Difference between revisions of "This/Survivors song/Part 5"

A fragment of the Garden of Remembering
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# ''Placeholder languages may be chosen/generated by automated processes.
# ''Placeholder languages may be chosen/generated by automated processes.
# ''To say '{{idioma|kauhistuksen kanahäkki|translate|chicken coop of terror}}' may apply.
# ''To say '{{idioma|kauhistuksen kanahäkki|translate|chicken coop of terror}}' may apply.
# ''Or not.


=== Surface ===
=== Surface ===
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The sea is calmish, with just enough waving to break up the brilliance of the sky. It's a huge sky, awash with swirls of colour and light, thousands and thousands and thousands of stars painting the canvas above with more light than dark, and beneath it the water gleams, a broken landscape of dark shadows and half stars and silver edges.
The sea is calmish, with just enough waving to break up the brilliance of the sky. It's a huge sky, awash with swirls of colour and light, thousands and thousands and thousands of stars painting the canvas above with more light than dark, and beneath it the water gleams, a broken landscape of dark shadows and half stars and silver edges.


The bubble erupts from the surface suddenly, popping out of the water and exploding on immersion into the atmosphere. The four kids fall out into the water.
The bubble erupts from the surface suddenly, popping out of the small waves and exploding on immersion into the atmosphere. The four kids, and two gogs, somehow still with them, fall out into the water.


Kit collapses and nearly sinks before Jora grabs him and holds him up.
Kit collapses and nearly sinks before Jora grabs him and holds him up.
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KIT
KIT
Ducks.
Ducks.
Nolan produces a duck. It flaps away awkwardly. One of the gogs gives chase, swimming after it.


ERRY
ERRY
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KIT
KIT
{{incantation|yaga dalamo yäig gugum|old|white swell water cold}}
{{incantation|yaga dalamo yäig gugum.|old|white swell water cold}}


He ties it all together with a flick and sags into Jora.
He ties it all together with a flick and sags into Jora.


The water before them begins to draw together, whitening, solidifying into a mostly flat block of ice rising almost a foot out of the water, big enough to fit the lot of them. A slight wall lines the edges.
The water before them begins to draw together, whitening, solidifying into a mostly flat block of ice rising almost a foot out of the water, big enough to fit the lot of them. A slight wall lines the edges.
The gogs climb on, one of them now dragging a be-webbed duck.


Nolan hoists Erry onto it and climbs in after.
Nolan hoists Erry onto it and climbs in after.
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Nuhh-huh.
Nuhh-huh.


Jora tries to life Kit onto the ice raft, and Nolan pulls him up the rest of the way. Kit doesn't move, just collapses onto the ice, asleep.
Jora tries to lift Kit onto the ice raft, and Nolan pulls him up the rest of the way. Kit doesn't move, just collapses onto the ice, asleep.


Nolan pulls Jora up as well.
Nolan pulls Jora up as well.
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ERRY
ERRY
We'll run out of food first. Even if we eat you.
We'll run out of food first. Even if we eat you. And your duck.


JORA
JORA
We're not eating Nolan.
We're not eating Nolan.


A large fish, several feet long, flies out of the water and bounces onto the raft with a wet plop, winding up half on top of Kit. It has several large tooth holes in it, trickling blood.
A large fish, several feet long, flies out of the water and bounces onto the raft with a wet plop, winding up half on top of Kit. It has several large holes in it, trickling blood.
 
The gogs skitter away.


Kit doesn't stir.
Kit doesn't stir.
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</screenplay>
</screenplay>


=== Librarian and Library ===
=== Failure case ===


<screenplay>
<screenplay>
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EXT. Soravian wilderness - morning
EXT. Soravian wilderness - morning


Coraline awakens in the tall dry grass, tied to a tree much as before, but now also gagged, her mouth covered, a cloth shoved in such that she cannot close it or move her tongue at all. She gags on the gag, trying to vomit, but it doesn't work. Instead she chokes, the vomit going up her nose, painfully, drowningly. She struggles futilely.
Coraline awakens in the tall dry grass, tied to a tree much as before, but now also gagged, her mouth covered, a cloth shoved in so that she cannot close it or move her tongue at all. She gags on the gag, trying to vomit, but it doesn't work. Instead she chokes, the vomit going up her nose, painfully, drowningly. She struggles futilely.


Vardaman casts a quick spell over Coraline. Her staff is slung over Vardaman's shoulder. Her bag is in his belt.
Agata and Argument of Hags are around.


Agata and Argument of Hags are around.
Vardaman hurries over and casts a quick spell over Coraline. Her staff is slung across his back. Her bag is on his belt.


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
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CORALINE
CORALINE
What?!
(coughing)
What?


Vardaman stuffs the cloth back into Coraline's mouth, replacing the gag.
Vardaman stuffs the cloth back into Coraline's mouth, replacing the gag.
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''I have to kill him, don't I? There's no other way out of this...
''I have to kill him, don't I? There's no other way out of this...


He pulls the gag down off Coraline's mouth again, and she spits out the cloth in.
Vardaman pulls the gag down off Coraline's mouth again, and she spits out the cloth in.


CORALINE
CORALINE
{{idioma|Haista vittu.|translate|fuck you}}
{{idioma|Haista vittu.|translate|Fuck you.}}


AGATA
AGATA
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CORALINE
CORALINE
{{idioma|Nyt sä vittu kuolet!|translate|now you're fucking gonna die}} I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you. Fuck you. Fuck Kyrule. I'll take you behind the sauna!
{{idioma|Nej!|translate|No!}} {{idioma|Nyt sä vittu kuolet!|translate|Now you're fucking gonna die!}} I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you. Fuck you. Fuck Kyrule.
{{incantation|I'll take you...}}
 
Vardaman claps a hand over Coraline's mouth, but then nothing happens anyway.


Darkness swirls at the edge of Coraline's vision. Voices whisper, though they are not of the Death of Souls. They seem older, deadlier.
Darkness swirls at the edge of Coraline's vision. Voices whisper, though they are not of the Death of Souls. They seem older, deadlier.
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VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
(lowering his hand)
I don't seem to be dead.
I don't seem to be dead.


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CORALINE
CORALINE
(angrily pulling against the ropes)
(pulling against the ropes)
I'm not ironic! Touch me again and I'll kill you!
I'm not ironic! Touch me again and I'll kill you!


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VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
Why not use your magic before? Why cover yourself in so many lies, even now?
Why not use your magic before?
Why cover yourself in so many lies, even now?
Who are you?
Who are you?


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HNNGNNN!
HNNGNNN!


Vardaman regards Coraline blankly for a moment.
Vardaman regards Coraline flatly for a moment.


Coraline sinks back down into the grass.
Coraline sinks back down into the grass.
VARDAMAN
I'll let you contemplate this.
Vardaman flicks a large golden coin onto Coraline's lap. On its face is the mask and skull of Kyrule.


AGATA
AGATA
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''I know. It sucks. Deal with it.
''I know. It sucks. Deal with it.


Coraline whimpers unhappily, vaguely staring at the coin. The details on the mask stand out impossibly shiny.
Coraline whimpers unhappily.


CORALINE
CORALINE
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''Thank you for sticking around...
''Thank you for sticking around...


Agata purrs.
Agata plonks down next to Coraline and purrs.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''You may be miserable, but you're fun. Telling a Deathdealer fuck him and his god? That you're going to kill him? Stupid, but very fun, especially the things his face does. And I'm rather enjoying this whole side plot with Kyrule's Voice. Getting to watch that... well, you, of all people, as one of his Keepers is bound to get interesting.
''You may be miserable, but you're fun. Telling a Deathdealer fuck him and his god? That you're going to kill him? Stupid, but very fun, especially the things his face does. And I'm rather enjoying this whole side plot with Kyrule's Voice. Getting to watch that... well, you, of all people, as one of his Keepers is bound to get interesting.
''What's with the coin?


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Dunno.
''That assumes I don't die first.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Because I think that one's yours.
''So don't.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''{{idioma|Voi paska.}} Did I not put that away?
''{{idioma|Voi paska!}} That's what I'm doing wrong. I'm dying!


AGATA
AGATA
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''Mmm, butter shit. I bet all the dogs go for that one.
''Mmm, butter shit. I bet all the dogs go for that one.


Coraline chokes on a mangled sob-laugh.


Vardaman frowns, watching.


Coraline knocks the coin into the grass with her knee.
Vardaman sits down by the horses, watching Coraline, or as he knows her, Amadi. Maybe. He is beginning to doubt much of her story, and yet there are also things he cannot quite shake.


Vardaman opens his fist on his lap, revealing a large golden coin. On its face is the mask and skull of Kyrule.


He opens his other, and in it is another matching coin. This one has on it a figure of scales. He turns it over, revealing the mask and skull.


Later, when Vardaman hoists Coraline back up, he pockets the coin, and doesn't untie her from the tree. Instead, he pulls the gag back out and holds a bottle of vodka near Coraline's mouth, staying close.
He gives Coraline an appraising look, but she's simply hanging limply, staring at the grass. Agata is curled up by her leg, doing apparently nothing either.
 
VARDAMAN
(quietly)
Keepers, what am I doing? Who are you?
 
Agata raises her head slightly and stares at him, and then slowly closes her eyes and opens them again.
 
 
 
Later, when Vardaman hoists Coraline back up, he doesn't untie her from the tree. Instead, he pulls the gag back out and holds a bottle of vodka near Coraline's mouth, still holding her arms up over her head.


Coraline tries to move her head to the bottle, but Vardaman pulls it back.
Coraline tries to move her head to the bottle, but Vardaman pulls it back.


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
You're speaking to your cat. Even now. I don't know how, with your magic bound, but you are.
You're no Deathdealer.
 
CORALINE
Oh, now you're Captain Obvious too? Am I just stuck on a whole planet of Captain Obviouses?!
 
VARDAMAN
Are you... Ordian?
 
CORALINE
No.
 
VARDAMAN
You're lying.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Well who else am I going to talk to, Kyrule?
What's your point?


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
Perhaps you should.
Speak to me. You're dying, but your life need not be so miserable before the end.
Do you think I ''want'' to do this to you? If I knew what your capabilities were, if I could trust you in any way...
 
CORALINE
Even if I told you the truth you wouldn't believe me, and I can't... I can't do that.
 
VARDAMAN
What is the truth?
 
Coraline meets his gaze, but doesn't answer.
 
VARDAMAN
I know you have means to communicate with your cat, even with your magic bound. I know you have mage training, and martial too, though you present as a witch. I know you serve Kyrule.
You're clearly no stranger to suffering. You're well-spoken across several languages, so you're no commoner. And yet you also know your way around animals, and wilderness, well enough even to throw me off, through non-magical means.
 
CORALINE
So?
 
VARDAMAN
And you keep secrets. You play a better game than most agents.
 
CORALINE
Take this one to the grave.
 
VARDAMAN
There is nothing for you in death!
 
CORALINE
It's still ''my'' death. Doesn't that count for anything?
 
VARDAMAN
Normally it would.


He puts the bottle to Coraline's mouth, and she warily takes a drink.
He puts the bottle to Coraline's mouth, and she warily takes a drink.
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CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''My magic is bound?
''I've played too many cards already. If this doesn't work...
''Also, my magic is bound? What does that mean?


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Suppression spell. Ignore it. Doesn't seem to affect you anyway.
''Suppression spell. Ignore it. Doesn't seem to affect you anyway. This will work, don't worry.


When they return to the horses, the one Coraline had stolen before nickers softly, turning toward Coraline. Coraline pulls a bit toward it as well, but Vardaman directs her instead to a different one, lifts her into the saddle, amd mounts quickly behind her.
When they return to the horses, the one Coraline had stolen before nickers softly, turning toward Coraline. Coraline pulls a bit toward it as well, but Vardaman directs her instead to a different one, lifts her up, and mounts quickly behind her.


Vardaman holds her tightly as they head out once more.
Vardaman holds her tightly as they head out once more.


For a time, Coraline simply waits, looking out over the brown landscape and barren trees, just focusing on breathing. Then she closes her eyes, and looks properly out at the world without them.
For a few minutes, Coraline simply waits, looking out over the brown landscape and barren trees, trying to compose herself, focusing on breathing. Then she closes her eyes, and looks out at the world without them.
 
Everything is dark, thin. The landscape shows itself as edges, smears, ghosts of trees and rocks. The sky is a void, hungering, lingering. Behind it all, stars poke through, ancient and terrible, singing. Sand trickles, hinting, whispering. Points of light distort the edges, trailing their essence behind them. A bird in the sky becomes a strange smear. Larger animals, huddled down, give off distorted glows. Sprites glimmer with tenuous light.
 
Her own self is a darkness to rival the sky, a shape she can't make out. Vardaman is a brightness to rival the sun. The horses and cats are far more normal, simply shapes of horses and cats, glowing beneath her and behind.


Everything is dark, thin. The landscape shows itself as edges, smears, ghosts of trees and rocks. The sky is a void, hungering, lingering. Behind it all, stars poke through, ancient and terrible, singing. Sand trickles, hinting, whispering. Points of light distort the edges, trailing their essence behind them. A bird in the sky becomes a simple smear. Larger animals, huddled down, give off distorted glows. Sprites glimmer with tenuous light.
Coraline reaches into Vardaman's brightness, feeling it all around her, almost a part of her. His arms are the conduit, his chest the core. She can feel his life, his strangeness, his simple fragility, and takes it all into her mind. For a moment she simply holds it there. Somewhere, she thinks, ''I'm sorry.''


Her own self is a darkness to rival the sky. Vardaman is a brightness to rival the sun. The horses and cats are far more normal, simply shapes of horses and cats, glowing beneath her and behind.
Vardaman moves behind her, almost as if he heard.


Coraline reaches into Vardaman's brightness, feeling it all around her, almost a part of her. His arms are the conduit, his chest the core. She can feel his life, his strangeness, his simple fragility, and takes it all into her mind. For a moment she simply holds it there, and then she flips it, twisting it in on itself, turning it out.
And then Coraline flips it, twisting it in on itself, turning it out.


Except nothing happens. The brightness remains. Vardaman... remains.
Except nothing happens. The brightness remains. Vardaman... remains.
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Nnngh?
Nnngh?


Desperately Coraline opens her eyes, the brightness of the world flooding back as light, a thin layer over the darkness behind the world, even as she finds the horse underneath her instead with her mind, finding its essense, its life, and turns that out.
Desperately Coraline opens her eyes, the brightness of the world flooding back as light, a thin layer over the darkness behind the world, even as she finds the horse underneath her instead with her mind, finding its essence, its life, and turns that out instead.


