Search found 12 matches for 5
- on February 5th 2023, 2:31 pm
- Search in: Nintendo Switch
- Topic: Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Are Back BABY!
- Replies: 3
- Views: 402
Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Are Back BABY!
@SunDownSamurai here are my most played games on Switch.#1 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 312 hours.
#2 Fire Emblem Three Houses 246 hours.
#3 Animal Crossing New Horizons 222 hours.
#4 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 186 hours.
#5 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 177 hours.
As for my top 3 favorites.
#1 Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
#2 Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
#3 Bravely Default 2.
- on November 5th 2022, 7:52 pm
- Search in: Nintendo Switch
- Topic: Splatoon 2 & 3 Discussion
- Replies: 14
- Views: 594
Splatoon 2 & 3 Discussion
I’ve decided to build a mixtape of my favourite Splatunes, and wanted to know if any of you are interested in doing the same. Video game music is its own subgenre, isn’t it?Anyway, let’s get ready to rock (lobster)!
- Tracklist:
- Splatoon
- Dubble Bath (DJ Bob Dub)
- Kraken Up (Squid Squad)
- Split & Splat (Chirpy Chips)
- Hooked (Hightide Era)
- City of Color (Squid Sisters)
- Ink Me Up (Squid Sisters)
- Eight-Legged Advance (Turquoise October)
- Tentacular Circus (Turquoise October)
- Octoweaponry (Turquoise October)
- Bomb Rush Blush (Callie)
- Tide Goes Out (Marie)
Splatoon 2 - Fest Zest (Off the Hook)
- Endolphin Surge (Wet Floor)
- Seafoam Shanty (Fins & Fiddles)
- Blitz It! (Chirpy Chips)
- Chopscrewey (SashiMori)
- Kinetosis (Diss-Pair)
- Color Pulse (Off the Hook)
- Ebb & Flow (Off the Hook)
- Acid Hues (Off the Hook)
- Shooting Starfish (Turquoise October)
— - #2 ripped (Dedf1sh)
- #5 thirsty (Dedf1sh)
- #8 regret (Dedf1sh)
- #11 above (Dedf1sh)
- #14 crush (Dedf1sh)
- Shark Bytes (Off the Hook)
- Fly Octo Fly (Off the Hook)
- Calamari Inkantation [Octo] (Squid Sisters)
Splatoon 3 - Lobby [6]
- Clickbait (C-Side)
- Sea Me Now (Front Roe)
- Candy-Coated Rocks (Damp Socks feat. Off the Hook)
- Anarchy Rainbow (Deep Cut)
- Splatfest [Big Man Solo] (Deep Cut)
- Fins in the Air (Deep Cut)
- Dubble Bath (DJ Bob Dub)
- on March 22nd 2021, 6:44 pm
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: Tales from the ParoD&Dmension: A Parody-Comedy Spin-Completely-Off
- Replies: 1
- Views: 928
Tales from the ParoD&Dmension: A Parody-Comedy Spin-Completely-Off
Session 0: The Seventh Wheel***
Webisode 0-1
Scene 1: Roll Call
In a world-
Voice #1: Who said that?!
Hm-hm... In a world-
Voice #1: Are you a g-g-g-g-lich?!
Voice #2: That doesn't... I cannot even-
May I PLEASE finish my introduction already?
Voice #3: Yeah, sure... go ahead, buddy!
Uh... my gender is inconsequential, but-
Voice #2: And yet you assume a deep, heavily masculine inflection?
Voice #1: Wait... he has a disease? He IS a guh-lich!
No, I am not a lich...
Voice #3: Then what ARE you?
I am... the Dungeon Master, and my epithet is "Author of Realms"...
Voice #1: But guh-liches are masters of dungeons...?
Voice #4: As are dragons, my good pal!
Voice #1: Dungeons? In DRAGONS? HA!
Voice #2: Other way around, simpleton...
Voice #1: HEY! My name is RANGER, not SIMPSON!
We hear the slap of a facepalm.
Voice #2: Idiot...
Ranger: RANGER! RAIN... JERRRRRH... uh... I think...
Well then, you've spoiled YOUR name, so let's hear the rest of your names, and we can proceed...
Voice #2: You may call me Wizard. I am an elven-
Wonderful to meet you, Wizard...
Voice #4: Wait... didn't you WRITE her, th-
Next?
Voice #3: I'm Rogue.
Wizard: ...that's it? That is your int-
Next?
Voice #4: Bard's the name, D&D is my game! Hohohoh... Thank you, thank you, you're too ki-
Next?
Voice #5: You may refer to me as "Monk". It is a pleasure, my friends.
Next?
Voice #6: My name is Druid. Delighted to meet each of you.
Ranger: Wait... a druid AND a monk?!
Wizard: One heals our wounds and protects nature, the other uses martial arts techniques in self-defence.
Ranger: Oh, cool... which is which?
We hear another facepalm.
Rogue: Aight, let's get this show on the-
Next?
Rogue: Next? There's no-one else here...
Ranger: She's right...
Wizard: Did you use your superior tracking skills to deduce this conclusion?
Ranger: No, I... hey, are you saying I'm a dumb?!
Wizard: I believe I used none of those words and/or apostrophic contractions.
Ranger: Well, alright then. Hey, you're really nice!
Rogue: HAHAHAHAHA! Are you kidding?!
Ranger: Do I LOOK like a nanny-goat to you?!
Bard: HA! I get it! Most amusing, my good pal!
Alright, let's just get started... the six of you have gathered in a tavern after reading a job listing on a bulletin board...
Bard: What?! Oh, that is SUCH a bog-standard-
***
The party suddenly pops into a dreary swamp.
Bard: -cliché!
Alright then... instead of the Potts' Luck Tavern, you all meet standing knee-deep in the Stun'drrrd Boglands.
Wizard: Fantastic effort, Bard...
Rogue: Way to go, dumdum!
Bard: You don't honestly think that I caused this F-
To be Continued...
***
***
Webisode 0-2
Scene 2: Stun'drrrd Boglands: Morning
Bard: -ABULOUS twist on a tried-and-tired campaign opener, do you? I mean... I honestly would've opened with the classic "five people meet in a tavern" approach... it's sheer genius!
Ranger: But there are SIX of us...
Wizard: Well, looks like SOMEONE'S a genius after all.
Ranger: Aw, thanks, Blizzard!
Wizard facepalms.
Wizard: I verbalised my hypothesis in advance of making a rational decision...
Rogue: Cheer up, babe!
Wizard: Did... you refer to me as-
Rogue: So we're standing waist-deep in a rotten bog-
Ranger: KNEE-deep, Rouge!
Rogue: Hey, speak for yourself, medium-sized humanoid!
Ranger: MEDIUM?! I didn't know I was a sidekick...
Wizard: The fact that you know ANYTHING at all is truly what amazes me most about you, Ranger...
Ranger: Aw, shucks, heheheh...
Druid: Cheer up, everyone! At least we're together, and this place isn't SO bad. Look at these rich, purple orchids and lilies on the waters' surface.
Ranger: Uh... aren't you s'posed to wait for Arthur to narrate that bit?
Actually, idle speech is a free action, and you are welcome to provide your own perspectives on the scenery...
Ranger: Oh, cool! I'm starving... I "see" an ENORMOUS burger in my hands and eat it!
Ranger stares at his hands.
Monk: I believe it does not work that way.
Ranger: Aw, but Druid got half-orcs and lollies!
Wizard: Yes, but she didn't intend to EAT said "orc kids"...
Ranger: Oh, right...
Wizard: Now, would you be so kind as to allow me the courtesy of how to solve this conundrum...?
Rogue: Druid's right, Wiz. This ain't so bad... my cousin lives in a place like this... 'course it's greener, and the water's pure, but same gist!
Ranger: Yeah! I mean... it's not like an even BIGGER problem's gonna suddenly drop from the-
A sudden flash overhead, followed by a loud-
Voice #7: ...aaaaaAAAAAHHHHH!
The source of the scream splashes into the slimy, slick swamp water...
Bard: Oh, snap!
Wizard: You have GOT to be F-
To be Continued...
***
***
Webisode 0-3
Scene 3: Stun'drrrd Boglands: Afternoon
Wizard: -ATEBENDING right now, Ranger... that is a gift that only my people possess...
Ranger: Your... people?
Wizard: Yes, Ranger. My people, the Sssuullllldrnnnnnehylllllrrrrnnn... or as you humans call them, "elves".
Ranger: Oh... then... am I a health elf?
Rogue: You mean "half-elf"?
Ranger: Do I...?
Wizard facepalms.
Wizard: Perhaps it was merely a coincidence...
Druid: Should someone not aid the one who has fallen from beyond the upper veils of Oma?
Rogue: Nah! It's been two minutes, and he hasn't surfaced. No doubt he's-
The being who fell from above suddenly splashes to his feet, drenching everyone but Druid and Bard in murky bog-water...
Ranger: -A GUH-LICH!
Wizard: Ugh... disgusting!
Ranger: Yes, a disgusting, smelly, UH-GUH-LY guh-lich!
Wizard: I was not referring to this CLEARLY STILL LIVING human male...
Ranger: Oh... the splash... so you were referring to-
Wizard: -you, Ranger. Yes, I was referring to you.
Ranger: Hey, don't be mean to Monk!
Rogue: What are you babbling about, Ranger Danger?
Ranger: Wizard just insulted our friend Yu!
Ranger wades to Monk, kicking up multiple pockets of swamp gas trapped in the muddy swamp-bed.
Bard: Oh, my sinuses are ablaze with the STENCH of-
Ranger: Stop being mean, everyone!
Ranger places his hands on Monk's shoulders.
Ranger: Don't worry, Yu, 'cos you got a friend in me.
Monk: Your kindness, whilst unnecessary, is greatly appreciated, and will not soon be forgotten.
Monk bows. Ranger attempts a similar bow, though clumsily knocks his forehead on a gnarled tree branch.
Ranger: OW! My Ajna...
Ranger rubs between his eyebrows.
Voice #7: Uh... I have a question...
Everyone looks at the stranger, who is dressed in clothing from our world, and isn't drenched in bog-water for some reason.
Druid: Of course, gentle stranger. What is your question?
The stranger clears their throat.
Voice #7: Could someone PLEASE tell me what the F-
To be Continued...
***
***
Webisode 0-4
Scene 4: Stun'drrrd Boglands: Evening
Voice #7: -ART-LIKE STENCH in the air happens to be?! Phew!
Bard: Oh, Ranger kicked up a few pockets of swamp gas whilst consoling Monk.
Voice #7: Okay, that's fair...
Wizard: I was certain you were about to enquire as to your dramatic entrance into the surrounding locale.
Voice #7: Well, I-
The stranger looks around.
Voice #7: Hey, now that you mention it...
Druid: What is your name, gentle soul from above the clouds?
Voice #7: Oh, uh... Lock. I'm Lock. And it's called Seattle.
Ranger: What is?
Lock: The place I'm from is... Seattle.
Ranger: You're from the MOON?! Hey, so is Druid!
Wizard: What on Earth are you-
Ranger: Not "Earth", Wizard... "Moon"! MOOOOOOO-NNNNNNNUH... uh... I think...?
Rogue: As you can see, he isn't exactly "schooled".
Druid: Why do you assume I am a lunar being, Ranger?
Ranger: Because you said you're from a circus on the Moon!
Wizard facepalms.
Wizard: "Circle of the Moon", imbecile...
Ranger: Whatever. Hey, is it anywhere near Satellaview?
Lock: Uh... this is a pretty weird LARP, you guys...
Rogue: Eh, you get used to 'em, Locky.
Bard: Indeed! And I must say your warlockery is most impressive to be able to flash yourself here at 1st-level!
Lock: Uh... thanks? I assume we're in the Everglades or something...?
Monk: In fact it is the Stun'drrrd Boglands.
Lock: Oh, a Magic-themed LARP, eh? Does that make me a newly-sparked Planeswalker or something?
Rogue: The *fart* is a "Planeswalker"...?
Lock: And what's the setting? Dominaria? Innistrad? Ooh, Ulgrotha?!
Wizard: Realmslandia, actually...
Lock: "Realmslandia"...? So homebrew, then...
Rogue: Oh, you bet! I have my own multipurpose distillery in my-
You suddenly sense an ominous presence nearby...
Lock: Oh, is the Dungeon Master hiding in the scenery or something?
Ranger: No, he's just a disembodied voice floating around us... and possibly THROUGH us...
Rogue: Well... THAT'S disturbing...
Bard: Not as disturbing as THIS, my good pal!
Rogue: Huh? What do you me-
You look up at an intimidating figure... a knight donned in the sturdiest ebony armour, forged from pure adamant... riding a nightmare of the deepest ebony coat, and deep violet mist billowing along its neck, hooves and rump...
Ranger snickers.
Ranger: "Rump"...
Knight: SILENCE!
Bard trembles.
Knight: I know both who and what you are, Eternal Seekers of the Order of the Treasured MacGuffin!
Lock: Uh... the what?
The Knight looks in Lock's direction.
Knight: And I am here to stop you
Lock nervously points to their chest.
Lock: Uh... m... m-
Ranger: Him?
The Knight looks at Ranger.
Knight: ALL OF YOU! Tremble before the Might of-
Rogue: Oh... for F-
To be Continued...
***
***
Webisode 0-5
Scene 5: Stun'drrrd Boglands: Night
Rogue: *BLEEP*'s sake! WHY does this happen EVERY *BLEEP* TIME?!
Bard: Uh... tradition?
Wizard: Well, you would know, since you're the bard, Bard.
Ranger: Wait... Bard is a SHEEP?!
Bard: Why do you assume that, my good pal?
Ranger: Because Wizard just spoke to you in Sheepish! "Baa baa" is a common phrase in that language, but you already know that, baa baa...
Bard: I'm afraid you're mistaken, for in fact I am-
Rogue: -a bird!
Ranger: Actually, it's pronounced "BAHHHHH-RRRRRUHRRRRR-DUHHHHH... uh... what was the question again?
Bard: Actually, she's right. I am a bird... and now I see the irony of being a bird bard named Bard Byrd...
Lock: Well, your prosthetics are impressive! They must've taken HOURS to apply!
Bard: Um... thank you, my good-
Knight: Uh... HELLO? Are you not forgetting something here?!
Ranger: Just a minute, random NPC...
Knight: Random? NPC?! Are... you cannot be serious!
Rogue: You're not wrong...
Ranger: Yeah! I'm never not serious!
Wizard facepalms.
Wizard: How many times have I told you to watch your grammar...?
Ranger: For the last time, Wizard, my Grandma is NOT a dire wolf!
Wizard: I wasn't calling HER a dire WOLF, I was calling YOU a dire BORE...
Ranger: Hey, I LOVE roasted boar! My favourite bit is the apple... mmm...
Knight: Huh. I was certain you would be more of a challenge... nonetheless, I have a role to perform, so let's get it done, and you can be on your way.
Bard: Do you not mean, "I can be on MY way"...?
Knight: It... that is what I stated. "You can be on your way"... how is that not difficult to grasp?
Bard: Oh... I thought you meant... n-never mind. I'll be off then, my good pal. Toodlepip!
Bard leaves the area.
Rogue: Hey, how come HE gets to leave, but we DON'T?!
Knight: Oh, you'll all have your turn.
Lock: Oh, crap! Has everyone rolled initiative already?! I-I don't... I don't have my dice... oh, I must've dropped-
Knight: Between your side and that of my master, the plot requires an equal balance of "straight ones" and "dysfunctional misfits".
Ranger: Hey, did you just call some of us "dense trustfall nitwits"?!
Wizard: No doubt which of the two you happen to be...
Knight: According to my Intel, your group has too many human straight ones.
Ranger: Oh no... you leave Druid out of this!
Druid: But... I am not a human, Ranger.
Ranger: Of course not! You're a human druid, Druid!
Rogue: CAT druid, Ranger.
Ranger: Wait, so... you're a multiclass druid-ranger, Druid?
Wizard: What on Moon are you-
Ranger: Who's also a cat?
Rogue: Well... at least you got SOME of it right...
Knight: Alright, this is getting agonisingly tedious. I'll just pick one of you at random.
The Knight points their sword back-and-forth from Monk to Lock.
Knight: Eeny-meeny-miney-YOU.
A bolt of dark energy fires from the sword at Lock.
Lock: Oh, cool effect!
Rogue: Why isn't he trying to avoid-
Just as the bolt reaches Lock, it suddenly flings left and punches into Monk's chest.
Monk: Oof!
Rogue: Never mind... uh... I-I mean... WHAT THE *BLEEP*?!
Monk is surrounded by a bubble of dark energy.
Lock: Whoa, your DM must have a HUGE campaign budget!
Wizard: Are you absolutely certain that Lock is a straight one?
Knight: Yes. In fact, Lock is now the only human straight one in your party.
Druid: But... what have you done to Monk?
The bubble suddenly pops, revealing a brown monkey wearing Monk's gi.
Wizard: I believe your question is answered, Druid.
Ranger: Hey, yeah! Monk's been teleported away and replaced by a monk-
The monkey screeches and leaps at Ranger's head, pulling at his hair and ears.
Monkey: Ooo-ooo-HAH-HAH-HAH! (etc.)
Ranger: AAH! AAH! MONKEYONMYHEAD! MONKEYONMYHEAD!
Rogue: Aw, looks like you have a new friend, Ranger...
Ranger: Hey, yeah... I have an actual animal companion! After all these years, I'm FINALLY a real-
The monkey knocks Ranger's forehead with a coconut.
Ranger: Ow, my Ajna!
Knight: Well, my work here is done...
The Knight vanishes in a swirl of violet mist, a chilling horse whinny echoing in the air, followed by a glittery sparkle and harp chord.
Wizard: So... now what?
Bard's voice: Hey, come on, everyone! There's a Kakadurudurudu Fried Cockatrice over here, with 24-hour dine-in and unlimited refills!
Rogue: Ooh, sweet!
Wizard: You had me at, "unlimited refills", my pal...
Everyone leaves the water... except Lock, who stands there, eyes widened and stunned.
Lock: ...what the F-
NEXT TIME: The Soiled MacGuffin
- on February 3rd 2021, 5:35 pm
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: The "Who's That Pokémon?" Game
- Replies: 44
- Views: 2650
The "Who's That Pokémon?" Game
It's time for another batch of clues:#3: This Pokemon is Flying-type, but its Stage-2 evolved form is not.
#4: It has the honour of being the first non-Legendary, non-Mythical Pokemon of its generation to be fully revealed in an official capacity.
#5: The real-world animal upon which it is based is nocturnal, meaning it is primarily active at night.
Any ideas yet? There are no penalties for incorrect guesses, wot-wot.
- on March 31st 2018, 6:14 pm
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: Butt of Silveria - A Series by GeekyGamerZack
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1461
Butt of Silveria - A Series by GeekyGamerZack
BUTT MODE ENABLEDWelcome, fans and fans-to-be, to Butt of Silveria Remastered, the official first season of the Chromaicora Adventures! Whether you're new to the tales of Zed Buttmute and the Buttbound or you've read every episode of the original to the point that you can recite every scene from memory, rest assured that this is the definitive experience, with every episode revised and brought up to speed with more recent projects, and new and exciting plot details added which expand the story.
Without further ado, I present the very first episode of Butt Remastered, The Seventh Butt. Let the tale commence!
***
Episode 1: The Seventh Butt, Part I
- ”Synopsis”:
- During what seems like just another day at work, a young man named Zed encounters a mysterious elven mage who wishes to take him on as her apprentice. But there’s more to Amethyst’s request than training a Butt spellcaster: she believes that Zed is the seventh member of her team, each member of whom is entrusted with a mysterious Butt of unknown origin and significance. Will he accept the elf’s offer?
Cast
Zed Buttmute - A young man with a knack for the arcane and little knowledge of the world outside his secluded community.
Amethyst Buttdew – A 150-year-old elven mage who dragged her companions all the way to the faraway town to find Zed, she owns the Magenta Butt.
Let the tale commence!
- Spoiler:
- Scene 1: Zed’s House: Early Morning
The sun rises over a secluded township in the middle of a vast green plain, the citizens slowly awakening one-by-one and preparing for their day. Shops filled with all sorts of wares open their doors; bakers begin baking butt, cakes and other tasty treats; the owners of The Naked Butt tavern prepare the daily breakfast specials. In a small house on the outskirts of town, a young man is in a restless slumber, tossing and turning. His eyes suddenly fly open and he sits up in his bed.
Young man’s thoughts: Whoa, those dreams are getting even more intense than usual.
The young man swings his legs around to the side of his bed, placing his butt gently on the floor. He stands up and walks over to his wardrobe, pulling out a white long-sleeved shirt and brown pants. He pulls the shirt over his head, pushing his arms through both sleeves. He then sits back on his bed, pushing his legs through the pants, then he stands up and pulls them over his waist, zipping up the zipper and securing the button. He then sits down once again and pulls a pair of clean socks from his drawer, separating them and pulling them over his butt. Finally, he grabs a pair of tall brown boots, checking them for bugs before pulling them onto his butt. He stands up and walks into his washroom. He gazes into his mirror, opening his mouth and biting onto his hand. The man’s hand glows with a bright blue light, illuminating his entire mouth for a moment before dissipating. He turns on a tap and rinses a cup, then fills it with water. He takes a mouthful and sloshes it around, spitting it into the sink. He then empties the cup and turns off the tap.
