SCENE: A hill overlooking the outskirts of the Lute village. In a flash of light, NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA appear on the top of the hill. Other heroes, and their parties, appear a distance away.
The sky is rapidly darkening, taking on a blood-red color. Vortices of purple arcane energy roll across it, as if some giant has dropped ink into water. Swarms of black dots are streaming out of the vortices, small due to the distance. These are monsters.
In the distance, an inhuman, deafening shriek resounds across the forest. The other heroes group up, and immediately move in the direction of the shriek. NAOFUMI doesn’t move, and stares at the Lute village. RAPHTALIA comes closer, carrying her packs. NAOFUMI turns to her.
NAOFUMI: Come on. We are going to the village.
RAPHTALIA: Not with the other heroes?
NAOFUMI: Without us, all those villagers would die. Besides, we are level 21, and the others are breaching thirty. If they can’t deal with whatever is shrieking there, we would just die.
NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA head towards the Lute village at a sprint, drinking potions on the way.
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SCENE: Village street in front of the Lute tavern. Groups of armed skeletons stumble between houses, corpses of villagers they caught unawares scattered on the ground. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA sprint onto the scene, dropping their packs on the tavern porch. NAOFUMI sees the corpses and curses. He quickly scans the skeleton groups.
NAOFUMI: They are all level eleven. Villagers never stood a chance.
NAOFUMI charges into the middle of the group on the left, attracting their attention. RAPHTALIA dances around the group, putting each skeleton down with a single precise strike. Soon, this part of the street is clear of enemies.
NAOFUMI: Check the houses. These people aren’t safe here; we need to get them into the mines.
NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA split up, going to different houses, hammering on the doors and calling out to surviving people inside. Windows open on the second floor of the tavern, and TRAVELING MERCHANT pops his head out.
TRAVELING MERCHANT: Naofumi? Raphtalia? Oh gods, help us!
NAOFUMI: Out of the house, quick! We will gather villagers and get you all to the mines.
Soon, TRAVELING MERCHANT, INNKEEPER, and several other villagers are gathered on the street. They are holding sticks and pitchforks. Directed by NAOFUMI, they set off down the street.
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SCENE: Outskirts of the village. In the distance, entrance into the mine is visible. A large group of villagers is moving in that direction. The center of the group is made up of the infirm and the children, surrounded by villagers armed with pitchforks. INNKEEPER and several other villagers are coordinating the evacuation.
The group is followed by an equally large crowd of skeletons. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA are trying to shield the villagers from danger, but the area is too large. Occasional skeletons break through their screen, and have to be put down by several villagers working together.
As NAOFUMI deflects a sword strike from a skeleton, blasting it to the ground, two separate skeletons rush past him towards the villager group. One of the villagers is almost brought to the ground by them before others can throw them off with their pitchforks.
NAOFUMI: Damn it! We can’t keep going like this.
RAPHTALIA is breathing heavily, clearly feeling the effect of the long battle.
RAPHTALIA: Ideas?
NAOFUMI: We have to draw this group away. Even if we get to the mine, there won’t be the time to erect barricades. They would simply burst in and slaughter everyone.
RAPHTALIA: Okay.
RAPHTALIA kicks a skeleton she was fighting back into the crowd, sending several sprawling on the ground. Having bought herself a moment, she turns towards the villagers and shouts for help.
RAPHTALIA: Hey! We need to draw this group away.
VILLAGERS hesitate for a moment. Nobody steps forward. Raphtalia sneers, and has to turn back towards the skeleton horde to keep it in check. She shouts over her shoulder.
RAPHTALIA: Are all of you cowards? Nobody braver than a single demihuman? I bet you would all die like dogs if we didn’t show up! And to think that in the city they call me one!
Chastised by her words, five villagers step forward.
ROBERT THE VOLUNTEER: Fine! What do we do?
NAOFUMI points towards an empty side street.
NAOFUMI: Run to the center of the village. Make a lot of noise. We will cover you.
VOLUNTEERS run towards the side street, waving their arms in the air.
