King's Quest IX: It Takes Two to Tangle

A game from Akril that had been in concept stages long before Phoenix Online Studios began their work on the The Silver Lining. However Akril never received enough help and was forced to cancel the production of the game.

Intro
King’s Quest IX: It Takes Two to Tangle

Intro Sequence

(Fade in to Etheria. Flowers are opening and dragonettes are buzzing about. Edgar walks onto the scene. Zoom in to him. He is thinking over what to do to please Rosella.)

Edgar: It’s like I owe everything to her…but I have no idea what it is I owe. There has to be a way…

(Wide angle shot. Edgar looks up and sighs.)

(Scene changes to the throne room of the Castle of the Crown. Alexander is standing beside Cassima. He is wearing a scarlet tunic with matching silk pants. Around his neck is a large, blue gem, similar to the one on his bride’s forehead. He looks concerned for a moment, then says):

Cassima, something isn’t right. A person who practices magic gets a feeling like this sometimes, and usually it means something is amiss.

Cassima: Alexander, you shouldn’t worry. The chaos has been resolved, the least you can do is relax. Besides, what could be wrong?

(An image of a parchment letter appears for a moment, then a closeup of the signature can be seen. Alex speaks (closeup of him)):

Shadrack! The only other wizard I know who is a member of the Black Cloak Society! For all I know, he could still be alive! And plotting revenge!

(Closeup of Cassie. She shudders slightly, then speaks):

Was he the one who advised Alhazred to “take care of me” when I was imprisoned in my own room?

(wide-angle shot) Alexander: Of course! I’ve had disturbing dreams for the past few weeks…at first, I feared you wouldn’t take me seriously…but now that these…visions grow so intense that they interfere with my life…

Cassima: I understand you, Alexander. If that Shadrack is still alive – and I feel in my bones that he is – he can be up to no good. Why…he could destroy you if he had the chance! What should we do?

Alexander: I don’t know. And I can do nothing myself. I’ve got an entire kingdom to govern, there’s still some damage that has been left unsettled…as much as I wish I could, I just can’t go off to find him.

(Cassie closeup) Cassima (with a determined look): That’s why I’m volunteering.

(Alex closeup) Alexander (shocked): What? Cassima, what do you mean?

(Cassie closeup) Cassima: I mean what I say. I volunteer to hunt down that foul Shadrack. If he means to harm you…

(wide-angle shot) Alexander (opening his arms, shocked): Cassima, why would you want to do that? Who knows how powerful this sorcerer might be! And after all I went through just to be with you…I love you, Cassima, I can’t just…

Cassima (grasping Alex’s hands): That’s why I want to go, Alexander. I love you. Please let me go. I’d give my life for you. After all, you saved mine.

(Alexander says nothing and looks stern. Cassima looks at him more sincerely)

Alex (shaking his head): No. I don’t want to lose you again, Cassima.

Cassima: You won’t lose me. I promise you I won’t…

(Alex closeup) Alexander: I can’t let you do this, Cassima. (looks down at his hand) I can’t let you do this…

(In his hand is a pendent is in a carved, spiral shape, with several gaps between its lines, attached to a fine chain.)

(The scene changes. It is very similar, but this time Rosella’s hand is holding an almost identical pendent. She is standing in the Main Garden of Etheria with Edgar, who is staring intently at the charm.)

Rosella: I asked your mother about how you were to get to the Land of the Green Isles. She said it would be almost impossible to reach it by sea, even for a fairy.

(scene “flash”, that is, a white flash and a sudden change to Cassima and Alex’s bed. Alexander is having a fitful sleep. Voices hiss in the darkness as he tosses and turns. Scene flashes back.)

(Edgar nods. Rosella continues):

So she gave me this little heirloom of hers. Pretty, isn’t it?

Edgar: Yeah. It looks pretty old too.

(scene “flash”, Alex is hearing hissing voices saying “Let her go”, “Don’t worry” and “Let her leave” He suddenly lashes out with an arm and wakes Cassima (who is wearing her golden, heart-shaped locket (KQ5)). Scene flashes back.)

Rosella: And she has no idea where it came from…

(scene “flash”, Cassima is sitting up. Scenes blend into one another. She changes into her dress, takes out her old dagger, and puts on her ring. Scene flashes back)

Rosella: …But she assumes it aids in travel.

(scene “flash”, Cassima walks around the bed, and sees the pendant lying on Alex’s bedside table. Scene flashes back)

Rosella: It takes you to any place, any person, any thing you can envision.

(scene “flash”, Cassima walks around the bed, and sees the pendant lying on Alex’s bedside table. Scene flashes back)

Rosella: At least, that’s what she said.

