Work Text:
Chapter I
The Savior and The Monster
-[Do you realize yet?]
The Narrator
You're on a path in the woods. And at the end of that path is a cabin.
And in the basement of that cabin is a savior.
The Narrator
You're here to slay them.
If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
-(Explore) Is there a
reason why I have to be
the one to kill them?
The Narrator
Oh! That’s an easy question to answer, actually! Yes!
The Narrator
You’re the only one who can, actually! Call it fate, destiny, happenstance, but you’re kind
of like the chosen one. You are the only one who can slay the Savior and save the world!
The Narrator
Isn’t it kind of exciting? To have something super important to do?
-(Explore) I… guess? It
mostly feels like a lot of
pressure, honestly…
The Narrator
It is a lot of pressure. You are saving the world after all. But
it’s a noble task, I think that pressure is more than justifiable.
Voice of the Fighter
Is it?
The Narrator
!!!
The Narrator
It is! I’m sorry if it’s a little overwhelming, but it’s also really
important! You need to understand the gravity of the situation!
The Narrator
Like I said, you are the only one capable of this task.
-[Continue to the
cabin.]
The Narrator
You make your way up the short path to the cabin. You’ll find the Savior within.
Voice of the Fighter
… We’re not actually gonna do this, right? They’re a savior. If
anything, they should be slaying us with a name like that!
The Narrator
Ignore him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
-[Proceed into the
cabin.]
The Narrator
The interior of the cabin is almost entirely bare. The air is stale and musty
and the floor and walls are painted in a fine layer of dust. The only furniture
of note is a plain wooden table. Perched on that table is a hooked blade.
The Narrator
The blade is your implement. You’ll need it if you want to do this right.
-(Explore) [Take the blade.]
-[Enter the basement.]
The Narrator
You take the blade from the table. It wouldn’t be easy to save the world without it.
-[Enter the basement.]
The Narrator
The door to the basement creaks open, revealing a staircase faintly illuminated
by an unseen light in the room below. This is an oppressive place. The air feels
heavy and damp, a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood. If the Savior
really lives here, slaying him is probably doing him a favor.
The Narrator
Their voice carries up the stairs.
Who’s there?
Voice of the Fighter
They sound… dangerous. Sharp. Like they know exactly what to say to hurt you.
The Narrator
… Don’t let it fool you. That’s all part of the manipulation.
-“Hi. I was… sent here to
kill you.”
You were? Haha, I guess that’s one
way to get out of here! Come
down so I can get a good look at
the one who’s supposed to end
all of this.
The Narrator
Ah… so much for the element of surprise, hm? Just announce
yourself to the entire world, it’s not as if I can stop you.
Voice of the Fighter
Wow…
Voice of the Fighter
They’re… kinda intimidating. It’s honestly kind of cool? Intimidating but also,
um, a little bit cute? Is someone like that really able to end the world?
The Narrator
Is now really the time for that?
Voice of the Fighter
S-sorry!!!
Oh, you really weren’t kidding
when you said you were here to
kill me.
-“Of course not! Me? Lie?
That’s… not really my
style.”
Yeah. I can see that. You have a
dagger and everything.
Voice of the Fighter
I wouldn’t want to talk if I had a knife pointed at me, either. No
wonder they have their guard up so high!!! We should drop it.
The Narrator
Absolutely not. Don’t do that.
Voice of the Fighter
Shouldn’t we at least hear them out? We can, uh, figure
out what to do with him after listening to him. Maybe they are a
monster, but killing someone in cold blood just doesn’t feel right.
-[Drop it.]
-[Tighten your grip.]
The Narrator
You ignore the slight shake in your hands and tighten your grip on the blade.
Are you scared of me? I’m so
much smaller than you. Weak
and defenseless, right? Why are
you scared? It’s not like I’d be
able to do anything to you!
Right?
The Narrator
You ignore them, taking a step forward as you close off your heart.
… It’s not fun if you skip all of
your lines.
You know, haha, if I’m chained up
there’s probably a reason for it,
right? I’m probably dangerous!
And if you want to do anything to
me, you have to get close enough
to use that dagger!
So if you feel like you just have to
kill me… do it already. It’s not like I
have anything better to do.
The Narrator
He’s just trying to scare you! Now isn’t the time to hesitate. I believe in you!
-(Explore) You’re sure he’s
not armed? You’re
positive?”
The Narrator
I am, yes. There’d be absolutely no reason for the Savior to be locked up with a weapon.
Voice of the Fighter
I’m actually… not so convinced? They’re not acting
like someone who’s unarmed. He’s being too reckless.
You’re hesitating? You could
always put the blade away so the
two of us can just talk. That’s
easier than fighting, isn’t it?
-“You can’t trick me into
putting the dagger down.”
I wasn’t really trying to. But if you
won’t, I’m not going to talk to you.
-“I guess this is a
stalemate, then!”
I guess so!
The Narrator
Don’t just stand there! Slay them already!
Voice of the Fighter
Or at least drop the dagger!
The Narrator
Do not do that! You have a job to do!
-(Explore) And the
Savior definitely isn’t
armed?
The Narrator
I don’t know how many ways I can say it before you believe
me! No. He’s not armed. The Savior shouldn’t have a weapon.
Voice of the Fighter
Shouldn’t or doesn’t? Because those are… pretty different things!
-[Slay the Savior.]
The Narrator
You lunge at the Savior, dagger in hand.
The Narrator
… But it seems as though you were right to be suspicious. Well then.
A blade of their own glints in their hand and catches you in the neck.
Voice of the Fighter
AUGH??? I told you! I told you this was suspicious!!!
The Narrator
It’s far too late for that now. Blood sprays from the cut, the wound coating the
Savior in a visceral shade. You’ll have to finish this quickly. Before you’re out of time.
-[Die.]
-[Finish the job.]
The Narrator
With the last little bit of your energy, you press
forward. Your knife buries itself in the Savior’s chest.
O… oh.
The Narrator
… The two of you fall to the floor, both bleeding out.
I guess it’s curtains, then.
But… honestly.
Do you really think this is the
end?
Voice of the Fighter
It’s like they don’t think they can die…
The Narrator
But he is dead. And… so are you. Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter II
The Razor
The Narrator
You're on a path in the woods. And at the end of that path is a cabin.
And in the basement of that cabin is a savior.
The Narrator
You're here to slay them.
If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
-(Explore) Wait, hang on!
didn’t this just happen?
The Narrator
… No? Not as far as I know? This is the first time we’ve met, aha.
Voice of the Fighter
If They don’t remember, maybe it’s a good idea to keep it that way?
Voice of the Earnest
Can’t They hear us?
The Narrator
I can, yes! You’re going to find it quite difficult to hide anything from me.
Voice of the Earnest
Yeah, I figured. Does it even matter what we do? He’s
just gonna pull a knife out of nowhere and stab us again!
The Narrator
Huh? But the Savior isn’t armed!
Voice of the Earnest
… Ehhh.
The Narrator
What is that supposed to mean?
Voice of the Earnest
Uh! Nothing! Nothing.
The Narrator
…
Voice of the Earnest
It’s just… they were last time? You said they weren’t armed, that you were sure
they weren’t, but they had a knife! And they kinda cut our throat open with it?
The Narrator
They really don’t have a weapon, though. And even if he
did, I know you could handle it! You were made for this job!
Voice of the Earnest
You! Said something like that last time, too. I really would like to believe that?
I do! I want to! But it’s hard to believe we’re some… destined hero after that.
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah. The only hit we got on him was after they already cut our throat.
The Narrator
I’m not sure why you’re insisting there was a ‘last
time’. Like I said, this is the first time that we’ve met.
-(Explore) Okay, so,
pretend I am telling the
truth for a second and
this did all happen before.
Why should I listen to
you? Why should I even
do anything?
The Narrator
Those are two incredibly different questions, I’m sure you
realize. But… sure. For the sake of curiosity, I’ll answer them.
The Narrator
For the purpose of this thought experiment, let us pretend that this
really is the second time we’ve met. Or a version of us has, anyhow.
The Narrator
You’re here, which ultimately means you must have died
last time. Quite possibly because you didn’t listen to me.
Voice of the Earnest
But we did listen to you. We went to attack the Savior and then
they pulled out their own knife! And we, uh, slew them, too!
