Dialogue and descriptions from The Longest Journey by Funcom - Transcript compiled by Bluejay, slightly modified by me
The ground was rough and sandy beneath her. She blinked, sat up and looked around. Blue sand and outcroppings of twisted rock dotted the barren and lifeless landscape as far as she could see. There were blue scintillating lightning streaming down in pools here and there from a turbulant sky with foreboding clouds. Almost everything was blue. The world looked like it was on the verge of collapsing on itself.
April:
Hello? Anybody out there? (Nothing but a repetitive roll of beats in the distance answered her. It looked like she was alone) Compared to this place, Arcadia was about as alien as my bedroom. But sand...never seen that outside a Picasso.
Adrian told me that, once I arrive in the Guardian's Realm, there are three trials I must pass in order to get to the tower. The first is the trial of might, the second, the trial of spirit, and the third is the trial of matter. Considering what I've been through so far I don't think I'll have a problem with either of them, but you never know. Best to be prepared.
I do wonder, however, what my greatest fear may be? It used to be water, but now that I can BREATHE under water, I don't really have that phobia any more. As for spiders...hey, they're disgusting, but I've fought the Gribbler. No creature, great or small, can scare me any more. No, it's got to be something more personal, something I've probably blocked out... But what?
Far away, she could see a tower that reached into the sky.
April:
It's either very small or very far away and from what I know of the Balance, it doesn't settle for economy-sized. I think I'm in for a long walk. (The pod she had used lay crumpled on the sand) I can't remember landing. I remember the wormhole, the dimensional Shift, then...this. The pod took a beating, though. I don't think I'll be able to use it again.
She set off for the tower and came across the second pod.
April:
There's the second pod. But I don't see... Adrian! (There was no answer. The pod was empty when she ran up to it) He's not in here, so he must have survived the landing. But where is he? Adrian? Adrian!
There was no response. She plodded off again for the tower. The ground eventually elevated and she came to the edge of a chasm after climbing up a hill. And as she stepped to the edge, a familiar creature hovered into sight ; the Chaos Vortex.
April:
Oh God, no, not that thing again! It's even bigger than before! I thought it couldn't leave Arcadia! I had no idea it could follow me all the way here! This...thing has grown since I last saw it! If it's not stopped soon, it'll consume everything!
There would be no running away this time, she had to stop it. She backed away as the creature advanced. Perhaps the Talisman of the Balance might have some effect on it. But nothing happened as she held it out. The magic was not strong enough. She still had the bind magic potion though. Combining the two, she tried the talisman on the Chaos Vortex again. This time, something happened. Like a vacuumn cleaner, the talisman began to swallow up the creature. She fought to hold on as it struggled but eventually, nothing of it remained. Panting, she looked across the chasm.
April:
If I had wings, I could fly across... Since I don't. I'll just have to head back down to the desert and try to find my away around the chasm.
She did not know how long it took her but she made it across. The tower was nearer as she walked on. Then, like a mirage, something familiar appeared before her.
April:
What...is this? It looks like...Home. It's home. It's not -- it's like a projection, but it's definitely the kitchen back home, the way it used to look when I was eight...or nine... (Her pulse picked up as fear crept over her) God, no, what's happening to me? What's -- Who's there?
Her heart chilled when the figure of her father materialised. And once again, she was a little girl, facing the horror of her childhood.
Daddy:
Come here, pumpkin, I got you something...special.
April:
(in a fearful child's voice) Dad? Daddy is that you?
Daddy:
Hush, pumpkin. Come here. Daddy's got something for you.
April:
Please, Daddy, don't hurt me.
Daddy:
Didn't I say to come here? Come here, right now, or I'll -- Daddy wants to give you something, pumpkin. Come on.
April:
Daddy, please. You don't want to hurt me. You're not a bad person, you're not really. Don't --
Daddy:
I'm not your Daddy! I'm not your Daddy! You came into our lives and you destroyed us, you took advantage of us! You're a frightful little beast!