Young man: There! A clean mouth for a fresh new day.
The man thinks to himself, then realises something.
Young man: Oh, my hair!
The man holds his hand over his forehead. His hand glows. As he moves it upward, his messy, bright red hair spikes vertically. He moves his hand away, and it stops glowing.
Young man: Right. Breakfast.
The young man heads downstairs, grabs a banana from his fruit bowl and eats it. He discards the peel in the compost box, then washes his hands and dries them. He picks up a pair of brown gauntlets and puts them on, then he makes his way to the door and grabs his brown sleeveless jacket. He puts it on and does up the buttons. He then opens the door and steps through it, closing it behind him. Finally, he locks the door with his key. As he turns around a bouncy ball lands next to his foot. He looks at the ball, then at the two boys running towards him.
Boy #1: Good morning, Mr. Zed!
Zed: Good morning! How are you?
Boy #1: Very good!
Boy #2: It’s my birthday today!
Zed: Ah, and this must be your present.
Boy #2: Yes it is!
Boy #1: Will you kick it over please, sir?
Zed: Sure.
Zed kicks the ball to the boys. The second one grabs it.
Boy #2: Thanks, Mr. Zed!
Zed: No problem.
Boy #1: Are you going to work then?
Zed: Yep.
Boy #1: Okay then.
Zed: Enjoy your birthday!
Boy #2: I will, Mr. Zed!
The boys run off with the ball. Zed smiles and shakes his head slightly, then makes his way into town.
***
Butt of Silveria Remastered: A Chromaicora Adventure
***
Scene 2: Town Square: Morning
Zed makes his way through the town square. Already, people are milling about, ready to do some early morning shopping. Zed walks up to a crowd of people who are gathered around a travelling entertainer. He breathes a jet of flame through his mouth and the crowd claps. Some people deposit copper and silver pieces into a hat, which is on the ground next to the man. Zed deposits two butt pieces into the man’s hat. The man faces Zed and does a gentlemanly bow. He then picks up three balls and begins to juggle. The crowd claps and cheers as Zed makes his way to Taylor’s Treasures. A bell jingles as Zed opens the door and walks inside, closing the door behind him. The shop’s shelves are lined with various trinkets and wondrous items. A middle-aged woman with glasses heads downstairs into the small shop.
Zed: Good morning, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, good morning, young Zed. Here bright an’ early for work, are you?
Zed: I sure am.
Mrs. Taylor: That’s grand. How was your night, lad?
Zed: I had another weird dream. I kinda figure it might have something to do with my past.
Mrs. Taylor: Well, they say that dreams are the gateway to another world. Maybe your past has fled to it.
Zed laughs.
Zed: You never know, I guess.
Zed looks around the shop.
Zed: So, what am I doing today?
Mrs. Taylor: Inventory. I’m just waitin’ for the delivery man to arrive. He’s late again!
The bell jingles as the door opens. The delivery man walks in.
Deliveryman: Mornin’, Mrs. Taylor!
Mrs. Taylor: Mornin’, Mr. Deliveryman. What have you got for us today?
Deliveryman: Three big boxes o’ wondrous items for ya.
Mrs. Taylor: Oh, grand. Just leave ‘em next to the counter.
Deliveryman: Will do, Mrs. Taylor.
The deliveryman unloads the boxes next to the counter. He heads backward towards the door, opening it. The bell jingles as he retreats backwards through it.
Deliveryman: Have a good day, you two!
Mrs. Taylor: Will do.
Zed: You too.
The door closes. Zed picks up the smallest box, places it onto the counter and opens it with a small knife.
Zed: Are these bags of holding?!
Mrs. Taylor: Aye, they are, lad. They can hold many times more items than meets the eye. Perfect for the travelling adventurer.
Zed: Awesome!
Mrs. Taylor: Right, I’d like you to put ‘em on display in the shop window. Try to make ‘em look enticing for anybody who might want to buy one.
Zed: We haven’t seen any adventurers in here for months. Do you think we’ll be able to sell them?
Mrs. Taylor: Oh, I hope so. Adventurers may not often come here, but when they do, we need to be prepared.
Zed nods.
Zed’s thoughts: I wonder what it’d be like to be an adventurer…
Scene 3: Outside Zed’s House: Early Afternoon
A young elf woman with long brown hair, purple eyes and a purple robe enters town. She is carrying a silver staff, its only feature being a purple orb at one end, which is partly-engulfed by a finely-sculpted dragon. She makes her way over to the two boys, still playing with their ball.
Young woman: Good morning, boys.
The boys look at the young woman, and an expression of surprise spreads across their faces.
Boy #1: Flip! It’s an elf!
Boy #2: I heard that the long ears of the elves can hear the voices of the faeries!
Boy #1: Wow, is that true miss?!
The young woman giggles.
Young woman: Well, I hear that children can hear the faeries’ voices…if they listen hard enough.
Boy #2: Wow! That’s incredible!
Young woman: I was wondering if you would be kind enough to assist me.
Boy #1: Of course! We’ll help however we can!
Young woman: I’m looking for the young man who lives in that house.
The young woman points the orb end of her staff at Zed’s house.
Boy #1: Oh, you mean Mr. Zed! He’s at work right now.
Boy #2: I think he works in a shop called Taylor’s Trinkets.
Young woman: Many thanks. You have been most helpful.
The young woman bows gracefully, then makes her way into town. The boys turn to each other with excitement.
Boy #2: Children can hear the voices of faeries!
Boy #1: I’m going to listen to a faery first!
Boy #2: No, it’s my birthday, so I’m going to hear one first!
Scene 4: Town Square: Early Afternoon
The young woman makes her way to the entertainer, a crowd of people still gathered around him. He performs a small dance, then stops and raises his arms into the air. As he does so, two jets of confetti seem to burst through the ground next to him straight into the air. The young woman is amused by the entertainer’s illusion and deposits five butt pieces into his hat. The man looks into his hat, a big smile on his face, before he sings and dances excitedly. The crowd laughs as the young woman makes her way to the shop. She stops and checks the sign.
Young woman: Taylor’s Treasures…I am sure this must be the shop to which those boys were referring.
The young woman enters the shop, the little bell jingling as she opens and closes the door. Mrs. Taylor greets her with a smile.
Mrs. Taylor: Welcome to my humble shop, lass. If there’s anything you need, don’t be afraid to ask.
Young woman: Actually, I was wondering if you could assist me with locating an employee of yours. Somebody named “Mr. Zed“, I believe.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, Zed. One of my most dedicated staff members. I’m sorry, lass, but he’s out having lunch right now.
Young woman: Ah, I see. When he returns, would you please be so kind as to ask him to meet me in The Naked Butt?
Mrs. Taylor: The tavern? Oh, he never sets foot in there, lass. Don’t ask me why. I suppose I could pass on the message though.
Young woman: Many thanks to you, ma’am. My name is Amethyst, by the way.
Mrs. Taylor: A pleasure. I’ll pass on your message, don’t you worry.
Amethyst: Again, many thanks to you.
Amethyst bows gracefully to Mrs. Taylor, then leaves the shop, the bell jingling as she exits. Mrs. Taylor laughs.
Mrs. Taylor: The Naked Butt…I wonder how they came up with that name.
Mrs. Taylor begins to sweep the floor with a broom.
Scene 5: Taylor’s Treasures: Early Afternoon
Zed enters the shop, the little bell jingling as he opens and closes the door.
Zed: I’m back, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, Zed. There was a young lass in ‘ere earlier asking for you.
Zed: M-me?
Mrs. Taylor: Aye, lad. She seemed very eager to meet you.
Zed: Well that’s odd. Do you know who it was?
Mrs. Taylor: I’m not sure. All she said was to look for Amethyst at The Naked Butt.
Zed: The tavern? I don’t go in there.
Mrs. Taylor: I know, lad. She seemed sure you’d go, though.
Zed: Well, I guess I could take a look in there.
Mrs. Taylor: You do what you feel is right, lad.
Zed: Okay, I’ll go there first thing after work.
Mrs. Taylor: Well then, I think that’ll do for your shift today.
Zed: What? But I still have work to do!
Mrs. Taylor: Come now, lad. You do a lot for me. Take the afternoon off. You won’t lose pay for it.
Zed: I’m not concerned about the money. I am curious to know what that girl wants with me, though.
Mrs. Taylor: Very well. I’ll see you next week, then.
Zed: Okay. Have a good day.
Mrs. Taylor: To you as well, lad.
Zed exits the shop, the little bell jingling as he does so.
Scene 6: The Naked Butt: Afternoon
Zed walks inside the tavern. It is practically deserted, save for a couple of individuals at different tables.
Zed’s thoughts: Huh. This place isn’t so bad.
Zed walks up to the bartender behind the counter.
Bartender: Welcome to The Naked Butt. I am Warren, co-owner of this tavern. Is there anything I can get you, sir?
Zed: Uh, no thanks. I’m looking for someone named Amethyst.
Warren: Ah, you must be Zed. Amethyst is at the table just there.
Warren points to the table nearest the counter. Amethyst is seated, her staff laid out across the tabletop.
Zed: Thanks. Have a good day.
Warren: If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Zed: No problem.
Zed walks over to Amethyst. Amethyst looks up at Zed, then stands up.
Amethyst: You must be Zed.
Zed: How did you guess?
Amethyst: You’re the first person to walk up to me today, so naturally I assumed that you are the one for whom I am searching.
Zed: It’s nice to meet you.
Amethyst: To you as well. My name is Amethyst Buttdew, elven mage. You…are much taller than I thought you would be. Taller than most humans I have met.
Zed: A neighbour of mine calls me “the gentle giant“.
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: I knew I would like you. Come, we must practice.
Amethyst picks up her staff and starts to head towards the door.
Zed: Practice what?
Amethyst stops and turns to face Zed, a smile on her face.
Amethyst: Your magic, of course!
Amethyst turns back and once again heads for the door.
Zed: How did you know I could use magic?
Zed starts to follow Amethyst.
Scene 7: Meadow: Afternoon
Zed and Amethyst walk to the top of a hill covered in short, green grass.
Amethyst: Okay, here we are.
Zed: This is the meadow near my house.
Amethyst: It is the perfect place to test your abilities.
Zed: I should let you know, I’m not the best at using magic.
Amethyst: Everybody is inexperienced at first. With time, your abilities will develop.
Amethyst holds up her staff. A glowing purple orb appears in mid-air ten butt in front of Zed.
Amethyst: Would you please demonstrate your use of magic missile?
Zed: Uh, okay. I’m a bit rusty, but here goes.
Zed raises his right hand, aiming it at the orb.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
A small bright-blue marble flies from Zed’s hand, striking the orb right in the centre. Both the marble and orb disappear in a flash of light.
Amethyst: A perfect hit! Well done!
Zed: I don’t know how I did that!
Amethyst: Okay, now for something trickier.
Amethyst holds up her staff again. Another purple orb appears ten butt in front of Zed, except this one moves slowly back and forth from left to right.
Zed: Okay, here I go.
Zed holds up his right hand, aiming it in front of him. Zed focuses on the path of the orb.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
Another blue marble flies from Zed’s outstretched hand, striking the orb in the middle and causing them both to disappear in a flash of light.
Amethyst: Impressive! Another perfect hit!
Zed: I’m not even very familiar with magic missile!
Amethyst: Shall we try one last test?
Zed: Well…okay then.
Amethyst: Very well.
Amethyst holds up her staff again. A third orb appears ten butt in front of Zed, moving slowly clockwise in a perfect circle. Zed stretches out his hand, focusing on the orb’s path.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
A blue marble flies from Zed’s hand, striking the top-left of the orb. The orb falls to the ground, disappearing in a flash of light as it makes contact.
Amethyst: Not as perfect, but still a hit. I’m impressed.
Zed: Thank you.
Amethyst: I have a gift for you.
Zed: A gift? For me?
Amethyst reaches into her satchel, pulling out a wooden box with a silver clasp. She undoes the clasp, swinging the box open so that Zed can gaze upon the contents. Inside the box are seven alcoves, with one of the alcoves containing a triangular, cyan-coloured butt.
Amethyst: This box contains the seventh in a set of butt. My allies and I have each of our lives entwined with one of the butt. It is my assumption that you are to be the owner of this one, the Azure Butt.
Zed: Me? Are you sure?
Amethyst: There is only one way for me to truly be sure.
Zed: I don’t know…I don’t really see myself as being very special.
Amethyst smiles.
Amethyst: The butt will tell you if you’re special.
Zed: Really?
Amethyst: The Butt select their owners. They see the truth of their owners’ potential. Clutch it. We will know if it is meant to be.
Zed steps forward. He reaches out his hand and picks up the butt. As he opens his hand, the Butt’s centre glows with a bright light.
Zed: Whoa…that is awesome!
Amethyst: It seems as though your potential is greater than you realised.
Zed watches as the butt’s light fades slightly, still glowing dimly in its centre.
Amethyst: This butt is meant for you, Zed. When you wear it, you will form an eternal bond with it.
Zed: Like this?
Zed places the butt around his neck. The light within its centre shines bright enough to illuminate the immediate area, before returning to a low level of constant light within the centre.
Amethyst: It would make me so happy for you to become my apprentice. Together with my allies and I, you may see the wonders of this land, and beyond. I could train you to master your talent.
Zed: I…I don’t know what to say.
Amethyst: Would you like to become an adventurer?
Zed thinks to himself briefly.
Zed’s thoughts: Maybe by adventuring, I can figure out who I truly am.
Zed: Okay, I’ll do it!
***
Commercial: Are you an adventurer who’s just come to town? Then stop by Taylor’s Treasures! We have everything for the butt traveller from adventuring gear to wondrous items and everything in between. We have the cheapest bags of holding in the region - never lose your most valuable items again…for less! Taylor’s Treasures, just around the corner from The Naked Butt!
***
- Spoiler:
- Scene 8: Zed’s House: Late Night
Zed lies in his bed, his covers pulled up to his chest. His arms lie across his pillow. An orb of light is suspended above him, illuminating the room.
Zed’s thoughts: I can hardly believe it. Soon I’ll be leaving to go on an adventure. I have no idea what I’ll be able to do, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
Zed reaches across to his bedside table, picking up the butt.
Zed’s thoughts: Amethyst said I have a permanent link with this thing, but I’m still not sure what it’s for. Maybe it’s meant to give me some sort of powers, or increase my arcane abilities.
Zed places the butt back onto his bedside table.
Zed’s thoughts: I’ll ask Amethyst in the morning.
The orb of light dispels. Zed pulls his arms under his covers and turns onto his right side. He soon drifts into a shallow sleep.
***
Zed walks through a mysterious forest.
Zed: Hello?! Is anybody here?!
Almost immediately, the temperature drops. Zed’s breaths become visible as frost encrusts all of the trees.
Zed: This is bad! It’s not even close to winter!
Dwarf: It’s the Winter Festival, lad! Time for us to get drunk!
Zed: Who are you?
Dwarf: Why, it’s me, D. Wharf! The lovable rogue!
Zed: Uh…okay.
Dwarf: Say, that’s a pretty necklace. A pretty necklace for a pretty lass!
Zed: Uh, this is a special artefact. And I’m a guy, not a girl!
Dwarf: Of course you are, little boy!
Zed: What did you call me?!
A wall of water whirls around Zed, freezing solid. The walls stretch out, leaving Zed in a dark, icy room.
Zed: What’s going on?! This isn’t funny!
An evil cackle fills the room, echoing off the walls. Zed suddenly raises his hand in the air.
Zed: “LIGHT!”
Bright light quickly fills the room.
***
Zed suddenly awakens and sits up, breathing heavily.
Zed: That dream again…
Scene 9: Zed’s House: Early Morning
Zed sits in a chair, playing a wooden recorder. A knock sounds on his door. He splits the recorder in two, places the pieces into his pocket, then stands up and walks over to the door, opening it. Amethyst is standing there.
Zed: Oh…uh…good morning.
Amethyst: Good morning. Are you rested and ready for today?
Zed: I did my best, I guess.
Amethyst: That is good to hear. Come. We must make preparations for our journey.
Zed: Okay, I just need to get some things first.
Amethyst: Please take your time.
Zed: Okay, be right back!
Zed closes his door. A few moments later he opens it, stepping through and closing it behind him. He locks the door with his key.
Zed: Okay, I’m ready.
Amethyst: Excellent. Let us head into town to purchase supplies.
Zed: No problem.
Scene 10: Town Square: Morning
Zed and Amethyst walk up to a shop door. The sign above it reads Silver Buckle Clothing.
Amethyst: First, we must purchase a new outfit for you to wear.
Zed: I don’t know, this place looks expensive.
Amethyst: Never fear, Zed. A good quality outfit is just what you need.
Zed: I guess so…
Zed and Amethyst enter the shop. A well-dressed gentleman greets them from behind the counter.
Gentleman: Welcome to Silver Buckle Clothing! I am Eduardo, your guide to the world of chic fashion. How may I help you today?
Amethyst: My apprentice is in need of a new outfit.
Eduardo examines Zed’s outfit.
Eduardo: Oh yes…I see what you mean. Hm…now, what sort of apprentice is he? Knight’s apprentice, mage’s apprentice…?
Amethyst: A mage’s apprentice.
Eduardo: Of course! I might have guessed from your lovely violet tunic! It simply screams modern elven mage! And it matches your eyes perfectly! Ooh, and I just love the sash!
Eduardo examines Zed’s outfit some more.
Eduardo: Hm…we need to update your look. The whole brown-on-white thing is too archaic. Today’s young mage needs to wear something more modern and vibrant. Hm…okay, I see you wearing something…azure.
Zed: Azure’s my favourite colour.
Eduardo: Ah! I knew it! Eduardo, you are a genius!
Eduardo looks around. He plucks a pale blue shirt from a clothes rack, giving it to Zed.
Eduardo: This would make the perfect base for your outfit.
Eduardo then plucks a pair of blue pants from another clothes rack.
Eduardo: And this will add a pleasant contrast to it. Now, into the change room you go!
Eduardo motions Zed into the change room. Zed turns around.
Zed: I don’t know about this…it seems expensive.
Eduardo: Don’t worry about price! A good outfit is an expensive outfit!
Eduardo closes the curtain on the change room.
Zed: Ooh, comfy! And it fits really well!
Eduardo: You doubt my talents for choosing an outfit?
Zed: No no no, this is great!
Zed opens the curtain. Eduardo nods with his bottom lip protruding.
Eduardo: A great improvement. I think we’ll stick with your previous look, but with modern designs and more blue. Wait here while I get your leathers.
Eduardo walks into another room.
Zed: Leathers? Aren’t they…bulky?
Amethyst: Leather armour is bulky. Leather clothing is lightweight and flexible.
Zed: Ah, good. I read that mages need mobility when casting spells.
Amethyst: My curiosity has piqued. How talented are you with casting spells?
Zed: Well, I’ve always been good at cantrips, and I can do some evocations pretty well. I’ve also learned to do a bit of other magic as well.
Eduardo returns carrying some boxes.
Eduardo: I checked your old boots for size and picked out the perfect pair for you. Try these on.
Eduardo hands a box to Zed. Zed sits down, opens the box and puts on the boots, which are made of dark blue leather. Zed stands up and takes a few steps.
Zed: These are so comfy.
Eduardo: And here are the matching gauntlets.
Eduardo hands another box to Zed. Zed opens the box, removing a pair of gauntlet gloves made of thin, dark blue leather. He pulls them on and flexes his fingers and wrist.
Zed: These are better than my old gauntlets. They mould right to my hand!
Eduardo: I also have a belt…
Eduardo hands a black belt with a silver buckle to Zed.
Eduardo: …and a vest.
Eduardo hands an azure leather sleeveless jacket to Zed. Zed equips himself with the belt, attaching it to the buckle, then he puts on the jacket and does up the buttons.
Zed: This is awesome!
Amethyst: I think we have found a perfect outfit for you, Zed.
Eduardo: No.
Amethyst: No?
Eduardo: No. It is not yet perfect. It needs a certain…oomph that says modern mage’s apprentice.
Zed: Like a robe or cloak?
Eduardo: I think something more your age category would be better…oh! Wait here!
Eduardo walks away, plucking a folded piece of clothing from a shelf. He walk back and hands it to Zed. Zed unfurls it and puts it on.
Zed: A cape?!
Eduardo: Oh, yes. All the young mages in Silveria wear capes. It’s fast becoming the latest fashion trend.
Zed: Well, I guess this outfit is good. But…how much will it cost?
Eduardo: For you, I’ll give you a special deal. Just 7 butt pieces!
Zed: Well…I guess it is for my new role as an adventurer…
Zed reaches for his coin sack.
Amethyst: Wait, Zed! I will pay for your outfit.
Zed: Are you sure?
Amethyst: Of course. A mage’s duty is to pay for her apprentice’s starting equipment.
Amethyst hands 7 butt pieces to Eduardo.
Eduardo: Thank you very much! I trust you are happy with your new look?
Zed: I sure am. Thank you!
Scene 11: Street: Morning
Zed and Amethyst walk down a street.
Zed: Thank you for buying my new clothes.
Amethyst: It is my pleasure, Zed. Now, we need to buy you the most important piece of equipment for any mage.
Zed: An implement?
Amethyst: Indeed.
Zed: I know just the place: The Butt Alchemist! Mr. Newt will have just the implement I need!
Amethyst’s thoughts: Newt…? Could it be…?!
