Part 40 The Order II AI transcript and summary - episode of podcast Malevolent

Go to PodExtra AI's episode page (Part 40 "The Order" II) to play and view complete AI-processed content: summary, mindmap, topics, takeaways, transcript, keywords and highlights.

Go to PodExtra AI's podcast page (Malevolent) to view the AI-processed content of all episodes of this podcast.

Malevolent episodes list: view full AI transcripts and summaries of this podcast on the blog

Episode: Part 40 "The Order" II

Author: Harlan Guthrie
Duration: 00:48:45

Episode Shownotes

PART 2 of 2In this second part of the two part finale of Season 4; Arthur, Noel and the Entity within must find out what it truly means to be in the Order of the Fallen Star and hope to make it out alive.Consider supporting now at: https://www.patreon.com/TheINVICTUSStream Hosted on

Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full Transcript

00:00:02 Speaker_04
Do you come... willingly? You have to be kidding. Arthur, don't- Not interested in hearing from the nosebleeds right now, detective. Butcher? Alright. Thank you... Mr. Lester.

00:00:25 Speaker_03
You know I don't.

00:00:27 Speaker_04
Of course. But I suppose... Well, I suppose I was curious. I wanted to give you a chance to... revisit a choice that brought you... oh, so much grief. You do recall this question, don't you?

00:00:45 Speaker_02
Arthur.

00:00:46 Speaker_04
City of green light. Masked men. A sleeping city.

00:00:53 Speaker_03
What is he talking about? How... How do you know about that?

00:00:58 Speaker_04
Our mutual friend.

00:01:01 Speaker_03
The king in yellow. Noel's looking at you, Arthur. SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!

00:01:09 Speaker_04
What's the problem, detective? Have you- Oh. Oh. Oh my word. Wait. Noel, listen, whatever- TUT TUT, ARTHUR! Fuck! Let John speak for himself. The vizier, do you mind? Get that fucking freak away from us!

00:01:34 Speaker_04
Mr. Collins, please help the detective back to his feet. Up you, up. John. That is the name you're still calling yourself, right? Please illuminate the detective here. Tell him who you are. No, I- Quiet now! Arthur. Allow John to speak. Arthur. Arthur.

00:01:59 Speaker_04
I-I don't- Don't. John. Butcher, if John fails to speak in the next ten seconds, you have my permission to obliterate Mr. Lester's kneecap. It's not a far walk over here.

00:02:10 Speaker_03
God damn it! Fine! Damn it, fine. No. No, I... I... I am a fragment of... I am a fragment of... No half-truths here, John. I am the King in Yellow. I am the King in Yellow. What?

00:02:32 Speaker_04
Why? Oh... Oh, Arthur, my God, I wish you could see his face. The sheer and utter heartbreak. I will kill you, Lawson! My God, Detective! I figured you'd be surprised, but I am genuinely shocked at the outrage.

00:02:49 Speaker_04
Perhaps Mr. Lester has painted an unfair picture of our mutual acquaintance. Shut up! Am I missing something here, or what?

00:03:01 Speaker_02
I'm sorry, Noel.

00:03:04 Speaker_04
Ah, well now, that is dear. My God, you really have tamed the wild beast, haven't you? Perhaps the Vizier and Mr. Collins here aren't the only housebroken dogs in the room. Fuck you, Larson!

00:03:19 Speaker_03
I swear I will tear out everything but your eyes, so you can watch me devour your innards piece by rotten piece! There he is.

00:03:31 Speaker_04
I knew he was in there, somewhere, behind the weepy eyes and fragile heart. I will make you suffer. Don't you miss it? Don't you miss the feeling of being powerful?

00:03:53 Speaker_04
How hobbled you must feel trapped in there, surrounded by all that messy, weak human flesh. You're one to talk. Pulling at the king as if you were a party trick. That was no party. Not yet. Soon we'll shape this order into something worthwhile.

00:04:11 Speaker_04
Something worthy of devotion.

00:04:14 Speaker_03
Devotion?! It looked to me like you're nothing more than a club for incompetent aristocrats who enjoy masquerade parties.

00:04:27 Speaker_04
Well put, Arthur. Not far from the truth, really. Sadly, see these so-called men have forgotten their purpose. They've all become so very complacent in the gifts given to them.