April:
But Daddy, you gave me this... (she took out the gold ring he had given her) You gave this to me, Daddy. You do care. You do love ,e. You're just not very...good at it.
Daddy:
No! You destroyed...us... We were a family, and you ... (he crumbled at the sight of the ring) God forgive me. What have I done? What have I dont to you?
April:
You did nothing, Daddy. It wasn't your fault that I got hurt.
Daddy:
I...I'd been drinking...and I... She was so beautiful, my little April... You were so beautiful. We wanted to give you a home, we wanted to be what your biological parents couldn't be... A family. That night, when we brought you home... I'd had a few drinks with the guys, I was feeling...feeling a little dizzy. And then your mother, she says to me, "Hold her. Hold your baby girl in your arms." And I take you, and I hold you, and you...you look up at me with such startled eyes, like...like it's the first time you see somebody like me. I fell in love with you, my little baby. You were so beautiful... And you smiled at me, and then I -- I don't know what happened, but I was taking a step forward, and I stumbled... You fell to the floor,but you didn't cry, you didn't even whimper... When the doctors told us you would never walk -- Oh my baby, I couldn't stand the guilt. I...don't know why that made me into the monster that I am, why I decided that hurting you was the only way I could face my shame... When you started walking, and then getting better and better at it, it was like you were mocking me. I was such a fool, a selfish fool. And now I...I lost you. Forever.
April:
I forgive you.
Daddy:
You...do?
April:
Yes, I forgive you. For everything. I forgive you. I forgive you, (and she was back to her adult self again) Daddy.
The kitchen vanished and she was standing in a familiar barren landscape. The nearby rocks, however, looked somewhat different. Dark, forbidding. Very ominous. The tower was very close however and she set off. After what seemed like she had walked miles and miles, she arrived at the tower or somewhat close to it.
April:
Finally! I thought I'd never make it here. (She peered over the edge) Oh great. There's a large canyon circling the tower, and there doesn't seem to be any way across. The canyon's filled with dense fog blocking my view, but it's definitely a very long way down, and the walls look much too steep to climb. I'd love to have a look at what's down there.
Most of the tower was hovering in the air, below it was some kind of conical sandstone structure, reaching about a third of the way to the base of the tower. Ranged around the structure were seven statues. In a situation like this, she would have called for Crow. But would she be able to summon him all way to the Guardian's Realm? It was worth trying anyway, she had nothing to lose. Taking up the wooden flute, she blew a tune. A small blue portal opened and a familiar black bird popped through.
April:
It worked!
Crow:
(confused) What? What? What? What? What?- what?-what?
April:
Hello, old friend.
Crow:
April? (He hopped slowly to her) What the heck...what happened?
April:
Yeah, what did happen?
Crow:
You're asking me? I was just, um, helping this cute little sparrow with her new nest up in Riverwood...next thing I know, there's a blue light, and then...I thought for sure I'd been shot by a hunter's arrow, and that you were an angel. Then I had a look around the place. This ain't heaven. I mean...this ain't heaven, is it?
April:
Sure it is, Crow, and I'm the archangel April.
Crow:
Sweet! Are there any other birds in heaven, hmmmm? Are there? Are there? Pretty ones?
April:
We got all the dodos you could ever want.
Crow:
Ah, that's great, that's --Dodos? Dodos? You gotta be kidding me. Oh, I see, you are kidding me. Ha, ha. Very funny. Why the heck did you bring me here, to have a good laugh at my expense?
April:
I need to find a way across this canyon, and into that tower over there.
April:
Yeah, what did happen?
Crow:
You're asking me? I was just, um, helping this cute little sparrow with her new nest up in Riverwood...next thing I know, there's a blue light, and then...I thought for sure I'd been shot by a hunter's arrow, and that you were an angel. Then I had a look around the place. This ain't heaven. I mean...this ain't heaven, is it?
