TBOS: Round 1, Scene 10

Entering the Council Hall, none of them knew what to expect; when they finally did the sight was far worse than they ever imagined. The Mother's body seethed with hateful despair, her voice a psychotic symphony of screams. The three champions were taken aback, absorbed by the monstrous form rising thirty feet above them. Never before had they witnessed such a creature.

"Swiftsure! Aella! Guard!" came the screaming voice of Princess Antigone. Their heads snapping to their right, they were met with a gruesome picture: Antigone was caught in one of the Mothers many hands, wicked claws wrapped dangerously around her delicate frame. Whipping into action, the Guard and Aella shot forward, hearts pounding wildly, ready to protect their friend. Swiftsure, however, could not budge; the Mother had paralyzed him with fear, and he reverted back to the frightened puppy he had been when the Guard fought the wolf. Cowering, he could not remember why he had thought it right to come here, to risk life and limb for someone who rejected him. Compared to the Mother, this giant, Swiftsure did not even exist. He wanted to run away, to flee and live another day, yet the doors to the outside world had locked securely behind him. Leaving the Council Hall would prove no comfort, he realized; it would simply be traveling from one hell to another. Afraid, fearful, and appalled with himself, Swiftsure was unable to enter the fray.

The Guard and Aella reached Antigone within seconds, both taking to the air, bodies poised to kick and punch. Combining their strength, Antigone was released. Shrieking in surprise, the Mother became occupied in grief, and she let the Princess go, her hydra-arms lifting upward in a sickening flurry. Antigone secured, she embraced them, stifled sobs sinking into their shoulders. After, the three women talked hurriedly as they exchanged information, eyes on their foe to watch for her recovery.

"Antigone, take this book!" said Aella, yelling over the Mother's voice. Handing her the book, Antigone took it hastily in her hands, face perplexed.

"What is this?" she asked loudly, hands tracing over its surface. Although she did not know what she held, Antigone could discern it was magical; everything about it radiated power. Somehow, the book in her hands gave her peace, made her hopeful – certainly this book was not one of evil origins.

"It's what's gonna save our asses!" Aella said.

"It's filled with the magic and lore of this forest, supposedly created by the Mother when she built this realm." the Guard explained.

"She created the forest!?" Antigone yelled in confusion. "But she's mad!"

"She wasn't always like this, Antigone. The world began to collapse around her. Her loved ones were disappearing, and her heart fell into chaos," continued the Guard.

"But what of this book?" asked Antigone, holding it up for them to see. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"There's a spell in there. It's called the cleaning spell, or something – " Aella began

"Spell of Cleansing!" interrupted the Guard.

"Whatever! Anyway, we were told it would purify the Mother. You know, stop her from acting – and looking, hopefully – like that!" she said, pointing to the still wailing figure. "It can only be used by a virgin Princess though! Please tell me you're a virgin!"

"W-what?!" Antigone exclaimed. Her face flushed with embarrassment, her mouth hanging open slightly at the personal nature of the question; in her time, no one talked like Aella did. "Y-yes, I'm a virgin." Both the Guard and Aella heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank god!" cried Aella, throwing her hands in the air.

"There's one problem," began the Guard. "When you read the spell you won't be able to move. That's why this is going to be so difficult. We'll have to protect you; you'll have to trust us!"  Their relief was cut short, however, when the Mother abruptly recovered, her snaking arms pelting in their direction. All three girls shouted in alarm, scattering to avoid the flurry of fists. They jumped, they ducked, they vaulted, they dodged, each robust blow narrowly avoided. Their group ended up divided, all three spaced far apart.  Antigone came to rest at the door with Swiftsure, their backs against the wall.

"Antigone!" he cried, scooting closer to her.

"Oh, Swiftsure!" she said, dropping to hug his canine body. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I shouldn't have said those things!" Swiftsure pressed his head into his master's shoulder, squeezing his eyes tight in an attempt to block out the nightmare before him. Whispering in her ear, Swiftsure responded shakily:

"Tigo, I'm scared," he said, his body shuddering in her arms.