The horse crumples beneath them, falling over, dead, its life suddenly just gone. Vardaman pulls Coraline off as it falls, losing hold of her momentarily as he rolls away, and quickly gets up. Coraline yells in surprise, but gets up quickly and starts running in a random direction.
The horse crumples beneath them, falling over, dead, its life suddenly just gone. Vardaman pulls Coraline off as it falls, losing hold of her momentarily as he rolls away, and quickly gets up. Coraline yells in surprise, but gets up quickly and starts running in a random direction.
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Hnnnugh hnngnnn nnn!
Hnnnugh hnngnnn nnn!


Vardaman pulls out her gag.
Vardaman shoves Coraline aside and grabs Agata instead.
 
VARDAMAN
Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end you, cat.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Leave her out of this! She doesn't even care; she's just here because it amuses her.
NNRRNGH!
 
Coraline charges Vardaman, headbutting him. She bounces off harmlessly, falling in a heap off to the side.
 
AGATA
Because my life sustains hers. Take mine away, and she will become that much weaker, that much closer to the turning.
You want her alive? Then you need me alive too.
 
Vardaman frowns, but lets Agata go. Agata hops away and jumps up onto some rocks a few metres away.
 
Vardaman picks up Coraline again, gripping her in one arm, and then holds out his other hand, palm up.


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
She helped you.
{{incantation|Come.}}


CORALINE
A black soulstone appears in his hand.
Of course she helped me! If I'm dead, I can't amuse her. She's a fucking cat!
 
To Coraline, there is something wrong about it, more so than with any of the others before, and she tries to shy away from it, but Vardaman's grip doesn't let her.


VARDAMAN
He places the soulstone to her chest.
And you expect me to believe you didn't do this?


CORALINE
Coraline screams, a muffled wail of all consonants. Something inside her breaks. The voices rise to a thunder in her head. The starsong hurtles into her mind. The blackness is everywhere, everything too bright to see, crushing.
Do what?!


Coraline looks toward the horse with her best impression of bewilderment. It's pretty good.
Coraline struggles violently, kicking, twisting, trying to get away, needing to, more than anything.


AGATA
Vardaman draws the soulstone back away from her.
(hopping onto the dead horse)
Mmm, dead horse beast. So useful.


Vardaman lowers his sword uncertainly.
Coraline stops struggling, but remains very tense, hyperventilating, staring at the soulstone in horror.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Try giving him an aneurysm or something.
''Names? Names!
 
VARDAMAN
What the fuck?
{{incantation|Go.}}


Coraline gives Agata a confused look, but tries to do various blood-related things regardless as Vardaman deals with the horses, still holding her in an arm.
The soulstone vanishes. Coraline immediately relaxes, collapsing in his arm.
 
Vardaman lowers her to the ground, pulling down her gag.
 
VARDAMAN
Speak.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mumbling)
''I can't. I can't target anything specific without being able to use my hands. I might be able to thrombus his arms or something, but what good would that do?
They need to stop their experiments.


AGATA
VARDAMAN
(mind voice)
What experiments?
''I find it hilarious that you know this stuff.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mumbling)
''I really don't.
The Eternal was right. They need to...
 
VARDAMAN
The Eternal?
 
Coraline passes out.
 
Vardaman glances at Agata.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
Don't do that again.
''Knife?


CORALINE
VARDAMAN
(mind voice)
Who experimented on her?
''With what? I've no hands, and I'm no foot magician.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
No one.
''You may have a problem.
 
VARDAMAN
She just said...
 
Agata sticks a leg up and starts licking her butt.


CORALINE
VARDAMAN
(mind voice)
I'm talking to a fucking cat.
''Just one?




EXT. Soravian wilderness - noonish
EXT. Soravian wilderness - noonish


Vardaman continues on, hauling Coraline along bound and gagged, leaving the dead horse behind. They go slower now, resting the horses longer. They stop by a small stand of tall trees, Vardaman tying Coraline to another tree, Coraline almost hanging from her arms held above her head as she tries to sit.
Vardaman continues on, hauling Coraline along bound and gagged, leaving the dead horse behind. He goes slower now, resting the remaining horses longer, and stops by a small stand of tall trees, tying Coraline to another tree, Coraline almost hanging from her arms held above her head as she drifts in and out of consciousness.
 
Vardaman squats next to her and pulls the gag out again. She doesn't respond, so he follows up by slapping her a bit in the face.


Vardaman squats next to her and pulls the gag out again. Coraline very calmly vomits a bit in response.
Coraline very calmly vomits a bit in response.


CORALINE
CORALINE
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VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
What did you say?
What?


CORALINE
CORALINE
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VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
You're a Voice? What the fuck?!
You're a Voice.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Line 514: Line 607:


CORALINE
CORALINE
(pleadingly)
Let me go.
Let me go.


Line 521: Line 613:


CORALINE
CORALINE
What?! But... you... you're...
What? But... you... you're...


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
Line 587: Line 679:
INT. Grey Lobby
INT. Grey Lobby


Coraline and Agata appear in the Lobby very suddenly. A small group of Keepers are arguing nearby.
Coraline and Agata appear in the Lobby very suddenly, Coraline for some reason holding Agata like a sack of flour. A small group of Keepers are arguing nearby. The boy in green is a bit off to the side, glaring at them disappointedly, though he brightens up at seeing Coraline appear.
 
Coraline stares at them hopelessly.


The Voice of Kyrule strolls over.
The Voice of Kyrule strolls over.
Line 597: Line 687:


CORALINE
CORALINE
(loudly)
(incredulously)
Jumping off a cliff?
Jumping off a cliff?


The Keepers turn, surprised.
The other Keepers turn, surprised.


VOICE OF KYURLE
The boy in green breaks into a grin.
It is an option.


AGATA
AGATA
For the record, I was joking.
For the record, I was joking.
Agata jumps up onto Coraline's head, climbing on her arm and shoulders, and then jumps across to the Voice's head, causing Coraline to have to take a step back to maintain her balance.
AGATA
But maybe he's onto something.
(she crouches, peering down at the Voice's face)
Hmm?
CORALINE
(tiredly)
Well, at least as long as we're all on the same page, here...
VOICE OF KYRULE
Your situation is unfortunate, but you must understand what happened is not something we can help. You were warned.
The Voice reaches up and pushes Agata's head out of his face with the side of a finger.
AGATA
Meow.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Yeah, sure.
Arrrrgh.


Coraline sits down heavily and flops back onto the floor.
Coraline sits down heavily and flops back onto the floor.
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See, this is the point where I would totally just fuck everything and kill myself with a shovel. If I could. Which I can't. Yeeeeah.
See, this is the point where I would totally just fuck everything and kill myself with a shovel. If I could. Which I can't. Yeeeeah.


The Voice stands over her and peers down as much as he can without dislodging the cat on his head.
The other Keepers come over, concerned.
 
A couple of the Keepers come over as well.


WOMAN IN BROWN
WOMAN IN BROWN
(kneeling by Coraline's side)
(touching Coraline's arm)
Whatever you're going through, the Eternal is with you. It can't possibly be so bad...
Whatever you're going through, the Eternal is with you. It can't possibly be so bad...


Line 649: Line 717:
There are nine. You're not quite there yet.
There are nine. You're not quite there yet.


Coraline stares at the Voice blankly.
Coraline stares up at the Voice blankly.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Did you... just make a joke?
Did you... just make a joke?


The Voice lifts Agata off his head, and leans down and hauls Coraline up by an arm.
BOY IN GREEN
See, if you really do want to jump off a cliff, I think it's doable. We just need... hmm. I'ma have to go give it a look.


The woman in brown jumps back.
The boy disappears.


Agata settles on Coraline's shoulders instead.
The Voice leans down and hauls Coraline up by an arm, and the Lobby shifts around them, fading, darkening, into a room almost, but not entirely, exactly identical. The architecture is a little different. The furniture is against the walls. The light is dimmer. Dull windows look out over a grey city.
 
They're alone, now. The other Keepers are just gone.
 
The darkness at the edges of everything creeps in tendrils, sparkling. Coraline pointedly ignores it, and gives the Voice a confused look. Agata jumps up onto her head.


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
Come. There is something you should see.
This has gone far enough. You need to win this fight.


The Voice gestures over the other Keepers, and draws Coraline into another space entirely.
CORALINE
This fight?


VOICE OF KYRULE
With Ense Vardaman. With your predicament. With the Death of Souls. All of these, it is up to you, your task, your challenge.


INT. Library of Souls
CORALINE
Right. So with Ense... with Vardaman, just so we're entirely clear here, what happened was... I tried to tell him what to do as a Voice. He decided not to. As a Voice.
Stalemate?


It's a large space, a grand space. The prevailing colour is white, with smooth white stone architecture and soft white light permeating everything, glowing out of the walls, drifting down from the high, vaulted ceiling. Vast shelves fill the floor, rising up in a grand maze that fades into the white, filled with books of every style, every colour, every language. They are grouped similarly, and they are all glowing, each a little different from the next.
VOICE OF KYRULE
Not exactly.


The Voice and Coraline appear in a wide corridor between the shelves, with a line of elegant white tables set out down its length. The space is eerily quiet, and yet full of whispers, and the faintest sounds of writing.
CORALINE
Well we've basically got Voice on Voice where one has the other trussed up like a piece of livestock, so who exactly wins, here?


Agata half climbs over Coraline's head and peers off at a random shelf.
VOICE OF KYRULE
That is up to you.


A winged cat peers down from the top of the shelf, and then retreats back from the edge.
CORALINE
Oh?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
This is the Library of Souls, the greatest power and the greatest treasure guarded by the Eternal. For every soul that is and ever was, there is a book, complete to the instant, either the now, or of its death.
The Voices speak for the Eternal. In light of a disagreement, arbitration is determined by rank, and failing that, who is correct in practice. Should you escape, it becomes our will that you go free. Should you fail...


CORALINE
CORALINE
And what is in these books?
I did! I already escaped, he just hunted me down again!


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
Their stories. Their secrets. Everything they are, everything they've done, every thought they hide from the world. It is all here.
That was before you invoked your right as Voice.


CORALINE
CORALINE
For everyone.
What... so I could have done that in the first place, and it would have been good enough?!
Why in the hells did you tell me to not tell him then?
 
VOICE OF KYRULE
That decision may have been in error.
 
Coraline stares at him, and sputters a bit.
 
AGATA
A god, admitting an error? Whatever next? Dogs meowing? Cats? Barking?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
Yes.
This error must be amended.
 
AGATA
Woof?


CORALINE
CORALINE
In all the worlds? Are you in here? Am I?
What... can't Kyrule just make some miracle? Send someone to go say 'Oi this matter is settled sod off'?
Is... Kyrule?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
Yes.
That would be you. That is what the Voices are.


Something niggles in the back of Coraline's mind. The sand drifting in the black behind the worlds...
CORALINE
(pumping her arms up like a cheer)
Whooo! I failed!
 
The Voice gives Coraline a flat look.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Why are you showing me this?
Sorry.


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
You are the Librarian. The Apostate Keeper, locked in an impossible predicament. You need to win this fight, and so it is time that we trusted you in full.
Will you continue? See this out to the end?


CORALINE
CORALINE
What fight?
Sure, why not?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
With Ense Vardaman. With your predicament. With the Death of Souls. All of these, it is up to you, your task, your challenge.
How far are you willing to go?


CORALINE
CORALINE
Right. So with Ense... with Vardaman, just so we're entirely clear here, what happened was... I tried to tell him what to do as a Voice. He decided not to. As a Voice.
How far do I need to? I tried your way. I tried mine! Nothing's worked. Nothing.
Stalemate?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
Not exactly.
How certain are you of your will?


CORALINE
CORALINE
Well we've basically got Voice on Voice where one has the other trussed up like a piece of livestock, so who exactly wins, here?
I don't... what?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
That is up to you.
What are you willing to risk?


CORALINE
CORALINE
Oh?
Everything.


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
The Voices speak for the Eternal. In light of a disagreement, arbitration is determined by who wins in practice. Should you escape, it becomes our will that you go free. Should you fail...
And should you fail, who will mourn your passing?


CORALINE
CORALINE
I did! I already escaped, he just hunted me down again!
Uh...
 
There's an awkward silence, and then Coraline uncertainly raises a hand and points toward the cat on her head, looking a bit skeptical.
 
Agata purrs loudly.


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
That was before you invoked your right as Voice.
Do you regret the choices that brought you here? Will you regret one more?


CORALINE
CORALINE
What... so I could have done that in the first place, and it would have been good enough?!
Probably, but that's hardly a reason to stop.
Why in the hells did you tell me to not tell him then?


VOICE OF KYRULE
VOICE OF KYRULE
That decision may have been in error.
Then we shall see who you are, Coraline Henderson.
 
 
EXT. Soravian wilderness - early afternoon
 
Coraline awakens suddenly, just in time to catch her bindings digging in particularly painfully as Vardaman hoists her up against the tree.
 
CORALINE
Nrrggaaagh!
 
Her nose, at least, is mostly clear again. Her head, not so much.
 
VARDAMAN
I'm sorry. I am not trying to hurt you.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''Ow. Also what the crap?


Coraline stares at him, and sputters a bit.
Vardaman ungags Coraline, gives her some vodka and water, and then regags her, patting her down. His search is quite thorough, feeling her exactingly, but Coraline just ignores it as always.


AGATA
AGATA
A god, admitting an error? Whatever next? Dogs meowing? Cats? Barking?
(mind voice)
''I'll admit that was somewhat odd.


Coraline gives Agata a surprised look.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''I've read Kyrule's secret book back to front, cat, and tried to make sense of even some of it, and frankly that exchange made even the least sensical bits of that book seem bloody purposeful. Possibly because they tended to have context, admittedly. Or notes complaining about the lack of context.


AGATA
AGATA
Woof?
(mind voice)
''Well, at least you're not feeling quite so hopeless anymore.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''How can I possibly feel hopeless when I'm this bloody confused?!


VOICE OF KYRULE
AGATA
This error must be amended.
(mind voice)
''Heh. It did remind you of one thing, though...


CORALINE
CORALINE
Can't Kyrule just make some miracle? Send someone to go say 'Yo this matter is settled sod off'?
(mind voice)
''Well, sure, there's the nonsense hopefuls apparently go through to become Deathdealers, but that's some actual trials. Tests. Things. And names.
''They, like, fight things. Or stuff.
 
AGATA
Oy Deathdealer. When you lot go through your trials, what's that like?
 
VARDAMAN
What?
 
AGATA
We were wondering. My human thinks it's all about fighting stuff. I think it's more about... questions. Out with it, will you?
 
Vardaman stops mid-search, turns to stare at Agata, sitting serenely on the ground behind him.


VOICE OF KYRULE
Coraline just stands there, unable to really do much else. One of Vardaman's hands is on her arms, holding them up. His other is on her boob. She gives it an annoyed look.
That would be you. That is what the Keepers are.


