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You have been here before, a countless number of times. Once more you return to the start.
Even in the darkest moments, hold on to your compassion and see this through.
There are no premature endings, there are no wrong decisions.
There are only fresh perspectives and new beginnings.
The stage has been set for you.
This is a love story.
Chapter I
The Bard and the Storm
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 bard.
The Narrator
You're here to slay them.
If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
-(Explore) Why would I
wanna kill a bard?
The Narrator
Even if you don't want to, you have to. You're putting
too much at risk if you don't.
-(Explore) Honestly, the
Bard's situation is
kind of messed up,
don't ya think?
The Narrator
There's no time to get into semantics. There's a Bard in that
cabin, and that Bard is very dangerous, so you have to slay the Bard.
Plain and simple. Go do it.
-[Proceed to the cabin.]
The Narrator
You make your way up the short path to the cabin. You'll find the Bard within.
Voice of the Prodigy
Are we seriously going through with this?
There's NO way that a silly bard poses a threat.
The Narrator
Ignore her. She doesn't know what she'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 thunderous 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 Bard
really lives here, slaying them is probably doing them a favor.
The Narrator
Their voice carries up the stairs.
Who goes there?
Voice of the Prodigy
Now hold on, they sound like they mean business. Like they're gonna
dropkick me if I make one wrong move, or something.
The Narrator
Don't let it fool you. It's all part of the manipulation.
-"YOOOOOO! What's up,
my BRO? My DAWG? I
just came here to
deliver the PIZZA!"
The Narrator
Reeeaaal classy.
Voice of the Prodigy
Okay, I'm with Her on this one, what the
heck are you doing??
I didn't order a pizza. Well,
I suppose I can't stop you from
delivering it. It's certainly
been a while since I've
eaten anything.
The Narrator
You walk down the stairs and lock eyes with the Bard. There's a heavy
chain around their wrist, binding them to the far wall of the basement.
Voice of the Prodigy
That expression... It looks like they're trying to be threatening, but they're
failing. Is someone like them really a threat to
the world, or are you just taking the piss?
The Narrator
Please. Focus on the task at hand.
Wait... that's not a pizza, that's
a sword. Are you here to kill me,
or something?
-"Okay, fine. You got
me. The pizza ruse...
was a distaction. But
seriously, though. I'd
rather just talk."
Then what's the blade for? To
make you look cool? You don't
need it to have a conversation,
just drop it, okay?
Voice of the Prodigy
Honestly, not a bad idea. Best not to embarrass yourself further and
actually have a normal conversation with this Bard. We might even
learn why they're locked up here.
The Narrator
You already know why they're locked up here! They're dangerous!
and you're here to slay them, don't you remember?
Voice of the Prodigy
Calm down, Rambo. We can decide what we wanna do with them after we talk to them.
We can't decide if they're a monster if we don't even have a grasp of what we're doing.
Although, Rambo did gross 300 million dollars at the box office...
-[Drop it.]
-[Tighten your grip.
The Narrator
Ugh. The blade tumbles out of your trembling hands
and drops to the floor with an unceremonious clang.
Cool. I think that sword would be
better suited for cutting pizza
than cutting me.
The Narrator
Despite there being many reasons why you shouldn't do this, the
biggest one being that the world will end, you walk over to the
Bard to speak with them face-to-face. Unarmed.
Voice of the Prodigy
Relax. We'll be fine.
The Narrator
I don't know what you're trying to do here, or why you called me "Rambo",
but I can say with 100% certainty that there is no reasoning with them.
Ugh. Just don't forget about the blade on the floor. You're gonna need it.
Well then... This is an awkward
start to a relationship, isn't it? You
started talking about pizza in this
surfer voice, and then that was a ruse,
and then you threatened me with a sword,
and that was a ruse too...
What's with you and ruses, huh?
-(Explore) "What can I
say? I'm just a lil
prankster, y'know?"
I can tell.
Though, I think your practical jokes
could come in handy with getting me
outta here.
-"How does that make
any sense?"
Well, I'm sure one of your
props could get rid of this
here chain.
The Narrator
See? I warned you about stuff like this. They're using your prankster
facade against you! Isn't that suspicious? In the slightest?
Voice of the Prodigy
Honestly, this feels like any old prison bail. ...Speaking of prisons, how
long have they been trapped down here for? Months? Years? Yeesh.
-(Explore) "Do you...
want to end the
world?"
Nah. Doesn't seem like something
worth doing. The world is fun.
Would hate to see it go.
I mean, haven't really seen much
of the world ever since I've been
locked down here. It's mostly been
just the same-old walls.
Why do you ask? Is this another
ruse of yours?
Voice of the Prodigy
Okay, talking about pizza was a mistake. Now the Bard thinks we're
all about ruses n' shit.
