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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) That feels
kinda aimless, doesn't
it? Slay the Bard to save
the world and that's it?
The Narrator
I didn't say 'that's it'. The only way 'that's it' would apply is if
you didn't slay the Bard, since that's literally the end of
everything. Which in that case, I really hope you do slay the Bard.
-(Explore) Are they
ACTUALLY Gonna end
the world???
The Narrator
Yes. This is no time for stupid questions. Go slay
the Bard already!
-[Silently continue 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.
-"I have been sent
here to uhh... kill you?"
The Narrator
Why'd you sound so unsure saying that? Of course you're
here to slay them!
Voice of the Prodigy
Honestly, I think she might be as confused as me right now.
The Narrator
Thats... fair??? But the main goal is to slay the Bard! Plain 'n simple!
Are you now? Heheh... I'll
be the judge of that. Why
don't you come down and let
me take a look at you?
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.
Well then... I suppose you
really are here to
kill me.
-"Yeah duh, dumbass.
Why else do I have
the sword?"
You sounded so unsure going
down the stairs... I guess
the rest of your courage
came to you, hehe! But
just killing me in cold
blood would be really
boring, wouldn't it? How
about we just sit here and
talk instead?
Voice of the Prodigy
Hey, uhh... they're being pretty reasonable right now. They're
just asking us to drop the sword. And we might as well,
cuz it's pretty heavy.
The Narrator
Don't even think about it.
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
You ignore the slight shake in your hands and tighten your grip on the blade.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Huh. I guess those 300 million dollars paid off.
What's wrong? Scared of lil ol'
me? Heh, no way. With these weak
arms, I wouldn't hurt a fly.
What are you afraid of? 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 don't play
your piccolo.
Y'know, heheh, if I'm chained up,
there's probably a good reason
for it! I'm probably super
dangerous! And if you want to
do anything to me, you'll have
to get close enough to use that
sword!
...Wait no, it's the opposite!
That sword is a far-ranged,
electric weapon! You need
to get far enough and aim that
thing! ...If you're not too
weenie enough.
Either way, you have to
kill me... so do it. Not like
I care. Do it. Kill me.
Voice of the Prodigy
What do we do?? Do we go up close, or far away??
The Narrator
Don't worry about that! Just do what you think is right! I believe in you!
-[Slay the Bard.]
The Narrator
You charge like a bull without a moment's hesitation.
The Narrator
You barely even notice your blade lodge into their heart. It's almost effortless.
O-... Oh.
I guess the melody has
faded, huh?
That was a stupid death,
wasn't it? It felt like I
should've been harder to
beat, y'know?
I don't think I want to die.
Do you really think that was
enough to make me?
Voice of the Prodigy
...They say that as if they don't think they can die.
The Narrator
Spot on. Even as the light leaves their
eyes, it seems like they think they're completely okay.
The Narrator
But it is over. They stop breathing, with a chilled expression on their face.
Voice of the Prodigy
Was it... really that easy? I have a feeling we're gonna
experience the greatest fake-out in history.
-Eh, I'll suspend my
disbelief for this one.
They look dead.
Definitely.
The Narrator
That's right!! It's over.
The Narrator
With your work done, you make your way back up
the stairs, closing the basement door behind you.
Voice of the Prodigy
...That honestly felt like we did something cruel.
The Narrator
Relax! That's just the natural response after killing someone! Even if it
was for the greater good, it's natural to have a little bit of aching in your chest.
Hurting someone is hard, even if it's to help everyone. But don't worry! One day,
it'll be way easier to deal with. I promise.
Voice of the Prodigy
But it doesn't feel easy now. Let's just... Ugh... Let's just leave.
-[Leave.]
The Narrator
You open the cabin door, excited to return to a world freed from ice!
The Narrator
...It's. Quiet.
The Narrator
The world outside is vast and empty, where trees stood moments
ago is now something entirely other. You are some place far away.
Voice of the Prodigy
Wh- What the hell happened while we were gone??
The Narrator
Nothing happened. Everything is alright. The world is saved. You're simply
somewhere else, now. That doesn't make the world any less saved.
The Narrator
This is... good! Everyone's okay, like I said they'd be! The world is saved!!!!!
Voice of the Prodigy
Eh... I don't think so, Tim.
The Narrator
NOT MY NAME???????
-I was kinda uh...
expecting a better
ending for saving the
world??
The Narrator
This is the best possible ending, I promise!
The Narrator
And what's done is done. There's no going back now, only forward.