CORALINE
VARDAMAN
(pumping her arms up like a cheer)
What questions, exactly, do you think they are?
Whooo! I failed!


The Voice gives Coraline a flat look.
AGATA
(mind voice)
''Names? Throw me something here.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Sorry.
(mind voice)
''Will. Questioning. Regrets. Not sure about the other. Where the hells are you going with this?
 
AGATA
Your will.


VOICE OF KYRULE
Vardaman frowns.
(gesturing to the stacks)
This is for you. The Eternal has here all the knowledge of all the universe. Use it, and find a way to save yourself.


AGATA
AGATA
Do you give all your apostates the keys to everything, or just the really crazy ones?
What you will question. What you will give up.


VOICE OF KYRULE
VARDAMAN
There have been three, now. Bertram, Shalias, and Coraline.
No.
Whatever you choose do with it, it will not be like the others. That is certain.


AGATA
AGATA
And you're suggesting we use all of this to find a way to make jumping off a cliff actually work?
Whether you regret the choices that brought you here. Whether you might regret one more.


VOICE OF KYRULE
There's a long, awful silence.
For instance.
 
VARDAMAN
How can you possibly know that?
Who are you?


AGATA
AGATA
(purring)
I'm a cat. Duh.
You, my boy, are my kind of crazy.


CORALINE
CORALINE
All this because... I got stuck in a Voice-off? So I can jump off a cliff?
(mind voice)
''Have I ever mentioned how much I adore you?
''Also I don't think I've ever felt more like a stage prop in my life. Including that time I literally was a stage prop in comp school.
 
AGATA
I note that you still haven't answered my question.


VOICE OF KYRULE
Vardaman ignores her and goes back to checking Coraline, checking both boobs, feeling around the edges of her bra, and then pausing at her cleavage. He nudges at it more, and then stops at the fragment, holding it through her coat and shirt.
You have the means to find your own path. Use it.
 
CORALIN
(mind voice)
''Voi vittu.
 
VARDAMAN
What's this?


The Voice turns as if to leave.
Coraline just gives him an annoyed look.


CORALINE
Vardaman reaches up under Coraline's shirt and fetches the fragment.
Wait. You said Kyrule has one too? A book?
Can I read it?


The Voice regards her for a long moment. Around them is only silence, and the sound of sand.
Coraline makes an indignant noise.


Finally he nods, once.
As soon as Vardaman takes the fragment away, the voices clatter out of the cracks in reality around Coraline, jarring, bright, strange, pushing down on her like a horrible weight. A whole lot of other strangeness fades away almost as immediately.


VOICE OF KYRULE
Coraline tenses up awkwardly, blinking in confusion, trying not to... anything. She doesn't even know herself.
That is your right.
Follow me.


The Voice leads Coraline into the stacks, into the maze, past shelves upon shelves. The pages whisper of civilisations come and gone, of entire worlds wiped out. There is a sense, as they pass, of the Library shifting itself to their destination, taking them ever deeper. Shelves rumble around them.
AGATA
(mind voice)
''Names?


The shelf they find themselves facing is, as with all of them, full of books. The names of gods, and of other things, adorn their spines.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''I'm fine, probably. It was just surprising, and annoying. And I guess it was helping even more than I realised. {{idioma|Perkele.}}


The Voice stands by, watching.
Vardaman gives the shard a worried look, clearly recognising it, and turns back to Coraline with some concern before pulling the gag out and pushing Coraline's arms back up against the tree above her head.


Coraline goes over and trails a finger over some of the spines, and then selects a simple grey volume with a smooth cover, marked only by a figure of a mask. She pulls it out carefully. The front has a name: ''Aekrin Dri''. She glances back toward the Voice, but he doesn't say anything.
AGATA
(mind voice)
''You're not fine. Get it back.


Coraline opens the book, flipping through the first few pages, and begins to Read.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''How?


Vaguely, in the world of the living, Coraline feels the shifts from horse to horse, and the cold as night falls, and Vardaman ties her to another tree and feeds her food and vodka, slowly, so, so slowly. She doesn't respond when he slaps her face. It doesn't matter. It's a world away, slowed in the background, unimportant. She remains in the Library, Reading on, even as the Voice continues to stand by behind her, observing, even as tendrils of black lick around the edges of her sight, gleaming, even as the sand roars into the forefront.
VARDAMAN
(holding up the fragment in his other hand)
How did you get this?


CORALINE
(rather loudly)
I am the Baron of Fartswetly, bearer of the legendary blade of Con Cebolla, worn at the battle of the Great Fortress of Bleugh! All things come to me!


EXT. Soravian wilderness; somewhere - night
VARDAMAN
I had this in my things. You're a thief, too?


Agata, too, is paying little attention, balled up in a giant fluffwad on one of the horses. Vardaman nudges at her, and the cat bites his fingers warningly.
CORALINE
The Baron of Fartswetly has many means. Means and ways. Ways and means.


Vardaman frowns.
VARDAMAN
Why this? Why is it important?


AGATA
CORALINE
Don't do that.
Your friends in the woods wondered that too. They tested it against the Death of Souls, and it exploded. The Eternal felt that dearly, you know. So many souls snuffed out. So many of the faithful denied their endings.


VARDAMAN
VARDAMAN
What?
What?
CORALINE
The shard should be with me. That is why you had it, Ense Vardaman. Just in case.
VARDAMAN
In case of what?
CORALINE
In case it could help, of course. Now give the Baron of Fartswetly her due.
Coraline beckons with her head.


AGATA
AGATA
Wake a sleeping cat. It's rude.
(mind voice)
''Why are you antagonising him?
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''Why not? How much worse could this possibly get?


VARDAMAN
Vardaman sighs and regags Coraline, stuffing the cloth back in her mouth and pocketing the fragment. Coraline bites at his fingers around it, but he ignores this and pulls up and tightens the outer gag holding it in.
You've been sleeping all day. Amadi too.


AGATA
AGATA
And we're going to keep right at it, if you please.
(mind voice)
Why are you complaining? You want to move her, this is her not trying to kill you while you do it.
''He may yet kill you. For real.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''Okay, yes. That would be... bad.


</screenplay>
</screenplay>


=== Real world ===
=== Building ===


<screenplay>
<screenplay>
Line 856: Line 1,039:
EXT. Lauhen sea - day
EXT. Lauhen sea - day


The days pass slowly. The raft floats vaguely, bobbing and turning occasionally, often simply sitting on the surface of the ocean. It's stable. It works. It is an absolute dead end.
The raft floats vaguely, bobbing and turning occasionally, often simply sitting on the surface of the ocean. It's stable. It works. It is an absolute dead end.


The sky above them is utterly, utterly empty, and very blue.
The sky above them is utterly, utterly empty, and very blue.


The sea below is dark and blue.
The sea below is dark and very blue.
 
Kit wakes up suddenly, looks around, and immediately regrets it.
 
The others barely react, either.
 
Kit sits there for a bit, staring dejectedly out over the sea.


KIT
KIT
So I can't help noticing... we seem to be lost at sea?
So correct me if I'm wrong, but... we seem to be lost at sea?


NOLAN
NOLAN
Line 879: Line 1,068:
KIT
KIT
Oh.
Oh.
Well, we seem to be lost at sea.
Nobody responds.


JORA
JORA
We need shelter and water. Bearings would be good if we had anywhere to go, but we don't even know where we are. The fish appears to be edible raw, but it already went bad and we had to throw it back into the water, so we're back down to what we brought with us for food.
We need shelter and water. Bearings would be good if we had anywhere to go, but we don't know where we are. The fish appears to be edible raw, but then it started going bad and the gogs ate the rest, so now we're back down to what we brought with us for food.


KIT
KIT
Line 974: Line 1,160:
EXT. Lauhen sea - day
EXT. Lauhen sea - day


It's later. The raft now has an assortment of all the things on it. Poles are grown up out of the corners, arching up into a pointed roof, covered in an awning which hangs down like curtains and blocks out the sun, though it's pulled open on two sides so they can still see out over the water. Barrel-like tubs of fresh water are shoved into a corner. Some weapons and various tools are piled up on the floor. A wad of fabric attempts is piled up next to them.
It's later. The raft now has an assortment of all the things on it. Poles are grown up out of the corners, arching up into a pointed roof, covered in an awning which hangs down like curtains and blocks out the sun, though it's pulled open on two sides so they can still see out over the water. Barrel-like tubs of desalinated water are shoved into a corner. Some weapons and various tools are piled up on the floor. A wad of fabric attempts is piled up next to them.


Erry is half-hanging off the side of the raft, trailing a hand in the water. Shoved into the far corner in the shade, Kit is very irritably making arrows, handing each one off to Nolan, who nods and then adds them to a pile. Jora has a glass of water, calmly sipping it.
Erry is half-hanging off the side of the raft, trailing a hand in the water. Shoved into the far corner in the shade, Kit is very irritably making arrows, handing each one off to Nolan, who nods and then adds them to a pile. Jora has a glass of water, calmly sipping it.
Line 1,001: Line 1,187:
So this is fun, and all.
So this is fun, and all.


Erry clomps over to the fabric attempts and plonks down on them, making a makeshift nest for herself.
Erry clomps over to the fabric attempts and plonks down on them with a loud crunching noise, making a makeshift nest for herself.


KIT
KIT
Line 1,013: Line 1,199:
Erry totally accidentally smacks Nolan in the head with a fishing pole.
Erry totally accidentally smacks Nolan in the head with a fishing pole.


A gog slides Nolan a piece of paper.


EXT. Lauhen sea - morning
</screenplay>


It's a bright and sunny morning, with useless clouds littering the sky, and horrible amounts of beating sun glaring down, bouncing off the waves, and generally just lingering in the air.
=== External threats ===


A small pile of fish is on the floor of the raft. A much larger pile of weapons is next to it.
<screenplay>


Nolan has a hatchet tied to the side of his head.
INT. Grey Lobby


Erry is holding a fishing pole, but not using it.
Coraline and the boy in green meet up, perching on the backs of sofas. The boy has a spellbook. Somehow, Coraline also has a version of hers, the introductory trainer Kit had lent her months back, though this one is much bigger. Agata is sitting on Coraline's head.


Kit is poking a fish repeatedly with a makeshift wand.
BOY IN GREEN
 
Okay, so what we want to do is jump off a cliff.
Jora is lying in the sun, her eyes covered with a cloth, ignoring all of this.
 
ERRY
It's so sunny. Why is it so sunny?
 
NOLAN
It's summer.
 
ERRY
It's not summer.
 
KIT
We're lost at sea.
 
 
EXT. Lauhen sea - afternoon
 
It's bright and sunny. The sky is a grand blue expanse, with even grander, towering cloud masses completely failing to do anything to the sun.
 
KIT
Look. Clouds.
 
JORA
It is summer. The days are longer than the nights. That only happens in summer.
 
Erry smacks Kit with a fish.
 
KIT
Agh!
 
Nolan hands Kit a fish, and Kit smacks Erry right back.
 
Jora backs away, and then tries to grab Kit.
 
Erry smacks Kit even harder, and winds up hitting Jora as well in the process.
 
Nolan throws a fish at Erry.
 
Kit smacks Jora with a fish.
 
JORA
Guys, stop! Stop!
 
Nolan hands Jora a fish.
 
Jora looks at it, confused, and gets hit by another fish, and then slaps right back with her own fish.
 
This goes on for a bit. Sometimes one of them drops their fish, and Nolan passes each of them new fish to replace them.
 
 
EXT. Lauhen sea - morning
 
It's another day. It's exactly the same as the previous. The kids are sprawled about, doing nothing.
 
The pile of weapons is even larger now.
 
ERRY
It was summer. It's not gonna be summer again.
 
NOLAN
Different summer. We're on the other side now.
 
No significance of this occurs to anybody. Nobody responds at all, for a bit.
 
KIT
And we're lost at sea.
 
 
EXT. Luahen sea - night
 
It's night. The kids are mostly asleep. The huge pile of weapons is glinting dully. Nolan is sitting on the edge of the raft, peering out beyond the curtains, saying nothing, watching.
 
Jora nudges Kit and Erry awake.
 
JORA
You'll want to see this.
 
The vast expanse of stars is muted, only the brightest standing out, the constellations clear. The horizon, though, is awash with colour, glowing in all directions.
 
Then they stand, and see the sea. The surface is a brilliant canvas, full of swirling colour, greens and blues and purples, swirling into luminous depths. It shimmers and glitters as though spirits were dancing beneath the surface, and yet the surface itself is utterly still, like glass. Mermaids drift up and kiss the surface, before darting back down. The night is silent.
 
KIT
Woah.
 
ERRY.
What is it? Are those...
 
Jora shakes her head.
 
Kit trips over the weapon pile, and gets up quickly, peering over the side of the raft.
 
KIT
Something under the water, whatever it is.
 
NOLAN
Boom.
 
Nolan topples into the water with a small splash.
 
Nobody really responds to this at first, until a few seconds go by and nothing else happens.
 
Jora and Kit peer into the water where Nolan fell, but all they see are iridescent swirls of glow in the depths.
 
KIT
Either he comes back or he doesn't.
 
 
 
About an hour later, the lights are still dancing, the sea still still.
 
Nolan reaches out of the water and climbs back into the raft very suddenly.
 
KIT
Find anything?
 
NOLAN
There are no sheep here.
 
 
INT. Library of Souls
 
Coraline turns a page, Reading. The Voice is standing by, behind her. There is little to pay heed to around her.
 
She looks up momentarily.


CORALINE
CORALINE
How sure are we these are entirely... accurate?
That's the... short of it.


VOICE OF KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
Absolutely.
What's the long of it?
 
CORALINE
Oh. Oh dear.
 
 
EXT. Luahen sea - afternoon
 
It's a day. It's very blue. There are no clouds.
 
Jora is meditating, or attempting too.
 
Erry is juggling fish. Sometimes fish slap into people and things around her.
 
Nolan is soliciting yet even ''more'' weapons from Kit.
 
Some of the weapons in the now very large pile are no longer white - a few are glassy clear. One sword is black and shiny.
 
Jora grabs a dropped fish out of the air and smacks Erry with it, hard, knocking the girl over.
 
Erry stares at her in surprise.
 
Kit stops making pointless daggers.
 
Nolan frowns.
 
JORA
Enough! Enough of all this. Surely we must have something, be able to do something. Nolan, do you have any idea where we are? Can you not use the stars to determine our location?
 
NOLAN
Yes. I have.
 
JORA
Well?
 
NOLAN
I do not know what is at any location near to us.
 
JORA
Kit, do you...
 
Kit watches her expectantly.
 
JORA
Feck. What about... what do we even have with us? What have we brought?
 
KIT
What?
 
JORA
Turn out your pockets. Let's take an inventory.
 