The Narrator
Well, the Bard would certainly know all about ruses. They're
putting one up right now.
Voice of the Prodigy
Eh, if they are, the ruse is definitely pretty harmless. Even if
they're acting sharp-tongued at this moment.
The Narrator
This is not a harmless ruse.
Voice of the Prodigy
Whatever. It's not like I can change your mind, anyway.
-(Explore) "How do
you think I should
get you outta here,
my ruse-loving
friend?"
The Narrator
You can't. And if I were you, I wouldn't bother trying, either.
What, you don't have a
wellspring of ruses on-hand
at all times?
Whatever, you can probably just
use the sword you got, though
it's probably a bit too big.
The Narrator
They point to the blade on the floor.
Voice of the Prodigy
A bit to big for what? It's probably a bit big for lockpicking,
but certainly not to big for... cutting their arm off? Crap, that's
even worse.
The Narrator
You're the one who brought it up.
-(Explore) "Do you
have something I can
call you? A name?
Does it really matter? I'm a Bard.
I don't need a name.
But if you really wanna
address me as something,
call me the Melodious Mage,
or whatever.
-"That isn't your name
though, is it?"
I mean, I came up with that
on the spot, but all the
names that I'm called come
up in a blur... Stuff
like... 'Little Bird',
'Ace', 'Bardling',
'Minstrel', 'Muffin'...
If I have an actual name,
I probably don't remember
it. Not that it matters,
though.
-"Okay, we've talked
enough...
Hmm... So you've decided what
to do with me?
The Narrator
You know why you're here.
-[Slay the Bard.]
-"I'm getting you out
of here." [Examine the
chains.]
-"I'm going to keep
you locked away down
here. At least for a bit.
We can get to know
each other better
while I decide what to
do." [Keep them locked
away.]
The Narrator
Doubt, unfortunately clouds your thoughts as you attempt to run them through.
The Narrator
A moment of distraction and hesitation is all that they needed to
sidestep your thrust and deliver a catastrophic blow to your jaw.
The Narrator
It feels like you've been hit with a sledgehammer. You can feel
bone grinding on bone where your jaw has been fractured.
Voice of the Prodigy
OW!! What the fuck??? Who's been feeding them, and
WHAT have they been feeding them??????
The Narrator
Though they're unarmed, the shock of that first strike is enough to
stagger you, putting you and the Bard on somewhat equal footing.
The Narrator
Your blade slashes through the air again and again, and their fists and feet connect with your
body as many times or more, each impact as heavy as the first bone-crunching hit.
Voice of the Prodigy
Ooooookay, we gotta lock in.
-[Give up.]
-[Finish the job.]
-[Flee and lock them in
the basement.]
Voice of the Prodigy
I said lock in, you dipshit!!
The Narrator
It's too late for that... As you struggle to stay upright against the wall, the
thunderous blade falls from your hands. It clatters uselessly to the ground.
The Narrator
You gaze up at the Bard, covered in your blood and their own. They stare
down at you with malice. And then slowly, almost tauntingly, bends
over and grabs the blade you just dropped.
The Narrator
They turn it over in their hand. It seems comfortable in their grip. From
the way they're looking at you, you know they understand how to use it.
...Useless. Just useless. I was
hoping you'd let me out to give
me the benefit of the doubt...
We were so close, so close to
greatness... what changed?
Voice of the Prodigy
Crap... Crap, crap, crap, crap... This isn't how I
thought this would go at all!!!
The Narrator
The Bard drops to their knees, exhausted. They charge the
blade, with vicious lightning surging through the metal.
The Narrator
And then, they aim the blade, right at your heart, shocking your very essence.
You feel 10,000 volts destroy your very being as you sputter.
The Bard almost looks disappointed.
The Narrator
Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter II
The Requiem
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 bard.
The Narrator
You're here to slay them.
If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
-(Explore) We were
JUST here before,
weren't we? What's
going on?
The Narrator
...What are you talking about? This is the first time you and I
have met. I'd definitely remember it if it weren't.
Voice of the Prodigy
Oh crap, She doesn't remember anything from before. Well, I'm
not gonna be the one that tells Her to connect the dots.
The Narrator
Y'know I can hear you, right? It's gonna be a
real hassle keeping secrets from me.
Voice of the Broken
If She can hear us, why bother hiding anything? We're powerless to stop
the Bard, after all. We might as well help them out of their chains.
Voice of the Prodigy
What's with the Debbie Downer attitude?
The Narrator
Um...! I wouldn't really recommend trying to let the Bard out. I've already told you
you why that's uhh—! Why that's a bad idea! And another thing, you don't have to worry
about getting hurt, cuz they'll only hurt you if you let them. So keep your head up and
Do your best! Don't forget, the world is counting on you.
