THAMRO

#40 A Dish Served Cold

Omar K. Mills

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0:00 | 1:15:52
SPEAKER_01

You can come out now, young one. I've been a collector of souls for centuries, dear. I didn't get this far by losing souls on the run. I know you're here. Come out, and you'll go to Orion in one piece. Your choice. What's it going to be?

SPEAKER_17

Let's go.

SPEAKER_14

Her name was Cindell. Cindell was a collector of souls in the Nine Hells. Sindell's chosen vocation was to collect these souls and then sell them to the demonic overseers who sought to fortify their positions of power in the Nine. She had been doing this job for centuries. And she was the best at it. Well, until today. Before today, Sindel had never lost a soul that she had collected. Before today, she had never been beaten in single combat by anyone. Much less a mortal. Much less a boy. She was lost, alone, helpless, desperate, and ripe for slavery herself if she did not figure something out quickly. And that was if she was lucky. She had been mortally wounded in a fight with that boy. What was his name? Seth. Yes, that was it. Seth Thamro. In all her years she had never seen such power. The boy had the agility of a Black Panther and the strength of a red dragon. If she was being honest with herself, while they were fighting, she felt fear for the very first time. She was bleeding rather heavily. It wouldn't be long before a rival collector finished her for good. Perhaps even Baal Khan, her very own partner. Loyalty was in short supply in the Nine Hells. Particularly amongst collectors. Stay back!

SPEAKER_03

Life certainly comes at you quickly, doesn't it? One minute you're fighting Seth Thamro, and the next you're barely able to properly brandish a blade. Toward a man who is not your enemy.

SPEAKER_15

Who are you?

SPEAKER_03

My name is Simeon Dawn. Before I died, I was a member of the Order of the Dragon. Perhaps you've heard of it.

SPEAKER_15

Order of the Dragon? You are allied with our enemies, Angelica and Aegina, the Icewalker sisters. They assisted the group that did this to me. I I was kill you!

SPEAKER_14

Simeon Dawn stared at the pool of blood pouring out of Sindel, watching as it continued to spread, covering most of the area where they were sitting. He shook his head and smiled at her.

SPEAKER_03

I guess veiled threats are better than nothing. Kill me and accomplish what exactly? I desire to help you. You and I want the same things.

SPEAKER_15

Same things? Do not presume to know what I want, Simeon Don. Perhaps I want to see your head on a spike. Would our paths be aligned then?

SPEAKER_03

We both want to see the Icewalker Sisters destroyed. We both want to bring an end to Seth Thamro. But if you'd rather go it alone here in the Nine, please be my guest. I must warn you though, Orion has likely already been made aware of your defeat. It won't be long before he sends collectors after you. Perhaps even your former partner? How much false peace do you think you're worth?

SPEAKER_14

As much as Sindell hated to admit it. She knew that Simeon Don was right.

SPEAKER_03

What are you proposing? An alliance. I think it's safe to say that you need all the friends that you can get. And I can help you. I need no one. I beg to differ. I mean, seriously, look at you. A strong wind might kill you. There's no shame in admitting a need for help. Not even for you.

SPEAKER_15

Do not make me use what little energy I have left, killing you where you stand, Simeon Don.

SPEAKER_03

Listen, we don't have much time. I need your help to get out of here.

SPEAKER_14

Sindel rolled up Simeon's sleeve, looking for needle marks.

SPEAKER_03

I am not high on shalom.

SPEAKER_15

You could have fooled me. Clearly you are high on false peace. If you have forgotten that there isn't a doorway out from the Nine Hells, just a doorway in.

SPEAKER_03

That was certainly true an hour ago. But if you look skyward, you'll notice that things have changed.

SPEAKER_14

Sindel lifted her eyes and noticed a tear in the spiritual veil. The barrier that kept the spirit realm separated from the realm of the living. An actual tear in the veil. Just sitting there, wide open, meant one thing. Freedom.

SPEAKER_15

By the nine? The veil is open. How did this happen?

SPEAKER_03

Keep your voice down. It happened when Damro teleported out of the nine with that cursed blade of his. I don't know how long it will hold. Elion is not an idiot. He'll send someone to close it before long.

SPEAKER_15

How many people know about this? Have you told anyone?

SPEAKER_03

Just you.

SPEAKER_15

Why tell me? I am defeated. Vulnerable and ripe for the final death at the hands of my enemies. You could have just entered the tear and escaped.

SPEAKER_03

The tear is well over one thousand feet straight up. How was I supposed to get up there? Flap my arms?

SPEAKER_15

You are a funny little man. You want me to carry you out?

SPEAKER_03

Unless those bat wings of yours are just for show.

SPEAKER_15

My battle with the boy injured my left wing. I can barely carry myself, much less the two of us.

SPEAKER_03

The only thing that can heal me is water from the river of sticks.

SPEAKER_15

There is no way a sycophant like you was able to best the likes of the ferryman. He patrols the river and has powers we cannot begin to understand. How did you acquire this?

SPEAKER_03

It doesn't matter how I got it. Do you want it or not?

SPEAKER_15

Of course I want it. But we both know the second I drink it and am fully healed, that I am just going to leave you here to die. Just as your friends did.

SPEAKER_03

You don't need to consume this to be healed. Your wing will begin healing if I sprinkle a few drops on it. And they are hardly my friends.

SPEAKER_15

What's to stop me from just dropping you once we are airborne?

SPEAKER_03

You drop me, and the vial falls with me. I am not a fool, Sindel. I will heal you little by little until both of us have reached the terre, which will close as soon as Elion sends the four horsemen, or some angelic horde to see to that business. Every second we waste talking about this is a second we lose to escape. Do you want freedom or not?

SPEAKER_15

Yes. I want it.

SPEAKER_14

Climb on my back, insect. Sindel felt the water from the vial douse her injured wings, and with it, her strength beginning to return. She flexed her wings to their full span and then took to the air. And just as Simeon Dawn had promised, little by little, he doused her wing with waters from the river of Styx until they had exited the Vale successfully. Sindel laughed as she realized she was literally a bat out of hell. She landed and took in the night air as Simeon Dawn slid from her back and regained his footing.

SPEAKER_03

Where will you go?

SPEAKER_15

I am well skilled at killing people that deserve to die, and the Thamro more than qualifies. I will find him, and I will kill him.

SPEAKER_03

I wish you well in your quest for vengeance.

SPEAKER_15

I assume the Icewalker sisters will suffer a similar fate. May your sword run red with their commingled blood.

