unknown 0:09

Ollie.

SPEAKER_09 0:11

Ollie. Ollie.

SPEAKER_18 0:13

For the love of welcome, woman, can you please keep your voice down? They will hear us, and if we lose the element of surprise, they will kill us in short order.

SPEAKER_11 0:28

Move, fossil.

SPEAKER_18 0:30

And just what do you think you are doing?

SPEAKER_11 0:32

Yep, as I suspected. They're not even in there.

SPEAKER_18 0:39

What do you mean they are not even in there?

SPEAKER_11 0:45

I'm thinking that statement sort of explains itself, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_18 0:51

No, actually it does not. Our mission is to destroy the witches of Label Palm. They are forever condemned to live there in those very pits of lava. The spells used to bind them there are irreversible. You see, my dear, they cannot not be in there.

SPEAKER_11 1:11

I saw it really is the first thing to go at your age, huh?

SPEAKER_18 1:14

You know, I did not believe that I could hate you more. But apparently my loathing of you is boundless. How did they escape?

SPEAKER_11 1:23

A better question is why did El Yon want them destroyed to begin with? Why did he give you this mission anyway?

SPEAKER_18 1:31

I possess neither the time nor the patience to provide you with a historical overture right now.

SPEAKER_11 1:38

Then I'm going home. I have better things to do than to hang out with you, old man. What?

SPEAKER_18 1:44

You you cannot leave, Angelica. I forbid this.

SPEAKER_11 1:48

I can't leave, eh? Watch me. Not exactly useless.

SPEAKER_19 1:59

Y'all all done killing them witches and stuff?

SPEAKER_11 2:02

They aren't in there useless.

SPEAKER_19 2:04

Now ain't that a fly in the ointment? Wonder how them gals got out of there. Ain't they supposed to be trapped in there forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever Islands, you filthy waste of a creature.

SPEAKER_18 2:26

I need to think.

SPEAKER_11 2:27

Let's go, useless. Grandpa needs some alone time.

SPEAKER_19 2:32

But Ollie can't teleport no more. If we leave, how's he supposed to get back home?

SPEAKER_11 2:38

That sounds like a whole lot of not my problem.

SPEAKER_18 2:42

Wait. Fine. You want to know more about the mission, yes?

SPEAKER_11 2:47

I think you owe me that much, Oliver. Ellion gave you the assignment. You come to my house and ask me to help you, and then you tell me nothing more. We get here, and the witches of Le Ropalm are gone. You have no idea how they got out. And heck, even useless knows more about their backstory than I do.

SPEAKER_19 3:06

Maybe. If we know more about these gals, we can help you find them, Ollie.

SPEAKER_18 3:11

Fine. But apart from their condemnation, I honestly do not know much more about them.

SPEAKER_11 3:17

Tell us what you do know, then.

SPEAKER_18 3:19

I will tell you a tale with which I am quite familiar. One that may at least explain why Elion wants them destroyed. The witches of Le Ropom played a small but rather significant part in the marginalization of his church here within the realm. The persecution of his followers actually began with the birth of the ghost.

SPEAKER_11 3:39

Wait, the ghost? The most feared bounty hunter in all of Welkin? That ghost?

SPEAKER_18 3:45

The one and only. Ooh, ooh, ooh, story time.

SPEAKER_11 3:48

I know, it's so exciting.

SPEAKER_18 3:52

His name is Alexander Temusian. But he is revered as the most famous and feared bounty hunter in all of Welkin. The world knows him best as the ghost.

SPEAKER_11 4:07

We already know that part.

SPEAKER_19 4:09

Yeah, we already know that part.

SPEAKER_18 4:11

Is this my story? Or is it your story?

SPEAKER_11 4:14

You're right. Our bad. Continue.

SPEAKER_18 4:17

You think you know Xander Temujin, do you not? Did you know that he was named after Alexander the Great and Gingis Khan? Xander is obviously derived from Alexander, and Gingis Khan's actual name was Temujin. But how did the ghost come by these two names? Who gave them to him? How did he become the man we know him to be today? Relax, my friends, as we turn back time and discover the humble beginnings of the greatest assassin the world has ever known.

SPEAKER_08 4:59

Father, forgive me for I have sinned. It has been forty-one days since my last confession.

SPEAKER_04 5:06

Forty-two days, Comlin, but who's counting?

SPEAKER_08 5:09

Father, this is no laughing matter. The things I need to confess, Elion may never forgive them. My eternity may well be sealed in the bowels of damnation.

SPEAKER_04 5:23

Yes, yes. The sky is falling at its usual breakneck pace, Comlin. This is serious, James. I see. We're all done with the formalities of titles and such, are we?

SPEAKER_08 5:35

You were James long before you're in those white priestly robes of yours. Are you going to take this seriously? Or do I need to come back to make my confession when you are not here?

SPEAKER_04 5:47

You really are in dire straits this time, aren't you? Where is Miris? She is.

SPEAKER_08 5:54

She's the reason I need your help. I can't. She won't listen to me, James. And I don't have the power to take down these people she has gotten involved with.

SPEAKER_04 6:05

Ilion's beard, Comlin, what have you gotten my goddaughter mixed up in? Me? I did nothing. Nothing. She chose this. Did you not raise her? Did you not rip her from her mother's arms after an ugly divorce, and then barely be there for her once you had won your custody battle? Whatever she's mixed up in, it must be due to your poor parenting.

SPEAKER_08 6:28

Tell me, James. Does the air ever get thin from the perch you rest your holier than thou buttocks on?

SPEAKER_04 6:36

I'm sorry, you're right. This is because I'm so much better than you. That's why your child is in trouble, right? Are you gonna finally own your sin, or are you gonna continue blaming other people? What has Miris gotten into, Comlin?

SPEAKER_08 6:49

She is an escort in the service of Dagon.

