0:00

To make switching to the new Boost

0:02

Mobile risk free, we're offering a 30-day

0:04

money-back guarantee. So, why wouldn't you switch from

0:06

Verizon or T-Mobile? Because you have nothing to lose.

0:08

Boost Mobile is offering a 30-day money-back

0:10

guarantee. No, I asked why wouldn't

0:12

you switch from Verizon or T-Mobile. Oh.

0:14

Wouldn't. Uh, because you love wasting

0:17

money as a way to punish yourself because

0:19

your mother never showed you enough love as

0:21

a child? Whoa, easy there. Yeah.

0:23

Applies to online activations, requires port-in

0:25

and auto-pay. Customers activating in stores

0:27

may be charged non-refundable activation fees.

0:30

It's that time of the year. It's that time of the

0:32

year. Your vacation is coming

0:34

up. You can already

0:36

hear the beach waves, feel the warm breeze,

0:38

feel the warm breeze, relax,

0:40

relax, and think about... and think about...

0:43

Work. work. You really,

0:45

really want it all to work out while you're

0:47

away. monday.com gives you and the team that peace

0:49

of mind. When all work is on

0:51

one platform and everyone's in sync, things

0:54

just flow, wherever you are. Tap

0:56

the banner to go to monday.com. Ryan

1:01

Reynolds here for, I guess, my 100th

1:03

mid-commercial. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

1:07

Honestly, when I started this, I thought I'd only have

1:09

to do like four of these. I mean, it's unlimited

1:11

premium wireless for $15 a month. How

1:13

are there still people paying two or three times

1:15

that much? I'm sorry, I

1:17

shouldn't be victim-blaming here. Give it

1:20

a try at midmobile.com/switch whenever

1:22

you're ready. $45 upfront payment

1:24

equivalent to $15 per month. New customers

1:26

on first three month plan only. Taxes and fees

1:28

extra. Speed slower above 40 gigabytes of C-Details. ACAS

1:33

powers the world's best podcast.

1:36

Here's the show that we recommend. Are

1:40

you ready for some hoops off? Are

1:42

you ready for some hoops off? This

1:44

is legitimately what you see people do

1:46

right before they're going to fight. They

1:48

take off their hoops, their earrings, because

1:51

they don't want to get them ripped out of their ear and

1:54

they get ready for battle. Hey,

1:57

I'm Liz. And I'm Karen. And

1:59

you're the best. listening to Hoops

2:01

Off from Luminary. On this show,

2:03

we take our hoops off to

2:05

bring you the spiciest, the saltiest

2:07

takes on each week's games. We'll

2:10

also be reading books by your

2:12

favorite players, reviewing Shaq-sponsored products, and

2:14

of course we'll be bringing the

2:16

tea. Should I prepare the

2:18

hot water? Oh, you better prepare the hot

2:20

water. Please make sure to follow the show

2:22

on your favorite podcast listening platform. Acast

2:27

helps creators launch, grow,

2:29

and monetize their podcasts

2:31

everywhere. acast.com. What's

2:58

wrong? Taste

3:01

is foul. Something may

3:03

have died upstream. Dammit.

3:11

We have lost sight of the road. We

3:14

know. We'll find it again. We

3:16

know the direction. Didn't you say

3:18

you could lead us back anyway? Yes,

3:20

of course. Ah, I

3:23

need to take a moment. Take as

3:25

long as you need. You've been going

3:27

for hours. Much

3:29

of it was more difficult terrain than the road.

3:32

The sun will not be up much longer. It's

3:35

fine. What

3:44

I wouldn't give to see these trees. Hmm.

3:48

Mind you, I suppose I said that in New York about the buildings,

3:50

didn't I? Do

3:52

you remember England?

3:57

Bits and pieces. But

4:00

it's not just about how they would look. I

4:04

think it's almost... It's

4:06

almost the knowing of being here. I

4:09

don't know, it's difficult to explain. Having

4:13

a home. I...

4:19

Can only imagine. Oh, sorry,

4:21

I didn't mean to... No! I

4:23

have a home. I suppose.

4:27

It's just... It

4:30

holds no sentimental value... to me.

4:34

At least... Not

4:36

right now. Who

4:38

knows if it ever will again? Mind

4:41

you, that would imply I ever

4:43

had sentimentality. Perhaps you did.

4:47

I don't know. Is that

4:49

a human emotion? Who knows? It

4:52

is not! Thanks, Shorrock.