SPEAKER_14

Simeon Don watched as Sindel took to the air, not the least bit concerned with the fact that she was a woman, with goat hooves and bat wings, nor with the fact that the first archer to lay eyes on her was likely to kill her on sight. He sighed and chuckled. This was not his problem. Sindell had served her purpose. His focus shifted to his own plans for revenge. He had to find the Tarragon, get one sister, and the other would surely follow. What's the scenario?

SPEAKER_17

Well, apparently these folks have been vampire food for about a month now. People thought the vampires were a myth, so when the disappearances started, no one made the connection. Now they've accepted that vampires are real, but nobody knows why they are suddenly venturing down out of the mountains of Translore and into the towns and villages. At any rate, the scenario is one of the vampires has half of this town held hostage.

SPEAKER_14

That doesn't make any sense. It's the middle of the day. Sunlight kills vampires.

SPEAKER_17

Direct sunlight kills them. They're indoors.

SPEAKER_14

Okay. So if I'm following this right, vampire comes to the town for a midnight snack, attacks people, it doesn't go as planned, and now it's daylight, and so it can't go home, and it's holding people as leverage until the sun goes down.

SPEAKER_17

Pretty much. Our job is to go in there and kill the thing. I'm nervous because if a vampire bites you, don't you die?

SPEAKER_14

Well, it totally depends. If it's the right vampire, you might get a movie deal, book deal, a long-running TV show on sci-fi, maybe even a spin-off. A spin what? Never mind. Yeah. If they bite you, you die. Or become one of them. So basically, don't get bit.

SPEAKER_17

Got it. Let's go handle our business.

SPEAKER_14

Uh, aren't you forgetting something?

SPEAKER_17

Oh, uh, right.

SPEAKER_14

Femro Alien's beard. It can't be you.

SPEAKER_15

Can I get you another one, Gina? This is my seventh one of these, Tanya. I might need a room for the night if I keep going. What is this called again? It's called the Provos. You're serious.

SPEAKER_11

I named it after that wizard and guy from the Mages Guild who wears the rainbow robes all the time. That's where the drinks them colors. And an acquired taste, apparently.

SPEAKER_15

Careful. I hear those mages can hear you if you talk about them. He's harmless now. I wasn't exactly scared of him when he was powerful.

SPEAKER_03

I'm thinking that's the least of your worries.

SPEAKER_14

The bar fell silent as Simeon Don rested the flat of his sword on the shoulder of the Tarragon. She responded without even turning to look at him.

SPEAKER_15

I was wondering when you'd say hello, Ryder.

SPEAKER_03

You heard me come in?

SPEAKER_15

More like I smelled you. How'd you get out of the nine?

SPEAKER_03

What's it to you? It's not like you or Angelica cared when you left me there.

SPEAKER_15

Wait, let me get this straight. You're threatening me because that Thamro kid saved our group by teleporting us to Elysium while I was unconscious. We fought a goddess of the nine, idiot. A fight you were conspicuously absent from.

SPEAKER_03

I had no idea you were going to join that collection of fools. Had it not been for a timely intervention by the ferryman, Ursula would have slain a lot of you.

SPEAKER_15

I assume that's how you got out. Ferryman's pass.

SPEAKER_03

A tear in the veil. Not that it matters. When that kid teleported you out, it tore a rip through the divide. I got Sindel to carry me out, and here we are.

SPEAKER_15

And now what? Revenge? If you're going to kill me, you'd have already done it.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I'm going to kill you. I just need to know where that sister of yours is hiding. First you fall. Then Angelica.

SPEAKER_15

I don't know what's funnier. You killing me without that aid of a persuasion potion? Or the fact that you think I know where Angelica is? I'm not her keeper rider.

SPEAKER_03

It doesn't matter. I'll kill you, impale you on a pole, and then let her find me. Same result.

SPEAKER_15

Well then, seeing as I'm apparently not going to survive the night. Tanya, do you mind topping off my provost drink?

SPEAKER_03

He has a drink named after him.

SPEAKER_15

You know, it's not half bad. Stings like crazy if it gets in your eyes, though. Stand out.

SPEAKER_14

The Tarragon felt an unseen dagger rip into her lower back. The blade twisted, pulling her flesh into a knot. At long last, she passed out from the poison that coated the weapon. When she fell unconscious to the floor, Simeon Dawn saw a familiar face. The face of his brother. Terser Dawn.

SPEAKER_06

You still fight like a prepubescent girl.

SPEAKER_03

And you still wish you did. Appreciate the save, Terser. Is she dead?

SPEAKER_06

Not yet. I poisoned the dagger with a mild sedative, and purposely avoided major organs. We want to torture them, yes?

SPEAKER_03

We most certainly do. This wench took my sword and we also need to get word out to her sister.

SPEAKER_06

Well, that should be simple enough. There's an entire bar staring at us. Have you made the arrangements? Everything is prepared.

SPEAKER_03

Good. Your name is Tanya, yes? Get word to Angelica Icewalker. Simeon says hello.

SPEAKER_18

What do you want?

SPEAKER_11

I am so sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Sunflower.

SPEAKER_18

What did you just call me?

SPEAKER_11

I meant no offense, Mr. Sunflower. Who Leslie?

SPEAKER_18

Not now, babe. I'm teaching the royal courier what my name is. Now then, say it with me, Craig. Craig Vex Vex See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Now, what do you want?

SPEAKER_11

Oh, I have a message for Seth.

SPEAKER_18

Do I look like the kid to you?

SPEAKER_11

Well, you are his father, so there is a bit of resemblance.

SPEAKER_18

The kid ain't here. He's out doing that superhero stuff he's always doing. I think he's fighting vampires or something with Jenna. If you go about six days ride north of here, you should find him.

SPEAKER_11

Did you say vampires?

SPEAKER_18

Yeah. What? You scared of a little undead creature that wants to suck your blood? Of course you are. Well, looks like I'm delivering this note to the kid. Bills be the bard. Trial by combat. Kid's the champion. Babe, I gotta go out for a bit. Take a message to the kid. He's fighting vampires, so I might die out there. I probably won't because well, I'm me. And I'm awesome. But just in case. Kid probably needs my help. Anyway, you know.

SPEAKER_11

Vampires might die. Got it. Have fun, dear. Oh, Leslie, can you stop by the farmer's market on your way back? We're out of milk.

SPEAKER_04

You need a ride, paychecks? It's Cray Vex. That's what I said.

SPEAKER_18

Where are you headed? Outskirts of Translore. Six-day ride from here. Unless you can turn into something that can get us there faster.

