SPEAKER_02 1:02

Wait, I'm so, so late, so stupid. Elion, Willow, I'm so sorry. Time just it just ran away from me.

SPEAKER_03 1:11

So, how's Briar?

SPEAKER_02 1:13

What?

SPEAKER_03 1:13

It's alright, Quill, we were patient. Uh ha ha ha.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

Alright, Willow. He ran all the way here. He's received his punishment.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Agreed. Do we have an extra lesson today, Elyon? Is that why you called the meeting?

SPEAKER_01 1:28

No, there will be no more mist lessons for a while.

SPEAKER_03 1:31

Why not? Did Willow create something wrong? Did Quill actually create something?

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Please, both of you. I have a task for you, Willow. I am sending you back to the mystified camp.

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Back to the haven? But Elyon.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

Your people have lived in blindness far too long. It's time to show them what the mist can really do. It's not just a vapor to be worshipped. I need you to tell them the truth about where it comes from.

SPEAKER_03 2:02

Elion, I left that place months ago.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

They won't listen to me. You already know how to create new things out of the mist. That should be convincing, even for poppies. And you're going with her. What?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

You've studied the mist in depth for months, and you have years of experience in leadership. Willow will need your help.

SPEAKER_02 2:20

Elyon! Last time I was with the Mysties, those rainbow-robed psychotic monks tried to kidnap and brainwash me. And that was in their roadside camp. Uh, no offense, Willow.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

I'll be just fine going on my own.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

This mission needs both of you. The Mystified will not respond without both creation and explanation.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

But why them? Elyon, they've been secluded in their haven for decades now. And they seem to be doing just fine. Not all of them, Minister. You're right, Willow, but you're not like the rest of the poppies.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Look, my point is the Mystified won't be helpful?

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Yeah. I guess that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

Willow, can you tell me who founded the Mystified High Sister Corey?

SPEAKER_03 3:05

But what does that have- Wait.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

High Sister Corey? Isn't Corey Goodwin? Roy and Sam's sister? Correct.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Willow, why did she start it?

SPEAKER_03 3:16

To achieve enlightened vision of the mist.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Not necessarily.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

But that's what we've all been taught.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

Sometimes the passage of time twists the understanding of history. Corey founded the haven as a place for the hurting and the outcast. The mist is strong at the base of my mountain, so that is where she settled. She built tents for healing, planted gardens for meditation, organized music lessons. Cory recognized that the mist was a special tool.

SPEAKER_03 3:46

Did you teach her to use the mist?

SPEAKER_01 3:48

No. She never came up at the peak. Roy would tell me how she was doing whenever he visited her. She studied the mist for years, trying to understand her gifts with it. All on her own. The worship of the mist came later by the elders in the camp.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

My teachers never taught us those things.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Your teachers never knew. But with this knowledge, your people may become more important than you realize. No one's worth giving up that easily.

SPEAKER_03 4:20

You're right. I have to tell them.

SPEAKER_02 4:23

And I suppose I'll go with you. To make sure you get the history right this time.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Good. I apologize, I must cut our meetings short.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

Wait, you can't leave now. What about the people of assurance? They'll need someone!

SPEAKER_01 4:36

I already have them cared for, Quill. You'll have to trust me. You need to be on this mission.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

But fine. I trust you. Ellion? Yes. The misty history.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Why have I never seen it in the history books? Some things are not to be learned from books. What you see in the present and read about in the past do not necessarily indicate the future. Who knows? You may have a thing or two to learn from the mystified yourself. Now go. Supplies await you at the assurance border.

SPEAKER_07 5:22

No.

SPEAKER_05 5:23

Rakarat Bray. Welcome to the Interconnector. Service to anywhere in the valley, an entrance to salvation. Glad you finally made it.

SPEAKER_07 5:33

It's not what it looks like.

SPEAKER_05 5:34

Looks pretty bad to me. This your brother? Conductor Shaft Girlock at your service. And you are?

SPEAKER_04 5:44

Where's my family?

SPEAKER_05 5:46

Interesting name you got.

SPEAKER_07 5:47

Shaft, come on. Marlowe's family's missing.

SPEAKER_05 5:51

Happens sometimes. Stop wasting time. Where are Kyla and Rowley? How should I know? I'm a train conductor, not entrance computer. But I guess a topsider wouldn't understand how it works, so I gave you leave on that. I'm a father. You wouldn't understand that either.