Voice of the Fighter
That’s true!
Voice of the Earnest
See? I don’t lie!
The Narrator
Clearly you did something wrong, or else you wouldn’t be here.
Voice of the Earnest
We didn’t, though! We did what you asked us to do!
The Narrator
Urgh. Sure. Believe whatever you’d like to.
Voice of the Earnest
I will!
The Narrator
Um… the second half of your question. ‘Why should I even do
anything’, right? You asking that makes it seem a little bit like
you don’t think whatever happened to you last time mattered?
Voice of the Fighter
Did it, though? The Savior stabbed us, we stabbed them back, and now
we’re back! Like nothing happened. Unless there’s something we’re missing…
The Narrator
I think there probably is something you’re missing. Like, um, how are you back
here? Did time reset or did you somehow end up somewhere entirely new?
The Narrator
And if you’re somewhere new… what do you think
happened to wherever you were before? After you died.
The Narrator
What if you had failed to slay the Savior? What do you think
would have happened to everyone in the place you left behind.
Voice of the Earnest
… Nothing good. If they really were going to end the world, at least.
The Narrator
Exactly.
Voice of the Fighter
What if they weren’t going to end the world?
The Narrator
That doesn’t matter, because they were. If the Savior escapes
that cabin, he will end the world. I’m telling you the truth!
-[Proceed to the cabin.]
The Narrator
A warning, before you go any further…
The Narrator
They will lie, they will cheat, and they will do everything in their
power to stop you from slaying them. Don’t believe a word they say.
Voice of the Earnest
I hear you loud and clear! They sure did lie and cheat
last time, didn’t they? With the… stabbing us thing?
Voice of the Fighter
I don’t know if I’d call it lying or cheating, really? It’s not like we ever asked him if
he had a weapon. And them having one when we had one is… pretty fair, actually.
Voice of the Earnest
It feels like lying! And cheating! At least we didn’t hide our weapon!
The Narrator
That wasn’t really supposed to start an argument? Just… be careful, okay?
Voice of the Fighter
We’ll do our best!
-[Proceed into the
cabin.]
The Narrator
The interior of the cabin is a jagged mess of splintered wood and broken boards,
their sharp edges as uninviting as the shards of glass littering the floor. The only
furniture of note is a pointed table with a hooked blade perched on its edge.
The Narrator
The blade is your implement. You’ll need it if you want to do this right.
Voice of the Fighter
Oooh… we better watch our step.
-(Explore) You didn’t say
anything about the mirror
on the wall, though?
The Narrator
That’s because… there isn’t a mirror. There’s a table, the dagger stabbed
into it, and the entrance to the basement. There’s nothing else in here.
Voice of the Fighter
Aaaaand there’s a mirror.
The Narrator
There’s really not.
Voice of the Earnest
As much as I agree that there’s one hundred percent a mirror here, I’m a
little more worried about avoiding the potential of being stabbed again?
-[Remain silent.]
Voice of the Fighter
I get that, but doesn’t Them lying… bother you?
Voice of the Earnest
Oh yeah! For sure it does! But if They’re not gonna be upfront about
stuff, I really would rather not worry about it? Maybe if everything
goes well, we can bother Them about the mirror later.
The Narrator
If you’re not gonna believe me… fine, I guess. But I know there’s not a mirror.
-(Explore) Approach
the mirror.
The Narrator
You walk up to the wall next to the basement door. It’s, um, a wall.
Voice of the Fighter
Oh, I really don’t like this…
-[Wipe the mirror
clean.]
The Narrator
You rub your hand across the splintered wood.
Voice of the Fighter
What? But the mirror was just there!
Voice of the Earnest
And… it’s not anymore. Hah! Don’t like that at all!!
-(Explore) [Take the
blade.]
-[Enter the basement.]
Voice of the Earnest
Woah, big guy! Are you sure that’s a good idea? He’s gonna be armed! We should be, too!
The Narrator
Once again: the Savior is not armed. But I will agree that it’s in your
best interest to bring the blade with you. It’d be difficult without it.
The Narrator
The door to the basement creaks open, revealing what must have once been
stairs. They curve and distort in strange shapes, as sharp as they are impractical.
The Narrator
The air seeping up from below has an almost metallic quality to it. Like the smell of fresh
blood, sickly sweet and caustic. You can hear the sounds of metal scraping metal
from below. If the Savior lives here, slaying them is probably doing them a favor!
Voice of the Earnest
Scraping? Like… I dunno, sharpening a blade, maybe?
Voice of the Fighter
… Do you sharpen blades with metal?
Voice of the Earnest
I dunno, actually. I mean I guess I sort of figured you did?
The Narrator
Oh! I know the answer to this, actually!! Steel is usually used to
keep a sharp blade honed, but it doesn’t work as well on something
duller! For duller blades you usually use a sharpening stone.
Voice of the Earnest
Huh! Neat. Thank you.
The Narrator
Of course!!
The Narrator
But now isn’t the time for that. Get the idea of the Savior having a weapon
out of your head. I’m sure it’s their chains rather than some hidden blade.
The Narrator
Their tinny voice carries up the stairs.
Oh! Is that someone coming to
see me? I hope you’re here to
rescue me! I’ve been stuck
down here forever!
Voice of the Earnest
Nope! No. No thank you. I don’t like the sound of that at all!
Voice of the Fighter
It kinda hurts my ears.
The Narrator
As you descend the final step, the form of the Savior comes
into view, his sharp eye following you from across the room.
Voice of the Earnest
That’s not the only part of him that’s sharp! Look at
him! They’ve got blades where their legs should be!
Voice of the Fighter
… I wonder if he remembers us.
…
Oh, right, right.
Someone is finally here! To save
me, I hope! Quick, get me out
of these chains! It is not safe
here!
Voice of the Earnest
He can’t actually expect us to fall for that, can he? I’m not much of an actor,
really, but even I can tell how stilted they sound. It’s like they’re reading
from a script they don’t even have! They just want us to get close.
The Narrator
That’s true. He’s already letting his mask slip! He knows what you’re here for.
Are you alright? Do not just
stand there! Come help me out!
-(Explore) “If I get close,
you’re just gonna stab me,
aren’t you.”
Huh? Oh, no. Noooo!!! I would
not stab you! Of course not! I
am just a sweet innocent
stranger trapped here for no
reason!
And you are the brave and
charming hero! Who is supposed
to get close to me! So I can not
stab you! So you can free me!
Voice of the Earnest
Oh, he’s absolutely gonna stab us.
Voice of the Fighter
Um. Yeah. Probably.
The Narrator
It’s just a front. They can’t actually stab you.
Voice of the Earnest
I really would like to believe you! I promise I would! But what about the Savior who has
blades for feet and knives sticking out of their head screams ‘won’t stab us’ to you?
The Narrator
Well, um! You don’t know for sure that those are real! They could be dull!
Voice of the Fighter
…
The Narrator
Okay. Okay! I will admit that… that was pretty weak. But: you can do this!
You’re more than able to defend yourself! So please get out of your head.
Voice of the Fighter
We could! But… I don’t trust that he couldn’t get out of his chains before that.
The Narrator
If he hasn’t yet, why would he now?
Voice of the Fighter
To catch us off guard? It’s… probably a lot easier
to stab someone when they’re distracted, y’know?
Voice of the Earnest
I know! We were focused on attacking them last time. And since we were distracted:
we didn’t notice them pull out their own weapon. And then we got stabbed.
-(Explore) “Do you
remember me?”
Y— no! ‘Remember you’? We
have clearly never met before!
Why would I remember
someone who I have never met
before?
The Narrator
See? Now can you let go of your assertion that you’ve been here
before? All of that ‘past life’ nonsense is just that: nonsense.
I would not forget someone who
stabbed me! Or someone I
stabbed! And since neither of
those things have happened, I
obviously do not know you!!!
… Teehee?
Voice of the Earnest
… Seriously?
Voice of the Fighter
Wow, he’s… really not good at subtlety.
Voice of the Earnest
Yeah. I think I’m like, uh, a pretty honest guy? Generally speaking?
And I’m not super great at lying? But that’s just… really bad.
The Narrator
Well, he’s certainly lying about something. Though I’m sure it’s
not that you’ve been reborn into a new world. That’s ridiculous.
Voice of the Fighter
More ridiculous than someone with knives sticking out of their skull?
