ANOTHER JOURNEY
ELIZABETH
We’re about four hours away from
the cabin; three if we hurry.
ORA
Agh! Oh, ugh. The forest still
hates me.
FORMOSA
Actually, I think it’s doing
surprisingly little to you. If It
really wanted you dead, it’d do
more than trip you.
Hu...I wonder if it’s distracted by
anything.
ORA
Great. So I can look forward to
when It isn’t distracted and
seriously tries to kill me.
KEVIN
Think of It as training!
KARRAS
Tough training.
ORA
You’re...Ugh!...
...not helping.
FORMOSA
Listen, we know it’s angry since
you captured a wisp, but since that
wisp is already gone, I don’t know
how to fix It.
ISTEN
My sword.
FORMOSA
What?
ISTEN
My sword. Wisp blood.
ELIZABETH
Your sword has a wisp blood stone
in It?
(MORE)
FORMOSA
That could work.
ORA
What?
FORMOSA
If you crack the stone, smear It
with your blood then repeat after
me, It may be enough to get the
forest to forgive you.
KEVIN
This feels...um...
KARRAS
Magical.
KEVIN
Sure. Like blood for blood and
getting plants to listen to you.
ORA
If this is magic, I shouldn’t do
It. What if what happened at the
tournament happens here because I
use my powers?
FORMOSA
This isn’t magic. My family taught
me and we don’t cast spells.
KEVIN
Just because you’re saying it’s not
magic, doesn’t mean you’re right.
ELIZABETH
Karras, help me down.
It’s not human magic.
ORA
Not human? There’s more than one
type of magic?
ELIZABETH
Imagine magic is a fire, It needs
fuel. Magic crafted by humans,
magic like yours, has the caster as
the fuel. You can always create a
fire because you are always you.
Now, non-human magic uses a
different fuel. If this forest lets
you use its magic, it’s like
borrowing a torch from someone.
ELIZABETH (CONT'D)
Yes, you’re using It but you didn’t
create It and It can be taken away
at any moment.
FORMOSA
So, I’ve used magic before?
ELIZABETH
Borrowed magic. Like how I kept
away the undead. It’s not yours, so
no one will trace It back to you.
Though borrowed magic is much, much
weaker than those with inherent
magic. If whoever had enspelled the
dead had found us when we were
escaping, my little magic lantern
would have been as harmful to them
as a gnat against a thunderstorm.
KEVIN
Then why don’t the Vigiles go after
non-human magic?
ELIZABETH
Harder to spot and harder to fight.
And frankly, they probably use some
of if themselves.
ORA
What!? Does that mean that...
KEVIN
What?! What is It?
ORA
The ring...I took a ring!!
ELIZABETH
What?
ORA
Vorlauf. He had a ring that I took
from him. It also had wisp blood in
It!
FORMOSA
What? Why?! He hates magic! Why
would he do that?!
KEVIN
He killed a wisp in front of you!
Why does the forest not hate him!
ORA
I don’t know...all I do know is
that he had... this ring, it’s how
he was able to know the wisp was
going to the Prophecies.
ELIZABETH
That...that is fascinating. The
forest...maybe It does hate him.
ISTEN
No...I was traveling with...ummm...
I traveled with him and his people
for a while. The forest didn’t seem
to bother him at all.
FORMOSA
That I can not understand.
ELIZABETH
Well, that doesn’t effect us right
now. But freeing two wisp magics
may very well help our Ora.
If you do this ritual, Ora, It will
feel like forest magic to them, and
forest magic is almost everywhere
here.
KARRAS
Wonder if we can use It as a
weapon.
FORMOSA
We’re not using It as a weapon.
KEVIN
Isten, I guess that means you’re
full of borrowed magic.
KEVIN (CONT'D)
Isten?
ISTEN
Yes.
KARRAS
You good?
ISTEN
Hard to...concentrate.
ORA
Then we should hurry.
FORMOSA
Do you still want to return the
wisps’ blood?
ISTEN
Please. It was wrong of me. I want
It released.
ORA
I’ll do It.
ISTEN
Here.
ORA
Okay, umm... now what?
KARRAS
Here...
ORA
Thanks. Here goes nothing.
ELIZABETH
Now you dear...
ORA
Ugh...
FORMOSA
Repeat after me: Blood to blood.
ORA
Blood to blood.
FORMOSA
Light to light.
ORA
Light to light.
FORMOSA
Return from here...
ORA
Return from here...
FORMOSA
...to what is right.
ORA
...to what is right.
SPIRIT
(Gets Skittish)
KEVIN
Woah, woah girl. Woah... It’s
alright.
KARRAS
Did It work?
FORMOSA
I think so.