"I know. I am too. But you're safe now, Swiftsure; I'll protect you this time," she whispered back to him, slender hands caressing the fur on his back. Letting him go, Antigone rose to her feet, placing herself defensively in front him. Being treated like he mattered, Swiftsure was overjoyed, though he felt the severity of his weakness. He hated himself for letting Antigone fight for him, but what could he do? He had no skills, no prowess in battle; fighting would only result in getting him killed, and Swiftsure was not ready to die. Antigone, on the other hand, was determined to see all four of them alive at the end of this ordeal. She would do her best to defend them all, especially Swiftsure, who was more helpless than any of them. Although her role was to cast the Spell of Cleansing, Antigone had gained insight to a few of the Mother's physical weaknesses. Calling out to the Guard and Aella, the Princess shouted orders like a tactician.

"The Mother has some major anatomical weaknesses; It might level the playing field if we exploit them! Do you see her abdomen? The segment that keeps her whole main body in one piece?"

"Yes, I see it!" called the Guard. "Should we aim for that?"

"I think so!" responded Antigone. "And there, on either side of her shoulders where her arms sprout from: attacking those nodes might disable her arms for a time, or at least damage them! I also believe her blows can be redirected. If you dodge, it seems possible for you to alter the course of her arms with a punch or kick! Anything to send it in a different direction! Once she throws her fist she loses control of it until something stops it."

"Got it!" yelled Aella. "But how are we supposed to reach her abdomen or those nodes?! She's too tall!"

"After she attacks, her arms tend to remain embedded into wall or ground for a time. Use that opportunity to climb up her arm!"

"Understood!" the Guard confirmed, readying herself for combat. She admired Antigone's intelligence and skilled application of knowledge; faced alone with such a terrifying beast, she had still managed to keep her wits about her, discerning incredible amounts of information. The Guard was impressed by her, and it dawned upon the soldier that Antigone was far stronger than she had previously thought. Being a non-combatant, the Guard had brushed her off as weak, but strength was not something tangible or physical; it could extend from the mind as well as the body. Antigone was fascinating, apt and able to think at a moment's notice – would the Guard ever obtain such reasoning skills? On Antigone's level, probably not. However, since she had entered this world, the Guard's capability to think and feel, to act and react had begun to grow. Although her own brain worked on overdrive to process the assault of information presented to her, the Guard was confident she would improve over time.

From her own position, Aella Hunter glared rebelliously at the Mother's hulking figure. She refused to let her terror get the best of her, realizing that keeping her promise to Antigone and Swiftsure was more important than her own fear. She would not falter, she would not lose; she was going to live through this mess and see this crazy adventure through the Book of Stories to the end.

Together, Aella and the Guard charged in for battle, quickly occupying the Mother's focus. It was important that they keep her attention away from Antigone, lest her spell fail; though each member was pivotal to the fight, none was more important than the Princess. Without her, they had no chance of success. Flipping madly through the pages, Antigone scanned the magical book in her hands with conviction. There were sheets upon sheets of spells within the pages of the book, most of them too complicated for her to interpret. After what felt like an eternity, she finally located the purification spell that would save them all. Eyes placed firmly on the page, Antigone began to read the incantation; immediately, she could feel the wells of power within the words unfolding, a brilliant rune drawing itself upon the floor beneath her. A voice which was not her own spilled from her mouth, and the poetry of an unknown language echoed through the Council Hall chamber.

The Mother screamed in terror at the sound of the chant, wailing and holding herself as if the words struck her physically. Instantly her monstrous eyes honed in on the immobile Princess, arms unfurling like a dragon's wings. Barreling forward, the Mother began her assault upon Antigone, Aella and the Guard fending off her attacker as best they could. Although it had provoked the attention of the Mother, the spell also benefited Antigone's guardians. A magical aura glowed round their hands and feet, pure and white; the boon made them stronger, helped them to jump higher and move faster. Each blow left a mark upon the Mother, the holy energy directly opposing her vile darkness. As the struggle progressed, however, Aella and the Guard began to lose their ground, and the even fight soon became a desperate struggle to survive; the Mother overwhelmed them completely, her strength as endless as her insanity.