SPEAKER_04

Takes a toll, but I might be able to pull off that dragon again. Thing is, if when we fly and Angelica calls for me, I'll vanish and go to her. If we're up in midair, that might end badly for you. Your new name might be Bounce Checks. See what I did there? It's funny because your name is Paychex, but because you'd fall to your death and bounce off the ground a few times, you would Shut up. I'll risk it.

SPEAKER_18

The kid's friend is in trouble and he needs the kid's help. Let's go.

SPEAKER_02

A hymn.

SPEAKER_12

Well, look what the kitty cat dragged in. How was your swim, old man?

SPEAKER_02

Let us just say that it was less than refreshing. If I did not have need of you, I would make you swim in a pile of fecalities.

SPEAKER_12

Fecal lities? Is that even a word?

SPEAKER_02

No. But after you swim in a pool of your own feces, it will be fecality.

SPEAKER_12

Innovative. Deadly. I respect it.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you. Now then come. I have need of you.

SPEAKER_12

Ollie, I'm here already doing the first thing you had need of me for. The witches of Le Ropalm, remember?

SPEAKER_02

Then why, pray tell, are you here in Rosinda? The witches have not been here.

SPEAKER_12

How do you know that?

SPEAKER_02

Well, for one, it is still in one piece. The witches in their heyday left an indelible mark on all of the towns that they visited.

SPEAKER_12

Are you sure?

SPEAKER_02

Quite.

SPEAKER_12

Ollie. The people I've been talking to seem pretty convinced that powerful magic is at work here, and not guild magic, blood magic, or anything like that stuff that. Jenga girl does.

SPEAKER_02

You are making my point. Witchcraft is not magic. Not at its core, anyway. Similar to the untrained eye, certainly, but not to those of us with experience. Witches get their powers by bending nature to serve their will. Trust me, had they been here, you would not need to guess. Besides, I knew where the witches are.

SPEAKER_12

You do?

SPEAKER_02

Of course I do. I am the provost.

SPEAKER_12

Oh well, please do share, oh great and mighty provost. Where are the witches of Lero Palm?

SPEAKER_02

They are in the whispering winds about a day's flight from Spectral.

SPEAKER_12

Flight? They can fly?

SPEAKER_02

Oh yes.

SPEAKER_12

Where are they headed to the Spectral?

SPEAKER_02

Who knows? King Jonas may well have heard that they were free and invited them to his palace. He's long been envious of Finn, not to mention the other kingdoms in the realm. He may see this as a way to shift the balance of power in his favor. That is what I would do. Actually, I would just kill them.

SPEAKER_12

With what? Your shiny scalp? Your AARP card? Your last tube of Ben Gay. Adult Divers.

SPEAKER_02

You will learn soon enough, troublesome strumpet.

SPEAKER_12

Troublesome strumpet?

SPEAKER_02

Yes. My new name for you. Digression is not why I'm here, however. Stop distracting me. Your minioning talents are in need.

SPEAKER_12

You still haven't answered my question. Are we having two separate conversations? No, Fossil. I mean, how do you plan on killing anything? Least of all, the witches of Le Ropalm without any magic. And speaking of magic, how did you even get here? And when did you get that fancy new stuff? And your robes. They look sexier than normal. What gives, Ollie?

SPEAKER_02

If you are quite done, my dear, we have more pressing matters to attend to than my fabulous secrets. This concerns your sister. She has been captured.

SPEAKER_12

Captured? Nonsense. My sister is one of the most powerful fighters in welcome. Captured by whom?

SPEAKER_02

Your old ally, the Dark Rider, Simeon Dawn.

SPEAKER_12

Rider is dead.

SPEAKER_02

So are you. And yet, here you are. Now then, we will go and retrieve your sister, assuming she still lives. Do you have any idea where he may have taken her? The only clue I was given was from a barkeep in Upper Centennial. Simeon says hello. Does that cryptic foolishness mean anything to you?

SPEAKER_12

Yes. Ryder Agena and I have been friends since childhood. Well, technically Ryder and me. A Gina's thousands of years older than either of us. Regardless, that's an inside joke from a game we all used to play together. Me, Agen, Simeon, and his brother, Turser. Fascinating.

SPEAKER_02

Angelica, you are over 100 years old, though your dragon blood makes you look about 29. Are you telling me that the dark rider is also dragonborn?

SPEAKER_12

I honestly don't know what he is. I only know that he ages just as slowly as my sister and I do. He is a skilled fighter, granted, not as skilled as the Gina, but comparing her to anyone is not really fair. Rider can more than hold his sound, though. At day's end, it won't matter. He will be denied his petty revenge.

SPEAKER_02

Revenge is never as simple as it appears.

SPEAKER_12

Interesting take coming from you. For a man who has spent his life wanting revenge against his father and brothers, I am admittedly surprised to hear you say that, Ollie.

SPEAKER_02

My needs of there were never about revenge, always about desiring their respect and needing their love. Oddly, now as an old man, I know that they did love me in their own way. Much of what I considered cruelty in my youth was really just their ignorant way of expressing love.

SPEAKER_12

So, no revenge then.

SPEAKER_02

Your best revenge is to become so powerful that those who treated you cruelly must now live in constant fear that you might one day decide to destroy them. And yet you let them live.

SPEAKER_12

And here I was, all set to praise you for your growth. You haven't learned a damn thing, Ollie.

SPEAKER_02

The fact that they draw breath in this world is proof that I have at least learned patience, if not total forgiveness. I am who I am, my dear. I am a byproduct of my situation. I was raised to believe that those with power will always reign over those without it. But he is also the most powerful being in existence. He employs us to destroy things that threaten his throne. He is both love and vengeance. Why should I be any different? You see, I've learned more than you thought.

SPEAKER_12

We'll debate this another day, my friend. For now, I need to go and get my sister.

SPEAKER_02

Agreed. I will teleport us. Just tell me where we are going.

SPEAKER_12

Teleport us how? Did you find more magic dust?

SPEAKER_02

It does not matter. Where are they? Time is of the essence.

SPEAKER_12

No, Ollie. I'll deal with it. This is family drama.

SPEAKER_02

You are my family.

SPEAKER_12

That's sweet, old man. But I have to do this alone. I killed Simeon. And all he ever was was loyal to me. Truth be told, Simeon deserves his revenge. And I deserve to die. Maybe I can talk some sense into him. If not, then he and I will cross blades. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

SPEAKER_02

It will come to exactly that. You already knew this. And if he was clever enough to best the Tarragon, then you will be no match for him on your own.

SPEAKER_12

I can handle myself, Ollie.

