Episode 4.10 - Carry the Fire

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Healy A Beyond the Dark production Season 4 Episode 10 Carry the Fire Okay, so here we are. The bridge. I guess this is where it all starts. Are you sure you're up to this, Amber? If you think you need more time... No, no, I'm fine. I'm ready. It's not too late to back out. Look, the odds are that we're not even going to find anything today. This is just a first attempt. I don't even know if I can pull this off, so let's just give it a try and see what happens. Okay. What do you need me to do? Nothing. I just need somewhere quiet, and let's move over here, away from the highway. How does this whole thing work, anyway? What's the process? Well, I figure I'm just going to try reaching out in my mind, like I did before, and hope that I can see the house in the woods again. Greystone. Right. Greystone. With any luck, I'll be able to... I don't know exactly, feel my way there, I guess? Home in on it, somehow? Sounds vague. Yeah, well, I'm just trying to figure this shit out as I go. Maybe we should look through the resources at the library one more time. Maybe we missed something. Daniel, we've turned that place upside down. Are you sure of that? Usually, it's me who's making up excuses to head to the library. Why are you so fond of it all of a sudden? I'm not certain that coming out here is the right thing to do. What's the matter? You afraid of a little fresh air? No, but- Come on, tell me. I just think this could be dangerous for you. exposing yourself to the shadow like this. We have no idea what could happen. This isn't the first time I've tried reaching out to Argus. Yeah, but this feels a lot more direct, more confrontational. I'm just probing out there into the woods with my mind. I am not in any danger. But this Argus guy, we can't take this fucker lightly. We've taken down plenty of shadows before now, Daniel. He's different. You know that as well as I do. Are you worried that he's going to screw with my mind somehow? Of course I am. Look at what he's already done to the people in this community. He's affected just about everyone who lives and breathes within the Oakwood town limits. He won't get to me, Daniel. I'll be fine. Now, give me some space so I can do my thing. Okay, whatever you say. Alright, let me just close my eyes here and think. The bridge. The woods. Amber, you okay? Yeah, I... Ow! Okay, that kills. The headache again? Yep. Seems to be a quaint little side effect of reaching out with my thoughts. Oh god, fucking pounds. Why don't you sit down? No, no, no, it's okay. Let me walk it off. Let's go that way. Why this way? I saw the woods in my mind just now, and despite this damn throbbing in my skull, I sensed something. We need to go through there. Through the tall grass? Yeah, that's... that's the way. Huh. I remember this spot. The tall grass? What about it? This is where I... yeah, this is where I saw the woman with long hair. The last time we visited the bridge. Christina? Is that who you think it was? That's why she seemed so familiar to me, because there was something about her that reminded me of Jenny. We're not going to start that again, are we? If you're going to imply that I'm imagining things, then I guess not. Look, I don't want to insult you or anything, but I'm concerned about your expectations here. My expectations? I'm worried about what you think we're going to find. Is it her you're looking for in these woods, or the shadow? You already know the answer to that. Amber, if your motivation for heading into the woods is to find Jenny- My motivation is to kill a fucking shadow, Daniel. Nothing more, nothing less. So you don't believe she's here? At this point, I don't know what to believe. I'm keeping an open mind to things, that's all. Yeah, okay. Are we good, Daniel? We're good. Good. Come on, it's this way. Follow me. Are we getting closer? Wish I could tell you for sure. I'm just going on gut instinct here. What does your gut tell you? Yeah, it can't be too far away. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something doesn't feel right here. It's somehow unnatural. No, I get it. I feel it too. There's like a presence that's settled over the woods, right? Something tangible. I guess that aspect of it, as much as anything, tells me we're on the right track. Fingers crossed. Hey, what's that over there? I'm not sure. Let's check it out. What is this? A tractor? Uh, yeah. I think you're right. It's almost unrecognizable, though, under all of these vines. Looks ancient like something that I used back in the 20s or 30s What the hell is it doing here in the middle of the woods Beats me There no farmland around here that for sure And no roads, or even a path. Yeah, strange. Oh, wait a second. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think I've seen this before. The tractor? Mm-hmm. In an old newspaper clipping at the library? No, in my mind. During my visions of the woods, it was only vague, and... And before now, I thought it must have been some kind of rock formation or maybe a mound of dirt, but no. This is it. The shape is exactly the same as what I saw. So, what's the significance? Does it mean we're on the right track? I think so, yeah. What's the matter? You've got a weird expression on your face. Yeah, I was just thinking about the vision again. There was a man standing nearby. Argus. No, not him. It was a man in a straw hat with a pitchfork? Someone we need to be worried about? No, he seemed innocent to me. Someone who was just an observer? A local? Maybe he knows something. No, I get the impression he's long gone from these parts. Like a distant memory. Maybe he lived here once, a