00:04:44 Speaker_02
The Fallen Star.

00:04:47 Speaker_04
Why yes, King. You don't mind if I call you King, do you? That is your real name, after all. None of this nonsense with... John.

00:05:01 Speaker_03
John? John.

00:05:04 Speaker_04
Good. See, when this Order was founded, hundreds and hundreds of years ago now, it sought out the fallen stars. Objects of immense power that were foretold to be older than time itself

00:05:19 Speaker_04
but contain such unimaginable energy that only the truly worthy could ever wield them, let alone be made a member of this Order. Of course, as times change, goals do too.

00:05:34 Speaker_04
And as the Order continued to lose faith in their ability to reclaim these stars, so too did our members lose faith in their very existence. That was, until we found one. The Greystone.

00:05:52 Speaker_03
The Greystone?

00:05:54 Speaker_04
Yes. See, my family was amongst the first followers of the Order. So much so that my home in Addison was once its lodge. Though that was long ago.

00:06:05 Speaker_04
Despite what the Order had become, I made it my life's goal through experimentation and other magics to locate one of the fallen stars. And so I did.

00:06:20 Speaker_03
So, what does it do?

00:06:23 Speaker_04
What does it do, hmm? Well, really I suppose that depends on who you ask. For some, it shows them what they are destined to know. For others, what they desire to know. For most, what they need to know.

00:06:44 Speaker_03
What they need to know?

00:06:46 Speaker_04
The Greystone offers knowledge. With a guiding hand, it can show you the secrets to control a servitor gifted from the far reaches of space, and allow it to do your bidding, and bless your family line with unimaginable wealth and prosperity.

00:07:03 Speaker_04
Or... It can show you where you left your keys. Jesus. For the members of this order, you can imagine the kinds of things they sought. Wealth. Mansions. Paths to obtain their political aspirations. Childish, petulant, ignorant.

00:07:22 Speaker_03
You yourself just admitted to controlling that... that beast in your minds for financial prosperity.

00:07:28 Speaker_04
How can you- He's a by-product, Arthur. Please. Even you must see these people's goals as a waste. What is this world? It's a pit stop on the way to a... to real power, Arthur. Look at us. Look at us. You and I, we've seen it, Arthur. We've experienced it.

00:07:56 Speaker_04
We have gods in us. Arthur, you and I, we have touched the otherworldly and we have lived. We have truly lived. You must feel it. The power that comes with having such a being inside. It's amazing.

00:08:20 Speaker_03
And yet, you're dying.

00:08:26 Speaker_04
And yet, yes. The Grand Vizier told you that, eh? Nothing gold can stay. You feel it too, isn't that right, Arthur? Well... Not for long. Not with a little help. That's why they built this, after all. My lovely new friends.

00:08:49 Speaker_03
Elders.

00:08:50 Speaker_04
Larson has pulled back the hood to one of the robed figures and it's... Arthur.

00:08:58 Speaker_02
The robed figure. Underneath it's completely alien.

00:09:14 Speaker_03
It's hairless with gray, cobalt-tinted flesh that seems slick with mucus. It has a large, bulbous head with a pronounced ridge and a third eye in its center.

00:09:28 Speaker_03
It has a vertical mouth with thin, translucent, needle-like teeth and a series of spindly, hair-covered pedipalps that protrude from either side of its jaw. Its eyes dart around, moving every direction. They are... monstrous.

00:09:48 Speaker_04
Nungal, Zeatazoa, Sharagul, or some such word. Literally, great servants of dark knowledge. Intellectually brilliant, and yet wholly subservient to the will of the Great Old Ones. They have existed here, on this Earth, for billions of years.

00:10:08 Speaker_04
Can you imagine? These rogue figures wandering the Earth, and us, Never haven't seen them. Or perhaps never. Never tried to look for them.

00:10:22 Speaker_03
But they don't take orders from you.

00:10:25 Speaker_04
Not just me, no. But they know who I represent. And with the help of their incredible minds, this machine will change all that.

00:10:37 Speaker_03
Change it? How? You think you can have the King in Yellow inside you? All his pieces, and what?

