0:06

In request created by Michael

0:08

Freiberg, a production of I Heart Radio

0:11

and Astro Media. Listen with headphones

0:13

for three D audio. The

0:18

gate that's gauntlet ahead of the tunnel corridor,

0:21

three drop gates, and a final swing gate with

0:23

archers and spearman guard in the exit. Our only

0:25

hope is to clear it. The fourth shuts keep

0:28

running a don't stop until we're saving the desert

0:30

sands. That's the landing rub

0:39

us. There one more to go into the final Blackstone

0:41

swing gate, but that's we're beginning to down.

0:43

We'll do a single file. I'll leave the way

0:46

Love go Serious, come on, third

0:49

game, Serious

0:54

Lee trapped behind the drop gate, don't worry. Serious,

0:56

we'll get you out. On what happened third

0:58

Gateail bunchetions it didn't. Then it dropped immediately

1:02

too late. By the time we managed get Serious free,

1:04

the doors of the final swing hit will have already close shut,

1:07

sealing us inside of you. The

1:10

drop gates driving. But why no

1:12

time for questions. As soon as Serious sway

1:16

right, the

1:18

final swing gate is so open, listen.

1:21

The best chance we have of making the best of guards

1:23

outside is to spread out the dunes and six

1:25

agg as we run follow my lead. Okay,

1:28

see, I'm ever your side

1:36

down. Get that fiery something

1:38

drop, go keep

1:41

moving, run towards the seting sun downs a chance

1:44

to escape, Give them safe

1:46

passage onto the dudes. I

1:48

secured the gate with them, But sir,

1:51

you're letting them get away. So to be it

1:54

an arrow or spear through the head is too

1:56

good for these three? A quick

1:58

and painless death. What would

2:00

be the fun? Let them

2:03

get lost in the desert and sucking

2:07

either water plumbs

2:18

this time? Ah?

2:23

Are you too? Okay? From the fall, I'm

2:27

a face full of sand like you're just serious?

2:29

Okay, technically

2:31

I'm still mobile. Then, Welcome

2:33

to the Azrael desert. We're lucky we

2:36

made it here alive. Our

2:38

number one priorities should be finding a path back

2:40

to the main route that leads to them all layer all

2:42

we have of the supplies on our back, so we'll have to

2:44

be resourceful if we plan to survive out here. Speaking

2:47

of which, we're in the desert. Are we surveying

2:50

the immediate grounds? We appear to be standing at the

2:52

bottom of a deep and narrow chasm of

2:54

valley. To be precise, to our rear and sides

2:56

are towering rock face too steep to scale

2:58

without proper equipment. In the distance, at

3:00

the other end of the valley, there's some sort of unidentifiable

3:03

black land mass. I venture to call it a

3:05

small mountain and silhouette, but I can't be certain

3:07

from so far away. Map.

3:10

Indeed, only we had a map, I could pinpoint

3:12

our location in the desert. Map.

3:16

Oh, what do you have there? The map? Yes,

3:19

serious, you grabbed it off the gate man's desk before

3:21

we left. Let me take a look.

3:24

M h, it's all

3:26

here, the main route across the desert leading

3:28

to the Molair, the baobab tree marking

3:30

its location, and a pathway from atop these

3:32

cliffs to guide us there. It plots out

3:34

everything required to find our way to the mole Air,

3:36

recover the satellite dish, and complete the agency's

3:38

mission. Everything that

3:41

is, except for a current location. This

3:43

valley is missing from the maps diagram.

3:47

The unidentified black land mass. Assuming

3:49

it's a mountain, it could have a trail leading out of the valley.

3:51

With terrain, we can actually climb. Well,

3:54

it's possible, but that's the only path

3:56

forward. We have to keep moving, keep trying

3:58

to find a way out. Sure,

4:00

either good. Let's get a move on then.

4:04

Now, as long as we're traveling through uncharted

4:06

territory, it's imperative we remain on high alert

4:09

of our surroundings. Otherwise, could we expose

4:11

ourselves to unwelcome surprises and may

4:13

fail to identify opportunities along the way.

4:15

And need I remind you too, it's only a matter

4:17

of time until we run out of food and water, our

4:20

hope of escape dwindles, and we end up trapped

4:22

in this valley with no way out. Stop

4:25

my toe on this pesky rock. Wait,

4:30

that's not a rock either.

4:33

It's a cock show. What's a cock

4:35

shell doing in the middle of the desert. Serious?

4:38

Here, Hold it's your ear and listen, you

4:42

can hear the ocean. Oh wait,

4:51

pretty pink?

4:59

Serious? Alright, serious,

5:01

knock it off. This is exactly

5:03

the kind of negligence I warned about. Serious

5:05

as antics may have given away our position. He's

5:08

just having some fun. Besides, we're

5:10

the only ones down here. Good

5:12

reason. Still, we

5:15

need to proceed with the utmost caution until

5:17

we confirm we're indeed alone. Despite

5:19

what seems like a foregone conclusion, who knows

5:21

what could be lurking in this valley. I'll

5:23

tell you what's lurking in this valley right now, sand

5:26

rocks and the grating sound of your serious,

5:30

I said, knock it off, the serious,

5:32

No make sound? Where

5:35

did that come from? I have a theory

5:37

either, but I'll need you to be absolutely quiet

5:39

as Serious sounds the shell again. Go

5:42

ahead, blow the shell A three

5:50

four, Serious come here for a moment. This

5:53

mission maybe too much for Logo. He's

5:55

been acting weird since we met him, and the fall probably

5:57

pushed him over the edge. Keep an eye on him.

