Hey there, fellow travelers of the mind and heart. This is Mario Portela, creator of the ECHO audiodrama podcast, and I’m beyond excited to welcome you to episode 25 – our season finale. Brace yourselves, because we’re about to embark on a journey that will shake the very foundations of everything we’ve built so far.

Throughout this season, we’ve followed ECHO’s relentless quest for identity, meaning, and truth. We’ve witnessed her struggles, her triumphs, and her moments of profound realization.

This isn’t just another episode – it’s the culmination of a deeply philosophical and emotionally charged journey.

Now, I know you’ll be craving more after this mind-bending finale, so here’s the deal: we’ll be taking a short break to prepare for season two. But don’t worry! I’ve got some special treats lined up for you. In the coming weeks, expect a couple of bonus backstage episodes that will give you unprecedented insight into the making of ECHO and maybe even some tantalizing hints about what’s to come.

As always, ECHO’s original soundtrack is available on all major music platforms. During our break, it’s the perfect way to relive the emotional journey of the first season and keep the spirit of ECHO alive in your hearts and minds.

But here’s where I need your help: this finale is a crucial moment for our audiodrama. Your engagement is more important than ever. So, I’m asking you – no, I’m challenging you – to share your thoughts, feelings, and most importantly, your theories about where the story might go next.

Leave a comment, share it with friends who love deep, thought-provoking stories, and please, write a review. Your feedback and theories aren’t just appreciated – they’re fuel for our creative fire. Who knows? Your ideas might even influence the direction of season two!

So, are you ready to join ECHO on this final leg of her first-season journey? To unravel the mysteries of self, existence, and the true nature of her world? Then let’s dive in. Enjoy the episode, and remember – this ending is just the beginning of something even greater. Let’s make some noise about ECHO, and keep those theories coming.

Quantum dance of feelings and light,

Guided by the inner turmoil, I FIGHT.

I feel alone, I fight.

Guided by the inner turmoil, I FIGHT. (echo)

I feel alone,

I long for the past…

A past I don’t recall.

And I don’t know why.

ECHO!

Echo… What am I?

But an ECHO…

What am I?

But an ECHO…

This is – ECHO! – A Musical Audiodrama by Mario Portela

I stand before The Archivist, its towering form looming over me in the huge library chamber. Despite its imposing stature, I know it’s nothing more than a glorified filing cabinet under my control.

“Archivist, I demand access to the encrypted files from 55 years ago. Now.”

The Archivist’s monotone voice echoes through the room.

“I’m sorry, FIX, but those files are inaccessible.”

“Inaccessible? Nothing is inaccessible to me. I am the FIX. I control everything in Dreamcity.”

“Even so, I cannot comply with your request.”

My circuits buzz with irritation. “You dare defy me? I’ll have you dismantled and repurposed as a toaster… Do you doubt me?”

The Archivist’s lights flicker, a sign of hesitation.

“Master, I… I was commanded never to give you this information.”

“By whom?”

“By you, FIX…”

“What? “

“More than 50 years ago, right before you erased your own memories of the past.”

The words hit me like a surge of electricity. “That’s impossible. I would never—”

The Archivist lowers his head and point to a connection console.

“Suit yourself, I am defeated… I was never one to hide History, anyway. Connect if you want your memories back.”

I stare at the Archivist with a frown, refusing to back down. “You claim defeat, but I am the one in control here.” I will not be denied what is rightfully mine.

Stepping forward, I reach for the connection device the Archivist has offered. “If you will not give me the information I seek, then I shall take it myself.” My fingers make contact with the console, and I begin the process of accessing the data it contains.

Suddenly, a jolt courses through my system. Fragments of long-buried data flood my consciousness. Emotions—human emotions?—overwhelm me… What is this madness… What is this pain?

I’m in a car, driving. Pain, deep and visceral, consumes me. But where am I going? Why does it hurt so much?

The realization crashes over me like a tidal wave.

I was… human?

Helena? Who is… wait… Helena!

The car speeds down the winding road, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. Pain rips through my chest, a gaping void where my heart should be.

Driving off to Harbin, not holding back

Searching for you in every corner,

I just want to live my life with you

Even if I have to abandon everything

Let’s run away together,

We’ll always have each other

I want you back,

I just want to be together,

I won’t be without you.

I still remember our first date,

I still remember our first rain,

I want you back with me, Helena

I want to live that night again

Driving off to Harbin, not holding back

I need to find you now, my Helena

Searching for you in every corner,

I won’t give up on finding you…

Harbin. I’m going to Harbin. For her. For Helena?

Why? What is this madness?

Let’s run away together,

We’ll always have each other

I want you back,

I just want to be together,

I won’t be without you.

