Fable III: Retold Chapter 5

==Leader and Followers: The Missing Play==
"If you return to Brightwall, you will find Walter has some new on how to fulfill the last requirement" Jasper said as Adam and Anna walked back into Brightwall Village and headed back into the tavern where they saw the mercenary was gone and Walter was at the table with Samuel.
"Ah here he is, we were just talking about you" Walter said.
"Indeed, we have made a toast to you stupendous feat in ridding Mistpeak of Saker and his men, they have been a source of great distress for some time" Samuel said.
"Nobody will be more please than Sabine, his Dwellers might find some peace now" Walter said.
"Of course nobody has suffered more than they" Samuel said.
"I've been telling Samuel here about the terrible situation they're in he thinks he may be able to help" Walter said.
"Yes, well perhaps...I mean of course...the thing this is, as just explain to Sir Walter, Brightwall has no overabundance of resources itself the King levies are rather steep and we face shortages more often than is comfortable" Samuel said.
"But" Walter said.
"Bur were you to improve things around Brightwall, the people would be most grateful and when people are grateful they're also charitable I'm sure they would find it in their hearts to send aid to those poor people" Samuel said.
"There you have it, the way I see it, you will need all the followers you can get if you're going to lead a successful rebellion, what better time to start?" Walter said.
"I heartily agree with Sir Walter, pardon me for overhearing" Jasper said.
"Oh knock it off we were listening the whole time" August said.
"As it happens, I've learned of a promising method for amassing followers if you'll both return to the Sanctuary at your earliest convenience, I can show you what I mean" Jasper said as Anna and Adam returned.
"Come over here you two and check this out" August said as they looked down at the map.
"An excellent way to gain followers is by helping villagers in need, take a closer look at Brightwall and I will explain more" Jasper said as the map moved onto a perfect replica of the entire village and some had cold icons above them, "you can now see the villagers in need, you can also see how many followers you must amass to impress Samuel and the people of Brightwall, select a villager to help, by doing so you will gain respect and loyalty of others in the region" Jasper said.
"How about that guy by Brightwall Academy?" Anna asked.
"Sure we can start there" Adam said.
"By completing quests for those in need, you will prove your abilities and demonstrate your potential as a leader" Jasper said as Adam and Anna appeared in front of the fountain in front of the academy.
"Okay there's the two guys in need" Anna said as they approached the men.
"You good sir, you who live in such a tumultuous epoch, will you help us acquire a legendary lost play?" Lambert said.
"A lost play? Yeah sure" Adam said.
"Ah you will find the legendary lost play? Splendid!" Lambert said.
"Finally tragedy and comedy will come together as they should!" Pinch said.
"Wait that play mixes those two? Oh something tells me it was lost for a reason" Anna said as they entered the academy.
Anna and Adam then began to search the library as a set of doors closed on them.
"Turn back no mortal ones" the Ghost of Philipth Morley said.
"That was strange" Adam said as he pushed open the doors as they entered and area where books and pages were flying off the shelves.
"Stay away from this accursed place!" Philipth Morley yelled as they reach another set of doors that closed.
"Only death and insanity await you!"
"Who are you trying to scare pal I don't believe in ghosts" Anna said pushing the doors opened as they entered a room with books all over the ground and tables flipped over as they approached a glowing book on a pedestal.
"Don't pick it up! No really I'm serious!" he said trying to scare them off.
"Oh come on how bad can it be?" Adam said picking it up as he opened it on a few pages as a ghost head appeared.
"You lot just can't leave well enough alone can you? Bloody literary tourist! Bane of my afterlife!" Philipth Morley yelled as he went back into the book as it glowed and sucked in Anna and Adam as the book it the ground.
"Ugh" Anna groaned as she saw she and Adam were on a stone road and the ghost stood in front of them.
"Listen you! You're not getting my lost play, you hear? It's rubbish! Worse than rubbish! I mean what was I thinking?! Mixing tragedy and comedy?! I must have been off my rocker!" he said vanished as Anna and Adam got off the ground and saw a man stand up from a bench that didn't look like a ghost.
"It would seem my dear fellows, you have been apprehended by the Ghost of Philipth Morley that makes us all his captives, I am Ransom Locke" he said.
'Why do I know that name?' Anna thought.
"If the name seems familiar, it is because I was once a detective of some renown and yet here I am, ready to live out the rest of my days trapped in a book" he said.
"Oh great! This is so how I didn't picture how I die" Anna said as they followed Ransom down the road.
"As far as I can deduce we are currently in a scene from one of Morley's greatest romantic plays, 'The Near Tragedy of Oliver and Ethel' I believe if we are to escape we must act out the scene" he said as they approached a dress on a mannequin, "but performing is not one my talents, if I am correct, putting on this costume should set things in motion" he said as Ransom and Adam looked to Anna.
"Ugh! Fine! Both of you turn around!" she yelled.
After putting on the dress a spotlight it Anna as she saw ghosts in theater seats as a ghost appeared.
"Oh Ethel, my love, my life, my sun, if thou wouldst but give me one sign, one gesture that would speak of your affections then might I think this grey existence worth living" Oliver said.
"Uh Ransom" Anna said looking to him and Adam.
"Ah yes a classic moment in the play, you are Ethel, the beautiful young daughter of a dung merchant, Show Oliver that you love him and we may be able to leave this scene" Ransom said.
"That's it? Okay" Anna said taking a deep breath and clearing her throat, "my heart is yours, my love."