Jora shoves aside the giant weapon pile, pushing it against a wall and curtain. Some swords slide out into the ocean. She upends her bag and pulls some stuff out of her own pockets, which turns out to be mostly lint, along with a few keys and a small knife.
 
Jora indicates the much smaller pile of only partly weapons and eyes the others expectantly.
 
Kit and Erry come over toward the pile.
 
Nolan drops a large stuffed bear onto the pile. It's almost as large as he is.
 
KIT
(stopping)
Whaaat.
 
Erry hugs her own, much smaller, mostly hairless moose.
 
Nolan pulls a full-sized shovel out of his pocket, and then dropped a magic bag on top of the bear, causing part of its head to disappear, the bag collapsing flatly across it as though containing nothing.
 
KIT
Oh.
 
Erry picks up the bag, sticks her head inside, and then starts pulling things out, adding them to the pile.
 
Kit tosses in some things from his own pockets.
 
Nolan very slowly adds a sheep rib, a pair of mismatched socks, and a small knife to the pile.
 
JORA
Good. Anything else?
 
Erry tosses a dirty lump into the pile.
 
They wind up with a heap of mostly lint, partly junk, a whole lot of random toys and tools and bits of broken things, a surprisingly good spade, not nearly enough alchemical ingredients, an ineffective amount of currency, some random bits of food, enough martial weapons to wage a small war, and a giant wad of yarn.
 
KIT
Well.
 
ERRY
So this is who we are, distilled down to simple items.
 
KIT
What?
 
JORA
It's a start. It's potential.
 
Jora pushes Nolan at the pile.
 
Nolan digs through it a bit and then holds up the flaky brown lump that had been the contents of Erry's pockets.
 
KIT
Do I even wanna know?
 
ERRY
Do you ever?
 
JORA
What is it? Dirt?
 
Nolan sits down and bashes the lump against the floor of the raft, breaking it up into smaller clods of dirt. Embedded within it are some twigs, a key, two spoons, a few clips, a knuckle die, and several peach stones. Their total volume more than doubles that of the original lump.
 
KIT
How in the world...
 
NOLAN
(holding up one of the stones)
Boom.
 
JORA
Can you grow that?
 
Kit takes the stone from Nolan and looks it over.
 
KIT
There's only one way to find out.
 
 
EXT. Lauhen sea - evening
 
The raft is rather a mess. The awning is gone, the poles broken. The freshwater barrels are smashed. The iceforged weapon pile is scattered everywhere, mostly in the ocean, random weapons and pieces of weapons floating sadly away. Peach leaves and twigs are everywhere. Jora is bleeding from an arm.
 
The four kids watch forlornly as the very large peach tree floats away, half-dead already, half-sunk in the waves.
 
KIT
That didn't work.
 
NOLAN
Can you make it work?
 
KIT
Can you keep it from falling out?
 
NOLAN
Can you balance it?
 
KIT
Maybe. But can I keep it from getting poisoned by all the salt? And from eating itself? And make it grow, but then stop growing? And make peaches? It would be a lot more useful if it made peaches.
 
NOLAN
Can you?
 
Kit shrugs.
 
Nolan hands him another peach stone.
 
Kit holds it up in one hand, and starts shaping the spell with his other.
 
KIT
{{incantation|uu dalamo ido!|old|plant swell go}}
 
The stone begins to sprout, the first leaves and blunt roots growing out.
 
KIT
{{incantation|yäig yakit ineigobio.|old|water ground dream}}
 
The roots branch into imaginary soil, reaching down, even as the seedling forms true leaves and begins to bud.
 
Kit takes it over to one of the corners of the raft.
 
KIT
{{incantation|iuol ke yäig.|old|salt sugar water}}
 
Kit holds the sapling over the side of the raft, shoving the reaching roots into the water. Some of them cling to and grow along the sides of the raft, but the rest go down, hungrily feeding off the seawater and its illusions. The trunk thickens, branching, putting out leaves and dropping others.
 
KIT
{{incantation|udun mur ugarak uaimo!|old|roots tree fruit big!}} Guide the roots! We need it to stay up this time!
 
It's chaos. Kit holds his hands on the trunk while the others scramble around, guiding the roots around the sides of the rafts, and Kit meanwhile guides the rest down, holding the trunk straight, holding the entire shape of the tree in his mind. The tree is huge now, the trunk a foot in diametre, and the shape is only a little bigger, the idea simply more balanced... roots below, tree above...
 
Wood creaks around them.
 
KIT
{{incantation|mamanäïm tasigum...|old|crooked straight}}
 
ERRY
Agh!
 
The tree's growth slows. Roots snake around the raft, seeking, sticking, growing out hairs. Erry yanks her arm out of between one and the wall and it draws blood.
 
A peach falls on Kit's head, and then a snaking root trips him, knocking him back.
 
The tree stills, rustling overhead. The growth stops.
 
Petals drift down. Felled leaves are all over, covering the raft, rotting away already underfood. Above, the vibrant green leaves on the tree rustle in the wind, covering the raft and a good area of water around, blotting out the still glowing sky.
 
Erry and Jora get up uncertainly.
 
Kit stares up at it blankly.
 
Peaches fall vaguely around them, some splatting on the raft, others splashing into the sea.
 
Nolan catches one and bites into it.


NOLAN
Coraline takes a deep breath, mostly just to stall. They don't seem to really need to breathe at all, here.
Yes.
 
KIT
Yes?
 
NOLAN
This one seems to have worked.
 
Kit hastily rolls aside as another peach splats where his head was.
 
Peaches continue to splat down around them.
 
KIT
(not getting up)
So I think...
 
JORA
(cutting him off)
If you mention one more time how we're lost at sea, you will regret it.
 
KIT
Oh, no, no, that's pretty firmly established at this point.
I was just going to say, maybe this is an improvement. Over before.
 
ERRY
(through a peach)
Hmm?
 
KIT
Being lost at sea.
 
Kit falls asleep, not even closing his eyes.
 
A peach hits him in the side of the head.
 
This does not wake him at all.
 
 
INT. Library of Souls
 
Coraline closes the book carefully, peering off into space, thinking.
 
Kyrule appears behind her as a cloaked man, next to the Voice. They are almost like mirrors of each other, but not.
 
KYRULE
Did you find what you were looking for?


CORALINE
CORALINE
(smiling slighty)
I'm bound and gagged. I don't have access to any tools, can't secret any knives or anything to try to free myself. My bindings are secure, and checked regularly. I am watched at all hours.
I think so.
What I need to do is free myself, incapacitate a Deathdealer, and then jump off a cliff.
(she turns to regard Kyrule, cocking her head)
Tell me. If I were to give you everything, what would you do with it? If you had all the worlds to do with what you pleased, no other gods or obstacles in your way, what would you do?


KYRULE
The boy in green stops and stares at her.
Guard them.


CORALINE
BOY IN GREEN
And would you take on this burden willingly, knowing that it could well destroy you, and subsume everything you have and are?
Did you say 'Deathdealer'?
 
KYRULE
What exactly are you offering?


CORALINE
CORALINE
I'm not offering anything. I'm asking you to give up everything.
Yeeeeah. I can't command him to let me go because he is also a Keeper and... disagreed. I could potentially kill him using conventional means, but my usual magic for that sort of thing appears to have no effect on him. And that wouldn't exactly be proper.


KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
You know I already have.
Why, though? Why would a Deathdealer...
 
Coraline sighs.


CORALINE
CORALINE
I need you to say it.
Let's just say we had a... difference of opinions as to which course of action is ultimately the more dangerous. He's very convinced he's right, and I'm reasonably sure he really isn't. And I can't exactly tell him the answer is necromancy.


KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
I'll humour you. I would take it on willingly.
Is it?


CORALINE
CORALINE
(closing her eyes)
Gods, I hope not. But I sure as hell won't be able to find out if he actually achieves his mission and tells the world what I am.
Thank you.
(she takes a deep breath, holding out her hand)
How does this work? {{idioma|Identify Nelanor of Kenning Vos. Insert random string here to verify that identity by... agh damn.|full}} I did that wrong. Or... whatever.


Somewhere, not here, Coraline feels the sand trickling between her fingers.
BOY IN GREEN
(leaning back, tapping his foot)
Well, that makes it more interesting. Deathdealers are immune to certain kinds of magic, right? Death magic, mind-affecting stuff, most curses, a lot of alchemy straight up. Sleep effects don't really work either.


CORALINE
CORALINE
{{idioma|As these worlds are unnamed, I so name them: here reigns King of the Sandcastle, Kyrule of... Arling Tor. Assessed and verified, with promises made|full}}, because I'm totally qualified to say that. {{idioma|Before the architects, a King and a Realm are so named; any who wish to dispute the naming may follow the proper procedures, etc yadda|full}} yadda stuff.
What about dropping a log on his head?
(she opens her eyes)
And that's it. We're live.


VOICE OF KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
What did you do?
That would do it. Might see that coming.
You probably want some sort of paralysis for this. How fast can you cast?


CORALINE
CORALINE
I'm... not sure. I think I've... put us on the map. The universes are part of a wider network, and you are now known and trusted within that network. You may find you have tools with which to protect this universe... and that there are many things that are not entirely what they seem.
I'll be honest. I'm really new to this. You've taught me most of the actual spells I know.
Don't ask me how it works, though. I don't know. I don't even know why I have access, or how...
Sometimes names come up and I see... things. When you brought me to this Library, I just knew I had to find out if you were who I thought you were. Maybe you could protect these worlds. Maybe we could use...
(she takes a deep breath)
I didn't expect... her...


KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
Eapherod.
Your bindings?


CORALINE
CORALINE
We call her the Dark Sister. She's... your Eapherod. It worked. It fucking worked! And you... oh gods. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
I was able to cut them off with flame before, but that took a bit, too. Also hurt like hell.


Coraline sits down heavily, holding the book to her chest, taking deep breaths.
BOY IN GREEN
 
Hmm. If you free yourself first, you'll be able to cast normally to incapacitate him. But if you incapacitate him first, you'll be more likely to succeed at actually freeing yourself.
KYRULE
You knew her.


CORALINE
CORALINE
It doesn't matter now. I've got more immediate problems.
What if I just do something iffy first to stun him, and then follow up with something better once I have my hands and voice back?
(she looks to the Voice)
I need to jump off a cliff, apparently. Because you can't just call your... guy off.


KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
I can take his life, if you wish.
Could work. Let's see...


CORALINE
The boy flips through a few pages of spells.
Agh, no. I'd rather jump off a cliff.


VOICE OF KYRULE
Agata yawns hugely.
Your opportunity will come soon. In three days, it is very likely that Ense Vardaman will make camp at Taris Pass, overlooking the Yakima river valley. There is a sizeable cliff there.


CORALINE
BOY IN GREEN
So I just need to get away, get my stuff, jump off, and fly away.
A freeze spell might work. But it looks like the spells that would help get a lot more complicated rather quickly... fear, maybe? No, Deathdealers wouldn't be susceptible to that...
I don't suppose you have any recommendations as to...
Paralysis is a higher level spell. Entangle? Hold? He could probably cast his way through those...
(she looks around uncertainly)
Think he'd untie you if he thought you were dead?
People I could use?
 
KYRULE
Silaerynn dru'Raema.
 
The Voice leans over to help Coraline up, taking the book out of her arms, and replacing it on the shelf.
 
Kyrule disappears in a drifting flash.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Silaerynn dru'Raema. Three days.
Actually... yeah, he might.
(to the Voice)
I mean, he'd almost certainly continue lugging me with as a corpse, but dignity for the dead is kind of a big thing for Kyrule's followers.
I can come back here, right?


VOICE OF KYRULE
BOY IN GREEN
Always.
There's a spell. Wanna hear it?


Coraline nods and steps out of the Library, returning to what may or may not be the real world.
Coraline shrugs.


BOY IN GREEN
(squinting over the spellbook, and then casting with one hand)
{{incantation|Black heart dream...}}


EXT. Soravian wilderness - afternoon
He recoils and falls over backwards.


Vardaman and Coraline are now well into the mountains, rising along a rocky trail bounded on all sides by moss and lichens and trees. They're riding, Vardaman holding Coraline in front of him as usual. She's still bound, still gagged, and now far more sore than previously, the pain stabbing all through her arms, back, and legs.
BOY IN GREEN
 
(getting up quickly)
Coraline startles a bit as she awakens, losing the rhythm of her breathing, before she manages to moderate it again, and hastily heals herself as best she can.
I messed that up.
(casting again, using both hands, still looking at the book for reference)
{{incantation|Die heart dream.}}


The voices get louder all around her, both the strange whispers of the black, and the voices of the Death of Souls as well. Gleaming tendrils of black cover the edges of her vision.
The boy collapses, folding up onto the floor and just lying, unmoving. Coraline checks him out, and he does very much seem to be dead, to all her senses. Agata slides around on her head, reaching out vaguely to hold onto her hair.
 
VARDAMAN
You're awake.
 
Coraline doesn't respond.
 
VARDAMAN
Where did you go?
 
Coraline stares off into the trees. In their shadows, forest sprites wobble their heads at them, rattling.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Huh.
''So nothing's changed.


AGATA
BOY IN GREEN
(mind voice)
(opening one eye)
''Nope.
Convincing?


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Far as I could tell. How did you tell when to come out of it?
''And he's as paranoid as ever.


AGATA
BOY IN GREEN
(mind voice)
Uh... I guessed. I couldn't actually see or hear anything, see.
''Probably more so.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Okay, that might be a problem.
''Right. This is such a mess.
''Where are you, anyway?


AGATA
BOY IN GREEN
(mind voice)
Hmm... right. Let's find something better.
''Vardaman shoved us all in one of his bags. Fortunately liveable. Had a vampire in it. And a sizeable liquor cabinet.


CORALINE
He flips through a few more pages of spells, reading through some, skipping over others entirely.
(mind voice)
'' 'Had'?


AGATA
Coraline goes through her book as well, looking for anything remotely promising. Instead she winds up reading about a spell for conjuring up a fancy hut in a bubble.
(mind voice)
''Let's just say Argument of Hags seems to really like chewing on the living dead.


CORALINE
Agata snores vaguely, hanging floppily.
(mind voice)
''What, it didn't fight back?


AGATA
BOY IN GREEN
(mind voice)
You might be able to distract him with a conjuration. Or if you could vanish yourself...
''Naw, it was bound up something awful. So it just sort of gibbered a bit. While a cat chewed on it. That was a sight to see.
 
Agata passes Coraline some of the memories of the event, including a few particularly choice scenes of gruesome chewing.
 
Coraline starts to recoil a bit, but Vardaman tightens his hold.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
He has an annoying tendency to tie me to trees, so I'd also need a way to teleport for that to work.
''Dammit, cat, I did not need that!
And when I'm not tied to a tree, he makes a point to always have a good grip on me.


