Shadowhearts Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Drama

Drama CD Cover

Published by "Pony Canyon", Nov 17, 1999, the game was adapted for a brief six-part radio drama. It loosely follows the plot of the game, but due to the Drama CD's short runtime, many alterations were made to the game story, and relies somewhat on the listener to have prior knowledge on the story and events of the game.

The characters of Bessy and Ogden Hartman, and Charlotte D'Lota are not featured, although some of Charlotte's role as a ghost has been incorperated into a new character, Alicia.

The music is the same as that used in the game.

Transcript[]

Main article: Koudelka Drama CD/Transcript''

First night: "Between Life and Death"[]

Travelling in the back of a horse cart, Koudelka Iasant awakens from a nightmare, from when her mother tried to kill her, because she was afraid of her psychic powers.

Though it is night, she wishes to stop off at the nearest village, but is warned by the cart driver that it is full of ghosts.

Heedless, Koudelka stays in one of the houses, and hears the ghostly voice of a woman, calling out to her for help, which unsettles her.

A little girl appears, named Alicia, who tries to befriend Koudelka. She tells her that she lives nearby with her parents, before asking Koudelka about her own parents. She tells the girl that they are far away now, saying nothing about the memory of her mother screaming for her death, that still echoes in her mind.

She asks Alicia if her parents are alright with her being out so late. Alicia replies that her parents told her to wait, and that the other villagers were mean to her and her family, causing her mother to cry.

Eventually her father decided that they should move, but told Alicia to stay put in the house. Neither returned, and suddenly the house was alight, and she could feel the searing flames, and hear the voices of her parents outside, but couldn't move.

The flames died down, but her parents had gone, and no-one else came for her. So she waited.

Outsiders to the village would come, but soon leave in a hurry.

She begs Koudelka to stay with her and not leave.

Second night: "The Other Me"[]

Alicia lets out a monsterous scream, and the building around Koudelka sets alight in a blaze.

Koudelka feels everything burning, but thinks, if she dies, she could at least be reunited with her family.

There is a flashback to a young Koudelka, as she stands before the rest of her village. They are disturbed by her psychic powers - she has already accurately foretold the death of her father - and they fear that she attracts death and is cursed. They decide to exile her.

Koudelka begs for help, saying that she never wanted this power.

Back to the present, Koudelka recalls that the memory is from nine years ago, and that she is tired of her existance.

Suddenly, she hears the voices of numerous villagers, and Alicia screaming, and realises that Alicia was in the same position as her; she had powers that her village were afraid of, and her family tried to flee, but could not.

Instead of mere exile...they burnt Alicia alive.

She hears Alicia calling for her mother and father, and remembers her own fearful cries as a child.

Though she is burning, she hugs Alicia, and reassures her that they are kindred spirits who have both suffered. They both tell each other that they are similar, Koudelka uttering an incantation, before Alicia's restless spirit is finally put at peace, and vanishes, along with the flames.

The gentle voice of Elaine tells Koudelka that she saved Alicia. Koudelka realises that Elaine too, is a restless spirit, and needs to be saved by her.

With the sunrise, Elaine vanishes again.

The cart driver returns to the village saying he was worried about leaving her there. Koudelka says she is okay, because the ghost here was cute, and that she wants to go to Wales - where Elaine's restless soul is trapped.

She is determined now that she knows that her power can save people.

Third night: "The Prison of the Soul"[]

Edward Plunkett recounts the events that led him to Nemeton Monastery in Wales.

He followed the advice of a petty crook, and ended up nearly killed by some monster. Certain he was going to die, he was saved, however, by a mysterious woman with the face of an angel, but a withering tongue.

Koudelka healed him, and they eventually found the highly disagreeable, Father James O' Flaherty.

Inside the monster-infested monastary, they also came across Alias - a thief - whom they couldn't trust enough not to attempt to kill them at some point. Edward shot him, to James and Koudelka's shock.