SPEAKER_18 6:55

Dagon, as you both know, was an arc demon of the Nine Hems. At this point in the timeline, however, he was an overseer of the left leg of Hell. He would eventually be defeated by Ursula in a glorious battle that is actually still discussed today. It was this defeat that led to him becoming the lackey of Orion.

SPEAKER_04 7:18

Dagon? Dagon is an idol god, Comlin. Ilion's book speaks of how he was worshipped by the Philistines. His image fell before the Ark of the Covenant.

SPEAKER_08 7:28

Yes, I know the story, James. He still has worshippers. They serve him via lewd acts, indulging in pleasures of the flesh. In some cases, they cut themselves and drink blood. They perform many heinous exploits, things you would not believe unless you saw them.

SPEAKER_04 7:49

And how do you know these things? She followed you into this, didn't she? It wasn't supposed to go this way. Were I not a priest, I would kill you where you stand, Comeland. What happened?

SPEAKER_08 8:02

I was lonely. I heard about their cold gatherings from a friend. They are invite only. Everyone wears masks or costumes. It is perfect for maintaining one's anonymity. You go in, you have sex with anyone and everyone, indulging whatever fantasies you may have. And when it is over, all you have to do is keep your mouth closed. And when the next gathering occurs, you are informed, and you get to do it all over again. And all of it is free.

SPEAKER_04 8:34

Nothing in Welcome is free, Kamlin. You'll pay with your eternity, and that still doesn't explain Miris' involvement.

SPEAKER_08 8:41

I mentioned that participation in these rituals was via invitation only. I wasn't exactly invited. You've been attending these orgies in secret? They could have killed you had they discovered you. They did discover me, James. Miris got curious about where I was going night after night, so she followed me. She got a costume and used blood magic to compel the doormen to allow her entry. And you saw her there? You recognized her under her disguise? We're actually paired together. For the love of Welkin, you had relations with your own? Of course not. My evil's not boundless, James. She unmasked and yelled at me for my behavior. She came in to get me out. We were discovered, and my punishment for infiltrating their cult was death. Miris offered to join them to spare my life. I watched as they lobotomized her. She now serves Dagon as a mindless escort. Every time she has sex, it supposedly supplies the nine hells with something called shalom. It serves as a form of currency there, I am told.

SPEAKER_04 9:55

Shalom is peace. I would imagine that would be in great demand in a place of eternal torment. So you will help me, then? Help you? Your sinful actions have led to your child, my goddaughter, becoming a mindless sex slave. Had I a sword, I would send you to the Nine myself. After today I never want to see you again.

SPEAKER_08 10:20

I understand. I will go my way, then. Wait.

SPEAKER_04 10:25

I will help Miris. I may not like her dabbling in blood magic. I had nothing to do with that. Silence. When you speak, the hole you're standing in only grows in its depth. I do not excuse her dealings in blood magic to compel her into this den of iniquity, but she turned to it because she was trying to help you. Her motives were pure. Blood magic is dangerous business nonetheless. She's tasted of its evil. Once we extract her and restore her mind, we'll need to observe her carefully. Left to her own devices, she'll be no better than the lot rumored to dwell in the mountains above Translore. I'm told they sleep in coffins and sustain themselves by drinking mortal blood. Disgusting. At any rate, the next time they send out an invitation, you need to find a way to receive it as well, and get me the location. I will bring a contingent of priests from the church with me and bring her out. And how exactly am I supposed to do that, James? You pathetic coward, this is your child. You found a way to get in when you wanted your manhood wet. Find a way in now.

SPEAKER_08 11:27

James, if I go snooping around trying to find them now that they have let me go, they may hurt Miris.

SPEAKER_04 11:35

Please don't act as though you fear for her safety. You're too afraid to investigate to save your own skin. There are other ways to find the location of such a gathering. I'll do what I can to bring her out of this. Thank you, James. I am not doing this for you. And as I said after today, I never want to lay eyes on you again.

SPEAKER_11 12:07

Wait. So that's how Shalom gets into the nine? When we were there, you didn't know that.

SPEAKER_18 12:13

Being in Ellion's presence reveals a great many truths, my dear.

SPEAKER_19 12:17

Doesn't matter how he knows. What happens next, Ollie?

SPEAKER_18 12:20

Priest James listened as Cornlin made his way out of Elyon's church. He sat alone in the confessional, wondering how he would make good on his word. He had no welcome idea how he would find this bastion of sexual immorality. After praying for guidance, he sought an audience with the arch priest of his church to get counsel.

SPEAKER_06 12:46

Let me get this straight. You want us to find the location of a sex coven that serves Dagon and extract your godchild? You want to risk your fellow priest to save one lost cause.

SPEAKER_04 12:59

Would Ilion himself not do the same? His book speaks of the sacrifices of one for many. Is her life not worth the risks?

SPEAKER_06 13:07

Frankly, no.

SPEAKER_04 13:09

No? This is about Catherine, isn't it?

SPEAKER_06 13:13

You're projecting, James. And I find it insulting.

SPEAKER_04 13:17

You'll need to get over it, Michael. That is Arch Priest to you. To me and to everyone else who dares question you, yes? And if I am projecting, then it's certainly not unwarranted. All you've done since you were voted into this post is challenge me at every turn. You would claim before Ilion that this has nothing to do with Catherine?

SPEAKER_07 13:36

I am dedicated to Elyon. True priest of Elyon, for thake marriage, James.

SPEAKER_04 13:42

An ancient and silly practice that is not required anywhere in Ilion's book. But feel free to keep telling yourself that if it makes you sleep easier. Catherine rejected you, and you sought peace here in the church. I admit your charms got you further than I expected. The office of arch priest is no small feat.

SPEAKER_06 14:00

I suggest you find your point, James, because my box of patience is all but empty.