The Narrator
Time passes. You're... not exactly sure how much, but you know it
does! And you're happy. You are happy. Because you saved the world!
-Psst. Yo, gracklegirl.
We shouldn't just stay
here, right?
Voice of the Prodigy
Yeah, no. No matter how much She hypes whatever
THIS is up, this is miserable.
-Any bright ideas?
Voice of the Prodigy
I've... got one, I think. But it's probably really stupid,
and you're probably not gonna like it.
Voice of the Prodigy
Y'know that sword we're holding? How about we just...
use that giant thing! Pretty good plan, right?
The Narrator
I can hear everything you say, little voice. In case you've forgotten.
The only thing left for anyone to use that blade on is you, 'gracklegirl.'
-Bingo.
The Narrator
Wait, I was joking, are you seRIOUS DON'T STAB YOURSELF
WITH THE BLADE ARE YOU CRAZY???
Voice of the Prodigy
We may be crazy, but we're also insane.
The Narrator
AS IF THAT'S ANY BETTER???? Why are you two just agreeing
with each other and throwing away such a happy ending like this???
Voice of the Prodigy
Happy my ass. Everything's just so... empty! Empty and absent and...
there's not even a Publix in sight!! There's Nothing!!! Nothing changes!
We're stuck like this forever! If you think this is an ending, it's not!!!!!
The Narrator
!??!
Voice of the Prodigy
And... I really didn't expect you of all people to be so
on-board with this, but... it's the only chance we have, so let's do it!
The Narrator
The voice doesn't know anything!!! This is good. You should be happy.
-Happy my ass!!!
I don't want to be
stuck here, stagnant.
The Narrator
But you—
The Narrator
UGH.
Voice of the Prodigy
I knew you were a true sis.
The Narrator
This is meant to be a reward. Why aren't you happy? You should be.
There's ...ah. Hah! Of course. Of course this wouldn't have worked.
The Narrator
Okay. You... open the door to the basement and walk down the stairs.
The Narrator
The Bard's body is nothing but bones. But the sword you
used ont hem still shines just as brightly as it did back then.
The Narrator
You... pick up the blade and stab yourself in the chest. But you miss your heart.
The Narrator
You collapse to the ground and stare up at the ceiling, feeling every ounce of
pain from a wound that is fatal, but not quick. Your blood leaks onto the
stone below you, the visceral liquid thick and reeking of iron.
The Narrator
Everything goes dark, and you die. The end.
Chapter II
The Grateful Dead
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) RRGHGHGH!!!
I JUST KILLED MYSELF!!!
WHY AM I BACK???
The Narrator
N... No you didn't. You're alive right here, at this very moment. And
Also... back? No, you're not back for anything. This is the first
time you and I have met, after all. What's gotten into you?
Voice of the Prodigy
Well, I'm not gonna be the one that tells Her to connect the dots.
Voice of the Frosty
If we've done it once before, we can do it again.
And make sure it's a quick and easy blow like last time.
The Narrator
I mean... I don't remember a 'last time', but you've got the spirit!
Voice of the Frosty
'Spirit' doesn't have anything to do with it. It's just a fact.
Voice of the Prodigy
You're, uhh... spooky.
-(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 Frosty
Does it matter what happened? We...
Voice of the Prodigy
Pff. Wii.
Voice of the Frosty
Horrible joke.
Voice of the Prodigy
Bitch, I'm a delight.
Voice of the Frosty
You're grumpy.
Voice of the Prodigy
GRUMPY?? And you're saying you're not??
Voice of the Frosty
I don't grump. Grumping would be a waste of time.
Voice of the Frosty
Anyways, back to what I was saying. We slayed the Bard, like you
told us to do. And... then you forced us into an eternity of stagnation. So...
Voice of the Frosty
We slayed ourselves as well.
The Narrator
Yeah, I see the problem here! If you killed yourself, you absolutely
were NOT listening to me! Believe it or not, I want the best for you.
The Narrator
Now... please don't bring that up again. I... don't really like thinking about that.
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?? We killed ourselves 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
What if you had failed to slay the Bard? What do you think
would have happened to everyone in the place you left behind??
Voice of the Frosty
In the end, it doesn't matter. We didn't fail. And... on the chance
that the Bard is back, we won't fail this time, either. But...
The Narrator
Yeah?
Voice of the Frosty
...After the trick you pulled on us, maybe the Bard isn't the only danger here.
The Narrator
Ugh. You're clearly just mind-boggled right now. Just try to stay focused, 'kay?
-[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 Frosty
...They're not a threat.