(scene “flash”, Cassima takes the pendant, then leans down to Alexander and whispers “I’m sorry, my love. Don’t worry. I’ll be all right.” She kisses him lightly and vanishes offscreen. Scene flashes back)

Edgar: And that’s the only non-nautical route you’ve found, Rosella?

Rosella: I’m afraid so. I asked Titania about it myself, and she concurred that it was risky, but if you are so eager to ask Alexander for his advice…

(scene “flash”, Cassima is walking silently through the corridors, looking from right to left as though she is in a daze, but slowly becoming more alert, as if she knows just what’s going on. She looks at the pendant in her hand. Scene flashes back)

Edgar: I’m not visiting him only to ask about you. This may be serious, my father said that he isn’t doing too good himself. Weird dreams, he says. About some black cloak thing.

(Rosella looks uneasy)

(scene “flash”, Cassima is standing in the throne room, walking down the red carpet. She whispers “The Black Cloak…what is it…and where is Shadrack?” and slowly slips the pendant on over her neck and tucks in down the front of her dress. She starts shimmering and looking shocked. Scene flashes back)

Rosella (showing pendant): Well, here’s the pendent, and do be careful on your trip, Edgar…and are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?

Edgar: No. I’m going alone. I’ll be all right.

Rosella: Well…If you say so…but do be careful, please? (Edgar closes his hand on the pendant, Rosella wraps her hand around his)

Edgar: Yes, Rosella. Thank you for everything.

(scene “flash”, Green Isles throne room. A flicker of light vanishes and a small golden locket falls to the ground. A closeup reveals it to be Cassima’s. Alexander’s agonized scream is heard echoing in the distance. Scene changes to a room in the palace of Oberon and Titania. The Queen of Etheria is present, as are King Graham, Queen Valanice, Princess Rosella and Prince Edgar. Edgar is standing in the center of the room, holding the spiral pendent in his palm.)

Titania: Edgar, are you sure you want to do this?

Edgar: Mother, this thing should take me straight to the Green Isles and back again. What’s unsure about that?

Graham: Plenty. Believe me, boy, nothing is as it appears…(Rosella joins in with him) Nothing! (They both laugh. Edgar sighs and turns the charm over and over in his hands, then speaks):

It should work as long as I focus on an image of the Isles, right, Rosella?

Rosella: Right. At least, that’s what your mother said. Right, Titania?

Titania: That thing is so old, I doubt if it has any vitality left. If it did have any in the first place, which I doubt. But roughly, it should do what I assumed it would do.

(Edgar slips the pendent over his head and turns away from the group.)

Edgar: All right, I’m ready. Everyone let me concentrate. (The two families fall silent. Edgar closes his eyes and clenches his hands as the pendent begins to pulse and his body begins to fade. Suddenly, Oberon bursts into the room, screaming in terror.)

Oberon: Titania! Titania! The dream! The dream again! The Black Cloak! Coming to get us! Destroy us all! Help! We must get help!!

(Everyone turns in his direction, including Edgar. He looks confused, and then speaks in an echoing voice as he disappears):

The Black Cloak…Father, I…No…(Edgar vanishes. Rosella looks frightened. She looks into her mother’s eyes and whispers):

Mother, what happened? If Edgar was thinking of something else when he teleported, maybe he didn’t go to the Land of the Green Isles! Where did he go?

Valanice: I don’t know, Rosella. Perhaps Oberon’s words brought back some old memories, and who knows where those could have led him. (Rosella looks shocked, then mournful, thinking that Edgar could have perished. She hugs her mother as Graham and Titania look at Oberon, who still looks petrified.)

Oberon: Edgar was right! Something is terribly wrong! Wherever he went, I daresay my words triggered his future destination. For now, I guess we can only hope that he will return.

(Scene changes to a totally black world. Cassima shimmers into view and looks around, anxiously. (CasEdge1))

Cassima: Where am I? That wizard sure picks some odd places to visit. By the heart of Samhain, who knows what could be out there? Well, I don’t know, but I’m not going to find out by standing here. Off I go. (She pats her dagger, and heads off into the unknown.)

(Meanwhile, in another part of this dark world, Edgar appears. He looks around in confusion, wondering what went wrong. (EdgarEdge1))

Edgar: The Black Cloak…what is that? Either I’m inside one right now or the Land of the Green Isles is experiencing a solar eclipse. Or maybe I’m…NOT in the Land of the Green Isles…perhaps what father said right before I…oh no. I think I made a wrong turn somewhere. Good lord, it’s dark…(EdgarEdge2) (he stumbles ahead for a few feet, then thinks he hears the sound of footsteps, and freezes in his tracks. (CasEdge2) Scene changes to Cassima, walking backwards, trying to retrace her steps, her dagger drawn, her green eyes darting about the dark void. Suddenly she backs into Edgar, and both of them spin around and shriek in unison at the sight of each other.)