00:10:48 Speaker_04
We both have a piece of the King inside us, Arthur. You know how limited that feels for them. Being whole is only the first step to returning them to their former glory. Then I can allow them to return to the Dreamlands.

00:11:04 Speaker_03
You have no intention of returning anyone to the dreamlands. You think this will make you a god?

00:11:12 Speaker_04
What you don't know could fill a book.

00:11:14 Speaker_03
I've seen some bad bluffs in my life. But yours takes the cake. I suppose you're lucky the king can't see how bad your poker face is from the inside.

00:11:22 Speaker_04
I know what you're doing.

00:11:25 Speaker_03
But we are not divided in this, unlike- If someone who has dealt with this a lot longer than you, I promise you, I know exactly what's going on in your head right now.

00:11:37 Speaker_04
This is asinine. Butcher, bring Arthur to the slab and let him- Yellow!

00:11:43 Speaker_03
Do you really trust this... idiot?

00:11:45 Speaker_04
Oh, Arthur, your... petulant attempt- You are a god, Yellow.

00:11:51 Speaker_03
Remember? Enough. You imprisoned me. You took me from my rightful place as king and stuck me inside this prison. You said that to me, Yellow. How right you were. Only you've allowed yourself to go from one prison to another. Silence!

00:12:09 Speaker_03
At least with me, you knew what I wanted. With Larson, you've become something else entirely.

00:12:16 Speaker_04
Butcher, if you'd be so- A pet. I am no fucking- Well, you've awakened him now, Arthur.

00:12:28 Speaker_03
You insignificant human. Larson is weak. He's barely standing. The king is magnificent. Hello, Yellow. I am the king in yellow. Is that so? From where I'm standing, you're less than an appendage on Larson's arm.

00:12:52 Speaker_03
You know nothing about what has happened to me.

00:12:56 Speaker_02
I have grown more powerful than I ever was with you. Power? Yes.

00:13:08 Speaker_03
I think about you often. You know? Is that an attempt to appeal to my human side? No. No. No. It's just the truth. Arthur Lester. I will watch you suffer before you eventually die. Do you really think Larson will let you leave? After all is said and done?

00:13:37 Speaker_03
Do you really think there is any way out of him? Of course. Yellow. He never will. You are trapped with him. Forever. Trapped. He will use you, and abuse you, and absorb every ounce of power you have, just as he's done with his entire family.

00:14:05 Speaker_03
To his own flesh and blood.

00:14:07 Speaker_02
Even if he were to try, he would fail.

00:14:12 Speaker_03
Hmm. Do you remember what Larsen said to us, back in Addison? Only you and I, and he, were there. He said, of gods like yourself, they are our superiors. Make no mistake about that. Maybe.

00:14:36 Speaker_03
But from where I'm standing, I think there's only one truth that I learned since our time together.

00:14:44 Speaker_00
What is that?

00:14:52 Speaker_03
That I... failed you.

00:14:55 Speaker_00
What?

00:14:57 Speaker_03
I failed you, Yellow. We were brought together. And through my anger and frustrations, I... I drove you to become this. To embrace this side of yourself. And for that... I'm sorry. Your apologies mean nothing to me!

00:15:23 Speaker_02
Nothing!

00:15:26 Speaker_03
I know. I'm not apologizing for you. Arthur.

00:15:34 Speaker_04
Enough of this! The charade is done. The game is over. You are outnumbered five to one. It is time for you to lay down and accept that all of this has been for naught. You have lost, Arthur Lester. But as a last gift, I will- Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa.

00:15:54 Speaker_04
Hold on there. I haven't had a chance to speak. Well, I'll be honest. I have no idea why you are here, detective. Or why you got yourself mixed up in all of this. Yeah, I get that. You probably should have just stayed home tonight.

00:16:13 Speaker_03
Yeah, maybe. Hey, but since we're, uh, gabbing away, saying our goodbyes and whatnot, I'd love to get in one last little thought, if you'd allow it, Mr. Lawson. I insist. I appreciate it. Hey, Ken. Yeah? No hard feelings.

00:16:37 Speaker_03
I get why you didn't tell me about John. It's been a real pleasure. Pleasure is all mine. And John... Yes? Yes. You're nothing like this yellow prick. You're a good person. I know you are. Thank you. Thank you, Noel. Noel.