-[Proceed into the
cabin.]
The Narrator
The interior of the cabin is cold, the soft odor of dirt and rain hanging in the air.
Cobwebs flutter in the corners. You can hear the wind whistling outside, a
mournful tune heralding a storm. The only furniture of note is a quaint
light wood table with a thunderous 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 Prodigy
This place looks like it's been abandoned for a long time. ...It's
kinda giving me the heebie-jeebies.
Voice of the Frosty
...Naturally. After all, we already killed them. They're dead.
-(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 sword on the
table, and the entrance to the basement. There's nothing else in here.
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhh... Nope, there's definitely a mirror.
The Narrator
There's totally NOT a mirror.
Voice of the Frosty
Does it matter? We've already been here before. ...This
sort of detail is trivial.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Let's just go down and look at their body. Freaky the Snowbird's
right, this is literally just a waste of time.
-I don't really like being
lied to, though.
Voice of the Prodigy
Good point! If She's lying about a mirror, She can lie about OTHER THINGS, TOO!!!
The Narrator
But I'm really not lying! There's not a mirror. Why would I lie about
that? What reason would I have to lie about something like a mirror?
-(Explore) [Approach
the mirror.]
The Narrator
You walk up to the wall. Heh. Y'know what they say, to the window, to the wall...
Voice of the Prodigy
Stupid references are only funny when I do it, punk.
-[Wipe the mirror
clean.]
The Narrator
You wipe the wall with your hand. ...Y'know you're
not paid to clean this place, right?
Voice of the Prodigy
What the heck!!! It was literally right there!!!
Voice of the Frosty
And now it's gone. Was...
Voice of the Frosty
There a point to any of this at all? Mirror or not, the situation is the same.
-(Explore) [Take the
blade.]
-[Enter the basement.]
The Narrator
You take the blade from the table. 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.
-[Enter the basement.]
The Narrator
The door to the basement groans open, revealing an old banister and a creaky,
wooden stairwell. Everything is covered in a thick layer of dust, and you can feel
it settle in your lungs as you try to breathe the stale air. The building itself feels
dead. If the Bard lives here, slaying them is probably doing them a favor!
The Narrator
The room below is silent.
Voice of the Frosty
Well, yeah. I mean... nobody's here.
The Narrator
Don't let your guard down just yet.
Voice of the Prodigy
Guess we can't know for sure unless we go downstairs.
The Narrator
As you descend the final step, the form of the Bard comes into view. A skeletal
body lying in a heap on the floor, its wrists still bound to the wall by a thick chain.
Voice of the Prodigy
...Yep, she's dead.
Voice of the Frosty
Just as I suspected. They—
The Narrator
Before you have a chance to finish your thought, the
top of a head appears from underneath the floor.
The Narrator
Two hollow eyes stare up at you, followed by a cheerful, skeletal smile.
The Narrator
And finally, the rest of the body floats up to join the
head. Wait... this isn't right! The heck is happening??
Voice of the Frosty
No, it's fine. I'm not scared. After all...
Voice of the Frosty
How's a ghost supposed to hurt us?
Oh! Hey there, Ms. Killer. I
was wondering when you'd show
up! I have a few gripes about
our last meeting.
The Narrator
The Bard drifts across the room into your orbit, gently running their
fingers across your shoulders and down your neck as they circle you.
The Narrator
Their touch is cold and ethereal, formless yet real enough that
their icy fingertips send shivers dancing across your skin.
Voice of the Frosty
So... They have a body. And it's...
Voice of the Frosty
...Somewhat physical. We could kill them right here if we wanted.
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Wait and see how
things play out.]
I've noticed that you
brought that stupid sword
with you again!
Sooo, are you gonna use it
again, or do you have
something else on your mind?
-(Explore) "Honestly, I'm
not sure why I brought
the sword again. I'm
sorry. Is there any way
I can make it up to you?"
Yeah, there totally is! You
just gotta do the one thing
I can't do! Let me out of
this basement! Because for
some odd reason, I can't
leave.
Trust me, I've tried. Before
you came back to me, I
searched around every nook
and cranny to find some
way to leave, but I just
couldn't find a way out!
I always wound up back
here.
Voice of the Prodigy
Not sure how that works, but if they can't leave, maybe we could... keep them
here? We can just fuck off and leave the Bard here. No need to slay them.
The Narrator
No need to slay them?? They're clearly fibbing!
Voice of the Frosty
Well, nothing would be worth anything if we don't make a choice, hm?
But you... You can leave!
You can walk out without
the barriers! Perhaps I
could hitch a ride...
