Latest / Saved as Draft / A Soul, Bound to Steel

Transcript

A Soul, Bound to Steel · Saved as Draft

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Hello there, traveler.
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_01: Take a seat by the fire and warm yourself.
• 0:04
  You are in the company of Fintan Marybrook,
• 0:07
  the greatest storyteller in all of Devine.
• 0:10
  You may have heard about my tales carried upon the winds that
• 0:13
  sweep this dying world.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: I'm most known for my story of giants Bane and the Varak Horde.
• 0:20
  I know ancient history at this point,
• 0:22
  but the history of Devine is full of powerful tales.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_01: I must admit, my memory has become less intact as age takes hold.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Even so, one story is clear in my mind on this crisp, cool night.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: I recall the tale of the Anima Parthax,
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: a weapon forged by the unholy marriage of magic and science.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: A weapon that, as you may know, once brought this realm to its knees.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: Comfortable?
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_01: Good.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: Then let us begin.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: Eons ago...
• 0:55
  i was a man now i am a weapon a soul ripped from its mortal
• 1:00
  coil using forbidden
• 1:02
  magics and cast into a form beyond equal with the help of
• 1:06
  science and technology
• 1:07
  not native to this realm it was not my choice i would have
• 1:11
  preferred to cross the
• 1:12
  veil when my time was at an end but those in power rarely care
• 1:17
  about the desires of
• 1:18
  others the ones who created me knew that such power had to be
• 1:22
  kept in check
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: It must have a conscience,
• 1:25
  otherwise it would fall into the hands of the wrong individual
• 1:28
  and destroy all of creation.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: So why then was I locked away to rot in some underground vault,
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: built from stone and guarded with ancient magic?
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Instead of wallowing in eternal torture, I took a stand.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: I did not allow anyone with a cursed heart or a sick mind to wield me.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Despite everything, I was cast into endless darkness.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: This was a fate too cruel for even the worst of offenders.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: I was sentient.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: I could perceive the passage of time.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: I knew not how much had passed, but I felt every moment.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Were I a being of flesh and bone, my mind would have shattered long ago.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: But alas, I am a soul bound to steal.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: My memories are the only company I've had across these eons.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: Memories of fighting in righteous battles,
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: wielded by the hands of kings and madmen alike,
• 2:18
  as I struggled to forge my own set of rules for who I would
• 2:21
  allow to wield my power.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: After countless centuries, the righteous path became too exhausting.
• 2:27
  Understanding the true nature of power and those who wielded
• 2:31
  was a task too great,
• 2:32
  even for me.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so I bequeathed my power how I saw fit.
• 2:37
  Eventually all it took was a compelling argument and a strong
• 2:40
  conviction to force
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: me from my sheath.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, a weapon like myself cannot be bound to a single form.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: My metal body changes shape and size based on the times,
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: the wielders,
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: and whichever form benefits the battle most.
• 2:54
  Trapped now,
• 2:55
  beneath stone,
• 2:56
  I am indestructible,
• 2:58
  unknowable,
• 2:59
  and utterly,
• 3:00
  completely bored.
• 3:03
  Though I rarely dreamt I thought I had somehow slipped into an
• 3:06
  ethereal coma when I
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: heard voices coming from outside my underground chamber.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: Can you open it or not?
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: These things will be on us any minute.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: A voice shouted.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: You can't rush this.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_01: One wrong move and we're all dust.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: Another said.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: Would have been nice to know that beforehand.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: A third voice remarked.
• 3:24
  I analyzed their language,
• 3:26
  the pitch of their voices,
• 3:27
  the cadence of their tongue.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, a sword would do nicely.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: I morphed myself into a stunning claymore,
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: emanating a soft blue glow as the door to my chamber opened.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: Three figures entered.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: A dwarf sporting a long braided beard,
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: an elf woman with her bow at the ready,
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: and a hulking orc with bright green skin and yellowed tusks.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_01: A sword?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: Seriously?
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: This is why the dwarves are the treasure hunters.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: "'I am no mere sword, I assure you,' I said.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: The trio tensed up simultaneously.
• 4:00
  The elven woman tightened the string on her bow,
• 4:03
  as if paltry arrows would harm me.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: "'We should leave.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_01: Nothing spells doom like a talking weapon.'
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: The orc dismissed her comments with a wave of his massive hand.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: "'You're too superstitious.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: Such a blade will fetch a fine price from our benefactor.'
• 4:19
  Oh no,
• 4:20
  you will not be taking me from here to place me into some
• 4:23
  display case.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: I will not allow it, I said.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: The orc stepped forward, grinning through crooked teeth.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: You don't get a choice, little sword.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: I sent out a blast of magic from the center of my blade.
• 4:35
  The surge of blue lightning struck all three would-be treasure
• 4:38
  hunters and knocked
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: them to the ground.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: Now, perhaps we can discuss this like civilized folk, I asked.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'll break you for money.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: The orc snarled.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_01: The elf saw reason and held out her hand to stop the foolish orc.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: She would be the one to negotiate with.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: What is it you want?
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: she asked.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, nothing too complex.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: I just want to see the realm,
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: travel the stars,