(CasEdgarEdge) Edgar and Cassima: AAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!

(Title screen. End intro.)

Dialogue Snippets
Scene: The B side of Etheria. Cassima is being pursued by a mob of angry men. She's running as fast as she can through the dirt streets and past the dilapitated houses.)

Cassima (ducking under a low wooden beam): Well. This is easy. (jumps over a large pile of garbage and keeps running) Like trying to milk a cow from the wrong end.

Scene: The same. She approaches the edge of the floating isle, where Edgar is standing, looking confused. Cassima tosses him what she has clutched in her hand.)

Cassima (veering off to the right while Edgar looks after her): You're it.

Edgar (looking at the object in confusion): But...Wha..

Cassima (as the mob approaches): Just RUN, EDGAR, RUN!!! (Edgar sees the mob and sprints off to the left, up the cliffside)

Scene: Edgar is in an exotic bookstore with many elite, unconventional browsers and customers. He notices a young boy near the Magic Section with wild black hair and round glasses.)

Edgar: Excuse me? (as the boy turns toward him, Edgar notices he has green eyes and an odd, purple mark on his forehead.)

Edgar: Have you heard of a wizard named Shadrack?

Boy: Any relation to You-Know-Who?

Edgar: No...I don't even know who "You-Know-Who" is.

Boy: We must be from different worlds. Sorry I can't tell you anything more.

Scene: Edgar is holding Cassima, who has transformed into a raven. She is perched on his arm.)

Edgar: Say...Cassima...those are some..ah...nice nails you've got there...Do you really have those in-AAAAOOOWWW!!!(he's cut off as Cassima digs her claws into his arm)

Cassima: Watch it, Edgar. You've still got a lot to learn about treating women.

Edgar: Aaoww...Yeah. Right. I won't say anymore if you'll keep those claws to yourself. You won't do that again?

Cassima: Nevermore.

Scene: Cassima and Edgar are sitting by the Roman pool in Tamir.

Cassima: See, this charm allows me to change into any of the beasts inscribed on it.

Edgar: Ahh...That's nice...But I don't really LIKE...transforming and stuff...

Cassima (mischeviously): I can be a wolf.

Edgar: Oh, I don't wa --

Cassima: You want to see me become a wolf?

Edgar: Look, I really don't like that...

Cassima: Okay. Sorry. (pause) Canis Lupis! (after reciting the brief incantation, Cassima begins to slowly change into the form of a wolf)

Edgar (as she continues changing): No...stop...Cassima, really...I mean it...STOP! Cassima?? EGAD, Cassima, in the name of Etienne Navarr, STOP!!!

Cassima (she's stopped transforming and is now a silky, black, green-eyed wolf): Okaaay, I stopped!!

(Etienne Navarr is a character in the 1985 fantasy film Ladyhawk who is cursed to live as a black wolf by night. Just a little easter egg. Kinda like the "in the name of Gregor Sampson" plug.)

"Okay, nobody move! I don't know how to use this thing, and you don't want me to try it out on somebody!" --Cassima (?), brandishing her dagger

"I guess you have to watch that you don't bite your tongue." -Cassima, to snake, Chapter 5

"Listening to that guy is like hearing an uprooted mandrake within a ten-foot radius!" -Annonymous

"Don't count on it, basalisk-breath!" -Annonymous

Cassima: You're closer to the animal kingdom than you think, Edgar. I just remembered Alexander telling me about his sister almost losing you, then bringing you back to life with an extra life given to you by a black cat in Eldritch. Edgar: I'm living on a CAT'S life?!?

Cassima: ...So I figured a goat would be the best animal to get up those cliffs with, so that's what I am now. Edgar: Hmmm..So that's what you figured? Cassima: Transfigured, Edgar.

Boy in Serenia: She [Ashni] took my toy horse and said she'd give it back soon. As if she would. Cassima: Well, how long has it been? Boy in Serenia: Three nights. Cassima: Three night? That doesn't seem very... Boy in Serenia: Fortnights.

Scene: Cassima (as a wolf) and Augustus the weasel (he's white with a black mask and eight spots circling his back...try and figure out the hidden meaning) are trying to figure out how to sneak into the cabin in Tamir that an agent of Shadrack and another man are in.

Cassima (whispering): How do I get in...? Augustus: I bet I know, Cassimawolf. Cassima: You do? Augustus: Yeah...(yelling at the top of his voice) HEY YOU PIGS, LET CASSIMAWOLF IN! Or she'll huff and she'll puff and she'll... Cassima (terrified now): No I won't.

"You da wolf, Cassima. You da wolf." – Augustus