SPEAKER_01 0:29

And now Themro Where Where am I? Genekiss awoke with a start. The last thing she remembered was being stabbed four times by the most feared bounty hunter and all of welcome a payoff to Ursula, goddess of the mouth of the nine hells. Jenna fully expected to see the demons, fire and brimstone that she'd heard so much about from her former master Borough Cain when he had taught her about the nine hells. Instead, however, she saw a throne room. The walls of the room were solid gold, but appeared to split into perfectly measured rectangular lines down their center. Between the splits were white spheres that glowed with a peaceful and ambient light. The centerpiece of the room was an enormous golden throne. On either side of the throne were two bluish white lions with dark grey manes that were more than ten times her size. She looked desperately for a staff, finding it lying by her side. Just as she was about to cast a spell to Gerd herself, the one who sat upon the throne, spoke to her.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Not here, Jenna.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Who? Who are you?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

I am the one who always was, always will be, and always is. I am Elyon.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

That's impossible. You cannot be.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

What makes you say that?

SPEAKER_02 2:31

Because if you are Elyon, then that would make this the Elysium. And I cannot be an Elysium. I am a sinner of the greatest kind.

SPEAKER_00 2:41

Look at me, Jenna Kiss.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Jenna lifted her eyes skyward and gazed upon the largest being she had ever seen. His hair flowed long and white, blending perfectly with a manicured beard. He wore blue robes with gold trim, accented by silver plate mail armor. His eyes were pupiless, and they glowed hot white. In his right hand he held a large, razor sharp silver and blue sword. Within the blade of the sword, something was written, but Jenna had never seen the language before, so she could not discern its meaning. She did not know why, but her knees gave out and she fell on them, bracing herself on her staff as she bowed low before this magnificent being.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

All have sinned and fallen short of my glory. Do you know why you are here in my presence, and not in the nine hells, as Ursula intended?

SPEAKER_02 3:43

You know about that?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Ilan chuckled as though the question was meant as a joke. You are here because I saw you pour your heart out to a man who lived his entire life embracing evil. I saw you show that man. A man who had done nothing but torment people all of his life. A love that transformed him. And in doing so, you transformed as well. You accepted my love and allowed it to enter your heart. And that love now guides you. That is why you are here in Elysium, forgiven for the sins of which you speak.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

You're talking about the day my master died. All I did was express how I felt. I didn't really do anything.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

You were willing to die for him. You would call that nothing. There is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friends. Because of your love, he is also here. Would you care to see him, child?

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Normally I would want to. But for some reason I don't need to. I can't explain it.

SPEAKER_00 4:44

You are in my presence. In my presence there is fullness of joy, Jenna. You are complete in and of me. Your desires are fulfilled. Do you sense it?

SPEAKER_02 4:56

I do, Ellion. I desire to see him, but I don't need to see him now. If that makes sense?

SPEAKER_00 5:03

It does. But there are things in your mind that do not make sense. Aren't there?

SPEAKER_02 5:09

Yes. There are. Why did Ursula hire the ghost to bring me to her? She seemed to think I would end up in the nine hells when he killed me. She wanted me to be there as alert my friend Seth Thamro. She plans to destroy him, Elion. And the Provost, I don't trust him at all. And you're just letting it all go down? Why aren't you doing anything about it?

SPEAKER_00 6:12

And what would you have me do? What is your grand plan to redeem the lost of the realm?

SPEAKER_02 6:18

Um I'm I'm not sure what you mean. I'm just talking about the um people I mentioned. I don't know anything about any big um plans or anything.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

I know you do not. Ursula desires power, Jenna. In fact, she desires to be me. She believes she can be the most high god. As if this was a job I applied for or was appointed to. Nothing exists without me, including my enemies. The Provost is a key player in my plans to destroy Ursula. He just doesn't know it yet. You do not trust him now, but he will one day be among your greatest allies.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

That'll be the day.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

As for Seth's coma, that, my child, is why you are here. It is time for him to rise and fulfill his destiny.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

Wait. You know how to bring him out of his coma?

SPEAKER_00 7:16

I should. I am the one who placed him into it to begin with. This was all by my design, Jenna. His stillborn birth, his resurrection via blood magic, his myrmidon training, his coma. Everything was for the purposes of now. This revelation hit Jenna like a brick.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Stillborn birth? Resurrection? Myrmidons, Ellian, I don't understand.

SPEAKER_00 7:40

I know you do not, child. You will in time. Just know this. Seth is my chosen instrument to destroy Ursula and redeem the lost souls that will result from her wicked schemes for Welkin. But to do this, Thamro must die.

