Angela's Confession and Rossie's Plan
Late evening in Rossie's cozy, dimly lit dorm room at Haul Academy.
The soft glow from a small lamp casts warm pools of light among scattered books and notebooks. Rossie, Becky, Ethan, Lila, Jemimah, and Angela sit in a close circle on the floor, tension and concern thick in the air.
Angela (voice trembling as she looks at each friend):
"I… I haven't told anyone all of this before. But I need your help. My mom… she's involved with that occultic group....the same group Mia and Tom lead."
Jemimah's eyes widen, and she instinctively shifts closer.
"What do you mean by involved? Is she okay?"
Angela's hands shake as she brushes her hair back, her brow furrowed with worry.
"She only joined to protect us - our family. But it's so complicated, and it's dangerous. My father… he tried to stand against them. He refused to hand over the Gulbar relic. So they threatened him. And… eventually, they killed him."
A heavy silence falls. Lila's face tightens with disbelief, while Ethan clenches his fists.
"No way! They actually killed him?"
Angela nods, swallowing hard.
"Yes. It's all because of the Gulbar."
Lila leans in, concern flooding her features.
"What is the Gulbar? Why is it so important?"
Angela (voice breaking, fighting tears):
"The Gulbar is an ancient relic. My dad left it to me as a legacy—a source of great power and… also a terrible curse. It protects whoever holds it with invincibility, but it demands loyalty to... darker forces."
Jemimah exchanges a nervous glance with Becky.
"Darker forces? Like what?"
Angela glances down, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know exactly, but my mom has been acting strange before about it not until recently she opened up about it.
" It's like she's caught in its grip. The occultic group wants the Gulbar badly. When my mom refused to give it up, they started threatening her and me! They said there would be 'brutal judgment' on us if we didn't hand it over. I'm scared, and I feel so alone in this."
Rossie (reaches out, taking Angela's hands firmly):
"You're not alone, Angela. Not anymore."
Her voice is steady, filled with fierce determination.
"We've fought too much to back down now. We need to protect you and your mom—and the Gulbar."
Ethan (nodding):
"They won't just take it quietly. We need a plan....something solid. How do we make sure they don't get to your mom or the relic?"
Becky (thoughtful):
"I already mastered a few tricks through the vine codex, I can look up protective wards in the Vine Codex. Rossie can help with the moonflower powers, we might be able to amplify the concealment spells around the Gulbar."
Lila (resolute):
"I'll set up surveillance...identify places where the occultic group might try to sneak in or spy on you."
Jemimah (quiet but determined):
"I'll stay alert for any signs of Michael or the group trying to find you. I can watch from the sidelines and warn you if anything feels off."
Rossie (nodding firmly):
"Here's what we do next: I'll reinforce protective wards around your mom's estate and the relic itself. I'll blend my moonflower's power with ancient sealing powers from eli."
(She pulls out a small satchel from her backpack, fingers tracing the delicate petals of her glowing moonflower.)
"This will help us. But we need to act fast."
Angela watches, her heart pounding.
"What if they show up while we're preparing? What if they already know what's happening?"
Ethan raises an eyebrow.
"That's a valid concern. We might need to set up a safe house or a fallback plan."
Rossie nods.
"That's smart. We can create secure zones at different locations, just in case we need to split up."
Angela's voice trembles again, anxiety rising.
"Will we be safe? What if they find me while you're protecting my mom?"
Becky leans forward, her eyes filled with empathy.
"We will work together on this. I promise. The more we plan, the safer you'll be."
Lila agrees, her face a mask of determination.
"And Angela, you have all of us looking out for you. It's not just your battle; it's ours now too."
Angela takes a deep breath, a flicker of hope lighting up her eyes.
"I want to believe we can stop this. But I'm so scared. Thank you… truly."
Rossie (smiles warmly):
"We will stop it. Together. But we need to stay sharp. They could try to infiltrate at any moment."
Angela nods, her voice steadying.
"Okay. What's the first step?"
Rossie clenches her fists, focus sharpening in her gaze.
"I'll start working on the wards immediately. Becky, let's meet at the library after this and cross-reference those spells."
"Got it!" Becky says, jotting down notes eagerly.
"And Lila, we'll need someone to keep watch while we work."
Lila nods, her expression serious.
"I'll find a good spot where I can see everything. Maybe even listen in on conversations."
Jemimah, always the observer, adds quietly,
"I can help keep track of the group's movements. If they're gathering, I'll know."
Rossie (nodding firmly):
"Angela, you need to stay close to your mom. No risky moves, no facing them alone. We stick together."
Angela swallows hard, trying to mask her fear.
"What if my mom won't listen to me? What if she just goes along with them?"
Ethan steps in, stern but understanding.
"Then we'll have to convince her. We'll show her that she's stronger than the group she's involved with. It's not just about the Gulbar; it's about your family's safety too."
Angela nods slowly, feeling the weight of their words.
"I just… don't want to lose anyone else."
Rossie squeezes her hands a little tighter.
"You won't. Not while we're here. We're a team, remember?"
As the group exchanges determined looks, the warmth of their bond banishes the shadows of fear that lingered.
Rossie (softly, her voice carrying hope and resolve):
"This is just the beginning. But no matter what, you won't face it alone, Angela. We stand with you....for your mother, for your family, and for the Gulbar."
"Good plan" Mr Harl enters...."But I think I have a better one"
The camera fades out on the group, looking and anticipating for me Harl's suggestion.