After all, you owe me.
The Narrator
Don't even think about it.
Voice of the Prodigy
Uhh... I think they want to uhhhh... possess us. Not sure
how I feel about that, to be honest.
The Narrator
You think??? I don't think I need to explain how letting them possess us is
not only a danger to you, but the whole world as well???
Voice of the Prodigy
Could they even see... us if we just went with it?
Voice of the Frosty
...An interesting proposition. Maybe by doing this, we could finally bring them face-to-face
with Her. After all... I'm curious to know what they'd say to the person who wants them dead.
The Narrator
Ugh. If you do this, this won't end well for anyone.
-"Awesome. Let's do
this." [Let the Bard
possess you.]
The Narrator
The Bard swims through the air in front of you, pausing for a brief moment
as their hollow eyes stare deeply into yours. There's a hunger in their gaze.
Haha! Thank you, thank you,
thank you!! You have my
greatest respect, Ms. Killer!
The Narrator
WHa— Are you seriously gonna do what they say???
Voice of the Prodigy
I dunno, the Bard's pretty persuasive.
The Narrator
PERSUASIVE????? UGJOSVIDLKHGJIUFDLG!!!!!!
...See you soon.
The Narrator
They rush forward, and then... they're gone. A sharp chill spreads across your body. It
starts in your chest, a freezing numbness flowing out from your heart, all the way down
your limbs, your mind growing cloudy and confused as it settles over your very soul.
Voice of the Prodigy
Gah, this feels icky! Can we- Can we blow ourselves up??? Please????
The Narrator
YOU'RE the one who said they were persuasive!! The numbness gives way to a
stabbing pain, your muscles twitching and convulsing violently, each involuntary
movement causing more waves of agony to ripple across your body.
The Narrator
You collapse to the floor, and everything goes dark.
Aww man, my vessel! You can
do it!! Get up! I know it seems
heavy to you, but we gotta get
out of here!
The Narrator
Your eyes flick back open as you get your bearings, your vision swimming as—
Oh! There's a silly little
fly in your head narrating
everything! Hello!
Voice of the Prodigy
What, do you not have a narrator or something?
Voice of the Frosty
Obviously not. If they did, they would've mentioned it.
And all these broken
shards of glass... are
they supposed to be you,
too?
Voice of the Prodigy
The heck did you just call me, you...
No, don't worry.
Continue with your
comment.
Voice of the Prodigy
I'm a... I'm a voice! I mean, I think??? I-I'm me, is what I'm trying to say.
Voice of the Frosty
Who cares what we are? We...
Voice of the Frosty
...Exist. That should be enough.
Voice of the Prodigy
SHIT!! Should've said, 'I am what I am, and that's all that I am!'
No need to stumble on your
words! We'll all be out of
here soon.
Voice of the Prodigy
Okay, no. What do you mean I'm a shard of broken glass? Is that
what you see me as? What about the other... thing?
Voice of the Frosty
I'm clearly what you are, too.
They're... not listening
to me. Do they not listen
to you, either?
Voice of the Prodigy
No, not Freaky the Snowbird, I meant Her! What the heck is She???
The Narrator
You don't need to know what I am! You just need to
know that I'm different from you. More important.
Hmm... I suppose then, that
you're the one who orchestrated
the whole thing and made me dead?
I can tell you don't belong here.
You're not even a fly, not even
a crumb, just the shape of
something left behind. You're
more of a... memory, than a
person.
You're kind of like me,
in a way.
The Narrator
Who gives a shit about semantics?? You push yourself off
the ground. The Bard is nowhere to be seen—
Voice of the Frosty
You literally just said that three minutes ago.
You want to know why? Because
I'm here with all of you.
No need to say it twice.
The Narrator
Okay, since you did some absolute jackass bullshittery, the room is empty.
You literally made the worst decision you could've made.
Don't let her get to you!
You're better than that.
You're starting to make
things right.
The Narrator
I'm going to lose my shit. Just... whatever you do, do not leave
this place. It's not too late to fix this. ...Hopefully.
-(Explore) I can't think
straight... there's too
much noise.
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Leave the basement.
Voice of the Frosty
That's certainly... an interesting development.
The Narrator
I uhh... I guess you can do that?? But slaying them would have
to involve slaying yourself. Are you- Are you sure you're willing to do that?
Voice of the Prodigy
As sure as we can be! Let's do this.
The Narrator
Well, at least you're not carrying them out anymore, so... I guess this is a win??
You're not serious, are
you? After everything,
you're just gonna kill
me again?