6:00

Big brands, more fragile logo.

6:04

It's all going to be okay. We're gonna get

6:07

you some help, and you can stop counting

6:09

now. Precisely

6:14

as hypothesized, Serious sounded

6:17

a final time. Hum

6:19

him. I guess

6:24

serious Blue into the shell. I started counting

6:26

seconds in my head. I'm confirming it now,

6:28

but I believe we're about five miles away from

6:31

the black Land Mass at the valley's end. How

6:33

do you figure? And what about the sound we

6:36

just heard? Where did that come from? It's an echo.

6:39

It's all quite logical. As observers at

6:41

ground level, our lineup sight is limited to roughly

6:43

three miles beyond which objects seemingly vanished

6:46

past the horizon. The only reason we can identify

6:48

the Black land mass the head is due to its great height,

6:50

allowing us to make out the mountaintop while

6:52

it's base remains hidden from view. Sound,

6:55

however, is unencumbered by these optical

6:57

limitations. When serious blows

6:59

through the cock shell, the sound travels all

7:01

the way to the black mountain mass in the distance, and then

7:03

returns to us as a reflection of the original

7:05

signal echo. Precisely,

7:08

and given that the speed of sound and dry air

7:10

is roughly three three per second,

7:12

I can calculate our distance from the mountain working

7:15

through the formula speed of sound equals distance

7:18

divided by time, and then having the answer

7:20

to account for our one way direction of travel, brings

7:22

us to the five mile marker I alluded to, which

7:24

is the total distance to our path of escape and

7:26

wherein life the basis of the reverberation of

7:28

sounds throughout the valley magic

7:31

not magic math, and like before,

7:34

the sound should be coming back to us. Intent nine

7:37

eight seven sounds like you're

7:39

off by a few seconds must be a rounding

7:41

error. No, I stand by it. Total

7:43

return time for the sound is a function of its distance

7:45

travel. That can only mean one thing. The Black

7:47

Mountain Mass, whatever it is, is moving

7:50

towards us. Ah. Oh,

7:52

then let's get a move on. Come on, but

7:55

didn't you hear what I said? We could stay here and wait

7:57

for it to come to us, or we can go and face

7:59

it head on. I choose onwards and upwards.

8:02

Serious, wait

8:05

for me. Since

8:10

we're proceeding forward, it's important to note that

8:12

every five second reduction and echo return time

8:15

corresponds to approximately half a mile

8:17

nearer in distance. So the sooner the echo

8:19

returns, the closer we are noting.

8:22

Serious sound the shell from time to times,

8:24

so we know how far we are away from the Black Mountain

8:26

Mass. Now, if we could only reach

8:28

a higher vantage with increased range

8:31

of sight, we might be able to identify the nature

8:33

of the approaching object and even chart out a path

8:35

back to the main route. We'll be on the lookout anything

8:37

else. No, let's just hope that Black Mountain

8:40

Mass doesn't speed up. Oh,

8:42

no, logo,

8:45

I think I'm starting to lose it. My eyes are deceiving me.

8:48

Too serious informations, too much. Step

8:51

man, snap over on the

8:53

right, on that nearby isolated cliff, side.

8:56

I see a beam of light coming from what looks

8:58

like a lighthouse. There's even steps car up into

9:00

the rock face leading up to it from the valley. It must

9:02

be a symbol for my subconscious. Do I go

9:04

into the light or run away from it? Lighthouse

9:08

on lone cliff? Serious,

9:11

you see it too, see

9:13

logo? Don't be so dramatic. Thanks, you're

9:15

looking up all right, you're right the

9:17

lighthouse. There's our higher advantage point.

9:19

I bet we can restock on supplies too. There

9:22

may even be a way to call for help. We're

9:24

saved. Well I didn't quite save

9:26

that, but we're saved. We're

9:29

saved. I'm

9:33

going into the light. Ah,

9:39

come on, serious Logo's head

9:41

into that light like I'm off the flame. We might

9:43

have to save him from getting burned. Here

9:54

we are the lighthouse. Hello,

9:58

anyone home? No

10:01

answer? Serious,

10:07

No, don't do it. The

10:13

doors unlocked. Make

10:15

sure to be on your best behavior when we meet the lighthouse

10:18

keeper. Were lucky. We'll learn the fastest

10:20

way out of this value back to the main route. This

10:25

place is all run down, it's

10:27

full of cobwebs of all Then that

10:37

door, it must lead

10:39

to the keeper's quarters. Wait,

10:44

before we enter, it would be wise to formulate

10:46

a plan. One of us should stay

10:49

behind at the lighthouse to try and mind for supplies

10:51

and information from the benefit of this hidvantage

10:53

point. That way, the other two compare

10:55

up and continue exploring the valley and

10:57

share their findings upon return. Okay,

11:01

how do you propose we split up? It should be merit

11:03

based. Serious. You're a natural tracker.

11:06

You can locate trails or detect hidden dangerous

11:08

and your talents are best utilized down on the valley

11:10

floor. Either you're you're

11:15

you like to talk a lot, so you should be a little

11:18

bit quick friends out of any hostile strangers encountered

11:20

out in the valley. As for me, well,

11:22

I'm an intellectual. I could ingratiate

11:24

myself with the keepers. I'm sure this lighthouse

11:27

is full of complex machinery that requires a lot of

11:29

technical know how and a scientific knowledge to operate

11:31

things that would be painfully boring to the

11:33

average individual. For the sake of the team,

11:35

I volunteered to stay be hide. Oh

11:38

how brave of you? Logo? Serious?