SPEAKER_07 6:06

Stop being say daft about this, both of you!

SPEAKER_05 6:09

Get out of my way, boy! Can't. I really can't, because you see, you two are trespassing. I can't have that.

SPEAKER_04 6:18

Well, you're gonna have that. Now move!

SPEAKER_05 6:22

Marlo, stop! Just stop! All right, all right.

SPEAKER_04 6:26

I'm stopping.

SPEAKER_05 6:28

Just put the gun away. Do not talk to me like I'm one of your blasted kids! I am the conductor here, not you!

SPEAKER_07 6:35

Shaft, stop it!

SPEAKER_05 6:37

Bri, get out of the way! This man attacked me!

SPEAKER_07 6:41

So you're gonna use a gun on him, Briar. Just hold on, all right? Can't you talk to me for one blasted second?

SPEAKER_05 6:50

He shouldn't have hit me.

SPEAKER_07 6:52

You're right, he shouldn't have hit you. But but he is not in the conversation right now.

SPEAKER_04 6:58

All right.

SPEAKER_07 6:59

Good. Can you put the gun away now? You're scaring me. Give it over. Fine. Good. Now what to do with this piece of chuck?

SPEAKER_05 7:17

What'd you smash the gun against the train for?

SPEAKER_07 7:20

What are you pointing it at me for? I'm sorry, Bright. I wasn't gonna. I just doesn't matter. Grandad promote you.

SPEAKER_06 7:33

Soon as we got down.

SPEAKER_07 7:34

Conductor shaft gearlock. Not bad, metalhead.

SPEAKER_06 7:40

Could have been you, you know.

SPEAKER_07 7:42

I always wanted chief conductor.

SPEAKER_06 7:45

I kinda forgot about the regular conductor bit.

SPEAKER_07 7:48

Yeah. I've missed you, shafty. Something wrong?

SPEAKER_05 7:57

You know, I missed you too. A lot. For about a month, Grandana ran about like chickens with their heads cut off.

SPEAKER_06 8:07

But then you move on. You get to tinkering again.

SPEAKER_05 8:11

And then you realize your family. She ain't coming back.

SPEAKER_07 8:16

I wrote you. Every week I wrote you.

SPEAKER_05 8:19

I know. Found him today.

SPEAKER_07 8:22

You have a bruise on your cheek.

SPEAKER_05 8:24

Played rack a rat with the wrong people.

SPEAKER_07 8:26

Shaft. Who hit you?

SPEAKER_05 8:28

Doesn't matter. Wasn't his fault.

SPEAKER_07 8:32

Grandad wouldn't.

SPEAKER_05 8:33

Not his fault. Why'd you leave?

SPEAKER_07 8:38

This is all my doing.

SPEAKER_05 8:40

Cannot answer him a question.

SPEAKER_07 8:42

I had to, shaft.

SPEAKER_05 8:44

And now you want to take me to the blasted surface, yeah? With that piece of pyrite? Heard that. You can't stay down here. If it means staying by grandda's side, then watch me, sis. What's that?

SPEAKER_07 8:57

Shaft.

SPEAKER_05 9:01

Salvation security.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Ah! This is ridiculous! He almost added Lilium! That's a scientific name. Six petals, blossoming from a bulb to form a flimsy little lily. If the mist would just work with me to actually create one!

SPEAKER_03 9:32

Try holding your fingers straighter as you make the circling motion. They're simple. Lillium, lily, whatever you want to call them. They're simple. Their essence, their being, their truth. It's all simple. Just a show-off, aren't you? At least I have something to show off, Minister. Are there any other poppies this competitive? Some of them. They're the ones normally sent to the meditation classes.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Let's see. What if I did this?

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Great. Now the path is lined with lilies. Congratulations, Willow.

SPEAKER_03 10:09

You can only comment if you can create them.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

Alright, fine.

SPEAKER_03 10:13

How much longer do we have until we arrive? It's not the little roadside camp you went to the first time. We have to travel further to reach the haven.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

You mean this camp is bigger?

SPEAKER_03 10:23

Is that a problem?

SPEAKER_02 10:25

No! It just That means more poppies. If I hadn't had enough of them already.

SPEAKER_03 10:31

Feel free to turn back anytime you want to if you hate them so much.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

I don't hate them. Could have fooled me. Well, oh come on. I don't hate the mystified.

