The Lost Symphony

Settings:
31st century – Kingdom of Gaea
In a world where science and magic fuse, two persons had found each other – until the Witch of Dimensions started her plan of avenging her mother’s unwanted death.

Characters:
1. Princess [K]ara – heiress to the queen’s throne of North Gaea; love interest of Stanley)
2. [S]tanley Fox– caretaker of the North Gaea’s National Treasury; Kara’s former fiancé, before she was cursed; revealed to be the last Lord of Ancient Gaea
3. Duchess [F]rila – Kara’s cousin but is actually the Witch of Dimensions which has an evil ploy against Stanley
4. [J]eanne Flowry  - techie sidekick and friend of Stanley
5. Prince [E]lric – a candidate for king’s throne of the East Gaea

[M]iscellaneous – other voices

<center>PART ONE</center>

Stanley was playing the piano and stopped as soon as he saw Kara entered the room.

S: Ka – Princess Kara!
K: No! Please continue, that is a good sound you are making. I want to hear more of it.
S: If you wish…

Stanley continued to play the music piece.

K: Sir, what do you call that thing?
S: This is piano, one of the most treasured antiques of our country; it was invented probably more than thousand years ago – made of strings in the inside, reason it produces sound when it’s pressed.
K: Seemed like magic to me.
S: I also thought it was when I first saw it.
K: You know, I think I have already heard that music. I just can’t remember where or when.
S: You used to play it often, not until you… uh, not until you’ve become busy with the preparations for accepting the throne.
K: I… I used to play it? What are you saying sir? I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know how to play that thing... How could I? Even its name, I have only learned it now.

Stanley again stopped playing when he sensed that Kara was greatly bothered.

S: No! I mean, you used to play it way back then. You used to visit the National Treasury, where this piano was kept. You were captivated by the instrument when you had accidentally pressed the keys and heard the music. The king noticed your growing obsession over it so he made it placed here at the dining room, so whenever you were dismissed from each tutorial, you could be easily called for supper.
K: I can’t believe I couldn’t remember any of the details…
S: Maybe, you just forgot how.
K: (regretfully) Why should I forget it? I hate myself.

Kara nodded her head and started to talk after a while.

K: Did you know I also forgot my mother? But did I really have a mother? I always ask myself. I am trying to feel her touch, to hear her voice... I always saw her picture at my room, but my mind won’t recognize her. I don’t have any recollection of her - as if she didn’t exist. Why do I forget these significant things?
S: Princess, I understand. We eventually forget memories – even those memories most precious to us.
K:  It must be hard for my mother had she learned that I forgot her.
S: I’m sure she’ll understand, especially if you did not intend to.

A bell rang.

K: Sir, I’ll go now. This is the second to the last day of my cleansing to be ready for taking the throne. I would regret missing it and repeating it all over.
S: My fault, princess. I wasted your time and troubled you with superficial things, not considering your mind’s just full with more important matters.
K: You’re name, sir?
S: Stanley, Stanley Fox.
K: Sir Fox. See you again some time.
S:  Bye Princess.

Jeanne Flowry suddenly appeared behind Stanley.

J: So, what do you feel?
S: For Gaea’s sake, Jeanne. Can’t you learn knocking the door?
J: Huh! What for if I do not pass by it? For Gaea’s sake, Stanley! That’s just simple logic, and you don’t understand…
S: AND be ethical enough not to eavesdrop. It’s not even logical since it doesn’t really concern you.
J: Huh! I am not eavesdropping.
S: Huh yourself. So why are you asking how do I feel?
J: Now don’t be hot. What happened?

Stanley closed the piano case and stood up.

S: She doesn’t remember anything that happened that day when the Witch of Dimensions tried to kill her.
J: I get it. The princess remembers me and other people besides you and the queen. Those who witnessed and survived her magic -- the witch made her forgot the incident’s entirety!
S: You have realized the problem, but, what now?
J: Are you daring me?
S: No, like you can do my dare.
J: Are you saying something?
S: Huh. Sorry Jeanne. Haha! I think I have lost my senses. I’m trying to humor myself…
J: The elders tried to keep us away from her for almost a decade. It must really hurt to confirm that she really don’t remember you.
S: Almost ten years has passed, when that incident happened. The medical team has diagnosed her that there would surely be a void in her memory. Yet, I still didn’t believe.
J: It hurts to learn the truth. But more importantly, what would we do if the elders learn that she met us. You remember, right, that the elders forbade us to talk to her.
S: Say that it’s by accident. Come what may…  Besides, it was really an accident.

Stanley went ahead of Jeanne.

J: (to himself) They would have been happy by now if only the witch’s evil ploy had not succeeded.