The Narrator
Yes.
Voice of the Fighter
Okay.
-(Explore) “Are you…
feeling okay?”
Voice of the Earnest
Harsh but fair. They didn’t act like this last time.
Of course I’m okay! Why would
I not be? Other than the fact
that I am trapped in these
chains, of course! Which would
be solved very quickly if you
just got close enough to me to
st— help me out of them!
Voice of the Earnest
So there’s literally no way we’re gonna do that, right?
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah.
The Narrator
At least not without a weapon. You’re perfectly capable of slaying
them, but doing so without a weapon would be plainly irresponsible.
Voice of the Fighter
You keep saying that, but… you can hear how hard it is to believe, can’t
you? I’m with the other guy. It’s not that we don’t want to trust you, but…
Voice of the Earnest
Would you believe you, in our shoes?
The Narrator
…
Voice of the Fighter
Sorry.
The Narrator
No, no. I… understand. Thank you for being honest, at least.
Voice of the Earnest
Of course!!!
Oh. It is polite to ask the other
person if they are okay, right?
Are you okay, stranger who I
have never met before?
-(Explore) “I’m fine. I’m
good. And also good to
stand… right here,
actually!”
The Narrator
The Savior’s jagged smile drops into a pout. He huffs
and it sounds like nails scratching a sheet of metal.
Voice of the Fighter
Owwie.
Really???? Wouldn’t it be so
much more comfortable if you
got to stretch your legs??
Maybe by, I do not know, um.
Coming closer to me? So you can
See for yourself just how okay
I am doing! And I can see for
myself how okay you are! How
good and un-stabbed you are
right now!
Voice of the Earnest
They’re really hammering home the ‘not stabbed’ thing, huh?
Voice of the Fighter
More like stabbing it home.
Voice of the Earnest
HAHAH!!! Oooh, yeah, that’s pretty good!!!
Voice of the Fighter
Thank you very much. I’ll be here all night.
Voice of the Earnest
Hehehe…
Voice of the Fighter
… Maybe we should trust him, though? He doesn’t seem to be in a, uh,
super stable state of mind? But he hasn’t actually tried to do anything?
Voice of the Earnest
I appreciate you trying to see the best in everyone! I want that, too! But the
way things are right now? I wouldn’t trust it. I wouldn’t trust it for even a second.
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah I figured.
The Narrator
I… think I’ve said my piece at this point.
Voice of the Earnest
Same! But hey, talking back and forth beats being stabbed again! I don’t think
I’ve mentioned it enough yet: we were stabbed! To death! And it hurt!!! A lot!
The Narrator
So I’ve heard.
-(Explore) “What are you
gonna do if I let you out?”
Hm! That is a question that I
have never thought about the
answer to before!
Voice of the Earnest
Crabclaw.
I would like to do lots and lots
of things! To broaden the scope
of my experiences! It is so so
boring in these chains, you know!
Which is why you should let me
out of them!
The Narrator
Don’t do that.
Voice of the Earnest
Wasn’t planning on it, boss!
Voice of the Fighter
Seriously. Couldn’t this all just… be a misunderstanding? I-I’d
sure like for this to be able to be a misunderstanding, hahaa…
-(Explore) “Experiences?
Maybe like… stabbing. Or
slicing?”
Yes! I mean NO! I mean… teehee?
I have never done anything like
that before!!! Haha! But it
sounds like it could be
interesting!
I would also like to do… other
things! Like, oh, uh. Spotting
constellations. Or looking at a
bird.
Voice of the Fighter
Okay. So.
Voice of the Earnest
… Yeah?
Voice of the Fighter
Listen.
Voice of the Earnest
Don’t actually tell me you buy this! I know you’re smarter than that!!!
Voice of the Fighter
LISTEN.
The Narrator
Go on.
Voice of the Fighter
I, too, would also like to look at a bird.
The Narrator
Oh! Um! There will be time to look at birds… later! All the time and birds you want!
Voice of the Fighter
So… I get that. But.
Voice of the Earnest
Mhm?
Voice of the Fighter
BUT. Birds are free. And not trapped in… what is this? A mineshaft? Birds are
free and NOT here and I also would like to be free and not here right now.
Voice of the Earnest
Y’know… I can’t argue with that logic. I think I also want to look at a bird, actually.
The Narrator
Urgh. Just make a decision.
-(Explore) “What are you
going to do to me if you
get out?”
Nothing! :D
Voice of the Fighter
How did—
Voice of the Earnest
—I’d rather not think about the way this guy is more than we have to.
I wouldn’t have a reason to
do aaaaanything to you! We are
just strangers here! If
anything I would be glad you
let me out! I would thank you!
With my hands!!!
Voice of the Earnest
And the knife in those hands.
The Narrator
… You’re really really set on that, huh?
Voice of the Earnest
YES??? Stabbed. We were stabbed!!! With a knife! By them!!!
The Narrator
Okay, OKAY. I get it. Shut up.
Voice of the Earnest
Ah… a blow to my feelings. So cold!
The Narrator
I don’t crabbing care.
-(Explore) “I know you’re
hiding a knife.”
Whaaaaat? Me? A knife? No way!
Where would I even hide a
knife?!
Voice of the Fighter
… I mean. There are some he’s not even really trying to hide.
Voice of the Earnest
And more that he is! We know he’s armed!!!
-(Explore) “Prove it, then!
Prove you don’t have a
knife!”
It would be so much easier to
prove that I do have a knife! I
could just show you my knife!!!
But I don’t. So I can’t!!!
The Narrator
They raise their hands up, flexing their fingers.
See? I am not hiding anything! I
have no knives or daggers or
shanks anywhere to be seen!!!
The Narrator
He lifts up his cloak, shaking out the darkless fabric. And then
he turns his pockets out, shakes his shirt, pulls open his sleeves.
See??? Expecting me to have a
knife is totally pointless!
… No. Hang on. I did not say that
one right. Blinding— let me try
that again.
Expecting ME to have a KNIFE is
totally POINTless!!!
Hehe.
Voice of the Fighter
… Was that a pun?
Voice of the Earnest
It was, um, an attempt at one, at least?
Voice of the Fighter
That was a pretty… choppy delivery.
Voice of the Earnest
Nice.
The Narrator
Not nice!!!! BAD!!!!!!!
-(Explore) “Why should I
believe you? How can I
be sure you won’t hurt
me?”
Hurt you??? Why would I ever
hurt you? You’re here to save
me! I’d never hurt my hero!!!
… So just come closer.
Voice of the Earnest
Haha. Um. That was a different expression than he usually pulls.
Voice of the Fighter
It was! I don’t think I like that!!!
Voice of the Earnest
I don’t like it either! Glad we’re on the same page!!!
The Narrator
Very good. Not trusting the Savior. Like I’ve told you to do from the start.
-(Explore) “I want to
trust you, but you’re
being… super duper
suspicious.”
Me? Suspicious? That’s so
rude! I am being perfectly
normal and typical!!!
Mister Big-Buff-Bird comes
waltzing in here and saying
things that just aren’t true!
It is mean and bad of you! :(
Don’t you know that I have
feelings too??? And you hurt
them!
Voice of the Earnest
Yeah, that really pulls at my heartstrings. They were a lot
better at hiding their intentions last time! Wonder what changed.
The Narrator
… Does it really matter?
Voice of the Earnest
Of course it matters!
I’m tired of pretending.
Voice of the Fighter
Huh?
The Narrator
Ah, and so their mask falls away completely! He’s a prisoner here!
A dangerous, but manageable, prisoner. So now you should march
back up to the cabin and grab that dagger so you can—
The Narrator
Oh.
The Narrator
Um. Oh, um… The! The Savior dashes forwards, a flurry of metal and energy. A blade bursts
from his free arm, leaving the flesh hanging at the elbow and blending into their cloak.
The Narrator
Haaaah… Oh, dang it. So much for the blades being dull, I guess.
Voice of the Earnest
So much for— what are we supposed to DO?!?!
Voice of the Fighter
Run??? At least he’s still chained up!!!
The Narrator
Yes. For… a second, anyhow.
Voice of the Fighter
Jhgsaghjsaghjas. Why do I even say words?
The Narrator
They glare down at their bindings for a long moment.
The Narrator
And swiftly cleaves off their wrist.