Voice of the Frosty
You hear that? They're scared. No more hesitation. Do it.
The Narrator
You lift the blade, and plunge it deep into your guts. Pain spreads quickly
through your torso as you attempt to turn its edge towards your heart.
The Narrator
The Bard, their spirit bound to your prison of flesh as they had once been bound to the
basement's prison of stone, cries out in agony as you slice through organs and muscle.
Wait!! Stop!! I don't
want to die inside of
you!! Why would you
give me a second chance,
only to do THIS to me?
The Narrator
Your skin roils and bucks as they violently push against it from the inside. Bits of them
seep through, white and glowing with ethereal light, but still the walls of your prison hold.
I wish I could just drag
you down with me, so you
could finally GET me!!
but with how you always
want to ruin everything,
that just won't happen,
will it?
Voice of the Frosty
...That's an interesting idea. However...
Voice of the Frosty
...I'd rather not die again, but... we are going to die again, no matter what, I guess.
I don't know about
you, but I don't like
dying by the hands of
a cold JERK!!!
You feel a dull tear, like strips of meat being delicately
peeled from bone. But it doesn't matter how delicate
the hands if you are the meat.
You have been stripped away from yourself. Or
stripped away from something that used to be you.
Or stripped away from something that used to be
important. At the very least, you have been stripped
away from something.
It always hurts to forget at first, but then you forget
the pain.
We were so close to leaving,
and you threw it all away!
Now look at you! Look at me!!
Was this your plan?!
The words come from both inside and outside your
head. Before you on the ground is a writhing mass of
flesh and metal and feathers.
-Hello? Am I supposed
to be here with you?
The Bard
Wait, you can still talk? Hi! Hello!
The Bard
Trust me. I really didn't mean to take you with me! But... I'm glad
that it's just you. That's-! That's not really nice of me
to say, but it was kind of overwhelming with so many people in
one body talking to me, y'know? Haha!
The Bard
I really want to try to do something different. You want to, as well, don't you?
You were just going along with the other fellows... I mean, that's my theory.
I can tell that... you're not so bad! Maybe things can get better between us!
The Bard
But um...! We can still do it! I know we can! Just... go! Get out of the
cabin before your body um... fully dies!!
-Absolutely! Let's go!
The Bard
Hahah, okay! Mimimimi... C'mon, Bard! We can do this!!!
You hurtle towards the cabin stairs, but time seems
to slow down the closer you get. In a moment, you're
halfway there, and in two moments, you're halfway
there again. Halving the distance and halving the
distance until upstairs feels almost within reach.
The Bard
This is so scary!!! I really wanna get through this but it feels so far away!!!
I don't wanna be stuck here again, I don't wanna—
You are seated in a room that is empty. A chain digs into
your wrist, binding one arm to the wall. It is quiet, and
you are alone. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
you deserve. This is what you deserve. This is what
The Bard
Oh no... I'm stuck here again... Um...! Are you still there?
-(Explore) I'm still
here.
The Bard
Hahah! Thank Eya! I'm so happy to hear your voice!
...I mean, think your voice??
-(Explore) You're not
mad at me, are you?
The Bard
Honestly, I... don't have the heart to be mad at you. Especially since you're
in the same boat as me. Stuck in a basement... and sad.
-(Explore) You don't
seem sad. What gives?
The Bard
I mean... I'm not sure I'm over everything... but I'm still trying to
be hopeful! ...You really gotta be hopeful in a situation like this.
The Bard
After all... I think being in here with you... feels right.
I never truly wanted to be your enemy...
-But I killed you!
And... tried to do it
again!
The Bard
Just... don't think about it! Like... I don't feel the need to think
about it, so maybe you shouldn't think about it, either. We're allies
now, just go with it!
-(Explore) Sorry I
stabbed us.
The Bard
No, it's fine! I know you didn't mean anything by it! ...And besides! At least
stabbing your body allowed us to see eye-to-eye! Literally!
-(Explore) Okay, how do
we get outta here?
The Bard
Beats me! I assume that we can't really do anything until something happens.
-(Explore) If we're
both here, then what
happened to the others?
The Bard
I don't know! I really hope they're okay... I mean, I hope some of them were
okay. I really didn't like the one ordering you to kill me... The quiet
one kinda gave me the jibblies... but I'm sure she wasn't so bad!
-Jibblies... that reminds
me of one of them. She
liked making fun
references.
The Bard
You thought I was making a reference...?
The Bard
But um... I liked her! She was grumpy... but I knew she was really nice!