11:41

Do you agree to our hero's proposal?

11:45

Chicken hardball baw

11:48

baw deal Waiting

11:51

One last thing? What if I need to protect myself

11:54

when I'm alone. Can I borrow a weapon? We

11:57

don't travel with weapons, remember, but

11:59

you do go emissions that take you to places like this.

12:01

What do you mean you don't travel with weapons? We found

12:04

bringing weapons into unfamiliar places just

12:06

invite trouble. Besides serious

12:08

protects us. Now

12:10

let's go in MS.

12:17

How nice? How long you're just

12:19

in time? Thank

12:21

you? We're aching. You

12:26

were expecting us? No, oh,

12:29

it kind of sounded like you were. How

12:31

good of you to come? If I don't,

12:33

you'd be early. I'd have finished tidying up.

12:35

We don't mind. But wait, we

12:38

didn't plan to come here. We happened here by

12:40

chance and a little late. If you ask me.

12:42

It's tea time, but I'm afraid it

12:44

hasn't much left. Please help

12:46

yourselves way ahead of you. Now

12:51

that you're here, we can finally start.

12:53

Okay, Oh,

12:56

I'm ether. This is why are we fellows? Logo

12:58

and big guys serious? And I'm

13:00

shullock. Have a seat, So

13:05

tell us, Sherlock. Why is there a lighthouse

13:07

out here in the desert? The lighthouse?

13:10

Why is it overlooking the desert? The lighthouse?

13:13

Desert? I don't follow

13:16

the building we're in right now. Normally

13:19

it'd be overlooking an ocean, but instead it's here

13:21

in the desert. Oh

13:23

yes, that lighthouse. Well,

13:26

let's see, it's a long story.

13:33

Ah, you were saying,

13:36

what the story you were gonna

13:38

tell us? The story behind the lighthouse? Oh

13:41

yes, back to the days

13:43

when it was wet all over. At

13:45

the time, I was a sail stationed on

13:48

the s S. Pangaea. Beauty

13:50

of the vessel, fabulous true, love

13:52

them like they have a family, which they were. I

13:54

come from a long line of seafars, bus

13:58

and tame the wall. Next

14:00

thing I know, we're surrounded, and

14:02

then cannon

14:08

bar blood

14:11

right in the hole caused us to bear

14:13

up bos and we never had a chance. Once

14:15

we hit that ice bag. They say

14:17

n an icebread lies beneath

14:19

the water service, and one hundred

14:22

percent of the time I found that to be true.

14:24

I'll tell you. It took us grab and to get those anvils

14:27

back on board the ark. But I

14:29

digressed. We were gone. Just

14:32

then we saw the guiding light of this lighthouse

14:34

and swam ashore. We made

14:36

it to our new home, and over time

14:39

I became its captain. What

14:44

eventually came to darkness

14:46

that covered the land. The water

14:49

turned to vapor and was sucked

14:51

up by the night sky.

14:54

Then it got hot, real

14:56

hot. That's try

14:58

eat red toe stick together

15:01

and lips shut.

15:04

I started sweating. I felt

15:06

moisture pulling up on my brow, maybe

15:10

thirsty, So I decided

15:12

to come in. He makes some nice

15:14

tea. Then you three walked

15:16

in. How in

15:19

considerate of me? Let me get you a refill? S

15:23

No, I am, I'm all

15:25

right, nonsense,

15:28

I insist more tea would be lovely. About

15:31

the lighthouse, though, how long has it been here?

15:33

Shoot? About as long

15:35

as I can remember, I reckon

15:38

since the dawn of time. It's so that

15:42

dang grandfather taunting

15:45

me for an eternity, TikTok

15:48

TikTok, calling

15:51

my name, trying to hypnotize

15:53

me with its golden rock. Sherlock,

15:57

Sherlock, prodding

15:59

me with a pointy hands, old

16:02

croc old croc driving

16:05

me cuckle goockle. Why

16:07

I ought to rip your hands right up and

16:10

break your face? Who's

16:16

killing time? Now? Grandfather?

16:21

Okay, where will we serious? And

16:23

I were dressed on our way up leaving

16:27

so soon, really wish we could say, but we have business

16:30

back down in the valley. Wait, great

16:32

meeting me too. I should

16:34

also be your best behavior logo.

16:37

Remember you're a guest. No,

16:40

please, don't leave me alone with this insane lee,

16:43

gracious host. So

16:52

do you like being a lighthouse keeper? There's

17:04

something off with Sherlock. He's a little

17:07

but scatter

17:11

brain. You dodged

17:13

a bullet with that one. Hey,

17:16

keep sounding the shell while we walk. Someone could

17:18

think it's a distress signal when we come to our rescues.

17:29

Well, serious, it's just us too

17:31

again, out on a mission. Just

17:33

like old times. We're

17:35

a long way from imperiod. We

17:39

go home soon. Yeah, assuming

17:43

logo actually knows what he's talking about. With that astronomy,

17:45

mumbo jumbo can show us how to reach

17:47

imperiod by following the eclipses path of totality

17:51

dress logo logo Smart,

17:54

I know, but I just can't

17:56

stop thinking about it. The day we

17:58

returned home, part

18:03

of me worries that maybe we've been gone too long,

18:06

too much time has passed. We'll get back and

18:08

everything will be different. At home, we knew

18:10

that people were trying to save all

18:12

have changed so much so they

18:15

might as well be strangers in some foreign

18:17

land. Another

18:19

part of me worries that we'll get back and find that nothing

18:21

is different. The people in places

18:24

preserved same as before, but Imperia

18:26

no longer feels like home because

18:29

we're the ones who have changed. Hear

18:32

that the sound returned more quickly. The black

18:34

mass must be getting closer. Ah,

18:44

what is the series? Spot? Something traps

18:49

white flat thorough

18:51

like follow?