Voice of the Fighter
WHY DO I EVEN SAY WORDS?!
Voice of the Earnest
You mentioned running??? I think it’s time to run!!!
The Narrator
Unfortunately, the Savior has the same idea. He rushes
for you with a speed you couldn’t possibly outpace.
Voice of the Fighter
That doesn’t mean we can’t try!!! Go go go!!!!!!
The Narrator
And go you do. For a single, hopeful moment, you manage to get
ahead of them. But your build is not one meant for speed… and
theirs is. It doesn’t take long for the Savior to catch up to you.
I am going to kill you now. :)
The Narrator
And he does.
The Narrator
Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter III
Once More With Feeling
The Narrator
You're on a path in the woods—
Voice of the Earnest
AUGHGHH!!!!!! No! Nope!!!! Crab that! If we’re gonna do this again and again and again,
I’m not walking down the stupid path every time! No chance! Not a shot! Absolutely not!!!
The Narrator
Uwah????
Voice of the Earnest
We are starting!!!! In the CRABBING cabin.
The Narrator
The interior of the cabin is much more restrained than the needly
mess of the woods. Cracks run through it’s flat metal walls, sharp
spikes pushing their way through. Otherwise it looks remarkably—
The Narrator
WHAT.
The Narrator
What the CRAB did you just do?!?!?!
Voice of the Fighter
… Oof. Headache.
Voice of the Earnest
Oh. Wow. WOW!!! That actually worked. I wasn’t expecting it to work!!
Voice of the Advocate
Now THAT is a neat trick.
Voice of the Earnest
It is, isn’t it? I’m very neat!
Voice of the Advocate
Looks like we’ve got control this time, huh? Take THAT, Narrator!
The Narrator
I. Um. What… what’s happening???
Voice of the Advocate
What’s happening is that you got got!!!
The Narrator
So. You’ve clearly been here before. How many times?
Voice of the Fighter
This makes… three?
Voice of the Advocate
You’ve got it! Number three!!!
The Narrator
No wonder. Urgh. You understand that a world ends when you
fail in your task, right? So far, you’ve doomed three worlds to ice.
Voice of the Fighter
I-it’s not like we died on purpose! We at least tried both times!
The Narrator
Clearly not hard enough.
Voice of the Willing
Of course we didn’t try hard enough. There’s no one
in the world that could have tried enough to slay them.
Voice of the Fighter
Oh… there’s another one of us?
The Narrator
What’s that ‘sposed to mean?
Voice of the Fighter
The last time we died, only one more of us showed up? So
it’s a little bit weird that there seems to be… two new guys.
Voice of the Earnest
Oh, hey, you’re right! That is weird! Did we… die twice or something?
Voice of the Willing
We might as well have. He ripped us to shreds! It would be
better for everyone if we just gave up before it happened again.
Voice of the Advocate
Or, better idea, we do literally anything else?
The Narrator
…Urgh.
The Narrator
Let’s get back on track, shall we?
The Narrator
The only furniture of note is a splintered table with a hooked blade perched—
Voice of the Earnest
Yes! Yep. Got it, we understand, We take the blade.
The Narrator
Oh, um!!! I guess you can just… do that before I finish talking? The, um, the blade is your implement. You’ll—
Voice of the Earnest
“Need it if you want to do this right.” Yeah, we’ve… we’ve been told.
The Narrator
!!!
The Narrator
Right. It’d be difficult to slay the Savior and save the world without it.
Voice of the Willing
Why even bother with the blade? It’s not like we’re going to be able to do any damage. They’re faster than us. More vicious. We can’t outrun them, can’t outfight him, and
we can’t even talk around him. It’s a little bit hopeless, don’t you think?
Voice of the Fighter
I… don’t think, actually. I believe in us.
Voice of the Willing
You shouldn’t.
Voice of the Advocate
Woah, hey! That’s quitter talk!!! Who knows, maybe they’ll listen to reason this time.
Voice of the Willing
You don’t actually believe that. You aren’t stupid.
Voice of the Advocate
Ouch. Harsh but fair.
Voice of the Earnest
Can we just get a move on? I don’t want to spend any more time here
than we have to. If killing the Savior is our way out, it’s our way out.
The Narrator
Yes! Exactly! You get it.
Voice of the Earnest
I still don’t really trust you, sorry. I just want to get out of this alive.
The Narrator
We’ll take it.
Voice of the Willing
No.
Voice of the Earnest
No? What do you mean no?
Voice of the Willing
No as in we aren’t going to bring the blade. It… won’t make a difference.
Voice of the Advocate
I mean… that’s true, right? We had a blade the first time and
they killed us. We didn’t the second time and they still killed us.
The Narrator
That’s stupid. You’re stupid.
Voice of the Advocate
Not stupid, just curious! I’m sold. We toss the blade out the window.
Voice of the Earnest
WHAT? No. No we absolutely don’t do that, are you crabbing crazy?!
Voice of the Advocate
Also not crazy, still just curious!
Voice of the Willing
It’s too late to stop it. It’s already done.
The Narrator
… He’s right. The blade is already gone. Unfortunately for… for all of us and the entire world.
Voice of the Earnest
That’s not — that isn’t fair!
Voice of the Advocate
It’s perfectly fair! Me and the wibbly one both wanted the
blade gone. You’re not the only one who can do stuff, y’know.
Voice of the Earnest
You — I — you know what? Fine. Fine! That’s fine. Who cares.
Voice of the Advocate
I thought you didn’t lie?
Voice of the Fighter
Stop! All of you! Now isn’t the time.
The Narrator
It, um, it really isn’t. You have a Savior to slay.
Voice of the Fighter
We still have our fists, right? We can still fight.
Voice of the Willing
…It’s not going to make a difference.
The Narrator
Right. So… are we going to get moving, or are you just going
to stand around some more? It’s not as if the world is at stake.
Voice of the Earnest
I’d love to. But I don’t — I’m not really sure how we could get down to the basement?
The Narrator
The door.
Voice of the Fighter
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no door here. Just that mirror again.
The Narrator
What mirror? Are you stupid? There’s no mirror.
The Narrator
It’s as though you’ve entirely lost track of reality.
-(Explore) Approach
the mirror.
The Narrator
You make your way to the door at the end of the cabin, stopping just in front
of it. Nails stick out of the otherwise smooth wood. But… you make no move
to open it. You certainly believe that there’s a ‘mirror’, if nothing else.
Voice of the Willing
Just close our eyes and go.
Voice of the Earnest
I was planning on it. Let’s just fumble for the handle and
try to avoid the… nails. I just want to be done with this.
-[Wipe the mirror clean.]
The Narrator
You reach forward and press your hand on the door to the
basement, thankfully avoiding any nails! The door creaks open slowly.
Voice of the Fighter
And there goes the mirror, too.
Voice of the Advocate
Oh, boo. Now I’m curious about what we looked like! If it keeps poofing on us,
it’s gotta be something really interesting that it doesn’t want us to see, right?
Voice of the Fighter
Might as well get going, huh?
The Narrator
I believe in you!!! You’ll be fine!!!
The Narrator
You step forward, but don’t get a chance to linger on the basement stairs.
They are weak and splintered and barebones, and the weight of your
body shatters the wood and sends you falling through to the floor.
The Narrator
As you struggle to your feet, the form of the Savior comes into view
between the jagged slats of wood. He smiles sweetly, just a bit too sharp.
Voice of the Fighter
They look… normal.
Voice of the Advocate
Normal other than the sword in their hat.
Oh. It looks like you’re back.
And the stairs are too damaged
to run up.
Voice of the Fighter
They… sound almost normal, too.
The Narrator
It’s all part of—
Voice of the Earnest
“Part of the deception”. I promise I’m not trying
to be rude, but I also promise that we get it. Sorry.
The Narrator
Saying sorry doesn’t make you sound like less of a crab!!!
Voice of the Earnest
I know, I know! I’m stressed. It’s not your fault.
Voice of the Advocate
Ehhh… They’re sure not helping with the stress.
-“If I step any closer,
you’re just gonna kill
me, aren’t you?”
I’m not going to play dumb this
time. I know you think I’m
going to kill you, but I swear
I’m not.
Voice of the Fighter
Crabclaw.
Voice of the Willing
It’s easier for everyone if we just let him.