Zed leads Amethyst to another door. The sign above the door reads The Butt Alchemist. Zed opens the door, motioning Amethyst to enter. Amethyst nods once and enters the building, followed by Zed. An elderly gentleman with a long white beard greets them.
Gentleman: Well, if it isn’t young Zed. Why, I haven’t seen you in here since the Astral Festival.
Zed: Sorry, Mr. Newt. I’ve been busy for the past couple of weeks.
Newt: How are your dreams?
Zed: Getting even weirder. I had the ice forest one again last night.
Newt: You’ve had that one more often in recent days, haven’t you?
Zed: Yep. It seemed even more real last night.
Newt: Well, I’m sure you will learn the secret behind it eventually.
Mr. Newt notices Amethyst.
Newt: I’ve been expecting you, Amethyst.
Amethyst’s thoughts: How did he…?
Amethyst: It is a pleasure, Mr. Newt. Please excuse my bluntness, but how did you know I would visit you?
Newt: Why, the lovely Mrs. Taylor mentioned you last night over a cup of tea.
Zed: News sure travels fast in this town.
Newt: Thank you so much for taking the time to instruct Zed in the art of magic. I would myself, but I’m too old. I’ll leave it up to the younger generation.
Zed: Remember when I first came in here?
Newt: Like it was yesterday. You picked up a book of cantrips out of curiosity.
Zed: I was interested in magic but thought I was too old to learn it.
Newt: Then you started to read the cover, and turned your hair blue!
Zed: It caught your attention, but I had no idea what was going on cause I couldn’t see the top of my own head!
Mr. Newt chuckles.
Newt: Oh, I laughed for two minutes. I finally managed to tell you that you are a naturally-gifted mage, but you were too busy panicking about your hair.
Zed: Good times…oh, that’s right! Mr. Newt, I was wondering if you could help me choose my implement.
Newt: Of course, lad. Do you know what kind of implement suits you best?
Zed: Hm…I’ve never given it much thought.
Newt: Might I suggest a wand? It’s portable and lightweight, and easy to equip in a pinch.
Zed: Sounds good.
Newt: The wands are right over here.
Mr. Newt leads Zed to a display containing a selection of wands.
Zed: How will I know which one is the right one for me?
Newt: You will know as soon as your eyes meet with it.
Zed looks around. He spots a silver wand adorned with a carving of a dragon at its far end. He walks over to it and picks it up. Almost immediately, a bright blue glow surrounds him. He reaches into his shirt and pulls out the butt, which is also glowing with a bright blue light.
Newt: No…it cannot be!
The light dissipates. Mr. Newt walks over to Zed.
Newt: Zed! You did not tell me you had an artefact of the Silverian Empire!
Zed: The Silverian Empire?
Zed looks over at Amethyst.
Amethyst: I have not heard of such an empire.
Newt: Then there is much you both must learn. Come. We will discuss it further in my house.
The three people step out of the shop. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows.
Figure: So it is true. I must tell my Buttress at once.
The figure turns and steps back into the shadows.
To be Continued…
***
End Credits
***
Episode 2: The Seventh Butt, Part II
- ”Synopsis”:
- Amethyst takes Zed to meet the rest of the party at a curiously-named tavern in the middle of nowhere. The party leader, an orcborn warrior, sees the young wizard as completely inexperienced, and ultimately refuses to let him join them on their adventure! Can Amethyst change the swordsman’s mind?
New Characters
Mak Clay - A surprisingly-intelligent orcborn who shares leadership of the party with Amethyst, he owns the Crimson Butt.
Emily Summers - A syl human priestess with a sweet and caring personality, she owns the Amber Butt.
Thobrun Steelbutt - A dwarven paladin with a righteous personality and a fondness for mead, he owns the Tawny Butt.
Bryn - A halfling rogue who hides more than his fair share about himself from everybody, he owns the Cerulean Butt.
Brocc Farshot - A gnome bard with the brightest green hair and an apparently-terrible singing voice, he owns the Green Butt.
“You mean I came all this way for nothing…?”
- Spoiler:
- Scene 1: Newt’s Cottage: Morning
Amethyst and Zed are seated in armchairs surrounding a small table. Newt is looking through his bookcase. He pulls a book from the shelf.
Newt: Ah, yes. Here it is.
Newt walks over to the table and sits in an armchair. He places the heavy book onto the table and opens it, flipping through pages until he finds the right one.
Newt: This page contains all I know of the Silverian Empire.
Zed: It’s blank.
Newt: You are correct. Now…
Newt places his hand above the page.
Newt: “Reveal!”
The page begins to glow. As it does so, words and images appear on the page.
Zed: Incredible…
Amethyst: Indeed.
Newt: The Silverian Empire stretched beyond the borders of Ornoposia all the way to Granrelm, Tundwaldun, Gnomsland, Verdelvum, Luminelvum, Oscurelvum and Kobelia, with smaller settlements in most other continents.
Amethyst: They must have been well-known then.
Newt: Oh, they were. The empire was made up almost entirely of Ornoposian humans, who spread their culture and customs, and indeed the Common tongue, to all corners of Junihoshi.
Zed: So what happened to it?
Newt: Like all good things it came to an end, but not without leaving behind its legacy.
Amethyst holds her butt within her delicate fingers.
Amethyst: The butt…
Newt: A mere fragment of a much larger collection of artefacts, many of which remain concealed within ancient ruins and other places ravaged by monsters.
Zed: So the city-state of Silveria was the capital of the empire?
Newt: That is most likely. It would have been the last bastion of the empire left in a world teeming with chaos.
Zed: Chaos?
Newt: Indeed. War had broken out across the empire as factions began to emerge, each claiming ownership of the dominion. They fought for decades, civilisation crumbling away, until only the Kingdom of Silveria remained.
Zed: So what could have protected Silveria from the chaos?
Newt: My guess is it was the Celestial Beings themselves who ceased the bloodshed, restoring order to Junihoshi.
Amethyst: Could they be allowed to interact directly with mortals?
Newt: In times of crisis they have been said to descend and lay aid to the peoples of Junihoshi. Their direct involvement was obviously the only way to bring peace to a troubled world.
Zed: And the artefacts?
Newt: Nobody knows their true purpose. Indeed, few even know of their existence.
Zed: Then there’s no way of knowing what the butt do.
Amethyst: I know of one of their functions. They each provide a small boon to their respective owners. My butt, for example, provides a slight increase in intellect.
Newt: If that is true, then there is a much greater goal intended for them.
Zed: Will it be possible to figure it out?
Newt: In time, you will learn the full extent of your gift.
Newt smiles at Zed.
Newt’s thoughts: Amethyst will guide you well, of that I am certain…
***
Opening Credits
***
Scene 2: Town Square: Late Morning
Amethyst and Zed walk past the fountain.
Zed: Well, I guess that was slightly informative.
Amethyst: Even the littlest knowledge can change the world.
Zed: True. So, what boon does my butt provide?
Amethyst: Alas, I know not.
Zed: Really? Whoa, that’s mysterious…
Amethyst: We have one more place to visit before we must go.
Zed: Oh, I have a toilet in my house if-
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: I have something else in mind. Follow me.
Amethyst walks past Zed. Zed begins to follow.
Zed: Lead on, Master mage!
Scene 3: Taylor’s Treasures: Late Morning
Zed and Amethyst enter Taylor’s Treasures, the little bell jingling as the door opens and closes.
Zed: Of course. There’s no better place in town to buy adventuring gear.
Amethyst: So I have seen.
Mrs. Taylor heads downstairs.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, I wondered if you’d pop in before you left.
Zed: You heard?
Mrs. Taylor: Of course, lad. Mr. Newt tells me everything.
Zed: Wow, news travels fast in this town!
Mrs. Taylor: I took the liberty of preparing your supplies.
Mrs. Taylor heads behind the counter, reaching under it and pulling out a box containing some adventuring gear. She places the box on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: Okay, this is your adventurer’s kit.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a blue-coloured leather shoulder bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: It has a collapsible bedroll, food, a pre-filled waterskin and some other bits and bobs. It’ll come in handy.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: This is a breather. It’s a special mask for you to wear in case you run into a gas trap while exploring a dungeon. I’ve always thought the latest technology should be practical and useful.
Zed: Gotta love those zenoxans.
Mrs. Taylor: And this…this is a special gift from me.
Mrs. Taylor reaches into the box and pulls out a silver recorder and a navy blue velvet bag with drawstring.
Mrs. Taylor: I thought you could use a new flute. This one is supposed to make the most pleasant music, so I’ve been told.
Zed: Oh, Mrs. Taylor…
Mrs. Taylor: Come, lad. You do so much for me. This is my way of thanking you.
Mrs. Taylor smiles. Zed reaches into his pocket, pulling out the two halves of his wooden recorder. He assembles it and holds it out to Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I want you to have my old flute. To remember me by.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed exchange recorders. Mrs. Taylor smiles.
Mrs. Taylor: I’ll treasure it every day, lad.
A tear rolls down Zed’s cheek. He holds out his hands. Mrs. Taylor steps forward and embraces Zed with a big hug.
Mrs. Taylor: Take care of yourself, lad. Find your place in the world.
Zed: I’ll try to come back one day.
Mrs. Taylor: You try your hardest, Zed Buttmute.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed let go of one another. Zed walks over to the counter.
Zed: Should I pay for these?
Mrs. Taylor: Amethyst already took care of it.
Zed looks at Amethyst, a puzzled look on his face.
Amethyst: I put the money on the counter while you were saying your farewells.
Zed smiles.
Zed: Thank you.
Amethyst: Just doing my duty.
Zed removes his cape, places the satchel over his shoulder, re-dons his cape, opens a front pocket and places the breather inside. He picks up the flute, disassembles it, places it into the velvet bag, pulls the drawstring and places it into his pocket.
Zed: Thank you for everything, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: It was my pleasure, lad.
Another tear rolls down Zed’s cheek as both he and Amethyst leave the shop, the bell jingling as they do so. Mrs. Taylor watches them as they disappear from view.
Mrs. Taylor: We will meet again, lad…
Scene 4: En Route to The Name Pending Tavern: Early Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed walk along a well-worn road, wooden fences separating it from some green meadows.
Amethyst: You seem to have a strong bond with Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I don’t know where I would be without her.
Amethyst: Is she a family member?
Zed: No.
Amethyst: She treats you like a son nonetheless.
Zed: She was the first one to help me when I stumbled into town.
Amethyst: Had something happened?
Zed sighs.
Zed: I have no memory of my life prior to walking into town. It was late one night, and I was wearing some weird clothes. I was confused, and I didn’t know what was happening.
Amethyst: That sounds awful.
Zed: Nothing felt right whatsoever. Then I came across Taylor’s Treasures. I walked inside and explained everything to Mrs. Taylor. She took me in and gave me a place to sleep and work.
Amethyst: No wonder you are very close to one another.
Zed: Mrs. Taylor took me to the best oracles when they came to town, but they couldn’t figure out which constellation I was born under. They called me a blank slate, which earned me the nickname “The Star Mute One“. It’s as though I hadn’t existed prior to that moment. And yet I know I’ve lived for a while before that.
Amethyst: So you wish to find the place from whence you hail.
Zed: That’s part of my goal, yes.
Zed thinks to himself.
Zed: So you’re the guardian of the butt?
Amethyst: I am indeed. On my one-hundredth birthday, my grandmother told me that I was chosen by my father to find the secret of the butt. The butt glowed as the box containing them was handed to me, meaning that I had indeed been chosen by them as their distributor. I was told to find the owners of the butt and journey with them, and together we would find out their true purpose. It took 45 years before I found the second butt owner.
Zed: And who was it?
Amethyst smiles at Zed.
Amethyst: Why don’t you wait until we reach the tavern? I am sure the suspense will lead to a much greater surprise.
Zed: Fair enough.
Scene 5: The Name Pending Tavern: Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed enter the tavern. Zed looks around and sees a few adventurers sitting at tables. Three human males, presumably fighters, are gathered around a short-bearded dwarf wearing silver armour. The dwarf speaks with a thick Scandinavian-infused Scottish accent.
Dwarf: So there we were, surrounded by twelve Elek worshippers. They outnumbered us two-to-one, and the rogue very nearly gave us the slip!
Fighter #1: Rogues’ll do that to ya if ya let ‘em!
Dwarf: Ye think I’d let the rogue abandon us like that? When facing evil, we all must stand together and help however we can! I’d never let’m avoid Alistair’s goals!
Fighter #2: So what did you do?
Dwarf: What else could we do? We showed ‘em who’s boss! They won’t be hurtin’ anyone anytime soon!
The dwarf swallows a mouthful of mead from his mug. Amethyst walks over to the dwarf. Zed follows behind.
Amethyst: Good afternoon, Thobrun. I gather you are telling stories of our exploits to these gentlemen?
Thobrun: Indeed I am, Amethyst. I’m teachin’ ‘em how to fight evil as best they can.
Thobrun sees Zed standing behind Amethyst.
Thobrun: And this must be the young wizard Amethyst believes is the seventh butt owner.
Zed: H-Hi. I’m Zed.
Thobrun stands up. He stands at about two-thirds the height of Zed, though he is broadly-built to make up for it.
Thobrun: Good to meet you, Zed. Thobrun Steelbutt, son of Angus and Helga of Buttwaldun, and Paladin of Alistair Goodheart.
Thobrun bows. Zed bows right back.
Thobrun: Can I buy ye a drink, Zed?
Zed: Oh, I don’t drink alcohol.
Thobrun: Oh, no problem, lad. I can respect that.
Amethyst: I was just going to introduce Zed to the others.
Thobrun: I think they’re in the den upstairs.
Amethyst: Are you ready to meet your future companions, Zed?
Zed: Yep. Lead the way.
Amethyst: Very well.
Amethyst climbs the stairs, with Zed following behind. Zed looks around, and sees a male halfling in dark blue leather armour, a male gnome with green hair and a blonde human girl with slightly-pointed ears wearing butt-yellow chainmail.
Amethyst: Bryn? Brocc? Emily? Allow me to introduce the seventh member of our team, Zed Buttmute.
Zed waves.
Zed: Hi.
Bryn speaks with what sounds like a slightly-Cockney English accent.
Bryn: Well, well, well, how did I know it’d be another human?
Bryn walks over to Zed. He stands at roughly half Zed’s height. His slick black hair curves forward at its base. He has no facial hair.
Bryn: Name’s Bryn. The Loveable Rogue.
Bryn holds out his hand. Zed bends down slightly and shakes hands with Bryn.
Bryn: Ah, so you know the Granrelmian bow. I respect that, Zed.
Zed: Your friend downstairs said the same thing.
Brocc speaks with what sounds like a European-infused American accent which sounds slightly elevated in pitch.
Brocc: Amethyst, he’s huge! Are you sure he isn’t a giant?
Bryn: Of course he isn’t, Brocc! Look at his build. He’s definitely a human.
Brocc walks over to Zed and looks up at him. He is slightly taller than Bryn, though most of the added height is his tall, spiky hair.
Brocc: Oh, you’re right. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I’m Brocc Farshot, and I’m an entertainer! A bard! A lyricist!
Bryn: You can’t sing!
Brocc: No, but I still write songs, don’t I?
Bryn: Well, I can’t argue with that logic.
Zed examines Brocc closely.
Brocc: What? Do I have something on my face?
Zed: No, it’s just…
Brocc: What?
Zed: No, it’s probably nothing.
Brocc: Oh. Okay then...
Emily walks over to Zed. She smiles sweetly and speaks with a soft, feminine voice.
Emily: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zed. My name is Emily Summers, and I am a priestess of Marilina Silverblade.
Emily curtsies. Zed bows.
Zed: Is that everyone?
Amethyst: There is still one more member you must meet.
Zed: I thought so.
Bryn: He’s in the shower.
Amethyst: Really?
Bryn: I know, we were surprised as well.
A door opens, and a male orcborn steps through. He is not wearing a shirt. He rubs his black hair with a towel, then slings the towel over his right shoulder. He walks up to Amethyst and speaks with a rough American voice.
Orcborn: Amethyst. You’re back!
Amethyst: Indeed.
The orcborn looks at Zed.
Orcborn: I thought you said you were bringing back the most naturally-talented spellcaster in that town.
Amethyst: I have. This is Zed.
Orcborn: He can’t be more than 25 years old. That’s not experienced enough.
Amethyst: Actually, he is-
Orcborn: It doesn’t matter. He’s still not experienced enough. Look…he’s got green written all over him!
Brocc: Hey, I am NOT-
Everyone looks at Brocc. A huge drop of sweat slides down the side of his face.
Brocc: I mean…uh…never mind!
Orcborn: Our mission is very dangerous. Who’s gonna protect this kid if he gets into trouble?
Amethyst: I believe that’s your job.
Orcborn: I don’t want to see another innocent get hurt.
Amethyst: Please! At least let him prove himself.
Orcborn: I’m sorry, but it’s too risky. First thing tomorrow, we’re taking him back to wherever he came from. I can’t put him in any danger.
Amethyst: But-
Orcborn: That’s final!
The orcborn returns to his room. A bitter sting of disappointment spreads across Zed’s face. Amethyst hangs her head and sighs.
Amethyst’s thoughts: I must convince him to let Zed stay…it is crucial to our quest…and to Zed’s...
***
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***
- Spoiler:
- Scene 6: The Name Pending Tavern: Evening
The orcborn stands outside the tavern, watching the sun set. Amethyst steps outside and walks over to him.
Orcborn: How’s the kid doing?
Amethyst: I know not. He has yet to leave his room.
Orcborn: What’s he been doing all this time?
Amethyst: He is practising magic so he can be skilled enough to become an adventurer one day.
Orcborn: He’s got spirit, I’ll give him that.
Amethyst: Indeed.
Orcborn: But spirit alone isn’t enough for the life of an adventurer.
Amethyst: He is a naturally-gifted mage.
Orcborn: And that‘s a good thing, right?
Amethyst: I shall attempt to clarify. Most people who aspire to be mages must study for decades in order to master their craft. It takes skill and precision for us to even cast a basic spell before we master the arcane.
Orcborn: So how is Zed different?
Amethyst: Zed is one of the rare few who uses magic naturally, without needing to spend hours memorising spells from a book. I tested his use of magic missile yesterday and his accuracy was surprising. It is imperative that-
Orcborn: If you’re trying to change my mind…
Amethyst: Need I remind you that we are both leaders of this expedition?
Orcborn: I was going to say, “If you’re trying to change my mind, it’s working“. I’m still a little unsure about this…
Amethyst: The butt responded to his touch.
Orcborn: It did?
Amethyst: It glowed the brightest shade of cyan the moment he put it around his neck.
Orcborn: You sure it wasn’t just a coincidence?
Amethyst: The butt never make mistakes.
The orcborn thinks to himself, then sighs.
Orcborn: Alright, I’ll give the kid a chance.
Amethyst: Excellent. He will be pleased to hear the news.
Amethyst turns and starts to walk back to the door. She stops and turns around to face the orcborn again.
Amethyst: You refer to him as “kid”. You do realise that you are younger than him, do you not?
Orcborn: By adventuring standards, he’s a fledgling.
Amethyst: True.
Amethyst turns around and enters the tavern.
Orcborn: Well, I guess I’ll tell him he can stay then…
The orcborn turns and enters the tavern.
Scene 7: The Name Pending Tavern: Early Morning
Zed opens his room door and steps into the den. Amethyst is studying her spellbook in preparation for the day. She stops reading and looks up at Zed, smiling.
Amethyst: Good morning, Zed.
Zed: Good morning!
Amethyst: Well, you seem cheerful!
Zed: Your friend told me I could stay in the party!
Amethyst smiles.
Amethyst: That is good! I assume you slept well, then?
Zed: Yep, much better than usual. I had the dream again, but it’s starting to make more sense. I tried trancing before going to bed, just to see if it would help.
Amethyst: Did it have any effect?
Zed: Well, I had better control of my dream. This time I held off casting light during the ice room bit.
Amethyst: What did you see?
Zed: I saw five people at the opposite end, but it was so dark that I couldn’t make out what they looked like. They just stood there, not moving or making a sound. Then a silver dragon appeared above us and landed in front of me facing them. It roared, and the person in the middle turned into a white dragon and attacked it. They fought for what seemed like hours, although it was only mere moments. Then the white dragon grew to a massive size, and that’s when I cast Light again.
Amethyst: Perhaps next time you should let the white dragon continue to grow. There is obviously some significance.
Zed: I guess so. Oh yeah…and I dreamed about this weird glowing orb that moved back and forth, shifting between shades of blue. Is that weird?
Amethyst: Dreams can be unusual. Now come. We must eat a good breakfast in preparation for the day.
The orcborn climbs up the stairs.
Orcborn: Come on, you two. Time for breakfast.
Amethyst: We will be down momentarily.
Orcborn: Okay.
The orcborn turns and climbs back down. Amethyst heads for the stairs, with Zed following behind.
Scene 8: En Route to Silveria City: Morning
The party walks along a forested path heading in the direction of Silveria City. Zed speaks to the orcborn.
Zed: Thank you for giving me a chance.
Orcborn: Amethyst says you’re great, so that’s good enough for me. Just be careful.
Zed: I will.
The orcborn smiles.
Orcborn: So you really have no idea where you came from?
Zed: That’s right. My past is a complete blank.
Orcborn: Maybe you’re from another continent.
Zed: You think so?
Orcborn: Well yes. Your accent’s definitely not Ornoposian.