4:57

Yellow... Yellow

5:00

was sent back to the Dreamlands. By

5:02

Cain, wasn't he? I don't know. I

5:06

believe so. When

5:08

he sent Larsen there. Larsen?

5:11

And... No. No...

5:15

Look, we can't... We

5:17

don't know what happened to him. I know, I

5:19

know. And moreover, if we fail this task,

5:22

none of that matters. Whether he's

5:24

alive or dead, Cain will

5:26

make one of those a certainty if we don't find the Blackstone.

5:30

Cain... Here. Why

5:33

didn't he show up? With the Witch? When

5:36

I called him... I don't

5:38

know. He did before, but... But

5:41

this time... He... I

5:44

don't know. This... Look,

5:46

this whole thing... Sending us

5:49

here to retrieve the stone he can't touch,

5:51

or see, or what... We

5:53

don't know. I have to assume that either he doesn't

5:56

care right now or... Or

5:58

he can't be here. For

6:01

whatever reason, this time period,

6:03

this place, it's a blind spot

6:05

for him. Given

6:08

that he's dumped us out here, I have to

6:10

feel like that's the case. He

6:12

managed to send us here? Yeah.

6:16

I don't know. Alexander?

6:27

He seems to like it. I

6:29

think he likes us. Ah,

6:33

I feel that breeze. Lovely.

6:37

The sun is a brilliant shade of

6:40

orange. It's

6:42

behind the trees now, directly before

6:44

us. It

6:47

feels so close, like

6:49

it's touching the

6:52

forest, outlining

6:54

the trunks and fiery copper.

6:58

It feels almost... painterly.

7:03

The composition of nature. Without

7:06

people. Without

7:08

streets. No

7:10

rumbling motors. Just... peace.

7:16

Hmm. What?

7:20

In the river. There's a... I'm

7:24

not sure. Straight ahead.

7:29

Here. Here. It's

7:32

a weaved basket. It

7:35

was in the river. To catch fish! To

7:39

catch fish. Why? There

7:42

must be... Here!

7:44

Another! This one is at the side

7:46

of the stream, just up a little bit. Here.

7:52

Another one, but this one is larger,

7:55

with a hole in it. There must be

7:57

people nearby, to leave these unattended.

8:01

Look around, do you see anything? The

8:04

forest floor is somewhat... trampled.

8:08

Well enough to form what looks like a dirt

8:10

path. It leads up towards

8:12

the hills a short way, however... it

8:15

disappears beyond some trees. Hmm... We

8:19

should look. I suppose so. No?

8:22

I... We stayed off

8:25

the road to avoid people. We stayed

8:27

away from the road for a few reasons. Right,

8:29

right. I just... She's

8:34

dead. Believe me.

8:39

We'll not be able to avoid the things in

8:41

this world that wish to harm us. You

8:45

and I walk a path fraught with

8:47

devils, in many a skin.

8:51

We can't allow fear to halt

8:53

our progress. You're

8:56

right. Especially with

8:58

the mundane. This

9:00

is only signs of life, no different than the windmill.

9:04

Could be a lone hunter cabin or a small family.

9:07

We have no ill intentions. We'll be honest and

9:10

perhaps form... It could be a whole village! Yes.

9:15

You know, first, actually... Master?

9:19

Sorry, Yorick. The bag! You took from the hags,

9:21

then! You present a rather troublesome image for us.

9:25

Ah! I

9:27

don't want people to see me carrying a rotting skull. May

9:30

send the wrong impression. I'm sure you understand.

9:33

Of course. Just until we've passed

9:35

through. Or longer. This

9:38

way? Yes, here. This

9:43

is a well-traveled path to the stream. It

9:46

must be used for a multitude of things.

9:49

Washing, maybe. Although

9:51

I suppose those baskets were for fishing. Arthur,

9:54

the light is almost gone. Okay.