00:17:02 Speaker_04
Well, heartwarming goodbyes all right. However- Ah, one more boss. Oh?

00:17:09 Speaker_03
Hey, you yellow-headed fuckface. You remember me? Charlie Daz is the name. Ten years you and I went toe-to-toe. You brought me to all kinds of hell and back again. to watch me drown over and over again. It is a memory that did not stick.

00:17:32 Speaker_03
Alas, it did for me. So, fuck you and that horse you rode in on. Wonderful. Larson, kill this man. With pleasure. Butcher. Well, is it finally time then? Absolutely. Appreciate it, Mr. Larson. But I wasn't asking you. Excuse me? Come now, Larson.

00:18:02 Speaker_03
Who do you think approved this release? It's time, Butcher. Start the music. What? It's about fucking time, boyo. The Butcher hit the Vizier square in the forehead, Arthur! Kill them! Now, Arthur! Kill them! Kill them!

00:18:26 Speaker_03
Yellow is growing from Larson, doubling his size exponentially. He's filling the room as the Butcher and Noel fight off the approaching Elder Things. One is coming our way. Left! Left! Straight ahead. Fire! Straight in the forehead!

00:18:46 Speaker_03
Larson is clambering around on the floor as Yellow moves the air around the room, causing a grey fog to stir. The Butcher is firing wildly at the Elders, taking out one, two of them. Gnoll is firing as well, his back to the Butcher.

00:19:03 Speaker_03
The two of them working together. Weak. Ignorant. Yellow Arthur! The fog is swirling around, making it difficult to see and- Where's Larson? Larson is heading for the door. Gnoll! Larson! He hit Larsson, Arthur! Square in the stomach. He's falling.

00:19:25 Speaker_03
Fuck Arthur! I wonder how old the thing has you. It's spindly teeth are biting at the air. Hit it! The bottom of your gun! It's falling back for a moment, but it's coming back. Shoot! Shoot! He's down. Larson is gone, but there's blood on the ground.

00:19:53 Speaker_03
He's left a trail. Go, go! We'll follow. Move, Arthur! The fog has lifted with Larson and Yellow escaping.

00:20:03 Speaker_02
Quickly, through the door!

00:20:07 Speaker_03
The blood trail leads through another set of doors, down the hall. Reload! The Butcher and Noel have come through as well. I thought I'd never shut the fuck up. Thank you, Butcher. Like I told you back at the station, coming to me with this opportunity.

00:20:25 Speaker_03
I'd say you finally understand me, lad. Lawson, where is he? Down the hall. Let's go. Someone's gotta stay here. Hold him back. There's more coming for sure. It's your play, kid, but you need backup. Who stays behind? Me or the Butcher? Come on.

00:20:42 Speaker_03
Butcher, stay behind. Cover our exit. Take out as many of those monsters as you can. With pleasure. Noel, you're with me. Arthur! What? Huh? He's not talking to us. Larson is weak, but not out of this yet. Yellow is capable of many things.

00:21:02 Speaker_03
Neither of us can imagine. What do you mean? How do you- I don't know. But projecting out of Larson like that... It isn't just draining Larson. It's... I can feel it affecting me as well. We doing this? Yes, yes! What are you saying, John?

00:21:20 Speaker_03
If killing Larsen kills Yellow... Then you'll be fine. Stronger, maybe. Or... I don't know if I can survive with only half a soul. We can't... John, we can't pull any punches now. We can't let him pull punches. Arthur. Listen to me, John.

00:21:41 Speaker_03
You and Yellow are fighting for control over the same spiritual space. At least on this plane. Killing him won't destroy you. It'll just end the tug of war between you two. You're sure? I... We're losing Larson, kid. Go. We need to go. So long, Butcher.

00:22:02 Speaker_03
It's been a clean game, Boyle. Till we meet again. Count on it. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead. He's gone back into the room. What are you holstering your gun for? Look, a blind man is a lousy shot.

00:22:18 Speaker_03
I'm more likely to hit you accidentally if I keep it running. Fair enough. I'll pull it if I need it. Let's move. I know you can't promise me. I know you aren't sure. Yellow is a piece of me.

