯t seem to do anything? LUCIDIA The Aspect of Patience is rather passive by virtue. Much of its magic centres around focus and honing the senses. Now, I¡¯m going to switch to only your Blue Aspect. [Upon isolating his other Minor, the prism begins to float. It bobs up and down, rotating freely in all directions.] Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. LUCIDIA This is how it feels to cast Blue. The manipulation of gravity is a major factor in the Aspect of Integrity, making levitation one of its basic abilities. As it is, the object is floating around without guidance. Observe what happens when I combine your Blue with a little bit of Cyan, mixing the disciplines. [When she adjusts the output to both Blue and Cyan, the prism snaps upright on the pointed end. It slowly spins on its own axis.] LUCAS W-wow¡­ It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s spinning! LUCIDA The focusing properties of your Cyan have anchored the prism. However, since your Blue continues to provide motion, it creates a spinning effect. Watch what happens when I increase the amount of Cyan to match your Blue. [The prism stops spinning, rooted in mid-air.] LUCIDIA Down the line, this outcome is what I hope you can achieve on your own. A goal, you could say. I¡¯ll be releasing my magic now. Please try to replicate what I had demonstrated to you. LUCAS Alright then. Let me at it. [Lucas catches the object on Lucidia¡¯s cue. He then proceeds to replicate the sensation of his Minors. After a while, the prism glows white in response to his Cyan, and starts to float from his Blue. Unfortunately, the object began to wander out of his grip, rapidly spiralling out of control.] LUCAS Nonononono stop! STOP! [The prism flies towards the far side of the training room and bounces off the wall. It rolls across the floor in circles before coming to a full stop.] LUCAS Dammit, I screwed up again¡­ LUCIDIA Observation: it appears that the prism does not provide adequate counterweight for your current strength, due to residual Red amplification. It may be better for you to begin with a larger total mass. Either a single heavy object, or numerous smaller ones, then work your way down. In which case, I should lead you to one of our specialised training rooms. Those are better equipped for your updated regiment. LUCAS S-sure thing. [Lucidia leads Lucas out of the mansion grounds and to the elevator. From there, they descend past the restricted zones of The Spire, all the way to the middle levels accessible to Magus staff.] [At Training Room E-5, Mezil Thyme observes Cenna Caraway fly a golden bird around a black obelisk with a white crystal cap. The humans and the target are separated by a translucent green-tinted shield for safety reasons. As the creature flies around, it fires bullets of Yellow Magic at the stone.] LUCAS Is that a familiar? LUCIDIA Not quite. That¡¯s the caster¡¯s Psychia, artificially modified and rearranged into a more mobile form. It¡¯s an advanced form of magecraft, applicable only to those who have the necessary aptitude. [Lucidia approaches the two first.] LUCIDIA Caraway, is the flight module sufficient for your needs? CENNA Oh hey Lucy! Yeah, it flies well and shoots even better. I think we can advance to the next stage soon. LUCIDIA I¡¯m glad to hear it. You may end your training now. There¡¯s someone here I would like you to meet. [The two finish up. Cenna¡¯s bird flies around the shield and returns to the caster¡¯s side, transforms back into a Psychia and enters her body. The young lady looks at the boy ¨C up, down, and around ¨C in curious excitement.] CENNA Hey Lucy, is that who I think he is? The Red kid who busted up the mall? Mez¡¯s nephew? LUCIDIA He is. Please introduce yourself to him. MEZIL And don¡¯t intimidate the young lad. He has gone through enough as is. CENNA Way to go raining on the party, old man. Anyways, name¡¯s Cenna Caraway! That''s ¡®Vanquisher¡¯ Cenna Caraway! How about you? [Cenna extends her hand. After an initial meek hesitation at her extroverted personality, Lucas accepts her handshake.] LUCAS Lucas Moriarty. Freshman student. CENNA So Luc, what are your colours? I¡¯m Yellow-Purple-Green. Sharing your colours to another Magus is a sign of trust, ya dig me? LUCAS I¡­ Um¡­ It¡¯s Red-Blue-Cyan. Sorry, I just got my results today and it¡¯s all still surreal to me. CENNA Okay, sweet. How old are ya? I¡¯m 18 going on 19. LUCAS Just turned 19 this February. CENNA Wow, we¡¯re the ¡®almost the same age¡¯ gang! Guess you can join the ¡®shitty first day gang¡¯ too. Did you manage to catch the headline of three old men and one hot lady newbie raining from the sky? Crazy helicopter incident? LUCAS I did. Saw it live too. Huh, so you¡¯re the newbie there. CENNA Damn straight I was! My first day on the job with your Supreme Uncle and I had to fight a moron heretical kid high on wind god powers. Back then, for my graduation, my seniors bought me every lucky charm that¡¯s trendy. At first I thought they were just being paranoid, but who would¡¯ve thunk that Ol¡¯ Mez here is the world¡¯s number one adventure magnet? [Lucas chuckles, his mood brightening up.] LUCAS As far as general adventure magnetism goes, you should ask my grandfather for some of his stories. He¡¯s the gramps who was with you on that ride. CENNA Oh yeah? I bet he¡¯s got a mountain of tales about Ol¡¯ Mez. Makes me wonder how Papa and Mama handled the geezer. Then again, I guess they wouldn¡¯t be dragged into every bizzaro mission. MEZIL Caraway, is this your idea of making friends? By complaining about me? In my presence at that? CENNA Yeah. After that mad stunt you pulled on my first day, why not? MEZIL Tsk, show some professionalism. I¡¯m still your boss and your legal guardian. I may let this joke slide, but if you¡¯re caught badmouthing your other superiors like this, you may be suspended or even fired. No amount of talent or family name can cover for poor behaviour. CENNA Okay, okay¡­ [Lucas glances between the two of them, eyebrow raised. Cenna¡¯s dark chocolate skintone contrasts heavily against Mezil¡¯s almost vampiric paleness.] LUCAS Is this girl another cousin that I¡¯m not aware of? Did someone else other than Granduncle Scott get married abroad¡­? [Cenna bursts into a cackling laughter. Meanwhile, Mezil sighs and shakes his head.] CENNA Hey, I don¡¯t mind having more family. But naw. You and I ain¡¯t related in any way. My adoptive parents decided that if anything should happen to them, Ol¡¯ Mez has to take care of me until I¡¯m a fully functional adult. MEZIL ¡­Should I be stricter with you then? CENNA Whoa whoa whoa there, me ribbing on ya is a good thing! A good thing! It means I feel I can be honest with ya. Bonus points to teamwork stats, right? Right? MEZIL Hmph. Let¡¯s not waste any more of Lucidia¡¯s time. If she¡¯s here with the young man, that means she requires this training room. CENNA I get ya. Stage is yours, Lucy. LUCIDIA Thank you. Please give me a moment to make some preparations. Since he¡¯s not an official Magi staff member, I need to activate a guest profile. [Lucidia walks over to a console situated in front of the shield, connected to the floor. She then proceeds to save Cenna¡¯s data before starting a new file.] LUCIDIA I will also need to switch training modes from target practice to casting rehearsal. [After keying in several other commands, the obelisk retracts until only the top white cap remains to be seen.] LUCIDIA Lucas, please put your hand on the panel here. I want to adjust the emitter settings to your current ability. [Listening to her instructions, he places his land hand on a flat panel beside the computer. The cap starts to shine from his input.] LUCIDIA Calibration satisfactory. Continuing setup. LUCAS Um¡­ What exactly is that thing? LUCIDIA Think of it as a relay. Your magic is transferred to that device so you can practise casting from a safe distance. LUCAS Wait. I don¡¯t just stretch my hand out and do stuff? LUCIDIA You can¡¯t at the moment. Your default range is very small. That¡¯s why I¡¯m linking you to the machine. LUCAS What about wands? Won¡¯t those extend my range? Like the wizards on TV? [She pauses the setup, turns her head towards the young man, and squints under her mask.] LUCIDIA Are you thinking about the wizard from the Arthurian Legends, Merlin? He uses a staff, not a wand. LUCAS Uh, it¡¯s the one where kids go to a hidden school. LUCIDIA You mean the one with the trio of girls? LUCAS Wha? I thought it¡¯s two boys and one girl¡­ Either way, wouldn¡¯t a wand help? LUCIDIA No. The use of wands is now outdated. They¡¯re a novelty relic from a bygone era. In the modern age, Magi use more practical means of augmentation, such as weapons, clothing, jewellery, and other magitek devices. The miniaturisation of Arcanagrams has opened up a wide array of options not available in ancient times. By the way, regarding your inquiry on casting range¡­ [She walks next to Lucas and starts drawing a diagram with magic in the air, using the tip of her index finger as a pen.] LUCIDIA Unfortunately you have no Yellow or Orange Aspects to expand your casting range. The energy levels of the emitted mana correspond roughly to wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum. From shortest to longest wavelength, higher energy to lower energy, it¡¯s Purple then Blue, Cyan, Green, Yellow, Orange and ending with Red. The Blue Aspect by itself thus has the second lowest range. Now, imagine yourself attempting to lift a load of 100 kilograms from afar. Near the Earth¡¯s surface, gravity exerts a total force of 981 newton on such a load. Work equals force times distance, thus requiring those 981 newtons for every metre of lift. Furthermore, the required effort scales with the casting distance, in accordance with the dispersal of mana. The further away an object is, the further your reach needs to extend, leading to an exponential loss of energy. The space where your magic functions is called the ¡®field of influence¡¯ and is determined by the quantity of mana within the volume of a sphere. Calculated by taking effective radius cubed times four thirds pi. At point blank range ¨C directly touching the object in question ¨C your magic operates at 100% efficiency. Near the edges of the field, however, you¡¯ll find near 0% instead. This leads to infinite expenditure, thereby serving as a hard cutoff point for even the best of mages. Currently, your maximum field of influence has a radius of approximately 1.50 metres, which makes your sphere 14.14 cubic metres. A radius of 1 metre translates into 4.18 cubic metres, which amounts to a total efficiency of 73.08%. Thereby requiring 1.37 times as much mana to produce the same result. At 1.25 metres, this becomes 8.18 cubic metres, 43.75%, and 2.28 times. In summary, if you were to cast from where you¡¯re standing now, you wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the beanbags. Even up close, at the aforementioned 1 metre, Pythagorean theorem dictates you won¡¯t be able to lift anything beyond 45 degrees. Also, don¡¯t even consider holding 100 kilograms right above your head. With exertion tallying up over time, the risk of injury is far too high. All that is why the relay device is required. CENNA ¡­Help¡­ My brain is leaking out of my ears¡­ Why does it have to be math? I never needed to compute all that crap when I did my training. I just did what I needed to do, y¡¯know! Feel my limits out. MEZIL Hmph. I hope you appreciate these so-called ¡®brain-melting unnecessaries¡¯. Without all that specific data, Lucidia wouldn¡¯t have been able to make such a well-crafted module for you. CENNA Fair, fair¡­ LUCAS Thanks. That was enlightening. CENNA Did you really understand all of that?! LUCAS Yeah. I get the gist. It¡¯s clearer than a college lecture for sure. [Once Lucas understands the explanation, Lucidia commands the console to open the ceiling hatch. Beanbags start pouring on top of the relay device until they form a sizable mound.] CENNA Say Lucy¡­ How many of those beanbags do you need? Cause those guys ain¡¯t stopping. LUCIDIA I inputted a total weight of 100 kilograms, matching the previous example. CENNA Damn, that¡¯s a lotta beans! He¡¯s gonna lift them with Blue Magic, right? Ain¡¯t that a bit steep? LUCIDIA He tore apart the garden swing just an hour ago. CENNA ¡­Forget I said anything. Bring on the beans! Make it 200 kilos! LUCIDIA Negative, request denied. I want to acquire a reasonable control sample first. [While Lucidia is busy, the young man¡¯s curiosity grows. He shuffles closer to his uncle to ask a question, keeping his voice hushed.] LUCAS ¡­ Is Auntie some kind of a sci-fi magic scientist? The way she speaks and acts is really cyber-techno-ish. Reminds me a lot of a mother-computer AI. MEZIL That assessment is not far from the truth, on both fronts. But I shall remind you that she is far from a robot. Beneath her technical speech lies a kind heart. [The moment she finishes, Lucas quickly slips to his original position, pretending he didn¡¯t ask anything behind his aunt¡¯s back.] LUCIDIA The machine is primed. As an extra safety precaution, I have curved the shields for enhanced deflection of out of bounds projectiles. It would be dangerous if any training objects come spiralling in from the side. You may begin training. Lucas, please try to lift as many bags as you can without relying on your Mark. Keep them together in one heavy clump, anchor the object to one axis of rotation, then attempt to stop the spin. LUCAS A-alright. [Shaking his head to clear his mind, the young man gingerly places his hand back on the console panel. The whole mound of bags begins to shine and float in the air, spinning ever so slowly. However, after some time, bits and pieces start to drift away from the core. Eventually, the structure picks up speed, flattening out into a disc.] CENNA Huh? That¡¯s not what I expected at all. I thought it would stay in place like Lucy¡¯s. Or bob up and down like the other students. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it¡­ go full galaxy mode? Reminds me of the solar system stuff. MEZIL That¡¯s to be expected. His Mark is a spiral, thus he¡¯s naturally inclined to express his abilities in that shape. [Lucas¡¯ brows frown from the exertion. He tries to fix his errors, but he runs out of stamina. The magic dissipates and all pieces drop on the ground.] LUCAS Huff¡­ Puff¡­ I tried¡­ CENNA That¡¯s an awesome job though! Much better than a ton of newbies already. LUCIDIA Commendable effort. It appears that this might be your current upper limit. Scaling upwards without using any Red is not recommended. LUCAS Do I have to hit the gym to improve my, uh, telekinesis? LUCIDA Negative, the gym is not required. Your magic is plenty powerful as is. I suggest focusing on honing your control instead. With better mastery of Cyan, your range might also improve. MEZIL I have a suggestion. Lucas, lift ten sets of 10 kilograms and split your Cyan evenly between them. Peg a single axis of rotation on each separate object. LUCAS Okay. I¡¯ll try, even though I don¡¯t really know how. CENNA Don¡¯t worry! Magic is like riding a bike. Once you get it, you¡¯ll always get it. The casting becomes second nature. LUCAS ¡­If it¡¯s like riding a bike, then the first thing I did when I got my first motorcycle was to drive down a stunt track and crash it. CENNA Aw c¡¯mon, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself, man. It¡¯s easier than you think. Imagine a Cyan dot on every group, then imagine balancing ten weights at once. Eventually you¡¯ll get a good sense of when you¡¯re adding too much or too little. LUCAS If you say so¡­ Here goes. [He manages to hold the ten sets of 10 kilograms he lifts for about the same amount of time. After that, the clumps break apart and spin out of control, flying outward yet again. The soft little cushions slap across every wall, including the Green Magic shield.] LUCAS Well, that went swimmingly¡­ Maybe I¡¯m just not cut out for this. MEZIL Don¡¯t give up yet. Seeing what transpired, I¡¯ve finally understood what Lucidia is trying to accomplish. This test tells me your Blue is limited by the total weight rather than the individual weight of each object. The trick now is to find your inner equilibrium. I suggest you return to the singular mound of 100 kilograms until you¡¯re able to completely seal its movement. [Lucas does as he is told. After an hour of attempts, he is able to hold the single full 100 kilograms of beanbags together in a stationary orb. Cenna whistles, impressed by the display.] CENNA Hot damn, would you look at that! You could give me a run for my money! LUCAS I¡­ I did it. I actually did it¡­! LUCIDIA Congratulations Lucas, you¡¯ve achieved your goal for today. You may rest now. [Exhausted, Lucas stops casting. Bags cascaded back on the floor. He almost falls backwards, but Cenna manages to catch him.] CENNA Easy there, buddy. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard on the first day. LUCAS Thanks! I¡­ wow¡­ I thought I would never¡­ hahahaha! [A glowing smile beams on the young man¡¯s face. Yet at the same time, a teardrop runs down his face.] CENNA Are you crying or are you laughing? MEZIL Let him savour his victory in peace. [Pleased by the outcome, Lucidia saves the data and sends it to the Chronograph.] LUCIDIA This is excellent progress. We¡¯ll continue this level of training over the next few days. After that, you may follow my husband¡¯s proposal to split the load. Start with two sets 50 kilograms each. Upon every success, we¡¯ll increase the number of sets to four, then six, eight, ten, and so on, while maintaining the same total weight. By the end of the second week, you should be able to stabilise not just one individual beanbag, but many. Is this training course acceptable? LUCAS Of course! It feels like I¡¯m doing something right, for once. [TRANSCRIPT END] Transcript 11: Under The Weather Part 5 [6th of June 2064, Friday, 9:00 PM] [A month passed since Lucas began his stay at The Berendin Manor. Training room E-5 is reserved for all his sessions until the end of Summer.] LUCIDIA This will be the last attempt for the night. LUCAS It¡¯s that late already, huh? Okay. I¡¯ll give it my best shot. [By now, his magic is able to lift and stabilise the 100 kg weight of beanbags in groupings of four bags each, totalling to twenty-five clusters. He manages to hold on for 120 seconds before showing signs of faltering. After that, the beanbags drop onto the floor.] LUCIDIA Very good. Your endurance has increased. Do you feel exhausted? [The young man stretches his neck, thinking.] LUCAS Hmm, I guess I¡¯m a little tired, but not to the point where I¡¯d crash into bed. Why? LUCIDIA I believe you¡¯re ready to begin your Red Aspect training regiment. LUCAS A-already? I thought I would need to get to the point where I can float those beanies individually first¡­ LUCIDIA We thought it would be best for you to become more comfortable with your other Aspects first. However, despite your improvements, you¡¯re two weeks behind my prognosis. That is a testament to the strength of your Red. Your immense uncontrollable power prevents minute adjustments to the degree of amplification, yet you have made sufficient progress despite that. Synergising with your Red may or may not be required to ascend to the next level. That would be up to my husband to decide. [A message buzzes her phone: an update from Cenna Caraway about the Supreme Judge¡¯s health.] LUCIDIA Another fever¡­ LUCAS Aunt Lucidia? Is Uncle Mezil ill again? LUCIDIA I¡¯m afraid so. Summers haven¡¯t been kind to him in recent years. He¡¯s quite susceptible to heat, more so when he cannot dress lightly without exposing too many of his secrets. However, he still wants to talk with you in private. He¡¯s waiting for you in the garden. [They return to the manor¡¯s garden, where Mezil rests on a reclining lawn chair with a fever pad stuck to his forehead. He lets out a slight groan of pain, struggling under the agony brought upon by his inflamed state of being.] LUCIDIA Are you alright, dear? MEZIL I¡­ I¡¯ll manage. I¡¯ve already taken my medication, painkillers included. LUCIDIA Any gastrointestinal disturbances? Nausea? Irritable bowels? MEZIL The lemon drops prevent nausea. As for the¡­ arduous times on the toilet¡­ those haven¡¯t happened, yet. LUCIDIA If you need anything, please message me, alright? I¡¯ll leave you to talk with Lucas. MEZIL ¡­Thank you. [As the sun descends, the air cools rapidly. The far horizon glows in a vibrant line of red and yellow against a dark blue backdrop, growing thinner and thinner as time goes by in silent suffering. After a while, Mezil finds within himself the energy to sit up and face Lucas.] LUCAS Um¡­ Are you sure you¡¯re okay? We can postpone this if need be. MEZIL I¡¯m feeling much better now, actually. The cold air helps aplenty. How has the last month been for you? LUCAS Most things would be an improvement over the first few days, but¡­ I think I¡¯m starting to find my rhythm? It¡¯s been much less dissonant this past week. MEZIL That¡¯s good to hear. Have you called any of your family members recently? LUCAS Well, Dad ain¡¯t picking up the phone, as you know. But, I did speak with Grandpa last week. Same with Tavia a few days ago. Though uh, she¡¯s my girlfriend rather than an immediate family member, at least for the time being. Aside from them and Granduncle Scott, I haven¡¯t spoken with anyone else since I started training here. MEZIL Are they well? LUCAS As far as I can tell, yes. Grandpa tells me he¡¯s been trying to meet with Dad whenever their schedules permit. Tavia, I¡¯m convinced she can take just about anything in stride. And, ehh, Granduncle Scott was his usual self. Quote-unquote ¡®lamenting the fact that Lame-o Lucas never took the old gal for a spin for a fifteen-year road trip¡¯. That¡¯s referring to a stolen motorcycle by the way. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. MEZIL Hmph. Let him lament. The Great Gentleman Thief Scott Moriarty is not the role model he thinks he is. At worst he¡¯s a villain, at best he¡¯s an expensive nuisance. Does he think that law-enforcement works for free? LUCAS Aha¡­ So you¡¯re ¡®Count Killjoy¡¯. MEZIL I shall embrace that title with all my heart. ¡­But¡­ I don¡¯t want to be unapproachable to you. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask. I will attempt to answer what I can to the best of my abilities. Confidentiality permitting. [Lucas pauses for a moment, running both of his hands through his hair, pondering where to begin.] LUCAS ¡­Grandpa was up there with you in that helicopter. When you left everything behind to join The Magi, how did he manage to stick so close to you? MEZIL The continued business contact played a huge factor. He has helped The Association since the days of my predecessor, thus gaining our undying trust. I¡¯m not at liberty to disclose the depth of his involvement without your grandfather¡¯s permission. That is for him to decide. But, one could say that he¡¯s akin to an honorary Magus. He would have joined the ranks of the Crimson Keepers had he chosen differently back then. LUCAS I suppose it¡¯s been on my mind a lot, ever since I started my own training. Our family has always wondered why he went out of his way to seal off his own magic, then pulled a complete 180 to work directly with The Supreme Judge. MEZIL ¡­I had the same questions as you did. Just being adjacent to me brings danger, as you have seen. It is for that reason that the Association pays a hefty compensation to civilian contractors for the risk they put themselves in. But, I know it¡¯s never about the money with Edmund. Perhaps it¡¯s more about a sense of responsibility. Even partial knowledge of the Red Aspect instils unease within a heart. [Upon saying that, The Supreme Judge raises his hand with a slight tremor, weakened from his condition. Despite this, he summons a small red butterfly. It flutters for a while before it rests on his fingers.] MEZIL Willpower. Authority. Determination. What comes to mind when you hear those words? LUCAS I guess it makes me think of people who are natural born leaders¡­ people who get things done regardless of the stakes. The ones who seem to easily make their opposition fall like dominos, for better or worse. Though those are also the kind of people who refuse to crumble against all odds. MEZIL A fair assessment. What you just described are two sides of the same coin. That said, let me tell you about the Determinator your grandfather and I tangled with in recent months. It all started with a series of mysterious deaths, afflicted by sudden lethal embolisms. Many of which involved perfectly healthy people with no severe medical history. Although hospitals wrote each of them off as natural causes, one of the victims¡¯ surviving family members contacted your grandfather. They admitted to being a part of the criminal underworld, and didn¡¯t want law enforcement on the case. They spoke about how their elders dropped dead, only a few days after a failed business deal. The timing was too suspicious, and so they suspected foul play. Perhaps an undetectable poison was invented in the underbelly. Your grandfather took the job expecting this terrible outcome. What he discovered was far, far worse. One investigation led to another. The list of names grew ever greater. Once unconnected incidents started linking together. And before long, he had narrowed them down to a single person. That was when he called me. Lucidia confirmed Edmund¡¯s hypothesis, which led me to push the case to the highest priority. The culprit was a young man of the Red Aspect like yourself. Barely an adult, he awakened to The Mark of the Wind. This granted him the authority over all things related to his symbol: from the smallest bubble to the largest storm. He would have been a great asset to society had he used his power for good. Imagine, for example, a perpetual wind turbine spinning on his Mark¡¯s command. Even if it¡¯s just one generator, he could provide a lifetime of free energy wherever it is needed most. ¡­Alas, such lofty ideas were far from his mind. The wheels of justice moved too slowly for his liking. Instead of peaceful altruism, he thus chose to pursue violent vigilante justice. With his willpower, he would slip a bubble into the bloodstream of his victims. They would then perish days later, far away from his presence, thus muddying any ties to his involvement. Since he had control over the air itself, it was far too dangerous to send out any Magi enforcers. He could suffocate a whole squad by denying them of oxygen. Therefore, I took Caraway with me for a covert operation. It soon became¡­ complicated. Edmund was in the crosshairs that day. And I was forced to intervene. [Lucas nods to himself, taking in Mezil¡¯s words.] LUCAS ¡­That explains the helicopter, and everything that happened after. That guy who controlled the wind, I¡¯d heard a few things about him on the news. How he was the son of some insanely high-level policeman. How it looked like he had his life set with college scholarships and employment guarantees. That¡¯s a lot to be throwing away for the sake of¡­ I don¡¯t know. Power tripping? ¡­Is that what Determination does to people? MEZIL To put it plainly: Yes. Reality can be frustrating: either from