9:58

We won't be able to travel through the woods at night. The

10:01

canopy is too dense for a moonlight. Besides,

10:04

we'd run the risk of moving further from the

10:06

road. Right. Wait,

10:08

wait. I see. The

10:11

trees part up ahead. I

10:14

see a small... number

10:16

of buildings. Okay, okay. Do

10:19

you know what you're going to say? Less

10:22

than more. Let's just

10:25

go. Guide me. There

10:30

are three wood buildings with walls

10:33

and a fourth without. A large

10:36

fire pit sits in the center of

10:39

these buildings. They

10:42

all look inwardly toward it. A

10:45

mass of trees sits off to the left. It seems

10:48

as though the buildings were positioned

10:51

around it, almost. The

10:56

fire looks cold. The

11:00

buildings empty. There's

11:04

no livestock. Though

11:06

there is a pen for something,

11:10

the fence is still intact. I

11:14

don't see anyone. Three buildings

11:16

are full. The fourth is just a... I don't know.

11:24

There's a stone floor and

11:26

a large disk similar to

11:28

that of the windmill. I

11:31

can't see from here, but it

11:33

looks like it could be a workshop or kitchen. This

11:36

was a village. As I

11:39

thought. They still could be

11:41

here. Stay quiet. Where is

11:43

the... The first building is to your right.

11:48

Here. Here. Hello?

11:55

It's a small building. Wooden

11:58

sticks for walls laid horizontally... See? Mud

12:01

rubbed against the sticks for warmth. A

12:05

simple straw bed on the floor, a pot

12:07

in the corner and baskets piled in

12:10

another. I

12:12

think the light

12:14

outside has all but died, Arthur. It's

12:17

difficult to see. Damn.

12:19

Okay. I

12:23

think they're gone. The

12:28

fire is cold. Yes, and

12:30

for some time. Arthur,

12:32

the sun is nearly set. We

12:34

need to make camp before all the light is gone. Otherwise,

12:37

we'll be struggling to build a fire for warmth.

12:40

Agreed. There is

12:43

wood here. There's

12:45

wood here. Cut in a pile

12:47

next to the fire. It'll

12:50

be easy enough to start. Look,

12:52

if this place is abandoned, the

12:55

layout provides cover from the wind as well

12:57

as shelter for us. If

12:59

it should rain, it would be

13:02

safer and wiser to sleep here.

13:05

Perhaps in one of the houses even. I don't know if

13:07

I want to be in one of those buildings. It feels

13:09

a bit like trespassing. Even sleeping by

13:11

the fire here. No, listen. I can't

13:13

say as I disagree with you about

13:15

using what's in front of us. We

13:18

could head back down to the river and

13:20

camp there, away from whatever

13:22

all this is, but who

13:24

knows what lurks in these woods.

13:28

Yes. But we also don't know what

13:30

happened to these people. For all we know, they're simply

13:32

out hunting. I may

13:34

not appreciate that their firewood is being used when

13:36

they return. Here or

13:39

there, it doesn't matter, but we have to decide.

13:42

I don't want to be searching for wood with your lighter. Of

13:45

course, me neither. Yes,

13:47

look, let's just stay here, then. But

13:51

by the fire pit. You really don't want

13:53

to stay in one of the houses. I

13:56

can't explain it. The

13:59

house fell down. off.

14:03

Off. Cold, in a

14:05

way. Colder than

14:07

it should be. Okay.

14:11

Do you remember how you saw

14:14

an aura around Marie's home?

14:17

And... Yes. Yes, of course.

14:21

Well, I can't explain it. But

14:24

being in that small home felt...

14:28

It felt like something was running its cold fingers

14:30

along my skin. Briefly,

14:32

but... Well then. We'll

14:36

sleep out here. Yes,

14:38

okay. Let's

14:40

get this fire going. Hmm.

14:46

What? Oh, nothing. Just...

14:49

some of the wood is slightly damp. Should

14:51

be okay, though. We'll put it

14:53

on once it gets going. Why

14:56

are you... you're stacking the firewood

14:58

in a point. A

15:02

teepee style. It's what

15:05

I was taught. In

15:09

the... boys

15:12

brigade? Yes.

15:16

Good memory. Jesus.

15:19

When did I... In the dreamlands. Right,

15:22

right, right. When we

15:24

first arrived. Wow. Wow,

15:27

that feels like a lifetime ago. It

15:30

does. You remember that? Despite

15:33

spending so much time. I

15:35

suppose it stuck with me. Or

15:38

you're just a good friend. But

15:41

yes, that's one of the ways I was taught.