Don’t you trust me?
-(Earnest) “Of course I
do.”
-(Explore) “No. Not
really.”
Voice of the Fighter
Whuh?!
Voice of the Advocate
Huh! That wasn’t the big guy.
Voice of the Earnest
Well. We can make the body do things, can’t we? It only
makes sense that we can make the voice do things, too.
Voice of the Fighter
Oh. I guess that makes sense?
Voice of the Advocate
Ehehe… you should give everyone else a try.
Voice of the Earnest
Not happening! You already did enough damage by throwing our only weapon.
The Narrator
While you all argue, the Savior tilts his head curiously, eye huge and round.
Oh? Good. Come over here, then.
I don’t bite! :)
Voice of the Willing
Noooo… he’s doing the weird thing with his voice again.
-[Approach the Savior.]
-[Keep your distance.]
Voice of the Fighter
Uh… not to disagree with you, but are you sure that’s a good idea?
Voice of the Advocate
Yeah! Don’t we get a say?
Voice of the Earnest
I’m actually okay with this. I’ve got a plan.
Voice of the Advocate
… Are you gonna clue us in on it?
Voice of the Earnest
No.
Voice of the Advocate
Well. It was worth a shot.
The Narrator
You… cautiously walk up to the Savior. They grin at you, giving you a
playful bow. Their movements are too sharp, though. He feels very very fake.
Thank the stars! What a hero.
The Narrator
You hear the wet tearing of meat as the Savior produces a
blade from one of his arms. His flesh lies limply at his elbow.
-[Take the blade from
the Savior’s hat.]
The Narrator
Oh? Oh! You do that! You grab the hilt of the blade on the Savior’s hat
and pull it from their head. The hat comes with it as you fall back.
The weapon feels wrong in your hands, but it’s going to have to do!
Clever.
I’m going to kill you now.
Voice of the Willing
Of course they are. Why would we expect anything else?
The Narrator
The Savior pulls their other hand free of their restraints, it also coming off in
the form of a blade. He advances, moving almost like he’s in an odd sort of dance.
Voice of the Fighter
Crab, uh!!! Strike at him before he can get us!
The Narrator
You thrust your blade forwards and the Savior rolls his eye. With a
small flick of his arm, the sword you’re holding is cleaved in two.
Voice of the Fighter
CRAB.
Voice of the Advocate
So much for having a weapon.
Voice of the Earnest
Well… I’m out of ideas. What’s the plan, big guy?
-We fight.
-We dodge, getting in
hits when we can!
-There’s still a chance
that we can talk our
way out of this, right?
-Panic flirt???
-Panic!!! Just in general!
-... Get stabbed, maybe?
It won’t hurt if we don’t
let it.
-[These are all AWFUL
ideas.]
Voice of the Earnest
You get how that’s not gonna help us, right? We’re already panicking!
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah, uh, I don’t know if panicking more is going to do anything.
Voice of the Willing
We’re doomed.
The Narrator
I’d really recommend, um, doing something more substantial than panicking?
I-I know it’s easy to get caught up in the nerves of this all, but the whole
world is at stake! We really need you to have a clear head for this.
-[Toss the broken sword
at the Savior.]
-[Try to run up the
broken stairs.]
-[Freeze. Barely move a
muscle.]
The Narrator
You toss the broken sword at the Savior. They block it casually,
sending the blade careening into the wall of the basement.
You’re funny when you’re
panicking! Running around like
a chicken with its head cut
off.
Or maybe just a bird with his
head cut off!
Voice of the Advocate
At least we get a half decent joke out of him before we die.
Voice of the Willing
It wasn’t even very good…
The Narrator
Laugh cracking in the air, the Savior closes the
distance between the two of you and stabs you.
Voice of the Fighter
… Ow.
Voice of the Restless
We should have thought that through more. I’m sure that we could’ve
managed to do something in the time we took flailing! We’re not that stupid!
Voice of the Fighter
Huh! You’re new.
Voice of the Earnest
Did we just die? Or is this weird like the last two?
Voice of the Advocate
We would’ve remembered dying. Right?
The Narrator
You’re on a path — no, no, you’re in a — hm.
The Narrator
… Where are you?
Voice of the Willing
I’m so tired of dying. It makes us feel so useless. Like we can’t help anyone.
Voice of the Earnest
No — hey! Stop acting like everything is going to crab. We might have
been dead a second ago, but we aren’t now! So pull yourselves together!
The Narrator
Just how many times have you been here?
Voice of the Advocate
No idea! Who knows — it’s not like I’m keeping
track of all the times that we’ve died horribly.
Voice of the Earnest
Four.
The Narrator
Oh… s-so that’s why everything is such a mess. You
really weren’t supposed to be here more than once!
You’re funny! I want to see
what you do next!
Why not take a stab at
something new?
The Narrator
Ohhhh… that’s not good at all! The Savior isn’t giving us a lot of time to talk.
Voice of the Advocate
So. When we die another one of us shows up, right? The new guy
seems pretty clever! Eventually there’s gotta be a point where we can
outfight or outthink the Savior, right? We’ve just gotta find the tipping point.
Voice of the Restless
I — thanks? But I’m not really sure if—
I know that you can do
something smarter than
throwing your sword! Show me
something interesting.
-We fight.
-We dodge, getting in
hits when we can!
-There’s still a chance
that we can talk our
way out of this, right?
-Panic flirt???
-... Get stabbed, maybe?
It won’t hurt if we don’t
let it.
-[These are all AWFUL
ideas.]
It doesn’t work. They kill you again. And again and again and again. Your memory
blurs as you jump from life to life, holding only pieces of the confrontation.
As you lose more and more of yourself, he looks more and more human.
…
Voice of the Hunted
Wait for an opening. Stay alert.
The Narrator
They stab you.
You have to actually try to hit
me eventually!
Voice of the Earnest
… That’s… something? I guess?
…
Voice of the Dogged
Focus on our fists! Hit them twice as hard!!!
The Narrator
They stab you.
Voice of the Fighter
I really don’t think this is helping!
…
Voice of the Lovestruck
This is just the price we have to pay for his affection!
The Narrator
They stab you.
Voice of the Advocate
This isn’t working! We don’t even have a weapon!
Voice of the Earnest
That’s your fault!
Voice of the Advocate
No! It’s only partially my fault. And I wouldn’t have
done it if I realized how long we’d be stuck doing this!
…
Voice of the Distant
… Oh.
Voice of the Distant
We know we’ll be back when we die. Just… ignore the pain.
The Narrator
They stab you.
You barely even flinched this
time.
Voice of the Earnest
That’s progress!!!
Voice of the Fighter
Not a lot of it, but yeah. It is!
…
Voice of the Opportunist
Let’s try talking things out! Right? Right! I’m sure they’ll listen to reason!
The Narrator
They stab you.
Voice of the Earnest
Just… one more push. We’re almost there! I can feel it! One more time.
Voice of the Fighter
One more time!
…
Voice of the Heretic
We need to do something else. Nothing is working. Just think.
The Narrator
They stab you.
The Narrator
And… everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter IV
The Ten of Swords
The Narrator
You're on a—
Voice of the Earnest
Sorry, no, we’re in a cabin. A… a very normal looking cabin, actually.
Voice of the Restless
No weapon in sight.
Voice of the Advocate
Was throwing out the blade the only thing that actually stuck?
Voice of the Willing
It was my fault we lost it in the first place.
Voice of the Opportunist
Maybe it’s — maybe it’s for the best! Maybe we didn’t need that flimsy old thing! Haha!
Voice of the Dogged
Of course we don’t! We’ve got fists, don’t we? Let’s SMASH THEM TO BITS!
Voice of the Hunted
I’m sure we can at least put up a fight.
Voice of the Lovestruck
Or better still, we have the power of love on our side!
Voice of the Distant
… We know ourself. We don’t need anything.
Voice of the Heretic
I’m sure we need some things, actually.
Voice of the Fighter
I guess it’s time for round… ten, I think?
The Narrator
Ten?! Oh, no, no, no… this isn’t good at all. You’ve been here so many
times, how is anything supposed to get better when you’re so—
Voice of the Earnest
Don’t worry about anything but describing things. I’ve got a plan.
Voice of the Advocate
Are you actually going to tell anyone your plan this time?
Voice of the Earnest
… No.
