Intermezzo IX - Wake Up Call

Reviewer's Comment (Rue - Official Intermezzo Reviewer)

Hello, folks. Your friendly, official intermezzo reviewer, Rue, here. Today’s review focuses on Intermezzo IX: Wake Up Call. Don’t be tricked by the “oh, woe is me” from Faelnon at the beginning – this intermezzo is actually action-packed! If you don’t believe me, just take a look at this quote:

“Rue looked at Faelnon, said nothing for a few moments, then said proudly, ‘I was going to strike you with a fish, so I’d like some credit for not doing that.’ ”

If you attended the last Quest, heard about the last Quest, or even if you have no idea what the Quest is, read this intermezzo. You won’t regret it.

My rating: Four-and-a-half slaps with a wet fish out of five.

Intermezzo



She had ordered the others to wait at the edge of A’lure. She realised how ridiculous them fighting the Dark Army alone was – besides, they didn’t even know how to find them. And now, she was back in the city. Rue paced endlessly at the base of the stairs. The next platform up held Faelnon’s house – where he had retreated to after announcing the group was over. Give up, that’s a *great* idea. She thought. She wanted to talk some sense into him or beat him silly. That’s what the pacing was for, she couldn’t decide which to do first. She stopped in mid-stride and turned to the stairs.

After leaving Shandor’s house, Faelnon had gone up to where the Order of Cothin-Cal was. He stared at the burnt and destroyed landscape for about an hour. The stairs ended abruptly, and were supposed to be cordoned off. He looked over the edge – a straight plummet forty feet to the solid ground before. For several minutes he just stared at the darkness that had enveloped the lower parts, wondering if it would just be better to step off, and fall. His family were gone. His mother, his brother and his two nephews and one niece. Ariea’s family were gone too – at least they didn’t have to leave with the grief of her loss. He should have done something to stop her death. Maybe that would have changed it all. Shandor would be around and he wouldn’t have to be leader. Maybe it would have just been better to give up when ‘Death’ had stabbed him. Just... let go. He could let go right now. No-one would know, they would awake the next morning and find him lying there, crumpled at the base of a destroyed tree. Oh dear... they would say, and they would just add another notch to the death count. Poor chap, they might say, Suffered greatly, lost his family.

Faelnon lifted his foot into the air and hovered it over the edge. It was so simple, just to step off, so why couldn’t he? The fall wouldn’t even take that long. He’d try to go head first, the skull would shatter and he’d be dead in under a second. If he fell straight down there was a chance the legs would take most of the impact and he’d survive. He didn’t want that.

How far he’d descended, he thought, as the darkness enveloped more of the forest beneath. He was going to be a great priest, and a healer. A kind man. Instead, he murdered an innocent, loving father and husband – and oh yes, he didn’t care either. He couldn’t care less if a dragon swooped over the forest right now and ignited it. In fact, he almost wished that were to happen. It would save him having to jump. He slumped down and sat on the edge, feet dangling down. What Rue had said to him still burnt. Of course he wasn’t a fit leader. He was never meant to be a leader. That was Shandor’s job. Faelnon came up with ideas and thoughts, Shandor was the one who led. Dammit, why did they leave him? Why did Ariea, Thor, Thinn, Totil have to leave? Everyone always left. He thought back to the rest of Rue’s words. He had tried to be a friend, but whenever he cared for someone, they kept on dying. He had friends, six wonderful people he would entrust his life to, share anything with. Four of them are dead, one is crippled and the other one was driven insane by the death of his wife. Ariea was dead because he didn’t think enough. Thor, Thinn, Totil... they were dead because of his stupidity. Foilae was crippled because of Faelnon’s anger. Subconsciously, he had edged closer to the abyss. It was better this way. He was keeping them safe. Rue, the others, they won’t be able to find the Dark Army. And they’ll be safe. ‘Death’ was after him. The dragons hated him. The others were innocent in this. He was right on the verge of falling now.

‘Sir?’ A voice suddenly called from behind.

Faelnon turned around; it was one of the city guard.

‘Sir, you shouldn’t be here, it isn’t safe.’ The woman said, taking a step towards Faelnon.

Now or never, Faelnon. He thought to himself, looking down into the darkness that was almost level with him. A hand touched him on his shoulder. Too late. He got to his feet carefully.

‘I think you should go get some sleep.’ The woman said kindly, noting the dark circles under his eyes.

‘Thank you,’ Faelnon muttered before shuffling away silently. Perhaps he’d do just that.

That was an hour ago. Giving a small sigh, Rue began up the stairs, wondering whether to begin with a friendly ‘What the Tarkna do you think you’re doing?’ or perhaps a slightly less friendly, more direct, slap around the face with some sort of large, wet fish. She reached his door and paused again – indecision clear in her face. She decided to pace around his house for a few moments and think of her actions more carefully. As she passed a window she peeked inside and saw a body in the bed – Faelnon’s. But also, the silhouette of someone else, standing above him. She caught a glimmer of a blade, reflecting the moon’s light. Wide-eyed, she dashed back to the door and gave it a swift kick. It shuddered slightly, but didn’t break. Two more kicks finally fractured the wood around the lock and the rest of the door swung inwards. The figure was ready and he dove at her. She ducked to the left; he passed through the doorway, catching Rue’s arm with the blade. She grimaced briefly in pain, rushing into the house to get a weapon. The figure got to his feet and chased after – only to have a swinging door strike him in the face.