-(Explore) Are we still
a ghost?
Your gaze turns to your hands. Solid. Then translucent.
Then solid again.
The Bard
I... don't know! It sorta blips between ghost and not-a-ghost... It's
kinda weird, haha!
-(Explore) What
happened to us?
What happened to
everything?
The Bard
We're back at the beginning. My beginning.
The Bard
This is what happened to me last time.
-(Explore) Well, what
do we do now? Just
wait for something
to happen?
The Bard
Basically, yeah! I mean, that's what I've always done...
-(Explore) Okay, this
is weird. Wasn't there
supposed to be a title
card or something?
The Bard
Title card? Well, I certainly don't have those! What did yours say?
-(Explore) You're
gonna immediately get
the reference!
The Bard
Wait, it's a reference? Hahah, I'm not really... good at those!
-The first one I got said
'Chapter I: The Bard
and the Storm,' and then
after we both died, I
got 'Chapter II: The
Grateful Dead.'
The Bard
Is um... Are either of those supposed to be references?
-You don't get the
references??
The Bard
Um... Nope! No, I don't!
-Okay, so... have you
heard of a band called,
'The Grateful Dead?'
The Bard
Can't say I have! You have to remember, I've been stuck
in this cabin for a while! But hopefully I won't be for long!
The Bard
But for the new title card... I'm thinking... um...
The Bard
Chapter III: The Bard and the Harpy.
-Harpy? Like those bird
woman things? Honestly,
that's pretty spot-on.
The Bard
Yeah, that was my thought process!
The click of a latch and creaking hinges, muffled.
Something is here.
The Bard
Oh, hey! I suppose 'you' made it back here! But um...
Your gaze turns back to your hands. They flicker once
again.
The Bard
We're still not... right. It feels like 'you' don't
even know what we're supposed to be.
A thump on the floorboards above. And then another.
The scraping of metal against a surface. The flickering
in your body stops. You are solid.
The Bard
That's... That's the sword, right? I mean, it would be hard to do stuff without it...
Creaking hinges once again, but this time, clear. Closer.
-So, uhh... what
do I look like?
The Bard
Scary... Honestly, I'm not sure how to describe it. It's hard to
even look at you.
Movement on the stairs.
The Bard
Thump... Thump... Thump...
And then a figure emerges, shrouded in a feathered
darkness, the world trailing behind it, its shining blade
gleaming against the wooden walls. It stares at you
with wild, gleaming eyes.
-Yo, Bard! Tell them
I'm in here!
The Bard
...Alright! Let's see what happens.
I'm not alone here this
time. Part of you stayed
with me when we split apart.
The head on the figure cocks to the side. Is it
inquisitive? Suspicious? Hostile? Its emotions are
unreadable.
You don't want to hurt that
part of you, do you?
The silence holds.
-Why am I being so
quiet? Is it because I'm
not there?
The Bard
Um... probably not! You've always been a little bit quiet.
I... I can't hear what's
going on in there anymore
now that I'm back in my
own body... Do you wanna
share your thoughts, maybe?
It'd be nice to know
what you're thinking.
Heheh... You would like to
know what we're thinking,
wouldn't you?
She lifts up the blade, spinning it around in her
hands as she giggles.
But ah... It is us who
holds the power right now!
Wait! But- They have the decider!
Not sure how that happened,
but it'd be a weird thing to lie about
if it wasn't the case, wouldn't it?
Yeesh, quit being such a
baby! Are you gonna be
whining the entire time
or are you gonna actually
work with me here?
One moment, we need
to figure some stuff out.
Silence, as the mind in front of you falls back into itself.
The Bard
I guess we're just... being put on hold again?
-I never really thought
of it as a phone line...
The Bard
It's... kinda like that, yeah! Not sure why I have knowledge
of phones, but... I think they're... thinking!
You look bored. Don't worry...
I am, too.
More silence.
I have a feeling they want to kill
you. At least... the new one does.
She's being very... eager, about it,
to say the least.
Um... Can you tell her to...
not do that please?
What, just like that? No way
I'm passing up this opportunity
to make a double-kill!
After all, it was pretty
easy to kill you the first
time, wasn't it? And now,
you're back to being
really... Well, it's on
the tip of my tongue,
that's for sure.
...Fleshy?
Yeah, basically! You've got
flesh, you've got skin, you've
got bones, you've got a heart
we can STAB... Haha, I'm
getting ahead of myself,
aren't I?
And um... Are you doing this?
Yeah duh, I am.