SPEAKER_02 8:01

Die? There were plenty of opportunities to kill him, weren't there? Damien Lucian couldn't do it, Borrow Kane couldn't do it, the ghost wouldn't do it.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

None of them could do it because I did not allow it. You are the one who must kill him, Jenna. You and you alone. And in sacrificing his life, he will save the lives of countless others.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

I'm trying to help him, Elyon. Why would you have me kill him? How can he stop Ursula's plans of attacking Elysium and attempting to overthrow you if he's dead?

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Killing him is the only way he can even take on Ursula. A man cannot enter the Nine Hells alive, young one. And I cannot have him enter filled with powers fueled by evil blood magic. He must be cleansed of those first. That is where you come in. Ursula wanted to draw him to the Nine Hells where she believes she will be more powerful.

SPEAKER_02 8:53

Well, without his abilities, won't she be? I mean, I get it. Seth's power is fueled entirely by blood magic, which was born out of the wicked misuse of dragon blood. But Ursula doesn't fear his strength. She fears that sword of his. I'm not sure what it is about convergence, but that is what she's afraid of. Without it, your plans will fail.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Elyon smiled lovingly at Jenna before responding.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

Did you know that convergence contains the soul of Seth's grandmother, Danica Moralnis?

SPEAKER_02 9:21

Merlines.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

But that would mean Yes, Seth Thamro is the grandson of the Provost. Lissa Moralness is his mother, and Leslie of House Sunflower, also known as the warrior Cravex, is his father.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

Jenna paused a moment, allowing that information to settle in.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

So when Seth had the sword and went off to face Damien Lucian, whatever Lucian did must have brought the sword to life. That would explain why it talks. Danica Merliness was the most powerful enchantress in Welkin. If she lives inside of that sword and the sword is alive, not to mention filled with Seth's blood magic, it would be a powerful weapon indeed.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

It is a useless weapon in the Nine Hells, as Seth will soon learn. However, it is the only thing that can send him there. That is its only remaining purpose. That is where you come in, child.

SPEAKER_02 10:14

I don't understand Elion. I need to know everything so that I know No.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

You need to trust me. I am sending you back to Finn. When you arrive there, take the sword and stab Seth through the heart with it. When you do, speak the word that draws forth the sword's power.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

What word? What happens after that?

SPEAKER_01 10:33

But before she could get an answer, Jenna felt herself vanish from El Yon's presence. While this was going on, Angelica and the Provost arrived at the shrine of the Provost to collect a third scroll of malediction, with plans to cast it on useless. Their goal to give useless the power to permanently retain the ability to mimic the voices and images of the people he transformed into. The third scroll of malediction was cursed, just as the first two were, something not lost on Angelica as the two of them entered his shrine.

SPEAKER_05 11:21

Can I take this stupid blindfold off now?

SPEAKER_01 11:24

The blindfold is necessary, my dear. No one can know the location of my shrine. As I explained to you, my own daughter does not even know its location, but yes, you may remove it now that we are here.

SPEAKER_05 11:39

Wow. This is gorgeous, Ollie. And you did the decorating?

SPEAKER_01 11:45

I resent your implication. I am a venerable master of decor and a fashion trendsetter.

SPEAKER_05 11:53

You wear a robe that looks like a rainbow. Rainbow.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

A very fashionable rainbow. One must have the courage of one's convictions to wear something like this. You won't find another robe like it in all of Welkin.

SPEAKER_05 12:08

For good reason. And what of your paltry attire, hmm There's nothing wrong with my armor, is there?

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Not if your goal was to look like a man.

SPEAKER_05 12:18

Well one of us needs to, wouldn't you say?

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Scrolls are my vault, which is guarded by my pets.

SPEAKER_05 12:25

Ollie, are you sure about this?

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Angelica, we have been over this.

SPEAKER_05 12:29

I know, but I really do think we need to leave those scrolls alone. You saw what happened the last time we used one.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

We did not use one, my dear. Borough Cain used one. And to my recollection the scroll worked as advertised. Caine was simply an inept magis and got what he so richly deserved.

SPEAKER_05 12:53

Okay, fine. Argue semantics with me. But the fact is, when those scrolls get used, bad things happen. We need to figure out another way to take down Ursula. You know? You're right.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Please, enlighten me on your grand plan to destroy the goddess of the mouth of hell. I'll wait. Your silence speaks rather loudly, my dear.

SPEAKER_05 13:22

Okay, granted, I don't have a better idea. That still doesn't mean that this idea is the right one. Oliver, any number of things could go wrong.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Not the least of which would be Ursula discovering my coup and destroying us both. We have to get wars started to keep her off of our scent. Once wars have appeared to start via natural causes, we will focus on getting my warrior out of his comatose state. I will need to figure out a way to either send him to the nine hells without killing him, or figure out a way to lure Ursula from the mouth of hell. But we will cross that bridge when we happen upon it.