After kicking the door, Rue dashed to the kitchen and grabbed a knife and... a spoon? Shrugging, she charged back towards the dazed figure, carefully pocketing the knife and throwing away the spoon to grab a chair. The figure kicked open the door and nearly caught Rue, who, in turn, kicked the door back closed.

And so, a game began of the two kicking the door, trying to knock the other off-balance. Rue sat down on her chair at one point, nearly amused by it. As the door swung towards her the final time, she kicked it as powerfully as she could with both feet. The hinges gave a groan and popped loose. The door swung, half of it caught the doorway, the other half spun outside, dragging the caught half with it. Some of this struck the figure and knocked him to the ground. Rue leapt to her feet and grabbed the back of the chair, lifting it above her to use it like a club. She ran outside, well, she would have been outside had it not been for the chair legs that caught the top of the doorway and caused her to fall. The figure was already on his feet and was approaching Rue. She released the back of the chair, whipped out the knife from her pocket and slashed with it, catching the figure around the ankle. The figure howled in pain as he began hopping about, clutching at the bleeding ankle.

Rue got to her feet and dragged the chair outside. She lifted it slightly and asked in mock concern, ‘Are you all right? Would you like a seat?’ before charging at the figure, who paused his howling to blink at her. The legs of the chair went around his chest, just beneath his arms. Rue let go of the back as the momentum sent the chair and the figure crashing over the banister and plummeting to both of their deaths some forty feet below – which was rather inconsiderate of the chair since it now left Faelnon with an incomplete dining suite. Rue dusted herself off, shrugged and threw the knife after the figure before turning on her heel and entering the house. She reached Faelnon, who was somehow still sleeping. She was about to leave him when she noticed a small line of a yellow powder along his forehead. She brushed this off and Faelnon awoke instantly.

‘What...’s going... Rue?’ Faelnon said groggily.

‘Guy broke in, tried to kill you, had all the markings and garb of our friendly generic neighbourhood assassins.’ She oversimplified.

Faelnon sighed, climbing out of bed, or rather just getting off it – he was still fully clothed, just lying on top of the bed. ‘He said that’s what I needed to do, then he would leave me alone...’

‘What?’

‘’Death’ said that if I disbanded the group, he would leave me alone, he wouldn’t hurt the people I cared about.’

‘Faelnon, sorry if this sounds brash, but this is the End. The End of the World. And since this is the End of the World and everything is *ending* nothing will be left alive. We can’t give up, ‘cause I don’t want everyone to die. You’re worrying about people you care about dying? Who’s going to survive if we give up?’

Faelnon collapsed on a chair that was still in his house. He noticed the lack of door, but couldn’t be bothered to mention it. ‘I don’t think... I don’t think I care anymore.’

‘What?’

‘I was a Healer, a priest, one who helps people. All I do now is kill and destroy. I’ve lost all the friends I had. Shandor is gone. Ariea is dead. Foilae resents me - I can tell - for his injuries. Thor, Thinn, Totil, they are all dead because of me. No-one is left...’

‘I’m left, and the rest of the group are too. You never open up to us, and if we are going to win, there can be no secrets.’

‘Some secrets are too dark to tell.’ Faelnon stated, remembering the terrified look of the innocent man he killed.

Rue looked at Faelnon, said nothing for a few moments, then said proudly, ‘I was going to strike you with a fish, so I’d like some credit for not doing that.’

‘Just go home, Rue.’

‘I don’t have a home to go to. As you might recall, the place I called home was disbanded by a guy who has just lost hope.’

‘It didn’t just happen. I’ve known we haven’t stood a chance for a long time.’

‘I wish Shandor was here, even when he was evil he was more optimistic.’ Rue muttered, looking at the table. She continued, ‘Who cares if we don’t stand a chance? The point is we are trying; we have to try, always. ‘Cause there’s just a chance that we are crazy enough to win. Do you remember Tildruin, the original dragon? That was “The End of the World”, that was all our doom, that was the big bad. And guess where it is? Its bones are buried under Tildruin. And that crazy ‘Death’ guy who tried to become a god, what’s he doing now? He’s a stupid little lackey. Just face it, we have an uncanny ability to save the world.’ She gave a small smile.

Faelnon looked at her, ‘You really think so?’

‘I’m Rue. I think so, I say so.’

‘They aren’t going to give up.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Then I guess we have to continue.’

‘Finally, the mildly pessimistic Faelnon that we all know and love. Now, get up, get your stuff, go get the ‘train back and lets kick evil’s ass. Again. Well, “again, again” technically.’

Faelnon smiled politely at Rue, ‘There’s just a few things I have to do. Go round up the group please.’