Chapter 4: The Terror of Buri (Part 2 of 2) Transcript 

OPENING

[Music: "Main Title" (triumphant orchestral music) starts.]

NARRATOR The Call of the Flame: An Audio Play. Chapter Four: The Terror of Buri. Part Two of Two.

[Music: "Main Title" ends.]

SCENE ONE: THE HERB

[SFX: Slashing and punching, creatures gibbering.]

BRI (Grunts)

CALAN (Yells)

[SFX: Fanged bite sinking into flesh, sickening crunch.]

CALAN (Cries out)

BRI CALAN!

UNDEAD #3 (Cries out in pain)

[SFX: Flesh crackles, sizzles, and melts. Voyagers and creatures alike shudder and gag. Fighting ceases.]

BRI (Gags)

CALAN What?

IRIKLAS The Undead man, it just melted!

UNDEAD #1 Boy took the herb!

BRI Garlic! That tea had garlic!

[SFX: Creatures gibber quietly amongst themselves.]

[SFX: Sword draws.]

TARÚK (Growls)

JENQUO Let the boy go! Come on!

[SFX: Spear swishes.]

JENQUO We've all got places to be, let's fight!

[SFX: Creatures growl and hiss.]

BRI Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, Dwarf…Dwarf! You all understand me, yeah? If any of you bite us, then—then your fate will be the same as your friend there!

 JENQUO Yes! We're inedible!

UNDEAD #2 Lay down your weapons! We may not eat him, but we’ll still rip out his entrails! (Sinister giggle)

CALAN (Groans in pain)

TARÚK No.

CALAN What!?

TARÚK I'm sorry, Calan.

BRI No! Do it!

TARÚK Girl, you don't under—!

BRI No! Do it. Do it, please! We have to.

TARÚK (Begrudging grunt)

[SFX: Metal sword clangs to the floor, then wooden spear and metal daggers, clattering and ringing.]

UNDEAD #2 That’s smart. Your friend might live more. All of you might live more. But not like you do now.

SCENE TWO: THE VAMPIRE KING

[Music: "The Vampire King" (foreboding, eerie percussive music) starts.]

[SFX: Undead breathe raggedly, some laughing, others gibbering and growling.]

NARRATOR (Voiceover) The Voyagers are pushed and shoved deep into the mountain dwelling by the Undead. Halfins and some Humans twisted by the Night's Plague. Blood-drinking creatures, with skin white as flour sagging from their skeletal forms. Thought to be nothing more than mindless beasts, but as the Voyagers find carven steps, bridges, and catwalks, they find they may have underestimated their foes as they lead them further into the hidden realm below the mountains.

[SFX: Punching impact.]

TARÚK (Grunts, then growls)

IRIKLAS The Undead spawn from biting their victims, spreading their plague, yes?

TARÚK Yes.

BRI But Calan has garlic in his body. He won't turn, will he? He won't die and become—

TARÚK I do not know, girl.

CALAN (Screams in pain)

TARÚK But he does look grave.

[SFX: Another punch.]

IRIKLAS (Groans)

BRI Where in the hells are they leading us?

TARÚK One of the hells, it would seem.

JENQUO This place is too dark! But there's some moonlight I can see…

TARÚK A high stone with one of them resting on top. If I thought highly of these creatures, I would say it's dressed like a Chieftain.

[SFX: Undead snarling and gibbering grows louder.]

UNDEAD #2 Sire of my sire, we have brought fresh bloodies to you! They were in our Southern door.

UNDEAD #1 They were armed and have the herb.

VAMPIRE KING The herb.

BRI Garlic! I knew it.

IRIKLAS That explains the tea.

UNDEAD #1 Be quiet, bloodies! And kneel!

[SFX: Undead gibber and growl fervently in reverence.]

UNDEAD #1 You are in the place of King Eren, the giver of second life! Sire of my sire!

VAMPIRE KING (High, rasping voice) Who told you where to find us?

TARÚK No one!

JENQUO Nobody told us about your cave!

IRIKLAS Your very clean and homely cave!

BRI We were just passing through here! What's the problem!?