ORA
Uh...Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH
Your guess is as good as mine.
ORA
Then let’s hurry. I don’t know
about you, but I don't want to
stick around and find out what’s
distracting the forest.
SCENE BRAKE
IVAN
(Humming)
Oh, watch out, James. Your leg is
only hanging on by a thread, if you
lose It...
RISEN
(Growls)
IVAN
Awwwww...Well I did warn you. Did
you lose your ears before you died?
Nope ...still there, mostly.
Well...you let me down...
...and I won’t have friends who let
me down... AAAAAAA
There...now...we are even. I
release you back to the peace of
death. Rest, my once friend. I will
see you nevermore.
(Humming)
Friends! You are boooring! I want
to contact my family!
RISEN
(Grunts)
IVAN
Sure, but there’s no need, not
really, and It requires so much
power.
RISEN
(Grunts)
IVAN
Yes, yes...Plus, they may be
angry... buuut what’s the use of
power if not to quash the dreadful
boredom?
RISEN
(Grunt)
IVAN
(Laughing)
Of course, you’re right! I’ll do
It!
From lips to ears
And mind to mind,
Bring our words
To each in kind.
ROHESIA
Ivan, my darling, are you okay? I
don’t feel anything wrong.
IVAN
I grew impatient. I hope you’ll
forgive me.
DANIKA
If you hadn’t contacted us, we
would have reached out to you. How
are you handling the forest?
IVAN
Terribly. It’s cruel and nasty,
keeps trying to break apart my
friends. And after all the trouble
I went through...killing them and
resurrecting them...
DANIKA
We understand. But don’t worry. We
will rule the forest one day and
you will have more friends than you
know what to do with.
IVAN
WEEEE!! Hooray!!
ROHESIA
Do you think you can come home
soon?
IVAN
My friends and I are not far from
their new home. Once I introduce
these new friends to my old
friends, then I can come home.
Though I might rest a few days
beforehand...
ROHESIA
Of course, you should rest! That
last incident took a lot out of all
of us.
IVAN
I wish you could meet all our new
friends.
ROHESIA
So do we. But we must conserve our
pool. We don’t know if we were able
to destroy whoever we detected at
the tournament.
DANIKA
Their magic has been growing
stronger. We have felt the same
essence too many times. What if we
feel It again and have to transport
you back to them?
IVAN
I know, I know.
DANIKA
It’s not the time for play.
IVAN
Oh, remember that time you
enspelled an entire library so
every book sang out their contents?
DANIKA
You said you loved the music.
IVAN
I did. Oh, I still dream of It
sometimes, often harmonizing with
the screams of the librarians.
RISEN
(Growls)
IVAN
Ugh!!! Stoooooop.
ROHESIA
What is It?
IVAN
This evil forest, It won’t rest
until It rips the limbs off half
our friends ugh.
ROHESIA
We should burn It to the ground.
IVAN
Yes, but I applaud its
determination. It will be that much
more satisfying when we turn It to
ash.
Would you like me to show you
what’s happening?
DANIKA
That’s alright. We will simply
imagine your glee as each branch
and bush is cut away to clear a
path.
ROHESIA
We must go now, but be careful,
Ivan. Even depleted, I know an army
wouldn’t stand a chance against
you. But that spell we followed was
powerful.
IVAN
Are you worried someone might
willingly follow our caravan of
cadavers?
Oh, that would be wonderful! It
would be lovely to have a playmate
for the rest of my journey.
DANIKA
I would have expected them to use
magic again to survive, but there
was nothing. That means that they
were either depleted and died, or
were able to flee the dead without
casting another spell. I’m very
curious who could do that.
IVAN
I know! I really, really want to
play with them!...but my friends
probably got to them first.
ROHESIA
(Laughing)
But they couldn’t do It without
you.
DANIKA
Well, if we feel them again, now
that we have tasted their power,
we’ll be even faster to find them
next time. And you can have all the
fun for yourself.
IVAN
Oh, you spoil me. Heheheh!
ROHESIA
Enjoy your journey. We will check
in again soon.
IVAN
Okay, friends! Tally-ho!!
(Singing)
Oooooh, we’ll groan and moan, and
crack our bones, and then
we’ll...burn some trees...then
we’ll claw, and paw, and lose a jaw
...amongst these...foul leaves...
SCENE BRAKE
ORA
Is this where your friend lives?
ELIZABETH
Yes.
KEVIN
The cabin looks rundown.
ELIZABETH
Better to avoid unwanted guests.
KEVIN
I’d think being hours away from any
village and far from the road would
do that.
ORA
Well, let’s go in.
ELIZABETH
It might be best to warn you that
my friend, Emilian, is a bit
eccentric.
ORA
How eccentric?