Zed: Really?
Orcborn: Yeah! As for me, I was raised in Coppelia by my father. My best friend was a koble named Knight.
Zed: I’m sorry, what’s a koble?
Bryn: You’re joking, right?
Zed: Nope, I’m serious.
Bryn: Well, they‘re reptilian people who are about the height of a bolgard.
Zed: Bolgard?
Bryn: Wow, you really can’t remember who you are, can you?
Amethyst: One of Zed’s primary goals is to learn about his past.
Brocc: I could try to help him remember with a bardic song.
Bryn: No! No singing! The last time you sung, your cat ran away for days!
Brocc: She didn’t run away! I sent her to scout for the next town.
Bryn: And did she find it?
Brocc: Well…she found somebody’s camp.
Bryn: A camp of gobbos, if I’m not mistaken? And she led them right to us.
Brocc: Well, I won’t make that mistake again, okay?
Bryn: Oh? Then where is your precious familiar right now?
Brocc: Uh…scouting ahead.
Bryn: My point.
Thobrun: Come on, you two. You should stop your bickering for once.
Zed: Is that your cat?
An orange tabby cat walks up to the team.
Brocc: Tabby! You’re back! What did you find?
Tabby meows. A look of dread spreads across Brocc’s face.
Brocc: Uh, there’s a group of scary looking thugs at the bridge.
Emily: They were not there two days ago. What business do they have with the bridge?
Bryn: That answer your question, Emmy?
Bryn points to a sign with the words “TOLL RODE” crudely written in black paint.
Thobrun: Oh, great. Buttbarians.
Orcborn: Be realistic, Thobrun. No buttbarian can write that well!
Emily: This is bad. Very bad.
Brocc: Emily, settle down. You’re scaring Zed.
Zed: Actually, I’m not-
Brocc: Don’t worry, my friend! There’s no need to be af-fr-fraid…
Brocc’s teeth begin to chatter.
Orcborn: Just relax. We’ve been in worse situations before.
Bryn: Name one time.
Orcborn: Gobbo siege of that village two weeks ago.
Bryn: Okay, I guess that was slightly worse…
Emily: I needed to heal a quarter of the villagers.
Bryn: Whatever. The point is that buttbarians are mindless, savage-
Orcborn: Bryn, shut it! We’re here.
Bryn looks up at the buttbarian guarding the bridge.
Bryn: Oh…heheh…hello!
Buttbarian: The toll is 5 butt each for you to cross. So…one, two, four, five, six, eight, twelve…32 butt total.
Bryn’s thoughts: And here’s the result of today’s education system…
Orcborn: We’re not paying.
Bryn: What?!
Orcborn: Why should we pay to cross a bridge that’s free for us to cross any other time?
Buttbarian: Because my club says you’re giving us butt.
Orcborn: Well my sword says otherwise.
Bryn: Now come on, be reasonable!
Orcborn: I am being reasonable, Bryn.
Buttbarian: Look, just pay us the money and nobody gets hurt!
Orcborn: Can you even spell “money“?
Buttbarian: M…un…e?
Orcborn: Wrong answer.
Buttbarian: I AM NOT UNLITERATE! Fellas, get over here and teach these guys how to spell pain!
Orcborn: P-A-I-N!
Buttbarian: RRRRRRRRAWRRRRRRRR!!
The buttbarian rushes towards the orcborn and swings his club at him. The orcborn bends backwards, unsheathes his sword and slashes the buttbarian’s pectoral muscle. The buttbarian roars and swings his club at the orcborn, who blocks the club with his sword.
Orcborn: All of you! Get Zed to safety!
Bryn: Uh, that’s going to be a problem, fearless leader.
Four buttbarians approach the group from behind.
Buttbarian #2: Where do you think you’re going?
Bryn: Uh, we were just going to head back to the tavern and have a nice relaxing bath!
Buttbarian #3: Nobody’s going anywhere till we’ve dealt with your leader.
Amethyst points her staff at the other buttbarians.
Amethyst: “Hypnotism!”
A wave of purple light engulfs the buttbarians, leaving them dazed and confused. She turns to face the buttbarian leader, who is still pushing his club against the orcborn’s sword. The buttbarian bellows and pushes the orcborn towards the edge of the cliff. The orcborn regains his balance, but is cornered with nowhere else to go.
Buttbarian Leader: That river’s moving mighty fast. Might we be near a W-O-H-T-A-F-O-H-L?
Orcborn: A what?
Buttbarian Leader: A WATERFALL!
The other buttbarians regain their senses and join their leader in surrounding the orcborn.
Buttbarian #4: I hope you can swim…and survive a two-foot plunge down a waterfall!
Bryn: Two butt? Could you BE any thicker?!
Amethyst: This is bad! We cannot attack them all at once!
Emily: But if we fail to do something he will be thrust into the river anyway!
Buttbarian Leader: Say my regards to your ancestors for me!
The buttbarian leader raises his club. Zed suddenly steps forward, pulls out his wand and points it at the buttbarians.
Zed: STOP!
The buttbarians turn around to face Zed. They take one look at his wand and start laughing.
Buttbarian #5: What can you do with that thing? Poke our ribcages?
Buttbarian #4: Look, he thinks he’s a big tough man with his tiny sword!
Buttbarian Leader: Put your stick away, little boy. Grown-ups are talking.
Buttbarian #2: Yeah, there’s nothing you can-
Zed’s eyes begin to glow with cyan light.
Buttbarian Leader: What the-
Zed: “SLEEP!”
As Zed’s word echoes, a wave pulses from the tip of his wand, engulfing the buttbarians in a pale blue light. They collapse to the ground in a deep slumber. Zed’s eyes return to normal.
***
We cut to another place, where a mysterious figure in a dark robe and breather looks up.
Dark-Robed Guy: The awakening…it has begun...
***
We cut back to the bridge. The other Buttbound stare at Zed, dumbfounded.
Orcborn: What the…?!
Thobrun: How did you do that, lad?!
Bryn: I thought you were just an apprentice!
Amethyst: As I said to you all, Zed is a natural mage.
Brocc’s thoughts: Wow, he’s even more powerful than I thought he’d be!
The orcborn steps over the buttbarians and walks over to the party.
Orcborn: I guess Amethyst was right. You have talent.
The orcborn sheaths his sword and holds out his right hand. Zed grabs it and clenches. The two men release their grips.
Orcborn: Thank you for helping me.
Zed: No problem.
Orcborn: I just realised I haven’t told you my name yet. Mak Clay, warrior. And I’m happy to have you on board, buddy.
Zed: Thank you.
A woman’s voice echoes from the other side of the bridge.
Voice: Are you alright over there?
Mak: We could use some help with these buttbarians over here.
Voice: We will be right over.
Bryn: We?
Four male humans, two with rounded ears and two with ears like Emily’s, and a female human with ears like Emily’s, cross the bridge. They are wearing silver armour and helmets. The female human walks over to Mak.
Woman: Cynthia Meadows, guard-captain of Silveria City.
Cynthia looks down at the unconscious buttbarians.
Cynthia: Ah, I see you succeeded in apprehending the thugs. Come. We will escort you to Silveria City to organise payment for your assistance.
Scene 9: En Route to Silveria City: Early Afternoon
The party travels with the guards across a well-worn road through an open plain. The buttbarians are linked together by iron chains.
Cynthia: These thugs have been causing trouble in the region for weeks.
Amethyst: Did nobody attempt to apprehend them?
Cynthia: Most people who could help were preoccupied with other quests. The few who remained were overly cautious and chose not to assist.
Mak: Well, what was the bounty on these guys?
Zed takes a mouthful of water from his waterskin.
Cynthia: 2499 butt.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water.
Mak: I’m surprised nobody wanted the bounty.
Cynthia: Well, considering you assisted us with no desire to claim any reward money for their capture, as well as the level of skill involved…
Zed takes another mouthful of water.
Cynthia: … I am obliged to double the reward.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water again.
Bryn: Careful there, Zeddy, or you’ll have no water left till we reach the city!
Zed takes a third mouthful of water.
Cynthia: That is it over there. We should arrive within the hour.
Zed takes one look at the giant citadel and spits out his water again.
Zed: That place is huge!
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: It appears even bigger once you enter.
Bryn: Oh, you’re going to love it, Zed! It’s wall-to-wall shops, taverns and entertainment!
Emily: We must visit the Temple of Marilina when we enter.
Thobrun: And the Temple of Alistair.
Bryn: And a nightclub!
Mak: There’s plenty of time to explore the city once we sort out these gentlemen.
The buttbarian leader spits at Mak.
Mak: Looks like Zed’s a bigger man than this guy after all!
Everybody laughs as they continue to head towards Silveria City.
Scene 10: Unknown Location: Unknown Time
The mysterious man who spied on Zed and Amethyst in The Butt Alchemist walks along a narrow blue carpet in a gigantic icy room up to a glass throne. He has tanned skin and a buzz-cut, and is wearing brown hide armour marked with black stripes. He kneels and looks up at the female figure sitting in the throne.
Man: I bring news, Buttress. The elf known as Amethyst has given the Azure Butt to a young wizard named Zed.
Figure: So, the butt have all found their owners. Trenton, I am sending you and Kara to retrieve Amethyst and her companions. Bring them to me.
Trent: It will be done, Buttress.
Figure: And Trenton? I want them alive. Is that understood?
Trent: Yes, Buttress.
The figure’s blue buttstick-covered butt twist into an evil smile.
Figure: Good.
***
APRIL FOOLS!
***
- on January 25th 2017, 3:36 am
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: Crystals of Silveria Remastered - A Series by GeekyGamerZack
- Replies: 16
- Views: 3897
Crystals of Silveria Remastered - A Series by GeekyGamerZack
Episode 2: The Seventh Crystal, Part II- ”Synopsis”:
- Amethyst takes Zed to meet the rest of the party at a curiously-named tavern in the middle of nowhere. The party leader, an orcborn warrior, sees the young wizard as completely inexperienced, and ultimately refuses to let him join them on their adventure! Can Amethyst change the swordsman’s mind?
New Characters
Mak Clay - A surprisingly-intelligent orcborn who shares leadership of the party with Amethyst, he owns the Crimson Crystal.
Emily Summers - A syl human priestess with a sweet and caring personality, she owns the Amber Crystal.
Thobrun Steelanvil - A dwarven paladin with a righteous personality and a fondness for mead, he owns the Tawny Crystal.
Bryn - A halfling rogue who hides more than his fair share about himself from everybody, he owns the Cerulean Crystal.
Brocc Farshot - A gnome bard with the brightest green hair and an apparently-terrible singing voice, he owns the Green Crystal.
“You mean I came all this way for nothing…?”
- Spoiler:
- Scene 1: Newt’s Cottage: Morning
Amethyst and Zed are seated in armchairs surrounding a small table. Newt is looking through his bookcase. He pulls a book from the shelf.
Newt: Ah, yes. Here it is.
Newt walks over to the table and sits in an armchair. He places the heavy book onto the table and opens it, flipping through pages until he finds the right one.
Newt: This page contains all I know of the Silverian Empire.
Zed: It’s blank.
Newt: You are correct. Now…
Newt places his hand above the page.
Newt: “Reveal!”
The page begins to glow. As it does so, words and images appear on the page.
Zed: Incredible…
Amethyst: Indeed.
Newt: The Silverian Empire stretched beyond the borders of Ornoposia all the way to Granrelm, Tundwaldun, Gnomsland, Verdelvum, Luminelvum, Oscurelvum and Kobelia, with smaller settlements in most other continents.
Amethyst: They must have been well-known then.
Newt: Oh, they were. The empire was made up almost entirely of Ornoposian humans, who spread their culture and customs, and indeed the Common tongue, to all corners of Junihoshi.
Zed: So what happened to it?
Newt: Like all good things it came to an end, but not without leaving behind its legacy.
Amethyst holds her crystal within her delicate fingers.
Amethyst: The crystals…
Newt: A mere fragment of a much larger collection of artefacts, many of which remain concealed within ancient ruins and other places ravaged by monsters.
Zed: So the city-state of Silveria was the capital of the empire?
Newt: That is most likely. It would have been the last bastion of the empire left in a world teeming with chaos.
Zed: Chaos?
Newt: Indeed. War had broken out across the empire as factions began to emerge, each claiming ownership of the dominion. They fought for decades, civilisation crumbling away, until only the Kingdom of Silveria remained.
Zed: So what could have protected Silveria from the chaos?
Newt: My guess is it was the Celestial Beings themselves who ceased the bloodshed, restoring order to Junihoshi.
Amethyst: Could they be allowed to interact directly with mortals?
Newt: In times of crisis they have been said to descend and lay aid to the peoples of Junihoshi. Their direct involvement was obviously the only way to bring peace to a troubled world.
Zed: And the artefacts?
Newt: Nobody knows their true purpose. Indeed, few even know of their existence.
Zed: Then there’s no way of knowing what the crystals do.
Amethyst: I know of one of their functions. They each provide a small boon to their respective owners. My crystal, for example, provides a slight increase in intellect.
Newt: If that is true, then there is a much greater goal intended for them.
Zed: Will it be possible to figure it out?
Newt: In time, you will learn the full extent of your gift.
Newt smiles at Zed.
Newt’s thoughts: Amethyst will guide you well, of that I am certain…
***
Opening Credits
***
Scene 2: Town Square: Late Morning
Amethyst and Zed walk past the fountain.
Zed: Well, I guess that was slightly informative.
Amethyst: Even the littlest knowledge can change the world.
Zed: True. So, what boon does my crystal provide?
Amethyst: Alas, I know not.
Zed: Really? Whoa, that’s mysterious…
Amethyst: We have one more place to visit before we must go.
Zed: Oh, I have a toilet in my house if-
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: I have something else in mind. Follow me.
Amethyst walks past Zed. Zed begins to follow.
Zed: Lead on, Master mage!
Scene 3: Taylor’s Treasures: Late Morning
Zed and Amethyst enter Taylor’s Treasures, the little bell jingling as the door opens and closes.
Zed: Of course. There’s no better place in town to buy adventuring gear.
Amethyst: So I have seen.
Mrs. Taylor heads downstairs.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, I wondered if you’d pop in before you left.
Zed: You heard?
Mrs. Taylor: Of course, lad. Mr. Newt tells me everything.
Zed: Wow, news travels fast in this town!
Mrs. Taylor: I took the liberty of preparing your supplies.
Mrs. Taylor heads behind the counter, reaching under it and pulling out a box containing some adventuring gear. She places the box on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: Okay, this is your adventurer’s kit.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a blue-coloured leather shoulder bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: It has a collapsible bedroll, food, a pre-filled waterskin and some other bits and bobs. It’ll come in handy.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: This is a breather. It’s a special mask for you to wear in case you run into a gas trap while exploring a dungeon. I’ve always thought the latest technology should be practical and useful.
Zed: Gotta love those zenoxans.
Mrs. Taylor: And this…this is a special gift from me.
Mrs. Taylor reaches into the box and pulls out a silver recorder and a navy blue velvet bag with drawstring.
Mrs. Taylor: I thought you could use a new flute. This one is supposed to make the most pleasant music, so I’ve been told.
Zed: Oh, Mrs. Taylor…
Mrs. Taylor: Come, lad. You do so much for me. This is my way of thanking you.
Mrs. Taylor smiles. Zed reaches into his pocket, pulling out the two halves of his wooden recorder. He assembles it and holds it out to Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I want you to have my old flute. To remember me by.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed exchange recorders. Mrs. Taylor smiles.
Mrs. Taylor: I’ll treasure it every day, lad.
A tear rolls down Zed’s cheek. He holds out his hands. Mrs. Taylor steps forward and embraces Zed with a big hug.
Mrs. Taylor: Take care of yourself, lad. Find your place in the world.
Zed: I’ll try to come back one day.
Mrs. Taylor: You try your hardest, Zed Starmute.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed let go of one another. Zed walks over to the counter.
Zed: Should I pay for these?
Mrs. Taylor: Amethyst already took care of it.
Zed looks at Amethyst, a puzzled look on his face.
Amethyst: I put the money on the counter while you were saying your farewells.
Zed smiles.
Zed: Thank you.
Amethyst: Just doing my duty.
Zed removes his cape, places the satchel over his shoulder, re-dons his cape, opens a front pocket and places the breather inside. He picks up the flute, disassembles it, places it into the velvet bag, pulls the drawstring and places it into his pocket.
Zed: Thank you for everything, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: It was my pleasure, lad.
Another tear rolls down Zed’s cheek as both he and Amethyst leave the shop, the bell jingling as they do so. Mrs. Taylor watches them as they disappear from view.
Mrs. Taylor: We will meet again, lad…
Scene 4: En Route to The Name Pending Tavern: Early Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed walk along a well-worn road, wooden fences separating it from some green meadows.
Amethyst: You seem to have a strong bond with Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I don’t know where I would be without her.
Amethyst: Is she a family member?
Zed: No.
Amethyst: She treats you like a son nonetheless.
Zed: She was the first one to help me when I stumbled into town.
Amethyst: Had something happened?
Zed sighs.
Zed: I have no memory of my life prior to walking into town. It was late one night, and I was wearing some weird clothes. I was confused, and I didn’t know what was happening.
Amethyst: That sounds awful.
Zed: Nothing felt right whatsoever. Then I came across Taylor’s Treasures. I walked inside and explained everything to Mrs. Taylor. She took me in and gave me a place to sleep and work.
Amethyst: No wonder you are very close to one another.
Zed: Mrs. Taylor took me to the best oracles when they came to town, but they couldn’t figure out which constellation I was born under. They called me a blank slate, which earned me the nickname “The Star Mute One“. It’s as though I hadn’t existed prior to that moment. And yet I know I’ve lived for a while before that.
Amethyst: So you wish to find the place from whence you hail.
Zed: That’s part of my goal, yes.
Zed thinks to himself.
Zed: So you’re the guardian of the crystals?
Amethyst: I am indeed. On my one-hundredth birthday, my grandmother told me that I was chosen by my father to find the secret of the crystals. The crystals glowed as the box containing them was handed to me, meaning that I had indeed been chosen by them as their distributor. I was told to find the owners of the crystals and journey with them, and together we would find out their true purpose. It took 45 years before I found the second crystal owner.
Zed: And who was it?
Amethyst smiles at Zed.
Amethyst: Why don’t you wait until we reach the tavern? I am sure the suspense will lead to a much greater surprise.
Zed: Fair enough.
Scene 5: The Name Pending Tavern: Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed enter the tavern. Zed looks around and sees a few adventurers sitting at tables. Three human males, presumably fighters, are gathered around a short-bearded dwarf wearing silver armour. The dwarf speaks with a thick Scandinavian-infused Scottish accent.
Dwarf: So there we were, surrounded by twelve Elek worshippers. They outnumbered us two-to-one, and the rogue very nearly gave us the slip!
Fighter #1: Rogues’ll do that to ya if ya let ‘em!
Dwarf: Ye think I’d let the rogue abandon us like that? When facing evil, we all must stand together and help however we can! I’d never let’m avoid Alistair’s goals!
Fighter #2: So what did you do?
Dwarf: What else could we do? We showed ‘em who’s boss! They won’t be hurtin’ anyone anytime soon!
The dwarf swallows a mouthful of mead from his mug. Amethyst walks over to the dwarf. Zed follows behind.
Amethyst: Good afternoon, Thobrun. I gather you are telling stories of our exploits to these gentlemen?
Thobrun: Indeed I am, Amethyst. I’m teachin’ ‘em how to fight evil as best they can.
Thobrun sees Zed standing behind Amethyst.
Thobrun: And this must be the young wizard Amethyst believes is the seventh crystal owner.
Zed: H-Hi. I’m Zed.
Thobrun stands up. He stands at about two-thirds the height of Zed, though he is broadly-built to make up for it.
Thobrun: Good to meet you, Zed. Thobrun Steelanvil, son of Angus and Helga of Goldwaldun, and Paladin of Alistair Goodheart.
Thobrun bows. Zed bows right back.
Thobrun: Can I buy ye a drink, Zed?
Zed: Oh, I don’t drink alcohol.
Thobrun: Oh, no problem, lad. I can respect that.
Amethyst: I was just going to introduce Zed to the others.
Thobrun: I think they’re in the den upstairs.
Amethyst: Are you ready to meet your future companions, Zed?
Zed: Yep. Lead the way.
Amethyst: Very well.
Amethyst climbs the stairs, with Zed following behind. Zed looks around, and sees a male halfling in dark blue leather armour, a male gnome with green hair and a blonde human girl with slightly-pointed ears wearing golden-yellow chainmail.
Amethyst: Bryn? Brocc? Emily? Allow me to introduce the seventh member of our team, Zed Starmute.
Zed waves.
Zed: Hi.
Bryn speaks with what sounds like a slightly-Cockney English accent.
Bryn: Well, well, well, how did I know it’d be another human?
Bryn walks over to Zed. He stands at roughly half Zed’s height. His slick black hair curves forward at its base. He has no facial hair.
Bryn: Name’s Bryn. The Loveable Rogue.
Bryn holds out his hand. Zed bends down slightly and shakes hands with Bryn.
Bryn: Ah, so you know the Granrelmian bow. I respect that, Zed.
Zed: Your friend downstairs said the same thing.
Brocc speaks with what sounds like a European-infused American accent which sounds slightly elevated in pitch.
Brocc: Amethyst, he’s huge! Are you sure he isn’t a giant?