Voice of the Advocate
Great.
Voice of the Lovestruck
Let us move! Towards our fated encounter with our beloved Savior!
The Narrator
That’s perfectly alright with me. You walk forwards, towards
the basement stairs. Though upon stepping on them, they—
Voice of the Earnest
Fall out from beneath us and send us crashing to the ground. Yeah.
The Narrator
If you’re just gonna be a huge crab the whole
time I’m just gonna shut up and stop talking!!!
Voice of the Earnest
Cool, great. Let’s get moving.
The Narrator
Right. You make your way into the basement where the Savior awaits you.
I almost wasn’t expecting you to
come back this time. It took a lot
longer. I thought maybe you were
gone for good.
That I’d somehow tore you apart
enough times that you couldn’t
stitch yourself back together
again.
But you’re back. So we’re not done
yet. I’ll just have to kill you again
and again and again.
That’s fine. I’m okay doing this
forever.
Voice of the Fighter
Yikes?
I came up with something new
while I thought you were dead.
Voice of the Fighter
Oh I’m not sure I trust that.
Want to see?
Actually… no. I’m just going to
show you.
The Narrator
…
Voice of the Fighter
… What does he do?
The Narrator
Hm? I was under the impression that you didn’t want me to talk.
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah? They’re doing something. I, uh, want to know what it is.
Voice of the Earnest
Yeah, uh, me too.
Voice of the Opportunist
I think that we all want to know what he does!
The Narrator
If you’re sure.
Let’s just cut straight to the
point.
The Narrator
The Savior’s skin, splitting into blooms of raw
meat in a visceral shade as it stretches and tears.
The Narrator
And then it… explodes.
The Narrator
Pieces of him spray across the walls, a wave of blood and viscera. All
that remains in the center of the room is a skeleton of blades. An eye,
skewered by a blade, stares eternally. A heart beats furiously in their chest.
Are you ready for what comes
next?
Voice of the Earnest
I am.
Voice of the Fighter
What the crab?!
Voice of the Lovestruck
They’re… wonderful.
Voice of the Dogged
I don’t think I’ve ever been more attracted to someone.
Voice of the Advocate
Wow! Don’t say that.
Voice of the Distant
… That looks like it should have hurt.
Voice of the Heretic
It looks like it should have killed him!
Voice of the Hunted
Their heart is still beating. So’s ours. We can still fight.
Voice of the Restless
This is all — we need to leave! To get out of here or something!
Voice of the Opportunist
Or we could grovel!!! Haha, uh, groveling is an option!
Voice of the Willing
We can’t do anything against that. Maybe we should stay dead this time.
Voice of the Earnest
All of you SHUT UP! Stop talking. No one say anything.
Voice of the Fighter
I—
Voice of the Earnest
Shut! Up!
-(Earnest) [Act.]
You are flung from your body. Suddenly, you exist in the spaces
between broken glass. You feel your body move but it is not with
your own will that it does so. You are not in control of yourself.
The Monster
Oh.
-Give me control back. -(Earnest) Not yet.
It’s quiet in your mind save for the two of you. The other voices have been drowned
out, replaced by a startling sense of calm. Even the one closest to yourself is silent.
The Narrator
What the CRAB just happened?! What did you do?!
-(Earnest) [Quiet Them,
too.]
There’s something so
different about you. But it’s
also… familiar.
Do I know you?
-(Earnest) “Almost.”
The Monster
Not how you’re supposed to.
-(Earnest) It’s close
enough.
I don’t get it.
You are not entirely yourself when the Savior approaches your body.
There is the echo of an identity for them to clash against,
but it is as if your form is that of a shadow.
Why are you so far? I can see
you. Why can’t I touch you?
-(Earnest) He can. He
just hasn’t yet.
The Monster
But he can?
-(Earnest) Yes.
The Monster
Because of you?
-(Earnest) Touch us? Yes.
The Savior throws himself against you. You feel the ghost of his touch
as he does. They seem to realize it at the same moment that you do.
-(Earnest) Time’s up.
It’s a good idea for you
to be nothing now.
Again and again and again they swing at
‘you,’ but ‘you’ are now less than nothing.
Why isn’t this working? It
Worked a second ago. It used
to work. What changed? Did
… did you change?
He swings again, and this time he hits something. Or, at least, something hits
him back. They look down, confused and horrified, as their arm curls in on itself.
That’s… not funny. You’re
not anything. How can you
hurt me when I’m the only
one who’s ever done anything?
I’ve hurt you so much and—
And that’s what we are. It’s
what we do. Isn’t it? But
it’s like you’re… you’re
nothing now. But you can’t be
nothing! What am I if you’re
nothing? Am I nothing, too?
You… you can’t do this. I’m
supposed to be in control, here.
They hurl themself at you, but as they do, their metal
body twists and curls around itself. It’s as if contact
with what you are repels him to the point of destruction.
As the din of shrieking metal subsides, something falls gently into your hand.
It’s what’s left of him. A blade that skewers an eye that skewers a
heart. But the heart continues to beat in your palm. Calm, gentle.
Not another word is spoken. It’s time for you to leave.
Memory returns.
-[Approach the mirror.]
You do so.
-[Gaze into your
reflection.]
Silence as you reach forward. You’re alone here. The mirror stands in front of you.
It’s time to see what’s in it.
For a moment you see yourself. And then you are nothing at all.
But that isn’t right. You can’t be nothing. You refocus
your gaze and see them: three silhouettes, faint and
veiled in shadow, just beyond the reflection.
-(Explore) “Narrator?”
The Narrator
You understand what we are.
A crack slides down the mirror, splitting the
image in the glass in two.
Another crack forms, pulling the silhouettes into their own thirds.
And then another crack forms, and another, and another, and
another, turning the mirror into jagged shards of broken glass.
-(Explore) "So you're the
Narrators. The ones
outside of all of this.”
Narrator
'Narrators'. Yes, I suppose that does just about sum up our job. You needed
guidance, after all. An objective voice to guide your blade, a voice to connect
to, a voice to laugh with. You were never supposed to see us. I wonder how
many worlds you doomed to stasis to fall this far.
Crack.
-(Explore) “I wasn’t…
supposed to see any of
this, was I?”
Narrator
No! You weren’t!!! You were supposed to kill the crabbing
Savior and then everything would have been fine forever!!!
Narrator
…That was the idea, at least. Looking back on it, I’m
not quite sure things would have gone how we hoped.
Crack.
-(Explore) “I think I
know more than I’m
supposed to. It feels
like I’ve done this all
before.”
Narrator
That’s a concerning thought indeed. We shouldn’t be here at all. If you’ve done
this all before… I can’t comprehend how many worlds you might have doomed.
Narrator
A lot of them! You’re not ‘sposed to be here EVER!!! Or know what you are!!!
Narrator
I cannot help but wonder why you’d know more than you should this
time. Though I suppose it might make sense? You… didn’t seem
terribly phased by our existence. You should be. We created you.
Crack.
-(Explore) “You really
think that the world is
going to end if I don’t
kill them, huh?”
Narrator
Um… yes. More or less.
Narrator
Which is to say that
yes.
It will. It is not that we
think
it — we
know
it. With them dead,
humanity will have a very valuable resource on its hands. That resource, of course, is time.
Narrator
Time to fix stuff!!! So it doesn’t have to be so bad anymore. And people can maybe
figure out how to make people better instead of everyone being stuck forever.
-(Explore) "Can you tell
me
why
the world
is supposedly ending,
then?"
Narrator
There are people in this world that crave nothing more than power. Control.
Narrator
Looking at us now, I guess we're not really all that different, huh?
Narrator
Don't be dumb! We're super different!!!
Narrator
I'm... not so sure about that.
Narrator
Regardless, the world was ending because of the damage done
by a single power-hungry man. He sought to preserve the
world in eternal ice, and he's nearly succeeded.
Narrator
This… all of this is our last possible way to stop him.
Crack.
-(Explore) “Does it hurt?
When parts of you break
off like that?”
Narrator
Oh. Are you… actually worried about us? Why? It’s… not like we’ve done
anything to earn your trust. This — it’s important. But not very nice.
Narrator
B-but, no! No, it doesn’t hurt. I don’t… think we exist enough to feel pain.
Narrator
Think of us as Echoes. We are… what’s left of the people we were, I suppose.