long time ago. It's possible that when Argus took up residence at Greystone, he forced all of his neighbors to leave, so that he could have more privacy. Yeah, yeah, maybe that's it. The guy might have been a farmer back in the old days. Could there have been crops here once? That would explain the presence of the tractor. I guess it's possible, but either way, it's probably not important to us. We should keep moving. Hold up for a second, Amber. Is there anything else you need to tell me about? Like what? Well, about any more visions, for example? Oh, that? Uh, no, no, there's nothing else. To be honest, I only just thought of the man after seeing the tractor here. It kind of brought back the memory. Okay. Well, if there's anything else that comes to mind... I'll be sure to let you know. Come on, let's keep going. Over here. Wait up again, Daniel. I think I... I think I need to take a minute. Is everything okay? I just don't feel the pull as strongly in this direction. I think we might be going the wrong way. We're lost? I didn't say that. This is just a slight course correction. Okay. Take as long as you need. I'm just going to close my eyes and reach out again, see what's out there. Okay? Here, I'll hold you steady. Thanks. Okay, here goes. Oh, shit. What's the matter? My head again. Fuck. It hurts? Yeah, yeah, it kills. Just give me a second. I've got you. Oh, thanks. I'm okay. And on the plus side, I just saw the house. Oh, God, Greystone. It's coming through strong. Really? Does that mean we're close? Well, I can't say for sure, but I guess so. There was something else, too. Something beneath the mansion. A den? No, no, it was a light of some kind, like the glow of a lamp. Sounds weird. Yeah, and it was almost... well, it's hard to explain, but it was almost welcoming. Welcoming? In that place? Yeah. Odd, right? That's one way to put it. What's that supposed to mean? Nothing. No, there's something bothering you, isn't there? Forget about it. Come on, Daniel. Let's hear it. I think maybe we should take a break from this whole reaching out with your mind thing for the time being. I'm a little concerned. About what? The headaches, for one. This whole thing is obviously taking a lot out of you. I'm worried you might be doing harm by subjecting yourself to it over and over again. Daniel, I can look after myself, okay? I'll know when it's time to pull back. Sure, that's fine, but... Then there's the other thing. What other thing? Don't you see the parallels here, Amber? Between you and Christina? Parallels? What are you talking about, Daniel? Think of the diary. Christina was seeing visions, just like you. The bridge, the woods, and the house. And not long after that, she walked out of her room and never came back. She fell into the grip of the shadow. Yeah, I've been waiting for this. You think I'm losing my mind, don't you? Just like Roderick said I was. I don't care what Roderick said. Do you think I'm turning into a goddamn holoskin or something? Is that it? Honestly, I'm not sure what to think. All I know is that you're not acting like yourself lately. First the thing with Jenny, and now suggesting that Greystone is welcoming. Just listen to yourself, Amber. Argus is not going to get to me, Daniel. I promise you that. He is not going to take over my mind. You may not have a choice about that. Look, this whole thing boils down to one simple question. Do you trust me or not? Do you trust me, Daniel? Because if you don't, we might as well just go our separate ways right now. Yes, I trust you. Good. And I trust you. In the end, that is all that matters. I still think it might be a good idea to slow down for a second. Take stock of the... What the fuck? Did you hear that? Yeah. We're not alone. Is it human? An animal? It might be neither. Grab your axe. I've got the .22. Keep an eye out. If the Holoskins are here, they might try to spring us from behind. I think I see something. Get ready. Well, well, well. Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes? What's the matter? You lost? Ugh, goddammit. Roderick, what the fuck? Sorry, did I startle you? What do you think, sneaking up on us like that? I wasn't sneaking? You could have called out. It's not the best idea to draw attention to oneself. None these woulds. But in any case, I apologize for the intrusion. What are you doing here, Roderick? I thought you wanted no part of this whole thing. Well, that's a valid point. And up until a few hours ago, I had no intention of coming at all. But something changed. Which was? Our conversation last night gave me considerable food for thought, I must admit. In fact, I spent most of the night going over it again and again in my mind. And by the time dawn broke, I was forced to confront the truth. That I become far too passive Hearing the two of you speak with such conviction it made me realize that I lost my edge And that is... well, something I deeply regret. So you changed your mind about Argus? Ah, I wish you'd known me back in the day. I was fearless. There was nothing that could stand in my way. I see that same belief now, in the two of you, the way you carry the fire within you. And that made me realize how much I missed it. Is that why you came? Yes. What I really need is... Well, I need to get back in the game. And of course there are other reasons. You were right about Argus. We simply can't leave him to continue on his wicked way. We must free the town of Oakwood from his demonic grip. You'll help us, then? Yes, in any way I can. If you'll have me. No offense, Roderick, but are you sure you're up to this? Well, I suppose there's only one way to find out. Well, three in Estrama are better than two. Believe me, I'd