SPEAKER_02

Apparently so can he. The barkeep mentioned that other person, Tersa. He was with Simeon Dawn. Let me come with you. If you go alone, then you will die.

SPEAKER_12

Then this is goodbye, old friend. I am going to get my sister alone.

SPEAKER_02

Angelica, wait a moment. Look over there. Is that who I think it is? Is that the alchemist?

SPEAKER_12

Ollie, look, it's the alchemist.

SPEAKER_02

You know, it never ceases to amaze me how you can restate the exact same thing I just said, and somehow think it is an original thought.

SPEAKER_12

I also think you are old and ugly. Is that original enough for you?

SPEAKER_02

Touche. Insults aside, this day just improved significantly. I've been wanting to find Paul of Quelos ever since he tricked us with that poison bourbon in Mount Zyna. I have just the spell for killing backstabbing Cretans.

SPEAKER_12

Ollie, I don't think we should kill him.

SPEAKER_02

But Angelica, I want to kill him. Please can I kill him? I will not kill anyone else. You have my word. Just him.

SPEAKER_12

No, Ollie, you can't kill him. You can scare the living crap out of him, though. The magic the town is talking about is probably his potions. And for all we know, he's behind the witches getting freed.

SPEAKER_02

And even if he isn't gnawned, he is a distraction worthy of our temporary indulgence. Hello, Paul. So fancy running into you here. Angelica, it always amazes me the people you run into at the marketplace. Oh shit! Language, Paul. We are civilized.

SPEAKER_06

How did you all escape the cave? How are you even alive? I thought for sure Dominic Perros would have killed you both once I brought him back to life with that scroll.

SPEAKER_12

You thought wrong, Shorty. Unlike me, Dominic was pretty much an invalid once he was resurrected.

SPEAKER_06

The differences in yours and his post-resurrection intellects is negligible, Angelica.

SPEAKER_12

Hey, Ollie, did he just insult me?

SPEAKER_02

He did. He said that you and Dominic were both stupid when you were brought back to life. And he did so quite cleverly, I might add.

SPEAKER_12

First, shut up. Second, I was being sarcastic.

SPEAKER_02

Were you, though? Oh, do we no longer want to love our enemies?

SPEAKER_12

Oh, I'm going to love him all right.

SPEAKER_02

Paul, as much as I enjoy experiencing Angelica getting insulted, I will enjoy experiencing you getting commingled with her golden sword even more. Unless, of course, you are willing to share information with us.

SPEAKER_06

So long as she has that sword at my throat, it will be my great pleasure to answer any of your inquiries. I assumed as much. Now, on to business.

SPEAKER_02

You are quite a ways from Obris, Paul. What brings you here to Ucinda?

SPEAKER_06

This is a marketplace. Can't I buy food and other goods like everyone else?

SPEAKER_12

You can also die like everyone else. Why are you here? The people are saying that powerful magic is at work. We thought it was the witches of Le Ropalm, but it turns out that it's something else. We think that's something else is you. Talk, or I'll make you sit and spin on the tip of my sword until you look like a human popsicle.

SPEAKER_06

Okay, okay. I'll talk. Just put that thing away. I'm here looking for the jester.

SPEAKER_12

Who's that?

SPEAKER_06

I'll bet Ollie here knows who I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_02

Unfortunately, I do. And I also know that he is aging quite ungracefully in the bowels of a dark cell, deep within the wizard's jail.

SPEAKER_06

Was aging quite ungracefully in the bowels of a dark cell, deep within the wizard's jail. He escaped a few days ago, paid me a visit, stole several magical artifacts from my shop, including my Bourbon.

SPEAKER_12

I've legitimately lost the will to care about anything he's saying right now.

SPEAKER_02

You will need to find it if anything Paul is saying is actually true. The Jester, when he was free, was among the most nefarious wizards Wilkin has ever known. He rose in power during the time of the Ravages and was quite the wielder of blood magic during his heyday.

SPEAKER_12

Why do they call him the Jester?

SPEAKER_02

Several reasons. One, he used to be the court fool for King Agamemnon. The story goes that he made one too many quips about the king's short stature, so the king had his legs removed. The jester was once nearly my height, around six foot five or so. Now he is lucky if he is even four feet tall. The jester plotted revenge, of course, becoming a talented blood mage, and some believe is personally responsible for the death of the original Achilles in the war with Troy. He was eventually captured and sentenced to life in the wizard's jail. Where he is to this day.

SPEAKER_06

Was Oliver the Jester escaped?

SPEAKER_12

Why should we believe you?

SPEAKER_06

Because of that talking, sword welding superhero friend of yours, Seth. He is the reason that Jester got out. He's also the reason you're looking for the witches of La Rope Palm. When he teleported you all out of the Nine and into Elysium, it tore a hole in the veil. Aeon's bear. The spiritual veil is torn? It is. All sorts of demons seem to have escaped the nine hells. I'm hearing rumblings that vampires are roaming outside of Translore as well, and they almost never leave the confines of their mountains.

SPEAKER_12

And to top it off, the wizard's jail opened up.

SPEAKER_06

Well done, Angelica. I'm officially placing you a notch above Dominic's IQ. A small notch, mind you. Let's not get too crazy. But still, you're clearly smarter than a corpse. The witches?

SPEAKER_02

The Jester escape demons from the nine and even vampires? This is worse than I feared. The magic the townspeople are referring to might also be the coming of Aeon's four horsemen.

SPEAKER_06

I thought the same, Oliver. But there's been no sign of them.

SPEAKER_02

I honestly do not know whether to sigh relief or be even more afraid at that statement. Angelica, we need to plot our next move.

SPEAKER_12

What about this loss? We're just letting him go?

SPEAKER_02

I am a man of my word. He assisted us so he gets to live for now. Be gone, Paul. We will kill you soon enough.

SPEAKER_06

Oh, if only it was Paul of Quayle as you were actually speaking to. A tortuous little old Macy, but even so, you won't see me.

SPEAKER_12

Oh my god, Ollie! That was the jester!

SPEAKER_02

Oh. You think.

SPEAKER_12

Shut up, Fossil. Where did he go?

SPEAKER_02

I do not know. I can hear him laughing, though. The fact that he knows so many details about us worries me almost as much as the veil being torn. I know you are worried about Agena, but there will be nothing left of the realm if we do not deal with this first. Do what you must, Angelica, but find him.

SPEAKER_12

What about you? Where are you going?

SPEAKER_02

You asked me earlier about this staff and magic dust. I managed to procure several magical items from an old enemy of mine, Marcella Dero. And while they are indeed powerful, they will not be enough to subdue the focus totality of the scum and villainy we will face. I need my old powers.