The next day…

J: (panicking) Hey Stan, wake up! Wake up!
S: (yawningly) Shut up!
J: You sleep-whore. And if it’s really the end of the world, I won’t try to save you.


<center>PART TWO</center>

Soldiers were running in all directions. Jeanne approached one of the soldiers.

J: Sir, what’s happening? Why are these forces being called? Armageddon, I bet, but it’s not yet the time.
M: No. Nothing to be worried about, sir. The Foreign Affairs Secretary of East Gaea has just called for reinforcements for the safety of Prince Eric’s visit here in North Gaea. He will travel via air through the wild forest.
J: Huh. Why won’t he use the International Teleportation Pod? It would barely consume his time. Dumb, or he must be scared, that prince. Haha!
M: Sir?
J: Nothing, I just realized East Gaea has a very promising leader. And by the way, thanks for the information. I thought it was something IMPORTANT. See you.

Duchess Frila approached Jeanne.

F: Mister Jeanne. I am lucky to meet you.
J: Eh. Duchess, is there anything that I can do for you?
F: Did you see Mr. Stanley?
J: Oh, him. He’s at the National Treasury Department. He’s peacefully sleeping.
F: Better.
J: Huh, don’t bother him. Guess even you punch him defenseless, you won’t wake him up, oh that sleep-whore. I hate him whenever I need his help… (with his arms folded and eyes closed)

When Jeanne opened his eyes, the Duchess was already gone.

J: Duchess? Where are you? Oh well good luck.
M: Announcement: Prince Elric of East Gaea has arrived safely. Level E Agents which were called for the Prince’s assistance may now return to their respective headquarters.
J: And the devil ELRIC comes…
E: I beg your pardon, Mr…? And it’s you, the infamous sidekick of that antique-freak guy.
J: Hey, maybe your vocabulary’s all messed-up. Do you mean ‘magnificent’ by ‘infamous’? Haha! And I’d rather call him sleep-freak.
E: I wonder why you are not together.
J: Do we need to be together?
E: Because I always see you together.
J: Does that mean we must always be together? You have poor logic.
E: Watch your words, one-of-the-common-folks.
J: My words are chosen, they are the most sublime term one can ever think of. Okay, I understand. You have poor logic, our Majesty.
E: Good, at least you know your status. I’m your Great Majesty.
J: I’ll just agree.
E: That’s an understatement, my dear. Anyway, I’ll now be off to your Princess. I don’t want my whole time being wasted here debating with you. Bye Mr.? Whatever! Hahaha…
J: Huh, this talk doesn’t even qualify as a debate. East Gaia is surely punished to have him as a prince.

Jeanne saw Duchess Frila calling him near Stanley’s room.

F: Jeanne. I need you here! Come! Quick.
S: (shouts hysterically) Jeanne! Jeanne! Please open the door. Are you there? Jeanne! What on Gaea is happening here?

Jeanne teleported into his room.

J: Stan, what happened?
S: Good, I’m glad your tricks aren’t useless at all.
J: Huh, it’s only you who doesn’t believe on what I can do. Putting that aside, what happened?
S: Well, I was asleep when I heard a deafening sound in my room for a minute. I tried to bang the door open but it won’t even move an inch.
J: Duchess Frila was looking for you some time ago. She told me that she tried to call your attention but you wouldn’t answer. Your door was locked outside. There were no replies when I knocked on the door by your request of my being ethical. I thought something worse had happened to you. That leaves me of using my ‘trick’ as what you call it.
S: Anyway Jeanne, this is by no accident. Someone had put this trap on me, I don’t know what they are plotting but I’m sure this is a thing we can’t ignore. I need to check on Princess Kara.
J: Don’t panic, buddy. Even if you go now, the royal guards won’t probably let you interrupt the princess’ business.
D:  Don’t worry, I’ll visit her.

Elric entered Princess Kara’s room

E: Kara!
K: Oh, good day, Prince Elric.
E: No need to be formal, Kara. You see, you are a princess and I’m a prince. No need to be formal, our positions are equal.
K: I can’t… uh, I’ll try. Prince
E: Just Elric… please, Kara?
K: Elric, what is it you have come for?
E: To see you.
K: To see me? No, the reason must be more important than that.
E: Okay, I’ll be straightforward. Kara, do marry me.
K: But Prince, we have other reasons to be bothered with. Besides, Gaea is currently at stake of being dominated by oppositions.
E: This is for Gaea herself.
K: What do you mean?
E: By our marriage, we can establish a strong pact between our nations, making each fortress indestructible.
K: For Gaea, establishing alliance would provoke rumors about us having plans against the East and West.
E: Then we would invite them on our ceremony… just to calm you. Kara, don’t be too panicky of these improbable matters. Our marriage is for Gaea. As long as we have each other, and love each other, no one can make a single threat come true -- even the powerful Witch of Dimensions. Her magic won’t reach you anymore.
K: Who is the Witch of Dimensions?
E: An old myth that arouses fear amongst Gaea’s denizens.
K: You told a while ago that she will not reach me ‘anymore.’ Tell me Elric, you do know something about my relation with that witch.
E: I didn’t say that, and I told you it’s a myth…

The bell rang.

