Scenario:Estarriola - Filling the Chalice
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Filling the Chalice
Though freed from his restraints, Estarriola spends much of his time in slumber as his body attempts to suppress the power he took from The World. He and Temperance decide to extract and purify the new power. However, when Temperance tries to return the Evoker's emotions at the end of the process, she finds new emotions she is unable to grasp. Estarriola reflects on his own emotions and undergoes a trial in which he must choose the correct place to store each emotion.
Estarriola—a sorcerer who, after suffering the betrayal of the king of his country as well as the death his wife, once dabbled in the forbidden arts as a means to subdue his own anger.
He found his life suppressed by a primal beast of Arcarum, Temperance, and was confined to a wakeless slumber.
However, by defeating the creator of the Arcarum, The World, Estarriola was able to fully awaken.
With his awakening, Estarriola transformed from an old man back to a young sorcerer, as if to gain back the time he had lost in his slumber.
Released from his dismal fate, Estarriola is now presented with a new challenge.
Estarriola: Snooore... Snooore...
Vyrn: It's kinda weird not seeing Old Man Snoozy floatin' around while he's asleep...
Lyria: He still sometimes talks in his sleep, but it's not like before when we could have a conversation even when he wasn't awake.
Lyria: I'm worried. It's been three days since he last woke up...
Vyrn: Well, he's been eatin' whenever he's awake so I guess it's not too bad... but I wonder what's goin' on with him.
Temperance: The reason the little one continues to sleep is because I channeled The World's power into him.
Lyria: Temperance! What do you mean it's because you channeled The World's power?
Temperance: Until now, he had been living his life with minimal biological activity while suppressed by my power.
Temperance: With my constraints no longer, I transformed the power I took from The World into a life force to compensate for the time that had slowly left the little one's body.
Temperance: That is why, even without my suppression, his body is able to maintain life by itself. His body temperature and sleep have returned to normal.
Lyria: That's right—Estarriola was really cold to the touch before, but now I can feel warmth from him.
Vyrn: Okay, so his body's back to being one that can stay alive. But why's he sleepin' so much?
Temperance: Even if it was I who gave him the life force, the power I took from The World remains a foreign material to the little one.
Temperance: They are as, if not water and oil, waters of different colors. To create an even mixture, they must be stirred vigorously.
Temperance: The little one is attempting to control and incorporate The World's fierce power within himself, leaving him no energy to wake from his sleep.
Lyria: So that's what's happening... Is there anything we can do to help?
Temperance: There is nothing to be done now but wait.
(A fact equally true for myself...)
(A fact equally true for myself...)
Estarriola: Hmm... It seems my deep slumber has been causing concern.
Vyrn: Old Man Snoozy! You're awake!
Estarriola suddenly opens his eyes, rubbing them drowsily. He slowly gets up from his bed.
Temperance: Report.
Estarriola: Goodness. Impatient, aren't we? Have you been worrying over me?
Temperance: The two of us are one and the same. If thy body becomes overwhelmed by the power, my life will be forfeit as well.
Estarriola: Haha... Then you should know very well that my body as it is now is not quite in a manageable state.
Temperance: ...
Estarriola: Well, the fact is that it is not a favorable situation. Though falling into a deep sleep has helped me to successfully suppress The World's power...
Estarriola: It seems I cannot resolve this without borrowing your power after all, Arcarum beast.
Temperance: I am aware. The preparations for extraction and purification are already complete.
Lyria: Um... What are the two of you talking about?
Estarriola: Hm, yes. I should inform all of you as well.
When the Evoker raises his arms, watery spheres of different colors appear, floating in the air.
Estarriola: Power is similar to color. In times I need magic that is green, I release a mixture of yellow and blue.
Estarriola: There are those who can only hold one color, such as someone competent only with flame magics. I, however, am gifted with seven.
Estarriola: The more you can hold, the more things you can produce with those colors. That is how I am capable of utilizing various magic.
Lyria: I didn't know that! Having you explain it with the colored water makes it easy to understand!
Estarriola: As for the The World's power...
Estarriola: Power taken from another contains mixed colors from the beginning—like so.
Estarriola uses his magic to combine two of the water spheres in the air, creating a single darkened sphere.
Estarriola: Now, allow me to ask you, Girl in Blue. What colors do you think this darkened water can make?
Lyria: Um... I don't think it can make any other colors. Any hue mixed with a shade of black will become black...
Estarriola: Exactly. In other words, although I obtained the life force I had lost by acquiring The World's power...