April:
Of course not, you dimwitted bird.
Crow:
Dimwitted? I'll give you dimwitted! Just once I'd like to...hey, if I'm so damn dimwitted, then why did you bring me here? Ah-hah!
April:
I need to find a way across this canyon, and into that tower over there.
April:
Yeah, what did happen?
Crow:
You're asking me? I was just, um, helping this cute little sparrow with her new nest up in Riverwood...next thing I know, there's a blue light, and then...I thought for sure I'd been shot by a hunter's arrow, and that you were an angel. Then I had a look around the place. This ain't heaven. I mean...this ain't heaven, is it?
April:
This is the realm of the Guardian of the Balance.
Crow:
Really? Then what the heck are we doing here, huh? Can you open one of those blue thingies and send us back?
April:
Not until I'm done here.
Crow:
So what do you need me for, then? Please, just make a blue thingy and let me go home.
April:
I need to find a way across this canyon, and into that tower over there.
April:
I used magic to, uh, magically transport you here.
Crow:
I should've known. Swilring blue lights never did anybody any good, that's for sure. And that cute little sparrow, she's gonna be so upset when she wakes up and...uh... (coughed) Hey, when did you learn to do magic?
April:
I picked it up on the way here. Listen, I need you to help me out. I need to find a way across this canyon, and into that tower over there.
April:
I need your help.
Crow:
You need my help? With what?
April:
I need to find a way across this canyon, and into the tower over there.
Crow:
Why don't you just flap your wings and fly, then? Ah-hah-hah-hah-hah! That's funny, I kill myself. "Flap your wings and fly". Oh, baby, that's a zinger! I gotta write that one down somewhere. "Flap your wings and fly"...ah, jeez... Anyways, when did you ever need my help? Oh sure, you brought me along, let me do your dirty work once in a while...but come on, you could've done just as well on your own. I mean, you just left me high and dry at the end there, didn't you? Just upped and left without a word of goodbye.
April:
I didn't mean to leave you like that, Crow. But you couldn't come with me.
Crow:
Oh sure, use me then leave me. Don't worry, I know how that works. I'm not half as innocent as you seem to think. But I thought we were friends!
April:
Crow, we are friends. Good friends.
Crow:
That why you gave me the name "Crow"? Oh, I thought it was nice, all right. Real ring to it. Until I found out what a crow actually is, over there in Stark.
April:
Crow --
Crow:
Right. Crow. The sneakiest, dirtiest, most despised bird there is. They're are like flying rats. You even have something called a scarecrow to chase us off with, don't you? I mean,crows are so stupid, they're scared off by straw people dressed in rags? And that's the name you come up with? Crow? Bah!
April:
That's not --
Crow:
No! No excuses. I can't...bear it...oh, the pain. The pain! That's all I am to you, a flying fleabag? I'm sorry, I can't bear to look at you anymore. I gotta fly.
April:
Stay! And shut up! I --
Crow:
-- but you --
April:
-- gave you that name because of a cartoon character I loved when I was a kid. His name was Crowboy.
Crow:
Crowboy?
April:
He was the star of a series of what we call animated cartoons. It's like a puppet theatre that you can watch on a ...a...canvas, or a screen.
Crow:
Pupper...theatre? I love...puppet theatre.
April:
Crowboy was just the coolest bird there ever was. He was a crow and a cowboy, and he had a hat, and a lasso, and an albatross called Old Whitey that he rode on.
Crow:
He had an albatross? His own albatross?
April:
And every week, he'd come to a new town where the bad guys were making life tough for everybody else, and he'd sort it out, like a real hero.
Crow:
He was a hero? Crowboy?
April:
So that's why I called you Crow. I figured you're not a cowboy so it'll just be Crow. And besides, I think crows are cool.
Crow:
Oh...damn! Damn, damn, damn it! Me and my big beak! I couldn't keep it shit, could I? I had to say something stupid! I'm so stupid! Stupid!