ZAK THE VOLUNTEER: Aaaa! Skeletons! Come get us!
Slowly, the skeleton crowd realizes that there are easier targets in reach, and begins to pivot away from the retreating villager group. As more skeletons turn around, the others follow, and soon RAPHTALIA and NAOFUMI catch up with retreating VOLUNTEERS.
NAOFUMI: Good, we got their attention.
ZAK: There’s a water tower in the middle of the village! If we climb it, we should be safe!
Their group keeps ahead of the skeletons, and soon comes to a large tower in the middle of the village square, with a ladder leading up to a platform surrounding a large tank of water. They climb the ladder, and collapse down on the platform. Skeletons surround the tower, but cannot figure out how to climb efficiently, simply clambering over one another with no direction. NAOFUMI is the last to get up the ladder, and sits down at the edge of the platform, wiping sweat from his face.
NAOFUMI: Great job everyone. Hopefully the others will make it to the mine safely. Good idea about the tower, by the way.
RAPHTALIA takes out a flagon of water and passes it around. Everyone exchanges names.
ZAK: You know, people who come from the city said you were supposed to be some kind of criminal, but you seem like a good guy.
NAOFUMI: Did they? Those the same people who told you they would clear out your mine, or that the King would protect you during the wave?
ZAK: Yeah, I guess.
RAPHTALIA: Naofumi, look.
RAPHTALIA points to the edge of the square. A giant skeleton, reaching to the second floor of buildings, is lumbering towards the water tower.
NAOFUMI: Fifteenth level. Should be no trouble for you, assuming it doesn’t take out our tower. I could also put it in timeout with Shield Prison when it gets close.
RAPHTALIA: No, I think I have a better idea. Could you make a horizontal Air Shield?
NAOFUMI thinks for a second, then nods.
RAPHTALIA: Okay. Make one in front of it when it comes close.
They wait until the giant skeleton is near. Finally, RAPHTALIA jumps down on it, striking it with the full force of her fall. She spins around its body, slicing it all over, and then jumps on top of an Air Shield NAOFUMI makes over the skeleton horde. Giant skeleton topples over. Jumping off, she easily reaches the higher rungs of the ladder, and clampers back up the water tower.
NAOFUMI: Good job.
RAPHTALIA smiles, and opens her mouth to respond, but is stopped by NAOFUMI’s eyes going wide. NAOFUMI tackles her to the ground.
NAOFUMI: Get down!
NAOFUMI summons an Air Shield above the water tower. Streaks of fire start to fall from the sky, consuming the square. Where fire impacts the ground, explosions resound. The crowd of undead underneath the tower dies in moments. Air Shield takes on many streaks, but cracks, and finally shatters.
NAOFUMI: Fuck! Shield Prison!
Shields and chains surround NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA, encasing them in a ball of protection. Streaks of fire fall on the water tower. Two of the VOLUNTEERS are incinerated instantly. ZAK jumps off the tower in a vain attempt to reach safety, but is hit by a streak in mid air and falls to the ground, in flames. Two others take cover behind the water tank, avoiding the flame for the moment.
The fire streaks hit the supports of the tower, and they crack and shatter. With a groan, the tower leans over, and collapses. VOLUNTEERS scream as they fall to their deaths. As the water tank hits the ground it explodes, and a wave of water washes over the square. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA, safe within the Shield Prison, wash over on one side of the square. Water extinguishes the remaining fires, and soon, all is quiet.
After a minute passes with no new explosions, Shield Prison vanishes, and NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA stumble out into the square, shaken by the experience.
NAOFUMI: What the hell was that…
RAPHTALIA: Wait, the villagers!
RAPHTALIA takes out her sword and rushes to the remains of the water tower. She soon finds one of the corpses, trapped beneath the rubble. She drops her sword, kneeling on the ground, defeated. NAOFUMI comes up to her, and puts a hand on her shoulder.
NAOFUMI: There is nothing we can do at this point. Come on, let’s get to the mines, before whatever monster did this gets a second attack off.