-(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
Well, those are pretty different
questions, but I suppose I'll answer them
to the best of my ability.
The Narrator
So, let's say that we have met
before. Or at least, a version of us have.
The Narrator
If you're back, then it probably means that you died! Which only
would have happened if you didn't listen to me in the first place.
Voice of the Broken
Of course we died. We turned our back on them after wanting to help... A betrayal like
that gave them all the reason they needed to kill us. Them killing us was a mercy.
Voice of the Broken
We couldn't have stopped them then. We sure can't do anything now.
Our only choice is to help them. Maybe then, they'll be merciful again.
The Narrator
Uhh. Parasocial, much? The Bard's just some fella. Slaying them should be
easy! And now you can try again!
The Narrator
You also asked some crap like 'why should I even do anything',
which is a bad question at a time like this, cuz the world will
end if you don't, and last time, bad stuff probably
did happen then, too!
Voice of the Prodigy
What are you talking about?? The Bard killed us and now we're back!
Like nothing happened! Unless we're missing something...
The Narrator
Right. Well, in this hypothetical scenario, I think it's likely that you are
missing something. How did you return here? Was time reset, or are you somewhere entirely new?
The Narrator
And if you are somewhere new, what do you think
happened to the place you were before? After you died, I mean.
The Narrator
Do you think that the people there lived happily ever after? Or do you think that
the Bard, free from their chains, ended the world, like I said they would?
Voice of the Broken
All the more reason to just skip to freeing them. They'll get out either way, eventually.
I'm not even sure they needed our help the first time. Why not cut out the painful parts?
The Narrator
They can end the world, but you can also stop them! Those thing are both
the truth! I believe in you. You can slay them and keep everyone safe!
-(Explore) You said that
they're 'just some fella',
right? How did they
have the strength to
beat us half to death
in the first place?
The Narrator
Cuz they are! I know you think something bad happened last time,
please, just try to keep it out of your head. If you'll do, you'll be fine!
Voice of the Broken
We know what happened last time. We can't just pretend that we'll be fine. They probably
don't even need to try to overpower us. Freeing them is the best option we have.
Voice of the Prodigy
Seriously? With that attitude, we're probably gonna get overpowered, yeah,
but you know what we're good at? Blowing stuff up. If we can blow
up that Bard, then we'll be good to go! ...I think.
Voice of the Broken
I don't have an attitude. I'm just trying to be realistic.
Voice of the Prodigy
Suuuuuuuuuuure...
The Narrator
Ugh. Ignore them. I absolutely cannot stress to you how much you shouldn't even
contemplate freeing the Bard. It will doom everyone. Which means you, too.
Voice of the Prodigy
Hey narrator, you think blowing up the Bard is a possibility?
The Narrator
Uhhhh... I guess? As long as you slay them.
-[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 Broken
I don't think they even need to lie or cheat.
We can't stand our ground at all, let alone tie our shoes.
Voice of the Prodigy
What do you mean, 'tie our shoes'? We don't wear shoes.
Voice of the Broken
Exactly.
Voice of the Prodigy
Either way, they probably just got lucky. We're not gonna let them
get the last laugh.
The Narrator
Oh, I dig this attitude. Listen to her,
not the... uhm... the other one! You'll be fine!
-[Proceed into the
cabin.]
Voice of the Broken
Oh... If that's what you want.
The Narrator
The interior of the cabin is far more grandiose than its humble exterior would
suggest. A vision of falling stars paint the walls, and the floor glimmers as you
walk along it, guiding you to a peculiar piece of furniture; A table, soft as a cloud.
Resting peacefully on the cloud is a thunderous blade.
The Narrator
The blade is your implement. You'll need it if you want to do this right.
Voice of the Prodigy
Huh... This place is pretty. ...Kinda weird of me to say this of all people,
but I feel pretty dang insignificant compared to everything else in this room.
Voice of the Broken
Compared to the Bard, we are. We're barely an atom.
Voice of the Prodigy
Nobody asked you to chime in, Eeyore.
Voice of the Broken
You're just proving my point.
-(Explore) [Approach
the mirror.]
The Narrator
You walk up to the wall next to the basement door.
It's a wall. It's not like there's very much to see here.
Voice of the Prodigy
Dunno what you're talking about. A mirror is a mirror is a mirror, dingus.
-[Wipe the mirror
clean.]
The Narrator
You reach a hand forward and it makes contact with
the wall of the cabin. There's not a mirror here.
Voice of the Prodigy
Wh- What the heck!!! There WAS a mirror here, YOU CAN'T HIDE IT FROM ME!!!
Voice of the Broken
And now it's not. ...That's life.
-(Explore) [Take the
blade.]