April:
It was a misunderstanding, Crow. It could've happened to anybody. Even good friends. Especially good friends.
Crow:
Yeah... Yeah, but...but...I'm so stupid!
April:
Are you gonna keep beating yourself up, or are you gonna hekp me? Time's running short.
Crow:
Of course I'm gonna help you! Anything for you, April! Just tell old Crow what to do, and he'll do it. Like that! I can be a hero, too, just like Crowboy.
April:
Okay, let me think... Crow I need you to fly down into the canyon to see what's below the fog.
Crow:
Into the...canyon? Below the fog?
April:
Are you scared?
Crow:
I didn't say that! It's just...well, fog clings to my feathers, and...and... Would Crowboy do it?
April:
Crowboy would do it. But he'd be careful not to get hurt, and he'd come right back up again if he saw anything remotely dangerous.
Crow:
Of course. Okay, hold on tight, I'll be back soon.
(His feathers were ruffled when he came back)
April:
So what did you see, Crow? What was below the fog?
Crow:
You're not gonna believe me.
April:
What?
Crow:
I told you. You're not going to believe me.
April:
Just tell me what you saw.
Crow:
Nothing.
April:
Nothing? As in nothing out of the ordinary?
Crow:
No, as in nothing at all. The absence of anything. Below the fog, there was nothing. It was terrifying. Until you see what nothing looks like, you won't be able to fully appreciate something, anything at all. I used to hate this blue sand. I mean -- blue sand? What the heck? Now though, I love it! It's sand, and it's blue! It's something! Not like that...nothing down there. It was freaky.
April:
So I guess there's no way I can climb down, cross over and climb up on the other side?
Crow:
You'll fall into the nothing. I'm telling you, I don't think even time passes down there. You'd be falling through nothing forever.
April:
Damn.... Crow, can you fly across the canyon to the base of the tower?
Crow:
Can a chick lay eggs? Well, I know you can't, but... Yeah! I can do that. Um, what was it you wanted me to do again?
April:
Just fly across the canyon and see if you can find any weird buttons or levers or something like that.
Crow:
What for?
April:
There must be a way to cross this canyon, and maybe there's a magical bridge that needs to be activated. I don't know, Crow, just fly across and check it out, okay?
Crow:
Will do. Hang on. What am I saying? Of course you'll hang on. It's not as if you have any other choice.
It did not take him long to circle around the structure.
April:
What did you find?
Crow:
No bridge, that's for sure. But there's a well on the other side, on top of that conical sandstone structure staircase, right below the tower. It looked magical. It had that no-good, stay-the-heck-away blue shimmer to it. So I didn't fly any closer. Who knows where I'd end up.
April:
That's got to be the Well of Making.
Crow:
Maybe it can be making us a bridge, then? Ah-hah-hah-hah! Making us a bridge! Oh, I'm killing today!
April:
You're easily amused, Crow.
Crow:
My brain's one tenth the size of yours, so what do you want from me?
April:
But maybe you got a point. Maybe the Well of Making can help us somehow.
Crow:
It was only a joke, April.
April:
I know, but still... Crow, I want you to get me some water from the Well of Making.
Crow:
What? Are you crazy? How am I supposed to carry water back from... Oh, no. Nonono. There's no way I'm doing that.
April:
Come on, Crow. Your beak is perfect for the purpose. I don't need a lot of water, and all you have to do is make sure you don't swallow.
Crow:
Hey! Magic's got its upsides, I'm sure. I mean, where would social welfare be without magic? But magic water in my beak? No way! What if I did swallow? If I'm lucky, I'll just explode or something. If not... I've heard stories, April, and none of them are very nice. Magic's not a toy! Nor is it food, and it certainly doesn't belong in my back!
April:
Please. Time's running short, and the Balance is at stake. You have got to help me, Crow. Don't you want to be a hero?