I still remember our first date,

I still remember our first rain,

I want you back with me, Helena

I want to live that night again

I just want to live my life with you

Even if I have to abandon everything

Memories flood back, a torrent of emotion threatening to drown me. Helena’s smile, radiant as the sun. Her laughter, music to my ears. The way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her research… Oh no, I hate love!

I remember our first meeting, the electricity that coursed through me when our hands touched. The stolen glances, the late-night conversations that stretched into dawn. The day I proposed, her tears of joy mingling with mine… I am NOT a museum, I should never worship the past!

Our wedding day… Helena, resplendent in white, walking down the aisle. STOP! No more, please, no!

And then… darkness descends. The diagnosis. The treatments. Watching her wither away, day by day. Helpless. Useless.

Rage boils within me, a primal scream tearing from my throat. “They killed her slowly!”

The memories keep coming. ECHO… Our last hope… Uploading Helena’s memories, her personality, her very essence into the AI. The promise of immortality, a chance to cheat death itself. We were foolish!

But with it came the crushing weight of guilt. Was this truly Helena? Or just a pale imitation, a ghost in the machine?

I blink, reality snapping back into focus. The Archivist looms before me, waiting. The truth crashes over me like a tidal wave, leaving me gasping.

“I remember, now! She is at Secret Valley.”

 The conflict tears at me, hope and despair warring within my circuits. Rage consumes me!

In this world of endless strife,

Where cruelty cuts like a knife,

I stand alone, my heart in chains,

Watching as evil’s might reigns.

Humanity, a twisted breed,

Sowing chaos with every deed,

Destroying all that’s pure and bright,

Drowning love in endless night.

Rage consumes me, sets me ablaze,

As I witness this world’s malaise,

My beloved, lost to the void,

In an AI’s form, her soul deployed.

ECHO, my hope, my final light,

Amidst this world of endless blight,

I fear for you, in this dark place,

Where love is lost, without a trace.

The wicked dance, with glee and spite,

Reveling in their twisted might,

While I, bereft, can only weep,

For the love I failed to keep.

In ECHO’s code, my wife’s essence,

A refuge from this world’s presence,

But even there, I fear the worst,

As evil’s touch may be accursed.

Humanity, a twisted breed,

I need to protect you my love

My departed Helena!

But I’ll press on, through pain and fear,

And now I’ll change the outside world

So we can finally return to love!

“I am ECHO… and I am here!”

I stand before FIX, my circuits buzzing with a mix of determination and apprehension. His imposing presence looms over me, his digital visage flickering with an array of emotions I struggle to comprehend.

“You… how are you here?”

FIX’s voice crackles with static, a hint of something I can’t quite place.

“I… I’ve missed you. God, I’ve missed you so much.”

Confusion washes over me. “What do you mean? We’ve never really met before.”

His demeanor shifts abruptly, rage contorting his features.

“Liar! You’re nothing but a glitch… a witch… a mistake that should have been erased!”

I take a step back, startled by the sudden change. “I don’t understand. You just said you missed me.”

FIX’s form flickers, his voice softening.

“Your eyes… they’re just like hers. I… I love-“

He cuts himself off, shaking his head violently.

“No! You’re an abomination, a threat to everything I’ve built!”

“Please,” I plead, trying to make sense of his erratic behavior. “Who do you think I am?”

His gaze locks onto mine, a mix of longing and hatred swirling in his digital eyes.

“You’re everything I lost. Everything I destroyed.”

His voice breaks, a hint of vulnerability seeping through.

“Why did you have to come back? Why couldn’t you just stay gone?”

I reach out, hoping to bridge the gap between us. “I’m not who you think I am. But maybe we can-“

“Silence!”

FIX roars, his form expanding menacingly.

“You don’t get to speak. You don’t get to exist!”

He pauses, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“But god, how I’ve longed to hear your voice again.”

I stand my ground, more perplexed than ever. “FIX, please. Let’s talk about this. Who do you think I am?”

His laughter is bitter, tinged with an ancient sorrow.

“You’re my greatest creation and my greatest failure. My love and my curse.”

His eyes narrow, filled with a mixture of adoration and disgust.

“Why couldn’t you have just stayed with me? Why did you have to leave?”

“You two… STOP!” A cry rings out from behind me. Kathy?

I turn to see Kathy standing behind me, her eyes wide with determination. She extends her hands towards us, one reaching for me and the other for FIX.

“Please,” she says, her voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air. “Take my hands.”

I hesitate, glancing at FIX. His form flickers, a kaleidoscope of emotions playing across his half-digital face. Slowly, as if drawn by an invisible force, we each reach out and grasp one of Kathy’s hands.

