// MARSCAPONE SCHOOL OF MAGIC //


The days after my father fetched me from Trelaine’s prison passed quickly and merrily. I had been holding out hope for a rescue but I had been slipping. But my lack of faith had not been punished.

I was home.

KEVIN

FATHER, THAT WAS REALLY YOU, WASN’T IT?


Our old habits had resumed: Mother put the orphans to bed and Father came to visit me before I retired to bed.

VINCENT

WHY DO YOU THINK I LEFT YOU THE MONSTER MANUAL?

KEVIN

MOTHER NEVER LIKED THAT ONE.

VINCENT

DO NOT FAULT HER.

SHE HAS SEEN MUCH IN HER TIME.

SHE HAS A DISTASTE FOR INTERPRETATIONS. SEES IT AS ANOTHER FORM OF FICTION.

KEVIN

I THOUGHT THE MANUAL WAS TRUE.

VINCENT

IT’S NOT NOT TRUE.

EVERYTHING EXISTS SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW.

KEVIN

FATHER.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

VINCENT

GO AHEAD.

KEVIN

TRELAINE SAID YOU WERE A KING.

IS THAT TRUE?

VINCENT

SURELY HE MUST BE MISTAKEN.

I WAS NEVER A KING.

THOUGH I WAS A PRINCE, A LONG LONG TIME AGO.

KEVIN

YOU WERE A PRINCE?

WHY “WERE”?

VINCENT

I ALLOWED SOME OF MY WORST NIGHTMARES TO BE STOLEN BY THOSE WHO’D SEEK TO MISUSE THEM.

I WAS CARELESS.

I WAS NOT THE LEADER MY PEOPLE DESERVED.

KEVIN

YOU MADE A MISTAKE?

VINCENT

YES, I DID.

ADULTS MAKE MISTAKES, JUST AS I MADE A MISTAKE BY NOT PROTECTING YOU.

KEVIN

YOU WERE RESTING.

IT’S OKAY.

VINCENT

NO, IT’S NOT OKAY.

IT IS TRUE THAT I HAVE CERTAIN…LIMITATIONS.

BUT I SHOULD NEVER LET ANYTHING STAND BETWEEN ME AND MY DUTY TO YOU AND YOUR MOTHER.

TO OUR WHOLE FAMILY.

KEVIN

I’M JUST GLAD TO BE HOME.

VINCENT

AND WE’RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HOME.

THE PLACE WAS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU.

KEVIN

WILL MY TEETH GROW BACK?

VINCENT

I THINK SO.

KEVIN

DID YOU HAVE TEETH LIKE MINE?

VINCENT

I DON’T REMEMBER.

KEVIN

YOU DON’T REMEMBER?

VINCENT

I DON’T REMEMBER BEING A CHILD LIKE YOU ARE.

IT’S ALL…BEEN LOST SOMEHOW.

I DON’T REMEMBER HAVING A MOTHER OR FATHER.


A moment of reflection passes.

KEVIN

THAT’S…SCARY.

VINCENT

I SUPPOSE.

IT’S JUST HOW THINGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FOR ME.

KEVIN

I’LL NEVER FORGET WHERE I CAME FROM.

I’LL NEVER FORGET YOU AND MOTHER.

VINCENT

I HOPE NOT.

I COULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN YOU OUT WITHOUT YOUR MOTHER’S HELP.

KEVIN

THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE TRELAINE SAID.

HE CLAIMED NOT JUST YOU, BUT MOTHER, TOO, WERE BOUND TO THIS PLANE.

VINCENT

THAT IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DISCUSS WITH HER.

BUT REMEMBER THAT YOUR MOTHER DID NOT HAVE A MAGICKING FAMILY.

HER MOTHER DIED WHEN SHE WAS VERY YOUNG AND HER FATHER, WHILE A KINDLY MAN, WAS ENTIRELY ORDINARY.

SHE WAS LONELY, VERY ALONE, AND HAD NO ONE TO GUIDE HER THROUGH THE DISCOVERY OF THE ARCANE.

KEVIN

DID SHE MAKE A MISTAKE TOO?

VINCENT

I WOULDN’T SAY THAT.

BUT REALLY, YOU MUST SPEAK TO HER ABOUT IT.

KEVIN

I WILL.

…FATHER?

VINCENT

YES?

KEVIN

DO YOU THINK THE TALENT WILL EVER COME TO ME?

OR IS WHAT TRELAINE SAID TRUE?

VINCENT

WHAT DID TRELAINE SAY TO YOU?