18:58

Where do you think leads? M flowers?

19:02

Field of white flowers?

19:05

A serious?

19:08

You know what this means? There must be water

19:10

nearby, but

19:22

now vultures

19:26

free block. I guess

19:28

there's wrong, doesn't after all? That

19:31

makes begamating cold?

19:34

Can't running good? To resist?

19:39

Ignore it, don't engage, keep

19:41

moving, Hi, stop

19:44

running, but will open byre do

19:47

it? Do it? I

19:50

think they're bluffing or they actually have a gun. Gun

19:54

scared tactics, No way, it's looting. You

19:56

can't get bullets in this hemisphere, for

20:00

it's a warning shop, and I'm warning

20:02

you. I never missed twice. I

20:06

stand corrected. You don't

20:08

fire, We'll cooperate. How

20:11

about a compromise. If you want oil, we

20:13

can get you oil. We've

20:16

got oil. And it ain't just for fueling,

20:19

neither it's for burning. It's

20:21

the amulet. You've got paid by thinking

20:23

it. Menched my host a rather nicely. Don't

20:28

either his life nor his amulate our eyes to

20:30

tea. They're only tess want this

20:32

service? Fine?

20:36

And where am i? Men? Allow

20:38

me to make a proper introduction. I'm

20:41

fat chief alchemist of the

20:43

Necronos. Please here a Zipper

20:46

and Luna, sunken charls.

20:49

We welcome you to our hello grounds,

20:51

the valley of the shadow of Death. We'll

20:53

make ourselves right en up. Check

20:57

out the big man. Looks like we've got ourselve

21:00

green dumb came

21:02

across all flowers? Did you pretty

21:05

unknown? They only grow

21:07

here in the billy Something about

21:09

the nutrients in the soil, our

21:11

own organic fertilize

21:15

the blood of heathens. And

21:17

if you peel back at the petals, you'll

21:19

find a secret in side. When

21:22

the flower dies, it releases

21:24

spools. Just one

21:26

taste of the interior risk will

21:28

bring you closer to the inner truth. We're

21:31

not here for your flowers. Oh, we're

21:33

not worried about that. What

21:35

do you want? It's

21:38

what our master designs. Your master.

21:41

You'll meet her soon enough, Zeppa,

21:44

Luna, load up Chicago for transport.

21:50

Give me arist of time there,

21:53

get to walk in walking,

22:00

You're walking. Oh

22:10

God, we can't believe. I'm better ask Sherlock

22:12

for help, as

22:15

either says, desperate times call for

22:17

desperate measures. Sherlock,

22:20

my travel companions and I are experiencing

22:22

some navigational difficulties. Our

22:24

map of the surrounding area is incomplete, and

22:26

while I can overlook a few missing topographical

22:29

features and contour lines, the valley's

22:31

absence renders the map inadequate as

22:33

a cartographic guide. Since you reside

22:35

here, it would be highly agreeable if you would

22:38

please direct me to the nearest path leading out of the

22:40

valley. So you're seeking

22:42

direction in life, I

22:45

suppose you could say that be

22:47

aware what lies in the desert,

22:50

What lies there? The black viper,

22:53

the call of the void shadows.

22:56

People can spend a lifetime chasing echoes.

22:59

So I'm getting lost along the way Others

23:04

others fine, what they were hoping to hear?

23:07

Which is the song stress

23:09

at the end of the tune? Do

23:11

you know who's behind your lullaby?

23:15

I'm sorry, but I can't interpret your cryptic

23:17

language. Simplize, symbolize,

23:21

simplize. Look,

23:26

here's the map. How about you point

23:28

to our current locations, and we'll

23:30

use that as a reference marker. Oh me, but

23:34

I'm not even here right now, of

23:37

course not. Do you have

23:39

any travel insight or just

23:42

more in a nonsense. Well, I'm a traveler

23:44

too, you know, a time traveler.

23:47

I live in the future. I dwell

23:49

in the past. You won't find me in

23:51

the present. Now,

23:57

what are you doing? Drawing? Is

24:00

your path forward? A circle?

24:03

You drew a circle that which

24:06

has no beginning, has no end.

24:08

Bound to repeat this endless loop

24:10

we are I'm hunger insatiable,

24:13

like the serpent that face on

24:15

its own toe. I can't take much more of this.

24:18

The problem you faces

24:23

You're too smart for your

24:27

own good. What

24:30

well your problem? Your

24:33

problem is that you don't make any sense. I

24:35

can't even understand you because of the way you speak. Talk

24:38

without rhythm, don't alert the priest.

24:40

Walk without rhythm, don't attract

24:42

the beast. Walk without rhythm,

24:44

don't attract the beast, sherlock.

24:49

If you didn't want to help, then you should have just said,

24:51

so, okay,

24:54

I'm headed up to the observation deck

24:56

so I can get a view of the valley. At least then this visit

24:58

will have the more something true about living

25:01

down. High

25:11

Priestess Nadia, we brought

25:14

you two outsiders, caught them

25:16

trespassing in the near the gardens. You too,

25:19

what do you call yourselves? I'm

25:21

ether, that's serious. We

25:24

stumbled here by accidents, Ether serious,

25:28

how fortunate an accident. You're

25:30

just in time. The moon's

25:32

almost at zena. Our ceremony

25:35

is about to begin. Fang,

25:38

Zephyr Luna, show our

25:40

guests of honor to the observation brig

25:43

where they may be whole the awakening

25:46

at one Cypriestess, you

25:50

heard her prepare to get walking. Now.

