SPEAKER_01 0:17

And now the Provost and Angelica arrived via magic dust on the shores of Kintis, a remote island in the seas of Inji, a small collection of waters about a month sailing west of the city of Dacalyst. The provost vomited violently, the result of teleportation sickness, something he was not used to before now.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Are you all right, Ollie?

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Teleportation sickness. It will pass. I've never had to do this with borrowed powers before. Now, this is your show, my dear. Whom are we meeting? Who will show us how to contact Ellion?

SPEAKER_02 1:24

I don't know, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

I am going to pretend I did not hear you just say that you do not know with whom we are meeting. Instead, I'm going to stare at this pile of vomit that came out of me. That is making me question my entire diet. I did not realize I ate this poorly until now.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

We can't all be all knowing like you, oh great provost. Not everything in life goes according to plan, old man. Come on. We'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

You should have at least some idea of whom it is we need to see. There is no time for guessing, Angelica.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Ursula is I'm well aware of what Ursula is doing. You saw the bodies in Echo Village, or was that some other frail old geezer I was standing next to?

SPEAKER_01 2:14

I would remind you that you are older than I am.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

And yet, much better looking. My point is I don't need one of your speeches right now, Ollie. I know what's at stake.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

No, you do not. I know you did not like the option when you needed to kill me, but you are simply delaying the inevitable.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

Not gonna happen. I was in the nine hells, Ollie. I saw the tormented souls. I know what Ursula is trying to unleash. Can you say the same?

SPEAKER_01 2:48

I served that demonic being for most of my life. So, yes, I do believe I am more than qualified to speak on what she is capable of. Now, we can continue measuring our respective manhood, or you can do the sensible thing and run me through with your sword. We do not have time for any more of your delays.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

I won't kill you. That's not an option. Not anymore.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

You brought us here to Quintis on some wild goose chase, following rumors, I assume, of someone on this island who could show us how to contact Elyon. Someone you likely heard of via your resources from your time in the Order of the Dragon, yes? Unless your contact is one of these plow loons flying by the shore, then I think we may have exhausted our options, my dear.

SPEAKER_02 3:41

I'm not giving up. Listen, I heard that groups sometimes meet here to pray. You know how religion is viewed and welcome, Oliver. Praying to any god comes with no small amount of risk. Elyon's followers have long been persecuted, so it makes sense to believe that they would meet on a remote island and keep themselves hidden. So no, I don't know exactly who we are looking for, but I believe we'll find them. What do you believe?

SPEAKER_01 4:11

What do I believe? You know what I believe? I believe you should kill me and cancel the magic of the scroll of malediction. If you do not, then Lysa most certainly will. And to be honest, I would welcome it. I am weary of all of this.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

Look at me, Oliver. You do not get to quit. Do you hear me? You are the reason that people died. And frankly, so am I. You want to feel sorry for yourself too damn bad. You do not get to die to escape finding a way to make this right. Because it's too hard or unclear, or whatever. You get to die when I say you get to die. Not before. Do you understand?

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Before the provost could respond, he could not help but notice that he and Angelica suddenly had unwanted company. Thad Bannon. As I live and breathe. The island of Quintis is the last place I expect to find the slayer of the beast of Ammonroe. Wait.

SPEAKER_02 5:23

That's a real thing? This is that guy?

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Yes, my dear. This is the infamous Thad Bannon. The legendary Don't say it.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

I hate that title. I hate everything it means.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

How do you two know each other?

SPEAKER_00 5:40

There are few in Welkin who do not know the name Provost. Less that know how evil he is. Or at least used to be. I am told you have had a change of heart. I'm guessing it has something to do with those plain grey robes you now wear.

SPEAKER_02 5:57

Have you been following us? Did you see what Ursula did to him? How can you know all of this?

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Of course. He is a priest of Elon, my dear. I always wondered where you had vanished to after you blinded the child in Amlin Row. You found solace in Ellion. Did he forgive you for blinding an eight-year-old boy to pay tribute to one thousand years?

SPEAKER_00 6:23

We don't have time for this. If it were up to me, I would kill you myself. Or let Kumara do it for what you did to her. What?

SPEAKER_01 6:30

Giving her my grandson to raise. Yes, clearly my collection of transgressions are far worse than anything you did to a child.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Ollie, what is he talking about? How many enemies do you have?

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Hard to say. How many people does he know? Humorous quips aside, if you are a priest of Elyon, then you can help us warn him about what is coming. We have information he needs.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

You have nothing he needs. Do you think anything goes on in Welkin that he isn't fully aware of? The only reason I am not killing you where you stand is because Elion has plans for you. He sent word to our group that you were coming weeks ago. Most of the group went into hiding, fearing for their lives. He told me to remain here and greet you when you came. He already knows Ursula's plot and says you are essential in stopping it. I disagreed with him, but I serve at his pleasure. There's no possible way you can knew this. And yet I just told you about it. You're not here to warn Elion about anything, Provost. Elion brought you here to speak to you. He will explain to you what you must suffer for his kingdom, and what your role will be in bringing about his will and welcome. Are you ready to speak to him?