00:22:37 Speaker_03
Can you imagine having to destroy a piece of yourself, even if it's a reflection of yourself you may not like? I can't, but- Door! But we all have to face our demons, even if they're ourselves. Noel is pointed at a door down the hall.

00:22:54 Speaker_03
The blood trail leads to it. It's ornate and heads to the south. Noel, follow me. Alright. straight ahead.

00:23:08 Speaker_02
Gnoll is following you, his gun drawn.

00:23:18 Speaker_03
It's quiet. Everyone must have left. This is the second story balcony overlooking the ballroom, where the vizier and- Arthur! Behind us! Lawson was hiding behind the door! He's just knocked Noel out with a metal pipe! Check your corners, detective.

00:23:36 Speaker_03
Noel's dropped his gun, Arthur! Larson is going for it! Stop him! To the right! Here! Larson is... Get your... hands... off... Arthur, you have him! Larson is up against the balcony railing. We're high above the ballroom. The drop could kill him.

00:23:59 Speaker_03
He may not survive if you push him off. I'll kill you! I'll kill you! present in a quenchless rage. Shut up! Shut up! Okay, you're choking him. His face is turning red. You murderer! You monster! You villain! You child killer! You don't deserve to live! Arthur!

00:24:25 Speaker_03
Thoreau! Thoreau! Arthur, you've forced some of your fingers into his gunshot wound, tearing his skin around the hole as your fist slides in further. Arthur! Jesus Christ, you! We've been thrown back! He's un-mortal. Yellow is emerging again.

00:24:56 Speaker_03
Larson has collapsed in a pool of blood at the center of the balcony away from the edge. Exhausted, I will not allow you to destroy this vessel. Me? What? You've lost, Yellow. Larson is a crumbled man. What? And who? Who? John. John. What? What? John? Who is?

00:25:25 Speaker_03
Where am I? What is happening? Lawson is simply immortal. Far too weak. And far too limited for my power. John. Please. You plead with him.

00:25:41 Speaker_02
He is not your friend. The king... The king in yellow.

00:25:47 Speaker_03
He is. He is. He is my friend.

00:25:53 Speaker_02
Arthur.

00:25:55 Speaker_03
Yes, John. Yes. Friends? What a waste. Are you back? I'm trying to. Stay with me. You're stronger than this, John. You are stronger. Arthur, Noel is standing back up. NOL! His head is swimming in a haze of amber light! NOL! NOL! I can't... What is... Yes... Yes!

00:26:35 Speaker_03
Feel my influence wash over you! Stop! Stop! NOL! Stop it! No! Lose yourself to the power that now whispers in your ear! Arthur, Noel is walking toward the balcony. Yes. Arthur, move! Faster! Arthur, he's running for the balcony! And jump! Jump, Arthur!

00:27:08 Speaker_03
I've got you! I've got you! You've grabbed his arm, Arthur! Noel is dangling over the edge of the balcony below! The haze still swimming around his head! His eyes wet with tears! No! I've got you! I'm not gonna drop you! I'm not gonna drop you! Don't let go!

00:27:21 Speaker_03
I can hear him! I have you! I can hear him! He's looking up at us! I can't fight it! I won't drop you! I can't fight it! Let go. I have you, but you have to hold on. I can't. Charlie, come on. Not anymore. Fall. Fight it, Charlie. No.

00:27:45 Speaker_00
Not anymore.

00:27:47 Speaker_03
Fight it, goddammit. No. Fight. Not anymore. John, please. No. Let it go. I can't hold him. Kid, don't let go! What are you? Impossible! Kid, listen! John's projected himself outside of you, kid! The king! He's gone from my head! Just... don't let go! Yellow!

00:28:24 Speaker_03
You are not the only king in this plane that can project his power! Keep going, John! Yellow is shrinking! Whatever you're doing, keep going! How? ! You are not the true king. You are a fragment. You are a fracture.

00:28:44 Speaker_02
You are... weak. Know nothing of weakness. True weakness is believing your power makes you superior.