Crow:
Hero? Sure. Stooge? Not. Ah, curses and damnation, and all things mean and ugly...fine! I'll put my life on the line, tempt fate, and risk a certain and painful death by magical poisoning...if!
April:
If what?
Crow:
If you promise to pluck my fleas for the next...year.
April:
One year? So honour and glory mean nothing to you?
Crow:
Not as much as a good flea plucking, no.
April:
Okay. Deal. Now -- fly!
Crow:
Yikes!
He was back in a flash.
April:
How did it go?
Crow:
Ood. Ow, oot oo oo aun ee oo oo?
April:
What do I want you to do? I can't take the water, so you're gonna have to do whatever it is we need done wit it.
Crow:
Owey, uh oo ebbe uhwy uh, kah ahm ahbad oo allow ee.
April:
Okay, let me think about it for a second... I got an idea, Crow.
Crow:
Ah?
April:
You said there was nothing down there, right? The absence of anything.
Crow:
Aah.
April:
The water in your mouth is magical water from the Well of Making.
Crow:
Ooo.
April:
So what if we add the magic of making to nothing? What happens then?
Crow:
Uh...
April:
Something, right?
Crow:
Eh...aah.
April:
Something's better than nothing. Fly down there and spit the water out on top of the nothing, then get out quickly. Something will happen, I'm sure of it... I'm just not sure what exactly.
Crow:
Ee? Oh, owey.
He vanished into the canyon. Then from the other side of the canyon, a wavy mist bridge appeared, linking both sides.
April:
That's something, all right. But...what? Where's Crow? (She waited but Crow did not appear) Crow? Crow! Crow! (There was no answer) Oh, please, let him be all right, wherever he is.
She crossed the bridge and walked up the sandstone stairs to the large metal disc with a hole at the top of the conical structure.
April:
It's been a long journey getting here, but this is it. The end of the road. All I have to do now is figure out how to get up into the tower. I thought I'd already passed the Three Trials? There's always something. I guess it's not supposed to be easy. (She looked down into the hole) I guess this must be the Well of Making. It's very deep and very clear, and obviously magical. It's not as imposing as I thought it would be. Not even close. (She dropped the disc with the four Dragon Eye jewels into the well. The water sank deep down and became a hot glowing swirl before turning back into clear water and rising to the top) The water has shaped itself into a hand.
Slowly, she placed her hand on the imprint. Nothing happened. What now? There was a scuffle of soft footsteps and a hand in a sleeve reached out to touch the imprint. The water sank down. She turned to see Adrian.
April:
Thank God you came. I thought you were lost for good.
The Guardian:
My path here diverged from yours. You had to pass the Three Trials.
April:
You were right in warning me. This place is like a Freudian nightmare. The first psychologist to arrange field trips here will rake in a fortune. I mean, talk about shock therapy.
The Guardian:
It is a sacred place. Only the chosen few can pass through the desolation.
April:
But then, why didn't my hand work on the Well of Making? I mean, I passed all the tests, right?
The Guardian:
That is a mystery. You are to be the Thirteen Guardian, are you not? The Balance has picked you. Your hand should have unlocked the tower, like mine did.
April:
Why did it still react to your hand?
The Guardian:
Even though I left the tower, I am still the current Guardian, and I will continue to be until you go through the ritual and take my place. (The structure began to tremble) Hold on. I think we are about to move. The Tower is letting us in.
The conical staircase sank down, leaving the metal disc they were standing on hovering in the air. It began to rise swiftly up into the Tower. Unseen by both April and Adrian, a man hung gripping the edge from below).
The Guardian:
I never thought I would see this place again.
April:
It's cold. Was it always this cold?
The Guardian:
I...do not know. When I was here last, I did not feel much at all.
April:
Well, I'm freezing.
The Guardian:
I spent more than one thousand years in this tower, and yet I cannot remember ever feeling warm or cold. Being the Guardian, there is just the Balance, and our duty to it.
April:
You didn't feel anything?