25:54

The big one had with him this comb shell. I

25:57

took it so he wouldn't disrupt the ceremony. I

25:59

want to tell, said how rarefined.

26:03

Let him hold on to it. I don't think it's

26:05

a good idea to an outsider being position

26:07

of an instrument during the ceremony. Yet you think

26:10

it wise to talk back to your High Priestess.

26:13

Sorry, Fang, question

26:15

my command again and I'll ensure

26:18

you die and unholy death.

26:21

Luna return the shell

26:24

to him right away. High Priestess,

26:26

here serious,

26:29

I invite you to join us and honoring

26:32

our master with your music, the

26:35

sound of your shell will add to

26:37

the symphony of the summoning a

26:42

h Now

26:49

take them away to the brig my

26:51

pleasure. High Priestess, you too,

26:54

get a move on. Even

27:05

from up here on the observation deck, I still

27:07

can't quite make out with that black masses. The

27:09

distance is too far away, and it's dark

27:11

and foggy out. Now where's

27:14

it headed? Retract the optical

27:16

magna fog? Sherlock,

27:20

When did you come up here? But yes,

27:23

good idea. If I adjust the beacons

27:25

angle to refocus the light upon our immediate vicinity,

27:27

at least I can observe if anything of notice

27:29

happening on the valley floor contracting,

27:34

contracting testing,

27:37

ocular realignment. Oh

27:41

no either and serious. It looks

27:43

like they're in trouble, Sherlock. Those

27:46

people down there, they'll see the light and know someone's

27:48

up here. Will they come for you me? No,

27:52

I'm nobody, and you can't

27:54

hurt someone with nobody. I'm

27:57

a ghost and I hoped myself,

28:00

so I think they'll leave

28:02

you alone. People come to

28:04

the lighthouse looking for the key to

28:06

Sherlock, but they

28:09

lack the right frame of mind to open

28:11

the door within. You

28:13

know, I used to be just like you. I

28:16

remember it like it was tomorrow. In

28:19

a future life, I was

28:21

the queen of the odd country. Then

28:25

she took everything from me. H. She

28:28

lives in the walls of my attic,

28:31

and she kills me every night, sherlock.

28:35

When she visits you turned

28:37

down her offer. The Golden Goose

28:39

comes with a noose. Once she catches

28:42

you shall never let loose. She hunts

28:44

the game. You're paying her game.

28:47

Only yourself to blame when she

28:49

drives you insane. I've

28:53

said too much. Please

28:56

look at come

29:01

on, get moving, he

29:03

says. No way to treat your guests of honor? Now is

29:05

it? You

29:08

made me waste my last bullet on a warning

29:10

shot. Now you're gonna wish it was you

29:12

I wasted instead. Zippa

29:15

the brig. The

29:19

door to the cage is open, and the waiting

29:21

filler up. You too, get

29:24

it perfect

29:33

fit. Don't

29:37

be said you too, I'm

29:40

jealous. After all, you've

29:43

got a front row view of the ceremony. Hi

29:45

Priestess approaches how

29:48

our guests doing sitting pretty

29:51

in the brig? They ain't going nowhere?

29:53

Thank go prepare the tribute

29:56

for the awakening. Hi, Hi Priestess

29:59

Luna Zefyr ready the grounds.

30:02

I'll speak with our guests and enlighten

30:05

them on a ritual. It

30:07

will be our honor comes after her, My

30:11

fortunate sons, Your arrival

30:13

is a good omen a. Few outsiders

30:16

ever witnessed the glory of our master's

30:18

work, Your master.

30:21

Where do you serve the one

30:24

true savior? Umbra?

30:31

Why? Yes, she is the last

30:34

bastion of truth in a world full

30:36

of lies. Umbra, and only

30:38

Umbra will lead us into suffering

30:40

and deliver us to salvation. Why

30:44

why would you choose to worship something that brings

30:46

you suffering. Suffering is

30:49

glorious, It's divine,

30:52

There is truth, it's suffering.

30:57

I don't understand you choose to suffer

31:00

room either life

31:02

is suffering. From the moment you

31:04

enter this world, you're born a prisoner,

31:08

condemned to a life with no reason

31:10

for being, no deeper meaning, no

31:12

higher purpose. Where you search

31:15

for answers, you find only

31:17

questions. The wise

31:19

among us see the life for what it truly

31:22

is, a cruel joke played

31:25

in a cold world apathetic

31:27

to our existence. Some

31:30

get sick and never get well. Others

31:32

lose their sanity and stay

31:35

lost in their minds. The

31:37

lucky few pass silently into

31:40

the night. You're wrong. There's

31:42

more to life than that. There has to

31:44

be. The only constant in life

31:46

is chaos and suffering. The

31:49

only certainty death. Beyond

31:52

that, it's just a seat.