"We can't keep up like this," the Guard cried, narrowly prevent a black hand from smashing Antigone. "We need more help!"

"God damn it!" yelled Aella, barely able to dodge. This had turned into an uphill battle; slowly but surely, their small group was losing. Aella's heart drummed against her chest, her body responding to the desperation of her thoughts. They couldn't lose, Aella refused to accept it. There was so much more she wanted, nay, needed to do with her life! All she wanted to do was explore, to enrich her life in the cultures and cities of her world, to escape the memories of a lonely, parent-less childhood. She had waited her entire life to escape the confines of her University, and she wasn't about to give up now! "I refuse to let this bitch win! I'm not a quitter, and I don't lose!"

"But what can we do! This is hopeless!" the Guard yelled back at her. She could not understand Aella's persistence in the face of defeat; how could she remain so sure, so vigilant?

"Hopeless?! This– This is nothing!" Aella bellowed, trying to convince herself. "If we submit now of course we'll fail! But if we keep fighting then we can do it! I know we can! There's too much I want to do with my life, too much I want to see and experience before I die!" Out of nowhere, one of the Mother's twisted hands collided with Aella, sending her flying into the wall.

"Aella!" the Guard screamed. Although she wanted to run to her companion's side, the Guard could not leave the still-chanting Antigone vulnerable. But to her dismay, Aella rose from the ground a moment later, beaten and bloody, a slight limp impairing her gait; Aella was incredible, virtually unshakable. Watching her stand after taking a hit so debilitating was inspiring.

"No, not yet; I'm not done yet!" Aella shouted to herself. At that, the Guard solidified her will, focusing each and every thought in her head on victory. One fact remained, however, they would never succeed with just the two of them; they needed a trinity, they needed Swiftsure.

"Swiftsure!" the Guard called, running along the room to avoid a series of falling fists. "We need your help! We can't do this without you!"

"N-no! I can't! I'm not strong enough!" he yelled back, his body shaking as he hid behind Antigone. "I'm too scared! I'm not brave like the three of you!"

"Bravery is not the lack of fear, Swiftsure; bravery is fighting in spite of your fear! I've never been so terrified in my life, but I choose not to let my frightened thoughts control me! I don't know if we'll win, but I do know will lose for sure without your help!" the Guard preached, speaking her own thoughts articulately for the first time.

"Do you even care about Antigone, Swiftsure?! Can't you see how hard she's working to protect you?! She's risking her life to keep you safe!" Aella yelled, diving back into the fray.

"I-I know! B-but –"

"No 'buts,' Swiftsure! You can't act like such a coward!" Aella said, interrupting him.

"Look inside yourself, Swiftsure! Find your courage and use it!" added the Guard. Suddenly, both she and Aella were struck down by the Mother, her swinging arms cracking painfully against their sides. Like leaves in the wind, the two girls tumbled across the room, coming to a sudden stop as they hit the wall.

"N-no! Guard! Aella!" Swiftsure howled. Was there truly a way for him to help them? to fight for and protect Antigone as they did? Swiftsure watched as the girls struggled to get to their feet, slipping and falling as they tried to stand. Abruptly, the Mother turned, her malicious eyes fixed on Antigone, web of arms rising threateningly. With no one able to defend her, Antigone was vulnerable; if he did not act, the most important person in his life would perish. Could he sit idly by and let cowardice command him forever? He wanted so badly to protect Antigone, to assist the Guard and Aella, yet he had no confidence in his abilities, no trust in himself. Since entering the Book, Swiftsure had lived through a storm of incapacitating emotions, causing him to fall victim to his own heart. He needed to cast away his doubts and insecurities in order to do what was right. There was no time to think, no time to pause; the monster did not exist, there was only Antigone. At that moment, something released inside of him.