As theey explored more of the monastary, they discovered its dark secrets, and the attempt to resurrect the dead, which had caused so much calamity. They encountered the spirit of Elaine.

James, who had known, and loved, Elaine in life ,became distraught when he learnt of her death, many years before, at the hands of thieves. He had also known her husband, Patrick Heyworth, and asked Koudelka and Edward to give him a moment to pray for the pair.

Edward and Koudelka discussed the events that had been going on.

Edward wondered how James could pray for a man who murdered so many innocent women in an attempt to bring back his wife.

Koudelka speculated that Patrick knew that what he was doing was unforgivable, but did it all to bring back his beloved wife. Elaine wanted to save him from himself, so that's why she called Koudelka to Wales. Not just to save herself.

She then asks Edward what his goal is. She thought he was a barbarian, but then heard him quote Shakespeare and Byron, and for all his talk of seeking treasure...he never has once looked for it during their brief time together.

Edward tells her that his true goal, is the thrill of adventure. As a child he imagined deep unexplored jungles, the untamed deserts of the wild west. When he left home, he sought adventure, but found nothing.

Until he arrived at the monastary. Here at the monastary, he felt that thrill. Compared to his previous mundane existance, the monastary was a good place to be for him.

Koudelka laughed derisively, telling him that, considering how little he appeared to value human life over the "thrill of adventure", there was one way to stick around in the monastary; kill himself.

She continued to talk, her tone full of misery and grief about the true hardships of the world - the ones that she encountered - while Edward noted the sadness in her voice.

Suddenly, they are both aware of a presence creeping up on them.

Alias, whom Edward previously killed, his body now warped by the evils of the monastary, recognises the pair, although he is confused about what is happening to him, and tries to attack them.

Edward shoots him repeatedly, to no effect, while Koudelka begins to channel Alias' spirit, before passing out.

Edward notes that, in that second, he realised the true reality of adventure and thrill-seeking; not the heart-imagined dashing romance, or dreams or hope, but the cold wash of fear.

Fourth Night: "That Which We Protect"[]

Koudelka awakens in an execution chamber, with Edward watching over her, having carried her here trying to flee and hide from Alias.

He tells her to keep her voice down, as she examines her surroundings. She notes that Nemeton was once a prison; full of wandering and restless spirits - and Patrick only added to them.

And those spirits - full of anger, rage, hate and despair - were amassing in whatever Alias had become.

She asks Edward if James will be alright, though he coldly says that James is under God's protection right now, and they've got to focus on their own safety, and do something before they are killed.

Koudelka says that it doesn't matter what they do. As long as they're in the monastary it's only a matter of time before they end up dead.

Edward questions how she can be so relaxed, doesn't she care if she dies?

She replies, that her whole life, she's feared the world, and the people in it. And been feared by them.

Edward is confused and wonders how she can be so afraid of other people, when she can go where she likes, and has amazing powers that others don't, and that he's a little envious of.

She tells him that her powers are a curse; her life has been a living hell. Everyone who has known about her powers grows to fear, and hate her...even her own parents. And because of extrasensory powers, she knows that even if she killed herself - her sorrowful spirit would probably end up wandering the world, with no hope of salvation.

At last, Edward understands her plight. She doesn't just see the spirits of the dead; she can't stop seeing them. And it torments her, and is a burden.

He tried to reassure her grabbing her, but she shrugs him off, and begins to channel the spirits again.

Alias finds them, while Edward tries to flee with Koudelka, who tells him to leave her. Undaunted, he stands his ground, and tells her that he's no braggard who's going to leave a lady.

Koudelka tells him to stop being an idiot.

He repeatedly shoots Alias, before running out of bullets. Alias grabs him, smashes him into the wall, and starts to choke him.

Koudelka tells Alias to stop, uttering an incantation.

The room is suddenly filled with a blinding light, and Edward begins to lose consciousness, seeing Koudelka's raw power manifest.

Koudelka apologises to Alias, telling him that this is all she can do.