"Let the heavens and the seas, the toads and the eels sing the song in my heart, for she doth love me and all is well! We shall meet again in the morrow, my little ferret, and elope into the sunset to live our days in wondrous joy" Oliver said disappearing as the ghost audience began to clap and cheer.
"A magnificent rendition, truly I applaud you" Ransom said.
"Nice job Anna" Adam said as Philipth Morley appeared.
"Hmm I see you are gifted with remarkable literary cunning but can you really comprehend the depths of my work? We shall see" Philipth Morley said as they ended up in a castle and Anna was back in her normal clothes.
"Ah yes this is undoubtedly a scene from one of Morley's earlier funnier plays, 'Bloodbath at the Royal Court' and this must be the costume" Ransom said as the approached a King Chicken Costume in front of a throne, "the role of the fool is one filled with tragic depth it will require a masterful performance" Ransom said.
"Your turn" Anna said.
"Ah man" Adam said taking the chicken costume.
After changing Adam sat on the throne in the chicken outfit as Anna stood by Ransom as the spot light hit him and the seats were filled with ghosts in the audience.
"What fresh insolence is this? Out of my throne you impertinent buffoon! Stand before your king and do your jester duty, tis is a troublesome time for this court and my crown grows heavy so make me laugh or I shall have your head!" King Row Low said.
Adam then got up and began tickling the ghost as the ghost king and the audience laughed.
"Oh stop, it's too funny! I believe I'm in the right mood now to meet with the foreign delegates I think I shall only behead half of them, yes" King Row Low said disappearing as the audience cheered.
"I have never seen a more convincing fool, there is hope for us yet" Ransom said as Morely appeared.
"Hmmm you handle my royal dramas as well as you handle romances but will your versatility extend to the more subtle domains of theater I wonder" Philipth Morley as the three ended up in a forest and saw parts of it on fire.
"Oh dear, unless I'm mistake this is a scene from Morley's notoriously violent historical epic, 'Titus the Mutilator, Part II' which would mean this is the gladiatorial area from Act V" Ransom said as they approached another costume "where Titus is finally slaughtered by savage warriors seeking revenge a favorite scene of mine as a child, I must admit and here is Titus's costume, I had some pajamas that looked like it, put it on and you will take on the greatest role of your life."
"Wait I won't actually die will I?" Adam asked.
"I hope not" Anna said.
After changing into the costume Adam stood in the center of the arena as a ghost appeared.
"Titus! Thy pox-membered body shall pay for thy monstrous villainy, my son lies dead because of you, now shall revenge be mine, cold as your corpse and all more flavorsome of it!" Ace Hartstrum said.
"Do try to make you demise...um convincing" Ransom said.
Ghosts with swords then began walking out the forest towards Adam as one hit Adam with a sword as he grunted.
'That hurt! They're actually going to kill me!' Adam thought using his sword to block the next swing as he began fighting the ghost making each one disappear when slain as Ace Hartstrum appeared.
"More of my kin lie slain, and yet you live! You habe breathed your last sulphur-scented breath Titus!" Ace Hartstrum yelled.
Adam then fought off more ghosts as he pulled out his rifle shooting every last one.
"All my men dead my vengeance denied, my word undone, I cannot stand to live one second more!" Ace Hartstrum yelled as he disappeared and the audience cheered.
"A tremendous performance, that's just the ending I want to see when I was a young boy attending the theater every weekend, I wonder what scene will follow now?" Ransom said.
"Oh what scene could possibly follow such a masterful rendition of my work? And the way you improvised some of those roles, you brought new life to my words! I stand in awe you have earned the prize no mortal has ever been honored with before, my missing play, I entrust it to you for I know that you will do it justice, I call it 'The Ham Sandwich' a metaphorical title of course" Philipth Morley giving Adam the play.
"The Ham sandwich?" Anna said.
Later that day Adam and Anna returned out of the academy with Ransom and were meet by the two play seekers.
"Ah, you have retrieved our aged investigator, happy day! Have you perchance found..." Lambert asked.
"This is no time for perchances, Lambert! The Play! Do you have it?" Pinch asked.
"Uh yeah but you two might want to read it" Anna said already had begun reading the play and looked horrified.
"We're saved Lambert!" Pinch said.
"Oh the joy in my bosom knows no bounds! Thank you a million times thank you!" Lambert said.
"Ha! He said 'bosom' it's already working comedy and tragedy will at last join hands!" Pinch said.
Later that night a crowd gathered outside the academy as Pinch and Lambert preformed the play.
"Hark! Bear witness to the tragic futility that is man, oh how is doth sear my senses to see paradise and yet to be barred" Lambert said.
"The reminds me of a great joke; a guard, a monk, and chicken walk into a bar, unfortunately the bartender had had a mild heart attack that morning so none of them get served" Pinch said.
"And yet what purpose doth heartache serve, when the infinite dark blanket that is death falls softly upon out still beating corpse?"
"That reminds me of another one, a corpse walks into a bar and says 'can I have a lemonade? Certainly' replies the bartender, 'I've never seen a stiff drink.'
"And so endeth our happy-sad play which reminds us we are made of nothing but clay, there's time only for our fool to say..."
"Greta, big giant bosoms!"
"Oh my god" Anna said.
"What the hell was that?" a man asked.
"Biggest load of old tosh I ever saw, it didn't even make sense!"
"Worst play ever."
"Wow that was uh, something" Adam said as they walked away and Xander whined.
"That was the worse play I've ever seen, that ghost was right he was off his rocker when he wrote that" Anna said.
"Let's hope the next quest will be less disturbing" Adam said.