00:28:57 Speaker_03
I... can't... hold... John! You are no god! Hide yourself away in the dark corners of Larson's mind, or I will erase you from this and all worlds. John! You're beating him! You've beaten Yellow, but... Arthur is... he's fading, John!

00:29:25 Speaker_03
You... you are not the true King in Yellow. You are... I am the one who... I think you may have lost your crown there.

00:29:43 Speaker_02
I... can't... Why? You... John... What did you have to offer? Why does he care about... you? Because... I care about him.

00:30:07 Speaker_03
He's gone John! Now help me up! Goddamn! Don't let go, kid! Arthur! Noel has been hanging onto the railing while I... Yes! Yes! Okay! Pull him up! Come on, Noel! Come on! Yes! A little further! Pull, Arthur! He's up!

00:30:33 Speaker_03
Spill him over the railing onto the balcony beside you! Arthur! You did it! You did it. You did it, John. I had no idea you could do that. How did you do that? I don't know. He doesn't know.

00:30:52 Speaker_03
I felt the pull slipping away like I had before, but rather than let it wash over me, I fought it. I didn't let it win. The undefeated. I... I like the sound of that. Well, I... Thank you, kid. Oh, fuck. Yellows. It was all in my head.

00:31:22 Speaker_03
For a moment, I felt like I was back... No! Arthur! Larson has Noel's gun! He's shot Noel in the neck! No! Blood is flecked on his face! No! The gun! It jammed, Arthur!

00:31:40 Speaker_03
He's thrown the gun and turned to run through the set of double doors in the center of the balcony! You motherfucker! Arthur! You hit him! You hit him! Twice in the back as he pushed through the doors inward. He fell as they were closing. No! No! No! No!

00:32:02 Speaker_03
Come on! God! No! Here, here, here. Use this. His neck. Hold this. Just hold. He's losing a lot of blood, Arthur. Hold pressure on him. It's not dead center, but... We'll get you out of here. He's shaking his head. No. He's smiling. A pained smile. Finish this.

00:32:38 Speaker_00
Okay. Okay. Finish this.

00:32:45 Speaker_03
I will. The double doors are straight ahead, dead center against the back wall of the balcony. It's between the two doors on either side that the Vizier and Larsen left you during the gathering.

00:33:03 Speaker_02
Dark red streaks of blood lead to Larson, who's crawling slowly, painfully away from us. He's laying on his stomach, pawing at the air. Blood covers his hands, face, and his entire lower half. His forehead is wet with sweat. And his skin is pale.

00:33:37 Speaker_04
I didn't... I didn't lie back in Addison... to you. I did find the order. My family lineage. I denied it at first, I swear. I didn't want this life. Not at first.

00:33:58 Speaker_03
I'm not a- Arthur, you've picked up Larson. Push them up against a set of marble stairs so he's facing you. You! You! Monster!

00:34:12 Speaker_04
Projecting a little, are we?

00:34:20 Speaker_03
Everything you worked for, everything you wanted, is gone! You failed, Larson. You failed. I killed your monster in the mines. I set those people free. I killed Uncle. Knife.

00:34:38 Speaker_04
My boy. My boy. What? I don't care.

00:34:44 Speaker_03
Everything you have is gone.

00:34:50 Speaker_04
I must say, you look good without that piece of your ear. You know that? You look like a man not to be fucked with.

00:35:02 Speaker_03
I'm not. Arthur! What? It's... It's here! What? The fallen star! Where? On a plinth, at the far end of this room. This room, it's a short hall with carved marble benches along either side.

00:35:26 Speaker_03
But at the far end, laying on a plinth before a set of large red banners with the Order's symbol, it's the stone. This must be where they keep it. Well. We can wait. What? Arthur! This is why we're here! This is what we came for! We came for him, goddammit!

00:35:49 Speaker_03
We came for the fallen star, Arthur. It's right there. Right out of reach. It can fucking wait, John. Arthur, goddammit! Stop! Listen to me. Who? The butcher. He's carrying Noel. No! He's not gonna last long, lad.

00:36:09 Speaker_01
But I managed to take care of the last of those things.

00:36:11 Speaker_03
Thank God. Larson, he's here. He's- Arthur, listen to me, please. I'm going to finish him off. Arthur, please! You trusted me to come here. You trusted me to get us here. Just get the fucking stone! Please! Please. Trust me this one last time. Fine.

