THE GUARDIANS

GALEN (CONT'D)

Help me.

KEVIN

It can speak!

FORMOSA

We have to unchain him.

KARRAS

If it’s a corrupted, we can’t

release It.

ORA

But we can’t leave him like this.

KARRAS

(Grunts)

ORA

Karras, get out of my way.

KARRAS

It could attack.

GALEN

Oh oh oh, I won’t attack. Please.

Help me.

ELIZABETH

You can understand us?

GALEN

You’re not hallucinations, right?

But my hallucinations don’t fight.

You’re, you’re real, right?

ORA

Yes. We’re real.

GALEN

You...promise?

ORA

I promise.

GALEN

It’s been so long. Where’s Emilian?

ORA

I’m sorry, he passed away.

GALEN

Stabbed?

ELIZABETH

There was no sign of violence.

GALEN

So he wasn’t murdered? Good. Oh

Goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood. A natural

death. Just bad luck. Just damn bad

luck.

You promise this isn’t all in my

imagination?

KEVIN

For better or worse, this is

reality.

ORA

I know this may be overwhelming,

but we have some questions for you.

GALEN

Questions. Fine. That’s fine.

ORA

How did you survive? Emilian’s been

dead for a long time, you should

have starved.

KARRAS

Why do you have wings and a tail?

FORMOSA

Why are you being held captive?

GALEN

Ah, manners, manners. I forgot my

manners.

I’m Galen. And...I’m a Guardian.

ELIZABETH

A Guardian!

ORA

But I thought they all...?

KARRAS

Kevin, what’s a Guardian...?

KEVIN

Umm...

GALEN

They ask what a Guardian is, can

you believe It? Can you? What is a

Guardian, indeed!

ELIZABETH

It can’t be.

KEVIN

Magic users who helped people.

They, uhm...well, according to

legend, they’d maintain useful

wards, like the forest protected

the road. They could stop famines

and plagues. They killed monsters.

They Kept order. But they all

abandoned us... Right, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH

I...I don’t know. It’s been so

long. I do know many were driven

away.

FORMOSA

They were hero...

GALEN

Heroes! Yes, that’s right! Heroes!

KEVIN

Then why are you chained up, hero?

GALEN

Chains. Chains. Yes, Chains. Can

you please remove them? I haven’t

been able to leave here for months.

Years? Decades? Or... Oh, should I

leave? I probably shouldn’t, but I

do want the chains gone. Yes,

please remove them.

ORA

How could he have survived being

here without food or water? Has

someone been feeding him?

ELIZABETH

A Guardian does not need what we

need. It would be easy to borrow

magic to keep oneself alive.

FORMOSA

Then why hasn’t he escaped?

ELIZABETH

Also magic. See those symbols on

the metal? It suppresses personal

magic. There are also elements all

over the house that would do

similar things.

KEVIN

Well there you go. Magic: the cause

of, and solution to, all of life's

problems.

ORA

How do you know so much about the

chains?

ELIZABETH

Because I sold them to Emilian. I

had no idea he’d use them for this.

GALEN

So you’ll remove these chains for

me, right? Right? They’re so heavy

and I haven’t been able to scratch

an itch on my neck for eons.

(laughs)

It’s enough to drive one mad!

ORA

How’s this? If you answer all our

questions, we’ll free you.

GALEN

Really?

ORA

Really.

KARRAS

(Grunt.)

ORA

Karras, I know you don’t like this,

but we need answers.

GALEN

What are you talking about? If

you’re going to kill me can you

scratch an itch for me first? All

the other hallucinations tried, but

they never could.

KARRAS

Fine. But if It attacks, I attack.

ORA

Agreed.

Galen, why do you have wings and a

reptile tail?

GALEN

Oh, my wings? You noticed them...I

was hoping you would not.

KEVIN

How would we not notice them?

GALEN

They have scared people in the

past. It’s why I had to hide...did

I tell you I was a Guardian?

FORMOSA

Uhh...yes...

ORA

How did you get them?