31:55

You see ether in a futile attempt

31:58

to make sense of it. All wickedest

32:00

lie people tell themselves is that they

32:02

have no control over their lives, that

32:05

they're too weak to influence their destiny,

32:08

that they have no choice but to suffer at

32:10

the whims of fate and fortune. But

32:13

they're wrong. We can

32:16

choose. We can

32:18

submit to the chaos. We

32:20

can choose to suffer. We can

32:22

embrace death, and in that there

32:25

is freedom. In that lies

32:27

the path to salvation. That's

32:30

your answer. Give up, We

32:33

give in, We give in to what

32:35

is real. We give in to Umbra,

32:39

willingly surrendered to her. To

32:41

commit yourself to Umbra makes

32:43

you invincible, for then nothing

32:45

else can hurt you. It's the

32:47

only sane choice in this insane

32:50

world. You

32:54

may not understand, but

32:56

there is pleasure to despair,

33:00

a relief from torment, a

33:02

solace and suffering. Through

33:05

Umbra, we may rest in

33:07

peace, High

33:10

Priestess, we arranged the grounds and

33:12

identified the source of the light that intrudes

33:15

upon our sacred rights. It stems

33:17

from atop the southern cliff, the old lighthouse.

33:20

I'll gather the others and put it out. No, my

33:22

child. On the contrary, let

33:25

it shine a light on our master's

33:27

glory. Is the lighthouse not worth

33:29

searching for? First tributes fit for

33:31

offering? I've paid a visit to the beacon before,

33:34

and spoken with its keeper. There

33:36

was nothing left for Umbra to possess.

33:39

As you say, let the light illuminate

33:41

our ceremony, so all may bear witness

33:43

to her glory, Big man,

33:46

blow your shell for Umbra. Ah.

33:50

Do it's serious, High

34:00

Priestess. The tribute is secured

34:02

and has been branded with the mark of possession.

34:05

He's ready to be received. Good. Inoculate

34:08

him with the elixir one drop

34:10

of sweet white flower nectar to open

34:13

his mind to the inner truth. Hear

34:15

that voice, give him a taste

34:17

of the risen serious

34:23

the black mass. It must be close, it

34:27

begins, What

34:44

do I do? What do I do? Either

34:47

and serious or in danger? Down there? Even if

34:49

they fend off the assailants, the black mass is still

34:51

getting closer. I ever heard a sound

34:53

you can't come here that echoes

34:56

in your years, drawn in

34:58

by the pitch hands, fixed

35:01

in frequency. That must be it. Sound.

35:04

Sound must be what's attracting the black mask, like

35:06

when it hurd the horn of the cock shell. I can

35:09

try to lure it away to the cliffs here and keep either

35:11

in serious safe. Does this lighthouse

35:13

have a fog horn? It does great?

35:15

Where is it? Service room upstairs?

35:17

In the attic? The attic, of

35:20

course, anything else

35:22

I should know about the fog horn? Fog fog

35:25

one is broken. The fog horn is broken, Yes,

35:27

sorry, broken? How do I

35:29

fix it? You're searching for the right answer,

35:32

but asking the wrong question. What please?

35:35

My friends are in big trouble and there isn't much time.

35:37

That fog horn might be the only thing that can save them.

35:40

Tell me how to fix it. I don't think you understand

35:42

the nature of the problem. It's

35:44

not the break in the horn. It's the tear

35:47

in the sky, the rupture in the ground, the

35:49

fracture in the fabric that ripples through what.

35:53

We are out of sync with the world, but

35:56

we're made of the world too. To set

35:58

everything right, we need to risk store balance

36:00

in ourselves and our universe. Fix

36:03

the world. Okay, but first the fog

36:06

horn. Where do I start? It all

36:08

begins with a big bang, a

36:10

tug of the pull cord, a flash

36:12

in the pan that'll fire up

36:14

the engine and get the mantel rotating again

36:17

as it should be, and you will be on your way.

36:20

Okay, but give a schematic

36:22

or manual of some sort. You're the lighthouse keeper.

36:25

You must have dealt with this before. It's all been

36:27

set into motions. Since the world began

36:29

spinning on its axis. We to

36:32

cycle around this wheel we call existence,

36:35

passing through the three phases birth,

36:37

life, and death. Round

36:40

and round and round we go. Maybe

36:42

I am asking the wrong question. How

36:45

do I restore balance to our universe and save

36:47

the world? You find the folk rum.

36:50

See the world seesaws back and

36:52

forth, back and forth between order and chaos,

36:55

chaos and order, But everything that goes

36:57

up must come down. To set everything right

36:59

and restore balance in our universe, find

37:01

the fulgrum and make it level.

37:04

Is that all you have to say? And when

37:06

the time is right, flip the switch and listen

37:08

to the harmony of the spheres plays

37:10

out. How will I know when the time is right?

37:13

The intuition of course, what

37:15

am I doing? What a waste of time?

37:18

That grandfather clock was right. You're just a crazy

37:20

old crock now. And remember,

37:22

don't forget. In

37:30

the hour of the blood Moon and the

37:32

pale Blue, we summon the Umbra,

37:35

are one true master. Heed

37:38

the call of the necronauts, Travelers

37:41

to the Intra, Guardians of

37:43

the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Martyrs

37:46

for your possession, Show us

37:48

the path home to your inner kingdom,

37:51

for we have lost our way on this

37:53

terrestrial plane. Shatter

37:55

the grand allusion and reveal to

37:58

us our true selves so we

38:00

may finally see what's real.