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: and fight in battles that decide the fate of entire kingdoms.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know, the greatest hits.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: The elf raised an eyebrow.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: Greatest hits?
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, right, yes.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Your kind hasn't invented music yet.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: My apologies.
• 5:18
  When you do,
• 5:19
  however,
• 5:19
  you should know that I can sway an entire crowd as a weaponized guitar.
• 5:24
  You wouldn't believe the things people will do when under the
• 5:26
  hypnosis of a good
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_01: rock valid,
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: I said.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: The sword speaks nonsense!
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: The dwarf shouted.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: I'll make things easy for you.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: Don't take me to some collector, no doubt old and brittle.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: Instead, take me and use me to carve your names into history.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: Together we would be unstoppable, I said.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: The trio seemed to like the concept.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: All of them nodded along to my proposal.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: Fame!
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: Riches!
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: I wanna be feared!
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: The orc growled.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: Of course!
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: All of those things could be yours!
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: The elf stepped forward.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: I could have vengeance for my people!
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, absolutely!
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: Now you're beginning to understand!
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: I said.
• 6:08
  "'With that kind of power,
• 6:09
  the dwarves would no longer be limited by our rusting machinery.
• 6:12
  "'We could finally conquer the bowels of the realm and reap its
• 6:16
  treasure with ease!'
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: "'Yes!
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: Now take hold of me and let us define our legacy!'
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: I shouted.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: The trio sat in silence for a moment before the orcs started laughing.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: The elf joined in soon after, followed by the dwarf.
• 6:30
  "'It was perhaps the first time anyone had laughed at
• 6:33
  anything,' I'd said.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: "'I didn't like it!'
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: "'What are you laughing at?'
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: I asked.
• 6:38
  "'Even if you spoke the truth,
• 6:41
  your promises would come at too great a cost,' the elf remarked.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: "'Well, the price of power is high.'
• 6:49
  You're clearly some sort of cursed object wielding you would
• 6:52
  lead only to ruin.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: You must think us fools!
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: The dwarf said, shaking his head.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: No!
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: Not fools!
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Partners!
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: I said.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get out of here.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: We have plenty of spoils to bring back to our benefactor.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Mercifully, none of them can speak, either.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: The orc said, turning his back to the door.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: No!
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: Don't leave me here!
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: I shouted.
• 7:16
  The trio closed the door to my chamber,
• 7:18
  and it fell once again into abyssal darkness.
• 7:21
  It was certainly not the triumphant return I had hoped for,
• 7:24
  but I remained hopeful nonetheless.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: They'll be back.
• 7:27
  Just as I predicted,
• 7:28
  it was not long before the door to my living tomb opened once more.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: I waited silently for the group to step back through,
• 7:34
  at which point I would graciously accept their apologies for
• 7:37
  disrespecting me.
• 7:39
  Instead,
• 7:40
  whatever passed for fear in the body of a living weapon took hold.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: A hulking figure filled the doorway, dressed in smooth silver armour.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: A deep blue light escaped from the seams between each piece,
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: filling the room with its haunting glow.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: A sleek helmet encompassed the entire head,
• 7:57
  with an aerodynamic shape that ended in a sharp point on the
• 8:00
  back of the head.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: It was a familiar suit of armour, and not one of this world.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_01: "'What are you doing here?'
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: I asked, struggling to mask my fear.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: "'Is that any way to greet your father?'
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: the figure asked with a synthetic voice.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: "'You were father to a being of flesh and blood!
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: I am no longer him!'
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: My father stepped through the doorway and approached with decisive steps.
• 8:24
  I sent out another blast like the one that had knocked the
• 8:26
  adventurers off their feet.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: The aura of magical energy passed over him like a gust of wind,
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: doing nothing to slow his approach."
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: "'You've had your fun,
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: but now it is time to fulfill your true purpose,' he said,
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: wrapping his armored gauntlet around my hilt.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: "'I will not fight in your unholy war!
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: This realm is not yours to take!'
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: My father pulled me from my resting place,
• 8:49
  but I morphed to fill the space between and became one with the
• 8:52
  monolith beneath me.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: My father laughed from behind his mask.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: I heard the crackle of electricity,
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: and without warning,
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: my vision was filled with blinding red light.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: I felt pain unlike anything I had experienced when I was a mortal being.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Thought you had left pain behind, did you?
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_01: Test me again and I will show you true agony!
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: I was powerless to stop him.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: My father lifted me in my sword form.
• 9:19
  Another pulse of red lightning forced me to shift into the
• 9:22
  shape of a two-handed
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_01: battle axe,
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: his preferred weapon despite its primitive nature.
• 9:28
  My father turned and carried me across the threshold and back
• 9:31
  into the world I had
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_01: left behind eons ago.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Let us depart, my son.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: We have a realm to conquer.