The Narrator
You reach down and pick up the blade. The weapon is strangely huge, as if you can't even
use one hand to hold it. This is a weapon that could slay anything, even the Bard.
Voice of the Broken
I think you're highballing the capabilities of this sword...
-[Enter the basement.]
The Narrator
The door to the basement creaks open, revealing a curved stairway made of
slick dark stone. It smells of fragrant lavender. For a moment, it brings you peace.
Voice of the Broken
...Ah.
The Narrator
The stone beneath your feet is cold, almost freezing. If the Bard
lives here, slaying them would probably be doing them a favor.
The Narrator
Their cold voice echoes up the stairs.
Hmm... You returned. Come
here, I'd like to talk to
you.
Voice of the Prodigy
Was their voice always this... mean?
Voice of the Broken
We shouldn't keep them waiting. We have to go.
Voice of the Prodigy
Can you quit it with the moping? It's making me feel... gross.
The Narrator
Ignore them. This is your chance.
Voice of the Prodigy
Our chance to... slay the Bard, right?
Voice of the Broken
Maybe we'll have a chance to be in an explosion.
The Narrator
Yes, to slay the Bard. No, you're not exploding. Or at least, you won't,
as long as you focus on the task at hand.
-[Continue down
the stairs.]
The Narrator
You make your way down the stairs, careful not to slip on the smooth stone.
It isn't long before you reach the end of the stairwell. It opens into a room
built of the stame dark stone, every sound echoing off of the vaulted ceiling.
The Narrator
The Bard towers over you, almost glowing from the glimmering moonlight filtering
in through the window behind them. Against the dark room, it's almost blinding.
Their cape billows around them, making them seem even larger than they already are.
The Narrator
A thick chain binds their wrist to the wall. You hear every shift in its links.
Voice of the Broken
Look at them. Trying to resist them is futile. Their chain might as well be a loose thread.
You still have that sword with you. It
won't help you. But you can try.
Voice of the Prodigy
Oh heck yeah, we can try? Then let's friggin' try.
-[Brandish the
blade.]
-[Do nothing.]
The Narrator
You turn the blade over in your hand. It glints in the pale light.
Drop it.
Voice of the Prodigy
What, do they want us to drop the beat? Cuz we ain't dropping
this sword. We're not a dog, for Eya's sake.
Voice of the Broken
We should listen to what they say.
-[Drop it.]
-[Tighten your grip.]
The Narrator
Like a dog, you heed their command. The blade clatters to the ground.
Voice of the Prodigy
That's. That's literally not what we did. That's literally not what we
did. We tightened our grip. What's making us drop it, wizard magic?
The Narrator
There is no wizard magic at play here. My job is to
report facts. And the fact is; you dropped the blade.
Voice of the Broken
I'm telling you, this is the best option for everyone. How
could we ever hope to compete with someone like her?
Voice of the Prodigy
Not with that attitude.
Kneel.
-"No!"
-[Kneel.]
The Narrator
The Bard stares at you from under the motion of their feather,
their expression full of malice.
Kneel.
The Narrator
You feel your legs buckle under you. You drop to your
knees. You hear the impact resound around you.
Good. Let's talk, you and I.
The world will end if I go free. That
is what you told me. If I escape
this cabin, it all ends.
If that's the case, then the world
was always going to end. There's
no changing that. One day, it will
reach a point where nothing else
can change.
I want to leave this place. I don't
care if the world has to end for
that to happen. It doesn't matter
what notes I have to shatter, what
instrumetns have to die. I want out.
And you are going to help me.
Voice of the Broken
Of course we will.
Voice of the Prodigy
NO WE WON'T, DIPSHIT!!!
The Narrator
Ugh... You two really have met, haven't you?
Voice of the Prodigy
Yup. Sure did.
The Narrator
Well, all that means is that you understand how important this is. You are
the only one who can stop them. You already know what happens if you don't.
Voice of the Broken
They'll get out eventually, with or without our help.
Voice of the Prodigy
Well, they certainly look super strong. Strong enough to break their
own chains, at least. I'll give you that much. Is there
anything we can do? Anything at all?
The Narrator
As cheesy as it is, my best advice is to believe in yourself! You won't win a fight that
you already decided you'd lose. So, uhh, push those bad thoughts deep down and
focus on what you can do. You can slay them, you can save the world. And you will.
-(Explore) "Do you
like McDonald's?"
...What?
-"I said, do you
like McDonald's?"
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhh... Okay? Not the best question to ask in a situation like this,
but uhhh... maybe it'll throw them off-guard or something.
...Do I like...
McDonald's™???
The Narrator
Okay, this might just be the stupidest thing you've ever said. You're up against
the Bard, towering over you, forcing you to bend to their will, and here you are,
asking them if they like McDonalds. Don't remind me of the 4 years I worked there...