unfulfilled dreams, lack of freedom, or unfavourable circumstances. Meanwhile, others seem to live free of consequences. These factors can compel a person to take their own shortcuts. Justification becomes vindication. And from there, they embrace increasingly grave sins. In the end, that young man¡¯s heart became stone cold to the deaths and suffering he had caused. That danger is always very real, no matter who you are, but more so for us Reds. Tell me, how did you feel upon your first activation? LUCAS I¡­ Well, in the heat of the moment, I felt¡­ [Lucas¡¯ thoughts trail off, his eyes drawn to the glowing butterfly on Mezil¡¯s fingers.] LUCAS ¡­God-like, in a way. I felt like I could do just about anything. That doing whatever I wanted was worth the risk. One moment, I was as screwed as anyone with a bunch of thugs dragging him off. The next? I found myself tossing both them and half the store around just by imagining it hard enough. ¡­It was like a whole new realm revealed itself to me. I thought I might have been dreaming. The high kept me going even after all of the flying objects started battering me around too. I didn''t snap back to reality until I heard one of the bad guys shouting in concern for his friend. That one, ah¡­ he got half-buried under a toppled aisle. Just, the way his voice broke as he kept screaming the guy¡¯s name. It¡­ it somehow got through to me. Makes me grateful that the whole mess didn¡¯t last for longer than it did¡­ As serious as the damage was, it could have been much, much worse. MEZIL If your reaction to Art¡¯s foolishness is anything to go by, you have a propensity to resort to violence to get your way. That inner darkness does concern me, both as your uncle and as The Supreme Judge. However, your testimony brings some relief. The rightful horror over your newfound powers proves to me that you still retain your humanity. You¡¯re closer to a normal person in the grand scheme of things. The same can¡¯t be said for me. [Mezil sighs, looking up towards the growing twilight.] MEZIL 2045. On the year of your birth. I was 25 years old, in college, and working as a part-time bartender. While I was finishing my shift, I heard the sounds of struggle from the back alley. Such incidents are not uncommon, but we¡¯re obligated to report them to the authorities to avoid liability. That was how I ended up seeing what I shouldn¡¯t. It was not a normal scuffle. Not drunken brawl, a robbery, or harassment against a helpless civilian. No, it was an assassination attempt against your aunt, Lucidia of House Berendin. The Magus Association had fallen to internal corruption. Your grandfather, whose office sat right next to the bar, was supposed to help her leave the country in one piece. My own powers awakened in the battle for survival, just like yours did. But that¡¯s where the similarities end. Upon a single touch, I drained the life out of my attacker. His corpse fell on top of me. I pushed the dead weight aside, not even realising that I had absorbed their lifeforce. A normal person would have been terrified. Confused. Neither happened to me. Instead, I was focused on my sole objective: to save the life of this woman. Somehow, someway, I killed the rest of the invaders. After which, we fled from the scene together. Despite all of that¡­ I didn¡¯t feel anything: no panic from the chaos, no elation of victory, no remorse for the bloodshed, no memory of the cold faces of the dead. Nothing. It was as though they were merely obstacles in my path. I was more troubled by the realisation of my numbness than the carnage itself. Looking back, the rumours are not unfounded. I was steeped in darkness before I knew the dark side existed, further exacerbated by the vampiric nature of my Mark. If the circumstances at the Magus Association weren¡¯t so dire at the time, I don¡¯t think I would have been elected as Supreme Judge. I hold this position only because I survived that mess of a conflict and gained House Berendin¡¯s favour. Lucas¡­ I hope that you can be a good leader in the future. If not in the Magus Association, then in the field of your choosing. LUCAS I hope so too¡­ Well, once I get magic under control, we¡¯ll see where life takes me. For whatever it¡¯s worth, I hear the best leaders in history are the ones who rose up in times of complete chaos. They wouldn¡¯t have been in that position had things been any different, yet they were there when the world needed them most. I mean, without you and Aunt Lucidia, there wouldn¡¯t be a Magus Association today. No one else has filled your shoes since then. That has to count for more than just a little, right? MEZIL Hmmm, I wonder about that. If not me¡­ Who else would be The Supreme Judge? [Mezil lets the butterfly fly. It dissipates into fragments of red, blending in with the cold evening air.] MEZIL Tomorrow, health permitting, we will start your lessons on Red Magic. Have a good rest. LUCAS You too, Uncle. Get well soon. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 12: Under The Weather Part 6 [7th of June 2064, Saturday, 5:12 PM, Berendin Manor.] LUCIDIA Lucas, may I have a moment? LUCAS Sure, what¡¯s up? LUCIDIA A month ago, you submitted a missing item report after receiving your laundry. The object is a limited edition coin minted in 1993, Castelsylvania State. I believe this plastic case contains what you seek. [Lucidia passes the small coin case to Lucas. He beams with joy after further examination.] LUCAS Yes! This is it! Oh my god, I thought I had lost it forever. Where did you find it? LUCIDA The coin was mixed together with the wreckage of the computer store. It must have fallen out of your pocket in the midst of struggle, explaining why it wasn¡¯t with lost property. Hmm, interesting. May I ask why you carry such a valuable object on your being? I would have kept it in a safe at home. LUCAS My girlfriend gave it to me for my 18th birthday, right when I became a legal adult. Apparently, my family has this history of weird bad luck the moment we hit adulthood, so she thought this lucky coin would ward some of it off. LUCIDIA I would say that the coin itself is particularly lucky to have escaped disposal for so long. It could have been melted down in the forge, or left to rot beneath a trash heap. I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re still on good terms with your significant other. I was worried that your sudden departure may have caused some estrangement. LUCAS Heh, she¡¯s a special one. Has a knack for taking everything in stride. Been that way for as long as I knew her. My life would be so much easier if Dad was more like her. LUCIDIA ¡­Query: Is your girlfriend Tavia O¡¯Connell, the first daughter of Sean and Lydia, owners of S&L Accounting? I¡¯ve heard her name brought up a couple of times. LUCAS Oh, uh, yeah. I suppose that was never a big secret to begin with. LUCIDIA And how familiar are you with her interests and hobbies? In particular, the detail that Miss O¡¯Connell is @FennelFantasyXVI, the founder of ¡®The Evergreen Court¡¯, the foremost Mezil Thyme fanclub on the internet. LUCAS ¡­Uh¡­ Quite. W-why do you ask? LUCIDIA Elaboration: your initial levels of fear towards my husband were above average. I decided to investigate this curiosity and found her fanclub involvement to be a notable factor that may have contributed to your heightened state of anxiety. Hypothesis: your impressions were coloured by fictitious accounts about my husband. LUCAS Right. Um. That. That makes sense, I guess. I mean, Tavia, she¡¯s always been into the more dramatic adventure stories people write about Judge Thyme. Aaand, she showed me some of the better-written ones when we were younger. ...Most of those were by one particular author who was practically an expert but loved making his scenes as scary and intense as he could possibly get away with. Which carried over into the way he characterised everyone, real or not. LUCIDIA Requesting clarification: Does her consumption of fiction involve adult material? LUCAS N-N-NO! Not at all! We were underaged! Back then, that is. LUCIDIA Further clarification required: What of her creative endeavours? LUCAS ¡­She¡¯s not good at arts and crafts. Or writing. P-please don¡¯t make fun of her over that. LUCIDIA Affirmative. Feedback acknowledged, registered, and catalogued. Thank you. I believe you should give Miss O¡¯Connell a call to deliver the good news of your heirloom¡¯s retrieval. As of this moment, you still have some free time before training commences. I shall inform you when my husband is ready. LUCAS A-alright, Aunty. See you later. [The young man stays still and quiet, waiting for his aunt to leave.] LUCAS Okay. Aunty Lucy went full robot mode there. That¡¯s never a good sign, I think. Hope she doesn¡¯t hold a grudge against Tavia over this. [Lucas calls his girlfriend, Tavia O¡¯Connell. He leans against the wall with his legs crossed, playing with the lucky coin.] LUCAS Hey Tavi. TAVIA Hey Luccie Sweetie~~~ How¡¯s life up in the magical manor? [The young man chuckles from the silly nickname and Tavia¡¯s upbeatness.] LUCAS We~ell, my day¡¯s always a little brighter whenever I get to hear your voice. How¡¯s life down in the mundane metropolis? TAVIA More or less the same. Company stuff, uni stuff. I¡¯m so swamped, I won¡¯t be joining them on summer vacation this year, even after all that cancelling and rescheduling. LUCAS Sounds like it¡¯s gonna be a busy summer alright. Hey Tavi, I do have some good news, though. The Magi found our lucky coin! TAVIA Our lucky coin?!?! LUCAS Yeah! The one and only! Man, I thought I had lost it forever in that mall incident. TAVIA This must be a sign. Our fortune is looking up! With you stuck in magic wonderland, and little ol¡¯ me unable to go on vacation ¨C now is the time! How about it? What if I take one day off my busy schedule to visit you at your uncle¡¯s manor? LUCAS Uh, about that¡­ She knows you¡¯re in the fanclub. TAVIA Pardon? I¡¯m confused. Who¡¯s ¡®she¡¯? Which fanclub? LUCAS Have I not mentioned her yet? Maybe I haven¡¯t. Oh god. This is awkward. Ok so. Don¡¯t freak out. Stay calm. My aunt ¨C Lady Lucidia of House Berendin ¨C knows you¡¯re @FennelFantasyXVI, the founder of ¡®The Evergreen Court¡¯, the foremost Mezil Thyme fanclub on the internet. TAVIA W-w-w-what?! How?!? I thought I kept myself anon well enough! My parents used your dad¡¯s technology to mask my identity. LUCAS Good question. But, from what I¡¯ve learned living here, Aunty Lucy always knows everything somehow. When you¡¯re healthy, when you¡¯re sick, whenever you skip brushing your teeth¡­ Come to think of it, she¡¯ll know what¡¯s happening to you before you even realise it yourself. TAVIA Hmmm¡­ I bet a woman in her position has access to private data-mining technology. Also, I won¡¯t be surprised if the whole place is full of hidden sensors! Yes, that must be it. That explains everything! Just to confirm, Luccie¡­ Is Lady Lucidia a real person? A real wife? Completely canon? LUCAS I can confirm that she¡¯s not a fake stand-in, or an actor, or anything of that sort to keep up appearances. She¡¯s ten thousand percent the canon wife of Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme. TAVIA ¡­ Ha¡­ Ha ha ha ha ha¡­. Haaaaaaaah¡­ I¡¯m dead. Thank you. Goodbye. There goes my dream of visiting The Berendin Manor. Gone forever. There¡¯s no way I could win the approval of his one true fan. LUCAS Hang on! We can still salvage this. What if I ask Uncle Mez in person? Despite Aunt Lucidia''s misgivings, I think there¡¯s still a chance that he¡¯ll let you in on the basis of being my girlfriend. He¡¯s actually one of the most reasonable people you¡¯ll ever meet, and he¡¯s always clear about his expectations. Just, uh, don¡¯t expect him to laugh at any jokes. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. TAVIA ¡­Huh? Mezil Thyme, reasonable? Not unhinged in any way? That¡¯s¡­ not what I expected. He always tends to be super standoffish in the public eye, especially whenever he deals with the media. You¡¯re turning my whole world upside down, Luccie. I¡¯ve been in the fandom for five years, yet I feel like I still know nothing. I guess everyone acts differently between personal and professional life. LUCAS Well, there¡¯s stories, and then there¡¯s living in his home for a month, having breakfast with him every other day, and doing everything else that¡¯s been going on around here. You know what I mean? But don¡¯t fret, standoffish or not, he¡¯s still the fancy outfits guy. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him without wearing something bespoke for the entire time I¡¯ve been here. TAVIA No casual wear. None at all? Not a single generic store-bought design? LUCAS Nope. I think even his night clothes are tailor-made. Probably in-house Magus Association stuff, since I don¡¯t see a brand name anywhere. TAVIA That¡¯s so cool. His collection must be crazy expensive! I had my evening gowns custom made before and oh boy do they have a hefty price tag. That reminds me, there are these jerkwads at the accounting firm calling Judge Thyme a ¡®knockoff Halloween vampire¡¯. Hmph! Try saying that to his face! If you ask me, anyone rocking old-era clothes with top confidence is so dang cool. Your uncle, he¡¯s an inspiration to us all! Maybe both of us should start copying his style? LUCAS Ha! I don¡¯t think I could get away with that. Not without everyone thinking I was trying to cosplay as the criminal mastermind the Moriarty line descended from¡­ TAVIA Then we should twist fashion trends back to that era. That way, with everyone wearing the same style, you won¡¯t be called a cosplayer anymore. By the way, I suppose that also means none of the rumours about Lady Lucidia are true? LUCAS Well, except maybe the one about her being a secret super-advanced android? She does have a tendency to talk like a Mother Computer. And it gets way more overt whenever she feels uncomfortable or stressed. At one point, she performed mental arithmetic regarding the area of effective magic casting with two decimal precision. No hesitations, double checks, or pauses. If she¡¯s not a robot, then she¡¯s a human calculator. I swear she simplified the numbers for me. She would have given me five decimals otherwise. TAVIA Wow! That¡¯s nuts! Maybe she really is an android. It does sound way more believable than most other headcanons. ¡­I¡¯m getting sidetracked. This bit of info won¡¯t help me farm rep points. Your aunt would hate to be called a robot. LUCAS Um, yeah. You¡¯re right. What if we get a peace offering, so to speak? Gifts. One for my uncle, one for my aunt. TAVIA I know! I¡¯ll get the BEST curry mix on the market for your uncle! LUCAS No, honey. Please don¡¯t. Uncle Mezil has IBS. Curry will inflict a severe poison debuff on him. Guaranteed negative reputation points with my aunt. TAVIA REALLY?!?!? But¡­ but his love for curry is nothing short of legendary! Everyone can agree on that! LUCAS It¡¯s like me with ice cream. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s self-inflicted suffering, but it won¡¯t fly as a gift. TAVIA ¡­I never realised he has such an embarrassing chronic health issue. I thought it was only the battle scars. Let¡¯s see, if he has a sensitive digestive system, that means he can¡¯t take alcohol, chocolate, tea, or coffee either¡­ Oh no. I¡¯m out of ideas! LUCAS Change of tactics. Focus on winning the heart of my aunt first. If she¡¯s happy, my uncle will also be happy. Right? TAVIA Right¡­ What would your aunt like? I don¡¯t know anything about her. LUCAS You know our talk about old-era fashion? My aunt dresses similarly. Beautiful sapphire dresses and the like. She¡¯s a true blue noblewoman. That kind of imagery. Either way, you said it yourself: Aunty Lucy is Mezil Thyme¡¯s one true fan. What do true fans like? Stuff that makes their idol look awesome. How about commissioning a really talented artist to draw him? You should know a few. TAVIA Ah! I do! Why didn¡¯t I think of this sooner? Cool. Solo pic. No ships. Got it! Do you also happen to know her taste in art? Contemporary? Traditional? Impressionist? LUCAS Hmmm¡­ I¡¯m not versed enough in art to give a concrete answer. TAVIA Look around you. Do you see anything abstract? Like, cubes. Random colours? Surreal stuff? LUCAS Nope. No cubes. All I see are portraits, still art, environments, historical recreations¡­ more on the realistic side of things, if that helps. TAVIA Thank you, sweetie. You¡¯re a lifesaver. You know, I think I was looking at it all wrong. If my reputation is already at rock bottom, it can only go up from here! LUCAS Heh, you¡¯re definitely taking this situation in stride. [Lucas looks at his coin, then lowers his voice to a hushed whisper.] LUCAS By the way, Tavi, did you manage to look into what I asked for? The ¡®independent competitor from the Far West¡¯ my Dad was eyeing? TAVIA Oh, you betcha I did. Had to do some real good digging at the firm, but the paper trail of money transfers is unmistakable. I found a list of companies your Dad had invested, and I found one that matches the description. It¡¯s got to be Eldritch Fields. LUCAS I¡­ I¡¯ve heard of them at a corpo social event that Dad dragged me along to last year. Didn¡¯t pay much attention though¡­ Anything else? TAVIA Well, that company almost fell apart after the sudden death of their founder in 2045. The following decade was characterised by organisational corruption and infighting, losing more investors and favour every year. I¡¯m honestly flabbergasted that they¡¯re still standing today. LUCAS ¡­Then I¡¯m not at all sure what Dad saw in them to make him think it was a good idea to send me there. Does he really hate Uncle Mez that badly? Otherwise, I¡¯m seriously questioning his judgement, claiming a discredited company is better than the Magus Association. TAVIA As the saying goes: haters gonna hate. Either way, Eldritch Fields did recently make a massive comeback. New management. Internal restructuring. The works. And let me tell you, the product line they just announced is absolutely mind-blowing. Total big brain cutting-edge revolutionary sci-fi stuff. They¡¯re calling it the ¡®world¡¯s first ever Psychia-based digital input device¡¯. Potential applications include security, military, gaming. That sounds right up your alley, doesn''t it? Milsims and whatnot. Just imagine, magic-compatible folk casting virtual spells as if they were real. They could train an army of mages that way. LUCAS That¡¯s only if games are actually developed to make full use of such input. Basically, actual proper magic simulators. Anything less is like saying playing a rhythm game will make you good at music. News flash, it doesn¡¯t. TAVIA Oooh? What is this elitist argument I¡¯m hearing? Are you a big shot Magus now? LUCAS I¡¯m being taught by the best, after all. TAVIA Can¡¯t argue there, teehee~ You really don¡¯t believe some skills can carry over from gaming, though? LUCAS Not one to one, at least. Depends on the person. TAVIA Okay. I¡¯ll let you in on a little insider secret. This is only a rumour mind you, but your Uncle Mez, he¡¯s so much more than The Supreme Judge of the Magus Association. My fanclub thinks that he¡¯s an old legend hiding in the public eye: The Harbinger! Ten whole years undefeated, solo player extraordinaire, offline persona never shown! I¡¯m sending you some material for reference. LUCAS The Harbinger? Isn¡¯t he that guy who played as the Dark Lord in an archaic isekai-genre VRMMO? Give me a moment to check it out. [Lucas reviews the files Tavia sent.] LUCAS A left-hander, huh¡­ Hmmmm. Looks like he used a full body rig. Very sure he had a floor trackpad too, very typical of the era. Whoa. Look at the size of those teams! And you¡¯re saying The Harbinger soloed them all? Is this a Milsim in disguise??? The way he makes use of the environment is nothing short of spectacular. Oh man, he rigged the whole fortress with traps to grind down his foes. You¡¯re saying that he did that alone on top of his other activities? Hmm¡­ that does kinda sound like Uncle Mez... Nah, there¡¯s no way. He wouldn¡¯t be caught dead playing video games. Pfft, he¡¯s too serious for that. Huh? My aunt just came back. Gotta go. TAVIA Bye love~ Good luck with everything. LUCAS Thanks! Bye dear. [Lucidia appears and Lucas quickly ends the call.] LUCIDIA Lucas, Judge Thyme is waiting for you at the firing range. I¡¯ll guide you there. LUCAS I¡¯m good to go. LUCIDIA Please, follow me then. [The Chronographer escorts Lucas to one of the Magus firing ranges. There, he runs into Cenna Caraway.] CENNA Yoooo, Luc! Nice to see ya again! LUCAS Hey, you¡¯re the Magus with the cool hardlight bird. Cenna, right? CENNA Right on the money, newbie. I¡¯m glad you still remembered my name after a month. LUCAS I¡¯d say you¡¯re pretty hard to forget. [He notices that the shooting target already has holes in them.] LUCAS Is that your work? CENNA Yup. I got bored waiting for Ol¡¯ Mez, so I went and polished my gun skills. Always good to have a non-magical backup, just in case. LUCAS Um¡­ Is it okay for me to be here? I don¡¯t have a firearms licence¡­ CENNA Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll use the undeniably legal alternative. Stopping power is not gonna matter for your training regiment. [The training gallery¡¯s door slides open. Mezil arrives with a tired sigh, struggling to balance both the weight of a briefcase and his cane.] CENNA You alright, old man? It¡¯s not your style to be late. MEZIL ¡­The weather forecast confirmed that there¡¯s a thunderstorm coming. Be ready for anything. CENNA Yes, sir. I will. Want me to help open that? MEZIL Your help is appreciated. [Cenna plops the briefcase on the firing range table and starts to open the container. While she¡¯s busy, Lucas approaches Mezil to ask about Tavia¡¯s request.] LUCAS H-hey, Uncle Mez, I uh, want to invite my girlfriend over and formally introduce her to you. Is that okay? MEZIL As far as I¡¯m concerned, Tavia may visit the manor any time. However, Lucidia does have some misgivings. LUCAS Hold on, you and Aunty already discussed this matter? MEZIL That¡¯s correct. Truth be told, my wife had very few opportunities to connect with family: both on her side and mine. Ever since you¡¯ve brought your girlfriend up in passing, she''s been both nervous and curious to meet her. Discovering that Tavia was also the founder of The Evergreen Court was rather distressing for Lucidia. I tried reassuring her that I have adequate experience in dealing with any issues that may arise from zealous fans. But... ¡­I am uncertain that my attempt was successful. Only time will tell. LUCAS Uh, you had dealt with zealous fans in the past? Was that when--? CENNA Hey Luc, catch! [Cenna tosses an item at Lucas. He catches it and discovers that it¡¯s a plastic toy gun.] LUCAS H-huh?! Foam bullet guns?!?! I was expecting at least an airsoft. CENNA Hey, I did say that you¡¯re gonna be using the undeniably legal stuff. LUCAS Did you dumb it down for my safety? Dunno if I should feel insulted or not. This reeks of Dad¡¯s meddling. MEZIL No. This is to ensure that any damage done is not caused by the tool you¡¯re given. I¡¯ll be using the same. Let us begin. [After Judge Thyme inputs his request at a nearby console, the firing range¡¯s automated systems prepare a fresh shooting target.] MEZIL I will begin with a quick refresher. Determination is The Red Aspect: the lifeblood of every living being. It is the will to live and the desire to act. A Mark is the symbolic materialisation of willful authority. The shape it takes reflects the caster¡¯s heart. Others will attempt to force their authority on you. And whether you realise it or not, you too will project your own authority unto others. [Mezil readies his toy gun and takes aim at the target.] MEZIL Watch. I impose my will to destroy my target! [The toy gun flashes red with the Mark of The Butterfly. He then fires it. Despite being a foam bullet, the projectile decimates the target into shreds of cardboard. Lucas stares at the destruction in shocked silence.] LUCAS I-I AM holding a toy gun, right? MEZIL You may test it out for yourself. [Lucas fires his own gun at the target. It lets out a cartoonish pop as the foam bullet bounces off the surface.] LUCAS Okay. This is definitely not a real weapon. W-what just happened? MEZIL I commanded my Mark to destroy the target. The imposition and transference of wills is the very basics of Red Magic. Focus your Determination on the bullet in the chamber. Issue a command for what your Mark shall do. Then fire at will. LUCAS O-okay. Um, I¡­ uh, do I need to say anything specific for this? MEZIL Not quite. Words reinforce your authority, but they¡¯re not required to cast. Use what you¡¯re comfortable with first. You¡¯ll develop your personal phrase later. LUCAS Alright then. I impose my will for a bullseye! [The spiral Mark shines. But when Lucas fires the toy gun, the foam bullet curves sideways, flies past the other lanes, and punches a hole on the left side wall of the shooting gallery.] LUCAS Whoops. MEZIL Try again. [The next attempt sends the foam bullet flying in huge circles. It flies behind the safety of the range and whizzes past Cenna.] CENNA Watch it, man! I ain¡¯t a bullseye! LUCAS Sorry, sorry! Why does it keep spinning like that? MEZIL Lucas, a Red¡¯s Minor colours adds modifiers to their magic. Cyan Minors have the ability to issue two commands in a single Mark. I believe you¡¯re unconsciously filling one of the slots with the command to spin. LUCAS That makes sense. Should I empty my thoughts? MEZIL On the contrary, I want you to focus. Are you aware of how a bullet spins when it leaves the barrel? LUCAS Uh, yeah. Wind direction, aerodynamics, and gravity influence the final results. That¡¯s why you always need to aim a little bit higher than where you¡¯d think it will land. MEZIL Good. Then ask yourself: does your current bullet need more or less propulsion? You can command your Mark to manipulate how the air flows as well. Experiment. LUCAS Huh. That sounds pretty fun, actually. It¡¯s like theorycrafting, in a way. [Lucidia shows up in the middle of the training.] LUCIDIA A word, please. [The session is temporarily suspended.] LUCIDIA Tavia O¡¯Connell may visit the Berendin Manor. However, there are two non-negotiable conditions. LUCAS O-okay? LUCIDIA One: she must agree to sign a law-binding NDA. Anything discussed, presented, or revealed in the Berendin Manor must be kept a secret. No photography of the interiors are allowed either. Two: she will not under any circumstance argue that her fanon is canon. Especially not with my person. I lack the patience to deal with delusional insistence. LUCAS No problem there! I mean, she¡¯s not the crazy type of fangirl. I promise. And, thank you. Thank you so very much! LUCIDIA Appreciation acknowledged. The necessary documents will be delivered to her home soon. She may visit once I receive a signed copy of the contract. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 13: Under The Weather Part 7 [8th of June 2064, Sunday, 10:00 PM, Berendin Manor.] [For additional context, Lucas Moriarty¡¯s phone logs are included in this record, rendered into text-to-speech.] [More Red Magic training is slated for tonight. Lucas waits at the lobby to be called. Having a bit of spare time, he reviews the messages he received from Tavia earlier in the day.] TAVIA¡¯S MESSAGE LOG Omg Luccie Sweetie I received a formal letter of invitation from House Berendin!!! They even sent a Magus agent to handle the mail. How awesome is that?! ¡­I wasn¡¯t allowed to take any photos, though. The agent sternly warned me not to. Anti-forgery measures, I was told. Anyways, The handwritten letter is so pretty¡­ Calligraphy ink too. It¡¯s so old-fashioned and cool and classy like ye olden court days! Oh the guy also handed me a printed NDA. That part is very modern. I signed it of course! I won¡¯t give this chance up for the world! I don¡¯t know how you did it, but thank you so much for smoothing things over! My parents were more excited about the letter than me. Maaaaaaaybe a bit too excited. They fussed over me like I was going to attend a high-class school interview all over again. LUCAS¡¯ MESSAGE LOG Great!!! I¡¯m glad to see you happy. I didn¡¯t do anything, really. My aunt¡¯s been wanting to meet you for some time. It only took a bit of encouragement from her husband to look past the fanclub discovery. When are you coming over? TAVIA¡¯S MESSAGE LOG Tentatively the 14th of June Next Saturday. That way, I have some time to prepare for the visit. LUCAS¡¯ MESSAGE LOG Cool. See you then, Tavi. TAVIA¡¯S MESSAGE LOG Bye bye! Oh, there¡¯s gonna be a huge thunderstorm tonight. Be sure to stay indoors, okay? Especially when you¡¯re that high up. Rumours say that sometimes you can see storm clouds swirl over The Spire. It started only a few years ago. I wonder why? LUCAS¡¯ MESSAGE LOG A few years ago? Don¡¯t look at me, I definitely wasn¡¯t around here back then. [A loud crack of thunder causes Lucas to freeze in fright.] LUCAS Damn. That sounds really close by. I wonder if we¡¯ll have a power outage¡­? [Not long after, Cenna Caraway arrives at the lobby. Lucas quickly pockets his phone.] CENNA Hey Luc, how¡¯s it going? LUCAS I¡¯m going good. You? CENNA Never better! Say, did ya notice anything weird about the old man today? Like, him being sluggish or whatnot? LUCAS Hmmm¡­ Dunno. I didn¡¯t see him all day either. CENNA Really?! LUCAS Yeah. I¡¯ve been spending most of my time alone, practising Red Magic in the gun training room. We seemed to have missed each other for all our meals too. Does he work on Sundays? CENNA Sometimes he does. The wicked don¡¯t rest, y¡¯know. Well¡­ how¡¯s progress? LUCAS My Red is definitely improving much faster than my Blue, for sure. Check this out. [Lucas takes out his lucky coin, casts a Mark on the object, and flips it into the air. It begins to spin in an orbit, as though it is a little planet on its own. He lets the coin fall after a while and catches it in midair.] CENNA Yooooooo look at that! Just one day and you¡¯re doing it like it¡¯s second nature. LUCAS A huge difference, right? The tip about Cyan Minors having two commands helped me the most. If I don¡¯t need two distinct outcomes at once, I could either double up the commands or tell it to do nothing. ¡­It puts a lot of things in context, thinking back. [Cenna¡¯s phone beeps.] CENNA Huh? Ol¡¯ Mez is already waiting for us. LUCAS Let¡¯s get going then. [The two move to the training gallery, the same one they had used yesterday.] CENNA You don¡¯t look too good, old man¡­ LUCAS Uncle, are you alright? Maybe we should postpone today''s session? MEZIL No, training must continue. The required conditions have lined up. Vanquisher, watch over us. CENNA ¡­Yes, sir. I¡¯ll be on standby. [Cenna takes a few steps back and stands by the side. She maintains a disciplined poise, contrasting her usual casual attitude.] LUCAS I don''t think I understand. Shouldn¡¯t you rest if you¡¯re sick? MEZIL It will make sense in due time. For now, focus on my teachings. Yesterday, you learned about the imposement of wills. Tonight, you will learn about the rejection of wills. LUCAS Uhh¡­ Do I just say ¡®no¡¯? Really intensely? MEZIL That¡¯s just one part of it. However, mere resistance without awareness or knowledge will put you in a vulnerable position. It may even backfire from a paradoxical clause. I¡¯ll demonstrate the basics first. [Mezil lightly taps Lucas on the chest with the tip of his cane.] MEZIL I impose my will to blind you for one minute. [The young man gasps.] LUCAS What the?! Did the lights go out?? MEZIL I have denied your brain from receiving optical signals. It will last for one minute. Within that time, I want you to use your own Determination to break my hold. Impose your will over mine. Reject it. LUCAS Okay. Um. I¡­ I reject! [The boy¡¯s chest glows red for a moment, and the butterfly shatters.] LUCAS Wow¡­ I can see again. MEZIL Can you feel any residual pressure? LUCAS Uh, actually, no. MEZIL That means you have developed beyond a novice¡¯s standards. Since this is the case, I shall simulate a battle scenario against a competent Red Magus. I impose my will to blind you for one minute. LUCAS Nngh¡­!! What the hell?! It¡¯s¡­ so much stronger¡­! MEZIL The bigger the disparity of power, the greater the pressure¡­ And the harder you must fight back. Therefore, fight! [The young man grunts as he struggles to break Judge Thyme¡¯s Mark. Meanwhile Cenna observes silently from the sidelines. Thunder rumbles in the background, muffled by the walls of the Spire. A full minute passes by until Mezil¡¯s Mark expires from completing its command. Lucas wheezes from the sudden release.] LUCAS Hack¡­ cough¡­! T-that was tougher than I thought. And this is just ¡®competent¡¯ level? MEZIL Yes. LUCAS That means it can get worse. MEZIL Correct. Marks are split between three levels of volition: Low, Medium, High. LVM, MVM, and HVM respectively. Low Volition Marks don¡¯t tax the mind. On the other hand, High Volition Marks intrude upon the very core of a person. The result is often crippling, if not fatal. What I had just inflicted on you was a Medium Volition Mark. While it does affect biological functions, it does not inflict any permanent damage. That¡¯s the maximum level any Red is allowed to cast at without prosecution. LUCAS I, uh, didn¡¯t screw anything up in the past, I hope? MEZIL I can wholeheartedly verify that you didn¡¯t. You wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise. Now, let us resume. I¡¯m going to increase the duration to two minutes. Try your best. LUCAS Okay¡­ MEZIL I impose my will to blind you for two minutes. [The training resumes with greater attrition. Two minutes pass by, and the Mark expires again.] LUCAS Ugh¡­ that was even rougher than before. C-can I really do this? MEZIL Hmm. Your lack of Perseverance is showing. But, it is also good to doubt. It allows you to pause and seek other options. There are more ways to fight than to resort to violence. Temper your heart with Patience. Reinforce it with Integrity. Do not give in to envy. Above all, stay Determined. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. I will now increase the duration to three minutes. I impose my will to blind you for three minutes. [The three minute version also proves to be harsher than before.] CENNA Old man¡­? MEZIL Focus, Vanquisher. I still hear thunder. CENNA Yes, sir. [The Mark expires yet again. Lucas staggers backwards, breathing heavily as he wipes the sweat off his face.] LUCAS My head¡­ It hurts¡­ I feel like I¡¯m gonna puke¡­ MEZIL Caraway, assist him. CENNA Right on it! Luc, sit down for a while. I¡¯m gonna get you some water and a piece of candy. Which flavour do you prefer? LUCAS ¡­Anything, really¡­ CENNA Fennel candy it is! Coming right up. [While Cenna provides first aid for Lucas, Judge Thyme prepares a single toy foam gun for the next part of his training.] CENNA How are ya feeling? LUCAS Better. That¡­ that felt like jogging under the hottest summer sun on an empty stomach¡­ CENNA I rather take that than ¡®felt like being ripped apart from the inside¡¯. Believe me, you don¡¯t wanna be at the receiving end of one of them HVMs. LUCAS I¡¯m really, really doubting if I¡¯ll survive the four-minute version. MEZIL Your doubts are not unfounded. Either way, I won¡¯t continue that type of training for today. Instead, I want you to test what you¡¯ve just learned on the firing range. [Judge Thyme uses the toy gun and fires it at five separate targets in a row. The butterflies successively glow on the cardboard.] MEZIL Transfer your ¡®will to reject¡¯ onto your bullet, and then work from left to right. Weakest to the strongest, in that order. Don¡¯t move on until you¡¯ve broken the weaker Mark. Approach whenever you¡¯re ready. LUCAS I¡­ I think I¡¯m okay now. [Lucas walks over to the gun, takes it from his uncle, and fires at the leftmost butterfly. It shatters in a single impact.] LUCAS ¡­That was easy. I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s beginner¡¯s level. [He fires at the second butterfly. It shatters in a single spongy bullet as well.] LUCAS Huh. I thought this would give me more trouble. MEZIL That¡¯s but an illusion. This exercise only appears easier because of the outward projection. You¡¯re not feeling your opponent¡¯s Mark directly oppressing you. Try the next target. [The third butterfly takes considerably more bullets and effort to shatter.] LUCAS That was way tougher¡­ the jump the second and third one is huge. MEZIL The next opponent you meet could be stronger than you. Therefore, it¡¯s important to not grow complacent. Proceed. [Lucas shoots down the fourth butterfly with relative ease.] LUCAS Huh? Weren¡¯t they supposed to get harder? MEZIL They are. Instead, you¡¯re beginning to match your foe. Though the power of Determination seems exponential at first, all mortals have a limit. You would need to ascend into a god to go beyond your own. LUCAS Is that even possible? MEZIL An advanced topic for future study. Your final target still remains. LUCAS Okay¡­ [The young man takes aim. However, the toy gun clicks when he pulls the trigger, indicating that its magazine is empty.] LUCAS Oh, I¡¯m out of bullets. CENNA Fresh ammo incoming! LUCAS Thanks. [Lucas reloads the gun. But then, upon a crack of thunder, he suddenly lifts his arm, aims the gun at Judge Thyme, and fires the bullet straight at his gut.] LUCAS Huh¡­?! W-when did I? How¡­??? [Judge Thyme staggers backwards, clutching his abdomen. He tries to put as much distance between himself and the others. The spiral materialises on his body with a strong shine. It begins to spin faster and faster, popping with cracks of crimson electricity. The sheer force of The Mark knocks Judge Thyme unconscious, but he was still standing.] [Cenna conjures a magic rope and whips it towards Lucas¡¯ toy gun, yanking the weapon out of his grip and flinging it across the room. She then pulls Lucas away from Judge Thyme, close to the wall.] CENNA I knew that bugger was gonna do something. It¡¯s always during a stormy night too. LUCAS Are you talking about my uncle??? CENNA No, the guy INSIDE your uncle! Get ready to reject any bullshit that comes your way! LUCAS Don¡¯t I need a weapon for that?! CENNA That gun¡¯s already compromised, buddy. [The toy gun rattles with jolts of electricity. The high amount of energy causes the whole item to melt.] [Meanwhile ¨C hovering over Judge Thyme¡¯s unconscious body ¨C an electrified aura of Determination forms into the shadow of a muscular man. His disembodied voice thundered the following words:] PERSONA Young man, you have a rather interesting Mark. A storm. A tornado. A black hole. Were I still within my corporeal body, I would have sought you out to become my disciple. Your god commands you: yield and submit! [Lucas stumbles as a lightning Mark flares onto his chest. His legs threaten to buckle, until his gaze snaps up towards his uncle and the being possessing him. At first there is panic and confusion on his face¡­ and then a mixture of anger and resolve.] LUCAS W-whatever you are¡­ I won¡¯t¡­ Not to you! [With great effort, Lucas regains himself. He gets back on his feet and straightens his posture. He strains himself until Persona¡¯s Mark shatters. Exhausted, Lucas stumbles back a step, hitting the wall behind him.] PERSONA I see the line of Winston continues to defy. The Vampire has trained you well. CENNA Mind shutting up and going back into your bottle, Mister Genie? [The Vanquisher slams the wall with the palm of her hand, activating a series of restraining Arcanagrams. They create white chains of magic, sent flying towards the DEMON. However, the figure easily shatters them in a flurry of sparks.] PERSONA Your wishes won¡¯t be granted, witch! A miserable fake can never stand against the genuine article, born blessed by the gods. [Crimson lightning strikes down upon the Vanquisher. Though she raises her white shields, Persona shatters them after a continuous barrage. She falls to the floor, defeated.] LUCAS No¡­! [With no one left to challenge him, Persona¡¯s attention turns towards Lucas.] PERSONA Fret not, young man. I shall not kill her. Let us talk. You must be brimming with questions. Your god commands you¡­ be at ease and speak freely. [The lightning Mark flashes again. But there was no resistance or struggle.] LUCAS Are you a Cyan like me? Um, I mean, that¡¯s the second time you used two commands in a row. W-wha?! Why am I asking that?? PERSONA Ha ha ha! That¡¯s more like it. Open up to me. I¡¯ve witnessed some of your developments, young man. Your dear uncle here hasn¡¯t been feeling too well lately, allowing me to take a peek into the outside world. What interests me the most was your fallout with your father. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s curious that The Supreme Judge of the Magus Association did nothing to stop you? Think about it. At any time, at any point, he could have broken your Mark. Yet he didn¡¯t. Why do you think so? [Lucas pauses in contemplation for a moment. Again, he shifts his stare between Mezil and the DEMON. Amusement and disgust both start to creep into his expression.] LUCAS ¡­Because for once in my life, I got to make my father listen. That said, I don¡¯t need to hear anything from you about my life or my family, nor do I want to. We¡¯ve only just met and you¡¯re already acting like everyone else in Dad¡¯s circle, bending over others while worming your way through their heads with convenient half-truths. How gullible do you think I am?! PERSONA And yet you¡¯re gullible enough to follow The Vampire without question. Did you think you could become a Crimson Keeper? Do you think you could become the next Supreme Judge? No. Your father was right. Mezil Winston insists on being the King of Magi, once and forevermore. The only fate that awaits you is that of The Suppressed. LUCAS Are you trying to be an edgelord?¡­ Dammit, why do I keep talking unfiltered shit??? PERSONA Ha ha ha! As the magnanimous god I am, I will take no offence. I did command you to speak your mind, after all. You have more power than you realise, young man. About the same as your uncle, if not greater. Proof of your mutual heritage. Before my defeat, I heard an interesting tale about your family. It claimed that once upon a time, a Winston acquired the power of a dark lord. This power was then passed down through his descendants as a ¡®curse¡¯, manifesting in the form of excessive misfortune. Those who conquered their bad luck would move on to obtain grim abilities, and mysteriously improve their lot in life. LUCAS A curse that becomes a blessing¡­? Wait. Wouldn¡¯t that apply to my father as well? PERSONA It seems that your father never fully divulged about his past. Ask yourself: how does a faceless college student become one of the biggest tech giants today, rivalling the richest of the past era? LUCAS He always said, ¡®I ran into some very bad luck and found it within myself to turn that luck around by my own strengths¡¯¡­ But he never gave any real context. PERSONA Perhaps he realised that it would expose his shady origins. I know for a fact that your father fell into an extortion scheme between two rival mafia gangs. Somehow, he managed to play both sides with a silver tongue and some cunning business sense. His success garnered the attention of important eyes, paving the road to the life you enjoyed. Next example. Your precious grandfather. Detective extraordinaire, they call him. Ha. If it weren¡¯t for his guile and timely contacts, he would have been long condemned as a criminal. Many with prestige don¡¯t take too kindly to independent investigations. Likewise, your uncle, The Vampire, was once the son of a foolish debt-ridden couple, mixing drinks for the dregs of society. Look at him now. How far he has flown from his humble roots. He staked his life in war to earn his current glory. And you, young man. You know what you went through. And here you are. I believe my words hold credit. LUCAS You¡¯re putting an awful lot of stock on some rumour. You don¡¯t even know for sure, do you? PERSONA Every lead was squelched by The Magi. They seem to have a vested interest in keeping this story unverified. Don¡¯t you think Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme has a great penchant for secrets? Take his dearest wife, Lucidia, for example. LUCAS True. But¡­ For the single month I¡¯ve really known him, he¡¯s already shared a lot. I bet he told me more than Judge Pashowar or Judge Goldstein ever would¡¯ve. Those two were experts at being super secretive behind a happy face. ¡­Oh god, I¡¯m just blurting everything out in the worst way possible. I just read about those two from the library too. I¡¯m so embarrassed I want to die¡­ Uhhh¡­ Please don¡¯t command me to. PERSONA Death is the easy way out. From what I can observe, your challenge is not over yet. Here is how I see it: Live the rest of your life in submission¡­ or succeed your uncle right here and now. LUCAS Am I anywhere ready for that? PERSONA It¡¯s not about being ready or not. Rather, it¡¯s the fact that Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme is overdue for retirement. His dour attitude had made him many enemies, present company included. Look at how broken his body is after decades of strife, held up only with artificial spells. The Vampire may act like he has everything under control¡­ But you and I know he¡¯s heading straight for certain doom. Perhaps it¡¯s time to repay his kindness. Take on his burdens, and grant him freedom! LUCAS ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ But¡­ I don¡¯t trust you. PERSONA Then trust yourself, Chosen One. What does your heart speak? [Lucas raises a hand towards Judge Thyme. Uncertainty causes his movements to waver. He struggles with the desire to be helpful, versus being obedient to his uncle.] LUCAS Is¡­ is this really the right thing to do¡­? [Just then, Judge Thyme¡¯s arm twitches. With rigid and jagged motions, he grabs the DEMON cloud bare-handed.] PERSONA I see that The Vampire rouses from his slumber. MEZIL I¡­ impose my will¡­ to seal¡­ you! [The butterfly shines above the cloud and attempts to push Persona back inside.] PERSONA Let¡¯s see if you can do that in your current feverish state. [He attempts to weaken Mezil by zapping him with electricity. The Supreme Judge is determined to stand up against his adversary.] MEZIL Lucas¡­ Don¡¯t! This prisoner is my greatest burden¡­ and it is one that only I can bear! ¡­My Mark, the butterfly¡­ allows me to absorb lifeforce without tainting my mind, body, and spirit. Your Spiral¡­ It will draw in everything inside yourself with no discrimination. Ergo¡­ absorbing this stubborn DEMON¡­ you will instantly turn into Persona¡¯s new body! [Crimson lightning strikes down the Supreme Judge once again. Although still conscious, he has become paralysed. Lucas withdraws his hands in a hurry.] LUCAS ¡­Dammit! What the hell am I doing?! That¡¯s the exact kind of textbook manipulation I said I wouldn¡¯t fall for! How gullible am I? PERSONA Manipulation, yes, but devoid of lies. There¡¯s no greater honour than to become the living vessel of a god! LUCAS I don¡¯t care about what you think! PERSONA Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such words of ignorance. If you believe you can best a deity¡­ Assert your dominance! Your god commands you: FIGHT! [Persona¡¯s Mark flashes on Lucas. Crimson sparks course through his body, growing stronger with every attempt to defy.] LUCAS Ack! ARGH! I¡­. refuse¡­! RE¡­ FUSE! Why¡­? Why¡­ Can¡¯t I break it¡­? WHY CAN¡¯T I FUCKING BREAK IT???? PERSONA Your thoughts, reasons, actions¡­ They are mine to dictate. [Agitated, angered, the spiral shines in Lucas¡¯ hand. He tries to slam it on Persona¡¯s Mark, but he couldn¡¯t reach his own chest.] PERSONA I won¡¯t let you damage that pristine body of yours. A foolish endeavour. Come. Take the fight up close. Break through your uncle¡¯s prison. Only then, he may be saved. I look forward to our brilliant future together! Hahahahahaha! [Under Persona¡¯s influence, Lucas begins to walk forward one step at a time. The strength of his spiral rises with his inner rage.] [Meanwhile, the once downed Vanquisher ¨C Cenna Caraway ¨C begins to mutter under her own breath.] CENNA Glowing kindness be our shield¡­ Persevere and never yield¡­ Lady Justice heed my call¡­ Smite this evil, make them fall¡­! [Her Ascension activates. Now greatly empowered, she wastes no time sending out her bird-shaped Psychia with a magic rope in tow. It swirls around Lucas and successfully binds the young man by the waist. The bird struggles with all its might to keep him in place.] LUCAS Cenna¡­? CENNA Get your act together Luc! You¡¯re giving him too much leeway! Demontology 101: Don¡¯t listen to a DEMON¡¯s bullshit. Persona is feeding on your anger! Remember what Mez taught ya? Centre yourself, focus on your inner peace. Let that command roll over you. PERSONA What makes you think I¡¯ll give him time to relax? Your god commands!¡­ CENNA Welllllll, about that. Say hello to my little friend! [Cenna activates her bow, readying the Wanderstar.] PERSONA Y-you¡¯ll never fire. That magic is too powerful for its own good. CENNA I¡¯m taking my CHANCES. Feeling LUCKY today, y¡¯know? Putting my MONEY where my mouth is. You¡¯re my MARK, see. If worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll just take us all down together. I¡¯m the old man¡¯s LONG RANGE nuclear option after all. [The standoff gives Lucas time to take deep breaths. He calms down and denies the urge to fight. Peaceful Determination erodes the corruption imposed upon him. Persona¡¯s Mark crumbles from the stillness.] PERSONA Young man¡­ You choose to reject my greatness. What a pity. Nevermind then. I shall finish this judgement on my own: first on The Vampire, then the rest of you! [Lucas digs into his pocket and pulls out his lucky coin, transferring his Mark from the palm of his hand. With an intense gaze, he flicks the Marked object towards Persona.] [The spiral blooms upon contact with the DEMON.] PERSONA Silver¡­?! Since when-- ARGH! LUCAS ¡­You¡¯re nothing but a parasite, and you¡¯ve just shown me all the reason I need to trust my uncle¡¯s secrets over your supposed truths. Be drawn back into your seal and sleep! [The Mark of The Spiral flares. The electric cloud swirls down toward Mezil¡¯s stomach. It putters into silence once the seal is complete.] [Judge Thyme falls on his knees and leans against his cane. The ordeal leaves him exhausted. Cenna immediately dispels both the bow and her Ascension, running over to help her boss back to his feet.] CENNA You alright, old man? MEZIL It could have been worse. Good job in controlling the situation, Caraway. CENNA Say, old man. I noticed today¡¯s training was super duper ultra specific, complete with forcing Luc here to fight way above his level. Did you secretly train him up to kick Persona¡¯s butt? MEZIL Yes. I knew Persona would exploit the yearly thunderstorms and attempt another escape. This time, I have another Red living in the same household. It was his best opportunity yet. CENNA So I was right! Dammit old man, you know how much your gambits stress me out. [Lucas¡¯ lucky coin falls off from Judge Thyme¡¯s coat, making a chime as it hits the ground. Cenna picks it up.] CENNA Oh hey Luc, it¡¯s your coin-- Wait a minute, you¡¯re still tied up! Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner or something? [Cenna dispels the restraints and returns the coin to him.] LUCAS I didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment. Figured you¡¯ll notice eventually. CENNA Man, you sure are of Patience, aren¡¯t ya? Anyways¡­That was waaaaay too dang close. How did you figure it out? Did you like, read the room? I tried to give a hint to shoot the bugger in the face with the coin, but I couldn¡¯t make it too obvious either. LUCAS You¡­ did? Um. Maybe? Because, it¡¯s not like I have anything else on me that can replace a gun. So¡­ CENNA Uh, yeah! Great! Awesome! Glad I can be helpful. Ahuh. [Disclaimer: Cenna¡¯s hints were not conveyed sufficiently.] MEZIL Lucas¡­ Did you mean it? That you would trust my secrets more than supposed truths? LUCAS I did, and I do. Today¡¯s attack proves that even more. I realised that I wasn¡¯t ready to handle what I heard. And you¡­ You made sure that I could fight that ghost back without revealing your hand to the bad guy. You¡¯ve made the right call. MEZIL That means much to me. Thank you. Let us return to the manor and rest. You deserve it. [END TRANSCRIPT] Transcript 14: Under The Weather Part 8 [14th of June 2064, Sunday, 7 PM, Berendin Manor.] [Lucas escorts Tavia O¡¯Connell to the entrance of the Berendin Manor.] LUCAS And here we are, the magical manor on top of a tower. TAVIA Wow¡­ It looks like something straight out of a fantasy book. LUCAS Right? They even have a garden here. Mind you, they don¡¯t employ any servants. TAVIA Huh?!? How do they maintain anything??? Keeping a mansion clean is no joke. LUCAS Aunt Lucidia said the place is maintained by a mix of external workers, robots, and the owners occasionally doing their own chores. House Berendin phased out in-house servants shortly before my aunt was adopted. Security concerns, so was the claim. TAVIA I don¡¯t get it. How would it be safer to use third-party contractors instead of in-house workers? Wouldn¡¯t it be the reverse? A spy can just join a random cleaning crew and sneak inside. LUCAS A competent spy would have either impersonated staff or put in the effort to become an in-house member anyway. Besides, genuine employees are not immune to bribery or blackmail either. All it takes is one desperate person to put my Aunt¡¯s safety at risk. TAVIA Hmmm, you know what? I think you¡¯re right. I heard the Magus Association almost collapsed from internal corruption at one point. That¡¯s why The Supreme Judge hired Mom and Dad¡¯s firm to cross-check their bookkeeping. LUCAS So, nowadays Aunt Lucidia would arrange a date in advance for any maintenance work. She¡¯d try to stay out of sight most of the time. But, if she needed to interact with anyone, it¡¯d be with her mask on. [Tavia gasps with excitement.] TAVIA Are you talking about the rumoured ¡®masked ones¡¯ from the Magus Association? The mysterious high-rankers? Faces: Top Secret?? Your Aunt is one of them? LUCAS I-I guess? Just like her father. She¡¯s been masked since childhood. I think it runs in the family. Uncle Mezil is their in-law so that didn¡¯t count, I guess. TAVIA Ooooooooh~ If that¡¯s the case, did they hire a chef to make our dinner? I don¡¯t imagine the