ROYAL GUARD WITH FANCY HELMET: Excellent, this area looks clear.
A squad of ROYAL GUARDS jogs into the square. They are split into two lines: swordsmen in front, and mages with glowing staves in the back. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA freeze, looking at them. NAOFUMI’s face is full of despair.
ROYAL GUARD WITH FANCY HELMET: Oh, the Shield Hero? We didn’t see you there.
RAPHTALIA’s face contorts in rage, and she lunges in the direction of the guards, but is yanked back by NAOFUMI’s grab on her collar.
SPIRIT OF DIRECT ACTION: Tsk. Impatient girl, though her attitude is good.
RAPHTALIA looks back on NAOFUMI in confusion. He whispers into her ear.
NAOFUMI: There are still undead in and near the village. The more these guards clear up, the better. Save your vengeance for when they aren’t on guard, in armor, in the middle of a village full of monsters. Do memorize their faces, if you can.
RAPHTALIA stills, then nods imperceptibly. The ROYAL GUARDS move into a side alley, out of sight.
NAOFUMI: Mines. Let’s go.
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SCENE: A clearing in a forest. Trees surrounding it have fallen away from the center, as if blasted away by some enormous explosion. In the middle, there lies dead a female-looking humanoid with long arms, dressed in a long white dress. SWORD HERO, SPEAR HERO, MYNE and BOW HERO surround the corpse, with their parties standing further away.
SPEAR HERO: Walk in the park.
REN, THE SWORD HERO: This boss was a piece of cake.
BOW HERO: Indeed. If the next wave is this easy, we will have plenty of time to train up to high levels.
As the HEROES discuss the fight, the sky loses its red color, and the vortices of magical energy vanish. This Wave of Apocalypse is over. As if the tension has left the sky itself, rain starts to fall.
REN: By the way, where is Naofumi?
MYNE: It’s good that he wasn’t here. He’d just hold us back.
REN frowns.
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SCENE: NAOFUMI is resting on the porch of the tavern in the Lute village. He has his shield hand outstretched, and is looking at a moving illusory picture projected by the shield just above it. RAPHTALIA and the INNKEEPER approach from further down the road, leading a squad of VILLAGERS. As they come close, NAOFUMI puts down his shield, deactivating the image.
RAPHTALIA: We went around the village again. I think it should be clear now, we got all the monsters.
NAOFUMI nods, and stands up.
NAOFUMI: That’s good. We can bring the rest of the people out of the mines, and start clearing up the dead.
He turns to the INNKEEPER. She has a powerful build, red hair, and a hard stare that seems to pierce you down to your soul. She is holding a pitchfork, with a casual stance of someone who isn’t afraid to use it.
NAOFUMI: I never had the chance to ask your name.
ANNA THE INNKEEPER: Anna. And I never had a chance to thank you. Without you and Raph, we would all be dead, no doubt.
NAOFUMI: I take it you are one of the leaders of this village?
ANNA nods.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
ANNA: Me, old Gus and Hank, we keep it running most days. Zak used to help too, but, well.
Her face darkens.
ANNA: Not anymore.
NAOFUMI purses his lips at the mention of ZAK.
NAOFUMI: Let’s see if we can find some shovels and get rid of all the skeletons on the streets. And Anna, could you gather the adults of the village in the tavern in the evening? I will have something to say.
ANNA nods, and leads NAOFUMI, RAPHTALIA and the other VILLAGERS to get farming implements to help with the cleanup.
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SCENE: Tavern in the village of Lute. The night has fallen, turning the windows into voids of darkness, and separating the room within from the rest of the world by a threshold that, in the moment, seems uncrossable.
NARRATOR: What are the biggest hurdles for organizing? Is it resources? Knowledge? Skills? Or perhaps it is a lack of time?
NARRATOR: No! They are fear and futility!
NARRATOR: Resources can be acquired! Knowledge can be learned from books! Skills can be trained! But none of that is possible if the fear of organizing stops you in your tracks.