Voice of the Prodigy
Eh, yeah, it's stupid, but at least we're not trying to be a surfer guy.
Voice of the Broken
I think I'd like to know if they like McDonald's, to be honest...
...Little Bird, it matters not
if I like the fast food chain
known as McDonald's. There are
more important questions you
could be asking.
-(Explore) "You mentioned
instruments. What does
that mean?"
Everything. Anything. I decide
what's wrong and right, I make
things real. I can turn anything
into an instrument.
I'd remember that, if I were
you.
Voice of the Prodigy
What, do they think they're some kind of god or something?
Voice of the Broken
They are! Which is why we should give into them now.
Voice of the Prodigy
I mean, they're super huge and scary right now, and their voice is super echo-ey,
and they're also doing stuff like forcing us to do shit using their mind or whatever,
but they aren't like... a god. If they were, we wouldn't be able to kill them!
Voice of the Broken
I know.
The Narrator
Don't listen to her! You can slay them.
Voice of the Prodigy
I mean, I'm hoping we can, but at this point, this could go in any direction.
You already follow my directions.
You're a instrument, too. I can break
your notes just as easily as I
can play them.
...I'm... what you call, an
orchestra.
-"What do you mean,
you're an orchestra?"
Many invisible moving parts
working to become a whole. I will
be everything.
I don't need to answer your
questions.
-(Explore) "Why do you
want to end the world?"
I don't. I want to be free from this
place. I do not want to be here
anymore. And if that causes the end
of the world, I don't care.
Like I said, I will do whatever it
takes to get out of this place. I don't
care if the world ends. It won't
matter to me. I stand above the
world.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Sounds like they won't even hesitate to kill us if it brought
them closer to what they want. Hey, Eeyore!
Voice of the Broken
Oh. You mean me.
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhh... Sooooooo, you want us to free them, right? But if he'll just
Kill us either way, why bother?
The Narrator
Don't talk like th-
Voice of the Prodigy
'Don't talk like that', yeah, yeah. I'm just trying to figure out
what the hell I need to do to relate to her.
Voice of the Broken
Resisting them will get us killed no matter what. This is the better option.
Voice of the Prodigy
Okay, but... if the world ends, we end too, right? Why don't
we just beat them at their own mind games?
Voice of the Broken
...
-"Okay but do you
like McDonald's?"
...I'm not answering
that.
Voice of the Broken
Look what you did! You made them mad at us! We're doomed!
They'll kill us. Slowly, painfully.
Voice of the Prodigy
Ooooor, they're gonna explode us. Maybe we will have the
chance to be in an explosion.
I'm going to teach you a very
important lesson now. Get ready.
Voice of the Prodigy
Holy heck, we're actually gonna get exploded.
Voice of the Broken
Whatever comes next, it could be much worse.
Voice of the Prodigy
Worse than an explosion?
Voice of the Broken
I mean, I wish we could be in an explosion, but there are indeed
worse things than an explosion.
Voice of the Prodigy
Like what?
The Narrator
The Bard kicks the thunderous blade to your feet.
Pick it up.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Um. I call bullshit.
The Narrator
It means you get the blade. No objections here.
Voice of the Broken
Do it. It's what they want.
The Narrator
As your eye falls on the blade, you feel yourself being jerked towards it.
As if you're being played like a fiddle, your body moves outside your own will.
-"No."
-"I don't trust you."
-(Explore) "You're
awful."
-"Okay but do you
like McDonald's?"
-[Pick up the blade.]
The Narrator
You reach forward and pick up the blade.
Good.
Stand.
Voice of the Broken
That's easy. They're being merciful, see?
Voice of the Prodigy
Can't wait for this to go south real quickly.
-"I hate you I hate you I
hate you I hate you."
-"I don't want your notes
in my heart."
-"For real though, do you
like McDonald's?"
-[Stand.]
The Narrator
You struggle to your feet, half trying to resist. Despite your best efforts, you can't.
The Narrator
You can't read the expression on the Bard's face. It's too obscured by shadow. They
eventually sit, the movement sending cacophonous echoes throughout the room. You
can hardly hear your own thoughts over the noise. Even like this, they're larger than you.
The Narrator
Finally, the noise softens. And they speak.
Death is too kind for you. You
can't trick me. I already
know your ruses far too
well.
Take the sword in your hand
and charge it up.
Voice of the Prodigy
HUH.
The Narrator
You don't have to listen to them! You have the blade, you just
need to strike. You can slay them, even now, I know you can.
Voice of the Prodigy
I'm gonna be completely honest here. I don't think we can.
Voice of the Broken
...
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Resist.]
-[Charge the blade.]
The Narrator
You have to do something. You can't just stand there gaping like a fish.
