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Witch Canyon

Summary

Prologue: And so the four begin their journey, into the unknown, and into their destiny. Turning north, and heading for Lander's home town to Delberry, the young Elemenstors have no idea of the dark days ahead.Credits.

Act I: It is a dark time for the People of Battal. The desolate and ruined southern lands and its isolated peoples have little idea of the terrors stalking the lands. Lander, in the sequestered halls of his school, Fantasmaphila in her swampy backwater, Wendell in his sleepy town, and Mytle from a xenophobic buried kingdom, the four had little concept of the tyranny of Char Reyarteb, the whispering of his name is like dark storm looming on the horizon, an ominous but distant threat. As the four travel into southern Terle, they pass through a burning village where they talk to frightened villagers who live in fear and hopelessness.

Myrtle's heart in particular goes out to an orphan that she saves from a burning building through the use of her Water Elemenstation. She convinces the others that they need to use their powers to help these people. Lander speaks to the governor, a frightened old man who at first is unwilling to accept their help. He tells of an garrison of War Men, stationed to the north in Witch Canyon. Many prisoners from the surrounding village are held there. Their leader is twisted ancient witch named Brah'Hab'o. The four set out to attempt to subdue these oppressors. Traveling half a day to the north, the two finally reach the ruined lands surrounding the dark chasm. Fantasmaphila is paralysed by fear, but Lander spurs her to push onward. Suddenly, a band of War Men attack!

Act II: Lander is quick with the gears, and the earth around one of the warriors rises up in a giant fist which crushes the war man where he stands. Wendell yelps out approvingly and then unleashes a gout of fire which leaves an ashen pile where another War Man stood. The remaining few are enraged and speed forward, axes and clubs raised. A light drizzle begins to fall and Lander and Wendell turn to a rather embarassed Myrtle, who appologizes for not being able to think of something a bit "flashier." A sudden gust blows the warriors onto their backs, and Lander turns and drops a giant rock on the the downed savages through his powers of Earth Elemenstation. The combat lasted only 2 minutes and fifteen seconds, but leaves the party exhausted and perhaps a little traumatized. Still in shock, Lander pushes the party further. As they reach the mouth of the canyon, a great and terrible cry goes up. Attracted by the sound of battle, a large raging group of War Men, full of bloodlustiness, is roiling up out of their makeshift shacks at the bottom of the chasm. Then a high pitched howling rises above the fierce chants and cries. The bent and withered, a grey skinned witch steps out of the garrison at the far end of the canyon, green flames dancing about her, and striking primal fear amonst the four young elemenstors.

With a sarcastic quip, Wendell begins striding foward and hurling fireballs into the canyon. Lander quickly follows suit by dropping boulders. As the War Men begin climbing the series of switchbacks that lead out of the canyon, Fantasmaphila begins hurling War Men off the path, keeping as few from getting close as possible. Myrtle breaks down crying.

The witch, seeing that her War Men are being slaughtered, begins pushing through their ranks, in an attempt to reach the four at the top of the canyon. Calling them incompetent fools, and cursing the poor tacticle positioning of their outpost, she blasts war men out of her way with plumes of inky black fire. No one is watching her approach but Myrtle, the only one not preoccupied by the much closer warriors. Unable to raise her voice, she merely narrates the scene quietly to herself as the witch draws closer and closer, pushing through the crowd.

Act III: Finally Lander spots the witch as she pushes into the front of the mob. The War Men, all on the path out of the canyon now, are suddenly silenced and the witch deflects a giant ball of flame from Wendell, then deflects a giant stone hurled by Lander. A cheer goes up from the horde. With renewed determination the War Men, so very close now, rush forward, the witch, their shield, leading the way. Fantasmaphila turns to flee, but Wendell tells her she'd never outrun them. Do or Die. It is at this point that Myrtle stops weeping, and regains her composure, as the reality of it all hits home for her. She stands and with a powerful voice calls forth the power of the tides. The War Men stop in their tracks, a rushing sound from behind the four causes Lander, Wendell, and Fantasmaphila to turn around. What they see is a giant rushing tidal wave. Pulling them quickly together, Fantasmaphila surrounds them in a protective bubble of air, just as the crushing wave of water sweeps over them. Down into the canyon, the water rushes, throwing War Men off of the high path, drowning others and smashing them against the rock walls of the chasm. Just before the water crashes down on the garrison building below, Lander remembers the prisoners housed there, and produces a high rock wall, against which the wave crashes.

In the stillness that follows, the four pick their way down the path, strewn with bodies, and make their way to the structure at the back of the canyon. What they find inside horrifies them. The captured villagers had all been slaughtered, some even torn to shreds. The true horrors of the savage and brutal war men began to come to light for the four. Seeing all of this seemed to strength Myrtle's reserve. "This is the face of true evil. Look well upon it. This is what we must fight against. Whatever has brought this force into the world, we cannot allow to stand."

Notes

Interestingly, the War Men in the radio dramas do not speak Shokurung. It was decided that it would be difficult to convey meaning in the purely audio realm of radio. Instead, they speak with a thick French accent.