River of arms surging toward them, Swiftsure leapt from between Antigone's legs and into the path of the blow. As he moved through the air, Swiftsure changed, his both morphing in a wave of light. His size grew, muscles lengthening to match the valor which now filled his heart, and his body transformed to that of a wolf, becoming as powerful as his shadowy counterparts outside. Sailing through space, Swiftsure was brilliant and beautiful, a mane of hair flowing behind him. This power had been sealed within him all along, waiting to be freed. Swiftsure was not confined to a single form like mortals were; born from imagination itself, reality did not apply to him as it did others. Opening his powerful jaws, a beam of radiant light blasted from his mouth. The energy washed over the Mother's traveling hands and blew them backward, causing them to smash into her pulsating abdomen with incredible force. A monstrous shriek reverberated through the chamber, the Mother crippled by her own attack.

All at once, Antigone's voice filled the room, her chant vibrant with power and magic. Shockwaves coursed from the spell circle, a strange wind pressing strongly against all within the room. Ribbons of light poured from the rune rapidly, the rush of light increasing the brightness of the room dramatically. They swelled toward the Mother, weaving and sewing their clinging hands to her murky flesh, causing her to scream in agony. When the ribbons had enveloped her completely, the light became so strong that all four champions were forced to shield their eyes. Though they could not witness the purification, a gentle warmth caressed them suddenly; the sensation hugged against their tired bodies, greeting them as if it were an old friend. Through this embrace, their burdens were lifted, their injuries healed, and all felt right in the world. Feeling safe and rested, Aella, Antigone, Swiftsure, and the Guard opened their eyes.

The entire chamber was back in order, the marks of their battle having disappeared altogether. Flowering vines covered everything in sight, and small dancing lights coursed through the room. In the center of these vines stood a woman; she was as glorious as a goddess, her presence ancient and calming. Her hair was green as grass, and her skin was a warm and inviting caramel - everything about her was nature personified. Completely naked, vines hung from her arms and hips, her wavy tresses sewn with flowers. Her eyes were two luminescent emeralds, and love fell freely from them as she examined the four of heroes. Silently, she raised a motherly hand from her side and signaled them forward. One by one, they approached her timidly, for though she was not frightening, the sheer amount of her acceptance was nearly suffocating. When they had all assembled before her, a soothing voice entered their minds; it was soft and spectacular, effervescent with the sound of motherhood.

"Children," she rang, her silky tones clear as a bell. "My heart hurts deeply knowing what I have done. To think I subjected my loved ones to such an unforgivable nightmare, to know that I have tortured the four of you so, I offer my sincerest apologies. When my world began to disintegrate, when my children and friends began to leave me, I lost sight of myself, fearful that I would soon be alone once again."

"Once again?" Antigone asked, breaking the silence around them.

"Yes, child, once again. Although I am the mother of this forest, the benefactor of this world, I am more than that. Much, much more."

"What do you mean?" said Swiftsure, now back to his original form.

"I am a part of the Book of Stories, one the eight personifications which comprises its will. I am the Nurturer, the eternal provider, mother and guide to all beings."

"You're an Archetype?  Lady Ink told me I might run into them!" exclaimed Antigone.

"Yes, that is what your people call me. There are many trials ahead for all of you; even now the forces of creation and destruction wage a war within the Book. There are others besides you, and they are endless in number."

"Do you believe we have a chance of winning? To mend the Book where it is broken?" said the Guard.

"I would not be standing before you now if there was no chance; today, you have proven the hands of salvation are far-reaching. Though the trials ahead shall prove to be far more difficult, I firmly believe you shall succeed. To aid the four of you in your quest, I offer you my symbol, the essence of the Archetype I represent. Let it nourish you when you are sick, create love where it does not exist, and act as a reminder that courage and hope come from within."