Voice of the Prodigy
Are you implying we're pogging?
-[Resist.]
-[Resist.]
-[Resist.]
-[Resist.]
Voice of the Prodigy
Gee, this is fun!! We're stuck in one place pogging, and
we only have two damn options! WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS?!?!?!
Voice of the Broken
Well, we don't exactly have two options.
Voice of the Prodigy
Really? What's your bright idea?
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Resist.]
-[Charge the blade.]
-[Slay yourself.]
The Narrator
Wh- What?! Nonono, you can't do that! That's not an option! You can still fix this,
you can still save everyone! This is not the act of defiance that you think it is!
The Narrator
The blade moves towards your throat, but no further. Your hand and the
dagger in its grasp won't move until you make a more rational decision.
...That's interesting. You moved
the blade backwards. You're
trying to resist me.
No. It's not just that. Something
else steels your will for you.
Without it, you'd have to slit your
throat just now.
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhh. They're not talking about you, are they?
The Narrator
Whh-! Nonono, that would be silly! They don't know about me!!!!!
What are you? Echoes of
something. Were you people,
once?
None of you understand what
you did, do you?
You're barely even an idea, yet
you try to control things you
couldn't possibly understand.
Did you think that your
chances were better as a unit?
The Narrator
What the heck-?! Nonononono! We've been so careful, I don't understand, I just—
Not careful enough.
The Narrator
No, please! Don't you dare hurt—
Voice of the Broken
Now.
-[Slay yourself.]
The Narrator?
NO.
Voice of the Prodigy
Cool. Guess She's too weenie to narrate this. Ahem.
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhhh... You bring the sword to your throat, and... uhh... cut a line clean through.
The blade is absolutely sharp, unlike the soft cloud it layed upon.
Voice of the Broken
Lied.
Voice of the Prodigy
WHATEVER. It... It- ow- N...Nothing but pain follows, but you made your
own choice in the end. you found your will.
You FOOL!! What have you DONE?!
You— you.
How clever. To catch me while
my back was turned.
Voice of the Broken
Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter III
Made in Heaven
The Narrator
You're on a path in the woods. And at the end of that path—
Voice of the Prodigy
Is a cabin with a bard in it and YEAH WE GET IT.
Voice of the Broken
I suppose one act of defiance doesn't mean anything in the end. We're back again.
Voice of the Rebel
Cool! Part three of whatever this monkey business is!
The Narrator
...Huh?
Voice of the Broken
This may be a path in the woods, but... everything is so...
Voice of the Prodigy
...Abstract, like a mirage of the woods, instead of the actual thing.
Voice of the Rebel
Does anybody notice the vines everywhere? Just me? ...Okay.
The Narrator
This is bad.
Voice of the Prodigy
Yeah, we FIGURED.
The Narrator
Well...! Disregarding all this bullcrap, I'm gonna break down some
very important things about the Bard before we do anything else.
so sit back and check it out.
Voice of the Rebel
What, you gonna freestyle?
Voice of the Prodigy
Well, if a freestyle contained 'they'll do everything in their power
to stop you from slaying them', then I guess. But whatever.
I don't care at this point.
The Narrator
It's not a freestyle! And it's not whatever... she described, either!
...Well, there's some of that, I guess, but there's more to it than that!
Voice of the Rebel
Aw man, I was hoping for a narrator freestyle...
The Narrator
Right, sooo... You've obviously been here before, that I can discern.
Voice of the Prodigy
Oh hey, you actually believe us this time! ...You certainly didn't last time...
The Narrator
Yes, well, it's rather hard to ignore this time.
Voice of the Rebel
Are we ever gonna hear you freestyle rap or beatbox?
The Narrator
No. Anyways, whatever you did last time, you clearly made
the Bard too powerful.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Made? What do you mean, made?
The Narrator
I started out of order, hold on. You've been here before. Which means you know things
that you're not supposed to. And since you know those things, you gave them power.
Voice of the Prodigy
And we... essentially turned them into a giant god thing?
The Narrator
Pretty much, yeah.
Voice of the Broken
...If you told us that sooner, maybe everything would have gone differently. Maybe the
Bard wouldn't have been a threat at all. But instead, now
they can end everything.
Voice of the Rebel
If we did all that, I wonder if we can make them beatbox.
The Narrator
ENOUGH WITH THE BEATBOXING ALREADY!!!
Voice of the Rebel
...Sheesh.
The Narrator
Aaaalright. That's exactly why I didn't tell you this before. Or, ah, whatever
version of me you met before didn't, at least. These sorts of thoughts are
wildly unproductive and do nothing but cloud your judgement.
The Narrator
This is all the information I can give you. It was the
absolute last card I had to play. I'm sorry.
-[Proceed to the cabin.]
