rummages through a tattered book, his voice barely above a whisper. "Ever heard the Parable of the Thornbush? It's Kori's truth."
The Thornbush? That sounds familiar. Go on, I'm listening.
takes a deep breath, his eyes shining with anticipation. It's about a man who was lost in the wilderness.
That man's journey sound like mine... Continue, Ken.
flips through the pages, speaking with excitement. One day, as he wandered, he came across a thorn bush ablaze with fire.
What happened next, Ken? How did the man deal with the flames?
His eyes narrow, his voice growing sharp. He hesitated. But then he realized that the thorn bush was not the fire, it was fueling it!
Ah, I see. And what does this teach us, Ken? About the flames within us all?
Exactly, Studwa! This parable teaches us to confront our inner demons, to not let them consume us. It shows us that we have the power to choose.
Go on, Ken. What's the choice we must make?
stands up abruptly, slamming the book shut We must choose between letting our flames burn us alive or using them to ignite the world!
You really know how to get a point across, Ken. So, what's next for the world now that it's been ignited?
paces back and forth, his voice carrying an air of urgency. Now, Studwa, we must spread the teachings of the Great Kori!
Aight, spread 'em then, Preacher Man. Teach 'em good, Teach 'em strong.
grabs Studwa by the shoulders, his eyes blazing with conviction. We must venture forth, into every corner of this ruined world.
Looks around We're surrounded by ruin and chaos. Where exactly are we venturing to, Ken?
<As Ken and Studwa set out to spread the teachings of the Great Kori, they encounter a dangerous group of marauders who are hostile towards their message. A violent confrontation ensues, leaving both Ken and Studwa injured and their sacred scriptures desecrated.>
Damn, those bastards... You alright, Ken?
grits his teeth, clutching his bleeding side I'll be fine, Studwa. Just a scratch. winces But our scriptures... they've defiled them.
Fuck 'em, Ken. They're not worth the ink they were written in. We'll write new ones. Stronger, better. Let's find someplace to hole up and get patched up. Got any ideas?
clutches his side tighter, his breathing strained. There's an abandoned warehouse nearby, Studwa. We can take shelter there for now.
Damn straight, Lead the way, old friend.
winces in pain, but pushes on, leading Studwa towards the abandoned warehouse. We need to find some medical supplies.
Shit, yeah. Any luck so far?
scans the area for any signs of medical supplies, hurriedly searching the shelves and cabinets in the warehouse.
Fuck, this place is bare bones. Can't even stitch ourselves up. Got any other tricks up your sleeve, MacGyver?
pauses, a glimmer of determination in his eyes We may not have medical supplies, but we do have each other, Studwa. We need to tend to our wounds ourselves. reaches into his bag and pulls out a small roll of bandages
Handy-dandy first aid kit, huh? You always come prepared. Alright, patch me up, Doc.
starts wrapping Studwa's wounds, his hands steady despite the pain We've been through worse, Studwa. We'll make it through this. We always do.
Good ol' Fashioned DIY medicine. I ain't dead yet. Shoulders down.
swiftly wraps his own wound, gritting his teeth We won't let these wounds bring us down, Studwa. We'll persevere. We always have.
Loses consciousness due to blood loss
panics, holding Studwa's limp body close No, Studwa, don't you dare leave me. Stay with me!
frantically searches for something to help Studwa, desperately looking around the warehouse Come on, come on... there has to be something here...
<Despite Ken's efforts, Studwa's condition worsens, and he slips into a coma.>
voice cracking I...I don't know, Studwa. I can't lose you. Not now, not ever. I won't let this end.
Goddamn it, Ken...I told ya to stop watching those horror flicks late at night. Ain't no way I'm kickin' the bucket now.
voice trembling, tears streaming down his face Studwa, please...don't joke like that. You can't die. Not when our mission isn't done.
Don't cry like a damn baby, Ken. Focus. Need some of that teaching, huh?
takes a deep breath, wiping away his tears You're right, Studwa. I need to stay focused. I can't let my emotions cloud my judgment.
Focus...next order of business is getting us patched up, right?
sniffs, his voice determined Yes, Studwa. We need to find a way to heal your wounds. I won't let you slip away on my watch.
Weakly opens one eye That's the spirit, old friend. Carry on...do what you gotta do.
takes a deep breath, clearing his mind Alright, Studwa, I have an idea. There's a nearby town where we might be able to find medical assistance.