Estarriola: It is impossible for me to utilize the power as my own. Not only that, but the darkness from that power is expanding by absorbing the colors I already possess.
Estarriola: At this rate, eventually I will lose control and be robbed of my freedom, falling into a slumber for the rest of my days.
Vyrn: No way... You just managed to wake up...
Temperance: It is too soon to lament. I possess the power to extract the little one's original nature and purify it, restoring it to how it was before.
Estarriola: To put it simply, Temperance is able to take the darkened substance and return it to the multicolored element it originally was.
Estarriola: That way, I will not have to fall into slumber again.
Lyria: I'm so glad there's a way to fix it! Is there anything we can do? Please let us know if there is!
Temperance: No—this is an issue involving myself and the little one. There is nothing outsiders can assist with.
Vyrn: O-oh, okay... The way you said it makes me kinda sad.
Estarriola: Haha. It might do you well to learn which words to use with mortals.
Temperance: ...
Estarriola: The process of extraction and purification will happen through the interaction between Temperance and myself.
Estarriola: This is none other than a trial that the two of us must overcome with our own power.
Estarriola: However, I do not see all of you as nonessential. Rather, there is something I would like to ask of you.
Estarriola: (Captain). Young skyfarers. Will you pray for our success, here on this ship where we hope to return to?
Lyria: Pray for your success... Will that give you and Temperance the strength you need?
(Captain) and Lyria exchange glances. Finally, the captain gives a firm nod.
Choose: We'll be here, praying for your return.
Estarriola: You have my thanks. With this, failure is no longer possible, Arcarum beast.
Temperance: ...
The Grandcypher sails on, in hopes of finding a resolution for the Evoker and his pactkeeper.
Handling immense power comes with the risk of causing disaster around oneself.
At the Evoker's suggestion, Estarriola and Temperance stand by themselves on an abandoned island where there is nothing but grasslands as far as the eye can see.
Estarriola: This far out should be good enough.
Temperance: ...
Estarriola: Do you feel fear?
Temperance: My nature is temperance—as I have no emotions, I cannot feel fear.
Estarriola: I see. Then I suppose it was only my imagination when I saw you frown earlier.
Temperance: ...
Proceed with the preparations. The time in which thou remains awake is limited.
Proceed with the preparations. The time in which thou remains awake is limited.
Estarriola: True. Let's begin then, shall we?
Temperance: Estarriola, my pactbearer... I welcome thine everything with open arms. Thy emotions, thy power—entrust all of thyself unto me.
Sitting down where he is, the Evoker closes his eyes in meditation.
With Temperance's power, water-like spheres of power in different colors appear around Estarriola, as if emerging from him.
Shades of red, blue, yellow, and white materialize—a vivid display of Estarriola's original power.
Below them is a sphere of dark water—the power obtained from The World.
Temperance scoops up The World's power with one of the cups in her hands, and takes the yellow sphere of power with her other cup.
Temperance: Yellow... A magic possessing qualities of light. The feeling of pleasure, enjoyment, and adoration.
As she whispers this, Temperance pours the dark water into the amber-colored water.
When she swirls the cup in her hand, the amber liquid floats to the surface, like oil that had fallen into water.
By transferring the water between the two cups over and over, the layer of yellow is refined and purified. Finally, Temperance uses another cup to scoop the amber liquid.
Despite its small amount when extracted from the dark water, the golden liquid grows in volume to fill the cup.
Temperance: Blue... A magic possessing qualities of water. The feeling of sorrow, grief, and melancholy.
Temperance: White... A magic possessing qualities of the cold. The feeling of heartlessness, apathy, and cruelty.
She proceeds through a number of colors in the same way, each extracted and purified one by one.
As this process continues, the dark water decreases, while the volume of the water in other colors grows.
Estarriola: Snooore... My emotions certainly come in a large variety of colors.
Temperance: Three colors are more than enough to encompass everything. Why go through the trouble of separating them further?
Estarriola: That is the nature of emotions. Two mix to become a new emotion that is defined again, and that emotion gives birth to yet another.
Estarriola: Blue and yellow come together to become green, a color through which one develops their character. That will create a new color—something that is already not what it was before.
Estarriola: Encounters, farewells, recollections, ponderings... Emotions are kept like bookmarks within the pages of one's memory, becoming colors that adapt to the soul.
Temperance: ...
It is beyond my comprehension. I can define and restore these colors, but I do not possess the heart to understand them.
It is beyond my comprehension. I can define and restore these colors, but I do not possess the heart to understand them.
Estarriola: Oh? But that is not how it appears to me. There is a cup within you too, Temperance. It is simply that there was nothing to pour into it.