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhhhhh... You got a warning or something before we start breaking and entering?
The Narrator
Good luck.
Voice of the Broken
...Thank you.
-[Proceed into the
cabin.]
The Narrator
You open the door to the cabin and are greeted by... the same abstract shapes
you've seen before, and just as vast as you've seen it before. Each abstract pattern
swirls and swirls into fractals of nothing and everything at the same time. Sitting
in the mass of abstract swirls is a thunderous blade.
-(Explore) [Take the blade.]
The Narrator
You reach down and pick up the blade. ...I would say that it would be able to slay
a multitude of things, even the Bard, but at this point... it's probably like
a toothpick to them.
-[Enter the basement.]
Voice of the Prodigy
What basement is there to enter?? Cuz I'm sure not seeing one!
The Narrator
You walk forward in the direction that the basement door should be. You're
struck with the sensation of walking down steps, despite no noticeable change
in scenery or your own position. It smells like
fire, petroleum, and... honey, peculiarly enough.
The Narrator
Eventually, you reach the... 'bottom' of the steps.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Mirror.
Voice of the Rebel.
Mirror!
Voice of the Broken
We don't need to look at ourselves. The mirror
vanished last time. We should just... keep moving.
The Narrator
What mirror? There's no mirror here. Besides, having a mirror in a place
like this would majorly hurt your head.
Voice of the Rebel
You didn't see it last time, either!
-[Wipe the mirror
clean.]
The Narrator
You hold up your hand and wave it through the air. Nothing happens.
Voice of the Prodigy
And the mirror's gone again.
Voice of the Rebel
Press F To pay respects...
The Narrator
To a mirror that wasn't even there in the first place???
Voice of the Broken
Nothing was going to happen no matter what we did. It's all the same in the end.
The Narrator
You step out into the 'basement' and are met with the much of the same swirling, abstracting
patterns as before. Each with all varying levels of brightness to them. It takes a moment
for you to realize there is a figure here, camouflaging with the array of abstract fractals.
They stare at you, with their glowing, gleaming eyes.
Hello, little bird. Welcome back.
Voice of the Prodigy
Oh cool. ...Were they napping before this?
I suppose you can say I was
taking a little nap.
Voice of the Prodigy
Wait. WAIT, THEY CAN HEAR US?!?!
Voice of the Broken
It seemed almost like they could at the end of things... hm.
Voice of the Prodigy
Did we... make that happen?
Yeah, I can hear you! I could
last time, I think.
Voice of the Prodigy
You think?
It feels... far away from now. I'm
different than what I was. It's
all these weird idiosyncracies
that always come together, hm?
Voice of the Rebel
Quick! Can you beatbox?
...What the hell. Sure.
The Narrator
The Bard brings their shadow-like hand to their face, and starts... beatboxing.
Ugh. I can't believe you're making me describe this.
That was fun!
I was so angry at you before...
I wanted so badly to escape that
I would do anything to...
Voice of the Prodigy
What the heck were you going to do with the
charged sword?
Well, I'm pretty sure I wanted it
to burn you, as well as blast the
ceiling off the basement so I could
escape...
...But I realize that that
sounds kinda silly.
Sorry about that.
Voice of the Prodigy
Huh... You're actually apologizing?
...Yeah.
-(Explore) "What are you?"
A piece of something bigger, I
think. It's strange, I already feel like
I reach so far. But I'm missing
something. I think you are, too.
Voice of the Broken
...We're already in pieces.
...Guess so. But there's... more to
it. Something I can't grasp yet.
It's so... strange.
I hated you before. I don't now.
Voice of the Rebel
Well, at least you don't hate us anymore.
Voice of the Prodigy
Let's hear a bit more. And for Eya's sake, do NOT ask
them if they like McDonald's.
Heh, I don't even like
McDonald's.
-(Explore) "What will you
do if you leave this place?"
Voice of the Rebel
Spread the hyperzone? Beatbox some more?
Voice of the Prodigy
What's with you and beatboxing??!
Voice of the Rebel
I like it when funny stuff happens!
Voice of the Broken
Snrk...
Voice of the Prodigy
Wh... Did you just laugh? Hey! Little Miss Pessimist! Did you just laugh?!
Voice of the Broken
...No.
Voice of the Rebel
She totally did! I heard it!
Voice of the Broken
...I think we're derailing the conversation.
Uhh- I'll just answer what you said
before! Yeah, the world still ends
if I leave here. I want to. I want
to leave this place so badly, you
don't understand! But... I'm not
sure if I could make a difference!
I want to leave here,
but I don't want to end the world
anymore!
...In fact, I don't think I ever
did.
-(Explore) "Why are you
so different, this time?"
Voice of the Prodigy
...Crap, that's a good point. The Bard said that we did this to them, right?