ELIZABETH

There were two physical types of

Guardians. Those who physically

resembled humans. And those who

evolved in to...something else.

GALEN

My original wings grew when I was a

child, although they were much

smaller and easy to hide. Sometimes

a child has even more obvious...

deformities. That’s what they are

called now. People are scared of

them. I was, I was, I was a lucky

one...but anyway, that’s how they

found me.

ORA

The Vigiles?

GALEN

Oh, no, no, no. This was long

before those hunters.

ORA

Who then?

GALEN

But you want to know about how I

got my big, ugly wings and then my

the tail? I went down too far.

Twice.

ORA

What do you mean?

GALEN

In my pool. I went down too far.

Twice.

ORA

But can you explain what that

means?

GALEN

I went down-

ELIZABETH

Explain It as though someone didn’t

know anything about magic.

GALEN

Didn’t know...? Huh. Well...So,

magic is a force that lets you

remake the world how you want, like

a, like... oh making a flower bloom

in a snowstorm. Those who had It

were trained to be Guardians! Did I

tell you I was one? Luckily, it’s

not from a bloodline or anything.

Both parents can be normal and give

birth to a kid with power and

magical parents don’t mean a

magical baby. No one knows why

someone has It. Good thing, too, or

else we’d be breeding for magic

like we breed for hunting dogs.

(Laughs)

Do you have food? I haven’t had

food in so long. Or water? Or a

pillow? Ooooh...can you sing?

KEVIN

Here. Have an apple.

GALEN

Oh....It’s so shiny and green. It’s

almost too perfect to eat.

ORA

Do you have a never ending supply

of those things?

GALEN

Ahhhh... Woah!

ORA

Now that you have something to eat,

can you explain more about what

going too far means?

GALEN

Those with magic have what we call

a “well of magic” - a deep

reservoir full of power inside you

that ,that you can draw from.

Everyone has different depths. Some

can, some can barely cast a simple

spell, others can level a village

with how deep theirs goes. As long

as you cast within the capacity of

your well, you’re fine. Sure, It

can dry up if you use It too much,

but rest and time makes everything

dandy again. But, but... But if you

go too far that means you cast a

spell that goes past that magic

reserve, beyond your limits. You’re

dropping a bucket in the well and

not just getting water, you’re

getting mud with It, and there’s

always a price. Always a price.

That’s how I got my tail!

I was lucky It was only that.

ELIZABETH

So what you’re saying is that magic

users have limits and if you go

past those limits your body can

change?

GALEN

Exactly! Though sometimes the cost

isn’t physical, but It usually is.

I mean...hu... I think I only

changed my body.

ORA

Can this happen when you use your

power on instinct? Like, you used

magic and you didn’t realize It.

GALEN

Huu... probably not. Someone

untrained would only use up all

their magic for awhile, your body

doesn’t really want to hurt you.

You have to know what you’re doing

to get past that mental block of

wanting something more than your

life. And lots of us claim we care

for things more than ourselves,

but... but do you really, really,

mean that in the most selfish part

of your heart?

FORMOSA

So, how would one learn such stuff?

How did you go too deep?

GALEN

The same way you know how to read!

ORA

Well, most people don’t know that.

My mother taught me.

GALEN

Well, most magic people wouldn’t

know anything unless they were

taught, too! Once you were shown to

have magic, or wings in my case,

you were taken away and taught all

the amazing things you could do.

And taught how to help people.

Taught magic ethics. Oh...and how

to cook the best cakes!

ELIZABETH

So, you were...kidnapped?

GALEN

Oh, no! Not at all. We were

trained. You needed to be trained

or else you could do some really

bad things by accident.

ORA

Well...I...I can understand that...

FORMOSA

So if instinctive magic won’t harm

you, why use other magic?