You feel small as the monster in front of you attacks,
blade raised and wings spreading.
Hey, just as a head's up? Not
all of us are okay with this.
DEFINITELY not me.
No way, we already voted!
...Democracy sucks.
Democracy is awesome!
You counted Her!! She shouldn't
even work into this equation!!
Yeah, and I'm a walrus. Ergo,
your opinion is invalid.
Well, then I'm calling you
a walrus, then! Now, say
Koo-koo-kachoo, you PRICK!!
Nah, She deserves to have
as much of a say as She
wants. After all, She's
been with us since the
beginning, hasn't She?
But we're getting off
track.
What, have you finally figured
out what to do?
Silence, for just a moment, as frosty eyes regard you.
And then silence still, as cranky eyes falter.
You can feel the sharp sting of cold metal sliding deep
into your chest, but you can feel something else, too.
Fear as your legs wobble, and then as—
The Narrator
—Bard collapses against the wall.
Voice of the Opportunist
Heh! That wasn't so bad, was it?
Voice of the Prodigy
Wasn't so bad??? WASN'T SO BAD??? We can't just keep
killing them like this!!
Voice of the Opportunist
Well, why shouldn't we do it if it's so easy to do, huh?
Voice of the Prodigy
The fact that it's so easy... makes it all feel pointless,
to be honest. And mean.
Voice of the Frosty
Honestly...
Voice of the Frosty
It's not really pointless if we always gain something from it.
Voice of the Opportunist
Yeah, exactly! That's why I'm here, right? It would
suck if you were doing this without company!
Voice of the Opportuinist
Besides! I'm the one who took the lead this time!
The Narrator
Yeah, yeah, good job. But haven't you noticed that they're not dead yet?
Try not to gloat when the job isn't even done yet, 'kay?
Aren't you gonna... do
something? You won!
I can't even do anything
against you... Even if
I tried...
-(Explore) "I'm sorry,
I'm sorry!! Are you
okay?"
-(Explore) "Hey, I'm
back in my body!"
-Good to be back,
girlies! [Finish the
job.]
-[Drop the blade.]
-[Turn around and
leave.]
The Narrator
Are you seriously gonna- Ugh. The blade tumbles uselessly
from your hands and clatters to the floor. You're different, aren't you?
Voice of the Opportunist
Hey, you're back! This was absolutely my intention! Didn't even want to
be a leader, anyway, haha!
Oh! It's... you in there
again! I was wondering why it
got quiet... What happens now?
-"We do it right
this time. We leave
together. Hand in hand."
The Narrator
No way! Nuh-uh! Don't even think about it!
Voice of the Frosty
If that's the choice she wants to make... I don't think you can stop her.
The Narrator
But I—
Voice of the Frosty
No. In fact, I think this is a nice change of pace.
Yeah, haha... Thanks! But
you still gotta get me
out of these chains...
If you can... can you pick
the sword back up? I know
that one of you were just
about to kill me with it,
but I have a plan!
I don't usually like
handling weapons, but.. I
think I should use it this
time. I'm worried that if
you use it again, it'll
kick you out of your own
body again.
Voice of the Opportunity
No way we're gonna give them the sword, right girls? I mean, this
is obviously a trick! We literally just stabbed them!
Voice of the Prodigy
Honestly, whatever plan they have has to be a good one, right?
-[Slay the Bard.]
-[Cut them free on your
own.]
-[Give them the blade.]
The Narrator
Ugh... Fine. Fine!! You stoop to the floor and pick up the thunderous
blade, only rather than using it for its intended purpose, you...
Voice of the Frosty
Give it to the Bard, right...?
The Narrator
You can't just do my narration for me!!!
The Narrator
But, yeah. You hand it to the Bard, who nervously cuts their shackled hand
clean off. Okay, fuck you, fuck the Bard, but how the heck did they do
that so cleanly??
Voice of the Prodigy
Jeez, you sound like me. Just do the narration, narration doer!
The Narrator
Then, as their chains clatter to the floor, they turn their back on you
and pathetically throw the blade out of the way, and it clanks
on the floor. ...What were they even trying to do there?? I
mean, at least the blade's still there.
Hahah... I'm glad that's
over! C'mon, let's get
outta here!
The Narrator
They reach forward and take your hand in theirs before
cheerfully pulling you towards the basement stairs.
Voice of the Opportunist
Yeah? What's it feel like? Is it... nice? Soft?
The Narrator
Not nice to me!! Do you think I want this to happen??
Voice of the Opportunist
No, I meant the handshake! What's that feel like?