SPEAKER_04 14:07

Then allow me to fill it with my personal disgust for you. You would permit my godchild to rot in a sex coven because my sister would not marry you? Your sister rejected me on your request. Catherine has a mind of her own, Michael, but the fact that this observation continues to elude you explains her rejection of your advances well enough. What Catherine eats does not make anyone else's bowels move. My godchild and my sister have nothing to do with one another. If you cannot see that, then you have no business in this office.

SPEAKER_06 14:38

And if you question my authority, authority I was voted into, and continue to make ridiculous accusations, then you do not deserve to wear those robes. James, you are suspended. Indefinitely, effective, immediately.

SPEAKER_04 14:54

You know you cannot do that without a majority vote of the elders.

SPEAKER_06 14:57

Oh, I'll get the vote. This office grants me the power to suspend you for thirty days as I gather the elders for the vote. Perhaps you should take this time to cling to Elyon James to seek his eternal wisdom. Perhaps then you'll come to your senses.

SPEAKER_04 15:13

This is not over.

SPEAKER_06 15:15

Please leave your robes on the way out.

SPEAKER_18 15:17

Priest James exited the office of the Archpriest and went to be alone to pray. He prayed for what seemed hours, begging Elyon to review the location of the common, but he received no response. He had known Elyon long enough to know that the God of Gods answered prayer in one of three ways. Yes, no, or wait. If his answer was yes, it would be definitive. The same was true of his answer was no. The problem generally occurred when the answer was to wait. Waiting could end in a yes or no. But the outcome when the answer is to wait is never the point. Waiting is designed to build patience in you. And the longer Elion made you wait, was akin to the amount of patience you lacked. Unfortunately for Priest James, his patience had run out completely. He knew where else he could go to get the answers he wanted. But he could not get there on his own. He saddled a horse and rode to meet with the one man whom he trusted would help him. Or at the very least, keep this to himself if he refused him. Thad Bannon.

SPEAKER_11 16:39

Ooh, I like me some Thad Bannon. He's all muscular and chocolatey, and that voice of his is like Ambrosia.

SPEAKER_18 16:50

Please, calm yourself.

SPEAKER_11 16:52

I'm sorry, but the man is sexy.

SPEAKER_18 16:55

May I continue? Or do you need a moment alone?

SPEAKER_11 16:59

Yes. To both. Talk louder so I can hear you from over there.

SPEAKER_04 17:08

Please tell me you're not serious. What choice do I have, Thad? I either find out where this coven is and get her out, or she spends the rest of her days creating shalom for the demons in the nine hells.

SPEAKER_05 17:20

I don't have an issue with your mission in and of itself. But the people you want to consult for guidance are witches. And not just any witches. The witches of Lero Palm. What's your point, Fad? A witch is a witch. No, my friend. There are people who practice witchcraft, and then there are the witches of Lero Palm. There is a reason they are condemned to spend eternity inside a pit of lava without the ability to die. Whomever put them in there wanted them to experience the torments of hell, but did not actually want them in hell. They are so bad that even the nine want nothing to do with them. What do you suppose Ilion will say when he discovers you are seeking guidance from the likes of them?

SPEAKER_04 18:13

Whatever he might say would be more than he's saying right now. I'm not hearing anything from him. Then you need to wait. You need to be patient. This cannot wait. Ilion's beard, my godchild, is a mindless sex slave in a demonic brothel. I'll consult with a hundred witches if they can lead me to her.

SPEAKER_05 18:33

Then, my friend, I cannot help you. Ilion's word is very clear about consulting him and him alone for spiritual guidance. You would only be making things worse. I'm going to Lero Palm, Thad. Are you gonna help me or not? Did you miss the whole part where I said that these witches live inside of a lava pit? I'm going. You can either help me or you can move out of my way. Ugh, fine. I'll help you get to them. What you do with what they tell you, however, is on you. Perhaps Ilion will be merciful. Perhaps I don't care. That's your emotion talking, but I get it. Perhaps I would be the same way if this was my godchild. I'll help you, my friend. To that end, do you know what is required to even get to their lair? Those without the proper protection measures are burned alive. The demon hunters who placed the witches in the pit did so with the intent of making certain that they could not easily escape. I admit I hadn't thought things through that far. What do we need? A fire resistance potion should suffice. There is a man well skilled in potion making that lives in Ubris. We need to pay a visit to him and ask him to assist us.

SPEAKER_18 19:43

Priest James and Fat Bannon took fresh horses and rode to Ubris. At this point in the timeline, worship of Alyon had not yet been outlawed in Welkin, so the ride to Ubris was feasible. As I said, this event was the catalyst that led to the eventual demise of Elion's church, but that is a story for another time. For now, Thad and Priest James arrived in Obris and made their way to the apartment of Paul of Quellos, whom we all know as the Alchemist.

SPEAKER_12 20:35

What even is that? Nothing you said made any sense. Then as soon as you start telling me about whatever God it is that you serve, we'll have something in common. I have no interest in being converted today, gentlemen. Perhaps you can save the patrons in the brothel around the corner. Perhaps you can save yourself. All praise due to whatever God you love. Hallelujah!

SPEAKER_04 20:58

Shut up. Are you Paul of Quellos, the famed alchemist of Ubris?

SPEAKER_12 21:02

As long as you have that dagger pointed up my throat, I am whatever you need me to be. He cannot help us if he's dead, James. My future non-dead self, thanks you. How can I help you, gentlemen, today? We need fire resistance potions. Your priests? I'm thinking you won't even visit the nine on the strength of that alone, right? Well, maybe not you. But your dagger wielding buddy here might. Can you mix that sort of potion or not? I can mix any kind of potion. But there is a cost. Name your price. It won't be me you have to pay. You'll need to answer to whatever god you serve. What makes you say that? Has Elion spoken to the likes of you? Elion doesn't need to. Two priests come to a potion maker asking for the ability to resist fire. You tell me. In what scenario does any story that begins like that ever end well? I don't know what you need this potion for, but there will be a cost. There's always a cost.

