Category: Circle of Fifths

By Jason

“You are as shortsighted as your predecessor,” S’Uba stood her ground as The Herald stepped forward.

“You arrogant old…” The Herald’s edges shimmered darkly.

Careful now, Jynn watched the tension ripple through The Herald’s wings. S’Uba held her own. The Herald was a good head and half taller than S’Uba but they had all witnessed her physical prowess when she had been on the Hunt.

She’s getting to him, Jynn thought. This is not the time to lose control! Oh, why did I think this could work?

Jynn caught the Sister’s eye and shrugged. The Sister shrugged back – what else could they do? This moment needed to play out. Like all the others before it. The Herald needed to play his part which was all well and good Jynn told herself, if he were still just playing his part.

This is a rough outline of the final battle sequence. I have already written some of the Peck and Emyr sequences – we’ve read those before – they will be added later and probably tweaked. A couple of scenes in this sequence have been fleshed out a little but I just wanted to get this sequence out on paper in some sort of order! I hope this all makes sense. Anyway, please bring any and all questions to the meeting – I really want to be able to lock this sequence down! So, anything on motivations, location, continuity or whatever…

There is a baby lying in a crib. He has been named Emyr. His mother, Anwen, folds laundry in the kitchen. It is almost Emyr’s first birthday though he does not yet understand the concept of time or age or birthdays. He will learn that in due course. On this day Emyr is a happy child. He lies, eyes closed. Long dark lashes curling upward, away from his cheeks. He smiles as he sleeps. Afternoon sun dapples warm and carefree across his soft face. Light and shadow dance over his eyelids. The child is aware of layers of crimson and veridian and indigo. Their crystal shapes fold and swirl and merge into each other.

There is music in the dappled motion. From somewhere in the house, the baby hears his mother singing. An old song born from her mother’s song with deep, rich autumnal notes that rise up through the home and gently fold themselves around the child. The boy wriggles his feet to enjoy the soft embrace of the duck yellow hand me down baby grow as it stretches across his body. New notes emerge. His notes. The first notes of a new song, finding their way. Still small but strong and certain. Emyr feels safe. He feels love and comfort. Harmony and melody and rhythm are slowly coming together.

by Jason

This is part of the final battle sequence (!) These Peck scenes will be intercut with scenes where Emyr confronts Gloam and The Herald, Jynn and The Fang fight S’Uba.

Peck stepped over the threshold and realised that Emyr had vanished. This was not the plan. There was a moment of panic and then the nexus caught hold of Peck and carried her out and away from The Circle. The universe opened up a new conduit, just for her and catapulted her across the stars. Shifting chromatic patterns propelled her down a long narrow tunnel. The universe opened itself and expanded in every direction, revealing layers of sound and energy she had not sensed before. The tunnel she travelled down pierced the fabric of the universe, crossing into another realm where it passed through layer after layer of primal song till the stars blinked out and Peck flew on through an electric darkness. There were no reference points for her to cling to. If it had not been for the nexus force that still gripped her body Peck would have though she had stopped moving all together.

by Jason

S’Uba watched The Fang trace slow circles around the perimeter of the chamber, starlight glinted off their glass-like scales as their large, sinuous bodies moved in the opposite direction to the shifting walls. The Herald glowed with his kind’s petty defiance and close to him the Collectoris looked as if they wanted to fly away. The Many disappearance was unfortunate, that would need to be dealt with, again. Their defiance had grown of late, but it had been knocked out of them before. And as for the human, it gazed in dumb wonder at the scene. It is a miracle that that thing is still conscious, thought S’Uba. Dumb little creature. The others seem to think it is somehow special! Another one of their saviours. Look at it, practically dribbling with ignorance. Barely conscious. Ridiculous to hold these specs of matter in any regard what so ever. Anyway, these are the performers at my disposal. Very well, let the concerto begin…

This is Emyr’s “mirror moment.” It will take place during the sequence in The Haven when Emyr is being trained by The Herald and the Sirens, just before The Many attack the music shop and kill Mags. There are parts of this that you may have read before…

Things to ponder…

• Do you think this is a convincing mirror moment?
• How does Emyr come across in this scene?
• How do The Herald and Carol come across in this scene?
• Does the emotional content feel real/true/consistent?
• Is the scene repetitive?
• Any other thoughts…?

The Herald’s form reflected the pastel glow of the Haven, “Your mother…”

“Aah yes, my mother, my oh so special mother! Who, as you would have me believe, birthed me for one express purpose,” Emyr’s body tensed as he tried to hold his anger in check.  “And you! You have been some kind of protector, always hiding in the shadows, just out of reach. Except you couldn’t seem to stop the nightmares, could you?”

“Sweetheart,” Carol stepped in between The Herald and Emyr. “There are limits even to…”

“Oh, fuck off Carol!” furious spittle flew from Emyr’s mouth. “And what have you been doing all these years eh? Guiding me? Pushing me? Herding me towards some uncertain fate! All because my stupid mother heard some fucking space whale singing in the ether! Oh my god! Do you hear yourselves? Do you? And to top it all off, none of you, none of you, really know what you’re doing or are even sure that this was going to work!”

“Do not speak of your mother in that tone,” The Herald’s face glowed with a fierce fire. “I will not allow it.”