VAMPIRE KING The problem, girl, is that you think you can come and go as you please in our realm. But if I, or any of my children do the same in yours, there would be consequences for us "blood drinkers," wouldn't there? All you creatures think you are different from one another. Elvans, Dwarves, Humans. But all of you have blood running through your veins. Do you know what it gives you? I only know what it takes away. Without blood, your veins become winter, your bones a prison, your mind your master—and it says—feed.

IRIKLAS Jenquo, get down!

JENQUO If I may ask, blood-drinking man? You speak quite eloquently for a thing known to be feral and quite literally "bloodthirsty." I'd say you have a silver tongue, if that very thing wouldn't roast your mouth. But anyway, how did this come to be?

VAMPIRE KING We are born again. And we are born just as your children are: hungry, mindless, and frightened. But all you see instead is a grown thing desperate for what you won't give freely. So you slaughtered us! I survived, and in the shadows, I learned to be a man again, and sired my children, and taught them to speak.

[SFX: Undead gibber and growl in excitement.]

VAMPIRE KING Taught them to sire more, and more, so we may spread like a cleansing flame over these lands.

IRIKLAS Good job.

VAMPIRE KING You will be taken now to your cages.

[Music: "The Vampire King" starts.]

IRIKLAS Wait, so you know you can't eat us, so you're just going to keep us anyway?

VAMPIRE KING The herb will pass through you in a matter of days.

TARÚK Then what? You think we'll stand idly by while you wait to devour us!?

VAMPIRE KING (Laughs dryly)

[SFX: Punching impacts.]

TARÚK (Grunts and growls)

VAMPIRE KING No. We will keep you here, protect you, feed you and give you drink. And you will return the favour.

BRI You just had to ask.

[Music: "The Vampire King" ends.]

SCENE THREE: BLACKNESS

[SFX: Distant cave dripping and echoing, metal creaking.]

NARRATOR (Voiceover) Locked in brittle iron cages, swinging off the edge of a height unknown, the Voyagers await in two separate cages suspended over a ledge overlooking darkness. The two Human Gaths in one, and the rest in another, all under the watchful eye of an undead guard.

IRIKLAS They could have at least cleaned out the bones.

JENQUO I think it is a statement.

IRIKLAS Is that your spear? The one the Undead guard is wielding?

[SFX: Cages rattling and swinging.]

JENQUO That devil has my spear! That's my spear, dead man!

UNDEAD #3 Mine now. (Hisses)

IRIKLAS Calm down. Calm down, it's only a common spear. At least it's not a priceless pair of daggers. (Sighs)

JENQUO Oh we'll see, we'll see.

[SFX: More rattling.]

CALAN (Groaning) Bri…

BRI I'm here, Calan. Not that I can go anywhere.

CALAN All is blurry. I don't feel so well.

BRI Your wound. Take your hand off it.

CALAN What? What are you—

BRI I'm unbuttoning your shirt.

[SFX: Cloth rustling.]

CALAN What is it?

BRI It's worse. There's a blackness under your skin, and it's going up your neck, and down your chest.

CALAN So that's it, then. I'm going to die…did you already know?

TARÚK No.

CALAN So you were willing to sacrifice me to these blood drinkers all the same? Not knowing if I'd die and come back?

TARÚK …Yes.

CALAN (Scoffs)

[SFX: Banging on metal.]

IRIKLAS There's no point, Dwarf. They're not letting us out. We must wait for him to sleep.

 JENQUO Then what?

 IRIKLAS Then I get us out of here.

SCENE FOUR: ESCAPE PLAN

[SFX: Cage creaking, distant dripping.]

IRIKLAS Does he ever sleep?

BRI They're dead.

IRIKLAS Hmm, so much for eternal rest. Jenquo, do you want this, um—

[SFX: Meaty gristle, bone crackling, flies buzzing.]

IRIKLAS (Sniffs) —Thing? I'm not sure what it is.

JENQUO (Gagging) Oh, oh, heavens! Must be some poor animal that ventured too close to the mountain. Do you think, that despite this dead thing being uncooked and unknown, at some point, if starved enough, will we still eat it?

[SFX: Cage creaking, bony crackle, distant splash.]

JENQUO Iriklas!