AGATA
BOY IN GREEN
(mind voice)
(a bit impressed)
''Didn't you, though?
Gotta love our Deathdealers.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Yeah. Great when they're on your side. Otherwise...
''No.
(she sighs exasperatedly)
He's also annoyingly good at resisting and blocking random spells, so there's that, too.


 
BOY IN GREEN
EXT. Soravian wilderness - evening
Empower your spells, then. A longer incantation makes them more stable, so people use more related words, and you can add addwords like '{{incantation|full}}' and '{{incantation|all}}' and '{{incantation|always}}' to buff them too.
 
Coraline is still there when Vardaman stops, lifting her off the horse as he dismounts himself. She doesn't resist as he hauls her over to a tree and ties up her arms.
 
He pauses momentarily after, looking at her.
 
Coraline eyes him right back, breathing carefully.
 
VARDAMAN
(casting deftly)
{{incantation|Bury thunder.}}
 
Vardaman pulls the gag down, and then pulls out the cloth as well. It's a bit covered in phlegm.
 
Coraline watches him curiously.
 
VARDAMAN
Speak.


CORALINE
CORALINE
You wanted to know where I went.
All of the above?


VARDAMAN
BOY IN GREEN
Yes.
Potentially. Try it!


CORALINE
CORALINE
This is the world I made, a garden of remembering. {{idioma|Emily is good at remembering.}}
Er... {{incantation|Full green light all always}}?


Vardaman frowns.
She holds out her hand and a brilliant green light appears in it, spreading vaguely out, filling the Lobby with colour. It wants to spread, become many lights, so she lets it, and a sea of green lights rise slowly from the floor and stop to hover at random heights below the ceiling.


CORALINE
BOY IN GREEN
What?
Coooool.
 
So spells. Paralyse Deathdealer, free yourself...
Vardaman replaces the gag and goes to tend to the horses.
 
Coraline watches tiredly, feeling the pain grow yet again in her arms and shoulders.
 
A bit later, Vardaman comes back and ungags Coraline again, giving her some vodka. He moves to replace the gag, but then pauses when Coraline starts singing a song to the general effect of 'I'm fucking pissed off'.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(singing)
Drop tree on him, rob him, run away.
''{{idioma|Mua vituttaa niin ankarasti,|translate|Let it be when the boy is pissed}}
''{{idioma|Vituttaa aamusta iltaan,|translate|Let it be from dusk until dawn}}
''{{idioma|Vituttaa on kaikki turhaa,|translate|Being pissed off needs to be embraced wholly}}
''{{idioma|Vittu kun vituttaa!|translate|when you're pissed off}}


VARDAMAN
BOY IN GREEN
I suppose there's some point you're trying to make, here?
There's always release spells, but those are a bit more powerful than we need, exactly.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Well, it'd be better if I were hanging up-side down, but I am tied to a tree, so it fits.
How so?
(she resumes singing)
''{{idioma|Tunge positiivinen ajattelu hanuriisi,|translate|Cram positive thinking up your ass}}
''{{idioma|Kierrän kriisiryhmänne kaukaa,|translate|I avoid your crisis support group from afar,}}
''{{idioma|Älä tyrkytä minulle terapiaa,|translate|Don't push therapy on me,}}
''{{idioma|Kaada lisää paskaa mun niskaan!|translate|Pour more shit down my neck!}}
''{{idioma|Mua vituttaa niin ankarasti,|translate|I'm so terribly pissed off,}}
''{{idioma|Vituttaa...|translate|Pissed off...}}


Vardaman covers Coraline's mouth with his hand, preventing her from continuing.
BOY IN GREEN
 
Well, see, they kind of release ''everything''. Restraints, sure. Imprisonment. Spell effects. Curses, even. Your old catch all can't catch me! Thing.
VARDAMAN
(he shapes out a spell and casts it in a random direction)
Enough.
{{incantation|Hold.}}
Which is why there's also entire schools of counters for them - you get ropes made specifically to not be affected, so then you get release addwords built around working against anti-release stuff...


Vardaman retracts his hand, and Coraline doesn't continue.
The spell distorts the space around it as it drifts away and fizzles out. It hits a few of the lights on the way, causing them to disappear.


CORALINE
CORALINE
I don't know what you expect. You're defying the will of the Eternal. Nothing you do, or I say, will change that.
Er.


VARDAMAN
BOY IN GREEN
You know only the Voices call him that.
That's fine. There's options there. Paralyse, entangle maybe...


CORALINE
CORALINE
And he doesn't even like it. He knows it's not true. Nothing is eternal. Everything with a beginning has an end. And everything has a beginning.
Fly definitely.
Maybe we like irony. Maybe a little defiance defines us, just like you. You won't succeed.


VARDAMAN
BOY IN GREEN
No?
Yes. Good one, that.
 
CORALINE
Either I will get away from you, or I will die trying. This is a promise.
 
VARDAMAN
And how do you intend to do that?
 
CORALINE
There are a lot of ways to die.
 
 
INT. Grey Lobby
 
Coraline enters lightly, peering about. The boy in green waves from a sofa.
 
Coraline gives him a small wave in return, smiling slightly, and sidesteps into the Library.
 
 
INT. Library of Souls
 
The Library is the same as ever, glowing white, full of the faintest whisperings and scribblings.
 
Coraline finds herself in the corridor of tables, between labyrinths of shelves fading off in either direction. It shouldn't just be a corridor. There is something missing.
 
Coraline glances down the line of tables uncertainly. They are exactly as they were. The wide corridor between the shelves is just as it was, the tables lined up as expected.
 
There is nothing amiss.
 
Nothing has changed.
 
She turns and heads off into the stacks, making her way carefully through the maze. She knows exactly where she's going. The Library knows exactly where she's going.
 
Coraline slides the book out carefully. This one is a dull dark red, almost the colour of blood, streaked with strange patterns. Bright letters etch out the name: ''Silaerynn dru'Raema''.
 
Coraline flips through the pages quickly, looking for magic, but picking up snippets of the life regardless. A childhood dreaming, running away. Meetings in the woods. Grasshoppers. A first few inklings of magic - a transfiguration over dinner. An exploded flowerpot. Leaves, floating, dancing overhead, responding to the faintest flicks of his fingers. The wonder and fascination of it all, quickly soured by the realisation of what it means.
 
Hiding in the caves, his friends huddled around.
 
Running.
 
Coraline flips ahead a bit. Stability. A big city, a mentor who asks nothing in return. She's a witch. She calls herself Mother Annabelle. She shows him things - how to cast, and how to hide. Simple spells, useful spells. How to heal a scrape. How to cook a meal. How to clean a room. How to hide. How to shift attention, and see without seeing. He gobbles it up, and helps around the house. He ventures out into the city, buying food, guarding himself.
 
He grows up a bit. He grows older. He makes friends.
 
Amidst it all, a shadow looms. A hanging dread. Something he's fled, and that hangs over him even still.
 
The other casters know nothing of it. They're free, and they advertise their skills.
 
Agata hangs floppily off Coraline's head, snoring.
 
CORALINE
What am I even looking for?


Agata lets out a particularly broken snore, tries to turn over a bit, curling her head around, and slides off Coraline's head, only then waking up very suddenly and clawing down Coraline's face trying to regain her footing.
Agata lets out a particularly broken snore, tries to turn over a bit, curling her head around, and slides off Coraline's head, only then waking up very suddenly and clawing down Coraline's face trying to regain her footing.


Agata flops onto the floor, looking around in surprise.
Agata flops onto the floor, looking around in surprise.
The boy in green looks up in surprise.


CORALINE
CORALINE
Line 1,729: Line 1,412:
CORALINE
CORALINE
I'm bleeding...?
I'm bleeding...?
BOY IN GREEN
It's ash. We don't have blood here.


AGATA
AGATA
(sitting up)
(sitting up)
You're bleeding ash. Or you were. It looks like it's already healed.
You were. It looks like it's already healed.
How's the book?
How's your plan coming along?


CORALINE
CORALINE
Interesting. Not really sure what I'm looking for. If I weren't on a bit of a deadline, it'd probably be a pretty fascinating read.
Um. I'd be a lot more confident if I weren't on a bit of a deadline.


AGATA
AGATA
Line 1,747: Line 1,433:
Well don't let me get in your way.
Well don't let me get in your way.


Coraline gives Agata an annoyed look, and then goes back to the book.
The boy laughs.




EXT. Lauhen sea - day
EXT. Soravian wilderness - evening
 
The raft is oddly stable, but rocking uneasily over the waves, the peach tree acting as a very crude sail. It's growing strong, firmly affixed to the corner, roots growing around the sides of the raft and cutting into the water like a large weight to keep it all level. The awning has been roughly replaced overhead, providing a sagging roof full of peaches.
 
Nolan has a bunch of broken water barrels shoved up against some of the roots, full of suspicious peach concoctions. Jora is fishing.
 
Kit wakes up briefly, grabs a peach off his sister, starts gnawing on it, and then falls asleep again in the middle of eating it.
 
Erry smacks him.
 
Kit doesn't respond.
 
ERRY
Why does he keep doing this?
 
JORA
What?
 
ERRY
Doing things, and then falling asleep.
 
JORA
Your brother is a powerful wizard, but he has limits.
 
ERRY
Seems like he always hits his limits when we need water.
 
Nolan passes Erry a mug of something clear and water-like.
 
Erry sniffs it and immediately recoils.
 
ERRY
That's not water!


Nolan takes back the mug and passes Erry a different one.
Coraline returns to herself as Vardaman is tying her to another tree. He says nothing as he moves to tend to the horses, and as she sinks to the ground, she doesn't really acknowledge him either.
 
Erry sniffs this one suspiciously, and then eyes it in surprise before drinking gratefully.
 
 
INT. Grey Lobby
 
The boy in green has gone. A strange cat, silvery white and blue, is perched on a chair.
 
Coraline glances about in disappointment.
 
The white-blue cat ignores her.
 
Agata hops onto another chair and starts ignoring the white-blue cat right back.
 
Coraline ignores them both, and tries some magic, shaping with her hands and mind, forming words for little things.
 
Agata licks herself.
 
The white-blue cat hops down and disappears after a bit.
 
Coraline stops, staring off at some of the grey decor.
 
CORALINE
Just getting away won't do it. I need my stuff. I need to loot his pockets.


AGATA
AGATA
You need to knock him out somehow. Drop a tree on his head.
(mind voice)
''Promising.


CORALINE
CORALINE
That might make it a bit more difficult to get at his pockets, though, if there's a tree in the way.
(mind voice)
You said you're in with his liquor stash? Think we might have a go poisoning something?
''Agata? Where are you?


AGATA
AGATA
Can't. He's not drinking any, just giving it to you. I think he takes this a bit seriously.
(mind voice)
''He doesn't seem to like me much, so I made myself scarce. Broke into the bag where he shoved the other cats. There used to be a vampire in here. And a sizeable liquor cabinet.


CORALINE
CORALINE
My... knack magic did nothing, but some of the spells did seem to have a slight effect.
(mind voice)
 
'' 'Used to be'?
AGATA
Better spells?
 
CORALINE
Dru'Raema might have a few for disabling folks. Maybe even just a sleep spell that actually works.
 
AGATA
Roughly speaking, the more words you add, the stronger the spell. But if you actually got some of the shape down too, that possibly might help.
 
CORALINE
You mean instead of just yelling random crap in a panic?
Except I can't speak. Or shape. That's sort of a problem.
 
AGATA
Sure you can. We're speaking now. You learned to shape magelights without using your hands.
 
CORALINE
Actually, that... might have been what dru'Raema was doing, too. Okay, so 'sleep' with extra words slapped on, and a shape. How hard could that be?
 
The boy in green appears, spots Coraline, and marches over as if on cue.
 
BOY IN GREEN
Where'd you go?
 
CORALINE
Had to check on something. If I were to say {{incantation|Sleep}}, what shapes would go with that? Trying to knock someone out.
 
The boy immediately brightens up.
 
BOY IN GREEN
Oh, new spells! I can look this up, I think. I'll be right back!
 
The boy pops out.
 
AGATA
You seem to accumulate unexpected allies.
 
CORALINE
Says an unexpected ally.
 
AGATA
Duh.
 
 
EXT. Soravian wilderness - morning
 
Coraline returns to herself as Vardaman gets up and hauls her back to her feet. He gives her the usual pat-down, but then focuses on her boobs, feeling around the edges of her bra. He stops at the fragment, holding it through her coat and shirt.
 
VARDAMAN
What's this?
 
Coraline makes an irritated noise through the gag.
 
Vardaman reaches up under Coraline's shirt and fetches the fragment.
 
Coraline makes an indignant noise.
 
As soon as Vardaman takes the fragment away, the voices clatter out of the cracks in reality around Coraline, jarring, bright, strange, pushing down on her like a horrible weight. A whole lot of other strangeness fades away almost as immediately.
 
Coraline tenses up awkwardly, blinking in confusion, trying not to... anything. She doesn't even know herself.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Names? What was that?
''Let's just say Argument of Hags seems to really like chewing on the living dead. Now it's more like part of a vampire. A former vampire. An ex.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Agh he found the shard!
''What, it didn't fight back?
 
Vardaman gives the shard a worried look, clearly recognising it, and turns back to Coraline with some concern before pulling the gag out and pushing Coraline's arms back up against the tree above her head.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''I'm fine, probably. It was just surprising, and annoying. And I guess it was helping even more than I realised. {{idioma|Perkele.}}


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Probably?
''Naw, it's bound up something awful. It's just sort of gibbering a bit. While a cat chews on it. Now that is a sight to see.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''Well, aside from this very awkward position he's now holding me in? I don't know.


VARDAMAN
Agata passes Coraline some memories, including a few particularly choice scenes of gruesome chewing.
(holding up the fragment in his other hand)
How did you get this?


CORALINE
Coraline recoils a bit in horror. Vardaman pauses, watching her, but then resumes his stuff when she doesn't do anything further.
(rather loudly)
I am the Baron of Fartswetly, bearer of the legendary blade of Con Cebolla, won at the battle of the Great Fortress of Bleugh! All things come to me!
 
VARDAMAN
I had this in my things. How did you get it?


CORALINE
CORALINE
The Baron of Fartswetly has many means. Means and ways. Ways and means.
(mind voice)
 
''Dammit, cat, I did not need that!
VARDAMAN
Why this? Why is it important?
 
CORALINE
Your friends in the woods wondered that too. They tested it against the Death of Souls, and it exploded. Kyrule felt that dearly, you know. So many souls snuffed out. So many of the faithful denied their endings.
 
VARDAMAN
What?
 
CORALINE
The shard should be with me. That is why you had it, Deathdealer. Just in case.
 