like to have twenty of us here, but yes, three will have to do. Can you fight? I need to blow off a few cobwebs, no doubt. but I'm sure it will all come back to me in the heat of battle. Oh, shit, you have a sword. A short sword, technically. I put an end to many a shadow with this trusty friend. Over the years, I'll tell you that. It's a conduit. Yes. Soaked in the blood of a shadow named Darshan. I felled him in the streets of London over a hundred years ago, late one night as the mist swirled around us. Certainly an upgrade from the chipped and battered old conduit I've been using previously But that is a story for another time I'd love to hear it Indeed Now, forgive me if this sounds presumptuous, my friend But I gather you're having a difficult time trying to locate the mansion, Greystone Well, we don't exactly have a treasure map to guide us every step of the way We've been relying on Amber's visions to guide us, but she's pretty new to this kind of thing. We're just feeling our way, to be honest. Well, I believe I can be of assistance here. First, you have to turn that way. You're heading in the wrong direction. Wait, you know how to get there? Yes, of course I do. How? Because this is not the first time I've visited Greystone. In fact, I know the place better than I'd like to admit. I'm sorry, what? When were you here? Some time ago now, actually. Care to fill us in? I mean, since you're no longer trying to stop us going through with this thing, there's no reason to withhold information anymore. Right? Yes. Yes, I'll tell you. But we really should start moving. We'll want to carry out our mission before the light fades, if possible. Right this way. Gather up your things and come with me. Starting a business can be overwhelming. You're juggling multiple roles, designer, marketer, logistics manager, all while bringing your vision to life. Shopify helps millions of business sell online. Build fast with templates and AI descriptions and photos, inventory and shipping. Sign up for your one euro per month trial and start selling today at Shopify.nl. That's Shopify.nl. It's time to see what you can accomplish with Shopify by your side. Starting a business can be overwhelming. You're juggling multiple roles, designer, marketer, logistics manager, all while bringing your vision to life. Shopify helps millions of business sell online. Build fast with templates and AI descriptions and photos, inventory and shipping. Sign up for your one euro per month trial and start selling today at shopify.nl. That's shopify.nl. It's time to see what you can accomplish with Shopify by your side. starting a business can be overwhelming you're juggling multiple roles designer marketer logistics manager all while bringing your vision to life shopify helps millions of business sell online build fast with templates and ai descriptions and photos inventory and shipping sign up for your one euro per month trial and start selling today at shopify.nl that's shopify.nl it's time to see what you can accomplish with Shopify by your side. So, what's the story, Roderick? Tell us about the last time you were here. Well, it wasn't my proudest moment, I have to admit. Although it did prove to be a valuable learning experience. How so? Let me go back to the start so that I can explain it all. The year was 1952? No, no, 51, I think. I'd been travelling across the country to New York to catch up with an old friend who had just journeyed across the Atlantic. I happened to stop here in Oakwood to refuel my car, just a routine stop. But as I prepared to leave, I sensed something... strange. Strange? How? I knew that something was different here in Oakwood. Through all of my years of encountering night devils, I'd never experienced anything quite like it. I had to know more, so I ended up staying a few days to investigate. Was that something you did a lot? Going from town to town hunting shadows? Not in the same way that you and Amber do, no. My senses are not as finely tuned as yours, and generally it's much harder for me to track them down. So, how did you find Greystone? I was, uh, guided there by a holoskin. You were led there voluntarily. It's slightly more complicated than that. You see, back in 51, I had no idea that hollow skins even existed. I'd never encountered them before. And so, when I saw a woman watching me in town, acting strangely, I assumed that she herself was the Shadow. I began to follow her. Let me guess. You went past the bridge, through the woods. And then to the mansion, yes. By the time we reached Greystone, I could sense the presence of a shadow very keenly, and I had no reason to believe that my assumptions about her were wrong. What happened when you got there? By this time I was running, trying to catch her, but she proved to be surprisingly swift. She disappeared inside the front door, and, wary of traps, I slowed my pace accordingly. I proceeded with a great deal more caution. Inside the house, it didn't take long to find a staircase leading downward underground, and I knew that I had reached the shadow's lair. I saw something underground in one of my visions. A light. Light? No, no, I think not, Amber. It's a dark place, that. Like the pits of hell. And the tunnels are numerous, twisting and elaborate. He has a whole tunnel system down there. What are the tunnels used for? I'm sure he has many dark purposes. Store rooms or torture chambers. But as far as I can tell, it mainly serves as an abode for his hollow skins. So the place is literally crawling with those poor souls. Hmm A comforting thought isn it What happened when you went down there Roderick Somehow I managed to find a way to the main chamber and that was when I realized