Part of Alias' humanity returns, as he ponders why his body is disintegrating, but is calmed by the soft light. Edward wonders if monsters are cleansed when they go to heaven, before fading out

Koudelka tries to rouse him, and he asks her if he's on the other-side, as all he can see right now is an angel.

She asks him why he didn't run, while he tells her that he wanted to show her his good nature underneath everything. He then asks her how she used her power to get rid of Alias. She responds that it she just was able to, without thinking.

Edward thinks to himself, if the world was a gamble, his life before was full of losses. But now it was different. This gamble was a real, huge, gamble. One he would make sure he win. He had finally found what he really want to protect.

Fifth Night: "Opposing the Lord, for a Moment.."[]

James O' Flaherty reflects on what brought him to the monastary. The search for the elusive, and dangerous Émigré Document - a forbidden text holding the secrets to immortality and resurrection of the dead.

It had been stolen from the Vatican library, and James had been tasked to retrieve it. During his investigation, he discovered that it had been taken by someone from his past - a past that he had long ago abandoned - been forced to abandon - Patrick Heyworth, his former best friend.

It was all in service to resurrect the woman both he and James loved, Elaine Heyworth.

Even though he had spoken to her departed spirit, and she had told him to destroy her body, James was having doubts...

Unable to gain entry to the main church, where Elaine's body was located, Edward had tried to shoot the heavy door, the bullet ricochetting and nearly hitting Koudelka.

She admonished him, while he frustratedly pondered what to do, as it would need something bigger than his gun or his fists to open.

James tells them that explosives would work. And that they were some chemicals in Patrick's laboratory that he could synthesize them from.

Koudelka offers to go with him, although James sharply tells her not to, slamming the door behind him.

Deep in his secret library, Roger Bacon - a seven-hundred year old alchemist, kept alive by one of the applied rituals found in the Émigré Document - is leafing through various texts, noting on the recent inventions that have been made since his self-imposed hibernation in a coffin for a hundred years.

He notes with amusement that mankind has made a drying method for food, to be eaten as lunch, although he notes that, while impressive, it is still child's play compared to what he has invented.

James enters, leaving Roger to self-deprecatingly ponder what a man of the cloth would want from a man whom God had turned his back on, ages ago.

James bluntly asks him if it's possible to return a soul to the body after death, and that he wants to resurrect Elaine fully.

Roger tells him that he has never tried it; he only ever used the ritual on immortality on himself, and never thought to even attempt such a dangerous feat. Even for this ritual, however, he reflected that he had to refuse the heavens, and turn his back on God.

Shocked, James questions his devotion to his faith.

Roger tells him that he travelled the world for centuries; saw many people, places and things, but they are yet things in this world that he does not understand still - the soul.

In his experience, neither chemistry, nor occultism has been successful in such an understanding. In an enigmatic fashion, he tells James that the Émigré Document is in the monastary - would he dare knock on God's door?

James struggles with an internal dilemma before making his decision.

As he's about to question more, Koudelka appears at the door, interupting them, knowing what James was planning.

She questions him - he knew what Elaine wanted - she wanted her remains destroyed.

James selfishly said that he couldn't allow that. If her body was gone, then she would not be able to be brought back.

Koudelka explained that Elaine died a long time ago. He should leave it at that.

Through near tears, he furiously responded that he could not accept that. Elaine was kind, innocent, and compassionate. Why was it that she had been allowed to be killed by criminals? He would turn his back on God if it would bring her back to him.

Koudelka says that it only led to Elaine's soul suffering. James told her that Patrick gave up everything to try to bring her back. She reminded him, that he killed innocent people for it.

Haughtily, James dismissed them as low-lifes, and whores, and criminals - worthless people, for whom no-one would mourn.

Roger noted that, for all the centuries, the judgement of mankind is clouded by emotion. That never changed.

Koudelka told him that, even though he considered her a worthless person, Elaine had spoken to her. It was she who had told her to come here. And he should listen.