Bryn: Of course he isn’t, Brocc! Look at his build. He’s definitely a human.
Brocc walks over to Zed and looks up at him. He is slightly taller than Bryn, though most of the added height is his tall, spiky hair.
Brocc: Oh, you’re right. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I’m Brocc Farshot, and I’m an entertainer! A bard! A lyricist!
Bryn: You can’t sing!
Brocc: No, but I still write songs, don’t I?
Bryn: Well, I can’t argue with that logic.
Zed examines Brocc closely.
Brocc: What? Do I have something on my face?
Zed: No, it’s just…
Brocc: What?
Zed: No, it’s probably nothing.
Brocc: Oh. Okay then...
Emily walks over to Zed. She smiles sweetly and speaks with a soft, feminine voice.
Emily: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zed. My name is Emily Summers, and I am a priestess of Marilina Silverblade.
Emily curtsies. Zed bows.
Zed: Is that everyone?
Amethyst: There is still one more member you must meet.
Zed: I thought so.
Bryn: He’s in the shower.
Amethyst: Really?
Bryn: I know, we were surprised as well.
A door opens, and a male orcborn steps through. He is not wearing a shirt. He rubs his black hair with a towel, then slings the towel over his right shoulder. He walks up to Amethyst and speaks with a rough American voice.
Orcborn: Amethyst. You’re back!
Amethyst: Indeed.
The orcborn looks at Zed.
Orcborn: I thought you said you were bringing back the most naturally-talented spellcaster in that town.
Amethyst: I have. This is Zed.
Orcborn: He can’t be more than 25 years old. That’s not experienced enough.
Amethyst: Actually, he is-
Orcborn: It doesn’t matter. He’s still not experienced enough. Look…he’s got green written all over him!
Brocc: Hey, I am NOT-
Everyone looks at Brocc. A huge drop of sweat slides down the side of his face.
Brocc: I mean…uh…never mind!
Orcborn: Our mission is very dangerous. Who’s gonna protect this kid if he gets into trouble?
Amethyst: I believe that’s your job.
Orcborn: I don’t want to see another innocent get hurt.
Amethyst: Please! At least let him prove himself.
Orcborn: I’m sorry, but it’s too risky. First thing tomorrow, we’re taking him back to wherever he came from. I can’t put him in any danger.
Amethyst: But-
Orcborn: That’s final!
The orcborn returns to his room. A bitter sting of disappointment spreads across Zed’s face. Amethyst hangs her head and sighs.
Amethyst’s thoughts: I must convince him to let Zed stay…it is crucial to our quest…and to Zed’s...
***
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***
- Spoiler:
- Scene 6: The Name Pending Tavern: Evening
The orcborn stands outside the tavern, watching the sun set. Amethyst steps outside and walks over to him.
Orcborn: How’s the kid doing?
Amethyst: I know not. He has yet to leave his room.
Orcborn: What’s he been doing all this time?
Amethyst: He is practising magic so he can be skilled enough to become an adventurer one day.
Orcborn: He’s got spirit, I’ll give him that.
Amethyst: Indeed.
Orcborn: But spirit alone isn’t enough for the life of an adventurer.
Amethyst: He is a naturally-gifted mage.
Orcborn: And that‘s a good thing, right?
Amethyst: I shall attempt to clarify. Most people who aspire to be mages must study for decades in order to master their craft. It takes skill and precision for us to even cast a basic spell before we master the arcane.
Orcborn: So how is Zed different?
Amethyst: Zed is one of the rare few who uses magic naturally, without needing to spend hours memorising spells from a book. I tested his use of magic missile yesterday and his accuracy was surprising. It is imperative that-
Orcborn: If you’re trying to change my mind…
Amethyst: Need I remind you that we are both leaders of this expedition?
Orcborn: I was going to say, “If you’re trying to change my mind, it’s working“. I’m still a little unsure about this…
Amethyst: The crystal responded to his touch.
Orcborn: It did?
Amethyst: It glowed the brightest shade of cyan the moment he put it around his neck.
Orcborn: You sure it wasn’t just a coincidence?
Amethyst: The crystals never make mistakes.
The orcborn thinks to himself, then sighs.
Orcborn: Alright, I’ll give the kid a chance.
Amethyst: Excellent. He will be pleased to hear the news.
Amethyst turns and starts to walk back to the door. She stops and turns around to face the orcborn again.
Amethyst: You refer to him as “kid”. You do realise that you are younger than him, do you not?
Orcborn: By adventuring standards, he’s a fledgling.
Amethyst: True.
Amethyst turns around and enters the tavern.
Orcborn: Well, I guess I’ll tell him he can stay then…
The orcborn turns and enters the tavern.
Scene 7: The Name Pending Tavern: Early Morning
Zed opens his room door and steps into the den. Amethyst is studying her spellbook in preparation for the day. She stops reading and looks up at Zed, smiling.
Amethyst: Good morning, Zed.
Zed: Good morning!
Amethyst: Well, you seem cheerful!
Zed: Your friend told me I could stay in the party!
Amethyst smiles.
Amethyst: That is good! I assume you slept well, then?
Zed: Yep, much better than usual. I had the dream again, but it’s starting to make more sense. I tried trancing before going to bed, just to see if it would help.
Amethyst: Did it have any effect?
Zed: Well, I had better control of my dream. This time I held off casting light during the ice room bit.
Amethyst: What did you see?
Zed: I saw five people at the opposite end, but it was so dark that I couldn’t make out what they looked like. They just stood there, not moving or making a sound. Then a silver dragon appeared above us and landed in front of me facing them. It roared, and the person in the middle turned into a white dragon and attacked it. They fought for what seemed like hours, although it was only mere moments. Then the white dragon grew to a massive size, and that’s when I cast Light again.
Amethyst: Perhaps next time you should let the white dragon continue to grow. There is obviously some significance.
Zed: I guess so. Oh yeah…and I dreamed about this weird glowing orb that moved back and forth, shifting between shades of blue. Is that weird?
Amethyst: Dreams can be unusual. Now come. We must eat a good breakfast in preparation for the day.
The orcborn climbs up the stairs.
Orcborn: Come on, you two. Time for breakfast.
Amethyst: We will be down momentarily.
Orcborn: Okay.
The orcborn turns and climbs back down. Amethyst heads for the stairs, with Zed following behind.
Scene 8: En Route to Silveria City: Morning
The party walks along a forested path heading in the direction of Silveria City. Zed speaks to the orcborn.
Zed: Thank you for giving me a chance.
Orcborn: Amethyst says you’re great, so that’s good enough for me. Just be careful.
Zed: I will.
The orcborn smiles.
Orcborn: So you really have no idea where you came from?
Zed: That’s right. My past is a complete blank.
Orcborn: Maybe you’re from another continent.
Zed: You think so?
Orcborn: Well yes. Your accent’s definitely not Ornoposian.
Zed: Really?
Orcborn: Yeah! As for me, I was raised in Coppelia by my father. My best friend was a koble named Knight.
Zed: I’m sorry, what’s a koble?
Bryn: You’re joking, right?
Zed: Nope, I’m serious.
Bryn: Well, they‘re reptilian people who are about the height of a bolgard.
Zed: Bolgard?
Bryn: Wow, you really can’t remember who you are, can you?
Amethyst: One of Zed’s primary goals is to learn about his past.
Brocc: I could try to help him remember with a bardic song.
Bryn: No! No singing! The last time you sung, your cat ran away for days!
Brocc: She didn’t run away! I sent her to scout for the next town.
Bryn: And did she find it?
Brocc: Well…she found somebody’s camp.
Bryn: A camp of gobbos, if I’m not mistaken? And she led them right to us.
Brocc: Well, I won’t make that mistake again, okay?
Bryn: Oh? Then where is your precious familiar right now?
Brocc: Uh…scouting ahead.
Bryn: My point.
Thobrun: Come on, you two. You should stop your bickering for once.
Zed: Is that your cat?
An orange tabby cat walks up to the team.
Brocc: Tabby! You’re back! What did you find?
Tabby meows. A look of dread spreads across Brocc’s face.
Brocc: Uh, there’s a group of scary looking thugs at the bridge.
Emily: They were not there two days ago. What business do they have with the bridge?
Bryn: That answer your question, Emmy?
Bryn points to a sign with the words “TOLL RODE” crudely written in black paint.
Thobrun: Oh, great. Barbarians.
Orcborn: Be realistic, Thobrun. No barbarian can write that well!
Emily: This is bad. Very bad.
Brocc: Emily, settle down. You’re scaring Zed.
Zed: Actually, I’m not-
Brocc: Don’t worry, my friend! There’s no need to be af-fr-fraid…
Brocc’s teeth begin to chatter.
Orcborn: Just relax. We’ve been in worse situations before.
Bryn: Name one time.
Orcborn: Gobbo siege of that village two weeks ago.
Bryn: Okay, I guess that was slightly worse…
Emily: I needed to heal a quarter of the villagers.
Bryn: Whatever. The point is that barbarians are mindless, savage-
Orcborn: Bryn, shut it! We’re here.
Bryn looks up at the barbarian guarding the bridge.
Bryn: Oh…heheh…hello!
Barbarian: The toll is 5 gold each for you to cross. So…one, two, four, five, six, eight, twelve…32 gold total.
Bryn’s thoughts: And here’s the result of today’s education system…
Orcborn: We’re not paying.
Bryn: What?!
Orcborn: Why should we pay to cross a bridge that’s free for us to cross any other time?
Barbarian: Because my club says you’re giving us gold.
Orcborn: Well my sword says otherwise.
Bryn: Now come on, be reasonable!
Orcborn: I am being reasonable, Bryn.
Barbarian: Look, just pay us the money and nobody gets hurt!
Orcborn: Can you even spell “money“?
Barbarian: M…un…e?
Orcborn: Wrong answer.
Barbarian: I AM NOT UNLITERATE! Fellas, get over here and teach these guys how to spell pain!
Orcborn: P-A-I-N!
Barbarian: RRRRRRRRAWRRRRRRRR!!
The barbarian rushes towards the orcborn and swings his club at him. The orcborn bends backwards, unsheathes his sword and slashes the barbarian’s pectoral muscle. The barbarian roars and swings his club at the orcborn, who blocks the club with his sword.
Orcborn: All of you! Get Zed to safety!
Bryn: Uh, that’s going to be a problem, fearless leader.
Four barbarians approach the group from behind.
Barbarian #2: Where do you think you’re going?
Bryn: Uh, we were just going to head back to the tavern and have a nice relaxing bath!
Barbarian #3: Nobody’s going anywhere till we’ve dealt with your leader.
Amethyst points her staff at the other barbarians.
Amethyst: “Hypnotism!”
A wave of purple light engulfs the barbarians, leaving them dazed and confused. She turns to face the barbarian leader, who is still pushing his club against the orcborn’s sword. The barbarian bellows and pushes the orcborn towards the edge of the cliff. The orcborn regains his balance, but is cornered with nowhere else to go.
Barbarian Leader: That river’s moving mighty fast. Might we be near a W-O-H-T-A-F-O-H-L?
Orcborn: A what?
Barbarian Leader: A WATERFALL!
The other barbarians regain their senses and join their leader in surrounding the orcborn.
Barbarian #4: I hope you can swim…and survive a two-foot plunge down a waterfall!
Bryn: Two feet? Could you BE any thicker?!
Amethyst: This is bad! We cannot attack them all at once!
Emily: But if we fail to do something he will be thrust into the river anyway!
Barbarian Leader: Say my regards to your ancestors for me!
The barbarian leader raises his club. Zed suddenly steps forward, pulls out his wand and points it at the barbarians.
Zed: STOP!
The barbarians turn around to face Zed. They take one look at his wand and start laughing.
Barbarian #5: What can you do with that thing? Poke our ribcages?
Barbarian #4: Look, he thinks he’s a big tough man with his tiny sword!
Barbarian Leader: Put your stick away, little boy. Grown-ups are talking.
Barbarian #2: Yeah, there’s nothing you can-
Zed’s eyes begin to glow with cyan light.
Barbarian Leader: What the-
Zed: “SLEEP!”
As Zed’s word echoes, a wave pulses from the tip of his wand, engulfing the barbarians in a pale blue light. They collapse to the ground in a deep slumber. Zed’s eyes return to normal.
***
We cut to another place, where a mysterious figure in a dark robe and breather looks up.
Dark-Robed Guy: The awakening…it has begun...
***
We cut back to the bridge. The other Crystalbound stare at Zed, dumbfounded.
Orcborn: What the…?!
Thobrun: How did you do that, lad?!
Bryn: I thought you were just an apprentice!
Amethyst: As I said to you all, Zed is a natural mage.
Brocc’s thoughts: Wow, he’s even more powerful than I thought he’d be!
The orcborn steps over the barbarians and walks over to the party.
Orcborn: I guess Amethyst was right. You have talent.
The orcborn sheaths his sword and holds out his right hand. Zed grabs it and clenches. The two men release their grips.
Orcborn: Thank you for helping me.
Zed: No problem.
Orcborn: I just realised I haven’t told you my name yet. Mak Clay, warrior. And I’m happy to have you on board, buddy.
Zed: Thank you.
A woman’s voice echoes from the other side of the bridge.
Voice: Are you alright over there?
Mak: We could use some help with these barbarians over here.
Voice: We will be right over.
Bryn: We?
Four male humans, two with rounded ears and two with ears like Emily’s, and a female human with ears like Emily’s, cross the bridge. They are wearing silver armour and helmets. The female human walks over to Mak.
Woman: Cynthia Meadows, guard-captain of Silveria City.
Cynthia looks down at the unconscious barbarians.
Cynthia: Ah, I see you succeeded in apprehending the thugs. Come. We will escort you to Silveria City to organise payment for your assistance.
Scene 9: En Route to Silveria City: Early Afternoon
The party travels with the guards across a well-worn road through an open plain. The barbarians are linked together by iron chains.
Cynthia: These thugs have been causing trouble in the region for weeks.
Amethyst: Did nobody attempt to apprehend them?
Cynthia: Most people who could help were preoccupied with other quests. The few who remained were overly cautious and chose not to assist.
Mak: Well, what was the bounty on these guys?
Zed takes a mouthful of water from his waterskin.
Cynthia: 2499 gold.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water.
Mak: I’m surprised nobody wanted the bounty.
Cynthia: Well, considering you assisted us with no desire to claim any reward money for their capture, as well as the level of skill involved…
Zed takes another mouthful of water.
Cynthia: … I am obliged to double the reward.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water again.
Bryn: Careful there, Zeddy, or you’ll have no water left till we reach the city!
Zed takes a third mouthful of water.
Cynthia: That is it over there. We should arrive within the hour.
Zed takes one look at the giant citadel and spits out his water again.
Zed: That place is huge!
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: It appears even bigger once you enter.
Bryn: Oh, you’re going to love it, Zed! It’s wall-to-wall shops, taverns and entertainment!
Emily: We must visit the Temple of Marilina when we enter.
Thobrun: And the Temple of Alistair.
Bryn: And a nightclub!
Mak: There’s plenty of time to explore the city once we sort out these gentlemen.
The barbarian leader spits at Mak.
Mak: Looks like Zed’s a bigger man than this guy after all!
Everybody laughs as they continue to head towards Silveria City.
Scene 10: Unknown Location: Unknown Time
The mysterious man who spied on Zed and Amethyst in The Budding Alchemist walks along a narrow blue carpet in a gigantic icy room up to a glass throne. He has tanned skin and a buzz-cut, and is wearing brown hide armour marked with black stripes. He kneels and looks up at the female figure sitting in the throne.
Man: I bring news, Mistress. The elf known as Amethyst has given the Azure Crystal to a young wizard named Zed.
Figure: So, the crystals have all found their owners. Trenton, I am sending you and Kara to retrieve Amethyst and her companions. Bring them to me.
Trent: It will be done, Mistress.
Figure: And Trenton? I want them alive. Is that understood?
Trent: Yes, Mistress.
The figure’s blue lipstick-covered lips twist into an evil smile.
Figure: Good.
***
End Credits
***
- on March 6th 2016, 8:45 pm
- Search in: WiiWareWave Exclusive Features
- Topic: Feature: WiiWareWave Top 5: Most Memorable Antagonists of The Xeno Series!
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4164
Feature: WiiWareWave Top 5: Most Memorable Antagonists of The Xeno Series!
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Villains In A Strange, Foreign Land!
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Whether you love them, or hate them, or love to hate them, these are our top 5 picks for the most memorable antagonists from the entire Xeno franchise! Do be warned, however that several major spoilers are revealed in this article so use caution when reading our list if you haven't played all of the Xeno games yet.
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#5: Id
Id is an alternate personality of the main protagonist of Xenogears, Fei Fong Wong and is incredibly evil and violent, unlike his kind counterpart Fei. When Id takes over Fei his eyes, hair, and skin color completely change. This transformation occurs several times throughout the story and sometimes creates chain reactions so terrible that many innocents perish at his hands, because of his unpredictable appearances and horrificly atrocious bouts of violence we feel that Id deserves a spot on our list!
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#4: Myyah Hawwa
Basically an entity who has lived for many millenia by snatching other people's bodies and using them as her host vessel, she is a very evil and sadistic character in Xenogears who was responsible for the collapse of many civilizations throughout her existence. She is a very manipulative being who pulls many strings to get what she wants. She even took over Fei Fong Wong's mother, Karen Wong, however Karen Managed to overpower her in order to save her son, however in doing so she paid the ultimate price.
Myyah Hawwa's manipulative personality and the fact that she's literally responsible for the deaths of billions of people is why she was chosen as the fourth most memorable character in our list of the most memorable antagonists in the Xeno series!
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#3: Albedo Piazzolla
An artificially created life form and major antagonist in Xenosaga Albedo is the twin brother of Jr. and is an immortal. He enjoys the pain, suffering, and deaths of humans and blames them for his misery of being unable to die. He has destroyed human colonies and towns and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. He even despises his own kind for siding with the humans and envies their lack of immortality.
Albedo's frightening nature and the fact that he cannot die is why he was chosen as the third most memorable character in our list!
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#2: Dickson
Dickson is seen as a protagonist during the first two thirds of Xenoblade Chronicles' story, however after Shulk manages to strike a truce between his people and the leader of Mechonis, Dickson betrays him a shoots him in the back, allowing the god of the Bionis, Zanza who possessed Shulk during the group's first visit to Prison Island, unbeknownst to Shulk or anyone else besides Dickson, to emerge.
He later reveals himself as one of Zanza's deciples, and eventually faces off against Shulk, Fiora, and the rest of the group when they revisit Prison Island and when Shulk fatally wounds him he seems rather proud of the fact that Shulk overcame the challenge and surpassed him. His not-so-evil nature at the end of his life is one of the biggest reasons why we chose Dickson as number two in our list of most memorable antagonists in the Xeno series!
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#1: Zanza
Originally a scientist on a space colony orbiting Earth, Zanza started an experiment that destroyed the entire universe! He and his scientific colleague Mayneth were the sole survivors and were reborn as gods in this newly created reality. Originally kind-hearted, he eventually became twisted and began to fear the Homs, and his other creations and so he decided to create a cycle of destruction for those who lived on Bionis "himself".
He later possesses Shulk and even kills Mayneth and the entirety of the Mechonis. He tries to entice Shulk to become his deciple, but Shulk refuses and eventually kills him. The fact that he destoyed the entire universe and kept killing the entirety of the Bionis population time and again is why Zanza was the clear choice to be number one on our most memorable antagonists in the Xeno series list!
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There you have it! From Id, to Myyah Hawwa, and Dickson, to Zanza these are the antagonists that really stood out to us in the various Xeno series titles, as always be sure to let us know what you think of our choices in our comment section below!
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#Exclusive #Feature #Top5 #WiiWareWave #WiiU #PSX #PS2 #New3DS #XenobladeChronicles #XenoSaga #Xenogears
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- on February 20th 2016, 2:22 pm
- Search in: Wii U eshop Reviews
- Topic: Wii U eShop Reviews Hub
- Replies: 7
- Views: 4238
Wii U eShop Reviews Hub
Update #5: Level 22 + Reviews Ha-Ro added!- on February 14th 2016, 12:39 pm
- Search in: WiiWareWave Exclusive Features
- Topic: Feature: WiiWareWave Top 5: Most Memorable Protagonists of The Xeno Series!
- Replies: 4
- Views: 3409
Feature: WiiWareWave Top 5: Most Memorable Protagonists of The Xeno Series!
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Foreign Heroes In A Strange Land!
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The Xeno series has been quite popular over the years with 6 unique entries in the JRPG series and the last two being Nintendo exclusive titles. To celebrate the success of Xenoblade Chronicles X's western release, we'll be publishing two Top 5 lists for the series. One for the most memorable protagonists and another for most memorable antagonists! We hope that you enjoy these exclusive features!
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#5: Fei Fong Wong
Fei Fong Wong is the main protagonist in Xenogears. Fei is a very strong-willed character who often suffers from amnesia in the game and has a tendency to completely lose control of himself when his emotions are heightened due to traumatic events or anger. He is a strong fighter who uses "chi" to deal great damage to his enemies.
He has a tragic past that he's unaware of at first and also has a very volatile personality accompanied by apparent split-personality syndrome. Despite all of his issues he still tries his best to help as many people as he can and has a great level of personal growth during the game's story which is why we think that Fei Fong Wong is a deserving character that belongs on our list of most memorable Xeno series protagonists!