the woman was not the shadow after all That's when I saw him. Argus? Yes. He'd fashioned himself a throne of sorts, an ornate wooden chair with thick armrests and a high back. He sat languidly as I approached, smirking at me. unconcerned by my sword or even that a Nostrama was in his presence the others were there you see standing in the gloom his hollow skins they attacked you? this is where the true humiliation of my story is revealed I'm sorry to say no the hollow skins stood ready in case they were needed but as it turns out Argus only needed one thing to defeat me his mind. I don't understand. Argus's mental capabilities have developed far beyond that of any normal shadow, as I'm sure you might have realized by now. But as I stood there that day, I had no idea that was the case. I advanced on him and Argus simply swept me off my feet, drove me to my knees with nothing more than a thought. At that proximity, his mind was like a... a sledgehammer, pounding against me, stripping me of my will. Holy shit. How did you get out of there? Ha! Luck, I suppose. As his minions advanced upon me, I managed to free my hand and bring it to my side. Back in the day, I used to carry a pistol. I'd been experimenting with bullets dipped in shadow blood to see if they might have any effect as a conduit. Although I wasn't able to draw the pistol, I did manage to discharge a round while it sat in its holster, and the sound was deafening. It seemed to surprise Argus, for his hold of me was broken, just for a split second, mind you. But that was all I needed to stumble backward and clamber to my feet. I ran for my life through the darkened tunnels with those demons close to my heels, then through the forest and to safety. Hearing their howls of rage as they chase me. I'll never forget it for as long as I live. Damn, that sounds like a close call. One of the closest I've had over the years, to be sure. Sometimes I wonder if my escape that day was not luck after all, but... Argus's own bidding. You're suggesting he let you go on purpose? I don't know for certain. Maybe he wanted me to spread my tale among other Nostrama just as I'm doing right now, in order to discourage any further attempts to disturb his sanctuary. If that was his purpose, then I have to say he succeeded. After all, you've just spent the last few days trying to dissuade us from coming here. Maybe that's it. And maybe I'm nothing more than a plaything for Argus to be brought out and manipulated whenever he sees fit. I get the feeling that bastard is manipulating all of us in one way or another. You gave us a whole bunch of reasons why we shouldn't come here, Roderick. But I think I finally understand the real reason. Yes. I'm afraid of him. I can't deny it. Those other reasons are certainly illegitimate, but fear is indeed the driving force behind my actions. I'm sorry. I should have admitted that before now. Look, it took a while, but you came back to face up to it eventually, at least. I only hope that I'm not inadvertently leading you to your doom. I don't know if it's true that Argus is trying to lure us to him, though it sure doesn't seem that way to me. In fact, whenever I reach out with my mind, he tells me I should stay away. Perhaps he sees you and Daniel together as a much greater threat than I was on my own. Do you think it's possible that he's afraid of us? I don't believe Argus fears anyone. But he certainly must understand that this fight will be more of a challenge. For that reason, he may have chosen to avoid conflict. Well, that's too fucking bad. Because we are bringing it to him now whether he wants it or not. A determined pair, you two, aren't you? You better believe it. Well, you best gather every ounce of courage you have at your disposal, my friends. Here, on the other side of this clearing, you'll see it with your own eyes. Greystone. The time has come for us to confront the darkness. And this time, I for one intend to see it through to the bitter end. The Road of Shadows is created by Mark R. Healy. Want to hear more stories just like this one? Head over to Patreon to hear other audio productions by Mark R. Healy. There you'll also find lots of bonus content, free stuff, and ad-free episodes that you can hear a week early. All of that and more is available now at patreon.com slash beyondthedark. You can also hear more at therodoshadows.com. The Road of Shadows Season 4 stars Hamish Plagemars Marta De Silva Liz Maury Joseph Tweeda Chloe Elmore Larry O'Blander Sian Luxford Cameron Alexis Thomas Barker and Alejandro Pedrosa. The Road of Shadows is a Beyond the Dark production. The Fable and Folly Network Where fiction producers flourish Welcome to Magenta Presents, a new horror anthology hosted by me, Madam Magenta. We begin with the five-part miniseries Ghosted, starring Beth Eyre and Lucy Roslyn. Perched on a rain-battered cliff edge is a former lighthouse. It's a charming, quirky boutique hotel. Owner and sole-occupant Beth has spent months renovating, absorbing its essence into her bones. It's an old building. You'll get used to it. But to Beth's horror, her first guest is a figure from a past she has tried to forget. Kira? Beth? What the fu- Face to face for the first time in years, the pair must reckon with old mistakes, old grievances. Beth, speak to me. Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up. And something else. Oh, I can't bear it. What is that noise? Because the lighthouse has a past too. Beth. He's right there. Why is there blood on your hands? We need to get out of here. Kira! Kira! I can still see him! Subscribe to Magenta Presents wherever you listen to podcasts. See you soon, fans of the esoteric. Bye! Bye! Magenta Presents.