ACT 2

Scene 1:

Gabriel wakes up, having a little headache again, and feeling strange somehow. And it takes him a little while until he realizes that is him but not really him, but still him in a way. When he looks down his body to his feet and touches his nose, he knows his body is not the body he has used to live in. But his mind, his soul… that is definitely him.

Maybe he would have wondered a lot more about the fact he looks different than he usually does, but there are more circumstances to take his thoughts of his own; his environment: Blue sky, far domains, beautiful mountains at the horizon. Yes, indeed, it’s the first time he sees and feels how beautiful life is (A NEW DIMENSION).

In this moment a little man appears from behind to welcome him to Avantasia – Regrin, the dwarf, as he introduces himself. HE leads Gabriel to the capital of Avantasia, the elves’ town Sesidhbana, where they talk to Elderane, the prince of the elves and head of Avantasia. He explains Gabriel who and what they are (INSIDE).

Scene 2:

Regrin and Elderane tell Gabriel what’s going on in Avantasia. Ancient evil forces have mobilized a strong army raging in Avantasia, spreading terror, letting nobody pass through to the tower, the center of the dream world, except the ones with the seven parts of the seal. An eternal war between philosophy and decay, between spirit and stupefaction, mental life and death. Gabriel’s is told that his mission will be to join the human beings who must have entered Avantasia (as they have been informed about) and take back the seal to prevent all the nice creatures from being forgotten and vanishing (SIGN OF THE CROSS). It will be his mission, since holy laws of Avantasia forbid Avantasians to turn violent in human business.

With a strange flying machine, the scared (and more and more wondering, but less and less trying to know) novice is brought to the way that leads to the tower and dropped at a place, where a few hours later the three clerics pass by. Not recognizing him because of the new way he looks. He joins them, telling them that he is the one to show the way to the tower.

Meanwhile Vandroiy gets interested in and old question he always had. What is the secret of the tower? Why does Avantasia get locked when the seals reach the tower? But Elderane, who is in contact with Vandroiy (and Gabriel as well) doesn’t want to talk about the secret, because he thinks that sometimes it’s better for mankind not to know everything.

And Gabriel!? He wonders all the time about how to hell he could help Anna in running through a world of whose existence he hasn’t know until a few hours ago. But deep inside his mind he can hear Vandroiy talk to him, who constantly exhorts him to heed Elderane’s orders and finally get back the seals. And slowly the young novice begins to realize what is really going on – or not…

War is everywhere, as far as Gabriel can see. Like thousands of ants soldiers of the united forces of Avantasia fight against the black armies. On his mind he always hears Lugaid talking to him, so far away in the material world and yet so close, telling him to steal the seal away from the three clerics.

Vandroiy keeps asking Elderane – who has returned to Sesidhbana after have dropped Gabriel – for the name of the voice speaking from inside the tower, waiting for the three clerics all the time, but the elf doesn’t answer to the druid. All that the latter knows is that the spiritual world would be lost if the Avantasia invaders would manage to throw the seal over the tower’s wall.

And as they stand in front of the tower, Gabriel worries about how could he steal the seal away – even though the others don’t know that he is he. But if he’d take the seal then, they would know and then he would have a whole army against him. That makes no sense to the novice.

There they stand and then the pope starts talking to the force in the tower. Gabriel and Vandroiy come to know the true reason why the clerics brought the seal to the tower. Obviously they haven’t know what they have done since they have trusted in forged documents without knowing, guessing to read holy documents. Documents which had promised to bring them ultimate illumination, Jesus Christ. And only when the voice in the tower starts to scream louder, demanding the seal and becomes impatient, Vandroiy realizes that it was something hard to believe, that Elderane has tried to cover. And when Vandroiy asks again for the secret of the tower, the elf gives in to his request and starts to talk:

Thousands of years ago three magicians of the universe had created seven gates, seven books and seven parts of a seal. They knew there would be mankind someday and they knew that mankind had to go through bad times, but as well that human beings could be light and love of creation. When the seven gates where built and the seven books of wisdom with the seven parts of the seal were handed to the seven peoples of the world they spoke:

“Our work in the name of the mother earth is done. Now it’s mankind’s turn. May Avantasia remain in eternal beauty: may the human peoples comprehend each other and utilize the possibilities of the planet”

When the earth had been without form, and void, and the darkness had been upon the face of the deep, they have damned their father to the tower. Their father, they had broken with, because he had wanted to bring chaos to the earth. The tower, a prison he could only escape from if mankind would lock Avantasia someday, in bringing the seal to the tower. Until then the magicians’ father could just posses those who have given up their spirits and souls anyway.

Vandroiy is scared as he hears this. Again and again he tells Gabriel to take the seal, which is still in the pope’s sack. Because somehow the latter doesn’t trust in the promises made by the secret documents under the Vatican anymore, since they don’t feel something illuminating at all. Slowly he pulls the seal out after a while, while the “holy” power is getting more and more impatient and doesn’t sound that “holy” at all. Like von Bicken, Jakob stand next to the pope getting more and more afraid of the screaming deep voice. He goes one step back as he struggles and as he tries to cling to the pope’s robe he makes one struggle as well. Without thinking twice Gabriel knows it’s his turn now, picks up the seal from the dusty ground and starts to run. Faster and faster through the dark soldier’s armies. Gabriel doesn’t think; he just keeps on running, running and running (dodging and sidestepping through the enemy’s lines as Lothar Matthäus through the defense of the opponent in his best years… Yes, dear listener, I wouldn’t be Tobias Sammet if I hadn’t written something like that anywhere!!!). Running and running until a few minutes later. A shadow appears from behind to grip in his shoulders and pull him in the air…

When the elves’ flying machine drops him in Sesidhbana he at first wonders how he could have been that fast in a human body, but then he remembers that he has no human body here in Avantasia, and maybe that’s what has saved his life (THE TOWER).

Back in Sesidhbana, Gabriel is praised by the Avantasians, but he can’t enjoy it al all. He has failed, what’s all that worth – without her – who is still imprisioned. Still waiting for help from a fool, who failed in freeing her, oh Anna…

TO BE CONTINUED