00:36:46 Speaker_03
Yes, Arthur. Up the carpeted steps, just ahead. It sits upon a pedestal within a wrought iron wire holder fitted to its midpoint. The stone is a rough ovoid shape, maybe 12 inches long and 4 inches wide, but with rough, uneven sections.

00:37:09 Speaker_03
It's speckled with holes, and its surface is porous. It's grey, but with flecks of blue and even green within. I've never seen anything like it. Larsen is- Larsen is fine! He's sitting there, bleeding to death. Touch the stone.

00:37:30 Speaker_03
If I do- Touch the stone, Arthur! Okay. Okay. Touch it! Just a little further. Yes! Just a little further! Arthur, what are you doing? You're almost there, just- Just- Arthur, you- Why don't you- What are you- Just reach a little- So close! Cain! John!

00:38:06 Speaker_03
We did it! I did it! I brought him here! Us! Here, to the Order of the Fallen Star, and... And? And what? And Arthur is about to touch it! You're... You've... Stopped everything? Why, yes. How? How? How am I supposed to explain that to you?

00:38:28 Speaker_03
God, you sound just like your little host family here, questioning everything!

00:38:32 Speaker_01
Some things just happen, Marigold.

00:38:34 Speaker_03
I did it, Kane! I kept my end of the deal. Deal? What deal? Fuck you! I don't recall a contract or written word, really. I swear to God, Kane, I will... You'll what? I... I... Oh!

00:38:56 Speaker_01
You know what? I do remember! Oh, oh, oh. We did make a deal, didn't we? First, you were sent back into the king, right? Whole once again! Yes. It was right after our little crumpet tried to shave his neck with the pointy end, right?

00:39:15 Speaker_01
Then, hmm... Then what happened?

00:39:19 Speaker_03
You don't remember, do you? Of course I remember. Yes! You were... well, you were cast out, weren't you? The king just... couldn't make you fit anymore, could he? Too much soul in there. A broken mirror in too many pieces to put together again.

00:39:39 Speaker_03
I fought him every chance I could.

00:39:41 Speaker_01
Oh, of course. You were changed. A new... man? Entity? Thing? What are we calling you exactly?

00:39:52 Speaker_03
Dandelions are yellow. What? And so he cast you out! While in his realm the king still had considerable power over you,

00:40:01 Speaker_01
whatever you are, and sent you back to the one place you dared not ever return.

00:40:07 Speaker_03
Isn't that right? The Dark World.

00:40:12 Speaker_01
The Dark World!

00:40:14 Speaker_03
It was scary there, wasn't it? Yes. I mean, scary doesn't even begin to sell it. But Artie promised he'd never send you back there, didn't he?

00:40:26 Speaker_01
And yet, your little deal had you end up right where he promised you'd never be? Oh, how infuriating that must have been.

00:40:39 Speaker_03
You would have done anything to get out again, wouldn't you?

00:40:44 Speaker_01
But first, you had to sink a little lower, didn't you? Time moves differently in the dark world, doesn't it? You didn't just give up.

00:40:56 Speaker_03
But you fell back on your old ways. The king who was trapped there before all of this. It was only when you were truly defeated that you called to me. Begged for me! The things you did for me to make this deal. But you got out.

00:41:18 Speaker_01
How did it feel? Lying to Arthur this whole time. Not being able to tell him why you were coming here.

00:41:24 Speaker_03
where you came from. I only lied because I had no choice. Not true! Matthew had a choice. Matthew? Absolutely!

00:41:34 Speaker_01
That little rapscallion let it slip, didn't he? I told him to keep a tight, heavy lid. If Arthur knew that I wanted him here, he wouldn't do it, but could he keep that to himself?

00:41:44 Speaker_03
Hardly! But you blew his head up! Well, because he made his choice. What kind of choice is that? His to make! And you made yours, my king. And you... fulfilled our deal. In a manner of speaking. What do you mean, in a manner of speaking? Arthur is here!

00:42:02 Speaker_03
He knew nothing about why! He's touched the star and... And?

00:42:07 Speaker_01
And you were released from the dark world? Contract fulfilled! See?