IRIKLAS No, no. I'm never finding out. I demand my prisoner food be skinned and cooked from now on!

UNDEAD #3 (Hisses)

IRIKLAS That's right, cooked, like with fire. That, I'm not eating that!

JENQUO We need that Undead man to come closer.

[SFX: Metal cage creaking and swinging.]

JENQUO (Grunts with effort)

BRI These things have never cooked in their lives, Iriklas. They forgot how the moment they became undead.

CALAN So that’s what awaits me. If I die, I’ll become one of them, either way, I lose everything.

[SFX: Metal screeching as swinging intensifies.]

TARÚK What are you doing, Dwarf?

JENQUO I'm pushing us from the ledge so we can swing.

TARÚK How is this helping us!?

IRIKLAS Just do it.

[SFX: More screeching and grunting.]

UNDEAD #3 Stop that!

BRI What in the bloody hells are you three doing?

IRIKLAS Move your legs, Orc.

TARÚK This is absurd.

IRIKLAS That's more like it.

JENQUO Thank the Gods for my strength!

IRIKLAS He's coming, Jenquo! With your spear!

UNDEAD #3 I said STOP!

[SFX: Wooden clank.]

UNDEAD #3 (Grunt of surprise)

JENQUO I believe this is mine.

IRIKLAS You got him!

JENQUO Off the edge!

IRIKLAS Push!

[SFX: Metal screeching, feet scraping against dirt, rocks falling.]

UNDEAD #3 (Screaming)

[SFX: Water splashing.]

BRI That was too loud! They definitely heard that!

TARÚK Now what, Elvan!?

[SFX: Metal swinging slows.]

JENQUO Okay, I have my spear, and we all have privacy. What next?

IRIKLAS We use these.

[SFX: Soft metal clinking.]

BRI Oh, aye, are those lockpicks!?

[SFX: Lockpicks clicking, gears turning.]

 IRIKLAS Yes indeed!

 BRI What about Calan and I? We're still in the other cage!

 IRIKLAS Don't worry, I'll do your cage after!

JENQUO Hurry up!

IRIKLAS Not helping, Dwarf!

TARÚK They will be here before you ever get to the other cage.

IRIKLAS Also not helping!

[SFX: Lock popping, cage door creaking open.]

IRIKLAS Yes!

BRI Oi, over here!

[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]

IRIKLAS Okay, stop moving, hold the cage still.

TARÚK We're out of time. Dwarf! Your spear.

[SFX: Spear swishing through air.]

JENQUO What for?

TARÚK I will draw them off.

[SFX: Running footsteps.]

BRI What!? Taruk!

CALAN You can't!

JENQUO Don't die!

TARÚK You want me? Come GET me!

[SFX: Distant growling and hissing.]

IRIKLAS Come on…come…

BRI Hurry!

JENQUO Iriklas.

VAMPIRE KING (Uncanny groan)

IRIKLAS What? Oh, oh zia.

BRI Give me the lockpick.

[SFX: Lockpick clinking.]

IRIKLAS Do you know how to pick a lock, girl?

BRI Yes! I—I've tried before.

JENQUO Yes, failure is a good experience!

IRIKLAS Succeeding is better, now hurry!

[SFX: Axe dragging on floor.]

BRI Come on…come on!

[Music: "The Vampire King" starts.]

CALAN It's their Chief!

VAMPIRE KING I had hoped you would feed my children; only then would I have allowed you to survive.

IRIKLAS Zia dier! He's even bigger standing up!

VAMPIRE KING If your blood does not feed my children, then it will feed my AXE!

[SFX: Axe clanging against metal, again and again.]

VAMPIRE KING (Bloodcurdling scream)

JENQUO Watch out!

IRIKLAS Jenquo, duck!

CALAN Wait! Is that chain connected to—?

BRI AAAH!

CALAN (Screams)

[SFX: Metal chains rattle, cage splashing into water, underwater muffling, bubbling, choking sounds.]

BRI (Muffled whimpering)

[SFX: Metal clanging muffled under water, heartbeat.]

[SFX: Splashing and gasping.]

JENQUO Oh, thank the Gods!

CALAN What did you do?

BRI I picked the lock.