VARDAMAN
In case of what?
 
CORALINE
In case it could help, of course. Now give the Baron of Fartswetly her due.
 
Coraline beckons with her head.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Why are you antagonising him?
''Didn't you, though?


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Why not? How much worse could this possibly get?
''No.
 
Vardaman sighs and regags Coraline, pocketing the fragment and stuffing the cloth back in her mouth. Coraline bites at his fingers around it, but he ignores this and pulls up and tightens the outer gag holding it in.
 
CORALINE
(mind voice)
''The spells don't exactly require his cooperation, so once I get the casting sorted out, we're basically solid.


AGATA
AGATA
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''He may yet kill you. For real.
''Well, one thing you will need is time. Those are some ambitious spells. And your boy does seem to have an actual life of his own, besides your little hobby here.


CORALINE
CORALINE
(mind voice)
(mind voice)
''Hmph.
''{{idioma|Perkele.}}


</screenplay>


=== Changes ===
EXt. Soravian wilderness - night


<screenplay>
Evening gives way to night. Vardaman gives Coraline some vodka and food, and bundles her up, before sitting by the horses. As always, he watches her carefully. He does not sleep himself.
 
EXT. Lauhen sea - evening
 
It's a brilliant sunset, painting swirls of clouds with strange colour. Glints of other promise glow from the waters.
 
The kids are all doing stuff. Sort of.


ERRY
Coraline ignores him, focusing instead on her breathing. She maintains regular breaths, in and out, in and out, not letting her itching throat try to cough, not gagging on the gag, not struggling against her painful bindings.
So that stuff. That magic stuff. This stuff.


Erry bonks on the raft for emphasis.
Idly, she listens to the voices, clamouring in the back of her mind, whispering, chattering, screaming. There's no pattern to it, just a steady stream, some louder, some softer, some stranger than others. None particularly stand out. None seem to repeat. But she listens regardless, focusing at random, like trying to catch a glimpse of a single blade of grass as it passes by while flying through a field...


KIT
VOICE 498862723
Huh?
...Helena sa...


ERRY
VOICE 1757467282
You could make anything. Everything. Trees. A castle. An entire floating island. We could have sheep.
Mother...


Nolan narrows his eyes at her.
VOICE 996514
It's so cold.


KIT
VOICE 666002
Uh...
...okay to be afraid. It's okay to be afraid. It's okay...


ERRY
They're all snippets. They all sound... there is something about them that she cannot place. Something off, changing them.
Why are we sitting on a raft? Why are our chairs the sides, and broken things? Why don't we have thrones and sofas?


KIT
They all sound familiar, like she's heard them all before.
Oh will you lay off about sofas already?!


ERRY
Another voice intrudes, almost as if right in front of her, but with the same quality as the others, still distant, off, not quite real.
Just because you unreasonably hate everything and sofas does not mean I'm right!
 
KIT
You're not right, you're stupid.
 
ERRY
You're stupid! You're stupid and you're boring and you hate sofas!
 
KIT
I am not! You're just stuck on that one thing.
 
ERRY
I'm stuck? Me? Who's the one sitting on a pile of roots?!
 
KIT
What?! You're sitting on a barrel!
 
JORA
What... are you even arguing about?
 
ERRY
Agh!
 
Erry flops back onto her back.
 
KIT
How long have we even been out here?
 
JORA
About a week.
 
KIT
Really? That's it?
 
JORA
It was longer underground. I don't know how long.


VOICE 132434088
Hello? Please, can you hear me? Can you see me? Please, anyone, why can't anyone...


It sounds like a little girl, lost and alone.


And then it's gone.


</screenplay>
</screenplay>

Latest revision as of 07:26, 5 January 2017

≪ Previous
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Lace mask.svg
Survivor's Song: Part 5
(heaps: heap • heap2 • heap3)
Part 0 • Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • ...

Part 5: Extend tertiary function

You want the answer? You want the end? There is no answer; there is no end. There is only now. In every instance, now, now, now, ever-changing now. Nothing else matters. There is nothing else.

Enjoy your purgatory of the now.

Notes:

  1. Let us pretend the whispering is only the desert wind.
  2. Same flavour, different giraffe.
  3. Placeholder languages may be chosen/generated by automated processes.
  4. To say 'kauhistuksen kanahäkki' may apply.
  5. Or not.

Surface

EXT. Lauhen sea - night
The sea is calmish, with just enough waving to break up the brilliance of the sky. It's a huge sky, awash with swirls of colour and light, thousands and thousands and thousands of stars painting the canvas above with more light than dark, and beneath it the water gleams, a broken landscape of dark shadows and half stars and silver edges.
The bubble erupts from the surface suddenly, popping out of the small waves and exploding on immersion into the atmosphere. The four kids, and two gogs, somehow still with them, fall out into the water.
Kit collapses and nearly sinks before Jora grabs him and holds him up.
Nolan treads water, peering vaguely off into the distance.
NOLAN
The stars are wrong.
Erry flops onto her back, floating, staring up at the sky.
ERRY
It's bigger than I remembered.
NOLAN
Thirteen days. Three hours.
We don't have an inflatable boat. There's no shore here.
Kit groans a bit, not opening his eyes.
JORA
Kit, I know it's a lot to ask, but can you do anything?
KIT
Nnnrrrgggh.
I can't summon one. I suck at summoning. Even little things. Like I tried summoning a spoon once? Wound up with a broken nail.
JORA
It doesn't have to be good. Or a summon. What else floats?
KIT
Ducks.
Nolan produces a duck. It flaps away awkwardly. One of the gogs gives chase, swimming after it.
ERRY
Wood.
NOLAN
Ice.
Kit opens his eyes.
KIT
That... could work. Porous elves' ice, ratio of volume to surface area something lots of water...
Kit just hangs in Jora's arms for a bit. Then he raises a hand and shapes out some spell motions very lethargically.
KIT
yaga dalamo yäig gugum.
He ties it all together with a flick and sags into Jora.
The water before them begins to draw together, whitening, solidifying into a mostly flat block of ice rising almost a foot out of the water, big enough to fit the lot of them. A slight wall lines the edges.
The gogs climb on, one of them now dragging a be-webbed duck.
Nolan hoists Erry onto it and climbs in after.
JORA
Nice.
KIT
Nuhh-huh.
Jora tries to lift Kit onto the ice raft, and Nolan pulls him up the rest of the way. Kit doesn't move, just collapses onto the ice, asleep.
Nolan pulls Jora up as well.
They all just lie there for a bit.
ERRY
It's not cold.
NOLAN
State shift via magical energy realignments. Rotations are held according to different frequencies than the natural state. Particularly stable frequencies retain a similar half-life to non-magically-occurring unstable materials.
ERRY
I see.
NOLAN
You do?
ERRY
It'll break down. So do other things. Eventually.
Nolan nods slowly.
ERRY
We'll run out of food first. Even if we eat you. And your duck.
JORA
We're not eating Nolan.
A large fish, several feet long, flies out of the water and bounces onto the raft with a wet plop, winding up half on top of Kit. It has several large holes in it, trickling blood.
The gogs skitter away.
Kit doesn't stir.
ERRY
We could eat that.
The fish flops weakly and then just lies there.
Kit continues to not react in any fashion whatsoever.
A tentacle reaches out of the water and gives them a little wave before disappearing back under the other waves.
NOLAN
Our giant cephalopod companion gives us thanks.

Failure case

EXT. Soravian wilderness - morning
Coraline awakens in the tall dry grass, tied to a tree much as before, but now also gagged, her mouth covered, a cloth shoved in so that she cannot close it or move her tongue at all. She gags on the gag, trying to vomit, but it doesn't work. Instead she chokes, the vomit going up her nose, painfully, drowningly. She struggles futilely.
Agata and Argument of Hags are around.
Vardaman hurries over and casts a quick spell over Coraline. Her staff is slung across his back. Her bag is on his belt.
VARDAMAN
bury thunder always.
Vardaman pulls out the gag and cloth and Coraline pukes on her lap, instead, straining against the burning in her nose.
VARDAMAN
You'll need to control your breathing, or you will die.
CORALINE
(coughing)
What?
Vardaman stuffs the cloth back into Coraline's mouth, replacing the gag.
Coraline nearly chokes again.
AGATA
(mind voice)
I won't even be Captain Obvious today.
VARDAMAN
That was clever, your zombie. If you'd killed it, that might have worked.
And your magic. If you could have done that all along, why didn't you?
CORALINE
(mind voice)
He just... he doesn't seriously expect me to be able to answer that...?
AGATA
(mind voice)
No. But he wants to see if you'll find a way. You've surprised him, multiple times over.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
What? I'm not that stupid...
Why? Why all of this? This is crazy.
Coraline chokes and struggles a bit, trying to cough, pulling on the ropes.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Breathe. Just breathe.
Coraline does, focusing.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I have to kill him, don't I? There's no other way out of this...
Vardaman pulls the gag down off Coraline's mouth again, and she spits out the cloth in.
CORALINE
Haista vittu.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Even if there is, it's not worth the bother.
VARDAMAN
That's all? You're not going to try anything?
CORALINE
Nej! Nyt sä vittu kuolet! I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you. Fuck you. Fuck Kyrule.
I'll take you...
Vardaman claps a hand over Coraline's mouth, but then nothing happens anyway.
Darkness swirls at the edge of Coraline's vision. Voices whisper, though they are not of the Death of Souls. They seem older, deadlier.
Coraline angrily pushes it away.
VARDAMAN
(lowering his hand)
I don't seem to be dead.
AGATA
You're being ironic, Names.
CORALINE
(pulling against the ropes)
I'm not ironic! Touch me again and I'll kill you!
AGATA
Heh.
VARDAMAN
Why the cats?
Coraline glares at him.
VARDAMAN
Why not use your magic before?
Why cover yourself in so many lies, even now?
Who are you?
CORALINE
Your mother.
VARDAMAN
Well, shit. I'm fucked.
Whispers protrude. Nelanor. Nelanor...
CORALINE
(mind voice)
He didn't find the fragment.
AGATA
(mind voice)
You got lucky. He's probably not terribly familiar with the concept of a padded bra. Or not a good one.
He still hasn't gotten into your bag, though he's obviously wizened up that there's something there.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I'm seeing things.
Vardaman picks up the cloth and stuffs it back in Coraline's mouth. She tries to bite him, but also reaches out with her healing senses, finding him there in front of her, his life, strong, vibrant.
He pulls the outer gag back up over her mouth, tightening it, and steps away.
Coraline rises up after him a bit, straining her arms, snapping the ropes taut.
CORALINE
HNNGNNN!
Vardaman regards Coraline flatly for a moment.
Coraline sinks back down into the grass.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Like something moving behind the fabric of the universe. I'm seeing it too. Interesting.
Also you maybe shouldn't have told him your intentions. Or be so obvious. Sure, you're angry, but how is this helping, exactly?
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Aaaaaagh.
AGATA
(mind voice)
I know. It sucks. Deal with it.
Coraline whimpers unhappily.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I was so close. I was free... for a little bit. And now it's just this all over again, but worse.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Yes.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Thank you.
Thank you for sticking around...
Agata plonks down next to Coraline and purrs.
AGATA
(mind voice)
You may be miserable, but you're fun. Telling a Deathdealer fuck him and his god? That you're going to kill him? Stupid, but very fun, especially the things his face does. And I'm rather enjoying this whole side plot with Kyrule's Voice. Getting to watch that... well, you, of all people, as one of his Keepers is bound to get interesting.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
That assumes I don't die first.
AGATA
(mind voice)
So don't.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Voi paska! That's what I'm doing wrong. I'm dying!
AGATA
(mind voice)
Mmm, butter shit. I bet all the dogs go for that one.



Vardaman sits down by the horses, watching Coraline, or as he knows her, Amadi. Maybe. He is beginning to doubt much of her story, and yet there are also things he cannot quite shake.
Vardaman opens his fist on his lap, revealing a large golden coin. On its face is the mask and skull of Kyrule.
He opens his other, and in it is another matching coin. This one has on it a figure of scales. He turns it over, revealing the mask and skull.
He gives Coraline an appraising look, but she's simply hanging limply, staring at the grass. Agata is curled up by her leg, doing apparently nothing either.
VARDAMAN
(quietly)
Keepers, what am I doing? Who are you?
Agata raises her head slightly and stares at him, and then slowly closes her eyes and opens them again.