SPEAKER_04 21:57

We're wasting time. I accept the concept. Consequences of my actions. Make the potion.

SPEAKER_18 22:04

Thad and priest James watched as the alchemist went about his work. Several hours later, he produced two vials that would provide fire resistance upon consumption.

SPEAKER_12 22:16

How long after we consume these will the power last? Once you drink that, you'll be able to resist extreme heat for about a day. Define extreme heat? Well, I wouldn't go standing in a lava pit or anything, but other than that, you should be fine.

SPEAKER_19 22:43

So then what happened? Did Thad and the priest come here?

SPEAKER_11 22:46

And if they did, how'd they do it?

SPEAKER_18 22:49

Getting here to Le Ropom generally takes about six days travel north from Dagalus by boat. It has not always been an island, however. During the time of the Ravages, a time where blood mages controlled Welcome, La Ropom was geographically adjacent to Dagalus. A blood mage known as the Inquisitor was rumored to have cast a spell that was so powerful that it caused the ground to separate at its core and move north. No one knows the actual spell that mage used, and since all of the blood mages during the ravages, or most of them anyway, are now dead, one might not ever know. Archmage Winnicent Dune, among the most powerful white robe mages in the guild, before his death, however, surmised that the Inquisitor likely used a spell called the La Rosom Ecor, which is loosely translated to mean beautiful destruction. Bards, of course, eventually caught wind of this and, as they are wont to do, wrote songs about the events, changing key facts to make the songs more entertaining so that they could earn more coin. As a result, this island eventually became known as Leropom, a gross mispronunciation of the spell that may or may not have been used to create it. How the lava pits came to exist is another story, but suffice it to say they are indeed here, as were those condemned witches that once resided within them. There are three witches that comprise the witches of Lavom. Well two witches and one warlock to be more precise, but the two witches and the one warlock of Le Ropom does not play nearly as well as the simpler title, from the Bar's perspective at least, so they changed it. That said, technically, warlocks and witches are basically the same sort of practitioner, only warlocks are male and witches are female. The first of the two witches is named Evanore. She is thousands of years old, but appears to be around twenty five because of anti-aging spells. She has brown hair that rests at the base of her neck. She wears provocative red robes that expose her bosom ever so slightly, mostly to reveal a marking that is exclusive to the witches, a red half moon accented by a red star. This totem is actually a rune that keeps the witches trapped in Law Palm, or at least it did. Even noise's robes are impervious to the lava that she was formerly eternally trapped within, as were those of her compatriots. The second witch is Cecilia. Her beauty is said to rival even that of the sirens. Cecilia has blonde hair that is very long, though one would never know it because of the hood that drapes down past her shoulders. She wears conservative clothing that is turquoise in color. Last but certainly not least is the warlock. The warlock is actually the most fashionable of the three, wearing an ensemble that features a forced green dress accented by gold trimmings. She also wears green fingerless gloves that are the length of her forearms, as well as a golden tiara that boasts the famed jewel of the serpent's kiss. In fact, it was the acquisition of said jewel that led to this very situation. The warlock Kimoro is one hundred percent male, and because of the jewel that rests comfortably in his tiara, he is cursed to live out his days in the body of a beautiful woman. That is a lengthy story as well, one that I may well tell you at some point, but not today. For now, our story continues as Thad Bannon and Priest James arrived at the shores of Dagolus, with seemingly no means to make the six days sailing to Le Ropom.

SPEAKER_04 26:47

Are you ready to turn back, James? Turn back? We just arrived here. Did I miss something, or did we just ride all this way for the view?

SPEAKER_05 26:55

Okay, smart guy. How do you plan to travel the rest of the way to Le Ropom? You still have six days of sailing in front of you and no boat.

SPEAKER_04 27:03

Don't you mean we have six days of sailing?

SPEAKER_05 27:06

Or are your toes getting frostbite even as we speak? Even if they were, they're apparently warmer than your common sense. Give this up, James. It's futile.

SPEAKER_04 27:16

So the ride to Ubris, the potion, the trip here, all of this was for what exactly?

SPEAKER_05 27:21

I told you before we left that I would help you get to Les Ropom. Does this look like Les Ropom to you? What I mean is, I had hoped that somewhere between our departure and the shores of Dagalist, that your heart would change. That maybe you'd come to your senses and let this go.

SPEAKER_04 27:42

What part of my goddaughter is in a sex coven that supplies counterfeit peace to demons every time she has relations? Did you miss? I won't give this up until I get her out of there, Thad. Now are you going with me or not?

SPEAKER_05 27:58

No, my friend. This is as far as I go. My prayers, however, will not leave your side. I pray that you find the answers you are seeking, even if they come from. Tell our brothers to forgive me.

SPEAKER_18 28:19

Thad nodded and rode away. Once Thad was gone, Priest James unsheathed the dagger that he kept hidden under his robes, and after making sure that no one was looking, he slit his palm down the center. Adonai, El Shaddai, Yeshua. After checking to make sure no one saw him, he began whispering words of an arcane nature. When the words coagulated with his blun, he touched the sides of his neck with his palm, staining them with his plasma. Slowly, gills began forming. He then touched his feet and they began to transform into flippers. When the gills and flippers were fully actualized, he removed all but his essential clothing and then made his way into the Dagolistian seas. The trim, which would have taken six days by boat, was completed in less than half of the time. He arrived on the edges of Laval Palm and consumed the fire resistance potion that the alchemist had concocted for him. He inspired the gigantic volcano that comprised Lero Palm and hoped that the potion would work as advertised. His fears began fading as the heat he had been feeling from being so close to the volcano was suddenly replaced by cooler, almost frigid temperatures. He continued onward towards the heart of the volcano. To his surprise, the very embers and lava began shifting of their own accord, providing a wide berth for him, as though he was expected. It wasn't long before he found himself walking down a smoldering corridor, where he discovered three attractive women, each chained silver bones head to foot while waiting inside of a sizable pit filled completely with boiling lava. As James came closer, they smiled.