15:44

There's also the

15:47

log cabin. Log

15:49

cabin? Yeah, you kind of

15:52

build a log cabin type structure. Lay

15:54

sticks back and forth. I

15:57

always preferred this method. How

16:01

old were you when

16:03

you were in the boys' brigade? Around

16:06

twelve. It

16:08

was quite... You know,

16:10

there... There

16:14

were some strong positives about it. You

16:17

didn't mention? Yeah, well... I

16:20

joined at a difficult time in my

16:22

life. The obedience, reverence, discipline, you know,

16:24

all those things... They instilled

16:27

that we're meant to be true

16:29

Christian manliness, which

16:32

is... Yes, but...

16:35

There were some strong positives. Some

16:38

real moments of hope instilled

16:40

in a child who felt... Hopeless.

16:46

Such as? Well...

16:51

Friendship. Friendship? I

16:55

think... I

16:58

think I probably made my first real friend

17:00

there. Real

17:03

friend. Who?

17:08

I... A

17:12

whorecer? It doesn't matter. You

17:16

know, they would use these imitation drill

17:18

rifles at camp for us boys playing

17:22

war. Are you

17:24

okay? Yes, I just... I haven't thought about

17:26

it much. Especially not

17:28

a long time. There!

17:34

That should do it. It looks quite nice. I'm

17:37

impressed and I feel alone. Oh,

17:39

it isn't that hard, but... But

17:43

we do need some tinder, kindling.

17:46

Something I can slide into the base to

17:48

catch fire easily. Hmm. Probably

17:51

something that would burn strong and long

17:53

enough to catch the... Such

17:55

as? Well, with

17:57

enough of it, I guess it doesn't matter, but something... Dry.

18:01

Lots of air. Strips of birch

18:04

bark, dry grass. Maybe the animal

18:06

pen. Right, yeah. It may

18:08

have some hay or... The

18:11

left. It's quite

18:13

dark now. Here,

18:18

here. There's a short

18:20

fence made of sticks. It's

18:22

just above knee height. There's

18:26

hay on the ground and... And?

18:33

I... I

18:36

thought... What?

18:40

I... I thought

18:42

I saw... Someone.

18:48

In the woods... They

18:52

were just... Standing

18:55

there... Watching

18:58

us. Are

19:01

they still here? There's

19:04

nothing there. Perhaps

19:09

it was a play of the last light. Perhaps.

19:15

The hay is scattered along the ground. Right,

19:18

right. Here, yes. This

19:22

should be enough. The

19:28

fire was here. Here, here.

19:32

Okay, okay. Ah.

19:41

Catching? Very nicely. We'll

19:43

add a little bit at a time. When

19:45

the thicker pieces begin to catch, I'll add some of the larger

19:48

logs and... The damp ones? Yes,

19:50

well, the dampest ones I put here. To

19:52

dry out from the warmth of the fire. Huh.

19:56

What? Nothing, it's... I

19:59

shall... I suppose I... I

20:02

forget at times to... What?

20:06

The timid little voice that you had when

20:08

we first met. The... the

20:12

wealdered Englishman is stammered over

20:14

every other word. I...

20:17

I guess I have to remark at how different

20:19

things feel now. Listen, if you

20:21

woke up how I did... No,

20:23

of course. I just... It's

20:28

funny to think back to that.

20:31

Uh... in some

20:33

ways, I suppose. Right,

20:35

right. Of course I... I

20:39

only mean to say... No, look. Look,

20:42

you're right. I mean... Ever

20:47

since leaving New York...

20:51

things that have happened... I

20:54

don't know, looking back, all of it... All

20:58

of it feels more... ...readingless?

21:03

Almost. It's

21:06

just... Knowing that

21:08

Cain is capable of... Knowing

21:12

that I'm just one of many. Knowing

21:16

that if we fail everything and everyone is

21:18

at stake... I

21:20

don't know. It puts our petty

21:22

problems, our missteps,

21:25

even our misdeeds into... Well,

21:29

it puts them all into a new light. Is...

21:33

that why... What? Is

21:36

that why you forgave me so

21:38

quickly? No, no.

21:43

Maybe. I

21:46

don't know. You

21:49

sound almost... apathetic. Perhaps.

21:55

Cain has revealed

21:57

such truths... and...

22:00

special or not, I... I

22:03

still feel a little lost in a sea of many.

22:07

Directionless? We

22:09

have a direction. It's

22:11

just... How

22:14

many times do you think Cain has

22:16

spoken to us in

22:19

that way? To John

22:21

and Arthur? What do you

22:23

mean? Do you think

22:25

we're the first he sent back here to

22:27

try this? I... This

22:31

is what I mean. We don't know. We

22:34

don't know how many Arthurs and how many Johns

22:36

camped in this spot. How

22:39

many times we've... I've...

