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| AXEMS: THE TOLARIAN CHRONICLES |
| Axem Image struggles to break free from her hardening steel prison. IMAGE (thinking): I should be able to break free if I struggle against it hard enough. Image moves around as much as she can, but to no avail. The steel continues to solidify, and Image can not escape. IMAGE: Aagh! Why here? Why couldn’t I have died somewhere in my own world? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Strife runs south as quickly as he can. He rushes by the Coliseum, passing by the rows and rows of identical houses. He doesn’t notice the houses, though, as he’s too intent on finding Image. STRIFE: Image! Where are you? Strife reaches the end of the houses and barely misses running straight into the liquid steel ocean. STRIFE: That is definitely not natural. Strife hears a muffled scream to his left. He looks there and sees a steel-covered spot on the ground, almost as if a wave had splashed up on shore. STRIFE: Hmm. Wonder what happened there. Strife is about to walk off when he hears a muffled scream coming from the pile of steel. Strife looks around, searching for the source of the voice. STRIFE: Wh- Who said that? Another yell comes from the steel. Strife looks at it. STRIFE: Strange. I didn’t know that inanimate objects could talk. Strife takes a step towards it. STRIFE: Hello? This is Axem Strife. I’m an Axem. Hello, alien life form. Another scream sounds out, and it distinctly sounds like it’s saying, “I’m Image, idiot!” STRIFE: Wow. It can talk. Silence. Strife steps up to the steel lump. STRIFE: It’s hardening. MUFFLED VOICE: Get me out of here! STRIFE: Huh? Why do you want an ear? MUFFLED VOICE: Just do it! STRIFE: I think it’s telling me to tell it a story. MUFFLED VOICE: No! No! No! STRIFE: Oh, why didn’t you say so in the first place? Strife performs a quick slice along the width of the steel case. IMAGE: Finally! STRIFE: Image? Image steps out of the steel casing and looks at Strife. IMAGE: Oh. It’s you. STRIFE: Image! How good to see you! IMAGE: Look here. Just because you saved my life doesn’t mean I owe you or anything. So don’t start thinking anything like that. STRIFE: Hurry! I think the tournament sign-ups are about to begin! IMAGE (thinking): He has a point. (speaking) Fine, let’s go. Image and Strife run back to the Coliseum. EARLIER: HUNTER: What a pity. I was just about to announce that the tournament sign-ups were about to begin. Midnight Blue, who is standing in front of Hunter, seems to calm down even more. MIDNIGHT BLUE: So… they’re not delayed? HUNTER: Correct. MIDNIGHT BLUE: Good. HUNTER (to crowd): You heard me! Sign up! The crowd bursts forward, knocking several underlings out of the way. MIDNIGHT BLUE: Tournament Director! Get over here! Axem Hunter slowly turns around to face Midnight Blue. HUNTER: What, exactly, do you want? MIDNIGHT BLUE: I need to speak to you. Hunter slowly walks up to Midnight Blue. HUNTER: About what? MIDNIGHT BLUE: What’s the prize? Hunter grins mischeviously. HUNTER: I really have no idea. Go ahead and look, though. Hunter shouts out a few words of command to some underlings who stand at the Coliseum door. MEANWHILE: Strife and Image finally arrive back at the Coliseum, just in time to see the tournament’s prize being unveiled. At the Coliseum’s door, two underlings pull out a large glass case that is covered by a cloth. VOICE IN CROWD: Show it! The underlings unveil the box. Inside, there is a large wooden stool, on the top of which stands a mounted key. STRIFE: Huh? Why’s that key there? IMAGE: It must be the tournament prize. Suddenly, the key emits a large flash of light. Every person who is looking at it steps back subconsciously, as if a hand were dragging them back. Every single person at the Coliseum’s door has the same thought on his or her mind. ALL: I must have it. Suddenly, the key emits another flash of light. Almost immediately after, no one can remember what just happened. All they know is that they each wanted to win the key, despite any costs. |
| Episode Eight |