SPEAKER_12

Wait. No, Ollie. Those powers were evil. Your power needs to come from Elion's book now.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, you mean the book that was handed to me by a gigantic demon in the Nine Hells? The one who ferries souls to and fro. We are well past the point of black and white, my dear. This situation calls for shades of gray. Calls for me to become whom I was.

SPEAKER_12

Ollie, no, you can't go back to being evil.

SPEAKER_02

Angelica, good and evil are nothing more than subjective points of view. If you would like, we can go find Dominic Perro's Singe Corpse and ask its opinion on your newly gained morality. All of us who face down Ursula, yourself included, were once considered evil. And yet Aeon spared us all. I need to regain my powers. I'm not skilled enough with Aeon's book to be effective with it. The risks are too great. Find the jester. I will contact you when I have regained my abilities, and we will proceed from there.

SPEAKER_12

I'm not helping you get back powers that made you evil, Ollie.

SPEAKER_02

I do not recall asking for your help. And I resent your doubt. Do you honestly believe I could ever go back to wanting to be a false god after seeing Elian? After beholding with my own eyes what God truly is.

SPEAKER_12

When it comes to you and power, I don't know what I believe, old man.

SPEAKER_02

After all we have been through together, you do not trust me?

SPEAKER_12

Don't do that. Don't make this about me not trusting you. This is about you not trusting El Yon, Ollie.

SPEAKER_02

Take useless and go after the jester. I will find you when my work is complete.

SPEAKER_12

Okay, but if you turn evil, I will kill you myself. Not exactly useless.

SPEAKER_18

Looks like we're coming up on our destination. I can see the kid. Thanks for the ride, clueless.

SPEAKER_04

It has been my pleasure, Paige.

SPEAKER_18

Oh, that's not good. Dad? Is that you? Oh. Hey, kid. Gentlemen. Apologies for just jumping in on you guys like this. Heard you were fighting vampires.

SPEAKER_17

Well, not exactly. That one. The one in the center of the room over there is holding all of these townspeople hostage until the sun goes down. He wandered out of the Translore Mountains and got stuck here in this town.

SPEAKER_18

Gotcha. The whole direct sunlight kills them thing. Right. Right. Any reason we're not killing this one?

SPEAKER_13

We're not killing him because he's my father. That vampire is Boro Cain.

SPEAKER_03

The provost arrived at his shrine and scrambled nervously towards the trophy room. He looked desperately for the ambrosia. The one thing he knew would give him back the powers he had lost. But he couldn't find it. When he had all but given up hope, he heard a voice.

SPEAKER_14

Looking for this. You ambrosia. Oliver, this will kill you.

SPEAKER_02

And what if it does? What do you care? You stripped me of my powers and all but left me for dead. No. Give me the ambrosia so that I can deal with this threat and then go back to whatever hole you climbed out of.

SPEAKER_14

You are such a fool, Oliver. You have the most powerful being in the known universe in your corner. And yet you still think that your magic is the answer to every problem you face.

SPEAKER_02

Ursula, I do not have time for your games. Demons have escaped the nine, the witches of Laral Palm have escaped the lava pits, and the Jista, Kronos, and Marcella have been freed from the wizard's jail. Lives are at risk.

SPEAKER_14

Lives will always be at risk. Here's a little fun fact for you, Oliver. People die. They die every day. It is the way of things.

SPEAKER_02

You are a villain.

SPEAKER_14

Oh please. You can lie to me, Oliver, but when you equivocate to yourself, it serves no purpose. You are more villain than I could ever hope to be. The tragedy is that you have somehow convinced yourself that you are redeemed. You genuinely believe yourself to be a hero.

SPEAKER_02

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_14

Lots of people cry out for Elion in desperation, Oliver. You were powerless and wanted to die, so you ran to Elion, a being you were trying to dethrone mere hours before you sought him out. The only reason you turned on me was because I stripped you of your powers.

SPEAKER_02

You are obviously not contacting me to spare me from death by eating the ambrosia. What do you want?

SPEAKER_14

I wish to give you back your old powers.

SPEAKER_02

Why? Just to take them away again.

SPEAKER_14

No. They would be yours permanently.

SPEAKER_02

You still want to rule the nine. To what end?

SPEAKER_14

What does it matter to you?

SPEAKER_02

I do not have time for this.

SPEAKER_14

Yes, you do. If you truly didn't, then you wouldn't have left Alien's book at the wizard's jail. You were already wielding the most powerful weapon in the universe. The word of the Most High God. And you discarded it for a room full of useless arcane trinkets. Do you know why?

SPEAKER_02

No, but I'm sure that you will tell me.

SPEAKER_14

The answer is simple. Pride. You can't handle not being strong enough to stand on your own. You can't handle having to rely on someone else for power. You couldn't with your father. You couldn't with your brothers. You couldn't with me. And now you cannot with Elian. You are determined to turn bread into stone, Oliver.

SPEAKER_02

Bread to stone? What does that gibberish even mean?

SPEAKER_14

Elian's book speaks of a man named Yeshua, who was once tempted to do evil after fasting in the wilderness for 40 days. On day 41, the very first thing Yeshua was tempted to do was use his power to feed himself by turning stones that were lying nearby into bread. His enemy's goal was to get Yeshua to rely on his own strength rather than to rely on the power of Elion. You already had the bread of life in your possession, and yet you wish to turn it into stone. Your pride is what I appealed to. All those years ago, to get you to serve me, I made you believe that your family hated you. When in fact they were only trying to love you in their own way. Pride is your enemy, Oliver. It always has been. Alien's book is not powered by magic. It is powered by faith. And faith is something you have lacked all your life. The saddest part of all of this is, you know I am right. And yet you are so desperate to be powerful on your own terms that you will knowingly walk right into the same traps as every other stupid and prideful man that has come before you. You have bread, but you would rather eat stone. If you want to bend the knee to your own graven image, then by all means do so.

SPEAKER_02

What are you saying?

SPEAKER_14

I am saying I will restore your powers. Watching you choke on your own ambition will provide a satisfying end to our relationship. Are we alive? The power is yours once more. See you in hell, Oliver.

SPEAKER_18

What do you mean that vampire is Borocaine? Better question. What do you mean that Borocaine is your father?

SPEAKER_14

Well, Cravex, when two people sort of like one another, sometimes things can escalate romantically and Shut up.

SPEAKER_18

How are you just now telling us that Borocaine is your father?

SPEAKER_14

You never asked me.