The Narrator
Uhh?? It's delicate and tender. Why do you need to know this??
Voice of the Opportunist
You learn a lot about a person just by their handshake alone, y'know.
It's first grade, Ms. Narrator.
Voice of the Opportunist
And from what I'm getting to this one... It feels like they haven't
forgotten what it feels like to have a heart! Now, that's a win.
The Narrator
Ugh. The two of you rush up the basement stairs... together. Barf.
Voice of the Prodigy
Oh, and also, nice to see that you're not dead.
Voice of the Frosty
Yeah...
Voice of the Frosty
It was getting dull without you.
The Narrator
Whatever, it doesn't matter. You do know that once the two of
you step through that door, there won't be anything, right? You're
practically dooming us all by doing this!
Voice of the Opportunist
So what?
One last door... and
then we're free.
I um... only have one
hand, so um... can
you help me open it,
please?
-[Step into your
freedom.]
The Narrator
You twist the doorknob in your hand and step forward into the world
you've doomed. You and the Bard fall to the ground, exhausted.
The Narrator
GHUFIKJHIFSKJD!!! I hope you're happy! I hope you're happy now! I hope
you're happy how you've hurt this world forever, I hope you think you're...
But She doesn't finish Her thought before disappearing
entirely. And you find yourself free of any of the
regrets she dreamed of.
I never thought I could be
so happy... but I think
I am...
But I never thought being
so happy would come with
being so... cold.
But your peace does not last.
It's time to leave. Memory returns.
Voice of the Prodigy
They left just like that?? Shouldn't we go find them??
Voice of the Frosty
I don't think we can anymore...
Voice of the Opportunist
Exactly! Either that, or they turned into a mirror!
Voice of the Prodigy
...Mirror? Wha- GAHH!!
-(Explore) Don't worry,
it's fine! We've been
here before, even if
you don't remember it!
Voice of the Prodigy
We... We have?
Voice of the Opportunist
Well, if you say we've been here before, then I might as
well believe it! You're the boss, chief!
Voice of the Prodigy
...Is it... really gonna be okay?
-I promise.
Voice of the Prodigy
I mean... if you say so.
Voice of the Frosty
...Please stay safe.
-[Approach the mirror.]
You approach the mirror.
-[Gaze into your
reflection.]
Silence as you reach forward. They’re gone again. The mirror
always makes them leave. But you need to see what’s in it.
You swear that's you. But... it doesn't look like you at all.
You find yourself in the Long Quiet once again.
-[Proceed to the cabin.]
You are at the cabin.
-[Approach them.]
There's a world beyond the
endless walls of The Long Quiet.
We're supposed to be there.
Do you know what we'll find
out there?
-(Explore) "Do you think
there's people out there?"
People. Fleeting and hopeful
and precious. They aren't like
us. They cannot last.
Is their worth measured in
infinity? In stillness? Or is it in
their capacity to change?
I wonder...
-(Explore) "I'm not sure
I understand."
I would not ask you to. You are
like me, but you are also
something other than me. Your
perspective is wholly our own.
-(Explore) "Do you think
it'll be real out there? Do
you think we're real?"
Of course we're real. 'Nothing'
is an idea that dwells in the
absence of 'Something'. But...
'nothing' cannot exist on its
own. And because of that,
'nothing' can't exist.
-(Explore) "What's gonna
happen when you
awaken?"
If I knew that, I'd already
be awake.
-(Explore) "Have you ever
felt like we've done this
before?"
We have. This is our fourth time
meeting.
-"What? No! I mean... all
of this! Have we done
this before?"
...That is a dangerous line of
thought.
All that matters is here and now.
I know you in this moment. You
know me as well.
-(Explore) "How many
more vessels do I need to
bring you?"
One. Whatever you bring me
next, I know it will be enough.
The harmony of it will bring the
others into a great symphony. And
then I will be singular. A final
orchestra.
-(Explore) "If this is the
last time, should I bring
you something specific
back? Is there something
you want?"
No. I will be content with
whatever you bring me. I trust
your judgement. You have not led
me wrong before, nor will you
ever.
-(Explore) "Do you have
any thoughts on this
vessel?"
This one is perspectives bleeding
into one. You know them better
than you know yourself. They will
make for an empathetic heart.
Do not mourn them — For you would
not mourn yourself.
-"Okay. I'm ready to go
back."
The next time I see you, each of
us will finally know what we
are.
I will be here, waiting for you.
Always.
Everything goes dark, and you die.
Chapter I
The Bard and The Storm