CALAN Good job. We could've used trick back when Finn withheld our wages.

[SFX: More splashing.]

IRIKLAS (Gasping)

BRI Iriklas?

IRIKLAS We jumped in after you!

VAMPIRE KING (Distant wail)

JENQUO Let us go now friends!

[Music: "The Vampire King" starts.]

VAMPIRE KING You think your escape will be easy!

[SFX: Splashing and wading.]

JENQUO Not so far, no!

CALAN I can't see where we're going.

BRI Let me just—

[SFX: Fire ignites.]

BRI Light the way.

[SFX: Footsteps through water.]

CALAN There's a path. Oh Gods, my neck—

BRI Is it getting worse?

CALAN Just keep moving. I'll—I'll be fine.

IRIKLAS Let me give you a hand!

CALAN (Groans)

BRI We have to hurry!

[Music: "The Vampire King" ends.]

SCENE FIVE: ATTACK!

[SFX: Bats chittering, footsteps echoing on stone.]

JENQUO Achi-wo! The boy isn't looking so good.

CALAN I'm fine!

IRIKLAS That way!

BRI What about Taruk!?

CALAN (Breathing heavily)

IRIKLAS There's nothing we can do!

JENQUO We just need to get to the end of the tunnel and—

[SFX: Undead battle cry.]

BRI (Yelps)

[Music: "The Vampire King" starts.]

VAMPIRE KING Nowhere left to run, blood bags. Such a waste of tasty exotic blood.

IRIKLAS Why don't we sit down and talk about it?

VAMPIRE KING RIP THEM APART!

IRIKLAS Or not.

[SFX: Undead growl.]

BRI Get behind my fire!

MYRTLE Um, hello everyone!

KUMA (Bellows)

[Music: "Bri’s Fire" (uplifting, mystical music) starts.]

BRI Myrtle!

VAMPIRE KING WITCH!

MYRTLE Kuma! ATTACK!

[SFX: Undead screaming, bark creaking, leaves rustling, thudding impacts.]

UNDEAD #2 Run!

UNDEAD #3 FLEE!

 MYRTLE We're out of time! Quickly now! With me!

[Music: "Bri’s Fire" ends.]

KUMA (Bellows)

JENQUO Your tree! He will be left behind!

MYRTLE He doesn't mind! This is what he was made for! Grab some weapons!

[SFX: Metal clanging on ground.]

[SFX: Blades swinging, party grunting, stabbing and wooden whooshing.]

SCENE SIX: I’LL SAVE YOU

[SFX: Water dripping, running footsteps on stone.]

NARRATOR (Voiceover) The Voyagers flee with Myrtle the Incanter, quickly evading the hordes of blood drinkers as her guardian tree holds them off, arriving at the mouth of the cave where they started, where Taruk lies bloodied.

TARÚK (Grunts)

BRI Taruk! Are you—?

TARÚK I've been through worse. I came to the end of the tunnel, reduced their number, but—they nearly had me. Were it not for the Halfin and her…tree thing, I'd be dead. (Breathes heavily)

MYRTLE I never wanted to go near this mountain, but if the day ever came, I was always ready.

TARÚK Got your weapons back.

IRIKLAS (Gasps) They better not have ruined them!

[SFX: Running footsteps on stone.]

IRIKLAS I won them off Madame Hu.

[SFX: Blades ring.]

IRIKLAS Oh, Portia and Sofia, I will never leave you again.

 [Music: "I’ll Save You" (mystical, hopeful music) starts.]

CALAN I should've thought better of— (Grunts)

[SFX: Shuffling on gravel.]

MYRTLE Is he bitten!?

BRI Oh no! It's gotten worse. Help him!

MYRTLE I—oh, I can't! The infection has gone too far. I…

BRI Then, uh—get some water! Hurry! All of you!

CALAN Bri—Bri, listen. 

BRI You're not dying, Calan. We're going to figure this out, okay? So stay strong, and stubborn, and brave. Like always.

[SFX: Bottle uncorks.]

CALAN If I die, I want—

BRI No, no talk like that. We're going to get—

[SFX: Soft meeting of lips.]

JENQUO Oh.

IRIKLAS Oh, that just happened.