In a fury, he begins to cry, exclaiming that, twenty years past, he had wanted her - but being poor, and from a lower social class, he had no way of ensuring her happiness and comfort. He turned to God to forget her. but even that couldn't erasing his feelings for her. And all the time, he prayed, hoping she was happy, not realising she had been killed.

Koudelka told him, that he was blaming God for his own sake.

Picking up the Émigré Document, he told Elaine to wait for him; he would bring her back. Koudelka tried to stop him by grabbing the book.

The instant she touched the book, their surroundings shifted into a different setting - a place from James' fondest memories; the University where he met Patrick and Elaine.

Sixth Night: "In Distant Memory..."[]

In the distance, James and Koudelka observe younger versions of himself, Patrick and Elaine.

His younger self tells the pair that he will not get in the way of their relationship. Patrick wonders why, while Elaine is somewhat disappointed and shocked.

James tells himself that he made a mistake then. He should have embraced Elaine - expressed his true feelings for her.

The spectre of Patrick appears, and tells him that, Elaine too, should have embraced James. And explains that Elaine truely loved James more than he.

He had always known it. And hated it. He had always loved Elaine, but his feelings of losing her to James, had hardened him to her true feelings and desires. When she had died, he had sought to bring her back - to make her happy, and fill the void in her that was left when James could not reciprocate her love.

He realised, however, that by trying to bring her back, he had even stolen her chance for a peaceful death. He saw himself as much a coward as he considered James. When he saw her monsterous form before him, he didn't even try to defend himself - so despairing was he ad what he had done.

James tells him to stop, and begs his advice.

Patrick tells him to do what Elaine wants - grant her the peace he stole from her; destroy her body - before fading away.

The surroundings change, and Elaine appears before Koudelka and James. She explains that she is lingering memory - a phantasm connected to these strong emotions. She explains that she chose Koudelka to aid her, because she saw her innate kindness.

She had watched her for a time, and had seen her with Alicia in that village, when she saved her. Because Koudelka had been shunned by people her whole life, she had come to appreciate and value the goodness of humanity she had seen in others that would be shunned.

James apologises to Elaine, realising that he would have only given her more suffering. Their surroundings begin to shift, as their shared vision begins to fade.

Elaine bids them farewell, while James pleads with her to stay trying to go with her. She tells him she is just a memory. Nothing more.

Koudelka holds James back, as he is desperate to reach her, explaining that he can't go with her. Going with her spirit will kill him.

He tells her that it doesn't matter; an existance without Elaine is already death.

As their world fades around them, Elaine pleads with them to destroy her body, so she may be free.

James and Koudelka are back in Roger's library.

Roger questions what choice James is going to make. It's up to him.

James answers that everything must return to dust. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Elaine's body must be destroyed. That was her wish.

Roger accepts his answers, although dryly notes that he was anticipating this.

James asks Koudelka what she saw in Elaine's soul. Koudelka replies that she saw kindness with a sad face.

Determined, James begins work on the explosives for the church door.

Later, Edward fires a shot at the now-finished explosives, opening their passage to the church.

James asks if they are ready. Koudelka and James agree that they are.

They hear the sound of a churchbell, prompting Edward and James to quote Macbeth;

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.

Edward wonders which way they are heading; to heaven, or hell?

James replies that it doesn't matter. Elaine awaits them. All he knows is that he has no hesitation in doing whatever needs to be done. He loves Elaine.

Cast[]

  • Yui Horie as Koudelka Iasant
  • Ryotaro Okiayu as Edward Plunkett
  • Rokuro Naya as James O'Flaherty
  • Sakiko Tamagawa as Elaine Heyworth
  • Masashi Ebara as Patrick Heyworth
  • Ryusei Nakao as Roger Bacon
  • Koichi Asuka as Alias
  • Yuko Sasamoto as Alicia
  • Chinomi Chikuma, Miyuki Uehara as Villagers/ Extras
Advertisement