00:42:15 Speaker_03
Right. That's right. That's... that's right. So now, you and Arthur can leave. England, was it? No more secrets between the two of you. Yes. Yes, he'll know. Now that it's done, he'll... he'll know. I'll tell him. Eventually.

00:42:38 Speaker_03
And... and eventually I'll... I'll tell him what... what happened in the Dark World. When the time is right, we can... we can let it all go. Move on from this place. What? I mean... I said I stopped them from moving, Johnny. But his ears still work. What?

00:43:06 Speaker_03
Am I wrong, Archie? You... Arthur... I... You... You lied.

00:43:16 Speaker_01
Let it all out. Cain! Arthur! How have you been? I see you didn't take to Yellow as well as I'd hoped. Well, I mean, speaking of... Looks like we have a pair of kings here after all. Sadly not a winning hand.

00:43:34 Speaker_01
Tell Yellowhead that the Dreamlands is a lawless waste without him, will ya? Oh!

00:43:39 Speaker_03
And you brought the Mick with you! That's enough out of you. Whoever you are. Is that so?

00:43:47 Speaker_00
I... I like you.

00:43:53 Speaker_01
I like your no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners attitude. Tough. Violent.

00:43:58 Speaker_03
My kinda lad. But... The song is over. Wait... I don't hear any music. Jesus fucking Christ! The butcher is dead! His head exploded! No! He was a thinker! Matthews! He's... He's gone, Arthur! Noel has fallen to the ground! What the fuck? Who are you?

00:44:28 Speaker_03
Larson isn't moving. He's lost too much blood. He's... He's weakly calling to Kane.

00:44:34 Speaker_01
What's that now?

00:44:38 Speaker_04
Are you... You are... The Crawl in Chaos. The Spawn of Azathoth. The Creature of Thousand Forms. Nyarlathotep. Are you? Who?

00:44:59 Speaker_03
Who are you? Please. Me? Who? Fucking cares! Oh my God, Wallace! Are you not understanding? What? God, you are so unremarkable. Worthless, really. You know, I don't hate many humans, but you... Look at him! I mean, look at him! Look at Arthur! John!

00:45:29 Speaker_03
I mean, look at John! John! What kind of great old one calls himself fucking John, for fuck's sake?

00:45:39 Speaker_01
Do you not get it? Oh.

00:45:45 Speaker_03
And you never will. You are nothing like Arthur! You still have your sight, for fuck's sake! Actually, let me help you with that. Jesus Christ, Arthur! Larson's eyes! They've been torn from his head!

00:46:04 Speaker_03
They've literally shattered apart like glass as they hit the marble floor! Larson's keeled over in pain!

00:46:14 Speaker_01
Alright, you two. Yellow, head home and get some rest. Enjoy your new pet, okay?

00:46:18 Speaker_00
Enjoy the dreamlands!

00:46:22 Speaker_01
Don't forget to ride! There. No more memory issues. No more gods fighting over this plane of existence. You can have it all, Johnny Boy!

00:46:35 Speaker_03
It's only us. A-and Noel left. The butcher- Alright!

00:46:40 Speaker_01
The detective.

00:46:42 Speaker_03
Well, you can leave too. He's... He's gone! Where did you send him? Uh, I don't know. Maybe Spain.

00:46:50 Speaker_01
Look, Arthur, it's time for us to have a chat.

00:46:53 Speaker_03
It's just us now. Alone once again. Why did you want me here?

00:47:00 Speaker_01
Great question.

00:47:01 Speaker_03
You always ask such great questions.

00:47:04 Speaker_01
Well... This was... A little test, Archie. A big test, really. But... See, if you knew this was what I wanted, you never would have come. You're too... You're too rascally. You just don't like being told what to do.

00:47:25 Speaker_03
You said that. You wanted me to reach the gravestone. But... Why? Well, I'm glad you asked, Archie. Let's take a walk. He snapped his fingers. The room has gone dark, Arthur. Say yes, pretty please.

00:47:51 Speaker_03
Kane's bloodstained hand is stretched out towards us, as if to take it. I have such wonders to show you. OK. All right. I'll come. And that's what I love about you, Arthur. You even surprise me.