Unlike a couple days ago, the tavern is full: the entire village has gathered here, sans the kids, the injured, and those too sick to come. ANNA has rolled out two barrels of beer, to celebrate the survival of those who live and honor those who have departed. She is moving between the tables, bringing people drinks. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA are sitting next to the bar counter, whispering to one another.
NARRATOR: When a union man asks the workers to organize, what do they fear? Retaliation! Losing their wages! Being branded as anathema to all other businesses: a troublemaker!
NARRATOR: And of course, they fear their efforts will be futile! That they would fight, and get nothing in the end! This futility sticks to them like cement shoes, dragging them into the depths of apathy!
NARRATOR: These fears are the same in all organizing, regardless of type! And without addressing these fears, no work can proceed!
Seeing that everyone has gathered in the tavern, NAOFUMI gets up on the bar counter. He transforms his shield into a block of pipes, and blows into one of them, producing a clean note. Soon, the noise of conversation quiets down, and everyone looks up at him.
NAOFUMI: Thank you. I asked Anna to bring you all here, because I wanted to talk to you about the Wave. I will try to keep this brief.
NAOFUMI takes a deep breath, and projects his voice across the tavern.
NAOFUMI: This was a long day, and you lost many brave, wonderful people. But because of your own strengths, we have managed to avert disaster. There are many people who we must thank for this. Those of you who kept the undead at bay with weapons, of course, where me and Raphtalia couldn’t. Anna and Gus, for organizing the evacuation, and for making sure everyone was accounted for. Those who barricaded the entrance to the mines, keeping those inside safe. I would even like to thank the children for their courage during the evacuation - I don’t think I have heard a single one of them cry out.
Scattered laughs resound around the tavern.
NAOFUMI: But there were also five heroes who helped us lead the crowd of undead away, buying the rest valuable time to erect barricades. Without them, it is impossible to say if we would be here now. And it is them I’d like to talk about, because I want the truth about their deaths to be known.
NAOFUMI raises his shield hand, and a projected image raises out of a gem at the center of his shield. It is the view from atop the water tower, as NAOFUMI saw it. He, Raphtalia, and the five VOLUNTEERS are sharing a flagon of water.
NAOFUMI: My shield can record an image of the surroundings, and play it back later. I will not show you their deaths, but their tale has to be told in full. After we broke off from the main group, we led the undead to the central square, and hid on top of the water tower. There, we wanted to wait out the Wave, and slowly destroy the undead underneath the tower.
The recorded scene changes. It shows the fire, coming from the sky, and hitting an Air Shield. The shield shatters, and the scene loops back.
NARRATOR: Fear and futility! Futility and fear! Twin disasters, strangling all organizing in the crib! But there is a method to defeating them, a system, a revolutionary algorithm! And the first step in that algorithm is Agitation!
NAOFUMI: Sadly, that was not meant to be. Fire came from the sky, and destroyed the tower, everything else in the square, and as I am sure you have seen, many houses around the village. If not for the rain, which, by sheer luck, came right after the Wave, this entire village might have been gone.
Terrified gasps resound around the tavern, before the scene changes again. It warps backwards in time, the streaks of fire going up into the sky instead of down. The streaks bunch up, join up, and finally turn into one bright line, coming from somewhere on the ground within the village. The edge of the water tower blocks the view to the source.
NAOFUMI: I have not seen this at the time, but the shield sees everything around me. This storm of fire came from within the village. But this Wave seemed to be composed of only undead. A giant storm of fire seems…out of character, don’t you think?
The scene changes again. This time, it shows ROYAL GUARDS entering the square.
NAOFUMI: But I do not think it was a monster, or rather, I do not think it was anything from the Wave. I think these monsters come from a little closer to home. About a minute after the firestorm, these … fine gentlemen…came into the square. They came from the same direction as the firestorm. They told me they were here to clean up the Wave monsters, no doubt arriving from some nearby outpost. The staves of the mages glowed, as if they had just cast a big spell.
