i'm just tired

Page 1

Panel 1 - A wide shot of the whole Fun Gang seated around a campfire. The landscape around is bleak, with enormous, curtain-like trees holding up the sky, their surfaces shiny. They’re in Tenna’s domain. Kris and Ralsei sit facing each other, the campfire between them. Susie and Noelle lay together on Kris’s right, and Berdly sits on Kris’s left.

Panel 2 - A small panel as Kris looks over to their right incredulously–

Panel 3 - Where Susie and Noelle are busy “making out,” in as much as giant beasts do so. They’re completely occupied licking at each others’ faces by the firelight’s glow. 

Panel 4 - A little put off, Kris also looks to their left–

Panel 5 - Where Berdly is very busy preening under his wing. He makes obnoxious noises as he furiously cleans up old, tattered feathers.

Panel 6 - A full shot as Kris and Ralsei continue to face each other across the fire. Kris sighs, and turns around to look out into the wilderness.

Panel 7 - A wide shot showing that there is someone out there. A figure with a broken face stands on a crest of the horizon, watching the party.

Panel 8 - Closeup on Kris as they look back at the figure, a little surprised, but not saying anything. Their figure is framed by the fire’s glow. 

Page 2

Panel 1 - Wider shot as Kris starts to stand up from their sitting position. “I’m going to go for a walk,” they say. Susie and Noelle ignore this, and continue to lick at each others’ snouts.

“You shouldn’t wander off, Kris! Tenna’s minions are all around out there!” Ralsei warns.

Panel 2 - Full shot as Kris walks away from the camera, waving their right hand dismissively at Ralsei’s warning. “I am armed. I won’t go far,” Kris says. 

Panel 3 - Inset panel with a closeup on Ralsei. He looks concerned and a little peeved, but says nothing. 

Panel 4 - Very wide shot as Kris heads far away from the camp, cresting the spot where the figure was and walking forward to meet them. Ralsei and the rest of the beasts remain huddled around the fire. The strange trees surround the landscape.

Panel 4 - Full shot as Kris faces the figure: it’s Ramb, the lost werewire. He has most of the usual, wiry body of a werewire, but his face has been melted away. Only an eerie cross-section of where it once was remains. “You’ve been skulking around our camp for awhile,” Kris says. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?”

Ramb waves a hand in greeting. “Kris, luv! So glad that you’ve come around to chat!”

Panel 5 - Mid shot as Kris faces down Ramb, clearly suspicious of him. “You won’t be glad if I don’t like what you have to say. Why are you still here?”

Page 3

Panel 1 - Closeup on Ramb as he explains himself. He says: “Ah, Kris, direct as always! I understand your hesitance to speak with me, considering our previous encounters. That’s why I’d like to make it up to you!”

Panel 2 - Kris remains suspicious, and crosses their arms. “And how do you intend to do that?”

Panel 3 - Full shot as Ramb starts to circle around Kris, his weak hands held out as if carefully explaining something. “I’ve seen how you are with your party, Kris! That demon prince, Ralsei…he speaks so highly of you!” Ramb says. “It helps take the edge off, dunnit?”

“The edge?” Kris asks warily.

Panel 4 - Ramb comes up behind Kris, and Kris watches him carefully, their expression dour. “Of his *ownership* of you, luv. It must be weighing on you,” Ramb says.

Panel 5 - Closeup as Ramb leans in closer to Kris. “I know what you *really* want, Kris…*FREEDOM*.”

Panel 6 - Kris turns away from Ramb, their expression now more resigned. “That’s not possible for me,” they respond.

Page 4

Panel 1 - Full shot as Ramb continues to walk around Kris, arms still stretched out. He says, “Ah, Kris, this world’s got more possibility than you think…even for you!”

Panel 2 - Closer shot as Ramb turns around to face Kris again, delivering his offer. “I’ve found something precious. Something that’ll break the shackles of your contract,” he says. “Give you real freedom!”