22:42

died to the witch. So...

22:47

So... I guess a

22:49

bit of... what's the point? Maybe.

22:53

I mean... Trying

22:56

to find the meaning in all of this. Trying

23:00

to find the... the

23:02

point. So... What?

23:09

So what? So

23:11

what? So... So

23:15

fuck meaning. Fuck

23:17

meaning? Or... Find

23:21

your own meaning. Meaning... Remember

23:24

what you said. No

23:26

matter how vast the darkness... We

23:29

must supply our own light. Find

23:32

meaning. We find

23:34

the light. We

23:36

found it a hundred times over and over and

23:39

over and we'll keep finding it. Yeah.

23:43

Yeah. You're

23:45

right. You're right. I'm

23:49

the captain of my soul. Exactly! That's

23:52

the fucking truth, Arthur. So

23:55

what if versions of us have been here before? They

23:59

weren't us. No, they weren't. So

24:01

what if they failed? We

24:05

won't. That's right. We

24:07

won't. You're right. You're so fucking right.

24:13

You know, it's always moments like this by the firelight

24:15

that we tend to let

24:17

our minds flounder. How

24:19

human. You know, it

24:21

really is though. Camping is

24:23

something primal about the act of sitting

24:26

near the firelight. It feels...

24:29

I don't know. Perennial. Mmm.

24:34

The firelight hides the small amount of light

24:36

in the sky. Yes,

24:39

yes. It

24:41

becomes difficult to see anything else when the flame before

24:43

you is so bright. But

24:48

I am glad we get to camp together, though. His

24:50

friends do. Me too. In

24:57

boys brigade. I

24:59

joined after my

25:01

parents, obviously. So

25:04

I was... It

25:07

was difficult. But

25:10

there was someone

25:12

that I truly hadn't

25:14

thought of in many

25:16

years. At

25:19

first they were... Arthur. Hmm? There's

25:23

someone standing opposite us. He's

25:28

approached from the darkness of the wood. He's

25:31

standing. Eyes

25:34

transfixed on the firelight. May

25:39

I... join

25:41

you? Yes,

25:46

yes, please. Have

25:48

a seat. Arthur the man is wearing

25:50

a dark cloak of some sort. It

25:53

obscures his face for the most part. Those

25:57

eyes are bright in the firelight.

26:00

He's sitting opposite us, on the

26:02

far side of the fire, cross-legged.

26:05

He's staring into the embers. Is

26:10

this your village? No.

26:14

This is not my village.

26:17

Oh. How did you...

26:19

I saw your light, in

26:22

the wood, from the

26:24

dark. I

26:26

was drawn to it. It

26:29

seemed... so

26:31

inviting. What

26:34

is your name? My name

26:37

is... Malam.

26:41

Malam? A

26:43

palindrome? Yes. Very

26:45

good. His eyes

26:48

are unmoving, but

26:50

he's brought the hood of his cloak back. He

26:53

has a dark complexion, a flecks

26:55

of white in his otherwise black hair, given

26:57

the appearance of a somewhat older

27:00

man. He

27:03

has a thin, graying beard, and his

27:05

eyes seem... to be

27:08

two different colors, though

27:10

it's difficult to see in the orange hue

27:12

of the firelight. I

27:14

didn't see anyone in the village, I... I

27:18

hope we're not... We

27:21

may be joined by them, shortly.

27:25

I do not believe so. You

27:28

don't? His eyes break from

27:30

the fire for the first time. He's

27:33

looking around the village. He

27:37

has two parallel scars running along the

27:39

right side of his face, and

27:42

his right ear is gone. Do

27:45

you know what happened to... Were you drawn

27:47

to the light as well? Me?

27:50

No. No, I... I started

27:52

the fire. You? He

27:54

almost looks surprised. His eyes have

27:56

landed on you for the first time. You

27:58

started this fire. Yes, of

28:01

course. Why? For

28:04

warmth? He's

28:09

holding his hands out to the

28:11

flame. They're worn. Bruised

28:14

almost. The

28:16

nails on one of his hands look as though

28:18

they've been torn off. I

28:21

forget the need for it. I

28:25

couldn't sleep without a fire. It's

28:27

far too cold. It

28:29

is... It

28:32

is. But

28:34

still. I

28:37

would not. You would not

28:39

what? Start a fire? No.