SPEAKER_01 7:49

The Provost was suddenly very afraid. Even more so than he had been when he was powerless in the caves of Zina. Angelica took his hand to calm him.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

We'll do it together. I'm here, Ollie. I've got you.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

Elion did not ask for you, only the provost.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

Well, Elyon will have to just get over it. I am not letting my friend go anywhere by himself.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

I did not think evil men had any friends.

SPEAKER_02 8:19

We're all evil men.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Thad Bannon escorted Angelica and the Provost to an area he had prepared for them to pray to Ellion. He watched as they knelt down together, holding hands the entire time. They looked at Thad because they genuinely had no idea what to do next.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

What are the words we say to reach him?

SPEAKER_01 8:43

What do you mean? The incantation, the ritual.

SPEAKER_00 8:46

How do you summon him here? He's not a demon that you call forth from the nine through dark magic. He is the god of gods. Close your eyes, lower your heads, and think of the most pleasant, loving thing you could ever imagine. Honor his name, seek his kingdom, and embrace his will. When you do these things, he will show himself to you.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

The Provost and Angelica closed their eyes. Angelica reached over and gently rubbed the back of his hand, calming his nerves. Before now, El Jon had been more myth than anything else, a spectre they had attempted to elude. Now they were naked before him, and they really had no idea what he would say or do to them. The provost spoke the initial words. I do not know how to pray to you. Before now you were not actually real in any human sense. You were a figment, an enemy that we foolishly believed we could hide things from. I now know that you see all things. You know all things. There's nothing we do that you are not aware of. With that in mind, I am curious to know why I still draw the breath of life in this world. You've not destroyed me when when you have every imaginable right to do so. I could make excuses for my behavior, my father, my brother's dear treatment of me, or better said, my imagination of their treatment of me. It is easy to forget in one's anger that the same father you believed hated you, also provided shelter, food, clothing, and any other needs you may have had. I could blame Ursula, say that she tempted me to do what I have done. That too would be a lie. I did these things. I am your enemy. I am the one who deserves your wrath. You have witnessed my evil, and I do not even deserve the right to beg you for my life. Sending me to the nine hells would be a mercy. I deserve far worse than that. We came here to warn you about Ursula's plans to overthrow you, but that has made it clear that you already knew that this was occurring. All I ask then is that you spare the lives of those who are innocent. I have set things in motion that cannot be easily undone. I seek audience with you. Not to receive mercy, but now to ask only that if you would be so willing that you would allow me to play a small part in making things right before sending me to whatever punishment you have in mind for me. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

Ellion, we honor your name, we seek your kingdom, and we embrace your will above our own. Oli is right. We don't know how to approach a being such as yourself. We came to you because we ran out of options. It's not just Oli, it's me as well. I have done things worthy of death and an eternity in the nine hells. Even as I kneel before you now, I am not fully alive. I have seen the torment in the nine, and I know that I deserve far worse for my sins. Something has happened to me though. In recent days since my return to Welcome, I see the futility of the pursuit of power. Men seek power, but to what end? We cannot even breathe, lest you allow it. What can any of us do apart from you? The only real power in Welkin is you. We come to you humbly, asking only that you spare the innocent lives that might be lost because of what we did. Ollie? Ollie! That what happened? Where did he go?

SPEAKER_00 13:28

I don't know. I have never seen anything like that before. Elion has taken him.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

It happened so quickly that the Provost barely had time to understand what had transpired. He was praying one moment, and the very next he found himself kneeling before the most magnificent being he had ever laid eyes on. There are no words to describe what Elion actually is. The small handful of mortals who have had the privilege of encountering him can only describe him in details that their finite minds can actually grasp. Elyon is far more than what their minds could actually fathom, so he purposely appeared to them in ways they could understand, though it would be a misnomer to say he actually looked like any description a human being would provide. That being said, the Provost looked into the eyes of Elyon, expecting to see anger and wrath. Instead, what he found there was love, mercy, and forgiveness. He knew he did not deserve what was being offered to him, and he wept before the God of gods. Elyon stepped off of his massive throne, reached down and collected the provost desk, easily as one might pick up a child's toy off the floor. He then held him in his arms and hugged him, shedding more than a few tears of joy himself. After several moments, he placed the provost back on the floor of his throne room, and with a wave of his hand, he returned him to welcome.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

Oh, thank God. Are you all right?

SPEAKER_03 15:19

You're hurting me. Can't breathe.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

Oh, sorry. What happened? Where did you go? You scared us to death.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

You saw him, didn't you? You were with him, weren't you? What did he say? What does he look like?

SPEAKER_01 15:34

He is the most magnificent thing I have ever encountered. Or or will encounter. There are no words to describe a being such as that. He said nothing. He simply loved me, forgave me, restored me. And though he said nothing, I know exactly what we have to do. Prepare yourselves. Things are only going to get harder from here.