GALEN

‘Cause they’re great? Think about

It, instinctive magic is chaos,

only coming out when a person is

super emotional. For example, as a

non-magic person, sometimes you

can’t control your own body. You

can twitch, or if you get very

upset, you might do things you

don’t normally do. Same with

instinctive magic. But when you

learn It, it’s.. It’s like flexing

a muscle. You can do anything,

regardless of how you feel, if you

train your body. And proper magic

uses less of your pool. Of course

there are spells that can take

longer and the gestures are

annoying to remember, and with the

higher level magic there are

rituals which are even harder to

remember and sometimes relics you

have to use...then again,

instinctive magic can’t turn your

hair to a beautiful green color,

but I could if I wanted to.

KEVIN

Who’ed want to turn their hair

green?

ORA

Simple magic is like flexing a

muscle. Gestures for other magic?

Chants and such more for high

level? This is a lot to take in.

GALEN

It’s a little difficult to sum up

how one can remake reality in a few

minutes. Oh, though magic users all

have some specialties that are

easier to call on. Like fire! Fire

takes very little magic for me to

call up compared to others. It’s

like for non-magic people, some

people can wiggle their ears and

some can’t.

KEVIN

Oh, fantastic.

GALEN

Don’t try to push past your limits

and you’ll be fine.

FORMOSA

Your bodies change if you go too

deep.

GALEN

Mm-hmm.

FORMOSA

Could you completely become an

animal?

GALEN

Of course. Though usually not an

animal, but many in one body.

FORMOSA

And what about your mind?

GALEN

The mind turns, too. Not always,

but it’s hard to keep human

thoughts in a beast’s brain.

FORMOSA

The Lusus Naturae.

ORA

That... that... that can’t be.

FORMOSA

The Corrupted are magic users who

went too deep and turned into

monsters!

GALEN

Wha..di.di.di. We’re not supposed

to talk about It. So don’t spread

It around. It’s an open secret. As

long as we keep the Lusus Naturae

contained, they don’t mind. Many of

them sacrificed much for the rest

of us.

ELIZABETH

Oh my.

ORA

That’s...I can’t believe It.

KARRAS

(grunt)

KEVIN

Oh my doesn’t begin to....

GALEN

It’s okay, it’s okay. At least, I

think it’s okay. We take care of

them. Only had one escape in all my

years. Ok fine, more than one at

the end there, but I’m sure not too

many.

FORMOSA

They’re everywhere now. Everywhere.

ORA

This is...this is...oh my...

GALEN

Soooo... Was that all you wanted to

know? Not the secret to my raisin

pudding? Oh, well, in that case,

can you unlock me? I promise I

won’t go far, just, just stay in

the cabin and scratch my neck. Yes

please scratch my neck! Yes, yes,

staying here is best. They haven’t

found me here. But without removing

the chains I can’t get that itch.

KARRAS

Who are they?

GALEN

Who are they? Who are they?! Who

are they?!

KARRAS

Ummm, yes???

FORMOSA

Who have not found you?

GALEN

Everyone...well except you right

now.

ORA

No! Who did you say have not found

you yet!

(MORE)

GALEN

Oh yes, I remember. But I can’t

say. I really can’t.

ORA

We won’t free you unless you answer

all of our questions.

GALEN

But I don’t like this question.

ORA

Please. We need to know.

GALEN

The...

Dark Guardians.

ORA

Who?

GALEN

The Dark Ones. Bad Guardians who

want to kill the few remaining good

Guardians they haven’t already

murdered.

ORA

Galen, I think you need to tell us

everything.

GALEN

I’ll try.

Long before I came here, I was a

Guardian. The title said It all, we

used our magic to guard humanity

against evil. And, and if you had

magic, you had to become a

Guardian, that way, that way people

couldn’t use magic for bad things.

We were respected and, and, and we

were loved. Well, we were mostly

loved. I thought everyone was happy

like me until the Feast of Naming

when I was twenty-two? Twenty-four?

Twenty-something-years-old. I had

taken ill. Despite how everyone

came from everywhere for the

celebration, I, I, I was barely

able to sit at a table let alone

partake in the festivities.

GALEN (CONT'D)

Naturally, I could have used a

spell to cure myself, but we were

taught not to use our powers for

ourselves unless really necessary.

The Masters said the illness would

help me understand normal humans,

and besides my friends promised

we’d, we’d find the leftover food

when I got better. I had really

good friends.