28:43

Why? For

28:45

fear of what it may invite. What

28:51

could it invite? In

28:54

these words, there are... Things.

29:00

Some of which I... would

29:04

not wish to share a fire with. Is

29:08

this... a

29:10

warning? Do

29:12

you wish me to leave? No. No,

29:15

it's just... You

29:17

speak ill of beings that live in these

29:20

woods, but... You

29:22

are one. No,

29:25

I was merely passing through. So

29:28

where is your destination then? For

29:30

now. I have none.

29:34

Tomorrow, we'll see. You

29:38

have no destination? I

29:40

have many. But they change.

29:44

I go where I am needed. And

29:47

where were you needed? I

29:50

was needed here. Here?

29:53

Yes. In the village? When?

29:58

Only a short while ago. their

34:00

desire for solitude in these woods. It

34:04

wasn't until they had fed and clothed him

34:08

that they found the little boy downstream.

34:12

Rage was all that burned in the parents'

34:16

eyes, and the village became riotous. They

34:20

drowned at the voice of the stranger, who

34:22

claimed he had tried to save the young boy from

34:25

drowning. Why

34:27

didn't the stranger say anything when he

34:29

arrived? That is not my purpose. Not

34:33

his purpose? The

34:35

village became fervent, uncontrollable

34:37

to the point where not a soul stood

34:39

with the stranger. Even

34:42

the children wanted his blood.

34:44

And so, they

34:47

spilt it to

34:49

the hilt. Jesus.

34:55

Their obligation fulfilled. The

34:57

stranger decimated. The village

34:59

could finally grieve, though

35:02

not in peace. There

35:06

is no peace in such violence. I

35:12

have come to know this well. His

35:16

eyes have finally returned to the firelight,

35:18

to his hands. I

35:23

don't understand. You

35:25

said he needed

35:28

you. But

35:30

you were not a villager. You

35:33

said no one stood with him. Did he deserve to

35:35

die? No, I already told

35:38

you. And what if it were your

35:40

child? I...

35:44

I can't say I... I... You can't? Or

35:46

won't? I...

35:50

Or... I

35:56

will never condone an act

35:58

that is so wholly mine. You

42:00

join your fire, and

42:02

you honor your daughter by

42:05

knowing you no longer deserve to die.

42:09

You reinforce her belief in

42:12

you. For

42:14

these truths,

42:19

I offer you a gift. A

42:23

gift? One

42:25

of two I can grant. A

42:28

truth or

42:30

an item? I

42:33

can only offer one. A

42:40

truth, I think. An

42:44

item is only useful if I

42:46

know how to use it. And

42:49

there's so much I don't know

42:51

about this place, about this time,

42:53

about our goal. I

42:57

need to know more. Very

43:01

well. He's

43:04

closed his eyes, as

43:06

if praying quietly. His

43:09

hands are flat against the ground on either side of

43:11

him. I can't

43:13

hear what he's saying. He's

43:16

scooping the dirt from the ground, and

43:21

he's pouring it into the fire. He's

43:29

listening, intently,

43:31

with his eyes closed, careening

43:34

his head slightly, as

43:37

if to listen more closely. The

43:43

children of this forest, they

43:47

see you. The

43:50

truth they offer, however,

43:53

does not speak of your quest, nor

43:56

this place or time, but

43:59

rather... A

44:01

shadow that follows you. They

44:07

know little of your goal, more of

44:09

how to achieve it. But

44:12

they know what pursues you. I

44:17

know of it as well. What?

44:21

What pursues us? Cain? It

44:25

is known in this land. Mother

44:29

Darkness is her name, but only one of many.

44:45

One of her faces.

44:50

The witch, the shroud,

44:54

the dimming light. It

44:57

is said that she has

44:59

been around since life first

45:01

appeared. Here

45:05

in England or

45:07

the world entire. Some

45:12

see her as a god, while

45:14

others a

45:16

blight upon this world. The

45:20

disease, an infection that

45:22

spreads across the land sent from

45:24

the stars. She

45:27

is far more powerful than I. But

45:31

like me, feels a

45:33

pull to the

45:35

children. Unlike

45:38

myself, she seeks

45:40

them before their demise and

45:42

twists their minds, creating

45:45

disciples. She

45:48

infects them, raising

45:50

them as her own. Bestowing

45:53

her gifts upon

45:56

them. At

45:59

least once. she wears this face. Gifts?