SPEAKER_10 30:31

Something wicked this way comes.

SPEAKER_15 30:34

It smells of desperation. Let us kill it. Mind his body. I desire it for myself.

SPEAKER_14 30:43

Komoro needs to understand that the curse is permanent. Komoro will never be anything other than a woman.

SPEAKER_16 30:50

Stop speaking to me about myself in the third person.

SPEAKER_14 30:54

How would Komorro prefer to be addressed?

SPEAKER_04 30:56

Ladies, please, I'm short on time and I need I need your help. We know why you have come. How how could you possibly know the purpose of my visit?

SPEAKER_14 31:06

Does it think it is the first to seek the counsel of the witches? Many have come for answers, only the witches provide.

SPEAKER_10 31:13

But there is a cost, priest of Elion. There is always a cost.

SPEAKER_14 31:19

Name it, I'll pay it. I do not trust it. It wears Elion's colors, but behaves faithlessly. It is a trap for the three.

SPEAKER_16 31:30

To what end, fool? Open your eyes. We are already trapped. This one comes on his own. Elion will deal with him.

SPEAKER_04 31:40

Ilion doesn't know that I'm here.

SPEAKER_10 31:43

You should remain silent. The more you speak, the more your idiocy shines. There is nothing that occurs in Welcome that Elion does not know. Please understand that if you betray him, this is not on us. We will not be accountable for what occurs next. And your fate is not ours to decide. Your priestly white robes betray you as much as your presence here betrays your god.

SPEAKER_04 32:14

I understand the risks.

SPEAKER_10 32:17

If only. You seek the location of the sex coven of Dagon, yes? To save your goddaughter.

SPEAKER_04 32:25

Yes. Please tell me where they'll meet and grant me a disguise that will allow me entry.

SPEAKER_14 32:30

It fascinates. I do not believe I have ever beheld a swifter descent from Grace since Lucifer himself. It shall have what it seeks.

SPEAKER_16 32:47

The knowledge you seek is now yours. We have also planted a transformation spell deep into your mind. Use it to take on the likeness of anyone you wish.

SPEAKER_04 33:02

You are bound in silver.

SPEAKER_16 33:04

How are you able to cast spells? You should focus more on things your finite brain can actually comprehend, mortal.

SPEAKER_10 33:14

You must kill the person you wish to become. Priest of Belion. Upon their death, speak the arcane words, and you will take on their likeness for time. I suggest that you be quick about your business. A coven of Dagon is easily infiltrated, but perhaps not so easily escaped.

SPEAKER_04 33:40

I understand.

SPEAKER_18 33:42

If only James left the presence of the witches and swam back to the shores of Daglist. He did not understand how he knew where to go, and yet they went as if on autopilot. After riding for several days, Priest James finally arrived at a wealthy estate deep in the recesses of a town called Roth Cassim. He tethered his mount to a nearby tree and hid himself in the shadows, watching to see who might be arriving. He had to murder the person whose likeness he planned to assume. Consequence he was a bit more comfortable with than he would have expected. A carriage arrived before long and a man dressed in a black cloak stepped out, adjusting a blank white mask. James whispered the arcane words that the witches of Le Rapm had planted deep into the recesses of his mind as he crept up to the men ever so delicately. For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw the man he had just killed transform into his own likeness. But it must have been his imagination. He walked several paces towards a large oak archway. Beyond that, he saw double doors made of the same wood, boasting handcrafted design work, a testament to the wealth of the family that owned it. Posted in front of the doors were two large men, dressed in costumes and wearing masks. It was at this moment that Priest James realized that he had no welcome idea what the entry password was. I I don't remember. Priest James had no idea why, but the guards accepted his mumbling utterances and allowed him to enter. His blank white expressionless mask covering his face. Get in and get out, he thought to himself. Iniquity filled the air as Priest James witnessed the apex of sexual decadence before his very eyes. Men with women, men with men, women with women, and all of the above with various beasts. Every salacious fantasy that one could mentally conjure was on full display, all for the singular purpose of creating counterfeit peace within the nine helms. Priest James did his best as he could to navigate the home, remembering that his falsified visage would only last for so long. He searched endlessly for minutes, looking over nearly every orifice of the establishment until finally he saw her. This godchild was seated cross-legged before a man in the center of the grand entrance hall. This man was dressed in flowing white rooms, covered in various gold jewelry, accented by purple gemstones. Upon his hand, he wore a large mask that resembled a ram's head. James did not know exactly how, but he noticed him. He gestured for James to approach him, which James reluctantly did, fear gripping him from crown to toe. When he was just a few paces away, the ram-masted man held up his hand and suddenly everything stopped.

SPEAKER_06 39:28

I am Molech.

SPEAKER_18 39:31

We've been waiting for you, priest of the Most High God. It was at this moment that Priest James understood that he had never known true fear until now.

SPEAKER_17 39:48

It was also in this moment that he realized that Comeland was here. And that he was smiling at him. This entire thing had been a ruse. A setup.

SPEAKER_06 40:12

Remove your mask and clothing. I I I just want to What you want matters little, Priest of Elion. You came here for me rising yes. Well, here she is. Remove your clothing and taste of her.

SPEAKER_04 40:33

You're insane!