Later, when Vardaman hoists Coraline back up, he doesn't untie her from the tree. Instead, he pulls the gag back out and holds a bottle of vodka near Coraline's mouth, still holding her arms up over her head.
Coraline tries to move her head to the bottle, but Vardaman pulls it back.
VARDAMAN
You're no Deathdealer.
CORALINE
Oh, now you're Captain Obvious too? Am I just stuck on a whole planet of Captain Obviouses?!
VARDAMAN
Are you... Ordian?
CORALINE
No.
VARDAMAN
You're lying.
CORALINE
What's your point?
VARDAMAN
Speak to me. You're dying, but your life need not be so miserable before the end.
Do you think I want to do this to you? If I knew what your capabilities were, if I could trust you in any way...
CORALINE
Even if I told you the truth you wouldn't believe me, and I can't... I can't do that.
VARDAMAN
What is the truth?
Coraline meets his gaze, but doesn't answer.
VARDAMAN
I know you have means to communicate with your cat, even with your magic bound. I know you have mage training, and martial too, though you present as a witch. I know you serve Kyrule.
You're clearly no stranger to suffering. You're well-spoken across several languages, so you're no commoner. And yet you also know your way around animals, and wilderness, well enough even to throw me off, through non-magical means.
CORALINE
So?
VARDAMAN
And you keep secrets. You play a better game than most agents.
CORALINE
Take this one to the grave.
VARDAMAN
There is nothing for you in death!
CORALINE
It's still my death. Doesn't that count for anything?
VARDAMAN
Normally it would.
He puts the bottle to Coraline's mouth, and she warily takes a drink.
Vardaman takes back the bottle, gives her some food and water in much the same fashion, and replaces her gag. Only afterwards does he untie the ropes from the tree.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I've played too many cards already. If this doesn't work...
Also, my magic is bound? What does that mean?
AGATA
(mind voice)
Suppression spell. Ignore it. Doesn't seem to affect you anyway. This will work, don't worry.
When they return to the horses, the one Coraline had stolen before nickers softly, turning toward Coraline. Coraline pulls a bit toward it as well, but Vardaman directs her instead to a different one, lifts her up, and mounts quickly behind her.
Vardaman holds her tightly as they head out once more.
For a few minutes, Coraline simply waits, looking out over the brown landscape and barren trees, trying to compose herself, focusing on breathing. Then she closes her eyes, and looks out at the world without them.
Everything is dark, thin. The landscape shows itself as edges, smears, ghosts of trees and rocks. The sky is a void, hungering, lingering. Behind it all, stars poke through, ancient and terrible, singing. Sand trickles, hinting, whispering. Points of light distort the edges, trailing their essence behind them. A bird in the sky becomes a strange smear. Larger animals, huddled down, give off distorted glows. Sprites glimmer with tenuous light.
Her own self is a darkness to rival the sky, a shape she can't make out. Vardaman is a brightness to rival the sun. The horses and cats are far more normal, simply shapes of horses and cats, glowing beneath her and behind.
Coraline reaches into Vardaman's brightness, feeling it all around her, almost a part of her. His arms are the conduit, his chest the core. She can feel his life, his strangeness, his simple fragility, and takes it all into her mind. For a moment she simply holds it there. Somewhere, she thinks, I'm sorry.
Vardaman moves behind her, almost as if he heard.
And then Coraline flips it, twisting it in on itself, turning it out.
Except nothing happens. The brightness remains. Vardaman... remains.
CORALINE
Nnngh?
Desperately Coraline opens her eyes, the brightness of the world flooding back as light, a thin layer over the darkness behind the world, even as she finds the horse underneath her instead with her mind, finding its essence, its life, and turns that out instead.
The horse crumples beneath them, falling over, dead, its life suddenly just gone. Vardaman pulls Coraline off as it falls, losing hold of her momentarily as he rolls away, and quickly gets up. Coraline yells in surprise, but gets up quickly and starts running in a random direction.
Vardaman runs after her and tackles her to the ground, hauling her back up a moment later. He draws his sword, turning, pulling Coraline back even further as he looks around for the source.
The other two horses shy away from the dead one, straining back. One of them stomps a bit.
VARDAMAN
(casting overhead with his sword)
See call come!
Agata peers at them curiously from the packhorse.
Coraline tries again, twisting at Vardaman's life, trying to put it out as she had with the horse, and the Carriers before. But nothing happens. Nothing continues to happen.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I can't... it doesn't work on him.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Worked on the horse.
Vardaman looks around briefly, then spins Coraline around by the shoulder. He grabs her by the arm, putting his sword to her throat.
VARDAMAN
You. What did you do? How did you do that?
CORALINE
(trying to put on an appropriately blank look)
Nnn? Hnnnugh?
Vardaman frowns at her.
VARDAMAN
How?
Coraline desperately shakes her head, leaning away from the sword.
AGATA
The way you've got her bound up? How could she have?
VARDAMAN
And what about you, cat? What is your part in all this?
CORALINE
Hnnnugh hnngnnn nnn!
Vardaman shoves Coraline aside and grabs Agata instead.
VARDAMAN
Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end you, cat.
CORALINE
NNRRNGH!
Coraline charges Vardaman, headbutting him. She bounces off harmlessly, falling in a heap off to the side.
AGATA
Because my life sustains hers. Take mine away, and she will become that much weaker, that much closer to the turning.
You want her alive? Then you need me alive too.
Vardaman frowns, but lets Agata go. Agata hops away and jumps up onto some rocks a few metres away.
Vardaman picks up Coraline again, gripping her in one arm, and then holds out his other hand, palm up.
VARDAMAN
Come.
A black soulstone appears in his hand.
To Coraline, there is something wrong about it, more so than with any of the others before, and she tries to shy away from it, but Vardaman's grip doesn't let her.
He places the soulstone to her chest.
Coraline screams, a muffled wail of all consonants. Something inside her breaks. The voices rise to a thunder in her head. The starsong hurtles into her mind. The blackness is everywhere, everything too bright to see, crushing.
Coraline struggles violently, kicking, twisting, trying to get away, needing to, more than anything.
Vardaman draws the soulstone back away from her.
Coraline stops struggling, but remains very tense, hyperventilating, staring at the soulstone in horror.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Names? Names!
VARDAMAN
What the fuck?
Go.
The soulstone vanishes. Coraline immediately relaxes, collapsing in his arm.
Vardaman lowers her to the ground, pulling down her gag.
VARDAMAN
Speak.
CORALINE
(mumbling)
They need to stop their experiments.
VARDAMAN
What experiments?
CORALINE
(mumbling)
The Eternal was right. They need to...
VARDAMAN
The Eternal?
Coraline passes out.
Vardaman glances at Agata.
AGATA
Don't do that again.
VARDAMAN
Who experimented on her?
AGATA
No one.
VARDAMAN
She just said...
Agata sticks a leg up and starts licking her butt.
VARDAMAN
I'm talking to a fucking cat.


EXT. Soravian wilderness - noonish
Vardaman continues on, hauling Coraline along bound and gagged, leaving the dead horse behind. He goes slower now, resting the remaining horses longer, and stops by a small stand of tall trees, tying Coraline to another tree, Coraline almost hanging from her arms held above her head as she drifts in and out of consciousness.
Vardaman squats next to her and pulls the gag out again. She doesn't respond, so he follows up by slapping her a bit in the face.
Coraline very calmly vomits a bit in response.
CORALINE
(quietly)
Ense Vardaman.
Vardaman startles and stares at her.
CORALINE
Let me go.
VARDAMAN
What?
CORALINE
Ense Vardaman, as I give your name as proof, in the name of the Eternal I command you to let me go.
VARDAMAN
You're a Voice.
CORALINE
I wasn't supposed to tell you. I wasn't supposed to reveal myself. But nothing else worked. You wouldn't even die. I couldn't even do that...
Vardaman stares at her in considerable confusion.
CORALINE
Let me go.
VARDAMAN
No.
CORALINE
What? But... you... you're...
VARDAMAN
As a Voice, I disagree. The choice remains my own.
Coraline stares at him for a bit.
CORALINE
But... why?
VARDAMAN
I can't trust you. No matter who you are, you are too important to let go.
Coraline stares at Vardaman desperately.
VARDAMAN
I cannot.
CORALINE
At least untie me? Let me come on my own? Let me breathe?
VARDAMAN
Would you?
CORALINE
(she takes a deep breath)
If you are determined that I must, then yes. I'll go with you.
Vardaman gives her a long look.
VARDAMAN
I wish I could believe you.
CORALINE
Whaa...?!
Vardaman stuffs the cloth back in her mouth, replacing the gag.
CORALINE
Nnn gnnnngh!
Vardaman turns away wearily, heading back toward the horses.
Coraline starts sobbing hopelessly, choking on the gag, vomiting a bit more, and then choking on that too when it goes up her nose.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Have you considered jumping off a cliff?
Coraline stares at Agata, trying to breathe and get all the vomit back out of her nose.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Because you should totally jump off a cliff.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I... just... are you... what?
VOICE OF KYRULE
(mind voice)
Listen to your cat. Options remain.


INT. Grey Lobby
Coraline and Agata appear in the Lobby very suddenly, Coraline for some reason holding Agata like a sack of flour. A small group of Keepers are arguing nearby. The boy in green is a bit off to the side, glaring at them disappointedly, though he brightens up at seeing Coraline appear.
The Voice of Kyrule strolls over.
VOICE OF KYRULE
Keeper.
CORALINE
(incredulously)
Jumping off a cliff?
The other Keepers turn, surprised.
The boy in green breaks into a grin.
AGATA
For the record, I was joking.
CORALINE
Arrrrgh.
Coraline sits down heavily and flops back onto the floor.
CORALINE
See, this is the point where I would totally just fuck everything and kill myself with a shovel. If I could. Which I can't. Yeeeeah.
The other Keepers come over, concerned.
WOMAN IN BROWN
(touching Coraline's arm)
Whatever you're going through, the Eternal is with you. It can't possibly be so bad...
CORALINE
Oh, you have no idea. I'm eight different colours of 'fucked' right now. I didn't even know 'fucked' came in eight colours. Thought it was only three.
VOICE OF KYRULE
There are nine. You're not quite there yet.
Coraline stares up at the Voice blankly.
CORALINE
Did you... just make a joke?
BOY IN GREEN
See, if you really do want to jump off a cliff, I think it's doable. We just need... hmm. I'ma have to go give it a look.
The boy disappears.
The Voice leans down and hauls Coraline up by an arm, and the Lobby shifts around them, fading, darkening, into a room almost, but not entirely, exactly identical. The architecture is a little different. The furniture is against the walls. The light is dimmer. Dull windows look out over a grey city.
They're alone, now. The other Keepers are just gone.
The darkness at the edges of everything creeps in tendrils, sparkling. Coraline pointedly ignores it, and gives the Voice a confused look. Agata jumps up onto her head.
VOICE OF KYRULE
This has gone far enough. You need to win this fight.
CORALINE
This fight?
VOICE OF KYRULE
With Ense Vardaman. With your predicament. With the Death of Souls. All of these, it is up to you, your task, your challenge.
CORALINE
Right. So with Ense... with Vardaman, just so we're entirely clear here, what happened was... I tried to tell him what to do as a Voice. He decided not to. As a Voice.
Stalemate?
VOICE OF KYRULE
Not exactly.
CORALINE
Well we've basically got Voice on Voice where one has the other trussed up like a piece of livestock, so who exactly wins, here?
VOICE OF KYRULE
That is up to you.
CORALINE
Oh?
VOICE OF KYRULE
The Voices speak for the Eternal. In light of a disagreement, arbitration is determined by rank, and failing that, who is correct in practice. Should you escape, it becomes our will that you go free. Should you fail...
CORALINE
I did! I already escaped, he just hunted me down again!
VOICE OF KYRULE
That was before you invoked your right as Voice.
CORALINE
What... so I could have done that in the first place, and it would have been good enough?!
Why in the hells did you tell me to not tell him then?
VOICE OF KYRULE
That decision may have been in error.
Coraline stares at him, and sputters a bit.
AGATA
A god, admitting an error? Whatever next? Dogs meowing? Cats? Barking?
VOICE OF KYRULE
This error must be amended.
AGATA
Woof?
CORALINE
What... can't Kyrule just make some miracle? Send someone to go say 'Oi this matter is settled sod off'?
VOICE OF KYRULE
That would be you. That is what the Voices are.
CORALINE
(pumping her arms up like a cheer)
Whooo! I failed!
The Voice gives Coraline a flat look.
CORALINE
Sorry.
VOICE OF KYRULE
Will you continue? See this out to the end?
CORALINE
Sure, why not?
VOICE OF KYRULE
How far are you willing to go?
CORALINE
How far do I need to? I tried your way. I tried mine! Nothing's worked. Nothing.
VOICE OF KYRULE
How certain are you of your will?
CORALINE
I don't... what?
VOICE OF KYRULE
What are you willing to risk?
CORALINE
Everything.
VOICE OF KYRULE
And should you fail, who will mourn your passing?
CORALINE
Uh...
There's an awkward silence, and then Coraline uncertainly raises a hand and points toward the cat on her head, looking a bit skeptical.
Agata purrs loudly.
VOICE OF KYRULE
Do you regret the choices that brought you here? Will you regret one more?
CORALINE
Probably, but that's hardly a reason to stop.
VOICE OF KYRULE
Then we shall see who you are, Coraline Henderson.


EXT. Soravian wilderness - early afternoon
Coraline awakens suddenly, just in time to catch her bindings digging in particularly painfully as Vardaman hoists her up against the tree.
CORALINE
Nrrggaaagh!
Her nose, at least, is mostly clear again. Her head, not so much.
VARDAMAN
I'm sorry. I am not trying to hurt you.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Ow. Also what the crap?
Vardaman ungags Coraline, gives her some vodka and water, and then regags her, patting her down. His search is quite thorough, feeling her exactingly, but Coraline just ignores it as always.
AGATA
(mind voice)
I'll admit that was somewhat odd.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I've read Kyrule's secret book back to front, cat, and tried to make sense of even some of it, and frankly that exchange made even the least sensical bits of that book seem bloody purposeful. Possibly because they tended to have context, admittedly. Or notes complaining about the lack of context.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Well, at least you're not feeling quite so hopeless anymore.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
How can I possibly feel hopeless when I'm this bloody confused?!
AGATA
(mind voice)
Heh. It did remind you of one thing, though...
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Well, sure, there's the nonsense hopefuls apparently go through to become Deathdealers, but that's some actual trials. Tests. Things. And names.
They, like, fight things. Or stuff.
AGATA
Oy Deathdealer. When you lot go through your trials, what's that like?
VARDAMAN
What?
AGATA
We were wondering. My human thinks it's all about fighting stuff. I think it's more about... questions. Out with it, will you?
Vardaman stops mid-search, turns to stare at Agata, sitting serenely on the ground behind him.
Coraline just stands there, unable to really do much else. One of Vardaman's hands is on her arms, holding them up. His other is on her boob. She gives it an annoyed look.
VARDAMAN
What questions, exactly, do you think they are?
AGATA
(mind voice)
Names? Throw me something here.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Will. Questioning. Regrets. Not sure about the other. Where the hells are you going with this?
AGATA
Your will.
Vardaman frowns.
AGATA
What you will question. What you will give up.
VARDAMAN
No.
AGATA
Whether you regret the choices that brought you here. Whether you might regret one more.
There's a long, awful silence.
VARDAMAN
How can you possibly know that?
Who are you?
AGATA
I'm a cat. Duh.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Have I ever mentioned how much I adore you?
Also I don't think I've ever felt more like a stage prop in my life. Including that time I literally was a stage prop in comp school.
AGATA
I note that you still haven't answered my question.
Vardaman ignores her and goes back to checking Coraline, checking both boobs, feeling around the edges of her bra, and then pausing at her cleavage. He nudges at it more, and then stops at the fragment, holding it through her coat and shirt.
CORALIN
(mind voice)
Voi vittu.
VARDAMAN
What's this?
Coraline just gives him an annoyed look.
Vardaman reaches up under Coraline's shirt and fetches the fragment.
Coraline makes an indignant noise.
As soon as Vardaman takes the fragment away, the voices clatter out of the cracks in reality around Coraline, jarring, bright, strange, pushing down on her like a horrible weight. A whole lot of other strangeness fades away almost as immediately.
Coraline tenses up awkwardly, blinking in confusion, trying not to... anything. She doesn't even know herself.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Names?
CORALINE
(mind voice)
I'm fine, probably. It was just surprising, and annoying. And I guess it was helping even more than I realised. Perkele.
Vardaman gives the shard a worried look, clearly recognising it, and turns back to Coraline with some concern before pulling the gag out and pushing Coraline's arms back up against the tree above her head.
AGATA
(mind voice)
You're not fine. Get it back.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
How?
VARDAMAN
(holding up the fragment in his other hand)
How did you get this?
CORALINE
(rather loudly)
I am the Baron of Fartswetly, bearer of the legendary blade of Con Cebolla, worn at the battle of the Great Fortress of Bleugh! All things come to me!
VARDAMAN
I had this in my things. You're a thief, too?
CORALINE
The Baron of Fartswetly has many means. Means and ways. Ways and means.
VARDAMAN
Why this? Why is it important?
CORALINE
Your friends in the woods wondered that too. They tested it against the Death of Souls, and it exploded. The Eternal felt that dearly, you know. So many souls snuffed out. So many of the faithful denied their endings.
VARDAMAN
What?
CORALINE
The shard should be with me. That is why you had it, Ense Vardaman. Just in case.
VARDAMAN
In case of what?
CORALINE
In case it could help, of course. Now give the Baron of Fartswetly her due.
Coraline beckons with her head.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Why are you antagonising him?
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Why not? How much worse could this possibly get?
Vardaman sighs and regags Coraline, stuffing the cloth back in her mouth and pocketing the fragment. Coraline bites at his fingers around it, but he ignores this and pulls up and tightens the outer gag holding it in.
AGATA
(mind voice)
He may yet kill you. For real.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Okay, yes. That would be... bad.