The projection vanishes as NAOFUMI drops down his hand, turning to the tavern.
NAOFUMI: Now, what do you think?
The tavern explodes with noise.
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SCENE: The same tavern. NAOFUMI is sitting down on the counter, showing his scenes again to a couple nearby VILLAGERS. Everyone is shouting. A few scattered voices blame NAOFUMI or RAPHTALIA for the events, but are quickly silenced. ANNA gets up on the counter, takes a steel pot, and bangs it against the counter to quiet everyone down.
ANNA: Shut up, all of you! I can’t hear myself think. One after another.
ANNA points to a man, perhaps fifty years of age. He is balding, with scars on his face. His left arm seems almost desiccated compared to his right, and hangs limply by his side. This is OLD GUS.
OLD GUS: That’s a military spell. I’ve seen it in the war. Takes seven mages five minutes to set it up, and they’ve got seven mages. Bastards.
OLD GUS spits to the side. ANNA nods, and turns to NAOFUMI.
ANNA: Any way they could have missed you being there?
NAOFUMI: I don’t think so. We weren’t hiding, and Raph circled the platform several times. If nothing else, they must have seen my Air Shield.
NAOFUMI shows RAPHTALIA jumping off the tower to kill the giant skeleton. Giant, glowing Air Shield shows up to let her jump back onto the tower.
NAOFUMI: If they’ve seen the crowd of undead to target, they should have seen us.
The crowd of villagers becomes rowdy once again. At one of the tables, an old woman weeps, exclaiming about her son ZAK who was killed. The air fills with curses, at the guards, the taxes, the Baron, and even the Queen.
NARRATOR: Agitation! Agitation! It cuts through the fear. It removes an option to stay still! Some think it means telling people what is wrong in fiery words. Nothing can be more wrong! People already know what is wrong. Agitation means getting people to tell you what is wrong! To say it out loud! To admit that the problem exists!
NARRATOR: Naofumi watches the crowd like a blacksmith watches an ingot in a forge. The ingot heats up! It begins to glow! Now it has to be shaped. It is time for the second step: Education!
ANNA manages to calm the tensions once again. She shoots a dirty look at NAOFUMI, starting to realize something. NAOFUMI takes an opportunity to speak again.
NAOFUMI: What do you think will happen next time a Wave happens here? You think the guards will protect you?
ANNA spins around to face NAOFUMI.
ANNA: That’s enough.
NAOFUMI’s eyebrows fly up.
NAOFUMI: What? I am just asking questions. What could you do to protect yourselves next time?
ANNA scowls at NAOFUMI, and strolls up to him, poking him in his chest. NAOFUMI looks at her calmly, sipping his drink.
ANNA: You think I don’t see what you are doing?
NAOFUMI: And what am I doing?
The crowd is quiet, watching their confrontation unfold.
ANNA: I’ve seen this bullshit before. You will rile people up, get them to do something stupid. And then you will leave, and we will be stuck picking up the pieces!
NAOFUMI: Like what?
ANNA’s scowl deepens, as she feels the trap NAOFUMI has set for her. Her mind races, searching for an exit. She doesn’t find it. Words fall from her mouth, heavy with meaning.
ANNA: Like rebellion against the crown.
NAOFUMI’s eyebrows rise even higher.
NAOFUMI: Rebellion? Who said rebellion? That would be suicide! What could a single village do against a whole country? No, I don’t think you should rebel.
NAOFUMI hops off the counter, coming face to face with ANNA, and stares her down.
NAOFUMI: All I want is for fewer people to die. Next time, what happens? The guards won’t protect you. The heroes won’t either - they barely glanced at the village when they arrived. I may be dead, or busy elsewhere. So I am asking, Anna. What. Can. You. Do?
NAOFUMI emphasizes each word with a poke of his own.
OLD GUS: We could get weapons.
ANNA spins around to look at OLD GUS. Her betrayed look meets his determined eyes. NAOFUMI smiles slightly.
ANNA: Gus!