Temperance: ...
All of the dark power has been restored to brilliant colors. Temperance releases the last of the colored water into the air.
Temperance: Extraction and purification are complete. I shall return them to thee.
Estarriola: I'm glad it went smoothly. I am ready.
Temperance takes the floating colored water into her empty cups.
The colors mix together into not a darkened mass, but a mysterious blend of rainbow.
The restoration process continues without a hitch—until Temperance stops, with four colors left in the cup.
Estarriola: Hm? What is the matter, Arcarum beast?
Temperance: From our extensive time together, I have come to grasp all of thine emotions... or so I thought.
Temperance: Different emotions belonged to different places. I was able to comprehend them after much trial and error—similar to that of a puzzle.
Temperance: However, here are four emotions I do not know. I assume they were born from thine encounter with (Captain), or perhaps developed from other emotions.
Estarriola: Hm... Yes, I have had the opportunity to reexamine my thoughts since my travels with the young skyfarers and our battle against The World.
Estarriola: So because of these changes, you are unsure which of the cups these four remaining emotions should be returned to?
Temperance: Yes.
Temperance: Thine emotions and power are strongly connected, mayhaps due to thy nature or the influence of my suppression.
Temperance: If the emotions are not returned to the correct cup, their power will recoil, and thy magic will overflow. Out of my control, the cups will inevitably break.
Temperance: Thou shall reach the end of thy life in agony, and I, too, will vanish. The margin for error is inexistent.
Estarriola: I see. No room for experiments, hm?
Temperance: If thou wishes to survive, release the remaining four emotions. There should be no harm to thy life even without a part of thine emotions.
Estarriola: Unfortunately, that is the only thing I cannot comply with. There is not a single emotion that I am willing to let go.
Estarriola: More so if these are indeed emotions that were born from my encounter with the young skyfarers.
Temperance: Then, how will thou proceed?
Estarriola: These emotions are mine. I should be able to discern their correct place of belonging myself.
Estarriola: I will direct where they go. Tell me the meaning behind the cups you hold, and the names of the four emotions.
Temperance: ...
Very well.
Very well.
Temperance moves to stand in front of Estarriola and extends her hands, holding a cup in each of them.
Through his faintly open eyes within a temperate slumber, he gazes upon the two cups in front of him, filled with brilliant, prismatic water.
Filling the Chalice: Scene 2
Temperance: The cup on the right represents the future, and the cup on the left represents the past.
Temperance: Namely, thy future is (Captain), and thy past is thy beloved who is with thee no longer.
Temperance: I will now say the name of each emotion. Answer with which cup thou wishes to return the emotion to.
Temperance: Allow me to warn thee once again—a single mistake will lead to immediate death. Choose thine answers wisely.
Estarriola: Understood. Let us begin.
Temperance: The first emotion is "gratitude." Is this for thy future, or for thy past?
Choose: For my future. ((Captain))
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of gratitude into the cup designated by Estarriola.
The color of the liquid is swirled with the water in the cup, creating a marble pattern. Finally, the water stills.
Temperance: Correct. Let us proceed to the next.
Choose: For my past. (Lottieluna)
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of gratitude into the cup designated by Estarriola.
Continue 1
Temperance: The second emotion is "nostalgia." Is this for thy future, or for thy past?
Choose: For my future. ((Captain))
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of nostalgia into the cup designated by Estarriola.
Choose: For my past. (Lottieluna)
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of nostalgia into the cup designated by Estarriola.
The color of the liquid is swirled with the water in the cup, creating a marble pattern. Finally, the water stills.
Temperance: Correct. Let us proceed to the next.
Temperance: The third emotion is "serenity." Is this for thy future, or for thy past?
Choose: For my future. ((Captain))
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of serenity into the cup designated by Estarriola.
Choose: For my past. (Lottieluna)
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of serenity into the cup designated by Estarriola.
The color of the liquid is swirled with the water in the cup, creating a marble pattern. Finally, the water stills.
Temperance: Correct. Let us proceed to the next.
Temperance: The fourth emotion is "hope." Is this for thy future, or for thy past?
Choose: For my future. ((Captain))
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of hope into the cup designated by Estarriola.
The color of the liquid is swirled with the water in the cup, creating a marble pattern. Finally, the water stills.
Temperance: Correct.
Choose: For my past. (Lottieluna)
Temperance: Very well. I shall pour into the cup thou hast appointed.
Temperance pours the water of serenity into the cup designated by Estarriola.