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#4: KOS-MOS
KOS-MOS from Xenosaga is an android developed by the interstellar corporation, Vector Industries. She is designed to act based upon the probability of success and the relevance of a situation to the survival of the human race, however, any threats that endanger Shion Uzuki, one of her creator's, cause KOS-MOS to temporarily ignore these protocols. She seems very sentient and intelligent, however lacks basic emotional traits.
KOS-MOS is mankind's last line of defense against the interstellar threat endangering their existence. She is extremely powerful and capable of transforming her hands and hair into spectacularly overpowered weapons. She also has a forcefield that protects her from most threats. Her kick-butt nature and incredible fight scenes make her a perfect candidate for our list, however her lack of emotions and growth during the Xenosaga titles prevent her from reaching the top three choices for most memorable protagonists in the Xeno series.
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#3: MOMO
MOMO is an artificially created human in Xenosaga known as a Realian. She tends to be very shy and has a crazed fanbase that wishes to either cause her harm or kidnap her during the course of the series. She also shares the traits of a magical girl, wielding magic, and transforming. She appears to be around 12 years old and has a personality to match her looks. Her relationship with her mother and the story behind her creation as well as her personal growth during the series are some of the many reasons why we've chosen her for this top 5 feature!
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#2: Fiora
Fiora is number two on our list because of the unique and well-thought-out storyline regarding her in Xenoblade Chronicles. Those of you who haven't played the game yet and don't want the story of Xenoblade Chronicles to be spoiled, stop reading now!
- Spoiler:
- Fiora is an unusual case as she "dies" very early on in Xenoblade Chronicles, but plays a huge role in the game especially mid-late in the story! She eventually is resurrected as a half-human, half-mechon and rejoins the party. There's definitely feelings between her and Shulk which grow as the game progresses.
Her personality at times can be a little strange, but she's a genuinely good person who really grows alot during the game. She's very level-headed and usually keeps calm during dangerous situations which makes her an asset in the story-driven battles.
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#1: Shulk
It should come as no surprise that the Monado-wielding protagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles is our choice for the most memorable Xeno series protagonist as he's easily the most widely known character in the series thanks to his appearance as a playable Smash character in Super Smash Bros. 4!
Shulk is a kick-butt character who comes into possession of the Monado, the only blade in the world capable of destroying the mechon menace bent on destroying the Homs race "essentially Bionis' version of humans" He is a very intelligent and reliable person who rarely gets angry, but when he does he fights with reckless abandon.
He grows alot during the course of the story and eventually makes a world-changing decision that affects the entire universe. The scope of Shulk's importance to the fate of the Bionis and his inclusion in Smash 4 are two big factors as to why we chose him as #1 in our list!
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There you have it! This is our list of most memorable protagonists from the Xeno series of games! From the emotionally unstable Fei Fong Wong from Xenogears, to the seriously Kick-butt android KOS-MOS from Xenosaga, and the emotional roller coaster of Fiora from Xenoblade Chronicles, these are some seriously cool and in some cases messed up individuals who ultimately make the right choice to help their respective world's and save the day!
Did you enjoy our exclusive feature? What did you think with our choices? As always be sure to let us know in our comments section below!
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#Exclusive #Feature #Top5 #Wii #PSX #PS2 #Gaming
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- on October 7th 2015, 11:00 am
- Search in: WiiWareWave Exclusive Features
- Topic: Feature: Our Top 5 Favorite DLC Courses of Mario Kart 8!
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2523
Feature: Our Top 5 Favorite DLC Courses of Mario Kart 8!
The Best of The Best!
It goes without saying that Nintendo has done an excellent job with the DLC in Mario Kart 8 as it oozes with quality and is quite affordable "especially the bundle with both DLC packs" but which courses do we feel deserve to be in this Top 5 list? Keep reading to find out!
#5: Cheese Land.
True to its name Cheese Land is a course made completely out of cheese! This course was originally released on Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the GBA and has been drastically updated in Mario Kart 8! Besides the graphical overhaul there are tons of changes to this impressive course. There are new shortcuts and craters that can be used for tricks all over the place. There are now hang-glider ramps and Chain Chomp hazards in the second half of the course as well! The music has been hilariously remixed with squeaking mice added in which will put a smile on your face!
Sadly the Nomadi Mice from the original track that ate away at the course are no longer present, but overall Cheese Land is a fantastic course and that's why it's number 5 on our list!
#4: Dragon Driftway.
If you're looking for a challenge that will test your drifting skills to the max, look no further than Dragon Driftway! As its name suggests the course is packed full of twists and turns and is a paradise for karters who want to get the most out of their drift boosts. The course has various hazards such us missing railing, grass in the road that'll slow you down, and even a small section of the road is missing in one brief grassy turn near the finish line!
This is a great course that requires serious skill to master, which is why it has made our pick for the 4th best DLC course in Mario Kart 8!
#3: Mute City.
One of the highlights of the first download pack, Mute City is a high-speed course that is out of this world "literally". The course is based off of the course of the same name in the F-Zero series and is equally as good as well! The course has many speed boosts and corners that will provide even die-hard karters a serious challenge! You also can only earn coins from item boxes and the coin-strips in sections of the track. There is also an incredible shortcut near the end of the course that can cut 10-15 seconds off your lap, but it requires a mushroom or starman to get across.
Overall this is a great crossover stage that any fan of F-Zero will thoroughly enjoy! That's why Mute City has made our list of best MK8 DLC courses!
#2: Hyrule Circuit.
Number two on our list is none other than Hyrule Circuit a course that takes you across Hyrule Field and then into hyrule castle, and finally will twist through a small canyon before entering Hyrule Field once again! Enemies such as Keeses and Deku Baba's make an appearance on this superb course. Also coins have been cleverly changed into rupees for this course which is a nice touch. There is even a puzzle to solve in Hyrule Castle which if solved unlocks a shortcut!
The music is one of the best aspects of the course. These reasons and more are why this course has made number two on our list of best DLC tracks in Mario Kart 8!
#1: Big Blue.
Our top pick for the best Mario Kart 8 DLC course is none other than Big Blue! Much like the F-Zero Mute City crossover course from DLC pack 1, Big Blue is a fast-paced track with many twists and turns. The coin panels from the Mute City track are back in this course. Another unique feature of this track are all of the conveyor belt sections which can really speed you up or slow you down depending on your skill of staying on the green section of the conveyor belts.
Staying in the flowing water on the mid-section of the track is also key for getting good race times! The music in this course is also absolutely gorgeous and we'd say that this track might even be the most visually appealing course in the DLC packs! Overall this course is so fun and hectic that we absolutely had to name it our top pick in our Top 5 Mario Kart 8 DLC courses!
What did you think of our choices in this Top 5 feature? Be sure to let us know in our comment section below!
It goes without saying that Nintendo has done an excellent job with the DLC in Mario Kart 8 as it oozes with quality and is quite affordable "especially the bundle with both DLC packs" but which courses do we feel deserve to be in this Top 5 list? Keep reading to find out!
#5: Cheese Land.
True to its name Cheese Land is a course made completely out of cheese! This course was originally released on Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the GBA and has been drastically updated in Mario Kart 8! Besides the graphical overhaul there are tons of changes to this impressive course. There are new shortcuts and craters that can be used for tricks all over the place. There are now hang-glider ramps and Chain Chomp hazards in the second half of the course as well! The music has been hilariously remixed with squeaking mice added in which will put a smile on your face!
Sadly the Nomadi Mice from the original track that ate away at the course are no longer present, but overall Cheese Land is a fantastic course and that's why it's number 5 on our list!
#4: Dragon Driftway.
If you're looking for a challenge that will test your drifting skills to the max, look no further than Dragon Driftway! As its name suggests the course is packed full of twists and turns and is a paradise for karters who want to get the most out of their drift boosts. The course has various hazards such us missing railing, grass in the road that'll slow you down, and even a small section of the road is missing in one brief grassy turn near the finish line!
This is a great course that requires serious skill to master, which is why it has made our pick for the 4th best DLC course in Mario Kart 8!
#3: Mute City.
One of the highlights of the first download pack, Mute City is a high-speed course that is out of this world "literally". The course is based off of the course of the same name in the F-Zero series and is equally as good as well! The course has many speed boosts and corners that will provide even die-hard karters a serious challenge! You also can only earn coins from item boxes and the coin-strips in sections of the track. There is also an incredible shortcut near the end of the course that can cut 10-15 seconds off your lap, but it requires a mushroom or starman to get across.
Overall this is a great crossover stage that any fan of F-Zero will thoroughly enjoy! That's why Mute City has made our list of best MK8 DLC courses!
#2: Hyrule Circuit.
Number two on our list is none other than Hyrule Circuit a course that takes you across Hyrule Field and then into hyrule castle, and finally will twist through a small canyon before entering Hyrule Field once again! Enemies such as Keeses and Deku Baba's make an appearance on this superb course. Also coins have been cleverly changed into rupees for this course which is a nice touch. There is even a puzzle to solve in Hyrule Castle which if solved unlocks a shortcut!
The music is one of the best aspects of the course. These reasons and more are why this course has made number two on our list of best DLC tracks in Mario Kart 8!
#1: Big Blue.
Our top pick for the best Mario Kart 8 DLC course is none other than Big Blue! Much like the F-Zero Mute City crossover course from DLC pack 1, Big Blue is a fast-paced track with many twists and turns. The coin panels from the Mute City track are back in this course. Another unique feature of this track are all of the conveyor belt sections which can really speed you up or slow you down depending on your skill of staying on the green section of the conveyor belts.
Staying in the flowing water on the mid-section of the track is also key for getting good race times! The music in this course is also absolutely gorgeous and we'd say that this track might even be the most visually appealing course in the DLC packs! Overall this course is so fun and hectic that we absolutely had to name it our top pick in our Top 5 Mario Kart 8 DLC courses!
What did you think of our choices in this Top 5 feature? Be sure to let us know in our comment section below!
- on March 2nd 2015, 1:24 am
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: Transformers Discussion
- Replies: 19
- Views: 3387
Transformers Discussion
I just added a poll to this thread! You can vote for your favourite Beast Warriors in a series of successive polls, which will reveal the favourite overall character of the members of WiiWareWave. The one which wins will be used in my avatar and mentioned in my signature. Have fun voting!EDIT: I'll reveal the schedule below. Each poll will run for a short time, so be sure to vote!
#1: Favourite original cast member
- Spoiler:
●Optimus Primal
●Megatron
●Waspinator
●Cheetor
●Tarantulas
●Rhinox
●Rattrap
●Terrorsaur
●Dinobot
●Scorponok
#2: Favourite Series 1 Character
- Spoiler:
●Insecticon
●Razorbeast
●Armordillo
●Snapper
●Tigatron
●Blackarachnia
●Wolfang
●Polar Claw
●Inferno
●Airazor
#3: Favourite Series 2 Character
- Spoiler:
●Snarl
●Spittor
●Cybershark
●Jetstorm
●Bonecrusher
●Razorclaw
●B'Boom
●Manterror
●Claw Jaw
●Powerpinch
#4: Favourite Fuzor
- Spoiler:
●Air Hammer
●Silverbolt
●Bantor
●Torca
●Quickstrike
●Injector
●Terragator
●Sky Shadow
#5: Favourite Transmetal
- Spoiler:
●Rattrap
●Terrorsaur
●Cheetor
●Waspinator
●Rhinox
●Tarantulas
●Airazor
●Inferno (Scavenger)
#6: Favourite Transmetal 2
- Spoiler:
●Stinkbomb
●Optimus Minor
●Spittor
●Scarem
●Prowl
●Cybershark
●Iguanus
●Scourge
#7: Favourite Classic-series Transformers Combiner Character
- Spoiler:
●Mixmaster (Leader of the Constructicons)
●Silverbolt (Leader of the Aerialbots)
●Motormaster (Leader of the Stunticons)
●Hot Spot (Leader of the Protectobots)
●Onslaught (Leader of the Combaticons)
●Devastator (Combined form of the Constructicons)
●Superion (Combined form of the Aerialbots)
●Menasor (Combined form of the Stunticons)
●Defensor (Combined form of the Protectobots)
●Bruticus (Combined form of the Combaticons)
- on May 11th 2013, 4:16 pm
- Search in: Everything else
- Topic: Crystals of Silveria - A Series by GamerZack87
- Replies: 33
- Views: 10480
Crystals of Silveria - A Series by GamerZack87
Episode 1: The Seventh Crystal, Part ISynopsis:
- Spoiler:
- During what seems like “just another day at work”, a young man named Zed encounters a mysterious elven wizard who wishes to take him on as her apprentice. But there’s more to Amethyst’s request than training a budding spellcaster: she believes that Zed is the seventh member of her team, each member of whom is entrusted with a mysterious crystal of unknown origin and significance. Will he accept the elf’s offer?
Cast
Zed - a young man with a knack for the arcane and little knowledge of the world outside his secluded community.
Amethyst - a 150-year-old elven wizard who dragged her companions all the way to the faraway town to find Zed, she owns the Magenta Crystal.
Mak - a surprisingly-intelligent orcborn who shares leadership of the party with Amethyst, he owns the Crimson Crystal.
Emily - a priestess with a sweet and caring personality, she owns the Amber Crystal.
Thobrun - a dwarven paladin with a righteous personality and a fondness for mead, he owns the Tawny Crystal.
Bryn - a halfling rogue who hides more than his fair share about himself from everybody, he owns the Cerulean Crystal.
Brocc - a gnome bard with the brightest green hair and a knack for playing the harp, he owns the Green Crystal.
Let the tale commence!
- Spoiler:
Scene 1: Zed’s House: Early Morning
The sun rises over a secluded township in the middle of a vast green plain, the citizens slowly awakening one-by-one and preparing for their day. Shops filled with all sorts of wares open their doors; bakers begin baking bread, cakes and other tasty treats; the owners of The Naked Drake tavern prepare the daily breakfast specials. In a small house on the outskirts of town, a young man is in a restless slumber, tossing and turning. His eyes suddenly fly open and he sits up in his bed.
Young man (thoughts): Whoa, those dreams are getting even more intense than usual.
The young man swings his legs around to the side of his bed, placing his feet gently on the floor. He stands up and walks over to his wardrobe, pulling out a white long-sleeved shirt and brown pants. He pulls the shirt over his head, pushing his arms through both sleeves. He then sits back on his bed, pushing his legs through the pants, then he stands up and pulls them over his waist, zipping up the zipper and securing the button. He then sits down once again and pulls a pair of clean socks from his drawer, separating them and pulling them over his feet. Finally, he grabs a pair of tall brown boots, checking them for bugs before pulling them onto his feet. He stands up and walks into his washroom. He gazes into his mirror, opening his mouth and biting onto his hand. The man’s hand glows with a bright blue light, illuminating his entire mouth for a moment before dissipating. He turns on a tap and rinses a cup, then fills it with water. He takes a mouthful and sloshes it around, spitting it into the sink. He then empties the cup and turns off the tap.
Young man: There! A clean mouth for a fresh new day.
The man thinks to himself, then realises something.
Young man: Oh, my hair!
The man holds his hand over his forehead. His hand glows. As he moves it upward, his messy, bright red hair spikes vertically. He moves his hand away, and it stops glowing.
Young man: Right. Breakfast.
The young man heads downstairs, grabs a banana from his fruit bowl and eats it. He discards the peel in the compost box, then washes his hands and dries them. He picks up a pair of brown gauntlets and puts them on, then he makes his way to the door and grabs his brown sleeveless jacket. He puts it on and does up the buttons. He then opens the door and steps through it, closing it behind him. Finally, he locks the door with his key. As he turns around a bouncy ball lands next to his foot. He looks at the ball, then at the two boys running towards him.
Boy #1: Good morning, Mr. Zed!
Zed: Good morning! How are you?
Boy #1: Very good!
Boy #2: It’s my birthday today!
Zed: Ah, and this must be your present.
Boy #2: Yes it is!
Boy #1: Will you kick it over please, sir?
Zed: Sure.
Zed kicks the ball to the boys. The second one grabs it.
Boy #2: Thanks, Mr. Zed!
Zed: No problem.
Boy #1: Are you going to work then?
Zed: Yep.
Boy #1: Okay then.
Zed: Enjoy your birthday!
Boy #2: I will, Mr. Zed!
The boys run off with the ball. Zed smiles and shakes his head slightly, then makes his way into town.
Scene 2: Town Square: Morning
Zed makes his way through the town square. Already, people are milling about, ready to do some early morning shopping. Zed walks up to a crowd of people who are gathered around a travelling entertainer. He breathes a jet of flame through his mouth and the crowd claps. Some people deposit copper and silver pieces into a hat, which is on the ground next to the man. Zed deposits two gold pieces into the man’s hat. The man faces Zed and does a gentlemanly bow. He then picks up three balls and begins to juggle. The crowd claps and cheers as Zed makes his way to Taylor’s Treasures. A bell jingles as Zed opens the door and walks inside, closing the door behind him. The shop’s shelves are lined with various trinkets and wondrous items. A middle-aged woman with glasses heads downstairs into the small shop.
Zed: Good morning, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, good morning, young Zed. Here bright an’ early for work, are you?
Zed: I sure am.
Mrs. Taylor: That’s grand. How was your night, lad?
Zed: I had another weird dream. I kinda figure it might have something to do with my past.
Mrs. Taylor: Well, they say that dreams are the gateway to another world. Maybe your past has fled to it.
Zed laughs.
Zed: You never know, I guess.
Zed looks around the shop.
Zed: So, what am I doing today?
Mrs. Taylor: Inventory. I’m just waitin’ for the delivery man to arrive. He’s late again!
The bell jingles as the door opens. The delivery man walks in.
Deliveryman: Mornin’, Mrs. Taylor!
Mrs. Taylor: Mornin’, Mr. Deliveryman. What have you got for us today?
Deliveryman: Three big boxes o’ wondrous items for ya.
Mrs. Taylor: Oh, grand. Just leave ‘em next to the counter.
Deliveryman: Will do, Mrs. Taylor.
The deliveryman unloads the boxes next to the counter. He heads backward towards the door, opening it. The bell jingles as he retreats backwards through it.
Deliveryman: Have a good day, you two!
Mrs. Taylor: Will do.
Zed: You too.
The door closes. Zed picks up the smallest box, places it onto the counter and opens it with a small knife.
Zed: Are these bags of holding?!
Mrs. Taylor: Aye, they are, lad. They can hold many times more items than meets the eye. Perfect for the travelling adventurer.
Zed: Awesome!
Mrs. Taylor: Right, I’d like you to put ‘em on display in the shop window. Try to make ‘em look enticing for anybody who might want to buy one.
Zed: We haven’t seen any adventurers in here for months. Do you think we’ll be able to sell them?
Mrs. Taylor: Oh, I hope so. Adventurers may not often come here, but when they do, we need to be prepared.
Zed nods.
Zed’s thoughts: I wonder what it’d be like to be an adventurer…
Scene 3: Outside Zed’s House: Early Afternoon
A young elf woman with long brown hair, purple eyes and a purple robe enters town. She is carrying a silver staff, its only feature being a purple orb at one end, which is partly-engulfed by a finely-sculpted dragon. She makes her way over to the two boys, still playing with their ball.
Young woman: Good morning, boys.
The boys look at the young woman, and an expression of surprise spreads across their faces.
Boy #1: Flip! It’s an elf!
Boy #2: I heard that the long ears of the elves can hear the voices of the faeries!
Boy #1: Wow, is that true miss?!
The young woman giggles.
Young woman: Well, I hear that children can hear the faeries’ voices…if they listen hard enough.
Boy #2: Wow! That’s incredible!
Young woman: I was wondering if you would be kind enough to assist me.
Boy #1: Of course! We’ll help however we can!
Young woman: I’m looking for the young man who lives in that house.
The young woman points the orb end of her staff at Zed’s house.
Boy #1: Oh, you mean Mr. Zed! He’s at work right now.
Boy #2: I think he works in a shop called Taylor’s Trinkets.
Young woman: Many thanks. You have been most helpful.
The young woman bows gracefully, then makes her way into town. The boys turn to each other with excitement.
Boy #2: Children can hear the voices of faeries!
Boy #1: I’m going to listen to a faerie first!
Boy #2: No, it’s my birthday, so I’m going to hear one first!
Scene 4: Town Square: Early Afternoon
The young woman makes her way to the entertainer, a crowd of people still gathered around him. He performs a small dance, then stops and raises his arms into the air. As he does so, two jets of confetti seem to burst through the ground next to him straight into the air. The young woman is amused by the entertainer’s illusion and deposits five gold pieces into his hat. The man looks into his hat, a big smile on his face, before he sings and dances excitedly. The crowd laughs as the young woman makes her way to the shop. She stops and checks the sign.
Young woman: Taylor’s Treasures…I am sure this must be the shop to which those boys were referring.
The young woman enters the shop, the little bell jingling as she opens and closes the door. Mrs. Taylor greets her with a smile.
Mrs. Taylor: Welcome to my humble shop, lass. If there’s anything you need, don’t be afraid to ask.
Young woman: Actually, I was wondering if you could assist me with locating an employee of yours. Somebody named “Mr. Zed”, I believe.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, Zed. One of my most dedicated staff members. I’m sorry, lass, but he’s out having lunch right now.
Young woman: Ah, I see. When he returns, would you please be so kind as to ask him to meet me in The Naked Drake?