SCENE BRAKE

RANIA

Galen, you lucky sack of pig shit,

how did you manage to get out of

every chore today yet still come to

the feast?

GALEN

Lucky? Imagine smelling and seeing

all this food and knowing that if

you take a single bite you’ll be

stuck in the privy again for hours?

RANIA

Well, sucks to be you.

This is damned delicious.

GALEN

Rania, you’re killing me.

HARDMOD

Look at Master Silver over there.

GALEN

Is he... dancing?

RANIA

I’ve never even seen him smile

before.

HARDMOD

Most have finally been assigned to

the Starlake Valley. I know he’s

been angling to get there for

years.

GALEN

I wonder when we’ll have to leave

for an assignment.

HARDMOD

Don’t remind me. I’d rather stay

here.

RANIA

Bored every day?

HARDMOD

Safe every day. That anti-magic

talk in the cities hasn’t been

dying down. I heard a mob killed

Master Traheart when he used his

power to stop a house fire. Claimed

he started the flames.

GALEN

That’s only a rumor.

HARDMOD

Then where’s Master Traheart? I

don’t see him here, do you?

GALEN

Uhh...hum..

HARDMOD

But we’re safe here. Carcerem is so

well defended that I doubt even the

strongest army could make a dent in

our walls. Between the ancient

defenses and the bell tower, I’m

perfectly happy to be assigned here

forever.

CROWD

(Cheer)

RANIA

Fine, Hardmod. You stay bored here

while I explore the world.

MISTRESS ASTOR

Thank you all for coming. The Feast

of Naming is such an important time

for us. It’s a night to reflect on

our founders.

RANIA

We should drink every time Mistress

Astor talks about how great the

blowhard ancients were.

HARDMOD

I don’t want to get too drunk.

MISTRESS ASTOR

I know in the past few years there

have been false rumors of us, but

now more than ever It is important

to remember our mission to protect

humanity.

ARTIN

(Coughing)

CROWD

(Clap)

MISTRESS ASTOR

Our founders had the wisdom and

strength to carve out –

ARTIN

(Coughing)

ARTIN’S WIFE

Artin... Artie... are you okay?

MISTRESS ASTOR

They had the wisdom and strength to

–

ARTIN

(Coughing)

CROWD

(Gasps)

ARTIN’S WIFE

Artin! ARTIN, ARE YOU OKAY?!

MISTRESS ASTOR

Whats going on over there?

ARTIN’S WIFE

HE’S NOT MOVING...

PEOPLE IN CROWD

(Coughing)

RANIA

Tarris?! Tarris.

GALEN

What’s happening?

HARDMOD

Food poisoning?

RANIA

You don’t have a seizure from food

poisoning.

MISTRESS ASTOR

Everyone, Everyone please stay

calm. A simple healing spell will

solve this.

GALEN

OH YES!!

MISTRESS ASTOR

Repair and remake our mortal

bodies. Remove illness and

sickness. With each breath, may we

grow stronger.

CROWD

(Coughing Continues)

RANIA

Galen, feel better?

GALEN

No...I...I don’t...

MISTRESS ASTOR

That’s odd. Let me try again.

Repair and remake our mortal

bodies. Remove illness and

sickness. With each breath, may we

grow stronger.

Why isn’t this working?

IVAN

(Laughing)

DANIKA

UGH! Finally!

MISTRESS ASTOR

UGHHHH!!!....

FEAST GOER

What have you done?!

DANIKA

Oh, don’t worry...she’s not dead,

none of them are. It’s just a

trick! Watch!

IVAN

“Revita compensory”

ARTIN’S WIFE

Artin! Oh thank that light.

DANIKA

What do you think???

GALEN

Tarris! Tarris! Are you Better now?

ARTIN’S WIFE

Are you alright? You had me so

worried.

DANIKA

Oh, well...you should continued to

be worried, because It gets much

worse from here.

ARTIN’S WIFE

Artin...Why? AAAAAAAAAH

RISEN ARTIN

(Breathing)

CROWD

(Scream)

RANIA

Tarris! No!