The Guardian:
There are no emotions. Emotions interfere with the Balance. I was the conduit between magic and logic, between chaos and order. And I had to be...clean.
April:
That sounds horrible.
The Guardian:
It never felt that way. I was...content, as far as it was possible for me to be content. Until the very end, when I became restless.
April:
That's when you left the tower?
The Guardian:
I had no choice. The Balance forced me out. I was polluting the flows that passed through me, through this room, and it was time for someone to succeed me.
April:
So now it's...it's my turn. To be Guardian.
The Guardian:
Are you afraid?
April:
I've never been so afraid in my life. A thousand years. Everything will be gone when I'm...when I'm done. My friends, my family...dead. My world probably changed beyond recognition...
The Guardian:
I know, April. I have experienced this myself. When I returned to Stark, I could not believe all the things I knew, the memories of a life that I recalled as clearly as if it was only yesterday...they were all gone. I was lost, alone, dying...until the Vanguard picked me up from the street and imprisoned me. It shames me to say it but that was a relief. To be fed, to sleep comfortably, to be warm... You have every right to be afraid. But consider this. Your sacrifice will be the salvation of mankind. of two worlds. What greater gift is there? What greater reward than to know you are like a god?
April:
Believe me, I could without the reward if there was any other way, I'd embrace it in a second. But I won't shy away from this either. If it is my destiny, then so be it.
The Guardian:
Good. To wish for the loss of dreams and emotions would be wrong, but to acknowledge it in the face of your fears, this proves you are ready.
April:
Okay, so...what now? What do I do?
The Guardian:
Just walk to the edge of the disc. The tower will know what to do. If you are the new Guardian, the tower will embrace you.
April:
All right. Here goes. One thousand years... (Bracing herself, she walked to the edge of the disc but nothing happened) Now what? Nothing's happening.
The Guardian:
You are right. Then it is as I suspected.
April:
What? What did you suspect?
The Guardian:
That you are not the one chosen to take my place in the tower. You are not the Thirtheenth Guardian.
April:
But if I'm not, then --
A familiar, cold voice broke in.
Gordon Halloway:
I think I may be able to answer that question, Ms Ryan.
April:
You? How -- How did the hell did you get here?
Gordon Halloway:
You didn't think your little games back at the station would fool anyone, did you? Well, aside from those morons and useless guards... It puzzles me why Mr McAllen could be such a visionary, and yet be so lacking in his comprehension of human nature to surround himself with brainless louts.
April:
Maybe because he wasn't human.
Gordon Halloway:
He was not? That would explain...a lot. If he was not human, then what was he?
April:
You mean you didn't know? He was your boss, and you had no idea who you were working for? How pathetic can you get.
Gordon Halloway:
(snarling angrily) Don't toy with me, child! Don't you sare toy with me!! I -- I don't... I do not know what came over me. I'm not prone to anger. In fact, I'm usually quite incapable of it. Must be the...environment that's... (deep breath) I don't feel quite right, like there's something in here that's...calling to me. What are you doing to me?
April:
I don't know what you're talking about, Gordon.
Gordon Halloway:
No matter. I can...ignore this...it's so hot in here. Don't you feel it? The heat?
April:
I'm freezing. Maybe you should lie down for a minute or two.
Gordon Halloway:
(laughed) Maybe you should lie down, Miss Ryan. I actually have a good reason to be here, but you do not. After all, you are no longer a candidate in this race, are you?
April:
I may not become the new Guardian, but neither will you. The Balance will never accept you.
Gordon Halloway:
Don't be so sure, April. I... That's your name, is it not? April?
April:
(puzzled) Yeah.
Gordon Halloway:
I will be the Guardian. The Balance will have no choice. Not with you and the previous Guardian...gone. And I'm...I'm.. (He pressed hsi forehead, as if suffering from a headache) There's something...here, isn't there? (agitated) Someone's calling my name. Someone's... (His eyes widened as realization struck) No. No! Not that, not here! You brought it here? You stupid bitch!