K: Prince, the ceremony will be starting soon. I need to go.
E: But what about our marriage?
K: Bye, Elric.

Kara hurriedly ran out of the room.

E: (to himself) Darn! Anyway, it won’t hurt me even if I just spend some of my precious time in this, uhh, kingdom.

After an hour…

E: I didn’t know some common folks like you can play the piano, the instrument most precious to YOUR Majesty. Moreover, it is the same instrument she is playing.
S: Prince Elric, I don’t think I have done anything that harms our Majesty, the princess.
E: You think you’re good enough to answer me? I think you should know your position, or should I remind it. You are Stanley, the official caretaker of North Gaea’s National Treasury.
S: Prince, I am well-acquainted with my job as the caretaker – to preserve all matters with regards to the treasures of our country.
E: To put it simpler, your job is to take care. Nothing else…
S: Excuse me Prince, but I remembered something urgent that I need to attend to now.

J: Stan!
S: Jeanne, for the last time, please be considerate enough not to appear all of the sudden and scare us. Especially that the Prince of East Gaea is here. And please don’t teach Duchess Frila with your child plays.
F: No, Mr. Fox. This is something important, a thing you should know now. Princess Kara is missing.
E: Kara is missing?
S: What happened?
J: That was when Duchess Frila checked on the Princess Kara.
F: I thought she was attending to the ceremony. I went to last floor of the sacred tower where I found its door ajar. Even if we were forbidden to enter, I looked inside the room but didn’t find the princess.
E: We need to save her!
S: Jeanne, I have a bad feeling about this. My door being locked and her absence are matters we need to investigate.
J: That is what I also concluded. But we don’t have any leads… and we aren’t sure yet if she was really…

M: Announcement: Level A Agents, please proceed to the Elders’ Temple now.
S: That means something drastic is going on. Tasks carried out by Level A Agents are of top secret. I need to save the princess.
J: Huh, as if you know where she is.
E: She’s kidnapped, right? There’s no way our marriage we’ll be postponed. I’ll ask for reinforcements from East Gaea.
F: Sir Fox. Mr. Flowry is right, you should be calm. Prince Elric will help us.
S: I cannot stand here while the princess is at danger.
F: I don’t want to bring this up, but, it is possible that it is the Witch of Dimensions who had kidnapped my cousin.
S: At the old mansion, yes. It is a probable that the Witch had brought with her the princess to the old mansion…
J: The old mansion -- where she was born and where she once died, it is where her life stream is at its densest and where her magic is the most destructive.


<center>PART THREE</center>

S: I must go there now.
F: Sir Fox. Please be vigilant, even the late queen who was said to have the most powerful magic was defeated by her.
S: Then what would I do? Sit here and do nothing?
J: I’m afraid to help you because I’ve never heard of such thing like success over the witch. However, since you insist going there, I’ll help you.
S: Thank you Jeanne.
J: This is a philosopher’s stone, but a fake prototype. A real philosopher’s stone is a one-of-a-kind catalyst that hastens chemical reactions to an unimaginable degree.
S: Leave the explanations for later.
J: Okay, but one warning. We will be transported there in a split-second once I initiated the reaction. In order to do that, the molecules of our body will disintegrate and simulate a speed near that of a light.
S: Jeanne, please leave all the explanations. We don’t have enough time in our hands; we don’t know what’s happening to Princess Kara as we speak.
J: For ten minutes or more, we will be but a useless soul. You may be there physically at blink of an eye but any attempts to overpower any opposition, however weak one is, will be futile.
F: Mr. Fox and Mr. Flowry, please be careful. The power of the witch is beyond our understanding. We don’t know what she can do.
S: Duchess, rest be assured we will do all we can to salvage the princess.
J: Stan, are you ready?
S: Yes, for the princess.
J: Lady Frila, say to that coward Prince of East Gaea that we won’t need their reinforcements. Lives would just be at risk especially that their leader is the worst person I’ve ever known.
F: Okay sir, I will try to say it to the Prince politely.

Jeanne casted the stone and portal opened in front of them.