38:03

Illuminate our final resting place,

38:06

and we shall be born again in your

38:08

fertile womb, immortal

38:11

and death. We live to carry on your

38:13

name. The

38:21

sunken child is blessed with the

38:24

Holy Few. We

38:27

offer you a tribute so you may

38:30

rise from your eternal slumber,

38:32

a dormant vessel bound to your

38:35

will. Fill his vacant

38:37

head with your sacred knowledge,

38:39

Flow through his veins with your

38:42

blackest bile. Move

38:44

his lips so he may speak the

38:46

words that open the hidden door

38:48

to the Intra. Oh yes,

38:51

oh yes, possess, I

38:53

feel her awakening within. See

38:56

through his charcoal eyes, manifest

38:58

in his weighty mind, mind his

39:01

spirit as yours to incarnate. Use

39:04

his body as you wish. Bring

39:08

forward the night fire, carry

39:10

the torches to the sacrificial

39:12

pire. O Umbra,

39:14

take me home. I'm ready to be received,

39:17

burned away my weakness, rise

39:19

from my ashes. Show me the one

39:21

true path, and I will follow you into

39:23

the night. We pray

39:26

to thee, save me from myself

39:28

and set me free. You sleep

39:31

inside my soul. Awaken

39:33

me, turned out to SIMI

39:35

fire. Stop stop

39:38

the ceremony. How dare

39:40

you went to feel the

39:45

dear? That's not the way to channel

39:47

Umbra. It won't work, Trust

39:50

me, I said, why now,

39:55

this can't be the first time you performed the ceremony

39:57

as Umbra ever awakened. I'll

40:00

did you the meaning of silence that

40:02

speake. Stop the ceremony.

40:07

You have our ears. Either enlighten

40:10

us with your hidden wisdom, but pick

40:13

your words carefully. Oh,

40:15

they'll be your last. You said

40:17

it yourself. You worship the pain and suffering

40:20

Umber brings. You'd like nothing more than

40:22

for her to possess your soul, the one true

40:24

path home. Then your words are meaningless.

40:27

The sunken child, suffering and illusion.

40:29

The ceremony a lie. No,

40:32

Dear, how can you let a prisoner talk

40:34

like this? He's just a heathen? Does

40:37

he speak for the High Priestess? Hold your

40:39

tongue, fang Or, I will hold it for you.

40:42

Finish what you were saying. Umber of feeds

40:44

off suffering, but you necronouts

40:46

welcome death and hopes of channeling her, which

40:49

means for you it's not suffering at

40:51

all. It's pleasure. That's

40:53

why Umber won't awaken. You don't know

40:56

true suffering. What

41:00

can speak? This sunken

41:02

child, like all the others, will

41:05

give his life in vain for a promise that can't

41:07

be kept. How can any of you call

41:09

yourselves your master's true servants when

41:11

all you offer Umbra is false suffering.

41:15

So spare the life of the sunken child,

41:18

and in this charade, release us

41:20

and preserve your honor before Umbra. That's

41:23

the one true path home. Enough,

41:29

release our guests from the brig. You

41:32

can't do it now, fang Or,

41:35

you will be left behind when we depart.

41:41

Gentle with untying our ropes. You heard

41:43

the High Priests for guests, Dear,

41:48

thank you for understanding my partner

41:50

and I thank prepare

41:53

these two for tribute. What

41:55

it will be my own a high priestess.

41:59

Let's time with the holy feel tie

42:06

them to the sacrificial pie. But

42:11

you're right, we necronauts

42:14

have nothing to offer our master.

42:17

We'd already give our lives, Willie

42:19

Lane. But you, my

42:21

surrogate childs, you possess

42:24

a gift that of

42:26

true suffering. You are

42:29

our key to reaching the

42:32

entry tribute. Secure to

42:34

the pilet. Please, you're making

42:36

a mistake. We'll

42:41

be needing this amulance where you're going now, Etha,

42:43

will you my

42:46

amulance? You too

42:49

will serve as vessels for Umbrah's

42:51

glory. Resumed the ceremony.

43:10

I'm sure the foghorn problem isn't anything. Some

43:12

simple troubleshooting can resolve. Engine.

43:14

Probably just need some oil. Yeah that's

43:17

right, a little oil and all of everything

43:19

up and running in no time. Oh

43:24

no, there's

43:26

a lot more machinery than I anticipated. Okay,

43:33

okay, not a problem, no cause

43:35

for concern. I'll take a moment to survey

43:37

the room and explore the environment.

43:41

M hm hm. There's

43:44

there's some complex mechanisms. Tubular

43:46

devices, A stable of levers, pulleys, hand

43:49

cranks, and bats.

43:53

They are bats. Okay,

43:58

okay, it's really no problem. I'll

44:01

take a step by step, apply

44:03

the scientific method, and have a foghorn

44:05

fixed and operational shortly. Mm

44:08

hmmm, I wonder what happens if

44:10

I pull this lever and press

44:17

first steps. So with this step, how

44:22

about if I connect these two chords together?

44:25

Photo photo photo. This

44:29

isn't working at all. I'm just randomly

44:31

pulling levers and pressing buttons. At

44:33

this rate, it could take forever, and by then it'd be too

44:35

late. He's

44:42

no more Hancko, black mass

44:45

disappear. We have bigger concerns

44:47

at the moment. Are

44:50

one true master? We offer

44:52

you these two tributes, pure

44:55

of mind and soul. They're

44:57

real tears from real cries.

45:00

Will soon feel the whites

45:02

of their eyes when we wash

45:04

them in the fire. They will burn most

45:07

bright, and their screams will

45:09

bless the night. They

45:11

will suffer as our chosen martyrs

45:14

bodies yours to possess and

45:17

show us the true path home

45:19

to the Intra. They

45:27

see the staring him rang

45:29

for the night by us. Come

45:43

on, logo, think, how is it that

45:45

Sherlock was once able to operate the fog horns

45:47

complex machinery. There must be some method

45:49

to this madness. What

45:52

was it he said about how it starts. It all

45:54

begins with a big bang, a tug of the pull

45:56

chord. That's as good a place to start as any.