46:05

Her disciples are given tremendous power

46:08

through their connection to her, sharing

46:11

a greater consciousness. Sharing

46:14

a mind. Mother Darkness

46:17

sees what her disciples

46:19

see. Fuck

46:22

and more. A piece

46:24

of her lay within each disciple. Their

46:28

physical forms interconnected. But

46:31

she is a physical form, right?

46:34

Yes. And

46:36

though more than

46:39

human, she

46:41

shares many of the same needs. She

46:44

must constantly feed. So

46:47

much so her disciples often propagate

46:49

flesh for themselves and

46:52

her. Flesh? The

46:55

maggots? Any flesh?

46:58

Any living creature. Okay,

47:03

okay, alright. And

47:08

so how? How? Well

47:13

how, how do I stop her? She

47:16

cannot be killed by normal weapons. And

47:20

even if you did manage to destroy Mother

47:22

Darkness, it would only

47:24

bring about her true form. A

47:27

true form? Jesus. Damn

47:30

it. An owl.

47:32

Yes, yes, a friend actually. We ran into him

47:34

when we first arrived. Sorry, you were saying?

47:37

I have told you your truth. There

47:49

must be more. Please, please, there

47:51

must be more. Can

47:54

her true form be killed? At

47:56

all? You said not

47:58

by normal weapons, but... But is

48:00

it any weapon? He's standing up.

48:02

Do you have such an item? Not

48:05

a normal weapon? Malam?

48:09

He stands before the fire. Thank

48:14

you for allowing me to join your fire. You're

48:20

welcome. And

48:24

thank you... Not

48:26

just for this information, but... for

48:29

letting me know... that

48:34

my daughter is with me. He

48:37

nods, solemnly. He's

48:42

turning around to leave. He

48:45

stopped. It

48:48

is not a matter of if she

48:50

will find you. But

48:53

when? Malam? Mother

48:57

Darkness is not like other such beings.

49:01

She has not slept, nor is waiting

49:03

in some deep tomb for the stars

49:06

to come right. She

49:09

is active now. And

49:12

has always been. How

49:17

do we escape her? I

49:21

do not know. I

49:25

see. His

49:27

eyes fall upon us one last time.

49:30

The different colors now clear, with

49:33

the orange of the fire light at more of a

49:35

distance. Be

49:40

careful of him. He

49:42

is not what he seems. He?

49:46

Yorick. Farewell.

49:50

Farewell. He's

49:59

gone. disappeared

50:01

into the darkness from once he came.

50:09

Yorick is not what he seems. He's

50:11

not to be trusted. Should I take

50:13

him out of the... No, no. Leave

50:16

him in the bag for the night. The

50:19

quiet is nice. Yes.

50:24

It is. Are

50:33

you... okay? Are

50:38

you smiling? She's with us, John.

50:45

She never left. Yes.

50:52

Well... anyway.

50:57

It's quite the campfire. Quite.

51:01

Different than those nights in the

51:03

boys' brigade, I imagine. Drastically.

51:12

I suppose we should head to bed

51:14

here. Just a little longer. I'd

51:18

like to watch the firelight die. Okay.

51:31

William. By

51:33

the way. William? That

51:37

was his name. My

51:40

first real friend.

51:45

William. A-Cast

52:16

powers the world's best podcast.

52:19

Here's a show that we recommend.

52:23

Are you ready for some hoops off? Are

52:25

you ready for some hoops off? This

52:27

is legitimately what you see people do

52:29

right before they're going to fight. They

52:31

take off their hoops, their earrings, because

52:34

they don't want to get them ripped out of their ear and

52:37

then get ready for battle. Hey,

52:40

I'm Liz. And I'm Karen. And

52:43

you're listening to Hoops Off from Luminary.

52:45

On this show, we take our hoops

52:47

off to bring you the spiciest, the

52:49

saltiest takes on each week's games. We'll

52:52

also be reading books by your

52:54

favorite players, reviewing Shaq-sponsored products, and

52:56

of course, we'll be bringing the

52:58

tea. Should I

53:00

prepare the hot water? Oh, you better prepare

53:03

the hot water. Please make sure to follow

53:05

the show on your favorite podcast listening platform.

53:09

A-Cast helps creators launch,

53:11

grow, and monetize their

53:13

podcasts everywhere. a-cast.com.