SPEAKER_05 14:08

You're putting a lot on that kid, Oliver. He's green, and he's raw from all indications. You and I need to handle this.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Do you think if I could defeat Ursula on my own that I would subject myself to being her errand boy? My warrior is quite capable, and with that sword he is nearly invincible. He may be young, but he is well schooled in battle. The Myrmidons trained him.

SPEAKER_05 14:35

Really? He was trained by Achilles? The Achilles?

SPEAKER_01 14:40

No, that whole nonsense with Troy was happening as Seth was newly born. The Myrmidons split when Achilles' cousin Patroclus attempted to assume the mantle of leader. The strongest of them formed a subgroup that called themselves Clantham. One of their number, a woman named Kumara, owed me a debt. At least she believed she did. When I resurrected Seth, I brought him to her to raise and train. When he was of age I returned and took him. From that moment forth he became my warrior. He destroyed the entire horde of Maclin when he was merely a teenager. He has stared into the eyes of Medusa and resisted her glare of stone. He faced and defeated Damien Lucian, one of the greatest white robed mages in Welcome history, and he is the only man to ever face an Arcmagus turned onyx dragon to live to tell the tale. My grandson is far from inexperienced, and now that he has that sword, I truly believe he can help me defeat Ursula and take her place. What she has seen as a failed science project will be her undoing.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

What? You took him from his mother?

SPEAKER_01 16:01

After everything I just told you, that is your sole takeaway.

SPEAKER_05 16:05

She was his mother, Ollie.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

No, she was not. She was a woman who will be a debt. A debt that had been satisfied. Besides, from what I hear, Clan Vamro and the remaining Myrmidons do not exactly get along. I was doing Seth a favor by getting him out of there.

SPEAKER_05 16:24

No. You were doing yourself one. And to what end? You did all of those evil things, hoping to please Ursula in order to have her grant you godhood. And for what? You're never going to get any of what she promised you.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

That is where you are wrong, my dear. I will take her place. When the nine hells are conquered, it will be via my hand.

SPEAKER_05 16:49

And then what? Where does it all end, Dolly?

SPEAKER_01 16:52

Why does it need to? Let me ask you something. Does life end or is life eternal?

SPEAKER_05 17:00

Life ends. Everything ends.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

And yet here you stand. I would argue that life as we know it is very brief, but eternity is just that eternal. Our bodies are temporary, but our souls are forever, my dear. Consider Elon. Elon has no beginning and he has no end. He simply is. That is strength. That is power.

SPEAKER_05 17:35

And that is what you want to be like Elon?

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Perhaps I honestly do not know. And that is what intrigues me. All my life I've pursued power. And to be honest, true power was never within my grasp, just always at my fingertips. When I replace Ursula and eventually rule the nine hells, I will finally have what I've been seeking. I will have the ability to live outside of the confines of time the way the gods do. I will have the option of going back to when I was a child and facing my father, of dealing with his cruelty.

SPEAKER_05 18:23

That's what you want? Seriously? Oliver, the totality of your purpose can be summed up in two words Daddy issues.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Call them what you may, I will continue on my path. Be honest, Angelica. If you could control time, go back to any point on the mortal timeline, what would you change?

SPEAKER_05 18:50

Nothing. I like who I am.

SPEAKER_01 18:52

No, you do not. Until you died, you wanted the same things that I do. When we defeat Ursula and I take her place, I will need you to assist me in defeating all of the nine. When time is my plaything, I will be able to send you back to deal with your own daddy issues.

SPEAKER_05 19:13

I don't have daddy issues. I loved my father.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

Even after he named your sister the Terragon? Even after he named Gina his heir, and not you. That is what I thought. As I told you, we are not so different, my dear. Do not worry. He will pay for what he did to you, as will my father and my brothers. They were all kneel before us, Angelica.

SPEAKER_05 19:48

You're setting yourself up to be twice the demon that Ursula is, Oliver. I will stop you once we've dealt with Ursula. I don't want to kill you, Ollie, but I will. You know that, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:01

You will try. And regrettably I will be forced to kill you. But we will cross that proverbial bridge in due time. For now we must focus on your horse. Summon that disgusting creature while I collect the scroll. Once we cast a spell on him, he should be able to permanently maintain both the image and voice of those whom he imitates. Angelica watched as the Provost walked into his personal vault to retrieve the scroll of malediction, lost in her thoughts.

SPEAKER_05 20:38

There is good in him. I just have to help him see it before it's too late.