ELIZABETH
He may have booby-trapped his home
and will only answer questions for
money.
KEVIN
And he’s a friend?
FORMOSA
How much money?
KARRAS
What type of traps? Here, I’ill
help you.
ELIZABETH
My, thank you. I could get used to
this.
KARRAS
Ummmmm.
KEVIN
Are you sure we should talk to him?
ELIZABETH
Emilian’s been trading magical
objects on the black market for
years. I don’t know anyone else who
understands magic and its history
as well as he does.
ORA
It’ll be useful to talk to someone
who understands all of this, but
it’s a risk. Look, we all agreed to
come this far, but it’s not too
late to back out now.
FORMOSA
If we’ve come this far, I say we
keep going.
KARRAS
(Grunts)
ISTEN
It’s fine.
KEVIN
What? I’m in, of course.
Just because I like to talk It out
does not mean I’m not in. Forget
all of you. Let’s go see what this
“eccentric” magic dealer has to
say.
ORA
Spirit, stay here.
SPIRIT
(Blow)
ORA
Let us know if you see anything.
ELIZABETH
Hello?
Emilian, are you there? It’s me,
Elizabeth. From Shadow Run?
ORA
Maybe he’s out hunting?
ELIZABETH
Emilian?
KARRAS
Wait. May be a trap.
Ah. Here.
FORMOSA
What?
KARRAS
A string...
KARRAS (CONT'D)
Now open It.
KEVIN
Is that a crossbow?
KARRAS
If this string on the doorknob goes
loose, It shoots.
KEVIN
It’s aimed right at us.
KARRAS
(Grunts)
ORA
Huh, but the crossbow bolt is on
the floor.
KARRAS
Oh...
ORA
This is so strange. The string’s
still there, but the gears are all
messed up.
KEVIN
I’m more concerned about the
crossbow aimed at the door than why
It would have failed.
FORMOSA
There are three other traps in this
room. Though two are no longer
working since they weren’t
maintained.
KEVIN
Your friend knows how to welcome
visitors.
ELIZABETH
To be fair, we did break in.
Emilian, are you in?
ORA
Elizabeth, I don’t think Emilian
can take visitors anymore.
ELIZABETH
What’s wrong? Oh.
KEVIN
What’s going on?
KEVIN (CONT'D)
Is that a skeleton?
ELIZABETH
It’s Emilian. He must have died
here a long time ago. Poor dear. I
should bury him.
FORMOSA
Hang on. Wait until we check for
traps.
KARRAS
(Grunts)
ORA
Are you sure it’s Emilian?
ELIZABETH
It’s him. The skeleton has the same
silver ring Emilian always wore.
ORA
I’m so sorry.
Do you think he’ll rise again? Like
the dead at the tournament.
ISTEN
No.
ORA
How do you know?
ISTEN
I know.
KEVIN
If Emilian’s dead, there goes our
lead. What do we do now?
ELIZABETH
I want to see if he has any magical
objects.
ORA
Or Prophecies.
KEVIN
Hey...ummm...
ORA
Kevin? You alright?
KEVIN
I, uhmm, I just got really tired
or...I don’t know, I just, I feel
funny...
KARRAS
Maybe it’s the dead body?
KEVIN
Maybe you’re right...
FORMOSA
After we look around, are we still
going to that city from the
Prophecy? Uh..Carcerem?
ORA
But Emilian was the only one who
knew how to get there.
But maybe he has the location in
one of his documents.
KEVIN
If he doesn’t, we should leave. Run
from the dead and all that evil
magic.
I’m tired of everyone looking at me
like I’m a coward! We obviously
can’t go against that. We’re
outmatched.
KARRAS
I agree with Kevin. You don’t fight
when you can’t win.
ORA
Well, we can’t let evil go
unchallenged. We need to stop them,
whether by fulfilling the Prophecy
or hunting down whoever cast that
spell.
FORMOSA
I agree with Ora. Those things are
abominations.
No offense, Isten.
ORA, FORMOSA, KEVIN, KARRAS
(All Talking at Once)
ELIZABETH
(Whistles)
Quiet! Do you hear that?
ORA
What?
ELIZABETH
That.
KEVIN
Where’s It coming from?
ORA
A trapdoor?
ELIZABETH
It must lead to the basement.
FORMOSA
Do you think that’s where it’s
coming from?
ORA
Let’s find out.
KEVIN
What the....
ELIZABETH
Is that a Lusus Naturae?
ORA
No, its head and arms are human.
FORMOSA
Yeah but the wings and that tail.
KARRAS
It’s chained up.
ORA
Did It die down here?
FORMOSA
Look out!!
KARRAS
He moved!
GALEN
Help me.
END OF EPISODE 24