school cafeteria cooks will be able to fulfil a noble¡¯s request¡­ LUCAS Maybe. I don¡¯t know the specifics other than the fact we¡¯ll have a delicious meal. [The young man glances around, nervous.] TAVIA What¡¯s wrong? Did your sixth sense kick in? LUCAS Probably just a passing security guard watching us from far away. TAVIA Hehehe. You sure inherited some of your grandfather¡¯s awesome detective instincts. LUCAS I suppose. The false alarms can get rather annoying, though. TAVIA Don¡¯t think of it that way! I feel safe with you around, because I know you¡¯d detect any danger before it can even reach us. LUCAS Aww Tavia¡­ thanks for being a sweetheart. Anyways, do you have the gifts prepared? TAVIA Yup! I nicely packed them all up in the largest tote bag I could find. LUCAS Let¡¯s go meet them then. [The young couple enters the manor, meeting the husband and wife of House Berendin.] MEZIL Welcome. I¡¯m Supreme Judge Mezil Thyme. And this is my wife, Lucidia of House Berendin. LUCIDIA Good evening. TAVIA Good evening to you too, Lady Lucidia. [Tavia performs a curtsy to the lady of the house.] LUCIDIA Oh, it appears you have some knowledge of court etiquette. I thought the ways have become virtually unknown beyond the circle of old noble houses. TAVIA I¡¯ve done my research to the best of my abilities, my lady. Good manners are good manners, no matter the era. LUCIDIA Hmmm¡­ Interesting. I appreciate the gesture. MEZIL We may be a noble house, but in the end this is still a private family dinner. Feel free to relax and be more casual with us. As promised in the letter of invitation, I will give you a personal tour of the manor. Though, be warned: these do not include bedrooms or other areas of privacy. TAVIA I understand, sir! Public guest spaces only. [While Tavia enjoys the tour given by The Supreme Judge, Lucas remains vigilant and on guard. He keeps catching faint movements in the corner of his eyes, as his peripheral vision had been trained from his hobbies. For his girlfriend¡¯s sake, though, he remains quiet throughout the tour.] MEZIL ¡­Here is the last stop. This ornate decorative lamp marked the old borders between the Grandmaster¡¯s living quarters and the Seven Sages¡¯ first Magus school. TAVIA Oh wow¡­ so this was where The Magus Association was born. MEZIL Both the interior and exteriors updated over the marches of time. But, any renovations made were still based on its founding floor plan. [With the tour completed, the group returns to the lounge of the mansion. Lucas remains completely distracted.] LUCIDIA Excuse me, Miss Tavia. Do you need to put that bag somewhere? It seems to be on the heavy side. TAVIA O-oh! These are gifts for you. Is it alright if I give them out now? MEZIL That¡¯s very kind of you. Of course, you¡¯re more than welcome. TAVIA Thank you! Alright¡­ The O¡¯Connell family presents a humble gift to House Berendin. Luccie Sweetie, could you help me? [The young man does not respond to his girlfriend¡¯s request.] TAVIA ¡­Luccie Sweetieeeeee? Earth to my man! LUCAS Huh? Uh, sure. Yes, ma¡¯am. Right on it. [Lucas pulls out a wrapped box from the tote bag and passes it to Tavia¡¯s hand. She presents the gift to the Berendin couple. Mezil unwraps the gift before Lucidia.] MEZIL Hm? I recognise the label. LUCIDIA This is a cheese set sourced from House Berendin¡¯s farmlands. Their wax casing makes them perfect for transport. Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t enjoyed the fruits of our land for some time. TAVIA With our current system of taxes, the tenants must sell the wares first before paying their dues. That meant that House Berendin would have to buy their own products. LUCIDIA That¡¯s true. The produce we receive for free would be closer to a gift instead of a birthright. We understand that those who work the land have their own bills to pay and families to raise. Therefore, we prioritise our mutual profit first. Thank you for the thoughtful gift. Our lands may not grow the best of the best, but it¡¯s close to the heart. TAVIA You¡¯re most welcome. As for The Evergreen Court¡­ [Tavia takes out another wrapped package from the bag. This piece is much flatter than the previous box.] TAVIA Please accept this art print as our peace offering to Mezil¡¯s Number One Fan! [Unwrapping the gift reveals a framed painting of Mezil Thyme, done in a contemporary painterly style. He¡¯s shown putting on his coat in a suave manner.] [Lucidia remains silent for a while.] LUCAS Aunty¡­? TAVIA D-do you not like it? MEZIL The opposite, actually. She¡¯s brimming with joy beneath her mask. I can tell. LUCIDIA ¡­This is beautiful. TAVIA I¡¯m so glad-- [Startled, Lucas points towards a window.] LUCAS W-what was that?! I saw a purple light! It¡¯s been stalking us! MEZIL Please remain calm. If it is truly a malicious entity, House Berendin will respond accordingly. LUCIDIA We should proceed with our dinner plans in the meantime. The food will get cold if we delay for too long. [The dinner commences. Hired waiters bring out the food and serve them to the guests. Tavia, Lucas, and Mezil receive their own portion.] TAVIA Um¡­ I think the waiter forgot Lady Lucidia¡¯s plate. MEZIL Actually, she already had her dinner. The masked members of House Berendin are forbidden to eat in front of guests, except for special occasions. LUCAS It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve never seen my aunt eat at the same table as me. Can¡¯t exactly shove food into a porcelain mask, I suppose. TAVIA I-I¡¯m sorry if I had embarrassed you, Lady Lucidia. LUCIDIA No offence is taken. Please relax and enjoy the meal. Oh, also, please feel free to address us as relatives instead of our formal titles. It¡¯s more homely that way. TAVIA T-thank you! LUCAS Talk about a successful plan, eh? I¡¯m glad it¡¯s all smoothed out. [Lucas occasionally pauses to discreetly glance around, knowing that he¡¯s being watched from afar.] [After the meal, Tavia, Lucas, Lucidia, and Mezil adjourned to the comfort of the living room to resume their chat.] This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. TAVIA That rumour was true?! MEZIL Yes. I was indeed The Harbinger in my youth, from the age of 15 to 25. LUCAS I never thought you¡¯d be the type to pick up a video game, let alone have been a pro! MEZIL Hmm. Considering Art¡¯s sense of pride, I¡¯m not surprised that he never told you how he used to beg me to help him beat ¡®impossible¡¯ bosses. LUCAS DAD played video games?! Okay, I wouldn¡¯t have imagined that in a million years! [The family enjoys a good laugh together.] TAVIA I-I¡¯m so used to having rumours debunked, it¡¯s shocking to have anything confirmed as true. Why did you quit? Was it because your main pitch was to be a ¡®hardcore mode player¡¯? One life, one run? MEZIL Not quite. I was given the option to have my colleagues stage a revival ritual as an event. But, I decided to fully retire instead. A part of it was due to the influence of Lucas¡¯ father. LUCAS Really? Dad again? MEZIL Remember I once mentioned that Art could be rather persuasive? He did a fine job convincing me that I wasn¡¯t suited to be an entertainer for the long term. I was perhaps the least outgoing person of the group, and the darker aspects of parasocialism had embittered me. Accountancy was a much more ¡®stable¡¯ line of work, so I was told. There would be no shortage of people needing help with their taxes. Therefore, I tried to switch into that field. TAVIA What about your fans? They had supported you for so long, yet¡­ MEZIL ¡­I¡¯m aware of the resentment I had caused. Perhaps I was being too callous. TAVIA No. It¡¯s not your fault, sir! A performer¡¯s life is not beholden to the public. A REAL fan would have put your happiness first and foremost! Are you happy now? MEZIL Yes. I wouldn¡¯t have met my wife had I stayed put. TAVIA Then that¡¯s all that matters. ¡­It would be nice if your old fans knew you¡¯re doing well. MEZIL They already do. I had someone reputable pass a message: ¡®The Harbinger¡¯s offline persona is alive and well. Please don¡¯t worry about him¡¯. TAVIA That¡¯s sweet of you, Uncle Thyme. LUCIDIA Query: what prompted you to create The Evergreen Court fanclub? You¡¯ve kept your identity a secret, and many of the participants are anonymous as well. [Tavia chuckles nervously.] TAVIA Hahaha¡­ I guess I have to explain that sooner or later. Five years ago, when Uncle Thyme was hospitalised, I joined my parents to deliver him some get-well flowers. I noticed¡­ that there were not many bouquets. I expected more, especially after taking down a dangerous cult leader by himself. Yet, there was almost no celebration for Uncle Thyme¡¯s efforts. The office was no better. A fight would start whenever someone brought up his name. It would escalate until someone had to break the fight up. ¡­It felt¡­ wrong. Somehow. I still can¡¯t really put into words why. I just wanted a place where people can speak their appreciation without fear. And so, The Evergreen Court was born! Haters get moderated into non-existence, of course. LUCIDIA I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m touched by your kindness. I thought that I was the only one on my husband¡¯s side. TAVIA It¡¯s not completely selfless, though. I want to fangirl about a living legend without getting cancelled too! [The lady of House Berendin giggles.] LUCIDIA Mezzy? Lucas? Would you mind leaving us girls alone for a little while? MEZIL Certainly. I¡¯ll take Lucas to the garden to get some fresh air. TAVIA E-eh? LUCAS Go ahead, Tavi. There are things that can only be discussed between fangirls. MEZIL Lucas and I will excuse ourselves for the time being. We¡¯ll return before it¡¯s time to send you home. TAVIA Okay! Thank you for the golden chance! LUCAS Have fun. [The men leave to give the ladies some privacy. En route, they have a talk.] LUCAS I¡¯m glad to see Tavia and Aunty getting along. MEZIL Their meeting proceeded smoother than I had expected. I was ready for the worst, yet found myself pleasantly surprised by the outcome. By the way, does Tavia know anything about what happened last week? LUCAS Nope. MEZIL Good. Keep it that way. That incident was not something an innocent civilian should know of. LUCAS Agreed. ¡­Man, it¡¯s so awkward and weird, having secrets that you can¡¯t tell anyone, including your closest family. Was it the same for you? MEZIL More or less. You¡¯ll get used to it eventually. [The Supreme Judge grunts in sudden pain.] MEZIL Nnngh¡­ As expected. I¡¯ll need to excuse myself to the restroom for a moment. You should go on ahead without me. LUCAS Sure, Uncle. See you in five? MEZIL Perhaps. If all goes well. LUCAS In thirty then? MEZIL You jest. I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible. [Mezil parts ways with Lucas. A little later, Lucas arrives at the garden proper.] LUCAS Hmmm¡­ What should I do now? Maybe go online for a bit? Catch up with the latest gaming news?¡­ ¡­Something tells me that I won¡¯t be able to play much with my friends in the future. It¡¯s a bit sad. At the same time, I feel like I have a ton more purpose. [He whips out his phone to start browsing online. Five minutes pass, then Lucas spots movements in the corner of his eyes.] LUCAS Uncle Mezil? Is that you? [The flower bushes rustle. A purple light darts around with the swiftness of a mouse, catching the young man¡¯s full attention. The dimming twilight makes it difficult for him to discern the entity and its exact location.] LUCAS W-what the¡­? That¡¯s the weird light I saw earlier. [The light stops darting around. Instead, it hovers deeper inside of the mansion¡¯s garden.] LUCAS ¡­Whoever you are, looks like you have the decency not to ambush me when I¡¯m alone. I know you¡¯ve been stalking me from the beginning. Since there was no security action taken against you, that means you¡¯re not a threat. How about we talk things out instead? [The light pulses brightly, beckoning Lucas to approach. As he does so, the light goes dark. The young man then realises he arrived at the very place where he once confronted his father, Art. There, a man in a dark grey snake themed motorcycle helmet squats on the top frame of the impromptu replacement swing.] LUCAS What the hell. How are you balancing on THAT?! And, for that matter, who even ARE you??? GAELIC Not fer ya to know, lad. Not if yer uncle dinnae tell ya. LUCAS Uh¡­ okay? I really don¡¯t get what''s going on, y¡¯know. GAELIC Guilt be weighing upon yer shoulders, ah see. ¡®Tis obvious from the way ya walk and talk! LUCAS Me? Guilty? Of what? I did nothing wrong! GAELIC Nothing wrong, ya say?! Ya came out o¡¯ fooking nowhere, that be the wrong! One night yer just an ordinary lad. The next day M¡¯lord suddenly took ya in. An estranged nephew twice-removed with daddy issues? A Red, untrained in the ways o¡¯ magic, yet destined to be a successor? Before ah know it, ya won the heart o¡¯ everyone in House Berendin in a SNAP! Could ya be any more blatant with yer buttering? How DARE ya and yer fangirl girlfriend woo M¡¯lady with such a scrumptious depiction o¡¯ M¡¯lord! Truly despicable, taking advantage of her pining fer family bonds. Ne¡¯er before had ah seen a civilian step foot onto the manor¡¯s grounds so easily! Moreover, Cenna be singing ya a thousand praises. Trusted ya like a fellow soldier, before ya even be a soldier at all. Must ya flirt around with her too? Yer two-timing arse has no business being chummy with another woman behind yer girlfriend¡¯s back! Confess! What be yer goals? Be they fame? Power? And are ya friend? Or are ya foe? LUCAS G-gimme a moment. Your speech is pretty non-standard, so I¡¯m finding it hard to process all that in one go. Let¡¯s see¡­ First