SPEAKER_06 40:34

All of you No more so than you. You were perfectly content to blaze a path of iniquity to this very moment, but now suddenly you grow a conscience? Did you not murder an innocent man just outside our doors so that you could take on his likeness? Did you not also consult witches to learn of our location? Are such things not forbidden by your God? Sexual relations with your goddaughter would be a step up in my humble opinion.

SPEAKER_09 41:15

Seize him. No.

SPEAKER_18 41:28

Priest James was grabbed by six men and forced to the ground. Against his will, he was aroused and then forced to have intercourse with his own goddaughter. Upon completion, an order was given, and he was castrated. Molech watched and smiled as Priest James bled out on the floor before him. Miris slithered next to him and grinned at him.

SPEAKER_13 42:08

It is finished, Lord Molech. I am with child.

SPEAKER_06 42:12

Yes, I know. You will give birth to a son, and his name will be Alexander.

SPEAKER_11 42:21

That explains a lot. No wonder he's a heartless assassin.

SPEAKER_18 42:26

You do not know the half of it, my dear. We fought the monks at Widomeka Temple, remember? Can you imagine what it must have been like growing up there? Being raised by 1,000 years.

SPEAKER_11 42:37

Tell me.

SPEAKER_18 42:38

Well, following those events the next morning, a man named Peter Delstrom, the man who had worn the ram horned mask and called himself Lord Moloch, servant of Dagon, and also the man who oversaw this sex coven, received unexpected and unwanted guests at his home.

SPEAKER_06 43:07

May I help you, gentlemen?

SPEAKER_03 43:10

Greetings, Peter. I am Brother Rixir, and this is one thousand years. We are monks who follow the way of the Widowmaker, and servants of Orion, overseer of the fifth hell.

SPEAKER_06 43:27

You must be mistaken. The overseer of the torso is Lord Dagon.

SPEAKER_20 43:32

I'm afraid it is you who are mistaken, Peter Delstrom.

SPEAKER_06 43:36

That name no longer has any meaning for me. I am Lord Molech, servant of Dagon, and I suggest you state your business or be on your You seem to have misplaced your manners, Lord Molech.

SPEAKER_20 43:50

How fortunate that the brother Ixor has located them for you. What?

SPEAKER_03 43:58

Do What the woman? Maris. She is with Chow. I don't know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_20 44:15

Do you know what we are talking about now? Kill him. He is ineffectual. We'll find the girl ourselves. She is likely here on the grounds of this estate.

SPEAKER_03 44:27

How would you like him to die?

SPEAKER_20 44:29

Castrate him and then feed him his own manhood. It is my understanding that he has forced himself on others. Now he can force himself on himself. Ah Now then, let us find the Lady Myris.

SPEAKER_18 44:58

One thousand years and the man called Brother Ryxor stepped casually over the dead carcass of Lord Modek and began searching the grounds for Miris. It was not long before they found her lying unconscious on a large bed next to several other people, each of them appearing to be under the heavy influence of opiids. Ryxor shook his head at the human carnage lying in front of them.

SPEAKER_03 45:24

Sinsei, we should kill them all. Welcome only knows how much tainted shalom has been manufactured in this cobin.

SPEAKER_20 45:33

Technically, all shalom is tainted, my friend. If you think this is bad, you should see those strung out on it within the nine itself. But I digress. We should indeed kill them all, Ricksaw. All but the lady Myris. She will give birth to the child that Orion specifically instructed us to protect, the chosen one.

SPEAKER_03 45:57

You question this, Ryxo? I question everything, Sensei. You know this. To my great chagrin. Yes, you do. How do we know this child will be the so-called chosen one? Chosen to do what exactly? We do what our betters tell us to do. To produce great amounts of shalom in hell. Is that not the totality of our purpose, Sensei? If this child is chosen to do anything, will it not be to perform the same duties that we all have? Will the chosen's choices not be the same as our own? He will either choose to serve Orion or he will choose to die.

SPEAKER_20 46:49

Your choice to have an inquisitive mind is going to be the death of Eurixor. It amazes me that you follow the mandates we are given around disgusting things like sexual coven without the slightest hesitation. And yet you painstakenly question things that make actual sense.

SPEAKER_03 47:09

Do not be mistaken, Sensei. Sexual covens disgust me as well. There is nothing morally uplifting about any of this. But Orion requires it. And that is enough for me. The prophecies of the chosen one, however, the Agent of Thorn, who will supposedly unite us through what do they call it? Beautiful destruction? Those predictions have no basis in reality. And an orgy that creates a peace drug in a place you have never seen?

SPEAKER_20 47:47

That does?

SPEAKER_03 47:48

We have spoken to Orion. We know that he exists. We know he is real.

SPEAKER_20 47:56

The scrolls containing the prophecies of the chosen one are on display on the temple grounds. You have walked past them numerous times.

SPEAKER_03 48:04

That does not make them real. That makes them things that someone wrote that have never come to pass. Just because we write an idea down on old rice paper and put it in a glass case does not make it a prophecy, Sidon said. It does not make it not one either, Ixor.

SPEAKER_20 48:28

People like prophecies. It makes them feel special. People like ancient things that they cannot explain away through causality. It gives our number focus and a sense of purpose, true or otherwise. Some things we must simply accept by faith. But since no more questions. Take Myris into your arms. We will cleanse her system of the drug she has been forced to take and make sure the chosen one is born healthy and strong.