Building

EXT. Lauhen sea - day
The raft floats vaguely, bobbing and turning occasionally, often simply sitting on the surface of the ocean. It's stable. It works. It is an absolute dead end.
The sky above them is utterly, utterly empty, and very blue.
The sea below is dark and very blue.
Kit wakes up suddenly, looks around, and immediately regrets it.
The others barely react, either.
Kit sits there for a bit, staring dejectedly out over the sea.
KIT
So correct me if I'm wrong, but... we seem to be lost at sea?
NOLAN
No.
KIT
No?
NOLAN
No.
ERRY
No.
KIT
Oh.
JORA
We need shelter and water. Bearings would be good if we had anywhere to go, but we don't know where we are. The fish appears to be edible raw, but then it started going bad and the gogs ate the rest, so now we're back down to what we brought with us for food.
KIT
Right.
What fish?
JORA
The squid gave us a present. Apparently as thanks.
KIT
Squid. That... was a squid.
(he peers around)
And we really have no idea where shore is?
NOLAN
No.
ERRY
So whose fault is all this?
Kit and Jora glance toward Nolan.
Nolan looks at Jora.
JORA
It doesn't matter. We're here, and we need to handle it.
ERRY
It's awfully warm.
KIT
Oh, and I suppose you expect me to fix it. Fix everything!
(he waves his hand above them)
yat yoliaig gugum!
A cloud forms over them, blocking out the sunlight, and promptly starts raining on them. The ambient temperature drops significantly.
Erry flops back happily, smiling contentedly, even as she's pelted with raindrops.
Nolan blinks blankly as his hair plasters to his head.
JORA
Oh, wow.
KIT
Oh. Actually that does help a lot. Okay.
Stars, I'm hungry.
Nolan hands Kit a soggy ration block.
Kit stares at it blankly for a moment.
KIT
Yeah, okay.
Kit takes the block and starts gnawing on it.
JORA
We probably need to start with shelter. Some sort of covering or awning. A tensile structure?
KIT
(dubiously)
'Tensile structure'?
ERRY
We've been Nolaned. Save us.
KIT
I... what. Okay. How?
ERRY
Save us.
Kit turns to Jora.
JORA
Can you make a thin, coarse fabric out of the same material as the raft?
ERRY
And barrels.
NOLAN
Weapons.
KIT
Sure, I'll just make all the things!


EXT. Lauhen sea - day
It's later. The raft now has an assortment of all the things on it. Poles are grown up out of the corners, arching up into a pointed roof, covered in an awning which hangs down like curtains and blocks out the sun, though it's pulled open on two sides so they can still see out over the water. Barrel-like tubs of desalinated water are shoved into a corner. Some weapons and various tools are piled up on the floor. A wad of fabric attempts is piled up next to them.
Erry is half-hanging off the side of the raft, trailing a hand in the water. Shoved into the far corner in the shade, Kit is very irritably making arrows, handing each one off to Nolan, who nods and then adds them to a pile. Jora has a glass of water, calmly sipping it.
All the things are the same strange sparkling matte white as the raft itself.
Erry falls out of the raft.
ERRY
Agh!
There's a bit of a splash.
Nobody really responds right away.
Kit finishes an arrow and stabs it at Nolan. Nolan evades the stab and takes it and puts it with the others.
There's some more splashing off the side of the raft.
ERRY
Guys, guys? I can't get up.
Jora puts down her glass and hauls Erry back onto the raft.
KIT
So this is fun, and all.
Erry clomps over to the fabric attempts and plonks down on them with a loud crunching noise, making a makeshift nest for herself.
KIT
Also we seem to be lost at sea.


EXT. Lauhen sea - dusk
Night falls. The kids stare at it blankly. Jora ties up the side curtains as the sunset glints off the waves, and glows off clouds near the horizon. Stars poke out through the sky like weevils.
Erry totally accidentally smacks Nolan in the head with a fishing pole.
A gog slides Nolan a piece of paper.

External threats

INT. Grey Lobby
Coraline and the boy in green meet up, perching on the backs of sofas. The boy has a spellbook. Somehow, Coraline also has a version of hers, the introductory trainer Kit had lent her months back, though this one is much bigger. Agata is sitting on Coraline's head.
BOY IN GREEN
Okay, so what we want to do is jump off a cliff.
CORALINE
That's the... short of it.
BOY IN GREEN
What's the long of it?
Coraline takes a deep breath, mostly just to stall. They don't seem to really need to breathe at all, here.
CORALINE
I'm bound and gagged. I don't have access to any tools, can't secret any knives or anything to try to free myself. My bindings are secure, and checked regularly. I am watched at all hours.
What I need to do is free myself, incapacitate a Deathdealer, and then jump off a cliff.
The boy in green stops and stares at her.
BOY IN GREEN
Did you say 'Deathdealer'?
CORALINE
Yeeeeah. I can't command him to let me go because he is also a Keeper and... disagreed. I could potentially kill him using conventional means, but my usual magic for that sort of thing appears to have no effect on him. And that wouldn't exactly be proper.
BOY IN GREEN
Why, though? Why would a Deathdealer...
CORALINE
Let's just say we had a... difference of opinions as to which course of action is ultimately the more dangerous. He's very convinced he's right, and I'm reasonably sure he really isn't. And I can't exactly tell him the answer is necromancy.
BOY IN GREEN
Is it?
CORALINE
Gods, I hope not. But I sure as hell won't be able to find out if he actually achieves his mission and tells the world what I am.
BOY IN GREEN
(leaning back, tapping his foot)
Well, that makes it more interesting. Deathdealers are immune to certain kinds of magic, right? Death magic, mind-affecting stuff, most curses, a lot of alchemy straight up. Sleep effects don't really work either.
CORALINE
What about dropping a log on his head?
BOY IN GREEN
That would do it. Might see that coming.
You probably want some sort of paralysis for this. How fast can you cast?
CORALINE
I'll be honest. I'm really new to this. You've taught me most of the actual spells I know.
BOY IN GREEN
Your bindings?
CORALINE
I was able to cut them off with flame before, but that took a bit, too. Also hurt like hell.
BOY IN GREEN
Hmm. If you free yourself first, you'll be able to cast normally to incapacitate him. But if you incapacitate him first, you'll be more likely to succeed at actually freeing yourself.
CORALINE
What if I just do something iffy first to stun him, and then follow up with something better once I have my hands and voice back?
BOY IN GREEN
Could work. Let's see...
The boy flips through a few pages of spells.
Agata yawns hugely.
BOY IN GREEN
A freeze spell might work. But it looks like the spells that would help get a lot more complicated rather quickly... fear, maybe? No, Deathdealers wouldn't be susceptible to that...
Paralysis is a higher level spell. Entangle? Hold? He could probably cast his way through those...
Think he'd untie you if he thought you were dead?
CORALINE
Actually... yeah, he might.
I mean, he'd almost certainly continue lugging me with as a corpse, but dignity for the dead is kind of a big thing for Kyrule's followers.
BOY IN GREEN
There's a spell. Wanna hear it?
Coraline shrugs.
BOY IN GREEN
(squinting over the spellbook, and then casting with one hand)
Black heart dream...
He recoils and falls over backwards.
BOY IN GREEN
(getting up quickly)
I messed that up.
(casting again, using both hands, still looking at the book for reference)
Die heart dream.
The boy collapses, folding up onto the floor and just lying, unmoving. Coraline checks him out, and he does very much seem to be dead, to all her senses. Agata slides around on her head, reaching out vaguely to hold onto her hair.
CORALINE
Huh.
BOY IN GREEN
(opening one eye)
Convincing?
CORALINE
Far as I could tell. How did you tell when to come out of it?
BOY IN GREEN
Uh... I guessed. I couldn't actually see or hear anything, see.
CORALINE
Okay, that might be a problem.
BOY IN GREEN
Hmm... right. Let's find something better.
He flips through a few more pages of spells, reading through some, skipping over others entirely.
Coraline goes through her book as well, looking for anything remotely promising. Instead she winds up reading about a spell for conjuring up a fancy hut in a bubble.
Agata snores vaguely, hanging floppily.
BOY IN GREEN
You might be able to distract him with a conjuration. Or if you could vanish yourself...
CORALINE
He has an annoying tendency to tie me to trees, so I'd also need a way to teleport for that to work.
And when I'm not tied to a tree, he makes a point to always have a good grip on me.
BOY IN GREEN
(a bit impressed)
Gotta love our Deathdealers.
CORALINE
Yeah. Great when they're on your side. Otherwise...
(she sighs exasperatedly)
He's also annoyingly good at resisting and blocking random spells, so there's that, too.
BOY IN GREEN
Empower your spells, then. A longer incantation makes them more stable, so people use more related words, and you can add addwords like 'full' and 'all' and 'always' to buff them too.
CORALINE
All of the above?
BOY IN GREEN
Potentially. Try it!
CORALINE
Er... Full green light all always?
She holds out her hand and a brilliant green light appears in it, spreading vaguely out, filling the Lobby with colour. It wants to spread, become many lights, so she lets it, and a sea of green lights rise slowly from the floor and stop to hover at random heights below the ceiling.
BOY IN GREEN
Coooool.
So spells. Paralyse Deathdealer, free yourself...
CORALINE
Drop tree on him, rob him, run away.
BOY IN GREEN
There's always release spells, but those are a bit more powerful than we need, exactly.
CORALINE
How so?
BOY IN GREEN
Well, see, they kind of release everything. Restraints, sure. Imprisonment. Spell effects. Curses, even. Your old catch all can't catch me! Thing.
(he shapes out a spell and casts it in a random direction)
Hold.
Which is why there's also entire schools of counters for them - you get ropes made specifically to not be affected, so then you get release addwords built around working against anti-release stuff...
The spell distorts the space around it as it drifts away and fizzles out. It hits a few of the lights on the way, causing them to disappear.
CORALINE
Er.
BOY IN GREEN
That's fine. There's options there. Paralyse, entangle maybe...
CORALINE
Fly definitely.
BOY IN GREEN
Yes. Good one, that.
Agata lets out a particularly broken snore, tries to turn over a bit, curling her head around, and slides off Coraline's head, only then waking up very suddenly and clawing down Coraline's face trying to regain her footing.
Agata flops onto the floor, looking around in surprise.
The boy in green looks up in surprise.
CORALINE
(wiping at the claw marks on her face with her hand)
Well, you're really a cat, cat.
AGATA
What? Buh? No.
Coraline's hand comes away with streaks of ash on, and she eyes it confusedly.
CORALINE
I'm bleeding...?
BOY IN GREEN
It's ash. We don't have blood here.
AGATA
(sitting up)
You were. It looks like it's already healed.
How's your plan coming along?
CORALINE
Um. I'd be a lot more confident if I weren't on a bit of a deadline.
AGATA
Deadline. As in you'll be dead.
CORALINE
Yes, that's real helpful. Thank you.
AGATA
Well don't let me get in your way.
The boy laughs.


EXT. Soravian wilderness - evening
Coraline returns to herself as Vardaman is tying her to another tree. He says nothing as he moves to tend to the horses, and as she sinks to the ground, she doesn't really acknowledge him either.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Promising.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Agata? Where are you?
AGATA
(mind voice)
He doesn't seem to like me much, so I made myself scarce. Broke into the bag where he shoved the other cats. There used to be a vampire in here. And a sizeable liquor cabinet.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
'Used to be'?
AGATA
(mind voice)
Let's just say Argument of Hags seems to really like chewing on the living dead. Now it's more like part of a vampire. A former vampire. An ex.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
What, it didn't fight back?
AGATA
(mind voice)
Naw, it's bound up something awful. It's just sort of gibbering a bit. While a cat chews on it. Now that is a sight to see.
Agata passes Coraline some memories, including a few particularly choice scenes of gruesome chewing.
Coraline recoils a bit in horror. Vardaman pauses, watching her, but then resumes his stuff when she doesn't do anything further.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Dammit, cat, I did not need that!
AGATA
(mind voice)
Didn't you, though?
CORALINE
(mind voice)
No.
AGATA
(mind voice)
Well, one thing you will need is time. Those are some ambitious spells. And your boy does seem to have an actual life of his own, besides your little hobby here.
CORALINE
(mind voice)
Perkele.


EXt. Soravian wilderness - night
Evening gives way to night. Vardaman gives Coraline some vodka and food, and bundles her up, before sitting by the horses. As always, he watches her carefully. He does not sleep himself.
Coraline ignores him, focusing instead on her breathing. She maintains regular breaths, in and out, in and out, not letting her itching throat try to cough, not gagging on the gag, not struggling against her painful bindings.
Idly, she listens to the voices, clamouring in the back of her mind, whispering, chattering, screaming. There's no pattern to it, just a steady stream, some louder, some softer, some stranger than others. None particularly stand out. None seem to repeat. But she listens regardless, focusing at random, like trying to catch a glimpse of a single blade of grass as it passes by while flying through a field...
VOICE 498862723
...Helena sa...
VOICE 1757467282
Mother...
VOICE 996514
It's so cold.
VOICE 666002
...okay to be afraid. It's okay to be afraid. It's okay...
They're all snippets. They all sound... there is something about them that she cannot place. Something off, changing them.
They all sound familiar, like she's heard them all before.
Another voice intrudes, almost as if right in front of her, but with the same quality as the others, still distant, off, not quite real.
VOICE 132434088
Hello? Please, can you hear me? Can you see me? Please, anyone, why can't anyone...
It sounds like a little girl, lost and alone.
And then it's gone.
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Survivor's Song: Part 5
(heaps: heap • heap2 • heap3)
Part 0 • Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • ...
Retrieved from ‘https://wiki.zaori.org/w/index.php?title=This/Survivors_song/Part_5&oldid=3896’

Sorry for the late notice, but a few minutes ago, time_t hit 1,500,000,000. That's a bit over ⅓ of the way until we run out of time.