off. You¡¯re getting this totally wrong. Cenna is just a normal friend. Totally platonic. Only Tavia is my romantic partner. Second. Fame and power? If I wanted any of that, I would¡¯ve just stayed in my Dad¡¯s company. Third. Why do I have to tell you anything anyway? We¡¯re total strangers. GAELIC That be the game ya wanna play, eh? To wall me off and feign ignorance? Ye ask me, ah think ya just lying to save face. LUCAS Look, I really, REALLY don¡¯t get you. Why are you even going off the rails like this? GAELIC Hisssss, calling me crazy? That shows how little ya know! LUCAS No surprises there, stranger. It¡¯s not like you told me your name. Or anything at all. GAELIC Ah¡¯right. Ah¡¯right. The name be Gaelic Blanc: M¡¯lord¡¯s hunting dog, and Knight o¡¯ Berendin. LUCAS ¡­Knight of Berendin? I thought they disbanded, with the last former knight passing away fifty years ago. GAELIC Well-read, ain¡¯t ya? ¡®Tis true. But the history books dinnae say yer uncle hired a ¡®masked one¡¯ as his new knight. Do ya know what me duty be? To deal with ¡®special troubles¡¯ beyond the scope o¡¯ the Vanquishers. The questionable. The heretical. The dangerous. The unknown. Aye, ah speak o¡¯ folks like ye! [Gaelic slaps the garden swing repeatedly. The iron resonates with every impact.] LUCAS You¡­ you know what happened¡­? GAELIC Aye, aye, aye! Ah know everything. About ye and yer Spiral Mark. [Gaelic leaps off from the swing and lands right in front of Lucas. He presses his helmet up-close against the young one, flaring a purple-orange light beneath the tinted screen. Startled and alarmed, Lucas staggers back.] LUCAS Get away from me, you weird stalker! [Lucas conjures his Mark in his palm, filled with the intent to push Gaelic away. Before he could do anything else, however, Gaelic grabs Lucas and slams the lad down face first onto the grass.] LUCAS ARGH! [The Mark of the Spiral flares up from the sense of danger. In response, Gaelic twists and locks Lucas¡¯ arm behind his back.] GAELIC This power¡­ So wild. So unstable. So proud. A storm churning the waves as if it rules the sea. [The young man struggles under the hold, accompanied with frustrated breaths. With every passing second, his Mark grows more and more out of control.] GAELIC Think ya can win against me, do ya? If ya keep on fighting above yer level, self-destruction be yer sorry end. ¡®Tis the hubris o¡¯ the Determined. [Gaelic takes a deep, long breath close to Lucas¡¯ skin.] GAELIC Aye! Ya really do reek o¡¯ a man born with a silver spoon in yer mouth. A heart this conceited will NE¡¯ER pass The Trial o¡¯ The Crimson Hall! A question ah be asking ya in full offence: do ya think yer the main character o¡¯ this story? Do ya? LUCAS Do I?... [Thinking, Lucas stops struggling. The spiral starts slowing down until he¡¯s lost the will to fight entirely, causing his Mark to then dissipate.] LUCAS Sometimes, I do¡­ Like, when I defeated the big bad last week. I really did think that way. But¡­. ¡­If I¡¯m the main character of my story, why the fuck do I keep needing to get saved by EVERYONE ELSE??? GAELIC Saved? LUCAS Yeah! Saved! Rescued! Whatever the heck you wanna call it! GAELIC Mind elaborating? LUCAS L-look, Mister Knight. Whenever I screw something up, someone else swoops in to the rescue. If it¡¯s not Aunty Lucy, it¡¯s Uncle Mezil. If it¡¯s not Uncle Mezil, it¡¯s Cenna Caraway herself! Heck, I¡¯m only here because my Grandpa saved me to begin with! I¡­ I¡¯m way more of the ¡®damsel in distress¡¯ than a ¡®protagonist¡¯. Even now, I can¡¯t do anything against you. Not on my own, at least. GAELIC So, that guilt¡­ It be from self-pity?... Aye, we be two peas o¡¯ the same pod. [Gaelic lets go, setting the young man free. Lucas gets up and brushes the dirt and grass off. The two stare at each other in an awkward manner.] LUCAS Uhh¡­ Did you really have to Judo throw me? That bloody hurt, you know. It¡¯s not like I was trying to kill you or anything. GAELIC ¡®Tis instinct. In me line o¡¯ work, a single move spells life or death. More so with a dangerous power like Red Magic. Ah take no chances with a Mark. LUCAS Good point there¡­ Okay. That puts your reaction into perspective. I don¡¯t blame you. I¡¯m still trying to grasp all of this too. GAELIC Pray tell, lad, do ya even know what be The Trial o¡¯ The Crimson Hall? LUCAS Honestly¡­ Nobody really told me anything yet. I was supposed to undergo that trial thing when my powers first activated. But, Uncle Mezil decided to train me instead. GAELIC Fer how long? LUCAS The whole summer, give or take three months. GAELIC That be so? Yer a lil¡¯ green fruit, lad. M¡¯lord thinks ya need a bit more ripening. LUCAS Ripening, huh? I do admit, I need more knowledge and experience. Well, Gramps always taught me to listen to my elders. So¡­ what¡¯s your story? I¡¯d like to hear it. GAELIC W-what? Me tale? That¡­ Um¡­ Cor Blimey, what should ah say?¡­ [The man in the helmet paces around for a moment. Then, he stops.] GAELIC About two decades ago, when ah was a lad about yer age, that was when yer uncle turned me life around. Me circumstances¡­ dismal. ¡®An unpredictable, wild, violent beast¡¯, that be what others called me. A mutual banishment happened. Ah was cast out by society, and ah fled from them too. But yer uncle -- dressed darkly, yet sublime in soul -- he dinnae call me a beast, but a person. Despite how ah acted, despite what ah believed, he¡­ he granted me dignity. Soon after that, ah pledged me life to serve him ¡®til the end o¡¯ time. As Knight o¡¯ Berendin, M¡¯lord and M¡¯lady rebuilt me from the ground up. Taught me. Refined me. Mind, body, and spirit, all included. As a result, ah truly became a person, no longer a beast. ¡­Exceptions there be, sometimes. Though, ¡®tis not fer our topic. LUCAS Wow. You had it rough, man. I guess my uncle has a real knack for helping people out of tough spots. GAELIC No truer words had been spoken! See here, lad. In me eyes, yer a possible threat to M¡¯lord. Yer success could mean his end. Many a times ah had seen stories with a new cast replacing the old. Ya think ah would dawdle me thumbs and let that happen in real life? Nay! But¡­ yer actually not half-bad. Many be too frightened to look at me, let alone ask about me past. Ah think ah shall tell ya more about the Trial o¡¯ the Crimson Hall. The general gist o¡¯ things, at least. Deep down under The Spire, there be a special chamber reserved fer those born o¡¯ Red. Those who wish to seal their power enter there fer a nice chat and a Claim on their souls. Yer grandpa took this path. However, those who wish to keep it must undergo a test. An ordeal, one might say. That be yer future if ya choose so. The shape o¡¯ the trial shifts according to the person. Yet, a single point be the same: it pushes ya to yer absolute limits. Ah speak about the possibility o¡¯ death! LUCAS Wait, what? D-death?! For real?! GAELIC Aye, aye. Fer real, fer real. ¡®Tis why none should take the Crimson Hall lightly. Fool around and it may spell an early grave. [Hearing that, Lucas breathes a huge sigh of relief.] GAELIC Huh? Dinnae that frighten ya? LUCAS It¡¯s scary. But¡­ It tells me that this trial is not without rhyme or reason. As long as I don¡¯t faff or loaf around, I might just have a chance. GAELIC Ya sure? Surrender be always on the table, lad. Ya could give up anytime. LUCAS Yeah. I know. Still, it¡¯s something I gotta do if I want to be a Magus. GAELIC Hmmm¡­ So be it. Those o¡¯ Red rarely quit while they be ahead. By the way, it not only be yer uncle there acting as Judge. There be jurors too. Seven o¡¯ them. Accountability be the name o¡¯ the game. That goes fer M¡¯lord too. Even his judgement can be disputed. Aye, the Crimson Hall may even be suspended midway if the jury cries foul. Should fortune be on yer side, ah may be the one in a jury seat, evaluating ya. LUCAS Huh?! Isn¡¯t that a conflict of interest? GAELIC Nay! Nay! It be me duty to assist M¡¯lord in every way possible. He desires the utmost honesty from me and others, even if it means calling him out fer his faults. LUCAS Huh¡­ interesting. Thanks for the info. It helps a lot, I think. Say, I think we got off the wrong foot. Should we, uhm, redo our introductions? GAELIC Aye. Would¡­ would ya accept a handshake? Ah not be ready to call ya a friend just yet, but this be me sign o¡¯ respect, at least. LUCAS Sure thing. [Lucas extends his hand towards Gaelic.] LUCAS I¡¯m Lucas Moriarty. Pleasure to meet you. GAELIC Gaelic be me name. Sir Gaelic Blanc ¡®o Berendin. [Gaelic accepts the young man¡¯s hand.] LUCAS Wow. You¡¯re surprisingly skinny. GAELIC Ya felt that even under these thick, sturdy gloves? LUCAS The underlying texture felt different, somehow. I thought you would be pretty muscular from the way you threw me to the ground, but I guess not. GAELIC Yer perception, ¡®tis sharp. Good, good. Make it sharper still. Ya be needing it, lil¡¯ green fruit. [At long last, Mezil arrives at the garden area, fashionably late.] MEZIL Hmm. It appears that my worries were unfounded. The two of you have come to amicable terms without my intervention. LUCAS ¡­I got flipped upside down. MEZIL Apologies for not arriving sooner to spare you the trouble. GAELIC M¡¯lord, why dinnae ya tell the lad about the ways o¡¯ the Trial? MEZIL Lucas was not yet in the right frame of mind. Though for you to ask this question, you must have already given him an explanation of your own. GAELIC D-did ah make a blunder? MEZIL No. I would have informed him tonight had you not met with him first. We should return to Lucidia and Tavia. It¡¯s almost time for her to return home. LUCAS Oh, is Sir Gaelic joining us? MEZIL Unfortunately, no. Tavia has yet to be granted the necessary clearance to be introduced to him. GAELIC ¡®Tis fine, ah have other duties to attend to. LUCAS Alright. Hey, Gael, thanks for everything! Maybe I¡¯ll see you around? GAELIC If The Almighty wills it, aye. A good evening to ya. [Gaelic disappears into the bushes as swiftly as he came. Lucas and Mezil then head inside. On the way back to the living room, they continue to talk.] MEZIL What¡¯s your impression of him? Of Gaelic, I mean. LUCAS He¡¯s, uhm, a little rough around the edges, but I can tell that he cares about you. A ton. Who is he to you, though? You¡¯ve never mentioned him before. Not even in passing. MEZIL Gaelic, he¡¯s more than a mere employee. I¡¯d say he¡¯s a friend. A partner. A guardian. A brother-in-arms. All those words describe him, yet none of them are sufficient on their own. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ One of my greatest regrets was that I could never clear Gaelic¡¯s name. His life was ruined over a crime he did not commit. At the time, I had grown overconfident from helping Victor Fitzroy, your grandfather¡¯s current assistant¡­ And thus, I failed. [Mezil breathes in deep, calming his emotions.] MEZIL Some Living Victory, I am. [At that point, Mezil and Lucas reach the space where the ladies chatted.] MEZIL We¡¯re here. Go ahead. LUCAS Hey Tavi, how did things go? TAVIA L-L-LUCAS! This is MAJOR news! Our fanclub has gone OFFICIAL! Wait, why are your clothes so dirty? Did something happen in the garden? You have stains here, here, here, and there. [Tavia taps Lucas on the nose. The young man quickly wipes off the spotted spots.] LUCAS Uuuuuuuuuuuh¡­ What was that about the fanclub again? TAVIA Oh! YES! WE¡¯VE GONE OFFICIAL!!! LUCIDIA To be more accurate, House Berendin has agreed to endorse the existence of The Evergreen Court in a ¡®semi¡¯-official capacity to prevent the rampant spread of blatant misinformation. TAVIA Any-official is still official! Do you know what this means, Luccie Sweetie??? LUCAS Uh, actually¡­ no? TAVIA It means Aunt Lucidia herself will be our personal insider source~~~ For example: did you know Uncle Thyme is not a fashionista at all? He may dress fancily, but in reality he finds it a chore to mix and match separate pieces of clothing. LUCAS Huh, so that¡¯s why he seems to wear a really limited range. TAVIA Yup! MEZIL My day-to-day Supreme Judge outfit is custom-made by Lucidia, down to the most minute specifications. My dear wife not only has the graceful finesse needed for the most intricate of tailorings, she also has the keenest eyes for detail in the world. [Though it remains hidden behind her mask, Lucidia blushes from her husband¡¯s praise.] LUCAS Can confirm. Got scanned once and had my privacy invaded. [In turn, Mezil discretely coughs a few times.] TAVIA ¡­I can¡¯t believe this is happening. I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? And it¡¯s all because of this one picture. LUCIDIA As a good friend of mine would say, your picture was quite the ¡®scrumptious depiction¡¯ of my husband. That, along with your fine manners and cheerful demeanour, have warmed my matronly heart. In the coming week, you will get the letter of approval stamped with House Berendin¡¯s seal. MEZIL I¡¯m glad to see that everything turned out well. Miss Tavia -- on behalf of Lucidia and myself -- thank you for gracing us with your presence today. TAVIA I should be thanking House Berendin instead. You have both been so genuinely wonderful to me. It¡¯s so much more than I deserve! I would love to come visit again someday. The magical manor has truly been magical. LUCIDIA And we would be glad to have you. MEZIL Lucas, it¡¯s getting late. Please escort Tavia to her vehicle, then return for your training. The night is still young. LUCAS Yes, sir! TAVIA Have a good evening, everyone. Hope to see you again~ MEZIL Have a good evening. LUCIDIA Rest well, and sleep tight. [END TRANSCRIPT] [Attached file: a digital recreation of Tavia¡¯s gift. Artist: TarableArt]