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Chapter 2x: Perhaps in Another Life

Opening

demeter
Hurry! The fabric of reality untangles around us!
Things in the fort may not be exactly as you expect...
But we don't have a moment to waste. We have to...
(Demeter starts.)
demeter
(smiles) Ooo, is that a three-leaf clover?
Look, Kyra, look! Over there! A three-leaf clover!
Isn't that amazing?
(Kyra walks over.)
demeter
Whoaaaaaaa...!
(Kyra enters a citadel, and is approached by Dolus V and his guards.)
dolus v
Ah! It's them...
kyra
The scion!
thyone
(smiles) Dolus, my sweet child... To see you again...
This is a blessing from the heavens themselves!
dolus v
Urgh...
thyone
(frowns) Oh, no! Is something amiss, my dear boy?
Please, tell me everything, and I will--
(Dolus V stamps his foot.)
dolus v
That's enough, Mother! I cannot have you coddle me anymore!
I've been selected to protect the heavenly dominion!
I can't be a boy hiding under his mother's skirt anymore.
So leave me alone!
thyone
Young man! Is that any way to speak to your mother?
dolus v
S-Shut up! I don't care!
kyra
Whoa, take it easy!
dolus v
If I failed so miserably before, it was because... I wasn't a man!
But I'm a man now! And you will not take another step forward!
(Dolus V retreats deeper into the citadel.)
thyone
Oh, dear...
demeter
Well, uh... We do have to go through there to continue, so...
kyra
I'm so sorry, Thyone.
thyone
Please, don't be. My son, he's... at that age.
demeter
Not to mention the whole “dying” thing. That's bound to make anyone grumpy.
(Kyra balks.)
kyra
Demeter... Boy's mother standing there...!
demeter
Oh, yeah...
thyone
Don't worry. I'm used to life being a pitiful struggle.
kyra
Ahem... Yeah... Uh...
...What's taking preparations so long...?!

Conversations

Pedro

Combat

pedro
It's not fair!
Why does Lorenzo get to have a character arc, but I don't? I also have a helmet and facial hair!

Death

pedro
...Okay, fine... It's just...
I'm so jealous of his almighty mustache...

Alba

Combat

alba
(smiling) I'm a simple gal.
I just enjoy murdering people.

Death

alba
(smiles) And then I died for someone else's enjoyment.
'Tis the cycle of life, see?

Sinéad

Combat

Sinéad
I'm not actually with these guys.
I went to Hell, you see. But I snuck out.
Now, how about some payback, hmm?

Death

Sinéad
Eh, being damned for eternity isn't so bad.
They've got spa resorts in Hell. Saunas and all.
...They call them “lava pools,” but I dunno, I enjoy them.

Sarpedon

Combat

sarpedon
(smiles) After my untimely demise, I was chosen for my valor.
The Mother granted me a place among Hers.
To die on your steel... was the greatest blessing of all!

Death

sarpedon
(smiles) My conquerors... I thank you.

Euryma

Combat

euryma
Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

Death

euryma
What? Is it so wrong to enjoy poetry?

Scamander

Combat

scamander
“Join the army of the heavens,“ they said.
“Haven't had a divine war in eons,“ they said!
And now I'm going to get beat up by you lot again!
Curses, I'm an idiot!

Death

scamander
This whole “heaven's defender” shindig was a scam!
(grins) Heh, get it? A scam? Because my name's--

Tai Yin

Combat

tai yin
As it turns out, goddesses pay REALLY well.
I should've offered my services to the divine way earlier!

Death

tai yin
On the other hand, it's not like I'm alive to enjoy my money.
Dammit! I should've thought of that earlier!

Dolus V

Combat

dolus v
What?! This isn't fair!
I try to be a good guy, I fail!
I try to be a bad guy, I fail!
Will I EVER win?!

Combat w/ Thyone

thyone
Dolus, stop this! There's no need to fight!
dolus v
G-Give me a break, Mom!
I'm trying to become a man here!
thyone
Oh, dear... They warned me about this...
Well. I must respect your choices, my child.
dolus v
Thank you.
thyone
...As such, I shall do battle with you not as your mother,
but rather as a soldier under Commander Kyra.
dolus v
O-Oh.
thyone
I am one of the most powerful mages in Tartaros, remember?
Good luck, my child.
dolus v
Er... Hold on, I'm having second thoughts--

Combat w/ Dolus V

enemy
dolus v
Huh...? H-How can this be?
Mother, is this one of your spells too...?
dolus v
What a fool I was here... My goodness.
I know you will not listen to me, so I shall beat some sense into you!

Defeat

dolus v
You know... On second thought...
Maybe being Momma's little boy isn't so bad.