SPEAKER_18

I also never asked you if you had an affinity for being a sarcastic pain in the butt. Some things are obvious, some things aren't. Borrowcane being your dad would fall into the ladder.

SPEAKER_17

Jenna, why didn't you tell us this back in the dungeons in Finn?

SPEAKER_14

I barely got the two of you to help me without that information. Would you have helped me had I shared it?

SPEAKER_18

I guess we'll never know. Now, will we? Trust is a two-way street, Jenna.

SPEAKER_14

For the love of Welkin. Are we really still at Trust? Seth? You and I were in the nine hells together, and Cravex, after all the battles we've been in together, fighting side by side, you don't trust me? It was you who told me to express my love for Boro Kane during the battle with the Order of the Dragon. That was what turned him back into a human being. But you don't trust me. That's hilarious.

SPEAKER_18

Okay. That's a fair point. Still, you should have told us, Jenna.

SPEAKER_07

They don't know you, Jenna. Not like I do.

SPEAKER_14

Dad? I watched you die. I had a tire ceremony for you. I watched your body burn. How are you standing here? A vampire.

SPEAKER_07

I was dabbling in necrology decades before you were born, daughter. What is death to one who has mastered it?

SPEAKER_14

Dad, I have a ton of questions, and and most of them have nothing to do with you being a vampire.

SPEAKER_18

Well, and I think I speak for all the rest of us here. We have a ton of questions, and they have everything to do with you being a vampire. I I'm I'm running.

SPEAKER_14

Running from whom, Dad? You're an arch necromancer, and now you're a vampire. Things should be running from you.

SPEAKER_07

Shouldn't they? Normally this would be true. The being I am running from is the original master of the dead. I am running from Dracula.

SPEAKER_18

Oh please. Now I've officially heard everything. What exactly does Dracula want to do? What has you so spooked?

SPEAKER_07

What Dracula desires to do is unthinkable. Dracula wants to destroy the sun.

SPEAKER_15

Comfy?

SPEAKER_07

Quite.

SPEAKER_15

You're full of it. That chair is the most uncomfortable seat in Welkin. I always felt like the dragon's left talon was trying to make its way up my butt.

SPEAKER_03

Is this the part where you make some veiled homoerotic remark about me sitting here?

SPEAKER_15

Well, you kinda ruined it now, so no.

SPEAKER_03

I have to admit, I am impressed. Turser here puts enough poison on his daggers to stop an adult Yevok. And yet, you don't even look tired.

SPEAKER_15

I didn't come to be the Tarragon by luck rider.

SPEAKER_06

Are we going to talk about the treasure? Patience, brother. I've been patient. Look, I get it. They killed you and left you rotting in the nine. And you want revenge. But I want treasure. I love you and all Simeon, but we need to get on with it.

SPEAKER_15

Is that what this is about? My father's gold? There is no gold.

SPEAKER_03

Wait. What?

SPEAKER_15

And your brother knew that.

SPEAKER_03

She's lying.

SPEAKER_15

Why would I lie?

SPEAKER_03

To save yourself.

SPEAKER_15

Aren't you going to just kill me anyway? That doesn't make sense. Does that make sense to you, Tercer?

SPEAKER_03

Turser, I promise you. There is gold. Agena is the Tarragon. The Tarragon is always acutely aware of the location of the gold of the dragon.

SPEAKER_15

Your brother is playing you, Terser. There is no gold.

SPEAKER_06

There's no gold. If there isn't actually any gold, and if we're not going to kill the Tarragon, then all we're doing is giving Angelica better odds of freeing her. And then killing us both. We should just kill her and then go find and kill Angelica. No. I want her to suffer.

SPEAKER_15

That has got to be the stupidest line of reasoning I've ever heard come out of your mouth, Rider. What are you, twelve? I want her to suffer. We are stuck here listening to you babble. Trust me, we're all suffering. You would train me over GOOOO! I did not see that coming.

SPEAKER_06

Yes, you did. What you did not see coming is this. Oh, one more thing. Do us a favor this time, love. Stay, Dad.

SPEAKER_03

Jenna Kiss, Kravex, Seth Thamro, and Boro Cain made their way through the mountains of Translore to confront Count Dracula. At about the midway point, Kravex stopped suddenly and drew his axe. Quiet. I hear something.

SPEAKER_07

I hear nothing except the rapid palpitations of your cowardly heartbeat, Mr. Kravex.

SPEAKER_14

Dad, there's no need to talk to him that way.

SPEAKER_18

There's really no need for any of you to be talking when I say quiet. Kid. Take Jenna and scout up ahead. I think that the Count knows we're coming.

SPEAKER_17

I powered down a while back. If I power up now, it'll light up this entire mountain like solstice. Convergence isn't exactly built for stealth.

SPEAKER_14

He's got a point, Cravax. If Seth calls down alien's lightning to power up, it'll alert every vampire in Translore.

SPEAKER_18

Aren't you the same chick who was all on my face about two hours ago, ready to take me down? You aren't the least bit scared of me. And I'd end you faster than 100 vampires, Jenna.

SPEAKER_14

And when you wake up from that lucid dream, you can apologize, Leslie.

SPEAKER_18

You're making my point. Measure your manhood walking, Jenna. Scout ahead.

SPEAKER_14

Come on, dummy. What I do.

SPEAKER_18

Now that we're alone, why don't you drop the act there, Count? What? What are you talking about? Uh, come off it. I may not be the sharpest blade in the scabbard, but I'm not an idiot. Admittedly, I'm mad at myself that I didn't see this earlier. Obviously, you're Dracula.

SPEAKER_07

That's ridiculous!

SPEAKER_18

Uh. Okay. So we're really gonna play this out. Is asserting that your Dracula more ridiculous than, say, a necromancer vampire that can drain the sun? Is it more ridiculous than a kid who can hold up a talking sword, say his own name, and become stronger than a thousand men? At this point, I trust no one, and nothing really surprises me. Cut the crap. You're Dracula.

SPEAKER_07

You are gravely mistaken. Put down your weapon! I have no desire to harm you. Besides, we will need you if we are going to confront the Count. Stop this foolishness, Krabex, and let us continue on our mission.

