A Carian knight races through the hallway before Raya Lucaria's Grand Library. The hall is dark, lighted only by a few candles. A glintstone staff hangs by his side.
The view opens up into the courtyard, where it rains. A lone Carian knight named Moongrum stands alone, a sword and shield in his hands.
From the view of Moongrum, the two knights square off at a distance, eyeing one another warily.
The unnamed Carian knight raises the glintstone staff with two hands. It glows with a dark-blue blade, projected with magic.
The two knights lunge at one another.
The two knights clash, their blades meeting.
The knights step back from one another, having sized the other up.
Both hold their staves with one hand.
From the tips of their staves, a single long lance, in magic, is projected. They miss each other, their blades just slightly above the other's shoulder.
The unnamed knight sweeps a large broadsword at his foe, who sidesteps it.
Moongrum lunges forward with his sword, cutting the unnamed knight in the arm.
The unnamed knight stabs the knight with a projected lance, but it lands square in the center of his shield.
The unnamed knight steps back, casting a spell with his staff. Four magic swords dance over his head.
The unnamed knight flees into the hallway, with Moongrum pursuing.
The unnamed knight exits the opposite side of the hallway. The archway is emphasized at the top of the frame.
The view moves upward from the archway, revealing the hallway is a tower. The tower has a large magical circle suspended in the air; from the circle a large iron ball is conjured.
The iron ball descends.
The view faces toward a long staircase. The knight throws his body away from the ball's path; the ball crashes and bounces off of the stair's banister.
Moongrum lunges forward; the knight tries to dodge again, but is cut in the side of his stomach.
The knight reacts with pain.
The knight, with a deft hand, cuts Moongrum in the chest with his magic blade. Moongrum reels backwards.
Both knights dodge the second iron ball descending.
The unnamed knight, groaning, holds the side of his stomach, blood spilling from his hand.
From the unnamed knight's view, he sees Moongrum, projecting a lance from his staff, has stabbed him in the leg.
The unnamed knight waves his staff, the four swords dancing over his head flying towards Moongrum.
Moongrum blocks the swords with his shield; one of the swords grazes his leg.
The unnamed knight lunges forward, hurt leg be damned.
The two knights clash with their blades.
The unnamed knight wins the clash, the third iron ball thundering in the background.
Having overpowered Moongrum, the knight steps downward into the staircase, giving himself space.
Moongrum raises his sword, humming with a surge of magic.
Moongrum brings the blade down. The unnamed knight steps backward; a great magical blade obscures his view.
The great magical blade dims; behind it was the fourth iron ball.
Panicked, the unnamed knight jumps backward; in his haste, he exerts and strains his hurt leg.
The knight trips, falling on his back.
Moongrum's staff brightens with light.
Moongrum's staff projects a lance. The knight rolls away.
The fifth iron ball descends, rolling menacingly.
The unnamed knight anticipates the iron ball and is prepared to leap, with his hands, away from it. Moongrum looms in the background, sword and shield in hand.
The ball descends, just shy of the unnamed knight.
Moongrum lunges, ready to kill the unnamed knight.
The knight holds his staff with both hands; a magical lance projects from it.
The lance strikes the iron ball, moving its trajectory slightly.
The ball is pushed toward Moongrum, who tries to step backwards.
The ball crushes Moongrum's foot, reducing it to a pulp. He howls in pain.
Moongrum's hands are over his flattened foot. The knight stands over Moongrum.
Both knights point their staves at the other.
Lances shoot from their staves. Moongrum's lance stabs through the knight's shoulder; the knight's lance strikes through Moongrum's brains.
Moongrum moans with pain, almost uncomprehending of his situation.
Moongrum falls. The knight coldly watches his body.
A view of the courtyard, with the elevator behind it now shown.
The elevator ascends, carrying the knight with it. Before him is the great, storied Grand Library.
The knight opens the door to the library. All behind the doors are dark.
The knight throws his gaze at the library's ceiling, admiring the candelabras overhead and wondering where the light is.
Something brushes against the knight's foot. He looks down.
A woman on all fours in a scholar's robe and cap is sniffing the knight's foot.
The woman looks upward at the knight with a smile that conveys nothing in her mind.
The knight is horrified.
The knight looks around him, lights shining in the distance.
From the knight's view, he sees the center of the room, filled with women the same as the one aforementioned. They were hidden in the darkness of the room by lying flat on their stomaches in their dark-blue robes. They look at the knight with wonder with candlesticks in their hands.
The women look upwards.