Waving her hand across their faces, a warm, glittering symbol drew itself upon their foreheads; from it, all four could feel the Mother's presence overflowing inside them, breaking the barrier between body and mind.

"There is not much time left, I'm afraid; I can already feel the Book shifting."

"What do you mean? What will happen when the Book shifts?" Aella inquired, her voice becoming uncharacteristically nervous.

"You shall fade from this world. The Book will place you somewhere new, and from there you will continue to the next phase of your journey."

"But what about you?" Swiftsure began, "Will this world end once we leave?"

"Oh, no! What about the Faeries!" Antigone cried. Despite their betrayal, she understood the faeries were innocent, their small hands forced. They had made a naive mistake, and Antigone could not hate them for it. The idea that they might disappear forever hurt her heart, wishing on the best for them.

"And all the forest creatures! They worked so hard to save their people!" added Aella. The animal graveyard flashed in her mind. Though their plight had seemed a burden at first, she came to know how brave and relentless their tribe was - admirable traits in Aella's opinion. She sincerely hoped their sacrifices had not been in vain.

"Fear not, kind ones. Our world shall remain intact now that balance has been restored within me. Already, the forest is reclaiming itself: the animals slowly awaken from their stone slumber, and the faeries can feel my presence once more. All is right within this kingdom now. It is all thanks to your bravery."

"I feel like I should be thanking you. Even if I arrived here by accident, I've gained so much... I'm pretty lucky... If you don't the two near death experiences," said the Guard, smiling. "I'm a bit disappointed we never ran into Mudd though. I can't wait to give him a piece of my mind."

"Tell me about it!" Aella agreed laughingly. "I suppose I volunteered for this, but he failed to inform me of the details."  Sweetly, the Mother's laughter chimed aloud, amused by their exchange; the sound was lovely, more beautiful than music itself. Taken aback, they all froze in place, letting her voice resonate against them. Slowly, the edges of the Council Hall began to disappear. The Mother continued gently:

"It appears our time together has come to an end, but I wish you all the best of luck on your journey. I suggest you take the remaining minutes to say your goodbyes"

"You mean we're going to be separated?" Swiftsure barked, his voice quivering slightly. "I know I have nothing to fear now, but I don't want to be alone again. Aella, the Guard, Antigone: they're all my friends! I don't want to be without them!"

"I know not what will happen when the Book shifts. It is possible you shall not see each other for a long time. However, the Book will sense what you require to develop; it knows what you need to give meaning and purpose to your individual stories. If you are meant to be together, then you will be."

At her words, all four of them looked to one another and wondered what would happen to them. Although they had not been together for long, the struggles they shared had formed a powerful bond. It was hard to believe they might soon be separated for good.

"I see. I suppose we should use this time to our advantage," said Antigone, fingers running delicately through the white locks of her hair. She crouched to her knees and pulled Swiftsure close to her. "I want to apologize to you again, Swiftsure. I feel horrible for the way I've treated you these last few years. It's true that sometimes I get irritated with you, but you're not annoying and you're not worthless. I'm so sorry if I ever made you feel you were." Happily, he buried his head into her arms, response muffled by the fabric of her dress.

"Thank you, Antigone. I'll try to be more independent from now on; I can't rely on others to give my life a sense of purpose." Then, turning to Aella and the Guard, he continued: "You two showed me what true courage really means, especially you, Guard. I'll never let anyone fight for me again. I want to fight my own battles; I want to protect the people I care about!" The Guard smiled brilliantly, able to feel Swiftsure's resolve. Crouching down to pat him on the head, she took her turn to speak.

"I knew you had it in you, Swiftsure. You just had to discover it for yourself," she started, pausing for a moment. "Before I came here, before I met the three of you, I trapped in my home world more or less. You see, until recently, I had no will to speak of, no mind that was rightfully mine. My world isn't like yours... It's... abstract somehow; everything runs in a continuous loop. My people cannot think or feel, and I'm still unsure how I gained the ability to do so... Not that I'm very good at it yet. Anyway, I wouldn't expect you to understand what I'm talking about; I just want you to know how deep of an impression you three made upon me. Antigone, your brain is amazing; you're so observant and intelligent… I don't think I'll meet anyone nearly as smart as you."