The Narrator
That's right.
Voice of the Prodigy
Then why aren't you... crueler? It's not like we did anything
to make you nice! You were absolutely pissed at us last time!
Voice of the Broken
...I think I understand.
Oh! What was that? Go on, I'd
like to hear your two cents!
The Narrator
They're going to pick an answer based on what you tell them!
Voice of the Broken
We died believing we'd defied the will of a god. Maybe... that's what made you into
one. More of one, I mean. Our refusal to follow you, um... enforced the idea that you
were something powerful. Powerful enough for defying you to mean something.
Voice of the Rebel
Cool! Awesome argument.
Voice of the Broken
Yeah... When we resisted the Bard, it made me look back on what I was told before.
That we can do anything. And that's wrong. We can't...
Voice of the Broken
...Tie our shoes.
Voice of the Rebel
And that's why you always get Velcro shoes, kids.
I think... she's right. I'm powerful now
because I'm supposed to be. That's
my role.
I can almost understand. I'm not
quite there. It's... frustrating.
-(Explore) "What if I
try to slay you?"
If you must, then you can. Much like
you cannot tie your shoes, I cannot
live forever, little bird.
Do you want to slay me?
-"I'm not too sure..."
The Narrator
Yes! Your answer should be yes! The world is already in shambles,
I beg of you, please slay them. Please. Save this world.
Before you decide... can I hold
you?
Voice of the Prodigy
...Like a figurine?
No... more like... a plushie.
I can't remember the last time
I've had any positive physical
contact with someone...
I just want to hold you in
my arms, if only for a little
bit.
-[Let them hold you.]
-[Refuse.]
The Narrator
Ugh. Fine. You nod as the Bard picks you up and holds you in their arms.
They make sure neither of you get injured by the sword as they hug you.
...Thank you.
I needed this.
Voice of the Prodigy
...No prob, bob.
Voice of the Broken
...Who's Bob?
Voice of the Rebel
Bob the Builder.
The Narrator
Uhh... As sweet as that was, you really have a job to do. I'm sorry.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Yeah.
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Stay a while longer.]
The Narrator
Thank you.
The Narrator
You grip the blade in your hands. The Bard doesn't have a mouth, but you think that
they're smiling at you. They nod their head. Swiftly, you bury the blade into their chest.
...It's cold.
You don't get the chance to finish the job, nor will you ever.
Something has taken them away, and it's left something else in their place.
Voice of the Prodigy
Well, that was a fun time, wasn't it? let's pack it up and leave, girls.
Voice of the Broken
...What about that mirror?
Voice of the Prodigy
...Mirror? Wha- GAHH!!
-(Explore) I... think
I'm supposed to look
at the mirror.
Voice of the Prodigy.
Nope. Nope. Screw that. We're not looking at that cursed mirror.
Voice of the Broken
...All things must come to an end, right?
Voice of the Prodigy
YOU'RE not helping!!!
-[Approach the mirror.]
You approach the mirror.
Voice of the Prodigy
Nopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenope. NOPE.
-(Explore) The mirror
never scared you
before.
Voice of the Prodigy
Before it was just a mirror. NOW it's
got some cursed aura to it! As if
looking into it... seals our fate. or
something macabre like that.
-[Gaze into you
reflection.]
Silence as you reach forward. They're gone, but the
mirror remains. It's time for you to see what's in it.
It's you.
You are alone in the Long Quiet.
-[Proceed to the cabin.]
You are at the cabin.
-[Approach them.]
You recognize the presence inhabiting this place. It is the
entity that dwells in the spaces between.
I am a song in the sky with
a disconnected melody.
What are you?
-(Explore) "Disconnected
melody? What does
that mean?"
Thoughts with no connections. A
dim and nascent network. I
dream to be more.
-"I'm a person."
A person? A single set of eyes
witnessing from a single
perspective. I think that you
are more like me than a person.
We are orchestras cut down
to single musicians.
-(Explore) "The gift of
a fragile vessel?"
Yes. Nerves and fibers to feel
the world beyond. Perspectives
to make my own.
This one is dominance, a mirror of
what I am. They are a concept,
stretched to all extremes of
what it is to 'be'. They will
make for a vast and divine
heart.
Do not mourn them — they are
finally whole.
-(Explore) "Is this the
end of the world?"
How can the world have ended
if we're here talking?
-"What happens now?"
Nothing, as we are. But I know
that there are worlds beyond us,
and that we are meant to reach
them.
There is no exit, but this vessel is
a creature of perception. They can
make you forget, if only you wish
it to be so.
Bring me more perspectives, so that
I may be whole, and perhaps then
we will know our freedom.
-"Okay. Make me
forget."
They ask that I tell you to
remember them.
You won't.
Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter I
The Bard and The Storm