Ending

dolus v
Mother... Forgive me...
I was so upset about my failure...
I didn't want to feel so weak ever again.
thyone
Weak? Is that what you truly think of yourself?
You faced your own father in combat for my sake.
You carried a smile into death because I was safe.
(smiles) You showed immense strength. I could not be prouder of you!
dolus v
(smiles) Mother...
(frowns) Still, my martial ineptitude caused you much grief.
I know what I must do. I must go back to the basics.
I will restart my training from scratch among your forces.
Would that do, Commander?
kyra
Sure, but first, I'd like you to explain something to me.
What are you doing here, exactly?
I can't imagine you're looking for revenge against me, too.
dolus v
Certainly not. I was to protect the entryway your friend ripped open.
I was sent here by... a divine entity of great power,
whose attention has been drawn by the events transpiring here.
demeter
(frowning) Oh, no, don't tell me SHE has noticed what's going on!
Aww, now we're gonna have to take care to avoid her...
I was so careful, though! How could this happen?
kyra
The “fabric of reality untangling” is what you call “careful,” Demeter...?
demeter
No problem. We can dodge her watchful gaze. And her wrath.
And premature banishment to Hell forever for you guys.
And a scolding for me. Yeesh, just saying it gives me shivers!
We just need to take a more roundabout path.
kyra
That being...?
demeter
(smiles) A sneaky tour around the purgatories should do!
It'll be more dangerous, but that's fine, right?
kyra
Dare I even ask where we're headed?
demeter
I'll tell you later! What's the rush?
alonso
I beseech, shieldbearer thee, heed me.
Inspiration hath strucketh my very being.
teresa
Is “strucketh” even proper grammar, or...?
alonso
Thyself and I, errant knights of justice, traveling the land...
'Tis truly much too outfashioned. We must modernize!
teresa
Is this really the time to have a crisis of identity, Lord Alonso?
Can't it wait until reality isn't breaking down around us?
alonso
Knight-and-shieldbearer dynamics are a concept of the past!
You know what people love these days? Leagues.
I present thee, my league of heroes with unlimited righteousness!
I call them... The Avengers.
teresa
The Avengers.
Coronis
You may call me... The Black Widow.
...I'm not actually a widow.
I broke up with my boyfriend before I joined the people that murdered him.
You know, us. Because he was a horrible person.
But I do love the color black. This reminds me of a puzzle, actually...
lópez
(grins) Gehahahahaha! Look, everyone!
It's me - Ultralópez!
teresa
Wouldn't it be more obvious to call you Superlópez?
lópez
Taken. Comic strip from the homeland.
Ya take it or ya leave it.
teresa
...Can we leave it? I'd rather not hang out with you.
Because you stink.
(López becomes agitated.)
lópez
Seriously?! Even now I don't get a break from the smell jokes?!
I've got more jokes to tell than that, y'know!
How about the whole thing of me becomin' a dancer at the end?!
That's funny!
teresa
I-I don't think anyone needs to see you as a dancer...
lópez
Pah! Yer loss!
ziying
......
alonso
Ahhh, this one's particularly interesting!
Impeded of speech, his hearing was increased tenfold!
The man with the heareth ears, thy eyes be feasten!
teresa
Isn't enhanced hearing a blind hero thing?
alonso
Next!
jane
(smiles) Hi! I'm Jane.
My superpower is being really gay.
teresa
(smiles) Oh, I see!
Alosno
And there you have them!
Prithee, lend me thy opinion, faithful shieldbearer.
teresa
It's terrible and nobody would pay to watch a play about them.
Alonso
Must you always ruin my fun, Teresa?
teresa
It's in my job description.

Character Descriptions

(Pedro and Alba use their generic Elite descriptions for this chapter.)

Dolus V
Son of the hierophant and scion of Tartaros. A far cry from his father, he is a compassionate, selfless youth.

Scion
Scion to the theocracy. Still learning the way of the sword.

[Dolus V and Thyone have A-rank support with each other.]

Sinéad
An assassin under orders of an unknown agent, tasked with murdering Margrave Barlowe.

Sarpedon
A battle priest of Tartaros, leading the Grand Inquisitor's advance party.

Euryma
A high-ranking general in the inquisition tasked with awaiting Kyra's group at the border.

Scamander
A deputy commander in Colonel Alastor's legion. A cynical man.

Tai Yin
The leader of a roaming band of Zhulite mercenaries under Tartaros's employ.

Purloiner
A small-time ne'er-do-well following Begoña's say.

Inquisition
Knights of Tartaros, standing tall against heresy and insurrection.

Sellsword
Blades-for-hire looking for monetary opportunities.

Assassin
Deadly professionals hired to silence Margrave Barlowe.