Mrs. Taylor: The tavern? Oh, he never sets foot in there, lass. Don’t ask me why. I suppose I could pass on the message though.
Young woman: Many thanks to you, ma’am. My name is Amethyst, by the way.
Mrs. Taylor: A pleasure. I’ll pass on your message, don’t you worry.
Amethyst: Again, many thanks to you.
Amethyst bows gracefully to Mrs. Taylor, then leaves the shop, the bell jingling as she exits. Mrs. Taylor laughs.
Mrs. Taylor: The Naked Drake…I wonder how they came up with that name.
Mrs. Taylor begins to sweep the floor with a broom.
Scene 5: Taylor’s Treasures: Early Afternoon
Zed enters the shop, the little bell jingling as he opens and closes the door.
Zed: I’m back, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, Zed. There was a young lass in ‘ere earlier asking for you.
Zed: M-me?
Mrs. Taylor: Aye, lad. She seemed very eager to meet you.
Zed: Well that’s odd. Do you know who it was?
Mrs. Taylor: I’m not sure. All she said was to look for Amethyst at The Naked Drake.
Zed: The tavern? I don’t go in there.
Mrs. Taylor: I know, lad. She seemed sure you’d go, though.
Zed: Well, I guess I could take a look in there.
Mrs. Taylor: You do what you feel is right, lad.
Zed: Okay, I’ll go there first thing after work.
Mrs. Taylor: Well then, I think that’ll do for your shift today.
Zed: What? But I still have work to do!
Mrs. Taylor: Come now, lad. You do a lot for me. Take the afternoon off. You won’t lose pay for it.
Zed: I’m not concerned about the money. I am curious to know what that girl wants with me, though.
Mrs. Taylor: Very well. I’ll see you next week, then.
Zed: Okay. Have a good day.
Mrs. Taylor: To you as well, lad.
Zed exits the shop, the little bell jingling as he does so.
Scene 6: The Naked Drake: Afternoon
Zed walks inside the tavern. It is practically deserted, save for a couple of individuals at different tables.
Zed’s thoughts: Huh. This place isn’t so bad.
Zed walks up to the bartender behind the counter.
Bartender: Welcome to The Naked Drake. I am Warren, co-owner of this tavern. Is there anything I can get you, sir?
Zed: Uh, no thanks. I’m looking for someone named Amethyst.
Warren: Ah, you must be Zed. Amethyst is at the table just there.
Warren points to the table nearest the counter. Amethyst is seated, her staff laid out across the tabletop.
Zed: Thanks. Have a good day.
Warren: If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Zed: No problem.
Zed walks over to Amethyst. Amethyst looks up at Zed, then stands up.
Amethyst: You must be Zed.
Zed: How did you guess?
Amethyst: You’re the first person to walk up to me today, so naturally I assumed that you are the one for whom I am searching.
Zed: It’s nice to meet you.
Amethyst: To you as well. My name is Amethyst Moondew, elven mage. You…are much taller than I thought you would be. Taller than most humans I have met.
Zed: A neighbour of mine calls me “the gentle giant”.
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: I knew I would like you. Come, we must practice.
Amethyst picks up her staff and starts to head towards the door.
Zed: Practice what?
Amethyst stops and turns to face Zed, a smile on her face.
Amethyst: Your magic, of course!
Amethyst turns back and once again heads for the door.
Zed: How did you know I could use magic?
Zed starts to follow Amethyst.
Scene 7: Meadow: Afternoon
Zed and Amethyst walk to the top of a hill covered in short, green grass.
Amethyst: Okay, here we are.
Zed: This is the meadow near my house.
Amethyst: It is the perfect place to test your abilities.
Zed: I should let you know, I’m not the best at using magic.
Amethyst: Everybody is inexperienced at first. With time, your abilities will develop.
Amethyst holds up her staff. A glowing purple orb appears in mid-air ten feet in front of Zed.
Amethyst: Would you please demonstrate your use of magic missile?
Zed: Uh, okay. I’m a bit rusty, but here goes.
Zed raises his right hand, aiming it at the orb.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
A small bright-blue marble flies from Zed’s hand, striking the orb right in the centre. Both the marble and orb disappear in a flash of light.
Amethyst: A perfect hit! Well done!
Zed: I don’t know how I did that!
Amethyst: Okay, now for something trickier.
Amethyst holds up her staff again. Another purple orb appears ten feet in front of Zed, except this one moves slowly back and forth from left to right.
Zed: Okay, here I go.
Zed holds up his right hand, aiming it in front of him. Zed focuses on the path of the orb.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
Another blue marble flies from Zed’s outstretched hand, striking the orb in the middle and causing them both to disappear in a flash of light.
Amethyst: Impressive! Another perfect hit!
Zed: I’m not even very familiar with magic missile!
Amethyst: Shall we try one last test?
Zed: Well…okay then.
Amethyst: Very well.
Amethyst holds up her staff again. A third orb appears ten feet in front of Zed, moving slowly clockwise in a perfect circle. Zed stretches out his hand, focusing on the orb’s path.
Zed: “Magic Missile!”
A blue marble flies from Zed’s hand, striking the top-left of the orb. The orb falls to the ground, disappearing in a flash of light as it makes contact.
Amethyst: Not as perfect, but still a hit. I’m impressed.
Zed: Thank you.
Amethyst: I have a gift for you.
Zed: A gift? For me?
Amethyst reaches into her satchel, pulling out a wooden box with a silver clasp. She undoes the clasp, swinging the box open so that Zed can gaze upon the contents. Inside the box are seven alcoves, with one of the alcoves containing a triangular, cyan-coloured crystal.
Amethyst: This box contains the seventh in a set of crystals. My allies and I have each of our lives entwined with one of the crystals. It is my assumption that you are to be the owner of this one, the Azure Crystal.
Zed: Me? Are you sure?
Amethyst: There is only one way for me to truly be sure.
Zed: I don’t know…I don’t really see myself as being very special.
Amethyst smiles.
Amethyst: The crystal will tell you if you’re special.
Zed: Really?
Amethyst: The crystals select their owners. They see the truth of their owners’ potential. Clutch it. We will know if it is meant to be.
Zed steps forward. He reaches out his hand and picks up the crystal. As he opens his hand, the crystal’s centre glows with a bright light.
Zed: Whoa…that is awesome!
Amethyst: It seems as though your potential is greater than you realised.
Zed watches as the crystal’s light fades slightly, still glowing dimly in its centre.
Amethyst: This crystal is meant for you, Zed. When you wear it, you will form an eternal bond with it.
Zed: Like this?
Zed places the crystal around his neck. The light within its centre shines bright enough to illuminate the immediate area, before returning to a low level of constant light within the centre.
Amethyst: It would make me so happy for you to become my apprentice. Together with my allies and I, you may see the wonders of this land, and beyond. I could train you to master your talent.
Zed: I…I don’t know what to say.
Amethyst: Would you like to become an adventurer?
Zed thinks to himself briefly.
Zed’s thoughts: Maybe by adventuring, I can figure out who I truly am.
Zed: Okay, I’ll do it!
**********
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**********
- Spoiler:
Scene 8: Zed’s House: Late Night
Zed lies in his bed, his covers pulled up to his chest. His arms lie across his pillow. An orb of light is suspended above him, illuminating the room.
Zed’s thoughts: I can hardly believe it. Soon I’ll be leaving to go on an adventure. I have no idea what I’ll be able to do, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
Zed reaches across to his bedside table, picking up the crystal.
Zed’s thoughts: Amethyst said I have a permanent link with this thing, but I’m still not sure what it’s for. Maybe it’s meant to give me some sort of powers, or increase my arcane abilities.
Zed places the crystal back onto his bedside table.
Zed’s thoughts: I’ll ask Amethyst in the morning.
The orb of light dispels. Zed pulls his arms under his covers and turns onto his right side. He soon drifts into a shallow sleep.
Zed walks through a mysterious forest.
Zed: Hello?! Is anybody here?!
Almost immediately, the temperature drops. Zed’s breaths become visible as frost encrusts all of the trees.
Zed: This is bad! It’s not even close to winter!
Dwarf: It’s the Winter Festival, lad! Time for us to get drunk!
Zed: Who are you?
Dwarf: Why, it’s me, D. Brown! The Loveable Rogue!
Zed: Uh…okay.
Dwarf: Say, that’s a pretty necklace. A pretty necklace for a pretty lass!
Zed: Uh, this is a special artefact. And I’m a guy, not a girl!
Dwarf: Of course you are, little boy!
Zed: What did you call me?!
A wall of water whirls around Zed, freezing solid. The walls stretch out, leaving Zed in a dark, icy room.
Zed: What’s going on?! This isn’t funny!
An evil cackle fills the room, echoing off the walls. Zed suddenly raises his hand in the air.
Zed: “LIGHT!”
Bright light quickly fills the room.
Zed suddenly awakens and sits up, breathing heavily.
Zed: That dream again…
Scene 9: Zed’s House: Early Morning
Zed sits in a chair, playing a wooden recorder. A knock sounds on his door. He splits the recorder in two, places the pieces into his pocket, then stands up and walks over to the door, opening it. Amethyst is standing there.
Zed: Oh…uh…good morning.
Amethyst: Good morning. Are you rested and ready for today?
Zed: I did my best, I guess.
Amethyst: That is good to hear. Come. We must make preparations for our journey.
Zed: Okay, I just need to get some things first.
Amethyst: Please take your time.
Zed: Okay, be right back!
Zed closes his door. A few moments later he opens it, stepping through and closing it behind him. He locks the door with his key.
Zed: Okay, I’m ready.
Amethyst: Excellent. Let us head into town to purchase supplies.
Zed: No problem.
Scene 10: Town Square: Morning
Zed and Amethyst walk up to a shop door. The sign above it reads “Silver Buckle Clothing”.
Amethyst: First, we must purchase a new outfit for you to wear.
Zed: I don’t know, this place looks expensive.
Amethyst: Never fear, Zed. A good quality outfit is just what you need.
Zed: True…
Zed and Amethyst enter the shop. A well-dressed gentleman greets them from behind the counter.
Gentleman: Welcome to Silver Buckle Clothing! I am Eduardo, your guide to the world of chic fashion. How may I help you today?
Amethyst: My apprentice is in need of a new outfit.
Eduardo examines Zed’s outfit.
Eduardo: Oh yes…I see what you mean. Hm…now, what sort of apprentice is he? Knight’s apprentice, mage’s apprentice…?
Amethyst: A mage’s apprentice.
Eduardo: Of course! I might have guessed from your lovely violet tunic! It simply screams “modern elven mage”! And it matches your eyes perfectly! Ooh, and I just love the sash!
Eduardo examines Zed’s outfit some more.
Eduardo: Hm…we need to update your look. The whole “brown-on-white” thing is too archaic. Today’s young mage needs to wear something more modern and vibrant. Hm…okay, I see you wearing something…azure.
Zed: Azure’s my favourite colour.
Eduardo: Ah! I knew it! Eduardo, you are a genius!
Eduardo looks around. He plucks a pale blue shirt from a clothes rack, giving it to Zed.
Eduardo: This would make the perfect base for your outfit.
Eduardo then plucks a pair of blue pants from another clothes rack.
Eduardo: And this will add a pleasant contrast to it. Now, into the change room you go!
Eduardo motions Zed into the change room. Zed turns around.
Zed: I don’t know about this…it seems expensive.
Eduardo: Don’t worry about price! A good outfit is an expensive outfit!
Eduardo closes the curtain on the change room.
Zed: Ooh, comfy! And it fits really well!
Eduardo: You doubt my talents for choosing an outfit?
Zed: No no no, this is great!
Zed opens the curtain. Eduardo nods with his bottom lip protruding.
Eduardo: A great improvement. I think we’ll stick with your previous look, but with modern designs and more blue. Wait here while I get your leathers.
Eduardo walks into another room.
Zed: Leathers? Aren’t they…bulky?
Amethyst: Leather armour is bulky. Leather clothing is lightweight and flexible.
Zed: Ah, good. I read that mages need mobility when casting spells.
Amethyst: My curiosity has piqued. How talented are you with casting spells?
Zed: Well, I’ve always been good at cantrips, and I can do some evocations pretty well. I’ve also learned to do a bit of other magic as well.
Eduardo returns carrying some boxes.
Eduardo: I checked your old boots for size and picked out the perfect pair for you. Try these on.
Eduardo hands a box to Zed. Zed sits down, opens the box and puts on the boots, which are made of dark blue leather. Zed stands up and takes a few steps.
Zed: These are so comfy.
Eduardo: And here are the matching gauntlets.
Eduardo hands another box to Zed. Zed opens the box, removing a pair of gauntlets made of thin, dark blue leather. He pulls them on and flexes his fingers and wrist.
Zed: These are better than my old gauntlets. They mould right to my hand!
Eduardo: I also have a belt…
Eduardo hands a black belt with a silver buckle to Zed.
Eduardo: …and a vest.
Eduardo hands an azure leather sleeveless jacket to Zed. Zed equips himself with the belt, attaching it to the buckle, then he puts on the jacket and does up the buttons.
Zed: This is awesome!
Amethyst: I think we have found a perfect outfit for you, Zed.
Eduardo: No.
Amethyst: No?
Eduardo: No. It is not yet perfect. It needs a certain…oomph that says “modern mage’s apprentice”.
Zed: Like a robe or cloak?
Eduardo: I think something more your age category would be better…oh! Wait here!
Eduardo walks away, plucking a folded piece of clothing from a shelf. He walk back and hands it to Zed. Zed unfurls it and puts it on.
Zed: A cape?!
Eduardo: Oh, yes. All the young mages in Silveria wear capes. It’s fast becoming the latest fashion trend.
Zed: Well, I guess this outfit is good. But…how much will it cost?
Eduardo: For you, I’ll give you a special deal. Just 7 gold pieces!
Zed: Well…I guess it is for my new role as an adventurer…
Zed reaches for his coin sack.
Amethyst: Wait, Zed! I will pay for your outfit.
Zed: Are you sure?
Amethyst: Of course. A mage’s duty is to pay for her apprentice’s starting equipment.
Amethyst hands 7 gold pieces to Eduardo.
Eduardo: Thank you very much! I trust you are happy with your new look?
Zed: I sure am. Thank you!
Scene 11: Street: Morning
Zed and Amethyst walk down a street.
Zed: Thank you for buying my new clothes.
Amethyst: It is my pleasure, Zed. Now, we need to buy you the most important piece of equipment for any mage.
Zed: An implement?
Amethyst: Indeed.
Zed: I know just the place!
Zed leads Amethyst to another door. The sign above the door reads “The Budding Alchemist”. Zed opens the door, motioning Amethyst to enter. Amethyst nods once and enters the building, followed by Zed. An elderly gentleman with a long white beard greets them.
Gentleman: Well, if it isn’t young Zed. Why, I haven’t seen you in here since the Astral Festival.
Zed: Sorry, Mr. Newt. I’ve been busy for the past couple of weeks.
Newt: How are your dreams?
Zed: Getting even weirder. I had the ice forest one again last night.
Newt: You’ve had that one more often in recent days, haven’t you?
Zed: Yep. It seemed even more real last night.
Newt: Well, I’m sure you will learn the secret behind it eventually.
Mr. Newt notices Amethyst.
Newt: And you must be Amethyst.
Amethyst: I am. Please excuse my bluntness, but how did you know my name?
Newt: Why, the lovely Mrs. Taylor told me last night over a cup of tea.
Zed: News sure travels fast in this town.
Newt: Thank you so much for taking the time to instruct Zed in the art of magic. I would myself, but I’m too old. I’ll leave it up to the younger generation.
Zed: Remember when I first came in here?
Newt: Like it was yesterday. You picked up a book of cantrips out of curiosity.
Zed: I was interested in magic but thought I was too old to learn it.
Newt: Then you started to read the cover, and turned your hair blue!
Zed: It caught your attention, but I had no idea what was going on cause I couldn’t see the top of my own head!
Mr. Newt chuckles.
Newt: Oh, I laughed for two minutes. I finally managed to tell you that you are a naturally-gifted mage, but you were too busy panicking about your hair.
Zed: Good times…oh, that’s right! Mr. Newt, I was wondering if you could help me choose my implement.
Newt: Of course, lad. Do you know what kind of implement suits you best?
Zed: Hm…I’ve never given it much thought.
Newt: Might I suggest a wand? It’s portable and lightweight, and easy to equip in a pinch.
Zed: Sounds good.
Newt: The wands are right over here.
Mr. Newt leads Zed to a display containing a selection of wands.
Zed: How will I know which one is the right one for me?
Newt: You will know as soon as your eyes meet with it.
Zed looks around. He spots a silver wand adorned with a carving of a dragon at its far end. He walks over to it and picks it up. Almost immediately, a bright blue glow surrounds him. He reaches into his shirt and pulls out the crystal, which is also glowing with a bright blue light.
Newt: No…it cannot be!
The light dissipates. Mr. Newt walks over to Zed.
Newt: Zed! You did not tell me you had an artefact of the Silverian Empire!
Zed: The Silverian Empire?
Zed looks over at Amethyst.
Amethyst: I have not heard of such an empire.
Newt: Then there is much you both must learn. Come. We will discuss it further in my house.
The three people step out of the shop. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows.
Figure: So it is true. I must tell my mistress at once.
The figure turns and steps back into the shadows.
To be Continued...
**********
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**********
Episode 2: The Seventh Crystal, Part II
- Spoiler:
Scene 12: Newt’s Cottage: Morning
Amethyst and Zed are seated in armchairs surrounding a small table. Newt is looking through his bookcase. He pulls a book from the shelf.
Newt: Ah, yes. Here it is.
Newt walks over to the table and sits in an armchair. He places the heavy book onto the table and opens it, flipping through pages until he finds the right one.
Newt: This page contains all I know of the Silverian Empire.
Zed: It’s blank.
Newt: You are correct. Now…
Newt places his hand above the page.
Newt: “Hidden Page!”
The page begins to glow. As it does so, words and images appear on the page.
Zed: Incredible…
Amethyst: Indeed.
Newt: The Silverian Empire stretched beyond the borders of Ornoposia all the way to Granrelm, Tundwaldun, Gnomsland, Verdelvum, Lumidelvum and Kobelia, with smaller settlements in most other continents.
Amethyst: It must have been well-known then.
Newt: Oh, it was. The empire was made up almost entirely of Ornoposian humans, who spread their culture and customs, and indeed the Common tongue, to all corners of Junihoshi.
Zed: So what happened to it?
Newt: Like all good things it came to an end, but not without leaving behind its legacy.
Amethyst holds her crystal within her delicate fingers.
Amethyst: The crystals…
Newt: A mere fragment of a much larger collection of artefacts, many of which remain concealed within ancient ruins and other places ravaged by monsters.
Zed: So the city-state of Silveria was the capital of the empire?
Newt: That is most likely. It would have been the last bastion of the empire left in a world teeming with chaos.
Zed: Chaos?
Newt: Indeed. War had broken out across the empire as factions began to emerge, each claiming ownership of the dominion. They fought for decades, civilisation crumbling away, until only the Kingdom of Silveria remained.
Zed: So what could have protected Silveria from the chaos?
Newt: My guess is it was the Astral Beings themselves who ceased the bloodshed, restoring order to Junihoshi.
Amethyst: Could they be allowed to interact directly with mortals?
Newt: In times of crisis they have been said to descend and lay aid to the peoples of Junihoshi. Their direct involvement was obviously the only way to bring peace to a troubled world.
Zed: And the artefacts?
Newt: Nobody knows their true purpose. Indeed, few even know of their existence.
Zed: Then there’s no way of knowing what the crystals do.
Amethyst: I know of one of their functions. They each provide a small boon to their respective owners. My crystal, for example, provides a slight increase in intellect.
Newt: If that is true, then there is a much greater goal intended for them.
Zed: Will it be possible to figure it out?
Newt: In time, you will learn the full extent of your gift.
Newt smiles at Zed.
Scene 13: Town Square: Late Morning
Amethyst and Zed walk past the fountain.
Zed: Well, I guess that was slightly informative.
Amethyst: Even the littlest knowledge can change the world.
Zed: True. So, what boon does my crystal provide?
Amethyst: Alas, I know not.
Zed: Really? Whoa, that’s mysterious…
Amethyst: We have one more place to visit before we must go.
Zed: Oh, I have a toilet in my house if-
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: I have something else in mind. Follow me.
Amethyst walks past Zed. Zed begins to follow.
Zed: Lead on, Master Wizard!
Scene 14: Taylor’s Treasures: Late Morning
Zed and Amethyst enter Taylor’s Treasures, the little bell jingling as the door opens and closes.
Zed: Of course. There’s no better place in town to buy adventuring gear.
Amethyst: So I have seen.
Mrs. Taylor heads downstairs.
Mrs. Taylor: Ah, I wondered if you’d pop in before you left.
Zed: You heard?
Mrs. Taylor: Of course, lad. Mr. Newt tells me everything.
Zed: Wow, news travels fast in this town!
Mrs. Taylor: I took the liberty of preparing your supplies.
Mrs. Taylor heads behind the counter, reaching under it and pulling out a box containing some adventuring gear. She places the box on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: Okay, this is your adventurer’s kit.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a blue-coloured leather shoulder bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: It has a collapsible bedroll, food, a pre-filled waterskin and some other bits and bobs. It’ll come in handy.
Mrs. Taylor pulls out a bag and places it on the counter.