J: Woah, this place is sure as creepy as hell, Stan. The atmosphere – it makes me regret that I come to this place.
S: Jeanne, I didn’t insist you to come in the first place. I just needed you to bring me here. You could go home now.
J: Shh! Be silent, Stan! Else you would provoke who-knows-what.
S: You are the one who doesn’t stop on blabbering.
J: Huh! How inconsiderate of you to accuse me. At least be thankful to my ability. You used to curse it and tell me it’s unethical.
S: Who won’t call intruding one’s privacy unethical? Oh, now that’s new.
J: Just supposed it’s a game. Doesn’t your everyday life bore you? You know, we are friends. You can approach me if you are envy with my tricks.
S: I don’t need them.
J: Look who’s talking. Huh! Because of my invention, you are already here; where in fact, you would spend days in case of my invention’s absence.
S: That is ridiculous.
J: No, it’s not. It is a matter of fact.
S: Then, thank you!
J: Welcome.
S: If that’s the only thing that could make you stop.
J: I can hear you.
S: Shh! Now seriously, I can sense her presence. This enormous amount of energy – I can’t be mistaken.

F: Hahaha! Just as I had expected.
J: Duchess Frila?
S: No, that is the Witch of Dimensions.
F: I see, you still haven’t changed a bit, Lord Stanley of Ancient Gaea.
J: What is she saying?
S: Jeanne, please look for Princess Kara.
J: But the witch’s here.
S: The witch can’t make the princess stay near her. Just search for the princess, I know what I’m saying.
J: As you request, Lord Stanley. Haha!
S: Shut up, this is not a laughing matter.
F: Lord Stanley, you know me well.
S: I must know you well, for the princess.
F: She doesn’t know you, why would you care for her?
S: What did you do to the Duchess?
F: What Duchess?
S: Speak.
F: Oh, I remember. Is she the powerless damsel who died ten years ago? She served me well. I used her body as a container. Her body was where I slept for ten years, until I regained my power.
S: You are still the same merciless witch I have met.
F: Then you are as merciless as me. Lord Stanley, how many lives were sacrificed in order for you to stay breathing? Do you know how many bodies have been emptied just to be the container of your soul?


<center>PART FOUR</center>

S: It wasn’t my intention! It was the tradition done to Lords!
F: But still you chose to be one of those Lords. It was your choice to be served.
S: It was for Gaea, to keep it peaceful and intact. After I broke the tradition by not letting my soul be transferred, numerous bloody wars started to dethrone me as I grew feeble. There were four factions formed in Gaea, constituting each direction. The remaining power of the witches left chose to make me alive by sacrificing their lives so I would be reborn and not just be transferred.
F: And amongst those witches was my mother. You are the reason she died.
S: I didn’t want her to do that. It just happened that, they believed that my blood will someday bring back the peace Gaea once had.

F: And you fell in love with this princess.

An expanse of magic appeared in front of Stanley; there he saw Princess Kara.

K: Help me! Stan, please help me! I can’t breathe!
F: Hand me your life source, or I’ll stab this princess?
S: I fall in-love with the princess, yes, and I can hand you over my life source for her safety, but I can’t give it to you if her safety can’t be guaranteed
K: Stan, help me! I can’t breathe!
F: You know witches can’t break a word in a promise. Once you give me your life, I won’t kill this princess.
S: I love the princess since I know her. That woman is not the princess; it is rather an imagination formed by your power to serve as a scapegoat to your promise. Witches do not break a promise -- that is why you can’t mention her name and simply address her as ‘that princess.’ Besides, you yourself had cursed the princess. The princess will never ever call me that way.
F: Fool! I initially want to make you suffer by killing every woman you loved, but I guess killing you can’t be helped. You will be lucky no more! I won’t let your bloodline live!

The Witch of Dimension and Stanley fought with their swords.

S: I will make sure the princess will live. I swore to protect her like what her mother had done just to make her live. It was my fault why her mother died, I brought with me the threats I must’ve solved singly.
F: I wonder if our Lord still has the strength to prove his words.
S: I may not have ample strength to resist you; but I still have my life to sacrifice in order to stop you.
F: I own the powerful magic of the witches of Ancient Gaea. Even if you kill me, I can transcend every dimension just to live.
S: If sacrificing my life would be my only resort to save the princess, I will – even for the slightest of the time. I can’t just bear the excruciating pain of seeing Princess Kara die, with me standing and doing nothing.

The Witch stabbed the sword in Stanley’s chest. Stanley collapsed and became unconscious.

S: (to himself) After this battle, I won’t care if she won’t recognize once more… even if she won’t remember me for infinity. I won’t mind the pain, just as long as she lives unharmed. I won’t flinch… even it would cause my own life.