RISEN TARRIS

(Grunts)

HARDMOD

What’s happening?!

RANIA

We have to get out of here.

HARDMOD

My Magic...Why would Danika stab

Mistress Astor?

GALEN

There’s fighting in front of every

exit.

RANIA

The side doors by the band are

closed, but unguarded. But how do

we get there without dying?

HARDMOD

Why are people stabbing people?!

GALEN

Under the tables!

DANIKA

You have no idea how hard It was to

wait! You see, we had to confirm

the poison and spells were in

affect before the fun started. But

sitting quiet was so tough! Hu!

RANDOME FEAST GOER

AAAWWWWW

DANIKA

And for those fools trying to use

magic still, when are you going to

get It? Tonight’s meal was spiced

with a spell to dull power. Oh yes!

It took years to do and at such a

high cost...

IVAN

(Laughing)

DANIKA

Or so I’m told! But worth It. Not

to mention those few chosen who got

an extra helping of moonseed,

nightshade, arsenic, hemlock, and

other goodies we threw in. But

don’t take It personally, I needed

a few friends to start the fun!

(Humming)

Everyone thought It was so hard to

kill us Guardians, but It really

doesn’t seem like It.

MISTRESS ASTOR

Wh...why?

DANIKA

Did you really think we were going

to be slaves forever?

MISTRESS ASTOR

We’re not slaves...we’re defenders.

(MORE)

DANIKA

You lie.

MISTRESS ASTOR

AAAAAAAAAAA

DANIKA

Where were you when those darling

humans we’ve sworn to protect

tortured me for having the audacity

to be born more powerful than them?

Oh, and this was after you had

kidnapped me from my family and

forced me to join you.

MISTRESS ASTOR

They were scared!

DANIKA

I was scared.

Why do I even bother with you? How

many Guardians did you abandon? Oh!

That reminds me.

Friends! Remember, try to keep some

alive. Our power can be boosted

with a Guardian’s life blood.

IVAN

Awwwww!

DANIKA

I know, I know, but don’t worry,

you can still have fun.

MISTRESS ASTOR

You have no soul.

DANIKA

We’ll kill you last, that way we

can play longer.

MISTRESS ASTOR

You...you are a necromancer?! Your

pool will not last, the cost will

be too great for you.

DANIKA

“I” am nothing. Ha! But your

concern for me is cute. I wonder

where that was all these years? But

don’t you worry, our magic pool is

deeper than you will ever know.

Plus, I did not raise the dead.

DANIKA (CONT'D)

My talents come from a different

place. I’m not alone, and we have

made It so we’ll never be alone

again!!

MISTRESS ASTOR

You will destroy the whole world!

DANIKA

That’s the plan....

GALEN

Hardmod! Watch out!!

DANIKA

Stop them! Those three are

escaping!

HARDMOD

It’s locked... magically sealed.

RANIA

My power’s too weakened to open It.

GALEN

I got It!

Locks unlocked. Seals unsealed.

What is closed must be revealed.

HARDMOD

How?

GALEN

No eating for me tonight.

HARDMOD

Alright!!

ROHESIA

I’m sorry, but the hallway is

closed.

Night night.

HARDMON

Wait...

GALEN

Hardmod! NO!

ROHESIA

See you soon, friend.

RANIA

We have to go!

ROHESIA

Do you really think you can outrun

us? Release the Lusus Naturae!

GALEN

You killed Hardmod! We abandoned

him!

RANIA

He was dead. If we stay, we’ll be

dead too. He saved us.

GALEN

The eastern gate is the fastest way

out of Carcerem.

RANIA

Oh...wait!

GALEN

What?

RANIA

If we leave, they’ll control

Carcerem. They’ll have access to

the vaults and the relics. All that

power.

GALEN

There’s nothing we can do.

RANIA

There’s the Ward Bell Tower.

GALEN

I don’t know how to use It!

IVAN

(Laughing)

RANIA

You...

IVAN

Surrender.

RANIA

How did you get...?

IVAN

I said SURRENDER!!!!