SPEAKER_18 48:57

One thousand years, under the direction of Orion, who had just recently overthrown Dagon as overseer of the torso, took Myris and brought her back to Widowmaker Temple. It was here that she gave birth to a baby boy, a boy who was given the name Alexander Tanujin. When he turned three years old, Alexander began training with one thousand years. Alexander, even as a boy, proved to be a natural warrior. The most complex techniques came to him as easily as breathing. It was as if he had been born to become an instrument of death. By the time he was twelve years old, he was arguably the best fighter within the agents of Thorn, though he had not become an agent yet. There were rules and he was not given any special exceptions. If anything, one thousand years was harder on him because of the dark prophecies concerning him. When he was sixteen, he was already dabbling in potion making and spellcasting to complement his fighting skills. Alexander's logic was that if he was ever in a situation where he could not use his hands, he could always use his mind. On his nineteenth birthday, one thousand years approached Rixor to discuss promoting him to a full-fledged member of the Agents of Thorns.

SPEAKER_03 50:35

Sinsei, he hasn't been on a single mission. You would have him skip what all of your other students have completed?

SPEAKER_20 50:44

He is the chosen one.

SPEAKER_03 50:46

A myth you have repeatedly made clear that you believe to be fact.

SPEAKER_20 50:51

The missions that I required the rest of you to complete would be child's play for him. It would be a waste of time.

SPEAKER_03 50:59

What is time to you, Sensei? You are ageless. Another fact that you are wont to remind me of.

SPEAKER_20 51:09

The day is coming when I will be equally wont to remind you of my low tolerance for passive sarcasm.

SPEAKER_03 51:16

I meant no disrespect, Sinsei.

SPEAKER_20 51:19

Of course you didn't. You see? Look at how much more effective overt sarcasm is Rixor. As much as I despise your envy of Alexander, I cannot dispute your arguments. If I promote him without a mission, then he will always be questioned or doubted by his peers.

SPEAKER_03 51:40

Which test will he be given?

SPEAKER_20 51:42

I will send him on the Brandis mission.

SPEAKER_03 51:45

No one has ever successfully completed the Brandis challenge, Sinsei.

SPEAKER_20 51:51

No one has yet. You'll see. He will make it quick and clean. He will blend into the darkness like a shadow or a ghost.

SPEAKER_03 52:02

Ghost or white, Sinse?

SPEAKER_20 52:05

As will your tombstone be if you continue to correct me. Still, that name has a ring to it. The ghost. Yes. I like that. Even if you see him coming, there is nothing you can do about it, Rixel. Have Alexander meet me here in the room of endless prayer. I will explain the mission to him. As you wish, Sinsei. Alexander, please come, says my son. I have a mission for you. You will travel to the city of Ganes. Within the city there is hospice where a man named Brandis Cole is being cared for. You will kill him. But his death must be made to look like an accident. Further, no one can know you were ever there. Do these things, and you will be promoted fully to the rank of agent. I understand, Sensei. Excellent. Take my horse. She has been resting and will get you the garnis swiftly.

SPEAKER_18 53:23

Xander rode for three days before arriving on the outskirts of the Ganis. He stabled his horse and began walking down the road towards the city gates.

SPEAKER_01 53:41

Your money or your life. Choose wisely.

SPEAKER_18 54:04

Xander made swift work of the thief, who conveniently wore a long dark cloak. Perfect for a man who needed to blend into the shadows.

SPEAKER_11 54:12

Is that why he wears that thing? I always wondered what the point of it was. Looks like it just gets in the way, you know?

SPEAKER_18 54:19

This from the woman who cares a sore larger than most human beings, and wears a cape that could double as a banquet tablecloth.

SPEAKER_11 54:26

Settle down there, my little pony.

SPEAKER_18 54:28

My little what?

SPEAKER_11 54:29

Never mind. What happened next?

SPEAKER_18 54:32

It took about an hour for Xander to locate the hospice. He swallowed a potion he'd concocted that granted him invisibility for a few minutes. He doubted he would need anything longer to slip his victim the contents of his other vial, Yevark Bane, an extremely rare poison that only the bravest of alchemists even attempt to cook, due in large part to the main ingredient, the fangs of a Yvark. He slipped easily into the hospice where he found his victim fast asleep. He stepped lightly and casually towards him and opened the vial containing the poison. He suddenly felt a presence behind him, one he had not seen nor heard. He was not used to being surprised and reacted accordingly, unsheathing his blaze in the blink of an eye and spinning on his heel to face his opponent.

SPEAKER_13 55:36

Excuse me, may I help you?

SPEAKER_18 55:38

Xander found himself confronted by the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She was about five feet even, slender, and had long dark hair. Her skin was rosy pink, her lips full, and her eyes were white, like diamonds. They were captivating as much as they were striking their appearance, and yet, no matter the expression on her face, her eyes seemed to be loving on you. Xander, though holding two life ending blades, felt completely disarmed. He cleared his throat and tried his best to respond in a way that might explain his presence.

SPEAKER_13 56:18

My question was rhetorical, Alexander. Clearly you are here to kill Mr. Cole. But that is not your actual mission. Your mission is actually to kill me.

SPEAKER_02 56:28

So my master sends me here to kill this man, and now, upon arrival, you inform me that it is actually you that I must kill.

SPEAKER_13 56:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 56:38

You are lying. You are hardly ready to die, but I do not sense that you are lying about everything. What is my true task here? What am I supposed to be doing? What are you not telling me?

SPEAKER_13 56:51

You know precisely what must be done. Do not worry. I will not resist you.

SPEAKER_02 56:56

Why? Does your life mean nothing?

SPEAKER_13 57:00

Does your task mean nothing?

SPEAKER_02 57:06

What are you?

SPEAKER_13 57:07

I am your test.

SPEAKER_02 57:09

Yes, I realize that. But what are you? What are you doing to me? Are you a first apprentice? An archmagus? What school of magic do you practice? Clearly you are a white robe. I don't know what game you are playing, but your mental magics will ultimately betray you. Your magic will not be as fast as my blades.

SPEAKER_13 57:32

I certainly hope not, since I am I am here to be killed by you. What are you waiting for? Do it.