[Music: "I’ll Save You" ends.]

BRI You—you've—you've been waiting for that.

CALAN For a long— (Pained groan)—long time. (Soft laugh)

BRI You didn't have to. I'll save you, I'll save us, I—Fire. Yes. This would've been a lot harder to do if you hadn't just kissed me by surprise like that. Take your hand off the bite. I'm sorry about this!

CALAN Why are you—

[SFX: Fire ignites, flesh sizzling.]

CALAN AAAAAAAAAAGH!

SCENE SEVEN: COME WITH US

[SFX: Birds singing, leaves rustling, footsteps on wood.]

NARRATOR (Voiceover) In a quiet forest homestead, the Voyagers wait, as Myrtle the Incanter inspects and treats the now charred wound of Calan, now seemingly devoid of the Undead pestilence.

CALAN (Grunts) So is it gone then?

MYRTLE It would appear so? I've only read of Magnir fire, of its special property. It could forge special metals, ashes, and cure some wounds as it burns away the infection.

BRI My flames? You think it cured Calan's wound? Completely?

MYRTLE Yes. I don't claim to be an expert, but it is as versatile as it is dangerous, like, um—well—well, fire. It's fire.

CALAN But is it gone, though?

MYRTLE Hmm, difficult to say. I insist you stay a little longer to be sure.

TARÚK That, or you can come with us.

MYRTLE Me?

TARÚK Indeed. What say you, Incanter?

MYRTLE Um…well…I don't have much going on at the moment, but I have a new garden—what if it rains or something eats at it or it wilts? Well, I can use an incantation, and I do have a life to care for—oh, devil with it! I'll come with you! Wait, wait, no, I need to pack first! Potions, books, ingredients, oh, pots—

[SFX: Wooden door creaks, drawers scraping, pots and pans clanking.]

TARÚK Do not fuss, boy. I believe your wound is behind you.

CALAN How about yours?

TARÚK I will manage. You understand now, do you, boy? Why I was willing to let you die.

CALAN Because…the same reason you ran to draw them off.

TARÚK Indeed. It is not about you. Or either of us.

MYRTLE Aye, I'll do my best. Ohh—WOAH!

[SFX: Pots clang to the floor.]

MYRTLE Oh no! Help me pick this up!

JENQUO That pack is almost as big as you.

[SFX: Pans clang, bottles clatter, pages warble.]

BRI What's this book about?

[Music: "Flame Bearer" starts.]

MYRTLE Oh, that's the Tome of Rhuadu. It's about the Magnirs.

[SFX: Page turns.]

BRI Do you mind if I hold on to it?

MYRTLE Oh, yes. It's not as hard as it looks! Potions and solutions for almost every need. Books, also some teas, and my pots.

IRIKLAS Enough material to start a plague?

MYRTLE We're as good at starting problems as we are stopping them. But with care, we need only stop them.

[Music: "Flame Bearer" ends.]

CLOSING CREDITS

[Music: "Main Title" starts.]

[Music: "Main Title" ends.]

[Music: "End Credits" (rustic percussive music) starts.]

NARRATOR The Call of the Flame: An Audio Play. Starring Bonnie Bogovich, Stephen Cumberworth, Jacob Williamson, Corey Borchers, Hayden Ashley, Abigail Turner, Xathian,  and Gary Gibbs the Second. For the full cast list, please visit thecalloftheflame.com. This podcast was written and produced by Kurt Cañez. With music by Adam Halpin, with additional tracks by Stephen Cumberworth. Both can be found on Bandcamp. Additional audio editing by Sasha Blore. Read the podcast description and follow us on our pages of media. Send a bird bearing the hashtag COTF Podcast. Leave us a review on iTunes. Although the greatest way to support the show is to become a patron of ours on our Patreon page so that we may maintain our production. Five dollar and above listeners get exclusive content such as music tracks by Adam Halpin and extended episodes. Gather around in two weeks for the next installment of our play. To ask us about sponsorship, send us an electronic letter to thecalloftheflamepodcast@gmail.com. This has been a Magnir Production. I am your narrator, George Hoctor. We thank you all for listening.

[Music: "End Credits" ends.]