The knight is bewildered.
The knight, hesitant, looks upward too.
A view of a cradle, suspended in air. Rennala: Hush, little culver...
Rennala, the last Carian queen, is shown, suspended above the cradle. Her body is bent in the shape of a crescent moon; she is cradling an amber egg in her arms. The women are staring at her in awe. The library is finally shown in the radiance of Rennala's light, as if she herself were a moon in the room, showing the grandeur of this legendary location. Rennala: I'll soon birth thee anew, a sweeting fresh and pure...
A book flies towards the knight.
The knight blocks the book with his arm, breaking his wrist.
Overhead, a chandelier jangles, coming unloose from its chain.
The knight dodges the chandelier's descent.
The knight is surrounded by many eager, white faces.
The faces point their eyes upwards to the vault of the room, singing a golden song for their queen.
Books and other installments in the room fly at the knight. A dark-blue sword erupts from his staff.
The knight cuts the projectiles down. He has a malicious look in his eyes. The panel fades...
The panel resumes. The bodies are slumped down, blood pooling beneath them; the implication being the knight has slain them.
A crack appears in the magic keeping Rennala suspended in the air.
The crack leaks out, causing Rennala to tumble downward into the air.
She falls on her face; the cradle and the egg fall too.
The knight pushes Rennala on her back, his staff brimming with energy.
The knight is hesitant; his dominant hand, which is holding his staff, trembles.
The knight thrusts forward, pushing his blade into Rennala's heart.
The knight savagely cuts Rennala apart.
Knight: Where...is the rune?
A glimmer from the corner of the eye catches the knight's attention.
It is the egg.
The knight approaches the egg. A bloodied hand wavers toward him.
A bleeding Rennala holds down the knight's ankle with one hand, and with the other tries to push her body forward towards the egg.
She stumbles forward, her breathing uneven, her frame shaking. The egg is wide and golden in her eyes. The knight, in pity, watches. Rennala: Ahh, my beloved... Have no fear...
Rennala crawls forward, weak. Rennala: I will hold thee... Patience...
Rennala falls on her face, tears streaming down her eyes. Rennala: Ye... will be...
The knight's face, full of pity. Rennala (offscreen): ...countless born...
A view of the knight's hand, trembling.
He steadies his hand. A full view of the daunting room, whose size once intimidated novice scholars. The knight walks toward Rennala, intending to end her. Rennala: ...forever and ever...
Beneath Rennala's fallen hand, a shroud of darkness arises.
The darkness plumes into the vault of the room.
The knight looks upward in bewilderment. Ranni (not present): Upon my name...
The knight peers into the room, consumed by darkness. In fact, the room is unrecognizable in the abyss. Ranni: As Ranni the Witch, Ranni: Mother's rich slumber shall not be disturbed by thee.
A halo of blue light appears. Two feet emerge. Ranni: Foul trespasser.
The feet walk toward the knight; inexplicably, they cause ripples below them, in the dark waters that have come out of nowhere. Ranni: Send word far and wide.
The view moves upward, to the figure's staff and robes. The light of a brilliant moon can be seen in the background. Ranni: Of the last queen of Caria,
Full reveal of the figure, who is Rennala, in the peak of her strength. An immense blue moon radiates behind her, upon a backdrop of stardust. Ranni: Rennala of the Full Moon.
Rennala twirls her staff, radiating with magic.
From Rennala's staff, an immense beam of blue erupts. Narrator: This comet...
The beam blasts past the knight's head. Narrator: ...is a column of light so brilliant, it makes the stars look dark in comparison...
The knight beholds the beam, stunned beyond all comprehension. Narrator: ...which subsequent darkness made the great sorceror Azur tremble, alone and cold.
The following panels are cut into thirds. They show the same view. This panel shows the stars and the constellations above in the darkness; the constellations depict wolves, a dragon, a knight's helm and the beard of a troll. Narrator: With this, Ranni the Witch casted a great curse on the knight.
This panel shows a view of the immense moon. Narrator: She showed him the beauty of the moon, draped in all of its mysteries...
This panel shows Rennala falling, subsiding into stardust. Narrator: ...and left him bereft, frail in his own paltriness.
The traces of the darkness leave the Grand Library.
The knight is alone in the library, breathing heavily. He yearns for the light of the moon, and the voice that carried itself across the stars to him.
He sees something golden and bright above his head.
It is the Great Rune, falling like soft gold from the sky.
The knight extends his hand out, almost fearful he is unworthy of grace.
The shard of soft gold falls into his hand.