“...-Are you really that stupid? An unimaginable idiot is what you are! You've unwisely used every possible gift this world could give you. You've ruined everything that...
-Shut up! Go away! Run! I don't want...
-No, you shut up! Just, please, please be quiet for a while. Your brain is overloaded with information you don't need right now. Okay? You already don't know how to use your brain.
-What? -You're saying that again?
-Yes! -I am! You don't know how to fight inside your fantasy! How can you fight the real world when even inside your own brain, chaos rules? Chaos in which you always die!
-Okay... I'll die again! But...
-But?
-Take you bastard with me!
Cassandra grabbed a knife from the kitchen table and plunged it into the neck of the uninvited guest. The guest, baying for blood, could do nothing but whisper pitifully, “Fool.”
-And you won't even die permanently...I've killed you exactly the same way six times already. And each time you've hurt me again.
Cassandra walked over to the writhing dead man, took off his glasses and put them back on. Pulled a penknife from his pockets and plunged it into his heart.
-The bastard... “I can't handle it... I promise I'll find him. HE will set me free…”
The Verdant Sea:
“Beach... A girl of medium build sat in a small cave just off the beach, waiting for dawn to break. Nearby was everything she needed: knives, coconuts, a bonfire, a fantasy sword and an incredible amount of hate. In the girl's pocket was a small photograph of an unknown man without age, or any identifying information. The only thing that gave any hope of identifying the person from the photo was the tiny caption, “I am inside your world”...”
Ironshank Rampage:
“...Cassandra entered the fray. With light and graceful, yet incredibly fierce blows, she sliced into small pieces the “ironclad” pirates that wanted to rob her
-Idiots. Who keeps sending you here? Is there any usable stuff left on sunken ships? Alcoholics. That's all I can say.
Cassandra wondered.
“What if it's true... There is something on the ships?”
The waves of the ocean of fantasy threw unfortunate ships ashore quite often. Few survived. And if anyone did survive, they remained a living legend to their entire settlement…”
The Buzz Merchant:
“...-Okay. This town is a little...weird? No one wants to talk to me. There are robots everywhere.
There were robots living around the neighborhoods of Buzztown (as well as within the city itself). It's unclear how they can even survive near the shoreline without fear of the ocean, but they live here. The houses are small, two stories at best. There are rusty robots walking everywhere.
“Heh... I think I've been here many times. Sometimes going to the bar, sometimes arguing with the vineyard owners... But I've never seen the owner of the town... What do they even live off of? They don't look like hermits.”
-And-and-if you want to talk to us, just be polite.....
-WHAT?! Why didn't you talk to me before?
-B-b-b-b-because you always wanted to chop us with your sword before....
-Oh, right. Sorry... So, who's your master?
-Buzz. Buzz is a merchant. He lives over there
The tiny robot pointed toward a not-too-high but very grassy mountain.
-You see the house? There are Buzz. Only he doesn't like to talk to people.
-He doesn't know our language?
-He only knows one language well: the language of money…”
Misbegotten Goods:
“-Fool.
-Bitch!!!
-I offered you doubloons. Why didn't you take the doubloons?
-Why did you chop off all my limbs?
-Because you tried to kill me!
-Because you offered me substandard money! The doubloons are long gone...
The girl chopped off the robot's last arm.
-Where'd you get a quality sword?
-Is it quality?
-Of course it is! When they tried to execute me in the capital, the executioner failed. My neck is too strong. They tried to chop off my fingers--
-I get it. If you're wondering where I got this sword...
-Of course. I'll pay you handsomely for it!
-Shut up
Cassandra plunged the sword into Buzz's head. The robot's head exploded into many small pieces. Inside the head, instead of brains, were doubloons.
-Fool…”
Cavern Of Dreams:
“-The walls of these mysterious caverns contain the souls of warriors who wanted to hide here.
-Who were they hiding from? I don't remember there being anyone dangerous around here...
-Of course you don't remember! You were just a child then! Back then, you were playing peacefully in the royal garden and--
-Please don't remind me of King Rememgir. I can't stand his wolf face.
-I'm sorry... -Just understand. There used to be powerful dragons flying around here, slaying huge armies. They were feared by everyone: soldiers, kings, trolls, giant underwater snakes, and majestic mole geniuses!
-Even I was afraid?
-You were afraid of them. I remember once when you saw a flying dragon in the sky and ran in fear to your bedroom in the castle. I ran away then too, but I ran to the basement.
Cassandra began to remember....
-Wait…”
Herald Of The Maelstrom:
“...The huge old dragon was dead. Ronald, hiding behind the rocks, didn't even realize that the girl was alive.
-Bot, you can come out now.
-You w-what did you do? HOW?
-Remember the time I hid in the castle when I saw the dragon?
-I remember.
-I ran to the bedroom to get my sword. Do you remember when the dragon got scared of someone and flew away?
-I remember.
-"He flew into those caves. He flew away from me.”
Confluence:
“...Cassandra was climbing a tall staircase in a great tower. At the top, there must be someone who must help her. Someone should help her. Someone who had given her that picture back when she was a small child and knew nothing of herself or her illnesses....
Someone... has to help her....
...Cassandra made her way to the top of the tower. Swiftly she opened the door to the confinement cell and…”
Inside My World:
“...the breathless body of a young girl of average build lay in a detention cell on the highest head of the fantasy world. Standing over the body was an ugly old man with glasses and a penknife in his hand.
-Are you really that stupid? An unimaginable idiot, that's what you are! You've used every possible gift this world could give you unwisely. You've ruined everything! You, in a fit of rage and determination, have destroyed everything in your path. Even all the beautiful worlds your brain and your imagination creates... You destroy it all! Why? Self-love will never be the reward for forever interacting with your world. Let it go! Stop twisting your childish dreams! Dragons don't exist. Kings are long extinct. No Ronald, your robot childhood friend, never existed! It's all just part of your imagination!
...please, my beloved Cassandra. Let it all go. Stop holding on to your childhood world with your adult hands... Let it go... Let it go....
Please. For my sake... I didn't give you my college picture to make you crazy....
Please... Grow up...
Please....
I love you. Cassandra.”