OLD GUS: What? The kid is right. How many did we lose today? Would have been damn near everyone if he wasn’t here.
ANNA’s face goes through a series of expressions, before she sighs and accepts defeat. NAOFUMI hops back up on the counter, smiling.
NAOFUMI: Good idea! I even know where to find some. Plenty lying on the ground from all those skeletons. What else?
Hesitantly at first, but growing in volume, the crowd starts to throw out ideas. NAOFUMI directs RAPHTALIA to start writing them down.
NARRATOR: Education! A word with many meanings. It brings to mind stuffy classrooms full of people who would pay in blood if they could be anywhere else. But not here! Education is not about teaching people history: history without context is just a set of curious stories! Education is not about telling people what to do: what good will such advice be, when you are gone? No! Education is about making people realize that collective action is the solution! That their problems will not be solved by someone else! That alone, they can do nothing! Only this realization can allow the people to come up with their own solutions!
NARRATOR: Agitation cuts through fear! Education cuts through futility! Together, they form a mighty ax-head of organizing that can split a forest in half. But an ax-head is nothing without a handle: any small breath of wind will send it off course. To form the handle, NAOFUMI proceeds to the third step: Inoculation!
NAOFUMI: What would you do if the guards found the weapons?
The tavern quiets down for a moment, before OLD GUS shakes his head.
OLD GUS: Nah, they never go into our houses. We can see them coming from a mile away too. Even if someone is training, it would be easy to hide.
NAOFUMI: Probably would want someone to watch out for them then.
OLD GUS nods, and RAPHTALIA writes it down.
NARRATOR: Agitation can suppress fear, but only temporarily. You cannot stay agitated for weeks on end! To remove the fear, you have to address the material conditions which give rise to it: plan strategies around things which can go wrong and discuss them, ask people what they are afraid of and nail down how dangerous those things really are. Just like disease, people have to be innoculated against fear! They have to face it, discuss it, address it in advance, before it strikes for real. This way, when it does come, the organization will not fall apart!
NARRATOR: With the ax of organizing assembled, it is time to plant your feet and start the swing! The fourth step comes into view: Organizing itself! You have to pick out people and give them things to do. Without active engagement, they would disengage and fall out of the effort. This cannot be allowed!
NAOFUMI glances around the room. The VILLAGERS are clearly exhausted after a long and stressful day. The excitement of the recording is also fading. It is time to cut things off. He brings the crowd’s attention to himself.
NAOFUMI: Alright, I think we have a good plan now. You are all no doubt exhausted, and most of this will take weeks to do. It’d be best to plan things with a clear head in the morning. Let’s agree on some things for tomorrow.
He points to RAPHTALIA.
NAOFUMI: Tomorrow, Raph and I will sweep the village surroundings for monsters. No doubt there will be royal guards doing the same. While we are doing this, Gus will lead some of you to gather up the weapons. You’ll hide them where the guards won’t be able to find them for now.
OLD GUS nods, and points to five other villagers, who nod in response.
NAOFUMI: Anna will pick some of the miners, and set up defenses near the mines. If another crisis happens, that’s where you’d flee.
ANNA is clearly not happy about the developments, but nods too.
NAOFUMI: Excellent. I think we can all go to sleep now.
As the VILLAGERS file out of the tavern, NAOFUMI hums Solidarity Forever.
Author Note
Solidarity Forever can be listened to here. You may read more about AEIOU here.
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
NARRATOR. Voice of drama.
SPIRIT OF DIRECT ACTION. Direct, but patient. Voice of personal action.
NAOFUMI IWATANI, THE SHIELD HERO. The first socialist. Protagonist. Junior organizer.
RAPHTALIA. Racoon girl. Second socialist. First secretary.
TRAVELING MERCHANT. Knows the prices, knows the places, has a swanky wagon.
ZAK. Famous in the village. Pillar of the community. Martyr.
ANNA THE INNKEEPER. Doesn’t want to rock the boat. One of the village leaders.
OLD GUS. Old soldier. One of the village leaders.