Face twisted with rage and fear, he moved to attack her but Adrian, realizing what he intended, blocked his way.
The Guardian:
Stop!
Both men exchanged blows as she finally figured out what was bothering Halloway. It had to the Talisman of the Balance which now contained the Chaos Vortex, Halloway's other half. She took it out and directed it at Halloway who turned and shouted.
Gordon Halloway:
No! Stay away from me! Don't! No!
He stiffened and cried out as the Chaos Vortex streamed into him. He fell to his knees, trembling all over. His pants steadied and he stood up.
April:
What happened to him?
Gordon Halloway:
(The timbre of his voice was different) I...I'm alive again. You gave me back my life!
April:
I did? You don't sound like yourself. Are you okay?
Gordon Halloway:
(chuckled) I do sound like myself. And I'm better than I've ever been, April. I'm whole again!
April:
So...it worked? The joining of two halves?
Gordon Halloway:
Magic and logic, order and chaos...I'm in balance, now I'm Balance. And it's glorious! I'm sorry for what I did to you, April. And to you, sir. I'm sorry for...for everything.
April:
It wasn't you. Not all of you, anyway.
Gordon Halloway:
It was me, but a misguided me. I wish I could undo all the harm I've done to both worlds, both as Gordon Halloway and as the Chaos Vortex. But I can't undo my actions. All I can do is make sure they'll never happen again. And the only way to ensure this is by becoming the Guardian.
April:
You? The Guardian?
Gordon Halloway:
It's my destiny, April Ryan, not yours. I was born to be Guardian, and although the Vanguard almost managed to prevent that from ever happening, they didn't succeed. And now I'm ready. Thanks to you.
April:
But what about me? If I'm not to be the Guardian...then who am I?
Gordon Halloway:
That's something I cannot answer you, April. Only you can do that. But I don't think the Universe is done with you. You are important. Just not in the way you'd imagined.
The Guardian:
He speaks the truth, April. He is to be the Guardian, now. It was always his destiny, even though it was taken from him by the Vanguard. We will begin the changing of the guards now, Gordon. And you, April...thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice, your courage, your kindness --
April:
Okay, stop. You're making me feel very self-conscious. I only did what had to be done.
The Guardian:
Which is more than most people would have done. Your journey here will be remembered, April Ryan. Remembered and retold for all time.
April:
Right now, I'm only concerned about what's coming next. Where do I go, now? Where can I go?
The Guardian:
That is your choice to make. But do not fret, this world will never hurt you again.
April:
How do I get back to Stark...or Arcadia, for that matter?
The Guardian:
Walk. Walk until you are outside, then go back inside. It is easy, from here. You can go anywhere you wish.
April:
I guess, then, that this is...goodbye.
The Guardian:
Perhaps we will meet again?
April:
Yeah. Why not? It's not an impossible thought. Anyway...you guys have an important job to get to, don't let me hold you back.
The Guardian:
Thank you. Goodbye.
April:
Yeah. Goodbye.
Back on the side of the canyon, she turned to look back at the Tower.
April:
So that's the end of that. Funny, I feel almost...melancholy. Despite everything that's happened, I'm actually gonna miss this...this adventure. After all, what am I doing now? Going back to school? Live like nothing has happened, like I'm just a...a normal person? Well, it's a long way home. I'll figure it out before I get there. Wherever "there" is...
She walked away out to the desert. Behind her, Crow appeared, flapping furiously.
Crow:
Hey, April, wait up! Where you going? Wait! Don't leave me heeeere!
He hurried off after her. Sparkles of red particles belched from either side of the top of the tower, reestablishing the links to Stark and Arcadia. The world rumbled, clouds bellowed thickly and the colour of the sky turned orange. She turned to see two silvery streams linked gleaming to the tower. It was time to leave. Summmoning a Shift, she vanished from the Guardian's Realm.