GALEN

Never!

IVAN

No fair! No fair!! You were

supposed to eat!!

RANIA

If we get to the bell tower we can

activate the spell to seal out

anyone who would harm a Guardian.

GALEN

But they’re Guardians, too!

RANIA

They’ve spilled Guardian blood. The

magic will realize they’re the

threat...I hope.

LUSUS NATURAE

(Roar)

RANIA

Hurry! We’re almost there!

DANIKA

Why are you trying to escape? It’s

no use. Even after using our magic

to catch up to you, I have sooooo

much left.

GALEN

So do I!

DANIKA

Really?! We just took out all the

Guardians...you think a puny

fireball will stop me?

RANIA

This bell will seal those who mean

harm out and keep the rest of us

in. All we have to do is ring It

and pour our magic into the metal

to activate the ward.

GALEN

How much magic?

DANIKA

I have to admit, that was a good

chase.The Lusus Naturae didn’t even

catch you, though most were

distracted by chasing the Guardians

who decided to abandon Carcerem.

RANIA

You let the Lusus Naturae out?

We’re supposed to care for our

brethren!

DANIKA

I am! Why do you think we’re doing

all of this?

RANIA

Because you’re heartless monsters.

DANIKA

If we have no hearts it’s because

THEY TOOK THEM FROM US!!!!

RANIA

Why? We didn’t do anything! We just

wanted to protect...

DANIKA

That is a very nice and young

sentiment you have there. Where are

your parents now, hmm?!

RANIA

Well, I...

DANIKA

Don’t think I don’t see you there,

Galen.

GALEN

AAAAAAA

DANIKA

Oh, I know where we are. This has

the sealing spell. Ha, you were so

close yet so far. (Laughs)

Careful Galen, you’re going to lose

too much blood if you keep

attacking me. I think my dagger may

have nicked an artery.

GALEN

I don’t need to fight for long.

Just long enough.

(MORE)

DANIKA

To run away? Abandoning a friend,

just like a Guardian.

GALEN

Never!!!

DANIKA

Want to try another fireball?

GALEN

Don’t mind if I do.

DANIKA

OOOOH! That is loud!! But you

missed me completely!

RANIA

Did he? Shouldn’t have turned your

back to me, traitor.

DANIKA

You don’t have enough magic.

RANIA

Let’s find out.

DANIKA

You are turning already, you’ve

exhausted your pool! You’ll be dead

before you get me out of here!

GALEN

We’ll see about that!!

DANIKA

What?! It can’t...NOOOOOOOOO!!

GALEN AND RANIA

(Scream)

SCENE BRAKE

GALEN

The spell worked. Any enemy to a

Guardian was magically transported

outside the walls. I was kicked

out, too. I don’t know if my attack

on Ivan and Danika counted as

fighting a Guardian. Perhaps anyone

who drew blood was kicked out,

friend or foe.

GALEN (CONT'D)

All I know is I woke up outside the

walls and I had these new, massive

wings that were far too large to

try and hide any longer. My power

was completely depleted and I saw

Ivan unconscious a few yards from

me. I fled and looked for Emilian’s

father since he often stopped by

the city to buy magical items and

had pointed out his home on a map.

I thought I’d find safety here.

ORA

What happened to the Guardians

still in Carcerem? Why haven’t they

left and helped us?

GALEN

I don’t know. Maybe...maybe they

never fully recovered their powers.

Maybe the spell went wrong and it’s

forcing them to stay. I don’t even

know if Rania is alive or not.

ELIZABETH

But surely some Guardians fled.

GALEN

I suppose so. Yes. A few must have

escaped, but I’ve got no idea how

many. After that night, Dark Ones

surrounded Carcerem with their

“friends” and they killed anyone

who tried to open the gate. If you

used magic, they would detect It

and come after you.

ORA

What was Danika talking about with

life blood??

GALEN

A forbidden spell. Well, used to be

forbidden. It only works on magic

users, can’t get magic from a

normal person, but if you prepare

for a long time and kill a Guardian

in a certain way, supposedly the

murderer’s well deepens, just a

little. It was all rumors but

apparently someone figured It out.