"You're too kind," Antigone began. "I'm not all that smart; I just pay attention. And you're right, I don't think I can understand your world, hearing how different it sounds from my own. However, I've never met a soul as selfless as yours. When Swiftsure told me how you protected him against the wolf, I almost didn't believe him; I don't know a soul who would do that for another person... Tending to your injuries was a reminder of how terrible I am with people… I'm not very good at expressing myself."

"You're bad at expressing yourself? I have you met me? I don't think you have anything to worry about," offered the Guard, reassuringly.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," said Antigone, smiling slightly. The Guard then turned to Aella and spoke:

"I really like you, Aella - you're funny. You've got a lot of spirit and you're determined. Speaking with you and fighting alongside you was... fun. I hope a little bit of you has rubbed off on me…"

"I'm sure it has," chuckled Aella, "Though that might just be B.O.!"

"Huh? What's that?" the Guard asked, confused. She would never get used to Aella's colloquialisms - at this point the soldier's vocabulary simply wasn't colorful enough.

"Er, nothing. Never mind." Aella said hurriedly. She really didn't want to have to explain that one. Aella looked back and forth between them all, her gaze eventually coming to rest on the Mother. She guessed it was her turn to be mushy. "At first this place kind of freaked me out – you know, the talking animals and all – but working with Farn, Pippin, and the others taught me how nice it is to help people in need. I didn't materially gain anything, but I found that putting others before myself doesn't have to be a burden. If anything, I helped myself by helping them…" Once she had finished, Antigone stepped forward to address the Mother.

"I suppose I should return this," she said, the spell book in her hands. "I'm honored to have used it; magic is astounding! I can't begin to describe the power I felt when I chanted the Spell of Cleansing." Antigone offered the book to its rightful owner, but she was turned down with a gentle wave of the Mother's hand.

"Keep the book, child; it will do more good on your journey than it would here with me. Study its pages, learn its power. The magic you shall gain will be pivotal to your success."

"You want me to keep it?" Antigone gasped, unsure how she should respond. She brought the book to her chest, her small hands running over the cover and tracing its edges. Antigone would accept the Mother's gift; she would be a fool not to. "Thank you," she said. "I'll take good care of it..."

The room was nearly gone now, a small circle of solid ground their only support. Forlornly, their shoulders drooped under the weight of their inevitable departure. Finding one another's eyes, they embraced, tearful but happy, thankful to have met. Once they were done, the four champions turned back to the Mother, who had waited for them patiently all this time.

"In the worlds ahead you shall meet my brothers and sister, the other seven archetypes; collect their symbols, help them as you have helped me. Only when you hold all eight runes will you be able to fix the Book and save us all. Remember the lessons you have learned here today, and apply them in everything you do. The road ahead of you is a long one, but the bonds you will forge will give you the strength to carry on." She then bent down and wrapped her arms around them, planting gentle kiss lovingly on top of their heads. "Goodbye, brave heroes. May peace and love be with you always," she whispered in their ears, her true voice finally escaping her lips. Wrapped tight in her embrace, the Mother faded from sight, the fairytale world vanishing with her.

Antigone, Swiftsure, Aella, and the Guard now floated in a space of pure whiteness; they had all experienced this place before, and now they finally understood the white light which had brought them to the faerie's domain.

"Goodbye," Antigone said one final time, her voice choking with emotion. "I hope we all meet again one day."

"As do I," agreed the Guard, a single tear sliding down her face. "Farewell."

"Goodbye," whispered Aella.

"Goodbye," said Swiftsure.

Their eyes remained upon one another until there was nothing left to see; together, they disappeared from existence, ready for their next adventure, whatever it may be.