SPEAKER_18 57:43

He did not know why, but he did not extend his blades. Instead, Alexander Temujin sat, crossed his legs, and looked intently at his victim.

SPEAKER_02 57:56

I'm curious as to why you are so willing to die. Your empathic powers are so visceral, and yet you are a victim. Just sitting here willingly waiting to die.

SPEAKER_13 58:07

It doesn't matter. Slit my throat and let my task be done.

SPEAKER_02 58:11

It matters to me. Either you are going to die here, or I am going to die if I leave you breathing. One way or another, our lives will change. If you are to live or die by my hand, I need to understand why.

SPEAKER_13 58:25

They have her children.

SPEAKER_02 58:27

Your children? What do you mean?

SPEAKER_13 58:29

My life became forfeit the moment your master stole my daughters. If I live, they will be slain. Kill me and they get to live. That was the agreement. So, assassin, prove your worth. Kill me. All that matters is my children.

SPEAKER_02 58:46

No, I can't let you do this. I'll speak to one thousand years. He will be outraged when he learns about this.

SPEAKER_13 58:55

You poor misguided fool. You think him innocent. No. Take your weapon. Strike me down with it. This is your test. Can you destroy something if Orion requires it?

SPEAKER_02 59:07

But these are children. We'll talk to one thousand years. He he'll come up with something else, a different test.

SPEAKER_03 59:16

This was the test, Xander, and you have failed.

unknown 59:21

My eyes! I'm blind.

SPEAKER_20 59:24

Rixel. Let Xander finish up.

SPEAKER_03 59:27

How many chances are we going to give him? He has failed.

SPEAKER_20 59:32

Not if she dies by his hand. He is the chosen one, Rixol. Children, Sensei? Tell me this isn't so.

SPEAKER_03 59:40

Is it really so difficult to believe? You were born into this life. The child of a priest and a Enough, Rixel.

SPEAKER_20 59:48

Alexander must choose.

SPEAKER_02 59:50

I won't let you hold innocent children hostage. You want to see death? You will see your own.

SPEAKER_18 1:00:05

Thirteen monks filled in the room they were standing in and surrounded one thousand years in Brother Rick Sorum. One thousand Years held up his hand and his monks stood perfectly still, waiting for the command to strike. He glanced at Xander.

SPEAKER_20 1:00:27

Alexander, my son, please take your weapon and slit her throat as I commanded. Please finish this.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:38

Sensei, I intend to.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:20

You won't defeat me. Give up now, Xander. You are no match for me. I alone am the chosen one.

SPEAKER_20 1:01:37

Quickly, Vixel, grab his weapons. Lusov dim Shapiro Core.

SPEAKER_18 1:01:44

One thousand years casted a spell on Xander that held him in place. Please stand aside that I might finish him.

SPEAKER_20 1:01:51

No, we have a rare opportunity here.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:54

To do what exactly?

SPEAKER_20 1:01:56

We sent him here to test his loyalty. And he failed. Did he? He proved himself loyal to his own cause. All we need to do now is to align his cause with our own. I need you to hold him still. What are you going to do? Kill two birds with one stone.

SPEAKER_18 1:02:19

Ricksaw held Xander in place while one thousand years began casting. The spell he casted on him was called the Baal Khan, a botomizing spell that derived its name from a demon of the Nine Helms. The spell had the ability to completely erase the mind in any memories of the person that it held. In more powerful hands, however, it could be surgical. One thousand years took several memories away from Xander, but replaced them with those of his own creation.

SPEAKER_20 1:02:53

Alexander, you are the world's foremost assassin. You serve at the pleasure of Orion. Thad Bannon and the members of Clan Thambro have just assaulted your wife Mora Templeton while you were on a mission for us. When you awake from this, all you will remember is finding her dead body and the evidence that Clan Thambro left behind. Your desire will be to find Mora's daughters and take care of them to honor her. Your primary goal is to find Thadban and Clan Thamro. You will know no peace until they are all dead.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:34

The daughters? Why not just leave them in the holding cells? Or just kill them?

SPEAKER_20 1:03:40

Seeing the pain of their loss will increase his anger. Now you will see Ricksaw. He is the chosen one. And Mara? I have lost the son today, Rixau. But I have gained a daughter. Bring her with us.

SPEAKER_18 1:03:58

And that, my dear friends, is how the ghost and Lady Quicken came to be.

SPEAKER_11 1:04:05

Wow! What an amazing story. Nicely done, old man.

SPEAKER_19 1:04:11

That was really, really cool. So Ghostly and Lady Quicksilver was never married for real?

SPEAKER_18 1:04:17

No, useless. They were not ever married, though one thousand years certainly made them believe they were. The ghost had never adopted twin daughters, though he certainly believed he had when Mora had supposedly been killed. In fact, over the years that passed, one thousand years made him believe a great many things through his powerful mental magics, which of course ultimately led to the death of One Thousand Years at the hands of Mora and Alexander. One keeps what one kills.

SPEAKER_11 1:04:55

That means his spells over them were broken. What do you suppose has happened since then?

SPEAKER_18 1:05:01

I imagine Xander and Mora are dealing with the complications of two sets of memories. They aren't so different than you and I, my dear. We have things we believed were very right, and then suddenly those beliefs were very different. They must decide for themselves what next steps they will take. In the meanwhile, we need to be about our own business. The witches of Lero Palm are loose, and we need to find them. Useless, I need you to become something that can fly. I will need to cover as much ground as I can, and quickly. Yes. Apegasus would do nicely. Excellent work, useless.

SPEAKER_11 1:05:43

Hey, that only has one saddle. How am I supposed to get back, Ollie?

SPEAKER_18 1:05:48

What did you say to me earlier? Yes, that sounds like a whole lot of not my problem.

SPEAKER_11 1:05:58

I hate ya.

SPEAKER_18 1:06:01

Yes, I know.