Panel 3 - Mid shot of Kris as they narrow their eyes, remaining suspicious. “Why should I believe you?” they ask.

Panel 4 - Full shot as Ramb faces Kris. “Well, certainly you don’t *need* to. But why not see for yourself?” he offers. “What’ve you got to lose but your servitude?”

Panel 5-6 - Two closeup inset panels as Kris considers this. They look a little worried, but at last willing to try something. “Fine. I will see,” they say.

Panel 7 - Full shot as Kris starts to walk after Ramb. “But if I sense even a hint of a lie from this, I will not hesitate to kill you,” Kris says, still suspicious. 

Ramb points ahead, unbothered by the threat. “As you wish, Kris!”

Page 5

Panel 1 - Wide shot as Ramb leads Kris further into the strange wasteland. They’re heading further away from the campsite. “It’s just over here!” Ramb says, pointing.

Panel 2 - The two stop and look over their destination: a spot where one of the curtain trees has broken off, leaving its roots and branches a tangled, dangerous mess. At the foot of the tree stands an enormous iron treasure chest. 

Ramb says, “A mantle of shadow…an ancient relic that breaks the chains of fate!”

Panel 3 - Full shot as Kris and Ramb approach the chest. It’s a large chest, easily almost Kris’s height. Ramb carefully pries the lid open.

Panel 4 - Overhead shot as Kris looks down into the chest. The bottom disappears into a black void.

Panel 5 - Kris peers closer at the chest, unsure. “There’s only darkness,” they say.

Panel 6 - Mid shot as Kris continues to look in the chest. Ramb stands just behind them, and says, “A mantle of shadow, of course! Just reach in and take it!”

Panel 7 - Kris scrunches up their face in distrust…

Panel 8 - But reaches forward into the chest anyway. Their hand seems to vanish into the blackness.

Panel 9 - Kris tries to lean in further into the enormous chest to touch the bottom. They have to lift one foot off the ground in order to reach. Ramb circles behind them…

Page 6

Panel 1 - Ramb then gives Kris a solid kick with their back leg. They tumble headfirst into the chest.

Panel 2 - A long, almost page-length panel as Kris falls into what seems like a bottomless pit.

Panel 3 - High above, Ramb peers into the chest after them, as if seeing them down an impossibly long corridor. He yells out, “Cheers!”

Panel 4 - Kris continues to free fall through what feels like nothing–

Panel 5 - Before they suddenly land on their feet, upright, on some flat ground.

Panel 6 - Kris swivels their head back upwards, arms outstretched, their expression furious. They scream, “RAMB!!”

Page 7

Panel 1 - There’s nothing. What was once a tunnel stretching back up to the surface now leads only into complete darkness.

Panel 2 - In the blackness, a disembodied voice says, “Welcome, Kris.”

Panel 3 - Kris starts at the sound of the voice, eyes wide.

Panel 4 - Full shot as Kris looks around, and shouts back, “Who’s there?!” They appear to be surrounded by perfectly cube-shaped blocks.

Panel 5 - Wider shot as Kris looks around for the voice, which again speaks to them: “You don’t know? Oh, but you should! After all, I know *you* quite well.” While it’s still very dark, the space Kris is in appears to be an endless hallway, filled with enormous stone blocks clinging to the floor, walls and ceiling…a geometric maze.

Panel 6 - “Show yourself!” Kris yells back, putting a hand on their sword hilt. They’re ready to fight, even in darkness.

Panel 7 - A black panel with only the voice’s words: “Heehee…can’t see in the dark, can you?”

Panel 8 - Just ahead of Kris, a glowing flame springs to life, providing some illumination. The flame magically floats in the air, lighting just enough of the room for Kris to see a bit.

Page 8

Panel 1 - A single wide panel as the fire in the foreground reveals something else. A shadow springs up behind Kris, its form contorted in various ways across the stone blocks of the chamber. It’s got long claws, sharp horns, and a wicked, toothy smile. Kris just barely turns, unable to quite see the shadow springing up from them.