SPEAKER_18

This is the mission. We came here to kill Dracula, right? That's you. I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, let me fill you in on what I've been noodling since we left town. You are Dracula. But you're pretending to be Boro Cane. A necromancer I watched die with my own two baby blues. Now why on Welkin would you be pretending to be the father of another powerful necromancer? To get Jenna? I'm guessing to have her do the dumb thing you couldn't get her daddy to do. Drain the sun. That's absurd. Is it? Let's assume I believe that a necromancer turned vampire could really drain the sun. Never mind that nothing can survive without sunlight. Particularly the humans you want to use for food. So you would eventually starve anyway. But I digress. If you were gonna pull this off, the necromancer you would need now would be Jenna. Not Borocaine. Why? Borocaine is dead. And since we both know Borocane is dead, telling that guy's kid that her daddy needs her, appealing to her feels and all that, would probably get her to come along on a stupid mission to kill Count Dracula. Only you're not strong enough to take her outside of your lair, I'm guessing. Probably get more of your vampire mojo the closer we get to your coffin or whatever, right? So you lure her in there and then turn her. Right. Once you're both inside, you do your whole big reveal. Tell her you're really the Count. She's sad. She cries or whatever. And then you turn her into a vampire. After a few hours, you sit her outside in the sun and hope your idiotic, not so well thought-out master stroke actually does what you think it will. Did I miss anything, Count?

SPEAKER_07

Well done, Kravex. I never intended to drain the entire sun. Just enough to allow my kind to roam freely. I am not a fool.

SPEAKER_18

So look, I don't have all day. My fiance, Lysa, is waiting on me. I gotta go to the farmer's market and buy her a bunch of crap I don't feel like eating. She's on this whole vegan thing. Ugh, which means I'm also on this whole vegan thing, too. Yeah, nobody likes vegans. We're aligned there. So.

SPEAKER_07

Head or gut? Head or what?

SPEAKER_18

Head or gut. I can stab you in the head or I can stab you in the belly when I kill you. I'm feeling benevolent today, so I'm letting you choose how you die.

SPEAKER_07

You actually think you've won. You believe you can defeat the master of death. I applaud you, Cravex. You alone discovered my nefarious plan. Boro Kane would have been the perfect specimen for my plans, but he eluded me for ages, hiding in his shrine. So now I will have his daughter take his place. And together, we will Kravax, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_14

What happened?

SPEAKER_18

Oh. Hey Jenna, that's Dracula, not your dad. Your dad's still dead. Dracula here was pretending to be your dad to get you to do the whole drain the sun thing. So I killed him. All by yourself? All by myself. With one swing of your axe? Pretty much. How'd you do it? Say it with me. My name is.

SPEAKER_14

We're not saying your stupid warrior name. How do you know he wasn't really my Jenna?

SPEAKER_18

Honey, we both watched your daddy die in your arms. This piece of filth was playing on your emotions and was setting us all up. I just figured it out before he was able to get the drop on. That's not good. Kid. Remember that whole you're not trying to light up the mountains like Christmas because you don't want to alert every vampire and translure that we're here thing. Yeah. I wouldn't worry so much about that anymore. Counts dead. Sounds like his buddies know. And they're coming.

SPEAKER_03

Fabulous secrets were revealed to him the day he held aloft his magic sword and spoke the word of power. Seth Damrow, Kravex, and Jenna waited nervously as they felt vampiric eyes watching them, creeping up on them ever so slowly. Just when they thought the first vampire might strike them, Jenna and Seth heard a familiar voice above them. Out of nowhere, the demon collector Sindel swooped down, picked Seth up like a ragdoll, and flew off with him into the night.

SPEAKER_18

Um I mean, what do you even say after that?

SPEAKER_14

I am with you. I don't have the words.

SPEAKER_18

We could fight them all.

SPEAKER_14

We could two versus a gajillion vampires. We might as well fit for coffins and purple rain era painting park outfits right now.

SPEAKER_18

Oh, we could have it.

SPEAKER_14

A bit late for that. They're going to eat us and put us in coffee and make us thick print songs.

SPEAKER_18

Not so horrible a life. Let's tickle that one. We could keep running.

SPEAKER_14

They're eventually going to catch.

SPEAKER_18

I'm running out of suggestions, dear ghetto.

SPEAKER_14

Don't you trust me, Crayvet.

SPEAKER_18

More or less when you're not pissing me off.

SPEAKER_14

Good. Take my hand.

SPEAKER_18

Jenna, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_17

I've been looking forward to this. I've stabbed you several times. How are you even alive?

SPEAKER_15

If you were stillborn, I could ask you the same, young warrior. That was more satisfying than I thought it would be, young Seth. I've got to give you credit. Before you, I had never lost in single combat. Not while I lived, nor after I died and I went to the nine and became a collector of souls. You were the first. For that, you have my respect. I must admit, I've never encountered your like before, Seth Thamroow. You've been dead before, so returning to the nine shouldn't be a shock.

SPEAKER_16

I have no intentions of returning to the nine hells.

SPEAKER_15

Oh? And how exactly do you plan to pull off that minor miracle? You do realize that the only reason I haven't twisted your neck is because I wish to savor this moment.

SPEAKER_17

To be absent from the body is to be present with Elyon. Go ahead. Kill me. I'll go to be with Elyon. My sins forgiven.

SPEAKER_15

Well, do me a favor then, sweetie. Tell the big guys that he'll what the hell, man? I was right in the middle of a really good villainous didn't you kill her in the nine?

SPEAKER_17

Apparently it didn't take.

SPEAKER_18

How did you guys get out of Translore? Apparently, Jenna can teleport. Or whatever you call that death trap transportation you just did.

SPEAKER_17

Jenna, you've got to be careful. Mages train for decades to master teleportation.

SPEAKER_14

I'll keep that in mind. The next time we're being chased by a gajillion vampires on a mountain while showing up right on time to keep your sorry butt alive. You're welcome, by the way.

SPEAKER_18

Anyway, now I can get to the real reason I came out here to find you, kid. Your gigolo bar buddy. Billsbard. It's Bilsby. Are you sure?

SPEAKER_13

Bilsby? Pretty sure.

SPEAKER_18

Whatever. The Doofist is on trial. He decided to forego the traditional Judge Judy crap and name the kid here as his champion. They still do trial by combat? Apparently. Where are they trying him? In Quarless.

SPEAKER_14

I'm not going through Tron Lord Dawn to get to friggin' Billsby the Bard.

SPEAKER_18

Well, I don't recall him asking for you, kiddo.

SPEAKER_14

You think I'm letting Boy Wonder here go at it alone? We don't even know who Seth has to fight.

SPEAKER_18

Well, if you're going, then it's either through Yvonne Country or you can sail around it to get to Corless the long way. There's a port or two in that area. You should be able to book passage on a ship. What about you? Why don't you come with us? Nah, your mom'll kill me if I don't make it to the farmer's market and buy a bunch of tofu that I don't want to eat. Go get your buddy, and I'll see you when you get back.