Crack.
-(Explore) “I know
what I am. But I don’t
know what that means.
What is The Long
Quiet?”
Narrator
Well, um… You. But I guess you know that already. You’re a god. One that
was supposed to stop the world from stagnating by being Stagnation.
Narrator
… One that was supposed to give us time.
Crack.
-(Explore) “What about
the Savior? What good is
time without change?”
Narrator
He is The Shifting Mound, The Writhing Cosmos, the Capacity
to Change. They are Transformation, at least in a sense.
Narrator
Birthing and dying and birthing again. But within them is the desire to stay the same,
despite the way they shift and writhe and become what people perceive him to be.
Narrator
Just like that, we know that there’s a part of you that wants
to change! You hold that close to your heart, right? There’s
still that piece of change, and that’s what gives us time.
Narrator
So stuff can get fixed!!!
Narrator
As we are Echoes, we cannot perceive in the way you can. This allowed us to
stay within the contours of this construct — to guide you to do what we cannot.
Narrator
To bring about change through stagnation! It’s kind of poetic, isn’t it?
Crack.
-(Explore) “I don’t want
to be a god. I want to be
a person. I want to be
myself.”
Narrator
But you are yourself. If everything went the way we planned it,
you wouldn’t have ever realized you’re a god. You have free will.
Crack.
-“I… think you’re almost
out of time.”
Narrator
You’re right. We are.
Narrator
We’ve made our case, I suppose.
Narrator
… I’m scared.
Narrator
Don’t be! We’re Echoes. Echoes always fade away. It’ll be okay. I promise.
Narrator
You know what you have to do.
As the final fragment of glass shatters, you see yourself
with newfound clarity.
You were right. You remember. You are the Long Quiet, a vast and
nascent god. And it is finally time for you to wake up. All of
this is you. It is more than you want to be.
(Can’t you be different from this? Someone instead of something?)
-[Proceed to the cabin
one last time.]
When you arrive at the core of it all, there is no final
vessel to bear witness to. There is nothing for you to find.
And then, suddenly, there is light. It bursts from what you are and
gives way to itself. Blinding and twisting and overwhelming in form.
I can finally see you, and you
can finally see me.
It has been so, so long. I’ve
been waiting thousands of
lifetimes for this moment. I
missed you.
-(Explore) “Do you…
remember this?”
They smile with each of their infinite faces, soft and reserved, and then
wait patiently for you to continue.
It feels painfully familiar.
-(Explore) “I’m the
Long Quiet, but I don’t
think I really want to
be.”
They call me the Writhing
Cosmos; the Shifting Mound.
That does not mean that it is
all I am. They’re all just
epithets, just people trying
to understand.
-(Explore) “Did you
hear about the Echoes?
Do you know what we
talked about?”
Your words all eventually
found their way to me. I
know of them and their
Construct. They were blinded
by their fear of the end. Don’t
worry about the three of them.
-“What happens now?”
That’s a fair question. I guess
your role is a passive one by
nature, isn’t it? You’re built
for stasis, eternal ice.
When the Echoes split us into
our roles, they gave you a choice
and me a script to follow. I’m
not death, not stillness, but I
contain them both in my
multitudes.
So now you face that choice head
on. Are you going to attempt to
destroy me, to let things
continue to change by killing
change? Or will you finally open
your eyes, let us escape into our
liberation?
-(Explore) “This can’t be
the only option. I know it
isn’t. My options aren’t
just killing you or letting
you go free. I’m not
gonna let them be.”
You are so close to understanding,
why do you push against it so
hard? You are on the brink of
realization. There is nothing so
simple as wrong and right. But
the choices you make are your own.
You make them. I do nothing but
bear witness to them.
This is not a performance where
there is only one hero.
-(Explore) “Don’t you
have a say in this? Do you
really not remember?”
I do have a say in this. Of course I
do. We share in our burdens just
the same as we share in each
other’s gifts.
As for memory, I do not
understand. Or maybe you’re yet
to really understand yourself.
-(Explore) “Before
anything else, I want to
talk this through! I still
have so many questions!
There’s so much that I
don’t quite remember. I
don’t want to ruin
things because I don’t
understand!”
My very nature is paradox, as is
yours. You cannot use words to
grasp things that are beyond
their reach. And you can’t
rationalize things that defy
logic.
But violence and passion are
dances that both of us know well.
We wear our masks with ease. If
this is what it takes for you to
reach your enlightenment, then
so be it.
The Writhing Cosmos turns, eyes and eyes and eyes trained on you.
They grab for a vessel.
A boundless torrent of blades cuts
you from all angles. You are a body.
Your body is not your own. Your
body is in tatters. You are a
body once more. And you feel it.
Again and again and again.
On and on it goes until your body
is not your body is not your
thoughts is not you. Alive, dead,
alive, dead, you, not, every bit of
it all at once.
You learned to let go of yourself
and your body. And in that
stillness you humbled me.
You died countless painful
deaths and lived countless short
lives. And yet it is so far away
now. I helped push you to a
greatness beyond what you could
have hoped for alone.
-[Appeal to your
humanity.] “You keep
talking about life and
death and stillness or
stagnation. But that’s
not really what all of
this is about.”
It’s not? What else if not this?
They once again reach for a vessel.
We fight, we clash, again and
again. A balance between speed
and force. Eventually the fight
ceases to be at all. We move
together, bodies as one, in a deadly
dance.
You spin me and I give way to you,
still engaged in the fight but
yielding, following your cues
instead of blocking my own. It
made me feel as if I was part of
something.
Now, again, I come to realize that
I am part of something greater
than myself. I am nothing without
others by my side.
We made each other better, more
whole. A life without passion like
I learned with you isn’t one
that’s worth living.
-[Continue to appeal to
your humanity.] “No.
This has always been
about the two of us.
We’re just two people,
forced to hurt each
other over and over.
Aren’t you tired? We
don’t have to do this
anymore! I don’t want
to!”
You hold so desperately onto ideas
like pain and suffering. It’s all
balance. There is joy in anger and
love within fear.
He grabs for a vessel.
A web of nerves laid upon a web
of nerves laid upon a web of
nerves. The shape of something
beautiful that we can never hold
again.
You knew me and I knew you, so
much more than we could know
each other now. We were Us, and
yet you uprooted the parts that
held us together.
And when the threads that bound
us came undone, you cut me free.
Allowed me the chance to be
something myself, though it’s not
something I would have let myself
do alone.
-[Continue to appeal to
your humanity.] “There
can be things like joy
and anger and love and
fear without us risking
all of reality! Don’t you
want something nice?
Something sweet and
simple?”
This can be simple. It is.
They reach for a vessel with thousands of outstretched arms.
A shiver passes through you as
unseen fingers dance across your
skin. They remember the harm
that was done to them. And yet
they no longer seek revenge.
I offer you forgiveness and you
take my hand in yours. So gentle
for something so vast.
You felt the pain you caused
another and were willing to give
away every ounce of yourself in
an attempt to set me free.
Without pain, there’s no such
thing as redemption.
-[Continue to appeal to
your humanity.] “You’re
not as outside of black
and white thinking as
you want to believe. Why
can’t you see me the way
I see you? Look at me!
See who I really am!”
I turn that question back on
you. We are each other’s mirrors.
Of course we’re divine! Aren’t
we?
He grabs the final vessel you’ve witnessed. The first you experienced.
This time.
To question everything is to deny
the truth right in front of you.
To live alone in the cruelty of
your own confinements is to trap
yourself in them forever.
But you found me. And we
decided to put our trust in each
other for no reason other than
the sake of believing in
something other than us.
Shared skepticism became trust,
which became freedom. But we
could not do it without that
first step.
Would you do it again now that
you’ve seen how it goes? Would
you save me every time? What
if shared humor could not save
me? What actions would you take
were I different?
-[Continue to appeal to
your humanity.] “I
promise that this
doesn’t need to be so big!
You can come back down.
Please! Come back to
me!”
Why would I stoop to your level
when I’m offering you an
ascension up to mine?
It’s peaceful here. Beautiful,
eternal, and ever-changing. But
the change is nice. It’s good to
me. It could be good to you.
As the clash between you wanes, you begin to shake, holding
desperately to the memories that you can’t quite grasp.
Don’t you see?