SPEAKER_03 10:40

No, of course not. Because you're diplomatic, right? You're the minister of the patient few. I may have left, but the haven will always be my first home. The mystified are still my people. So don't diss them in front of me. Got it?

SPEAKER_02 10:55

Got it.

SPEAKER_03 10:56

Good. Now back to the mystics.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

Fine. I've had enough.

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Alright, I'll create on my own.

SPEAKER_02 11:05

I'm an arc butterfly. You may be trying too hard.

SPEAKER_03 11:11

No such thing. Agree to disagree.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Alright, baby.

SPEAKER_03 11:15

Now, follow the motion of my hands here. Spin slowly. Straight fingers.

SPEAKER_04 11:31

You were stalling. By guidance, you were stalling, so we'd get caught.

SPEAKER_07 11:36

Shaft.

SPEAKER_05 11:37

Like you said, I had to, sis. You ragged little.

SPEAKER_07 11:40

You would see me captured.

SPEAKER_05 11:42

You can't leave again. And you won't be forgetting me again either.

SPEAKER_07 11:45

Forgetting you? What kind of pyrite is that? That's why I'm here to bring both of you back.

SPEAKER_05 11:51

For what? Your pacing boy? The mist? Freedom? We have Ellion. You actually believe all that blasted Ellion business, don't you? What what are you talking about? It's the truth. Not from where I'm looking. Another train's coming. Every few minutes, another train, Brian!

SPEAKER_07 12:10

You've never seen him, Shaft. I have!

SPEAKER_05 12:12

And I You're absolutely right. I haven't seen Ellion anywhere. What I do see is my sister deciding that a new hearth robe and her invisible helper are worth more in her own kin. Look, Bri, I'll make sure security won't lay a finger on you, all right? I'll protect you.

SPEAKER_07 12:29

Shaft, you're not speaking sense.

SPEAKER_05 12:31

Briar, it's another train.

SPEAKER_07 12:33

We have to go now. Wait!

SPEAKER_04 12:38

They come every few minutes! Take another one into the city!

SPEAKER_05 12:44

He won't make it far.

SPEAKER_07 12:48

Granda?

SPEAKER_05 12:49

I imagine he'll be pleased to see you.

SPEAKER_07 12:52

This isn't you, Shafty.

SPEAKER_05 12:55

How would you know? You weren't here the past six months!

SPEAKER_07 12:59

No, I wasn't! I was gone! And I left you on your own in a city that you didn't even know existed! I left you, I left Granda, and I did not even take a train through to visit. And I'm so sorry, Shaft! But I was there for the other 18 years of your life. You're strong, you got courage, and you wouldn't hurt a wee fly.

SPEAKER_05 13:31

I wish I know.

SPEAKER_07 13:33

Me too. I gotta follow Marlo.

SPEAKER_05 13:38

Don't leave, not again.

SPEAKER_07 13:40

Come with me.

SPEAKER_05 13:42

I can't do that.

SPEAKER_07 13:43

Of course you can. Hopping trains, right? Child play. That's not Gotcha!

SPEAKER_05 13:49

Oh no! Ah! Briar! Get off my sister! Don't hurt them! Get off me, conductor! You're not one of the targets! Oh my arm! Get her! You're too close to the edge! You're gonna fall into the tracks! Oh, Pyrite! Briar! Briar, you alright! Tell me all right!

SPEAKER_07 14:16

I think oh no. Every few minutes. Marlowe said every few minutes. Oh, Shaft! My leg!

SPEAKER_05 14:27

Hold on! Just hold on, Sass! Shafty, don't you go down! Let me see. No, you shouldn't be down here! That's what I should be doing. Let me see. Ha ha! Ha ha! That's not good! Feels like I've twisted my forearm. You plan to land on top of me. You two get off the trucks right now! You took it above! Right.

SPEAKER_07 14:48

Can you stand? I can't want stand. Come on.

SPEAKER_05 14:56

Get out of there.

SPEAKER_00 15:39

Shaft was written by Tori Lang. Featuring the voice talents of Joshua Reed, Terrell Nelson, Corinne Keene, Caleb Towns, Jonathan Bullock, Chris Nelson, and Christina Stenson. Sound design by Caleb Lindevalson. Music by Mark McDowell. The Encounter is written, performed, and produced by Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Visit us online at encounterseries.com.