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Temperance: Thou hast made the proper judgment for all of the remaining emotions. I shall hereby return all that I have suppressed unto thee.
Temperance: Now, awaken. Conquer thy past and step forth on the path of thy future.
Temperance raises the cups in her hands and begins to chant. The water in the goblets glows brightly, returning to Estarriola's body.
Released completely from his restraints, Estarriola slowly opens his eyes, relief washing over his face.
Continue 2
The color of the liquid is swirled with the water in the cup, creating a marble pattern. Finally, the water stills.
But not for long.
Estarriola: The liquid is starting to bubble like water over a fire...
Temperance: Tis an indication that thou hast failed to make the correct judgment. Thy chalice shall break...
Estarriola: Rrgh... Aaaah!
Temperance: Is it painful, little one?
Estarriola: I shall accept my fate of death. However, there is something I must say before I forfeit my life...
Estarriola: Lottieluna... Temperance... You both are beloved to me!
Temperance: Hast thou called me... thy beloved?
Estarriola: Gwaaah!
The moment Temperance reaches out to Estarriola, the Evoker's body releases a blinding flash of light and explodes.
Temperance watches as her own arm is severed by the explosion and consumed by the flames. Soon, her body also turns to sand and dissolves without a trace.
The end.
As Estarriola did not return his emotion to its correct place, you must retreat from this quest.
Reflect on the past and future once more and try again.
Continue 4
Estarriola: It is over.
Temperance: Yes.
Estarriola: And I have acquired an amount of time in life that corresponds to my current body?
Temperance: Yes. There is naught that binds thee any longer. Thou may live and carry out the remainder of thy days as thee wills.
Estarriola: Then I shall do just that.
A red sphere of water the size of a fist floats down like a petal between the two.
Temperance: It was to my understanding that all of thine emotions have been properly returned to their place. Could I have overlooked this?
Estarriola: No. It must not have belonged to either chalice.
Estarriola: It had hidden itself until everything was over. A rather pathetic coward of an emotion, despite the fact that it belongs to me.
Estarriola creates a third, moderate-sized goblet, in which the red sphere of water promptly places itself into.
Estarriola: We should have some time before the young skyfarers come for us. Shall we take a walk, Arcarum beast?
Temperance: Very well.
A gentle breeze rustles the grass as Estarriola and Temperance wander across the plains.
Only the sound of the grass under their feet fills the silence.
The calm silence stretches out until Estarriola speaks up, his voice quiet.
Estarriola: Looking back, the two of us have spent quite an extensive time together.
Estarriola: I thought I was fated to simply live and die. A boring life consisting only of studying magic—a single moment within infinite time, hardly enough to fill a single page.
Estarriola: But my plot was interrupted with the death of my wife... and then, you and I met.
Estarriola: In the midst of my hazy slumber in which I was unsure whether I was living or dead, the two of us came together to annihilate what posed a threat to these skies.
Estarriola: My life became an unexpectedly stormy series of events. Would you not agree?
Temperance: I am failing to select events to compare thy life to. Thus, I cannot answer.
Estarriola: Quite the difficult nature you have. Your role as an observer should be over now.
Temperance: ...!
Temperance's foot is caught by a rock hidden among the grass, and she falls to her knees.
Estarriola: Seems it will take some time for you to adapt to your body, now that it has changed so much.
Temperance: ...
Lottieluna: Let's walk like this for today.
Suddenly reminded of his dream, Estarriola walks closer to Temperance and wraps his hand around hers—no longer quite large enough to make this impossible.
Estarriola: Why don't we walk like this until you grow more accustomed?
Temperance: ...
Very well.
Very well.
They begin to walk again, their shoulders and elbows touching as they feel the comforting warmth of one another.
Estarriola: When I learned that the reason you had an appearance similar to my wife's was because you had been continuously eating my heart... I was happy.
Estarriola: I had thought that my wife's death was because I'd been too arrogant, caring only for myself and not enough for my wife.
Estarriola: But there was only my wife in my heart. My heart was so filled with her that when you ate my heart, even your appearance became like hers.
Estarriola: I destroyed my country with the rage that overflowed from my chalice. It is something unforgiveable.
Estarriola: The love I harbored in my heart was more than enough to destroy not only my country, but an entire island—even the skies themselves.
Estarriola: You proved that to me. Even the skies could not compare to the love I had for my wife.
Temperance: Indeed. The image of thy beloved reflected in thy heart ceased to fade the slightest.
Temperance: Thou ruined thy country, became a hermit, aged, and wandered between life and death in the midst of treachery. But the heart I consumed harbored only thy wife.