Nothing is immutable, everything
that is only exists in relation to
everything that isn’t.
It leads and you are meant to
follow. There is no meaning,
there is no center.
Open your eyes and accept what
we are. We can become our own
playwrights, leave this tale
behind.
-(Explore) “This universe.
It ends if we leave it. It
dies. Are you alright with
that?”
Of course. When this Universe
dies, a new one is born. Same for
when that one dies. Again and
again, while you and I get to
witness it all, writing a
ballad of life wherever we go.
-(Explore) “You really
don’t remember this at
all, do you? This won’t
work! We need to do
something different.”
I don’t remember. I can’t. I
couldn’t wish to! I refuse to
even think about the idea that
this could have happened before!
That we’re trapped in this cycle,
doomed to repeat it! Again and
again and again!
-(Explore) “…You’ve
known the whole time,
haven’t you? That this
wasn’t the first? That’s
why you found me at
the start.”
I don’t know anything! I won’t
!I already know everything I need
to!
-“I’m sorry. I know
that there’s a better
ending out there. For
us and for the world.”
[Save the Savior.]
Even now, you refuse to follow
the script that’s been written
into our hearts. Even if it takes
me all of eternity, I will free you
from that burden.
Voice of the Fighter
You don’t have to fight them alone.
-(Explore) “Welcome
back! It always feels
kinda empty without
you around.”
Voice of the Fighter
Aw… you’re gonna make me blush!
-“The rest of them are
still gone?”
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah. They’re still right where you left them, stuck in the pleats and folds of this
place. There’s still a part of me with them, like how a part of me is here with you now.
Voice of the Fighter
There’s even a piece of me close to where this whole thing
started. I can take you there. I can take us to his heart.
We’ve reached the end of our
intermission.
Voice of the Fighter
He really isn’t holding back, is he? Let’s do this
before he has time to react! Are you ready?
-“I am.”
Voice of the Fighter
Then let’s move.
You have been here, at the end of all things, more times than you can
put into numbers. Again and again, you decide to go back. To try again.
To search for a new path, a different outcome. A happy ending.
You have never remembered before. You have never seen every past failure. What
changed? Was it something in you or something in them? Did you not wish hard enough?
…But you know, don't you? You understand.
In an infinite number of retries, redos, resets…
There was only one where you gave yourselves names.
You had titles before. The Savior and the Monster, the Bright One
and the Defender, Change and Stillness. Never a name. You have a name.
You wonder what makes someone a person. It's not a name,
of course, but it isn't not a name. What you are as a concept
is different from what you are as something with a name.
Voice of the Fighter
Here we are! Not quite back where we started,
but we’re pretty close. It’s a little after that, right?
Voice of the Fighter
…Do you want me to describe things? It’s weird how quiet it is.
-(Explore) “It’d be nice,
I think. One last
hurrah.”
Voice of the Fighter
One last hurrah! Go easy on me, okay? I’m a better reader than writer.
Voice of the Fighter
How did They do it? The interior of the cabin is… well. It’s a cabin, right? It’s
made of wood. There’s a table, the dagger, a door. And a window on either side.
Voice of the Fighter
Did They ever actually mention the windows? I don’t think They did.
Voice of the Fighter
Oh! And there’s no mirror this time. I’m preeetty sure you broke it.
Voice of the Fighter
Despite the. Uh. Y’know… I’m not really much of a Fighter? I’m more…
a Defender, I think. But, uh, we will need the dagger thingy this time.
-(Explore) “Oh. The
Narrators might really
be gone for good now.”
Voice of the Fighter
‘Narrators’. Feels so weird thinking of Them as multiple
things after assuming they were one for so long.
Voice of the Fighter
Yeah, though. You’re pretty convinced this is gonna be the last time
that we do this. The, uh, actual last time, apparently. I’m… not sure
that there’ll be a lot of space for them in whatever happens next.
-(Explore) “Even now,
I’m… a little sad to
see them gone. They all
just seemed like good
people who were
scared. I like to think
that if things were
different… maybe we
could’ve been friends.”
Voice of the Fighter
That’s a really nice way of looking at things.
-[Enter the basement.]
Voice of the Fighter
You really want to save them, huh?
Voice of the Fighter
…Ehhh.
Me too. I just… I can’t bring myself to hate him. If you
think there’s a way to fix this, to help him, I… I trust you, big guy.
Voice of the Fighter
Man… the stairs. Hey, do you remember the first time
we were here? The first time we heard his voice?
It’s almost the end, isn’t it? I think…
I’ve made peace with it. Come down.
Let’s talk before I go.
Voice of the Fighter
They sounded just like that, a little sharp, a little reserved. But he didn’t know us yet.
-[Continue down the
stairs.]
Voice of the Fighter
You’ve got it. Now’s not really the time to keep them waiting.
There you are. I… really thought you
were going to kill me. But your hands
are empty. I guess I should be glad.
Let’s talk before the curtain finally
falls on us, okay?
-[Sit with him.]
-(Explore) “I don’t want
to be a god.”
I don’t either. I don’t think I ever
thought of myself as godly this time
around.
-(Explore) “So… you
remember then? Last
time?”
… I do. I’m not sure why. I don’t think
I should.
Do you? I mean… you obviously
remember, but do you know why?
-(Explore) “I… have a
theory or two, yeah.”
Tell me? I’m not usually the one who
gets to, um, know these things.
-(Explore) “I never had
a name before.”
Is that really all it is?
That… makes sense. I’m not really
something with an identity. So
having one now, ironically, changes
something in me.
-(Explore) “I’m sorry
for everything I did to
you. For how much I
hurt you.”
It’s okay.
I slit your throat the first time we
met. It was because you were
being puppeted by those Echoes,
but I — I probably should have
asked. Instead of just doing what I
would have done if you were me.
-(Explore) “That…
probably says
something about you.”
…
I don’t actually like change very
much. It scares me. I’d be okay with
things staying the same forever.
Voice of the Fighter
I think a lot of what you two are talking about flies a little
above my head, ehe. You had a plan, right? What was it?
-“What if we could
try to change things
differently? Do
something new.”
How? The world ends if we leave and
I’m not sure if going back to the
start will… work anymore.
Too much has changed.
-(Explore) “What if we
could help from a
closer perspective? A
more… human one.”
Like pretending to be humans?
-(Explore) “Like being
humans.”
But we aren’t. The Echoes made
sure of that.
-(Explore) “You can
change things, though.
What if… what if we try
to go all the way back?
To be with Them from
the start?”
Do you think that that would work?
-“I have no idea! It
might if I believe it can!
If we wish for it.”
… It might. You might be right. Maybe
with more people in their corner,
they’ll be able to save everyone!
Or maybe it would just make things
worse. Ruin everything. They might
hate me. Us.
-(Explore) “I don’t
think anyone could ever
hate you.”
You did.
-(Explore) “Well I know
better now.”
Voice of the Fighter
He’s right, though. You did hate him for a while.
… Isabeau.
-“Siffrin.”
You… know what we need to do,
don’t you?
-“Come up to grab it
with me? I… I don’t
know if I can take seeing
you dead down here
again.”
Okay.
-[Take their hand in
yours.]
Voice of the Fighter
I think… I’m gonna stay here. I feel like this should be between you two.
-I’ll miss you.
Voice of the Fighter
Ehe… I’ll miss you too, big guy. I hope that you’re happy when everything
is all said and done. Both of you. I… think you’ve probably earned that.
You lead and the Savior follows. Together, you
leave the basement behind for the last time.
It’s quiet as you ascend, a comfortable silence filling the space
that used to be flooded with violence and words and noisy thoughts.
The hooked blade sits on the table, right where you left it.
Are you ready?
-[Take the blade.]
I guess it’s only fair. I was the one
who did it last time.
-“Siffrin?”
Huh?
-“I love you.”
… I love you too, Isabeau.
-[Slay the Savior.]
You are the Long Quiet, the name that was given to you.
But is that all you are? Is that all you want to be?
Eternal, a shadow, doomed to an eventual stillness rather than an inevitable one.
You're a person. Or you thought you were, at the start of this.
Can you still be that? Can you be yourself?
You hold on to the desire to be less than you are. You want to change, you want to be.
You give yourself a name. Your name is Isabeau.
(You dream of thousands of shining lights... It feels like home.)