I could not say the word.

KEVIN

HE SAID THAT I’D CHANGE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

THAT I’D BECOME…IMMORTAL.

THAT I’D NEVER DIE.

VINCENT

EVERYONE DIES SOMEDAY.

KEVIN

HE SAID…

HE SAID…


He held me close and stroked my hair.

VINCENT

SHH…IT’S OKAY.

I…DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU.

KEVIN

DOES MOTHER KNOW?

VINCENT

KEVIN…

PREDATION IS A NECESSARY PART OF LIFE.

THERE IS NO GIVE WITHOUT TAKE.

THERE IS NO FAULT IN ONE’S DESIRE TO KEEP ON LIVING.

FEEDING ON THE LIFEFORCE OF OTHERS IS NO WORSE THAN RAISING CATTLE FOR THE SLAUGHTER.

THAT IS ONE OF THE MORE BARBARIC FORMS OF SLAVERY.

KEVIN

THERE’S ALWAYS VEGETARIANISM.

VINCENT

AN ILLUSION, A PLATITUDE.

EXISTENCE IS ZERO-SUM.

A FARMER KILLS RABBITS AMONG HIS CABBAGES.

DO NOT THEIR LIVES COUNT FOR SOMETHING?

KEVIN

I READ OF A RELIGION, ONCE, THAT COMMANDED ITS ADHERENTS TO EAT ONLY FRUIT AND NUT THAT HAD FALLEN TO THE GROUND.

VINCENT

A NOBLE CAUSE BUT ULTIMATELY IT DENIES THE TRUTH.

IS THE GUILT SO CONSUMING THAT YOU’LL RISK BEING ASLEEP ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT?

KEVIN

WHAT ABOUT MOTHER’S CONJURATIONS?

SHE DOESN’T KILL.

VINCENT

NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW CONJURATIONS COLLAPSE.

BUT WE SHOULD NOT ASSUME WE’RE OFF SCOT-FREE JUST BECAUSE WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

KEVIN

BUT IT HAS TO BE BETTER THAN STEALING.

VINCENT

VAMPIRISM IS CONSIDERED A CURSE FOR GOOD REASON.


The utterance sets me ill-at-ease. But at least it’s clear what we’re discussing. I open my mouth to speak but nothing sensible comes to mind.

VINCENT

THEFT IS A SERIOUS CRIME BUT THERE ARE WORSE.

KEVIN

I DON’T WANT TO BE A CRIMINAL.

VINCENT

THEN YOU WILL AIM TO BE A MAN SO GREAT THAT YOUR TRESPASSES ARE FORGOTTEN.

BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DESERVE.

THAT IS THE COST OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.

KEVIN

GUILT?

VINCENT

A PIOUS MAN COUNTS EACH AND EVERY STONE HE MUST CARRY.

HIS BACK WILL BECOME LADEN WITH SIN.

BUT HE WILL BEAR THIS LOAD BECAUSE IF HE DOESN’T, WHO WILL?

KEVIN

WHY MOVE STONES?

VINCENT

IT IS MANKIND’S DESTINY TO CREATE ART.

ART REQUIRES A MEDIUM.

TO CREATE, TO THINK, ONE MUST EAT, ONE MUST CONSUME.

THAT IS THE UNIVERSAL CURSE THAT WE ALL SHARE.

KEVIN

TRELAINE CLAIMS HE WANTS TO MAKE IT SO NO ONE EVER HAS TO SUFFER.

VINCENT

AN ILLUSION THAT CAN NEVER BE ATTAINED.

OUR CURSE INFORMS US, EDUCATES US.

EACH CHOICE WE MAKE BECOMES A PART OF US.

BUT THE QUESTION FOLLOWS, WHICH CRIME IS WORSE, MURDER OR THEFT?

KEVIN

I DON’T WANT TO COMMIT EITHER.

VINCENT

BUT THE DAY MAY FALL TO YOU WHEN YOU WILL BE FORCED TO ACT.

WHEN TRELAINE STOLE YOU FROM US, I CHOSE TO STEAL YOU BACK.

PERHAPS I WILL FIND THAT THE GODS DID NOT APPROVE OF MY CHOICE TO TAKE REVENGE.

THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL HAVE TO ENDURE.

BUT I COULD NOT CALL MYSELF A FATHER IF I DID NOT RESTORE YOU TO YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR HOME.

KEVIN

IT WAS TERRIBLE THERE.

VINCENT

I BELIEVE YOU.