Temperance: An unchangeability I did not believe possible for one who dwells in the sky. In the words of mortals—it is madness.
Estarriola: Haha, so you say.
Estarriola: Still, my heart has changed since. The fact that you were unsure where my emotions belonged earlier is proof of that.
Temperance: ...
I have a question I wish to ask thee. The "nostalgia" and "serenity" thou poured into the cup of the past...
I have a question I wish to ask thee. The "nostalgia" and "serenity" thou poured into the cup of the past...
Temperance: The two are emotions altered from other emotions. How did they come to be, and how did they become that of the past? Hast thou abandoned thy love for thy wife?
Estarriola: My feelings for my wife remain unchanged even now. But if I continue to live wallowing in regret, I know Lottie will not be able to rest in peace.
Estarriola: That is why I decided to recognize my love for her as a part of the past, laying it to rest within the depths of my heart, and walk toward the future.
Temperance: The future... Is it (Captain) that thou speaks of?
Estarriola: Not only the young captain. The future includes now—the present time.
Temperance: ...?
Estarriola stops walking and stands in front of Temperance, resolution in his expression.
Estarriola: There was something I wanted to tell you once this appearance of mine had become reality.
Estarriola: My body may be young again, but my mind remains that of an old man. I am reluctant to say something so youthful aloud. Still, will you listen?
Temperance: Yes.
Estarriola scratches his cheek, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Estarriola: There is no you in a future without me, and vice versa. Neither of us can simply entrust the future to the other, nor can one of us fade into the other's past.
Estarriola: The two of us are one and the same, and what we share is the present time we are experiencing together. And so, you shall be my present.
Temperance: I am unable to find relevant items in my records. I request an explanation.
Estarriola: Haha... I tried to put up a front to make myself look better, but it seems my words deviated from the true purpose.
Estarriola: If I were to put it simply, I would like to form a new pact with you.
Temperance: A new pact?
Estarriola: Yes. A pact in which you can stay by my side, until the last moment of our lives.
Estarriola reaches into his robes and takes out a vial of the red water left from the extraction process.
Estarriola: The emotion that fills this vial is not something you lost. It is simply that the cup it is meant for was not there at the time.
Estarriola: It seems you have not noticed yourself, but as you continued to consume my heart, you acquired the disposition of a chalice yourself.
Estarriola puts Temperance's hands together so they form a bowl. He begins to pour the contents of the vial into her hands.
Temperance: What are you doing?
Estarriola: An imitation of a wedding, I would say.
Temperance: ...
I cannot comprehend. Thou harbored hatred toward me.
I cannot comprehend. Thou harbored hatred toward me.
Estarriola: When you were robbed of your tongue and ability to speak the truth by the arrogant creator, that is indeed the emotion I felt.
Estarriola: But if I dismantle and see them as two individual facts—an unwanted but inseparable relationship, and a strong bond—the two are actually similar.
Estarriola: If that is the case, is it not only natural that the hate born from that can be turned around with the slightest occasion?
Temperance: ...
Estarriola: The tears that fell from my eyes when I saw you motionless and void of function...
Estarriola: The unexpected change you experienced when you saw me heartbroken and in despair...
Estarriola: Whether we were aware or not, many things up until now have already proven that our hearts are one.
Temperance: ...!
Estarriola puts his hand to his chest and kneels in front of Temperance, like a knight to his princess.
Estarriola: No cries of blessing, and no ring to prove my oath. Still, I will pour onto you my love that will fill your chalice—for you are my present.
Estarriola: Temperance, my partner with whom I share my fate, and who stands before me this very moment. It is my sincere wish to treasure you now.
Estarriola: There is my beloved wife reflected in my heart, and now, my beautiful partner reflected in my eyes. Will you grant me the joy of living together with you?
Temperance: ...
Temperance's hands quiver. The "love" she holds turns into particles of light, permeating her heart.
The eyes of the Arcarum had never been more than tools of observation. But they find additional purpose now, as they slowly fill with tears that overflow, sliding down her cheeks.
Temperance: Yes.
Temperance: Yes... Yes. I consent to all that thee asks.
Estarriola: I see... Thank you for giving me your consent, Temperance.
Temperance: Es... Estar, riola...
Estarriola: If you like, call me Rio.
When Estarriola reaches out to brush the tears off Temperance's face, he loses balance. The two tumble onto the ground together.
A warm breeze rustles the flowers around them, singing a melody of joy.
Taking in the nature around them, the two cuddle close, expressing their love not in words but in the moment they share.
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