FORMOSA

Then these “Dark Guardians” are

even more dangerous than a normal

magic user.

GALEN

Probably. I don’t know what’s going

on now since I’ve been chained to a

wall...with this itch!!

KARRAS

How do we know he’s telling the

truth?

ORA

We can’t know for sure. I think he

is.

KEVIN

I think he’s telling the truth,

too.

GALEN

You know I can hear you, right?

ELIZABETH

I have another question. Why

wouldn’t the Guardians who escaped

team up to fight the Dark

Guardians?

GALEN

I don’t imagine many got out...at

least, I don’t think so...and it’s

not like, its not like we all knew

each other. After all that, humans

turned on us very quickly. The Dark

Ones spread rumors that magic and

the Guardians were responsible for

everything going wrong. So, how do

you find each other without casting

a strong spell that would sic the

Dark Ones on you? Or, for those

like me, how do I even walk around

without being attacked by people?

Easier to stay hidden and quiet

regardless. You, you, you may even

have crossed paths with one, but

don’t know It. I am one you know.

KEVIN

Thats ridiculous.

(MORE)

GALEN

Oh no I am....

KEVIN

No I mean....

ORA

How would we break the seal and

release all the Guardians from

Carcerem?

GALEN

(Laughs)

I don’t know. I had never rung the

bell before. It can’t be too simple

or the Dark Ones would probably

have done It already.

KEVIN

Wouldn’t want things to be too

easy.

FORMOSA

None of this explains why you’re

chained up.

GALEN

I hid here for years with Emilian’s

father and mother, I was.. I was

there when Emilian was born, his

mother died during birth. I

practically raise Emilian myself. I

couldn’t help with money much

because I had to stay hidden due to

my wings and most of my magic was

tied up in maintaining a spell

around the house to keep the Dark

Ones from finding me, but I could

do tiny spells on items that

Emilian sold. Everything was fine

for years and years...and then...

and then Emilian’s father passed

away. Riddled with grief, Emilian

asked me to cast a spell, a big

spell. He asked me to help him to

speak with the dead, with his

parents. I thought...well, maybe I

owed him this. Just once. I went

deep again, conjured the book, and

lost my legs, gaining this-this

snake tail in their place.

Thankfully, the spell around the

house kept us hidden for the

moment, but...

GALEN (CONT'D)

but I knew It wouldn’t last much

longer. He was really happy, of

course, but got mad when I told him

I would never do anything like that

again. Emilian said I was selfish

and one more spell like that could

bring us a fortune. But I refused.

Then one day I woke and he had

chained me up here. Said he’d

release me if I agreed to cast one

more big spell. Promised me. I said

no. He kept coming back and asking

me. Brought me some food and

such... until he left and didn’t

return. And I thought maybe he was

punishing me for a long time. So

long. So very long. And now you’re

here.

ORA

Alright. Galen, I’m going to

release you now. Please don’t make

me regret this.

Actually, does anyone know how to

pick locks?

ELIZABETH

Here...

KEVIN

Elizabeth? I have a whole new

respect for you.

GALEN

Oh!!! OH YES!!! Oh...Thank you!

Thank you! I can’t believe you’re

really here and you really did

this.

ORA

I don’t completely understand the

war we’ve stumbled into, but I’m

glad a true Guardian isn’t kept

locked up anymore.

GALEN

All I want to do is go outside and

feel the wind on my face. That’s

all I want. Oh, uh... and a

scratch. Please?

ORA

Uh...

GALEN

Ooo ooo ooo yeah, right there lower

lower lower, oh its been years and

years and years.

ORA

Galen, I have one last question for

you. I didn’t want to ask you when

you were chained or for you to feel

like you’re being forced to do

this, but it’s important. We need

to help the Guardians. Could you

take us to Carcerem?

GALEN

To Carcerem! Ooooooooh, to return

there? Oh, my. Oh my. My my my my!

Hahahahah!

No... No definitely not.

END OF EPISODE 25