SPEAKER_03

And with that, Cravex, Jenna, and Thamro went their separate ways. Angelica arrived at the old headquarters of the defunct Order of the Dragon and entered the throne room. She found her sister, chained up and bleeding out, alongside Simeon Dawn, the Dark Rider, who was very dead.

SPEAKER_12

You gonna sit there and bleed all over everything, or are you going to free yourself? Well, hello to you too, baby sister. Say Vitegina. I traveled a long way to get here for something that you clearly were able to handle on your own. I'm changed to a wall and bleeding out.

SPEAKER_15

What part of this looks like I'm handling it?

SPEAKER_12

We both know you can't die unless it's by the sword of the dragon, which I happen to wield, or by your own hand. And seen as how I just got here, and how you'd be dead pretty instantly if you killed yourself, you would know. You want to make my point? Sorry. Old wound. Gone. Why am I here, Agen? I assume Tercer did this. What are we doing? Are you playing Possum? Are we going after him? Are you just bored? What gives? I'm done. Done. Done with what? I'm done being the tarragon. What do you mean you're done? That's not a job you can quit.

SPEAKER_15

Exactly. It's much more It's more than a job. It's a burden. It's immortality of a sort, anyway. Father lived tens of thousands of seasons before passing the mantle on to me. Now I am giving it to you. I I can't let you do this. You hated me for decades because Father chose me to be the pterragon instead of you. Now that it's yours, you don't want it.

SPEAKER_12

When did you come up with this little death witch of yours? While chained up to this wall leading out, but not actually dying? Because you can't die?

SPEAKER_15

Now you're making my point. Angelica, I've lived 10 lifetimes. I'm over 10,000 seasons old.

SPEAKER_12

Yes, but you've only been the tarragon for a century. I'm not over 200 seasons old, Regina. I can't be the tarragon. I'm not old enough.

SPEAKER_15

It's not like someone is going to card you at a bar, silly. Card me? Never mind. You're plenty old enough. What are you? 180? 177. Thank you very much. I think you'll wear the mantle well. Better than I ever did, anyway. Maybe even as well as Father did. When did you decide this? Not while being changed to this wall, I promise you. I decided to give it up after we got back from the Nine. I was just getting my affairs in order. What affairs? Well, the treasure of the dragon for starters. You'll be responsible for that now. There's also the training. Training? Yes. You'll need to learn how to wield your new powers. It takes a while to get used to everything. I'm still learning a ton. That responsibility will be yours now. And eventually, when you're ready to give up the mantle, you'll have to find someone worthy to receive it. Someone you look up to and wish you could be more like. If you're lucky, you'll come across someone you respect, as I have. But I doubt you'll find as good a successor as I have. There's only one Angelica Icewalker.

SPEAKER_12

If you make me cry, I'll stab you again.

SPEAKER_15

Hold still embrace yourself. This is going to sting a little.

SPEAKER_03

Angelica felt enormous power enter her body. The strength, wisdom, power, and knowledge of every dragon that ever lived was at her disposal.

SPEAKER_15

There. Angelica, you are now the new Terragon. I I don't know what to say. Don't say thank you. You'll regret it. I did. This isn't a gift, baby sis. This is a burden. You can't die now. Not unless you take your own life. Or are mortally wounded by a weapon forged at Dragonstone.

SPEAKER_12

Dragonstone?

SPEAKER_15

Is it real? Where do you think your sword came from? No, don't be foolish. You can still be harmed. You can be wounded just the same as you always could. Only now it will be just a little bit harder. And you'll have to live longer with the scars. Because it's time to. And that answer won't make any sense to you until you give it to your successor. Hopefully, many, many seasons from now.

SPEAKER_12

Are you are you going to die now?

SPEAKER_15

Yes.

SPEAKER_12

I am. That wound is bad, but you've had worse. I can patch that up. Don't.

SPEAKER_00

It's time, Angelica. I'm going to get to go to Elysium. I'm going to get to see our mother and father. Would you like me to tell them anything?

SPEAKER_12

Tell them. I miss them. I'll see them soon. I love you, Angina.

SPEAKER_00

I know you do. Farewell. Terragon.

SPEAKER_06

That was so touching. Is it wrong that my manhood is extremely firm right now? What do you want, Turser? I want what a Gina wouldn't give me. The gold of the dragon.

SPEAKER_12

She didn't exactly tell me its location.

SPEAKER_06

I didn't magically pass on to you. I mean, I get that you're new at this and all, but surely you felt something.

SPEAKER_12

I feel annoyed that the last thing my sister felt was your blade in her side.

SPEAKER_06

We both know I didn't kill her. Heck, we both know that I couldn't kill her.

SPEAKER_12

You did kill your own brother, though.

SPEAKER_06

To be fair, you did the first time. What's your point? That since we're clearly shining our halos, then you might not want to miss that particular smudge. Just tell me where the gold is, and I'll be on my way.

SPEAKER_12

I'm going to take my sword and run it across your eyes. Then I'm going to remove your arms and legs. And then I'm going to leave you alive. I wonder how long you can survive like that.

SPEAKER_04

Is you all right?

SPEAKER_12

I will be, my friend.

SPEAKER_04

Where to, Angelica?

SPEAKER_12

Right north. I don't know where we're going, but for some reason, I know the way.

SPEAKER_04

I may not be the warmest blanket on the bed, but uh that don't make no doggone sense.

SPEAKER_12

That would make two of us. I think it has something to do with my new abilities as Terragon. Everything feels different. Answers lie north, my friend.

SPEAKER_04

But what about them escaped witches and them escape demons and wizards and that jester feller that Ollie told us to go after? And what about Ollie?

SPEAKER_12

Answers lie north, my friend. I always thought it didn't exist. But here it is. Plain as day. It's gorgeous. It goes on forever.

SPEAKER_05

Come inside. Did you hear that? Enter Angelica. It is your time.

SPEAKER_12

Hmm, this might be an invitation for one. Wait for me here.

SPEAKER_03

Angelica entered Dragonstone and walked the corridors for what seemed like hours. At long last she found herself standing inside of the dragon's lair. A lair filled with more gold than a person could imagine. A lair filled seemingly with enough gold to fit on a floating galleon if one chose to place it all there. Resting on top of the gold was a gigantic red dragon. A dragon that was smiling down at Angelica, who could only stare at the magnificent beasts in absolute awe.

SPEAKER_05

Who are you? My name is Rodona. I am the oldest dragon in all the realm. But you can just call me Small.