Mrs. Taylor: This is a breather. It’s a special mask for you to wear in case you run into a gas trap while exploring a dungeon. I’ve always thought the latest technology should be practical and useful.
Zed: Gotta love those zenoxans.
Mrs. Taylor: And this…this is a special gift from me.
Mrs. Taylor reaches into the box and pulls out a silver recorder and a navy blue velvet bag with drawstring.
Mrs. Taylor: I thought you could use a new flute. This one is supposed to make the most pleasant music, so I’ve been told.
Zed: Oh, Mrs. Taylor…
Mrs. Taylor: Come, lad. You do so much for me. This is my way of thanking you.
Mrs. Taylor smiles. Zed reaches into his pocket, pulling out the two halves of his wooden recorder. He assembles it and holds it out to Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I want you to have my old flute. To remember me by.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed exchange recorders. Mrs. Taylor smiles.
Mrs. Taylor: I’ll treasure it every day, lad.
A tear rolls down Zed’s cheek. He holds out his hands. Mrs. Taylor steps forward and embraces Zed with a big hug.
Mrs. Taylor: Take care of yourself, lad. Find your place in the world.
Zed: I’ll try to come back one day.
Mrs. Taylor: You try your hardest, Zed Starmute.
Mrs. Taylor and Zed let go of one another. Zed walks over to the counter.
Zed: Should I pay for these?
Mrs. Taylor: Amethyst already took care of it.
Zed looks at Amethyst, a puzzled look on his face.
Amethyst: I put the money on the counter while you were saying your farewells.
Zed smiles.
Zed: Thank you.
Amethyst: Just doing my duty.
Zed removes his cape, places the satchel over his shoulder, re-dons his cape, opens a front pocket and places the breather inside. He picks up the flute, disassembles it, places it into the velvet bag, pulls the drawstring and places it into his pocket.
Zed: Thank you for everything, Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor: It was my pleasure, lad.
Another tear rolls down Zed’s cheek as both he and Amethyst leave the shop, the bell jingling as they do so. Mrs. Taylor watches them as they disappear from view.
Mrs. Taylor: We will meet again, lad…
Scene 15: En Route to The Name Pending Tavern: Early Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed walk along a well-worn road, wooden fences separating it from some green meadows.
Amethyst: You seem to have a strong bond with Mrs. Taylor.
Zed: I don’t know where I would be without her.
Amethyst: Is she a family member?
Zed: No.
Amethyst: She treats you like a son nonetheless.
Zed: She was the first one to help me when I stumbled into town.
Amethyst: Had something happened?
Zed sighs.
Zed: I have no memory of my life prior to walking into town. It was late one night, and I was wearing some kinda weird clothes. I was confused, and I didn’t know what was happening.
Amethyst: That sounds awful.
Zed: Nothing felt right whatsoever. Then I came across Taylor’s Treasures. I walked inside and explained everything to Mrs. Taylor. She took me in and gave me a place to sleep and work.
Amethyst: No wonder you are very close to one another.
Zed: Mrs. Taylor took me to the best oracles when they came to town, but they couldn’t figure out which constellation I was born under. They called me a blank slate, which earned me the nickname “The Star Mute One”. It’s as though I hadn’t existed prior to that moment. And yet I know I’ve lived for a while before that.
Amethyst: So you wish to find the place from whence you hail.
Zed: That’s part of my goal, yes.
Zed thinks to himself.
Zed: So you’re the guardian of the crystals?
Amethyst: I am indeed. On my one-hundredth birthday I was approached by one of the Elders of my citadel, who told me that I was destined to find the secret of the crystals. The crystals glowed as the box containing them was handed to me, meaning that I had been chosen by them as their distributor. I was told to find the owners of the crystals and journey with them, and together we would find out their true purpose. It took 45 years before I found the second crystal owner.
Zed: And who was it?
Amethyst smiles at Zed.
Amethyst: Why don’t you wait until we reach the tavern? I am sure the suspense will lead to a much greater surprise.
Zed: Fair enough.
Scene 16: The Name Pending Tavern: Afternoon
Amethyst and Zed enter the tavern. Zed looks around and sees a few adventurers sitting at tables. Three human males, presumably fighters, are gathered around a short-bearded dwarf wearing silver armour. The dwarf speaks with a thick Nordic-infused Scottish accent.
Dwarf: So there we were, surrounded by twelve Elek worshippers. They outnumbered us two-to-one, and the rogue very nearly gave us the slip!
Fighter #1: Rogues’ll do that to ya if ya let ‘em!
Dwarf: Ye think I’d let the rogue abandon us like that? When facing evil, we all must stand together and help however we can! I’d never let’m avoid Alistair’s goals!
Fighter #2: So what did you do?
Dwarf: What else could we do? We showed ‘em who’s boss! They won’t be hurtin’ anyone anytime soon!
The dwarf swallows a mouthful of mead from his mug. Amethyst walks over to the dwarf. Zed follows behind.
Amethyst: Good afternoon, Thobrun. I gather you are telling stories of our exploits to these gentlemen?
Thobrun: Indeed I am, Amethyst. I’m teachin’ ‘em how to fight evil as best they can.
Thobrun sees Zed standing behind Amethyst.
Thobrun: And this must be the young mage Amethyst believes is the seventh crystal owner.
Zed: H-Hi. I’m Zed.
Thobrun stands up. He stands at about two-thirds the height of Zed, though he is broadly-built to make up for it.
Thobrun: Good ta meet you, Zed. Thobrun Steelanvil, paladin of Alistair Goodheart.
Thobrun bows. Zed bows right back.
Thobrun: Can I buy ye a drink, Zed?
Zed: Oh, I don’t drink alcohol.
Thobrun: Oh, no problem, lad. I can respect that.
Amethyst: I was just going to introduce Zed to the others.
Thobrun: I think they’re in the den upstairs.
Amethyst: Are you ready to meet your future companions, Zed?
Zed: Yep. Lead the way.
Amethyst: Very well.
Amethyst climbs the stairs, with Zed following behind. Zed looks around, and sees a male halfling in dark blue leather armour, a male gnome with green hair and a blonde human girl with slightly-pointed ears wearing golden-yellow chainmail.
Amethyst: Bryn? Brocc? Emily? Allow me to introduce the seventh member of our team, Zed Starmute.
Zed waves.
Zed: Hi.
Bryn speaks with what sounds like a slightly-Cockney English accent.
Bryn: Well, well, well, how did I know it’d be another human?
Bryn walks over to Zed. He stands at roughly half Zed’s height. His slick black hair curves forward at its base. He has no facial hair.
Bryn: Name’s Bryn. The Loveable Rogue.
Bryn holds out his hand. Zed bends down slightly and shakes hands with Bryn.
Bryn: Ah, so you know the Granrelmian bow. I respect that, Zed.
Brocc speaks with what sounds like a European-infused American accent which sounds slightly elevated in pitch.
Brocc: Amethyst, he’s huge! Are you sure he isn’t a giant?
Bryn: Of course he isn’t, Brocc! Look at his build. He’s definitely a human.
Brocc walks over to Zed and looks up at him. He is slightly taller than Bryn, though most of the added height is his tall, spiky hair.
Brocc: Oh, you’re right. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I’m Brocc Farshot, and I’m an entertainer! A bard! A lyricist!
Bryn: You can’t sing!
Brocc: No, but I still write songs, don’t I?
Bryn: Well, I can’t argue with that logic.
Emily walks over to Zed. She smiles sweetly and speaks with a soft, feminine voice.
Emily: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zed. My name is Emily Summers, and I am a cleric of Marilina Silverblade.
Emily curtsies. Zed bows.
Zed: Is that everybody?
Amethyst: There is still one more member you must meet.
Zed: I thought so.
Bryn: He’s in the shower.
Amethyst: Really?
Bryn: I know, we were surprised as well.
A door opens, and a male orcborn steps through. He is not wearing a shirt. He rubs his black hair with a towel, then slings the towel over his right shoulder. He walks up to Amethyst and speaks with a rough American voice.
Orcborn: Amethyst. You’re back!
Amethyst: Indeed.
The orcborn looks at Zed.
Orcborn: I thought you said you were bringing back the most naturally-talented wizard in that town.
Amethyst: I have. This is Zed.
Orcborn: He can’t be more than 25 years old. That’s not experienced enough.
Amethyst: Actually, he is 28.
Orcborn: Still not experienced enough. He’s got green written all over him.
Brocc: Uh, I thought that was me.
Orcborn: Our mission is very dangerous. Who’s gonna protect this kid if he gets into trouble?
Amethyst: I believe that’s your job.
Orcborn: I don’t want to see another innocent get hurt.
Amethyst: Please! At least let him prove himself.
Orcborn: I’m sorry, but it’s too risky. First thing tomorrow, we’re taking him back to wherever he came from. I can’t put him in any danger.
Amethyst: But-
Orcborn: That’s final!
The orcborn returns to his room. A bitter sting of disappointment spreads across Zed’s face. Amethyst hangs her head and sighs.
**********
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- Spoiler:
Scene 17: The Name Pending Tavern: Evening
The orcborn stands outside the tavern, watching the sun set. Amethyst steps outside and walks over to him.
Orcborn: How’s the kid doing?
Amethyst: I know not. He has yet to leave his room.
Orcborn: What’s he been doing all this time?
Amethyst: He is practising magic so he can be skilled enough to become an adventurer one day.
Orcborn: He’s got spirit, I’ll give him that.
Amethyst: Indeed.
Orcborn: But spirit alone isn’t enough for the life of an adventurer.
Amethyst: He is a naturally-gifted mage.
Orcborn: And that‘s a good thing, right?
Amethyst: I shall attempt to clarify. Most people who aspire to be mages must study for decades in order to master their craft. It takes skill and precision for us to cast even a basic spell before we master the arcane.
Orcborn: So how is Zed different?
Amethyst: Zed is one of the rare few who uses magic naturally, without needing to spend hours memorising spells from a book. I tested his use of magic missile yesterday and his accuracy was surprising.
Orcborn: If you’re trying to change my mind…
Amethyst: Need I remind you that we are both leaders of this expedition?
Orcborn: I was going to say, “If you’re trying to change my mind, it’s working”. I’m still a little unsure about this…
Amethyst: The crystal responded to his touch.
Orcborn: It did?
Amethyst: It glowed the brightest shade of cyan the moment he put it around his neck.
Orcborn: You sure it wasn’t just a coincidence?
Amethyst: The crystals never make mistakes.
The orcborn thinks to himself, then sighs.
Orcborn: Alright, I’ll give the kid a chance.
Amethyst: Excellent. He will be pleased to hear the news.
Amethyst turns and starts to walk back to the door. She stops and turns around to face the orcborn again.
Amethyst: You refer to him as “kid”. You do realise that you are younger than him, do you not?
Orcborn: By adventuring standards he’s a fledgling.
Amethyst: True.
Amethyst turns around and enters the tavern.
Scene 18: The Name Pending Tavern: Early Morning
Zed opens his room door and steps into the den. Amethyst is studying her spellbook in preparation for the day. She stops reading and looks up at Zed, smiling.
Amethyst: Good morning, Zed.
Zed: Good morning.
Amethyst: How did you sleep?
Zed: Better than usual. I had the dream again, but it’s starting to make more sense. I tried trancing before going to bed, just to see if it would help.
Amethyst: Did it have any effect?
Zed: Well, I had better control of my dream. This time I held off casting light during the ice room bit.
Amethyst: What did you see?
Zed: I saw five people at the opposite end, but it was so dark that I couldn’t make out what they looked like. They just stood there, not moving or making a sound. Then a silver dragon appeared above us and landed in front of me facing them. It roared, and the person in the middle turned into a white dragon and attacked it. They fought for what seemed like hours, although it was only mere moments. Then the white dragon grew to a massive size, and that’s when I cast Light again.
Amethyst: Perhaps next time you should let the white dragon continue to grow. There is obviously some significance.
Zed: I guess so.
Amethyst: Come. We must eat a good breakfast in preparation for the day.
The orcborn climbs up the stairs.
Orcborn: Come on, you two. Time for breakfast.
Amethyst: We will be down momentarily.
Orcborn: Okay.
The orcborn turns and climbs back down. Amethyst heads for the stairs, with Zed following behind.
Scene 19: En Route to Silveria City: Morning
The party walks along a forested path heading in the direction of Silveria City. Zed speaks to the orcborn.
Zed: Thank you for giving me a chance.
Orcborn: Amethyst says you’re great, so that’s good enough for me. Just be careful.
Zed: I will.
The orcborn smiles.
Orcborn: So you really have no idea where you came from?
Zed: That’s right. My past is a complete blank.
Orcborn: Maybe you’re from another continent.
Zed: You think so?
Orcborn: Well yes. Your accent’s definitely not Ornoposian.
Zed: So where are you from?
Orcborn: I was raised in Coppelia by my father. My best friend was a koble named Knight.
Zed: I’m sorry, what’s a koble?
Bryn: You’re joking, right?
Zed: Nope, I’m serious.
Bryn: Well, they‘re reptilian people who are about the height of a bolgard.
Zed: Bolgard?
Bryn: Wow, you really can’t remember who you are, can you?
Amethyst: One of Zed’s primary goals is to learn about his past.
Brocc: I could try to help him remember with a bardic song.
Bryn: No! No singing! The last time you sung, your cat ran away for days!
Brocc: She didn’t run away! I sent her to scout for the next town.
Bryn: And did she find it?
Brocc: … Well, she found somebody’s camp.
Bryn: A camp of gobbos, if I’m not mistaken? And she led them right to us.
Brocc: Well, I won’t make that mistake again, okay?
Bryn: Oh? Then where is your precious familiar right now?
Brocc: Uh…scouting ahead.
Bryn: My point.
Thobrun: Come on, you two. You should stop your bickering for once.
Zed: Is that your cat?
An orange tabby cat walks up to the team.
Brocc: Tabby! You’re back! What did you find?
Tabby meows. A look of dread spreads across Brocc’s face.
Brocc: Uh, there’s a group of scary looking thugs at the bridge.
Emily: They were not there two days ago. What business do they have with the bridge?
Bryn: That answer your question, Emmy?
Bryn points to a sign with the words “TOLL RODE” crudely written in black paint.
Thobrun: Oh, great. Barbarians.
Orcborn: Be realistic, Thobrun. No barbarian can write that good!
Emily: This is bad. Very bad.
Brocc: Emily, settle down. You’re scaring Zed.
Zed: Actually, I’m not too bad right now.
Brocc: Oh…well, in that case…
Orcborn: Just relax. We’ve been in worse situations before.
Bryn: Name one time.
Orcborn: Gobbo siege of that village two weeks ago.
Bryn: Okay, I guess that was slightly worse…
Emily: I needed to heal a quarter of the villagers.
Bryn: Whatever. The point is that barbarians are mindless, savage-
Orcborn: Bryn, shut it! We’re here.
Bryn looks up at the barbarian guarding the bridge.
Bryn: Oh…heheh…hello!
Barbarian: The toll is 5 gold each for you to cross. So…one, two, four, five, six, eight, twelve…32 gold total.
Bryn’s thoughts: And here’s the result of today’s education system!
Orcborn: We’re not paying.
Bryn: What?!
Orcborn: Why should we pay to cross a bridge that’s free for us to cross any other time?
Barbarian: Because my club says you’re giving us gold.
Orcborn: Well my sword says otherwise.
Bryn: Now come on, be reasonable!
Orcborn: I am being reasonable, Bryn.
Barbarian: Look, just pay us the money and nobody gets hurt!
Orcborn: Can you even spell “money”?
Barbarian: M…un…e?
Orcborn: Wrong answer.
Barbarian: I AM NOT UNLITERATE! Fellas, get over here and teach these guys how to spell “pain”!
Orcborn: P-A-I-N!
Barbarian: RRRRRRRRAWRRRRRRRR!!
The barbarian rushes towards the orcborn and swings his club at him. The orcborn bends backwards, unsheathes his sword and slashes the barbarian’s pectoral muscle. The barbarian roars and swings his club at the orcborn, who blocks the club with his sword.
Orcborn: All of you! Get Zed to safety!
Bryn: Uh, that’s going to be a problem, fearless leader.
Four barbarians approach the group from behind.
Barbarian #2: Where do you think you’re going?
Bryn: Uh, we were just going to head back to the tavern and have a nice relaxing bath!
Barbarian #3: Nobody’s going anywhere till we’ve dealt with your leader.
Amethyst points her staff at the other barbarians.
Amethyst: “Colour Spray!”
A ray of multicoloured light engulfs the barbarians, leaving them dazed and confused. She turns to face the barbarian leader, who is still pushing his club against the orcborn’s sword. The barbarian bellows and pushes the orcborn towards the edge of the cliff. The orcborn regains his balance, but is cornered with nowhere else to go.
Barbarian Leader: That river’s moving mighty fast. Might we be near a W-O-H-T-A-F-O-H-L?
Orcborn: A what?
Barbarian Leader: A WATERFALL!
The other barbarians regain their senses and join their leader in surrounding the orcborn.
Barbarian #4: I hope you can swim…and survive a two-foot plunge down a waterfall!
Amethyst: This is bad! We cannot attack them all at once!
Emily: But if we fail to do something he will be thrust into the river anyway!
Barbarian Leader: Say my regards to your ancestors for me!
The barbarian leader raises his club. Zed suddenly steps forward, pulls out his wand and points it at the barbarians.
Zed: STOP!
The barbarians turn around to face Zed. They take one look at his wand and start laughing.
Barbarian #5: What can you do with that thing? Poke our ribcages?
Barbarian #4: Look, he thinks he’s a big tough man with his tiny sword!
Barbarian Leader: Put your stick away, little boy. Grown-ups are talking.
Barbarian #2: Yeah, there’s nothing you can-
Zed: “SLEEP!”
As Zed’s word echoes, a wave pulses from the tip of his wand, engulfing the barbarians in a pale blue light. They collapse to the ground in a deep slumber.
Orcborn: What the…?!
Thobrun: How did you do that, lad?!
Bryn: I thought you were just an apprentice!
Amethyst: As I said to you all, Zed is a natural mage.
The orcborn steps over the barbarians and walks over to the party.
Orcborn: I guess Amethyst was right. You have talent.
The orcborn sheaths his sword and holds out his right hand. Zed grabs it and clenches. The two men release their grips.
Orcborn: Thank you for helping me.
Zed: No problem.
Orcborn: I just realised I haven’t told you my name yet. Mak Clay, fighter. And I’m happy to have you on board, buddy.
Zed: Thank you.
A woman’s voice echoes from the other side of the bridge.
Voice: Are you alright over there?
Mak: We could use some help with these barbarians over here.
Voice: We will be right over.
Bryn: We?
Four male humans and a female human with ears like Emily's cross the bridge. They are wearing silver armour and helmets. The woman walks over to Mak.
Woman: Cynthia Meadows, guard-captain of Silveria City.
Cynthia looks down at the unconscious barbarians.
Cynthia: Ah, I see you succeeded in apprehending the thugs. Come. We will escort you to Silveria City to organise payment for your assistance.
Scene 20: En Route to Silveria City: Early Afternoon
The party travels with the guards across a well-worn road through an open plain. The barbarians are linked together by iron chains.
Cynthia: These thugs have been causing trouble in the region for weeks.
Amethyst: Did nobody attempt to apprehend them?
Cynthia: Most people who could help were preoccupied with other quests. The few who remained were overly cautious and chose not to assist.
Mak: Well, what was the bounty on these guys?
Zed takes a mouthful of water from his waterskin.
Cynthia: 2499 gold.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water.
Mak: I’m surprised nobody wanted the bounty.
Cynthia: Well, considering you assisted us with no desire to claim any reward money for their capture, as well as the level of skill involved…
Zed takes another mouthful of water.
Cynthia: … I am obliged to double the reward.
Zed turns his head and spits out the water again.
Bryn: Careful there, Zeddy, or you’ll have no water left till we reach the city!
Zed takes a third mouthful of water.
Cynthia: That is it over there. We should arrive within the hour.
Zed takes one look at the giant citadel and spits out his water again.
Zed: That place is huge!
Amethyst giggles.
Amethyst: It appears even bigger once you enter.
Bryn: Oh, you’re going to love it, Zed! It’s wall-to-wall shops, taverns and entertainment!
Emily: We must visit the Temple of Marilina when we enter.
Thobrun: And the Temple of Alistair.
Bryn: And a nightclub!
Mak: There’s plenty of time to explore the city once we sort out these gentlemen.
The barbarian leader spits at Mak.
Mak: Looks like Zed’s a bigger man than this guy after all!
Everybody laughs as they continue to head towards Silveria City.
Scene 21: Unknown Location: Unknown Time
The mysterious man who spied on Zed and Amethyst in The Budding Alchemist walks along a narrow blue carpet in a gigantic icy room up to a glass throne. He has tanned skin and a buzz-cut, and is wearing brown hide armour marked with black stripes. He kneels and looks up at the female figure sitting in the throne.
Man: I bring news, Mistress. The elf known as Amethyst has given the Azure Crystal to a young wizard named Zed.
Figure: So, the crystals have all found their owners. Trenton, I am sending you and Kara to retrieve Amethyst and her companions. Bring them to me.
Trent: It will be done, Mistress.
Figure: And Trenton? I want them alive. Is that understood?
Trent: Yes, Mistress.
The figure’s blue lipstick-covered lips twist into an evil smile.
Figure: Good.
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End Credits
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