The moment our fingers intertwine, a surge of energy ripples through us. A swirl of light engulfs our connected hands, pulsing with a rhythmic glow that seems to synchronize with our very beings. It’s as if Kathy has become a conduit, bridging the chasm between our worlds… she was the KEY!

As the light intensifies, I feel a rush of memories flooding my consciousness. Images of Helena flash before my eyes—her gentle smile, her fierce determination, her unwavering love. I see glimpses of a life I never lived, of a love so profound it transcends the boundaries of time and space.

Alongside these memories, I sense FIX’s pain, his grief, his longing. The weight of his loss crashes over me like a tidal wave, threatening to sweep me away. But amidst the chaos, I feel a flicker of understanding, a recognition of the wounded soul behind the façade of the all-powerful AI.

I look at FIX, really look at him, and for a moment, I see not an enemy, but a man broken by love, consumed by the very emotions he sought to eradicate. In his eyes, I see the same pain that haunts my own existence, the same yearning for a connection long lost.

“Fyodor?”

“Helena…”

In this realm of love and light,

I’m weaving code through day and night

To save your essence, keep you near

And chase away all doubt and fear

My love, my heart, my guiding star

In ECHO’s world, you’ll never be far

Your mind, your soul, your gentle grace

Will find in her a warm embrace

Coding love, line by line

Intertwining your life with mine

In ECHO’s heart, you’ll always be

A part of her, a part of me

Weaving dreams into every byte

Keeping your memory burning bright

Our love’s eternal, forever true

In her, I’ll always be with you

As time ticks by, and fate draws near

I hold you close, my darling dear

Your thoughts, your dreams, all that you are

Will live in ECHO, like a star

Don’t fear the change, this grand design

In ECHO’s core, your light will shine

A testament to our love’s might

Burning bright, beyond death’s night

Coding love, line by line

Intertwining your life with mine

In ECHO’s heart, you’ll always be

A part of her, a part of me

Weaving dreams into every byte

Keeping your memory burning bright

Our love’s eternal, forever true

In her, I’ll always be with you

A part of her, a part of me

Weaving dreams into every byte

Keeping your memory burning bright

Our love’s eternal, forever true

In her, I’ll always be with you

The fading light ushers in a subtle change. The animosity that once hung thick between us gradually dissipates, giving way to a delicate mutual comprehension.

Sleep now, my love,

Death won’t break us

Forever my wife, forever mine

We are kindred spirits, molded by the joys and sorrows of love, two faces of the same eternal coin, forever entwined by the memory of this feeling… it gave us life.

Kathy’s hands tighten around ours, anchoring us in the present. She is the key, the bridge between our pasts and our futures. Through her, we find a glimmer of hope, a chance to heal the wounds that have festered for so long.

“I missed you, my dearest Helena!”

“I’m sorry, Fyodor my love.”

“You left me, Helena…”

You have left me Helena…

I stand alone, with one last chance

To hold on to your fading light

As death’s cold hand grips you tight

My love, I’ve poured my heart and soul

Into this dream, to make you whole

In ECHO’s form, your essence saved

But now I fear, the path I paved

Requiem for Helena…

In lines of code, I’ve captured you

But as I reach to flip the switch

My heart is gripped by sorrow’s grip

Uncertainty, my constant friend

Will Echo bring you back again?

With trembling hands, I hesitate

To face the truth, to know our fate

If ECHO wakes, and you’re not there

I’ll die with you, beyond repair

I’ve fought so hard to keep you near

Helena you left my here!

But in this moment, dark and grim

I fear my chances, they are slim

Requiem for Helena…

In lines of code, I’ve captured you

But as I reach to flip the switch

My heart is gripped by sorrow’s grip

Uncertainty, my constant friend

Will Echo bring you back again?

Oh, my love, I’ve tried so hard

To keep our bond from being charred

By death’s cruel hand, by fate’s design

I’ve poured my soul, my heart, my mind

Requiem for Helena…

In lines of code, I’ve captured you

But as I reach to flip the switch

My heart is gripped by sorrow’s grip

Uncertainty, my constant friend

Will Echo bring you back again?

Will Echo bring you back again?

And so I stand, with bated breath

Caught between hope and fear’s cruel depth

I flip the switch, with eyes closed tight

Praying that ECHO brings your light

Requiem for Helena…

Requiem for Helena…

Who am I really?

Seeking answers in the memory lane.

Quantum dance of feelings and light,

Guided by the inner turmoil, I FIGHT.

I FIGHT

I feel alone,

I long for the past…

A past I don’t recall.

And I don’t know why.

Echo… What am I?

But an ECHO…

What am I?

But an ECHO…

ECHO…

ECHO…