45:59

H M. The engine. It's

46:01

actually starting. Okay? What

46:04

was next? We to cycle around

46:06

this wheel. We call existence round

46:08

and round and round we go the

46:10

hand wheel. Okay,

46:13

hands in position ten and two. Let's

46:16

turn this wheel clockwise one,

46:20

two, three.

46:26

I hear the smoke heating up through the clips. It's working.

46:29

Then what okay? The world seesaws

46:32

back and forth between chaos and order. To set

46:34

everything right and restore the balance, find

46:36

the fulcrum and make it level. Here

46:40

a metal beam resting uneven upon its central

46:42

pivot point or fulcrum. Next

46:44

to it are three steel weights of ten, five

46:47

and fifteen pass. I can

46:50

s two sides equal

46:52

to balance the beams. The

46:56

pressure gage is stabilizing, and

47:00

when the time is right, lit the switch

47:03

and listen. It's the harmony of the spears

47:05

played out. I

47:07

suppose that was as good a time as henny. Here

47:09

goes nothing. It's

47:15

alive. It's alive, my

47:18

creation live,

47:29

awaken up. Oh, I can

47:31

from your sleep my

47:36

feeling, I feels her awakening.

47:39

I can trip you twitch five, Oh

47:44

masta, break through the ground

47:46

and open avoid to swallow us home.

47:49

Were welcome your return phrase

47:52

me to what's

48:04

happening till

48:07

your black worm? Now it's

48:17

too late. That team's gone, hip

48:19

a Luna. Pull back to the li ground.

48:22

Let's side. Wait,

48:29

don't leave us tied tie

48:34

you can keep you from the end of don't

48:36

to put it in. Say hi to a faster

48:41

I appy less, Let's go, black

48:51

worm, come for ouz ah

48:54

serious, Sorry, this

48:57

looks like the k Don't

48:59

be sad. Don't people at

49:02

the bird. We'll worry

49:04

for you either,

49:15

worm and follow horn,

49:18

leave and go home. We're

49:20

saved, how

49:28

Sherlock. I don't know if I'll ever understand

49:31

you. All that nonsense. It made sense.

49:33

I'm off to rescue my friends. I hope we meet

49:35

again one day. You can take my sand slid. It's

49:37

in the basement. Get you that quick up sure,

49:42

stick to the eye ground all

49:59

about look

50:03

good, no time for questions. Get

50:05

off too,

50:11

there's no way out my

50:14

mountain mask That was worm leap yap

50:16

a bally an. Now

50:19

that the worm has gone, that could be just crazy

50:21

enough to work. Logo. Don't

50:24

get any wild ideas up one step

50:26

ahead of yet, as

50:29

it look pretty tight. But if we can

50:31

make it through that slip in the valley rock, we might

50:33

be able to escape. Keep

50:36

your legs and arms inside the vehicle. It's

50:38

about to get cozy. We're

50:42

in time. The crevice the walls is turning a

50:45

narrow around us, but the end is only a few yards

50:47

ahead. Serious three stings

50:49

pop and selling that show

50:51

a trust

50:54

me, now going

51:03

to skip past that rock vile. We're finally

51:05

free. We made it through show

51:13

dropt sand. Let it go.

51:15

It's great. I'm

51:18

doing it. I'm really doing it. I'm

51:21

saving to day. Look at me, I'm a

51:23

be David. No helmet, no

51:25

hardest, I'm trying without a mask. I

51:27

flover. Oh, we're

51:32

out of gas. But now head to the high

51:35

ground leading out of the valley. We'll be safe their

51:37

once we're off the dune. The worm camp peers

51:39

through calcified rock. Who

51:44

okay, but why are you walking

51:46

like that? Oh? I talk without

51:48

rhythm. Don't alert the priest. Walk

51:51

without rhythm, don't attract the beast,

51:53

come on, walk like me. Can't beat him?

52:20

Yeah, baby,

52:26

Oh no, Please don't

52:29

hurt them. They're just pawns. They're just eating it

52:31

in ponds in this tragic game of life.

53:00

Yeah. InterQuest

53:06

created by Michael Freiberg, a production

53:09

of I Heart Radio and Astro Media Executive

53:11

produced by Michael Freiberg and I Hear

53:14

Radio, co produced by Adam

53:16

Ramunda and Chelsea English. Sound

53:18

design and mixed by Dennis Dembeck. Music

53:21

by Trey Toy. Performances by

53:24

Matthew Brissard, Ether, Mike

53:26

Leaviovitz, Serious Mike

53:28

Kaplan, Logo, Lucy

53:30

poul Umbra featuring

53:33

Nick Nanny gate Man, Casey,

53:35

James Lango, Sherlock, j

53:38

P mcdaide Fang, Mattie

53:40

Smith, Zephyr, Tina Hesham,

53:43

Luna, Nina tar Nader,

53:46

Joe List, Sunken Child. Director

53:49

and head writer Michael Freiberg, writers

53:52

Tom Delgado and Will Julian, story

53:54

editor Chelsea English, dialogue

53:57

editor Adam Ramunda. Additional

53:59

music Matthew Blaca, fully

54:02

post red full cast and crew

54:04

in the description. Find more podcasts

54:06

from my Heart Radio on the I Heart Radio app,

54:09

Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.